Pictorial - Jan 2-9 - Getting Into the Groove of 2011

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

It was a slow start to the New Year - a nagging sinus infection kept me close to the CT Home Office but it wasn't a total wash.

The highlight - we're fostering a baby - a 6 month old Cairn Terrier, named Jacqueline ["Jackie-O" in our house, in honor of said fashion icon]. It's COOOLD out here in the Country so a shopping trip was required to beef up her collection of winter sweaters. Saturday, after much discussion about whether pink or green would be best, we compromised - on a pink and green sweater with a large embroidered strawberry on the back.

It was also a week to see what new fashion books there are out there. After a trip to Borders' Book Store in Stamford, it seems the pickings as far as fashion books go is slim. The notable exception was the self-titled coffee table beauty, Tom Munro, with the introduction by Madonna and a gorgeous black and white image of Madge on the cover warrants further investigation. Another book to look at is Locals Only, with a great cover of two quintessential Cali Girls - all real, no lipo. Must have been what the Beach Boys were crooning about in all those early songs of theirs.

We made the obligatory trip to the mall, stopping-into Forever21 and Charlotte Russe, just to see how desperate retailers are in January. I bought a joke-riff pair of purple knit Ugg-style slipper boots at Charlotte Russe for $5. NO, it's NOT a typo - Five Dollars.

Last but not least, I continued my on-going investigation into how to get the most durable AND hassle-free nails currently available. This HUnt started in Orlando, when bored, I hopped into my rented Sebring convertible and went to the nearest nail salon. Once there, I quizzed the nail tech on the various options - gel or acrylic. We decided on a full set of acrylics for $30 and I was one happy camper for 4 days.

After the initial honeymoon period, the ugly regrowth bump emerged and I got a poor set of fills at the local CT mall which set me back $30.

Disillusioned, I paid $15 to have them take off after an unsuccessful 3 day attempt to soak them off at home. The removal process was the nail tech drilling-through the acrylic and then removing the left-overs with a Metro Card. No kidding, really! He managed not to hurt me. Once I arrived home, I applied a coat of Sally Hansen's Gel. The alternative is to pay $42 at the Adam Broderick Salon for professionals to apply the CND [Creative Nail Design] gel - mixed with a nail color] on me for $42. For now, the cheapie at-home experiment continues. Results in - sometime next week.

Festive Holiday Beauty: Skin Prep With Bioelements and Beauty with MAC’s Tartan Tale Collection

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

In addition to my new Miriam Haskell Jewelry obsession, I’ve been jonesing for the look model Raquele Zimmermann sported in the December issue of Vogue. Raquele is one of today's biggest editorial stars, but until this shoot, styled by one of my favorite stylists, Camilla Nickerson, I didn't really pay her much attention. In it, she’s so bloody glamorous that I compulsively ripped out two of the pages and put one in my Louis V tote and tack the other one up on my home office mood board. I started studying it in great detail and approached it one step at a time. While I’m not going to be able swing the fabulous Tom Ford blouse or Jean Harlow-inspired Marc Jacobs suit, I don’t really mind. It’s the beauty look that’s got me over the rails.
Step one – I decide to dye my hair red, really red. As I venture into the beauty supply store I frequent every few months, I try to put a handle on the color I’m going for.
Me: Mmm, it’s flame, well, a deep flame.
Anne: Show me the picture, honey.
[I do and she nods approvingly]. “Yeah, you can do this, but it will fry your hair a good bit.”
I don’t care. She smiles knowingly and hands me the color remover packet, 20 Volume peroxide and the “brunette red” toner that I need.
A few days later, I’m back, because my efforts had resulted in a rose wine hue that wasn’t cutting it. Anne and Maria went to work and dumped some more color in to blast it to that deep "Raquele red" I was fixated on achieving.
That accomplished, I’m almost ready to do the makeup but postponed a visit to the MAC counter until my appointment with Isabelle V., at Beauty 360. Over the past 6 months, on Isabelle’s advice, I’ve been slowly adding a few BioElements products to my daily skincare regimen. Everything I’ve used to this point with the exception of the lash growth formula has been more than satisfactory. I was scheduled for a mini BioElements facial with Krystale, the visiting cosmetician from Boston. in hopes of finding something that would add the moisture that always leaves me come early November.
There’s no point in putting on killer makeup on a skin that is so dry that it won’t hold the product.
Krystale gave me some company background as she peformed enzyme exfoliation on my face. Bioelements was founded in 1991 by Barbara Salomone, one of the first ever licensed aestheticians in the USA. "It's a serious skincare line favored by beauty professionals" she says as she paints the enzyme on my face. The enzyme extracts in the enzyme exfoliator eat up the protein in the dead skin. Once that top layer is gone, your skin feels smoother and can more readily absorb rich creams you apply after the toner. After Krystale explained that the toner boosts the efficiency of the moisturizer, I decided to stop skipping that step.
The following products "The triple moisture treat" gave my skin a much needed moisture drink:

1. B.E. Crucial Moisture
2 B. E. SPF 50
3. B.E. Recovery Serum

I opted for their most hydrating product, “Really Rich Moisture”, which leaves my skin feeling dewy. It's just what I needed and is the RX for skin that's tired after too much travel.
Two days later, I‘m 6oo miles away, visiting my former college campus and a good writer gal pal, T, who’s in town for a few weeks to work on a PR project. The night we arrive, we decide that the Vogue look requires bleaching-out my eyebrows. That accomplished, I’m finally ready for a trip to the MAC Cosmetics counter to check-out the limited edition “Tartan Tale” collection
and to pick-up the right colors to achieve my Vogue look.

The MAC stylist at the Nordstrom’s tells me that my target look “is very easy”. For once, this is actually true. I say “for once” because years ago, as US Beauty Director of Lucire Magazine, beauty stars such as Tom Pecheux, would tell me “how simple” an obviously intricate makeup look was to recreate [for him].
In this case, it actually WAS easy. All that was required were a few items from the “Tartan Tale” collection.
I left with “Golden Crown” eye shadow.
As she worked on my face, I had time to closely inspect the Tartan Tale ad in which the model's hair was a lighter shade of red. I decided I wasn’t done – not yet. My next move – an appointment with Anthony Palmermo of the Anthony Leonard Salon in NYC next Wednesday, to lighten my hair up some more. Once that’s done, I hope to wear it with a hunter green taran top, just like the model in the ad. Today, I'll be hitting the best fashion designer consignment shops in the Orlando area for just such a piece. With luck, I'll be showing you my find next Wednesday in my weekly "The Hunt" post.

The search begins today, at 2p.m. until the shops close down.

The 12 Days of Xmas-Fashion

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

On the first day of Christmas,

Caswell Massey sent to me, a lovely little Gianna Rose Bird Soap, complete with her two perfect eggs, nestled in a little porcelain dish. Voila, the perfect hostess gift for under $30!

On the second day of Christmas,
my UPS Man sent to me
Two items from QVC: KJL’s “Lady Di” blue engagement ring and a pair of black Jackie O
sunglasses in a chic red leather case.

On the third day of Christmas,
my grocer sent to me
3 bunches of fresh watercress because Dr. Nicholas Perricone

said, "It’s the new Ancient Superfood” that may just be the secret ingredient in the Fountain of Youth. You’ll have to read his latest book, FOREVER YOUNG to find out what the rest of his magic formula is.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
X-Rated Fusion Liqueur sent to me 1 bottle of the pink elixir and 3 festive cocktail recipes to toast the holidays in. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur is a low calorie vodka infused liqueur, and delicious on the rocks, but I’ll kick things off with a special holiday cocktail, “Sassy Little Elf” with 4 gal pals
after some holiday shopping. We'll mix-up some “Holiday Mischief Makers” to help with culinary inspiration on Xmas Eve, and St. Nick’s Naughty or Nice Punch will keep things merry all through-out Xmas day.

Sassy Little Elf

2 oz. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
1 ½ oz. guava juice or nectar
1 oz. half-n-half
½ oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
garnish: lemon zest (or mini candy cane)

Vigorously shake all ingredients with ice.
Strain into a chilled martini glass.
Serve with the garnish on the rim of the glass.

On the fifth day of Christmas,

sent to me 5 Great Skin Care Products from the new SHISEIDO BENEFIANCE WRINKLE RESIST 24 line. Thanks to its advanced technology, I won’t have to visit my dermatologist and plastic surgeon for a while.

It’s a grand slam of a combo:

1.Extra Creamy Foaming Lotion

2.Wrinkle Resist Balancing Softener Enriched

3.W.R. 24 Day Cream SPF15

4.W.R.24 Night Cream

5.NEW Shiseido Suncare Urban Environment UV Protection Cream SPF 35 PA +++. This last goodie will come in handy when I go down to Orlando in two weeks as it’s for face + body. Just remember to pack it in your check-in Lilly Pulitzer "Pink Daquiri" Tote






so the TSA Grinches don't swoop it away.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
I got busy sitting at my little gold rolltop Italian desk and knocked-out Xmas cards from HAUTE HOLIDAY CARDS, stylish eco-friendly initiatives, hauteholiday cards use papers that have high recycled content from www.hauteholiday.com with the help of a lot of Café Bustelo Espressos brewed in the Dolce Gusto Piccolo
coffee machine, a tres stylish coffee machine discovered at Robert Verdi’s Luxe Lounge during NYFW.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
I went to the Apple Store and bought seven different ipod covers – one for each day of the week.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
United Artists sent to me, 8 posters of Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning in "Cherry Bomb".

Joan Jett and Cherie Currie themselves didn't look this good. Aviators, anyone? You can't beat a pair of classic Ray-bans.

On the ninth day of Christmas, I pulled out my Farrow & Ball
paint catalogue and decided that I’d start 2011 by repainting TheFE Home Office in one of their spring 2011 fashion colors. The winner? The "Elegant" room, painted in "Arsenic No.214, trimmed in "Slipper Satin".
My target - to have it done in 9 days

On the tenth day of Christmas,
I threw caution and my AMEX to the wind and went leaping over to Neiman Marcus, and did a "his and hers". If you want to pull out all the stops, the REAL "HIS + HERS" = the official 50th anniversary of NM's His & Hers gifts - the ultimate romantic retreat: the MetroShip houseboat. The 48-foot by 12-foot open floor plan and 7-foot-high interior ceiling is richly appointed, offering the best in comfort, technology, aesthetics–and portability.
Neiman Marcus
style: HIS - 5 Tom Ford Private Blend Fragrances

HERS - 5 Tom Ford Lipsticks.

On HIS List

• Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum

• Oud Wood Eau de Parfum

• Amber Absolute Eau de Parfum

• Tuscan Leather Eau de Parfum

• And the latest one- Vetivier

On HERS List

• Ginger Fawn

• Black Orchid

• Pink Dusk

• Vanilla Suede

• Blush Nude

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
I went to Border’s Book Stores, picked up the “Complete Sushi Book DVD” kit, and watched Steven Pallett guide me through the process of making a respectable California roll. It's also available on www.amazon.com, where it earned a *****rating.

Nobu, it’s not, but it’s good to be able to make a basic California Roll for lunch – just like Super Model Cindy Crawford used to swear by when she needed to keep her killer bod
toned for strutting down Gianni Versace’s runway back in the day.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
I gave myself the gift of relaxation, starting with a hot bath in India Hicks' Island Living "Spider Lily" bath salts, put Sinatra's,
"Nothing But the Best" on my Ipod and

followed by a shower with the matching body polisher, body lotion, and a spritz of the eau de toilette - all from www.crabtree-evelyn.com

Then, I snuggled onto my newly upholstered couch, courtesy of Kostas Decorating, wrapped myself-up in a snuggly "heather honey zen cardigan" from Worth with India's enormous "Casa Causarina" candle burning

on the dresser, and threw-in the DVD of the 1967 Jacqueline Susann cult classic, Valley of the Dolls and soaked in some sixties fabulosity. Try this at-home "sleep cure", just like "Neely O'Hara, Anne Welles, and Jennifer North", indulged in at exclusive Swiss jet set
spa retreats. Thanks to all of these little luxuries, I won't have to pop any "dolls" like the Girls did for my long winter's nap.

###

James Aguiar Shares His Plane Travel Beauty Survival Tips

Fashion spokesperson, personality, and TV host, James Aguiar redefines the term “ramblin’ man”. We caught up with James outside Malon Breton, pre-show.

I listened in, as Fashion Tribes’ Mark Behnke, asked James [who sees everything] what his take is on menswear for s/s2011. While they dissected the s/s 2011 season, I mentally calculated the number of air miles James would log, in just one season. I came up with roughly 20,000 miles, NYC-Boston, NYC-and a few other cities,[8,815 miles, one-way, from New York to Auckland, New Zealand]. Not only does James have to survive the travel, he doesn’t get to crash in 600 thread count thread sheets and order-up room service and a glass of wine to wind-down. James had to hit the ground running, and be camera ready. After nearly 9,000 miles, he had to get on the job, hosting Auckland Fashion Week. So, there’s no room in James’ game for under eye circles, on yawning.
I decided to find-out how he does it, because I can’t recall the last time I felt “fresh” getting off a plane.
While I love to travel, I dread the washed-out feeling and lizard dry skin that’s I walk out with even with repeated applications of my ultra rich Mario Badescu seaweed night cream and Perricone MD Cold Plasma. They serve me well while on land, but evidently, something more is required. Prior to chatting with James though, I couldn’t think of anything else other than resorting to the old world trick of putting olive oil on my face. James’ secret travel weapon is Amore Pacific’s Refreshing Complex spray mist.
I tracked-down the miracle potion
on www.bergdorfgoodman.com.

Refreshing Complex is loaded with Minerals such as Zinc, Calcium and Magnesium and is rich yet oil-free. It uses stabilized Bamboo Sap instead of distilled water, which can have a drying effect. Added to that are brightening botanicals such as Ginger Root, Matsutake Mushroom and Aqua-Sponge Complex™, Amore Pacific’s
exclusive moisture binding complex. It’s a bit rich, $100 a bottle, but one great skin care item is truly worth its weight in gold, even at it’s current $1,300/oz.




JAMES’ FIVE TRAVEL TIPS

1. Spray, Spray, Spray! I spray my face non-stop with Amore Pacific while on the flight.

2. Looking fresh means not wearing makeup, ever on the flight.

3. Combat dryness before it hits by geting a facial a few days before you travel.

4. Tried but true: Drink tons of water.

5. Remain pure -
DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL on the flight.