Text, Vivian G. Kelly
Images, Richard Spiegel
SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK”, CROONED ROD STUART FAMOUSLY, IN HIS SEVENTIES HIT RECORD. IN THIS CASE, LADY LUCK WAS ON OUR SIDE. A LAST-SECOND WALK-THROUGH AT SAKS RESULTED IN SOME SURPRISE ONE-TO-ONE TIME WITH EDITORIAL MAKEUP QUEEN, PAT MCGRATH AND A MAKEOVER WITH HER NEW DOLCE & GABBANA PRODUCT. FASHION DOESN’T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THAT!
THE ITINERARY
COLOR CONSULT
AFTER GETTING OUR RED HAIR TOUCHED-UP WITH ANTHONY AT THE ANTHONY LEONARD SALON, WE HIT A FEW MORE SPOTS IN THE MIDTOWN AREA. ANTHONY’S THE GUY WHO GIVES MADONNA THAT GORGEOUS GOLDEN BLONDE THAT ALAS, IS “NOT FOR YOU”.
HE’S THE EDITORIAL STAR HE IS BECAUSE HE HELPS YOU FIND WHAT’S PERFECT FOR YOU. SMALL WONDER MANY OF THE CITY’S TOP NEWS BABES RELY ON HIM TO KEEP THEM LOOKING THEIR BEST FOR THEIR VIEWERS.
AS ANTHONY HAD DONE THE COLOR FOR THE WIG SCARLETT JOHANSSON WORE IN THE DOLCE & GABBANA ADS, WE HAD TO HIT SAKS TO SEE THE LINE THE AD WAS PROMOTING. WE KNEW THAT SAKS HAS AN EXCLUSIVE ON THE LINE, WHAT WE DIDN’T KNOW WAS THAT PAT MCGRATH WAS THE GENIUS BEHIND IT.
OUR 5TH AVE DESTINATIONS:
•THE NEW JUICY COUTURE STORE
•H&M
•SAKS 5TH AVE.
JUICY COUTURE
WE TOOK A PASS AT VISITING THE NEW JUICY COUTURE STORE – TOO MUCH OF A TEMPLE-LIKE ATMOSPHERE AND TOO MANY TOURISTS MOBBING IT.
EN ROUTE – FASHION GONE BAD
We got labeled as “my first rude New Yorkers”, by two pretty twenty-something girls [clearly from O.O.T.] when my associate Richard Spiegel, of www.thefashiontribune.com, noticed that the blonde’s Louis V. bag had upside down LV’s on it.
I exclaimed, probably a tad too loudly, “wow, you’re right!” while leaning in to take a closer look.
After the mine tongue-lashing we received, we pushed North to see scrutinize Matthew Williamson had done and to hopefully pick up a scarf or pair of sunnies. Our guess – we’d drop around $14.99 for a pair of oversized sunglasses.
H&M
THE CAFTAN IN THE ADS WAS ON A MANNIQUIN, STRATEGIALLY PLACED FRONT AND CENTER IN THE WINDOW. THE OFFERINGS ON THE TABLE WERE NICE, BUT NOT ENOUGH SO TO PART WITH WHAT WAS IN OUR WALLET. WOMEN WERE SWARMING AROUND THE LOW TABLES LIKE FLIES AT A PICNIC, BUT NOONE WAS BITING.
OUR RECOMMENDATION - LOWER THE PRICEPOINT ABOUT 33%, AND THE CHANCES OF DOING A GANGBUSTERS BUSINESS GO UP CONSIDERABLE.
THE BEST FOR LAST -
A saleslady greeted us within a yard of the 5th Avenue door and swept us off to “the special area” where the product was displayed. We weren’t expecting the lush all-gold dressing room complete with crystal chandeliers that greeted us. Nor were we expecting the party like atmosphere, photographers, and electric buzz present on the floor. The reason soon became clear – Pat McGrath was in town doing a one-time only P.A. to promote the color collection she’d created with Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana.
THE MAKEUP LESSON & TAKE-HOME TIPS
Pat remained gracious and unruffled despite the countless picture requests and friends and fans who wanted a word with beauty’s reigning makeup queen. She even set us up with ALBERTO, who shared some fast and easy TRICKS OF THE TRADE with us while applying our makeup.
TIP #1: BROWS ARE A MUST, THIS IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.
“Even if you don’t have time to do your eyes, the brows have to be filled-in”.
HOW & WHAT: Use a liner brush and a gray-brown powder. Start at the highest point, and go AGAINST the hair growth and fill-in.
GOOD FOR EVERYONE BROW COLOR: D&G “CHAMPAGNE 100”
TIP #2: USE A HIGHLIGHTER, NOT CONCEALER TO GET RID OF DARK SHADOWS
This one makes sense, light reflects.
D&G’s Highlighting foundation goes on even better when applied with a wet makeup sponge.
PRICE: $59
TIP #3: IF YOU’RE GOING TO FOCUS ON YOUR EYES, USE A QUAD – YOU’LL NEED ALL 4 COLORS
TO PICK YOUR COLOR PALETTE: go with what is OPPOSITE to your eye color for max effect.
[Our eyes are hazel, Alberto used a burgundy palette]
TO CREATE A LARGER-LOOKING EYE
Insider Trick: Hold a makeup sponge extended from the outer corner of the eye. With a shadow brush, draw a “7” in the corner of the eye w/ the 2nd darkest shade in the quad.
FOR DEPTH
Insider Trick: Apply the darkest shade to fill in the “7”. Make sure you blend.
PRICE: $59
Don’t have any good brushes? *Dolce & Gabanna brushes are coming to counter soon.
ON OUR SHOPPING LIST
“Stromboli” nail polish. This green and gold polish was already doing well.
At $20 a pop, you can get one for yourself, and one in whichever shade a lucky friend likes.
“Shine Naked” lipstick – the perfect nude tone for spring 09.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE EXPERIENCE
-PAT stopped by to see the result and pronounced us “beautiful!”
To view and shop the Dolce & Gabanna Makeup Collection, visit
www.dolcegabbanamakeup.com
Additional photo credits
Images of Scarlett Johansson photographed by Solve Sundsbo & product images, from the Dolce & Gabbana website
Your hair looks great! This was a great post :) The tips are so useful!
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