"Not that smokey," says Ellen.

(above image source)

Instead of blacks and greys, opt for browns and beiges for a more natural look. Take a light beige color (with shimmer if you’re feeling bold) and apply it to your entire lid. Then take a dark brown color and apply it on the outer corner of your eye by the crease. Blend it with the lighter shade. Finish with brown eye liner and a thick coat of dark mascara.

That’s all it takes to get a sexy, smokey eye that will attract everyone’s attention!

Erica Nicole.

(above image source)

Recently on The CW’s 90210, Naomi Clark talks about finding the perfect LGD. Little Gold Dress. I predict that this will be the next big thing.

Golds, silvers, and bronzes—anything metallic. Keep the cut simple, and the shine spectacular. And don’t go on a sparkle overload. I suggest pairing a metallic top with a pair of skinny jeans and heels. Or be like Naomi and set out to find the perfect “little gold dress.”

Minimize the amount of accessories so the clothes attract all the attention. Unless you want all eyes to be on your necklace, ring, bracelet, or handbag—then go all out on the accessories. Try a rhinestone bracelet, sparkly wristlet, or pair of bronze heels. My favorite way to wear this trend is in gold or silver. But if you want, feel free to throw on a bright-colored metallic top in a hue like magenta or teal.

You don’t need to wear makeup with this look. Trust me, people will notice you!

Erica Nicole.

I went the other day and got a manicure and haircut. Not only did I save a lot of money, I also got to keep the OPI nail polish of my choice! After much deliberation, I went for a bright reddish, orange color called OPI on Collins Ave.  I’m hoping it puts me in the Spring Break state of mind. Before the mani, I filled out a chart based on my skin type and mood so the manicurist could suit the service to my specific needs. How does that sound for service? Perfect.

After my nails were done, the haircut began.  Complete with a cut, blow dry, and  FREE HEAD MASSAGE! Oh and they let me pick what scented oil  I liked best for the massage. I went with an energizing peppermint smell. Each time the cosmotology student completed a certain step, she had her teacher make sure everything was done correctly. This assured me that even though she was a student, I was still getting a professional quality mani and haircut.

Thanks Aveda!

Erica Nicole.

Erica Nicole.

Snow is a form of precipitation just like rain. It turns your hair into a wet mess. It melts into your boots and causes ugly water spots. It also gets in your eyes and prevents you from seeing straight. So I say if you feel the need to bring out your umbrella in the snow, go for it! Who knows, it could be the next big thing.

Erica Nicole.

These classes are a bit pricey, but I’m sure they are worth every penny. Check it out and see what you think.

Happy styling!

Luke Storey has styled many celebrities, including Kanye West. Waiting to hear if he was responsible for this.

]]> http://www.sheimagazine.com/blog/2010/school-of-style/feed/ 0 http://www.sheimagazine.com/blog/2010/from-the-fashion-desk/ http://www.sheimagazine.com/blog/2010/from-the-fashion-desk/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:45:37 +0000 Erica Nicole. http://www.sheimagazine.com/blog/?p=5007 Get ready for more fabulous FASHION! Members of the SHEI fashion team (including myself) will make our own fashion-focused contributions to the blog. The areas you can expect to see are: trendsetters on campus, photo shoots designed exclusively for online viewers, and DIY projects. We hope you’re all as excited as us about this new addition to the website. If you would like to see any more areas of fashion covered, please let us know.  Everyone needs a little (or a lot) of fashion in their life!

Erica Nicole.

Lights, Camera...Shop!

But don’t be fooled- The Grove is more than just a mall. It is a lifestyle center, the name given by the International Council of Shopping Centers to places “with an open-air configuration; and at least 50,000 square feet of space occupied by upscale national chain specialty stores.” The Grove comes complete with cobblestone streets and perfectly crafted architecture to have a “Wisteria Lane” appeal.

One after the other, these outdoor lifestyle centers are popping up all over the U.S. They are made to create downtown atmospheres in suburbia. According to Jamie Reno of Newsweek, in December of 2006, there were already 150 lifestyle centers, with 100 more on the way. But why are these super fake shopping centers so appealing to today’s society? It may be because, as Jean Baudrillard, writer of Simulacra and Simulation puts it, people have become so reliant on symbols and signs that they have lost contact with the real world. Or maybe because mother nature cannot compete with the alluring charm felt by walking through the mimicked main streets of these “Disney-esque” designs.

It is tempting to visit these places, especially after reading that celebrities such as Heidi Klum and Janet Jackson have been to The Grove, but how far from reality are people willing to go? This fake version of upscale living is too good to be true, because it’s not true. There are no synchronized dancing fountains in the real world, only in over-the-top places of fantasy and thrill like the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and now The Grove in Los Angeles. It seems fitting for these fountains to be in a place home to the motto, “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas,” but a little out of character for them to be in this L.A. shopping center.

Another surreal aspect of The Grove is its food court made to mimic ethnic food markets. Rumor has it that the waiters talk in fake foreign accents. Why do tourists put up with these faux accents when they can easily find authentic ethnic foods elsewhere in L.A?

According to Cybele Weisser of Money, these mega-malls “offer more to their shoppers than just shopping.” With free concerts in the park and trolley rides to the nearby farmer’s market, The Grove is the ipitomy of instant gratification wrapped in a perfect  shiny bow.  Visitors fail to see that what they are experiencing is superficial and manipulated to make them “spend, spend, spend,” says Weisser.

Should we be worried about the appeal of these faux-reality shopping experiences?  They seem at such odds with the reality of today’s economic recession and other woes.  Is this escape more dangerous than other forms? Or simply more eerie?
Erica Nicole.

An ugg only a mother could love?

Once upon a time a shoe was born to Australian parents given the not-so-appealing name of Ugg.  But the baby grew up in a sort of classic Ugly Duckling fairy tale way.

Its first few years of life (in my eyes) started out slow as a few of my fellow students sported these shoes to school in the good old days of junior high. I did not like the furry boot breed too much and decided my wardrobe was just fine without it. The initial popularity of the Ugg began to fade, especially in the mind of men who gave them the cruel nickname “UGG-LY.”  For a short time the Ugg was on the down low.

Before I knew it, almost everyone was wearing Uggs and I gave in to the trend, asking for a pair of my own. By the time the Ugg made its way into my closet, it  no longer carried with it  a “look-at-me, i’m the hottest new shoe” vibe. Instead it was a necessary staple to every girl’s shoe collection.  The suede shoe went from being unknown to pretty cool to popular to ugly to average in a short life span.

Look around next time you step outside; I guarantee you will see at least one of these maufactured clones walking around campus.

Erica Nicole.

A lady in France married what she thought to be the perfect spouse–the tall, dark and handsome…Eiffel Tour! She even changed her last name to La Tour Eiffel. Another lady has professed her love for an amusement park roller coaster.

The 21st century version of this love-story can be found in Tokyo where one enthusiastic and enamoured Nintendo DS gamer has actually married an avatar from the game “Love Plus”.  Online gamers and others were able to watch the wedding ceremony between groom/gamer Sal 9000 and his bride, Nene Anegasaki.

This is the first noted marriage between a human and a virtual character.

Erica Nicole.