Back in May I wrote about the Lipstick Effect (a.k.a. the Lipstick Indicator), the idea that consumers will indulge in less-expensive feel-good items in a bad economy. Historically, lipstick sales surge during economic or political turbulence.

Well, here we are five months later in a full-blown recession. The news hasn’t been pretty at all—what with global financial collapse, rising unemployment, the threat of another Depression and that pert, folksy fraudbot, Sarah Palin.

Is the lipstick indicator still in effect? Are women still binge spending at Sephora and Walgreens? Are we furtively buying $32 lip glosses as we worry about our 401 (k)s? Oh, absolutely!

According to James Edwards at Brand Week, spending on beauty products and procedures (like Botox) remains strong. “Everyone thinks hard times must be triggering women to pull back on discretionary vanity products but the opposite is true.”

Cost costs while saving face

How then are we tightening out belts? As a single, working woman whose only dependent is a cat, my economic circumstances are likely different from married peeps, single mothers, college students and the under or unemployed.

Here’s how I’m cutting costs: bringing lunch to work, shopping at the farmer’s market, canceling my holiday trip to Michigan and putting the kibosh on cabs. Beauty-wise, I’ve cut out facials and scaled back on mani/pedis. I also stopped highlighting my hair four months ago—and I like the results.

So will I continue to buy my pricey European sunscreen and order my Vitamin C serum on eBay? As Sarah Palin would say, you betcha! That said, I’ll still indulge myself on the cheap with d.i.y aspirin masks and other spa-at-home goodies. I plan on masking while I watch tonight’s second presidential debate.

What about you?

Are you saving on what you need so that you can spend on what you want? Have you given up pampering treatments or stopped buying makeup? Post a comment and share your thoughts, ideas and tips.

xx
Kezia

They used to say hemlines reflected the economy… then they said, it didn’t matter anymore… but I’m wondering since this year hemlines seem to be all over the place, even on the same garment… if the old adage is actually true. Either way, from Luella, Miu Miu, Sonia Rykiel, and Haider Ackermann… to name a few … there’s quite a number of multi-layered, multi-length skirts and dresses on the runways for the coming up spring season.

Of course I couldn’t let these go by without trying out some of my own versions of this look. I happen to think it’s genius, like what to do with those vintage aprons I have hanging around… or maybe… how to get the most wear out of the countless skirts I already own… why not wear two at a time? Using two belts (while I’m at the multple kick,  why not go all out?) I belted on a lighter fluffy skirt that’s almost too airy to wear on it’s own. It makes the lace tiered mini a little less mini and a little more tiered.

runway pics from style.com

I’m back from Kauai. OK, I actually returned a few weeks ago. I’ve neglected my Beautiful Tuesdays posts, and I apologize. Here’s what happened. After a fabulously relaxing, idyllic tropical holiday, my relationship ended — and it wasn’t my choice. Anyway, the last few weeks have been rough. For my own mental health, I needed to keep a healthy distance from Internet.

But all is not lost. I’ve made being good to myself my number one priority. Of course for me that includes (sorta budget-friendly) beauty indulgences. I paint my toenails while watching Sex and the City reruns and let my Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea mask work it’s magic during Season 5 of The Wire (thank God for Netflix). I also have fabulous, loving, kind-hearted girlfriends who have had my back.

Hawaiian Beauty Secret
And since I can finally talk/write about Kauai without crying, I want to share a skincare discovery. Despite my best efforts, I burned my back and shoulders (but not my face!). On a whim I bought a bottle of kukui nut oil from Oils of Aloha in Princeville. I slathered it on my burnt parts and I didn’t peel and the redness subsided quickly. Since then I’ve used it as a nighttime face and body moisturizer. It absorbs quickly, doesn’t cause breakouts and makes my skin look glowy. I seriously love this stuff.

What Makes it So Great?
Kukui nut oil is loaded with essential fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory, healing and hydrating. It contains 78% oleic acid, 19% linoleic acid and 6% palmitc acid.

Kukui oil has been used in Hawaii for centuries to protect, heal and nourish skin that has been exposed to the elements–harsh sun, drying winds and salt water. It’s also beneficial for these conditions:

• Burns – including: sunburn, windburn, radiation burns, and heat induced burns.
• Eczema
• Chapped skin
• Psoriasis
• Mature and prematurely aged skin
• Dry skin conditions
• Acne
• Scars
• Lesions
• Dry hair and scalp

xxKezia

I love spa treatments as much as the next girl (perhaps more). Still, who wants to spend extra money on treatments and spas? Jennifer Aniston might have a $30K monthly beauty budget, but I sure don’t.

If your skin needs a little rejuvenating, try one of these ultra-easy D.I.Y. skin treatment recipes and let the pampering begin.

Sugar Body Polish

1 1/2 cups raw or brown sugar
1/3 cup real maple syrup
1/3 cup olive oil or sunflower oil
Drops of your favorite essential oil (Optional)

Prep: Mix ingredients together and put in a closed container.

Use: Apply scrub to wet skin in a circular motion to exfoliate. Remove thoroughly with water and a wash cloth.

Refreshing Cucumber Toner

1/2 large or 1 medium cucumber (unpeeled but washed)
2 tablespoons witch hazel

Prep: Puree cucumber in a blender or mixer. Next, strain the cucumber pulp into a bowl. Mix the liquid from the cucumber only with the witch hazel.

Use: Soak a cotton ball with the toner and apply to face, neck and chest.

Calming Oatmeal Mask

2 tablespoons oatmeal (regular, not instant)
2 tablespoons full fat plain yogurt
2 teaspoons honey

Prep: Mix ingredients together in a bowl.

Use: Apply mask mixture to clean skin and let sit for 10 or 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

And just as an experiment, here’s a little video of how to do it. I sound kind of spacey… but that’s just how I sound.

Do you remember the days when jeans were way cooler with rips and holes? You know, like around the time Axel Rose could still complete a sentence. I remember doing all kinds of things, dripping bleach, cutting holes, drawing ankhs and peace signs, sometimes even the boy I happened to be going out with at the time. Well, destroying denim is probably been around for as long as jeans were in fashion, and it never really leaves us… but for some reason, I’ve been a little more reluctant to chop up my favorite pair of $200 jeans, even if I’ve worn them until they’ve got holes in them too. And the old jeans? Well, I left my old jeans in San Francisco. Luckily, I was able to find a bunch of high waisted Levi’s and Wranglers at the flea market… So it’s time to do some experimenting. Here are a few images I have in my mind… Alexander Wang’s AW08 with ripped up nylons, Christopher Kane SS08 (the shirt, not so much) and the lovely Cristalette

What I’ll be doing…

At the end of the week, I’ll share what I’ve done… maybe if you’re inspired, would you join me?

I’m not sure yet… but here are the supplies I have on deck.

Scissors, seam ripper

Cheese Grater

Bleach, maybe, just maybe I’ll get some dye.

Sharpies

At the end of the week, I’ll share what I’ve done… maybe if you’re inspired, would you join me? Send some pics… post with a link back, it would be great to see how other people destroy their denim.

This isn’t my first post about crochet jewelry, or knit jewelery, but I’m seeing it pop up more and more these days. I’m wondering where the line between garment and jewelry lies or if it’s relevant these days anyway.

Back in design school, one of my favorite exercises was to make objects out of unexpected materials. At the time I wasn’t sophisticated enough to come up with a brilliant idea, but the notion has always stayed with me. The idea that surface is just as meaningful as structure. When it comes to jewelry, there is so much emotional expectations wrapped in it, the heirlooms, the gifts from the ex… the costume jewelry I bought and wore until it fell apart. Permanence, or the illusion of it often gives jewelry its power in adornment. I mean, diamonds are forever right?

This isn’t my first post about crochet jewelry, or knit jewelery, but I’m seeing it pop up more and more these days. I’m wondering where the line between garment and jewelry lies or if it’s relevant these days anyway. I do love Little Purls, an Etsy shop brought to my attention by Natalie at Couqette. Little Purls makes these wonderful hand knit wool necklaces and earrings (and the prices isn’t bad either).

And speaking of Natalie, and unexpected knitted objects… this month’s Craft: magazine has their shoe issue, with a knitting pattern for DIY Converse All-Stars. For the first time in my life I’m Con-less, it’s a strange feeling as I loved my Cons… it appears, that there are people who go crazy with the customization of them… which I can understand from the times I’ve been searching for the perfect pair I’ve never seen before, but really want.

(that’s Natalie and her dog Lulu on the cover)

Adding a little fringe to my wardrobe was a lot easier than I thought.

I’ve been seeing it everywhere. The fringe. After seeing lovely projects by Kingdom of Style and Style Bubble’s fringe tights, I was incredibly inspired. After my… ‘ooh, you should do this, and you should do that’ with fringe I thought I might give it a go myself. To tell the truth, I’m not well versed in home economics. I don’t have a sewing machine and all my crochet projects end up looking like amoebas. However, I was pleasantly surprised how adding a little fringe to my wardrobe was a lot easier than anticipated.

Step 1: The Materials

I don’t have a sewing machine. Heck, I didn’t even have a needle and thread. I did have a rather mom-ish black tank picked up from the 1EUR bin at the flea market.
1. 1 Meter (Yard) of Chainette Fringe

2. Thread

3. Sewing Needle (And some pins… I didn’t have them, but so I just used the other needles in the pack)

4. A garment for embellishing

Step 2: The First Row

Here I just cut the fringe to line half the collar of the tank. I then pinned the fringe. Using the backstitch technique, I sewed the fringe along the collar, making sure to reinforce both the begining and the end with an extra stitch.

Step 3: The Second Row

The first row is a lot easier because I used the collar as a guide. Where I placed the second row was a bit trickier. I used the measurement of about two fingers width distance, and pinned the second row. For the second row, I was a bit more careful about pinning, and watching where I was going.

The Finished Fringe

You can add as many rows as you like, but I decided with this particular tank, to stop at three. Now I have a fringy tank that’s both stylish and subtle.

Now, that this all took less than an  hour, I’m just thinking of what else I can add fringes too….

Well… maybe if they knit fingerless gloves for the Statue of Liberty… or a scarf for the Prince Albert, or a beret for The Little Mermaid.

Amendment:
Ahh… Coquette tipped me off on the perpetrators of these knits… Knittaplease.com they tagged Jimi Hendrix in Seattle… Ha! This is excellent.