Shopping alert!

If you live in the world of online fashion as a bargain huntress (such as myself) then you’ve probably heard the buzz surrounding theOutnet.com.  If you don’t enjoy the thrill of shopping designer pieces for a percentage of its original cost, then you can stop reading right here.  The newest addition to my favorite online shopping sites, not set to come out until the weekend, launched last night around 3 a.m.  It was the sort of joy you experience when walking into a room full of your friends who magnificently pulled off planning you a surprise party; now, just imagine those friends are Chloe, Derek Lam, and (my best friend!) Christian Louboutin.  Ok, seriously people, why are you still reading this?  It’s not everyday fate steps in and hands us such sweet deals… 

Entre nous, just one more reason i love the French.

Most American women would agree that those Frenchies have something going on.  That certain je ne sais quoi they posses is what women all over the world work tirelessly to achieve.  However, some of their best style advice takes no money and minimal effort, and that is to embrace character flaws.  

The April issue of French Elle features eight female European celebrities--including Eva Herzigova, Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, and Charlotte Rampling--all without makeup and all entirely without Photoshopping or retouching of any kind. (Wow!) The mag's headline "Stars Sans Fards" translates to “without rouge/makeup,” but it's a French saying that also suggests a sense of  “openness.”

Of course we've all seen tabloid magazines with headlines such as, "Stars caught without makeup, Yikes!"  The most unflattering pictures are used to scrutinize celebrities, tearing them down to make us non-celebrities feel better about themselves.  (I'm suddenly back in junior high!)  What makes this pictorial so special is that it seems to embrace the organic beauty of these already stunning women.  How refreshing would it be to see the celebs we love in the States, as they are?  Not to criticize them, but to showcase the real beauty of these women.  Women's magazines are constantly telling readers how to bring out and embrace their natural beauty, then put overly airbrushed models on their cover.  Seems a little counterintuitive, if you ask me. There's no doubt these women are beautiful (airbrushed or not), so let's take a cue from our European neighbors and practice what we preach.  Go ahead, and put real women on the covers as they are, flaws and all.  

Save on star style!

Drew looked gorgeously modern while promoting her latest film in a striped Narciso Rodriguez dress. Shop the look without that hefty designer price tag at lulus.com to look equally stunning on your next night out.  A comfortable fitting dress sure to attract attention. 

get your leather, leather, leather on.

I love the look of leather, but my soft side keeps me from splurging on the real deal. Here is an adorable cropped (faux!) leather jacket that would add just a touch of tough to some of springs ultra feminine, floral prints. And don't worry about digging too deep into your pocket for this little baby, it's on sale at urbanoutfitters.com for less than $50!
...your welcome, Happy Easter!

cute piece of the day.

Once again, Lulus.com does not disappoint! Cute wrap around rounded skirt is navy with white pinstripes on one side with a peek of white on the underside. Skirt is pleated three times in front, twice in back. All you need to complete this look is a basic tank, and some knock-out drop earrings.

twitter, twitter, chirp, chirp.

Follow my twats on twitter at http://twitter.com/meehanulove.

That's right people, I drank the punch.

Red lipstick , I adore thee.

Ok, let me just start by letting you know this will not be another "My Quest for the PERFECT Red Lipstick" piece.  I'm going to give it to you straight.  Red lipstick, albeit a classic, is hard to pull off if you don't have the right shade in hand.  New advances in makeup and easy access to how-to articles to help you have made it easier, but with so many shades of red to choose from this process can be overwhelming.  The best advice I can offer you in your search is to take notes from beauty experts as to which shades should look best on you then go out girl, and try them all!  Until you see it on your lips, you'll never know which ones will bring your face to life and which ones make you resemble Bozo the Clown's cousin. 

April 2, day one:

Went to Benefit to get my once a month brow clean up (side note: Tracy at the Santa Monica location really rocks it out).  After we were finished, she shooed me to the make-up counter to receive my post-wax treat--some acne blast and cooling gel. While waiting, I eyed a pretty little shade called "Flirt alert."  There was only one other shade of red, "Frenched."  Taking what I know about blue-based and orange-based reds, Frenched appeared to be the more complimentary color to my cool skin tone.  However, as the saying goes: "Looks can be deceiving."  

The nice enough sales lady applied 'Frenched' to my pucker, and with one glance at the hue in the mirror it dawned on me that should I wear this out I might never be frenched again.  It looked more like a pink desperately trying to be a red, but just wasn't quite there.  Fortunately, Benefit hires honest people whose sole purpose is not just to make a sale but also send women off with products that actual compliment appearances.  With one red shade eliminated, I decided why not give the other one a go?  With as much grace that can be mustered when removing red from ones lips, I cleared the palette with my optimism in tact.  After the second shade was carefully applied, I peeked in the mirror and wasn't completely horrified.  This orange-based hue gave me the fifties pin-up girl look I had been looking for, but until I try out a few more I decided to put this purchase on hold.  

"Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin.  That, or a kick-ass red lipstick."    -Gwyneth Paltrow