Archive for December 2011

Photo: Getty
Beauty

The Best Celebrity Nail Art of 2011

It’s official. The universe is completely obsessed with manicures and nail art. If you don’t believe us, look here. And celebrities are always a source of inspiration–sometimes for what NOT to do, but usually making us pea green with envy because of their cleverly covered digits. While many famous ladies sported a sophisticated neutral palette this past year, there is an elite pack who said, “Screw that. We like glitter.” Katy Perry even famously changed her manicure mid-VMAs this year.

Click through to see all the celebs this year who used their nails for artistic expression, to make a personal statement, and sometimes to just generally intimidate us.

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  • Nora Crotty and Cheryl Wischhover
  • Friday, Dec 16, 2011 / 5:57 PM
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Fashion Is Fun

A Closer Look at the American Ballet Theatre’s Whimsical Costumes for Their New Production of ‘The Nutcracker’

For a lot of little girls, going to see the local production of “The Nutcracker” is the highlight of the holiday season. If you’re a very lucky girl you get to see “The Nutcracker” performed by a premiere ballet company–and in New York that’s generally thought to be the New York City Ballet’s iconic production at Lincoln Center. But the American Ballet Theatre’s new production of the classic at BAM in Brooklyn is giving the NYCB’s version a run for its money.

Alistair Macaulay, the Times dance critic says “the central marvel of Alexei Ratmansky’s ‘Nutcracker’…lies in its vision of adults as the transformed potential future of the children who carry the story.” I have no idea what that means (even the headline of his review, “What if You Could Meet Yourself as an Adult? These Children Do,” still has me scratching my head). But I got to see the show for the second year in a row with a bunch of fashion types and their adorable children–Arizona Muse and her unbelievably beautiful son Nikko were sitting right in front of me–and I loved it. Ratmansky’s interpretation of the classic is whimsical and at times laugh-out-loud funny.

Part of the delight in going to see the ballet, and in seeing “The Nutcracker” in particular, besides the dancing and music of course, is the costumes. At NYCB they use the versions of the same costumes they’ve been using every year since 1954. Costume designer Richard Hudson has a fresh take on the iconic roles.

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Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day: Charlize Theron Doesn’t Think Grown Women Should Wear Hello Kitty

By Nora Crotty Friday, Dec 16, 2011 / 4:30 PM

“I’m pretty amazed by Hello Kitty. I see so many women in their 30s walking around in Hello Kitty sh-t and nobody is concerned for them. It’s the one iconic teenage symbol that seems okay for women in their 30s? The world seems to not have an issue with it.”

–Charlize Theron on not relating to the apparel choices of other women her age while preparing for her role in Young Adult, during the New York Times’ TimesTalk panel in NYC (via US Weekly). Read more »

Fashion Careers

Niche Media needs Fashion & Beauty Interns!

Niche Media is a luxury lifestyle publications. It covers the finest in fashion, travel, food, spirits, society, party coverage and much more. They’re looking for detail oriented and self motivated individuals to assist in the fashion and beauty department at Niche Media’s NYC office.

Responsibilities include but not limited to: sample trafficking, closet organization, credit, sample and image requests, conceptualizing trend boards, market research and general aid to editors.

*those who excel will be given opportunity to assist on photo shoots

Qualifications:
-Fashion, beauty and editorial knowledge and experience
-Enthusiasm and ability to take initiative
-Strong organizational skills

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Beauty

Iris Apfel Is Getting Her Own Makeup Collection for MAC

By Cheryl Wischhover Friday, Dec 16, 2011 / 3:45 PM

MAC’s Senior Vice President/Group Creative Director, James Gager, once told me that MAC likes to collaborate with people who no one else would “ever think of using in a million years.” Exhibit A? Meet MAC’s new face, Iris Apfel.

Her line will debut on January 5, and follows closely on the heels of fellow fashion eccentric, Daphne Guinness‘ collection. It’s a full line, complete with five lipsticks (our fave is called Loudmouth Orange), lip pencils, and eye shadows like Howzat, a sparkly grey. It’s rounded out by mascara (gotta make your eyes pop through those glasses, right?), a peachy “beauty powder,” and three nail lacquers–a bright blue, bright fuchsia and a neutral.
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Streetwalker

Street Style: Kyle Has Dynamic Cold-Weather Style

Name: Kyle

Age: 23

Occupation: Student

How would you describe your style? Dynamic, yet simple.

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Fashion Careers

BeautyBlitz.com is looking for Interns (paid)!

BeautyBlitz.com is seeking bright, responsible, self-motivated individuals to assist Editor-in-Chief and staff in their New York City offices.

This is a great opportunity for hard-working students interested in learning about journalism, digital media, the beauty industry, communications and marketing. Candidates must have superior organization; excellent communication and writing skills; close attention to detail; ability to multitask and meet tight deadlines.

Duties include: overseeing viral marketing and social media efforts, testing new beauty products, researching and reporting feature stories, coming up with story ideas, working with public relations and marketing executives to call in products for stories, and possibly writing stories for the site and attending beauty events!

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Lindsay Lohan Probation Hearing
Style

Is Lindsay Lohan Finally Getting Her S**t Together? A Look Back at her Sartorial Progress in 2011

Lindsay Lohan spent most of 2011 the same way she spent most of 2010: in and out of courtrooms. Even though she served a few days of jail time and spent three months in Betty Ford last year, she emerged from the rehab center in January with plenty of court hearings ahead of her, and a slew of heavily scrutinized courtroom outfits.

Our friends at Above the Law recently offered their take on Lindsay’s most memorable courtroom outfits and their subsequent media scrutiny. Although she left her “Fuck you” manicure back in 2010, the legal blog found fault with the short hemlines, form-fitting silhouettes and apparent distaste for bras Lohan flaunted in the beginning of the year. However, as ATL suggests, her lawyers may have given her some advice (that she actually listened to) because her latest courtroom outfit is a far cry from the questionable Basic Instinct number below.

We’re not sure if it’s her supposed sobriety, her sanity is slowly returning or she’s starting to learn from her mistakes, but it looks like Lohan’s trainwreck days could maybe finally be behind her.

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Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: Proenza Schouler Is Opening Its First Shop, Britney Spears Gets Engaged, and Are Erin Heatherton and Leonardo DiCaprio an Item?

Proenza Schouler’s Very First Store: Aww. The label is eyeing a spot on Madison Avenue for its first-ever shop, set to open in 2012 – Exciting news for both Proenza and window shoppers everywhere. {WWD}

Are Leo and Erin Heatherton Sitting in a Tree (Figuratively Speaking)? Gisele, Bar, Blake, Erin… Mr. DiCaprio clearly has a thing for leggy blondes – then again, who doesn’t. The possible pair was spotted strolling around Sydney together. Which means they’re probably engaged. We kid! We kid. {NY Mag}

Today is Free Shipping Day! More than 2,500 retailers, including J.Crew, Free People, and Sephora, are participating in the Christmas miracle that is Free Shipping Day. The name really says it all – You’re welcome. (Full list of participating retailers at NY Daily News}

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Photo: Musings of a Muse
Beauty

The U.S. Takes Steps Towards Restricting The ‘Misleading’ Use of Photoshop in Cosmetic Ads

It’s not exactly a secret that cosmetic companies use photoshop to produce ads which show their product performing feats of transformation far glossier, prettier–and unattainable–than they would be able to achieve in real life. However while the practice is widespread, it turns out that it’s also sort of misleading to customers. We know: Shocker, right?

Thankfully, the U.S. is finally taking steps to tackle the problem, reports Business Insider. In a landmark ruling by the National Advertising Division, the U.S. industry watchdog decided to ban an ad by Covergirl for their NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara. The ad in question promised the mascara could deliver “2X more volume” on women’s lashes, but in the fine print disclosed that the models lashes had been enhanced post-production. The ruling said, “NAD was particularly troubled by the photograph of the model – which serves clearly to demonstrate (i.e., let consumers see for themselves) the length and volume they can achieve when they apply the advertised mascara to their eyelashes.” Except, of course, that they can’t. At least not without the help of photoshop anyway.

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News

Courtney Love Wears Chanel to Give Tour of the Townhouse She’s Supposedly Getting Kicked Out Of

By Hayley Phelan Friday, Dec 16, 2011 / 12:00 PM

Photo: Peter Murdock for xoJane


Courtney Love is allegedly getting booted from her West Village townhouse for missing her rent and “ruining” the designer decor by giving it a paint job, reports the New York Post. Oh and for setting it on fire that one time. Oops.

The townhouse’s owner Donna Lyon says that Love caused up to $100,000 worth of damage to the property when she painted and wallpapered over the hand-finished walls. She also apparently owes $54,000 in rent–though you wouldn’t know it from the house tour Love gave to xoJane. Read more »

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Fashion Is Fun

We Joined Karl Lagerfeld’s ‘Kult’ and ‘Karlified’ Our Favorite Fashion Peeps – Take a Look

Net-a-Porter is seriously hyping Karl Lagerfeld’s new masstige collection, Karl, which will debut exclusively on their site on January 25. Today they’ve launched a microsite and app dedicated, as they say in the release, “to all things KARL.” They are fast and loose with the k-supplanting, encouraging you to become a member of ‘Karl’s kult’ which grants access to exclusive images of the collection.

There’s also a Karl app, where users can play a Pac-Man like game where you gobble up Karl heads and a “Karlified” function where you can upload a photo of yourself and then “Karlify” it by posting Karl’s hair, collars, and sunglasses on your mug.

We decided to have a little fun with the Karlify part of the app and made over our favorite fashion people (and one kat) Karl-style. Take a look.

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