The Perfect Nude Lips For Fall

image by Kelly Cappelli
mskeup by Corinna Cooke

As much as we all need a killer red lip for fall, maybe a deep, sultry oxblood, we also all need a really good nude lipstick that's perfectly toned to work the cooler weather.

Our summer nude lips don't always work so well in autumn. They can look too chalky or too bare, and instead of complimenting our complexions they can suck the life out of them.
Look for a nude lip that has some warmth to it, and that isn't too yellow.

Here is a selection of my favorite nudes for fall.

Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Isola Bella
Apart from the fact that Isola Bella is right below Taormina in my much loved Sicily, I love the satin finish to this lip as well as the pinky undertone. 
Available at Nordstrom

Nars Satin Lip Pencil In Isola bella

For a lip with a little more depth and a lovely suede finish try Charlotte Tilbury's taupe shade inspired by Victoria Beckham,
Matte Revolution Very Victoria
Available at Charlotte Tilbury.com

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Very Victoria

Chanel Rouge Coco in 402 Adrienne is a warm pinky nude that not only looks beautiful, but wears beautifully too.
Available at Nordstrom

Chanel Rouge Coco in 402 Adrienne

For a touch of luxury with a sheen try Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Shine in Frolic.
Available at Nordstrom

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Shine in Frolic

One of the absolute loveliest lip glosses I have worked with in a long time is Honest Beauty's lip gloss in Generous Kiss. It's a sheer pink nude with a great color pay off and a non-tacky, smooth gloss.
Available at HonestBeauty.com

Honest Beauty Lip Gloss in Generous Nude

The One And Only Posh

How crazy cool would it be to be Vicky B???

I was looking back through the Emporio Armani campaign from the summer, and started wondering what it must be like, to be Victoria Beckham.

If I were Posh, I too would spend my days leaning against walls in sleek undies, with this kind of killer hair and makeup.

So fierce and so fabulous!!!

Is she just hot or what???

I'm thinking I might start doing this every morning too...

Posh not only has the wardrobe to die for, neverending clothes and shoes and bags, constant travels, the luxe life, but she also gets to completely stretch the boundaries of extreme fabulous with this dude, David Beckham.

I wonder if their Sunday mornings look like this?

I'm thinking that rope wouldn't be too comfy to lounge around on...

Everyone I know who knows Victoria B says that shes hilarious and fun and awesome and cool.


And when she feels crappy and tired or if she's having a bad day, she still goes home to this:

The David.

Life can't be too bad for Vicky B, always Posh Spice to me.

Love her.

xo

C

NYFW Fall/Winter 2012 Update

I'm way behind on New York Fashion Week posting

due to my crazy shoot schedule.

February is always a busy, busy month.

Anyway, here is a recap of some of NYFW

At Tommy Hilfiger there was a distinctly equestrian feel. 

Behnaz Sarafpour worked both a feminine silhouette and a structured form

At Catherine Malandrino 
some very sheer fabrics for fall

Always one of my favorites, Victoria Beckham celebrated an intensely

feminine form, long and lean with a nipped in waist.

At times with a slightly military feel,

with solid color blocking,

the collection was entirely wearable. 

At red carpet favorite Carmen Marc Valvo
it was full on glamour,
intensely beautiful.
Hair was slicked back and complimented by 
a full, smoky eye and a soft mouth.

Maryna Linchuk for Vogue Russia

Somedays all you need are a high pony and a couple of kids.

Otherdays all you need is a margarita.

Or three.

In the world of ponytails, 

a low, soft, banded at the nape style

speaks to a demure, slightly bohemian feel.

A high pony tells an entirely different story.

In the May issue of Vogue Russia,

lensed by Alexi Lubomirski

hair stylist Tomohiro Ohashi brings an

exciting flare to the story

with his high swinging pony.

It is vibrant, vivacious, modern and sleek.

The ponytail adds an urgency to the story

and defines model mother Maryna Linchuk

as she runs around NYC with 2 children,

more than any item she is wearing.

Styled by Ekaterina Mukkhina 

in wardrobe from designers including 

Azzedine Alaia, Burberry Prorsum, Jil Sander, Fendi, Nina Ricci, Tom Ford and Victoria Beckham.

Makeup by Tyron Machhausen

How I Met Your Mother

 

Jessica Simpson Covers New York Magazine Spring Fashion Issue

This makes me happy on so many levels!!
Jessica Simpson on the cover of New York Magazine's Spring Fashion Issue

Firstly, I am loving these images! If there is one thing Jessica Simpson knows, its how to take a great picture!But actually, there is something else she knows too, and that is how to build a giant fashion empire.

In 2010 Jessica Simpson's fashion empire rang up $750 million in sales.
To put this in perspective, that means she is selling approximately the same volume as heavy weight Michael Kors.
This year with the addition of a full ready to wear collection and a "career separates" line, sales are expected to hit the $1 billion mark.

In an industry where celebrity clothing lines are doomed to fail (with the exception of the Olsen twins brilliant lines, and Victoria Beckham's divine but tiny dress line, very few actually make it)
The magic formula seems to be the goal that: “A girl could go to the shopping mall with her mother and she’d have a great new outfit and still have some money left for lunch at McDonald’s. She can look like Jessica Simpson, smell like Jessica Simpson, and she can afford it.” 

After all the attacks Jessica has had to endure about her music, her acting, her love life and her fluctuating weight, you'd think she'd enjoy taking this moment to turn her nose up at her detractors.
But not so. 
 Everyone who knows her (as in people at my end of the industry) talk about how totally lovely she is. Even douchey John Mayer who famously labeled her "sexual napalm" (which has to be the best compliment ever, especially allowing for how much he gets around!), races to her defense, and tells what a sweet and lovely girl she is.
And so, with sweet grace and dignity she moves forward, looking incredibly hot as she takes it all the way to the bank.

images by Ruven Afanador for New York Magazine

Face Shapes and Hairstyles

In keeping with the SheKnows TV Chat Pack episode about hairstyles and face shapes, I'm going to get into a little more depth about face shapes and hairstyles.

Here are 6 face shapes and the best hairstyles for them as well as which ones to avoid.


Round
If you have a round face, the goal is to create less volume around the face, thereby minimizing the roundness. Try cuts that fall just below the chin. Soft, graduated layers are ideal because they make the face look slimmer while they remove the bulk and weight from the sides. Wispy tapered ends and side swept bangs create a lovely illusion, and modify the roundness.
Avoid one length blunt cuts, volume thru the middle, and short curly hairstyles. They will all maximize a round look.
Celebs with round face shape include Christina Ricci, Kirsten Dunst and Drew Barrymore

Square
If you have a square shaped face you want to play down the strong angular jaw. Long layers starting at the jawline and working their way thru the length, creating movement are lovely on a square face , as are side swept bangs. Curls are fabulous too.
Avoid one length bobs, blunt cut bangs, and any blunt cuts that end at the jawline.

Celebs with square shaped faces includethe lovely Sandy B, Demi Moore and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Oval

Oval is the most versatile shape, and can pull off pretty much any look.

Avoid short layers with height at the crown as this will elongate the face too much. If the hair is curly avoid a blunt cut as this can give a pyramid look. Curly hair on an oval face is best when shoulder length or longer, to weigh it down. Avoid short curly hair if you have an oval face shape.

Celebs Jennifer Aniston, Cindy Crawford, Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz

Heart

A heart shaped face is wider at the temple and narrower at the chin. Heart shaped faces look completely gorgeous with cuts that are chin length or longer, carry weight in the nape to balance out the narrow chin, they are lovely with chin length bobs, side parts, swept forward layers around the upper face, wispy bangs. Be sure to emphasize those beautiful cheekbones!

Avoid short full styles that emphasize the upper face, too much height at the crown, and severe slicked back looks. (unless you are Victoria Beckham, in which case by merely breathing you are close to perfection and nothing else matters).

Celebs include Posh, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Emmanuelle Beart

Rectangle

Rectangular face shapes need to add width but not height or length. Brow skimming bangs, chin length bobs, curls and waves are all fabulous as they add the illusion of width and soften the angles of the face. Long layers with pieces hitting the nose, chin and collarbone are totally lovely. Keeping length in the back and slightly shorter sides creates a beautiful, soft frame to the face.

Avoid too much height at the crown or long straight looks as they will just lengthen the face too much.

Celebs include Gwyneth Paltrow, Janet Jackson and Gabrielle Reece

1. Diamond

This is perhaps the most exquisite face shape of them all. Virtually everything looks divine on a diamond shaped face. Sometimes a little extra weight at the nape can balance out  a chin that's very narrow, but in general, you're perfect anyway.

Just think Linda Evangelista. Perfect.

The Luxe Life

Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?
I couldn't help but notice the glaring omission of the Keurig coffee maker that I wanted so badly, but that was so markedly absent under the tree. Maybe Santa was drunk? or just forgot? - he is old afterall.

Another thing that clearly wasn't there, hadn't actually been on my list anyway, but nevertheless intrigues me no end, is the ultimate statement of the luxe life, the Hermes Birkin Bag

 This 35cm fuchia crocodile gem of a Birkin is actually on ebay right now for a mere $43, 999.00
Bargain.
If you're in the market for one I guess. I have clients and friends who own Birkins, and they are fun to walk around the house with, but I have a hard time seeing the value in them, much as I try.
If you look on the Createurs Deluxe website you'll see exotic Birkins for $75,000.

I wonder if any of my blog readers anywhere in the world got a Birkin for Christmas?

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One of my favorite blogs dedicated to the Hermes phenom is Ladyhermezz. You can read all kinds of fun things about the Birkin here.

The luxe perfection that is Victoria Beckham is frequently spotted with Birkins.
Could she even look more fabulous???
(and what on earth is the white stuff on the side of that dude's face? Something About Mary? Looks like he's got new shoes on too)

 Marc Jacobs takes his white Birkin to the beach, at the same time taking decadence to a whole new level.

But if you are in the market for a new Birkin, this one I found on the Createurs Deluxe website certainly does have a spring/summer feel to it, and could no doubt take a girl any place she felt she needed to go.

I do enjoy Mykonos too...

Iconic Women ~ Happy Birthday Jane Birkin

Can you imagine being so iconic, having such a timeless style, that Hermes named a handbag after you?

A handbag known worldwide and coveted as the ultimate expression of luxury, the pinnacle of chic??

British actress and singer Jane Birkin came to fame during the swinging 60's in London, before moving to France to star alongside Serge Gainsbourg in the film Slogan, in 1969.

Gainsbourg became the love of her life. They recorded many songs together including "Je t'aime... moi non plus" (I love you... me neither) a song banned in several countries at the time due to sexual explicitness.
The couple had one child together, french singer Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Birkin is frequently cited as being celebrities' style icon, which is somewhat unusual as her personal style has been so laid back. She is known for wearing her jeans until they frayed, often bare foot, carrying a wicker basket, even after Hermes designed perhaps the most expensive handbag in the world for her.

Victoria Beckham is frequently seen with Birkin bags

I love the story:

In 1981, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. Birkin had just placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment of her seat, but the contents fell to the floor, leaving her to scramble to replace the contents. Birkin explained to Dumas that it had been difficult to find a leather weekend bag she liked. In 1984, he created a black supple leather bag for her: the Birkin bag,^[4][5] based on a 1982 design. She used the bag for herself for quite some time until developing tendinitis, switching to other types at that point.^[6]

Jane Birkin's Style

Today, December 14th, fellow sagittarian Jane Birkin turns 68.

Happy birthday Jane.