Maureen's Blab and Blog

I am not a beauty blogger!  I do however, really love makeup, nail polish and hair products.  One look in my bathroom vanity and you might think I have a problem.  OK, so maybe I get a little seduced by claims of the best, newest and most researched products out there.  I’m guilty on all charges.

I have a confession to make.   I have always had my nails done as far back as I can remember.  Living in New York City, recently graduated from college, on a VERY modest salary and sharing a studio apartment in the West Village with my pal from college, I always managed to scrape together enough money for a manicure.  It was a small luxury that made me feel grown up and so professional.  That was the 80′s and fire engine red was all the rage.  Long rounded nails a la Melanie Griffith in Working Girl was what everyone wore and I did too.

Fast forward many years later, I wear my nails short, but still neatly maincured.  I have started to get Gel /Shellac manicures that last 2 whole weeks.  I often get compliments on my nail color (both fingers and toes), so I thought I would start sharing what I wear with you.  I’ll post a “Nail Polish of the Month” and see where it takes us.

Sadly, Summer is coming to an end so last week I wanted a color that was fun, light and playful to usher out the last weeks of my favorite season.  So here is what I wore:

CND Shellac in Mint Convertible

I love the mint green of this color and it makes me happy to look at.  It reminds me of mint chocolate chip ice cream, one of my favorites.  I like the way that the darker green looks on my toes with these yellow sandals.  Here is what I am wearing on my toes:

Essie, Ruffles and Feathers

August nail polishes of the month

Do you wear nail or toe colors to reflect your mood, the season or your favorite color?  Maybe you like to go with a predictable yet sexy red or a neutral hue.   I’d love to know what colors you choose to wear on your digits and why?  Share, share, share!

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Look around next time you’re out walking around a city or suburban mall.  You will definitely see a healthy amount of animal print roaming around.  Animal print used to be a trend for only the most fashion forward among us.  It has successfully crossed over from fashion ‘trend’ to fashion ‘classic’.  Animal prints have become mainstream and can be seen in many different sartorial iterations.  Here are some ways you can wear a little or a lot of animal print.

If you just want to dip your toe in the pool and not dive in completely, take a baby step with a scarf, pin or umbrella.  The three pieces in this photo were all easy to find and easy on the wallet.  The lighter colored scarf and pin are both from H & M, VERY affordable.

The next step you can take is a pair of animal print shoes.  These are all styles that I have worn consistently over the last 5 years.  I love the Zebra ones for easy black and white pairings with a splash of color (I do red with these a lot).  The Tod’s pair on the left are my absolute favorites and I wear them ALL the time.  Because they have black and browns, they go with so much!

If you are feeling brave, you can go further with an animal print shirt, pant, or in this picture, a handbag.  I just got this Kate Spade bag and I am using it like crazy.  In an unusual twist, a client found this while shopping in Santana Row in San Jose with a friend.  I saw it and decided (with her agreement) I had to have it.  Again, it can be worn with black or browns, can be wiped off and travels really well.

This blouse is also a great way to work animal print into your wardrobe.

I often caution clients not to go overboard with any particular look, animal prints included. Too much of a good thing is TOO much!  One or two small pieces, like shoes and a scarf or pin are lovely, but head to toe is a NO-NO.

I LOVE the way Janice was able to wear this beautiful Tory Burch animal print dress with so much style and verve!  She is a wonderful example of embracing the look and making it her own, way to go Janice!  She kept things simple, like her jewelry and wore black tights and over- the- knee boots… perfect.

How do you wear animal prints?  I’d love to hear your answers and even better, see your pictures.

Pantone has announced the color of the year for 2014 in the usual flush of excitement and fanfare.  Pantone is THE authority on all things related to color.  So, drumroll please…the color for 2014 is RADIANT ORCHID!!! 

Pantone’s 2014 color of the year, Radiant Orchid

While I think this is a lovely color, will this be a color that most women and men can relate to???  I combed my closet to see if I already owned any Radiant Orchid.  I came up with a work out top, that someone gave to me.  While I don’t have anything against Radiant Orchid, it is not the first (or second, or third, etc) color that I would reach for.  I then started to think about my clients and whether this would speak to any of their sartorial leanings.  The answer is not really, except for maybe one client.  She tends towards softer colors and never wears black!  So, that begs the question of whether just because a color has the designation of ‘color of the year’, do we try to incorporate it into our wardrobes?

My Orchid workout top

There are a lot of other ways to wear Radiant Orchid besides a dress, top or jeans. Why not a Orchid colored handbag or clutch?  What about an purple hued pair of ballet flats or other kind of shoe?  Don’t forget that the beauty industry is also influenced by Pantones color forecasts.  Radiant Orchid is a great color for makeup.  What about a beautiful blush or eye shadow in this years’ color?

The color board above gives some other ways to wear this sometimes difficult hue.  Take a look at the other colors in the 2014 fashion forecast this year.  I can really relate to Celosia Orange, Cayenne and Hemlock below.  So will anyone really care if I opt for a blush in the color of the year instead of a statement piece?  Probably not!  What do you think of Radiant Orchid, 2014 color of the year?  C’mon, don’t be shy…

Pantone fashion color forecast

Target is truly the benchmark when it comes to designer collaborations, it made Isaac Mizrahi a household name after all!  Well, for those of you obsessed with getting designer styles at a fraction of the cost, the wait is over.  Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos,  co-creators of the Peter Pilotto line have designed a capsule collection for Target.  It hits Target stores/website on February 9th, as well as Net-a-Porter.com.  That means those living outside of the U.S. can buy it too, c’est magnifique!

Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos are London based designers and met whilst studying at Antwerp’s prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 2000.  Pilotto is half Austrian and half Italian and De Vos is half Belgian and half Peruvian.  Pilotto’s passion is wonderful prints and textiles while De Vos leans toward silhouette and draping.  Together, they are just genius!

The collection is so interesting in the way it pairs Pilotto’s graphic and sometimes crazy prints with the architectural design of De Vos.  Almost the entire line is priced below $60 and keep in mind that a real Peter Pilotto dress can cost upwards of $2000!  Some have described their sensibility at Fem-Geek, which hits the nail on the head.

The line includes staples like dresses (can you say summer parties?), skirts, pants tops, as well as bathing suits, accessories (totes and clutches) and even a beach towel.  I was a little disappointed with the quality of the Philip Lim for Target collection, so I hope this latest collaboration is a step up.

I love the playfulness of the prints and the wear-ability of the dresses.  Until it comes out, it is hard to gauge how well it will fit.  Although from the lookbook, it seems to skew towards the younger side, I think some of the separates worn with a solid would be great on any age.  It’s all about what you wear it with, yes?

Anyone have their eye on anything???  For the full lookbook, check out fashionista.com and let me know what you like … Happy shopping!