It’s been a while since I wore this dress. But since I’ve been in a leopard kind of mood lately, I thought it was time to recycle it, remixed.

Oh, and a huge thank you to Anika of Sweetfaced Style for featuring G&G her blog this week. Big hug, Anika darling! Y’all check her out. She’s a beautiful, fearless bloggerista who regularly whips up her own ensembles. If only I had skills like that.

This is also the debut of my new obsession: nail decals. These were sent to me by A Brit Greek (thanks, sugar!) and I’m totally loving them on a black mani. Am I too old for nail art? Probably. Do I care? Hell no.

*WVW=What V Wore
Sass & Bide Chase the Dark dress, American Apparel leggings, BCBG rings, Guess sandals.
On nails: OPI Black Onyx, Snowfox white floral nail stickers.

Oh yeah, baby. I’m loving this week’s Friend Friday* topic! If you’re a regular G&G reader, you know I have confessed a nail polish addiction, waxed on about colors and brands and all kinds of nail-related baloney, and published too many gratuitous foot shots.**

This week, I’m doin’ it vloggy style again. I like that name, vlog, by the way. Because for me at least, it really is a V-log. So here are the questions we were asked:

1. Do you keep nail polish on your fingers and toes year round?
2. What are your go-to colors for the fingers and toes?
3. Any tips for strengthening your nails?
4. Do you have any nail ‘rules’ you abide by? (things like toe and finger colors must match, should never be the same, trim them all if one breaks, I dunno…)
5. How often, if ever, do you get a manicure and/or pedicure?

Products mentioned in the video:

• CND: Stickey Base Coat, Super Shiney Top Coat
• Essie: Pink Parka
• Nailtiques Protein Formula 2
• OPI nail colors: Black Onyx, Lincoln Park After Dark, Dulce de Leche, OPI on Collins Avenue, You Don’t Know Jacques
• Orly: La Vida Loca
• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri: Rose Riot

*The Friend Friday project by Modly Chic is a way for bloggers to share more about themselves and create a friendly connection with other bloggers. Katy of Modly Chic sends us questions weekly, and we answer on our blogs.

**Other posts include Beauty Confession: Nail Polish Obsession, Oops, I did it again…, {Essie} Pink Parka, Typical Girl, to name a few.

This week’s Friend Friday* project is all about beauty, which goes hand-in-hand with fashion. Katy wrote, “Even though some of us are strictly fashion bloggers, we still use beauty products on a daily basis, so let’s delve into that for our readers.”

My Beauty Secrets

What are the three products you couldn’t live without?
Neutrogena sunscreen, Dermablend, and lipgloss.

Which products do you never leave home without?
My MAC Studio Fix compact, and a lipstick or lipgloss.

When purchasing what is your one big beauty weakness?
NAIL POLISH!!! I’m obsessed. I cannot get enough. If you’re a new reader, check out Beauty Confession: Nail Polish Obsession and Oops, I did it again…. After nail polish, I go straight for lipstick and lipgloss.

Do you have a secret remedy, concoction, family tradition that you use?
Yeah, it’s three ounces gin, to one ounce dry vermouth, to one ounce olive juice (or something like that),  shaken hard, topped with three bleu-cheese stuffed olives. Just kidding!  Well, not about the cocktail, but about it having anything to do with making one look good. I’ve found that it only makes other people look good.

OK, seriously, since my mom hardly ever wears makeup and could care less about skin care she’s no help in that department. My grandmother wore nothing…no makeup, no sunscreen, zip. So these are the secrets I’m going to pass on to my gorgeous little niece (who is also fair-skinned like me):

• Crème De La Mer is a miracle cream and worth every penny.
• Stay the hell out of the sun and wear 100 SPF sunscreen every single day (I have been under a veil of sunscreen for about 14 years now. I swear it has made a huge difference.).
• Don’t smoke! and wear sunglasses and a hat if you’re going to be in the sun for longer than five minutes.
• Never, ever go to bed with makeup on. I don’t care how drunk or tired you are.

When it comes to your face, what area do you usually try to accentuate?
First, my eyes. That means several coats of L’Oreal Voluminous mascara in Noir. Then I like to play with color on my lips. I’m not devoted to a particular lip color—since I hardly ever wear eye liner or eye shadow, this is where I work in a pop of bright fuchsia or coral, a metallic bronze or pale pink, or a shiny, lacquer-like nude.

*The Friend Friday project by Modly Chic is a way for bloggers to share more about themselves and create a friendly connection with other bloggers. Katy of Modly Chic sends us questions weekly, and we answer on our blogs. Twitter tag: #FBFF

I bought some more nail polish.

I know, I know, it’s literally only been two weeks since my big beauty confession, but I couldn’t help myself. Truth be told, I actually bought two other bottles of polish a couple days ago—one, a cross between Chanel Jade and Nouvelle Vague, the other a too-bright  lavender (more about that one in a minute). I’ve been seeing those minty green Jade nails everywhere, and I love them. But when I painted my own nails that color, I felt…well…12. On my fingertips, it felt too close to a light blue I coveted in the days before I even had a license to drive. And the lavender? Close, but too purple. No, that’s not it; I’ll wear a purple polish. It was too intense for a color with no opalescence, and I didn’t want sparkly either. It felt cartoonish. So here is another confession: I now know I that blue nails (and anything in the blue or green family) is definitely not me. Oh, and yellow. Seriously, yellow nails? The polishes are out there. But I can’t think of a more unflattering nail color. Unless you’re 12.

So back to Ulta I went. Not for a return, but a polish exchange. I’ve already been on a big nude kick, and ever since I saw the photo below in Marie Claire’s June 2010 issue, I’ve been obsessed with the juxtaposition of  neutrals and color—nude and lavender, specifically.

Scan from Marie Claire, U.S. edition, June 2010.

Since this juxtaposition is definitely not going to happen in my hair, extensions or otherwise, I thought, why not bring it in on the nails? Since I’ve officially struck Nouvelle Vague from my repertoire (boo), and I’ve already done the delicious olivey-khaki that is OPI’s oh-so-hot You Don’t Know Jacques, I decided to try some other colors I’ve never sported in the past. And I must say that I quite like them.

On my fingernails is OPI Dulce de Leche, a warmer neutral than the camel coat in the photo above, but nice with my skin tone (and it’s an exact match to a favorite lippie, MAC Blankety). The polish in the second photo, and on my toes below is Essie Neo Whimsical, a lovely lilac shade that is just dreamy on. Not too purple, not too pink, not too bright or too pale. Almost a non-color color, like a cool, neutral grey.

OPI Dulce de Leche

CND Stickey, Essie Neo Whimsical.

On nails: Essie Neo Whimsical. Sandals: Gucci.

So what do you think? I’m loving Neo Whimsical even with olive green and dark brown. I think it’s going to look stunning with black, and my nude peep-toes. When it’s time for a mani, I’m going to try it on my fingers as well. I think it has the same muted brightness of pale pink, but it’s an edgier choice. A nice diversion.

PS: As captioned, the second bottle in the Essie photo is CND Stickey Base Coat. Why have I included it? Because it is my secret manicure weapon. I’ve finally(!) found the key to long-lasting, natural nail manicures. Here is my formula:

1. If you have problem nails (peeling, splitting, easily broken nails), start with a coat of Nailtiques Nail Protein Formula 2. This stuff is a miracle worker. If you’re going from gels or acrylics back to natural nails, Nailtiques will help strengthen them so you get your healthy, real nails back stronger and faster. Trust me, I know. I’ve been using it off and on for years. It is the real deal.
2. Use one coat of CND Stickey Base Coat on top of the Nailtiques. Make sure it dries completely before moving to the next step.
3. Add two coats of your favorite polish, letting each coat dry thoroughly. My preferred brands are OPI, Essie, and China Glaze.
4. Finish with OPI Top Coat.

When I use these  products in this order, my manicure lasts at least five full days with hardly a chip. To extend the life of your manicure, touch up edges or chips, then seal with another layer of your top coat about three days in. Most of the time, I re-do my nails more because I get tired of looking at the same color than because they’re chipped or looking bad.

Look at this stunning creature! I am smitten. I think I must go to Cavalia. At any price.

Sylvia Zerbini, a Liberty trainer, leads Atila, one of 65 horses for the Cavalia equestrian show. Photo: T.ORTEGA GAINES

Watch a short video about Atila and the other Cavalia stars.

Ahhhhhhhh. To sum up the latest shows at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW), let me put it in two words: Mind. Blowing.

The Greek trifecta of designer Alex Perry, makeup maestro Napoleon Perdis, and hair stylist Renya Xydis came together for Perry’s massive show held in an equally massive off-site space. Looks started small (think Gaga/no pants), and literally grew into a spectacular display of frothy frockery. With all the lace, sequins, and embellishment, much of this collection falls into the special occasion category. But the Greeks promised an OTT delivery, and they made good on their word.

Here Napoleon Perdis describes his recipe for the Arabian princess look:

And the show…gotta love a final strut to a Kelis Milkshake remix.

The Bowie/Ziggy Stardust-inspired S/S 2010 Ellery collection gave me goosebumps. The leather pieces…skinny pants and little dresses…have me thinking I need. Leather. Now! Sparkling bell bottoms and a palette of neutrals accented by metallics definitely kept this show very 21st century, even if the inspiration was all 70s. View the complete Ellery collection.

Manning Cartell. I’m smitten with the sculptural earrings. I am in lust with the lace tops and dresses in contrasting black, grey, and white. I know it’s blasphemy, but I can just see that black asymmetrical lace dress thrown over some Sass & Bide Black Rats for everyday life. And the nude lips and center-parted, sleek ponies? Ouuuuuuuuiiiiiii! Love. View the complete Manning Cartell collection.

Side note: You must see the Manning Cartell Autumn/Winter 2010 collection out now. Go to www.manningcartell.com.au. Gorge.

P.S.: Don’t forget RAFW to read Loving and Loathing: Day 3 by Vogue Australia. We’re on a roll now.

P.P.S.: Tomorrow: DION LEE!!!

The fashion hysteria in Sydney at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) is in full swing. Street peepers and uber-famous bloggers (Scott and Garance) are snapping away, the music is pumping, and the fashpack is tweeting as fast as their manicured little fingers will allow.

Day 2 at RAFW
Show of the day was definitely by dynamic duo/brother and sister camilla and marc. While I’d like to see the turban trend disappear forever, the soft shades, draping, and diaphanous fabrics were an absolute delight. Crazy about this collection. See camilla and marc S/S 2010 show photos.

Models at perennial fave Zimmermann wore wide, shiny silver metal chokers, straight, center-parted hair, and deep burgundy lips and nails. Many looks fused watercolor and abstract prints, for a very bold, very busy collection. I’ve seen stronger collections by Zimmermann in past seasons; this one didn’t speak to me. But the show’s timing coincides neatly with the designer’s New York pop-up, at 112 Greene Street, New York, NY 10012, which is now open until the end of June.  See Zimmermann S/S 2010 show photos.

Love is definitely in the air—and the dresses—of Gail Elliot’s S/S 2010-11 collection for Little Joe Woman. But Elliot tempered floral prints and ruffles with bits and pieces of utilitarian edge, and armloads of bangles. See Little Joe Woman S/S 2010 show photos.

PS: Read RAFW summary Loving and Loathing: Day 2 by Vogue Australia. Air con obviously won’t happen. But hot and stinky? Lord have mercy.

I’m sure my American readers are looking at that title, that curious string of digits and letters wondering what it all means. I’ll tell you what it means: it’s one of the best weeks of the year Down Under.

It’s the 15th year of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) in Sydney, and all those awesome Aussie designers are showing their spring/summer 2010-11 collections. Remember, their seasons run opposite of ours. But I love it because wherever you are, someone’s country gives you inspiration for the season you’re actually in!

Pre-show and Day 1 Lovelies
Seasoned designer Carla Zampatti kicked off her superb collection prior to RAFW, at her very own mansion. Her S/S 2010-11 collection is an homage to clean, sophisticated glamour. I loved the makeup, especially the bright orange and fuschia lips by MAC—they were brilliant with her elegant, mostly  monochromatic dresses. See Carla Zampatti S/S 2010 show photos.

Photo: Getty

This year it seems like the designers are really stepping it up because, there is so much to love.  So far, for the glam quotient, Aurelio Costarella wears the crown. His gowns are a-maaaaaaaaaaa-zing. I would so love to see him dress an American celebrity and crack this market. His work is phenomenal. See Aurelio Costarella S/S 2010 show photos.

For chic wearability and overall gorgeousness, Ginger & Smart stole my heart. Flowing silk in muted earth tones and pastels were chased with just the right amount of abstract prints. Adored the skinny pants and airy feel of this show. See Ginger & Smart S/S 2010 show photos.

PS: Must read RAFW summary Loving and Loathing: Day 1 by Vogue Australia. Why is air con (or lack thereof) a permanent issue in Oz? I think we need to send some HVAC boys down there and cool all those poor people off.

The other day I opened up the medicine cabinet in my bathroom, and aside from daily staples like sunscreen and moisturizer, there on the second shelf almost a dozen bottles of nail polish—lined up like little soldiers—stared back at me. Then I opened a drawer and another dozen or more bottles, lying neglected and hidden from the light of day, looked up longingly as if to say, Pick me! I want to be the color du jour!

And then it hit me. I am a total junkie. And my drug’s initials are  O.P.I.

My nail polish collection.

I’ve always known I was a lip product addict—there are six-to-eight lipsticks or glosses in my handbag on any given day. But the polishes, they’ve taken me by surprise.

When I moved overseas, I shipped my polishes and other beauty supplies because in Sydney, OPI is 20 bucks a bottle. I even doubled up on some of my faves (Lincoln Park After Dark, OPI on Collins Avenue, Sweetheart), which in hindsight is ludicrous. I’ve never gotten to the end of a bottle of polish before it has gone thick in my life. Though I have to say that it takes a long time for an OPI polish to go.

In the times I was home for a visit, I bought the same basic colors again, and they stayed at my house in the States. Eventually, I moved back to the U.S., and if you can believe this—I paid to ship my polishes back again. Even knowing that I had polishes there, as well as immediate and inexpensive access to more. For some reason, I couldn’t just abandon all my little beauties, all those bottles of vibrant color. I just couldn’t leave them behind.

So now I have Lincoln Park After Dark and OPI on Collins Avenue in triplicate. I have doubles of OPI Natural Nail Base and Top Coat, a couple I’m Indi-a Mood For Love, a Big Apple Red and an O’Hare & Nails Look Great. I’ve added You Don’t Know Jacques and Black Onyx and Hot & Spicy. And there are scores of other OPI shades amongst all those. And I’ve moved on from only OPI (great). There are now bottles of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri, a China Glaze, and an Essie. Because at least for this girl, there just can never be too much nail polish.

An Obsession Dissection
I think most women have some sort of beauty product addiction. For some it’s eyeshadow. Or lipliner. Or body cream. For me, I now know, it’s nail polish. And it is definitely an obsession. Because I don’t buy a new lipstick until I run out or really need a new color. But I keep buying polish even when there is plenty to be had.

And you know why? Because seeing those glorious bottles of color every time I open my medicine cabinet just makes me feel good. And I get the same joy when I look down at my fingers and toes and they gleam back in lacquered perfection. Polish is the ultimate girlie-girl marker, and on the surface it may seem insignificant. But isn’t it the most telling sign of self-love, of time made for one’s own sanity?

The first time I painted my niece's nails to match mine.

Nail polish is one of the few beauty products that is absolutely unnecessary. It is an indulgence on every level, especially if like me, you prefer to handle your own manicures and pedicures. Doing your nails is labor intensive, time-consuming, and as we ladies know, a process that simply cannot be rushed. And all for a few days of enameled bliss.

I think there is just something in some girls’ DNA that dictates an inherent need for nail polish. I am one of those girls. And my two-year-old niece and namesake apparently is too. Several weeks ago, after seeing my Essie Pink Parka-ed toes, she said she wanted pink toes too. Who am I to deny her this tiny indulgence? After some coaching about the required stillness and drying time, we embarked on this rite of passage together. Then we stood and marveled and the perfect pinkness of our toes.

And so it begins.

I am the daughter of a hairdresser. A beautician. A colorist. A hairstylist. She is all of  the above, and to everyone else, she is also a fairy godmother, a lifesaver, a confidante, a shrink, and on occasion, a magician.

Of course, she is all of those things to me as well, being the only person who has touched my hair in my entire life. (Maybe that’s why I’ve worn my hair super-long for years. Cause I hate to ask Mom to work me in to her jam-packed schedule of paying customers more than necessary—but that’s another article to be written).

First and foremost, this woman that so many have come to love and can’t live without is…Mom. And because she’s my mom, I’ve had a lifetime of inside scoop, the kind of inside scoop (read: scandal) that is only whispered about in a salon, and inside scoop on what life is really like for your hairdresser.

What prompted this post was a call my mother recently received. It went like this:

Mrs. G: Hello? Hi, there. I was expecting your call.

[Caller speaking.]

Yes, I can do it tomorrow, but I don’t want to.

[Caller speaking again. More conversation between the two.]

OK, I’ll see you tomorrow at nine.

I’m thinking, huh? That call came in on a Sunday. Mom is off on Sundays and Mondays. And what does she not want to do? That’s weird.

Mom hangs up the phone, distraught. She turns and says to me, “Aw, that was one of my sweetest ladies. I was expecting her call. She asked me if I would shave her head tomorrow.” [Mom now tearing up].

“What?” I say, “She has cancer?”

“Yes, and she’s had surgery, and you know what she said to me?” Mom continues, “She said ‘I’d rather lose my hair than my life.’ It just kills me. I feel so bad. She’s just something else.”

It upset my mother so much, and in seeing her so upset, it upset me. But this is not her first hurt, as I have borne witness to the losses and unbelievable gestures my mother has felt and made in her years as a hairdresser. It’s conversations and moments like these that get lost in the seemingly vacuous, superficial cosmos known as the beauty salon. We all know that salons are like petri dishes for a community’s most salacious gossip, and we all know that once a woman finds the right hairdresser, she commits for life—and no price, path, or pestilence will part the two. Case in point: my mother still does my first grade teacher’s hair; I’ve been out of first grade for more than 30 years.

But what of the hairdresser?  That man or (in this case) woman, who not only knows the facts of your follicles, but often the most intimate details of your life? What about her?

Did you know that when you smile and apologize for losing track of time, and expect her to take you even if you’re 20 minutes late, that it throws her entire day off? That she probably catches hell later in the day for running late, because of you?

Did you realize that every dime she earns is through physically and mentally exhausting physical labor? That, in my mom’s case, she has developed asthma, and I can’t help but wonder if all those sprays and chemicals have indeed taken their toll? Or that when you’re reveling in having a “snow day” off, she’s twisted up in knots inside thinking about how much money she just lost?

Did you know that because most women prefer to have their hair done for the weekend, that her Thursdays and Fridays are 10- or 11-hour days, all on her feet? That she comes home at night and her legs ache so much that she has dinner and goes straight to bed?

This is the typical life of a hairdresser. Maybe those are things you actually do know.

But here is what you don’t.

This woman, your hairdresser, marks the milestones of your life with you—through your hair. Her most spectacular work is immortalized in many a bridal portrait around town; her styling over the years recorded in hundreds of wedding, christening, and prom photographs. She is among the first calls you make during those frenzied months of wedding planning. She listens to your needs, celebrates your joy, and with one final blast of extra-hold hairspray, proudly sends you off to the first day of the rest of your life.

And those are the times she loves what she does, beams with pride when she looks up and sees an entire wedding party of perfectly coiffured coquettes. She smiles knowing not a hair will fall out of place, because she’s that good. And she is. They last all night.

The other milestones, though, they are not so easy. When a long-time customer began losing her hair, my mother styled hairpieces and then full wigs to keep her at her prettiest. When one customer lost her husband, my mom was there with moral support—and her irons, dryers, and skills—to get her through the funeral.

But perhaps the biggest testament to what it really means to be a hairdresser is not what Mom has done for her ladies in life, but in death. My mother, my truest example of grit and glamour, my rock and my biggest fan—my dear, sweet, steel magnolia of a mom—has styled several of her long-time clients for their own funerals. Mind you, my mother does not specialize in mortuary services. But when the distraught husband of a former client calls and asks this of her—asks because he knows that she knew his wife better, in a sense, than anyone else—she cannot find the strength to deny this last request. Because she does know their preferences—how they liked a long bang to sweep to the left, or how that curl should fall. Can you even fathom the guts, the heart-wrenching loyalty and personal fortitude it requires to style the hair of a deceased person, and one you have known for decades? But she has done it. Repeatedly and with nothing more than humble servitude to guide her hands and her will.

Next time you’re scheduled to see your hairdresser, I hope you will arrive early and at some point, tell her what she means to you. I hope you’ll recall these revelations, and for just a bit, step into her shoes and imagine what it must take to stand all day in chaos, listening to you and the perpetual whine of hairdryers, and smile through it all. And I hope you will smile back, ask her how she is, and tip her generously. Because you never know who sat in her chair last, or who is next. And your appointment might be the same day that through mutual tears, she shaved the head of a dear friend and client in preparation for the battle of her life. Or put the final touch on a woman who has just lost hers.