Perfect for your first day of junior high, 1992

From a real guilty pleasure blog, Go Fug Yourself:

by Jessica
Oh my god.


[Photo:Splash News]

I can't believe they still sell this dress. It makes me wonder what else they're going to start selling from 1992. Sure, I get that plaid is back and grunge has been sort of re-envisioned, but this? This is like pure suburban mall rat, mid-July, grabbing an Orange Julius before drifting over to Express to look at the polyester, flower-printed skorts and then reluctantly going to the bookstore to buy the books on your summer reading list that you are never going to read, despite your best intentions, because even for those of us who would read a book on a hike if we could do it without walking into a tree, homework is just not enticing when it's 101 degrees outside. Sadly, this dress did not do much for me in 1992 and it's not doing a ton for Miss Anne right now. On the other hand, at least she doesn't have homework waiting for her. Presumably.

Gorgeous Spring Shoes

Coclico seems to know exactly what my Spring wishlist looks like.



And this naughty number's on sale...

Facebook tell me what shoe defines me

You are defined by Christian Louboutins

You are a sexy and slinky with an edge. There is an aire of mystery about you as you prowl. People around recognize you immediately, but don't much about you, and that's the way you like it; to keep them guessing!

First of all, who wouldn't love to be described this way. Second, I need to figure out how I fixed the quiz so that Christian Louboutin would be the result. Third, does being defined by CLs earn me a free pair? Please? Hello?

Foamy, Minty Goodness

A truly sublime note from my friend Nikki about the bestest cure-all ever...I hope you enjoy this delerious and fantastic rant as much as I did!

OMG, Jillian. It's almost 4AM but I just had the most fascinating revelation about hand soap that I wanted to share with you. For years I've been trying to figure out how not to keep buying those expensive soap dispensers full of gloppy soap that gets used up so quickly (and results in lots of wasted plastic). For a while our household was refilling the bottles with diluted Dr. Bronners, but the soap was so watery that there was always a puddle around the sink from it leaking everywhere. My brother tried something similar, but he didn't dilute the Dr. Bronners and it resulted in caked up soap that caused a misfire every time you pressed the dispenser (soap would squirt all over your shirt).

Tonight the solution finally presented itself: for weeks I've been watching our latest purchase of Kiss My Face grapefruit and bergamot foaming hand soap dwindle. It finally ran out tonight and I filled the empty bottle with half water and two big squirts of Dr. Bronners. Voila! The foaming dispenser worked its magic, and I'm never buying hand soap ever again. No puddles, no soiled shirts. Only foamy minty goodness.

Actually, all of us in this apartment use Dr. Bronners for just about everything: We have two big bottles in the shower instead of bar soap, and I also use it for hand washing my delicates (cashmere, wool, silk). My good friends use it to bathe their cat.

Dr. Bronners is a modern day panacea.

The Joy of Finding Perfect Boots

This is a post by my friend Kajal, who originally published this on her own blog:

Why I'll be in boots till June

For at least two years, I've been hunting a pair of knee-high burgundy boots. The perfect pair is not as easy to come by as you might think. I even had my fashionista sister in on the search, who collects shoes as a hobby and actually shops for a living. I learned my best chance was scouring vintage stores, which would take forever, and sadly accepted that another winter had slipped away without including these long imagined boots.

And then ... the perfect storm of opportunity.

I happened to make a point to read this week's Time Out,whose subscription has lapsed but they still happen to still send it to me,and they happened to list an attractive clearance sale at a small vintage shop called Sweet Tater,which happened to not be far from the subway I'd be taking to Bay Ridge for wine club,which happened to be on the important un-picked-over first day of the giant sale,and I happened to have a few extra minutes.

They're perfect.

(Excuse the dirt on my mirror.)

Despite being from the 70's, the leather is like new. They're perfectly broken in. Regular $165. For me, the sick price of $40. Since that's robbery, I bought pair of wooden platform sandals too. I did it for the economy.Bring spring on, but I'll be in my boots.

It's not hard to: look like Gwyneth Paltrow?

I'm sick and miserable and my fever won't quit, so I can't tell for sure if I'm delirious or if Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP blog just did an EXCELLENT job of putting together an incredibly chic uniform that really anyone could wear all the time and always look amazing: http://goop.com/newsletter/3. Scroll down for pics of how she puts a bunch of outfits together using interchangeable neutral pieces, as well as where she bought the one's she's wearing (take note, a bunch of stuff is from Uniqlo).

I'll tell you this: Right now, I am in love.

It's not hard to: get a great, affordable haircut in bklyn

Recently, reader Shawn wrote in asking for help getting a decent haircut:

"how can a girl get an affordable, attractive haircut in NYC? I like to keep it short, but keeping it short means more frequent cuts. Recently, I visited a salon in my neighborhood advertising a $30 cut for short hair, but I walked out paying $60 (not including a tip). How does this happen?...What does $30 get me?...I like short hair, but I'm finding it hard to look good."

Shawn, I asked around, got myself a haircut, and found the answer: Salon Van Sickel in Brooklyn Heights (34 Middagh Street, 718-246-5500). Their price range for cuts is $25-$55--my short haircut only cost $40--and they're super reasonable for color as well. I went to Diana, who works Wednesday through Saturday, and I'll be going back to her again because I think she did a great job giving me the French New Wave pixie cut I wanted.

So, Shawn, the answer is: $30 may not get you much, a smidge more gets you just what you're looking for.