Monthly Archives: September 2013

Friday Eve Links

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friday eve
When I was younger, my mom was insistent about use wearing our “play clothes” while we were at home to keep from mussing up all of our good stuff. So, when I am at home, I often change into sweatpants and a tee, which makes for an annoying change if I want to run out to the store. Not anymore! I plan to use Yes and Yes’s advice on upgrading my play clothes, because really, I love wearing leggings anyways.

Struggling to decide what color iPhone to get now that there’s more options than just black and white? Here’s what your iPhone color says about you.

Now you have a snarky e-card to send to that friend you have who won’t stop talking about how ridiculously awesome/life changing/amazing cross fit is. Yea, other people work out too.

De Blasio for Mayor! Why his family is important.

I have been wanting a bucket bag for ages, and now I have 14 excuses to go buy one.

Recently I decided to be more compassionate in my eating, and have been trying to purchase meat from farms that I know aren’t industrial operations confining animals to a life of suffering. But I can’t get up on a pedestal yet, what about when I eat out, and wear leather? Are my cosmetics tested on animals? This thoughtful account goes through a fashion writer is going through the same struggle with clothes, and how to be a conscious consumer without going off the deep end.
Now you can get jobs from facebook? And it turns out that people recruited from social media may stay longer in their positions.

I came down with a cold this week at the tail end of summer, and it just seems so wrong to be sick when the weather is still so warm. And in unpleasant news, it turns out that summer cold can last longer than winter colds. Bring on the Airborne!

If you’re getting tired of the same old arsenal of bedtime stories for your kid, the kid you babysit, or a niece/nephew/grandchild, check out the new fairy tales that were recently discovered, and add some to your collection.

I am excited for the return of fall shows, but my DVR has left me with no clue as to when my favorite shows air. Here’s your cheat sheet to when all your favorite premieres are happening so you can put them on your calendar.
What have you been reading?

P.S.-I Made This… Book Party!

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psI’ve been a fan of P.S.- I Made This… for a while. Erica Domesek makes such cute DIY’s and crafts from fashions she sees around town, with simple pictures on her blog explaining how to make one on your own. Her motto is, “I see it. I like it. I make it.” As someone who has sewn dresses based on ones I’ve seen in magazines, and glued sequins to any number of clothing items, I have always thoroughly enjoyed her ideas for transforming things you have into better, more fashionable things.

Now she has a book, called P.S. – you’re invited…, and book launch parties kicking off around the country. If you’re in NYC, you can hit up one at West Elm tomorrow, 9/12. From 6:30-7:30pm, you can (for $85) participate in a crafting workshop, receiving a book, all the materials for the project, and a special P.S.- I Made This Swiss Army DIY Tool. If you’re not looking to drop a load of cash, you can get there at 7:30 for a book signing that will run for an hour. Make sure to RSVP on the facebook page if you plan to attend. The workshop requires registration in advance. Happy crafting!

UN Evaluates Global Happiness

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denmarkOver the past five years, the United Nations conducted a world-wide survey on happiness around the globe with the goal of creating a report that would inform policy makers on the well-being of their nation for use in national policy decision-making. The results show that many countries have improved their overall happiness during the time period of the study, and that many of the happiest countries are found in Northern Europe including nations like Sweden and Denmark. Canada followed closely, with much happiness based on higher life expectancy, higher median incomes, and strong community ties. Somewhat surprisingly (to me), the United States ranked 17th in happiness, falling just under Mexico for total levels. Check out some handy infographics of the data at The Huffington Post.

Feeling Blocked? Take a Quick Break

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inspirationI’m a big believer in stepping away from projects when they become too frustrating. When I am writing, and I hit a wall, I tend to take a quick break to look at some cute animals, or play a round of candy crush then go back to it with fresh eyes. It’s been proven that adorable little furry things can make you more productive, but now scientists are saying that little distractions in your day can help you be more creative. This phenomenon is exactly why some of the best ideas and solutions pop into your head when you’re doing something totally unrelated to your problem, like washing your hair or getting a drink of water. The little distraction gives you a “creative incubation period” that lets your mind work freely when you’re disengaged and not focused on a solution that’s not really working.

So there you have it, an excuse to pop out for a quick walk around the block. Inspiration might strike when you least expect it.

Like Netflix for Books

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oysterI am still an old-fashioned book reader. While I am enticed by the lightness of a Kindle when I am lugging a 500+ pager around in my purse, I am too worried I would crush an e-reader in my bag to make the investment, and I enjoy physical books. However, after the initial investment, the Kindle can be a money-saver for a frequent reader. E-books are typically $5 or so less than the physical book, and you get the bonus of instant gratification without making a trip to the book store. And now, for voracious readers there’s an even more economical option that is designed for iPhones and iPod touch without the e-reader investment: Oyster.

It’s a new service that is similar to Netflix, but for books. Readers join the service via subscription (to the tune of $9.95 a month), and then get unlimited access to 100,000 books. There are editorial staff recommendation, and like Netflix, it will use data gathered from titles you read to create suggestions for the next item to pick up, and like the instant queue, you can create a reading list of what you’re read/want to read next.  Then you can follow your friends to keep up on what they’re reading to inform your choices. Another bonus? If you’re reading the 50 Shades Triology and don’t want anyone to know about it you can use privacy mode to hide your selections. Or, if you’re looking for a specific chapter or recipe from a book, you don’t have to spring for the whole shebang. Check it out here, and with what I’m guessing they are going for with their brand name, the reading world is your Oyster.

Organize by Type for Your Best Closet

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closetAfter I moved to a new apartment, I used the opportunity to totally reorganize my somewhat nightmarish closet. Previously, I had organized my clothes by color and type. My clothes hung in rainbow order with t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, pants, sweaters, and skirts grouped together. Yet somehow, I was still struggling to pick out outfits in the morning, leafing through my beach dresses to get to my work appropriate sheaths.

When I rearranged my closet, I was struck by organizational inspiration. I moved all of my work-appropriate dresses to one end, and all of my beach dresses to another. Instead of grouping clothes by type, I moved tops I wear to work or on more casual days. Tees were moved to my dresser along with any casual pants. And it turns out my instinct was right. Self magazine reported in their September issue that organizational expert Jill Martin recommends grouping clothing items by theme ( work versus play, fancy vs casual) to achieve your dream closet.

Dry Shampoo’s Perfect Partner: Dry Conditioner

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dry conditioner

 

I’ve been using dry shampoo off and on ever since I discovered it’s water-free, clean hair wonders when I went to Bonnaroo Music Festival back in 2009. My favorite is Klorane, and I sometimes even spritz it onto clean hair to pump up the volume of my very fine strands. It’s great for a hair refresher on lazy mornings when I just don’t feel like having to wash and re-style before brunch, however, using dry shampoo on the regular wasn’t really an option for my highlighted hair that tends to get a little dry on the ends- until now, that is.

In response to the popularity of dry shampoo, hair care manufacturers have debuted dry conditioner, the perfect counterpart for dry shampoo in the lazy girl’s hair arsenal. It forms oils and nutrients into a spray on powder-aerosol that gives you the same benefits of a leave-in conditioner without having to jump in the shower first. Dry shampoo is intended to soak up oil at the roots (and provide a nice fresh hair scent to avoid that icky dirty scalp smell). Dry conditioner is designed to be sprayed onto the frazzled ends. And, just like I use my dry shampoo as a volumizing styling tool, dry conditioner can be used to finish a style or add texture. Go pick up a bottle today (Julep recommends Nick Chavez, Haute Mess, Got2B Rockin’ It, Percy & Reed and Suave Professionals), and enjoy those 45 extra minutes of sleep tomorrow.

Learn How to Pronounce Your Favorite Fashion

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speak chicAs a writer and former English major, I mispronounce words more often than I’d like to admit. I blame it on ignoring phonics, and learning to read through memorization, and studying Spanish instead of French or Italian in school. And while it comforts me that other bloggers do it too, if I can avoid an embarrassing  verbal blunder, I’d like to!

I don’t know about you, but often my favorite fashion designers are what get me into the most trouble. I only learned the correct pronunciation of Yves Saint Laurent when I had a coworker named Yves, and for many designers out there even after years of loving their products, I have no idea how to say their names out loud. Luckily Oprah cleared up how to say Christian Louboutin and Hermès for me years ago, but there are loads of other brands out there that still baffle me. Now, just in time for fashion month, there’s an app to the rescue. Called Speak Chic, for $1.99, you can banish your fears of saying tongue twisters like Audemars Piguet or Proenza Schouler (hint: this one sounds like “Skooler”) out loud and totally botching it. Download it, and talk about all your favorite shows and Fall looks, confidently and mis-pronuciation-free.