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Friday Frocks: Stop and Smell the Roses

By |April 8th, 2011|Friday Frocks, Why Did You Wear That?|
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This spring, fashionistas have been going crazy for floral printed frocks.  I know what you’re thinking, the last time floral prints were in was when Kelly and Donna were graduating from West Beverly High.  What could possibly be chic about decking yourself out in fussy flowers?  Well, actually a lot.  Floral patterns have come a long way from the mid nineties.  My love of florals is unwavering and as you may remember, my favorite dress… er, dresses… are floral printed.  Check out these fierce florals and tell me you’re not a believer:

1. D & G Floral Ruffle Dress, $745, 2. Forever 21 Peek A Boo Dress, $15.80, 3. MINKPINK Darling Buds of May Sundress, $103, 4. Diane von Furstenberg Graca Dress, $325, 5. Anna Sui Watercolor Floral Garden Mixed Print Dress, $425, 6. Nanette Lepore Candy Girl Dress, $298, 7. JOIE Painterly FLoral Balinda Dress $288, 8. Free People Parisian Bouquets Halter Dress, $128, 9. Carin Wester Nakato Shirtdress, $295, 10. Free People Everything Nice Lace Dress, $98

Toughen up your floral frock with chunky platforms and edgy accessories so that you look more like a primrose than a wallflower.

xx,

WhyDid

 

Photo via Chakra.org

Why Don’t You Come in for a Tune Up?

By |April 7th, 2011|Beauty Buzz|
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Just like the finest automobiles, women need tune ups from time to time.  Our bodies are complex machinery and need to be treated as such.  Taking care of yourself should be for no other reasons than selfish ones.  Do not do it for a man or for anyone else.  Do it for you.

When cars aren’t serviced they don’t run as well.  They get all rusty and sputtery and they just aren’t as fun to drive.  When I wasn’t taking care of myself, I just did not feel good, let alone sexy.  Chances of me feeling frisky and wanting to skip around the apartment in my birthday suit was slim to none.  This made my fiance sad.  Very, very sad.

I finally pulled it together and got myself back on the road (I used my blinker, of course).  So what exactly should we be doing to make sure we’re in tip top running condition?

Ripped Off: Every four weeks or so I head in for self inflicted torture of the nether regions.  The first time is by far the worst and the longer you wait between waxes, the stronger the hair gets because the root has a chance to really grip in there.  However, the more regular you are with your mangrove maintenance, the thinner the hair gets and the less painful the experience is.  Even when I was not tied down with a mate, I still took care of my special place because I just felt better about myself.  Besides, we don’t need any “spill over” at the pool.

Save Face: I never realized the importance of a facial until 1) I reached 25 and 2) lived in a house with mass amounts of natural sunlight.  As we get older, our cells turn over slower.  This can make your skin look dull, increase the amount of blackheads present, and lead to more breakouts.  By going to a facial professional every 6-8 weeks you’re having an expert rid your skin of all the gunk so you can be just as glowing and gorgeous as you were as a baby.  Between facials, you can try out one of my favorite products from Murad:

Splitting Hairs: Recently, a gal pal told me that her hair was finally growing.  For years she’d been under the impression that her hair would never grow past a certain length.  Her former hairstylist had been chopping her locks off every time she came in and letting her think that was as far as it would grow.  While getting a trim about every eight weeks is needed, make sure that your stylist is only removing the straggly ends rather than getting all scissor happy on your ‘do.

Check Under the Hood: Every single year you should be going to visit the lady doctor to get your little princess checked out.  You should start doing this the minute you become sexually active or when you hit 18 (whichever comes first- hopefully 18).  I am horrified to hear girls say that they don’t go either because they are “scared” or just lazy.  There is absolutely nothing to be scared about except for what could happen if you don’t go.  With things like HPV, ovarian cancer, and endometriosis, you’ve got to be careful.  There is some serious pipework down there and you want to take good care of it.

Find a Spot: While we are being serious, let’s move on to another health concern.  Skin cancer.  Even if you think you aren’t susceptible to melanoma, it’s probably a good idea to have a dermatologist check out your skin once a year as well as any time you notice a bizarre mole of freckle.  The best way to avoid serious health problems is prevention.  Check out this slideshow of skin conditions to look out for.  It’s a little gross… but so is skin cancer. Well you can discover this info here about healing skin cancer.

Twinkle Toes: While this may seem trivial and on the verge of diva-like, hear me out.  One of the least expensive ways to put some pep in your step is by pampering those tired toes.  Adding a bit of color can brighten you day as well.  If you can’t spring for a professional pedi every two weeks, try giving yourself an at home version.  You can also keep your tootsies soft by  using this awesome moisturizing duo from bliss:

By taking better care of yourself, you’ll feel like a whole new woman and you may even keep the “new car” smell.

Now, hit the road.

xx,

WhyDid

Photo via HPIBajaForum

Would You Wednesday: Blushing Bride

By |April 6th, 2011|Why Did or Why Don't?|
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On March 26, Reese Witherspoon walked down the aisle to wed Jim Toth, but she didn’t wear white.  While Reese has been married once before (to Ryan Phillippe) she opted for something a little less traditional.  Seeing as Reese has two children (Ava and Deacon) from her first marriage, some might say that it was only right for her to not wear white.  Many traditionalists associate white wedding dresses with virginity.  Well, a couple of things here: 1. There are very few brides who actually wed with virginity still in tact (It’s 2011.  Let’s not be ridiculous), 2. White dresses actually have absolutely nothing to do with virginity.

The popularity of white dresses for weddings began back in 1840 when Queen Victoria wed Albert of Saxe-Coberg.  Before then, it was common for women to wear dresses of any color to walk down the aisle except black (mourning) and red (prostitutes).  Brides wishing to flaunt their virginity actually wore blue.  White was a color associated with wealth because it was a dress that would not be easily worn again.  It wasn’t until the 19th century that the white dress really picked up steam and became a social standard. You can also visit bridalxoxo.com for more information.

When I was trying on wedding dresses, I noticed a lot of muted pastel tints to the dresses.  I tried on an icy lavender, a beautiful blush, and a steely grey gown.  I was almost sold on a blush Vera Wang creation (Farrah below), but mama wasn’t having it.  Below are several non traditional gowns created by the very traditional bridal ateliers:

Marchesa

Vera Wang: Tatiana, Farrah, Dorothy, Didi, Felicity

Oscar de la Renta: 22E40, 22E29, 22E105, 22N46

Reem Acra


xx,

WhyDid

Photo via People.com

Why Did You Wear That: Put Some Spring in Your Step

By |April 5th, 2011|Why Did You Wear That?|
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Speaking of putting your foot in your mouth… what’s better than salivating over strappy spring footwear?  While the warm weather is great… blah, blah, blah… the best part of spring is investing in fabulous new shoes and heading in for an intensive pedicure (two of my greatest pleasures in life).  I always buy a couple pairs of shoes that I wear the crap out of all spring/summer long.  Why not take a gander at these beauties and start thinking about what shoes you will fill your closet with:

1. Emilio Pucci Suede Multi-Strap Platform Sandals, $890, 2. Alexandre Birman Ankle-Wrap Canvas Sandals, $475, 3. Theodora and Callum Biarritz Printed Linen Wedge Sandals, $395,  4. Miu Miu Canvas Platform Mules, $445, 5. Christopher Kane Two Tone Leather Platform Sandals, $650, 6. Jimmy Choo Vivienne Mixed Media Platform Sandals, $1,695, 7. Yves Saint Laurent Venice Leather Sculpted Wedge Sandals, $1,195, 8. Miu Miu Wooden Block Heel Sandals, $450, 9. Miu Miu Suede Multi-Strap Sandals, $595, 10. Brian Atwood Claudette Studded Suede Sandals, $775

Toodles, toots.

xx,

WhyDid

Photo via Brookside Wine

WhyDid Wisdom: Imitation: Flattery or Infringement?

By |April 5th, 2011|WhyDid Wisdom|
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They say “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”  First of all, I’d like to know who “they” are.  Probably people who like to copy.  Also, I’m going to go ahead and beg to differ.  Being copied (also known as being ripped off) is a lot of things, but flattering probably isn’t the first word that comes to mind when it’s happening to you.  Frustrated, disappointed, disgusted, pissed.  Those are the words that spring into my head.

Whether someone is copying the way you dress, the way you talk, your mannerisms, or quite literally copying your work, being copied is downright infuriating.

Last week, a link was sent to me from a friend.  When I clicked on it, I was incredibly disheartened to see a post that was basically screen captured from the pages of WhyDid.  This wasn’t the first time a situation like that has happened, but in this instance it was especially upsetting.  Said individual was profiting financially by hijacking my work.  Sadly, in the world of blogging, it is difficult to regulate this type of piracy.  I’m not alone in this either.  Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere suffered from a similar situation last week as well and I get the inkling that there are dozens more of you who can relate.  Luckily for us, there is a little something called “intellectual property” and there are lawyers out there who specialize in this category alone due to the ever expanding presence of the internet.

Every day, I work hard to create original content for my readers.  Integrity and originality is something that truly matters to me and while it may be much more time consuming in many ways, at least I can sleep at night (after I’m done blogging, of course).

Rather than dwell on this tacky incident of copied creativity,  I have decided to gather a few blogging guidelines and courtesies so that we all may blog and tweet and tumbl in a more peaceful world.

  • If you see something, say something. Blogging is just like writing book reports in grade school.  Whenever you are quoting stats or information from another source or using someone else’s image, it is imperative to include a link back to the source of the information.  There is so much great content out there and linking back to it is the perfect way to build a community and make friends (rather than enemies) in the blogosphere.  I know I’m always grateful when people link back to me and I’m more likely to link back to them in the future.
  • Positive Feedback. Granted, from time to time we receive comments that are not exactly the kind of feedback that is appreciated (let alone warranted).  Not approving malicious comments or personal attacks is one thing, but removing or not approving comments that question your stance on a particular topic or calling you out for misinformation is just cowardly.  The reason you have a blog is because you (should) have an opinion.  Stand behind it.  (If you want to curb the type of comments your readers leave, put together a comment policy).
  • Full Disclosure. When blogging about something you love it is important to be clear as to whether you received a product or service gratis.  Yes, there are actual FTC rules about this.  Your readers look to you for tips, guidance, and suggestions.  If you are simply writing or reviewing a product because you’re being paid for the plug, it’s mandatory to disclose that.  There’s a big difference between blogging about something you love just because and singing its praises because you’re cashing in.  Make the differentiation.
  • Do your homework. By doing careful reconnaissance work, checking your links, and sorting the facts, your blogs will be more credible and held in higher regard.  The internet is full of smatterings of opinions and incorrect information.  Don’t be part of that.  Be a leader, not a follower.

The above are just the tip of the iceberg.  If you’re interested in learning more, check out these ten rules for responsible blogging.

While, this time I was able to channel my anger into a positivity, the next time I see one of my carefully constructed posts on someone else’s blog, I’m not sure I’ll be able to be as mild mannered… especially since I know you’re reading this post…

xx,

WhyDid

Photo via Visual Photos

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