DIY: Balmain Me!

The Inspiration:

The DIY Result:

My all time shopping rule is one: NEVER buy something you can make on your own. When I first saw Christophe Decarnin's (my all time favorite fashion designer) Spring/Summer 2011 collection for Balmain, my heart probably skipped some beats. The certain T-shirts, though, are priced around 1035e *ouch, Christophe!*, so  I bought an H&M men T-shirt, some safety pins, ripped the Tee with a razor blade, put the safety pins on and here it is! I was wearing it last night, and it made quite an effect! Try it guys, it is so easy and it really looks like the original one (extra point: you save around 1025e, go buy a purse now!).

Love it or hate it? I love it so much, I will absolutely get my self a white one too!

xoxo,

Froso.

Style Matters: To Spend or Not To Spend?

PS: Of course that is my opinion. As always, I simply cannot wait to read yours!

xoxo,

Froso

Fall Collection

I'm so excited about this lookbook! I loved working with Ashley, the model, and Chris J. Photo. A BIG thank you also to Stepstone Digital who is currently editing the behind-the-scenes footage of the shoot. Here are some images below but be sure to check out the updated website: LindsayAlicia.com

Here are links to all involved in this project. I highly recommend all of them!

Chris J. Photo

StepStone Digital

Ashley (Model)

Wings.

Another Feather head piece, so excited I got to put this in the shoot!
Shot by the fabulous Elizabeth Waugh.
Styling by Xavi Sostre.
Dress:  Daniella Kallmeyer.

I Believe In Miracles_ The Ramones

H&M Leather Jacket

H&M Kids T-shirt

Zara Pants

Geox Flats

JC Men's Belt

Dior Shades

"When in doubt, wear red."

Bill Blass                                              

P.S:Good morning sunshines! xoxo

My Fave New Blog: Man Repeller!

Last week was Social Media Week in New York. Harper's Bazaar was kind enough to ask me to be part of a panel entitled "Can the Next Rachel Zoe Be Found Online?" (Any guess as to what my answer was?) One of my co-panelists was Leandra Medine, the college student behind the blog Man Repeller. (That's her above.) I had never heard of her blog, but now I'm completely in love with it.



On manrepeller.com, Leandra shares her thoughts on man-repelling fashions (she loves to poke fun at brands like Marni) and shows you how to style yourself into a world-class man repeller. She's got great style and she's as funny as she is clever. She can be a bit salty too, so if you're easy offended, steer clear!



I'm dying for Leandra to do some beauty posts. I wore Color Design Matte Lipstick in the very-bright-but-not-quite-fuchsia Posh Pink today and when I went to kiss my boyfriend goodbye this morning, he definitely recoiled. (Remember my New Year's resolution was to wear more bright lipstick? I'm sticking to it!) Clearly, most of the beauty looks we're seeing on the runway this week are man repelling, but bright lipstick?



"The great debate over makeup has been bright red lipstick," said Leandra. "Repeller or Propeller? The general consensus is torn. Otherwise I'm going to have to say really dark shades of lipstick and black are likely the most man repelling of the beauty product bunch. I wouldn't look past a bright blue or green eyelid either."



There you go. It seems to me that guys always say they like natural beauty best. A girlfriend of mine once said, "What does that mean exactly? No contact lenses, no highlights in my hair, not shaving my legs, no makeup?" They certainly don't mean that. That much I know.



Anyway, Leandra is blogging about Fashion Week for the Shopbop online boutique and New York Magazine's website. Check her out. She's more "propeller" than "repeller," but don't tell her that.

Quick Fashion Week Report: Costello Tagliapietra Fall 2011. Swoon!

Happy New York Fashion Week! I love fashion week in the city. Lots of parties, tons of activity. Everyone complains about how busy they are running from show to show, but secretly they love it. Trust me on that one. We did the Victoria Beckham show on Sunday (divine) and Chris Benz on Monday (so much fun) and we're doing L'Wren Scott on Thursday with Aaron De Mey. We threw a big blogger/vlogger/editor event on Sunday too. I'll post about all of this in the days ahead.



On Friday, I managed to sneak over to the Costello Tagliapietra show. Robert and Jeffrey, the designers behind the brand, are two of my favorite people. The show was beautiful! I saw so many dresses I'd like to wear next season. The makeup and minty green nails were great too. I wish Lancome could take credit, but we can't! Not one of our shows. :(



Enjoy my fave looks above. Costello always has a cool goodie bag and this season was no different. They fashioned this season's bag from one of the fabrics they used for the Fall 2011 collection. It's dyed using an environmentally-friendly process called AirDye. (Oh, and technically, the bag is courtesy of Lexus Hybrid Living!) That's Maggie from the P.R. team above, whom I forced to model the bag.



The reason I'm bringing up the bag? I'm giving it away. I'll throw in a few Lancome fashion week favorites. Just tell me something you did recently to be green and chic. Please leave a comment by Thursday night and I'll pick one comment at random.



RUNWAY PHOTOS FROM STYLE.COM

Yeah, right.

Leather Jacket & Cardi by Vero Moda

Beatles T-Shirt Cubus

Zara Trousers

Balenciaga Purse (hello lover!)

Rings from Avi&Lena (Sweden) and Asos

Heart shaped things seem irritating, love songs remind me of things I wanna forget, dinner in the candlelight seems like Hollywood trash on a day like this and tacky holding-hearts teddy bears make me wanna puke. Say hello to my sarcastic/ anti-romantic self. I can't help it, I just think that love and tenderness have to be celebrated every day, not once a year. 

PS: Gerard Butler, if you are reading this, take into consideration that I am a Gemini and I talk bullshit VERY OFTEN, of course we can celebrate St. Valentine's together all day/night long.

Love yourselves.

xoxo,

Froso

Hong Kong's Strange Beauty Products

One of the coolest things about traveling far away? New beauty products to discover. I always try to duck into a local pharmacy or beauty specialty store when I travel. My favorites are the pharmacies in Paris. They have so many cool products to discover. (Gwyneth Paltrow recently did a great post on French pharmacy products on her Goop website. Click here to read.) We were so busy in Beijing that we didn't have a second to check out the local offerings, so I made sure to find some time in Hong Kong.



I popped into a store called Sasa that was crammed with a hundreds of different products and tools. The closest we have in New York are the Ricky's beauty supply shops. Some of the things were so strange. Tweezers for armpit hair? Someone will have to explain that to me. There were face rollers to improve circulation, fake lash applicators, all kinds of masks and supplements, even a Snooki-type hair bump tool. The weirdest thing for sale was eyelid glue. This comes as a glue (literally) or a type of sticker that some girls use to change the shape of their eyelid. Have any of you used eyelid glue? It sounds kind of creepy, but each culture to its own. Some might find Botox weird, but that's considered normal in the U.S. these days.



I think the eyelid glue has something to do with the doll-like look is all the rage in Hong Kong. The models we worked with and the models in the magazine have a very bird-like/doll-like quality. Very thin, tall, but not as tall as models in New York, heart-shaped faces, pointy chins and big eyes made even bigger with circle lenses and lash extensions. It's an extreme kind of beauty. The same thing happens in New York with fashion models, whether it's gap-toothed smiles (very in right now), wide set eyes and big foreheads, or bushy eyebrows. Different looks will always come in and out.



Enjoy the pictures. I'm typing this backstage at the Victoria Beckham show because it's Fashion Week in New York (and my battery is dying!). We're working with the brilliant makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury on the makeup for the show. The look: glowy, glowy, glowy. I'll have a full report on all the shows later in the week. We're doing Chris Benz on Monday.

Oh, and I almost forgot! We have a giveaway. I brought back two Virtuose Precious Cells mascaras that I bought at the Lancome boutique in Hong Kong. You can't get these in the U.S.! Since it's Fashion Week, tell us the name of your favorite New York-based designer. I'll pick two comments at random. You'll get the mascara and I'll include a Bi-Facil, the world's best makeup remover. : )

Please comment by Tuesday night.



PHOTOS: Armpit tweezers (?), our favorite Hong Kong model, Sasa beauty supply store, weird beauty products!

Totes!

So I decided to start doing a limited-edition series of hand painted totes,  in slight protest of the world of mass-manufactured art and fashion. Also thought it might be kind of fun.

This is the first in a series, acrylic on canvas (which is certainly not my usual medium, but is kind of working). I'll put more up as I go along. This one's already spoken for, but if there's any interest, please don't hesitate to email me at: artbreatheson@gmail.com.

-G

Style Matters: 10 Style Traps for Men

When it comes to men, I always think: why so much drama? A man can look gorgeous just in pair of ripped/old jeans, a white T-shirt and a pair of All-Stars.Yet, I only met a handful of stylish males (one of them is my best friend). After a laborious investigation (exaggerating, once again) and a little help from my friends, here are the results of the query:

1.Deep V-neck: It is disgusting. Absolutely not sexy. Hairy or waxed chest, it doesn't make the slightest difference. Even worse when super tight. Shoot me.

2.Wrong Trouser Length: I usually like it when men fold over their jeans, but only 1 out of 100 instances is successful. The 99% just folds it because they really do not think it needs to be shortened. I don't wanna be mean, but if you are over 18 years old, you will NOT gain height. Deal with it.

3.Sleeveless T-Shirts: Do not wear those. Neither at the gym, nor at the beach. Burn them. It is looks better to walk around half naked.

 

4. Shoes: The examples above may seem a bit dramatic, but choosing shoes seems to be a real chore for men. You are lucky enough to be able to wear the same kind of shoes day and night, so make some quality choices. Nike airsoles, All-stars and mocassin like shoes are at the top of my list. Please, avoid the shiny or pointy ones, unless your last name is Travolta.

5. Sunglasses: You may think I am shallow, but when I meet a man I always wanna check his sunglasses. Ray-Ban is at the top of my list, either Aviators or Wayfarers, those sunglasses bring out the cool factor at every man. Do not do a statement with your shades, please. You make me scared.

6. Visible Undershirt: Are you afraid you'll catch a cold? Then stay home. For God's shake, that is unacceptable for men under 60 years of age. Exception: I like visible undershirts under a knitted jumper, showing from the v-neck. 

7. Accessories: Those silicon watches need to be burned in fashion hell. Giant belt buckles should be banished from mass production. All a man needs is a watch. If you are style-proficient a pair of simple cufflinks will amaze me, too. Nothing more, please. 

8. Raised Polo Collar: In case you are Count Dracula, it is okay by me, you have built a whole career with that collar. If you have nothing to do with Dracula, stay away from my sight.

9. Jewellery: Are you a surfer from California? No. Are you P. Diddy? No. Are you a pimp? I hope not. Stay away from these polluting fashion details, then. Exception: I l-o-v-e piercings, if you go the piercing way, no matter how many of them you have, go for the SIMPLEST and SMALLEST pieces of jewellery.

10. Labelling: In that matter, men seem to be worse than women. I do not wanna know where your clothes come from. I want you to look good in them. A t-shirt that costs a ridiculous amount of money will not make you look neither more interesting, nor a better person. 

Now, the most interesting part of all: What is your opinion?

Check the Top 6 Disastrous Details for women HERE.