Remember these? Who knew they'd be so comfortable! They are the Donald J. Pliner "Sportique" which means it has a sporty rubber sole. I wore these so much this summer that I went back to Shoe Pavillion to buy some more. Unfortunately, they were all out so I had to order them online instead. (shoepavillion.com, $49.99) They are out of the brown, so I opted for a black pair instead. (Maybe they look more Fall/Winter? Paired with some capri's and a pea coat?)

My friend who is a little bit "girlier" than I am bought another in the white:

Some of you may think that this article is a little bit "late" (after all, the Shick Intuition shaver has been out for months now) but if you've ever heard my shaving horror story (think 7th grade, generic razor, lotion and unstoppable bleeding for a half hour) then you'll understand my hesitance in trying new shaving products.

I've learned my lesson. NEVER shave without shaving cream. So even with the allure of this all-in-one razor I stuck by my Gillette Venus + Satin Care Shaving Cream combo. That and the fact that I bought a ridiculously large family pack of Venus refills at Costco. Oh and also because the Intuition is kinda pricy.



But last night I put the Schick Intuition to a test (endangering my limbs in the process) and tried it for the first time. Although nothing compares to the feeling of thick lathered up shaving cream, the Intuition really impressed me. There wasn't a time when I felt like I could get a nick or a cut (which actually comes quite often with the Venus) and I got a very smooth, very close shave. I love the convenience of the all-in-one, it made shaving quick, smooth and painless. Even on tough spots like the knees and underarms (where you would normally go over it at least a few times in different directions), the Intuition excelled. Not needing to reapply the shaving cream really cuts down the time and ups the convenience factor.

Soo... if you haven't tried it yet, you really should. ~.~

P.S. I just saw online that there is a new cucumber melon scented solid... my favorite scent! I'm going to have to check at home to see if mine is this new scent. =)

Okay so I went for my 2nd Refill. I went for about 2 1/2 months without a refill and my eyelashes were BARE. Well, not any thinner or shorter than my original lashes before all the extensions but after being used to long lush lashes... my own lashes looked bald without the boost :(

This time I wanted a more dramatic look... She gave me 3 options.

1) She could use thicker lashes which will immediately make my lashes look much fuller, but this will compromise longevity of the lashes and I will need a refill in 2-3 weeks as opposed to 4-6 weeks. No can do.

2) She could coat the regular lashes to give it a permanent "mascara" look.... BUT... it can look a little "clumpy" Um, no thanks.

3) She could use longer lashes. LONGER lashes? All this time you had even longer lashes? So of course I agreed!

So she mixed in long, longer, and longest lashes. Towards the insides of my eyes were just the regular long lashes. Towards the middle she mixed in the long with longer, and the corners of my eyes were a mix of the longer and longest. Results? Wow!

Now everyone notices right off the bat that I have longer lashes.... but they still look natural. In the way that they don't look like clumpy mascara'd lashes. When you look up close you can tell that they're not completely my lashes.... they're just too long. But from a conversation distance (like 3 ft+... anyone closer than that to you is too close) they're much more subtle and look really good. They curl up much better than the ones I had last time and they really open up my eyes, making them much bigger.

I will post pictures soon. Unfortunately I forgot my camera cable at work :(

P.S. I've seen pictures of extensions done at the Jim Wayne Salon in Beverly Hills (reported in US Magazine as $295 a session) and they look HORRIBLE! Well, not in just the picture of Kimberly Stewart but I saw some pictures up close and it looks like they are very messy with the glue, giving it a very clumpy mascara look. I think Asian salons (Korean ones, in particular) still do the best job. My extensions fuse smoothly with my own eyelashes so they look like a single eyelash... you cannot see the glue at all.

==
For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about...
read Part I ... and Part II.

**edit:
Here are some pictures that I took of a poster at my eyelash gal's salon. They're *not* of my eyes but my before and after are VERY similar. The same dramatic difference. My eyes just aren't as prettily shaped as hers. ~.~



Notice how much bigger her eyes look in the after? I think the weight of the lashes makes the double eyelid more prominent and therefore opens her eyes even bigger. It's been 2 weeks so far with these new "extra long lashes" and so far they're still long and curl up! :)

P.S. If you've had your lashes done and you are satisfied with the salon that you go to, please e-mail me the location, phone number and price of your extensions. I would like to put together a little directory for everyone so I'd appreciate the submissions. Thank you!!!

Okay first of all I apologize for the halt on summer.... the weather just started getting cooler and I was thinking... I should concentrate in the "now" for now. Spring/Summer's great and all but it's time to focus on Fall!

First of all I had a lot of great jeans come in at the office... so I've added another 6 pairs to my wardrobe. I don't have THAT many jeans... I just counted the other night, this brings my total to 38 pairs. Leading the pack are my True Religions (5), Citizens of Humanity (4), 7 for all Mankind (5) and Rock & Republics (4). So recently I added a pair of 7 for all Mankind Havana's, Rock & Republic Scorpions in a dark wash [my old one in vapor was butchered by the tailor] and a pair of Capital Tailors denim trousers I'm planning on cutting into capri's. These 3 I bought on sale for $69, $59, and $10 respectively. Good deal!

The other 3 pairs I got were from a recent shipment for my office. I absolutely love them for Fall.


This is a pair of Antik's, new for fall with the copper stitching. I love the contrast of the whipstitching on the hem in a copper/yellow thread. Also this pair is in a much thinner and softer fabric than most Antik are. Kind of dressy but very "fall".


These are my favorite. They are a new special edition featuring embroidery in Japanese Style Art. It's a gold hawk in a pine tree... around the waistband and near the front 2 pockets are little pine leaves which look like soft white dandelions. Very cute. Very dressy and surprisingly very flattering when you put them on.


These are my first pair of Joe's Jeans. [Socialite in Light Credence] Well... actually my second but my first I bought over 2 years ago so those don't count. They didn't even have style names back then. Anyhow I have to admit these jeans are not that cute nor special... but once I tried them on I never took them off. Who knew Joe's Jeans were so comfortable? So these I've dubbed as my comfy 'everyday' jean.

[P.S. For those of you who live outside of Southern California, e-mail me at closettherapy@gmail.com if you are interested in any of the items we had at the warehouse sale...]

Meanwhile... my other obsession besides denim? Handbags of course :)


Remember this? Finally, huh? After... how many months on the list? Although I was told I got the "first one Saks in San Francisco has ever seen".

And also for those days I want to give my shoulders a rest, I picked up this cutie Marni shopping bag on sale:

I'm still getting used to those oversized handles.

Now it's time to shop for some Fall tops. Hopefully I'll have time this weekend to hit the shops!

Pictures from our last event!

This was our first weekend event at the Sunset Stages on Sunset Blvd.


The crew at Sunset Stages kindly put up a couple of dressing rooms for us... and set up some racks for the jeans...


Well... turns out we needed triple the amount of racks for all the inventory we brought with us!


Rows and rows of denim... and corduroy. And twill too. And actually... errr.. some velvet :P


Our C&C California table... most girls' first stop...


My two favorite racks in the whole sale... our selection of Grail T-shirts, ribbed tanks, thermals, dresses, hoodies, you name it.


The Frankie B. corner covered by the Grail.


Open for business! Look at the ladies walking around with a stack of denim on their arms... talk about a work out.

In the works: an OC event, San Diego, then back to LA in time for Christmas!

Most guests to a show are happy to wear the host's designs... but I wonder how these ladies felt at the Carolina Herrrera show? They all toted the Mercer needlepoint bag from CH's Fall line. And it wasn't just these 5 ladies here.. you can see orange straps in the backgrounds of all of these pictures! Looks like Carolina could probably account for every bag sold that season right here at her show! ^.^

Nevertheless..
Carolina's show was filled with easy chic pieces that allegorizes Spring's ultra pretty theme. Charming details in tailored dresses, skirts and shorts dominated the runway.

This is the closest I would ever get to the "suspender" trend emerging this Spring. I love the tailoring of the shorts and the proportions of the knit tank.


Again, proportions are key! We will see more of the short-sleeved blazer, much cuter now with the petite cropped waist and puffed sleeves.


My favorite combination of colors for floral prints; the empire bust is accentuated with a large girly ribbon, simply pretty!


More "tongue" action on heels! I'm liking this criss-cross look, but I'm more likely to buy Marc Jacob's version.

And the band keeps marching on...


There it is! Perhaps they sent the marching band to the wrong show?

The show felt a little high school didn't it? What, with the dancer, the drum major, the cheerleader and the wrestler... it felt somewhat like a pep rally.



But once you get past the teen spirit, we are reminded why it is we like Marc.

This skirt is so a-dor-a-ble. I love the flare yet the ruching at the waist because of the folded down waistband.


Hooray for spring prints. Flowery and delicate. I can't wait to try on this jacket.


Simple, elegant, so wearable!

P.S. Will all accessories go overboard next season? [har, har] Navy stripes, duffle shapes... looks like we'll be stuck with more canvas and rope.

Autumn is on its way and we automatically think to layering. It's the best way to transition our summer pieces into the Fall. For example... the Gold Hawk lingerie-style cami's I bought on Scoopnyc.com (BTW - on sale for $19, no tax + free shipping) will be layered under thick scoop-neck knits. But here are some layering tips for things outside of our usual wardrobes.

What to do with our ridiculously long strand necklaces from this summer?

Layer them short! Take your super-long pearls and other trinkets and loop them around your neck 3-4 times to get a multi-strand layered look. Don't variegate the lengths, loop them so they are the same length!

And now on to make-up.
I got some really good tips from my last Shu make-over!

Layer blush with a highlighter for a more natural flush. I use Shu Uemura's Water Blushers in peach (middle) and mauve (right). They go on sheer and leave a cooling sensation on the skin.



Use the peach high on the cheekbones to the corner of the eye. This will reflect more light from the cheekbones to brighten up the complexion. Just smooth it on and blend up and back with your fingers. Then use the darker/pink color right on the apple of your cheeks and blend down and around (but not up) with your fingers.

Layer your eyeshadow with a similar shade for a multi-dimensional finish. Now that summer is over I try to stay away from bronze or orange golds and I stick to natural peach golds.

I start with a neutral beige to cover up any redness on my eyelids. Then I smooth on the peach (left) all over my eyelid, layering it thicker towards the inner eye. Then I layer on the gold near my crease and towards the outer eye. This color adds a very subtle but noticeable radiance to the eyes.

Layer your summer glosses on darker lipstick/lip liner for a new Fall look. Don't get rid of your pale, peachy colors.

I use a medium-toned caramel sheer lipstick as a base then I use a lip brush to blend this gold (Jasmine) gloss on top. It softens the lipstick and adds just the right amount of shine. (Not to mention it smells really good ~.~)

The opening marching band spectacle had me fearing yet another season of military-style marching band coats, but thankfully we were blessed with a sophistcated collection that breathed an airy elegance. Large, oversized collars and tie-belts dominated the runway with lofty and invigorating silhouettes.

On a lesser note, one show that did not fare so well (in my opinion) was Luca Luca: an extravagant mix of frilly, overdone pieces in unflattering cuts. After all, if it doesn't look good on a model, then who will it look good on? Some of the dresses reminded me of a prom with a really bad tropical theme. Well, not even prom... some of the dresses were a bit junior high. (i.e. the first two) Even the separates managed to make the model look fat.

The only piece I did like, was this one:

I'm still very partial about Luella Bartley. Partial to bags and now maybe shoes. Not yet partial to Ready-to-Wear. The nautical theme gave the show more of a "Resort" feel, which somehow makes it less convincing as a collection.

I did "feel" this bag though... structured and sophisticated. But are we still embelleshing our accessories with accessories?

The nautical theme did work well with this clutch. After the large hobos of this fall, a sleek, medium-sized clutch will be refreshing. I am planning on giving my shoulders a rest this coming Spring and stick to handhelds.

The peep-toe is back with a more dainty heel. The bow steps dangerously close to the 80's, but the contrast heels brings it back to updated status.

My first shot at a runway review~

Doo.Ri, Spring/Summer '06
A prevalently nude and blush collection with remnants of last Spring's architecturally draped dresses. Doo Ri Chung's silk and satin creations will represent the femininely dainty side of Spring. Overall the collection was very muted and soft, allowing the individual wearing it to instill their own character.

My favorite piece in the collection is the trench coat with a stand-up collar.

This drape-y top is sure to become a red carpet favorite for casual events. I love the proportions~ also that it shows off the shoulders but has a conservative neckline.

The movement of this dress gives just a hint of figure. I love the flattering neckline as well.

This cocktail dress is the complete opposite of the previous one. Its structured tailoring (and a bustline that is reminiscent of Proenza Schouler's) and delicate sheen exudes simplicity and luxury.

The NY Fashion Week Shows start tomorrow! To celebrate, I've compiled some of my favorite A/W 05 runway looks that were worn by celebrities recently. Enjoy for now~ more to come on S/S '06 very soon...


Jennifer Lopez in Ralph Lauren A/W 05


Jessica Alba in Monique Lhullier A/W 05


Kirsten Dunst in Lacroix A/W 05


Mischa Barton in Gucci A/W 05


Hllary Duff in Dolce & Gabbana A/W 05


Sienna Miller in Roland Mouret A/W 05


Lindsay Lohan in Dolce & Gabbana A/W 05


Eva Longoria in Doo Ri A/W 05


Victoria Beckham in Gucci A/W 05


Jessica Simpson in Alexander McQueen A/W 05


Ashlee Simpson in Chloe A/W 05


Rachel Bilson in Derek Lam Resort 05

... and my favorite ...

Miss Piggy in S/S 05

It's denim sample sale time again,
with lots of jeans for both women and men.
We're the only sale with your favorite brands,
so bring your bf, you'll need two extra hands!
We'll be on Sunset for two whole days,
but to come in early, ya gotta pays!
The VIP preview will be lots of fun,
you'll get first picks and save a ton!
So come one, come all to our lovely sale,
but don't forget to RSVP and bring your e-mail!

www.the-warehouse-sale.com to RSVP for free.

September 10, 2005 :: 9am - 5pm

Sunset Stage
6063 W. Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
(One block East of the Palladium)

This past lazy Saturday I stopped by Kitson on Robertson to conduct some denim "research"... bad decision. There was a barricade of papparazi and rabid fans holding up camera phones crowded on the sidewalk. I couldn't.. resist .. the urge ... to peek. (Besides, I was walking out of the parking garage next to the store so I was right already there anyway, right?)

Ah, no wonder.

Then as I strained my neck one last time to try to get a view of Paris' ring (again, couldn't help it!) I started to realize how extremely staged this entire "show" was. I've heard rumors about the Hilton Sisters' "deal with Kitson"... getting stuff for free... calling ahead of time to arrange visits so they can be sure papparazi is waiting... getting paid $10k per visit... lots of rumors.

But seriously speaking:
1) It was a Saturday. I've run into celebs in that store before, but usually on weekdays. It's only natural that they'd want to avoid the weekend crowds? But this was a Saturday, flat out in the middle of the day.

2) The TEAM shirts. What a shameless plug. May I add that within 20 minutes of the girls' leaving, Team Aniston shirts were all sold out and there were only 2 Team Jolie shirts left.

3) Oh Paris, do you really need to hold up EVERYTHING you're looking at really high for the entire store to see?

4) The girls visited every corner, nook and cranny of the store except for, of course, the cashier.

It's time to stock up on beauty goodies again! Neiman Marcus is giving out beauty bags with the following samples for all beauty purchases $85+.

• Laura Mercier Metallic Cream Eye Colour in Gold, 0.15 ounce
• Natura Bisse Diamond Ice-Lift Mask, 0.5 ounce
• Kiehl's Since 1851 Creme de Corps Nurturing Body Washing Cream, 5ml
• Clinique Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick palette
• Dior Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum, 0.04 ounce
• PRADA Eau de Parfum, 0.05 ounce
• N.V. Perricone, M.D. Skin & Total Body Dietary Supplements packette
• Orlane Paris Pure Jeunesse Eye Contour Concentrate, 0.1 ounce
• Fresh V-Tonic Foaming Shea Butter Body Cleanser and V-Tonic Body Cream, 5ml each
• Valentino V Eau de Parfum, 0.06 ounce
• Molton Brown Rose Granati Fine Liquid Hand Wash, 30ml

And of course, it's always good to double up on the freebies by combining this with one of their beauty bonuses. My favorites:


Gift with $85 Prada purchase.


Gift with $85 Kiehl's purchase.


Gift with $250 La Mer purchase.


Gift with $100 Laura Mercier purchase.


Gift with $100 Trish McEvoy purchase.

www.neimanmarcus.com

Okay, I know this thing gets more press than Paris Hilton. We've all read about how amazing and nourishing to the hair the T3 Tourmaline Dryer is... but how many of us actually shelled out $200 to try it? Exactly.

Especially since I don't do anything fancy with my dryer~ I mean, I've never mastered the whole dryer in one hand and brush in the other thing (so which hand picks up the hair to put it in the brush?!). I've only used a hair dryer to quickly blow out my hair just enough so I can go to sleep on a dry pillow. Anything fancier than that, I whip out my straightening iron. So I couldn't justify the $200.

Then I saw the T3 overnight dryer... I have a friend who uses the regular-sized "featherweight" version and she mentioned that it is still heavy enough to strain her arm. Well, this one is much smaller and lighter! (But still has 1200 watts of power) And this dryer is almost half the price of the other one, at $130. I decided right away that I needed one.



I found a great deal on eBay~ $79 + $5 shipping. [Once you've started bidding on eBay, you get this kind of rush and end up browsing for more =)] Can't beat that! And within a week I got my new dryer and tested it out. It definitely cut my drying time by about half! Also it's much quieter than my old Conair. I normally just blow the air while running my fingers through my hair, to get it dry. With my old dryer, the ends of my top layers would sometimes frizz outwards, making a small flip. Using the same method with this dryer, I got much smoother results.

So, the moral of the story is: this dryer makes my hair very happy.

Also I should give an update on the Phytomer hair & nails supplement I was taking. It's pretty darn hard to remember to take a vitamin every day. At my best I did it for about 4 days straight. My hair was softer and smoother immediately, but now I realize it was probably because of the change of shampoo. (To Kerastase Soleil) After about a month of off-and-on taking the vitamin, my hair seemed to grow a little faster, but not by much. And at about that time the effects of the shampoo seemed to be wearing off so I switched back to Kerastase's Bain Satin 1. My hair was super-soft again!

So, the moral of this story is: switch between shampoos and hair products to always get the best out of your hair. Too long with a certain type of shampoo and the results will plateau.

No matter what season it is I like to invest in basic pieces that I can work in with any trend-of-the-moment... but this entry won't be about that. I'm going to admit how cheap I am with trendy clothes... you know, the ones that start with Jessica Simpson in US Mag, last about 3 weeks (about 2 times wear?), then end with Britney Spears rocking it barefoot in a Malibu bathroom.

I'm still in a non-commital state for Fall Fashion... It's still too hot to go out and shop for Fall clothes (imagine TRYING ON sweaters and coats in this 90 degree weather!) But shopping online makes it much easier. And bargain hunting online is something I can do.

So I visit JT and Co's eBay store~ which somehow always has all the newest BCBG styles, to take a browse. Sure it takes about a week to get your goodies in the mail but that beats paying retail. :)

And this is what I've ended up with:


Baggy culottes in dark brown. So cute with pumps! I might wear these with some loafer pumps for this Fall, still looking for the perfect ones.


Cape-y cardigan in a creamy white. Flatters the figure really well, gives you broad but not chunky shoulders, and it lengthens your torso.


Printed skirt. Something about the color combination got me.


Long peasant skirt in avocado green. (Very light bleach-y green) Even though it's a very "summer" trend, I'm thinking of ways to work it into Fall, like pairing it with blazers, slouchy sweaters, etc.

Click here to view JTandCo's eBay shop.