Just me? Probably. It seems like there is a trend for colored hair these days. Not colored as in “I dye my hair rich medium mocha from a box” but actually having bright, rainbow colored hair. While this has been a pretty common practice for non-conformists, it seems like society — the fashion industry included — has been slowly accepting colored hair as a norm. Celebrities are doing it, including Katy Perry, Demi Lovato and Zoe Kravitz, to name a few. Models are doing it, like Chloe Norgaard, who often has at least three different colors running through her hair at any given time. Brands like Nastygal and Urban Outfitters are making it easier for the average girl to show off her artsy side for a day with hair chalk. You literally just run these crayon-like sticks on your hair for a burst of unconventional color without having to go through the painstaking process of bleaching and constantly dying your hair to keep the vivid hue. I’m currently leaning towards purple. 50 days until I take my last final at the University of Minnesota. 50 days until I am done with school forever. 50 days until I am officially an unemployed* college graduate. The next 50 days are going to be the longest 50 days of my life. Then it will be summer, the most glorious season of them all, filled with rooftop bars, sunshine and any activity that keeps me outside. I cannot wait for summer. In an attempt to get through the next 50 days of school, work and terrible Minnesota weather, I have decided to create a summer bucket list. I read that you tend to be happier if you have things to look forward to, so that's what I'm going with. Feel free to tweet me suggestions: @mkrichtman Melanie's Summer Bucket List
* as of March 26, I will have employment upon graduation. Hallelujah. Is it just me, or do designers always seem more innovative with their autumn collections than with their spring collections? Maybe it’s because there's less fabric to work with for spring, but the clothes always seem unoriginal. In the words of Miranda Priestly, “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” Spring clothes never seem to change. It’s florals, pastels and hippie-inspired festival fashion almost exclusively as soon as the weather warms up. Not that I’m complaining — I like cutoffs and gladiator sandals as much as the next girl — but for me, spring and summer lack the inspiration that fall looks seem to have. Okay, rant over. These past few weeks designers showcased some really awesome looks for fall/winter at Paris Fashion Week (the only fashion week that truly matters). They almost make me crave winter again. Almost. Velvet, shearling and mini dresses paired with long coats are all going to be insanely popular next fall (or this spring if you do it before warm weather hits). It’s all about fun textures and interesting layers. Here are some of my favorite looks from Paris Fashion Week: I'm obsessed with model Anastasia Ivanova's copper hair. It's the perfect color -- not too dark, but not too orange. I need it for summer. It's crucial to my existence. Is that dramatic? Oh well.
The sun is shining, birds are chirping (kind of) and it’s supposed to be a balmy 25 degrees today — spring is coming. The timing couldn’t be better because I think every human in Minnesota would lose it if they had to keep wearing the same four flannels for another three months. I know it’s not exactly warm yet, but it's safe to say we are in the acceptable time frame to start shopping for spring and summer clothes. That’s my plan at least. I just realistically need it to be warm enough so I can wear cuffed boyfriend jeans and a topknot without having to worry about my exposed skin dying from frostbite. But it would be nice if I could wear these things too… Fringe bags, feather skirts, turban headbands, long sleeve rompers and mules are trending this spring.
Communicating during fashion week just got a whole lot easier. Harper’s Bazaar just introduced an app that has fashion related emojis, including Karl Lagerfeld, the Olsen twins, a chanel bag, an ear cuff and macarons (the only food fashion editors eat, apparently). There are currently 39 emojis, with more to come in September, just in time for Spring/Summer 2015 fashion week.
The emojis are cool and especially relevant for people who live and breathe fashion, but they aren’t like other emojis that you can easily use in a text. You have to be in the app, select the emoji and then pick who you would like to send it to. Let’s hope they have this worked out by the time the update rolls around in September, because otherwise, it might not be worth the effort. I had the awesome opportunity to attend the University of Minnesota’s Senior Apparel Design Fashion Show "ALIGN" as press last weekend. I love going to fashion shows. Not only because I get to see impressive collections and new trends, but because it gives me an excuse to get dressed up and take more risks that I would normally.
I tucked my “tres cool” sweater into a leather skirt, paired it with booties, socks and an armful of accessories for a look that would be pretty standard at Paris Fashion Week. Fun fact: I added the glasses last minute as a joke, but my roommate and I decided that they actually looked kind of cool. I call this ensemble “geek chic.” They say it can’t be done. Beauty editors are always advising readers to pick one feature — lips or eyes — to focus on. While I agree that dark lips and dark eyes can often be overwhelming, especially if you’re fair, have blonde hair or light eyes, I think almost everyone can pull off a dark lip and dark eye. Magazines tell you not to because they don’t trust that you’ll be able to do it on your own. They assume that most of us are amateurs, incapable of finding the delicate balance needed to rock a smoky eye and vampy lipstick.
I’m not a makeup artist, but I’ve been reading fashion and beauty magazines for a decade, so I would like to think that I have some knowledge on the subject. I think it can be done. Wearing dark lipstick and a smoky eye isn’t for the faint of heart; you have to find the delicate balance between edgy and terrifying. When it comes to your eye makeup, I recommend not doing a full out smoky eye with thick black liner and eye shadow reaching your eyebrows. Instead, line your eye with the actual eye shadow and lightly extend the line past the outside corner. Line the bottom, connecting it with the extended line on top. This will play up your eye shape. Smudge a second color on the lid (I personally like a grayish beige color) and run the same color over the black liner on the bottom to make it a little softer. Finish with full lashes, especially at the outside corners. Apply a few coats of dark lipstick, blotting with a tissue and applying translucent powder between each layer — this will make your lipstick last all night. Keep the rest of your face simple. Light foundation, a small hint of blush so you don’t look washed out. And if you must wear bronzer, make sure it is only a shade or two darker than the rest of your face. Obviously, if you have a dark complexion, you have the freedom to go more extreme on the eyes and lips, since it won’t overwhelm you. I, on the other hand, have fair skin, red hair and green eyes, so I have to keep it simple, but it can be done! Can we just talk about this for a second? Selena Gomez went to rehab last month. Her publicist confirmed that the starlet checked in to Meadows in Arizona for “emotional issues.” “Exhaustion” was another reason listed. Her reps are denying that it had anything to do with drugs or alcohol, but she was seen partying a lot before the rehab stint (just like anyone else who has turned 21 within the last few months).
To be honest, I believe that she went to rehab for emotional issues. Why wouldn’t a celebrity get to go to rehab for a couple weeks to deal with her breakup? If I asked my parents if I could go to rehab because I was sad, they would literally laugh in my face and tell me to get over it — maybe not the healthiest advice, but it’s realistic. Selena should have just gone to therapy like everyone else. Sorry, not sorry. If she was legitimately dealing with substance abuse problems, then I really hope rehab worked for her. We don’t need another young star going down the wrong path (I’m looking at you, Biebs). It’s never too early to start thinking about New Year’s resolutions. Below are my 2013 problems and my proposed solutions for 2014. Side note: I probably need a therapist or a life coach. The Problem: I don’t want to be in Minneapolis anymore. The Solution: Move to Chicago, New York or Paris by the end of 2014. I don’t like living in the same place for too long. I get really antsy and I start resenting everyone and everything around me. I need a bigger city with more people, restaurants and things to do. I'm also starting to realize that I hate below freezing temperatures. Minneapolis is awesome, and I’m so glad I went to college here, but I need to move on. After working in Chicago this summer, I've decided that I need to live there again, and what better time than after graduation? I love the look and feel of the city, and Lake Michigan is an acceptable replacement for the Atlantic Ocean. New York also seems like a logical move. Unlike Chicago, I don’t really know anyone there, but I think it would be a perfect fit. And if I want to work in fashion (which I’m pretty sure I do), there is no better place than New York. I also want to live in Paris again for a year or two, but I’d settle for a vacation in the near future. The Problem: I spend all of my money on food and drinks. The Solution: Find something awesome to save up for. God, stop buying Starbucks every day. Is it really that hard to make coffee at home like a normal person? Stop buying Taco Bell every weekend. Stop buying beer. Just please stop spending all of your money on edible things. I used to be so good at saving money because I was saving for Europe. My entire life was focused on going to Europe, so it was pretty easy to not spend money if I knew I could buy a pair of shoes once I was in France. Now, I’m no longer in Europe, my life is meaningless, and I buy food to ease the pain (and I’m also just super lazy when it comes to cooking). I need something new to save up for. A trip to Paris? A pair of Christian Louboutins? A spa day? I don’t know what it should be, but I need to come up with something fast before I spend all of my money and gain 500 pounds. The Problem: I am about as healthy as Nick Miller from New Girl. The Solution: Do the opposite of everything I currently do. I really need to start kickboxing and eating paleo again. Kickboxing is good for my physical and mental health (I’ve watched Warrior too many times and now I just want to punch things — the air works just fine). Eating paleo makes me feel good. Carbs are the enemy. You know what? Let’s start with baby steps… Maybe try eating something that isn’t microwavable? Also, stop doing everything in your bed. I know it’s comfy, but pull it together, lady. You have a kitchen table and a desk for a reason. Eat and do your homework there. Beds are for sleeping, watching TV and blogging. The Problem: Hobbies include eating, sleeping and watching TV. The Solution: Figure out what real hobbies are and start one. I need to do something that is inexpensive and doesn't take very long. My attention span can be relatively short and I need something that I can do in 20 minute intervals. Maybe I’ll make jewelry? Start a style blog? Trade stocks? “Ugh but I hate doing things, hobbies are the worst.” –me, as I was writing this. Can complaining be my hobby? The Problem: I don’t blog regularly.
The Solution: Blog once a week. Blogging should be my hobby, but instead of trying to write something regularly, I usually just wait until “inspiration strikes” like I am some pretentious artist. I need to make an editorial calendar and try to write something once a week. Writing is fun and employers supposedly look at your blog before they hire you, so I really have no reason not to blog. **Hi future employers, please ignore everything I previously said about being lazy. I’m actually very motivated when it comes to work and building a successful career. |
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