A LITTLE GLITZ N GLAM

As you may already know I have been a tad obsessed with nail polish lately. I feel like every change of season I want to pay close attention to my nails...and right now I am feeling metallic. I don't know why I want my nails to look like tiny sheets of armor, but I do. Today I found out that Chanel is releasing a limited edition line inspired by their Shanghai Pre-Fall 2010 Collection. In this line is a matte black polish and GOLD polish... I want lush matte black....mmmmm and deep blinding gold....ooohhlalalalalala.... Oh yes, mama wants!! There have been other matte nail collections released by O.P.I. (who I love) and others but I feel like they look like some coated chocolate Easter candy. This combo feels very sophisticated to me...I know it is nothing groundbreaking like other Chanel looks but I am loving the nostalgic feel of the vintage Chinese beauty with ultra modern flair....

Le Vernis Nail Colour in Illusion d‘or (top), Le Vernis Nail Colour in Black Velvet (middle), Le Vernis Nail Colour in Gold Lamé (bottom)

BLOOD STAINED LOVE

Ellis Faas, named after Dutch makeup artist/creator, is probably the coolest cosmetic company around. About a year ago I came across the line in some magazine featuring their red lipstick, Ellis Red. I was completely intrigued by the fact that it was based off of the shade of actual human blood. Upon further research I found out that the entire line was created to emulate all tones found in the human body...from the shade of your lips to the freckles on you face. Human colors. Brilliant. It is amazing to me that someone had not sooner thought of using all of our natural human tones as an inspiration for a makeup palette. The other incredible aspect of the company is the packaging. Each product is dispensed through a pen designed to look like a bullet. The line is really like nothing else that is out there. In the United States it is only available in NYC at Bergdorf Goodman but you can purchase online from the Ellis Faas website. I hope they soon distribute further (Sephora, maybe???) OR I get back east...maybe late spring. I seriously can't wait to get my hands on those products and those products on my face!

SIDENOTE...Check out Ellis Faas's bio...its really interesting and makes me love the line even more!!

I DON'T KNOW WHEN TO SAY WHEN

Certain ideas that were brewing in my mind actually meshed with a real life situation...don't you love when that happens? This past Monday I had the extreme privilege of meeting one of my favorite artists, Liz McGrath, while she was passing through Albuquerque on a mini tour with her band Miss Derringer. It was a small show so we got to chat with her afterwards and she was all I imagined...gracious, intelligent and a total fashionista. Her amazing fashion sense is where my world and her presence collided. I had already had the idea of doing a post about piled on accessories when low and behold Miss McGrath had loaded up her wrists and fingers with pounds of jewelry for her performance. On top of THAT her hands were wrapped in these ultra cool leather gloves that were made for her by one of her friends. I love excess. I love BIG accessories and I love LOTS of accessories and that is why I am so charged up about seeing the trend everywhere....

Shameless pic of Liz and I

Miss Derringer

Hot and heavy

Lanvin Spring/Summer 2010

My personal arsenal

I HAD YOUR LOVE AT THE TIP OF MY FINGERS...

There is a lot of attention going towards nails recently and I am loving it! Airbrushing and nail gems are a trend of the past! I am CRUSHING over all the super metallic overlays and lace covered nails...(which if anyone who knows me, knows that I am infatuated with lace!)

These are Minx nails, which are an overlay applied to the nail at a salon. This particular look is an opaque metallic but there are a lot of other colors and designs to choose from. They last approximately 4 weeks.

These bad ass lace covered nails (shown through an AMAZING Alexander McQueen clutch) can become a little Saturday D.I.Y. project with THIN lace fabric and brush on resin.

PRETTY THINGS PEEPSHOW

On a unusually rainy Sunday night, my man and I were itching to go out. Now there is not much going on on Sunday nights in Albuquerque but we found a write up in the local paper for a show called Pretty Things Peepshow at the Launchpad. So why not? As we walked in (a few minutes late) Heather Holliday, a smoking hot petite doll, was swallowing swords. For real. Already I was so intrigued and excited...from there, it never stopped. The host, Donny Vomit, was brilliantly funny while commentating and jamming nails in his nose. Then there were the dancers, Bettina May and GoGo Amy, who were exhibiting the TRUE art of old school burlesque. Extremely talented and extremely beautiful. GoGo Amy is also a contortionist...who knew? The show is only a couple of years old and they tour throughout the year. I urge everyone to go out and see it when it comes to a town near you. You WILL NOT be disappointed. It's the best performance I have seen in a while...and I see a lot of stuff. I was truly impressed, such a real vaudevillian experience!!

Check for tour dates and you can also watch youtube footage...

Oh yeah, Heather also eats fire...

I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH

As Paris Fashion week is wrapping up, I was just drooling over some of my favorite pieces for Fall/Winter 2010...

Alexander McQueen...Brilliant! Inspired by old works of art featuring angels and demons transformed into rich hand loomed jacquard prints then recreated into medieval pieces...I'm speechless...

John Galliano...Love, Love, Love this collection...surreal boho...really, does it get any cooler than this?

Chanel...I'm obsessed with this uber-hip tweed jumper...reminiscent of a mechanics jumper but of course luxuriously faux fur lined..

Gaultier...Why, yes, I was just hiking in my knit fair isle bodysuit, metallic turban and fur backpack...smoking!! Beautiful!

Karl Lagerfeld...How ridiculously modern!!...I want to slide down those eggplant leggings...the intense contrast of shine and matte makes me very happy!

OSCAR NIGHT

As I'm sitting here watching the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, I started thinking about some of the amazing women who have won the Best Actress Award in the past...here is just a small glimpse of some of my absolute favorite performances....

1953 Audrey Hepburn "Roman Holiday"

1957 Joanne Woodward "The Three Faces of Eve"

1960 Elizabeth Taylor "Butterfield 8"

1971 Jane Fonda "Klute"

1972 Liza Minelli "Cabaret"

1974 Ellen Burstyn "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"

1976 Faye Dunaway "Network"

1987 Cher "Moonstruck"

1996 Francis McDormand "Fargo"

2007 Marion Cotillard "La Vie en Rose"

I NEVER WANTED TO BE YOUR WEEKEND LOVER...

I came across the Balmain 2010 Fall/Winter collection shown today in Paris and my heart immediately skipped! Ok...to start Purple Rain was on last week, so I went ahead and watched it for the millionth time and was just obsessing with Prince and the fashions and Prince...(you know what I mean)...then to see these looks just completely reminded me of the movie (and what has been going on in my head for the past 7 days)! It's that shade of purple, it's so utterly nostalgic for me. When I was a teen in the 80's I wanted everything I owned to be this shade of purple!! I remember I had this little round leathery purse that was this shade, a jacket, a comb, everything! I even wanted my bedroom this color but unfortunately I shared a room with my brother... so that was a no-go! Its just that certain shade, so purpuraceous and luscious, that really gets me going. Look at you violet...all mature now...Welcome back!

TELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEEL...

These are some looks from Jeremy Scott's 2010 Fall/ Winter collection. He has always been known for doing over the top looks and although I don't necessarily care for all of them (some are a bit juvenile), I am ALWAYS excited to see what he has going on inside his crazy mind! I am feeling a little obsessed with these. Alter ego silhouette belts!!! Absolute madness!