Setting the Mood: In the Mood for Love… or Something

By admin|February 11th, 2015|Beauty & Trends, Setting the Mood|

This Saturday, I plan on changing up my standard behaviors of drinking wine in bed watching Sex and the City re-runs, by doing the same thing with one of my best friends in our underwear. That’s right, it’s Valentine’s Day (or as it’s been renamed, Singles’ Awareness Day). Truth be told, I love red roses– so long as there isn’t one single sprig of baby’s breath within a five mile radius. I also love lingerie from this website, chocolate, gifts, and well, love, and that’s why many couples enjoy to spend time together and also use toys as a butt vibrator to enjoy their love. I don’t actually have a problem with the holiday other than the fact that it’s a commercially manufactured one and it’s still not legal to marry your pet as there are not really any other suitable males in my life to spend February 14th with.

It seems a little counterintuitive to combine wearing skimpy lingerie while overindulging in chocolate, but then again, I enjoy all my meals in bed, so I’m in. If you don’t have a significant other, or even if you do, I think Valentine’s Day is a great a day as any to show yourself a little bit of love. Discover your personal style with the help of Magazine.

L’agent by Agent Provocateur Esthar Lace Appliqued Eye Mask, Repossi Couer d’Antifer 18kt Gold Diamond Ring, Tamara Mellon Cupid Suede Pumps, La Perla Tearose Cutout Lace Bodysuit,

xx,

WhyDid

Red Carpet Recap: Grammy’s One on One

By Kirsten|February 9th, 2015|Red Carpet Recap, Why Did You Wear That?|

Taylor Swift in Elie Saab, Sebastian (with dad, Wiz Khalifa)

Last night marked the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. Everyone was there from Beyonce to Mary J. Blige. Even Prince showed up clad in head to toe sequins to present an award along with delivering probably the most profound message of the evening, “Albums, like books and black lives, still matter.” Taylor Swift and Kanye may have buried the hatchet, but Mr. West nearly disrupted Beck’s speech while accepting the award for Album of the Year. He thought it belonged to Beyonce and clearly we just need to give him a seat on every voting panel to avoid further broadcast disruptions. In any case, I’m not sure who even hosted last night’s awards, but I wasn’t really tuned into the show post red carpet arrivals. I had pegged Ms. Swift as my favorite for the night- that is, until Wiz Khalifa’s son, Sebastian showed up. Two of my favorites who I never thought I’d be calling elegant, were Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj. Both tamed their usually outlandish looks for sleeker, more sophisticated styles. As for the rest of the arrivals? I’ll let you be the judge as I kept having the strange sensation of deja vu.

Beyonce in Proenza Schouler, Jessie J in Ralph and Russo

Nicki Minaj in Tom Ford, Miley Cyrus in Alexandre Vauthier

Anna Kendrick in Band of Outsiders, Gwen Stefani in Atelier Versace

Rihanna in Giambattista Valli, Princess Peach

Madonna in Givenchy, Matador on a Cell Phone

Charlie XCX, Creepy Rabbit

Sia and Maddie Ziegler, Thing One and Thing Two

Chrissy Teigen in Emilio Pucci, Ariana Grande in Versace

Jennifer Hudson in Tom Ford, Papertowels

Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell, Christina Aguilera in Versace

Kim Kardashian in Jean Paul Gaultier, Blanche Devereaux

Kelly Osbourne in Christian Siriano, Katy Perry in Zuhair Murad

Rita Ora in Prada, Swarovski Encrusted Microphone

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: American Girl

By admin|January 25th, 2015|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

When I was little, American Girls were introduced. As luck would have it, one of these dolls was named Kirsten. There was no way on Earth my mother thought I should go one single day without having a Kirsten doll of my own. Eventually, she got a best friend named Samantha. Having spent the past week in Paris (much more on that later), I’ve learned quite a bit about what French men (and women) think about American girls. While I didn’t stand out like a sore thumb with a money belt and massive camera, once I spoke English, the French were very intrigued to ask us about our President and who we thought would be the next. (Their guess is Hillary Clinton). The style here is much like New York, except they aren’t afraid of a full length fur and even those dressed down have a bit more polish and panache than their American counter parts. While I blended in nicely, I do suppose wearing the outfit in this post would have been a dead giveaway of American descent.

coat: vintage, similar by Rag & Bone here, shirt: Scotch and Soda, jeans: 7 for All Mankind, shoes: Pour la Victoire, bag: Louis Vuitton, belt: vintage: similar by B-Low the Belt here, bracelet: , lipstick: Clinique

xx,

WhyDid

Photos by Michael Stiegler

Setting the Mood: Finding Normal

By admin|January 21st, 2015|Setting the Mood|

I am a t-shirt junkie. I don’t mean like actual “t-shirts” I mean the kind of t-shirts that look “really cool” and you paid way too much money for. (I sometimes secretly believe I was a rocker in a past life).

One of my favorite brands of these overpriced t-shirts is Kain. They make really great loose fitting tees and tanks that are sheer and have a great drapey pocket. They only come in a few colors, but somehow, when you put on this oversized t-shirt, you still look incredibly sexy without trying too hard. Oh- and they’re really soft. Sounds perfect, right? Here’s the kicker: they are $85 a pop. Ouch! So, brilliant discovery!!! These Designer T-Shirts are unique, original, and made high quality 100% cotton and sure to please.

First and foremost, you’re welcome… And I’m sorry. You’re welcome because I’ve spent a great deal of time finding all of fall’s very best options to ensure that you’ve got each and every one of this fall’s UK fashion blog biggest trends at your fingertips, I even made sure to visit specsfair to get the best deals on glasses. Yes you heard that right, one of a kind pockets. I’ve basically contracted carpal tunnel from all of the clicking, coding, copying, and pasting of product, but not severe enough that I can’t sip red wine while I write this.

I’m sorry for doing such a thorough job that you’re sure to be able to easily spend a month’s salary or more stocking up on your fall wardrobe refresh. Just remember, it’s good for the economy.

When I first started seeing stores displaying their autumnal wares, it was still a sweltering 90 degrees and I couldn’t be bothered browsing. However, as the temperature started to dip and I began to grow bored of baring all my skin, the cozy knits, oversized coats, and overtly luxurious look this fall brings got me wishing for the next polar vortex.

Sure, sweaters are always fall staples, but this season’s are much chunkier, more textured, and come in all lengths from cropped to tunics. Wear them in fall’s favored colors consisting of gray, scarlet, cobalt, and any shade of candy colored pastel. These shades carry over to other trends including mid calf length hemlines, long line vests, sixties shaped shifts, and folk inspired frocks. Men may loathe leopard (as we recently realized), but it’s quite strong this season and if you aren’t feeling bold enough to wear it in a bomber, try it as a statement accessory. Speaking of fur, this must be the year of the Muppet, but if you can’t stomach the price tag (or the use of) real fur, there are some really beautiful faux options that are both animal and wallet friendly. Whether you opt for fluffy, colored, fuzzy, or something in shearling to weather the winter, you’ll certainly be warmer for it. When looking to add a bit of bling, opt for silver as it’s been used as embellishments on coats and knits as well as woven into rich fabrics. If you’re up for a bit of pattern play, geometric shapes and fairisle intarsias are leading the charge.

Fortunately, this fall’s trends easily translate from one to another and also play off one another seamlessly. You can effortlessly cover two trends at once by purchasing a pastel vest or a grey faux fur coat. Be creative. Be bold. But be this fall’s all-embracing look of luxe.

Gray Area:

Leopards Don’t Change Their Spots:

Tangled Up in Blue:

Silver Baller:

Psychedelic Hotline:

Long Term In-Vest-ment:

Scarlet Fever:

The Shearling:

Midi Terms:

Pastel Princess:

Keep Your Knits About You:

Folk Alluring:

Fur Sure:

You’ve probably heard the term, “normcore” being tossed around from time to time in the past twelve months- maybe over a rye whiskey or while scanning the latest Urban Outfitters catalog. The first time I heard it was after visiting Dr. Kenet’s office where his wife explained to me that their teenage daughter was on the forefront of the minimalist, dare I call it, trend. The name “normcore” is the combination of “normal” and “hardcore.” From what I gather, it’s the art of looking aggressively normal.

After a bit of research, it became clear that normcore is more than just a fashion movement, it’s an actual mindset. When you are walking around and you spot mom jeans on a girl whose reproductive organs probably just started functioning, you may feel a little confused, but don’t. You’ve just spotted normcore. The “movement” began in a fit of defiance against the fashion industry. People wanted to make it clear they weren’t buying into the trends or falling victims to the hype. In theory, that’s great, but once you make a statement against a statement, you’re making a statement. The irony, for one, is lost on me. To me, normcore is the new wave hipster. I’m more of the mindset that wearing what looks good on your body and makes you feel fancy is always on trend- and there’s nothing wrong with that. In the off chance you’d like nothing more than to look like Jerry Seinfeld or Monica on season one of Friends, here are some normcore essentials to get you started. Full disclosure, I own my very own pair of Stan Smith’s.

Nike Benassi Rubber Soles, Frame Denim Le Boyfriend Supima Cotton Jersey T-Shirt, BDG The Mom Jean, J. Crew Collection Cashmere Sweater, Adidas Stan Smith Leather Custom Shoes

xx,

WhyDid

Beauty Buzz: A Perfect Blowout with Ammon Carver

By admin|January 6th, 2015|Beauty Buzz, Guest Blogger|

The New Year is a great time for a new look. If you are a bit gun shy and not yet ready to pull the trigger on the of the moment lob (long bob) or a complete color makeover makes you nervous, why not start with a little lesson in achieving the sleekest blowout you’ve had in years? I have a lot of hair. Hair that seems to have a mind (and split personality) of its own as seen in this Instagram photo. It’s wavy. It’s curly. It’s flat. It’s full. I do my best to try and tame it, but even after all these years of practice, even I know there’s always room for improvement.

Get an appointment for your hair care with the Salon marketing software today.

I had the pleasure of meeting Ammon Carver at the opening of his salon and in-house photo studio in conjunction with Lanza Healing Haircare located on west 17th Street this past fall and I fell for him immediately. Not only is he incredibly talented, but also disarmingly warm and sure isn’t hard to look at (sorry, folks, he’s taken). He invited me to come back to the studio in order to tell me more about L’Anza‘s new Keratin line and demonstrate it on my tired tresses. I’m never one to turn down the opportunity for someone else to handle my hair, so I happily agreed. I was also ahappy to see that the salon studios for rent from Salon Lofts. I was so impressed with the product, which actually made my hair so shiny it looked like I’d had it highlighted, and Ammon’s attention to detail, that I asked if he’d be up for sharing some of his secrets. We decided to start with a straightforward blowout and below are a sprinkling of his top tips as to how to execute the type of blowout sure to turn heads.

(full disclosure: I hesitated to post this as now you’ll all know what my hair is actually capable of looking like. Often times, I’ve left the salon and the ladies seemed surprised to realize that I “actually have nice hair.”)

Product of Our Environment:

Before you begin your blowout, be sure to apply product to your hair in order to ensure safety from heat and to seal in moisture. Ammon used L’Anza Keratin Healing Oil Combing Cream, which sort of smells like heaven.

The Root of the Problem:

A lot of people think flipping their heads upside down to get out the initial dampness is a good way to begin a blowout, but in actuality, you’re only increasing your chances of fighting frizz. Nope, that’s not volume. The best place to start your blowout is right at the root. The hair there is the most difficult to manage and tends to be the most frizzy/flyaway. Drake may have started at the bottom, but we’ll begin at the top.

Know Your ABCs:

Think of your hair in sections with the root being A, the midsection being B, and the ends being C. Just as you wouldn’t recite the alphabet backwards, don’t dry your hair backwards either. Your roots retain the most moisture (and as mentioned the most stubborn texture). The ends of your hair are the driest and if you blow them for the same amount of time as the roots, you will only dry and damage them further (ever notice how that’s the first part of your hair to dry)? This might take a bit of dexterity, but with practice, you’ll have the hang of it in no time.

Frameworthy:

Many people (myself included) save the front portion of their hair for the end much like dessert. Well, because this area often includes your face framing layers, it’s important to get that portion polished before finishing up your ‘do. What’s the point of having perfectly blown out tresses at the back of your head… unless you’re a carriage driver looking to make extra tips?

Turn Down for What?:

If your dryer has a nozzle, use it. It helps to keep the air flowing in a concentrated direction. Speaking of direction (and there isn’t just one), be sure you’re blowing down. As Ammon explained to me, “Think of your hair cuticle like the scales of a fish. If you blow up, it’s like rubbing the scales in the wrong direction.”

Quality Investment:

While the Mason Pearson brush Ammon used to tug my tresses taught may be on the pricey side, he assured me that it’s well worth the investment. As far as blow dryers go, there’s no need to go pro, but an upgrade from your drugstore offerings may be in order.

Pump Up the Volume:

Now it’s time to add volume to your coif. Do so by concentrating a finishing hairspray near the roots.

With a Twist:

If you don’t love a stick straight look, add some easy bounce with a large barrel curling iron. Don’t forget to curl pieces in the front away from your face.

Finishing School:

Last, but not least, be sure to seal in your style with a finishing spray like L’Anza Keratin Healing Oil Lustrous Finishing Spray to extend the life of your blowout. (I carry a travel size of this spray in my bag for touch ups).