Video of Alison Blackman Trying out the AOL Media Lounge Video Booth

This video is pretty funny. I am trying out the AOL Media Lounge Video Booth at the Bryant Park Tents. I forgot in my "30 seconds of fame" to mention that I can be followed on Twitter @advicesisters http://twitter.com/advicesisters and on FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/alisonblackman or even that my blog is at http://www.advicesisters.net/advicesistersblog.html

However, if you are reading this blog you probably already know I cover Fashion Week from backstage and from the runway. And I hope you are liking my coverage, so far this season.

I think I need to practice my video skills! But I like my purple metallic nails!

If you comment, please be KIND! LOL!





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Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email: advicesisters-at-advicesisters-dot-net Subscribe to this blog by email or in a feed reader (See the right hand column of this blog). Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/advicesisters or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/alisonblackman
I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of my What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion review column: http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html
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版权所有©艾莉森布莱克曼邓纳姆。保留所有权利。姐妹的意见是注册美国商标。没有内容可以使用或复制的书面permission.If您要使用我的工作，请，在- advicesisters，获得它在法律上：电子邮箱：advicesisters点网。我用我的评论提供了样本。学习中的“阿注更多关于补偿”一节中，如果你喜欢这个博客我的作品是什么美容，化妆品和时装评论专栏：http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html，同意通过电子邮件或在读者（见选项右侧栏）

Copyright © Alison Blackman Dunham. Todos los derechos reservados. Las Hermanas de Asesoramiento es una marca registrada Estados Unidos. Ningún contenido puede ser usado o copiado con el escrito permission.If desea utilizar mi trabajo, por favor obtener legalmente: Email: advicesisters-en-advicesisters-punto-net. Yo uso siempre muestras para mis comentarios. Obtenga más información en la nota "Una acerca de la compensación" de mi lo que funciona Belleza, Cosméticos y columna de opinión de moda: http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html Si te gusta este blog, suscribirse a él por correo electrónico o en un lector (véase la columna de la derecha para las opciones)

कॉपीराइट © Alison Blackman Dunham. सभी अधिकार सुरक्षित. सलाह बहनों एक संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका पंजीकृत ट्रेडमार्क है. कोई सामग्री या इस्तेमाल किया जा सकता है permission.If आपको-advicesisters-पर अपने काम, यह कानूनी रूप से प्राप्त करने का उपयोग करें: ईमेल: advicesisters कृपया चाहते डॉट नेट लिखा के साथ नकल. मैं अपनी समीक्षा के लिए नमूने प्रदान का उपयोग करें. जानें मुआवजा के बारे में "एक नोट में और मेरा क्या काम करता है सौंदर्य, प्रसाधन सामग्री और फैशन की समीक्षा कॉलम: http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html की" यदि आपको इस ब्लॉग की तरह अनुभाग में, या एक ईमेल में यह द्वारा की सदस्यता लें रीडर (विकल्प के लिए सही हाथ स्तम्भ देखें)

Copyright © Alison Blackman Dunham. Tous droits réservés. Les Sœurs Advice est une marque déposée des États-Unis. Aucun contenu mai être utilisés ou copiés avec écrit permission.If vous voulez utiliser mon travail, s'il vous plaît obtenez-le en toute légalité: Email: advicesisters-at-advicesisters-dot-net. J'utilise fourni des échantillons pour mes commentaires. En savoir plus dans la "Note sur la rémunération" section de mon What Works beauté, Cosmétiques & Fashion Column: http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html Si vous aimez ce blog, vous y abonner par email ou dans une lecteur (voir colonne de droite pour les options)

حقوق النشر محفوظة © أليسون بلاكمان دنهام. جميع الحقوق محفوظة. راهبات مشورة هي علامة تجارية مسجلة للولايات المتحدة. قد لا يكون مضمون استخدام أو نسخ خطية مع permission.If كنت تريد استخدام عملي ، يرجى الحصول عليها من الناحية القانونية : البريد الإلكتروني : advicesisters المعرضات للadvicesisters - دوت صافي. أنا استخدم قدمت عينات لمشاركاتي. تعلم المزيد في "ملاحظة حول التعويضات" مقطع من بلدي ما يعمل الجمال ومستحضرات التجميل موضة واستعراض العمود : http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html إذا كنت مثل هذا بلوق ، والاشتراك بها عن طريق البريد الإلكتروني أو في القارئ (انظر العمود الأيمن لخيارات)

Sheckys Beauty Night Out - A Girl's Fanatasy for Female Fun!

There are some things that I eagerly anticipate on a seasonal basis. For example, when it is Winter, I eagerly await sunny Summer weather. And, I can't wait for New Years Eve, Ground Hog Day, and ......Shecky's Beauty Night and Girls Nights Out! Last week, I attended Shecky’s 4th annual Beauty Night Out, featuring product sampling, and services from up approximately fifty of Shecky’s 2008/2009 BEAUTY AT ITS BEST winners. A Shecky's event is always a "can't miss!"

Get there early, and you'll still find a line of women eagerly waiting to get in and start sampling and shopping. They all know that Sheckys events are good fun worth waiting for. Most of the women I talked to at Sheckys Beauty Night out had been to at least one other Shecky's event, and were back for more. My own, first experience with Sheckys was at a Girls Night Out in Spring of 2007 ....and then, I loved the beauty-oriented Shecky's Beauty Night Out I attended last Fall.

The experience is bound to leave you thinking: "Wow, that was such fun!" even if you're there as I was, a reporter there to check out the just-for-girls fun, without the benefit of female bonding. The idea is a simple one: a "happy hour" mixed with the excitement of a sample sale, plus better than Fashion Week-style goodie bags. The female fun quotient is high. You're getting a group of BFFs together in a room full of "eye candy" (girly shopping items, and great looking guys).

Enter the door, and grab a free hot towel and a beer or mixed drink from one of a number of these great looking (and polite and respectful) guys to get the party started. This is a just-for-the-ladies event, so even the men's rooms are turned into women's rooms for the night. Check out your makeup, or walk over to a number of tables with free samples of different makeup lines, and perhaps have your makeup done. Of course, there are also things to buy (it's a shopping night, naturally). There are tables of pretty, girly things everyone loves: accessories, beauty items, sparkling jewelry, wellness services. Make sure all of these are deeply discounted--and piles high with free samples to tote home. The result of all of this good fun is lots of laughter, excitement, and smiling faces

One Shecky's guests all get a re-useable tote bag full of great products worth much more than the price of admission. In fact, one of the Advice Sister's most popular blog search terms is "Sheckys" but the other is "what's in the Shecky's Gift Bag? Shecky's does tout the gift bag as a major benefit of coming to their events. What's inside is not a secret, but it does change every event. Here, a happy Shecky's Beauty Night Out participant willingly poses with not one, but two gift bags, as at this event, the sheer amount of loot was so generous, the Shecky's logo bag was not large enough to hold all of the goodies!

The bags generally are filled with full sized name brands in skincare, cosmetics, and even chocolate bars! My suggestion is to also bring your own, lightweight tote for all the other freebies you'll get and perhaps, purchase.... this is just a small representation of what was in the bag.

And Shecky's Beauty Night Out gives girls a chance to try new products and services. For example, Conair offered free styling right at their display, along with a give-away of packages of great, no-slip ponytail holders.

One of the Advice Sisters favorite companies, Conair,was there. They had a nice display of some of their most popular, new items, so Sheckys guests could really check them out up close. Two of my favorites, shown here, are the Conair Infiniti Nano Silver Tourmaline Ceramic Styler and Conair the Infiniti Nano Silver Ionic Steam Straightener, both of which we have reviewed in the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion Review columns. For me, however, one of the best parts of a Sheckys event is the chance to meet people who really know the products they are representing, and can talk about them in great detail. Sometimes, the knowledgeable men and women you talk to are the owners of the company. You will not only take home tons of free stuff, you will take home lots of tips and advice...priceless!

Free samples at Sheckys events are really good, such as these of Redken's Forceful 23 hair spray, a favorite of hair stylists to use on models, backstage at Fashion Week.

...and Boots even had an amusement park-style "claw" game full of wonderful Boots makeup and skin care products. Guests could try this luck and snag a great Boots product to take home!

If you are planning to attend a Sheckys Girls Night Out or Beauty Night Out event, I suggest you reserve your place early, as some of the days do sell out. Take a lightweight purse, and perhaps, even another lightweight tote bag (you'll be getting free samples, brochures, and buying other items) and the Sheckys gift bag is already full when you get it. Be ready to spend money. The combo of free drinks, good friends, and great bargains will probably have you opening your wallet...but you won't regret it! Shecky's holds beauty, fashion, and social events in New York City Atlanta Boston Chicago Los Angeles San Francisco --be sure to check them all out at http://www.sheckys.com/

AdviceSisters "What Works" Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column up for Summer!

The What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion Review for JULY/AUGUST (Summer 2008) IS NOW UP AT: http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.htmlThis column has lots of sun-safe products and ways to enjoy Summer's pleasures, from sunblocks, to sensational fragrances...this is the time to indulge!

THERE'S ALSO A LINK TO AN ARTICLE THAT'S A "MUST-READ" TO STAY SAFE IN THE SUN: http://www.advicesisters.net/WWarchives/wwarcindex.html .

NEWS! The "What WORKS" BUYING GUIDE IS NOW ON IT'S OWN PAGE! http://www.advicesisters.net/buyingguide708.htmlto get shopping links to every single product on the What Works column! Also check the "What Works Archives" , for all the columns and product reviews you may have missed--IT'S AT: http://www.advicesisters.net/WWarchives/wwarcindex.html

AdviceSisters Newest Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion Review is Live Today

We've just posted a fabulous new beauty, cosmetics & fashion review for the month of November! Check out the AdviceSisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review at http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html See we're suggesting to take you (beautifully and fashionably) from Fall to the holidays, and beyond.

...and don't forget to bookmark the page...our December column is up the first week in December featuring the hottest gifts, makeup, fragrance, fashion, skin and bodycare, hair, nails, stuff for guys, and even a few suggestions for the younger set! Visit the What Works Archives at http://www.advicesisters.net/WWarchives/wwarcindex.html for all the columns you might have missed...going back to 1998


BE INTERACTIVE: Post your own reviews reviews and comments about the What Works column and products you really like that we didn't review yet. Learn about contests, give-aways and events, plus find recipes, reader suggestions, polls, and more! The AdviceSisters also have 7 different forums/bulletin boards related to our AdviceSisters Web Site and this blog, at: http://advicesisters.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php Signup is free and takes just a few seconds.

Posting Guidelines + AdviceSisters NEWS (please read first before posting) This board is for the Advice Sisters to let you know what's new with the AdviceSisters

Your Suggestion Box Do you have a board topic you'd like us to add? Need information about The Advice Sisters? Want to comment on something we've posted or on Advice Sisters articles?

Relationships Everyone has relationships, from a noisy neighbor to an irritating boss, to a love interest. Use this space to give and get advice on all types of relationships!

Beauty/Style/Fashion This board is for Advice Sisters readers who want to share information about products and services on the Advice Sisters "What Works" Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review columns, the AdviceSisters Enews. List your own suggestions and reviews, and tell us what you want us to cover, next time! We also post events, give-aways and contests here

Women's Issues Despite our similarities, men and women are not exactly the same. This is a board for women to ask questions, get support, share ideas, and sound off about issues that are specifically for and about women *if we get enough interest from the guys, we'll start one just for them, too

Book Review Bulletin Board This is the place to comment on books you love, or loathe, network with other book lovers, and post information about your own book (for authors) We also post events, recipes, give-aways and contests

Esther Nash's Party at CAIN Nightclub

Last night, beauty editors, stylists, models, photographers, family and friends attended a party for Esther Nash at the CAIN nightclub on 27th Street and the West Side. This super-hot nightclub has an African safari theme, akin to an African game lodge. You'll get the idea when you spot the amazing, zebra hide bar and large wood pillars draped in imported African beads. The "wildest animals" you'll see here are likely to be of the fashionable kind, well-dressed celebrities, looking to dance the night away in an exclusive atmosphere, without being "shot" at (unless that's what they want).

Multi-talented Esther Nash is a fashion and jewelry designer, stylist, commentator and actress/model. Here, Esther models two of her own jewelery designs, jade necklaces with sterling accents. The AdviceSisters will be reviewing a number of Esther Nash jewelry designs in our November and December What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review columns *watch for them the first week of each month. Esther Nash designs are investment pieces that will work with everything in your wardrobe, and they're all one-of-a-kind.

I am in the middle of this photo, flanked by the hosts of the party: Esther's talented sister, Shelly Nash, is on the left, and on the right, Esther Nash is wearing her own beautiful, triple-strand amethyst necklace.

In this photo, you just about make out my unique red and black jet earrings --they are also Esther Nash originals.

The action doesn't really get started at Cain until after midnight, but soon, the dance floor heated up. Everyone had a great time chatting and dancing!

Talk Show Host TV Personality Cognac Wellerlane is sharing a laugh with Esther Nash. Cognac is famous for her upswept hairstyle and sparkling personality. You can view Cognac's television show, “Cognac’s Corner” on Manhattan Time Warner Cable Channel 34.

Esther and Model Janine Hill

(from left to right): Businessman Michael Forem, Esther Nash, and former NFL Football Player and Personal Trainer, Carl Ditmars

Women over 50--dried up prunes or sexy seniors, or something else?

First, an announcement: The Advice Sisters Bulletin Boards has just launched another topical board: one for Women's Issues. http://advicesisters.net/simplemachinesforum/

Please come by and visit, sign up, and participate. A bulletin board is only as good as the comments it gets. This is a new board (our last one was sabatoged by porno spammers) so we appreciate all the support and feedback we can get to re-energize the discussions, once again. If you have any trouble accessing the boards, signing up, or posting, please contact me at advicesisters (at) advicesisters (dot) net and let me know? Thanks in advance for this.

Recently, I read a post from an inquiring person who wanted to hear from (and I quote) "everyday women over 50 who don't feel as beautiful as they used to and want advice from older women on how, when their looks started to fade, they were able to still feel sexy, beautiful and fabulous...even with wrinkles and all! "

The query went on to say: "Just because guys may not be trying to whistle at you on the street anymore, it doesn't mean you aren't sexy or beautiful..."

My first reaction was "is this a joke?" Then I realized it must have been launched by someone quite young, ho has been trained to believe that at middle age, women simply become "sexless, unappetizing" beings. But interestingly, the responses (and there were quite a few) ranged from "well, thank heavens I'm not old, like near 40, so I don't have to worry about this yet," to: "I'm over 50 and this is a bunch of sterotypical bull," to: "What has age got to do with being sexy or attractive in the first place?"

Although men also have issues with ageism and looking older, the real burden to look "hot" and "young," is placed on women.

What's your take on this? Is someone over 40 or 50 or (yikes!) 60+ automatically bound to beocome a frumpy, eldery, unsexy woman who is only good as a Mom" or "Grandma?" Is this just an old-fashioned notion that sterotypes (and dooms) several generations of women? Is it something else?

I'd really like to keep the discussion going here and on the The Advice Sisters Bulletin Boards because it is an issue every woman faces. If you are under 40, leave your comments and ask questions? Are you fearful of aging? Are you doing things to stop the aging process even if you are well under 30? Is there real life after 50 or 60? If you are over 40, do you feel invisible or unattractive? What has mid-life taught you about the aging process? leave your comments, and please provide some "wisdom" to the young-uns.

Thanks....let's get the conversation, started.

Alison

Sleepless Everywhere Writes....what do you think about nasty neighbors?

The Advice Sisters Bulletin Boards have moved to: http://advicesisters.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php

The board is so new, it only has three posts and two forums (one for relationships, one for beauty/fashion/style). There will be more, but for now, I'm hoping that I can entice you to help kick-start this new board off.

The following letter is real. and I'm hoping it will strike a chord with you, my readers. Won't you kindly go to the new Bulletin Board area, sign in, sound off, and give some advice to "Sleepless Everywhere?"

I'm not going to give you the entire letter...you'll have to go to the new bulletin boards first (smile): http://advicesisters.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php

Dear ASA (Advice Sister Alison)

My partner and I have lived in the same apartment building for nearly four decades. About five years ago,a (20-something) couple came to be interviewed to purchase not one, but two apartments in our building. Their plan was to combine them at a (then impressive) cost of over a million dollars. --------The couple stressed to our entrance committee that they were very concerned about noise in the building. They kept saying how they required peace and quiet, and how they were quiet people. Since their purchased apartments were directly next to mine, I assured them that we were quiet adults who didn't even play loud music at home. We were happy to know that they were going to be quiet, too.

Wow, were we mistaken!

The work required to create their new "home" was supposed to take two or three weeks. It took more like three months. We had to endure jackhammers, screaming, banging and other noises for hours on end every day until the work was finally completed. ----About a year later, this woman became pregnant. The minute the baby was born, it screamed with such an impressive set of lungs that we thought the baby might be abused ----We are so discouraged that we are considering leaving our home, even though we have loved it here for a long, long time. ----- We wonder what you think of this situation? Is it more common than we think, or are we alone in this problem? Any advice would be welcome.


*all the details have been removed. If you think you're having a bad day, you've got to read this letter (and then please comment)!

Spammers Killed our Message Boards

A NOTICE ABOUT THE ADVICE SISTERS FORUMS AREA:

OUR MESSAGE BOARDS/FORUMS: On Friday, April 27th, some spammers posted more than 50 messages, many containing pornographic photos, to our message boards. In attempting to remove them, The Advice Sisters crashed (and then were forced to delete) the current bulletin board system. In the two years we've provided our readers this service, we gathered more than 3,500 subscribers from all around the world. As an alternative, I am trying a new message board system at: http://advicesisters.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php

Feel free to join this board, and bookmark it for future reference. Your patience is requested until we can update all our navigation bars on the Advice Sister web site and configure new features on this new board. If this new board functions well and our readers like it, we keep this new system. However, that means if you were a former subscriber, you will need to re-subscribe. Please do so, now. You can also connect with the Advice Sisters on the Advice Sisters Relationships area on Yahoo!Groups at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/advicesisterssinglesclub/ . Thanks for your patience and your continued support!!


all the best,

Alison Blackman Dunham aka. Advice Sister Alison

Where is Your Copy of the Advice Sisters Enews?

you are a subscriber to the bi-monthly, free newsletter, the Advice Sisters Enews, you already received the information below and more, with live links!

This time, I'm not going to put the entire Enews online in this blog. If you want to information in the Enews, I hope you will subscribe. The Advice Sisters Enews is free, delivered to your in-box bi-monthly. It features Advice Sisters news, tips, reviews, expert advice,the latest in style and culture, and more. It isn't too late to get your own subscription, and get the Late Winter, 2007 Advice Sisters Enews delivered right to your in-box. Here are just a few of the highlights:


"The Devil (and You) Wear Prada, Contest: Five lucky people have won more than $1,000 worth of ultra-luxe products from Benefit, Dior, and Z. Bigatti. *sorry, you have to be a subscriber to the Advice Sisters Enews to get the link

Fair Game on NPR with Faith Saile: At precisely 22.30 minutes into the 50-minute+ Valetine's Day "Fair Game" show Black Holes, Neuroscience, and Michael Jackson you will hear a segment about what couples should and should not do behind closed doors. *sorry, you have to be a subscriber to the Advice Sisters Enews to get the link

What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion Review March 2007 is focused primarily on color cosmetics to add new life to your Spring fashions, along with new fragrances, skin and body-care products, kits and gifts, nail, hair and men's products. *sorry, you have to be a subscriber to the Advice Sisters Enews to get the link


THE ADVICE SISTERS "ABOUT TOWN"


MERCEDES BENZ FASHION WEEK Fashion Week for Fall, 2007, was a busy one, thanks to my colleagues, who facilitated backstage access for me at some of the hottest shows Here are the links to all the posts I created for Fashion Week Fall 2007: Alice Ritter, Akiko Ogawa, Gustavo Arrango *backstage coverage , Alice Roi *backstage coverage , Venexiana, Alexandre Herchovitch *backstage coverage , Araks *backstage coverage, Ellen Tracy *backstage coverage , Vanidades Fashion Lounge, Bill Blass *backstage coverage, Cynthia Rowley Hair & Makeup and Runway Show (& the Cynthia Rowley/Jillian Dempsey Makeup Collection for Fall 2007 for Avon) , Carmen Marc Valvo *backstage coverage, Zang Toi , Alison's Fashion Week "must-haves" *sorry, you have to be a subscriber to the Advice Sisters Enews to get the links

Book Reviews: These non-fiction books are some of the latest titles from major publishing companies. From secrets, to starvation, to sex, they'll educate, inspire, and entertain you *sorry, you have to be a subscriber to the Advice Sisters Enews to get the full reviews. Sign up now: http://www.advicesisters.net/thankyou.html

Write about what you know" is the advice that is often given to beginner authors. Amanda Kerlin obviously listened, and it's for that reason that Secrets of the Model Dorm by Amanda Kerlin and Phil Oh (Atria Books, 2007) succeeds. Ms. Kerlin is a statuesque and beautiful young woman who has "been there and done that" when it comes to modeling....

The Honeymoon's Over by Andrea Chapin and Sally Wofford-Girand (Warner Books, February 2007) is a book of original essays by female writers about love, marriage and divorce. Most of these are short, and well-written, but while they are amusing as stories, the book's main attraction is the way it connects women to women, with powerful emotions that most of us have felt in some way or another, at some time or another. .........


Gaining by Aimee Liu (Warner Books, February 2007) is an attention-grabbing, often intimate look at the life and mindset of Ms. Liu , a recovering anorexic, and the primarily women (a few men too) who she has followed up with after a hiatus of a few decades. Her first book, "Solitare," was about her battle with anorexia, but this one is more like a Part 2, or a sequel.....

Satisfaction: Women, Sex, and the Quest for Intimacy by Anita H. Clayton with Robin Cantor-Cooke (Ballantine Books), could have been a dry discourse on female sexuality, but it is a surprisingly entertaining and empowering book about how why women settle for lackluster sex lives, even though they may be high-powered in all other aspects of their lives.....


Sex on the Brain by Daniel G. Amen, M.d. (Harmony Books, 2007)takes a more cerebral approach to the subject of better sex, with a serious, if somewhat clinical view on the subject matter, but it is no less interesting. The information is irresistible.....


A Perfect Mess by Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman (Little Brown 2006) will not give you the secrets to a tidy desk, but it might make you re-think the costs and benefits of organization......

Welcome to Your Crisis by Laura Day (Little Brown 2006) confirms what I've been told most of my life, that out of adversity, comes opportunity. As it states on the back cover: "The moment your life falls, apart, it is also the moment your new life begins." ....

Gustavo Arango-Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007

I was really excited to attend the Gustavo Arango show at the Altman Building Saturday afternoon, February 3rd, because I was invited backstage and one of my faves, AVEDA, was doing the hair and the makeup on this show. The backstage area at the Altman building is really spacious compared to the tents, and it was easy to spot and interview Rudy Miles, AVEDA Global Face Color Artist, and others from the Aveda Makeup Team.

Gustavo Arango designs glam clothes for glamorous women, especially Latina woman, so the look for this show was inspired by Hollywood glamour of the 1920's, but not quite as controlled or "done" (check out the model in the photo, below):

The makeup for this show was completely modern, dressed up, but, as Rudy Miles put it, "still whimsical." I called it diva with a slightly "dirty-girl" attitude. A polished, finished face and, like the strong eyes at Alice Roi and Alexander Herchcovitch, Rudy Miles made the focal point the eyes. He ringed them completely in a slightly metallic, deep, smoked blue called "Blue Bell." This color will be available from AVEDA for Fall, 2007. The deep, blue eye look really went well with the soft evening gowns and subdued colors for Fall from Gustavo Arango's collection. To finish the look, Rudy applied a lip liner all over the model's lips, first, and then applied a berry gloss that gave the lips what I like to call a "moistly-matte" look. It's matte, but not that old-fashioned dry that we are used to seeing with matte products. The cheeks were burgundy and berry, but applied in a new way: arched around the forehead and to the cheeks, instead of up from the apples. "It's all about color and technique," explained Rudy. And, as many other makeup artists have always advised me to pass on to you, my readers, this is only makeup. You can always remove it if you don't like the way it looks...so don't be afraid to experiment! Rudy Miles is shown below, holding some new "Petal Essence Accents" eye/blush trios for Fall, 2007 . Rudy said he used to be a teen model (and he's still not only photogenic, but very charming!).

I also spoke to Jon Reyman and his AVEDA hair team. Since the inspiration was the 1920's pin curls and finger waves that define that era's Hollywood glam style, the model's hair was set in pin curls and then loosely pinned in the back to produce a modern, Raphaelite-styled bob. This stunning look was romantic and youthful, but not too "set" in place. The models really did look angelic, walking down the runway. I don't have a list of all the products used but I will get it and add the details to my photo-essay feature, soon (check the Advice Sisters FEATURES page http://www.advicesisters.net/Features/Features.html in the coming weeks for all the latest Fashion Week and advicesisters content). ). I do know tow of the products used were Air Control, an environmentally-friendly hair spray, and Pure Abundance Hair Potion to add texture and volume to a model's hair if she needed it. Jon also explained that AVEDA was being much more selective in the number of shows they were doing this Fashion Week season. The reason? Aveda puts their proverbial money where there mouths are. They will only work with designers that are in sync with AVEDA's earth-friendly mission and philosophy: http://www.aveda.com/customerservice/ourmission.tmpl

The makeup artists and hair stylists are working on a short time frame on lots of models at the same time. They have to answer the same, endless questions over and over again. Even so, to a person, all of the backstage teams have been gracious and responsive to me as a writer and reporter. The AVEDA staff in particular were so nice to be around! They seemed to be enjoying their jobs, and their colleagues (special thanks to makeup artist TERRY whose husband was also backstage, on the "hair" team). I didn't interview the team from Pritti Organix Nail Salon, but they did the manicures.

Gustavo Arango came by to talk to Jon for a moment. I was too tongue-tied to introduce myself, but the designer, outwardly very calm, said he hadn't slept much the night before the show (I can just imagine!). He needn't have worried since the collection, although body conscious, was beautiful and quite wearable, even for non-models. Mr. Arango, born in Colombia and raised in Puerto Rico, studied in New York at F.I.T., subsequently working as a fashion designer for Pierre Balmain and then launching his own collection. An interesting but sad note is that the designer's apartment was destroyed during the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11th. He moved back to Puerto Rico. His collection now is inspired by the exotic beauty of Puerto Rico, and the urban chic of New York. The clothes moved with the body, especially the evening gowns in chiffon and silk charmeuse that were accented with beads in many cases. One I particularly liked was a slate silk charmeuse gown with lizard straps. Shoes were high, high, and higher, from Beverly Feldman and La Favorita. I don't know what the fashionistas will say about the collection, but my personal opinion is that Gustavo Arango designs to make every woman look beautiful, no matter what her age or features.

Check out my "how to do the look" with AVEDA products (coming soon on the advice sisters web site linked from our FEATURES page http://www.advicesisters.net/Features/Features.html

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007-Akiko Ogawa

Later in the day, I went to the Akiko Ogawa runway show in the tents. I got there early, and saw my friend Ester Nash on line for another show. How nice to see her! She's such a lovely woman.

As I was checking in for Akiko Ogawa, I ran into another person I know--Steven Bender. He now has his own PR company and is doing lots of interesting things. We had time to catch up for a few minutes. He's one of the "nice guys," too.

But on to the show: the theme is "the masculine look of a British rock star softened into feminine form and laced with elements of 'wabi sabi' (the distinctily Japanese aesthetic of refined rusticity and elegant simplicity considered the highly prized qualities in the traditional arts).

To break that down, the clothes were a mixture of punk bluntness, and soft silk kimono..a perfect fusion of Japanese downtown girls, with geisha elements. Scottish tartan (mostly with green and blue) showed up in pleated skirts, paired with rock-star black.

The audience and the clothes seem "youthful" but in truth, I could see nearly anyone taking pieces from the 39 pieces shown in this collection and making them work. There were skinny pants, mostly in black, along with charcoal gray, but there was some color. The pink used as accents apparently was inspired by the flower of the peony tree. One of the most beautiful pieces was a deep pink kimono tunic, worn with a low-slung Swarovski crystal studded belt. The most beautiful pieces were these silky kimono-styles, worn as dresses and tunics. The models seemed to float down the runway in these. I liked the oversized obi" type sashes that added a distinctly Japanese flair. I also particularly liked a black cropped "military" type jacket with large crystal "buttons" that added sparkle, and some of the jackets and sweaters with faux-fur trim. To add that punk attitude, a variety of platform black leather shoes prevailed. Add a chunky boot to a tartan skirt and you've got just the right mix.

The collection is fun, eye catching, and a welcome relief from the austere. Noda Norikata at MAO did strong, smoky eyes and pale faces. Hair, from Dennis Lanni for Bumble & Bumble was stark -- a sort of modern Louise Brooks short black bob with thick bangs for most of the models. This added a distinct rock star meets the East sensibility that went well with the clothes.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007-Alice Ritter

Fashion Week has begun!

My first show was Alice Ritter at the Players Club in the chic, Grammercy Park area. It was cold and of course, I arrived on the wrong side of the Park and had to walk around three sides of it to get to my destination.

Inside, young girls in white T-shirts with the simple Alice Ritter logo in black letters, were all smiles. I got there close to start time (I know from experience that most fashion shows do not really start on time) and noticed the cozy club was already packed with chattering fashionistas. Two Alice Ritter staffers, chattering in melodic tones, in French, were sitting on one of three available couches, on opposite ends. They moved over so I could sit down, and I gratefully sank into the leather couch for the "wait" (which turned out to be about 35 minutes). While sitting, I chatted with a young woman who said she was there as an Assistant Buyer for the Isetan department store in Japan. So many buyers and press (yours truly included) didn't have seat assigments! We were finally ushered into a "great hall" lined with imposing oil paintings of what I presume were the founders or past presidents of the Players Club, squeezing ourselves through a gauntlet behind three rows of tightly packed (and mostly filled) seats. We filed in slowly, and I realized that there was an open seat right in front of where the line ended. The lights were just about to go out so I sat down. Alas, anyone not in the front row had an obstructed view.

But the clothes (from what I could see of them) were worth the wait. Down the runway came the most romantic if "costumy" clothes I've seen in a long time. They Edwardian inspired collection featured the most fantastic cropped jackets with nipped-in waists and long, tiered, flouncy back treatments. These were paired with nicely tailored, wide-legged, pants, and romantic, full skirts. Alice Ritter uses a mixture of woven fabrics, and since it was a Fall collection, there was a lot of substantial wool, heavy cotton, and silk. The colors were extremely austere: black, black and more black, and some grey, olive green, and a bit of "caramel, plus a bunch of blouses and dresses in silky, royal purple fabrics. What added spark was silky shine, and some sparkle or sheen in the fabrics of the jackets and skirts.

A lot of this collection is what I'd call "party" or special event clothes, but not in the sense of a formal evening gown. These are clothes to turn heads, but without a rhinestone or a bead, in sight. A standout was a "dandy's" outfit, mixing masculine and feminine: a pure white blouse with a huge ruffled front and collar of crystal pleats, paired with blakc pants and a fitted jacket. With an outfit this "showy" all you need is a pair of diamond stud earrings, and you're good to go! Another standout were two coats: one was a boxy, black and white tweed mid-length coat with a very large, shawl color. The other, a creamy ivory wool with a funnel neck and large buttons, that seemed very retro (think: Audry Hepburn in Charade).

I didn't go backstage for this one, but the main theme of the hair reminded me of party girl fone to sleep and this is the result in the morning. The hair was a "messy" bun with long pieces or tendrils deliberately falling out of it to the side. It was romantic, but I'd suspect it might be harder to accomplish at home than simply making a bun, and sleeping on it! The makeup was by NARS. I liked the matte, dark rose or warm red lips as the main focal point. I'll try to get the details from NARS and share them later on.

Forget Winter, The Accessories Show & Moda Manhattan Look To Spring/Summer 2007

For the last three season, on the specific day I plan to attend the Moda Manhattan and Accessories the Show at the Javits Center in New York, disaster strikes. This season was no different (could I be jinxed?) but I was determined --before the show closed today, I was going to attend.

The organizer of the Moda Manhattan Show (and I'd guess, Accessories The Show as well) is Business Journals Inc (BJI), a business media company that produces 5 business-to-business magazines, 8 trade shows, and a number of seminars and web sites. They have always been gracious to the press, and attending the Moda Mahattan and the Accessories shows is always a very pleasant experience. Moda Manhattan offers juried, ready-to-wear fashion, while the Accessories Show is the only juried, all-accessories trade event in the entire USA. These shows attract throngs of buyers from speciality stores and boutiques, to department stores, catalogues, and even duty free shops looking to see what's available for the next season in activewear, special occasion/evening, outerwear/coats, suits/ careerwear, dresses, knitwear/sweaters, sportswear, related separates, soft separates, loungewear/sleepwear, fur/leather, and accessories from belts to bags to hats to tons and tons and tons of jewelry in all price points. If you can't spot trends here, you're not looking very hard.

It was pretty cold outside, especially after days of record-breaking warm weather, but I began to "think Spring" as I walked in and heard "Itsy bitsy, teeny weeny, yellow polkadot bikini" blaring out of speakers into the exhibit hall. Once inside and walking the aisles, I wished I was a buyer, because there is a dizzying array of "eye candy" that will soon find its way into stores and I want a lot of it -- now But these are shows for writing orders, not retail sales . Even so, my press badge gives me the opportunity to check out "what's next," and I always find at least a few unique items that I know readers of my Advice Sisters online publications, will want to know about.

For example, Spare Change Jewelry by Designers Erin Walker and Betty Bobrow create reasonably-priced, "stretchy" fashion jewelry (made in Chicago) that supposedly appeals to young girls to teens, but when I saw their CZ rings and necklaces, I realized they have a huge market for women, too. Stacked up on a post were rings made of stretchy rounds of material in various colors, the centerpiece of which was a large, cubic zirconia (and I mean, eye-poppingly large--I'm estimating a 20-carat round). They're obviously fake, and obviously meant to be fun, and they are. What I love about these (besides the fact that they retail for only around $20.00) is that the soft, really stretchy fabric that comprises the "ring" really is "one size fits all." If your fingers are tiny (mine are, and I never get big rings that fit) the "ring" part won't need to stretch much, but if you are like my friend, who has large fingers, the ring easily stretches to fit without pulling or digging into your hand. "You'll forget you have it on" said the woman I met at the booth (I think it was Erin). She was right--it's effortless fashion. Moms and daughters , best friends, even women who are gaining or losing weight can share and wear and get a bit of "bliing" for not a lot of cash. There are matching necklaces, too.

I also liked the Locked by Love bracelets from I.D. Jewelry. The simple, but eye-catching design pairs a corded bracelet with an adjustable slide on both sides for a perfect fit, with two silvery "cuffs." You fasten the bracelet by angling the cuffs and sliding each cuff into one another. There were simple silver ones, heart-shaped ones, and even CZ-studded bracelets in small, medium and large (so men can wear them, too). I thought these Locked to Love bracelets were really unique. Apparently, so do celebrities such as Teri Hatcher, Paris and Nicky Hilton, Kelly Clarkson, Kelly Osbourne, Sylvestor Stallone, and even Ice Cube, just to name a few.

So what else will we be seeing for Spring/Summer 2007? At Moda Mahattan, where there were more than 450 lines exhibited, Trapeze, tent, baby doll, sack dresses in beige, black, brown, navy, mauve, and a bit of soft lemon and lime predominated, with almost no brights at all. Rock "Color, I need color!" I heard a buyer, sigh. And the styles were conservative and subdues, too. Rock star vibe replaces hip hop bling, body-baring fashion is out, and unconstructed, flowing, and perhaps, a bit looser clothes seemed to be the popular offering. But the clothes we saw on the runways during Spring 2007 Olympus Fashion Week were also subdued and covered-up, so none of this was a big surprise. There seemed to be as many long dresses and short ones, and the short ones weren't mico-mini. and few were anything but conservative and definitely not splashy. My general impression was that fashion is just reflecting the mood of the country. The items we'll be seeing for sale in stores are attractive and you'll want to stock up, but I miss the "pop!" and sex appeal of season's past.

The accessories exhibits, on the other hand, were a bright spot, literally and figuratively, and may provide buyers in the stores with excitment, after all. Row upon row, table upon table were laden with embelished and studded belts and bags, large-brimmed hats, and so much jewelry from huge (the size of a fist) crosses and pendants, to diminutive chains dangling a crystal or a dainty bead. One trend I liked was the use of natural material such as mother or pearl and wood, either carved, or added to long chains. Crystals and crystal beads add shine and glitz to otherwise restrained fashions. Flip-flops and sandals with crystals, beads, feathers, and embellishments were popular as well. The red, straw satchel with leather handles and wild, floral print cotton lining from Magid (created expressly for Accessories, the Show and Moda Manhattan) and given to VIPs and press, summed up the exciting feel of the accessories nicely: Bold, functional, bright, and fun to wear.

As I left "Wipeout" was blaring through the speakers. I was exhausted, "wiped out" but glad I'd taken the time to attend, and report on the Spring/Summer '07 trends for you!

Alison