I’m not typically attracted to the boldest pieces on the market, but lately I’ve been lusting over everything red! Have you seen the new Nordstrom Holiday catalog? Or Essie’s winter collection. Maybe it’s the frightening number of November Christmas displays clouding my judgment, but I’m in love.

The Nordstrom Holiday catalog showcases these beautiful rosette-adorned pumps in all of their special-occasion glory. I love their curves and the details. Designed by Steve Madden, they only cost $99.95. They haven’t hit the Nordstrom (or Steve Madden) website yet, but I’ll keep you posted.

I’m loving Essie’s “Lollipop” shade in their Winter 2009 collection. The bright red shade just made me smile the entire time it adorned my fingertips.

I’m usually a white wine kind of gal, but lately I’ve been a bit embarrassed ordering a Pinot Grigio with my filet mignon. When Charles Street Liquors had a wine-tasting a few weeks ago, I fell head over heals for this Argentinian wine, a Malbec. The taste is light and sweet, but doesn’t stay on your palet as long as say, a pinot noir. There are hints of black raspberry, and it’s just wonderful by itself or with dinner.

I was a lipgloss only kind of girl until about a month ago, at the urge of one of my daily reads, The Glamour Girls in the Beauty Department blog. Beginning my habit slowly, I found a few good drugstore colors, and started to experiment. Walking through Macy’s on my lunchbreak yesterday, I tried on shade #28 of Chanel’s Rouge Allure lipstick, and I fell in love. Called, “Romantic,” the shade is a rich raspberry tone that I swear would look good on anyone. The lipstick softens your lips and stays much longer than anything else I’ve tried. Not to mention how cute and slick the case is; I’ll whip it out anywhere!!

]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-blogs/lady-in-red/feed/ 0 http://blastmagazine.com/the-blogs/catalog-clippings/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-blogs/catalog-clippings/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:03:51 +0000 Krystal Beaulieu http://blastmagazine.com/?p=32565

Like any self-proclaimed shopaholic, and maybe even more than most, I get enough catalogs on an almost daily basis to thoroughly annoy my mailman and fiance, who, as keeper of the mail key, has to fight with the mailbox to unstuff it every single afternoon. Here are some notable spreads I saw in my most recent shipment.

Did anyone else notice how many spreads of the White House Black Market catalog had this model with crimped hair? I know that some of the trends from the 80s have started to trend again — velvet, lace, leggings and even some neon colors — but this is the first time I’ve noticed crimped hair in any fashion or beauty marketing.

The spread above is from the latest Brooks Brothers catalog. Call me traditional, but I’ve always been a big follower of the black-brown exclusivity rule. Brown shoes should not be worn with black tights, and vice versa. While I have become begrudgingly accostomed to seeing fashionistas on the streets and in magazine spreads with black tights and brown riding boots, I’ve always relied on my fellow conservatives at Brooks Brothers to enforce the rules. Needless to say, the above picture is a sign of the changing times… and since Brooks Brothers thinks it’s okay, maybe it’s time for me to start wearing my brown Longchamp with black pants…

Please forgive my amateur photography skills in the J.Crew spread above. The folks at J.Crew may be obsessed with Italian cashmere, but I’m loving everything about this outfit… the rich color and textures (wool skirt, cashmere sweater, suede (?) flats… swoon)… and the anklets. I have made up my mind on this fall-winter trend, and I am heading out to buy some warm ankle socks tomorrow.

]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-blogs/catalog-clippings/feed/ 1 http://blastmagazine.com/the-blogs/jimmy-choo-for-hm-is-leaked/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-blogs/jimmy-choo-for-hm-is-leaked/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:53:50 +0000 Krystal Beaulieu http://blastmagazine.com/?p=31972

The wonderful website, FabSugar has gotten a sneak peek of EVERY SINGLE ITEM being launched on November 14th as part of Tamara Mellon of Jimmy Choo’s collaboration with H&M. The collection has a lot of edge — with studs, animal print, leather and suede. My favorite pieces?

Always a fan of flats, I’m loving the zebra print and studs.

And the edgier all season studded sandals to die for…

I think the zebra print flats are the only reasonable things I could wear to work, but everything else will be fun to peruse.

Will you be lining up at your favorite H&M to snag the first pieces of the collection?

Ever since the J.Crew catalog hit my doorstep last week in all of its preppy glory, one particular trend keeps peeking out: ankle socks.

J.Crew sells the ankle socks in packs of three. This is my favorite look they show, but I’m loving the pink ones:

What do you think about ankle socks? Do they make you too reminiscent of being a little girl in the 80s? What shoes would you wear to pull this off?

InStyle’s website picked Kristin Cavallari’s plaid look as yesterday’s “Look of the Day,” but when I put on my black and blue plaid tunic over gray jeans this morning, I couldn’t help feeling the look had passed, gone the way of the Ugg — a comfy throwback, but no fashion statement what-so-ever.

What are your thoughts on plaid? Do you still grab your plaid shirts when you dress for Saturday shopping? Let us know!

After weeks of hearing about Essie’s “Matte About You” topcoat on the blog circuit, I decided to give it a try. After two coats of the “Angora Cardi” fall purple-brown shade, I coated my left hand with the trendy new top coat… and hated it! Maybe it was just the shade, but it made my nails look like I had dipped them into a bucket of wall paint. Every imperfection seemed to poke through. I won’t deny it was very cool to see how fast my nails went from shine to flat, but I don’t think using it across the whole nail is the way to go.‚  Because I’m still so mystified by the product, I am going to try it on my tips after my new coats of “Mink-Muffs” dry. I’ll let you know if that impresses me more.

I will say, in favor of Essie, I also just purchased their cuticle pen, and I am in love. The Cuticle Pen is a softener and moisturizer that makes my nail beds, already affected by the cold, dry New England fall weather, heavenly! And I love the smell! I’ve even been trying to use it on the boy’s dry cuticles, to no avail.

And, while we’re talking about Essie, if you haven’t yet, you NEED to check out their winter collection that just debuted. I think I’m in love: http://www.essie.com/seasonal/

What is your favorite fall nail trend? Let us know!

My birthday is quickly approaching, and I am dying for a new dress to wear to my birthday brunch. Tory Burch added a picture on her Facebook page last Thursday of an event she did at Saks in New Orleans, and I fell in love with her dress:

It is her ‘Gracia’ Silk Georgette Dress available at Nordstrom for $395. Is it worth the hefty price tag?‚  Could I wear it to the office with pearls? And throughout the fall with black boots?

In other exciting news, for all of our Broadway afficianados, “The Lion King” is coming to the Boston Opera House on February 16! Balcony tickets start at just $32.70. For a chance to purchase tickets first, sign up for the‚ Broadway Across America‚ E-Club.

5. Do-it-yourself Mani and Pedis

In Style magazine highlighted Lauren Conrad’s “ombre” nails on their website at the beginning of the month, and I had to try it myself. Splurging on manis and pedis (or taking the cheap route and ending up with infected cuticles) has gotten cut from my list of things to do. I have fallen in LOVE with the DIY method. Using a foot file and cuticle cream, I apply two coats (Essie’s my favorite!) of color before finishing up with a top coat‚  (I always use Orly’s top coat).

I used three shades of blue to create a “fade effect” — Essie’s Mesmerize, Shelter Island and Sag Harbor. If you don’t have three hues of the same color, you can always add a little bit of white to a dark color to create the fade. I used this effect on my room in middle school, but enough about that!

Don’t skimp on the top coat — the most important part! It can also help make your mani or pedi last if you reapply a top coat every other day. The best part of an at-home mani or pedi is that you have the shade to fix any chips. You’ll look like you just walked out of the salon for at least a week.

4. Very Hollywood by Michael Kors

Michael Kors attributes the appeal of his new scent to mandarin and gardenia, but I’ve been on the hunt for a new fragrance for months, and I would just call it genius. Sensual without being musky (or musty, which I usually consider to be synonymous with musky), intriguing with suffocating. Not to mention the bottle looks adorable on my vanity.

3. The Color Purple (no, not the novel)

Have you walked into H&M lately? Royal Purple shades flatter garments all over the store, and thank goodness. Have you ever seen anyone who didn’t look good in a shade of purple? I bought a wool mini skirt from H&M, and fell in love with the Theory pre-order “Sarah” Animate Top at Bloomingdales.

You can buy short or tall classic Uggs in Mulberry to wear when greeting the fall weather or coat your nails in Opi’s Pamplona Purple (part of the Espana Collection), but it’s hard NOT to look good wearing purple.

2. Absolute Boston

Try it mixed with Arizona’s Arnold Palmer (a mix of lemonade and iced tea for those of you who don’t get out much) or ginger ale, you’ll taste tea. Absolut’s newest blend of elderflower and black tea with ginger ale is my new go-to cocktail.

1. Understatedly Over the Top

Today, I am sporting a simple outfit of a white J.Crew t-shirt with a tan Brooks’ Brother pencil skirt… with a mixed-metal necklace, chain link gold bracelet and caged all-season sandals. I’ve got numerous compliments all around the city today for my very simple outfit paired with fall’s best outrageous accessories… and I got them all for less! Now, don’t get me a wrong, I am a big fan of Tiffany’s, Kenneth Jay Lane and Saks Fifth Avenue, but this season’s fashion jewelry can just as easily be found at Forever 21 or H&M. Getting dressed is simple and comfy this season if you’re willing to glam up the extras.

]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-blogs/obsessions-of-the-week-september-29/feed/ 0 http://blastmagazine.com/the-blogs/guilty-pleasures/style-steals/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-blogs/guilty-pleasures/style-steals/#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:42:25 +0000 Krystal Beaulieu http://blastmagazine.com/?p=25762

Ben Bernanke may have announced today that the recession is “Very likely over,” but I’m still not a huge fan of spending a lot of money on fleeting trends, so I’ve found my fall favorite (and most notable) trends for less… much less!

FALL WRAP

Splurge: DKNY’s “Cozy” Silk/Cashmere Cardigan for $195 at Nordstrom and Bloomingdales

Steal: Victoria’s Secret,”The Soft & Sexy Wrap” for $58 at www.victoriassecret.com

Victoria's Secret Soft & Sexy Wrap

FALL FLATS

For the sake of my financial well-being, I won’t even go into all of the fabulous splurges on the flat shoe scene.

Steals: Payless (I know, I know), Lela Rose for Payless Newell Ballet for $29.99, Also Aldo, Rubal Flats for $45.

Lela Rose for Payless

FUR LOOP

Splurge: Adrienne Landau’s Raccoon Fur Loop at Saks for $175.

Steal: Fur Collar at H&M for $14.95 (in store). The H&M store in Holyoke, Mass., had a manikin wearing the collar overlapping around her neck and fastened with a black silk flower. I haven’t decided yet if this is a style I love or hate for fall — what are your thoughts?!

Adrienne Landau's Fur Loop

HEAVY METAL

Splurge: Kenneth Jay Lane’s Chunky Chain Necklace in Gold for $340, exclusively at Saks. Or Michael Kors Chain Link Necklace for $700.

Steal: Forever 21, Chain Link bracelet for $4.80 (found in store) and Rebel Chain Necklace for $7.80.

Forever 21 Chain Link Bracelet

GREY DENIM

Splurge: Rich & Skinny Studded Straight-Leg Jeans in Silverado wash at Bloomingdales for $202.

Steal: (Okay, so you have to forgo the fabulous studs) The Laguna Skinny Stretch jeans in Grey at Hollister for $49.50.

The Laguna Skinny Stretch Jean

PLAID SHIRTDRESS

Splurge: Gemni Belted Plaid Shirtdress at Neiman Marcus for $244.

Steal: The Campy Gingham Check Shirt at Forever 21 for $17.80.

Campy Gingham Check Shirt

5. Cooking dinner at home

5. cooking dinner at home

After the first two weeks of kindergarten celebration chaos, I find myself enjoying evenings at the condo (3 this week!) which means that I am no longer frequenting every restaurant in Boston that potentially does not contaminate one menu item with gluten… and also means my Celiac’s-stomach can enjoy leftovers for lunch instead of assorted salads from every deli downtown. The weekly menu is back up with some of my foodie-favorites, like Spicy Lemon Pasta (I add chicken strips) and Spicy Pork Tenderloin. I eagerly anticipate the 20 minute meals in each new issue of Real Simple.

4. Over-the-knee boots

4. over the knee boots

I feel in love with these attention-grabbing garments the first time they made their fashion mag rounds, but, as with my love for all-season sandals, never thought I could pull them off. Well, I am a monthly reader of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, but it took me picking up the September Elle (with J Aniston on the cover!) to really fall in love. Please see the middle model in the Fall 2009 Chloe ad above. Those boots are TO DIE FOR (forgive my dangling preposition). Well, apparently you need a black card to find these gray beauties, and, once again, I’m not sure I want to spend a fortune on shoes I’m not entirely sure I know how to wear, so I found a few bargain varieties on Nordstrom’s website, like Steve Madden’s “Blondee” over the knee boot in gray suede.

3. Fresh flowers

3. fresh flowers

Tonight, thank goodness, was the last kindergarten party for which I was solely responsible. And a 4-year-old cutie named Sara came to my party with a freshly-picked daisy just for me (okay, or because she wanted to pick a flower). So I smiled and placed my new daisy into my side swept updo and welcomed the sign to go buy myself a couple bouquets of flowers. Those of us in the northeast only have a few more weekends of freshly cut flowers left, right? We might as well enjoy them.

2. Pointy-toed flats

Okay, I’ll be honest. I just found out this was a fall trend approximately two hours ago, and only according to Bloomingdale’s website, but I’ll take what I can get! Being barely over 5 feet tall, you would think I would take the extra height anywhere I can get it, but all too often I wear flats to work toting a pair of pumps in my bag that never get to see the light of the office.

And, because any true shopaholic can never have too many shoes, I’m currently drooling over two pairs of my newest favorite fall trend at Bloomingdales. Guess has a pair of “Clinta“pewter flats that play with Fall’s studs trend without overdoing it, and, because no obsessions list is truly complete without a mention of her — and I read on a fashion blog early this week that the Reva is now being called the “Nebraska” shoe and <GASP> totally passƒ© — Tory Burch’s newest “Claire” Signature Pointy Flat

1. kate spade’s fall collection

Please just click and admire: http://www.katespade.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=2631362. FINALLY, she does clothing. I desperately want her Bisous Gale lace dress to wear to my wedding reception someday, but cannot justify spending $400 on an unknown (but the only size Bloomingdales has left is mine! that’s got to be a sign, no?).

Runners-up

Aveda Hand Relief

As if it wasn’t enough for the salon to get me completely and utterly hooked on fashion, I’ve also become a product snob. We kept this stuff at the front desk ALWAYS and it is a complete cure-all for fall and winter’s cracked knuckles. Thick and creamy without being greasy, with a (strong but) tantalizing smell, I keep a bottle in my bag at all times. After a summer at the bottom of the Tory Burch carry-all, it is now riding at the top of my fall Longchamp, ready for any dryness emergencies.

Commemorative Tea Cup Set by Royal Albert

I have been drinking tea with my Nanny (my British grandmother) probably since before I could walk, and I have inherited all of my family’s fine china and sterling (because nobody else was using it). I am obsessed with china… and tea. I use my 14 cup Kitchenaid coffee maker to brew tea for me in the morning, and I don’t even own a nice set of tea cups. This set is making its way to the top of my birthday list.

Joe Wilson (R-SC) may have saved his political career by issuing a public apology for his outburst at President Obama last night, but I’m not holding my breath.

As a Republican working and living among the bluest of blues in Boston, I understand how frustrating it can be to listen to bleeding-heart liberals talk about their plans to save the world. But I also understand the importance of political give-and-take, and the first “give” has got to be respect. Publicly, in front of a joint session of Congress and a national television audience, calling anyone a liar, never mind the President of the United States, knocks Wilson, as well as the GOP as a whole, down a few notches in the give-and-take game.

It is not like Wilson does not have enough outlets to voice his disagreement with the president’s health care plan “" his Congressional website, Fox News, Facebook, a Twitter account he last updated on Labor Day, with no mention of the President’s health care plan. I support public disagreement with the President in the appropriate forums, but as a conservative (and also a political science major with a keen interest in the American Presidency), I believe the Presidential office should be sacred “" a symbol of America, like the flag. If you disagree with a national policy, you would not turn your flag upside down. Likewise, I don’t believe you should mock the president. Belittling him belittles everything we stand for as Americans, as he was freely elected by our fellow citizens.

Wilson’s childish outburst also undermined his party’s cause. The media is not asking Republican politicians what they think of the President’s health care plan; they are asking what they thought of Representative Wilson’s outburst. Was it justified? The potential for a deep and insightful national conversation about healthcare has been lost to some political name-calling. Media outlets like CNN are also noting the number of conservatives who are defending Wilson on Twitter. Health care was not the number one trending Twitter topic last night, Joe Wilson was.

Wilson’s public disagreement may be protected by the First Amendment, but is a diluted representation of the kind of disagreement that should be protected. Wilson should back up his position that he made so public with an intelligent op-ed in a major newspaper, citing reasons for his outburst. Maybe then he can protect the GOP from being mislabeled as a party of immature extremism, but rather as one of true ideas that are simply different from those being place on the table by the President.

I am probably the least edgy person you will ever meet. I wear a ridiculous amount of Lilly Pulitzer and J.Crew. Somehow, though, I have a Carrie Bradshaw-style obsession with the wide world of fashion. Moonlighting at an ƒ¼ber-trendy Boston salon for six months didn’t help. I even let them try to make me more edgy by dying my hair red (oh no, not Bree Van der Kamp strawberry-blond… think punk-rock violet-red with black streaks). Well that didn’t match my preppy palette of clothing… or my stash of lip gloss, not to mention my personality, so I am back to blonde (a color removal rinse and 10 hours-2 sessions- of highlighting later), but my fashion obsession remains.

Here are some of my favorites for fall:

5. The color red (Ironic?):

Okay, Harper’s Bazaar listed the color red as one of fall’s biggest trends. I haven’t seen it listed anywhere else, nor have I seen any eye-catching outfits in the ruby family, but I have a pair of patent leather red flats that I purchased several years ago that love to see a day out on the town:

4. All-season sandals

Liz wore a fabulous pair of tan caged sandals to Heather’s wedding, and, although I adored them, never thought I could pull them off. Then, I was flipping through the ever-mesmerizing September fashion mags, and fell in love with Elizabeth and James’ spectacularly strappy sandals:

I couldn’t bring myself, though, to spend $350 at Nordstrom for a pair of footwear I wasn’t even sure how to wear. Would they be so intimidating they would forever be confined to a life among flats in my closet? I couldn’t do it. So I settled for a “beginner” pair of Dolce Vitas, less than a third of the cost for a smaller sacrifice in style. Now, can I wear these to work?

3. Cool palette polish colors

Okay, I missed the boat in the Spring, when Essie released their fabulous blue color “Mesmerize” and their exclusive, limited edition “North Fork” collection of sea-green, gray and light blue. If you’ve been living under the pink-neutral rock that I’ve been stuck under, grab your remover pads and go blue or gray for fall! PS: eNail Supply still carries Essie’s elite “North Fork” shades — and for less than $8 each!

Essie's North Fork Collection

Now, maybe after this, I’ll be able to transition myself to Opi’s ever-popular dark Espana Collection…

2. Thriftiness

Okay, I’ve read that this is the season for recycling and re-wearing, which makes me ecstatic to be able to pull out my Dorothy-esque patent leathers to fulfill my red quota.

It also has inspired me to hunt through my closet for classics – you know, the Burberry scarf, black Stuart Weiszman pumps (that I realized last night at Mohegan Sun now sport chew marks — thanks, Teddy!!!), the Brooks Brothers pencil skirt – and maybe I’ll even splurge on a new one. Like Burberry’s ever-classic-ever-popular Classic Quilted Jacket. Now, when will my raise get approved again?!

1. Cashmere leggings!

I have been obsessed with the idea of cashmere leggings since I saw that DVF epitomized comfortable luxury in the “Chris Noth Plays Mr. Mom” spread in the July 2009 issue of Harper’s Bazaar.

I was even willing to splurge on the $198 leggings because I loved them so much, but haven’t seen them anywhere yet! I think a call to DVF may be in order. Until then, I’ve found Victoria’s Secret “Cotton & cashmere sweater legging” for $38! I’ll let you know if they compare to my vision of the dreamy DVF pair.

#5. Tory Burch

5. Tory Burch

I will admit that I am not nearly as in love with her fall collection as I was with summer (which, btw, Saks has on SALE. I think I want the Jula dress or the Esther dress).

#4. my new national officer position in my sorority

4. My sorority

Even though the paperwork is currently taking over my coffee table until i can find an organizational system that works.

#3. the almost kindergarteners in Boston

3. Kindergarteners!

The almost kindergartners in Boston, with whom I have spent every single day of the past week, and will spend every single day until September 11 <3 my job

#2. fritos with ranch dip

2. Fritos and ranch dip

#1. planning to meet the gibs at heather's wedding!

1. A wedding

…although it is next Saturday, and I still do not have a dress…

Teddy Roosevelt was on my list… until he kept trying to eat my fritos with ranch dip…

I’m not going to lie: at first I was scared. If they were coming back, were lime green spandex or tie dye hi-tops going to be next? But after a few weeks of deliberation, and then after I saw Bloomingdales.com had sold out of their exclusive pink color, I bought Tory Burch’s version of the jelly shoe in equestrian orange. They are so comfortable, and perfect for a rainy spring (or summer, at this rate) day when my Burberry rain boots would be a hotbox for my poor pedicured feet. Now, I can’t get enough! I am pining over all of the jellies out there with the attention Grams Bear has to give to Hugs and Tugs (well, since we were referencing the eighties…)

For not so rainy days:
Ralph Lauren’s Karly Jelly Sandal
I love it in fuchsia!

For wet city sidewalks:
Melissa Campana Corallo Jelly Ballet Flats.
Some Saks stores carry them in gold and black.

The Splurge:
Melissa J Maskrey Flat Smoke
Loving the sparkles!