'Women dress alike all over the world: they dress to be annoying to other women'

xoxo Elina

Happy Halloween!!!

Hey Glamazons! We just wanted to wish all of you a happy (and safe!) Halloween.

We love Halloween because it gives us the opportunity to get creative and dress up in outfits that we might not normally wear on a normal basis. Plus, Ferocia finally gets to use all that makeup that she has (yesssss!) I mean, just look at this pic of us from last year hahahaha!

Feel free to send us TwitPics or post photos on our FaceBook wall showcasing your Halloween costumes!

xoxo

The Glamazons

Ferocia's New Tool In The Battle Against Pesky Aging Things Like Crow's Feet (ewww!)

I’ve got a new secret skincare weapon that I’ve just got to share with you! (Because it would be super selfish of me NOT to tell you all about it and the fact that I’ve been using it non-stop since I was given the priviledge to receive it a couple of weeks ago at an event.)

So, without further ado, let me tell you all about the Clarisonic Opal. I’m sure that you’ve heard all about the actual Clarisonic for your face, right?

Well, just in case you may be saying “I don’t know what that is” while reading this, I guess it would only be fair for me to tell you all about it. The Cliff’s Notes version is that it it’s an awesome little face tool that utilizes gentle micro-massage action to gently cleanse skin so that you can better absorb facial products. In fact, there are all these fab clinical notes that have been published stating that you can remove six times the amount of makeup than you would with manual cleansing, reduce pore size, fine line and wrinkles while improving skin tone. Now, who doesn’t want this?!

So, after its wildly popular success, its great inventors came up with the Clarisonic Mia (a smaller, cuter version which I also scrub my face with religiously) and then TA-DA the Clarisonic Opal.

Us bloggers were treated to a little test preview at The Spa in the Trump SoHo tower. (Side note: Um, I was made to live in this building! It just exudes sexy swankness and I’m determined to one day have a penthouse suite there. Yeah, I said. Me. Stranger things have happened, right?! Hahahaha.)

I’m not sure of it you know it or not, but I’m obsessed with these crow’s feet that are starting to visibly creep onto my face (ewww!). So, I’ve been on a rampage to try and get rid of them. And now, dear Glamazons, I’ve finally found the tool that has done just so! This Opal is amazing in that it has the same vibrating, massaging technique as the Clarisonic except its used around your eyes. You know how they say you’re supposed to “gently pat” eye cream around the eye area lightly but don’t you ever wonder if you’re patting enough times or if you’re even doing it gently enough?! (I know I do!) The Opal takes all the guesswork out of this whole eye cream application business so you know that it’s getting done right and efficiently. And when things get done right and efficiently around your eye area, well, those pesky little crow’s feet just start to disappear over time like magic. And this Opal is so light and portable that you can take it everywhere with you!

Ah, I just love a skin miracle, don’t you!?

I know, I know the Opal is expensive ($245!) but believe me when I say that it’s totally worth the investment; and your face will thank you later. Also, if you can’t imagine being able to afford the actual Clarisonic, you can totally do its mini-me (the Mia) for $149.

You can feel good about your Mia purchase, too if you get the pink one since the brand is donating money to the national public service Look Good…Feel Better. This organization helps women with cancers manage their treatment and recovery with renewed spirit and greater confidence.

Both the Opal and Mia are available for purchase exclusively at Clarisonic.com and Sephora.com.

I’m telling you, after just one month with these products you’ll have the most lovely glowingest skin ever. Happy massaging!

Ferocia

Nigel Barker's Eternally Beautiful Face (Oh, And He Has A New Book Out, Too)

Nigel Barker really does have a beautiful face, Glamazons. And can you believe that my fellow blogging buddy Glambr grilled him about his skincare regime to no end and he doesn’t even really have one?! (Just drinks a lot of water..talk about some good genes!) That's him above..signing one of his new books for me. Isn't this an amazing pic?! Don't you love my Michelle Obama hair?! But (per usual), I’m getting ahead of myself..let me rewind back to the beginning.

One particularly stressful morning as I was wondering how the heck I was going to pay my rent for the month, I made my way down to SoHo to hear what Nigel Barker had to say about his new book, Beauty Equation. It was kind of strange that it was at Citibabes, which is basically like a daycare center for really rich parents, but whatever. Who am I to question event spaces? Needless to say, it turned out that having the background noise of screaming children while attempting to listen to this great man talk about his new book was not a particularly awesome experience so there wasn’t much that I got from the presentation.

However, lucky for me and my addiction to E! Television that I caught him the night before during a segment giving some pretty awesome style and red carpet tips.

Side note: You know how sometimes you take a pic and it looks like you have a third chin? Well, he said on the E! segment that you can avoid this by tilting your head back and then bringing it slowly forward right before taking a photo. No more turkey neck..genius!

While he did give some interesting background about himself (it seems like the man is head over heels in love with his wife) all I could think about was the fact that he is just as gorgeous as he looks on TV (if not better). I also thought that what a breathtakingly beautiful child we could have together.

But, all that is beside the point. The point is that his book is not as pretentious as one would think (considering that his main gig is to judge young girls on America's Next Top Model) and that I think that you should check it out. It also just happens to feature pictures of several editors that I know or have worked in the past with so it makes it that much more cooler in my book. (We all know that it would have been even more amazing if I’d have been featured in it as well, but that’s ok. I have high hopes and dreams that we’ll one be working together in some form of fabulous capacity.)

And how awesome is that he signed my book “To the most beautiful woman in the world?!” Yes, Glamazons, true story. (See below)

Beauty Equation retails for about $15 and is available now for purchase at a major bookstore near you (think Barnes & Noble). Be sure to let me know what you think of it after you check it out!

Ferocia

Ferocia's Two Cents On The Marie-Claire-Obese-People-Debacle

Hey Glamazons! OK, OK I know that I’m super late and just about everyone and their mom has said something about it already, but this whole Marie Claire blog post debacle has been on my mind for awhile now. And I totally have a blog (obvs!) so why not post my two cents about it, right?!

So, just in case you’re behind in the news, this blogger Maura Kelly that writes about Sex and Relationships for MarieClaire.com took to the net to air her opinions on fat people displaying public affection for each other. (Click here to read it.)

I’ve never actually watched the show she discusses (CBS sitcom Mike & Molly), but supposedly it's getting flack for the loads of “fat jokes” that are told on it as well as the fact that some viewers “aren’t comfortable watching intimacy between two plus-sized actors.”

In a nutshell, I think Maura's entire blog post was pretty insensitive, but the part that disturbs me the most was not that she voiced the fact of being grossed out at the idea of watching fat people make out but this:

“I think obesity is something that most people have a ton of control over. It’s something they can change, if only they put their minds to it.”

And then goes on to offer diet advice.

WTF?!

Excuse me, Miss Kelly it’s OK to voice your opinion, but don’t presume to try and tell others how they should live (or lead) their lives.

I’m not an obese person, but I do have some friends and family members that are and never in life would I ever try to tell them how to lose weight when I myself would probably be the same if I didn’t have a high metabolism. (Yes, I have a seriously sad love affair with foods that aren’t always the best for me and working out is not exactly at the top of my to-do list.)

Ewwww......

However, it does make my stomach turn to watch an obese person eat so would that be the same thing as her saying that she can’t stand the idea of them making out on public television? Is it insensitive for me to also say that I get angry when a fat person sits next to me on the train and hogs up all the space?

Yes, it probably is. But never in a million years would I ever judge anyone for being obese or even super skinny for that matter. It’s your life and you have to live it for yourself and no one else.

So, essentially, I don’t think that there’s harm in Maura actually voicing her opinion about what she views as being attractive (obese people obviously not being one of her top faves) but more so in the fact that she’s writing about (and passing judgment on) a whole topic that she knows nothing about.

Also, the fact that she’s writing on behalf of a women’s magazine that’s supposed to love all women (no matter what the size) makes it even worse. (Side note: It also doesn’t help that they currently have one of the skinniest women in America (i.e. Victoria Beckham) on their November 2010 cover.)

Although she’s since written an apology addendum to the blog post and added that she herself has struggled with anorexia, the damage has been done. Thousands of people have taken to the cyberworld to voice their opinions through MarieClaire’s Face Book and Twitter pages announcing that they’ve cancelled their subscriptions. I’m also pretty sure that Maura will never be able to show her face in the cyberworld again without receiving some sort of hate mail attached.

But, I want to know what you think about all this, Glamazons. Do you agree with me above when I say that it’s meaner that Maura passed judgment on obese people rather than the fact that she states that seeing them make out in public disgusts her? Am I wrong to say the things that I said above about fat people? Does anyone out there actually agree with what Maura writes?! Let’s talk about it below in the comments section.

Ferocia

Lanvin for H&M - New Images!

Lanvin for H&M continues to tease us by slowly releasing photos to build up hype for the launch. Cruel, right?

The second image of the collection has hit the internet via Vogue UK. Where the first teaser showed black satin jackets and dresses with balloon necklines and rosettes, the second image is conversely vibrant and color-happy.

Feminine flourishes like florals and ruffles define these pieces that are stylishly mixed with leopard print pumps and clutches. Tres chic!

I'm partial to the satin black numbers, but the collection as a whole still seems fabulous. What do you think about the second image?

In their campaign to get us all excited for the launch, the good folks at Lanvin for H&M are planning a runway show and a short film directed by Mike Figgis (Leaving Las Vegas). Umm, can I just shop the clothes already? Thanks...

Are you excited for the launch?

Kisses,

Coutura

Temporarily on Hold – Reinventing

will be back soon....

Kanye West "Runaway" Full-Length Version

Kanye West finally debuted his 35-minute film, "Runaway" on television today simultaneously on MTV, MTV2 and BET.

In my opinion, the film, directed by Kanye and written by Hype Williams, is completely brilliant! It's a dark, poignant, otherworldly, passionate love story between Kanye (Griffon) and Selita Ebanks (The Phoenix).

It's pleasing both sonically and visually. Artistically, it pushes the envelope. Kanye fuses different types of music and art, including my favorite scene which incorporates classic ballet and modern African dance. And the music featured is primarily from Kanye's upcoming album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" which I'm so excited about!

It's wrought with symbolism from the Michael Jackson tribute scene (which Kanye says represents our "cult"-like obsession with pop culture) to the "Last Supper" scene where black guests are catered to by white servants and Selita is attacked for being "different" (a guest asks "Do you know your girlfriend's a bird?).

Kanye interpreted the love story between him and Selita for New York Magazine: "It's the story of a phoenix fallen to Earth and I make her my girlfriend, and people discriminate against her and eventually she has to burn herself alive and go back to her world."

Some speculate that the love story between Selita and Kanye is a reference to his relationship with Amber Rose, who as a former stripper was certainly considered different within the Hollywood crowd Kanye operates in. Despite my (and everyone else's) Amber Rose comparisons, Kanye says every woman in his life is represented in the film, including his late mother, Donda West.

His relationship with Amber is an interesting parallel since after Kanye brings Selita into his world (the dinner scene) and she doesn't conform to fit in, she abandons him in a fiery blaze to go back to where she feels comfortable and free.

The scene in the beginning and near the end of the film is him desperately running after her. Pretty haunting and sad if you think of the Phoenix as his Mom, who died trying to conform. In his XXL cover story, Kanye hints at that by associating Los Angeles (and the Hollywood lifestyle) with his Mom's death maintaining that she wouldn't have died anywhere else. And Los Angeles is the world he brought her to, like how he brought the Phoenix to the dinner party...but I digress...

Kanye revealed that the phoenix represents him as well, particularly when he retreated from the public eye after famously embarrassing Taylor Swift at the VMA's and re-emerged a wiser, more tactful Kanye. In that way, if the Phoenix is indeed Amber Rose, it's less about Kanye bringing Amber Rose into his world but more about them existing in a parallel universe where they can both be free and different. That's fascinating to me because it means that Kanye doesn't "fit in" to his world either. He hinted at this on MTV.com yesterday saying he is "an artist that was made a celebrity." Hmm...

Anyway, I could go all day trying to read Kanye's mind! If you missed it, take a moment to watch it, admire the visuals and fashions (by Phillip Lim) and delve into the meaning behind Kanye's symbolism. Tell me what you think about the film.

Kisses,

Coutura

Photo Source

Steal the Spotlight with Thigh-High / Over-the-Knee Boots

Although over-the-knee boots (OTKB) conjure up images of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, when worn correctly they can look sexy, but not trashy. Whether they are thigh-high or slightly above the knee, leather or suede, flat or stiletto-heeled, you can wear them and look stylish.

The tricky part is: what to wear with OTKB. Obvious choices are of course dresses and skirts that fall about 1-3 inches above the top of the boots. You can wear tights, leggings, thigh-high socks (in a complimenting color) or even your skinny jeans. Be sure never to wear OTKB if you are under 5-foot-4 or with loose-fitting pants, boot cut or boyfriend-cut denim.

These boots have become a hot item for celebrities on the red carpet and in their daily routine too. Everyone from Lindsay Lohan to Blake Lively to Kate Moss and even the Kardashians has worn OTKB recently.