May 2009

This week Lauren Loves…

When I was younger and I saw something that I liked my Dad would say to me “Lauren, do you need it or do you want it”…and every time I would say I wanted it, he would say “if you don’t need it then it’s not necessary”.  Well Dad, when I spotted this daring turquoise dress it was definitely something I needed.

I hate packing for any vacation, especially when it’s to the beach because I have to pack a million different items just to get me through the week. Not to mention all the other grooming and beauty products I have to include just to make my hair look good in all that humidity!

So when I found this dress at Anthropologie, I totally fell in love!  It’s ther perfect item to pack for your upcoming vacay and although it retails for $68, it’s completely worth it because you can wear it six different ways which averages out to $12 per look!

You can be sure that this summer when I pack for my mini getaway this will be the first thing to go into my suitcase…along with some fabulous shoes and accessories, becasue you can totally change the look of this dress with just that!

Yes ladies, the answer is yes.  These are in fact the totally amazing, work of art “shoes” by Emma Cook for Topshop and I am now the proud owner.  I paid 95£ and I didn’t even bat an eye.  When you see something this special, you don’t ask how much, you just say YES!

I went to the biggest Topshop ever and could have spend the entire day there, but unfortunately I have this little thing called a job so I had limited time to spend!

The clothing is out of this world and I wanted sooooo many items but I don’t have an unlimited budget so I settled for an adorable blouse that looks like something right off the runway and a super cute mini in Purple and Orange!  I convinced myself that these are two things I could never find in the states so I paid a little more than I normally would (35£ and 28£ respectively).  I’ve been working super hard lately so I treated myself to an afternoon of shopping and fantastic people watching!

TIP: Take your time in there and don’t get overwhelmed.  Go section by section and if you can, get one of the FREE stylists to help you out! They’re super friendly and can help you navigate the store like a pro!

So I’m in London for work and since it can’t be all work no play, I spent the whole day checking out the many (MANY) shops this fabulous city has to offer!

Now I’ve been to London before and all I remember is that everything was really really expensive…not the kind of city a CheapChica can do much shopping in!  So this time I enlisted the help of fellow blogger and London resident Hannah from London-Rose.  She was my shopping guide and totally hooked me up!

I checked out all of the shops along Oxford street which include stores like Primark, River Island, New Look, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful, and my Mecca…TOP SHOP! Here are some pics and some quick reviews of what you can expect to find in terms of price and selection:

Primark

This store is beyond crowded so be prepared to push and shove.  The reason for all the people is the prices…most items are under 20£ which is very CHEAP in London.  There’s some cute stuff but it’s one of those stores that you have to really dig.  I got an adorable asymetrical dress for 13£ which looks like it’s Chloe but that was it…everything else looked so chintzy and I had to get out of there…oh and the line to check out looked worse than the ticket counter at US Airways so budget extra time for this!

TIP: Go here first…it will make you very price sensitive for the rest of your shopping day which in London is a very good thing!

Dorothy Perkins

I was really excited to go to this store in person because I always shop around on their site and too be perfectly honest, it was a little disappointing.  The selection was just ok and nothing to write home about…especially at those prices (25-50£).  Save your money for Topshop!

B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful

This shop is like a treasure chest for make up fans! The products are all packaged in beautiful pots and tins and the presentation is TDF!  I would buy everything just to have their beautiful containers fill up my bathroom counter, but I settled on two items one of which is a gift for a very special friend! Lip gloss started about 8£ and perfumes started at around 12£ for a travel size.  The store is lovely and the flagship I visited on Oxford St. was a real treat for the senses!  You can find make up, skin care, fragrance and it all feels very special and unique…like your own personal beauty secret!

I heart London and can’t get enough of all the adorable shops, but up next is my Topshop review…stay tuned for a total shoe-gasm!

In this new weekly feature, I’ve teamed up with  mystyle’s resident “star” reporter, Danielle Datu, who’s giving us the style scoop from her red carpet adventures with today’s hottest leading ladies!!

Credit: Alex J. Berliner © Berliner Studio/BEImages

Kim Kardashian used to stop traffic with curving-hugging Hervé Léger bandage dresses, but if you’ve been keeping up with the reality star as much as I have, you would have noticed that she’s done a complete 180.

“My style used to be overly voluptuous. I’m still sexy, but a little bit more understated. Effortlessly chic,” she explained to me at the Pink Agenda’s Pre-Mother’s Day Bash at the W Hotel. “There’s not as much thought put into it. I don’t match everything like I used to. I used to be obsessed with matching everything.”

Kim, who wore a sheer top and high-waisted bubble skirt by H&M (“I love it there!”), vintage chain fringe necklace and Christian Louboutin pumps, now shops Forever 21, Burberry, Marc Jacobs and Marchesa— “designers that I probably wouldn’t have been into before because I was so focused on tight, revealing outfits.”

After running into the raven-haired fashionista on a number of occasions and marveling at her impeccable beauty, I just had to ask her about her makeup must-haves. These included foundation by Make Up For Ever and Giorgio Armani. “I’m also a big fan of any kind of blush,” she dished. “You always need blush in your purse to make you look a little bit alive.”

At night, it all comes off. “My mom tells me that I have to wash my face with a hot wash cloth everyday and make sure I take off all of my makeup,” she said. Mother knows best!

For more great StarStyle, be sure to visit mystyle.com!

you’re looking for the floral Delia’s dress featured on mystyle, click the image below:

I’m sure by now, most everyone has had the chance to try out Bare Minerals make-up, but in case you haven’t… ULTA is currently running a great promotion which let’s you try out the Introductory Kit for only $15.00!  This kit includes 2 foundations, a mineral veil and their famous kabuki brush!

Now I’m fully aware that this make-up isn’t for everyone, but I use it almost every day during the warmer months (I have oily skin) and it’s super easy and fast, which is half the reason I enjoy it so much!  Make sure you run out to Sephora and test out which color you are before you buy…I thought I was tan and I was about two shades off!

So I’m always puzzled about why “Steven” shoes sell for so much more than Steve Madden shoes???  They’re both made in China and it’s not like one has superior quality over the other one…the only real difference is that the designs are way cuter! I bet some design guru sits in their showroom and goes shoe by shoe saying “cute, not cute” and divides the collection into the Steven/Steve Madden categories…and if this really happens, can I get that job???

Nonetheless, I always fall in love with the more expensive Steven line so I was thrilled when I found this pair of sandals of Bianna sandals at a fraction of the cost at Alloy!

They have the same shell details around the ankles and the color is an exact match!  The Steven ones come in several fun colors, but I can live with Ivory only when the shoes are only costing me $29.50!

These sandals are perfect to wear with shorts and with this kind of accessory on your feet, you don’t need anything else!

I’m on vacation in Cairo so I wanted to write and apologize if the posts haven’t been as frequent over the last few days.  It was a very long flight and a big adjustment to the time differnece but it was totally worth it!  Cairo is an amazing city that’s not just full of history and culture, but also color, sound and inspiration.

Here’s a shot I took today on my trip to Giza…Enjoy!!

PS: If you have any shopping recommendations here in Cairo please email me!

A friend recently asked me to help her find an affordable romper since like me, she believes this is a passing trend that will surely be on every editor’s “don’t” list come next summer…but for this summer it’s a really cute style and I’m totally on board the romper train…with some restrictions!

1. Keep the fabric casual…like cotton and jersey!
2. Wear it during the day w/flat sandals…NO heels!
3. Look for ethnic embellishments!

If you follow these rules you’ll end up looking super-cute and summery and not at all like a J.Lo video girl reject! Check out these options starting at $28.00…