Century 21 Sells John Galliano???

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After John Galliano made racist and anti-Semitic comments in Paris last February.

After Natalie Portman released this statement: “I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the video of John Galliano’s comments that surfaced today. In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way. I hope at the very least, these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful.”

After John Galliano was fired from Dior.

After he was arrested and fined.

Well, after all of this... I was very shocked to find John Galliano being sold at the Century 21 Department Store in Brooklyn.

For those of you outside New York and not familiar with the department store, Century 21 has been a staple of lower Manhattan for years, and is now present in the surrounding areas, including Long Island and New Jersey.

The store has been bringing us New Yorkers high fashion at highly discounted price for decades. "Fashion worth fighting for" has been their motto, and rightly so, because if you try to set foot in the lower Manhattan store during your lunch break, be prepared to fight the huge crowds.

Century 21 is owned by the Gindi family, a Jewish family that never forgets to respect Jewish holidays, and in fact will be closing the store tomorrow and Friday to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

Photo by Raymond Gindi

So why does Century 21 still sell John Galliano merchandise? Do they not know about John Galliano?

Or do they choose to continue selling because money is more important than values?

Just wondering...

John Frieda's Precision Foam Color: My First Makeover!

I recently had the great pleasure to be selected for a makeover opportunity. Probably because my good friends from Glam.com had grown tired of hearing me complain about how little time I have to take care of myself since the birth of my, now two years old, daughter. And because I make no mystery of the fact that I love to wear sweat pants and sneakers but I haven't seen a gym in years!

And when I say makeover, I mean makeover! Think TV makeover!

Getting ready for my "before" documentation.

The main focus was going to be the hair, because like I've always believed, your look starts with your hair, and if you have bad hair, it won't matter how fancy and beautiful your clothes are. I also got to do this with four other great bloggers: Angela from Lipglossbreak.com, Heather from Behindthelashes.com and Stef and Tyna from WeHeartThis.com.

Our sponsor was John Frieda, and specifically, their Precision Foam Color, a new at home coloring product that uses Japanese technology to better color hair by making the process simple, more precise and mess-free. I think that foam will undoubtedly replace liquid when it comes to home hair color, because it's so much cleaner and faster to use that it just makes sense that it will. So if you haven't tried foam yet, what are you waiting for???

Also, to make the experience sweeter, the whole process was supervised by none other than Harry Josh! And can I take a moment here to act half my age and scream: "OMG! I love Harry Josh!!!"

For those of you living under a salon-less rock, Harry Josh is a Celebrity Stylist and the Creative Director at John Frieda. And he is the coolest person to ever touch my hair! So nice and so helpful, he pinpointed right away all that was wrong with the hair - too short, translucent, fine and damaged (love my hair!) - and figured out the best solution for it: barely trim it, make it darker, and add dimension with a nice reddish shade plus bangs. Yes!

Harry Josh's consultation

I used John Frieda's Precision Foam Color in Medium Red Brown (5R), and not only it was really easy to use, it worked like a charm, and it made my hair immediately look thicker and healthier. It looked like salon-quality hair color.

If you visit John Frieda's website, you can see all the different shades and there is also a shade selector to help you pick the best shade for you, based on your current color.

Blake and Carly trying to get my bangs to stay down (not an easy task)

After the color and trim, I also got a makeup and outfit makeover, with the help of India-Jewel Jackson, Beauty Director at Glam.com and of Nola Weinstein, Fashion Director at Glam.com!

One of the many stores we shopped at!

India suggested more defined eyebrows, and getting makeup applied by Nam Vo was truly an "eye opening" (pun intended) experience! I am finally convinced that I need thicker brows, and I will try my best to grow new ones, and if that fails, I've got from Nam the name of the products she used on my brows. And the eye shadow application was phenomenal! That part where they put the white right under your brows, I got that all wrong, since I kept using colors other than white. White looks best on me, and tomorrow I'm buying a nice white shadow! Thank you Nam Vo! And thank you India!

Last but not least, thank you Nola! Nola had to work very hard to make this comfortable mommy look elegant and feminine again, but she never lost hope and kept searching through all of her resources (and several stores) to find the outfit that better complemented my skin tone and my "absent abs". And she succeeded!

And here is my "after" picture with Harry Josh.  :)

Great hair color, shiny and vibrant! Perfect makeup, and beautiful clothes! But it doesn't end here. Stay tuned, and in about a month or so I will post a follow-up to update you on my hair, and - drum roll please - a video of the makeover!

         
Precision Foam Colour is the first ever premium permanent home hair colour from the John Frieda® Hair Care Experts that uses foam technology to deliver a luxurious at-home colouring experience. Demand gorgeous, salon-quality results - 100% grey coverage and vibrant shine. With 20 flattering shades to choose from, achieving natural-looking hair colour perfection is in your hands.


Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post was provided gratis by the John Frieda® Hair Care team. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of the John Frieda® Hair Care team.

What's with Old Ladies and Blue Hair?

I've been seeing a lot more old ladies with punky hair colors, and it's starting to freak me out. Today this old lady had medium blue hair. Blue as in BLUE. Under the sun there were shades of periwinkle as well! Why???

My guess is that grey hair is hard to color. 

I'm not sure if it's from a salon or if it's because they color at home, but in any case, once they've finished the coloring process, and they look in the mirror, wouldn't you think these dear old ladies would try to correct it? But they don't!

I've also heard that shampoo can stain grey hair.

Terrible! Maybe a clarifying shampoo would help?

Plus, to add insult to injury, there was (I think there might still be) such a thing as a "blue rinse", used by old ladies to tame the yellowish tint that grey hair seems to get. Except that when used improperly, it will give you blue hair... 

I don't have all the answers, just yet, all I know is that I don't want to be a blue-haired old lady walking around oblivious to the fact that my hair looks like Marge Simpson's!

I should have more or less 20 years to find out, I just hope I'll remember the cure when I'll need it. I'll just have to re-read my blog  ;)

Crackle Nail Polish: Yay or Nay?

Today I got to try crackle nail polish for the first time, but I'm still not sure if I love it or not. This is what it looked like on me:

I had a dark nail polish underneath, and then a coat of the crackle on top.

I have known about crackle nail polish for a while now, and in a way I thought it was a bit of a weird trend, because it actually made the nail polish look undone. Or reptilian.

But when it was on my nails today, the crackle didn't look so bad and it actually looked pretty interesting.

Just like with any nail polish, a lot depends on color, and in the case of the crackle, you have to play with two different colors: a base coat and the crackle color, so the possibilities are endless.

A light crackle can brighten up a dark base, make a matte color shine, and definitely give a new edge to your nails.

It's also pretty easy to use: just put a coat on top of your dry base color and wait 5 minutes. You'll see the coat dry and then crackle (come apart) in a very neat way.

I guess I'm a bit into the trend. At least a little curious to try a couple more color combinations before I decide if I love it or hate it.

And you? Have you tried the crackle yet? Love it? Hate it? Share your opinion with us!

Happy Birthday to Me! Now I want Boots!

Today was my birthday! Yay! Well, not really "yay" anymore. It's not as fun as it used to be, with the years passing and all that crap... but the good news is I don't have many wrinkles at all, and maybe 2 grey hair (that come and go?), so I can still pass for 6 to 8 to 10 years younger (on days that I've slept through the night)!

I have to get myself a present, and I've been craving a nice pair of boots. I have many winter boots in my closet, from rain boots, to snow boots, to suede boots, to black tall boots, to booties... but of course I have to start lusting after the pair I don't have.

What boot am I looking for? Not quite sure yet. I have a general idea on my mind, something with no heel, between edgy and classic, probably black, maybe combat but not too combat, if you know what I mean. Basically something I can wear every day with jeans and pants in general.

What is funny is I had a dream last night where I was telling my hubby that I wanted to get a pair of Dr. Martens. In reality, I never liked Dr. Martens, especially their yellow threading around the sole. But now that I've started looking online for these boots, I'm afraid to say that Dr. Martens has some of the closest thing to the boots I'm thinking of. Something like this:

Which has a softer look in brown:

But I'm not quite sure yet. I think I need to go out and try some on...

What do you think about Combat Boots for the "way-past twenty" crowd?

Last Thoughts on NY S/S 2012 Fashion Week

It's over. Another year of Fashion Week. All these amazing designs for Spring 2012, which I will probably have forgotten all about by mid-October anyway...  ;)

That's why we write things down, isn't it?

So let me make some mental (blog) notes for myself.

I love the fact that next Spring/Summer season is going to be very feminine. I need to look for and try to wear more dresses, with flared skirts, just like this one from Zac Posen.

I can be very feminine even when wearing pants. Just keep the materials light, and the colors delicate, like in Anna Sui. I will look for a set like this one. It's beautiful. Or maybe I should learn how to sew and make my own clothes...

Find a special piece that makes me happy, like this skirt from Preen.

Ralph Lauren remains one of my top 5 favorite designers.

I can't wait for Spring again!

My Favorite Items from Missoni for Target

Holy Crap! Have you been able to find any of this stuff??? Like I've said before, I've never really paid attention to the previous limited collections from other designers... but did they sell out like Missoni?

One thing I want to say to all of you: DO NOT BUY THESE ITEMS FROM EBAY!

It's obscene how some people have been able to get their hands on a lot of these items, and instead of enjoying their good luck (or the privilege of having a relative working at Target) they have listed these items on eBay at 4 times the original price!!! Do not buy! Don't let them get away with it! I hope they get stuck with dozens of knitted skirts and can't sell them...

Back to us, or better yet, back to Missoni, these are my favorite items from the collection (at least from what I've been able to see online... I wish I could see them in person!)

Does your Target have anything left?

More Fashion Week Pics and Rants

Ok, so I didn't add more the last few days about this thing called Fashion Week, and while there are a couple of different reasons, the main one is that I didn't have much to say.

I guess I'm still waiting for the big "wow" show, the show where every piece takes my breath away. But is there really such a show? Yes, I believe there is. Or there are. Or at least, there could be.

The thing is, this year there hasn't been one so far.

Of course, we all have different taste, and maybe, according to other people, this Fashion Week has been great so far. To me, two elements determine a great show/collection (they can co-exist, but usually don't):

1) A new and great fashion concept, visually striking and breath taking.

2) Beautiful clothes that I can actually imagine myself wearing.

But let's get back to these shows...

Rebecca Taylor was cute as expected and I like how they always use feminine cuts and pretty prints:

Everybody was waiting for THE ROW to present their stuff:

Not my cup of tea at all. Oh, in case you didn't know already, the designers behind the Row are the Olsen twins. And also behind the Elizabeth & James brand... These two girls are all over the place!

Speaking of wearable stuff, check this number out from VPL:

God knows I'm already very self-conscious when wearing a bathing suit... I can totally see myself walking around with these flaps... flapping... not!

Victoria Beckham didn't impress:

While the usual suspects delivered something finally wearable and not alien-like:

Donna Karan:

and DVF:

Fashion Week Day 2 Predictions

Rebecca Taylor and Nicole Miller are my favorite this second day of Fashion Week.

Let's see what happens...

Missoni for Target. This is Something to get Excited about!

I have never cared about the occasional capsule-collection various designers have created for Target, for eBay, for H&M and the likes.

This one, though, is close to my heart: Missoni for Target.

I have always loved Missoni. I have never been able to afford Missoni.

I have loved their unmistakable knits, and I have always dreamed of owning one of their dresses or cardigans, or two. And now is my chance.

I understand that they might not be the "real" thing, maybe a diluted version of their spectacular pieces, maybe they won't use as many colors, maybe they won't be as soft... who knows? All I know is that there is only one way to find out, and that is I HAVE TO GO TO TARGET! On September 13th. At 11:00 AM sharp I'm planning on being there. And I hope there is not a crowd, because if I have to fight for it, I might!

Wish me luck!  :)

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Day 1 Results

Ok, I sucked at this first day predictions... BCGCMAXAZRIA sucked, too... like, what is this?

Or this?

What are these frills, these flowing fabrics, these ugly colors bunched up together? Not feeling it, sorry.

Richard Chai was full of these confusing 80s references:

Nicholas K tried to channel Kurt Cobain, I think:

Oh my, I can't even describe this one.

Or this one. Just look at it. From a distance it might look interesting, but if you look closely, all that bunching up can't be comfortable. And the bracelet makes total sense. Not!

I wasn't able to find anything on Tadashi Shoji, but it doesn't matter, because it probably sucked too!  ;)

Here's hoping for a better Day 2... stay tuned for my useless predictions later on tonight.

Let's Play a Fashion Week Game

Tomorrow is the first day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Usually, just like at the Oscars, they make you wait for the most wanted designers until the last days of the show, which means tomorrow we'll have some decent but not world famous names showing off their stuff. Here is the schedule, and to make things more interesting this year, I'd like to make some "out of nowhere" predictions.

I'm not embarrassed to say that I don't know most of these guys (and/or girls). I mean I love fashion and all, but I'm not good with names, especially those of the many obscure designers out there (that somehow get to show at Fashion Week!)

I'll say that the BCBGMAXAZRIA will be a good show, because I usually like their stuff and I've owned a dress or two and they're made very well. TADASHI SHOJI rings a bell, as someone I've liked in the past, but I'm not sure, I could be wrong, we'll see.

SUPIMA (cotton?!?) and CANDELA (candles?!?) don't sound too promising.

Stay tuned for the results of MBFW Day 1 and feel free to play along. :)

Fashion Night Out is Coming!

For the third year in a row fashion takes center stage and as the phenomenon has become more and more successful, more and more celebrities and designers come out to play with us "regular" people on this special night.

This year the date is 09/08/11 and while it would have been cooler to have 09/10/11, I think they prefer to have a Thursday instead of a Saturday as a spending day, and not miss out on some of the Jewish community like they did last year (they had FNO during Rosh HaShana).

For the third time in a row I won't be going. The first year I had a 3 month old baby. The second year I had a 1 year old baby. This year I have a 2 year old baby. Plus, crowds scare me. Especially fashion-hungry crowds. I rather spend a little more and not get mobbed. Like I've said, I have a 2 year old, and she needs me.  ;)

But I will be in the lookout for anything online, or if I find out that Christian Bale is going to make a special appearance anywhere in NY, I might fight the crowds after all.

Check out all the events here: fashionsnightout.com/

Do you know about Camper shoes?

My friends in Italy tell me this shoe brand is very popular there. For all I know, it could be a best seller here in the US too, but I had never heard of it until last month, when my friend mentioned it.

Then one day, on a walk down the streets of Soho, I found a Camper store, and I had to take a look. Hmm. Very pretty shoes. Maybe a little too casual for me, or maybe they target a "younger" crowd. Or maybe I'm not hip enough for them. Or maybe they're just not my style. I don't know. I would have to try them on, and if I would discover them to be comfortable, I could buy a pair.

But they need to be very comfortable, because the price is on the steep side... let's say this pair I like:

I love that it looks like a pair of flats, but then it has a tiny bit of heel, and that is so much better for you than wearing flat shoes. But how much would you pay for something like this? I'll tell you how much they want: $165.

See what I mean? They're pretty and all, but I'm not sure about the $165.

This is another pair I like from their collection:

But again, I'm not a fan of the price: $160.

I don't know, there is something about these shoes that attracts me, maybe it's the fact that they are so popular in Italy and I know Italians are picky about their shoes and clothes, so there has to be something special about them, or maybe mine is just pure fashion curiosity. 

I'm not sure if I will cave and buy a pair, yet, but in the meantime, do any of you own a pair?