As you may know, Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t will be taking a 10-day vacation (minus whatever work I get done on the plane!) because I will be venturing around Paris, France and Madrid, Spain to visit my cousin, who is studying abroad!
Instead of packing, which I should be doing right now, I wanted to tell you about some of my travel must-haves, for an overnight flight, or any flight over an hour, really!
Evian Facial Mist 2-pack, 1.7 oz TSA Approved packaging at Sephora $12
My first long flight ever was to Greece my junior year of high school. (It was a senior class trip, not enough seniors signed up for, so five juniors got to go, and I was one of the privileged!) Like every well-known globe-trotting gal, I needed to have all the bells and whistles for my carry-on bag that the celebs had, which included Evian facial spray mist. This stuff is just fabulous. It now comes in a special TSA approved 1.7 oz sized 2-pack and helps moisturize, refresh and tone your skin, after a long flight of dry, recycled (and not to mention, usually freezing cold) air!
When I whipped out my facial mist to refresh and moisturize my face on the flight from Frankfurt to Athens, my peers giggled at me…but you know this glamorous globetrotter looked better than everyone else in all the makeupless pictures that soon followed in the Athens airport! My skin looked glowing and gorgeous, while everyone else looked well, sort of grey.
Airborne Lemon-Lime available at Drugstore.com $5.62
My next travel essential is also in part to that recycled airplane air…and it’s Airborne. Airborne is a must-have for all flights since you never know what kind of nasty germs the people around you have on the plane, or what kind of germs the people on the last flight had. (They’re supposed to sanitize the planes between flights, but I don’t believe it!) I like the Lemon-Lime flavor the best, since, to me, it tastes the least nasty (yeah, it’s gross, but it helps, I promise!). I either buy a water bottle at the airport (after I’ve gone through security) and drop it in there, or ask the flight attendant for TWO glasses of water (they’re so small!) and split the tablet in half, dropping half in each glass, and guzzling them. Airborne contains a big boost of many essential vitamins to help you beat germs that can make you sick, and the few times I’ve forgotten to take it before or during a flight–I’ve gotten sick a few days later!
Colgate Wisps in Peppermint available at Drugstore.com $7.99 for 16 wisps
By recommendation of Lara at PCbeauty, I purchased this next item because I was so totally impressed by the concept. As an obsessive toothbrusher, long flights totally kill me, since I never want to get up and go to the bathroom to brush my teeth…But I hate those “fuzzy sweaters” on your teeth! Don’t you? Don’t fret, just use Colgate Wisps! These mini disposable toothbrushes are tiny enough to keep in your handbag and can be used right in your seat, no water or rinsing required. They come in three flavors peppermint, spearmint, and cinnamon, and for that price, are a total steal!
Purell Hand Sanitizer 2 oz TSA Approved at Minimus $1.93
Ahhh, hand sanitizer. Some people may disagree with me, but as the above mentioned, I am a germophobe. While I don’t over-sanitize, it’s nice to have this stuff before and after meals any time you touch something on a plane and then want to touch your face, eyes, or any other mucous membrane that loves germs. I know they offer it in the airplane bathrooms, but that stuff is slimy and grosses me right out–I don’t even feel like germs just got killed! This travel-sized Purell can easily fit into your quart-sized TSA approved bag and go right on the plane with you.
If you’re like me and are a picky eater, you know that airplane food is not always up to par. I’m a vegetarian and although there is always a vegetarian “pasta” option for a meal, it never tastes like real food to me, so I usually just eat the roll they give you! I always make sure to eat something in the airport before I get on the plane, because eight hours is a long time to go without food if you don’t like what they’re serving (and then, what if breakfast sucks too!?) Terminal 7 at JFK doesn’t have much to offer in terms of “health” but I know that I can always grab a salad at Wolfgang Puck Express or even at McDonalds! I also always take the fruit or pretzels that are usually offered at chains like Qdoba and Five Guys and keep them in my bag in case I want a snack later!
Havaianas "Top" Flip-Flops in Brown available at Zappos $24
Nothing is worse than wearing your adorable boots (or heels) on the plane (you are a glamorous globe-trotting gal, afterall) only to get to your destination and realize that your ankles and feet have swollen to the size of softballs because of the pressure change from the plane altitude! I always make sure I bring comfortable shoes to change into, like these Havaianas flip-flops. I also try to make sure I do some walking on the plane to keep my blood circulating and I drink lots of water.
Dove Anti-Perspirant Deodorant, Powder, Invisible Solid at Walgreens $2.79
In addition to my flip-flops or other comfortable shoes, I always pack not one, but two extra outfits (one to change, one in case my luggage is lost), including a sweater in case it gets cold, in my carry-on bag. I usually like to freshen up in the restroom and change before I arrive at my destination, either in the airplane or when I get to the airport (if I have a layover) since you start to feel yucky after sitting in one place for anywhere from 6-8 hours, not to mention the 3 hours of security screenings at the airport before you left, plus the time you waited in the airport before your flight. During my “freshen up” I also like to reapply my antiperspirant, like Dove Antiperspirant deodorant invisible solid in powder; touch up my makeup (also when I usually apply the Evian mist!), and reapply perfume.
KIM KARDASHIAN Eau de Parfum Rollerball 0.33 oz at Sephora $16
I will be traveling with Kim Kardashian Eau de Parfum Rollerball, which with notes of mandarin, honeysuckle, orange blossom, pink jasmine, tuberose, sensual spice, gardenia, Jacaranda wood, tonka bean, vanilla orchid, musk, and creamy sandalwood, will make me smell sexy and fresh and also meets TSA guidelines! I think I’m even going to purchase the full size when I get home…good work Kim K!
My top two most important travel must-haves are the following:
A good book & my iPod!
If You Have to Cry Go Outside at Amazon $22.99
Even though I’ve already read it, my dear idol, Kelly Cutrone is coming to Paris with me. If You Have To Cry Go Outside is my airplane read, just to refresh myself on her fabulous advice. (And who better to read on my way to PARIS than the woman who tells Whitney Port in the upcoming trailer for the new season of MTV’s “The City” that “every woman should have a love affair with a French man”?!) Plus, I’m passing off the wisdom to my cousin when I get there and letting her keep the book for her flight back to U.S. in May!
I-Pod Classic in Black at Apple $249
As easy as it may be to get engrossed in my favorite author’s NY Times Bestseller, I definitely still need to iPod to tune out the crying children and excited student groups who will most likely be around me. (Unfortunately, I’m not fabulous enough…yet…to fly overnight in any class higher than coach 
….someday!) So I’m going to be sure to whip up some playlists with my favorites like Wilco, Coldplay, The Decemberists, Iglu & Hartly, Bloc Party, Los Dios Malos, Airborne Toxic Event, Fray, Alexi Murdoch, Ben Folds (and his 27 different bands), Cage the Elephant, Modest Mouse (this is starting to sound like an “The O.C.” reunion CD..Josh Schwartz, care to capitalize on that?) and about 100 different other musical loves of my life.
I know it’s a long list…but packing for an overseas trip is exhausting, and now you have everything you need in one place…and so do I!
Au revoir from NYC! Voyez-vous bientôt….une fois que je suis à Paris!
P.S….Je ne parle pas beaucoup français…ut ohhh! Bonne chose je sais dire cela! Hablo espanol muy bien, agradecidamente..puedo utilizar tan la lengua en Madrid! Salud mes amis!
(Translation: French: I’ll see you soon..once I’m in Paris! P.S. I don’t speak much French..ut ohhh! Good thing I know how to say that! Spanish: Thankfully, I speak Spanish very well, so I can use the language in Madrid! French: Bye my friends!)
Copyright Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t © 2010
I was invited to a St. Patty’s Day celebration at Maria Bonita Spa in Nolita to test out Brazilian Supplements Inc.’s newest product, the Envix Super Premium 20-in-1 Multi-Action Deep Conditioning Hair Masque, which I’ve determined is nothing short of awesome.
Leblon, used in making our yummy cocktails!
The Envix Hairmasque is being marketed two ways: as an add-on to regular conditioning in a 3-minute treatment and as a separate 15-20 minute treatment. I tested the 15-minute treatment, while receiving a beautiful Brazilian manicure ($22) and sipping on a Brazilian Caipirinha! The Brazilian manicure by Rosalie is fabulous, beginning with having my nails soaked in coconut water. Instead of painting on my nails, Rosalie painted all over my cuticles too…skeptical, right? It looked like a little kid did my nails at first, until she whipped out some pointy silver stick, wrapped cotton around it, dipped it in polish remover and cleaned up all the “mess.” The result? Perfectly polished nails, (in a dark green shade of OPI, whose name I didn’t get) with no blank spots where the nail meets the cuticle on the sides like a traditional manicure. Fabulous!
The Envix treatment is applied to the hair and combed through in sections, then pinned up and capped. It can be used on any type of hair–colored treated, damaged, and ethnic hair. After being rinsed and shampooed, I was given a beautiful “perfect” blow-out ($45) and my hair was pinned up, pending a makeup application.
During my blow-out
At this point, I wasn’t sure if the treatment had actually worked or not. The claim of Envix is that it will “transform lifeless, brittle and damaged hair into glossy, shiny and healthy hair in as little as 15 minutes.” As a blond, my hair already reflects tons of light, so I couldn’t really tell…until I turned to another blogger next to me, who had dark, chocolate-brown hair (which she confessed to flat-ironing daily) her hair was glossy and smooth, and looked totally amazing! After my blowout was complete, it was obvious that my lifeless, color-damaged, often flat-ironed and blow-dried, hair, also had major extra shine (see picture!). Additionally, my hair actually felt better. It was soft, without being sticky, and light; I still had tons of volume, unlike many other deep conditioning treatments, which leave the hair feeling very weighty. (I forgot to mention that my blow-out lasted four days!)
Post Envix treatment, Blow-out, Manicure & Makeup Application!
As a bonus, the lovely Sami also gave my makeup a refresher. (price available upon request, call (212) 431-1520 info) She touched up my bronzer, my eye makeup and lips, and made me look like I had the most amazing cheekbones ever! I’ll totally be going back for another makeup application in the future…and another Envix treatment…and probably a manicure too. (Gotta stop biting these nails!)
Envix 20-in-1 Hair Masque
The Envix treatment combines 20 different ingredients to help repair the hair such as wheat protein, silk, and soy, collagen, as well as the always-popular keratin. Envix also contains a blend of five amino-acids, vitamins E and F and panthenol (found in many shine-activating products) and natural-derived ingredients like flax-seed oil, macadamia oil, shea butter, white clay and seaweed…no wonder it makes hair so healthy and shiny!
You can receive the same treatment I did at Maria Bonita Spa, called the “Luck of the Irish” package ($70), which includes the Envix Hair Masque, a blow-out, and a Brazilian manicure, now through May 2010! Call (212) 431-1520 and make your appointment now. Tell them Erika from Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t sent you!
Maria Bonita Spa is located at 12 Prince St (@ Elizabeth St.) in Nolita, NYC. Visit their website and follow Maria Bonita Spa on Twitter!
Copyright Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t © 2010
Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t is getting a major update!!
I catch myself doing it constantly, more so since I’ve moved to New York City. But why? My girlfriends do it, we talk about it, and we even have mini-contests to see who can spot them first.
Ever catch yourself checking out a hot guy and then quickly revert your eyes to his left-hand ring finger?
I’m not sure where this habit of mine came from, but it’s sort of an illustrious code among girlfriends to make sure the guy you’re checking out isn’t wearing a wedding band. Or…that he is.
Of course, these days, traditional marriages are no longer “the norm.” The nuclear family is no longer the predominant family structure with a man and a woman married and cohabiting with their 2.5 kids and a dog in their “American Dream” home with the big yard and the white picket fence in suburbia America. So just because a guy is wearing a wedding band, it doesn’t mean he’s not available, and if he isn’t wearing one, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he isn’t married.
What does a wedding ring even mean? I wasn’t sure until about fifteen minutes ago. I had to look up the symbolic meaning of why we exchange rings on that “special day” (call me a cynic, but I think is starting to lose its specialness). While the exact origin of exchanging wedding bands is unknown, the circle of a ring is supposed to represent eternity and wholeness, meaning that your own circle is being completed by committing yourself to your, “other half”. It seems kind of silly to me, actually, considering more than 50% of marriages end in divorce. If you’re putting a ring on your finger that is supposed to symbolize spending an eternity with someone, you would think it would have a little more of an impact and that marriages would less frequently end in divorce.
But with the games that my girlfriends and I play, it makes a lot of sense why they do. There’s tons of temptation in the world and as much as you love someone, cheating is prevalent. I believe that if you surveyed a lot of people, a statistically significant percentage of them would say that they either have cheated or have considered cheating on their partner. And I know this game goes both ways, tons of my guys friends look to score chicks with a ring on their finger.
It’s almost kind of sickening. Not that cheating is anything new, it’s been going on since the medieval times, but the fact that it’s become so ubiquitous in our society bothers me a little. It used to be this adulterous, scandalous thing that people used to try to hide, but now, in one day, I can see a guy treating his girlfriend to lunch and then meeting his wife for dinner after his girlfriend leaves…at the same restaurant.
While I believe that cheating is your own prerogative, it’s not something that I’ve ever personally considered doing. As someone whose been cheated on, it’s something I consider to be one of the most disrespectful things that anyone can ever experience. In fact, I’ve been in love with a guy for about five to six years, who’s been married for two of them and have never once considered trying to flirt or hook up with him since he’s been married.
Okay. That sounds so awfully pathetic, I know. I even think it’s pathetic. But believe me, I’ve tried for quite some time to get over it, but when you know who you’d prefer to be with, it’s hard to move on. I’ve dated other people and tried to forget about it, but I can’t. In my mind, he is who I belong with. As much as I’d love my fairytale ending, if it were to come true, someone else’s fairytale would be ruined. I’ve accepted that even though I’ll always have feelings for him, it’s not going to happen for us. I almost wonder that if I could actually have him, would I even want him anymore?
Sometimes I wonder if the whole wedding band game is about the chase. Some of my girlfriends will go after guys who are wearing them and guys I know go after girls wearing them. Is it thrilling to know that you might be able to get something you’re not supposed to have? My main goal when checking for a wedding band is to get an idea of whether a guy might be single before talking to him. If I see a wedding band, I’m not going to begin a cycle of disrespecting myself, him, or the person that he’s married to by even smiling or saying hello.
To me, marriage seems like an outdated tradition that needs some major modernization for today’s society. I developed this perspective when I was talking to one of my professors last year who told me that she had gotten married to a great guy, had a kid (she’s now pregnant with a second one) and that she was happy, but that she was more 100% sure that she wouldn’t be married to him forever. It bewildered me. She told me he was just her Mr. Right Now.
Why even bother getting married in the first place?
And so I’ve since developed my own idea that I will probably never be with one person forever. I’d love to, but I don’t think I can stand one person until I die. I will probably never have a fairytale romance where I will ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. I think it’s perfectly acceptable to not get married. I think it’s reasonable to cohabitate and reproduce with Mr. Right Now, if you want to. And when Mr. Right Now is no longer “in the now,” you can move on to the next Mr. Right Now, or Mr. Good Enough. I think that should be socially acceptable. But in this society, that just makes you a slut who doesn’t know how to properly use birth control.
I’d love to think that whomever I would marry would be trustworthy and loving, but the prevalence of adultery has come full-circle in society. The Tiger Woods scandal had every guy I knew calling Tiger, “The Man” because he was able to “bag” so many girls. It all sounds so cynical, but why should I waste my time hoping and praying for something that I don’t in believe is going to happen? And even if it does, there’s a pretty good chance that my fairytale marriage will end in divorce because some other girl was playing the wedding band game with her girlfriends and chose my husband to try to get with.
Copyright Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t © 2010
If you don’t know what the International Beauty Show (IBS) and the International Esthetics, Cosmetics and Spas Conference (IECSC) is, it’s a huge convention held at the Javits Center in New York City. (they also have them in Chicago and Las Vegas). This beauty show, specifically designed to expose salon owners, employees, makeup artists, students, and just about anyone in the beauty industry to literally hundreds of different vendors! Everything you can possibly imagine, from anti-cellulite wraps, to the newest methods in eyelash extensions, to different scissors for hair cutting, to a printer that prints designs on your manicure is under one roof. The exhibitor list is extensive, from brands that are tried and true and are sold both in your salons and department store counters, to those that have just been created and are brand new. Virtually anything a beauty junkie is looking for can be found at this event (although, I never did find a new pair of tweezers that I liked!) and it’s a great event for people who are trying to find the latest and greatest products to provide their customers with.
This was my first trip to IBS/IECSC! I had heard of it in the past, but never lived in New York City. My friend who is a makeup artist for Saks in Boston told me she was attending with her other makeup artist friend and that I should come. I applied for a press pass for this blog, and voila! I had access to the latest and greatest beauty inventions around and now I get to tell you about them!
I already wrote extensive articles on TheMakeupGirl (who I contribute to) about the Brazilian Blowout and Karma Organics nail polishes and removers, so there’s not much else to say, besides that they’re awesome! Go read about the Brazilian Blowout to find out what makes it different from permanent straightening and Keratin treatments here; and read about Karma Organics to find out why I believe it’s the latest and greatest nail polish to hit the market: here.
Besides those two brands, I also discovered some other amazing things that you need to keep an eye out for!
Photos of nails created by InstyleNails Printers
This company produces professional digital nail printers and supplies. You have no idea what I’m talking about right? Picture this: you get a manicure and you want a design on your nails, but it’s complicated and your manicurist doesn’t think they can do it, or it’s going to cost you a fortune; so, your manicurist takes you over to the InStyle Nail Printer, you go through the images (or use your own memory card with a picture on it that you’d like on your nails), choose one, put your finger in the machine, and 20 seconds later, there is a design printed on your nail. Yes, printed.
The printer uses the exact same HP ink that my desktop printer uses. Crazy, right? I had to try this machine. There is a special polish that is included when you buy the printer that must be applied over the original manicure in order for the printer ink to be absorbed onto the nail, but it’s appear clear like a regular top coat. I only had one nail done because I have natural nails (with natural nails only one can be printed at a time, but with artificial nails, 20 nails, or two pairs of hands, can be printed at the same time!)
The manicurist painted my nail gold and I chose a leopard print design with a red french tip. She applied the special coat to absorb the ink and stuck my finger into the machine. 20 seconds later, it looked like someone had spent 10 minutes painting a perfect red french tip, and leopard spots all over my nail. Needless to say, it was amazing.
The machine comes preloaded with over 1000 images, but you can upload virtually any image and have it resized to fit your nail (the girl in line before me took her memory card out of her camera and had her own picture put on her nail!!!) It also has a pre-attached “webcam” to take photos. At this time, the machine can only be purchased by licensed cosmetologists and costs about $2500, although I would imagine it pays for itself in one year’s worth of manicures. InStyle Nails is located in New York City. For more information on this new and exciting product, visit their website.
DivaDerme Lash Extender
DivaDerme is an up-and-coming cosmetics brand that I feel deserves some attention for a few great products that my girlfriends and I tested at IBS. DivaDerme is a “unique line of essential natural beauty products that combine nature, technology and ancient beauty secrets to create flawless lashes, brows, makeup and beauty radiant skin.” DivaDerme is created in Italy and has been around for over 30 years, but is just now becoming mainstream in salons here in the U.S.
DivaDerme Brow Extender
Look at the different between DivaDerme and regular mascara on Gia!
Dzi and Gia, the two girls I attended IBS/IECSC with tested out the DivaDerme Lash Extender and Brow Extender. The artist at the DivaDerme applied the Brow Extender first, which Dzi purchased in “Espresso”, since it made her eyebrows pop–it completely changed her face! Next both girls had the Lash Extender applied (I opted out because I had a ton of mascara on) which is a three-step process, first applied is a top coat, and then a coat of fibers (to help extend) and then a coat of mascara is applied! Both Dzi and Gia bought the lash extender, and you will see why with the difference in Gia’s two eyes! Applying the Lash Extender takes the same amount of time as applying a few coats of mascara…Gia had THREE coats on her left eye, and the three steps of DivaDerme on her right eye took her lashes to a new level!
DivaDerme Vacation in a Bottle
I tested out DivaDerme’sVacation in a Bottle, a semi-permanent self-tanner, that is all-natural, and dries in seconds. When I first applied the serum, which is in a spray bottle that you spray on a makeup sponge and then apply to your face, I was wary, since it looked as though I had used the wrong color cream foundation. I stupidly did not purchase it. A few hours later, the product set in and wore down and I had the best fake tan I had ever seen–not orange or streaky, but actually tan and bronzed looking!!! I ran back to IBS yesterday during my break from classes, and low and behold, all but one bottle of DivaDerme Mascara Diva had sold out and they were packing up the booth because they had nothing left to sell! I was so upset! I will definitely be ordering it online. I am serial hand-washer…I wash my hands at least 20 times a day and my hand is still tan 3 days later!
For more information on DivaDerme, visit their website.
A before and after photo of a women who used the instant breast lifts!
Bring It Up Breast Enhancement, another one of those, “Oh em gee, why didn’t someone think of this before?” products. It’s also one of those products no one wants to actually admit that they want to hear about, but they really do.
Bring It Up Breast Lifts
Dzi, Gia and I stood there in awe watching the video setup at the demo booth, as these babies did their magic. The Bring It Up Breast Lifts are sort of the most amazing thing for breasts that I’ve personally ever seen. It’s a piece of hypoallergenic tape that you tact to the bottom of your breast, and then you pull your breast up towards your neck, and tape it down when you feel your breasts are lifted enough. The tape is so clear that it blends right in with your skin. (The two women demoing had them on with low-cut tank tops and we couldn’t even see the tape!) The breast lifts come in packs of 8, and are disposable, in sizes A-D and plus-sized, for a DD or above.
Additionally, Bring it Up sells Smooth & Lift Nipple Covers, which are sticky and cover your nipples so that you can go braless! Besides having on the breast lifts, both women at the booth had these on as well (they showed us, TMI, I know). Had they not shown us, I never would’ve had any idea that they didn’t have bras on–AND they had no rolls of back fat from a too-tight bra! It was amazing. These breast lifts and nipple covers are great for anyone who needs a lift anywhere, including a bathing suit (they’re waterproof!) or wants to wear a low-cut dress braless, but not without coverage! The results are totally amazing.
Check out Bring It Up online to see a video of how the breast lifts work, for more information and to buy their products here.
Dzi testing out the amika Hot Pink Cheetah Styler! (I tried it too, my hair looked awesome!)
amika is a brand of stylers that range from blow dryers, to flat irons, to curling irons to styling products! Another product that I am terribly upset I didn’t purchase was the amika 1.5 inch Hot Pink Cheetah Ceramic Styler, which can be used to either straighten or curl hair! The amika ceramic styler uses infrared and negative-ion technology to help preserve moisture in the hair shaft, rather than drying it out, which damages hair, like most other flat irons. The amika styler features 100% ceramic plates, not just plates that are coated with ceramic. The far-infrared heat that this iron uses softens hair and seals the cuticle, making your hair glossy, manageable, and static and frizz-free. The amika styler comes in several colors and prints, I just adore the hot pink cheetah print!
amika Hair Products
amika also just began producing a new line of their own hair products (literally just came out, the press release they gave me says March 7th!). The line includes a serum, a hair masque, shine spray, oil, hydration cream and a curl defining cream. (they also have another line, Obliphica, who I received a deep conditioner sample from–I’ll let you know if it works!) All the products use Obliphica, which is better known as Sea Buckthorn Berry, an oil that helps to enrich and replenish dull, tired hair. I did put some of the Obliphica conditioner on my hands, and it soaked right into my skin with no sticky residue–a very good sign. Plus, look how adorable the packaging is!
To read more about amika hair stylers and products visit their website. Additionally, amika stylers can be purchased on Folica.
And that’s it for now. I met a few more vendors when I returned to IBS/IECSC yesterday who I still need to do a bit more research on before I give you the details! I hope you guys enjoyed reading about all these great new products!
xo, E
Copyright Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t © 2010
With the warmer weather this weekend, my brain is in “spring dressing” mode for sure! Bright colors, pastels, florals, lighter fabrics……and my favorite part…NO COATS!
I spent my Friday walking around in a long sleeve t-shirt, a light sweater, leggings and flats…it was only about 45 degrees then, but I loved every minute of it. (Most people were still cozy in their coats, but I had to break out) I hardly got to spend any of my Saturday outside, but today was absolutely gorgeous, and I want more 50+ degree weather!!
- “Lucky Shamrock” dress available at Lulu’s $53.00
When I think of spring, I think of parties; all I do in the spring and summer is go to parties and events–graduation parties, weddings, cocktail parties, garden parties, bar crawls in NYC…and my favorite weekend of parties…ACYOA Sports Weekend! (Which I buy…oh, I don’t know, 12 or so different dresses for every year, and then just choose what to wear once I get there.)
- Patent Mercer Flats available at Fred Flair $56.00
As you may have read in my last post, I already purchased a Theia gown for one of the Sports Weekend evening events and I can’t wait to go home and try it on!! (No pictures though, it must be a surprise!)
I can’t wait to buy more spring dresses, and I will show you some of my favorites for this year!
The first is an adorable dress from Lulu’s, the “Lucky Shamrock” dress, and is great for all your spring needs! Not only is perfect for St. Patty’s day, but it’s also extremely versatile in that it’s great as an Easter dress and a party dress. Dress it up or dress it down with funky jewelry and accessories.
I love this dress with these great Patent Mercer flats available at Fred Flair; they’re chic and comfortable, so you never have to worry about achy feet from those sky-high heels!
- Flutter Capsleeve Floral Dress at Forever 21 $24.80
- REPORT “Sawyer” Sandal at Nordstrom $59.95
This floral dress is great for a garden party or an outdoor graduation party! It’s cute and comfortable. P
air it with some flip-flops and party the night away! These
Report sandals from Nordstrom fit perfectly in “girly” theme of this dress, with a chic ruffle on the back!
- Rebecca Taylor ‘Pin Dot Runway’ Dress at Nordstrom $275.00
Loving this great, easy-to-wear dress from Rebecca Taylor for cocktails with friends or a night on the town. Pick your poison in a pair of chic flats, like these gold ones from Blowfish, available at ModCloth. Or try a pair of killer heels, like these Caryssa pumps at Steve Madden!
- Blowfish “Cut-a-Rug” Flats at ModCloth $34.9
- Caryssa pumps in “Blush” available at Steve Madden $99.95
Are you all excited for spring? I can’t wait to wear this stuff! More to come…..
xo, E
Copyright Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t © 2010
The snowfall on my street around 3pm 2/25..not so bad, right?
When the weather channel was telling me to “brace for the storm” about to hit NYC, they really meant it this time! I assumed the storm would be a big bust, since my classes yesterday weren’t even canceled! I opted out of going with the doctor’s note for my blistered-the-size-of-Belgium foot, and it was a good thing I did. By the time I would’ve gotten back to my apartment (around 5:30pm) the snow on the ground had turned to ice and the shuttle that loops from 125th St. station to my building was not making stops at my building because it was sliding down the hill on my street! I would’ve had to walk up the massive hill (a relatively minor hill to climb when it’s nice out, but a major trek when it’s wet or covered in snow and ice!) with my bum foot and I am ninety-nine percent sure that I would’ve fallen down and cried.
So instead of going to class I watched the falling snow and figured the storm would be a bust. Afterall, the Department of Sanitation refused to start plowing until at least two inches had fallen and by 1pm we didn’t even have an inch and a half. I worked on some stuff for CurrentHipHop, Twittered, watched TV, my usual day-off stuff. Boy was I wrong! By 5pm there was about half-a-foot on the ground (apparently the rate of snowfall had picked up just a little) and my soaking wet, angry roommates came bursting into my apartment pissed off that they had to walk all the way back from their class buildings and the subway. (I really don’t blame them for being angry, I’d be really pissed too!)
My street sign, illegible, covered in snow
While I was doing work around 10pm, News4NY reported that the wind this storm was generating was equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane! Hence, “Snurricane” (It became a trending topic in New York City on Twitter sometime yesterday and has remained on there for most of the day today!) Umm…I won’t be leaving the house i
n that, thank-you-very-much!!! By 3am, when I finally went to bed last night, we had gotten even more snow. When I got up this morning, the totals were tallied at 14 inches in the Bronx, 18 in Staten Island and 16.9 inches in Central Park. Around 3:30pm today, the total in Manhattan came to 20 inches and for the time-being, the snowfall has ceased. I feel like a meteorologist right now, so I’m going to stop talking about the snow for five seconds.
Buried cars on my block
The point of all this snow-talk is that this was the real Snowpocalypse compared to that little pansy storm we had a couple weeks ago. (I mean, I guess it was no “pansy” for D.C. and the surrounding area, but it barely hit us here in the city) The last time I left my apartment was Wednesday….I think? I’m not even sure if I left here on Wednesday, which means the last time I was outside of these four walls was Tuesday evening–when I was at school! Eeek! Talk about being cooped up!
Somehow, I’ve managed to stay slightly productive, but I’m mostly been a huge bum, sipping on big mugs of hot chocolate and eating soup. 
The last time I ventured downstairs was to do laundry Wednesday evening, which was exciting as usual. (The first time I tried to do laundry, I could not for the life of me figure out how to use my little swipe card to get the cycle to start! Instead of quarters, we load money on swipe cards and use those in the machines and I read the directions of the machine wrong about ten times before I finally figured it out!) I forgot to check if there were available washers and dryers online before I went down and of course, almost all of them were in use! I staked out the laundry room waiting for someone’s stuff to finish and waited about 45 seconds before taking it out and replacing it with my own stuff. She came down, saw that I put all her stuff on top of the washer and she got pissed! Listen, babe, I did you a favor because now you don’t have to bend over and take all your sh!t out. Did you really think I enjoyed touching your sparkly thong or your Christmas-themed one (which, by the way, was almost 3 months ago, in case you didn’t get the memo) or your boyfriends nasty Yankees boxer-briefs? I didn’t. (Especially because I have a strong dislike for the Yankees. I know, I’m in the wrong city, but I love NYC, so I can get over it.) I think my own dirty laundry is gross as it as (weird phobia) so I definitely don’t want to touch yours!
I eventually finished my laundry at 1am…Thursday morning.
Tree branch outside my window
Yesterday I never even left my apartment itself. I haven’t gone downstairs to check mail or socialize–nada! It may partially be because my wardrobe for the last few days has consisted of leggings and giant collegiate John Jay t-shirts and/or sweatshirts, I couldn’t walk and I’ve been far too lazy to bother putting on makeup. I mean, for who, really? Instead of actually going into the outside world, I’ve been connecting with it via Skype, Twitter, Facebook, AIM, and my Blackberry (on which I got over 70 emails, 15 phone calls, 25 text messages and several of BBMs…today alone.) I was in a particularly crummy mood yesterday for some reason and everything was very bothersome to me, so it was probably just as well that I stayed in my room!
I’m hoping tomorrow I’m going to venture outside. I’m hoping to meet a friend for breakfast (if they plow because she wants to drive into the city…I told her to take mass-transit and she told me she’s scared of it!) Then my friend and her boyfriend are coming for the whole weekend, so I will hopefully meet up with them and then two of my best friends from home are coming tomorrow night! I have to meet them at Grand Central, so if I don’t go anywhere else, at least I’ll slap on my rainboots and go there. I am so excited to see all of them!!
Embellished Black Evening Dress from Theia $895.00 at eDressMe
Theia Long, One Shoulder Lamé Gown with Brooch $795.00 at Bloomingdales
Oh, I totally forgot the best thing about this whole day, productivity-wise, of course! Every May, I go to this Armenian event called ACYOA Sports Weekend (some of you who read this may have heard of it) and it takes place over the course of Memorial Day weekend. At night there are always dances and events (Saturday and Sunday) and I got my first dress for the Saturday night event, being held at the State Room in Boston, MA. I cannot wait for it to come!!!! I’d post a picture, but since I know some of my Armenian friends are going to read this, I can’t ruin the surprise just yet. I’ll just say that it’s a gorgeous, floor-sweeping, navy blue Theia gown! It’s very glamorous! I almost always wear cocktail dresses to these things and I never get the opportunity to wear gowns, but the State Room is so nice. I figured if I can wear a gown anywhere, I’ll wear it there!
I’ve included some pictures of current Theia gowns so you can see their design aesthetic–they are beautiful! (Mine is not among these.)
Best part of being home: having time to online shop!
Well, that’s all for now! Hopefully I’ll have more interesting things to tell you after the Snurricane is over.
xo, E
Copyright Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t © 2010
Young MC...bustin a move
You wanted it, and now you got it.
(Remember that song, ‘If you want it, then you got it, if you want baaaaaaby you got it….just bust a move!’ Oh MC…I miss you.)
Well, several of you inquired, via Facebook, WordPress comments, Twitter and email, you wanna see this nasty blister I got. Frankly, I think feet are disgusting in general, so it was very difficult for me to even take the picture without being grossed out. But I had to please my readers!
Me, bustin' an old cheerleading move so you can see the "Blister the Size of Belgium"
Well, there you have it. It has shrunken ever-so-slightly since I took this picture last night before bed (circa 1am) but it still hurts like a BAMF. (Apologies for the hair in my face, stupid face I’m making and lack of makeup, it was bedtime. I know I look like a 12-year-old boy.)
I skipped out on school today because I didn’t want to wear any of my shoes in the blizzard or walk. (The only slightly comfortable shoes I have are my UGGs, but it’s still hard to walk even with the thing all bandaged up!) I had to send my professors emails detailing that I have a “foot injury” and am not coming to class in the blizzard, but will be more than happy to provide them with a doctor’s note. (That I myself will have to doctor, since it’s from Tuesday–thank God for scanner/printer/copiers and Photoshop!)
Needless to say, I’m parking my booty for a few days, since this foot clearly doesn’t need anymore action.
Unfortunately, I have a whole bunch of friends coming this weekend, that I’m going to have to walk around with and go out with. Once again, I’ll be the only girl in UGGs at the bar, sadly, but, oh well. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so excited my friends are coming, I’m just saying it’s unfortunate because of my foot.
Well, that’s it. I went to the E.R. for that. 2 hours of wasted time for a giant blister. I hope it’s everything you hoped it would be.
xo, E
Copyright Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t © 2010
I envisioned that my move here would be sort of just like my life before, except: a little more walking, a lot more to do, a lot more people, and a lot more mass transit; but it’s slightly different from I thought.
Maybelline "The Colossal" Waterproof Mascara
Every rainstorm in NYC is like a monsoon, I should’ve remembered this from a few months ago when I met my best friend Nicole for her 21st birthday and stood in Bryant Pond getting soaked by the mini-hurricane that was occurring. The buildings create miniature wind tunnels and once it starts raining, it’s all over. I’ve learned that my hair is gonna get whipped in my face, so I throw it in a ponytail and don’t even bother putting on makeup, unless it’s waterproof mascara (which btw, I’ve smudged in a mini-monsoon). Since then, I’ve learned to never leave home without my umbrella, and if rain and/or snow are in the forecast, to slap on my rainboots. I haven’t, however, quite figured out how to juggle my Iced Venti, Sugar-Free Vanilla, Non-Fat, Caramel Machiatto, my books, my handbag and my umbrella. Something I’ve seen most NY ladies do with ease and poise. It’ll come to me…I just need practice!
Another thing I didn’t prepare was an injury, and I walk EVERYWHERE. It’s five short blocks to the subway from my apartment, and two long blocks from the subway to my school, not to mention walking between buildings, walking to get food, walking to get groceries, standing in line at Whole Foods…etc, etc. (Doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re in pain, it’s long.) So when my foot started to bother me a few days ago, like it has in the past, I ignored it and kept walking on it. I rocked those four-inch heels all over NYC like it was my job.
Not the best decision I’ve ever made.
After a short trip to Trader Joes yesterday, I discovered that my foot was really bothering me. I was walking through Union Square station on the side of my foot and limping. It hurt much more than it did when I broke my toe a couple months ago. When I tried to stretch it out, it felt like something was going to snap, so naturally, I got nervous– these feet take me everywhere, let alone the fact that I’m a dancer!! After hobbling around the city to my first two classes this morning, I hobbled on over to Roosevelt’s ER to get looked at.
(Warning: this next part might gross you out if you’re sensitive, so you might just wanna scroll past it a little if you don’t like feet or have a weak stomach!)
It came with great surprise when I took my sock off and the nurse looked at my foot and asked me if I had a callous. I looked at it and there was a giant white bubble on the ball of my foot. There was no way I had a callus. I’ve had callouses, I’ve had broken nails, I’ve had bloody nails from toe shoes, I’ve had a broken toe and I’ve broken my ankle…there was no way this was any of those. It hurt way too much.
I was Googling foot anatomy last night (yes, sorry Professor Lerner, I forgot almost everything you taught me last semester except for the body cavities and the brain anatomy) and was more than convinced I needed an MRI. A CT was just not gonna be detailed enough. It was either my peroneus brevis tendon or my peroneus tetius tendon. Mmhmm. OR it was my extensor digitorum brevis muscle. That was it. I just needed confirmation.
Foot anatomy that I used to self-diagnose...
So you probably want to know what it was right?
A freaking BLISTER. It was a blister the size of Belgium!!!! A giant, obnoxious blister, forcing me to hobble around New York City like an invalid. I mean, really?
Thanks to those 4-inch heels, I have two weeks of hell-to-pay. Getting a blister on the ball of your foot is one of the hardest blisters to heal, you walk on it constantly!
So another lesson learned: while you might think that everyone in NYC is wearing cute shoes, it is not worth getting a blister over. Because of my need to be fashionable, I’ll now be stuck in UGGs at the bar this weekend.
What else have I learned? It’s okay to spend $111 on dinner with your best friend every now and then (since I’ve been eating frozen dinners and mac and cheese out of a box for a month and a half) It’s okay to not go out on Friday nights. And not doing anything all day and staying in your pajamas, is totally socially acceptable.
While you all are out walking around having a grand time this weekend, think of me. I’ll be the girl in her pajamas watching Lifetime movies, icing my foot and eating a box of chocolates. 
xo, E
Copyright Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t © 2010
Between yesterday and today, I’ve realized the hilarity of immaturity in more forms than one.
That's Embarrassing!
Besides annoying couples being grossly all over each other yesterday (I know, it’s Valentine’s Day, but get a room please), harassing text messages I received from a Pottstown, PA phone number (I have a hunch who you are), making amends with an old friend (yay!) and a rude, immature comment left on my blog today under the name “dumb, [email protected]” (I know you were in the Clemson computer lab) I have realized how much I’ve personally grown up in the last few years.
I used to be that bimbo who’d make-out with her boyfriend anywhere (manners, hello?), swear in front of small children, get in text message fights with my friends (who I then wouldn’t speak to for 2 years) and get mad when someone would say or write something mean about me. I even got in a fight with a cousin in high school who I used to be attached at the hip with. I haven’t talked to her since junior year.
Now, I like to think that I’ve grown up a bit.
Feel free to criticize away, I’m writing this blog for me and not for anyone else. I wrote on my front page that constructive criticism is welcome here. This is my place to hone my writing skills (for future employers) and it’s my personal diary to “let it all out.” However, if you’re going to leave an immature, nasty comment on this blog, at least have the balls to leave your name on it.
A McQueen bridal campaign
The best part of this blog is that I have hundreds of views a day and my Twitter followers telling me how much they love to read about my adventures and stories and “life goals.” They enjoy reading about how I was snowed into my apartment upset over Alexander McQueen’s death and distraught over President Clinton’s hospitalization. But they are also aware that I do not believe the world is ending. (Although, I watched Jesse Ventura’s Conspiracy Theory yesterday and it was all about how the government and the wealthy are building secret underground bunkers for the end of the world in 2012, and I’m starting to become slightly concerned) They feel like they know me, because yes, I go to school for a “real-life” job, but I still have goals and dreams that are on my proverbial back-burner.
It used to really bother me if someone told me my nose was big, that I was ugly, fat or stupid. I used to cry about not being a size 2 or wishing I didn’t have a bump in my nose because I ran into my bedroom door when I was three. Now, I either laugh it off or roll my eyes at it. I take that sh!t with a grain of salt, babe. Last night, I did just that, when I got ridiculous text messages asking me to “guess who” the person texting me was and refused to tell me who he/she were. Not a fun game unless you’re fifteen. If you’re not in my Blackberry, it’s obviously for a good reason, so I stopped answering him/her and he/she stopped texting me. Or today, for example, when I got a comment telling me I’m a “f*cktard” who needs to “get out and see the world.”
What the hell do you think I’m doing living in New York City if I’m not out seeing the world? If I didn’t want to see the world and I just wanted to sit in my room and write this little blog and pretend that people care about it, I’d be sitting in my bedroom in Massachusetts still commuting to community college and going to my same boring job that I hated every day for the rest of my God-given life.
If you don’t like what I write here, you are under NO circumstances required to read it. You are free to leave here at any time.
Ro & I, two years ago at a party
So anyways, my point is that despite all this BS that has been going on for the last two days, I somehow managed to reconcile a friendship with someone I got in a fight with over two years ago when we were stupid immature kids. We got in a fight because our other “friends” were influencing us. It took us awhile to grow up, realize we were both wrong and that there were other factors that were surrounding us that were not conducive to our friendship back then. We’ve both put the past in the past, learned from our mistakes and are planning on having lunch together in a few weeks. Out of all the people I knew back then, I always hoped that she and I could be friends again someday (This sounds so Heidi Montag wanting to be friends with Lauren Conrad of me, but it’s true!) I honestly couldn’t be more excited to see her! (And I know she’s going to read this 
)
Part of us deciding to start our friendship from scratch made me realize how much I’ve grown up. I used to be told how “mature” I was back then by so many people, but really, I was just an idiot like anyone else is at eighteen years old. I got in fights with my friends over boys (something you should never let come between you and true friend), I got in fights with my friends over other friends and I cried because the guy I was in love with was married (true story). See! Now, how stupid does that sound?
If I were still that immature girl I used to be, I would’ve broadcasted my textiphile’s number to all of Facebook to find out who the loser was that was texting me last night, but instead, I asked three people if they knew whose number it was. None of them knew, so it was over. When I got that comment today, I could have left it up and responded nastily to the person for the whole world to see, but instead, I quietly deleted it and laughed it off. It’s not worth my time giving you the satisfaction of thinking you upset me, because you didn’t. I think you’re immature. If you’re here writing nasty things on my blog thinking you’re going to step on my so-called “dreams,” and hurt my delicate feelings, then you’re the one who needs to get out and see something in the world–like a therapist, for starters.
A couple The Flanagans, hang-gliding over Rio de Janiero..read their blog by clicking on this picture!
What would’ve been even more mature of me, would’ve been to leave the whole situation alone and pretend it never happened, but I think it’s funny how some people just don’t have manners. Internet etiquette is long gone, and whoever “Dumb, [email protected]” is will probably read this and write another comment that I will delete about how immature and idiotic I actually am on this post. We think the internet can shield us from being hurt and that we can throw our mean words at others without consequence, but hey, you left your IP address behind honey and I know where you live. Literally.
Are you fighting with your best girlfriend? Get over it!
Reflect on how you’ve changed the last few years of your life. Is there something really stupid you used to do that you wouldn’t do now? Congrats! You’ve matured. It’s a process of life that most people go through, but sadly, some people don’t. Think about your life now and who you want to be in the future and the next time you want to get the last word in just let it go. If there’s something you want to do, don’t just sit around and wait for it to happen, get out there and do it. If you want to be the next Britney Spears, I would encourage you to make an appointment at your local recording studio, sing your little heart out and annoy people until they give you a record deal. If you want to travel to the Argentina and hang-glide through the rainforest past the chimpanzees, book your trip already. If there’s a friend you haven’t talked to in five years because she stole your boyfriend but you know she’s destined to be an amazing bridesmaid in your wedding and an “auntie” to your future children, dear Lord, makeup with her already!
Love. Laugh and most of all, Live. You only get one life (at least, that’s what I believe) so you should make it worthwhile.
Copyright Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t © 2010
