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Holiday Shopping From A To Z — Easing On Down To M, N, O, P, and Q

With Christmas exactly 10 days away, our style elves are busy scouting out the most amazing, imaginative, exciting gift ideas out there. And, since they like to stay organized, this year they convinced us to have an A to Z theme for our Holiday Gift Guide.

Over the past few weeks, we've covered great gifts in the A to L spectrum of the alphabet, and now we're rapidly moving towards the finish line, with this gift guide installment focusing on the categories corresponding to the letters M, N, O, P, and Q.

Below, you'll find a see of sparkling and shimmering goodies in the M is for Metallics category, a parade's worth of bright bits in the N if for Neons portion, and an illusion-casting group of gifts in the O is for Op Art section, then you'll mingle with the dotted denizens in the P is for Polka Dots category and geek out with the eccentric sorts in the Q is for Quirky section. Get ready for more alphabet-themed amusement!

M IS FOR METALLICS

Love ADAM Long-Sleeve Sequin Wrap V-Neck Dress, $129.99. Available at HSN.com

The lights in your Christmas tree won't be the only thing twinkling this year! This satin-lined, long-sleeved, below-the-knee, V-neck dress — part of designer Adam Lippes' apparel line for HSN, Love Adam — features satin accents at the cuffs and a wrap-around sash to cinch the waist.

Lia Sophia Arrow Necklace with Black Diamond Crystals in Matte Gold, $450. Visit LiaSophia.com to find an adviser in your area.

Nylon editor Dani Stahl designed this statement-making necklace for her Lia Sophia Boudika collection. The choker-style piece features sculptural, arrow-shaped pieces linked together, with half of each arrow encrusted with black diamonds and the other half left stone-free, with matte gold alone on that surface.

Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Silk Eyeshadow in 5 and 16, $32 each. Available at Nordstrom.com

Beloved by makeup lovers with moxie everywhere, Armani's Eyes To Kill Intense Silk Eyeshadows come in small round pots and feature a mousse-like, fluffy, lighter-than-cream consistency, and they glide onto the skin with ease. On lids, the shadows have the shimmer we associate with powder and the pigment concentration we associate with cream colors. Plus, thanks to Armani's Color-Fil technology, a bi-polymer that cushions the skin on the lids, the eyeshadow colors look smooth and clump-free. Each shade features a base color and a secondary pigment that yields a multi-dimensional, shimmering, nuanced effect. If you're seeking a gilded look, snatch up the 5 and 16 shades — the former is an Etruscan gold-meets-bronze color with gold shimmer, while the latter is a platinum shade with silver glitter. Check out swatches of these two shades here.

Toywatch Metallic Indigo Watch, $195; Toywatch Metallic Violet Chrono Watch, $225; and Toywatch Metallic Green Watch, $195 . Available at ToywatchUSA.com

Having mastered the art of making plastic resemble ceramic, Toywatch has now ventured into new territory with the release of its first-ever watch made entirely out of metal. This aluminum watch is available in 15 colors (like the Indigo, Violet and Green pictured here) an comes with a chronograph dial or a time only dial (as with those pictured above). If you want to keep it simple, opt for a time only dial with dot markers or pick up one with crystal markers for an added bling factor.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Whipped Perfume, $72. Available at NeimanMarcus.com and Bloomingdales.com

If you're a fan of Cashmere Mist, then you already know that part of the fragrance's charm is its sensuality, how it envelops the skin like a cozy sweater, how the amber and woody notes evoke a sense of warmth and comfort while the light jasmine and lily of the valley notes add a touch of powdery femininity. The new Cashmere Mist Whipped Perfume builds upon this sensation, working up the cozy tactile sensibility of this acclaimed fragrance by allowing you to gently massage the scented, frothy, foamy lotion onto the skin, focusing on pulse points.

Bobbi Brown Cosmetics Cool Party Eye Palette, $45. Available at BobbiBrownCosmetics.com

There's an Ice Queen-worthy sophistication to the frosty blue, gray, and silver shades in Bobbi Brown's Cool Party Eye Palette. The holiday palette features six shades: White Eye Shadow, the type of velvety white you associate with cloud formations; Iced Blue Metallic Eye Shadow, a pale, silver-tinged, glacial blue; Rockstar Metallic Eye Shadow, a shimmering, lavender-ish steel shade; Sterling Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, an aluminum-ish metallic gray; Gunmetal Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, a near-black metallic shade with a soft, wispy quality; and Onyx Eye Shadow, an asphalt black with a hint of gold and silver shimmer. These swatches will help you become better acquainted with these must-have colors.

Cubannie Links Candela Earrings in Gold, $62. Available at CubannieLinks.com

If you tuned into Season 805 (well, fine, it was actually Season 9) of Project Runway, then you might remember the oversize, braided leather hoop earrings that finalist Kimberly Goldson chose when accessorizing the ensembles in her debut collection (and which she herself rocked while taking her final bow during New York Fashion Week). Measuring 3" in length and 3" in width (including ear hooks), these Candela earrings are, as their name implies, pure fire. To make them, Brooklyn-based Cuban designer Annie Basulto twisted together two thick strands of 100% braided genuine leather. You can pick between a solid gold or silver or opt for a two-toned design like the one pictured above.

Sonia Kashuk Holiday 6-Piece Brush Set, $22.99. Available at Target.com

Would you ever thing this brush set cost less than $25? We're stunned! Leave it to makeup guru Sonia Kashuk to release yet another must-have brush kit as part of her ongoing collaboration with Target. Housed in a glittering, rectangular, box-shaped silver clutch with shimmering, glitter-packed fibers and a pillbox closure, this set includes six of Kashuk's top-notch makeup brushes: a Powder/Blush Brush, Pointed Foundation Brush, Small Duo Fibre Brush, Eyeshadow Brush, Angled Contour Crease Brush, and Pointed Eye Liner Brush — all featuring sparkly handles and silver-toned metal accents.

Balenciaga L'Essence Candle, $65. Available at NeimanMarcus.com

From Tom Ford Beauty's Violet Blonde to Balenciaga's L'Essence, violet stands at the forefront of some of this winter's most intriguing scents. Though many florists and gardeners view wild violets as unwanted weeds, Balenciaga actually relishes their tarnished reputation, their almost illicit quality, taking the opportunity to reintroduce these blooms as coveted fragrance notes, worthy of inclusion in the most precious of aromatic elixirs. L'Essence, then, revolves around violet as an intense bloom found in the wilderness, dewy, mossy, and reminiscent of mysterious woodlands. Leather and wood notes complete the effect. Housed in a silver-toned jar with a matching lid, the Balenciaga L'Essence Candle incorporates stronger moss notes than the eau de parfum, allowing your home to be transformed into a virtual forest thanks to the lush aroma diffused into the air.

Nissa Jewelry Calumet Stoned Earrings, $104. Available at NissaJewelry.com

Part Blade Runner, part The Scorpion King, and part Cleopatra, these 3"-long earrings feature triangle shapes dangling beneath round discs with iridescent, color-changing stones as their centers. Made by hand in New York using recycled metal and iris-colored crystals, these earrings not only juxtapose geometric shapes but also textures, with half of each disc and triangle having a smooth metallic surface and the other half being fully granulated.

Essie Luxeffects Collection Nail Lacquers, $8 each. Available at salons and beauty destinations nationwide.

Finally, a reprieve from all the creamy nude colors and chocolate-y browns we've been seeing this season! Essie's Luxeffects Collection is about as shy and understated as a samba dancer in Rio de Janeiro's carnival — and we love it! Each lacquer can be applied to clean and dry nails or, for a truly baroque effect, layered atop another color. Shades include: As Gold As It Gets, a near-clear nectar gold hue with gilded lamé sparkles; Shine of the Times, a near-translucent white with tiny pearl particles that reflect sunset orange, coral pink, light green, and blue tones, yielding a sparkly mother-of-pearl effect (check out the effect in this photo); Pure Perfection, an icing-like, translucent, iridescent white with silver shimmer; A Cut Above, a pink-tinged clear color saturated with metallic pink pearls and sequined bits of varying sizes (here's how it looks on nails); and Set in Stones, the silver counterpart to A Cut Above, with chunky mirrored silver flakes (which create an Icecapades-worthy effect, as shown here).

Anya Hindmarch Mini Huxley Woven Leather Tote, $1595. Available at Net-a-Porter.com

Silver woven leather strips and a near-blinding shine allow this tote to skate into high glamour territory. Featuring two top handles, a detachable taupe-and-silver grosgrain shoulder strap, and a tasseled top zipper, this Anya Hindmarch tote proves silver doesn't have to mean coming in second.

Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Gold Absolute Limited Edition Eau de Parfum, $85. Available at NeimanMarcus.com

Since incense, amber, and wood scents are all associated with Christmas, there was no better time for Issey Miyake to release its L'Eau d'Issey Gold Absolute, a robust, woody scent that leaves behind a warm amber scent as it settles on the skin. The limited-edition fragrance features watery osmanthus and lotus top notes, lily and jasmine middle notes, and white cedar and amber base notes. Despite the floral notes, however, amber reigns supreme in this fragrance composition, making this an ideal gift for women who love oriental floral perfumes.

Sachin + Babi Rorschach Emblem Cuff, $235. Available at BergdorfGoodman.com

It's hard to believe that looking at a stack of inkblots can yield a proper personality assessment or psychological evaluation, but at least the Rorschach technique can inspire amazing works of art, such as this intriguing cuff from Sachin + Babi. Measuring 6 1/4" in length, this hammered cuff is made of pewter with an electro-plated 14K yellow gold coating. The amorphous cut-outs, meanwhile, recall the vague blobs seen in standard Rorschach tests, begging the question: what do you see when you look at this piece?

MAC Cosmetics Dazzlesphere! Mini Nail Lacquer Ornament x4, $25.50, and MAC Cosmetics Dazzlesphere! Neutral Ornament x4, $32.50. Available at MACcosmetics.com

Inspired by glitter and ice, MAC's Holiday 2011 collection features enough glitter, silver metal, and icy motifs to make Johnny Weir beam with pride. Among the most clever offerings are bubble-shaped, ornament-inspired spheres containing mini nail lacquers, loose pigments, or lip glosses. The contents of each ornament are visible through the clear plastic top half of the sphere, which rests upon a silver-toned base and which can be removed to safely open and close your space-aged makeup set.

The Dazzlesphere Petite Nail Lacquer Ornament, pictured at top, will woo manicure addicts with the versatile shades Style Tip, a pink-ish nude; Much Adored, a sheer, whitened pink with pearly shimmer; and Mistletoe, a light gold color with an even sheen. The MAC Dazzlesphere Neutral Ornament, meanwhile, is just as versatile, with various nude and wine-tinged lip gloss colors, some sheer and creamy and others with a fun infusion of sparkle. The Dazzlesphere Neutral Ornament features two Cremesheen Glass shades (Boy Bait, a light peachy nude, and Over Indulgence, a mid-tone, coral-tinged flesh shade) and two Dazzleglass shades (Bare Necessity, a brandy shade with plenty of sparkle, and Get Rich Quick, a date-like brownish red with tons of shimmer). Click here for swatches of all four shades!

Baby Phat Women's Crop Sequin Jacket, $69, and Sequin Mini Skirt, $54. Available at BabyPhat.com

Sparkle brighter than a Supreme with these chic pieces from Baby Phat. The amethyst purple skirt measures 14" in length, so you can show off those toned stems and the hemline is adorned with a lace detail for added sophistication. The cropped sequin jacket, meanwhile, features a modern, collarless, open front silhouette, with 3/4 length sleeves adding a youthful and urban vibe.

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Posted at 09:24 AM in Art, Beauty, Books, Fashion, Home Decor, Jewelry, Journals, Agendas and Paper Goods, Web/Tech | Permalink | Favorite This | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

December 12, 2011

Holiday Shopping From A To Z — Parading Through J, K, and L

We've been making holiday shopping as easy as 1-2-3 with our gift-getting ABCs, quite literally taking you through an alphabet-themed tour of present ideas. For our latest installment, we're focusing on the letters J, K, and L, with J encompassing jewel-toned goodies, K inspiring an assortment of kabuki-influenced treats, and L immersing us in a feast of leather and lace.

Read on for more on these great categories and the products contained therein!

J IS FOR JEWEL TONES

Kotur For J. Crew Colony Green Briar Sequin Clutch, $425. Available at J.Crew Collection and Bridal Boutique and at JCrew.com

We've raved about the Kotur for J.Crew collection in the past, but this clutch crystallizes the reason behind our fervor with its envelope-shaped metal frame and the clusters of forest green sequins covering the front and back — not to mention the rectangular, pillbox-style closure adorned with a dark green jewel.

NYX Cosmetics Slide On Pencils, $8 each. Available at NYXcosmetics.com

These new eyeliners from NYX Cosmetics glide right onto the lids, leaving behind lines of deliciously rich, creamy, shining color. Available in 18 shades, our favorite include the jewel-toned shades — among them: SL 17 Green Papaya, a light green tourmaline shade with a golden sheen; SL 12 Azure, a deep turquoise; SL09 Tropical Green, a dark malachite shade; and SL 10 Purple Blaze, a deep amethyst purple. Click here for swatches of our favorite shades!

Moritz Glik "Kaleidoscope" 18K Gold and Floating Colored Sapphire Earrings, $5230. Available at Endless.com

Pink and orange sapphires seem to float inside each double white sapphire cube of these two-tiered dangling earrings from Moritz & Glik, which measure 0.53" in width at their widest point and hang 1.38" long.

Giuseppe Zanotti Shoe Boot, $711. Available at FarFetch.com

Tastier than freshly squeezed OJ, these orange chalcedony-colored suede heels feature a rounded peep toe, a banded strap running across the vamp, sexy cutouts along the sides, a T-shaped ankle trap, and a staggering 5.5" heel.

Madstone Hoop Earrings, $1500. Available at the Diana Heimann Jewelry Salon at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in White Plains, NY. For more info, call 914.467.5880 or visit MadStoneDesign.com

These oxidized sterling silver hoop earrings feature slanted sides so that, instead of a rounded hoop, they resemble open-ended octagons and, in keeping with the geometric theme, feature an oversize, octagonal amethyst stone along the front, with effervescent bubble-ike details within the faceted stone's surface, Smaller amethyst stones, meanwhile, are encrusted into the metal hoop frame like smaller stars next to a supernova.

LORAC Bejeweled Lip Gloss Collection, $25. Available at Sephora.com

Gemstones inspired LORAC's Holiday 2011 collection, which includes this six-color lip gloss set. Each of the LORAC lip glosses is enriched with cooling peppermint oil (which also gives them a minty smell), antioxidant-rich grape seed oil, toning rosemary extract, and wound-healing castor oil, so that they hydrate, soften, and plump up lips. Each tube's gunmetal-colored cap is encrusted with tiny clear rhinestones, so as to heighten the jewelry box-worthy feel of the collection.

The shades themselves, meanwhile, shine like the most precious gems and colors range from Red Ruby, a blue-toned red with light red pearl particles, to Peach Moonstone, a pale, brownish peach shade; Bronze Topaz, a brown citrine shade with hints of bronze and warmer amber-y undertones; Hot Pink Sapphire, a delightful fuchsia shade chock full of iridescent silver and pink pearls; Rich Garnet, a deep raspberry red with purple undertones; and Pink Diamond, which looks like a milky white color in its packaging but, when applied, transformed into an ultra-sheer light pink with a darling opalescent quality. Click here for swatches of all six shades!

Christian Louboutin Loubi Croissant Satin Clutch, $795. Available at Net-a-Porter.com

He may be known for his sky-high stilettos and trademark red soles, but Christian Louboutin is strutting into the handbag realm with pieces as exquisite as this croissant-shaped clutch, which features ruched teal satin and a gold metal frame with a red twill interior lining and a double heel clasp closure for an added wink-wink.

Dannijo Multi-Stone & Snake Chain Cuff, $343. Available at NeimanMarcus.com

Bohemian, tribal, and rocker converge in this 3"-wide, golden oxidized brass cuff from jewelry-making duo Dannijo. Yellow gold snake chains slither around and weave in between a trio of jewel accents running vertically down the front and center of the cuff. Each jewel-toned station features a brass cube with a round, faceted, Swarovski crystal at its center and, on either side, square stones in contrasting shades.

Laura Mercier Luxe Colour Portfolio, $98. Available at Sephora.com

Not only does it include sparkling wine and violet, along with rich brown and soft cream eye shadows and liners, but Laura Mercier's Luxe Colour Portfolio (part of her limited-edition Holiday 2011 collection) features three of her acclaimed makeup brushes — all packaged in a box clutch with silver-and-black faux snakeskin trimming the edges of the portfolio and adorning the flap closure, which itself features a concealed magnet to ensure the palette stays safely shut.

As soon as you open up the portfolio like you would a book or agenda, you'll find three brushes tucked into their slots on the left-hand side: the Pony Tail eye shadow brush, the bushy Crease brush, and the Flat Liner brush.

On the right-hand side, meanwhile, you'll find six eye shadow shades in rectangular pans: Primrose, a fleshy pink with golden sparkle and a soft, satin-like finish; African Violet, a unique violet shade with rose gold undertones saturated with copper pearl particles for a high-wattage shine; Merlot, a mostly matte, deep burgundy wine shade with just a hint of rose pearl shimmer; Truffle, a velvety soft brown shade with a matte finish reminiscent of ground espresso beans; Topaz, a taupe-ish gray, smokey quartz-like color with an all-over metallic sheen; and Stellar, an ethereally light champagne gold color with silver shimmer. To view these shades for yourself, check out swatches of all six eyeshadows.

Moving on, next you'll find a row of three Tightline Cake Eye Liner packed into round pans. Though they can be applied in their dry form, they look more intense when you wet the brush first and then swirl it atop the liner pans. The three colors included are: Ground Espresso, Black Ebony, and Burgundy Wine. Check out swatches of these shades here.

Last, you'll find two large squares of cheek color: Rose Petal, a light peachy pink, and City Pink, a bold peony pink. To view the colors, click here.

Badgley Mischka Rosette Silk-Satin Dress, $222.75. Available at TheOutnet.com

This 100% silk dress will make your eyes light up thanks to the raw-edged rosette details all over the fabric, the wide ruched waistband, and the frock's pink spinel shade. A strapless cut and boned corset along the fully lined interior guarantee you'll have a gorgeous and well-defined silhouette.

Bobbi Brown Black Ruby Sparkle Eye Palette, $45. Available at BobbiBrownCosmetics.com

For Holiday 2011, venerated makeup artist Bobbi Brown masterminded a color palette peppered with jewel tones, infused with shimmer and sparkle, and enriched with metallic overtones. One of our faves: the Black Ruby Sparkle Shadow Palette, which includes four colors that shimmer like tiny icicles: the Pink Rose Sparkle Eye Shadow, a muted mauve-ish pink with tons of white and silver pearls; the Crushed Silver Sparkle Eye Shadow, a Jack Frost-approved silver with tonal glitter; the Black Ruby Sparkle Eye Shadow, an intriguing, blackened merlot shade with pink and silver pearl particles; and the Onyx Sparkle Eye Shadow, a black cherry shade with white gold sparkle. Check out swatches of all four eye shadows here.

Lauren Merkin Ava Clutch in Amethyst/Black Shiny Python, $295. Available at LaurenMerkin.com

Like Ava Gardner, Lauren Merkin's Ava clutch belongs among Hollywood royalty — especially the latest iteration of the style, which features a glossy amethyst and black python print. Measuring 12" in width and 6" in height, this smart clutch features delicate pleats, slanted edges, rounded corners, and a top flap with a silver-toned closure.

Bounkit Blue Topaz, Citrine, and Blue Cat's Eye Convertible Earrings, $395. Available at CharmandChain.com

These 3"-long dangling earrings by Moroccan-born designer Hassan Bounkit feature rectangular blue topaz stones at the post, oval citrine stones dangling directly beneath them, and bulbous, teardrop-shaped blue cat's eye stones dangling from the bottom. Since these earrings are convertible, you can detach the citrine or blue cat's eye stones and wear the blue topaz studs alone or choose to attach either the citrine or the blue cat's eye sections and transform them into single drop pieces.

Bare Escentuals Box of Gems 20-Piece Color Collection, $88. Available at QVC.com

The gleaming golden tone of this makeup treasure chest is perfectly appropriate as it houses an assortment of stunning mineral eye shadows, lip-plumping glosses, and richly pigmented, all-natural glosses. When you flip back the top lid, you'll find 10 eye shadows: Sparkling, a snow powder white with scattered multi-dimensional glimmer; Gleam, a pale peach hue with a satin finish; Glow, a warm tan color with golden undertones; Jewel, an aptly named violet-tinged rubellite tourmaline; Solitaire, a smoky, silvery shade; Gem, a dazzling emerald green color with a metallic finish and scattered shimmer; Twinkle, a sepia shade with scattered golden sparkle; Locket, an amethyst shade with violet sparkle; Incandescent, a bronze-y topaz hue with antiqued gold shimmer; and Beam, a bewitching sapphire blue color. By clicking here, you'll find swatches of the Sparkling, Gleam, and Glow colors. Next, feast your eyes on the beauty of the Jewel, Solitaire, Gem, and Twinkle shades by clicking here. And last, click here to wonder over the Locket, Incandescent, and Beam shadows.

One you pull out the bottom drawer using the ribbon tab, you'll find five Buxom Lip Polishes: Kanani, a sheer pink; Betty, a crimson shade; Dani, a berry pink; Gabby, a grape wine shade; and Sandy, a pink nude. For a better idea of what these look like on skin, check out these swatches.

In the bottom drawer of the golden box, tou'll also discover five Natural Lip Glosses: Sprinkles, a sheer color with just a hint of yellow gold and plenty of clear pearl particles; Cranberry Sorbet, a creamy guava shade; Angel Food Cake, a sheer peachy pink saturated with mutli-dimensional shimmer; Energy Drink, a pink lemonade shade with golden undertones and an all-over sheen; and Apple Butter, a brownish fig-like hue with hints of red and tiny gold pearl particles.

Elva Fields Gamine in Green Necklace, $328. Available at Shop.ElvaFields.com

This handmade wonder features three strands of polished teardrop-shaped turquoise beads painted an emerald green color, each bead separated from its neighbor by a gilt brass bead. A vintage emerald rhinestone brooch positioned at the center of the necklace adds a regal touch.

Santi Audrina Clutch, $140. Available at Endless.com

This envelope-shaped clutch has more cubes than a game of Tetris. Measuring 10" in width, 4.5" in height, and 1.5" in depth, the Santi Audrina Clutch features a fabric body covered by square beads in multiple tones of blue, ranging from midnight blue to aqua, turquoise, and indigo.

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Posted at 04:59 AM in Art, Beauty, Fashion, Food and Drink, Home Decor, Jewelry, Web/Tech | Permalink | Favorite This | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

November 28, 2011

Holiday Gift Guide from A to Z — Moving on to D, E, F

Last week, we kicked off our A to Z Holiday Gift Guide coverage by taking a Sesame Street-worthy approach to the task, tackling items corresponding to the first three letters of the alphabet, with A standing for Art Deco, B for Blossoms, and C for Color Blocking. This week, we're moving on down the road to the next three letters: D, E, and F.

What does each letter stand for? Well, in our holiday wonder world, D is for Dainty, E is for Egyptian, and F is for Fur-Trimmed. Whether you want to be delightfully prim, channel Cleopatra, or fall for fur, these gift ideas will sate your appetite.

D IS FOR DAINTY

Bing Bang NYC Victorian Snowflake Earrings, $38. Available at BingBangNYC.com

Forget snowflakes that stay on your nose and eye lashes. This wintry season, our favorite things include these silver-plated, sterling-silver dipped snowflake earring studs, designed by Anna Sheffield. Each earring juxtaposes a cross shape made of bulbous, laurel-like sides, and an "X" formation with rounded, hollow, petal-like sides with dot-like studs along the periphery of each side and a trio of ball-shaped studs at the rounded outer tips.

Lush Snow Fairy Gift, $22.95. Available at LUSHusa.com

Not only does this pre-wrapped box set capture the fanciful imagination of every fairy-loving princess with it hot pink gift wrapping, its silver bow, and the jingle bell tied at the very top, but it houses equally lovable treasures — mainly, the LUSH Snow Fairy Shower Gel, a cotton candy-scented wash featuring lactic acid, a natural Alpha Hydroxy Acid that gently exfoliates, optimizes moisture levels, and helps achieve smoother, softer, more radiant skin. The 3.3 fl. oz. shower gel is accompanied by a star-shaped Angel's Delight Soap, which smells like tangerines and blackcurrants and features sweet orange oil, which has astringent an antibacterial properties, antioxidant-rich rapeseed oil, and softening coconut extract; and by heart-shaped, white Shimmy Shimmy Glitter Bar that practically melts on the skin, living behind a creamy vanilla fragrance and coating the skin with sparkle, as if you'd bathed in magical fairy dust.

Harajuku Lovers Jingle G Eau de Toilette Spray Ornament, $24.99. Available at HSN.com

The leader of the Harajuku Lovers team, G, pulls off as many costume changes as Gwen Stefani, the pop star whose countenance it mirrors. For the holiday season, the blond starlet dons a red Santa Claus-like suit with cuffed sleeves, a row of buttons, and a high collar in snowy white; a thick black belt with a square gold buckle; black boots; white gloves; and an oversize red hair bow. Her heart-shaped pout painted in Stefani's signature red hue, her black eyeliner winging out flirtatiously, and her cheeks flushed ever so slightly, Jingle G is playful and feminine to the core, with fragrance notes that include white star fruit, gardenia, tangerine, honeysuckle, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla, and cedarwood. The display-ready bottle features a velvet loop along the top of the figural doll, so that you can hang Jingle G right on the Christmas tree or, if you prefer, keep her inside the clear, cylindrical packaging, which also includes a velvet ribbon loop attached to the red cap for use as an ornament.

Liplicious All I Want Lip Gloss, $8 each. Available at BathAndBodyWorks.com

These limited-edition lip glosses feature moisturizing vitamin E and jojoba oil, and they feature season-appropriate tube designs and scents. The Liplicious Gingerbread Giggle Lip Gloss, for example, is a sheer, bronze-tinged, coral pink with magenta glitter that enhances your pout's natural color. The sweet, gingerbread-scented gloss is packaged in a squeezable tube illustrated with a teal bow and a gingerbread cookie. The Peppermint Hug Lip Gloss, meanwhile, features a candy cane-colored, red-and-white bow with a sky blue tag dangling beneath it, bearing the gloss's name. The sweet but minty-smelling clear gloss features opalescent glitter particles that reflect aqua, pink, gold, green, and yellow tones. The Liplicious Candied Smile Lip Gloss, meanwhile, is a mauve pink color loaded with clear and pink glitter bits and featuring a licorice-tinged, gumdrop fragrance.

Ariel Gordon Jewelry Sugar Loaf Studs, $395, and Tetra Spike Necklace in 14K Rose Gold, $490. Available at ArielGordonJewelry.com

For jewelry designer Ariel Gordon, it's the small things that make all the difference. Take, for example, these 1/4-inch, triangle-shaped, iolite studs, which feature faceted, sloping, pyramid-like sides and a 14k gold setting with thick arrow-like tips along each corner. Another great choice: the Tetra Spike Necklace, which features an arrow-shaped pendant measuring 1/3" by 1/4" hanging from a slender box chain.

Gianna Rose Nutcracker Soaps, $22. Available at GiannaRose.com

Make Tchaikovsky proud by choreographing your own applause-worthy performance with this boxed set of five Nutcracker Prince-shaped soaps. The French-milled soaps feature clove, Balsam fir, and burnt orange notes for a slightly spicy yet woody scent.

bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lip Collection, $28. Available at BareEscentuals.com

You'll want to sing "Amazing Grace" to these liquid lipstick shades, which are as richly pigmented as lipstick but boast the vinyl-like sheen of most quality glosses. The bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lip Collection features four 2 ml lip color tubes, each with a sponge tip applicator wand. The colors in this set are: Savvy, a toffee caramel hue; Confidence, a mauve-tinged red; Sass, a near sheer, golden peach color with clear and gold glitter bits; and Oomph, a sheer peachy pink with an icy sheen. Check out swatches here!

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Posted at 02:51 AM in Beauty, Fashion, Home Decor, Jewelry, Journals, Agendas and Paper Goods, Web/Tech | Permalink | Favorite This | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

November 20, 2011

Holiday Shopping From A To Z — Let’s Start With The ABCs

You're probably getting ready to rock around the Christmas tree which, of course, means finding just the right gifts to place underneath those fragrant branches. For this year's Holiday Gift Guide, we're giving you the scoop on the best gift options out there, moving from A to Z — literally.

Using the alphabet as our road map, we're picking an aesthetic, theme, or trend for each single letter and amassing items that work within those parameters. To kick off the fun, we've started with A, B, and C. What does each of these letters stand for? Well, in our gift guide, A is for Art Deco, B is for Blooms, and C is for Color Blocking.

Excited yet? Then wait until you see our selections!

A-B-C really is as easy as 1-2-3!

A IS FOR ART DECO

Howard Elliott Collection Wilmette Mirror, $839.99. Available at BronsonDesign.com

You'll be saying, "Mirror, Mirror" way before Charlize Theron in Snow White and the Huntsmen with this glass mirror, which resembles Superman's Fortress of Solitude with the three layers of faceted, pointed, stalagmite-like glass slices surrounding the rectangular-shaped mirror at the center. Measuring 37" by 52", this sunburst-flavored piece will practically beckon you to stare at your reflection.

Sylvie Collection Something Hue Earrings, $1,365. Available at SylvieCollection.com

Nothing quite says Art Deco like the combination of glossy black and gleaming silver or gold. These earrings capture that aesthetic perfectly with elongated, teardrop-shaped onyx stones, capped with 14k white gold. The drop earrings dangle from earlobes by 14K gold fish hook closures adorned with diamonds along their rounded curves and featuring dainty, diamond-embellished chain strands between the closures and the onyx drops .

Gio Diev Phoenix, $875. Visit GioDiev.com for store information.

As if the contrast of black and mirrored gold Nappa leather weren't enough to make Art Deco fanatics salivate, public-relations-expert-turned-footwear-designer Gio Metodiev added a sculptural, futuristic quality to his Phoenix shoe via mountain-shaped cut-outs along the sides and, most importantly, a trio of leather straps fanning out at the top of the shoe in an accordion-like manner. The pointed toe and straight heel, meanwhile, balance out the more rounded design elements. You can pick between a glossy black leather number with mirrored gold leather details or a soft gold shoe with black leather details — either way, you'll be attaining style immortality.

Jill Milan Art Deco Clutch in Silver, $2500. Available at JillMilan.com

This boxy, Italian stainless steel clutch measures 4.25" in height, 7" in width, and 1.5" in depth, and it has a silver, mirrored sheen that makes it look glamorous without being ostentatious. The square closure at the top of the clutch is engraved with the JM logo, adding a nice detail to the otherwise minimalist design.

Lulu Frost for J. Crew Wide Deco Bangle, $98. Available at JCrew.com

True to her vintage-influenced aesthetic, Lulu Frost designer Lisa Salzer created this rounded bangle for her limited-edition, affordable jewelry line for J.Crew. The glossy black resin bangle measures 2 1/2" in diameter and features a gold-plated, brass buckle-like accent at the center, with a rectangular, faceted, smokey quartz-like center stone housed in the metal detail's interior. The stone's gold-plated frame is further embellished by handle-like strips along along the length, at the top and bottom of the stone, and arc-like details along its sides — all encrusted with pavé-set Czech crystals.

Salvatore Ferragamo Varina Mosaic Shoes, $270. Available at Couture.Zappos.com

Dorothy would've chucked her ruby red slippers had she seen these bow-accented, mosaic-style, mirrored gold flats from Salvatore Ferragamo, which feature a sensible 3/8" heel and rounded toe.

Kilian "Night Jewels" Collection, $425 for one bottle filled with any scent from the L'Oeuvre Noire or Arabian Nights collection. Available at RonRobinson.com

Fragrance expert Kilian Hennessy titled his Holiday 2011 collection “Joyaux de Nuit” (“Night Jewels”) after the four jeweled bottle designs he envisioned, all of which are meant to capture the black of night and the sparkle of the lights and stars during the evening hours.

Three of the four bottles were inspired by the L'Oeuvre Noir fragrance family: a heart split in two by a silver strip lined with rectangular smoky crystal stones and round clear crystals captures the heartache associated with "Love and its Prohibitions;" a shifting, distorted version of the square shape of the Place Vendôme in Paris channels the regal quality of "The Temptations" scent; and a futuristic design consisting of two staggered semi-circles facing one another, then adorned with vertical strips of faceted jewels resembling tower formations, captures the naughty, salacious spirit of "The Artificial Paradises" scent. The final bottle deviates aesthetically from the others by incorporating gold accents and Swarovski crystals, all of which are meant to capture the opulent spirit of the Arabian Nights fragrance collection.

All of the handcrafted bottles are refillable, making them timeless treasures worthy of the most extravagant boudoir.

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Posted at 04:34 PM in Art, Beauty, Fashion, Home Decor, Jewelry, Journals, Agendas and Paper Goods, Web/Tech | Permalink | Favorite This | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

October 28, 2011

Halloween-Themed Goodies Worth Howling About

Whether you're turning your home into a haunted space like Modern Family's Claire and Phil Dunphy; impersonating Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, or Snooki with your costume choice; creating an Elvira-worthy hairdo and a theatrical, hedonistic eye makeup look before hitting the club scene; or just dressing in your everyday clothes but infusing a hint of spooky fun via playfully eerie accessories, these spooktacular Halloween buys that will scare you straight!

Amrita Singh Skull Hoop Earrings, $100. Available at AmritaSingh.com

Tell-tale signs that it's Halloween: Tales from the Crypt-ish skulls covering the exterior of large hoop earrings. These metal-plated brass hoop earrings, measuring 2.25" in diameter, fuse together goth and glam aesthetics thanks to the dark theme and the clear and black crystals encrusted within the skull shapes.

Lulu Guinness Bloomsbury Spiderweb Umbrella, $65. Available at LuluGuinness.com

If your local forecast calls for rain, don't let your high spirits be watered down. Simply break out this Lulu Guinness umbrella, which spans 1020mm when open, and show the world that the Itsy Bitsy Spider is so resilient that this creepy crawler can never be washed out.

Target Skull Dinner Plates, $11.99 for Set of 6; Spider Web Cereal Bowls, $11.99 for Set of 6; Wine Goblets, $17.99 for Set of 6; and Spider Web 2-Tier Tray, $19.99. Available at Target.com

Hosting a dinner party? Sprucing up your home for those eager trick-or-treaters? Then set your table with these gothic plates, cups, and bowls. The melamine Skull Dinner Plates measure 11" in diameter and feature a textured, static-y finish, while the plastic wine goblets feature baroque domed details that recall the décor at a murder mystery dinner theater. If you're baking cupcakes, muffins, or any other pastries, display them on the two-tiered, black metal, spiderweb-shaped stand.

Case-Mate Frank, Monsta, and Tut iPhone 4 Cases, $24.99 each. Available at Case-Mate.com

All three of these iPhone 4 cases are constructed out of flexible silicone and feature cut-outs for easy access to the phone's control buttons and the camera lens. Choose between the Frankenstein-inspired Frank case, the sanguine Monsta case (which features raised accents for an easier grip), and the fang-tastic Tut case, with its angular slices and blotchy, inky splashes of color.

Bing Bang NYC Bat Studs, $38, and Wolf Mini Studs, $30. Available at BingBangNYC.com

Don't want Halloween to turn into too expensive and time-consuming a production? Then just add a hint of flavor to your ensemble with these Bing Bang earrings which correspond to the theme but can be worn all year long. The silver-plated, brass bat studs are only 1" wide, but they feature a bevy of details — fro etchings along the webbed bat wings to grooves along his body that resemble mussy hair. The sterling silver Wolf Mini Studs, plated in yellow gold, are even smaller, measuring 1/4" in size, but they pack quite the hair-raising howl.

HBO Tru Blood Beverage, $16 for 6-Pack. Available at Store.HBO.com

Unlike Bill Compton's synthetic blood cocktail of choice, these carbonated beverages don't need to be categorized as B-positive, A-negative, or O-positive. Universally appealing, the Tru Blood beverage available at the HBO Store will appeal to those with a vampire fascination but no bloodthirsty tendencies of their very own. Each drink tastes a bit like orange soda but the carbonation is way more subtle here. Plus, when mixed with rum, it tastes like a spiked punch — perfect for a Halloween bash!

Posted at 12:41 PM in Beauty, Fashion, Jewelry, Liquor, Web/Tech | Permalink | Favorite This | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)