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Why Can’t We Be Friends?

By |July 27th, 2011|Why Did or Why Don't?, Why Did You Date Him?|

Miss No Strings Attached in theaters back in January? No worries, you can catch it in theaters now… except this time it’s called Friends with Benefits – oh and they replaced Ashton and Natalie with Justin and Mila. No biggie. Not sure how exactly this slipped through the cracks with movie producers and studio heads, especially when all involved have worked so closely (Black Swan, That 70’s Show). You’d think at some point in between takes of the lesbian scene in Black Swan, Natalie might’ve mentioned something like, “You’re way better at this than Ashton. We’re doing a new movie together about these friends who have sex…”

And Mila would say, “No way!! JT and I are doing the same thing!”

Then they’d smack five and get back to business. Anyway, seeing that there are two major movies and four mega stars covering the sultry subject, I figured it must be something on the forefront of people’s minds. Just like the premise of the movies, having a “friend with benefits” (also known as a f*ck buddy), seems like a great idea in theory when in between relationships, but as everyone could guess (without having to sit through the movies or spend $15 a ticket) it never turns out quite the way you’d planned.

See it all gets a bit messy when one (if not both) catches stronger than “just friends” feelings. It’s nearly impossible for neither party to get attached when so much time is spent naked and in between the sheets. Sex is a very intimate thing and no matter how modern the woman (or man), sex is always more than just sex. I mean, let’s be serious, would you really sleep with someone you didn’t like… just a little? My verdict? Friends with benefits is always a bad idea.

Now, here’s the part where I bring it full circle by completely contradicting myself. I actually think the best relationships are built between people who have strong friendships. The trick is seamlessly transitioning from best buds to bed buds. The sexy part of relationships always fade (at least a little bit), but the sturdy foundation of friendship can keep a couple afloat.

So what do you think? Would you do the deed with a friend in need?

Whatever you decide, always be safe with your body and mind.

xx,

WhyDid

Friday Frocks: Nifty for Fifty

By |July 22nd, 2011|Friday Frocks|

While summer is now in full swing, there are really only a handful of beach days and summer Fridays left.  (Although it was pointed out to me today that summer officially ends on September 22).  You’ve probably done most of your summer shopping in advance but, there’s still the possibility of a hot (both literally and figuratively) date or rooftop cocktail party to attend before September rolls around.  In the off chance that you’ve exceeded your seasonal budget, I’ve rounded up some summer friendly frocks that are also friendly on the wallet.  Now you can enjoy the rest of the warm weather without feeling guilty about going into credit card debt (never in style- ever). Behold: 10 dresses all under $50:

1. ModCloth Saturday Night Dress, $42.99, 2. Forever21 Ditsy Floral Chiffon Dress, $19.80, 3. Bisou Bisou Scoopneck All Over Pleat Dress, $31.99, 4. Matthew Williamson Sleeveless Halter Romper, $27.99, 5. Free People Animal Knit Bodycon Dress, $49.95, 6. Victoria’s Secret Off the Shoulder Print Tee Dress, $29.50, 7. Arden B. Gauze Ruffle Tube Dress, $49, 8. Kimchi Blue Ruffle Sleeve Dress, $49, 9. Guess Lori Dress, $49.95, 10. Forever21 Sweetheart Lace Dress, $22.80

xx,

WhyDid

 

photo via Quizzle

Guest Post: Why Don’t You Try It?

By |July 21st, 2011|Beauty Buzz, Guest Blogger|

They say good things come in small packages, but in a society where we’re always stressing bigger, better, more, more, more, sometimes it seems hard to believe.  Luckily, Stephie is here to remind us just how great the “little things” really can be.

I die for beauty product samples and recently Sephora has been on a tear!  A number of very exciting minis have overhauled my usual summer skincare and makeup routine. A Beauty Insider VIP-sized sample of DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew is my new defacto nighttime summer moisturizer. During the winter, I opt for a thicker formula, but this one is truly hydrating without leaving my face an oil slick. It’s heavy duty moisture without the weight. For seriously sticky days, I turn to Elemis Daily Shine Control, a treatment moisturizer for oily to combination skin that fights shine while it moisturizes.  Two birds, one sample.

Of course, all of this goes under Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20, or what many beauty buffs would call the best all-around light coverage product on the market.  Speaking of SPF, a facialist recently told me not to use SPF 15, but  rather 50 on my face, neck, décolleté and hands every day to prevent aging. I took SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 for a test drive.  Not only does it not stink, but it also goes on (YES, girls) in a strangely accurate human skin color not that creepy pasty white.  SkinCeuticals avers it a “universal tint.”  Somehow I believe it.

Sephora hit a sour note with a Father’s Day promotion giving samples of men’s products. Who gifts dad three tiny tubes of random skincare? Awkward.  Rather than waste these samples, I selected a few men’s cleansers I could test myself and compared them with a Kiehl’s specimen stolen from my husband’s drawer (he only gets one). The test confirmed that although men’s cleansers can be truly awesomely gritty (Clinique Skin Supplies for Men Face Scrub) and wonderfully experientially tabacco-y (Kiehl’s Energizing Facial Fuel Skin Buffer for Men) or energizing and brightening (Anthony Logistics for Men Facial Scrub), there are simply no men’s cleansers that can remove eye makeup- ya hear that Adam Lambert?

Forget a chihuahua in your handbag: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser is an eyeliner-wearing lady’s best friend. It is also somehow gentle enough that if you left a smidge on, it would be good for your complexion. It has a lovely scent and a famous gelatinous texture (if you tapped a bowlful, it would jiggle). It’s better than anything the boys have got, trust me.

Summer means light and fresh for color on the face too.  Guerlain Terracotta Skin Healthy Glow Foundation is the only bronzer that doesn’t look dirty on my very fair pink-undertoned skin and a Sephora sample is what introduced me to it, (kinda makes up for the father’s day weirdness). Fear not: this gel formula did not make me look like I walked into a dusty clay factory, like some powder bronzers – it actually made me look tan (what a concept)! Smashbox O-GLOSS
Intuitive Lip Gloss provides a pretty pink counterpoint. The O-GLOW (cheek version) will not work if you pile on hydrators, sunscreens and tinted moisturizers like I recommend above, because it needs to come in contact with both bare skin and air to work. But, O-GLOSS provides that magical same out-of-thin air magical fuschia branded just for you – it works with your lip chemistry to create a shiny, entirely non-sticky “custom shade of pink” (usually in the hello-kitty cuteness category).

Now get your summer sampling on and don’t forget to wear your sunnies!

xx,

Stephie

 

Real People, Real Style: A Must Reid

By |July 20th, 2011|Real People Real Style|

I’ve talked before about having my morning coffee and doing a little bit of web reconnaissance.  A girl’s gotta know which celeb dyed her hair blue and what micro trend we are picking up next.  A lot can happen overnight.   Well, part of that is checking in with one of my favorite blogs, RamshackleGlam.  Jordan lives in New York with her handsome hubby and adorable pups, but her fun and fantastic lifestyle advice appeals to all girls, whether living the metropolitan lifestyle or something more simple in the country.  She makes the everyday glamorous.  Dare I say, she is a modern (younger, much sexier) Martha Stewart?

So without further adieu, Jordan dishes some of her best style tips:

Name: Jordan Reid

Wearing: Juicy Couture sunglasses, Joie silk tank, Forever 21 shorts, Foley & Corinna woven handbag.

Occupation: Lifestyle blogger (www.ramshackleglam.com) & host

Hometown/Current Town: NYC

I would describe my style as: Slightly disheveled.

I can’t leave the house without: Sunglasses and a gorgeous bag.

Based on wardrobe alone, if I could live in any time period, it would be: 1970s.

Best/biggest splurge (worth every penny): Tiffany Diamonds By The Yard bracelet (yellow gold with a single diamond) – it goes with everything.

Best fashion advice I’ve ever received: It was actually the absence of fashion advice that made the most impact: I wore ridiiiiculous stuff as a teenager, and my mother never said anything, and let me go to school wearing striped pajamas with sparkle eye glitter and combat boots if that was what I was in the mood for. In retrospect, her open-mindedness made an enormous impression on me and taught me about the power of fashion as a tool for self-expression.

The next-best advice came any years later, when my friend Francesca sat me down and told me that honestly, I needed to throw my collection of cowgirl-inspired button-downs in the trash…or at the very least, please for the love of god stop wearing them in public.

Biggest fashion pet peeve (a trend that just needs to go away): I wouldn’t say I have any fashion pet peeves – I think whatever makes someone happy to wear, they should wear it. Trendy, not trendy…doesn’t matter.

What I would tell my 13 year old self: One day, you will not think it is a good idea to wear floor-length vintage ballgowns to school. But for now, I’m pretty proud of you for doing just that.

Weirdest beauty trick that I swear by: Slathering my feet in Vaseline and then wrapping them in Saran Wrap.

Don’t care if it ever goes out of style, I’m going to keep wearing: my trusty denim cutoffs.

I would love to trade closets with: Jenny in Forrest Gump.

Fun fact: I was once hired to pretend to be a famous Romanian socialite who carried a cat around town and evaded the paparazzi in a white vintage Rolls Royce (with the help of my bodyguards, of course). That was the week I met my husband.

 

Big thanks to Jordan for spilling her style secrets.  And I think I can speak for everyone when I say, we’re gonna need to hear more about this Romanian socialite.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Jump On It

By |July 19th, 2011|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

There she is.  The romper’s big sister, the jumpsuit.  Let it be known, I love a good romper, but sometimes, a girl needs a little variety.  That’s where the jumpsuit comes in.  While the romper is considered to be quite casual, a jumpsuit can easily be accessorized into a striking evening option.

Some good things about jumpsuits:

  • It’s one stop dressing!  Your top and your pants are connected!
  • Wearing a jumpsuit is kind of like wearing adult onesie pajamas.
  • It’s no coincidence that when I try to type jumpsuit, I keep typing “humpsuit.”

Some less than good things about jumpsuits:

  • Probably not going to attract too many fellas with your new jumpsuit induced FUPA.
  • Awkward moments in the bathroom.

Ready to “jump” on this trend?  I like to go all 80’s when accessorizing this trend.  Deep side part, pearl accessories, and shimmery makeup.  Depending on the type of jumpsuit, you could do both heels or flats (though I might point out you already look like a jerk- probably best to stick with heels).  Remember to allot extra time for the restroom and you’re good to go.

1. Sunahara El Sol Jumpsuit, $125, 2. Free People Floral Printed Romper, $118, 3. Theory Garvie Cotton and Modal Jumpsuit, $215,  4. Halston Heritage Cold Shoulder Jumpsuit, $125, 5. Alice + Olivia Dawn Pleated Top Jumpsuit, $440,  6. Lucy in Disguise The Roxy Jumpsuit, $305, 7. Rachel Roy 24 Hour Jumpsuit, $129, 8. Karina Grimaldi Basic Jumper, $239

xx,

WhyDid