Growing up in the 1980’s, there were a few fashion mistakes to be made…OK, a lot.Fortunately, my fashion faux pas’ are kept far away from the public eye.Unfortunately for Olympians, their scores--in fashion are recorded for all to see for years to come.
In 1896, before Ralph Lauren began designing Olympic outfits, athletes had to work with what they had, which wasn’t much.Originally, contestants competed for the Gold, Silver and Bronze—for their respective countries, nude.And although it would make the games, a little more interesting to watch, clothing has now become mandatory.
The United States tend to stick to the basics: red, white and blue.But it was Hungary in this year’s Parade of Nations that took home the Gold for “Hideous.”Not all Olympic outfits look like Elmo vomited on them; some outfits have been more memorable than the competition for the Gold.Like Venus and Serena Williams, who won the Gold in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, looked adorable in their respective outfits, while Mia Hamm kept it sporty in 2004.
Besides Ralph Lauren having his sewing hands in the Olympic Games this year, Adidas happens to be the official sponsor, with Nike biting at their Campus ST’s.
As an official sponsor of the Beijing games, Adidas is outfitting staff, volunteers and officials. Always in competition, Nike is dressing the U.S. track, basketball, and softball and BMX teams and is also providing the U.S. winners with podium wear, while Adidas is doing the same for Chinese winners.Also on the podium, there will also be a nod to Olympic history. U.S. medal winners will don a hooded warm-up jacket Nike modeled after the one worn by athletes at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Ralph Lauren isn’t the only designer having all the fun, Ports 1961 is dressing several NBC commentators, while riding-boot maker Ariat is outfitting the equestrian team.
Although the Olympics have never been specifically about fashion, the competition is getting heated between the designers who are trying to make fashion at the 2008 Summer Olympics a Gold win.
As trite and egotistical it sounds, it’s not easy being beautiful. Us ladies, have to battle superhuman forces in order to look prim, proper and perfect. It’s these beauty battles that test our wits, our ability to think on our feet, and more often than not, our patience. It’s those days when you want to curl up in a ball in your bed, or cry out on the roof tops, “why me???” that truly encompass our womanhood.All hope is not lost my friends, the battle can be won.
Hair:
There’s always the inevitable: rain on your wedding day, a traffic jam when you are late to work or school and yes, a bad hair day.Whether it’s too flat, too frizzy, or just too blah, this is a battle that is almost always won and with a plethora of options.One, more obvious option, is a hat.Luckily hats are still in style and relatively affordable.Another option is a scarf.Not a winter type scarf, a flowy, colorful chiffon, silk or suede scarf that will help to accessorize your outfit when your hair just won’t cooperate.Our personal favorite option, taking cues from Blair Waldorf, a headband.Headbands are so in right now, there are so many different kinds you can choose from that you don’t even have to have a bad hair day to fashion one of these baby’s on top of your head.
Pimples:
Those little suckers pop up everywhere and have the worst possible timing.Acne solutions can be found almost anywhere and everywhere, some can take weeks before there is a noticeable difference in your skin and others can be fixed momentarily.Not as harsh as benzoyl peroxide, tooth paste and bacitracin are two solutions that are worth a shot.If you don’t have access to either of these treatments, be sure to always carry around a tube of concealer, it will reduce the redness surrounding the pimple and buy you time to find a treatment that suits your skin type.
Puffy Eyes:
Whether you were crying your eyes out at the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy or recovering from a late night midterm cram session, puffy eyes are a dead giveaway of something gone awry on your face. Luckily, cucumbers aren’t just a garnish for delicious salads, they also contain special enzymes that de-puff and calm the area around your eyes.Also, cold, refrigerated used tea bags work just as well.The tea actually has a slight tissue shrinking astringent effect like the cucumber.
Dry Lips:
If you’re like Napoleon Dynamite and your lips hurt real bad, it could be the cause of chapped lips.Medicated lip balm can come in a variety of shapes, sizes and flavors.As with any form of dry skin, it also helps to exfoliate.Jane Iredale’s Sugar & Butter Exfoliator & Plumper does the trick to make your lips kissable and smooth.
To look prim, proper and perfect had proven to be an uphill battle with beauty. Although the battles maybe a speed bump in our daily routines, we always win the war.
There are many things, in life, that are sacred. A woman's alone time in the bathroom "putting her face on," is one of them. We all have customized rituals, specific products and do-hickies that we use, as well as actions that shouldn't be witnessed by the opposite sex. Most of the male population fail to understand the importance of our alone time in the bathroom. Unfortunately, for most of us gals, it takes more than a shower and a shave to get ready for the day.
This morning, I shared my morning routine with my boyfriend of 8 months. He was brushing his teeth as I applied blush to the apples of my cheeks, he turned away to wipe his face of the toothpaste using a towel hanging on the back of the door. When he turned back, he yelped.
Him: "Aaahhhh!"
Me: "What?"
Him: "What are you doing to your eye??"
Me: "I'm curling my eyelashes!"
Him: "Aaahhh!"
I laugh. An eyelash curler is a scary thing, to anyone who doesn't know how it works or what it is.
After a confusing, disturbed stare I broke the silence.
If you listen to The Kooks, they tell you to “shine on.” I’'m all for shining, but in the right kind of way. Back in the mid to late 1990’s glitter was all the rage and I abused it. When my friends and I would go out, and by going out we went to the mall, I would have glitter all over my eyes and my chest…...possibly even my arms. Shining and sparkling were a must to pick up eligible 15 year-old boys.
Color Me is pretty goof-proof, making it a breeze to apply anywhere you desire a lush blush or a little shimmer. It’s travel friendly and is stored in a petite self-dispensing pot with an attached puff and mirror for easy application. Sweep the puff onto cheeks using gentle strokes or use the edge of the puff to apply as an eye shadow.
Color Me is also anti-bacterial, water resistant and sweat proof and enriched with Vitamins A and E.
There aren’'t many things I like about the winter season, the cold weather being one of them but a cute winter accessory like a warm pair of gloves is a reason to celebrate the frozen tundra temperatures of the North East. Recently, being the spaz that I am, I have been on the hunt for the perfect pair of gloves (I lost the leather ones my mom gave me for Christmas last year in the monster that I call my closet). To find the perfect, warm pair of gloves there are some restrictions. They must keep my hands and fingers warm, they must be functional and they must be cheap (I lose gloves, sunglasses and umbrellas to no avail).
It was this mission that I set forth while roaming through Target on my lunch break one day last week. I needed a pair of warm gloves that would be functional to my needs: driving, warmth and cuteness. I stumbled across a pair of leopard print fleece fingerless gloves, complete with a mitten flap and a hook to attach the two as to not misplace. But, the best part …they were on sale, for $2.00. This got me to thinking. Maybe there are others out there, like me, who is searching for the perfect pair of gloves. After a bit of online shopping, Kiwibox and I were able to come up with a few options to keep your appendages warm for the remainder of the winter season.
Accessory Network Heart Print Convertible Gloves Absolutely adorable, warm and functional and they come in a variety of colors, I’'m sold!
$8.00 at Nordstrom
Cherie Flower Glove Accenting a long pair of gloves with a knit flower is chic which makes this pairing of gloves a must-have winter accessory.
$7.50 at DELiA*s
Sylvie Fingerless Gloves Since Kiwiboxers are from all over the world, a stylish pair of crochet-knit gloves in bright colors can do the trick if you don’t live in too cold of a climate.
$4.80 at Forever 21.
Women's Driving Glove Very stylish and very practical, and not too expensive.
$19.99 at Wilson’s Leather
Fossil "Polly" Colorblock Convertible Gloves These gloves are two-fold…literally. Worn in two different ways, this super trendy design can be utilized as a solid long length glove, or fold up the cuff, slip the thumb through and you have a color block style that fits just below your wrist.
There was a time in my life, long ago, when I would jump around my basement doing windmills, singing at the top of my lungs. …When I look back at these home videos (a.k.a blackmail for my parents) I wonder where I obtained so much energy. Albeit I'’m only 25, but it takes great pains to actually get up to go into the basement for anything now, let alone attempt a windmill.
This is where the Body Shop’s Total Energy Pulse Point Balm comes in and saves the day. Not only does it smell great, but it works almost instantly for a pick-me-up-- jumping around a basement doing windmills is optional.
Apply this pocket-sized balm to your pulse points when you need to be energized. I tried it on days when I avoided caffeine and I was immediately awoken by the scent.
The Community Trade organic bergamot essential oil has a fresh, green, citrus scent that uplifts the senses. The Guarana extract and ginger oil are known for their energizing properties and Happy belle, derived from the Monks Pepper plant, mimics the effect of endorphins and induces a sense of happiness.
Although I may never be able to obtain the amount of energy I had as a child, I will definitely continue to use Total Energy Pulse Point Balm whenever I need a pick-me-up.
If there is one thing you will learn about me through this column is I’m a sucker for a great product. When I received Robert Ramos’ Volumizer in the mail I scoffed to myself thinking that, even if used properly, my hair would look like a grease ball and would only have lift at the roots making me look like a rounded cone-head.
I decided to try Ramos’ Volumizer on damp hair so I may scrunch to make it wavy with volume. This I felt would be a true test. And it passed. With flying colors.
A little of this stuff goes a long way, a few sprays at the root holding the bottle 6 inches away from the root and you’ve got volume! I got the volume I needed, without the sticky or greasy feeling. It enhanced my wave when I applied it to my damp hair and after a bit of scrunching, I was pleasantly surprised.
Robert Ramos Volumizer contains Hydrolyzed Algae, Keratin Amino Acids and Rice Protein to create the body you want when you scrunch or blow dry. As a stylist, Ramos’ created a great product that would help our hair rather than assault it, while also doing good for the environment. All of his packaging is reusable and recyclable.
