...The Lovely Vanity...

It seems every woman loves a makeup vanity; the concept of sitting down in front of a mirror with all your makeup and perfume before you evokes images of Marlyn and Audrey glamorously applying Chanel and Dior.

Surprisingly, makeup vanities are no longer considered a necessity for the modern woman.. Instead we find ourselves rushing through our morning beauty routine standing in front of the bathroom sink. Somehow we feel that sitting down to an organized table soley devouted to our beauty products and cosmetics will slow us down or is just unnecessary. In reality not only do makeup vanities provide an organized place for all your cosmetics but sitting down allows you to concentrate on a better makeup application.  

A little vanity inspiration courtesy of Dior..

Sophia Loren at Vanity Dresser

Vanity Essentials: An accent tray, Coco Mademoiselle power puff, Chanel no.5 & Nina Ricci Parfum

Rosamosario Mezza Luna Silk-Crepe and Lace Robe

 

Georgina Chapman breathtaking Mirror vanity photo credit

 

 
Suzanne Rogers Vanity photo credit
 
Basic yet striking Vanity Dresser: a white table with a gorgeous mirror. Mirror available here
 

The perfect vanity accessory: a gorgeous tray filled with bottles of perfume photo credit

 Exquisite Carved Antique Vanity Dresser

Jenny Packham Lace-appliqued Silk Chiffon Robe

A handheld mirror can help with delicate applications such as winged eyeliner.

via tumblr

 
Anthropologie Winter's Peach Mirror

Mor Cosmetics

Jean Harlow

You don't need much to set up vanity dresser... Start by positioning a table and mirror in a brightly lit area, you can hang a large mirror on the wall above the table, and/or use smaller mirrors for close up detailed application like winged eyeliner. Use lovely accents such as trays to hold perfume bottles and palettes, and lone wine glasses to hold makeup brushes. If you don't own any, head to your local flea market for creative accents that double as makeup organizers.
Adding sweet details such as flowers and personal items like a crystal memento or souvenir can make a vanity dresser a beautiful and personal place to sit every morning.
I hope that this encourages you to consider a vanity dresser!

Have a lovely day everyone!!

Rich Romantic Berry: this Fall's Red

Every fall I have to actively remind myself to wear more color.You might feel that with all the nuetral sweaters, earth-toned layers, grays and blacks floating around, it would be difficult to incorporate color into your look, but with Berry appearing to be falls new red- it can be easier than you think.

Berry and similar colors like wine, burgundy, bordeux, and plum are easier to wear than red and are also less tricky to shop for. So without further ado here are my favorite berry pieces for fall thus far, including editorials, shoes, clutches, and makeup.

Jovita Miseviciute in Eleganza Gipsy - I love how her lips match her dress

Buberry Silk Satin Peplum Dress

Sophia Vergarra looking incredible on Letterman wearing a wine colored dress

Carolina Herrera Draped V-Neck GownHilary Swank in Dolce & Gabbana Dress - Instyle September 2010

J.Crew Silk chiffon Arabelle crinkle gown

Burberry Plum Satin Dress with Pleat Front

Kate Spade Chime Heels

Very Berry Steal: Forever 21 Love 21 Burgundy Side Zip Top

Buy it HERE for only $19.80

O.P.I. Nail Lacquer in No Spain No Gain

Now onto Lipcolors. Rich Berry Lips add instant color and romance to any outfit.  

Match Your Berry Lips to your Dress

Lips: MAC lip liner in Half Red glossed with Cover girl Wetslicks in Clear Radiance

Burberry Prorsum Velvet Dress- Instyle August 2010

Here are my picks for Designer Berry Lip colors:
 Left to Right: Chanel Rogue Allure Luminous Satin Lipcolor in Fabulous
NARS Matte Velvet Lip Pencil in Damned
YSL Rogue Volupte 12 Forbidden Burgundy

If you are interested in Berry Lip colors that you can find at Drugstores, here are my top 4!
Left to Right: Loreal Color Riche 703 Cranberry
Loreal Color Riche 590 Blushing Berry
Mabelline Color Sensational Lip Color 175 Bit of Berry
Nuetrogena Moisture Shine Lipstick 400  Berry Blast

Also I highly recommend checking out THIS post by Karen at the Makeup and Beauty Blog (one of my favorite sites!) of NARS Holiday  Collection featuring incredible swatches of NARS Bougainville and Strawberry Fields Lip Gloss! They are soo gorgeous!

Dolce and Gabbana velvet clutch

ASOS Premium Cowl Neckl Velvet Dress

Fendi Maxi Polished leather shoulder bag

Shoes are a great way to add color to your fall /holiday looks. You can even wear them to work (they look excellent with gray suiting) as they are less severe than red. Here are my top 6 picks - 3 of which are under $100!

1. Carlos by Carlos Santana Queen's Pumps $89
2.Christian Louboutin Ronaldo Point -Toe Pumps $695
3. Mario Bologna Pumps with open toe $245
4. Brian Atwood Maniac Patent Platform Pumps -Bordeaux $580
5. Nine West Rocha Pump -Dark Red Suede $78.95
6. Guess Amazed Pumps, $98.95

And lastly, if you want to add some quick color to your dress, tie a berry, wine, or burgundy velvet ribbon around your waist as a sash. As you can see from the photo below, a little color goes a long way.

Karolina Kurkova in Louis Vuitton - Numero Tokyo December 2010

1. Wine Velvet Ribbon 3/8" Elizabeth's Embellishments

2. Wine Velvet Ribbon 7/8" Vogue Fabrics

3. Bordeaux Crushed Velvet Ribbon 1" MJ Trim

I hope you all enjoyed these berry, wine, burgundy, and plum ideas! Its easy to add color and romance to your fall wardrobe this season with rich berry dresses, tops, lips, nails, purses, shoes, and sashes!

Have a lovely day everyone!!