How To Buy Vintage Handbags

I love vintage handbags.
A great vintage bag, in a style you can no longer find, can be the most chic alternative to any season's "It" bag.
I often find them in village markets in Italy, taken from old estates that have changed hands. They don't have second hand stores in Italy, nor do they have Goodwill, so local markets are an amazing resource for finding incredible old furniture, collectibles and on a good day, vintage handbags.

One time at an arts market in my Italian home town of 
San Gimignano I found a lady selling a cache of  Louis Vuitton bags from the 70's. The bags were well worn but still in enviable condition. I pored over them, looking for every conceivable sign of a fake, but they were indeed the real deal.

If you are a lover of vintage handbags, or if you are seeking out a second hand Louis Vuitton, Chanel or any other major designer handbag, it is important to know how to spot a fake and how to identify an authentic bag.

Here in the USA everywhere you look there are girls sporting fake Louis'. I don't think people realize how disgusting the trade in fake designer bags really is. It funds terrorism, involves child labor and human trafficking - it is deplorable. Before you even think about buying a knock off Louis or Hermes (or any other designer) make sure you read this article from Harpers Bazaar magazine about 
The Fight Against Fakes. 
One of the paragraphs that has haunted me for years, and that comes to mind every single time I see a girl cruising along with her counterfeit Louis is this:

Then I read the following passage from my book, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster. "'I remember walking into an assembly plant in Thailand a couple of years ago and seeing six or seven little children, all under 10 years old, sitting on the floor assembling counterfeit leather handbags,' an investigator told me... 'The owners had broken the children's legs and tied the lower leg to the thigh so the bones wouldn't mend. [They] did it because the children said they wanted to go outside and play.'"

It's barbaric.

So now that we are clear on why we should never, ever buy counterfeit handbags, lets look at an article I found on The Zoe Report on how to buy an authentic vintage designer handbag.

How To Buy Vintage Handbags

Red Flags To Look For

"Luxury brands will always use quality leather, so expect an even and consistent skin. Red flags include crooked stitching or lettering and gold flaking off the hardware. Dust bags, boxes, and authenticity cards aren't always included, but this doesn't mean the bag is a fake. A few examples of other authenticity markers are Chanel always has a hologram sticker listing the serial number, and for Hermès Birkin bags there is a special stamp embossed into the leather strap."

• c1990's Chevron Stripe Crossbody Bag, Chanel $1900

Coveted Styles Will Get Top Dollar

"The rarest and most coveted bags are the Hermès Kelly and Birkin. For Birkin bags, styles made of exotic skins are the most sought after, while Kelly bags from the 1970s are also constantly in demand."

• 1978 Box Calf Kelly Handbag, Hermes $5900

Only Consider Bags In Good, Excellent or Mint Condition

"Most reputable vintage dealers are highly selective. For example, at Resurrection we only carry bags that are in excellent-to-mint condition. When shopping, we recommend following our standard checklist: Make sure the bag has no stains, tears or rips; that the lining is unstained and intact; and that the hardware has no scratches or tarnishing. The corners can sometimes have slight wear, but that can always be easily fixed."

• c1970's Speedy Bag, $395

Beware Of Deals That Are TOO Good

"Always buy from a reputable source and do your research to make sure the seller has an authenticity guarantee. A common mistake is someone buying a bag online for a price that is too good to be true. Usually, it turns out the deal was too good to be true. Most vintage bags will go for around the same price across the board. If you see a Chanel bag for $200, and it is in perfect condition, be wary."

• c1970's Tote Bag, $530

All Images courtesy of The Zoe Report

Before purchasing a vintage designer handbag you can also google how to spot a fake for that brand.

If you are in Europe and are thinking about buying a knock off handbag from a street vendor (or anyone else) make sure you are aware of the penalties for doing so. They do look out for counterfeits at the airports.

A few years ago an acquaintence told me she was stopped at JFK

because traces of cocaine were found on her counterfeit Gucci handbag. She had a hard time explaining that she knowingly bought a counterfeit handbag from a street vendor in Florence, and found herself in a world of trouble.

How To Tell If Short Hair Will Look Good On You

Have you been wanting to chop off your locks and go for a short, sassy haircut, but are not sure if it would look good on you?
You want to make a change, you're ready to take the plunge and make the cut, but what if it's a colossal mistake?

Julian d'Ys cutting off Linda Evangelista's long hair in Peter Lindbergh's studio, 1988

When one of my favorite models of all time, Linda Evangelista, cut off her long hair back in 1988, there was an audible gasp in the fashion world, and she went from being a popular model to an absolute superstar, literally overnight. 
Could the cut be the making of you??

Check out John Frieda's secret formula from this fantastic article I found in Redbook. All you need is a ruler and a pencil...

It's a question hairstylists and reliable friends are often asked, "do you think short hair will suit me?" and thanks to the legion of celebs recently liberating their locks with crops, bobs and lobs, we've never meant it more.

Well the question of flattery has a short answer: The 2.25" (5.5cm) rule.

The magic measurement was discovered by hairstyle trendsetter and product innovator, John Frieda and "it's all about the angles" says Senior Stylist at John Frieda Salons UK and International Training Director of Color Wow, Giles Robinson.

"John studied faces and saw that the angle of the jaw bone determined whether or not someone would look best with short hair or long hair". They say the result is a trusted, easy but exact, measurement that indicates whether a face (any face) is suited to short or long hair.

To try it, position a pencil or pen under your chin horizontally and then place a ruler under your ear, vertically. Take your measurement from the intersection of the pencil and ruler. Less than 2.25" and you'd look amazing with short hair, and if it's anything more long locks will be the most flattering choice for you.

It works well with Michelle Williams and Kim Kardashian (pictured), and when you think of other obvious examples such as Audrey Hepburn next to Sarah Jessica Parker it becomes crystal clear. Those faux bob hair-tuck selfies are a think of the past…

Find more articles like this at Redbook.com

5 Ways To Avoid Hat Hair ~ Beauty Tip Of The Week #27

Buongiorno from Italy!We are in our second week on the Corinna B's World Glam Italia II Tour, glamorously tooling around Italy's beautiful Amalfi Coast.Are you following us on Instagram? I will be posting stories from the Glam II Tour when I get back, so in the meantime check in on us on Instagram and also on facebook, you can find both in the side panel to your right --->

I get the worst hat hair. 
Ever.
But I absolutely love wearing hats, any time of the year. The Glam Italia II Tour is definitely all about wearing hats, and when you are somewhere this glamorous the last thing you want is to take off your hat at lunch and have hat hair. I found this story at Aelida.com before I left, and I'm factoring these tips in to my game plan while I'm here.

5 Ways To Avoid Hat Hair

Hats are the perfect accessory if you want something that’s both stylish and functional. It completes your look and at the same time also protects your hair from the sun which is why it’s ideal to wear it whenever you’re out in the sun. Hats are very popular for spring and summer because the weather is warmer and your hair can definitely get toasted from being exposed to the sun all day long. However, wearing a hat for long periods of time also has its downsides and one of the biggest downsides to sporting a hat is getting hat hair after you take it off.  Here are some easy ways to avoid hat hair. If you’re a fan of hats and you’re the kind of who sports them all the time, check it out.

• Rub your comb / brush with a dryer sheet – you may not expect it but dryer sheets sure come in handy when you’re trying to avoid hat hair. One of the biggest telltale signs of having hat hair is static hair and you can easily get rid of that by rubbing your comb / hair brush with a dryer sheet before you use it on your hair to get rid of all the static. Get unscented sheets if you don’t like smelling like fresh laundry but if that’s your kind of smell then, hey, get the scented ones!

• Condition your hair – hat hair becomes very obvious when your hair is dry so conditioning your hair before you put on a hat can help immensely if you’re trying to prevent it. If you wear hats all the time with your outfits to prevent hair damage, deep conditioning would work well in preventing hat hair. No time to wash your hair and use regular conditioner? You can use leave-in conditioners instead and they’ll work just the same.

• Wear it in a ponytail, bun or braid – another way to prevent your hair from looking ridiculous after taking your hat off is to have it in a ponytail, a bun or in braids before you put your hat on. When you have your hair in these simple hairstyles before and while you’re wearing your hat, there are less chances of you getting hat hair after you take your hat off.

• Check out what your hat is made of – knowing what fabric / material your hat is made of can make a huge difference in your hair. Most hats that are made to keep your head warm are made of wool and other synthetic materials are the biggest culprits for hat hair. If you want to lessen the chances of having hat hair, go for hats that are made of cotton or cashmere instead as these prove to be the most hair friendly.

• Avoid tight fitting hats – hats that fit tightly can also be blamed for having unsightly hat hair. They leave dents and suffocate your hair, leaving you with messy hair once you take your hat off. Try to steer clear of tight fitting hats and go for ones that fit a little looser instead.

For more stories like this go to Aelida.com

All images in this story are via Aelida.com

10 Ways To Lift Yourself Up

Do you love Free People?

I do.

I love their blog too.

I found this on the Free People blog under Inspiration.

And it is indeed inspiring.

Enjoy!

When It all Falls Down: 10 Ways To Lift Yourself Up



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This post comes from our Australia contributor, Bianca Boulden!

I’ve been in some unpleasant situations in my life, to say the least. Who hasn’t though, right? That’s life, you win some and you loose some. Live and learn, it’s the best medicine. Some of the situations were of my own creation and others came straight out of left field and were nearly impossible to prepare for. So I wanted to share with you a list of things I discovered that helped me find some relief during my personal rock bottom episodes.

Be nice to people.

Yes it may be corny but kindness is underrated. When was the last time you asked a friend, a family member or even a perfect stranger if they are OK? You could be standing next to somebody in line for your coffee that is completely broken and you wouldn’t even know it. Just starting a conversation and being kind is all they may need to lift them up for the day. If you can be kind through your dark time and not bite the unsuspected heads off of the innocent bystanders, you’ll find that your personal happiness is uplifted as well. I’m not saying it will pay your bills but it will give you personal satisfaction and gratification. As they say, what goes around comes around – spread good karma.

Accomplish something.

When I have experienced something devastating or feel as though whatever I do is pointless or goes unnoticed, or when I am struggling between groceries and the rent for the week, even small accomplishments are worthy to note. Go for a walk, clean out your wardrobe, clean your house, finish that book that’s been sitting next to your bed for 6 months, even write a book — put the pen to paper and see what happens! I volunteered at an animal shelter because animals make me happy. So do the same, what ever you will feel good about and will make you smile.

Control.

Let it go. The only things you can actually control are what you do, say, and think, you can seriously reduce the crushing stress that comes with challenging life events by allowing yourself to let go of that which you can’t control..

Treat yourself.

I’m not saying go spend a BOMB on designer clothes or those $400 boots you have had your ear on all over Instagram but just a little something, it has always helped me. For me it was a crystal or a new record. The music took me to another world and the crystal empowered me.

Be with Nature.

It’s easy to get stuck in your comfort zone, the couch or your room or bed, but getting stuck in routine often means  you actually don’t get to enjoy the little things in life that should make you happy. For me I get high just from looking at a sunset or the perfect line of palm trees. I can’t even describe to you what the ocean does. It gives me goose bumps, like it’s my soul mate and it understands me. Go for a hike up a mountain, lay on the grass and watch the clouds or walk along the sand and let your feet hit the water. Breathe it all in and you will feel a lot better then sitting in your PJ’s for days.

Cry it out.

I’m not the best at crying; it takes me a bit to do it. I will go through stages where I would cry even at movies and then I will be so strong that it scares me. Sometimes you just need to let it out. So when you do… let it out.

Do something new and exciting.

Maybe you’ve been thinking about learning to surf, or perhaps you wanted to start taking dance classes, why not try? You will learn something new and meet new people. Don’t allow yourself to settle into misery. I made myself do things I had never done before and it brought me so much perspective and gratitude, not to mention fun!

Reach out to someone.

And I don’t mean reach out to someone and unload all your misery on them, everyone has their issues, they don’t need yours too. I mean reach out to someone in friendship, rekindle a relationship with someone that might have grown stagnate, force yourself to be around other people and feign happiness. Fake the happiness until you feel it. Fake it until you make it, lovers.

Do something for someone else.

Go out of your way to do good for others, realize that you are not the only person on the planet who is struggling, that there tons of people in your town and city who are having a tougher time than you are.

Laugh.

Do whatever it takes to make yourself laugh. Get on YouTube, call that friend that always has a funny awkward story, put on a movie that gets you every time… Step Brothers is good one.

Happiness is fleeting. It’s rarely, if ever, a constant state of being for anyone, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pursue it even when there seems to be nothing worthy of that happiness. You can either let life and its struggles swallow you whole or fight your way to a silver lining. Remember, your happiness is your responsibility. I say FIGHT!

“The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”

Words Bianca Boulden

Photos Jenna Agius

Model Dani Bonnor

Source: When It All Falls Down: 10 Ways To Lift Yourself Up http://blog.freepeople.com/2015/06/falls/#ixzz3eKrQGTEM

6 Unique And Beautiful Ways To Light Up Your Yard

I love summer.
I never want it to be over.
Which is somewhat handy being that I live in the perennial summer that is Phoenix.
Here you can spend your evenings outdoors basically all year round, so it's fun to have unique and interesting lighting accents in your back yard for last minute cocktail parties, casual evenings with friends, family nights or just a glass of wine and a good book on a rare night spent home alone.

I found this article about backyard lighting on PopSugarWritten by Lisette Mejia

Unique Ways To Light Up Your Yard

As great as they are, sometimes string lights can feel a little, "been there, done that." That's why we've gathered a bunch of completely creative outdoor lighting ideas that you'll want to try ASAP. And if you think you can't have an al fresco shindig because Summer is over, think again — right now is the perfect time because the weather isn't too extreme. Now, who's ready?

Photo by Fondly Forever Photography via Style Me Pretty

How creative is this? Attach small lights from a hanging planter and add corkscrews — we're just warning you now that it'll look funny when all your guests walk around with their heads up.

Photo by Amelia Johnson Photography via Style Me Pretty

Just beautiful. These grapevine balls were hung individually after adding string lights. Don't they look like little fireworks?

Photo by Jennifer Lindberg via Style Me Pretty

Ever seen wicker pendant lighting? Combine it with colorful string lights for a setup that works no matter what time of year.

Photo by John and Joseph Photography via Style Me Pretty

Image Source: Sarah Tew Photography

Nothing's more memorable than Moroccan lanterns lined on the stairs. If you don't want to deal with the hassle of blowing out the candlelight, replace the real deal with battery-operated votives.

Or, you could move the lanterns from the floor to a higher spot by hanging them from tree branches; this makes for an intimate feel.

Source: Brittany Ambridge via Domino

7 Things You Should Never Touch On A Plane

Oh. Lord.
I am getting ready to go to the airport to fly to Miami to pick up my travelers for the all new Corinna B's World Glam Italia II Tour.

It's kinda stressy running around doing last minute packing, readying the house for house sitters and child minders, fielding about a million texts and phone calls, and in the middle of it all finding your bag is too heavy, and your child needs more cash, and the child minder has a new list of foods they can't eat.....

So I decided to take a few minutes and look at some of my favorite blogs. I went to MyDomaine.com  and found this gem about germs on planes. Eeeewwwww!

FYI, I Lysol the hell out of the plane before I even sit down. Arm rests, seat backs, tray tables - you name it. I seriously don't want to get sick en route. Another frequent traveler tip - never use the seat pocket infront of you. People blow their noses and stick the kleenex in there, and those things never get cleaned.

Anyway, check out this post  from MyDomaine.com, and stock up on Lysol before your next flight.

Please Don't Touch These 7 Things on a Plane

Forget about snakes. What about germs on a plane? While we all love to travel, the actual flying part of the trip isn't always a pleasant experience. Personal space doesn't exist either, so that means enduring your fellow passengers' dubious hygiene habits, coughs, and colds. But according to Huffington Post, it's what you don't see that can really make you sick. There are some pretty lethal germs that live on planes, including E. coli, which can cause severe diarrhea, and MRSA bacteria, which are resistant to many antibiotics. And these harmful bugs can survive for days. So here are a few things you definitely shouldn't touch on a plane. 

1. The Armrests
2. The Tray Tables
3. The Inside Door Handle of the Restroom
4. The Flush Button on the Toilet
5. The Lavatory Faucet Handles
6. The Blankets
7. The Toilet Seat

To read why you shouldn't touch these seven things, visit Huffington Post.

Keep Your In-Flight Beauty Game - Strong! beauty Tip Of The Week #25

Have you ever watched an international flight deplaning? Especially a good, long flight?
It's like watching a real live episode of The Walking Dead, without the bloody bits.
Passengers tend to look a uniform shade of ashen grey, their hair is all over the place - in general they look like hell.

When my plane lands I'm always either bouncing straight into work or into some fun social engagement, so I need to have my game face on. Or at least not look like a vampire. for me it's all about which beauty products I take on board with me. This morning I'm packing for the Glam Italia 2 Tour which takes off tomorrow, so today we are looking at some Cabin Baggage Beauty.

Here is what is coming on board with me:

Beauty products going in my cabin baggage

Starting with skin care. I always fly with no makeup on. Makeup looks ghastly at the end of a long flight, so I work my skin care game throughout the flight and then either put on makeup an hour before landing, or in the restroom after we de-plane.

Read my post about beating Jet Lag here

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is a lifesaver. I spritz this on before the flight and then as needed during the flight for extra hydration and nourishment.

I give my skin a liberal coating of both Tatcha Ageless Revitalizing Cream and Tatcha Ageless Revitalizing Eyecream to bind in the moisture. I either buy them in travel size, or get them in sampler boxes from the Tatcha website. These items are from the Mother's Day Gift Set I received this year.

Tatcha Gold Camellia Lip Balm keeps lips from drying out and cracking and also feels incredibly luxe.

Don't forget your hands - they suffer from the lack of water in the air too. Keep your hands looking lovely with Tatcha Indigo Handcream (also available in travel size).

Instead of looking ghostly when you land, apply a sheer coat of Makeup Forever Skin Equalizer primer to give your skin an even surface, followed by Makeup Forever Lift Concealer (if you have dark rings under your eyes) and a little MAC BB cream to bring back some color into your complexion and get rid of the long flight pallor.
I love Inglot AMC Liquid Blush. If you don't have access to Inglot grab a Nars Multiple Stick in a warm tone like Portofino.

A full face of makeup isn't necessary, just focus on your brows, cheeks, lashes and lips. Givenchy makes a good brow pencil, I've used the Shu Uemura lash curler for years, and I'm a die-hard fan of Diorshow Blackout Mascara. I use a flesh toned pencil from Philosophy in the water line to brighten my eyes

When you are looking washed out your best friend is a pair of dark sunglasses and a bright lip.
Reds can be a little too fierce so I always go for the vibrant pop of color you get from bold pinks and fuchsias. Try MAC lipstick in Impassioned after shaping your pout with MAC lip liner in Vino.

Everyone smells awful after 8 hours+ in a cabin with recirculating air. More importantly your hair smells stale. 
Oribe Cote D'Azur Hair Refresher Spray smells like heaven and totally refreshes your locks. (you can buy it in travel size too)

All these items fit easily into my see thru Miami Blue cosmetics pouch from Stephanie Johnson.

Can you believe Katy Perry got the Carine Roitfeld treatment? I'm going to read all about it in the September issue of Harpers Bazaar during my flight.