DIY Paper Hermès Kelly Bag  Coquette

Summer Jeans!  Couture in the City

Cool Jewels Ice Cube Tray  Omiru

Sneak Peek! Mango Spring/Summer Collection  Fab Sugar

The beauty editor at Lucky calls this perfume “utterly unlike anything else, yet not strange.”  Okay I’m intrigued by Red Flower in Champa. Red Flower’s fragrances come in full bottle or a mini-roll on version.

Red Flower scents come in Champa, Beautiful and Unique. But it’s the former on that intrigues me which is citrusy with subtle flowers. Crisp and pretty. The organic perfume scents are all pure flower, leaf and bark distillations. They are certified organic, hand and wild crafted.

One other perfume that has my curiousity is Oscar de la Renta’s Fresh Vanilla. It’s bergamot, orange and marshmallow. Might be too sweet for my liking - but if you’re a fan of Vera Wang Princess than this one is worth trying.

The new red lip for spring/summer 2008 is actually…bright raspberry pink.

Bold dramatic lips pop with neutral, safari trends, or hold their own with the seasons brights. Tip: If you’re going for a loud mouth, tone down all other features. Bright pink lips should be the focal color story, paired with a soft eye and lots of lush lashes.

Collections from Dior, Bobbi Brown, and Guerlain all spotlight pinks. Bobbi Brown on her new Bobbi Brown Pink Raspberry Collection 2008: “Raspberry is a brilliant way to wear color. It brings out the natural flush of pink on cheeks. There’s a shade of raspberry for every complexion — from pink to deep raspberry."

Our raspberry top pick is Victoria Secret’s Beauty Rush Lip Gloss in "Punchy."  It gets huge points for an extra punch of color, and it’s addictive flavor. At prices that no one can beat, Beauty Rush Lip Gloss can be found at most Victoria Secret locations by the till: 2 for $10!

The girls who wear Ed Hardy bikinis are usually far from coy.  And since we all know Ed Hardy has never been shy - so it’s interesting that this season he is flaunting the koi fish on his sexy new swimwear line.

As seen already on Tori Spelling, Alicia Keyes, Madonna and more the suits are sizzling hot, that is if you are willing to wear a fishy down there.   Beyond the koi bikinis, Ed is also featuring some rockin’ monokini’s that aren’t shy.

Sexy tattoo art swimwear is definitely "it" this summer.

~ Nicole, guest "it" writer.

Image (left): source

A part of me hopes that the retro 70’s refurbished leather vintage look sticks around forever.  And the other part of me doesn’t understand why flower power bothers to resurface!

You might be able to find one of these in your mom’s old vintage truck of surprises.  Patchwork purses  are back as a hot summer 2008 trend - - and lucky for us the patchwork purse isn’t partial to only hippies.

Michael Kors is doing metallic patchwork purses, diamond shaped patches are huge for Dolce & Gabbana, and even Prada has their own version in snakeskin tiles (right). As sported by Victoria, Fergie and Lindsay  these patchwork purse are sure to patch your look together in more ways that one!

~ Nicole, guest "it" writer.

Swatch Spring/Summer ‘08  Fab Sugar

Last Minute! Mother’s Day Gifts  Omiru

Gryson for Target (Great Purse Deals)  My Fashion Life

Here’s a cool music gadget for you…do you have a ton of cassette tapes with all your cherished 80’s tunes.

My recent Duran Duran concert has me craving to rekindle old memories and all the songs that were so important to me, but who the heck has a cassette player anymore?

Solution: Instant Music Vinyl and Cassette Ripper. This little device converts both cassette tapes and records into MP3’s.

As if I wasn’t having enough fun with Max Factor’s color mascara - now there’s duo wands of color with Max Factor Vivid Impact Eyeshadow.
 
This loose powder eyeshadow goes on so smooth, doesn’t cake. It’s super rich pigment takes a bit of getting used to for blending, but it’s also why Vivid Impact has such an impact (and stays on a long time).

Brassy Berry (Pink & Gold) and Irish Coffee (Lite Green & Brown) are my favorite combos for my hazel eyes, but Nicole’s baby blues look great with the Pink Cloud.

One of the other things I like about it, is the dual effect of using it not just to shadow, but also as a liner. Another bonus, pigment that stays does not also mean it’s hard to take off. 

Colorgenius. That’s what the new Max Factor products are, alright. ColorGenius Mineral Blush and Pressed Powder.

Each palette features three shades so you can choose one, two or three colors to customize your look. I’ve been swirling, sweeping and blending the makeup rules.

ColorGenius Blush comes in three color palettes, perfect for Spring: Roses, Peaches, or Spices Palette. And I must say that Spices has quickly become a fav in my purse - and I’ll be as I blend it darker it’ll rock a tan.

This ingenious Pressed Powder uses mineral ingredients to help give skin a polished finish. The ultra-fine pigments allow skin to breathe while helping create flawless complexions. 

Botox, surgery and lasers, oh my! This Mother’s Day, instead of getting a well-deserving mom a service requiring recovery time, give her the gift of smooth, beautiful skin (pain free) courtesy of Frownies.

Frownies are the anti-aging brand than intro’ed us to their Hollywood Beauty Secret Facial Pads - and now they’ve created a gift set of their best products in their Facelift in a Bag. It includes: Frownies Facial Pads, Rose Water Hydrator Spray, pH Balancing Complexion Wash, and Immune Perfect Wrinkle Cream. All in a cute little travel bag.

To celebrate Mother’s Day we’ve got a contest for you. A Frownies Sampler:

* Frownies Rose Water Hydrator Spray
* Frownies Forehead & Between the Eyes Patches
* Frownies Corners of the Mouth Patches

Anyone signing up for our newsletter by April 18 is automatically entered to win!

Martin + Osa is a new concept from the crew that brought you American Eagle. If you’ve out grown AE’s ripped jeans and trendy print t’s, then this store is for you. They proudly share "if it looks like it’s made for a 20-year-old, we don’t make it."

The store’s name and inspiration comes from Martin and Osa Johnson, a globetrotting husband and wife team from Kansas who explored Africa and the South Pacific Islands, chronicling their travels in photographs and diaries.

Martin + Osa carries their own branded clothing brand plus some third-party brands -Ray-Ban sunglasses, Clarks desert boots, Tretorn sneakers, and Havaianas sandals.  The site provides features full-motion video on some outfits and Layer Your Own Look (cool way to test an outfit that you assemble on a 3D form). But best…Free shipping and returns to USA and Canada.

The only downside is that since it’s a new website there’s not tons of selection, but there are some gems. I really like this Tie-Front Poplin skirt and or these mid-thigh Mandala print shorts.

BONUS: 30% off with promo code 32619559

This Just In! Sarah Jessica Parker Adds Sex and the City Movie Merchandise Line Fab Sugar

Today’s Couture - Belts Couture in the City

Metallic Sweaterdress  Omiru

Tinsley Mortimer (NY Socialite) new Dior lip gloss "Tinsley Pink"   The Cut

I’m proud to say I’m getting better at doing two things when I leave the house. Taking my handy non-plastic bag. I love BYOB or else I use keep a foldable nylon pocket one in my purse.

The other thing is a purse hook to protect my handbag from getting wrecked or stolen. Smaller than the size of some pocket mirrors is ClipChic -  a "must-have" fashion accessory. This slick handy purse hook wraps around the circular top, so it’s not awkward and bulky like some of the original hooks.

Alot of purse hooks can get a bit pricey, but this one is only $19…even better Get 25% off!

To celebrate the arrival of Spring, receive 25% off on all orders over $60, until June 20th. Just enter promo code PRIMA25 at checkout. And shipping is always FREE on all US & Canada orders.

I spent last nite resurrecting my high school crush on Nick Rhodes. Duran Duran kicked off their North American tour in Vancouver.

A mass of 30ish women (and their loyal boyfriends in tow) holding up cell phones, screaming to ‘Rio’, echoing bad dance moves and living in the 80’s.

I forgot how genuinely fun this band was - I really had a great time. Oh, and I must admit that Simon Le Bon did the least painful introduction of the band - that I’ve ever experienced at a concert. He actually made it fun.

This time I wasn’t working, so my seats weren’t as fantastic as when I was working the Kanye West gig. But I still managed some good shots.Um, and that’s me groovin away to ‘Save A Prayer’.