Bobbi Brown’s new mascara and Nautical collection
Bobbi Brown Sheer Color Cheek Tint
Here’s what’s new from Bobbi Brown. Her Nautical collection features two new products, Sheer Color Lip Gloss and Sheer Color Cheek Tint. The collection was inspired by easy, natural summer beauty. The cheek tint is available in six shades while the super sheer lip gloss comes in four punchy shades.
The cheek tint retails for $22 and the gloss is $20.
Bobbi Brown also introduced Perfectly Defined Mascara, a new formula that lengthens, separates and curls lashes. The formula is long-wearing, doesn’t flake or smudge and stays in place all day. The cost: $24.
The new mascara and Nautical collection land on store shelves in May and at www.bobbibrown.com. Bobbi Brown is available at Balliet’s, 50 Penn Place, in Oklahoma City and Dillard’s, Penn Square Mall.
10 style tips from Michelle Obama
First lady Michelle Obama
Here it is — another story about Michelle Obama’s style and how you can copy it. If you’re wanting to follow Michelle’s lead, take a look at the story here.
Randall Christensen, costume designer for “Dancing with the Stars”
Costume designer Randall Christensen works on a costume for "Dancing with the Stars."
Designer Randall Christensen is the Oscar, Calvin and Ralph in his field. Christensen is the costume designer for “Dancing with the Stars,” and instead of of a runway, his clothes take a turn on the dance floor.
Christensen is an Emmy award-winning costume designer. He contributed gowns for Jennifer Lopez in the movie “Shall We Dance” and designed costumes for an entire show for Princess Cruises’ newest ship the Ruby Princess.
My column in today’s Life was a question-and-answer with Christensen. Here are more detailed answers and more questions.
How long does it take to make each costume? We average about 40-50 hours per ladies’ costume, based on how complex the design is, and how much trim/beading/rhinestones are on the costume.
How many people help with sewing, cutting, beading, etc. Typically we have one seamstress sew, fit, finish and bead/trim a costume. They get to know their lady’s body much better that way, and thus get better fits as the weeks progress. Sometimes if there are lots of beads and rhinestones we will have two to three ladies working on one dress.
What happens to the costume after the celebrity wears it? The celebrity has the option of purchasing any (or all) of their costumes worn on the show. Lots of the costumes go on the national tour. After the costumes have been used, they are shipped to my company in Phoenix, Ariz. There, Randall Designs offers the costumes for sale. Lots of people cannot believe that we are actually selling THE costume worn by the celebrity or pro dancer, and not a copy. We actually DO offer the original costume for purchase.
Does the professional dancer have any input into the style of the costume. Absolutely! I consider the professional dancer to be the director of their particular scene (dance). So I take direction from the pro dancer, and go from there. Does the celebrity? It is so very important to have the celebrity’s input as well. With the extremely short timeline that we are working under, I don’t have time to convince the celebrity to wear something that he or she is not comfortable wearing. If they’re not getting the idea, and not liking it, we move on to another idea. They really have to like it initially, or we just come up with another idea.
It is a combination of all three of us working together. Sometimes the professional has definite ideas, and sometimes they need guidance, and an infusion of fresh ideas. Keep in mind, these couples have only received their music and dance assignment MINUTES before they come to see me! So, there is a lot of exchanging of ideas, googling, youtubing, etc. to pull as many visuals as possible, and nail their look, in the 15-20 minutes that I get with each couple. It’s maddening!
Professional dancer Julianne Hough dances with her country singer boyfriend Chuck Wicks on "Dancing with the Stars."
Who has been your favorite celebrity so far? I can honestly say that I really have not had ONE favorite celebrity. When these celebs come to me on Tuesday nights, they’re usually exhausted both physically and emotionally. They really just want to go home and sleep, and they have to (with me, also exhausted) come up with next week’s FABULOUS designs. Their trust in me is phenomenal, and I LOVE them all because of it. Have some been a bit more challenging, sure. But in the end, they really depend on me and the professional dancer, trusting our experience with the costumes.
What is the worst costume mishap you have had while working on the show? I have been quite fortunate that there have been almost no costume mishaps live! That’s mainly because we have a full dress rehearsal only a couple of hours before we go live. If something is going to go wrong, it normally will manifest itself during the dress rehearsal. Although, I have to say, when Monique Coleman did (I think it was) the jive, in her yellow fringe two-piece costume, everything went fantastically during dress rehearsal. But, then during the actual live show, she kicked up her heels a bit higher than she did at rehearsal, caught her heel in the fringe, and pulled the costume 3/4 of the way down her hips, so her booty was hanging out quite a lot! And of course, it was on Jimmy Kimmel and everywhere else for the next couple of weeks! Oops!
Is there a correlation between the costume and the dance or the music? Absolutely there is a correlation between the costume, the dance AND the music. All three elements are crucial to customize each couples’ looks every week. We do no design ANYTHING in advance! The professional dancer wants to wait until they get their music assignment, after Tuesday night’s Results Show. The music is the springboard to everything that we do – costume wise. That song is played over and over again, trying to get the essence of the song’s magic working. then we go from there, choosing colors, etc. We always design the ladies’ costume first, whether they’re the pro or the celebrity. The lady is the picture, and the man is the frame. His costume ties in with her look, but it always starts wtih the ladies first.
What makes a costume a great costume? I feel like I have done my best when the costume goes perfectly with the music, the couples’ dance style, and emphasizes the best parts of the couples’ dance abilities. When that happens, I feel like the magic has truly happened!
Ruth Meyers will celebrate 35 years in business
In May, Ruth Meyers Inc. in Nichols Hills will celebrate its 35th anniversary with events and trunk shows all month. The store also has been updated a bit with 
more merchandise on the floor so shoppers can see all the good stuff. I don’t know about you, but I want to see the clothes and touch the fabric. So pop in if you’ve got a minute.
Drew Barrymore … a vision in pink lipstick
Drew Barrymore, a cast member in "Grey Gardens," arrives at the premiere in Los Angeles.
I’m loving pink lipstick these days. Makeup artists say it makes you look more youthful. I’m all for that. Watch for a story on pink lipstick soon in the Life section. I just wanted to share this picture of Drew Barrymore … in pink lipstick. I even like how she channeled the ’80s with that big hair.
Designers look at ways to control their brand, prices, discounts
Sales have been rampant for months and months. Deep discounts since before Christmas. Even now new merchandise comes into the stores and is immediately marked down. Shoppers are getting used to not paying full price, but some designers have had enough. Here’s an interesting read in the Wall Street Journal about how some designers are trying to take back control of their products and their prices.
Carrie Underwood … in good company in Badgley Mischka advertising campaign
Eva Longoria, Carrie Underwood, Brooke Shields, Lauren Hutton and Anjelica Huston appear alongside Mark Badgley and James Mischka to celebrate Badgley Mischka's 20th anniversary.
Have you seen this photo in Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar or InStyle? Badgley Mischka celebrates two decades in fashion with an advertising campaign featuring some of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood — Eva Longoria, Brooke Shields, Lauren Hutton, Anjelica Huston and Oklahoma’s own songbird Carrie Underwood. Carrie is in good company.
Shot by legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz at Paramount Studios inLos Angeles, the ladies posed along with the designers in classic Leibovitz style. Each of the women is wearing Badgley Mischka couture eveningwear and accessories. The tagline, ”Two Decades of Glamour,” is symbolic of Badgley Mischka’s relationship with Hollywood over the past 20 years.
Mark Badgley and James Mischka met in 1982 at Parsons School of Design in NYC. In 1988, the duo joined forces and started the line, which gained in popularity when Winona Ryder wore their gown to the Academy Awards in 1996. She was the first of many major red carpet moments including Jennifer Lopez at three consecutive Oscars, Madonna, Catherine Zeta Jones, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ashley Judd, Carrie Underwood, Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher and Brooke Shields.
Carmen Marc Valvo Home to launch on QVC on April 18
Carmen Marc Valvo Home collection will launch April 18 on QVC.
Fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo will launch his new home decor collection on QVC on April 18.
Carmen Marc Valvo Home , created exclusively for the QVC, will debut at 10 a.m. with an eclectic assortment of tablewear, serving pieces and decorative accents with prices ranging from $20 to $150.
Much of the colleciton was inspired by Valvo’s own Hamptons beach house, which has been featured in several magazines.
“I believe that the home, like fashion, is an extension of a person’s personality,” he said. “My collection was designed to work with the natural aesthetic of the living space while allowing for the homeowner’s individual style to shine through.”
Signature pieces include a decorative beaded mosaic pillow, set of two cottonwood nesting bowls and four-piece stackable glass vase set.
For more information, go online to www.qvc.com.
“American Idol” fashion from Adam Lambert to Lil Rounds
Adam Lambert on "American Idol."
It’s not just the contestants who are scrutinized on “American idol.”
Journalists and bloggers across the country rave and rip what they wear. Check it out here.
Lil Rounds on "American Idol."
Follow TOMS Shoes lead and go barefoot on Thursday
Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes. For every pair sold, one pair is donated to a child in need.
TOMS Shoes knows how a pair of shoes can change a child’s life. Do you?
You can help raise awareness by going barefoot on Thursday.
For every pair of shoes sold, TOMS Shoes donates one pair to a child in need. It’s the One for One movement. In three years, more than 130,000 shoes have been given to children in Ethiopia, Argentina, South Africa and the United States.
Often, children cannot attend school barefoot. In Ethiopia, about 1 million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
To help raise awareness about the impact a pair of shoes can have, TOMS is asking everyone to go one day without shoes on April 16. If you can’t go barefoot all day, then at least slip off those shoes for a little while.
* Go barefoot to the mailbox or on your lunch break.
* Attend a shoeless event. There are several in Oklahoma. Find them here.
To learn more about TOMS Shoes, its mission or to find Oklahoma retailers, go to www.tomsshoes.com.
TOMS Shoes. The style is based on an old Argentine shoe. They come in several different colors and patterns.
