Q & A :The Fashionable Housewife

The Housewife Says… “STOP SOPA & PIPA!”

January 18th, 2012 by The Fashionable Housewife

SOPA & PIPA: Typically we do not take a stance on political issues because our core focus is on our readers. However, several of our readers and friends have requested that we make a public statement about SOPA & PIPA.

While we support the goal of the legislation to reduce online piracy. We do not feel that this particular legislation will help achieve that goal and may actually cause harm to our fellow bloggers, readers and the internet in general. We do not support SOPA or PIPA.

The Internet blacklist legislation—known as PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House—invites Internet security risks, threatens online speech, and hampers innovation on the Web. Urge your members of Congress to reject this Internet blacklist campaign in both its forms!

Contact your representative and senators and tell them to oppose these disastrous bills.

Sign Petitions!

Sign The Google Petition Against SOPA

Strike Against Sopa!

Write To Your Representative

Strike Against Censorship

Email Your Senators

SOPA & PIPA protest in front of Chuck Schumer’s & Kristen Gillibrand’s NYC offices. – via Twitter: @AnonInformer

Additional useful links:

How SOPA would affect you: FAQ

It’s Not Over: SOPA’s Chief Sponsor Isn’t Backing Down

SOPA, PIPA and Online Communities

SOPA blackout: Bills lose three co-sponsors amid protests

PIPA and SOPA Co-Sponsors Abandon Bills

Google Joins Anti-SOPA Protest by “Censoring” Its Logo

Please leave comments with any additional information you’d like to add, your thoughts or your concerns about this subject!

Posted in Q & A, Random Info, The Housewife Says... Related Topics: blacklist, freedom of speech, online piracy, petition, PIPA, political, politics, SOPA

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Interview with Celebrity Stylist, Mariel Haenn

October 14th, 2009 by The Fashionable Housewife

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I thought you’d be interested in getting an insider’s view on the hottest fall trends in Hollywood and the must-have fashions this season from celebrity stylist, Mariel Haenn.

marielthaenn As you may already know, Mariel is the stylist credited with transforming Rihanna’s style, but she’s also worked with Ashlee Simpson, Jeremy Piven, Lauren Conrad, Ciara, Will Smith, Carson Daly, Rainn Wilson, Mandy Moore, etc.

Mariel doesn’t just know about the hottest styles, she also knows simple ways to incorporate new trends into your current wardrobe – so even if you don’t have a celeb budget, you can still have a celeb caliber wardrobe with pieces.

In fact, Mariel has teamed up with the MasterCard and Saks Fifth Avenue Fall 2009 Want it! Collection of statement pieces – the Rocker Boot, Vest and Forever Bag, to name a few – to provide women simple ways to incorporate new trends into their current wardrobe and express their own personal style with versatile fashions (similar to Michael Fink last year).

We were lucky enough to snag an interview with Mariel and she answered all of our questions!

1. Top 5 trends for Fall?
The top five trends for fall that I love right now are from the Saks Fifth Avenue Fall 2009 Want It! campaign presented by MasterCard. Key pieces within that campaign include looks like: the strong shoulder, rocker boots, leggings, cozy knits, and the lacquered lip. All items can be found at Saks Fifth Avenue or on Saks.com and you can use the “the little black card,” the Saks Fifth Avenue World Elite MasterCard for purchases in and out of Saks to earn rewards towards your next Saks purchase.

2. In this economy, what are women really buying this Fall?
This season women should really look to add those staple pieces to their wardrobe. Pieces that stand the test of time and can be worn season after season and still portray that chic look most women are looking for.

3. What do you feel are the worst trends of this season? What should we avoid?
Some of the worst trends for the season would be trying to wear clothes that don’t fit. Having a piece of clothing or an entire outfit not fit properly is definitely a no-no. Also, don’t try to pull off too many trends at once. Trying to overcomplicate an outfit with too many trends should be avoided.

4. How to transition your summer wardrobe to fall?
A few ways to easily transform your summer wardrobe to fall as incorporate a black tight under skirts, dresses or long sweaters. A cozy knit sweater can be worn over anything. A neck loop also transforms key items from the summer to a nice fall look by covering the neck.

5. What is the best style advice you can impart on moms and busy women?
Definitely get yourself a chic flat rocker boot – preferably a motorcycle type. Also try to incorporate items into your wardrobe that transfer easily from a day to night look. A red lacquered lip makes any woman feel amazing and incorporating some sexy shape-wear underneath any piece of clothing allows for a sleek, well fitting look.

6. What can moms wear with destroyed denim and ripped jeans without looking silly?
A strong shouldered blazer can dress up any pair of jeans. Wearing a blazer over a cool graphic t-shirt makes for a great sophisticated look. Don’t try and go over the top and keep to clean, sleek fitting clothes.

7. How to wear thigh high and over the knee boots?
Thigh-high and above the knee boots look great with leggings and t-shirts. Oversized, well fitted cozy knits are also great to wear with your favorite high boot. Just make sure it’s not too short!

8. Trends for coats?
Make sure you get yourself a strong shouldered, structured coat. Structure is definitely key. Military jackets are also very hot this season. Whatever you wear, just make sure it fits well!

Did you find these tips from Mariel helpful??

Posted in Celebrity Styles, Fall Fashion, Q & A Related Topics: above the knee boots, celebrity stylist, Coat trends, fall 2009 trends, Interview, Jacket Trends, Mariel Haenn, Michael Fink, Over-The-Knee Boots, Rihanna, Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Want It!, Saks Want It! Collection, Saks Want It! Fall 2009, Trends for Fall

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How To Wear Over The Knee Boots for Fall 2009

September 29th, 2009 by The Fashionable Housewife

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Reader Email:

“I am super excited about the over the knee boots trend this Fall, but I don’t know what to wear them with! Can you help me figure out what to wear with over the knee boots so I don’t look short and fat and/or ridiculous?! Help!”

(Susanne in New Jersey)

I’ve received several emails like this, asking what to wear with over the knee boots. The answer is easier than you think! Since over the knee boots are a trendy item this season, you can wear them with a lot of things and get away with it. You might not be so lucky next year or the year after, so take advantage of their immense popularity and wear them with everything you can.

Obvious choices are of course dresses or skirts that fall about 1-3 inches above the top of the boots (or about 4 inches from the top of your knee cap.) Wear tights, leggings or thigh high socks in a complimenting color. You can also tuck your skinny jeans or Ponté Knit Pants into your over the knee boots.

Be careful when choosing a pair of over the knee boots. Make a mental list beforehand of the items in your wardrobe you can actually wear them with, especially if you are going to spend more than $40 on a pair.

I also get a lot of emails asking “Am I too short to wear over the knee boots?”. The answer is no! You just have to know how to wear them properly and get used to looking to yourself in the mirror wearing these statement boots. When wearing over the knee boots with dresses and skirts, match your tights or leggings to the boots or choose thigh high socks in a complimenting color so you don’t have any visual breaks. This will help give you a leggier feel. Avoid the urge to get over the knee boots with very high heels! While you might like the extra inches to your stature, you risk looking very tacky at best. If you feel you must wear heels, look for thick stacked heels or wedges. Just any type of heel that has more substance to it than a thin stiletto.

Here are some more runway photos for more outfit inspirations…

Keep your silhouette long and lean by pairing with a tunic or long boyfriend jacket that ends just below your butt. Cinch in your waist with a skinny little belt. Create interest by adding texture and richness like suede, chunky knits, and leather. Avoid too many contrasting colors.

You can get the look of over-the-knee boots by wearing chunky, knee-high socks with regular knee high boots or layer over dark tights.

Look to celebs like Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian, Kate Hudson, Vanessa Hudgens, Miley Cyrus and Kate Moss for celebrity style outfit ideas. Check out J Lo and Ciara rocking over the knee boots below…

So many possibilities! And from what I’ve seen, over the knee and thigh high boots look great with just about anything. I mean, I’m not loving J Lo’s ensemble above, but Kate Moss and Kate Hudson look fabulous!

What do you think you’ll try wearing over the knee boots with? Do you have any outfit ideas?

Posted in Fashion Advice, How To Wear..., Q & A Related Topics: Boots, Celebrity Fashion, Celebrity Styles, Fall 2009, Fall Trends, Fashion Advice, How To Wear..., Outfit Ideas, Outfit Ideas, Over-The-Knee Boots, Q&A, Thigh High Boots, what to wear

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Interview With Celebrity Makeup Artist, Brett Freedman

August 12th, 2009 by The Fashionable Housewife

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We recently interviewed celebrity makeup artist and founder of VANITYMARK, Brett Freedman, who has glammed up the faces of Vanessa Hudgens, Jenna Fischer, Leighton Meester, Kelly Clarkson, and Reba McEntire.

We asked him a few makeup and beauty questions that you, our readers, wanted answered! See his responses below…

1. What products do you recommend for girls with very pale, milky white skin?

Foundation wise I would go for something with a touch a pink to it. The very pale foundations with a hint of vanilla generally give most skins a duller, less ‘natural glow’ finish. The best way to choose is to line up several foundations in your range and see how the color variations ‘pop’ once next to each other. Since paler skins tend to be drier I’d suggest a hydrating formula w/sunscreen. Triple duty in one bottle. LORAC Breakthrough Performance Foundation is great for any pale gal’s beauty arsenal.

Eyeliner wise I’d mix up your usual brown or black liner and go for a slate or pewter gray. This shade will define the eye buy give a touch of softness. Since the color is uncommon it will give a subtle, modern edge. I like mark Eyemarker Color On Line in Jet.

Lip wise I’d go for a gloss with a touch of shimmer. This is great for fair gals in that it will give lips a bit of depth and lively look. I like Benefit’s sparkling sheer raspberry gloss in Friend’s in High Places.

Bronzer wise I’d suggest staying away from the too deep standard bronzers. Instead get a lift of color with Coty loose powder in Suntan. It’s so sheer and the color is muted and more natural looking on fair skin.

2. Do you have any secrets to covering up acne, blemishes, and breakouts?

I always use a duo concealer. The two varying shades help you dodge and downplay. For new, bulbous blemishes I add a touch of Clearasil to matte out and re-texturize. I then dab on a bit of foundation to cut the ‘neon-y’. I then take one or a mix of the duo concealers with a tiny brush to dot and cover the middle or reddest part. For blemishes that are healing I skip the Clearasil step and only use the concealers. Once it’s flatter and healing you want to mess with it less. It will be drier and in healing mode. I like Laura Mercier Undercover concealer.

3. Do you have any makeup tips for middle aged women? Good ways to hide wrinkles?

Use a foundation and concealer with a touch of silicon in them. They will move with the skin more. Vincent Longo Water Canvas Creme-To-Powder Foundation is a great, sheer foundation that won’t settle into fine lines. Concealer wise I like Clinique Advanced Concealer cover up in the tube.

Blush wise I’d choose something in a cream or gel formula. I like the dewiness of their finish. Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush is great.

Lip wise I’d go for shades that look healthy and juicy. Choose lip enhancing berry or melon like shades. This goes for cheeks, too. Resist, for day, shades that lean toward the brown or grayish hues.

4. What do you recommend for girls with bleach blonde eyebrows that want a darker, more defined look?

I’m a big fan of brow gels or glazes. It’s like a sheer mascara for your brows. It never really reads as make up since it’s just deepening the color of something that already there. I have 4 shades in my Vanitymark line that add vividness and definition in a snap! For something more lasting go for brow and lash tint. These are safe tints that are available at most beauty supply stores.

5. What is your favorite mascara for beautiful bold eyelashes?

I have 3 favorite mascara brands:

‘the LASH’

What do you think of Brett’s makeup tips? Let me know!

Posted in Beauty Products, Makeup, Q & A, Skin Care, Work & Business Related Topics: Beauty Products, Brett Freedman, Celebrity, Interview, Makeup, Makeup Artist, Vanitymark

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Does Mascara Really Have An Expiration Date?

August 11th, 2009 by The Fashionable Housewife

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All cosmetics can “go bad” after sitting around for any length of time, but most beauty products don’t come with an expiration date on the label. When it comes to lipstick, you can usually smell when the oils have become rancid. And with liquid makeup and moisturizers, the ingredients can separate if they sit unused for any length of time. When it comes to mascara though, you don’t want to wait around for a foul smell to occur before you toss it.

Mascara and liquid eyeliners should be throw away and replaced every three to six months. This is not a marketing scheme to get you to buy more mascara, believe it or not.

At first, I thought replacing mascara every three months was absurd. Why should I throw it away before it’s empty? I mean, if you are buying a $6 tube of mascara, replacing it every 3 months doesn’t sound very wasteful. That’s only $2 a month for beautiful eyes. Not bad. However, if you’re spending upwards of $20 for mascara, replacing it every 3 months just sounds wasteful and downright silly!

Truth is, whether you pay $6 or $26, you are still going to get a buildup of bacteria if you aren’t careful with your mascara. Follow these guidelines below to make your mascara go the distance.

Make Mascara Last Longer:

NEVER share your mascara. Ever. Doesn’t matter if it’s your best friend or your daughter, eyelashes have mite and dust and all kinds of things on them. Eyelashes are made to protect your eyes from bacteria etc, so they are catching all those things you don’t want in your eyes. By letting someone else use your mascara, you are getting whatever crap has collected on their eyelashes in your mascara, then you are introducing it to your own eyelashes. Gross!
Wash your face and eyelashes before applying mascara. Don’t add additional coats of mascara again during the day to freshen your look. Whatever has fallen on your eyelashes since you washed them and applied the first coat, will then go into your tube of mascara and potentially contaminate it.
Clean your mascara wand every month. Use a gentle soap, preferably sulfate-free, and let the wand dry completely before reinserting it into the tube of mascara.
Stop using all your eye makeup if you get conjunctivitis or any other eye illness. Immediately throw away all your eye makeup products like eye liner and mascara and replace it only after your infection has been away for at least 4 weeks.

By following these simple steps, you can make your mascara last a lot longer than 3 months. Practice good hygiene and cleanliness with your mascara and it will last till the tube is empty, which usually takes about 4-6 months with daily use. It’s also best to only have 1 or 2 tubes of mascara at a time so you can use them up in a reasonable amount of time before they go rancid. Keeping used tubes of mascara around longer than 6 months isn’t a great idea. However, you can keep bran new, unopened tubes of mascara around for up to 2 years.

If you don’t follow the above steps to help keep your tube of mascara clean, you risk contamination and infections. Ladies who do not practice good hygiene with their mascara should definitely replace it every 3 months.

Make sure to follow the guidelines above to keep your mascara clean. And remember that every time you pump the mascara wand, air gets into the tube. This creates a possible breeding ground for germs and eye mites. Not only that, it can make your mascara dry out and get clumpy much sooner.

You should never pump the wand back in and out to get the mascara on the brush. Simple unscrew the top and swish the wand around the in the tube before you pull it out. Think of it in the same way you would clean a bottle with a bottle brush. A gentle sweeping motion while the wand is still inside the tube will get an adequate amount of mascara on the brush and you’ll be ready to apply it to your lashes. When your mascara starts getting clumpy or smells funny, throw it out!

Did you find this article helpful? Please share it with your friends and leave a thoughtful thank you in the comment section.

Posted in Beauty Products, Makeup, Q & A Related Topics: Beauty Products, Cosmetics, Expiration Date, Expire, Mascara

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Frequently Asked Questions About Perfume Answered By Perfume Malaysia

June 6th, 2009 by The Fashionable Housewife

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Why your perfumes is so expensive?
50% – 90% of the cost of commercial perfume is marketing, not materials. Perfume is one of the most dramatic examples of the price not reflecting the cost of materials. Most people think that designer perfumes have all kinds of expensive and precious ingredients, and that is what makes it so expensive .
While this was true at one point, the real reason why most modern perfumes have such a high price tag is because of advertising, including:

Glossy magazine ads in Cosmo, GQ, and other popular magazines

Primetime TV commercials featuring hired celebrities

Custom-designed boxes, fancy bottles, and glitzy packaging to make the perfume “look expensive” and attract the eye of shoppers.

And don’t forget the reseller’s mark-up, which is usually twice the wholesale rate.

This answers the question, why One Drop Perfumes can be sold at a fraction of the designer perfume price.

Why oil base perfumes better than alcohol base?
When you purchase alcohol-free fragrance oil, what you are getting is pure perfume oil that is far more sophisticated then over-the-counter perfumes. The pure perfume oil emits a fine scent that is delicate yet strong but never offensive or overpowering.

Known for its well-balanced characteristics and long-lasting smell, perfume oil is pure and unadulterated by industrial fillers such as alcohol, white oil and water. These fillers, commonly found in the over-the-counter perfumes are used to make up the volume for larger packaging.

The downside of alcohol?

Alcohol tends to kill off or mask some of the subtle notes in many fragrances.

Ethyl alcohol is the most popular alcohol found in ordinary perfumes. It is extremely caustic.

Many people who think they are allergic to the perfumes are actually allergic to the alcohol added in the perfume.

Alcohol is a drying agent – it makes things evaporate including the fragrance and your natural body oils.

A well-established fact is that oil based perfumes do not evaporate quickly and will settle on the skin for much longer, causing the scent to linger for a longer period of time.
The oil-based One Drop Perfumes last up to 12 to 24 hours – depending on your body chemistry. If you apply the fragrance on your clothing, the scent will last throughout the day as it permeates into the fabric of your clothing.

Hence it is no gimmick when claim you will smell great throughout the day with only one drop of our fragrance oil.

The facts that you should know

Types of Perfumes

% of Perfume Oil

% of Alcohol & Water

Perfume Oil / Fine Fragrance

100

Perfume or Parfum

15-30

85-70

Eau de Parfum

8-30

92-70

Eau De Toilette

4-8

96-92

Eau de Cologne

2-5

98.95

Splash Cologne

1-3

99-97

Why ordinary perfumes add alcohol and water?
Alcohol has a low evaporating point so it dries quicker than water. Hence mixing perfume oil with alcohol causes the oil to evaporate faster than they would by themselves. This gives the impression that the perfume is considerably stronger than it actually is. That is why, when you first put on a commercial fragrance, the aroma may sometimes seem overwhelming to those around you. This also explains why the scent fades dramatically within one or two hours as the perfume oil evaporates along with the alcohol.

The second reason for all those fillers is just clever marketing — a bigger and fancier bottle containing fragrance plus fillers seems like a much better value than a smaller simple packaging of pure perfume oil.

Why it’s still legal to reproduce designers perfumes?
Thanks to amazing advances in recent technologies , it is now possible to chemically analyze and recreate most fragrances, including designer perfumes. This is completely legal. It is impossible to copyright or patent a smell. (After all, can you imagine a monopoly on things that smell like rose? That would be ridiculous!)

The courts of law have held that – fragrance is something that belongs to the nature and not to any individual. As a result of this, a fragrance cannot be patented or copyrighted. On the other hand a brand name can be copyrighted and registered and others may not profit from its use. For this reason we want to be very clear that we do not represent any particular perfume house or their products. Our fragrance oils were only inspired by these remarkable designers.

List of successfully reproduced oil base perfumes inspired by world famous designers perfumes:

Escape – Calvin Klein (Women)
Romance – Ralph Lauren (Women)
Pleasure – Estee Lauder (Women)
Still – Jennifer Lopez (Women)
For Her – Narciso Rodrigues (Women)
Baby Doll – Yves Saint Lauren (Women)
Cool Water for Women – Davidoff (Women)
Apple Blossom – Body Shop (Women)
Tresor – Lancome (Women)
Envy – Gucci (Women)
Kenzo Flower – Kenzo (Women)
Eternity for Women – Calvin Klein (Women)
Gloria – Cacharel (Women)
Miracle – Lancome (Women)
J’adore – Dior (Women)
Intense – Hugo Boss (Women)
CK Be – Calvin Klein (Women)
No.5 – Chanel (Women)
Light Blue – D&G (Women)
Musk – Coty (Women)
Sunflower – Elizabeth Arden (Women)
Women Boss – Hugo Boss (Women)
Palace – Paris Hilton (Women)
Poeme – Lancome (Women)
CocoMademoiselle – Chanel (Women)
Aqua di Gio – Giorgio Armani (Women)
Lolita Lempicka – Lolita Lempicka (Women)
Baby Jesz – One Drop (Women)
Gold – Amouage (Women)
Montana – “Parfum de Peau” (Women)
Yohji – Yohji Yamamoto (Women)
Amarige – Givenchy (Women)
M – Mariah CareyPerfume (Women)
Lovely – Sarah Jessica Parker (Women)
Curious – Britney Spears (Women)
Kate – Kate MossPerfume (Women)
Show Time – Kylie Minoque (Women)
Paris Hilton – Paris Hilton (Women)
Black Pearl – Elizabert Taylor (Women)
Glow – Jennifer Lopez (Women)

Why Order From One Drop Perfumes from Perfumes Malaysia?
We have an integrated eCommerce system will save your time and money. Just place order and pay. That’s it. Your perfumes will be delivered to your doorstep.

Start Shopping >>

Posted in Perfume & Fragrances, Q & A Related Topics: Fragrances, Perfume, Perfume Malaysia, Q&A, Questions

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Advice On Best Swimsuits For Your Shape From Designer and Swimwear Guru, Shoshanna Gruss

May 15th, 2009 by The Fashionable Housewife

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GET BEACH CHIC WITH SHOSHANNA

shoshanna1

Dreading this year’s search for the perfect swimsuit? Designer and swimwear guru, Shoshanna Gruss, is here to help with answers to all of your summer style issues. Conquer your swimwear fears and hit the stores armed with expert tips on what works for you.

Q&A WITH DESIGNER SHOSHANNA GRUSS

What are the key swim trends to look for this summer?

Look for bright pop colors like neon pink, orange and green. Tribal prints are popular as well as ditsy floral prints, big bohemian florals and graphic black and white.

How revealing should a swimsuit actually be?

Bust Coverage Test: Three-fourths of the bust should be covered, leaving only a swath of cleavage. The thicker the strap that attaches the bust to the rest of the suit, the more likely it’ll stay in place as the day goes on. If you opt for a bandeau top, which is often strapless, nothing should be squeezing out the top or the bottom. Boy shorts offer great coverage on the bottom if you’re active, but they’re far from being a universally flattering style.

What are the best colors for every skin tone?

Navy and black are universally good for every skin tone. Both colors are flattering and look good against the lightest skin tones and the darkest.

How do you find a swimsuit that flatters your shape?

Big Busted: Look for halters which offer the most support. Also look for boning and underwire which will act like a bra and securely hold you in place.

Curvy: Look for one pieces with ruching to slim your middle. When shopping for bikini’s stick to bottoms with tie string so they are easily adjustable.

Flat Chested: Strings are most flattering. If you want to enhance your chest, look for ruffles or ruching which will create the illusion of a bigger chest.

How do you take your beach look from day-to-night?

Find a versatile cover up that can take your bikini beach look to a casual dinner. A crochet cover with ¾ sleeves is great because you can throw it over a bikini with cute shorts or jeans and be ready for a night out.

What are some general tips for purchasing swimwear?

Cotton bathing suits are more for show. They will take a long time to dry compared to a polyester/Spandex blend. Accept that sizes will vary, even from the same label.

What is the best way to care for swimwear?

Don’t put bathing suits in the washing machine, this will weaken the elastic. Instead, wash in cold water with a delicate cleanser such as Woolite.

Purchase Shoshanna Swimwear at the following websites:

Bluefly.com

Nordstrom.com

ShopBop.com

Posted in Q & A, Swimwear Related Topics: Body Shape, Shoshanna, Swimsuits, Swimwear, Trends