Chanel Must Have for Fall 2010 Paradoxal Nail Polish

[Stylelist] Just as we're gearing up for summer, fall falls into our hands.

And the neon nails and pastel eye shadows we thought so chic last week suddenly seem passe, as we gasp over and grapple for the moody, muted shades that will waft in with the cool Autumn winds.

Chanel has released their Fall 2010 makeup collection, rife with chocolate grays, deep plums and smoldering khakis. Global creative director Peter Philips created a look that pairs soft smoky eyes with paler lips to pay tribute to Coco Chanel's proclivity for the bold contrasts that first defined her iconic style.

Headlining the collection is Le Vernis Nail Colour in Paradoxal, a dark gray-violet that the company thinks will be "the new statement-maker of the season." If recent history is any indication, they're right -- Chanel has been a leader in nail polish trend-making for the past few seasons, punctuated by their wildly-popular shade Jade, which we still can't keep on our desk because coworkers borrow it with such frequency.

Interestingly, Paradoxal did no make its debut on the fingertips of models walking Chanel's Fall 2010 runway, a move Philips has been known to do in seasons past; Jade was first glimpsed during the Fall 2009 show, Le Vernis Nail Color in Black Velvet and Gold Lame was introduced at Chanel's Paris-Shanghai Metiers d'Art fashion show, and most recently an unnamed powder blue shade was seen at the 2011 Resort collection.

Instead, models wore the nude pink Jade Rose, to calmly offset the wild, Pointalism-inspired shadow surrounding the models' eyes.

Other standouts from the fall collection, which can be seen below, include three new shades of Rouge Coco, the lipstick the company launched with great fanfare early this year. The line will expand with three new shades, Chalys, a delicate coral, Rose Dentelle, a soft pink and Chintz, a peach, each created to provide a soft counter effect to the season's bold eyes, which will smolder in deep violets and cool khakis found in the Les 4 Ombres palette and Ombre Essentielle Eyeshadows.

Another interesting addition is the Le Crayon Khol in Clair, a not-your-typical-eyeliner shade of smoky beige.

Unlike Nail Vernis in Paradoxal, it's a color we think we may be able to get away with wearing this summer without looking too much like we're obviously pining for fall.

Just in case you missed it: this really exists

Digging This Video & Song, Just Give it a Sec

Jay Z - "Hello Brooklyn" from Gregory Solenström on Vimeo.

Typography geek Greg Solenström recently paired black and white photos of Brooklyn with Akzidenz Grotesk font and Jay-Z and Lil Wayne’s “Hello Brooklyn 2.0" for a fan made tribute that I think could work as an official video.

Daily Dose of Inspiration: Don Lucho's Casa de Karton

If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to live inside of a drawing, then Don Lucho’s project Casa de Karton was meant for you. The artist has built an entire apartment using cartons and paper — including the furniture. Click through to take the grand tour. [via BuzzFeed]

Come Watch the Blondes Dominate! It's for a Good Cause!

The Discriminating Gourmand: Blowing Your Mind

Lunch Downtown

by the Discriminating Gourmand

My downtown (North Congress Avenue) lunch options are limited.  Over by Lavaca and 15^th – a short walk across the Capital lawn – you have Texas Chili Parlor and Hog Island.  I could live with both and be happy.   Philly Cheese Steaks (Hog Island) and Chicken and Sour Cream Enchiladas (Wednesday Special at TCP) all week.  

But by me, the options are as follows:

Thai Passion – it’s good and quick.  But don’t order the lunch specials, flip the menu over and order off the standard menu.  Get the Pad Thai or the Pud Kee Mow with Beef if you like your Kung Pao spicey (Seinfield).  It ends up being $2 extra and substantially better. 

Athenian Grill – you can only really go here once a week because the portions are just huge.  I’ve only ever had the gyro plate at Athenian and I would guess it’s close to 3 lbs. of food.  They give you a meatball on the side. What that’s you say? I don’t have to eat everything? Sorry, but that my friend is an impossibility. I, like my father and his father before him, am a proud member of the clean plate club. 

Roaring Fork – the big winner.  The menu is SOLID.  This is one place where I always order something different.  From the pork enchiladas, the trout almondine, steak sliders, or famous burger, this place is a winner.  Side Note: Roaring Fork used to have incredible French fries, everybody commented on them, but they changed them very recently and they are not nearly as good.  Just this week I asked the waiter what was the dealio with the fries – and he said they have moved to slicing them in house to be more unique.  Big mistake.  I predict they’ll be back to the old ones within the month.  It’s like when The Tavern took the spinach artichoke dip off the menu – I literally walked out the door and vowed never to return until said dip did.  Now guess what’s back on the menu? 

El Chilito – another big winner.  El Chilito has a very unusual salsa, it’s a mole and I’m addicted to it.  Seriously, the fridge at work is stocked with little El Chilito to go salsas.  For breakfast, get the migas breakfast taco and add ham.   

For lunch, I recommend ordering a taco and upgrading to a plate to get the rice and beans.  Choose the black beans and mix them in with the rice.  The cochinita pibil is VERY good here – which is saying something because that is NOT an easy dish to do well.  I also like the tinga de pollo taco and the daily special tacos are always Pork Carnitas and Pork Barbocoa which are both good.  I’m sure the rest of the tacos are fine, but I can’t speak for them.   I usually eat in at El Chilito, the owner works the counter and is pretty friendly (and his daughter is absolutely beautiful).

 

Little City – big time hipster hangout.  I like to order the Smoked Salmon Crustinis to go, not because I don’t like hipsters, but because I’m busy fool!  It’s my fast healthy lunch option.  They also have good chewy chocolate brownies. 

Mikes Pub – eh.  People love to talk this place up.  It’s OK.  It’s an OK burger.  They usually have a game on and it’s empty = a place nice if you want to get a liquid lunch going.

And of course there is a smattering of sandwich and burrito places.  None of which standout.  I went on a minor Chipotle bender about five months ago and haven’t been back since.  That leaves me with Jimmy Johns and Quiznos.

Maybe I will come back with some Sun Hands?

I'm about to embark on a 7 day journey through the Grand Canyon. Think Chacos, portopotties, cotts and campfires folks - and best of all - I will maybe come back with a tan!

I'm pretty nervoussss... Wish me luck!

Sex and the City 2: I don't care what they say!

Yes, I’m a cliché I know. I saw SATC2 within the first week it was out. I posted the first pictures published as well as the first trailer. I bought my tickets online a few weeks out and went to the show with my friends. I got there early too, first one in the theater in fact, and it was empty for a while. I was about 30 minutes early (not thattt early) and the theater was empty until about 10 minutes out.

Then the women started flooding in – every age, race and size. Plus one man. He looked straight, but who really knows or cares. I was worried, but the fans came and the theater ended up mostly full. These women were not necessarily stylish, but the excitement over the film was palpable and when it cut to the opening credits I heard more than one person exclaim, “I’m so excited!” Ok, those words were also uttered from my lips and echoed by my friends. 

I was so excited despite the bad reviews and the urgings from my boyfriend that it was going to suck. I didn’t care, I told him, I knew and had heard that if you really loved the characters and the show that you would love the film, regardless of what some blah film critics said.

And I am going to just throw this out there: I loved the film. I relished in every minute of the fluff and escapism it was. The clothes! The characters! They were back! I was thrilled and it was awesome. I’ll for sure watch it again on HBO in a year.

Here were some items I took away from the film aka the good, bad and otherwise, not too much of a spoiler alert, but still FYI:

1) Miranda’s opening dress was phenomenal. It was well styled with interesting earrings and that shell ring. Here’s to you Miranda: you are no longer a mediocre looking lesbian lady playing a straight, type A women! You looked hot - what was it exactly? You’re hair maybe? You looked great in the film and the opening dress was a showstopper. I did a little research  and the low cut, knee length ensemble is from a british designer, Julien MacDonald, and was bold, sexy, and definitely made a statement.

2) The women looking like, well, women. Their bodies and their skin, specifically Carrie’s and Samantha’s were wrinkly and I liked it. Here’s to you ladies: for not looking like Barbie-Frankenstein-robots. I appreciate your age appropriate skin and all it has to offer. You look wise in your old age and knowledge is power and power is sexy, even on a woman.

3) Samantha’s normal-ish body – how refreshing. She had a pooch and her arms weren’t twigs. I was all ‘you-go-girl’ because it was so nice to see her eat something. I also appreciated her menopause humor – we’ll be there soon ladies {not that soon} and it’s time to embrace our hot flashy, sweaty mothers.

4) The Middle East and women’s rights in the film. Pretty interesting how that agenda was pushed. Not too hard, but just enough that Samantha’s lack of cultural awareness was, for lack of a better term, grating. Being blatantly sexual isn’t American it is just plain tacky and rude. It’s part of their religion to be modest and modesty is not always repressive.

5) Traditional marriage under scrutiny. As a non-traditional gal myself I can relate to wanting to rebel against cultural norms: just because they are the norms doesn’t mean they are right. But being anti-tradition isn’t always right either. Some of those traditions are there for a reason to preserve the marriage. This discussion in the film was really interesting to me as I struggle with the connotations of real life marriage versus fantasy marriage.

6) The karaoke part. They almost jumped the shark there with the song and the dancing. Fortunately it turned into kind of a heart felt power woman ballad toward the end. I dug it eventually. Let's burn our bras! 

7) Finally the Shoes {yes, that needs to be capitalized)… Here’s some pictures for your fashion enjoyment:

I'm Off on Vacay: ENJOY the Music

Who Wants to Buy the Scariest House Ever?

I don't know about you, but I thought the Amityville Horror film was really scary. Ryan Reynolds' gorgeous bod couldn't even yank me from terror's hold (see pic at right: nom, nom, nom).  It was one of the scariest 'based on real events' movies I've seen in a while and the house was the center of each scene playing an active role in the movie. 
 
Don't remember? Watch the trailer below and while your at it why don't you purchase the house, ya know, for fun? Because it's pretty? For horrific nostalgia? Ick, or not, I don't know who would buy this house or why. You'd have to be a sociopath yourself - a real life Criminal Minds in the making... 

Amityville Horror House Up for Sale

Owner seeks $1.15M for famous murder site

(Newser) – The Long Island house made famous by the Amityville Horror movie has hit the market for $1.15 million, horrors not included. A family of 6 was murdered in the home in 1975, and the movie was loosely based on the haunting the next family to move in claimed to have experienced. Later owners reported no problems with the oozing slime, demonic pig, and other assorted horrors depicted in the movie, AP notes. Gawkers, however, were a problem, especially on Halloween. 

Can We Just Take a Minute to Discuss the KFC Double Down

As a former fast food addict, just ask my college friends: they called me Fast Food Nation, after that dirty book... I know, It was a weird way to rebel against my overly healthy parents, but give me a break... Calorie books at the dinner table pressuring me into feeling bad about my Chick Fil A lunch? That's ridiculous! I was in highschool and have you ever eaten at CFA? IT'S DELISH PEOPLE! {On a side note they are coming out with a spicy chicken sammy - can you say AWESOME?!}

Enough of that cathartic venom, let's talk about the latest creation by the Kernel: the Double Down. This meat sandwich -literally, there is no bread, just double, giant fried chicken nuggets doubling as bread (the heart stopping kind) stuffed with double cheese and bacon. As a lover of bacon I am going to go ahead and say that this is one item that is not improved by bacon... I think this sandwich was best described on SNL when Seth said that for a small fee that the KFC employee will just stab you in the heart after you order it... Come on people! This is just silly. 

It's ironic that as our government scrambles to make businesses put nutritional info on their menus and just about everyone is on a diet that this gem hits the market. And flourishes. I am one who loves a gimmick, but this is one gimmick that I will be staying away from because I know it's bad for me... Just like I know going to Last Call when I have no money just a credit line is bad for me. This is just one of those things that should be avoided because it's so bad; it's good.

Here's an excerpt from Austin360's write up:

How much does it cost? About $5 and 540 calories (460 for the grilled version), putting it on caloric par with fast-food standards like the McDonald's Big Mac or a large order of french fries at Burger King.

But calories aren't everything. Nutritionists caution that consumers also should pay attention to the sandwich's salt and fat.

The Double Down has 1,380 milligrams of sodium (1,430 milligrams grilled). That's close to the American Heart Association's recommendation that adults eat less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

"This is not a healthy choice," said Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Though Willett said eliminating the white bread is a good thing to do, "what really sets this product apart is the incredible amount of sodium in one sandwich."

Elisa Zied, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said the 32 grams of fat is about half the total fat most Americans should be getting in an entire day.

In addition, to the exorbitant calories, fat, and sodium content let's dissect the name of this sandwich. Doubling down is a term that comes from playing black jack - when you double down in black jack  you double your bet on a sure hand and limit yourself to a single card when the dealer has a bust card showing aka a sure win and generally a more aggressive play than your standard hold, wait for the dealer to bust strategy. 

Is that what they want to convey with this name choice? Aggressiveness? It's is pretty aggressive when you think that the number one cause of death in America is heart disease. Sorry to be Debbie Downer - I am all about splurging - but there's a reason that companies are gearing towards the healthier items these days - these fatty items are literally KILLER.

This Song is the Bee's Knees

Happy Friday! Love.

My Fave Fall 2010 Shows

Fall shows, you ask? Oh, I read and looked online, but was not inspired to write due to the lovely shift in weather. 

But the good Lord knows you can't cover Resort Wear until you cover Fall - as backwards as that might sound... This time around I decided to just pick my top 2:

1) Marc Jacobs

Look one and two at right are my faves from Marc Jacobs' shows where he channeled a decade he is said to love - the fifties.

His models were smartly dressed in items finished to a T in that oh-so-50's-way, but in a more subtle, edgier manner that only Marc Jacobs can convey without trying too hard.

His neutral palette and use of the new long {trend alert on the new long: mark my words - long skirts, dresses, pants...} silhouette brought the fifties to the 21st century for a look that any woman can wear with confidence.

After several ok-ish seasons I am glad that Mr. Jacobs is back in stride with his talent. Can't wait to se what comes next - brava!

Want to see the show in  it's entirety? Watch the slide show here.

2) Dries Van Noten

 

Basically every single thing that came down this runway I wanted to own. It was not just for evening or for that one time you go to that one gallery opening where anything goes. Nope, these clothes are for every single day of our lives. Wearable. Chic. Timeless. With an edge. Ah, my favorite.

I diii-eeed when I saw the leopard scarf with just the right amount of sheen and leopard, not too your-grandma-in-Palm-Springs-leopard, but subtle and expensive looking.

So effortless, so chic. 

These clothes are def a do.

I'm generally against mixing patterns, but there is something about these mixes that just feels so right. Not too contrived or forced - just right. 

See the rest of Dries lovely looks here in the shows entirety.

I think Style.com says it best:

Freud's great unanswered question, "What does a woman want?" seems to be hanging over this round of collections, and it's already turned up some funny, off-beam stabbings around in the dark. Funny, that is, because isn't it obvious? What we want is a casual way of dressing that's also formal enough, new yet not ridiculously gimmicky, confident yet not egregiously aggressive, traditional in a comfortable way, yet also fresh in such a manner that we feel compelled to buy it. Well, let's hand it to Dries Van Noten for coming up with a personal squaring of all those apparently oh-so-difficult contradictions.

His collection was a serene piecing-together of classic menswear tailoring, washed-out military fabric, fifties and sixties ladylike shapes, and sweatshirting. The success was that he integrated all those elements in such simple, wearable ways that didn't scream "fashion."

Can't Get Enough of This Song

You know when you hear a song and you just play it and play it and play it? Like subconsciously at your desk you keep hitting repeat? Well, that's what I am going through now with "I am not a robot" by Marina and the Diamonds' Clock Opera remix.

I have this horrible habit of listening to music until I can't stand it. It's like I listen to it until it makes me sick and I can't stand it any longer. Ask any of my friends and they'll attest to this peculiar habit of mine... I tried to work on it intervention style, but to no avail, I still do it. Please don't judge me. Is there a name for this type of music addiction?

While the original version above is not what I am going through a love affair with I wanted you to see it and hear it before I bless you with the Clock Opera remix which you can download free here.

Marina And The Diamonds - I Am Not A Robot (Clock Opera Remix) by Hypetrak

You'll thank me later. Just listen to it through 2 times. You'll be hooked I swear it.

2010 ACL Lineup is HERE!

• The Eagles
• Muse
• Phish

• The Strokes
• M.I.A
• Flaming Lips

• LCD Soundsystem
• Spoon
• Vampire Weekend
• Norah Jones

• Band of Horses
• Monsters of Folk
• Deadmau5
• Sonic Youth
• Gogol Bordello
• The National
• Robert Earl Keen
• The Black Keys
• Broken Bells
• Slightly Stoopid
• Yeasayer
• Pat Green
• Rebelution
• Beach House
• The Sword
• Matt and Kim
• The xx
• Portugal. The Man
• The Temper Trap
• Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
• Girls
• Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses
• Local Natives
• Gaslight Anthem
• Lucero
• Devendra Banhart and the Grogs
• Blues Traveler
• Pete Yorn

• The Soft Pack
• Gayngs
• Amos Lee
• Robert Randolph & The Family Band
• Ozomatli
• Richard Thompson
• Martin Sexton
• Manchester Orchestra
• The Almighty Defenders
• Miike Snow
• Mountain Goats
• Bear in Heaven
• Mayer Hawthorne
• Midlake
• Foals
• Switchfoot
• Cage the Elephant
• JJ Grey & Mofro
• Kinky
• Angus & Julia Stone
• The Morning Benders
• Hockey
• White Rabbits
• David Bazan
• Asleep at the Wheel
• Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
• Nortec Collective
• The Very Best
• Beats Antique
• Henry Clay People
• Blind Pilot
• GIVERS
• Dawes
• Band of Heathens
• Charlie Mars
• Two Door Cinema Club
• Lissie
• Sarah Harmer
• The Constellations
• T. Bird and the Breaks
• Chief
• Frank Turner
• Those Darlins
• Carolyn Wonderland
• TEACHERS
• Kings Go Forth
• The Relatives
• The Ettes
• Qbeta
• The Dough Rollers
• MyNameIsJohnMichael
• Basia Bulat
• Balmorhea
• Dan Black
• The Jane Shermans
• The Kicks
• Ponderosa
• Two Tons of Steel
• Caitlin Rose
• SPEAK
• Run With Bulls
• Maxim Ludwig
• Gospel Stars
• Heavenly Voices
• Wesley Bray & The Disciples of Joy
• Jones Family Singers
• Ashley Cleveland & Kenny Greenberg
• Buddy & The Straight Way Travelers
• Ruby Jane Smith
• The Verve Pipe
• Frances England
• The Jellydots
• Elizabeth Mitchell
• Okee Dokee Brothers
• Tom Freund
• School of Rock
• Q Brothers

Lifesize Models: Will They Last?

I am finally going to do my Fall 2010 shows review. For those of you that are fashion savvy you'll know that it's a bit belated, but relax, I just didn't want to write about Fall clothes when we were all getting so jazzed about the weather turning warmer. And every girl every where is worrying about how can I get my legs tan without being orange or getting cancer?

As it is nearly June, I thought, why not give them a taste of what's to come? Well, if there is one trend that was among the most oohed and aaahed over this last fashion show cycle was Marc Jacobs' and Miuccia Prada's use of real life women as models - with - gasp - curves - and boobs!

While Elle MacPherson is a lovely 'real' lady let's hold our collective ooh's and ahh's over her revolutionary appearance on the runway of Louis V. and examine the truth behind this revolutionary push for real bodies and real women. 

Number one: For everyone that is a real woman; you know that Elle MacPherson is not one of you. Sorry, but her measurements are not standard nor average. She is/was a super model. While it is really nice to see a woman and not a pre-pubescent, skeletor of a girl let's not get our panties in a twist...

Number two: For anyone and everyone who knows anything about fashion then you know about the horrible death of the model who died of anorexia in Milan several years ago and the way that the fashion world tried to implement a 'fix it'  it by employing rules and helpful resources for models on the verge of starvation. While this is all valiant, until it's embraced by the rest of the fashion world it is merely topical.

Number three: Fashion is all about novelty and whimsy and generally the next big thing. As people start focusing on saving money and investing in items that will last more than just one season - especially in the wake of the worst recession since the Depression - fashion is losing some of it's bread and butter customers. Therefore, the novelty has to come from not the clothes, but from ta-da, the women wearing them. Not to be a complete skeptic, but I am sure that designers hoped that this use of 'real' models was not so much a needed wake up call in the fashion world, but rather a ploy to get women to buy, buy, buy.  I just hope that women were so inclined to buy, so that this thing called models that are alive sticks around. 

Feeling much better after getting that off my chest. Thanks for listening.

New Ratatat from Austin RiffRaff

Jordan Jeffus and I have spent some serious time at Ratatat shows. Most notably was last year's show at Stubbs where we were really close to the stage only to be SURROUNDED by tweens. Yes, tweens. It was frightening to say the least.

So, we surrendered our enviable crowd position in search of some people who were more our age. It was a great show eventhough it was exceptionally crowded. Thankfully they have some new jams and Randall M. over at Austin RiffRaff, per usual, has the hook up. Check 'em out below.

I'm also really into their new song "Grape Juice City" and you can download the MP3 here for frizzee.

All Weather Leather? OH BROTHER!

As I sit at my desk listening to the thunder roll (thank Garth for that ditty) eating green beans from a can, hey, it's not gross, I microwaved them and I am starving, I think to myself a) why has the sun not come out yet it's nearly noon and b) why has my life spun so out of control that I can no longer consistently express myself on TheWellSet.com?

Well, with a great BIG apology, I say I'm sorry for being so focused on my paying job that my once creative outlet has hit the back burner - but, I miss ya'll and most of all I miss my creative outlet! I know some of you read last week's anti-clog rant and I'm sorry to all of those that love clogs, but trust me your toes will thank you, it'll be 100 degrees soon and that is just silly. To continue with my new theme of WTF, why is this considered summer clothes? 

I'd like to take a moment to discuss the leather trend. 

It started with a few pairs of leather shorts. Ok, shorts are all the rage and the weight of the leather shorts on the Chloe' '09 RTW (left) and DVF (right) runways looked nice and balanced out the flouncy blouses floating around. Sure you could buy these and wear them in the transitional months of from Winter to Spring and not feel so silly for wearing shorts when it's still coldish... BUT, designers have gone TOO FAR with what they are referring to as "All Weather Leather." 

- Once again Who.What.Wear is off:

-yup, there are even leather sunglasses folks-

Yes, it's a lovely play on words and may be appropriate if you aren't from one of the sweatier states like Texas or Alabama, but please don't spend your hard earned doll-hairs ($) on this trend. Just like the clear stripper heals, the clogs, and Chanel's kitschy Spring show I give this trend one big "Oh Brother" and three "Not this time Depps!" 

{Have you seen Aunt Linda on SNL Weekend Update? Please watch here if you haven't- she's pee your pants funny}

Please, take my unsolicited advise and buy yourself some lovely linen or silk blend shorts. Your behind will thank you. 

Ah, it feels good to be back in the fashion saddle again. More to come. I am writing more-more-more, I swear. Into leather shorts? Hit me back with some comments in the comment section below... I'm all ears.

This is My Jayy-um