Hasta La Ideas

This winter season may be trudging along as slow as ever, giving us only minute peeks at what we have in store for springtime, but that doesn’t mean that you should have to live in limbo like the weather seems to be! The signs insist that spring will be here before we know it (you didn’t lose an hour of sleep for nothing!) so you might as well kiss the “blahs” goodbye and forge ahead into festive florals and bright colors fit for the (hopefully) sunny weather ahead! And while summery clothing may not be the wisest way to kick the season into gear (it is still a little too cold for flip-flops and tank tops), there’s no reason why your beauty regime can’t be warmth-inspired to channel the blue skies ahead! You’d be surprised at how easy it is to perk up your mood (and your look) with springy eye-brightening liners and highlighters, complexion buffers, and even scents! Pisces can spread the spring fever with a peppy floral perfume by Marc Jacobs, Virgos can play up their peepers with some stylishly long lashes, and Cancers will learn how to fake a golden glow with Smashbox shimmery bronzer! Check out the slideshow to see what beauty boosts your sign has in store this week!

Awards season has come and gone and were left with a mere memory of gorgeous gowns and gold statuettes. One thing that has been burned in my mind from that evening was that there was nary a black dress in sight! While most of us don’t have any red carpet moments in our future, we do have plenty of cocktail parties, weddings and birthday parties to attend. Take advice from the stars and ditch basic black to stand out from the crowd. I know it’s hard to let go of the little black dress, but don’t fret ladies, I have a plan to help you break out from black! For the true black addicts (myself included!), take a small step to other neutrals; Steel gray, beige and cream can be a pretty option for day or night. Feeling a little bit bolder? Then sequins and shine are for you like this perfect Derek Lam lame dress. Once you have conquered the neutrals and shine you’re ready for the last step in look-at-me dressing- bold color! One of Hollywood’s new favorite (and affordable) brands Black Halo makes great, figure flattering dresses in great colors like cobalt blue and magenta that are sure to get you noticed. So next time you’re looking for a little black dress, take a step back and start looking for a little NOT black dress instead. Check out the slideshow for some options.
Photo credit: PR Photos

I know times are tough and money is tight, and I must applaud you hivers that have been cutting back on your shopping sprees and behaving yourself in the face of tempting designer labels and reduced (but still pricey!) price tags. And although I admire self-discipline and thriftiness, many inexperienced yet determined smart shoppers aren’t always the most well-informed, and in their attempt to take better care of their cash flow will sacrifice quality to save a few cents, fall for disguised deals that really just put them further into debt, and overall just end up not getting the real bang for their buck. One of the biggest frugal faux pas when it comes to shopping is the idea that drugstore makeup is the way to save. True, drugstores, mainly Walgreens and Rite Aid, carry loads of great brands for even greater prices, all conveniently in the same adjacent aisles for easy browsing and comparison, and don’t get me wrong — I’m all about the thrifty beauty finds, especially given all the products I compulsively buy on a regular basis. With that in mind, I know by experience as a makeup junkie that not all drugstore brands are a save, especially when it comes to quality. For example, ninety-nine cent eyeliner is a great idea in theory, but have you actually tried skidding it across your lids? And on the opposite end of the spectrum, while many L’Oreal products are on the high end of cosmetics aisle quality, have you checked out the price tag? Some of the products look beautiful but aren’t a bargain in the least, more than breaking the $10 barrier and verging into high-end line prices. While this might seem like I’m just trying to depress you, or perhaps just discourage you enough to throw your financial saving out the window and succumb to your inner shopaholic like me, I assure you, it’s not all bad news! The point to all this drugstore myth-busting is that smart beauty shopping doesn’t mean you must limit yourself to Longs when it comes to buying makeup, especially with climbing product costs — In fact, Sephora carries plenty of affordable brands (and not-so-affordable ones that go on sale!) that rival and even beat drugstore prices, and often provide better quality when it comes to beauty basics that you shouldn’t skimp on. Check out the slideshow for some of the the priciest drugstore products exposed, matched with rival cheaper products from more upscale lines found at Sephora!

Madonna, Oprah, Bono– it doesn’t take a last name to know who these celebs are. Taking that idea in mind, there are plenty of other first names you’d know if they were grouped together. Los Angeles-based The Names Brand was inspired by the iconic John & Paul & Ringo & George T-Shirt by Experimental Jetset, a design group from Amsterdam. The Names Brand has taken that idea and ran with other pop culture icons from the Jolie-Pitt family to the Spice Girls. Show your “Gossip Girl” pride with a Dan & Blair & Nate & Jenny & Chuck & Serena shirt or geek out politically with the names of the Supreme Court Justices on your chest. Best part is, they’re not reserved just for t-shirts. Get hoodies, tote bags, buttons, baby onesies and bibs all with your favorite names on them. You can even contact them for custom orders too! Order by 3/12 and get 17% off your order with code MARCH19 with a $25+ purchase. Click the slideshow to see more names you’ll be proud to show off.

The high school queen bees on “Gossip Girl” are rarely seen without an of-the-moment headband. Their fashionable headgear ranges from ultra basic to extraordinary and have started a headband movement all over the world. Looking for something beyond the usual leather or tortoiseshell band? Look no further than I Love Factory with their modern twist on millinery with hand-sewn, fashion forward headgear that even the Gossip Girl herself would love. Started by Laurel St. Romain and Christopher Garbushian, the pair makes the entire collection by hand in their Brooklyn studio. The current “Parklife Society” collection includes 12 pieces, all in black and ivory made from leather, satin, taffeta and guinea hen feathers. They’re perfect for adding a little whimsy to any outfit day or a new twist to that little black dress you’ve been wearing to every cocktail party and rehearsal dinner since 2002. Check out the entire collection at ilovefactorybk.com!