fashion and makeup style

Bumble and Bumble Damage Therapy Masque

2012-02-15T16:49:00.000-08:00

This product has been discontinued, so you may find it at outlets or discount places such as TJ Maxx. In fact I bought the 5oz tube on beautyticket.com for $13. I thought this was a reasonable price at the time. The discontinuation of the Damage Therapy Masque is not surprising to me for one reason: it doesn't work.

Perhaps it works if your hair is not as damaged as mine. But my hair has been bleached twice with multiple dye treatments on top... and as a result it is quite dry. While my hair has not melted nor broken to pieces, it is slightly elastic when wet. I apply this mask after shampooing my hair in lieu of hair conditioner and I use it 1-2x per week. This mask does not add much moisture, shine, nor manageability to my hair. Following rinse, my hair is just as tangled and twisted as before... with that slippery feeling of conditioned hair. After blow drying my hair, my hair does not look any better when using this product.

Overall, a product that simply does not work nor deliver.

Pros: Smells good. Easy to dispense with the tube.

Cons: Expensive at full price (~$30), discontinued (perhaps trying the "Mending Masque")

American Apparel Sample Sale

2011-11-14T11:03:00.000-08:00

Haha. The review of this sample sale is really late, the sale took place on 05Nov2011 at Herbst Pavillion. It was the first ever AA sample sale in SF and it advertised prices "up to 90% off retail."

Let me tell you, I really hate shit like that. "Up to 90% off" means only a couple items are truly marked down to sample sale prices. Despite that, I went to check it out based on the review on Refinery 29.

So how was it?

Beyond lame. Seriously, things were not even cheap. A regular plain hoodie was around $40. The hosiery was even more expensive than the prices I paid at the outlet (granted, there was a special 80% off promotion going on at the time). Oh and they didn't even stock the winter leggings which I was interested in buying. They had all kinds of basics and tacky leggings... and an ugly vintage clothing section.

Since parking in Marina is a f'ing nightmare, I felt that I needed to buy something to justify the trip there. I ended up buying one item: a thin sheer navy cotton lawn shirt. I think this shirt has potential to be cute layered in the spring. I was interested in the houndstooth or striped jacket... but it was more than what I wanted to pay (~$50 maybe).

I believe I went on the last day (or second to last day), and I was surprised the prices were essentially the same as what was reported by R29. There was however an additional 10% off for some reason... which was not advertised anywhere. Strange.

Basically... American Apparel is one sample sale you may skip out on. The prices are not cheaper than the outlet, so why bother? I can't believe there was a riot in London over this type of sale. Lame lame lame.

A Forgotten Hair Product

2011-11-10T23:41:00.000-08:00

I used Redken's Crema Care in combination with Redken's Fresh Curls Curl Boost spray gel when I had a digital perm 3 years ago. That was a winning combination for my hair at the time. It moisturized the permed hair and held the curl after heat styling. These two products helped me maintain my permed style for one year.

A coworker liked my hair so much she got a digital perm as well. Unfortunately, she thought a digital perm was some sort of magic bullet for looking like a JJ model. HAH. It's not, that's a myth! Digitally permed hair still has to be styled to get the magazine-like results. Without proper styling, hair can look messy... or even worse... like it wasn't even permed! My coworker asked me what I used ... but I didn't tell her... I duno... I felt like a copy cat like her should at least try various products and figure it out herself. That's what I did~ ;)

Anyway... I think I have successfully gone to ash blonde hair myself. Yes, I did it myself (with the assistance of my boyfriend). Since bleach and multiple dyes were involved, my hair suffered quite a bit of damage. I don't have elastic hair nor excessive breakage... which is a testament to how much abuse my hair can actually take (it was already damaged from previous dye jobs ^^;;).

I have had to make a few changes to my hair routine to preserve the health of my hair (and the dye job as well). The changes I made were:

1. Switched to sulfate free shampoo
2. Blow dry on low heat setting or cool.
3. Resume hair treatments once a week.
4. Try to wash hair 2-3x per week only.
5. Shampoo once in awhile with purple toning shampoo.
6. Spray hair with Aveda brilliant protecting spray prior to blow drying

Despite all these things, my hair still had a dry texture due to the porosity. I was using rich conditioning treatments (Bumble and Bumble damage therapy), but they seemed to be ineffective. My hair would always feel dry, although it was partially from my styling products (ie volumizing sprays).

The other day I decided to dig out my Redken Crema Care... and I'm so glad I did! This leave in product makes my hair so easy to manage! The problem with dry hair is that it tangles terribly... even my conditioners couldn't really take care of the tangles. But working Crema Care in damp hair after a wash was like magic! I could separate the tangled sections much easier. After blow drying, my hair was voluminous... yet smooth (no frizz!)... and soft! WOW!!! Why didn't I use this earlier? I guess I forgot about it.

I'll continue styling with this product... I'm so glad I took it out of the graveyard of haircare products ~_~;;;

Rachel Zoe

2011-11-08T12:05:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I feel like Rachel Zoe with this blonde hair color. Heh.

yesterday's hair

2011-08-25T12:23:00.001-07:00

Milk Maid x Princess Leia.

;)

JJ September 2011 Issue

2011-08-11T00:49:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share the images I liked best from JJ's September 2011 issue.

I like blazers:

This sweater is really nice, but super $$$:

I don't really care for the clothes, but the boots and background geometrics are nice:

This hair style is super cute! It reminds me of McQueen's Spring 2010, but tamed down:

The illustrations are just sooo cute. Are you getting a cavity yet?

Loving this image

2011-08-09T10:00:00.001-07:00

Photoshoot results

2011-05-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

Post Vacation Thoughts

2010-12-29T14:51:00.000-08:00

Well, people may or may not know I went on vacation two weeks ago to New York. It wasn't my first time there... the first time I went there was long long ago and it was part of an "east coast" tour. But that's really different from exploring the city on your own and doing what you want to do! The main goal of this trip was to have fun, go to museums, shop, and eat.

Even though I spent a week there, I couldn't possibly shop at all the stores I wanted to shop at nor go to all of the foodie places (haha)! I plan on writing a post about the food I ate and another post about the shopping I did. This post is for overall impressions about NY.

City of Trash?

My brother lived in NY over the summer and he called NY the "city of trash." I laughed at the time, because it was funny. However... it is also true. There is trash piled on the sidewalks and I saw the piles grow in size slowly day by day. At one point, they were as high as the parked cars! GROSS! No wonder they have rats and roaches there! I can't even imagine the stench of garbage in the humid summer heat.

How do I throw away my trash?

I'm not joking here. Here in California we are hippie-tree-hugging-sunscreen-wearing-mother-earth-worshippers. Uh, kind of. What we do have is: sorted trash bins (paper, trash, compost, recyclable cans/bottles) at home, public transit areas, and schools.

In NY, people just seem to throw everything in the trash (even cans/bottles). Maybe it gets sorted at the plant? I don't know. But I only saw one business that separated their trash. For those who are curious, it was a bagel shop owned by Thai people.

Anyway, imagine the poor California girl who was confused about trash disposal. "Where should I put this bottle?" No choice but the trash... :*(

No ecotainers? :(

I first saw ecotainers (ecological containers) and biodegradable disposable utensils made of soy, corn, potato, etc. at my workplace. I thought it was a funny idea... but the reality is plastic can only be recycled once. That is why plastic containers are not made up of 100% recycled material. Lately, I have noticed more and more local businesses using these ecological products... from fancy organic ice cream shops to cheap Chinese restaurants that sell plates for $5. Perhaps they are getting a subsidy from the state of California? I wouldn't be surprised.

But anyway, back to NY. I saw so much styrofoam and plastic there that I missed those damn ecotainers in California!!! LOL... there must be something wrong with me I sound like this tree loving country bumpkin. Maybe I am one... ;)

The streets are chaos!

What's the point of having traffic signals and laws... if NO ONE abides by them? Pedestrians jay walk like mad. I saw a rich lady in a mink coat just step out in the middle of the road. Her chauffeur held her shopping bags and held up his hand to stop traffic. Um really? Unbelievable. Not just that... but pedestrians start crossing the street before the signal light changes to give them the right of way. And they step out onto the intersection to "wait" for the signal. Errr... Anyway, I have come to the conclusion that NYers jaywalk because their traffic lights are inefficient. There is a slight lag between light changes... and they simply can't abide waiting that extra 10-20 seconds...

Cars run red lights all the time. Also, when they are turning and a pedestrian is crossing the road... they don't actually stop! They just slow down a touch and assume you'll keep walking. It is really disconcerting!

Cyclists also do not follow the road rules/laws. I saw a cyclist hit a woman and that cyclist almost did a "hit and run." He only stuck around because other people saw what happened and told him to "At least see if she was okay." :X

I don't really see how there aren't accidents everyday. Every city has a "flow," I guess NY's is just more chaotic? -_- I suppose I might sound like a country bumpkin again... but the reason why we can't do these things in California is because of TRAFFIC TICKETS.

You can get a ticket for jay walking... not yielding to pedestrians... blocking the cross walk... not wearing your seat belt... talking on the cell phone whilst driving... etc! Perhaps NY should start doing the same? It would make things a little more orderly and generate some revenue? I can't believe I just wrote that. :X

Night schedules for subway?

Well NYC is the city that never sleeps .. and it has 24 hour subways. Wow. nekoball and I were worried about the lines changing for the "night schedule." But as we found out "night schedule" means 1AM-5AM. COOOL!

A First Look at All Saints San Francisco

2010-11-30T16:29:00.000-08:00

I have been looking forward to the opening of AllSaints for a few reasons:
1. we didn't have one in SF
2. I love asymmetrical clothes, which they have plenty of
3. I wanted to try these items on, not just blindly order the smallest one online and hope it would fit my flat chested self (yeah... I know that's sad)
4. They clearly rip off a lot of avant garde $$$ designers (Rick Owens, Vivienne Westwood, Ann Demeulemeester, etc.). Not everyone can afford to buy those pieces!

I had not realized the shop opened around Halloween so imagine my surprise as I walked down Geary and spotted a store window chock full of vintage sewing machines and then seeing it was actually AllSaints! (I LOVE vintage machines btw). The store was closed at the time, so I vowed to return.

I returned... and I was overwhelmed to say the least. This store ranks up there with Forever 21 in terms of horrible store layout and overly cluttered merchandising. There's just so much stuff everywhere in a tight space that I didn't even want to browse that much! It was really a shame because I had been looking forward to it too! I was out of there in about 5 minutes. I will give it another try when I am well rested.

I was greeted by a couple employees, so service seems ok.

As far as the clothing goes, everything is in UK sizes (as expected) and everything was neatly folded and on the appropriate racks. I tried on an asymmetric leather jacket (maybe it was called the Lana?). The leather was soft, but somehow the cutting/sewing was not very good. One arm hole was clearly tighter than the other and the zipper had multiple "waves" when it was zipped up.

Yes, I know they are cheaper than the afore mentioned brands. But it is also not cheap. For those that are buying clothes here, I suggest to check the quality of its construction and try on multiple garments of the same size to ensure you get the best one.

Je Reve Encore photos

2010-10-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from the show :)

I loved the silly models :)

He was a fun model :)

Looks better with sunglasses? :)

Guys... don't look at me like that =_=

This is my second favorite item I created. This is backstage!

This is the my favorite ensemble that I created. There isn't a good photo of it on the runway

I need to pose with the models I picked :)

One of my favorite models... I did not make this outfit :P

Pic from finale

Designer team photo :D

Liberty of London Wishlist

2010-09-17T01:20:00.001-07:00

While I do have a lot of fabric... these Liberty of London prints are pretty fabulous! I want some... maybe for a dress? :)

Je Reve Encore ... Photoshoot Results

2010-09-17T01:16:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a fashion show with two friends. Here are a couple images from our photoshoot. When the graphic designer comes up with the final image I'll post it here!

I made the male model's boxer briefs and did his makeup. :)

Being Short is Rather ... Unfortunate

2010-08-17T00:44:00.001-07:00

It's rather sad sometimes when clothes don't look the same on me as on the model. It's not that I'm fat.. but I'm just not a six foot tall Amazon with super long legs. The dress that hits the model above at mid calf... is down to my ankles. :(

Such is the pain of being short. But I still like this dress. I think I'll wear it on my birthday.

New Glasses YAY

2010-08-02T13:27:00.001-07:00

I decided on SALT. optics frames instead of Mykitas. They cost a lot less and the color is pretty cool! The frames have these sparkley bits in the front. I don't have any cat eye frames... so these fill a hole in my glasses wardrobe. I also haven't done black frames for three years... so it'll be nice go to back to them. <3

Too bad my wallet is bleeding now.

Barneys Warehouse Sale : Day 1 Review

2010-07-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

My thoughts on the sale :

Shoes: Sucked, the selection was really small. Only ugly ones had additional 25% off. I might get the CL miss chief if they go on further markdown. I already knew from last year the beginning of the sale would have markdowns equivalent to final cut at the store.

Designer items: Not too bad... I found things i liked. Not ALL designer items had an additional 25% off. Only ones with the "WHSE" stamp on the tag. Too bad the things I liked were 300, 600, 1700 respectively (and they didnt have the WHSE stamp). -_- I have my eye on some Alaia, Rick Owens, Yohji Yamamoto and Ann Demeulemeester items. I can certainly live without them though... so I'm waiting for ADDITIONAL MARKDOWNS!

Ready to wear/co-op items: There's a lot... but prices weren't low enough for me. It was also not very organized and annoying to look through

Denim: Seems like an okay selection, but I didn't look too closely since I own too many jeans. I randomly picked up a pair to check out the price and it was $89.

Outerwear: There was a lot of it, not many small sizes. Mainly co-op items.

As-is items: Some items are barely damaged (e.g. strap unattached, button loose at cuff). However the prices weren't super low for damaged goods! I saw a cute "stained" Moncler windbreaker for $350. It was super cute and I couldn't see the stains, but maybe I was in a state of delirium as I went after work?

Bags: I saw the teal PS1 but it damaged somehow from cleaning. It didnt look that bad to me? but it was only $95 off, what the hell? I also saw a Givenchy nightingale... but didn't look to see what was wrong with it. There were also some ugly sissi rossi bags and many other ugly things no one would ever buy even on sale.

Hosiery: It's all mixed up.. didn't even want to look in the bin but I spied some Balenciaga tights for $60.

Sscarves: Saw virginia johnson cotton ones, I wish they had the merino wool ones. There were various random silk scarves. I almost bought a funny cotton scarf for $40... but decided I wanted to wait for a markdown.

Mens: Seemed like a good selection, more than last year. I liked the selection of mens hats.

My purchases: A purple wool co-op branded swing coat for $109. It's super cute and fairly light. I would've waited for further markdown, but I didn't see many others in this style. Since I saw some other girls trying it on and not returning it to the rack, I decided I liked it enough to pay $109.

THE END

Verdict: I shall return at the end of the sale for leftover designer items. ;) I don't think this sale was all that great. In fact I'd rather buy the co-op brands I'm familiar with online since I can get better deals a lot of times (and the ability to RETURN!). So perhaps it's not really worth a trip right now unless there's something you're DYING to have. And nobody should die for clothes these days right? :)

Model Casting Today

2010-07-23T01:25:00.000-07:00

Finished up the model casting for the fashion show. I know, I know... my other entry said I was no longer on the production team. I was tying up loose ends... the casting had already been agreed upon and set up. I also already pre-screened all the models, so I might as well check them out.

It turns out I liked one model a lot. Ironically, I initially dismissed the person due to poor webcamera photos. In my defense, the photos made him look like a serial killer (a la Vitaly Petrov). If Samuel and I start a production company, I'd like to use this model.

Overall, casting was fun today. It's always fun to check out models. The only thing is, working with amateur models is sometimes difficult if they are inexperienced. Inexperienced models need a lot of coaching. I usually test the models using different music. The most important thing is to tell them what you want to see since they are not professionals. I think I'm fair... I try to see if there are any small improvements after the quick coaching. The ones that have potential usually do get better. :)

New Glasses... Maybe

2010-07-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about getting these Mykita frames... the only problem is that they're horribly expensive! I might go with a cheaper frame due to budget constraints.

No More Fashion Show

2010-07-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I am pretty sad about this. Samuel and I are no longer planning the fashion show. There are a lot of reasons behind it and it was a difficult decision to make. I think this could have been avoided with better planning and communication. But sometimes things don't turn out as well as you hope. We are still teaching the youth workshops though.

Barneys Warehouse Sale Again

2010-07-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

2010's SF dates are:

July 29-August 8

The hours of operation are:

July 29-30 8am-9pm
July 31 9am-7pm
August 1 10am-7pm
August 2-6 10am-8pm
August 7-8 10am-7pm

mewmew shoes

2010-06-15T22:44:00.001-07:00

Stopped by Barney's today... I wasn't really looking to buy anything as Barney's doesn't have the best sale prices... but I happened to see these shoes. And they were on sale... they are about a half size too big... but because they are a little big, I can wear them with my orthotics. The sales guy claimed they were the last pair in the company, but I don't know if that's true or not.

The Barney's warehouse sale is coming again... so I've got to restrain myself from further purchases until then. :)

Fashion Show Budget Approved

2010-06-09T22:37:00.000-07:00

YAY! Designer/venue/model scouting needs to begin very soon now!

Tentative show date: 05 August 2010

More Fashion Show Stuff

2010-06-07T22:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I know a few more details. The fashion show will be a collaboration with the Asian and Pacific Islander Health Center and I will be working with a budget and a stipend! YAY!

I don't really care about my stipend much, so I will probably put the money back into the show or the workshops Samuel and I will be hosting. The show is going to be the "final project" of a local youth gay/lesbian youth group. There will also be workshops... the whole thing will serve to empower the youth, teach them some skills, spark interest in fashion, and of course to spread the message of HIV awareness. Cool, right?

Samuel and I will be in charge of teaching three workshops... we are throwing around a lot of ideas right now... and it's all going to be really fun and exciting. I can't wait to plan this out some more!

Almost Pulled a Liuzzi

2010-06-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

I have to say... despite ragging on Liuzzi so much due to his bad harem pants.... I almost bought a pair myself. They were only $6 USD! I could've used them for lounging around and stuff. But wait... I have so much stuff anyway. And did I really want to be like Liuzzi? The answer was no. So I stepped away from the bargain.

Thank god... that was a close one?

Fashion Show Possibility

2010-05-26T17:25:00.001-07:00

I might be producing another fashion show with my good friend Samuel. The two of us have been approached to help with the show by a friend of a friend. It will probably feature student designers that I know personally... I'm not sure if I want to approach boutiques to borrow clothes again.

I think the two of us will have our hands full with planning. Hopefully it will be kind of chill since we are all cool people... but fashion tends to bring out the queens in everyone. We'll start planning soon.. I'm super excited about the whole vision of the show and who will be doing what!

I doubt I'll have time to construct garments for the show though. There's just so much to do.. from lighting, music, promo materials, model selection, styling the garments, etc. I should try to put one look together at least though. hmm.

I can't wait to find out more!!!

40% off all fabrics @ Fabric Outlet

2010-05-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hey people... Fabric Outlet located in the Mission District of SF is still having their 40% off deal. The designer silks happen to be 50% off (a nice time to buy some taffeta or dupioni)... anyway this sale is only good till the end of the month, so go already. :P

Another 49 square miles sample sale

2010-05-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

49 SQUARE MILES

333 Bryant Street (near 2nd St.)
Suite #350
San Francisco, California 94107

Wednesday 6/02/10 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Thursday 6/03/10 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Friday 6/04/10 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm

For those that are unaware, 49 Square Miles is a local "private label" brand. They make the leather goods for many brands including Gap, Banana Republic, Abercrombie, Ann Taylor, and more. They also sell goods under their own brand, "49 Square Miles" and are carried at boutiques such as Muse Ten.

The last time they had their sale, the belt prices remained the same (2 for $5 or a single belt for $3). But I didn't find the price of the bags to be so attractive. I'm not sure if I will drop by or not... afterall I am going to be selling the two 49 square miles bags I do own. ;)

About Britex Sales...

2010-05-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

Britex Fabrics is kind of like "Mood Fabrics" of San Francisco. Sort of. It is a high end fabric store with four levels located in Union Square. A lot of the fabrics ARE overpriced, I have seen some of the same fabrics at Satin Moon for about 20% less. But of course, Satin Moon is a well edited store and Britex is.. well, Britex. The prices they charge are for their Union Square location rent, the selection (literally mountains of fabric), the "experience" of Britex, the somewhat more knowledgeable workers (only some of them though, buyer beware!!!), and the fact that they do carry some "designer" fabrics.

I learned a bit about their sales from a sales person there today and I shall share it here on this blog.

30% off all items occurs twice per year (all fabrics and notions, including remnants): President's Day and Columbus Day.

50% off remnants occurs once a year: typically in May or June.

The 50% off remnant sale was today and the last day will be tomorrow. This sale is great, it brings Britex's sky high prices to a somewhat reasonable amount. I spent a good chunk of cash there today... now all I need to do is make more garments. :)

P.S. The 10% student discount is never applicable to remnants and cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts.

P.P.S The loyalty card is not valid on remnant day.

Gustto Does Not Stand Behind Their Bags

2010-04-28T00:36:00.000-07:00

On April 16th, I sent Gustto the following query using a form on their website:

I have a Gustto Cokera bag I originally purchased from Revolve Clothing. I
have not used it in awhile, but it was stored away. When I brought it out to
use, I discovered the shoulder straps are completely different in texture.
The leather is fine, but whatever was used on the inside as interfacing has
hardened. The strap is no longer supple and there are slight "cracking"
sounds when I handle the strap. This is not how my bag was before. I was
wondering if anything could be done. Thank you.

I received a reply on April 19th:

We advice to see a shoes maker and check w/ him. We can direct you to some
good ones in NY. Unfortunately we can't help, the bag is from 5 seasons ago.
Let me know if you have any question.
Best Regards,

XXXX YYYY
Senior Account Executive

I am disappointed, because I do like my bag. It's a nice size with soft leather. Despite being sort of a slouchy/hobo type bag, it has a zippered top so I can use it while traveling. It is also fairly light.

But, Gustto bags are not cheap at all (though I bought mine at a hefty discount). So what if it was from five seasons ago? Does it matter? I have owned the bag for less than one year, I bought it in June 2009! It's not really that old! I probably will not buy a Gustto bag again.

I sent the customer servcie rep the following email just now:

XXXX,

Thanks for your reply. I have to say I am disappointed in Gustto's commitment to quality. While the bag is from five seasons ago, I do not really see why this should matter as the bag is not very old at all. I am looking at my customer invoice and I actually bought the bag in June 2009, so I have had the bag for less than one year. I am surprised that a bag that was owned for less than one year has lost some sort of integrity to its strap, especially for the retail prices Gustto charges.

I appreciate your reply and I simply mean to voice my disappointment in the overall quality of the bag and the company policy regarding quality issues.

I'll see what they have to say. I don't mean to "get anything" out of the email... the bag is usable, but I really am super disappointed in it and the service from Gustto.

uhh what???

2010-04-21T15:52:00.001-07:00

I stopped by Joann's yesterday because I needed a new pair of fabric scissors (I misplaced my gingher shears boohoo). As I was waiting in line (for a very long time), I noticed that a lady in front of me was returning cut fabric.

I just thought to myself... um really? You can return cut fabric here? Apparently you can, because the store manager did not have any problems with it when the cashier asked about it. I don't know... all the "real" fabric shops I've been in do not take returns on cut fabric. All sales are final. If picked the wrong color, bought too much, got the wrong material, or just don't want it anymore... well it's too bad. Once scissors cut the fabric it's YOURS. Honestly cut fabric should be non-returnable... (unless it is damaged or off grain etc)

So there you go. Top tip... cut fabric can be returned at Joann's (as long as you have the receipt and do not use it). But I don't think I really need anything from Joann's besides muslin or some fun printed cotton. There are other stores that I go to for finer fabrics...

ahoy miss marc

2010-04-07T21:28:00.001-07:00

These are so fun! I want them, but I'm not sure which one I will get. But these are on the top of my "to buy" list. I think I will get it from Nordstrom. Hopefully I can get them to pricematch a Bloomingdale's sale :)

Concrete Rose Video on YouTube

2010-04-06T02:14:00.001-07:00

The informal fashion show which I helped to produce last year may be viewed online @ youtube. Unfortunately I was not in any "interview" segments because I was moving the merchandise used in the show... oh well? I know I did tons of work for the show and I'm glad the result was excellent! I met many talented individuals on this project and it would be fun to produce another show in my spare time (haha... do I even have "spare time"?)

Shu Uemura Closing USA Operations

2010-03-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

What the fark? My favorite brand is going away? Well, almost. Products will be available online, but I mean, sometimes you have to TEST things for texture and color payoff. They're closing all the counters and free standing stores. OMG... I remember when the Shu store first opened, I wanted to LIVE THERE!!!

And now they're closing it. Ugh. What the hell.

Thanks L'Oreal for getting rid of Shu Uemura in USA but keeping other staid brands instead. Does that mean a lot of stock will end up at the outlets? hmm

Link to story on WWD.

Shopping tip

2010-03-18T00:42:00.000-07:00

As a Bloomingdale's card holder, the rewards are cashed out in terms of gift certificates to be used at Bloomingdale's. Unlike the Nordstrom rewards, Bloomingdale's sticks by its expiration date. Kind of. The expiry date is pretty generous, about 6 months after issue date. But, if by chance you forgot to use it (like me), they may be reissued by Customer Service.

However, the re-issue is not instant. It will be mailed with your next statement... but here's a tip... the Customer Service rep can apply your reward amount to your account... yay, that's even better in my opinion. :)

Mousey Bling Bling

2010-03-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

I spotted a blinged out mouse shoe at Bloomingdale's. I'm not sure how I feel about these... I like mouse shoes, but the crystals are maybe a little ghetto fab?

It's Not the Same!

2010-03-13T22:22:00.000-08:00

Today I stopped by the Shu Uemura boutique for a makeup application. I didn't have any intention of stopping by since the spring makeup collection did not interest me, but I felt like just going to the store. Since I didn't make an appointment, the artists were a bit busy... but I received an application of foundation, blush, and lipgloss. It was fun since I haven't done this type of thing for a long time.

The artist who worked on me was helpful and was not overly aggressive about sales. If you are in the SF area, try her out... the SA's name is Katerina.

Products the SA applied:

- Shu Architect Liquid Fdn - #764

- Pro spot concealer - #3 YR Medium/Light

- Glow On - P Pink 34

- Gloss Unlimited- 325m

I really liked the finish of the foundation, and I remember that I liked the way the foundation looked at my last Shu makeover two years ago....so I purchased it despite not needing any foundation haha. I'm not convinced about the concealer... I think it made my undereye area look a bit crepey... but my skin is pretty dry. The glow on and gloss were really cute., both colors are vivid pinks, especially great for spring! But I couldn't justify the purchase as I have so many blushes and glosses already.

Since the artists were kinda busy, I played with the eyeshadows myself. I did a bright look using ME Gold 335 (lid), P Green 430 (mid crease), M Blue 695 (outer V), M Beige 821 (crease for blending), and M Beige 800 (highlight). Since Shu's numbering system doesn't make sense for most people, here are my descriptions of the colors I used:

ME Gold 335: shimmery yellow. A replacement for the old shade ME Gold 330.

P Green 430: pearly grass green

M Blue 695: matte dark blue-green

M Beige 821: matte warm beige, a little peachy

M Beige 800: matte ivory

The result was nice... I already own similar shades at home, I was just trying to do a cute look to go with the pinks done by the artist.

I also tested some other beautiful eyeshadows that I didn't own yet (haha~). The ones that caught my eye were ME Olive 471 and P Purple 781. I bought ME Olive 471 which is a wonderful silvery green taupe-ish color. I hope that it will show a bit of the green color on my eyelids. I didn't test it on my eyelids since I already finished a complete eyelook at the store. ME Olive 471 pairs wonderfully with P Purple 781. I think the two would make an awesome smokey eye. I didn't purchase P Purple 781 because purples are hard for me to wear. I'll try this at Nordies next time I am there. If it looks nice I'll buy it with my rewards certificates. :D

I also tried the new UV Underbases. I tried both the medium beige and beige colors. There isn't really a big difference between shades on my skintone despite one being much more pink based. I think people with really good skin could get away with using this product as a type of tinted moisturizer. However, today I had some redness to my skin today and neither product truly neutralized it. I know, these bases aren't meant for that... the green base corrector is. I don't like to layer a million products on my skin and it would have been great if this product could have acted as a color corrector too. I found that this product did make my skin appear smoother and paired with moisturizer, application of foundation was a breeze.

All in all... it was a fun trip to the Shu Uemura boutique. But I do have to say I was disappointed in the plain black shopping bag I received from the store. Part of the bonus of shopping at the boutique is the nice Shu Uemura shopping bag! I like the way the logo looks on the bag (and the Shu by Ai promotion shopper bags were the absolute best!!!) and I'm sad that they don't give those out anymore. It just ain't the same without getting the bag... ya know?

Sometimes it's Too Good to be True

2010-03-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

Since cosmetics rarely go on sale, I find that many people love it when they can find a deal on them. Cosmetics can be purchased at a discount at certain department stores during "friends and family" sales or warehouse sales held by the brands. Older products, often limited edition/seasonal products can be found at authorized outlets at your local outlet mall. L'oreal brands are sold at "designer fragrance & co" stores while Estee Lauder brands are sold at "cosmetic company outlet." The names of these stores sound shady, but they are the official outlets for the brands! I enjoy going to these outlets when I am in the area myself and have found very good deals there before. For example, I have purchased Shu Uemura eyeshadows for $5 (retail $18).

Nowadays, there are also many websites that sell older makeup stock at a significant discount. An online "cosmetic company outlet" so to speak. Among the most popular ones are: beautycrunch.com and beautyticket.com.

I am a big fan of Stila cosmetics and beautycrunch is authorized to sell Stila's older seasonal makeup lines. The prices are very cheap, especially when compared to the retail prices. In fact, since so many limited edition items made it onto beautycrunch, I am hesitant to purchase Stila limited items at regular price!

I have ordered from beautycrunch a few times, and I've never really had problems with my orders... my items arrived in a timely manner and well packed. I have never received rancid items either. Beautycrunch also stocks items from TooFaced, Pop Beauty and others.

Since I have had such good luck with beautycrunch, I was eager to order from beautyticket. Beautyticket also runs codes sometimes, so you can save an additional 10-20% off the already low prices! Beautyticket stocks many brands, from YSL, Molton Brown, Sue Devitt and more! For my first order, I ordered a blue liquid YSL eyeliner, a copper liquid YSL eyeliner, Bumble&Bumble deep hair conditioner, Molton Brown "eye rescue serum," and a Molton Brown body lotion. The prices were all excellent and I was very excited for my order to come.

Beautyticket shipped out of Los Angeles, CA and used priority mail, so I got the items very quickly. The items were well packed and they used cute pink paper strips too. As for the products themselves.... what I got was mixed. I'll explain.

My blue eyeliner was in new and unused perfect condition, but the bronze one was not. The bronze one had clearly been used (there was liner all caked around the plastic stopper... and the formula was thickened on the wand... this only happens on opened and used liquid liners). I had founds a Barneys New York sticker that was half peeled off on the box of my bronze liner. I can only surmise that beautyticket acquires some of its merchandise from old department store stock. This is probably fine 95% of the time. Sometimes the stores just order too much, or the limited colors just don't sell out. But the problem is... what if these items come from department store returns? If these items are not checked by the stores, there is the possibility of receiving used items like I did.

The Molton Brown lotion, while new, was a bit rancid. I have not tried the hair conditioner yet.. but maybe I should? The eye serum was ok, but probably due to the age of the item.... the bottle was not as full as it should have been. Overall, for the prices, I guess it is ok. Buying older stock can be risky (i.e. rancid items).

However, when I emailed beautyticket about the used liner, they were willing to refund me as long as I returned the item. I thought that was pretty good customer service. They also sent me a prepaid label to return the item via USPS. However, since I live in California, they should have also refunded the sales tax I paid on the liner. I think if I emailed them about it, they probably would have. But at this point, I didn't care that much about the $1.60 I paid in tax since I got most of my money back already. However, when issuing the refund, I believe that beautyticket should be more careful and look into the order to see which customers have paid the sales tax. However in their defense, only California residents pay sales tax and we are probably only a small percentage of overall customers.

So in the end... I have to say that sometimes things are just too good to be true, especially when buying online. Purchase older stock items at your own risk. The discounts are heavy and attractive.... so the best thing is to know what you are buying. Find out what collections those color items were from so you know how old these items are. If you don't know, try looking up reviews for the product at MakeupAlley. For items that weren't limited, try the products when you receive them. That way if they are rancid/old/used you can get a refund.

:) Hope that helps someone who is considering using these types of websites. My experience has not deterred me from purchasing from them in the future. However, I think for beautyticket, I will only buy items that show their usage clearly (e.g. lipstick, eyeshadow, etc).

It's a Relief it's Gone~

2010-03-03T21:34:00.001-08:00

I know that Hollywood celebrities have made the bbag (Balenciaga "motorcycle bag") an "it bag" that won't go away. And for the longest time, I couldn't understand the appeal of them. They had all these long fiddly tassels and I thought they were pretty ugly... until I actually a held "first"* at Neiman Marcus.

Haha. So the bag that I thought was "soooo ugly" was actually kind of... cute, except for the price that is. And being a color lover, the fact that the bags came in all sorts of fun colors won me over. About two years ago I took the plunge and purchased my first bbag off Ebay... a giant gold hardware City in French Blue. (Don't worry... it was authenticated by the fab ladies of TPF :P)

I can honestly say that I liked it. Since I favor hand-held bags and bowler bags, I liked the double handles. The strap was convenient too when I needed my hands to be freed up.

But...what I didn't like about the bag was that the color faded. WHAT THE HELL BALENCIAGA?! The primary reason why I bought this bag was because of the beautiful saturated cobalt blue color!!! And it faded! I then looked at threads in TPF's Balenciaga forum and found that fading was actually a common issue, especially for blue and purple colors. The members hypothesized that these colors had issues due being partially made up of red pigment, which is a notoriously unstable color (e.g. in hair dye). Others hypthesized that the bags were not colorfast because of the soft "unfinished" leather Balenciaga is known for.

I thought to myself, what a bunch of bull. These bags are not cheap and they can't even maintain the color which they are famous for. It's probably some kind of scheme to get you addicted to buying them, only having to replace them once they get kinda icky/discolored/old.

By the way... that's not my only grievance with the bag. The leather on the bag is EXTREMELY fragile and delicate. After a few months of use, my bag started to look a little worse for the wear. And now, two years later after my purchase, the bag looked kind of beat up.** I'm one who takes pride in their possessions. Just look at the condition of my makeup. I use everything meticulously and keep it neat and clean. I am an anal person about certain things. I do not treat my things like trash. Yet... despite all this, my bag was starting to kind of look like trash!***

What the hell? I just couldn't deal with it. So I sold the bag on ebay... and I can tell you I'm relieved. This bag was high maintenance and heavy. Even nekoball commented on the weight of the bag. He asked me what I put in my bag. Sadly... at that moment my bag only had my wallet, keys, cellphone, and makeup bag. I estimate the bag to weigh about 2.5 - 3 lbs when empty.

So here is a parting photo of the bag. Look at me shake it in anger. Haha. Just kidding. I will kind of miss the bag... it is still a lovely color, despite having faded.

* "First" is a style/model of bbag
** In the bag's defense, I did not spray the bag with leather protector. I have not used a leather protector on any of my other high end bags and those other bags are fine. It should be noted that bbags are more delicate.
***I actually own another bbag. It is a City with Giant Silver Hardware in the color Sapphire. However, I have not even used it due to my fear of damaging the bag. I will acquire a leather protector before even attempting to use the bag.

The Chicken Ran

2010-02-23T10:50:00.000-08:00

Ooooooh man I'm SOOO sad I couldn't pay such a low price for MY cage booties!!! I paid a lot more (but I have the anthracite color which is much better anyway). Sniff. Oh well. I still have the cage sandals which I have not worn yet anyway.... =x

Wearable Art Competition

2010-02-20T00:12:00.000-08:00

The Silicon Valley Red Cross is having a wearable art design competition. The theme is emergency preparedness prevention and response. I submitted my design today at the very last minute (literally...). I hope it's ok. My designs aren't really super "out there" so I don't know if my design will be selected. But I'll know pretty soon... the results of the selection will be out by February 19th.

I submitted the following two sketches:

Outfit of Two Weeks Ago

2010-02-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

Here's an outfit I wore a couple weeks ago during the stormy days we had. There were a few patches of sun here and there and these photos were taken during a break from the rain.

I was wearing a coat, but I took it off just for these photos. I'm not actually brave enough to wear an outfit like this without a coat haha.

And here's a photo of nekoball for fun:

My UO Knockoff

2010-02-02T09:54:00.001-08:00

A few years ago I bought a cotton dress with various prints reminiscent of European country prints. In fact my brother calls it my "Russian Milk Maid Dress." But at the clearance price of $5 or so, I couldn't resist the deal so I bought it!

Today while browsing the "just in" area of theoutnet.com, I came across an Anna Sui silk dress that looked exactly the same. I've always loved Anna Sui's designs... the printed fabrics she uses are FABULOUS. My UO dress is most definitely a knockoff of this dress from the Spring 2007 RTW collection (retailed $497). If you are so inclined, you may still purchase this dress here on sale for $197! View the dress in action on the runway (slide 5).

The only differences: my dress has brown cotton lace instead of the blue fabric and my dress is a palette of pink, light brown, and cream. My dress has patch pockets on the skirt instead of the panels of green patterned fabric. The sleeves of my dress are also poufier and utilize a bubble hem... but the similarity is unmistakable.

I will post a photo of my dress later, but for now, here is the picture of the Anna Sui dress

A knock off of a knock off

2010-02-01T10:16:00.000-08:00

I've had my plaid jacket from Zara now for about two years. Of course, being Zara this jacket IS a knockoff of something. And now, I've found a knockoff of a knockoff! Haha.

A verrrry similar jacket can be had from some place called Soft Surroundings. They call their jacket the "plaid riding jacket." Of course, the material is even worse than my Zara jacket (hah!) but the cutting is pretty much the same. The only difference is that the color scheme of my plaid jacket is better and the collar on mine is assymetric. But other than that... it's a clone. :P

Dress forms

2010-01-19T22:11:00.000-08:00

I took these photos last year during my trip to Barcelona. As an aspiring designer, I just had to visit the textile museum as it contained a "Balenciaga Lab" featuring dresses by Cristobal Balenciaga!

However, all the things in the museum are great, including these old dress forms! Look at the ones that have extra padding for bustles and the giant hooped skirts...

.

belted cardigans .. not really a fan

2010-01-15T18:16:00.000-08:00

I know why so many people belt their cardigans, it is for definition in the waist. But I'm just not a fan (kind of). Let me explain.

I do like oversized, chunky, or long cardigans belted. It gives them a bit more shape, and sometimes, these cardigans have no closures, so the option of belting them is good. Belting either of these while open or closed is ok for me.

However, I'm not a fan of belting short fitted cardigans. I just don't like how it looks, there's something off in the proportions for me. Belting a short fitted cardigan is somewhat tolerable if it's unbuttoned... but the worst for me is the buttoned, short ones.

Sorry, I just can't stand it. I'm not sure why.

cheaper than cheaper cigs

2010-01-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

Apparently there's a Loehmann's outlet in the Bay Area. I wonder if it's worth the drive.

LOEHMANN'S CLEARANCE CENTER
128 Ranch Drive
Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 935-8001
Manager: AMY MARTINEZ
M-S 10-9 SUN 11-7

Oh the irony...

2010-01-07T21:19:00.000-08:00

Spotted... a woman carrying a fake Coach purse at the Coach store. I hope she has bought herself something nice so she can get rid of that thing on her shoulder.

I am not condemning people who carry fakes, that is their decision. But I do find this terribly ironic.

Boots I Settled for...

2010-01-07T16:34:00.000-08:00

While I was in love with the Alexander Wang moto ankle boots of this season... I ended up settling for equally lovely Balenciaga moto boots!

And the best part? They were cheap! Thank you DSW!

The AW boots ended up going on sale this week on gilt for 375-ish... but that was more than I was willing spend especially since my Balenciaga beauties were under $100. yipee

Now... if only my toe was healed so I could actually WEAR them :/

I want it.... in no particular order

2009-09-29T00:53:00.000-07:00

Twin Day

2009-09-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

Matching outfits is fun! We are wearing white v necked shirts, dark rinse denim, converse, and leather jackets. Since Ryan's jacket has a built in hoodie, I layered my jacket with a short sleeved hoodie. His scarf is striped... which matches my striped hoodie. Yay. :)

My specific outfit details are as follows:
Jacket: theory
Hoodie: kritik
T shirt: gap
Jeans: earnest sewn
Shoes: animal camo printed converse

All items were purchased heavily discounted... I probably spent about $225USD.

New to Makeup?

2009-09-11T00:05:00.000-07:00

If you are... you might want to check out this set from Lorac (super cheap) and Stila

Only available at loraccosmetics.com
While supplies last.

3 Eye Shadows in "Cappuccino", "Harmony", and "Persuasion"
2 Lip Polishes in "Delicious" and "Bliss"
Front of the Line Liquid Eye Liner in Black
2 Cream Lipsticks in "Eloise" and "Charity"
Mini TANtalizer Baked Bronzer
Double-Ended Eyeliner/Shadow Brush

As Good As Golden ($60 Value) @ Sephora.com
What it is:
A baked bronzer and silky-smooth finishing powder duo that creates the ultimate sunkissed glow.

What it does:
Give your skin a luminous, lit-by-candlelight look—sans the harmful rays—with this dynamic duo. The Stila Sun Shade 2 contains SPF 15 for daily sun protection and the Finishing Powder goes on silky smooth with its hand-milled and baked formula. Each is perfect for any skintone and you can wear them alone or together for the ultimate bronzed glow.

This set contains:
- 0.28 oz Stila Sun Bronzing Powder SPF 15 in Shade 2 (sheer warm matte bronze)
- 0.317 oz Illuminating Finishing Powder in Gold (light golden champagne sheen)

The fashion posts for J-town will have to wait... my bf's computer got infected with a virus and he is the photographer/photo editor 98% of the time.

Black Light

2009-08-26T13:06:00.001-07:00

Isn't it great? I'd love such a light fixture in my room (well, for the day when I have my own place with a large bedroom for myself...). I think this can go with many different styles of decorating, including ones that may not match the chandelier type of lighting normally due to the black color. :)

Head Eating Bows

2009-08-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

This look is from a wedding I attended in socal on the weekend of July 31. I don't have any good pictures of the whole thing. But, here are the details about the look:

Dress:
Jessica McClintock cocktail/prom dress (so cheap $24 including tax... sorry I had to brag here)

Accessories (not that many of them are visible)
Faux black pearl necklace : Express
Heart necklace : Judith jack
Heart Earrings : Unknown, from a shop in SF Gift Center/Jewelry mart
Lace acrylic bangle (not visible) : H&M
Hair bow with netting : H&M
Shoes (not visible) : Pedro Garcia

Makeup
Eyeshadow : Visee compact
Liner : YSL liquid liner (grey)
False Lashes : Some cheap ones from Daiso, no mascara
Foundation : MAC Studio Sculpt (NC25)
Brows : Shu Uemura seal brown
Cheeks : Nars stick bronzer (Tuomota), Shu Uemura p peach 40 (main cheek color), Shu Uemura p peach 40a (highlight)
Lips : MAC Gitane lipglass

Due to a flat tire, the photos from Japantown will have to wait. >_<

Mega Manga Madness

2009-08-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

The local manga cafe is closing (sad!) and I had been wondering what they would do with all of their manga. Well, the answer is... they're selling it all! For extremely cheap... $1 per volume to be exact. All of the manga are in good condition, some of the spines have some color faded from it, but it's not horrible. The pages are all crisp and have that "manga smell" (mmm good lord this sounds very otaku) and even come with the plastic jackets (good for my anal personality?).

I bought the complete series of Rurouni Kenshin and Angel Sanctuary, which as anyone who knows me... rank up there as some of my favorite manga of ALL TIME. Score? I think so... My bf was thinking about getting Initial D and at $1 per volume we just caved and bought it anyway.

Other good shoujo series I saw for sale that I really wanted to get was Basara and Red River (aka Anatolia Story). I didn't get Red River because they didn't have the complete set (a few volumes were missing), but I'm still thinking about it even as I type this. >_<

There was a jpop event going on in Japantown and I'll make a separate post about that since it involves fashion and the new building that houses gothic lolita clothing. :)

My Name Is ...

2009-08-12T01:27:00.000-07:00

Jonas...? Imelda Marcos?!

I do however have 86 pairs of shoes. I plan on selling a couple pairs... but I guess I do not "need" any more shoes especially after these last bouts of sales (goldenbleu, barneys, etc). I have put all of my shoes into a spreadsheet with style/color/material descriptions so I can see where the deficits are and what I keep buying. That way, should I be "dying" for a pair of shoes, I can compare it easily to what I own.

I know, I'm brilliant. But why didn't I do this before? I didn't really have THAT many shoes (or at least that's what I thought) prior to all these sales.

I think I'm in love...

2009-08-10T22:19:00.000-07:00

With the Jill Stuart wedding gowns... :)

Not that I'm getting married or anything, but these gowns are truly feminine and pretty. Would I want such a gown for myself? Perhaps. But at the same time I think I want something that isn't precisely a traditional wedding gown... and something cool. Whatever that means. Heh.

Click here to see the lookbooks

Marc Postcard

2009-08-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

I received this postcard in the mail about a Marc by Marc Jacobs event being held at Bloomingdale's. I like how it was done (the colors.. font...etc). Please ignore the ugly (and incorrect) time snap on this photo.

Barney's Warehouse Sale (SF)

2009-08-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

Though I was initially sad about missing the first days of the sale, I guess it was fine after all. From the various posts about the LA and NY sales on purseforum, it seemed the best deals were to be had at the tail end of the sale anyway.

The markdown schedule was as follows:

Aug 6-7 - Shoes/Denim/Designer/Men's Suits/Ties/ an additional 40% off. Accessores an additional 50% off.
Aug 8-9 - Shoes/Denim/Designer/Ties/ an additional 50% off. Accessores an additional 75% off. Men's Dress Pants/Suits were an additional 40% off.

At some point before Aug6, the markdown was an additional 25% of shoes/designer items, but I'm not exactly sure which day that was.

I bought...
1. Knee-high flat chocolate leather Lanvin boots
2. Maison Martin Margiela Line 22 Ankle Boot Sandal in dark pink

3. Earnest Sewn straight leg jeans

I nearly bought a pair of Lanvin flat sandals in the prettiest metallic blue leather... but decided against it. On the last day of the sale, my bf bought two pairs of jeans (Citizens of Humanity and Earnest Sewn) and a pair of theory dress pants.

I also spotted a girl wearing the fabulous YSL cage booties at the sale... wish I snapped a photo of her! Those aren't exactly shopping shoes... but I was excited to see them.

:)

SF Finally Gets a Barney's Warehouse Sale

2009-07-23T23:50:00.000-07:00

I just realized I am going to miss the first day due to a wedding. :/ I guess I'll see what slim pickings are left at the end of the sale.

Barneys Warehouse Sale Details

50-75% off Regular prices on our selection of the finest designer clothing, shoes +accessories for Men+Women, as well as gifts for the home.

Thursday July 30th - Sunday August 9th

Thu-Fri Jul 30-31st 8am-9pm
Sat Aug 1st 9am - 7pm
Sun Aug 2nd 10am - 7pm
Mon Aug 3rd, Thur, Fri 7th 10am-8pm
Sat Aug 8th+Sun Aug 9th 10am-7pm

Fort Mason Center
Herbst Pavilion
415 268 3497

Wanna look like a F1 driver?

2009-07-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

If you want to look like Sebastian Vettel or Nick Heidfeld, look no further than a pair of Ray-Bans. I believe Ray-Ban is actually an official sponsor of F1! If I was a F1 driver I'd like to be sponsored by Shu Uemura for some free makeup... hohoho. Free clothes or bags from my favorite brands would be acceptable too.

If Ray-Bans are out of budget (cuz honestly Vettel's and Heidfeld's sunglasses are quite questionable looking), you could buy a knock off at Urban Outfitters. UO calls these sunglasses "80s Racing Sunglasses." How oddly appropriate? The lovely photos of the drivers are from motorsport.com.

Oh my...

Cut the crap

2009-07-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

I now know what to do with the unattractive XL sized t shirt freebies I have amassed from my company (besides giving them to my dad haha). Just shred it and make a necklace...

It's quite easy, there is a tutorial here at cumbersome.com.

Brand dilution?

2009-07-06T21:24:00.001-07:00

Designer collaborations with mass market retailers and fast fashion chains are nothing new. The latest brand to succumb to the trend is luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo. Is this a wise move? To bring the "luxury" to the masses - where luxury is defined by marketing and celebrity cult status ... hmm perhaps. Maybe more aspirational shoppers will be attracted to the mainline of Jimmy Choo and boost up their long term sales.

I know, this news is quite old by now. The shoes and handbags will be available starting November 14th, and I don't think I'll be queuing up for it (I doubt my boss will understand the merits of it...!). I am eager to find out about the quality of the items, since the promotional pictures look quite attractive.

The price points are a little high for H&M, but I suppose they are on par with their other designer collaboration price points. Supposedly flat shoes will run for approximately $60USD, with boots going for $130USD, and some handbags for $276USD. To be quite frank, I'm hoping that some of them will linger around for 50% off sales but I doubt that will happen. I'm not quite willing to pay full price for these items seeing as how I can buy a good quality sale shoe for the same prices (though of course without the Jimmy Choo label).

Jill Stuart Eye Jelly Madness

2009-06-23T01:41:00.001-07:00

In the spirit of the release of the "new" eye jellies from Jill Stuart, I have decided to post a photo of the eye jellies I own. I actually own one other shade, which is Ruby Romantic, an awesome reddish purple that does not make my eyes appear redder than they already are (quite a magical feat in my opinion). :) Please click the photo if you would like to enlarge it.

The new eye jellies come in most of the same colors, but they took out the more interesting shades in my opinion (mainly green butterfly and gemstone green). I'm really glad I have the ones that I do, since they are no longer in production! The new eye jellies feature a more ornate jar and supposedly have the same net weight (6g) of product in them. I would like the color #9 Midnight Shine at some point, but I have many many cream shadows. =(

By the way, Jill Stuart is no longer a Japan exclusive brand. It can be purchased in Hong Kong (this is old news... but who cares?).

Gel Eyeliner Tutorial

2009-06-22T22:31:00.001-07:00

So... gel liners have been all the rage for quite awhile and I think they are here to stay. Every major cosmetic brand has a gel liner, and they are getting knocked off in the world of e-tailer cosmetic brands.

Honestly, I loathe them because of their inconvenience. You have to use a separate brush and you have to wash it after using it, otherwise it will dry and cake up your brush (gross!). What an inconvenience! Give me liquid liner any day.

But, honestly, there are certain pros to gel liners. Gel liners often do not smudge for those who have oily eyelids (do note that not all brands perform the same... so you may need to try various brands if one brand ends up smudging on you), they are solid so those who desire the look of liquid liner (but with shaky hands) can achieve crisp lines and cat eyes. The gel liner can also be used as a shadow base and smudged out, perfect for smokey eyes!

I have often been complimented on my eyeliner... so I will share my technique for gel liners. This is only one method, if it doesn't work out, keep trying, there are other methods of application out there!

Materials:
- gel liner
- pointed brush
- mirror

Method:

1.
Dip your brush into your gel liner. Don't be afraid of using too much, in fact, I like to "overload" the brush. The thickness of your brush will determine the thickness of your line. If you want a thin line, use a fine brush. I prefer using a lip brush made of synthetic material (easier to clean). Starting at the inner corner of your eye, dot the gel liner across your lashline (or in between your lashes if you are tightlining).

2.

Continue dotting the liner to the outer corner of your eye.

3.
Work quickly to blend your dots of liner into one continuous line. If your liner is uneven in width at this point (i.e. not intentionally so), fix it now by adding a bit more in the areas that are "too thin."

4. Optional step

If you wish to have a cat eye, you may "wing out" your liner at this point. Simply flick your brush/wrist quickly as if checking a checkbox on a form. It will take some effort to practice this to get them symmetrical on both sides.

Good luck, hopefully this has helped.

To be purchased ... someday

2009-06-16T00:49:00.000-07:00

These boots are just adorable. They are whimsical and remind me of the boots worn by Victorian ladies.

I'll have to try them out at the John Fluevog store at Haight and see whether or not they live up to the reputation of comfort...

MAC Cosmetics Friends and Family

2009-06-15T23:37:00.001-07:00

Even cosmetics giant MAC must be feeling the pinch. I remember a time when MAC NEVER went on sale (except at the authorized Estee Lauder outlets). I mean, with their limited edition factory producing new collections every two weeks to feed the frenzy, why bother?

At any rate, the Friends and Family even is up and running now on maccosmetics.com. You can save 25% off your total purchase with the code SUMO (yes, as in sumo wrestling...). The code expires on June 18, so act quickly before all of the limited edition goodness sells out. :P

Only in dreams

2009-06-15T16:33:00.001-07:00

This gorgeous Lanvin shoe is now on sale! If I was getting married I would be all over this shoe... the only problem? Depending on the budget, this pretty shoe might cost more than the wedding gown.

Approximately $700 @ Net-a-porter.com

New Shu Uemura Collboration

2009-06-14T01:45:00.000-07:00

There's a new Shu Uemura collaboration for June 2009. I think it will be a big hit, just as big as the Yamaguchi Ai collaboration (my favorite to date!). This time, Shu Uemura is collaborating with manga artist Moyoco Anno!!!

Everything is super cute and I want it... I haven't wanted anything from Shu Uemura for awhile.

The images for this collection were taken from lifestyleasia.There is also a limited edition brush set and makeup box. The makeup box is SUPER CUTE and also super pricy, priced at $2,200HKD (roughly $300 USD). I'm not too keen on gold used on this version of the makeup box, but the inside of the box is terribly cute: there are gold imprints of the girls' faces as crests on the inside of the box. The outside of the makeup box features a stylized chysanthemum on the front. It really is too bad the makeup box is made out of CARDBOARD and a terrible value for the money. I think it's meant more for the collector and avid Shu Uemura fan.

What will I be purchasing? I think three cleansing oils (Fresh, Original and A/O formulas). I hope this collection will be released in the USA because it is already for sale in Asia.

There is a post on Hong Kong beauty blog beautytalk about the makeup box. Check it out!

Free Palette Promotion

2009-06-14T01:29:00.000-07:00

Shu Uemura USA is promoting its custom palette system by offering a free palette with the purchase of any of the following product combinations:

1. 4 eyeshadows
2. 2 eyeshadows + 1 glow on
3. 2 glow ons

The design on the palette is quite pretty and I am a little tempted by the promotion. However, I have most of the Shu items that I want ... so it is kind of tough to justify this purchase when it is not really a "good deal." In addition, what I really want to buy are the Tokyo Kamon Girls Limited Edition Cleansing Oils! I must have at least two or three of those...

Bug Eyed Glam

2009-06-09T23:33:00.001-07:00

I kind of have a thing for sunglasses. I like to admire and buy them... despite not wearing them that much due to contact lens issues.

My latest love is a pair by Chloe, style CL2142. The are large oversized frames, which give a slight bug eyed look. But, it somehow looks nice and slightly retro, not ridiculous and pretentious. I also find that this style looks equally good on my friend, but due to our different face shape and personalities, the sunglasses seem to morph on each of our faces. The frames come in three color options: brown, black, and ivory. All of the colors are flattering. Those who do not look good in white sunglasses should give the ivory a chance. The slightly yellow tone is much more forgiving and easier to wear for certain skintones. They're a bit expensive, retailing at $300USD, but on sale (or online) they can be had for less.

Now the question is... have I succumbed and purchased a pair? Why yes, bien sur~

Shu Uemura Pink Collection

2009-05-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

Shu Uemura has released a collection of pink lipsticks and lipglosses. They claim that the pink pigments have been specially formulated for them and are therefore more intense than pinks from other competing brands. The makeup artist I spoke with claimed that the pink pigments were special, and they were not formulated using the traditional method of mixing red and white pigments together. Based on what I know about color theory . . . this really confuses and confounds me. How can this be true?

Either way, the promotional image for the pink collection is absolutely gorgeous and wonderfully intense!

Concrete Rose - An Informal Fashion Show

2009-04-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

Date:	Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Time:	7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:	Azul
	1 Tillman Place
	San Francisco, CA

Classic lines. Impeccable tailoring and detailing. Feminine clothes that flatter the body. A riot of color for Spring/Summer. This is Karen Millen.

Come see what is new and hot this season from Karen Millen at our informal fashion show.

More detailed info about the venue:
Cross streets: Grant St. and Sutter St.

49 square miles sample sale

2009-04-23T02:16:00.000-07:00

For sale: Handbags, Belts, Accessories, Small Leather Goods (wallets, coin purses)

Location:
333 Bryant Street (at 2nd)
Suite #350
San Francisco, California 94107

Times:
Wednesday 4/22/09 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Thursday 4/23/09 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Friday 4/24/09 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Sale prices range from $1.00 to $250. (Original retail prices range from $30 to $750).

I will go since they sell belts very cheaply there... last time they were 2 for $5.

Going Victorian

2009-04-23T00:16:00.000-07:00

I have long been a fan of all things Victorian inspired... I just love ruffles! The romantic in me can't help but be drawn to them. Guys can get into the spirit of an era gone by wearing an ascot (or cravat) instead of a traditional tie.

I happen to like the ascots from local designer Blind Bunney Couture. The blind rabbit patterns are quite whimsical and cute. I really should have bought one at their sample sale . . . the purple one is calling my name!

Check it out! http://blindbunney.com

A Dress for A Mad Tea Party

2009-04-21T00:34:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a great image? I totally love the model's doll-like hair and oversized silk flower ... not to mention the dress. I just ordered this delightful dress by Pamela Thompson... it makes me feel like I should be cavorting with mad hatters, chasing after white rabbits, and drinking tea in rose garden.

Here's another photo:

And the best part? It was under $60 including shipping. :)

Now, hopefully a size 2 will fit my flat-chested self . . .

An Icon's Birthday

2009-04-08T22:25:00.000-07:00

It's Vivienne Westwood's birthday today! Let's all take a moment to think about an icon who has influenced fashion on many levels... from punk to Sex in the City.

:D

Happy Birthday Vivienne Westwood~ I hope there are still many more to come!

65% off Jenny Yuen Accessories

2009-04-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

Jenny Yuen is a relatively new designer in the higher end handbag market (about the same price points as Rebecca Minkoff and Botkier). Right now, the code JYLUXE09 can be used to save 65% off the retail prices of the bags available on Jenny Yuen's e-commerce website.

The bags are all made in USA and are made of soft and supple leather. The bags are casual and vintagey feeling... and are definitely not for everyone. But do check it out, maybe there will be something for you!

Website: http://www.jennywashere.com

It has been done already...

2009-03-28T22:48:00.001-07:00

Someone at work commented "You must have enough clothes to rival a department store." That is not entirely true. I only have clothes that fit my body and my taste... but oftentimes I have wished that I could just open a store where I could rent out items that I am tired off or sell them off completely. And now, it seems someone has created such a place in San Francisco. Forget selling them to Crossroads where they rip you off and look at your goods with complete disdain as they offer you a pittance for them. You can now head over to La Library in San Francisco, which is essentially my dream boutique concept!

La Library
380 Guerrero St.
415-558-9841

I read about La Library originally on 7x7:

http://www.7x7.com/content/fashion/la-library-sell-or-rent-clothes-citys-first-socialist-boutique

dutchy handbag / accessory sale

2009-03-17T00:25:00.000-07:00

Another major sale from a local designer, I hope she will keep her website/online store available. I own one handbag and coin purse from this line, and the quality is pretty good. I have an issue with my handbag's zipper (the zipperhead constant scrapes the bag, so there are marks on it... but they are not visible on the outside due to the design of the bag. The bag that I have is called the "Doc Nana" bag). The coin purse I have is cute, but not too functional as it is hard to get to the coins due to the design of the coin purse. Nevertheless, I think the sale is worth a look if you are in San Francisco or will be in the area. Be prepared for terrible parking in that area. Consider yourself warned. =D

Here is the information I found about the sale:

dutchy says goodbye to Studio 3579!
Nothing over $59
(for Savvy and Storm collection!)

Last chance to see the entire dutchy collection in one place. dutchy will say goodbye to retail in San Francisco with this blowout liquidation.

DON'T MISS IT!

Bring a friend and you both receive a complimentary dutchy eco-bag!

Where: Studio 3579
499 Dolores St. x 18th St.
San Francisco CA 94110
415-626-2533

When: Saturday and Sunday, March 21 & 22, 12-7pm ONLY!

Audree Halasz
designer/owner
dutchy
415.341.7331
415.341.7331

www.dutchy.net

Hair Love

2009-03-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

This couple was first spotted by me from behind. The girl's hair shone brightly in contrast to her dark clothes and I thought to myself "I should really dye my hair that color some time in the future." I then noticed her clothes, which were quite cute. This girl is quite petite and thought the grey fleece top emphasized her petiteness since it was slightly baggy. The above-the-knee blue plaid shorts have a bit of volume as well at the cuffs and were paired with black tights and boots. Overall I thought the combination was quite adorable, and her nails matched too!

I also liked the boyfriend's outfit as well. At first glance, he seemed to be sporting a typical outfit (a neutral top with jeans and sneakers). Upon further inspection, I saw a bit of his personal style. He was not afraid to mix patterns, as his knit top had horizontal stripes on the body of the garment while the shirt underneath had a blue and white checkered pattern.

Aside from their clothes, this couple had a good energy and happy attitude which would cause people to pay attention to them regardless of what they were actually wearing!

Clothing details:
Unknown for both

Greyscale

2009-03-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

Despite wearing very dark colors, this girl did not appear drab and gloomy. I think she could pull of the dark colors due to her high contrast coloring. Wearing her hair up was also a good choice, it showed off her porcelain complexion.

The black double breasted coat fit her well and the length of the sweater dress elongated her body, especially her legs. Armed with a drink from Starbucks (and maybe a new iPod or iPhone?), this girl looks ready to take winter head-on.

Clothing details:
Black double breasted coat: Unknown
Grey Sweater dress: Unknown
Opaque grey tights: Unknown

Grey Stripey

2009-03-15T22:24:00.001-07:00

Grey will probably never replace black, but this look may just convince me otherwise. Everything fit well and the mid tones of grey prevented this outfit from being overly dark. I liked how the design on the sides of the shoes sort of echoed the striped pattern of the hoodie. I think some guys forget about accessorizing when coordinating their outfits. This was not the case here, an interesting razor blade necklace and black tote bag completed the look.

This is perfect casual weekend wear, it is stylish yet comfortable. Who says you need to dress like a slob whilst walking a dog? Dog owners and walkers everywhere should take note!

Clothing details:
Striped shirt/grey pants/razor necklace: All from Bangkok

Pet details:
A very cute minature poodle named Pantone. (At least I think it is a minature poodle!)

Cool Urbaness

2009-03-15T19:11:00.000-07:00

My eye was instantly drawn to this person due to her height (I am always envious of tall girls!) and her cool air (mainly channeled via aviators sunglasses). However, do not mistake the 'cool air' for unfriendliness, she was far from unfriendly. She was unsure of the brand of her scarf, but checked the label for me!

I liked this outfit because I think it was a good example of casual urban chic, with pieces that may not scream 'chic' individually. However, the way they contrasted made it chic... The scarf had a camo pattern, but was made out of a luxurious material. The black leather jacket was fitted, to avoid the 'biker chick' look. In addition, the long wavy slightly-wind-blown hair added an easy natural feeling to this look.

Clothing details:

Leather jacket : From LA
Camo print Scarf: From Paris (ocal apparel)
Skinny jeans: Citizens of Humanity
Black boots (not visibile): Stuart Weitzman
Handbag: Prada (I believe it is the Napa Madore Bag from Fall 2008)

Polka Dotted

2009-03-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

I really loved the overall look of this outfit. The black and white polka dotted dress was cute and fit this girl well. The brown belt was an interesting choice, I think most people may have used a black belt. At any rate, I think the brown belt worked and it accentuated her slim figure. What I liked best about the dress was the silhouette, it was feminine and a bit flirty without being overly revealing. I liked the purple tights she wore, this is an easy way for anyone to add some color to an outfit. The carefully styled hair and friendly dimpled smile just added to the charming look of this outfit.

Clothing details:
Polka dotted dress: Thrift store
Belt/tights: Unknown

Burnt Orange

2009-03-09T01:52:00.000-07:00

Bright colors are always attention grabbing, and this case is no exception. This outfit is a good example of how to dress up a casual hoodie and jersey dress. I like that the blazer is left open, so that it does not appear stuffy. My favorite part of the ensemble are the booties, the shape at the toe box is very cute (a picture of the bootie will be posted later).

Chloe
Occupation : Sales associate

Clothing details

Burnt orange jersey dress : American Apparel
Black Blazer : Vintage item
Cognac leather booties : From Wasteland (picture coming soon)

Viva La Vie Boheme

2009-03-09T01:47:00.000-07:00

Fur coat : Thrift store find
Grey shirt / printed peasant skirt / metal bangles / chartreuse and navy scarf : Unknown

Feeling cold, I noticed the fur coat before anything else. How warm this girl must be! The heaviness of the coat is balanced out by the airy peasant skirt. This girl channels a 1960s Bohemian vibe which is enhanced by her jewelry and wavy hair.

I don't work for MJ

2009-03-09T01:41:00.000-07:00

Clothing details :
Seal brown coat with furry collar : Her friend's thrift store coat
Greige cardigan / black jeans : Unknown

This outfit is eye catching due to the dramatic nature of the coat; with its collar flipped up, it appears almost cape-like. With her heavy blunt cut fringe covering her eyes, this girl exudes a mysterious air.

Euro Chic

2009-03-09T01:23:00.000-07:00

I love everything about this outfit: The different tones of black, the fun flirty jumpsuit, and of course the boy's blazer. The handbag is also great, it has a few pockets useful for organization and it looks like it can easily hold a magazine and other daily essentials. The bag can also be worn in different ways because the crossbody strap and the top handle. I also like how the cuff she is wearing balances the length of the blazer's sleeve.

Ana
Occupation : Intern for fashion designer / Sales associate
Misc details : Travels a lot, especially to Austria

Clothing details

Black jumpsuit : Topshop
Grey blazer : Boy's jacket
Shoes : White tap dance shoes
Bag : $10 bag from Austria

Classic Casual

2009-03-09T01:02:00.000-07:00

Hiroko looks like she stepped out of the pages of JJ or CanCam, which are Japanese fashion magazines that target females aged 18-25. My favorite part of her outfit is her handbag, which is extremely cute and feminine.

Clothing details :
White collared shirt : Guess
Black wool coat : BCBG
Geometric patterned skirt : Ann Taylor
Grey sweater : From Japan
Printed rabbit fur handbag : From Japan

Makeup details:
Mascara, eyeliner, watermelon lipstick

Mixing It Up

2009-03-09T00:52:00.000-07:00

Being a lover of hats, but seldom actually wearing them, I took notice of Judy. Judy mixes different textures, patterns, and lengths in her outfit. Somehow it all works, perhaps because of the subdued colors. Whatever the case, it looks extremely cozy and comfortable.

Note to self: wearing hats and scarves together draws the attention to the face in a good way.

Judy
Occupation : New York Fashion Designer

Clothing details:

Skinny jeans : JBrand
Plaid fedora : Urban Outfitters
Black leather boots : Vintage boots from New York
Black and white checkered scarf : From New York
A blue-grey hoodie layered with a cropped cable knit cashmere sweater

Not the Mother

2009-03-09T00:49:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, this fashionable lady is not the mother of the cute little girl, but the grandmother! Her overall look is understated due to the grey and black color palette, but it is interesting due to the stipe and checker combination. She commands attention because of her confident aura.

Grandmother's clothing details:
Leather jacket : Ann Demeulemeester
Grey and black checkered scarf : Theory
Black belt : Brighton
Black boots / skirt : Unknown

Makeup details:
Black eyeliner, pink lipstick

Granddaughter's clothing details:
Lavendar swing jacket : Unknown
Lavendar floral print dress : Unknown
Accessory: Kewpie doll with pink bathtub

Misc details : The granddaughter was so cute, she was quick to correct me that she was wearing a printed dress, not a skirt!
A future fashionista in the making, I'm sure of it!

Sign of Spring

2009-03-09T00:43:00.000-07:00

Taylor
Occupation - Sales Associate
Misc details - She is not a big shopper, most of her clothing comes from clothing swaps. In addition, she professes to wearing a lot of white, even past Labor Day.

Clothing:
White cotton eyelet dress : Unknown, from her mom
Brown t-shirt : From a store in Montana
Multi-color belt : From a clothes swap
Brown cable knit stirrup tights : Unknown, from her mom
Grey flats : Unknown

Taylor really stood out, not too many people are wearing white yet. The white and brown combination is a bit winter-like, but the light floaty cotton dress says spring is just around the corner. The bubble hem is fun and the multi-colored belt adds some color and sparkle.

No Name Shoes

2009-02-28T01:53:00.000-08:00

Local brands from Asia tend to have hilarious and often non-sensical brand names, and this sport shoe is no exception. Due to the blue and grey color combination, the logo shape, and the type set used on the logo, I initally thought the brand name was Old Navy! Upon closer inspection, the brand is actually "No Name." Funny, isn't it?

Goldenbleu Warehouse Sale for San Francisco

2009-02-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

Although their website looks cleaned out, I guess they still have inventory at the warehouse.

Sale details:

Thurs: Feb 12, 7-9pm

Fri: Feb 13, 12-7pm

Sat: Feb 14, 12-5pm

Location:
Goldenbleu SF Warehouse
2963 Mission St. (btn 25th x 26th)

Pricing details:
Shoes 25 USD
Boots 45 USD
Bags/Clutches 35 USD and up.

I'll be there... gotta have more shoes right? =p

Goldenbleu going out of business

2009-02-04T22:09:00.000-08:00

It's unfortunate, but Goldenbleu, a local San Francisco handbag/shoe brand, will be going out of business. I had a hunch that they were in dire straits with their frequent sample sales last year and incredible price drops at each subsequent sale. I sincerely hope that they can clear as much of their inventory as possible with this final sale before selling the stock to jobbers.

I will miss the brand, their designs are fun and colorful. I will treasure the two pairs of boots I have from them, they are surprisingly comfortable!

I wish them the best... hopefully they can restart the line or launch a new line when the economy picks up again.

There are still a few cheaply priced bags on their website, so check it out.

Goldenbleu Official Website

$truggling $tudent

2009-01-30T14:10:00.000-08:00

Money is tight for everyone these days, especially students. That is why I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that Club Monaco offers a 20% discount to students with a valid ID. What a perfect way for students to build or enhance their professional working wardrobes.

Other tips: Club Monaco can even flag you in their system as a student so that if you forget your ID card on another occasion, they will give you the discount! If by chance you do not have a student ID with you, they may accept a valid student email address instead (however YMMV on this one, it is up to the discretion of the store manager/personnel).

Update: I have also found that J.Crew offers student/teacher discounts as well! The discount there is 15%, just enough to save me from the California sales tax and then some. :P After searching a bit online, it seems that this discount cannot be combined with other promotional offers (e.g. the additional 25% off clearance items that happens once in awhile).

En Pointe

2009-01-29T01:18:00.000-08:00

No, having resorted to taking a college ballet class pass/fail, this post is certainly not about the finer points of classical ballet. It is however about shoes. I am always on the lookout for cute and comfortable shoes. Typically I resort to flats, though I have been known to sacrifice comfort for style (i.e. a high heeled shoe).

I have found a shoe where I do not have to sacrifice comfort for beauty! Bloch Shoes has manufactured handmade ballet and pointe shoes since 1932 and they now have fashion shoes that anyone can wear, including me!

I have purchased a pair of round toed burgundy patent leather pumps. The pumps are accented with burgundy suede detailing and finished off with a ballet slipper-like ribbon. They are really sweet feminine looking shoes! And... they are actually comfortable. The soles are flexible, especially around the toe/bunion area, which is a hallmark of a typical ballet shoe! The leather seems to be good quality and I do not feel the need to break these shoes in. In fact, I ran about 5 long blocks along Market Street tonight to my class wearing these shoes for the first time!

These shoes retail for $330USD, but I paid about $100USD.

Photo source: revolveclothing.com

Links:

Bloch Shoes Online

Revolve Clothing - these shoes are available for purchase here