DRESS FOR SUCCESS

 

Whether it’s your very first job, or you are looking for a career change, the most stressful part of the job search process has to be the face-to-face interview with a potential employer.  Although you may have an above average GPA, or years of experience in your field, it’s always uncomfortable to find yourself in the hot seat. The truth is, you can have all the education and experience and then some, but if you don’t make a good impression on the interview, then chances are you will be passed over.

Any potential employer is no doubt  very busy looking for who they feel is just the right candidate for the job, and sees many prospective employees during the interviewing process.  Therefore, it’s important to make a good impression. Here are some tips on putting your best foot forward.

Keep hair and makeup simple.  Make sure your hair is clean.  Nothing says I don’t care like dirty, oily hair.  I would suggest pulling the hair back into a simple style, as overly-styled hair is more of a distraction.  If you wear make-up do use neutral colors on the lips and eyes.  a little liner on the lower lids is fine, and be sure to use mascara sparingly. The “smoky eye” is a huge trend in makeup, but it has no place at an interview, along with fake eyelashes. Be sure your fingernails are clean, and wear a neutral colored polish.

Many people are allergic to perfume, so it is always better to wear no perfume at all…just in case.

Jewelry should be understated.  A pair of stud earrings, or moderately sized gold/silver hoops are great choices.  A simple small chain, or strand of pearls works.

When choosing what to wear for an interview, several factors will determine what kind of message you are sending.  The first thing you need to ask yourself is what kind of image you want to convey and dress accordingly.  A suit ( skirt or pants) is something that every woman should have in her wardrobe.  Navy, grey, and tan are great choices.  Navy represents sensibility, grey says sophisticated, and tan says stability.

Since black conveys authority, and red is associated with passion, it is always best to use these as accents such as in scarves or belts.  A classic white blouse is a safe bet, but a blouse with a small conservative print is also acceptable.  Avoid shiny materials, and be sure that the neckline is not revealing too much cleavage.  Remember, your there to get a job.  It is also important to make sure that your clothes fit your body.  There’s nothing worse than a job candidate who spends the duration of the interview tugging at her clothes.

If you opt to go with a skirt, make sure the hemline touches the knees or lower. Your not going to a club, so leave the mini-skirts at home.  Do wear nude pantyhose instead of tights.  Shoes should be clean, free of any wear, and polished.  Peep toes and slingbacks are a no-no, and the heel should be no higher than 3 inches.

If you have any tips not mentioned here, please feel free to leave feedback, and please by all means…share!

 

PANTONE HAS SPOKEN

Listen up!  Pantone has proclaimed that Tangerine Tango is THE  hot color for 2012!

Orange in hues from pale  sherbert  to vibrant  tangerine and every shade in between graced the catwalks of NYC’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.  It was everywhere, and why not?  It’s daring, it’s warm, and it’s universally flattering.  It can be chic, playful, and definitely sexy!

Marc by Marc Jacobs

I love this look! she’s looks as if she’s on fire…in a good way!

Zac Posen….

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more orange looks…

 

 

HAVE YOU BEEN THREADED?

I was walking through Northgate Mall  in  San Rafael when I saw it for the first time. As I passed by a sparsely decorated storefront, a  woman of middle Eastern descent beckoned  to me, asking me if I would like to have my eyebrows threaded.

Being the ultimate wuss when it comes to things that can bring me pain, I politely declined when she explained what was involved.  On my next trip to the mall, the woman found a willing participant and I had the chance  to observe the art of threading in action.  Let me just say owww!  Although this woman assured me that it was painless, I just don’t believe it.

Threading has been around since ancient times in Arab countries and is gaining a following here in the states.  A threader takes two fine lengths of cotton thread and rolls them across the eyebrows.  The hair gets tangled in the threads, and the hair is removed at the follicle.  It is also used to get rid of fine facial hair I still say this is painful!  I think I’ll just stick to plucking.  If you’ve had your eyebrows threaded, please share your experience in the comments section.  I’d love to hear an objective voice.

WHAT HAPPENED TO AGING GRACEFULLY

Remember when celebrities having plastic surgery was taboo?  Everybody did it, but nobody would talk about it. And when it was revealed, it was a scandal!

These days some  celbrities deny having work done, but a majority of them , aren’t.  As a matter of fact, some are  just downright gung-ho about it.  They tell you how many procedures they’ve had, and that it’s something they will keep on doing in the quest to be “forever young”.

While I don’t personally ever want to go under the knife  (only in an extreme situation would I even consider it), I don’t see the harm in it. Just as long as they don’t alter their faces too drastically, then by all means, do you, but when you begin to look other worldly, or like you’ve stuck your face out the window at 75 mph..then there’s a definite problem.

Jocelyn Wildenstien before the surgeries consumed her. she was pretty enough

Raunchy Rapper Lil Kim was nice looking before she decided to destroy her face

Although these and other women/men are perfectly within their rights to alter their faces whenever the fancy strikes, when is it too much?  What about the unscrupulous doctors that perform these surgeries without being certified as was the case with Dr Jan Adams, who inadvertently killed Donda West?  Why aren’t these doctors refusing to do work on these celebrities who continue to push the envelope by having more surgery?  Yes, it is supply and demand, but what about ethics?  Why aren’t these doctors required to refuse someone who is obviously addicted to having plastic surgery?  Instead of giving them their fix, why aren’t they referring them to someone who can give them some mental counseling to get to the root of their image issues?

When I was sixteen, my mom bought me a curling iron, a bottle of Liz Claiborne perfume, and a pair of Guess Overalls for my birthday.  Now parents are gifting their daughters with nose jobs, and bigger boobs, and butt implants.  I have no daughters, but I can tell your right now that this is a problem.  Bad parenting comes in all forms, and allowing your “child” to have major surgery to fit some ideal of perfection is insanity.  Understand this; there is no such thing as perfection, and this male driven obsession with how they think a womans body should look is darkly disturbing.  Not only is it delivering a blow to the womans self image, but it is also putting them at risk, and this is passed down from mother to daughter.  I often look at people who have destroyed their faces, and I wonder at what point did it become an obsession.  I wonder if they see what I see when they look in the mirror.  Sorry for the rant but I needed to get that out!

So anyway, your face contains muscles.  Just like the rest of your body, if you exercise your facial muscles, it will cut down on the aging process.  This is a no-brainer, but vanity is often stupidity’s twin sister.  Of course as Americans we have become accustomed to being lazy. Instead of losing the thirty pounds by changing the way we eat, and excersing more we’d rather pay out tens of thousands of dollars to some quack obgyn who claims they are board certified. We want what we want, NOW and we don’t care how much it costs, or the risks involved just as long as we get it!

BEAUTY ON A BUDGET

BEAUTY ON A BUDGET.

BEAUTY ON A BUDGET

The secret to flawless skin isn’t in a prescription from your dermatologist.  It’s not at the beauty counter in your better department stores, it’s not in a salon or spa, or  the makeup aisles at your local drugstore.  Everything you need to keep your skin looking fresh and fabulous is right in your kitchen cupboards.

If you have sensitive, combination skin like I do, then you know that most skin cleansers tend to break you out.  In my case, most skin products designed to clean my skin, end up leaving me with these red, irritated burns that take weeks to heal.

When it comes to my skin, the more natural, the better.  You don’ have to pay outrageous prices for a facial, or even for overpriced skin care products

Any beauty girl knows that cleaning your face is a three-part play.  Cleanse, tone, and moisturize. This does not need to be expensive  Keep in mind that the skin care industry is just an industry.  They don’t care if their overpriced products yield actual results.  So keep your money in your pocket and explore these inexpensive and effective options.

* as with anything you use on your skin, make sure you are not allergic!

Cleansing the skin should always start with steam.   Steam from a towel soaked in hot water will open your pores to ready them to be cleansed.  Of course you want to take a minute or two before actually applying a steaming towel to your face!  Of course there are facial steamers you can purchase, which in my opinion shouldn’t be looked upon as an expense, but as an investment.  If you’re not pressed for time, you can place boiling water in a bowl, place your head over the rising steam’s path and cover with a towel creating a makeshift tent.

Rich in  antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins, raw honey is the perfect skin cleanser.  Raw honey not only cleanses, but it also moisturizes, but be sure that it is raw.  Raw honey is also beneficial in the war on acne, as it also acts as an antiseptic.  Massage raw honey into your skin with your fingertips, leave on for 1-5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.  Unless you know a beekeeper, you can buy raw honey at your local Whole Foods Market, or Trader Joe’s.

The key to smooth flawless skin has everything to do with how small your pores are.  Toning your skin with an astringent assists in   closing the  pores, giving you the smooth skin you desire.  Although your pores will not stay closed permanently, using an astringent will help keep your skin looking tight and smooth.  If you are a brave soul (unlike me), try applying ice directly to your face.  You can also wrap ice in a towel if you cannot stand a direct application.  Rosewater, and a solution of cucumber and distilled water are excellent as well.

Moisturizing the skin is the final step.  Mix one part glycerin with four parts of distilled water, and massage gently into the skin.  During colder months our skin tends to dry out  more with exposure to the elements, so try adding a drop or two of  oil.  If your skin tends to be dry, then use a heavier oil, or cocoa butter which you can purchase at any drugstore.  If you have oily skin then naturally you would want to use a lighter oil like almond.  For combination skin, use accordingly.  Heavier oils in your dry areas, and lighter oil on others.

Exfoliating the skin is a must if you want to remove dead skin cells.  A combination of  brown sugar and  distilled water every week  is sufficient to achieve this.  Be careful not to add too much water so that the sugar dissolves completely,and has no grit.  When applying,  do so with a towel or your fingertips, and apply in a gentle, circular motion.  Rinse with warm water, making sure to remove all traces of the sugar.  You can also use sugar and extra virgin olive oil as an exfolliant for your body.

Of course it goes without saying that eating the proper foods, and drinking lots of water will help you put your best face forward!  I’d love to hear any advice you have on keeping your skin looking it’s best.  Don’t be shy, leave a comment!

WHEN ANIMAL PRINT GOES WRONG

I love animal print!  Zebra, leapord, cheetah, giraffe, and even a python print lends edge to any outfit.  But like most things, it should be done in moderation.   Here’s bad girl hip hop artist Nicki Minaj on the red carpet looking like she’d just escaped from the Bronx Zoo.  I know she was probably doing it for shock value, but even still, it’s not such a good look.

There is a fine line between trendy and trashy, and she crossed it and re-crossed it over and over again in this getup. Where do I begin?   It’s just too much.  When doing animal print, it’s always better to mix it with solid colors to break up the pattern.

I would have never paired a classic white shirt with a leapord print, but this look works!  Not only is it chic, but it’s tasteful! Perfect for the office!

A zebra print coat definitely makes a stylish statement…

Accessories, handbags, and shoes in animal prints make any outfit pop…

Christian Louboutin Lolita Phython  handbag

Kenneth J Lane bracelet

Dolce & Gabana animal print bag with white leather detailing

As with anything, it’s all about balance!

FASHION WTH: CHANEL’S SUNGLASSES

Sex in the City 2 was a huge hit this year, and apparently so were these awfully impractical  sunglasses from Chanel featured in SIC2.  Yes they are cute, but what I genuinely don’t get is who would wear these outside of a movie studio.

I really don’t see myself constantly bending my elbows to shade my eyes from the sun, but you fashionistas may think otherwise.  These are Chanel exclusives, and I didn’t see them on the website.  Does anyone know how much these are going for?  Make mine traditional.

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FENDI INTRODUCING NEW LINE OF BABY ACCESORIES

Gucci diaper bag for the Gucci baby in your life

Everyone loves babies, especially celebrities, and no celebrity mom would have her baby caught by the paps in anything as mundane as Osh-Kosh and Carters.  To answer this growing need for baby couture, Fendi has announced that it will be producing a line of kiddie accessories for the baby jet-set crowd.  The collection will include strollers, prams, and baby carriers carrying the chic “F” logo.  By the way, I love their  perfume!!!!

The Italian luxury brand is not the first to jump on the baby bandwagon, Baby Dior has a pacifier retailing for $50.00, while  Versace has opened its baby boutique in Milan, where you can get a leopard print &  Swarovski encrusted baby bottle.

Hey Dior...you forgot the bungee cord

As I sit writing this, I can’t help but think of all the pacifiers I’ve had to replace for my own children over the years, so I hope that $50.00 pacifier comes with a free bungee cord!

BLAHNIK, LOUBOUTIN, CHOO…OH NO!

Carrie and her heels

On HBO’s hit series Sex in the City, Carrie Bradshaw had  an ongoing love affair with her chic stilletos.  She’d sway and sashay her way through episode after episode in heels, making it look effortless.  Who could forget the episode when a very pregnant Miranda’s water broke drenching Carrie’s brand new Blahniks?  Shows like SITC, and celebs like Oprah, and Beyonce have made the stiletto heel extremely popular.  More women are wearing high heeled shoes, more often.   Even little girls are being allowed to wear shoes with small heels.

Oprah made Louboutin a household name

As women continue to experiment with higher heels on thier shoes, they continue to gamble with their health.  wearing high heeled shoes can have devastating effects on your feet,legs, and back.  Bunions,hammertoes,and corns are caused from squeezing the feet into shoes that are too tight for longer periods of time.  When your wearing heels your body is thrown forward, the back arches to compensate which is why you may walk differently wearing heels.  Your calf muscles and Achilles tendon may become shortened, which can cause pain when trying to wear flats.

Cut back on the time you spend in heels.  Instead of everyday wear, limit yourself to a couple of days per week and a few hours per day.  I love pointed toe heels,make sure the shoe narrows past the ball of the foot.  Choose shoes with a wider, more stable heel for support, and most importantly, pamper your feet on a daily basis