Good As Gold

I’m loving all things gold lately. I want to throw the glinty metallic hue into everything, from outfits to beauty routines to tablescapes. Here are some the goldies I’m loving lately.

1. Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Color in Gilded Moonlight ($24)
2. Gilded striped cake via Pinterest
3. Sephora + Pantone Universe Opulent Lacquer Trio in Gold ($18)
4. A natural, gold-infused tablesetting (via Ruffled on Pinterest)
5. Stella McCartney Shiny Starlets Glitter Pumps ($600)
6. Kate Spade New York Idiom Bangle, “Look on the Bright Side” ($58)
7. J.Crew Factory Sequin Evening Bag ($42.50)
8. Tory Burch “Fox Head” Drop Earrings ($52.79)
9. Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polish ($18)

What hues are having a moment in your life? Share in the comments. Have a great weekend! xoxo

MAC Summer ’12: Hey Sailor!

In a word: DYING!

I have a not-so-secret obsession with all things nautical, so imagine my pure joy utter craziness when I heard that MAC’s summer 2012 collection was going to be an homage to all things maritime. As if the packaging alone, which is reminiscent of well-worn sailcloth, wasn’t enough to make me want to buy the entire collection, the shades are gorgeous! They remind me of a sailor’s uniform, with the intense navy blues of the stripes, and antiqued gold of the buttons…just beautiful. They contrast against soft, pretty pinks and peaches (made for cheeks and lips) for a look that’s summertime pretty…and will have you ready for the yacht club.

Specifics (i.e., prices) are still being worked out; I’ll update this post when I get more info. But for now, enjoy the pictures and what info is available.

All items LE (limited edition) unless otherwise noted.

Lipglass ($14.50), from left: Blessedly (pale coral), Cut Loose (white with gold pearl), Orange Tempera (pale peach; repromote, originally seen here), Riviera Life (vivid tangerine), Send Me Sailing (yellow-based red).

Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder ($TBA), from left: Sun Dipped, Nude on Board

High-Light Powder in Crew ($TBA): Soft cream, pink, lavender, and peach tones with shimmer.

You have to click through to see this collection in its entirety!

Estee Lauder x Mad Men

Just like everybody else on the planet, I love love love Mad Men. Love it. I wish I was married to Don Draper (despite the unabashed affairs, constant boozing, and the whole lying-about-his-identity thing). Jon Hamm as DD is quite possibly the best TV character ever. I can’t wait until the new season premieres on March 25!

The show has inspired cocktails, fashion lines, retro hairstyles, the return of the classically-dressed man, and the resurgence of ’60s style on the street (complete with a limited edition MM line by Banana Republic). But a MAD MEN beauty collection?! I can’t even handle this.

Borderline Obsessed with Tarte Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss

One night when I couldn’t sleep a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon this video by Tarte. Ever since then, I cannot stop thinking about Tarte Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss ($21). I love everything about how it looks: the smoothness of application; the bright, flattering colors; and the options (creamy, sheer, opaque). I cannot wait to get my hands on one!

Urban Decay Naked Palette: Where Have You Been All My Life??

The buzz about Urban Decay’s Naked Eyeshadow Palette ($48) has been nearly deafening since it launched last year. I never jumped in on the craze because the palette was unavailable for so long (sold out as soon as it was restocked), and then I rationalized that I didn’t need to drop nearly $50 on neutral shadows, when my kit is already brimming with them. Then I won one of these palettes from Leah at Sifting Thoughts (check out her lovely blog! It’s a daily read for me.) I have to say, this is the best giveaway I’ve ever won! This amazing palette contains 12 eyeshadow shades, UD’s Eye Primer Potion, and Good Karma Eyeshadow Brush.

First up, the shades:

• Virgin, frosted pale pinky-nude
• Sin, shimmering champagne
• Naked, a matte light brown
• Sidecar, a glittery taupe
• Buck, a matte nut brown
• Half Baked, a shimmery antique golden brown
• Smog, shimmering deep copper
• Darkhorse, a deep, rich, glitter-flecked brown/olive

• Toasted, shimmery, copper-tinged taupe
• Hustle, a gorgeously shimmering plummy purple (this photo does not do it justice!)
• Creep, glitter-flecked charcoal black
• Gunmetal, a blue-grey dotted with silver glitter.

Click through to find out why I am so head-over-heels for this palette.

Love List

Here are some things I’m loving this (late) Friday. Clockwise from top left: Essie nailpolish in Merino Cool; Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ash Blonde; my J.Crew Ice Cube Bracelet paired with my Michael Kors watch; lightning bolt nails I saw on Pinterest; getting lovely home decor inspiration from Pinterest; and Class Actress‘s debut album, Rapprocher.

Lilly Pulitzer Resort 2012 – and Happy Birthday!

In honor of Lilly Pulitzer’s birthday (she turns 80 today), I thought I’d give you a little peek at Lilly’s latest collection. As an unabashed lover of all things Lilly, the brand is a modern-preppy a wardrobe staple for me, so you can imagine my excitement when the label’s Resort 2012 collection, Jungle Glam, recently launched. It hit just as we got a freak October snowstorm in Philly on Halloween…could the timing be any more perfect? Lilly has me escaping to tropical paradise with their fun, vibrant prints and patterns.First up, the dresses. They are to die for. There are bursts of color on everything from wrap dresses, shifts, tunics, and flirty, feminine strapless numbers. Lilly is having a moment with one-sleeved dresses like the Whitaker, and she’s totally killing it. (The black Naomi dress has been a special-occasion staple for me this season.) Clockwise from top left: Pipster dress ($198), Sherry dress ($298), Whitaker dress ($258); and Bellanna dress ($268).

And we didn’t even get to the jewlery yet! Click through to take a peek and get details on Lilly’s birthday party!

Latest Obsessions: Drybar & Blushington

Image via Drybar

I wish I lived in L.A. about a hundred times a day (I’m completely infatuated with California, even though I’ve never been). And now, two beauty-centric West Coast spots (one established, one brand-spanking-new) are making me ache for a visit to the West Coast. Drybar and Blushington are enough to make me book a plane ticket ASAP.

The premise of Drybar is so simple: a salon that offers only blowouts. You book an appointment, walk in, get shampooed, and get a blowout. They offer menus that resemble cocktail lists with a set of looks (with cocktail-inspired names) to choose from. You tell your stylist what you want, and you walk out with beautiful hair.

Read more about Drybar, and Blushington, the fabulous new beauty lounge, after the jump.

Poppy King for J.Crew Lipstick

I am not a red lipstick girl.

My fair skin and blonde hair don’t lend themselves kindly to big, bold red. It washes me out and makes me feel clownish. But when I saw photos of J.Crew models adopting a beautiful coral-y/red lip (see below), I loved it.I admired it from afar, until I saw that J.Crew had teamed up with lipstick legend Poppy King (of Lipstick Queen fame) to develop a signature lipcolor. Two of my obsessions collaborating on one project! It seemed like the perfect merging of fashion and beauty. Not quite red, not quite coral, and certainly not orange, the shade (titled “Poppy King”) was hailed as universally flattering.

And then it started hitting the blogs. Instantly, it was sold out everywhere. I had to have it.

Tie-Dyed Twist

Although I rarely wear my hair up, but when I hit the gym or hit the hay, my hair has to be off of my face. For convenience, I usually slip a simple black hair elastic around my wrist. But I hate the way it looks, and often try to hide it under my watch (which never really works).

To spice things up a bit, I ordered a set of tie-dyed hair elastics from Pistachio Hair Goods on Etsy. The simple hair ties are knotted at the end for an unexpected touch, and add a pop of color when I wear them on my wrist. They’re comfortable, too, and don’t make a pronounced crease in my hair. Sometimes, the simplest, littlest things can add a touch of brightness to your day, and I find myself smiling every time I glance down at my wrist.