those beautiful Bluths...

​I'm a big fan of Arrested Development and have often thought of the wonderful line of beauty & personal care products that could have graced the shelves of drugstores everywhere had the show not been cancelled...

Million F***ing Diamonds Anti Aging Cream - Imparts a luxurious and youthful shimmer. Use sparingly to avoid possible lung poisoning.

Blue Myself Cream Eye Shadow - Guaranteed to last through the most intense paint drum banging show.

Ostero Hair Gel - Give your brownish areas pretty points that will stand out at any charity gala! 

Leather Daddy Tanning Oil SPF 2 - Apply liberally for a healthy glow that says, "Daddy Likes Leather" skin..

Scholarly Pursuits Personal Lube - For those intimate moments....

Just Woke Up Hair-spray - Get that sexy bed-head chic look with this highly effective, aerosol spray.

Candy Beans Body Splash - Now you can smell like a whole thing of candy beans.

Gangee Artificial Tears - For when you'd like to cry but you just can't spare the moisture.

Glisten Toothpaste - New & improved with a flip top cap. Never leave the f***ing cap off again!

Why don't you...

...make your own organic body oil? The supplies are easily purchased from most natural foods stores. You'll need a clean container to house the oil (I buy squeeze bottles from a bakery supply outlet), a bottle of organic, food grade oil such as grapeseed, avocado or sesame oil and your favorite essential oil. My fave combo is avocado oil with lavender but play around with different variations until you find what suits you best.​

NOW Foods Lavender Oil, 4 ounce

Your homemade concoction will be less expensive than traditional body oils and totally customized (use more than one essential oil for even more customization). I adore making my own organic moisturizer that my whole family can use and can't even remember the last time I purchased a prepackaged body product.

What's your favorite essential oil? I'd love to hear what blend you come up with!​

blast from the past...

As a small girl growing up in the awesome 80's, before I was even allowed to wear makeup, I received a Caboodle as a birthday gift. At the time, I used it to organize toys and my stash of candy. By the time I got into preteen cosmetics I was a master at organizing my teal and pink Caboodle and I used it for years to keep my Bonne Bell lip products and clear mascara neat and tidy. Although I can't remember what happened to it, I cherish the memory of my  ​girly tackle box.

Until very recently, I hadn't even considered that Caboodles were still around or that I would own one again, this time in my mid 30's. Thanks to my near constant presence online, reading blogs, stalking social media channels and pinning everything I desire, I discovered that Caboodles are still manufactured! Even better - Plano, the parent company, had reissued their original 1987 peachy pink and white case, sold exclusively through their Facebook page for a limited time. Naturally, I got in on that action. 

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My Caboodle just arrived and without delay I've started transferring my cosmetics to the case. Bonus: it turns out I have room for even more cosmetics!   ​

Totally RAD!​

​ps - for other Caboodle styles and products hop on over to their website.

Why don't you...

...use a pill box or contact lens case for your toiletries next time you travel? Both types of containers are meant to hold precious cargo and in the case of the contact lens case, liquid! ​The chambers are big enough to hold a few days supply of cleanser, toner, serum, cream, primer and foundation and most of the containers are air tight.

​Bonus: If you have extra chambers in the pill box, stash your rings and stud earrings inside!

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Why don't you...

...create your own lip color? Using a clean knife, slice off a bit from a few different colors and mix up into a small, lidded pot (I save sample cosmetic jars and buy new empties when I run across them). Keep blending until you're satisfied with the shade. For a more sheer balm, add in a dab of petroleum jelly alternative like Waxelene (actual petroleum jelly is pretty disgusting). ​

Waxelene 2oz jar

​This could also be a really fun "girls night in" activity with children or friends (and wine). Don't forget to come up with a fantastic name to go with your custom color!

Fashionable Friends...

I'm a lucky girl. I know many, many stylish ladies who posses fantastic personal style. While I love observing the high fashion looks from the runways and red carpets, ultimately I strive to make NWS a celebration of accessible and everyday style.

Models and celebs have access to the latest and greatest in fashion and beauty and a cadre of talented people who help them put it all together. I believe true  style can be found by looking on the streets, at friends, family members and neighbors. I like to see ensembles put together by women with limited clothing budgets (like me) and who don't have access to a wide array of boutiques and stores.  

This season I'll be introducing my fashionable friends who embody unique personal style and who inspire me daily. Stay tuned!

Why Don't You...?

I am a longtime admirer of Diana Vreeland. Though not a "classic beauty", she had fantastic style and a great sense of humor,​ which is way more valuable in my eyes than a pretty face or a perfect body (though I'd take all of the above, please).

Vreeland's Harper's Bazaar column, Why Don't You? , was a collection of fun tips and suggestions for her stylish readers. While her ideas were not always realistic they were , and remain, most definitely creative, humorous and inspiring in their oh so high end way.

I adore reading her tips (some faves below) so I'm going to try my hand at a few of my own. Keep your eyes peeled for my Why Don't You?  ​post every Wednesday...

Just a few of D.V.'s classic suggestions:

...wear violet velvet mittens with everything?

...bring back from Central Europe a huge white baroque porcelain stove to stand in your front hall?

...have an elk-hide trunk for the back of your car? Hermès of Paris will make this.

...have your cigarettes stamped with a personal insignia?

...paint a map of the world on all four walls of your boys’ nursery so they won’t grow up with a provincial point of view?

…wear, like the Duchess of Kent, three enormous diamond stars arranged in your hair in front?

​If you haven't read D.V., her "facticious" autobiography, you must do so immediately. It remains one of my all time favorite books as it captures the essence of her wit, personality and imagination. Buy it on Amazon RIGHT NOW! You'll also want to pick up Diana Vreeland by Eleanor Dwight to learn more about Vreeland and to see her flamboyant life in pictures.

September is Yoga Month!

Rather than suggest all the things you could buy to enhance your yoga experience, I asked a yogini friend of mine what her #1 piece of advice was for taking your yoga to the next level.​

The fabulous Erin says the key to deepening your practice is, ​"Pranayama (breath). Follow the breath and the physical practice will come naturally."

Download this free app for guidance.​

OMMMmmm...​

Photo courtesy of the uber talented, super awesome and totally handsome Tony Frantz.

Fall for a bold lip...

It's September 1st which means it's time to start thinking of Fall style. For me, this means it's time to break out my red lipsticks! A bold red lip is always a perfect complement to the rich textures and warm hues of the season.

Be sure to keep your pucker exfoliated and hydrated - nothing ruins a red lip look like flaky, cracked skin!

​What's your must have lipstick shade for Fall/Winter 2012? 

gorgeous red lip colors