October 2009 – Page 3 – Sometimes Yaya

No, It’s a Rental

It’s a true change in times when anyone can afford a $8000 handbag. Or at least think of purchasing it. The idea of said purchase is no longer left to the well off and hoity toity :). Interns at fashion publications sport the same luxury brand stunners on their arms, and feet as their superiors (not to mention paid superiors).

Some of it may be blamed on us turning into a material society. Where we live too much in the moment and care too much about brands and quantity.

But it can also refer to our penchant to rent. When I was conceiving this post in my mind, I started a week long research project online about rentals, and was surprised to see how many I found. Continue reading to see the highlights of my search, and let me know if you know of some I didn’t.

Enter the courtroom:

Avelle

formerly known as Bag Borrow or Steal

Rent Me A Handbag

another site where you can rent handbags

From Bags to Riches

yet another site where you can rent bags

Shoe Dazzle

where renting shoes is just as easily done as with bags – founded by Kim Kardashian

Borrowed Bling

completing your outfit with the borrowed accessories

But what are you without the clothes?

Wear Today Gone Tomorrow

finally – a complete outfit to solve the Emperor’s dilemma

I honestly, haven’t tried to use any rental services for anything (not even a car!). Tell me about your experiences. Have you tried any of these websites, or in person stores? Do you plan to? Know someone who has?

NYFW: Christian Cota – a photo journal

I have so much stuff leftover from my NYFW shenanigans, and though I kept looking for a great time to introduce y’all to them, I just can’t find any better time than now. Christian Cota‘s show was more of a presentation, and honestly, it almost didn’t make it to my list of shows to attend to. I’m so happy I didn’t miss it though, because this show was not to be missed. The designs were so in touch with a female’s body, that you just wanted to court the models as you saw them (and I’m a fan of the boys…).

Maybelline did a great job continuing the old school/Mad Men inspired look. But I’ll be showing a video and such about that too. Take a look at the great photos that I took of the collection, and check the rest out on the website here. Take a closer peek at the makeup and hair, AND clothes!!! I’m sure y’all will be dreaming about it for days just like me…

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Shecky’s Girls Night Out

Have y’all ever heard about Girl’s Night Out? It’s a beauty and fashion event that goes on in many states all over the country (see? not just NY this time!) with beauty and fashion vendors vying for your attention in one space.

Here are the locations they are in so far (you can recommend cities as well):

The best thing about it is that it’s basically a specialty mall for you, with nothing generic and a new find around every bend. In addition to that, they make sure to get you all liquored up, and have tickets that include goodie bags. Tell me that’s not the perfect Girl’s Night Out!

Go ahead and click on the banner below before you wait too long. Click on the image on my site and Shecky’s will know that yaya sent ya!

There is one coming up in New York though:

Date: Mon.-Fri., Oct. 19th-23rd, 2009
Time: 5pm-10pm
Place: The Puck Building
293 Lafayette St. (@ Houston St)

Continue reading to see a video from a past Girl’s Night Out.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=4664402&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=ff0179&fullscreen=1

Shecky’s Girls Night Out from Shecky’s on Vimeo.

Let me know if you’re coming, I’d love to meet y’all!

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Talk It Out Tuesday!

I don’t know about you guys, but my inbox is always bursting at the seams with sales offers and notices. Most of these I can certainly do without, but who wants to miss a sale, right? A lot of people offer the great advice of separating e-mail addresses so that you have one for sales and one for personal use, but I must have missed the memo on that one. The only separation for my e-mail addresses are personal vs blog (and even there I have spillover).

Recently though, there has been a new phenomenon in my mailbox. The apology marketing strategy as I’ve come to see it.

Companies will send out mailers, and follow up a day or two with an apology and a new offer. Most of the time they say it was due to a typo or an improper code. The best one was an apology for high traffic and a resolution to the dilemma with a sale extension. All of which at one point or other seems okay. But now? It’s a bit too contrived and just feels like another marketing ploy.

What about you? Have you received an apology sale invite? What do you think about them?

Talk it out!

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Schooled In Style

As time continues to tick and tock away, it is better to make the most of your time, than to lament on what is already lost. That in itself is such a huge waste. But sometimes – okay no, a lot of times, something comes out and you wonder why it wasn’t around when you were younger.

You know – like our parents with computers? Our grandparents with cell phones? Our ancestors without tvs and cars? We’re a spoiled bunch, humanity. But we may only enjoy and bask in all its glory while we have it, no?

With that, I was pleasantly surprised about the Penguin Deluxe Edition prints of classic books such as The Scarlet Letter and Pride and Prejudice with the cover designs by famed fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo.

I’ve always been a fan of his illustrations (check the main image if you need a refresher) because he took it to a new level for me. There was no major concern for dimensions (the heads are almost always in Bratz dolls size), and the lines were more curvy and drape-y than strict illustration, but were also chock full of more artistic attitude than generic curves. Hopefully that makes sense on paper equally as much as it does in my head. 🙂

What ya think?

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=myowju-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=0143105426 http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=myowju-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=0143105442 http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=myowju-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=0143105434

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NOTD Sally Hansen Insta-Dri

Keeping up with the nail challenge y’all. For day two I’ve got a drugstore friendly polish. I got this one at a BOGO deal at CVS, and frankly, there is always a deal on these babies. Good, too – because they’re grrrreat!

You can probably see from the pictures that the polish I’m raving about is Sally Hansen Insta-Dri. These buggers have a different shape for the bottles than any I’ve seen before (but totally great for swatch shots for the blog!). The brush is also a little wide and flat, a characteristic not too many people are happy with, but honestly that is among my favorites. The brush usually lets me finish one nail in a single swipe, rarely needing a second.

I usually snatch up the clear polish bottles in Insta-Dri for on the go applications. I carry them in nearly every bag, because I like to have at least clear polish on my nails if there is no color. Between how fast they dry and the size of the brush, clear application is done in under a single subway stop (y’all know I’m always doing my nails on the train in NYC!).

This color, Teal Takeoff is a new addition to the line for Fall 2009. I love that roughly 90% of the Insta-Dri collection is so thick that one coat can be enough to complete your mani. That also means they are great for using with Konad!

left: flash, right: no flash

pretty true to color too

Like the color? The challenge? Let me know!

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NARS is 15 & Nail-a-day Challenge

NARS, a brand that needs minimal introduction or background, no? Well they’re getting close to their sweet 16 by hitting their 15 this year.

To celebrate, Francisco Nars is publishing a book with a collection of photographs & makeup, covering his friends/muses (and aren’t they sometimes the same?). The book 15×15 is due out mid November, and will only be available for 30 days.

Check out the countdown on the website here: www.15x15project.com

WWD.com has some great tidbits about the book (featuring everyone from Marc Jacobs, to Amber Valletta). The images are most interesting because of the way that the concepts tie in together. Nars did the makeup on each subject and showed the inspirational photograph as well.

Yet one more reason to show ya makeup isn’t just a pressed powder/color you put on your face!

Read on to check out my Nail-a-day Challenge.

As you may have heard me rambling on and on about polish purchases gone mad, you can assume that I have plenty a polish to show you. I had suggestions about doing a NOTD week, and other similar series, but I also wanted something that would get the most bang for the buck.

I hate buying a polish, wearing it once, and then never using it again. So my pre-New Year’s resolution is to wear a polish a day. I already do this because I get chip happy on the ride home from work most days, but this time I’ll be sharing all of it with you.

If you want to join the challenge with me, let me know and I will post your images up along with mine!

Be ready for heavy weekend nail polish posts, or seven NOTDs for the week. As I go through the swatches, I will take suggestions for my next mani(s).

Additionally, I am thinking, in the efforts of being green, I will give away a couple of bottles come the end of the year (oh yes this challenge is until 12/31!!) that have been swatched once.

To kick off the challenge, we have a much appropriate NARS in Tokaïdo Express (check out the rest of the NARS colors here:

The color is described on the website as “Black amethyst infused with gold.” It is pretty hard to capture the shimmer of the polish. The above two pictures are with no flash.

the pics might look identical but you can play “spot the difference” and see that it is a slightly different angle 🙂

with flash

close up – true to bottle color

What do you think? Are you up for the challenge?

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Hautelook Vincent Longo Sale!

I miss when Vincent’s brand was available at Sephora, but if you too don’t get a chance to come across the brand much, now is your chance to snatch it up for at least 60% off!

Come join HauteLook for your sample sales and cheap designer duds.

Click here for your special invite!

Don’t forget that when you when you sign up through this link, you get a $10 credit to spend on whatever you please!

If the link is not working, copy and paste the following link in your browser: http://www.hautelook.com/invite/missyaya

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It’s a Gray Field…

Black is the color that generally is worn most. In the winter it is of optimal choice for it’s simple ability to pull in light and retain warmth, it shows much less stains or dirt, and of course, it has a slimming effect. It’s no wonder that almost every person in the world has a pair of black pants or black shoes lingering around the household.

I remember the first time I had to go to a school event and our uniform included black pants. When someone said they didn’t have black pants, you could swear I was reacting to news about the earth not being round. If you don’t have ’em. Get ’em!

Being a New Yorker, I find that a lot of the city dwellers here often find shelter in the color black and sometimes dedicate their whole wardrobe to the color. If you’ve had a chance to make it to NYFW, you’ll find that many a fashionista is clad in all black.

I’ll admit that I’ve resorted to an all black wardrobe when too lazy to match things together. When you start buying too many of the same color, you even start to forget they could be paired with others. God forbid we forget ROYGBIV! Other times, I’m a punk. Who wants to risk their hard earned cash on a red sweater with rainbow polka dots, when a black version looks smarter for the long run? Sure, it’s safer than magenta, and will outlast any leopard print trend, but it becomes a monotonous and if I dare say, mundane, practice.

So wouldn’t Yaya be surprised that as soon as the first leaf fell off a tree, that there was a dime a dozen a New Yorker rocking the gray jacket, cardigan, and scarf (not necessarily all together though…).

Gray is equally as durable in outlasting trends y’all. Between white and black, all the shades are ones that can magically travel on through time and through wardrobe without dating your style. That’s just the color though.

If you are looking for something that will last more than a season, steer clear of super trendy embellishments (ruffles, feathers, ribbons, etc.) or cuts (asymmetrical, batwing sleeves, etc.) unless you have the confidence to wear it as if there was no expiration date in sight.

Gray works well in breaking up your closet collection and presenting a color variety in the selection.
The color works well as a complement to all light and dark colors (try to pair with a grape/burgundy color and a yellow/mustard color – each combo will look just as good!).
The deeper shades of gray are also equally as successful in creating a slimmer silhouette.

So what are you afraid of? Go try something gray now!

Check out some style options all under $100: