Temple of Glam

This will most likely be the only politics-related intro I'll ever use, but here we go. President Obama was in New York the other day. During my commute, the train conductor casually mentioned we'd bypass the most popular stop in Harlem because of a <insert public transportation excuse here>; it was the same stop as the one for Obama's event. I smirked and continued to read New York magazine.

When suddenly, the levity increased tenfold. As a boarding policeman was confronted by frustrated-passenger questions about the transit change, he gave us an impromptu comedy act about the goings-on. I immediately envisioned his precinct as the one in "Reno 911". Does his lieutenant wear khaki daisy dukes? If so, I need that rag tag squad patrolling my neighborhood.

If you're more interested in line fighting than crime fighting (yeah, I typed it), I think you're going to looove the new Zeno Line Rewind ($39.99). I learned about it at an intimate breakfast at David Burke Townhouse hosted by Zeno and Zeno-enthusiast, Kelly Rutherford from "Gossip Girl". As I noshed on the most delicious lobster scramble, I saw how Line Rewind uses red light technology, heat, and massage to target lines and wrinkles.

In fact, when paired with the Wrinkle Reduction Serum included in the kit, women saw results in four weeks, in a clinical trial. And if that doesn't make you want to try it, just look at Kelly Rutherford. She looks the same as she did on "Melrose Place"! And btw, the pic doesn't do her skin justice; it was LUMINOUS.

Remember when I got that exquisite metallic henna tattoo from Akiyo? Well, she's hosting a fund raising event for Japan in NYC this weekend. The suggested donation of $10 will give you a gorgeous henna tattoo (and a warm heart), knowing that all proceeds will go to the Red Cross to aid in its support of Japan. Dope, right?

So if you're in New York this Sunday, April 3rd, consider stopping by!

Only a close friend could pick up a hiccup in my otherwise pristine non-dialect, dialect (barring an occasional New York "dawg" and "caw-fee"). In fact, I am the first person to notice inflection, intonation, and any other voice thingy in a person's speech. So, when a friend questioned my pronunciation of the word "umbrella", I thought she was joking.

"UHHM-brella, UHHM-brella...what?" My Southern roots apparently come out to say "howdy" when I say that word.

No matter how you say it, can we agree that this Pasotti Ombre Black Dahlia Umbrella ($189) is phenomenal? Quite a few (if not all) of these jammies are handmade and like this one, feature intricate handles adorned with Swarovski crystals. So I guess that's where the 200 duckets come in.

And though I'm not 100% sure umbrellas fit into a fashion or beauty post, I do know this. Farnsworth Bentley was once Diddy's umbrella guy; and they are both quite fashionable, so there. I also watched "Get Him to the Greek" recently and Diddy's performance was genius ("you cannot outrun me. I am black!").

Diddy...Farnsworth..."I am black"...Back Dahlia umbrella. This umbrella thing makes total sense now, right?

I was recently asked to share my spring must-haves. So I figured, hell, I need to let the TOG peeps know what's up first!

J. Crew Amie Maxi Dress $98

Whether I'm brunching, lipgloss shopping, or dodging crazy NYC tourists, I will most likely be wearing this dress.

Bettye Muller Caprice Scarf Espadrilles $185

If they look like these, I'm officially ready to rock espadrilles. They're a must for spring's '70s fever. I love the deep, dark navy with a dash of orange.

Apart Style Pave Gold Stud Cuff $245

Florals are definitely a "go" this season, but make sure to toughen 'em up with a piece like this. Heck, even I'd feel like a tough chick wearing this bracelet.

Bar III Slouchy Cropped Trouser $48

These high-waist slouchy pants show off your shape without cutting off circulation. Fun fact: I think the model is Danielle's daughter from "Real Housewives of New Jersey".

MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam Gaga 2 $14.50

Yes, bright color is pretty, but the upkeep throughout the work day? No thanks. A nude lip is always a DO for spring. It wears off seamlessly and you can apply it without a mirror: win-win!

I guess I realized the weather was getting to me when I heard myself say with a deadpan expression, "So help me. If this weather continues through April, I'm jumping off a bridge." That, of course, led to another less-dramatic thought/question: What do we gals do when we have "a case of the Mondays" all week?

Sometimes we head to the hair salon: We color. We cut. We regret. We wait for hair to grow out.

I'm suggesting retail therapy. When life gives you lemons, take out the plastic and buy something pretty.

For instance, I'm kinda' having a floral moment lately. Admittedly, the moment is mostly happening in my mind, but it's HUGE. I really like this dress from Very.co.uk; they have a great range of women's clothes.

Even though they don't deliver to the U.S., you can use it as style inspiration...or if you know someone with a UK address, maybe you can get them to send it to you. If so, holler. I want that dress.

Not too long ago I was channel surfing and landed on The Mo'Nique Show. Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon and Ghostface Killah were lovingly talking about Ol' Dirty Bastard (aka Dirt McGirt). I visualized the "Shimmy, Shimmy Ya" video. Just the thought of "Big Baby Jesus" in his baggy drawerz can cheer me up any day.

Remember when I went to the Flirt! Cosmetics party a little while ago? In case you don't, I attended the fete for Heather Morris, their new spokesperson. I was also sworn to secrecy about the new products, but since they launched last month, I'm free to talk about them! I'll start with the mascara.

All That Lash Mascara ($14) gives me more length than volume, no clumps, and no weird spider lashes either. I will say that when I do want extra volume, which is pretty much every day, I use one coat of this and a second coat of my volume mascara du jour. Oh, All That Lash washes off easily with warm water! Trust me, Old Dirt' Dog no liar.

Did I ever tell you about my sleep-away camp experience--when one of my fellow campers went on a cabin-wide stabbing spree? Yeah, a little girl was teased by a countless number of kids and one day she snapped. She stole a metal spoon from the cafeteria and bent its head each day until it broke off.

That night, she stabbed some of her cabin tormentors. I simultaneously tell the story as a funny anecdote about not effing with the wrong person and as a cautionary chronicle of bullying.  I also feel compelled to tell the story because I still can't believe I experienced it.

Did a ten year old really make a shank out of a spoon? Yes, though far from being a prison, an "OZ"-like incident happened at a sweet little camp in Connecticut. And let me be honest. Maybe my fascination with gritty shows like HBO's "OZ" also leads me to hold on to the prison-yard tale from my youth.

Or maybe it's because I'm going to ask you this *wink wink*: Are you in beauty prison?

Beauty prison is a place where we all at one point reside. We wear the same lip color, hairstyle, nail polish color, etc. But we don't just do it because we love it and it's "our thing". No, I'm not talking about "signature" colors or styles. I'm talking about doing certain things because you're afraid to try something new.

For instance, I love a nude lip; it's my thing. But when I found myself clinging to it, I realized I had to shake it up with my current reddish-brown shade.

So on this hump day I ask you, "Are you in beauty prison?". If so, I believe it's time for a prison break.

Yes, my floral moment is mostly a cerebral one, but let me tell you. I am ROCKING florals in my mind. I"m wearing them to work, to the store, on a boat, and with a goat. I do! I do like florals, Sam I Am. I like them more than green eggs and ham.

Maybe it's my way of summoning spring, but these floral harem pants are adorable. I know, I know you might be saying, "enough with the harem pants", but I really am digging the print and the structure.Check them and other Joe Browns women's clothing out today.

Yo Diary!

Long time no write (I know, I know). Remember when I jokingly told my grandma about a life decision I made, knowing she'd disapprove? And she glared at me, as if to say, "so help me, if you are serious, I will stab you".

Though her latest accessory is a walker, when she sternly says, "hold it" mid-conversation, she ain't playing games. Speaking of "hold it" (mmm hmm segue time), I have been super excited to tell you about Rene Furterer Vegetal Finishing Spray ($27). Now normally I shy away from using any kind of holding spray on my fragile, winter-molested tresses. But this one is supposed to be different. It offers hold and hydration without weighing hair down; it has Vitamin B5.

And you know me, dear diary. I put this bad boy to the test: during the east coast's latest precipitation-wind mash up. I have to tell you. I ran my fingers through my hair just now and it felt soft and managed. Kinda' like the way I feel when my grandma gives me "the eye".

Write ya again soon,

S Breezy

If you've had more than two conversations with me, you know there's NOTHING I can't relate to an episode of "Sex and the City". I realized this when chatting with my friend who thanked me for a SATC analogy from our last conversation. I talk about it so much, I had no idea which she was referring to.

So of course Completely Bare's FREE Brazilian Bikini Wax offer reminded me of "Carrie" asking "Charlotte" whether her depressed "hmm-hmm" wanted French fries. Why the offer? To celebrate the national expansion of the NYC haven of hair removal.

Completely Bare has earned major accolades from City Search, Allure Magazine, and Life & Style for its (relatively) painless Brazilian wax and its fantastically chic-yet-chill setting. I will neither confirm nor deny whether I've had first-hand (or first hmm-hmm) experience there, because frankly, that's none of your beeswax.

True. The Calvin Klein Friends & Family event starts on 3/17, but 30% OFF (even sale)? We gotta' prep our shopping lists now! What...am I the only one who thinks like that?

Something tells me I've never shared my poor-student-in-Europe stories with you. As you can imagine, they're quite detailed, so for now, I'll tell you about my STA-Travel flight from New York City to London (by way of Iceland).

I hopped aboard Icelandair to Reykjavik. Though it was a lengthy flight, it was wicked cool to land on a sheet of ice. Yes, that pun was intended...sorry. Who'd believe, years later, I'd return to my Icelandic "roots".

Blue Lagoon Silica Mud Mask ($100) is a mud mask enriched with Icelandic sea water, containing lots of minerals, algae, and silica. Its cleansing and exfoliating capabilities appealed to my drab, post-Fashion Week skin. Seriously. My concealer gave up on me just days into Fashion Week. So at its close, I knew I had to take my visage into my own hands and bring out the big guns.

I kept the mask on for as long as I could, rinsed it off, and noticed my skin was refreshed and its texture was noticeably improved. And since that was the only change in my skin care routine, I give complete credit to the mask.

Want a FREE full-size Blue Lagoon Mud Mask? Leave a comment below or Tweet @TempleofGlam something cute about the mask, Iceland, OR how much you love me and/or Temple of Glam using this #beauty hashtag. If you Facebook "like" this article, mention that in your tweet. My favorite Commenter/Tweeter will win the mask!

Another fun New York Fashion Week moment was hanging in the suites at the Empire Hotel. First stop was the Nintendo DS-Benefit Cosmetics-Essie nail polish suite. The girls and I stopped by, noshed, played a new Nintendo game, and got mini makeovers and new products in the Benefit Cosmetics room.

We also sat down for a manicure in the Essie room. Here's a picture of one of the best beauty reps I've ever met. She was so knowledgeable and passionate about the brand. I had to take a picture.

After that, we went down to the Lia Sophia suite. We spotted Reshma Shetty from USA Network's "Royal Pains" and drooled over the gorgeous Industrielle jewelry. I had my eye on the Concentric Square Ring in matte gold with black diamond crystals. It is phenomenal, no?

Rather than go to the Nautica Men's Fall 2011 presentation and report which boys were the cutest, I figured I'd enlist a dude to actually *gasp* look at the clothes.

Enter Brian. Brian is my infamously-awkward-yet-unquestionably-stylish marketing-genius friend. In fact, his nickname was once,"Google Man". I challenged him to describe the collection in 155 clever words or less. He succeeded.

These Are the Pops

"They really did a great job of highlighting the Nautica lifestyle. It's about the basics: white, black, navy, gray, and camel with added "pops." The pops of color were the orange (I loved) and the Nautica-branded pops."

The Prince & the Pea (Coat)

"Nothing says classic outerwear like the pea coat. And theirs was well made, tailored, and on point. Easily the highlight.

I also liked their trench. Comes in the obvious navy as well as a brown-knit pattern featuring a collar with a plaid undercarriage (guess it's made to be popped)."

Who's Afraid of Eavesdropping? Not Bri!

"I briefly got the ear of Nautica Creative Director Chris Cox. And by "got the ear of", I mean I patiently waited and eavesdropped on his conversation with real fashionistas. He talked about the luxurious sophistication of the Nautica brand.

My take? Nautica should "own" outerwear for fall '11. Be basic and deliver high quality styles. If this winter was any indication of weather to come, America needs more pea coats."

Street style image copped from http://ny.racked.com/tags/plush (graffiti behind model is similar to Basquiat's below, no?)

What do tights and genius artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat have in common? Not much, but of course I figured out a connection. One of the trends I foresee will be around for quite some time is wearing black tights. From mini frocks and daisy dukes to (my new-found interest) footless tights under ankle-length denim, the black tight trend is here to stay. But again, how do they work with Basquiat?

Image courtesy of fascinatingpeople.wordpress.com

Despite the obvious hue-centric thing, Basquiat had a tagline he used in his graffiti and later his paintings, "Plush Safe, He Think". And that, my friends, brings me to Plush tights.

If you're experiencing the kind of winter I am, you know there are days the wind can make you feel like you're barelegged when you're wearing tights. These babies are lined with fleece and not only keep your legs warm, but they also can be used as a beauty treatment. How? I thought you'd never ask. If you moisturize your legs before donning the tights, the fleece will seal in moisture (similar to mani gloves).

What I love most about this perennial trend is that it allows us to look chic without getting frostbite.

COLOR-COLOR-COLOR,  FEMININE FROCKS & FUR-OCIOUS FUR!

SEE WHAT'S HUE!

Mohair. Fringe. Sparkles. Sheers. Ostrich Feathers.

Wanna see more from Binetti Fall/Winter 2011? Click here to see my album!

(l to r: San Tara, Chantal, and Misha)

Only one Fashion Week event could make me whip out a body-hugging animal print dress...Cocktails & Couture! I was stoked to be in the Aveda Lifestyle Salon with some of my favorite Twitter peeps, social media mavens, and beauty and fashion influencers.

Cocktails & Couture is an event that happens every season during Fashion Week founded by the gorgeous beauty expert, Lianne Farbes. We networked, laughed, sampled products, and ate candy from the Hypnotiq candy bar (yup, THAT Hypnotiq). There were shellac manicures by CND and makeup application by Victoria Stiles as well.

Let me say this...I am super excited at runway shows and my hand gets shaky. That plus not having the best angle leads to random audience shots and interesting versions of the looks. I'll call them "action shots".

I figured I'd give you my image and one shot by a NY Mag photographer. Why? Because I love you...and I have no shame.

um, here's mine.

Er, perhaps I should've raised the camera (just a bit). Hey, you can't say my pics don't have personality!

For more looks from the show, check out New York Mag.com!

Josie Natori created a serene, Japanese tea ceremony to present her fall 2011 collection.

Here are some of my favorite looks.

Wide leg pants are still going strong.

Chunky accessories played a HUGE role (get it...HUGE?).

And speaking of accessories, this scarf is leather..lea-ther.

Madame Natori. Tell me how someone so tiny can be such a powerhouse!

Behold, the SPIRITUAL WARRIOR: where the heavenly veil meets the earthly turban.

OK imagine a BRAIDED flapper-era dress made with a sweetheart neckline. Seriously, the pic doesn't do it justice. This dress is like Supreme Court justice and my pic is more like TV court justice (from a fashion perspective).

I was awe-struck when I saw the model's fingers; they almost looked like they were dipped in black paraffin wax. My backstage beauty friend will give me the story and I'll report back. Oh-oh-oh you can also see a close up of MY dress!

Wanna see more Mara Hoffman 2011? Check out my photo album!

Ty from Hey Bella Blog was kind enough to give me a ticket to Christian Siriano. The fashion gods though, had something else in mind for me. I was late for the show because I was at the Kim Crawford wine bar meeting one of my favorite supermodels...Pat Cleveland. I know, I know. Huge!

Nichelle from 55 Secret Street said, "Oh Shaunequa, let me introduce you to Pat Cleveland." Luckily there was no time for me to spazz out (well, I did tell her I illegally used her image as my Facebook profile picture).

She turned around and said I was "so glamorous"...PAT CLEVELAND!!

My heart stopped.  My blood stopped circulating. My brain synapses stopped synapsing. All I could do was reach into my bag and take out my hot pink camera holder. I snuggled up, rested my head on hers, and posed. After that, it's all a blur.

Thanks to my dear blogger friend, Lorna from The Fabulous Report, I found myself at the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation event. Here's the skinny: Italian wine brand Ecco Domani annually awards designers with a New York Fashion Week showcase and a $25,000 grant.

This year's winners are Bibhu Mohapatra, The Lake & Stars, M. Patmos, Mandy Coon, Native Son, Pamela Love, and Study NY. Before checking out the winners' looks along with the rest of the pre-Fashion Week crowd, an Essence.com photographer asked if he could take a picture. Here it is!

As he took close-ups of my accessories, I looked to the left and saw...*wait for it* super stylist, June Ambrose. I know, right?!?! After threatening to die and cry simultaneously, the photographer was kind enough to introduce me to her. She's even more incredible than I imagined. Seriously.

Image courtesy of Essence.com

I attended the Proactiv meet and greet with Julianne Hough. I had oodles of fun checking out the products and meeting really nice girls. I also learned that Proactiv has makeup. Um, did you know that and not tell me?

It contains sulfur, which helps treat acne; it actually clears your complexion as you wear it! Dope, huh?

I also exchanged bizarre Twitter-follower stories with Julianne Hough. I think mine was a little too weird, but hey, I can only be me. If you're interested in hearing the story, holler. But beware...it's a doozie!

Press credentials? Check. Comfortable footwear? Check. Caffeinated beverage? Check-a-roo! I'm so excited to give you all the scoop from New York Fashion Week for another season. Follow me on Twitter for instant updates!

Along with a challenge to attend more shows each season, I jotted down a few more goals for myself. If you have any other ideas, holler at your blogger:

1. Meet great people.

2. Document crazy-fashionable street style.

3. Spot ALT and tell him that I love him.

Image courtesy of www.counterfeitchic.com

4. When randomly photographed behind celebs like *ahem* DVF, DON'T get caught making a butt-terrible facial expression (this stupid expression is almost comparable to a facial tick. Yes, I'm considering psychotherapy.)

5. Have fun! Whether standing on line waiting for a show or getting chummy with a new Twitter friend, I will remember I'm very lucky to be there and share EVERYTHING I see with you.

Remember last season when I literally brushed shoulders with Rachel Zoe? If you weren't following me on Twitter, you missed that fashion action. Who knows what'll happen this season!

So be sure to follow me Twitter.com/TempleofGlam as I report live from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2011!