|
|
Life of Colleen
10 Recent Posts
·· Beauty Encounter coupon code 15% off through Jan 5...
·· Wardrobe analysis, 2009: Shoes
·· Wardrobe analysis, 2009: Sweaters
·· Wardrobe analysis, 2009
·· NCIS Gibbs rules
·· I, ah, don't care for the hat
·· Dr. Hauschka shampoo review: Nasturtium and Lemon,...
·· Ped Shoes coupon code 25% off
·· Mederma review, part 1
·· Sundance Catalog sale
Archives
The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty & Fashion Blog
~Old Blog
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
July 2006
September 2006
October 2006
December 2006
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
December 2007
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
|
Beauty, fashion, product reviews, coupon codes, general female yadda yadda.
Profile
Contact
More product reviews
Children's art
 Subscribe in a reader
Search only this blog:
I also blog here
|
Beauty Encounter coupon code 15% off through Jan 5 2008
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2009-01-02
at 8:36 AM (Pacific)
A7HK9V
BeautyEncounter.com
* Offer ends January 5, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. PST; does not apply to taxes and shipping; not applicable on prior purchases; cannot be combined with other offers; cannot be redeemed for cash; excludes the following brands: Aramis, Clinique, Chanel, Christian Dior, Donna Karan, Estee Lauder, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Kiton, La Mer, La Prairie, Natura Bisse, Ralph Lauren, Shiseido and Sisley.Labels: coupon code
0 Comment(s)
 
Wardrobe analysis, 2009: Shoes
posted by Colleen Shirazi
at 12:01 AM (Pacific)
Aside from coats and heavy jackets, shoes are the most fundamental wardrobe staple...yadda yadda. I still haven't gotten mine, as I draw toward the close of my wardrobe project.
I do have my eye on some soon-to-be-end-of-the-season boots, to whit:
Only the ones I want are all black leather, not black paired with the burn-out design. I've nothing against the burn-out design; I tried it on in the "Handel" boot, and it's less funky and more versatile than it would seem.
Yet...the thing is this. I am getting shoes toward the end of my wardrobe development, not the beginning. It sounds counterintuitive; I'll guess most wardrobe gurus recommend you buy the shoes first, and jackets, then work the rest of the wardrobe around these key pieces.
However, I'm cheap. I would rather get some inexpensive footwear, like the Clarks "Tao" shoes I've been alternating for months:
...until I get enough clothes--enough pieces to compose the outfit I want, day after day, week after week, season after season, without having stuff I don't wear--once this sartorial nirvana has been attained, the "right" shoes will become obvious. Because they are the last puzzle piece, they have to fit in with the already-assembled bulk of the puzzle.
I've tried the Campus boots on; the calves just fit me, while the ankles are not tight. Form-fitting ankles would make these boots feel dated (when I was a kid in the 70's, go-go boots were high fashion; I owned a pair), but the snug calf feels good. The height is cool too...taller than a "shootie," but not a tall boot.
The little wooden heel is ideal for clods like me. (While I was at it, I tried one of their 2" skinny heel models, the Skate bootie...which looked terrific, but I was hopeless in the heels.)
I'm dying to try something like this, in fact:
Or these:
...with the shorter heel.
In that regard, it may be some time before I get my shoes, never mind the end-of-the-season boots. It's fine; I don't mind the Tao's. In fact I hate spending money on sandals, so I'm thinking of keeping something like the Tao in my rotation anyway.
images courtesy pedshoes.com, highartshoes.comLabels: cydwoq, shoes, wardrobe
0 Comment(s)
Wardrobe analysis, 2009: Sweaters
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2009-01-01
at 12:01 AM (Pacific)
Happy New Year!
/*****/
Sweaters are akin to lipsticks: tempting and facile to buy. You may easily end up with a ton load, and use only the same few, over and over again...so it's well to analyze what you do end up wearing.
In retrospect, there were two cardigans I donned much of the time, before the weather turned and I switched to pullovers: an off-white cotton zip-front cardigan from Eddie Bauer, which I have no image of...it's one of those generic Hong Kong style cotton sweaters...and this one, from Banana Republic:
Neither strikes one as extraordinary, but that's not why I wear what I do. I want something that works.
Off-white, or any light color, cotton is the best material for our Bay Area summers, because it's chilly in the morning, morphs into sweating heat mid-afternoon, then dips back into chill in time for you to walk to your public transport. You're going to be screwed until you figure out layers...and at least some of it is psychological. I had to remove my light-colored cotton cardigan only a few times this entire summer. Yet it's high-necked and it zips, so you can adjust how warm you want it to be.
Plus, it washed well (precious little pilling, for all the washer abuse I gave it). The one thing it couldn't take was tumble drying, even on low heat. That knocked the cling out of the knit row at the bottom. I'm still recovering, coaxing it back into shape while damp.
The grey one is the perfect color--dark grey, not the crappy medium grey women seem to get stuck with. And the fabric is soft. I've also washed it many times (in a mesh bag; I'm terrified of it pilling) and weirdly, it seems to like the odd tumble dry I've had to give it.
Neither is useful in winter. Here I brought out old sweaters...pullovers I've had for more than ten years, some around twenty. Since they're not new, and I haven't photographed them...eh...most of them are men's sweaters. Men have better sweaters anyway, but particularly pullovers.
I integrated some new ones into the mix:
These are Supima cotton; I was curious if there were a substantial quality difference. The black and green ones have washed gratifyingly well, but the dark navy blue is edging toward wear at the neck and sleeves. To be fair, I bought it first, but I'm planning to mesh-bag all of them (you can find lovely mesh bags at a Japanese dollar shop, should you be lucky enough to have one).
What about wool? You still need wool, dreary as it is to take care of. I've found tightly-knit lambswool fares better than loosely-knit regular wool, but of course I'm slavering over the concept of machine washable wool and wool blends. This wool/acrylic black beauty, for example:
Hm, looks like my off-white cardigan in construction, only with cabling. I'm hoping this will not only wash and wear better, wool-wise, but will also attract less in the way of clothes moths.
Which are actually not as indomitable as it would appear: there's a mass of information about clothes moths on the Net, and I've come to think washability of wool might be a factor in keeping them away. Apparently the moths are most attracted to wool which has been worn; the larvae consume your body oils, and any food residue, along with the wool itself.
So, questions for 2009 in Sweaters are--do clothes moths consume wool blends as heartily as pure wools? And are machine washable wools and blends less prone to moth attack? I'll write back here with my observations later on.Labels: supima cotton, wardrobe
0 Comment(s)
Wardrobe analysis, 2009
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2008-12-31
at 12:01 AM (Pacific)
As we roll up the sidewalks on 2008, I'd like to write a post about wardrobes.
I've almost concluded developing mine...I'm afraid I'm not a very good impulse shopper. I actually dislike shopping. But it's that dislike that makes me want to buy higher quality clothing (whilst trying to avoid higher quality prices). To state the obvious, cheap stuff falls apart, and then you're stuck shopping all over again.
This wardrobe development has been a puzzle to me, and once the puzzle is solved, you want a different puzzle. I went through something similar before, to fathom the universe of beauty products. It is next to infinite, but there always comes a point when you have solved the puzzle and that's it.
I believe this runs contrary to how women are supposed to think. We are supposed to spend our entire lives shopping. However well that might be for retail, I feel it actually makes you a lousy shopper; if you're simply going to replace something after a year or two, why scrutinize the process? Why discern?
My goal has been to develop a working wardrobe that will last roughly five to ten years. I can't afford the twenty-year wardrobe, in terms of the items and of the care they would require. But I can afford the five- to ten-year one. And for the same money, or way more, it would be just as easy to buy a one- to two-year wardrobe--and still have nothing to wear in the morning.
Only time will tell if I've done this right, but I can admit I've been pretty pleased with my collection. I like my clothes. I'm still experimenting (and bombing) with what goes with what, but I feel my clothes are...practical...without looking, ah, masculine.
I actually don't want to look masculine, I find it annoying. Not if anyone else wants to look masculine, I just find the concept of a programmer having to look masculine incredibly annoying. Yet men's clothes are more practical, which, being a programmer, I find attractive. I suppose I've wanted to capture the practical aspect of men's clothing...and men's shopping style, where they're willing to drop more money, if the quality is there, in order to not have to shop too often...without having to look masculine.
It's not as easy as it sounds. Some items, like women's shoes, are by definition either impractical or ugly. The construction is so. It's either that or wear totally masculine shoes. I was drawn to Cydwoqs on the premise that Cydwoq makes shoes you can walk in, without the dreaded look of "comfort shoes." (Oh well, there's always Ebay.)
It's 10:10 in the evening, and I feel this is an auspicious time to conclude this meandering post and usher in the new year.
Thanks for reading!Labels: wardrobe
0 Comment(s)
NCIS Gibbs rules
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2008-12-30
at 12:01 AM (Pacific)
I've recently gotten into this show, and I like it. For one thing, in one of the episodes, a pivotal piece of evidence contained computer code. The man accused of writing the code stated he didn't write it, and if they would look at it, they would see he didn't write that code. Correct: no two people write code the same way. (You'd have to watch the episode in full to grasp the motive for the crime, but it's also pretty universal.)
The main character of the show is Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon. From imdb.com:
Periodically Gibbs mentions a rule. In Season 3 episode, Switch, Gibbs tells Ziva there are about 50 rules.
Here are the ones we know so far:
Rule #1: Never let suspects stay together. From episode Yankee White (season 1)
Rule #1: Never screw (over) your partner. From episode Blowback (season 4)
Rule #2: Always wear gloves at a crime scene. From episode Yankee White (season 1)
Rule #3: Don't believe what you're told. Double check. From episode Yankee White (season 1)
Rule #3: Never be unreachable. From episode Deception (season 3)
Rule #4: If you have a secret, the best thing is to keep it to yourself. The second-best is to tell one other person if you must. There is no third-best. From episode Blowback (season 4)
Rule #7: Always be specific when you lie. From episode Reveille (season 1)
Rule #8: Never take anything for granted. From episode Probie (season 3)
Rule #9: Never go anywhere without a knife. From episode One Shot, One Kill (season 1), Missing (season 1) and Probie (season 3)
Rule #12: Never date a coworker. From episode Enigma (season 1) and Minimum Security (season 1)
Rule #15: Always work as a team. From episode Leap of Faith (season 5)
Rule #18: It's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission. From episode Silver War (season 3)
Rule #22: Never, ever bother Gibbs in interrogation. From episode Smoked (season 4)
Rule #23: Never mess with a Marine's coffee if you want to live. From episode Forced Entry (season 2)
Another one of Gibbs' rules which is used more often than the others, but without a number, is "Never say you're sorry, it's a sign of weakness." According to DiNozzo, another rule is "Never date a woman who eats more than you."Labels: yadda yadda
0 Comment(s)
I, ah, don't care for the hat
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2008-12-29
at 12:01 AM (Pacific)
 image courtesy claudiaschulz.com
...but what killer photography. Actually makes you want to buy the hat. :DLabels: wardrobe
0 Comment(s)
Dr. Hauschka shampoo review: Nasturtium and Lemon, part 2
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2008-12-28
at 12:01 AM (Pacific)
See Dr. Hauschka shampoo review: Nasturtium and Lemon, part 1
I see this was initially reviewed October 30 of this year--one great thing about blogging is you don't have to remember anything, you just have to know how to look it up. :D
I started out using this more or less regularly, then began using it daily, on my scalp. On the rest of my hair, I alternate other shampoos, such as Avalon Organics Lavender or Lemon.
Pretty much, it's gotten rid of my long-term itchy scalp. Before I came across this, I had read many posts and some articles about itchy scalp, and not one recommended this shampoo. The typical recommendation was Nizoral or tea tree oil shampoo. I tried the latter, never got around to trying the former, but over the long term I can't say it worked.
I've become a great fan of German skincare. It's not the cheapest stuff, but it is affordable, particularly when used judiciously. It's not luxe, but it works. You have to stick with it...which again makes sense (I'm suspicious of skincare which works immediately, miraculously, because it tends to be too harsh used over the long run).Labels: dr. hauschka, hair, product reviews
0 Comment(s)
Ped Shoes coupon code 25% off
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2008-12-27
at 3:52 PM (Pacific)
Holiday 2008
Ped Shoes
No idea how long this is valid; found it here: grechenscodes.comLabels: coupon code, cydwoq, shoes
0 Comment(s)
Mederma review, part 1
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2008-12-26
at 10:21 PM (Pacific)
I've been using this since the beginning of December. The short version is I was in a boating accident late November, while in Jamaica. Something hit me on the head, and the gash required nine stitches. It was a nice straight gash (according to the doctor who did the stitches) and I felt rather fortunate, could have been a lot worse...anyhow, I started using Mederma a couple of days after the stitches were removed.
Though it's a bit difficult for me to say whether this stuff works, in the sense I never bothered treating a scar before--since this was on my face, I thought I should try fading it--and it's been only four weeks of the recommended eight--still I feel it's working. The shallower part of the scar is nice and soft. The deeper end still feels a bit thick and hard, but again it's early in the game.
Mederma is basically onion extract along with botanical extracts and perfume (so you don't smell like an onion). You are to massage a thin layer into the scar three to four times per day for eight weeks, for new scars (old scars requiring three to six months of the same treatment). It's over the counter, and Costco carries it at some discount.
Mederma is the tiniest bit oily when you're applying it, but when it's dry, it's perfectly smooth. No need to worry your hair will get stuck in it, et cetera. I did a little Net research on scars beforehand; apparently at least part of the mechanism is the massage itself. The idea is, scars form when your skin is cut deeply enough so that collagen comes to the surface. What you're doing is trying to break down the collagen.
Hence the onion extract, in a base which holds the extract onto the scar. It really sounds like marinating meat in onion juice. Which stands to reason.
I'll post again after the full eight weeks, if not sooner.Labels: product reviews, skin
0 Comment(s)
Sundance Catalog sale
posted by Colleen Shirazi
at 8:29 PM (Pacific)
Sundance Catalog
I slogged out to Corte Madera today, along with all the other intrepid post-holiday recession-istas. It was difficult even finding a parking space that wasn't a spit-fit. For parallel parking I actually don't mind jacking the car into the spot, but for lot parking, my worst nightmare is some bastard flinging open his door and dinging mine.
It was well worth it, since the Sundance b & m store had the same markdowns as the site. Sundance is as bad as Jjill in that items don't always resemble their Internet or catalog photos. For example, I saw some of these:
...which I'd been semi-lusting over for quite some time. Machine washable, plus no wool (unfortunately, anything woollen attracts clothes moths around here). Not horribly expensive either. Yet in person, I was a bit underwhelmed, even over the red model above. The color was not saturated enough; when you want a red sweater, it's gotta be red.
However, the skirt:
...was $30, down from $95. I had been pondering this skirt for a while. You can't lose with a black skirt (it comes in green as well as espresso brown, but I couldn't find the green in the store). A black skirt goes with everything; every top or sweater you ever owned or will ever own. I have a black cotton voile skirt I wear every week...the bugger is that it gets wrinkled, being voile, and I generally don't repeat the same skirt in the same week anyway. So I've been turning over the concept of two black skirts in my mind, for months.
A possible solution would be a black suede or leather skirt, which tends to look fresh no matter how badly you treat it, but that's a bit more formal-looking than I want for my workplace.
Another way is the prosaic black wool pencil skirt, but I wanted something different. I don't have a suit workplace, so again it would veer to the overly formal, and would require drycleaning to boot.
And the thing has pockets. How I crave pockets. Why do men's jackets have inner pockets, and ours don't? Don't hand me the crap that we carry purses. There's still no logic why our jackets can't have inner pockets.
I was afraid the skirt would be too short--on the model it's almost a mini--but factoring in the "model height skirt factor," it was a decent length on me. And the velveteen was quite warm, thick and cushy.
I was going to hit up Jjill afterward, but it seemed a bit redundant; what I'd wanted was a machine washable black skirt, and I got it for $30 at Sundance.
My solitary complaint was the Sundance store didn't have enough shoes and boots on hand. They did have these:
Calleen Cordero's studded ballet flats, handmade in the U.S., for a reasonable $159.99. These looked even nicer in person. There were sundry Frye boots and shoes, other boots, other shoes, but they needed more shoes. Where else are you going to buy shoes, outside of specialty shoe shops? The shoes at Nordstrom and Macy's are horrible, I don't even bother.
Happy holidays and thanks for reading!Labels: sundance catalog, wardrobe
0 Comment(s)
More sentimental journeying
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2008-12-24
at 12:01 AM (Pacific)
Come out Virginia, don't let me wait
You Catholic girls start much too late
But sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well be the one
Well they showed you a statue, told you to pray
They built you a temple and locked you away
But they never told you the price that you pay
For things that you might have done
Only the good die young
That's what I said
Only the good die young
You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd
We ain't too pretty, we ain't too proud
We might be laughing a bit too loud
But that never hurt no one
So come on Virginia show me a sign
Send up a signal I'll throw you a line
The stained glass curtain you're hiding behind
Never lets in the sun
Darling only the good die young
I tell ya only the good die young
You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation
You got a brand new soul
And a cross of gold
But Virginia they didn't give you quite enough information
You didn't count on me
When you were counting on your rosary
They say there's a heaven for those who will wait
Some say it's better but I say it ain't
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
The sinners are much more fun
You know that only the good die young
Only the good die young
You say your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation
She never cared for me
But did she ever say a prayer for me?
Come out come out come out Virginia don't let me wait
You Catholic girls start much too late
Sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well be the one
You know that only the good die young
I tell you baby
You know that only the good die young
Only the good die young
They actually played this on our G-d fearing radio back in the 70's. Of course all the Catholics got it right away. sighs You won't hear it now, but not only because of the lyrics. Joel disappeared from our Clear-Channelled airwaves along with all the other working-class-style singers.Labels: music, videos, yadda yadda
0 Comment(s)
U2 used to be good!
posted by Colleen Shirazi
2008-12-23
at 12:01 AM (Pacific)
Finally found an embeddable U2 video. And just when I was going to write something nice about them.
U2 were once an excellent band, and I played this record, their first, countless times. This particular song evokes a beach in North Carolina I used to drive to. Unlike Virginia Beach, Virginia, or Norfolk's Ocean View, the North Carolinian beach was obscure and only the locals went there. It was fantastic, in the literal sense, because I've always been in love with the sea.
There were little tubular waves; you could see sunlight through their green-blue translucence. I used to just sit there and read a book. No one bothered me.
Bright morning lights
Wipe the sleep from another day's eye
Turn away from the wall
And there's nothing at all
Being naked and afraid
In the open space of my bed
I'll be with you now
I'll be with you now
I'll be with you now
We lie on a cloud
We lie
Just as I am
I awoke with a tear on my tongue
I awoke with a feeling of never before
In my sleep I discover the one
But she ran with the morning sun
I'll be with you now
I'll be with you now
I'll be with you now
We lie on a cloud
We lie
Another time, another place
We lie
Another child has lost the race
We lie
Another time, another place
We lie
Your time, your place
We lie
Another time, another place
We lie
Another child has lost the race
(something in German, I think)
We lie
Another time, another place
We lie
Your time, your placeLabels: music, videos, yadda yadda
0 Comment(s)
|
