May 2009

This week Lauren Loves…

I was recently reading an article about grapefruit and what it can do for ones body!

I’m one of those girls who loves to try every beauty product out there so I decided to incorporate some form of grapefruit on a daily basis!

It mentioned that mixing 1/4 cup of conditioner with grapefruit juice would add extra softness and shine to my hair and to my surprise after using this technique for only a week it was totally right.  My hair felt AMAZING, not to mention I’ve gotten so many compliments.

But this miracle fruit is not only good for hair, its also known to be great during a mani-pedi!  Don’t spend a fortune on your hands and feet when you can use a slice of grapefruit dipped in sugar to brighten and soften up your fingers and toes! All you have to do is rub it on.

So now that you can get amazing results, from head to toe (literally), you can also achieve impressive health benefits. Grapefruit is fat free and it helps boosts ones metabolism, allowing your body to naturally lose weight!

And to top it all off, this charming golden fruit can be bought for less than $1 at your local grocery stores so you have no excuse not to give it a try!

I’m all about saving money (especially these days) but I have to admit that it’s really hard to do so when I’m so drawn to designer things…

but I have amazing news to share with all of you!  For those who do not know who Rachel Roy is, let me tell you.. she is one of my favorite designers! Her designs are sophisticated, chic, fresh and always to TDF! But I never had the pleasure of owning anything by her until now.

This week it has been announced that come August 1^st Rachel Roy will be launching her “Rachel” line at Macy’s and I have to say that I can’t wait! The collection will reflect a chic look at affordable prices and will include apparel, shoes, jewelry and even handbags. The line will retail from $59 to $299 and although some of the pieces might be a bit pricey, I might just start saving my pennies now!

Ok, so it’s not exactly a dime…more like under $100, but it’s still a significant improvement over what Vena Cava usually charges for their designer duds!

Vena Cava will be joined by Alexander Wang as part of Gap’s newest CFDA designer collaboration project and both are set to hit stores on June 16th!

I’m totally in love with the dress on the right and I might just have to stalk my local store to make sure I get my hands on one becasue if these two pieces are any indication of the upcoming collections, I’m pretty confident it’ll be a sellout!  Check out the Alexander Wang images below which are cute, but no where near as specialas the Vena Cava items…

If you’re strapped for cash this Mother’s Day, don’t worry…

All mom really wants from you is to know that she’s loved and appreciated so why not tell her just how special she is by filling one of these adorable change purses from Anthropologie with notes from the heart!  A good friend did this for her family over the Holidays and it was a huge hit!

The bags are only $18, but they’re big enough to hold you keys, a cell phone and even some loose change…and unlike a pricey bouquet, this is something Mom can use, long after Mother’s Day is over!

Choose from four vibrant colors and also check out these clearanced goodies for an ever better deal that’s less than $10!

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!!

While her Ugly Betty character, Amanda Tanen, wouldn’t be caught dead in anything remotely flea market chic, Becki Newton revels in it. “I like undone glamour. Anything that’s too fussy—if it has to be perfect, I’ll ruin it somehow,” the actress told me not too long ago.

Her fashion heroes? You guessed it! Kate Moss and Sienna Miller. “I love the way British women dress. They’re so confident in what they wear and it doesn’t ever look too planned out.”

The star is a sucker for vintage jewelry. “I love random things that don’t match too well, but all sort of go together. Things with a history. When jewelry looks like treasures, that’s when it’s great!”

For Becki, bargains abound beyond the flea market. She’s got really inexpensive big gold chandelier earrings from H&M to prove it. “Every time I wear my H&M earrings, people always say, ‘Oh my God! Where did you get those?’ she said. “When I tell them they’re three dollars from H&M, they don’t believe me.”

The actress’ style advice to her fans? “When someone owns what they wear, I don’t think there’s anything too ridiculous. If someone’s nervous about a trend they’re wearing, that’s when it looks funny. But if they think they look fabulous, I think they look fabulous. Confidence is key when experimenting with fashion.”

Now, that was beautiful.

Summer is definitely wedding season and I can’t tell you how many questions I get about how to dress for these events and how not to spend a fortune in the process…especially if like most of us, you have 3 or more weddings to attend in just one season!

The best way to save some serious cash is to invest in a dress that you can wear to multiple events.  Buy something that can transition from a day-time outdoor event to a semi-formal evening event.  As if you’re an avid reader of this blog, you know that the best way to get miles out of any outfit is by incorporating fun accessories that can transform you look…

Jewelry and shoes are a given…but don’t forget about your hair!  These beautiful headbands from Monalda 4 are the perfect way to update any dress and if you don’t see someting that you like on the site, you can even request a custom headband that will be the perfect compliment to your outfit!

YAY!! did some one say Sample Sale?  They’re my absolute favorite place to go shopping and this week Twinkle By Wenlan is having their annual Spring ‘09 sample sale and you are invited!

It will be held at 545 8^th Avenue (between 37^th and 38^th streets) on the 17^th floor.  The sale is going on Thursday (11am-8pm) and Friday (10am to 6pm).  I highly advise you to go because you can save up to 70% on dresses, sweaters and even jewelry!

If you’re not familiar with Twinkle you’re totally missing out!  The line is not only feminine but funky, unique and dramatically whimsical!  The collection is super chic and the fabrics are TDF…dresses made of the softest silk and sweaters made from the finest cashmere that you’ll want to end up sleeping in! Their line has been seen on all the hottest celebrities including Guiliana Depandi and  Lauren Conrad… and why not spend the day in New York shopping like a celebrity at an affordable price??

So if you want to look completely gorge this season and own something that your girlfriends don’t, wake up early and pack your wallet because this sample sale will be nothing but AMAZING! And if your low on cash no need to have a melt down because they’ll take Mastercard, Visa and even American Express!

I hope I’ll see you there because at this sample sale I’ll be first in line!

I am looking for a nice jacket, cardigan, blazer to wear over all of my colorful spring T-shirts.  I LOVE the yellow/mustard color that is popular right now. Do you have any suggestions on where I can find this item?  I thought about the Liz Claiborne linen jackets but I think I want something dressier than that.  Thanks for your help!

Merry Jo

You have great taste in color!  Yellow happens to be one of my favorite colors to wear and for some crazy reason, women tend to be most afraid of this sunny shade!

If you’re looking for something to wear over T-shirts I would lean more towards a Spring-weight jacket instead of a sweater…especially if you’re trying to dress up a basic tee.  Blazers and cropped jackets are one of the simplest and most effective way to really up the style factor no matter what you’re wearing, but there’s no reason to spend a fortune on a jacket!

Stores like Express, Old Navy and even H&M make well-tailored jackets that fit like a glove, but I found yours at Speigel for only $39.  I love this jacket for all the great details like the tabbed sleeves and the notch collar and for the fact that it’s got a little bit of stretch so it will feel fitted and not boxy against your body.

There are endless style possibilities for this jacket, but I really like it with the collar popped up and when worn with crisp whites like it is in this picture!  It will also look great over a printed top or with a printed skirt so make sure you multi-task with a piece this great!

And in case  you do want some other options, check out all of these great styles below in this fabulous color…

So even though she’s barely legal, Vanessa is slowly starting to develop her own sense of personal style and I might just be a fan!  She does has a tendency to mimic some of Hollywood’s best dressed starlets, but she’s showing signs of growth and definitely making some great fashion decisions!

Case in point, her choice of outfit and more importantly, the color, at BF Zac Efron’s “17 Again” premiere.  I love the peach dress and this hue is on my must-have list for the Summer…not to mention, I like the contrast the heavy shoes and belt provide against the ultra feminine color and style!

What’s also great about this look is that it’s super easy to acheive on a budget!  Try out these great pieces for a similar look, but don’t forget the faux-tan…you don’t want your skin to blend in with the color of the dress!