Seeing Spots
More than a moment, I’m having a full-on leopard Fall. It kinda needs to stop. Sure- there’s a gold cross-body J. Crew number, a scant smattering of polka dots, and a burgeoning collection of return-to-the-80s stud earbobs. But really- it’s borderline Chico’s here, people.
Except there’s nothing even remotely Chico’s about Emerson Fry’s new Wing Tip leopard coat.
The CCD Beauty Bag
Every bride we know (and if we’re being honest, every woman we know) is constantly on the hunt for miracle-worker beauty products.
And in turn, every woman we know has at least one standby serum, powder, foundation, gel or device that they use every single day of their life. These products have nothing to do with hype. Some items might have launched ten, even twenty years ago, but the bottom line is they WORK.
Which is exactly why we wanted to share our favorites, starting with the holy grail of beautydom: hair products. We’ll keep posting about other things too, like oh say, great perfumes, foundations, and on and on. But today we leave you with have-to-have hair products.
So here goes:
From my beauty bag: the Speed Freak by Rusk (trust the black one only)
This is by far the most powerful hair dryer on the planet. If I wake up with the worst hair in America, it rights all wrongs by the time I hit the off button. No cowlicks, no weird curls (my hair tends to curl), just blunt ends and shine and volume. So much so that Caitlin Sullivan here at CCD won’t leave the house without her Speed Freak either!
{Ulta}
From Caitlin’s beauty bag: the Chi Original Ceramic Flat-Iron (trust the black one with the gold interior only)
“Not all flat-irons are created equal. Here’s what’s so great about this guy: it works for heavy-duty straightening on super-curly hair and delicate straightening on bangs and fine hair, too. Most straighteners are either too big or too small to do all the jobs required in the hair-flattening world, you know? It’s the “just-right” hair straightener for sure. And it makes locks super shiny!”
{Chi}
From Haskell’s beauty bag: Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
“All my life I’ve tried to make my hair look thicker. This has always been a losing battle an hour after I made an attempt at volume. Until (and I realize I sound like a Christie Brinkley infomercial) I found out about the Oribe Texturing Spray. It is basically dry shampoo that doesn’t leave any sort of residue, lifts roots, creates shine, and dries up any sort of volume-busting situation you might have going on by the end of the day. Oh yeah, and it smells soooo good! I use it in the morning and it lasts all day.”
{Oribe}
Also of note: Caitlin and Haskell were mesmerized by the gourmet hair-ties I was sporting at our event last weekend in Savannah. They’re called Emi-Jay hair ties and their claim to fame is that they don’t leave bumps in your hair if you need to put it up quickly and then wear it down later. Get ya some!
{Emi-Jay}
Okay, now for the real question: what’s the one beauty product you absolutely can’t live without???
Spring Runway Looks
A few weeks back I had the pleasure of meeting Lindsey Nowak from Madison Row here in Charleston. Not surprisingly, I picked her brain for the best runway trends for spring. She’s an expert on the subject, so definitely take notes!
Here are a few of Lindsey’s favorite aesthetics for S/S 2012:
Trend #1: COLOR
“This season we are seeing more blush tones in dresses,” Nowak says. “Designed for more of a runway look, brides are surprisingly ordering these dresses in the blush color the big day. The blush undertones create a strong contrast with the hand embellishment or lace detailing on a dress. Candy by Monique Lhuillier is an embroidered illusion tulle in the blush color. We love the way the detailing is shown in this gown.”
Trend #2: UNCONVENTIONAL NECKLINES
“Refreshingly, we saw a variety of necklines on gowns come down the runway for Spring 2012,” Nowak reports. “We have also seen a jump in brides requesting non-strapless gowns. This gown, by Romona Keveza Legends is the perfect combination for a bride who wants something a little different but is not into a plunging v-neck or cap sleeves. This re-embroidered alencon lace trumpet gown is designed with an asymmetrical neckline overlay. We love it!”
Trend #3: THE BALLGOWN IS BACK
Says Nowak: “We have started to see a trend where girls are going back to more formal, long bridesmaids dresses, tuxedos and ballgowns. I have always been a fan of the mantra “go big or go home”, and this season did not disappoint. We saw gowns with tulle feathers, ruffles, and floral details—all on huge skirts. The trick to wearing a ballgown is to make sure you can wear it throughout the night or get a short dress to change into for the reception. Vera Wang’s ballgown is French tulle and lace with a horsehair bow detail on the waist line. Talk about drama!
