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Sunglasses on the Head.

Yesterday at work I watched as the following happened:

My assistant put her hair up in a ponytail.
My assistant reached for her purse.
My assistant pulled out a pair of sunglasses.
My assistant placed the sunglasses on her head.

No, she wasn't going anywhere. She had already eaten lunch. We were in for the day and we were working for at least another 5 hours. No sun. No glare. No UV rays in sight. No...my assistant was wearing her sunglasses on her head as part of her hairdo...and I was oddly offended.
Remember when I did that random post on cellphone headsets and I called the bluetooth out as possibly the most douchebaggy thing a person could wear on their head? Well turns out I may have been wrong.
Just like wearing sunglasses in a club at night makes you laughable, so does wearing them on your head indoors when you have no intention of going outside. Yes, I understand it when you're walking around outside, you walk into Starbucks to get a cup of coffee and the glasses go on your head (though I prefer the arm tucked in the front of the shirt method) - it's circumstantial, it's convenience, I get it. But otherwise, when circumstance and convenience are not concerned, I'd like to officially state my position on this matter right here and right now:

Sunglasses are not hair accessories - they are not to be worn indoors or at night**. If you need ideas on how to accessorize your head, please reference my previous post. If you're having a bad hair day and you think the sunglasses will help, hats or updos will do just fine. Get cheap ones, get expensive ones - get crazy ones or conservative ones. But for my well being and for the well being of my friends and loved ones (believe me, I surveyed them), please wear your sunglasses the way God and designers everywhere intended - on your face and covering your eyes.


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**This statement is to only be amended with the exception of Anna Wintour and rappers around the world.

Hair Accessories - Friend or Foe?

I've been thinking about hair accessories - barrettes, headbands, jewels, even flowers and little animals...and I think...well I think that I think that I'm kind of totally love them. You see it in Hollywood everywhere...young fashionistas paying homage to that classic look that Billie Holiday worked so effortlessly. Check out my girl Billie:
Fabulous. And here is where the trend is now:

It's fantastic right?! It adds a little pop of sophistication, funk, sassiness, style...and old-fashionedness. Yes, of course it can be over the top...case in point SJP in SATC the Movie:
But even with the risk of embarrassing myself, I decided to go forth and conquer...and try this shit for myself:

It's been a very mixed bag of opinions so far. What do you think??


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Snaps To: Where Did U Get That

You know how sometimes you just see someone and you're immediately like omg, this person is the FRESHNESS. Ferocious style, unique look, totally stunning. Put that together with the fact that she's an NYC transplant from London...and you've got Karen Blanchard and her blog Where Did U Get That. I don't know how this girl does it, but she can (and does) put anything together and make it simply right...just because it's on her. More than anything I lust over her ability to combine the "masculine" with the "feminine" - ethereal dresses with leather jackets, miniskirts with combat boots...I just can't get enough. So I had to get an interview.

1. Tell me about you!

Name: Karen Blanchard. Age: 28. Location: New York (moved from London). Occupation: Administration Assistant. Interests: Anything to do with fashion, shopping and style. Going through a phase with reading books on spirituality and the laws of attraction.

2. How/why/when did you start the blog?
I started my blog in February 2009. Since I don’t work in the industry BUT love anything fashion and style related , I craved an outlet to talk about and ‘work’ on my passion. After looking at other bloggers for years I thought ‘I could do that’ so I decided to give it a try.
3. What are the 2 ugliest things in your closet? 2 most fabulous things?
Good question:
2 ugliest: Stretched out sweater shorts & old baggy T’s that I sleep in.
2 most fabulous: Alexander McQueen white fitted white jacket. Emma Cook boots (got them after watching Ebay religiously for over 6 months!).
4. What distinguishes your style from everybody else’s?
I’m not sure how different my style is from everyone, but I do know that I’m not afraid to mix things up, ask myself ‘why not’ and have fun with getting dressed and that stemmed from London and has remained the same since moving to New York.

5. What’s the most you’ve ever spent on an article of clothing (or shoes/accessories, etc) and what was it?
A particular Balenciaga bag. Most know what they average so enough said!
6. Best fashion advice you ever got?
If you have to convince yourself to love it, don’t buy it.

7. Heels or flats?
Heels – ALWAYS heels.

8. What’s your favorite “getting ready” music?
I’m into Black Eyed Peas but any good rap or rock e.g. Jay Z, Kanye, Nickleback stuff like that? I don’t have a fave artist, just the genre’s got to be upbeat.
9. Fill in the blanks:
“Oh hell no, I’d never wear boot cut jeans again! That’s soooo 3 years ago”

10. What’s your biggest regular beauty indulgence?
Don’t have one. I’d love to find a good brow person in NY but they’ve all done botch jobs.

11. What’s the ultimate fashion sin a girl can commit?
Matchy matchy.
12. How long should you keep something you love – but never wear – before you get rid of it?
A year? If it stretches into 2 then it really should go. Ok I really need to take my own advice now that I’m remembering what’s in the basement.

13. What are 3 adjectives that describe your personality?
Funny, patient but a bit stubborn.
14. Fuck, Marry, Kill:
Jack Nicholson: I’ll make my own for him: Admire for some of his roles. Mickey Rourke: Fuck but years ago when he fed Kim Basinger strawberries from an open fridge. Jay Leno: Marry!

15. What sets your blog apart from all the other fashion blogs out there?
Being a mix of a Londoner now living in New York hopefully shows how I like to dress through a slightly different eye. Also I regularly turn the tables by taking pics of people in New York wearing an outfit I love and I ask and list where they got what they are wearing (instead of the street shots that leave you guessing).

A picture may be worth a thousand words but damn, homegirl puts me at a loss for words. Head on over to Where Did U Get That and browse the fabulousness for yourself. And again, if you're a blogger interested in being featured on the blog, shoot me an email snapsanddaps@gmail.com.


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Just add a lil' bit of spice!

There are thousands upon thousands of diet and exercise tips out there. More water...less carbs...grapefruits for breakfast...grapefruits for all meals...more cardio...no cardio...3 meals, 4 meals, 5 meals, 6 meals a day...it's hard for a person to keep it straight.

But I think I've finally found the answer. Brace yourselves...
Spice up your lives!! Yup, the way to a better body is in the spice. Or rather, to join a 90's girl band, stick around for a few years, drop off the face of the earth for a little under a decade, and re-emerge as a knockout. I don't know what kind of spice girls regime these ladies are on, but you thought these ladies were kickass before? (well no, chances are you didn't) - check them out now.

Geri "Sexy Spice" Halliwell Before:
After:
Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown (or Mel B) Before:
After:
Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham Before:
After:

I mean DAYUM!! Are they in some sort of comeback bootcamp? Where do I sign up? Maybe I should call Janet...
Holy muscle tone, batman...


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To Fake or Not to Fake...?

I was pretty convinced I could fake it...until Dushane told me I couldn't. Now I'm confused because I agree with him 95% of the time. Would you buy/wear fake Christian Louboutins for a fraction of the price? It's like that episode of SATC when Samantha buys a fake Fendi and Carrie opts out because the bags just felt cheap. These Loubie knockoffs look great, so other people probably wouldn't know - same red sole, same brand imprint, they even come in the same box. But YOU would know...and maybe that's reason enough. Maybe not. What to do, what to do...

Real Loubie - Hyper Prive Peep-Toe Pumps ($865)
Fake Loubie - Architek Leather Slingbacks ($149.99)

Real Loubie - Dillian Flower Pumps ($1,695)
Fake Loubie - Python Dillian Pump ($179.99)

Real Loubie - Peep Toe Fringe Boots ($1,695)
Fake Loubie - Tina Peep Fringe Boots ($189.99)

Real Loubie - Petal Sandal ($995)
Fake Loubie - Petal Sandal ($159.99)
So there you have it. With some of the shoes, like the Fringe Boots, the lack of quality in the knockoffs is noticeable. But damn!! Look at those Petal Sandals!! I still don't know what to do. It's putting a dark cloud over my shoe rack...please help.


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Light blankets and clear bra straps...

I just replaced the comforter on my bed with a light blanket...and you know what that means...spring is winding down and summer is movin' on in. You know what else that means...teeny clothes and teeny outfits - and you know what that means??
The attack of the invisible bra!! DUN DUN DUUUUUN.

No seriously, people wear these...and I see it as a big problem. Really, wearing girl clothes, especially in the summer, has its disadvantages. With all the halters, tube tops, open backs, asymmetrical tanks, and dresses with little straps, sometimes a regular bra just won't do. From what I hear, a good strapless can be very challenging to find, and if you're not small boobied enough to go braless, a stylish solution is even harder.

So somebody came up with this idea: "Let's take regular bra straps, make them plastic and clear so you can see the color of the woman's skin through it, hence making it invisible. Oh, and let's make it detachable so they can wear them any way they want and nobody will ever know!"
But here's the snag. Just because something is clear and plastic, does not make it invisible and transparent.
Nope, it just looks like you're wearing plastic straps. And that shit is TA-A-CKY!! Trust me, you're better off not wearing a bra and letting the girls hang loose. Or better yet, if you've got big boobies that require a bra, buy tops that allow you to wear real ones!! If I had a really saggy butt, trust me, you would not see me in short shorts...because short shorts are for nice tight butts. Work with what you have, be realistic about your options, and for fucks sake, please do not resort to plastic bra straps.


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How to walk in high heels...

We've all seen it done well, and lord knows we've all seen it done tragically...but rarely do we ever see it taught.

In this video, supermodel Anastassia Khozissova gives us 4 tips to mastering the runway walk. Observe:



I feel ready now...do you? Now if only I had the 7 foot legs to match. Modelina.com also has a High Heel Bootcamp webisode series in which models are whipped into shape and tortured to perfection. They're a little redundant, but really where else can you see tall skinny girls trying to strut down a balance beam??!!

Good luck walking...


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