Links à la Mode: Beyond Fashion

Edited by Retro Chick

This week's Links à la Mode blows away any preconceived ideas of the narcissistic fashion blogger posting endless outfit photos and magazine shoots by covering a huge array of topics. Ranging from Dream Sequins whimsical birthday tea party to High Fashion Girls detailed examination of racism in fashion magazines, these posts demonstrate what we’re capable of and the communities we can build.

Of course, being fashion bloggers there are also some great outfits to be found and our bloggers this week have looked at: movies, from Bollywood to Sci fi; their pyjama drawers; and even their cleaning cupboard in their ceaseless search to bring you fashion inspiration.

As ever there’s many more exciting links on the original forum thread.

Enjoy!

British Style Bloggers – Intrinsically Florrie on British Style Bloggers on how you can support the lovely Luella brand in it’s time of need
Dream Sequins – The stylish guests at a virtual birthday tea party (Part 2)!
Fashion X K8 – The Fashion Blogging community being analoguous to “The Girls” in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof
FashionHippo – Best Organic Lip Balms: 6 Natural Picks to Nourish Your Pout
Fete a fete – Guerlain’s Imperial Holiday makeup collection review
High Fashion Girl – Racism & Fashion
Idiosyncratic Style – Idiosyncratic Style dares you to re-think the possibilities of Pajamas outside the house
In Life and In Fashion – How to dress with Bollywood Flair
Lillys Roses – The new charity tshirts by TV-Star C.F. for the eco label armeangels
M.I.S.S. – She’s Crafty: DIY First Place Ribbon Accessories
Mariels Castle – Are we truly free when it comes to our fashion choices?
Oranges and Apples – What are charity shops for? Thoughts sparked by Mary Portas’ new Save the Children shop
Prom Mafia – Happy Accident: How to bleach fun designs on your clothes
Quirky Fashion – Movies that Inspired Fashion
Retro Chick – Buy Audrey Hepburns Wardrobe
Shoe Daydreams – Why Knock-offs are Bad for the Soul
Style on a String – Confessions of an UGG Lover and Wearer (but only indoors!)
THE COVETED – Coach Holiday : Review & Giveaway!
The Demoiselles – Wing Tips: Finding a Tailor
Work Chic – Win a Sondra Roberts SR squared Shopper tote!

Posted by Tami Yu at 9:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you need a few pieces for your holiday makeup arsenal, Lancome's collection, L’Absolu Rouge Soirée, has a few gems that will sparkle up your look. The great thing is, many of these items last for 8-16 hours.

The Sparkling Cherub Sheer Warming Illuminating Powder is a two-tone highlighting powder with shimmering accents for the entire face and decollete. It's not too shimmery, so you don't have to worry about adding too much glitter to your face.

I do like the long-lasting La Laque Fever Lipshine in Untamed Plum. It smells like fruity candy, and the fun grape shade is slightly sheer but has enough color to get flirty.

For the eyes, the versatile Color Design Cream Eye Shadow blends easily for a creaseless powder finish. There are three shades in the collection: Haute Smoke (smoky taupe), Pink Lace (pink champagne) and Garter Belt (dark wine). It dries really quickly and it won't budge for hours and hours. I also liked the Ink Artliner in Plum Tease; the pretty plum hue makes a festive cat eye. Compared to other brands that seem to dry out quickly, this gel liner is very easy to work with.

They also launched the new Oscillation Powerfoundation, their latest vibrating makeup product. I don't usually like mineral powder foundation since many brands are quite messy. If you've never tried mineral makeup this one might be a good starter. It has SPF 21, lasts up to 14 hours, and has a super natural finish that looks just like your skin. And it's not messy at all.

Delivering 7,000 micro-oscillations per minute, the applicator's subtle action gives an even spread of powder across your face. The Beige 10 shade really matches my skin tone. I've never had such a natural finish on my skin before. It's even great for sensitive skin.

Lancome is also offering a special Friends & Family online deal starting today through November 30. Get 20% off on all purchases plus free shipping! Enter the promo code HOLIDAYJOY2 at checkout (Not valid on eGift Certificates, beauty boxes and gift sets).

www.lancome-usa.com

Tagged as: beauty, cosmetics, eyeliner, eyeshadow, gifts, holiday, lip gloss, makeup, mineral makeup, shopping, SPF

Posted by Tami Yu at 6:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm such a popcorn fiend. I jump at any chance to inhale the entire bag. So when I learned that 479 Popcorn came out with their new P.I.Y. (Pop It Yourself) Kit, I was beyond excited.

This isn't your average grocery aisle popcorn. The kit comes with a large container of organic multi-colored heirloom corn kernels, organic high-oleic sunflower oil, gourmet salt and sugar blends (Toasted Coconut Sugar, Aromatic Curry Salt, Fiery Habanero Sugar, and Roasted Onion Salt), and recipe cards. This is great for a holiday party; it also comes with paper popcorn cones to make things truly festive.

Too lazy to make it yourself? Definitely try the Purist sampler box. Delicious flavors include Fleur de Sel Caramel, the delicate Vietnamese Cinnamon Sugar, Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt, and Pimentón de La Vera. The pimenton has a lovely kick, which I really relished...and the fleur the sel has the perfect salty-sweet balance, with a hint of coconut. Love love love.

www.479popcorn.com

Tagged as: entertaining, food, gifts, gourmet, holiday, organic, San Francisco

Posted by Tami Yu at 7:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

One of my all-time favorite groups, Pink Martini, recently came out with their fourth album, Splendor in the Grass. With nine original songs and four covers, I'm happy to say it's another strong collection for their fans. If you don't know who this awesome 12-piece orchestra is, you need to run out today and buy all four albums.

There are so many great songs in this release. I adore the French cha-cha "Où est ma tête?" It's très charmant, I tell you. You can't help but smile and sing along with this track. I'm a total romantic so "Over the Valley" is another favorite of mine. As usual, China Forbes did an amazing job on the acoustic reprise of "Ninna nanna."

This album is packed with guest stars. Courtney Taylor-Taylor of the Dandy Warhols plays the electric guitar on "Splendor in the Grass" and Emilio Delgado, aka "Luis" on Sesame Street, sings the Spanish parts of "Sing." And, to my delight, NPR Justice Correspondent Ari Shapiro's sexy vocals are debuted on the fun and catchy "But Now I'm Back."

These guys are so much fun, you have to catch them live in concert. I've seen them several times and it's always a grand time. For concert tour dates and more info go to: pinkmartini.com

Tagged as: celebrity, entertainment, music, music review

Posted by Tami Yu at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you're intimidated by the idea of baking a cake from scratch, perhaps Melissa Gray's new book, All Cakes Considered, might change your mind. The humorous NPR producer for the show "All Things Considered" spent many hours toiling in her kitchen to refine her beloved collection of easy-to-bake cakes and cookies.

Her sassy approach will make any shy baker feel at ease with his or her baking tools. The book has a whole section (about 30 pages) on tips, advice and techniques, so you're definitely in good hands. At the very least, you'll be laughing at Gray's jokes.

The first chapter starts off with easy coffee cake recipes and eventually moves on to the fancier layer cakes. If you work through the entire book you'll soon learn to make Lady and Lord Baltimore Cakes, Martha Washington's Great Cake, and Alma's Italian Cream Cake.

Still undecided? For a sneak peek, try the Honey Buttercream and Apricot Jame Cake recipe below. It's the perfect cake for entertaining friends at tea time.

Honey Buttercream and Apricot Jam Cake

You’ll need:

Two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans
A whisk attachment and extra bowl for mixer
A double boiler, real or improvised
A hand-held mixer

Double recipe Whipped Cream Cake (recipe follows) without frosting
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, cut into pats, at room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2/3 cup good-quality apricot jam, slightly warmed or stirred until spreadable

To Make the Cake and Frosting:

1. Make the cake layers, following the instructions for the Whipped Cream Cake.

2. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, whisk together the sugar and egg whites for 3 minutes. The mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove from the heat.

3. Using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat until the meringue has cooled, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the butter pats, a third at a time, beating until smooth.

5. Beat the buttercream on medium-high speed for 6 to 10 minutes, until it is thick and very smooth. If the buttercream curdles or separates, just keep beating. It will come together.

6. Lower the speed to medium, and gradually beat in the lemon juice, then the vanilla extract and honey. You should have a smooth buttercream. Cover tightly with plastic and set aside.

To Construct the Cake:

7. Divide each cooled layer in half, and separate the halves so that you have 4 layers.
8. Place the bottom layer on the cake plate. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top, spreading it out from the center. Next spread a thin layer of apricot jam on top of the frosting. Add the next cake layer and repeat until you reach the crown.
9. Frost the top of the crown with buttercream. Scrape away any excess jam from the side and then frost the sides of the cake.

Whipped Cream Cake

You’ll need: Two 8-inch round cake pans

1 cup whipping cream
2 eggs, beaten until thick and lemon colored
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Whip cream until it holds its shape. Add eggs and whip until light as foam. Add sugar and beat again. Add vanilla. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together 3 times and add to egg mixture. Bake in greased layer cake pans in a moderate oven (350 degrees F) 25 to 30 minutes. Makes two 8 inch layers.

Recipes re-printed with permission from All Cakes Considered, by Melissa Gray, Chronicle Books 2009.
Photo credit: Annabelle Breakey & Stephen Voss

www.chroniclebooks.com

Tagged as: baking, cake, cookbook, food, gourmet, recipe

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Guerlain's 2009 Imperial Holiday makeup colors are truly a royal collection filled with sumptuous jewels. Fit for any empress, this season celebrates aristocratic splendor with a refined and balanced touch.

The Ombre Eclat 4 Shades Eye Shadow quad (in Bal de Minuit) is one of my favorites for this season. It's a pretty subdued color palette, but when you put it on, it's just gorgeous. The pearlescent texture in the two taupe shades will create a dreamy and soft smoky lid, while the lingerie pink and gold-white tones bring out the eyes' natural radiance. It's an elegant and sophisticated look without going over the top.

This collection also features two shades of the Rouge G Lipstick (#11 Grace and #12 Gems). I liked Gems because of it's soft rosewood color. It compliments quite well with the eye shadows, giving you a beautiful smile without using a screaming red color. For an even more gentle shade, you an also use the KissKiss Gloss in #809 Rubis Rose (sheer plum chocolate).

To complete the opulent look, use the Meteorites Perles Imperiales for a glowing finish. These multiple-effect pearls are re-formulated in new shades (mauve, pink, and gold) to create that fresh and illuminating complexion that we all crave. For a really fancy accessory, they also offer these pearls in a special Meteorites Voyage Imperial pressed powder compact that's decorated with Swarovski crystals. So lovely!

Tagged as: cosmetics, eyeshadow, holiday, lip gloss, lipstick, Luxury, makeup, powder, Winter

Posted by Tami Yu at 9:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Links à la Mode : Finding What Works
by Jennine

Man, editing the links this week was painful, only because there were so many fantastic posts, so be sure to check them all out in the IFB forums! This week we have loads of great interviews, a few wonderful lookbooks from our members, and had a recurring theme of personalizing style. From the DIY projects of M.I.S.S., Monoxious.com, and Quirky Fashion, to customizing trends on Clutch 22, dramatis personae and The Art of Accessories we’re finding what works!

39th and Broadway – Wendy B Tells All!
Clutch 22 – AMSB Challenge #3: How to Style a Hot Pink Mini
Denim Debutante – How to: Easily Find the Right Denim Sizing for You
dramatis personae – A Girl’s Guide to Faux Eyelashes
Fashion Pulse Daily – Candela NYC: Casual, Carefree, Cool
Fete a Fete – Giorgio Armani 2009 Holiday Makeup: Crystal Collection
Fresh Pie! – Piewacket: Outtakes
Gloria’s Jeans – Flight of Fancy: How to Travel in Style
IdilViceFashionRocks: – wedding in las vegas
Idiosyncratic Style – Pearls of Wisdom: The Holy Fashion Grail
Large Black Diary – Official neck trend of 2009
M.I.S.S. – She’s Crafty: DIY Convertible Chain Jewelry
Monoxious.com – DIY Clothes Tutorial: Shirt to skirt.
Painfully Hip – Painfully Hip Design Collective F/W 2009: Daphne
Quirky Fashion – How To Make a Fascinator – DIY Fashion Story
Retro Chick – Luscious Lingerie – Miss La La’s Boudoir
Sweet Fancy Treat – The Nomadic Way
The Art of Accessories – How To Accessorize With Belts
THE COVETED – Everyone is beautiful: Our relationship with beauty isn’t always easy
The Curvy Fashionista – Plus Size Fashions by the Ines Collection
The Working Wardrobe – Designers Who Work It: Orlando Espinoza Transcends Both Time and Trend for the Working Woman

Tagged as: Accessories, beauty, denim, fashion, shopping, Style

Posted by Tami Yu at 7:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Shu Uemura's lipsticks and lip glosses are some of the best in the market, and with their new Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine collection, they've managed to combine both product formulas into a briliant hybrid. The high color payoff and intense glossy shine makes this one of the most innovative lip products this season. Whatever their patent-pending ingredients are, this new item will put that 'wow!' on your pucker.

Available in 14 universally-flattering shades, my personal favorites were RD165 (red), RD185 (berry), and WN298 (dark wine). The feel is weightless and moisturizing, yet it has such a strong color. There's no need to slap it on - you can dab it lightly and still have lots of pigment on your lips. And, their new sleek cases look so ultra chic!

www.shuuemura-usa.com

Tagged as: beauty, lip gloss, lipstick, makeup, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Giorgio Armani's new Crystal Collection has a gorgeous collector's item for the beauty queens. Decked out in black and silver crystals, the limited-edition holiday colors are concealed inside the two-tiered Crystal Palette compact. If I didn't know any better it looked more like an art deco inspired jewelry case. The first level features a neutral iridescent body powder with a sparkling overlay while the bottom holds four metallic eyeshadows (shimmery jet black, bronze metal, silver, and jade).

Two lipsticks are also introduced within this collection. Embellished with crystals, the Crystal ArmaniSilk lipsticks come in a bright and rich ruby red and a shimmery bronze for a less intense lip.

If you need more lip colors, the new Rouge d'Armani lipsticks are another great collection to try. These long-wearing shades are supposed to last up to 8 hours and won't feather. These are highly pigmented and feel super light, as if you're not wearing any lipstick. I really liked Pink 505, a dark berry shade that should look great on almost everyone. The magnetic closure is also an ingenious touch.

www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com

Tagged as: beauty, eyeshadow, holiday, Luxury, makeup, seasonal, shopping, Winter

Posted by Tami Yu at 9:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

If you don't have a good holiday makeup palette yet, Bobbi Brown's Chrome Palette might be a good investment for you. It's actually a great beauty value, considering that you're getting 14 colors in total. The fold-out palette contains 10 eyeshadows (matte/sparkly/metallic finishes) and 4 sheer lip glosses. Another bonus is that it comes with a good quality mini eye shadow brush and lip brush.

All the colors are extremely wearable - there's nothing too bright or dark. As far as holiday colors go, it's almost a 'neutral' kind of palette. The great thing is, you can easily use it for muted and elegant day-to-night looks. One of my favorite looks was to use the Thunder Metallic (dark silver), Chrome (silver) and Charcoal Haze (gray black) eye shadows for a beautifully soft yet smoky lid. Another favorite is to pair the Moonlight Sparkle (sparkly cool purple) with Storm Cloud Sparkle (gray silver sparkle). The effect is sexy and polished. Gotta love that.

As for the lips, I do like the Winter Bronze Glitter lip gloss (deep bronze shimmer). It's the darkest of the four shades, whereas the others are a bit too light (still very pretty though) for my natural lip color.

www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com

Tagged as: beauty, eyeshadow, holiday, lip gloss, makeup

Posted by Tami Yu at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Go Fashion Bloggers, Go!

Edited by Debutante Clothing

As more and more print magazines fold, bloggers seem to be growing in professionalism and media legitimacy. When bloggers such as Previously Owned and kaKofonie Of si(gh)lenS can get the scoop on international designers, you know the fashion playing field is being leveled. If bloggers can host great giveaways like Retro Chick’s, I wonder why the FTC needs to play big brother. Fashion Pulse Daily wants to know if you even care. It seems we are becoming the pretty, little websites that could. Yay bloggers!

39th and Broadway – Gender GAP
Aysha's Rabbit Hole – Cosimo Damato new hat collection!
Bobbins And Bombshells – pics from her trip to Phoenix including a mini vintage shopping guide.
Decline Designs – Won’t Get Fooled Again: Counterfeit Melissa Shoes
Denim Debutante – 3 Need-to-Know Tips to Help You Find Your Perfect Pair of Jeans
Earth Vs. – Picking and making the best of your new (or old) winter coat
Fashion Pulse Daily – What do you really think and care about the FTC guidelines for bloggers?
Fasshonaburu - – An upcoming label everyone should know about: Minimarket
fête à fête – Lia Lintern’s divine Winter 2010 coat collection!
Friend in Fashion – Giveaway – win a custom made dress or skirt.
Further Ado - – When fashion and architecture collide
I'n The It Girl – Assad Mounser Jewelry
Idiosyncratic Style – Top 10 Creepy Collections… loving the “darkside” of fashion.
kaKofonie Of si(gh)lenS – Interview with Susi Quillinan of Peru
M.I.S.S. – Video Interview with Lydia Hearst – her top 5 favorite things about Fashion Week
Monoxious – How to make your own embellished lace tights
Oranges and Apples – Personal Shopper Giveaway – win a parcel of thrifted goodies tailored to your style, needs and ideas!
Previously Owned – Puerto Rican Fashion Spotlight: Stella Nolasco
Retro Chick – Win a Lowie wrap and gloves worth £129 courtesy of Cerise UK
The Coveted – Reviving Vintage Knickerbockers, The Perfect Fall Trouser
The Curvy Fashionista – Plus Size Curves and Fashion at the California Womens Conference

Tagged as: Accessories, coats, fashion, hats, jewelry, shoes, shopping, Style

Posted by Tami Yu at 9:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I think I found the next best thing to having regular facials. Not that I'm against being pampered on a monthly basis, but when you have a not-so-stellar beauty budget like I do, you might want to invest in the Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleansing System.

It does cost as much as a facial treatment at a fancy spa, but this amazing cleansing device does wonders for your skin, and it'll last way longer than a month. All you need is a good cleanser and the Mia, and your skin will soon be as soft as buttah. You'll be glowing like an English rose within one usage, and that's not an exaggeration. Even if you're a die-hard spa girl, an aesthetician had mentioned that a Clarisonic brush will maintain facial results between visits.

The gentle cleansing brush moves at 300 movements per second, delivering a super deep cleaning. The soft brush doesn't irritate at all - in fact, it's a nice stimulating massage for the face. My pores felt less clogged and the skin tone was greatly improved.

It also has a self-timer, so it turns itself off after a minute. Another great thing about this model is that it's smaller and lighter than the classic model, so it's ideal for travel and it's also waterproof (great for the shower!).

www.clarisonic.com

Tagged as: beauty, shopping, skin care

Posted by Tami Yu at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)