Make-Up Must Haves

Yet another list from Rachel Zoe, with my alterations. If these products aren't sitting on your vanity, they should be...

moisturizer
(with SPF!)

ALWAYS before your makeup.

concealer

To hide undereye shadows and imperfections. I really like The Eraser, by Tarte. It's super smooth.

http://sephora.com/

cream blush
(yes, cream)

I use M.A.C Blushcreme in Posey and I have been on the same pot forever. A little dab'll do ya.

http://www.maccosmetics.com/

shimmer stick or cream

Why, you ask? A subtle shimmer (NOT stripper glitter) reflects light and attracts the eye. Swipe some in the arch of your eyebrow and on your cheekbone, above your blush. I like Smashbox's Artificial Light for its iridescence.

http://www.smashbox.com/

mascara!

This product is my biggest and best beauty secret. I get compliments on my eyelashes all the time, (I've been asked if they were fake more than once) and I owe it to this mascara. The primer adds visible extensions to your lashes and the comb that applies color separates them. If you want natural looking lashes, this product is not for you.

&
a glossy, moisturizing lip balm

My gloss of choice is C.O. Bigelow's Mentha Lip Tint. It adds color, shine, moisture, AND a minty scent to your kiss. It comes in multiple colors, but my fave is the more cherry-tinged No. 1138.

http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/

Seeing Spots

So I thought this was cool...I work in an outdoor mall, and right across the parking lot from my store is the Express store. Walking in to work one day a furry leopard coat in the window caught my eye. I thought to myself that I should go look at it sometime. A day or two later I got my beloved Nylon in the mail, and low & behold, my Express coat is in a story about the leopard print trend. At the bottom of the page the prices for all of the products were listed. The coat I wanted was a whopping $168! No way I could afford that. I cut the picture out & posted it on my bulletin board so I could admire it. Maybe I would find one cheaper somewhere...

A week or so later, I got to work a little early, so I thought I'd go in Express just to see if the coat was even still there. It was, & there was only one left in my size. I tried it on & immediately fell in love (which is not common for me). I knew I had to have it, so I put it on hold & called my mom after I got off work that night. I offered to pay for half if she & Dad would pay the other half for an early Christmas present, or strike some sort of deal. I really needed a thick coat since I'm going to Chicago next month! She put me on the phone with my dad, & he said "Well if you love love love it, you've gotta have it then, huh? Just go ahead & put it on the credit card." What a nice daddy! I picked it up the next day!

I just had to share that story, because it makes me so happy : )
Here's the story my coat was in:

Pretty

NYLON is my favorite magazine, so when they released their beauty book, Pretty, last year, I knew I had to have it. It's over 200 colorful pages packed with product suggestions, looks to try, and inspirational beauty icons throughout the decades. I refer to my copy whenever I am in the mood to try something new. It hasn't failed me yet! Get yours at http://www.amazon.com/Pretty-NYLON-Beauty-Editors-Nylon/dp/0789315394.

Jewelry Box Essentials

Not everyone wears jewelry, but it is one of the best ways to add to your style quotient. Accessories can transform an outfit and make a big statement.

This list of key pieces to own is inspired by celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, and tweaked by me...

diamond studs

(real or fake)

Use them to brighten a more basic ensemble.

metal hoop earrings

You can wear them with anything!

a special cocktail ring

This doesn't have to break your bank-costume jewelry can sometimes look just as nice.

statement-making chandelier earrings

pearls

EVERY girl should own pearls!

a bangle or cuff

a "wow" necklace

Never underestimate the power of jewelry as a conversation piece!

All of the examples in this blog are Betsey Johnson pieces (because I am a huge fan!) If you liked these, check out her website http://www.betseyjohnson.com. Happy shopping!

Dress-Up Day!

My Picks #2: black booties

Here's the second installment of my favorite fashion and beauty products...

One fashion item that stomped down many a Fall runway is the black high-heeled ankle boot (aka bootie).

I have had a pair of these for a couple of years now & I get a compliment on them almost every time I wear them, no lie. Mine were only $10 at Hot Topic, but depending on the quality prices vastly range.

This amazing pair of Louboutins will only set you back $11,500...

This is a great addition to your wardrobe, especially in the fall, because you can wear them with jeans, tights or leggings, even cute cuffed socks. The possibilities are endless, and so are the styles, but you can't go wrong with basic black.

Style A to Zoe

In addition to regularly posting my fashion and beauty picks, I am also going to post style tips influenced by celebrity stylist (and my personal role model) Rachel Zoe and her book, Style A to Zoe. I highly recommend adding this book to your library, whether you are interested in the fashion industry or not. Everyone could use some helpful tips!
Order yours at http://www.amazon.com/styleatozoe or pick it up at your local Books-A-Million.

The first of these tips is a suggestion of a handful of things to make your life a little more glamorous:

red lipstick
(Consult a makeup artist at a department store counter to find your perfect shade. Bold lipstick can easily go wrong.)

black eyeliner

(don't forget mascara!)

fabulous high heels

a faux fur shrug

(These can get pricey, but it's not impossible to find one at a thrift shop.)

&

a metallic clutch

(Clutch-n. a woman's small purse that can be carried in the hand and usually has no handle or strap.)

Stay tuned for more tips!

Let It Fall

Autumn is my favorite season. Growing up in the mountains of east Tennessee surrounded by the rainbow of changing leaves is something I am so thankful for. Nothing is as comforting as the smell of dry leaves in the the crisp air, bundling up in your favorite cold weather clothes and retreating inside to sip hot chocolate in front of the fire place. (Yeah, I actually did all that).

Fall is also an important time in the fashion world! The opportunity to layer more really allows designers' imaginations to run wild. Amidst all the cardigans and woolly tights, though, it's easy to forget about your basics. Luckily, as long as Agent Provocateur is around, there's no way you can leave pretty little intimates off your fall shopping list.

Luxury lingerie brand Agent Provocateur recently released its ad campaign for its fall line, and I absolutely love it. Not only is it set in a colonial style manor decorated for autumn, it features model Daisy Lowe, the current face for Agent P (and personal style icon for me) and fellow British It Girl Peaches Geldof.

It looks like these hot vampire chics felt like crashing Thanksgiving dinner. The dark silks of the collection and the equally dark eyes and silky lips on the models ooze an almost scary sensuality. With pieces like this, who needs a sexy costume this Halloween?

My Picks #1: Stila Sheer Pressed Powder

From time to time I'm going to tell you about my personal favorite beauty products, fragrances, etc. Here's the first one:

STILA SHEER PRESSED POWDER

This is definitely the best powder that I have ever tried. It's not too sheer and provides just the right amount of coverage. You don't have to scrape it out of the compact (like some cheaper powders) and it makes your face feel super smooth and soft. I even brush it onto my roots if they're looking a little oily. Use a big fluffy powder brush to apply.

This wonderful product comes in fair, light, medium and dark, so there's a shade for every face. $28 may seem a little pricey, but it's definitely worth it for this product, which is not only high quality but long-lasting too. Get yours at http://www.stilacosmetics.com/ or your local Ulta or Sephora.

He said it...

"Fashion wears out more apparel than the man."
-William Shakespeare ♥

A Fatal Attraction to Cuteness

So this is something I've been wanting to blog about for a while now...
a product debut that I have been SO excited about!
& now that NY fashion week is over we can look at...










the new HARAJUKU LOVERS FRAGRANCES!

Since I first read about Gwen Stefani's addition to her fragrance collection in Teen Vogue's August edition I couldn't WAIT to for them to come out. So you can imagine my excitement when walking through Dillards earlier this month I saw the rainbow colored display.

The collection is a set of five individual fragrances based on Gwen and her L.A.M.B. entourage of Japanese Harajuku girls.





Gwen and her Harajuku Girls: Love, Angel, Music, Baby

Each scent is delightfully different, as Gwen wanted to create "one for every taste."

G






Gwen's personal fragrance.
This tropical mix is made up of apple, coconut, magnolia, jasmine and freesia.





LOVE



This flirty feminine floral captures the essences of rose, Egyptian jasmine, vanilla orchid and peony.

LIL' ANGEL
In this fruity concoction you can catch whiffs of blackberry, raspberry, pineapple, pear and cranberry.

MUSIC






My personal favorite, this yummy scent is a juicy combination of pear, clementine, sweetpea, vanilla and honeysuckle.





BABY



This powdery perfume layers white rose, freesia, orange flower and violet for a fresh and clean aroma.








These precious perfumes are not only delightful to smell, but their adorable bottles don't make choosing one any easier! Luckily, at their affordable prices, you don't have to choose just one. 1 oz. is priced at $45, the .33-oz bottle is only $25, and the boxed set of all five solid fragrances will only set you back $60. Not bad if you're thinking like me-that's five Christmas presents!

Get yours today at Dillard's, Macy's or http://hlfragrance.com/. Even if you don't plan on ordering, go to this website anyway and check out the world of Harajuku. Download free wallpapers, watch videos, read about the Harajuku girls and order a free sample-I'm waiting on mine!

Woe to Zoe

This article made me sad...I love Rachel Zoe, & her show!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/arts/television/16zoe.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Rachel%20Zoe&st=cse&oref=slogin

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Fashion week is winding down and there were fewer shows these past couple of days, so I'm just going to pick one show from each day to chat about. The Topshop Unique show yesterday & the Luella show from today both featured girly and flirty looks that could walk straight off the runways, Cotton commercial-style.

Luella, another favorite designer of mine, scattered tiny florals across deconstructed tea dresses, and also kept up the trend of using a lot of orange (and purple, my favorite color). I also fell in love with the shoes in this collection.

In the place of flowers, Topshop's designs had art-deco style hearts. Clearly some inspiration was drawn from the 80s for this collection, as visible in the oversized hairbows

Needless to say, it went by too quickly. Can't wait for next year!

Pictures courtesy of http://www.style.com/

"There's a lack of color here"

Yes, it's that time again...New York Fashion Week!
One more reason why fall is my favorite season. I also love that fashion week falls so close to my birthday! (One week!) Sorry it's a little late in the week for the update, but...

here's what's going on, and a few of my favorite looks:

The predominance of WHITE on the runways is astounding. It seems like for next spring neutral is the new...everything. Where there are a few pops of color, it's in the coral/orange/red/yellow family, (and black, of course) but the dominate colors are definitely more subdued. Just check out Lacoste's preppy khaki separates, Max Azria's watercolored frocks, or Behnaz Sarafpour's muted pieces.

Betsey Johnson, though her show had its fair share of white, did feature some refreshingly wacky pieces, citing Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean character as inspiration. I'll take a pair of these bloomers, please:

Oddly enough, in the Marc by Marc Jacobs collection, I found myself more drawn to the men's looks. Their shoes were just as great as the outfits they were wearing. My favorite looks:

Loose and flowing was also a visible trend, seen on the Halston and Monique Lhuillier runways:

Halston

Monique Lhuillier

Rodarte has been one of my favorites so far. The blues and purples the Mulleavy sisters used were beautiful, and I love the interwoven chains in some of the dresses. Those cut-out leggings are a must have for next spring.

I could go on all day, but I'll wrap it up with one of my favorite designers ever, Anna Sui, who showed under the tents at Bryant Park today. Clearly her collection was inspired by the American west. Native American references could be spotted in mocassin boots, and fringed shawls and loose hairnets mirrored traditional Mexican women's dress. Here's the stunning Jessica Stam in a look in the designer's favorite color (black).

Check out http://www.style.com/ for more.

Introductions and Explanations

My name is Brittany Haun. I am a senior Journalism student at Middle Tennessee State University, and my Editing teacher has instructed the class to start a blog. I have attempted to start a fashion and beauty blog in the past, but discontinued it because of low readership.

This blog will pertain to beauty and fashion, particularly what I find interesting. Since I am a journalism student, you will probably see parallels drawn between writing and fashion (as in the name of this blog).

This blog is titled Paperdoll, Inke. for these reasons:
Paperdoll is my myspace name. Check out my personal profile if you feel so led.
Paperdoll, I thought, would be a clever name also because of what a paperdoll is, exactly. It's a fashion toy. The purpose of paperdolls is to dress them, create outfits for them. They were definitely a favorite toy of mine when I was young.

The 'Inke.' half of the title is a play on the 'Incorporated' abbreviation. The 'ink' parallels the paperdoll.

So a brief introduction is all you get for now. I'll post a real fashion/beauty blog very soon. (& I PROMISE it won't be boring like this one) Be on the lookout!