Afternoon Delight

I did a little late afternoon e-shopping today.

Picked up this kicking pair of flats from J. Crew to feed into my new obsession with anything-but-black shoes.

Oh, and to the ridiculous chatter on the Washington Post fashion discussion today, I absolutely do not plan on matching them to my purse, so deal with it.

In fact, I bought these just to spite you.

Well, also because I don't have a green bag.

photo courtesy of jcrew.com

Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me Nine Months Ago?

Well, crap.

I just got my July issue of Vogue, and apparently the manny is this season's "chicest accessory!"

Seriously?

Now I'm going to be all unchic this summer, because not only do I not have a manny, I don't even have a baby to warrant the hiring of a manny.

Dammit.

I'm just going to sit in my cube and wallow in blatant unchic mannylessness.

One more way to prevent Real Work from taking place

Let it be known that I am a huge fan of procrastinating.

In interviews, I say I work best under a tight deadline.

One of my newest favorite idle pastimes is checking out Project Beltway, a blog devoted to highlighting great style around DC.

Honestly, I think this site is so great for two reasons:

1. It shows everyone that people in DC do actually wear things other than layered pop-collared polos with chino shorts and Rainbow flip flops (I live in Georgetown...this applies to both men and women.)

2. It inspires me to get my lazy ass out of that Ann Taylor hole and actually put together an Outfit my crying out loud. Oh, and maybe actually do something with my hair for once in my life.

And for all of you outside the Beltway, see! We aren't all office drones all the time! Well...some people aren't.

Oh, and PS. I'm issuing a fashion fatwa on that guy I saw who was wearing not one, not two, but THREE Lacoste shirts in sherbert colors with all collars popped.

Your ass is grass, dude.

When Good Things Come From Very Very Bad Things

Like any card carrying member of the American cable subscribing public, I watch a boatload of Law and Order reruns.

Damn you, Dick Wolf, and your entrancing characters and sick twisted plotlines! I swear, if Fred Thompson forces the networks to pull my reruns for some pseudo-Red Lion reason, there will be hell to pay.

Anyhoo.

During my countless hours devoted to watching Chris Meloni snatch up bad guys, I was also forced to watch umpteen commercials for the USA Network "mini-series" The Starter Wife. And let's just say that it looks, well, to use a word...feculant.

Ok, I said it. Berate me if you will, but that thing looks awful. And it's like 8 hours long.

Spread over a month.

Ack!

But I did notice that Essie did a line of nail polishes named after that go-get-em-girl! spirit that the series allegedly embodies, like "Wife Goes On" and "Pink-ing Up the Pieces." The best one that I found was actually named after the series, a pale and very sheer pink.

I shamefully purchased it and applied it in secret. It's a fantastic shade. It gives your nails that shiny but natural look, almost as if you are not actually wearing nail polish but you just have really healthy and pretty nails. And it looks good when performed by a non-professional!

I guess that was the idea. If you get dumped by your millionaire husband in a community property state and somehow get no money and then are forced to live in Malibu and choose between two hot guys vying for your affection, you need to have a nail polish that you can do yourself.

Riiight.

Whatever, I bet Serena Southerland does her own nails too.

Also, I went on a little nail polish binge so there will be lots more Essie related posts to come.

photo courtesy of nymag.com

Soft Spot

I have an admitted weakness for certain types of clothing and beauty products.


I could delve deep into my psyche and tell you that these items fit into a mental image of myself that I want to outwardly display.


Or maybe they are just cute!


Well, my latest fantasy wardrobe obsession is basically the entire Tory Burch collection. From her ubiquitous and much copied logo flats to her adorable dresses and chic tunic tops, her clothes are perfect for the life I don't actually have, but really really want.


For instance:






I would wear this dress for a relaxed summer Friday at the office before jetting off to the Hamptons in my Mini convertable with my fiance, arriving just in time to meet our equally chic friends for a quick glass of Prosecco while we watch the sun set.

And...

This would be perfect for shopping around Georgetown with the Bush twins. We'd clean out Intermix, then head over to Leopold's for brunch and skip the Euro trash traffic jam out front. Oh, right, I never work out, by the way, these legs are a birth right, like admission to Deerfield Academy.

I would wear this out on a summer night for drinks on a rooftop party. That's right. In my fantasy life, I wear white pants and they never get dirty.

Seriously though, some of the Tory Burch clothes are really great as separates and her clothes are not cut teensy tiny and come in a range of sizes. They can be reasonably priced if you catch a sale (like the one going on now online). I have one of her dickie sweaters from fall and I just love it.

Yup, I giggle every time I say "dickie" too.

So, I encourage you to look beyond the logo flats (seriously, if I see one more person in those...) and incorporate a little fantasy life into real life.

Is there any designer whose aesthetic embodies your fantasy life where shoes don't ever give you blisters, the humidity never gets above 30%, and you never lack an invitation to a killer party or something to wear to it?

photos courtesy of toryburch.com

Wedded Bliss

I spent the past weekend in Michigan attending a good friend's wedding. This also marked the first wedding I've attended out of town where I was not a member of the bridal party and therefore required to participate in multiple events where I was told how to walk, smile, and breathe, so that I don't screw up my friend's pictures forever.

So, while I wandered around the small Detroit suburb of Birmingham with my sister asking people, Rachael Ray-$40-a-Day style, where we could get a pedicure for less than the Devil would pay for my soul, we stumbled upon Todd's Room, a fantastic little beauty shop.

The concept is pretty fantastic. They carry several high end makeup and fragrance lines, like NARS, Fresh, L'Artisan, Becca, and DuWop as well as some offbeat stuff and accessories. Then, in the back, they have makeup artists who do application and lessons.

(Unfortunately not shown on the website, but they have the most adorable graphics)

They also did have a nail technician, but we had already gotten our cheapie mani/pedi, where the technician had actually snipped my sister which lead to many panic attacks that she would get "rabies."

I graciously informed her that was pretty much impossible. Tetanus and staph, on the other hand...

The thought of lip gloss seemed to calm her down and we set about trying on pretty much everything in the store. We both settled on NARS Pillow Talk, a sheer pinky brown color with just a hint of shimmer...and after a scare where the salesgirl could only find one tube...possibly leading to an international family incident we both left with a new look for the wedding.

it doesn't look like this at all. but I love the little tadpole shape.

They also had some products on sale...so I snagged a tube of Essie's gloss-e in Vanity Fairest at half off! It is described as "very twinkly and pinkly" on their website.

I mean, who can resist that?

All in all, the wedding was beautiful and my sister and I had the best lipgloss around...the best part about NARS lipglosses is that they stick around through the tears at the glass smashing, the post ceremony cocktail, and the never-ending slightly awkward toasts. However, pastry flakes from pigs-in-blankets should be approached with trepidation.

photos courtesy of sephora.com and essie.com

I Ain't Seen Sunshine Since I Don't Know When

The word of the day is "jail."

Apparently it's the hot place to be.

Paris just checked in.

Scooter's looking at a 30 month stay.

Old "Freezer Cash" Jefferson is bound to be headed there.

And while I won't profess to know the first thing about incarceration, I can say that I feel Cash's pain when he talks about not seeing the sun. Seriously, if I wanted to hide at work, I could dress in all white and stand against a hallway wall and close my eyes. No one would ever find me then.

But the threat of skin cancer and uneven blotchiness keep me clear of the actual sun and sunless tanners. So, to my surprise, I found I really liked the Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips that made their way to my doorstep.

Much like the gorgeous Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks, the Shimmer Strip is a block of shimmer powders in a variety of bronze, gold and pink tones. They can be swirled together and used like a bronzer or you can use each color on it's own as a shadow.

I love the Miami Strip/Healthy Glow shade, it gives me just a hint of color and shimmer without being too muddy looking. I bet if they made a Boca Raton Strip shade, it would make you wrinkly with a visor and kvetch about the rising cost of Manischewitz macaroons.

I was also shocked to see the virtual WALL of Physician's Formula powders, blushes and bronzers at my local crappot CVS. They have so many varieties, you are bound to find something that works for your skin tone.

Also, it's always nice to find an affordable version of a product that I can only use for a maximum of three months a year. No one would believe I turn that color before Memorial Day or after Labor Day.

In the meantime, I will be in the prison of my own beauty! Ha! Right.

photo courtesy of physiciansformula.com

Why Me? Why Me?!?

Ok, I'm confused.

After hearing RAVES about DiorShow mascara from such trusted bloggers as Blogdorf Goodman, Faking Good Breeding and DaddyLikey, I eagerly plunked down my twenty-three dollars (plus the exorbitant DC sales tax...no taxation without representation!) and skipped home with my fat little tube.

But when I started using it, I was dismayed with the results.

First, the brush is literally the size of the one I use on my bangs. I was excited about that at first but then...

Second, I got the stuff all over my eyelids. Everywhere. It was like that Amex ad with Ellen DeGeneres. All manner of careful application and pulling and looking sideways and not blinking versus blinking does not alleviate the situation. Maybe I have fat eyelids??? (The horror! The shame! Seriously? How is this possible?)

Third, perhaps it is merely the vicious allergy season here, but I ended up with whore eyes (where the mascara leaves rings under your eyes, aka walk of shame eyes) like you would not believe. I think half of the Senate thinks I went on a bender over Memorial Day recess.

Fourth, even after I cleaned up the collateral damage, but before the smudging, I wasn't that impressed with my lashes.

So tell me, am I missing something? I have heard such wonderful things and I want to love this.

Help me! I have many functions coming up for which lush black lashes would be so perfect... I feel so lost, so helpless...

Ok, I'm just kidding, I just don't want to leave work and walk home in the pouring rain.

photo courtesy of sephora.com

Off Like a Prom Dress

A few weeks ago, I noticed something strange. On a trip to the mall (shopping, not National) there were younger girls three deep at every makeup counter. It was like the Front Page on the first happy hour of intern season.



My suspicions were confirmed when I saw this entry by Meg over at Faking Good Breeding...it's Prom Season.



Inspired by my own upcoming 10 year high school reunion, I became totally nostalgic for the bastion of American americana that is the high school prom. Mostly mine was so strange.



Let me set the scene.



I went to a private high school in New York. Our football team was embarrassingly bad. Most of our school sponsored events occured at the Bottom Line, not the school gymnasium.



Like a good child of the 90's, I diligently watched "Saved by the Bell" and "Beverly Hills, 90210," read the prom issues of both Seventeen and YM, and longed for that typical prom experience. Shopping for months for an expensive dress, hair in an updo, perfect makeup, disco ball on the cieling of a hotel ballroom, pancakes and coffee at our local diner hangout where the owner knows all of our names and which one of us will later buy in as a partner and turn part of it into a nightclub which will be the setting for many drug stings, breakups and a concert venue for so many crappy bands.



But, I digress.



That was not me.



I bought the first dress I tried on. (It was long...but as a vertically challenged person, I firmly believe in short for formal occaisons. I would wear a short dress to my wedding if my mother hadn't given me The Look of Death when I suggested that.)



I had my my hair done in an updo. Then I cried my eyes out the whole ride home because my hair was crunchy, stinky smelling and a thousand pins were poking me. I promptly washed the whole thing out and blew my hair out straight.



I did all my friends' makeup, mostly consisting of silver eyeshadow, because that's what I wore. We were far from perfect.



I don't remember a disco ball...



In short, not the prom I dreamed about (Zack Morris didn't show up and sweep me off my feet or anything), not even a particularly memorable evening.



But I do remember a girl in my class throwing up on her $3000 Bergdorf Goodman dress as soon as she got to the party!



That was totally the highlight.



Happy Prom Season!

Also, the whole experience taught me many valuable lessons about getting ready for formal functions, of which I have one coming up in a few weeks (it always falls in the middle of the NBA Finals) so check out my routine. I got tired just reading it.

Back to Life, Back to Reality

Ahhh, back in the warmth.


Seriously, who knew that Southern California could get so blisteringly cold in May? Apparently anyone who reads the weather report and doesn't think that it is simply lying.


Even though it got down to the frigid mid 60s during the day, it was quite a weekend out in LA.


I have no inside dirt on the Lohan Curbside Terry Stop, but I did run into David Hasslehoff browsing the men's department at the Barney's Co-Op in The Grove. I managed to totally OD on avocado and Iced Blendeds and managed to get a sunburn within an hour of arriving.


Productive, no?



On the beauty front, I took a spin around Fred Segal in Santa Monica to quell my beauty jones. While the draconian TSA rules prevented me from picking up too many fun toys, my friend snagged the 100% Pure Organic Dark Chocolate Mocha Body Cream for her mom who was on a quest for chocolate scented body lotion. I recommended checking it out after my positive experiences with the Strawberry Body Scrub from the same line. The lotion is very chocolately smelling, but not overpowering or mercifully lacks the candy sweet smell that so many lotions have these days.







While it was being wrapped up, I became intrigued by the Too Faced Lash Injection Mascara sitting idly at the counter. It looked impressively dark and sooty (that's how I like it!) and the brush looked like it could really give good lash for a night out in a dark club that serves degenerate underage starlets. Unfortunately, I walked away, remembering exactly how many mascaras currently line my dresser. But it did not go unnoticed that Sephora has a mini version available for purchase...

So...did anyone else have any fun beauty adventures over the holiday weekend? Can anyone give me the scoop on the Too Faced Mascara? And, does anyone know where I could get an Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf fix on the East Coast???

photos courtesy of sephora.com and bathandbodyworks.com

Ripped Off...and loving it.

There are lots of perks to working for the government.



The feeling you get knowing that someone twice your age has to suck up to you to gain access to your boss.



Savant-like knowledge of regulatory provisions and congressional districts by zip code.



Finding out confidential and sometimes even classified information, which no one else actually wants to know.



Hot ass ID badges.



However, earning the big bucks is not a perk I enjoy.



Don't believe me? Are you sitting there thinking, CapHillBarbie, you are so full of crap! No one would do your job and not get paid like a banshee! Oh yeah? Check out the salary of everyone on the Hill. Send money and care packages.



So, when I lust after certain high priced fashion items, I have two choices: (A) forgo rent and eat Top Ramen every day for lunch, or, (B) find a knock-off and work it like there is no tomorrow.



Thus was the case of The Chloe Flats:



On a trip around Bergdorf Goodman with my mom earlier this year, I spied a hot pair of Chloe flats for spring. They looked perfect for bumming around on the weekend, casual days at work in the summer, and would even work through fall! But when I took a gander at the price tag, my dreams of swanning around Dirksen in my cute shoes came to a screeching halt.

I still love you dearly, even though you are out of my price range.

So, I put them down (my birthday isn't until fall, so begging for an early present from my mother would have been fruitless) and tried my best to forget.

Until this weekend when I stopped into Steve Madden on Saturday (yup, that's right, I'm a masochist.) and found pair of flats almost exactly like the Chloes! The best part? About $400 less than the real deal. I snatched them up on the spot.

Let the swanning begin!



Another perk? Being able to provide a little technical assistance for this legislation.

Off to the Left Coast

That's right, boys and girls (who am I kidding? No men read this.) I am taking advantage of the Memorial Day recess and jetting off to Los Angeles.

As I've stated before, I love LA. Love it.

I love that everything come in a sugar-free variety, that everyone relishes that which is fake (even the frozen yogurt isn't really yogurt!), and that being proud of how you look (or how your car looks) doesn't lead people to believe that you are a Grade-A Moron.

Yup, that's right, I love it for exactly three days.

Then I want to scream, take public transportation, and talk about Chris Dodd's eyebrows with someone who knows who I'm talking about.

So, I'm about to run home, pack and get a few hours of rest before gearing up for my annual dose of sun, fun and of course...shopping for beauty products!

I'll have a full report when I get back!

I may even get a tan...fake, of course.

You Snooze, You Lose!!

Beauty products almost never go on sale, so make like a bunny and hop to the sale at Beauty.com tomorrow!



Here's the deal:



On Wednesday, May 23rd, everything purchased on Beauty.com will be 20% off.



They have an awesome lineup of brands, including Vincent Longo (no soulmate eyeshadow though...sniff), Red Flower, NARS, Paula Dorf and more.



Also, if you are ever squemish about purchasing makeup online becuase you are worried that when it arrives it will make you look like Gina Gershon in Ugly Betty, fear not. Beauty.com has a pretty sweet return policy too.



I'm thinking of using this opportunity to try out some Kevyn Aucoin products, or finally picking up the Monyette products that I've never been able to find in person...



What have you been wanting to try but putting it off?

Old Faithful

I am not a person who typically finishes a whole lot of beauty products.

I am far too fickle in my tastes, and therefore, most products turn clumpy or develop an off smell long before I hit the bottom of the case. But every once in a while I see the silver lining at the bottom of the eyeshadow and remember how much I love a certain product.

And then I find out that it is no longer available.

Awesome.

The product in question is the Vincent Longo single eyeshadow in Baby Love. I picked it up after reading a column in Allure magazine like a thousand years ago by the late great Kevyn Aucoin.

It's a shimmery taupe color, with just a hint of mauve and a gold-ish sparkle. I can sweep it on and be ready for anything. Seriously, it makes me look polished, but not like I'm wearing too much makeup. Add a little eyeliner or layer on a darker shade and I'm ready for evening. It never creases, and it's hard for me to feel like I've put too much on.

It's like my eyeshadow soulmate. Who went out for cigarettes in the middle of the night and never came home.

For some reason, the Vincent Longo of Sephora no longer carries the single eyeshadows, even though the company's website still has it available for purchase. I have been extremely remiss in my visits to Barney's and the Longo counter, so I don't know if they still carry them or if I should call the company and snatch up as many as I can.

Vincent Longo does this to me quite frequently. I once had to call the headquarters and cry on the phone to get the rep to sell me a bottle of foundation when they pulled it for reformulation. Actually, Longo products are usually the ones I actually finish....

So, scouts! Help me out...have you see this eyeshadow? Should I call the company and turn on the waterworks? Is there some sort of legislation we could get passed about requiring a comment period before discontinuing a cosmetic product?

Singin' the Blues

Wow, there were so many cheesy and cliche titles I could have come up with for this post.

As previously mentioned about a gajillion times on my blog, I'm kind of a sucker for the Next Hot Thing.

My name is Capitol Hill Barbie, and I'm a trend whore.

All together now, "Hi Barbie."

Sometimes this pans out, other times, not so much. So when I recently hightailed it to Sephora to try out the latest rage, blue mascara, I was anticipating a minor disaster. More George Bush referring to the web as the "internets," less Britney exiting a car on a Saturday night.

I was surprised with the result that it looked kind of cool. I sampled Benefit BadGal Blue, which is apparently EXCLUSIVE to Sephora. I noticed that it made my eyes a little brighter and whiter. I layered it over the existing mascara, so the look was subtle, meaning that my fiance looked at me like I was an escapee from St. Elizabeth's when I asked him how it looks.

Whatever! He was wearing sandals with socks when I met him!

So I was pleasantly pleased with the results. However, I had a little sticker shock when I checked the price tag. So I scoured Sephora for some other options, and found that their house brand (which I've been hot and bothered about lately. seriously, it's like Wet n' Wild for the yippie set.) makes a few options like the Triple Action Mascara and the Mascara Fantastic Color for a much more reasonable cost.

While I liked the effects of the blue mascara, I considered carefully that it doesn't really fit into my (working in a ridonculously untrendy environment) lifestyle, and I passed it up. And then I think I bought my 30th pink lipgloss.

Hi, my name is Capitol Hill Barbie and I'm a lip gloss-a-holic.

Once more, and with feeling..."Hi, Barbie."

photo courtesy of sephora.com

Invasion of the Swedes!

I think I could really do pretty well in Sweden.



I'm blond, I'm pale, I have 85 Allen wrenches from Ikea, and I love Marimekko.

Love it.

So, when I was invited to the opening of the new Marimekko store in Silver Spring, I was so excited. Then I realized that I would be an indentured servant to my boss until the end of days.



But as luck would have it, fortune smiled upon me and I was able to go to the opening!



Let's just say I was a little embarrassed the next day as to amount of champagne consumed. Embarrased and reeling from a pounding headache.



However, I did get some insight before I went loopy.



Marimekko is an adorable label, which was trendy in the seventies, yet remains totally relevant today. The patterns are bright, sweet, and fresh. It could punch up the most boring Pottery Barn apartment. I actually have a wall hanging in the pattern on this handbag which certainly livens up my sandstone living space.




The store is bright and airy, and the best part is actually the baby clothes and the housewares. Seriously, if any of my friends move or pop out a kid, they are getting a present from here.



The stores are rapidly expanding, so there might be one coming to a corner near you. If not, check out the goods at Marimekko.com and then when one does open, you can tell everyone you already knew about it.



P.S. With the opening of Marimekko and the existing American Apparel (LOVE love LoVe American Apparel t-shirts), Silver Spring has become a hot destination. There's even a Cakelove. Actually... that's how you know it's over, huh?

UPDATE: Okkkaaayyy...I'm a moron. Officially. Marimekko hails from FINLAND, not Sweden. But that's ok! I like Finland a lot too! Mmmm, vodka. I apologize for my stupidity.

They tell me I write a blog?

Ok. I have not fallen off the face of the Earth (although during my prep session yesterday I wish I could have) but I have extraordinarily lax about keeping up my blog.

But the forecast is looking sunny, and I hope to fill you in on the few bright spots in my life lately...makeup and store openings!!

Coming up, on Capitol Hill Barbie:

• New stores! Coming to the US! Coming to DC! Cool stuff! How! Many! Exclamation! Points! Can! I! Use!?
• A review of some of the oldie but goodies that have gotten me through the tough times when I lived far from a Sephora or was chained to a 1000 page bill (yes, Farm Bill. I'm looking at you.)
• Some products that will help you pretend that you've seen the sun in the past three months.
• A primer for newbies to the DC life, politics, and all the fashion conundrums that accompany life on the Hill, in government, or anywhere bureaucracy, short sleeved suits, power and copious amounts of alcohol collide.

Smooth Sailing

Holy Hearing Hell.

That's basically all I have to say about what's been going on with my life. Well, that and scotch.

My schedule has actually gotten so bad that I have to get up at the ass-crack of dawn to get to the gym. Otherwise, my daily exercise will consist soley of running from office building to Starbucks at Federal Center SW to office building to Starbucks on Pennsylvania Avenue to office building. While that may sound like it burns a lot of calories, I more than make up for it in sugary milky caffeine tainted goodness.

So my daily routine now consists of waking up from dreams where I am forced to enter a hearing and tell the Chairman that I am going to take over the gavel and put the government on strike, getting to the gym and sleep-ellipticizing through a workout, showering and finally dashing out the door to get to work on time.

You'll notice that this leaves exactly zero time for hair styling. However, since the weather finally decided to act its season, I can face the elements without worry that I will end up with icicles for locks. But it certainly doesn't mean that my hair won't be frizzy, fluffy and all kinds of whacked out wavy.

Biolage smootherapie Smoothing Gel to the rescue! A tiny dab of this worked into the ends of my hair before I bolt from my apartment and by the time I get there I have smooth, shiny waves. No blow drying, no irons, no nothing. Which looks much better on C-SPAN in my dreams when I burst into a hearing room screaming "Stop the madness!!"

Whiteout

The white shirt is a classic piece in any woman's wardrobe. Button-ups (or downs, depending on where you grew up) are also a staple in a starched town like DC. But so many of them leave you wanting for something a little more out there, a little unique, and a little special.

One of my most favorite places for a shirt with a little zip is Anne Fontaine. I'm also a little mad for anything French. While the woman behind the label is actually Brazilian, the style is classic French. The entire store is nothing but black and white shirts in the coolest, chicest styles imagineable.

The problem is that most of them are way beyond my staffer's budget. Even when they are on sale. Let's face it, even if I sold my soul to the Devil, they would still be out of my price range.

But I love the idea of a crisp white shirt with a little bit of a twist. Which is why I was super excited when I heard that Gap was partnering with three up-and-coming designers to do limited edition white shirts.

Seriously, I ditched work 15 minutes early yesterday to hightail it to a Gap.

Each designer; Doo.Ri, Thakoon, and Rodarte; took a basic white shirt and put three different spins on it. This sounds so much like a Project Runway challenge. The results are awesome, and quite affordable.

I tried on all of them, and, while the Thakoon ones look great on the models and the hangers, they looked ridiculous on me. The puffed sleeves were just too silly, but I could see them looking better on someone taller and more broad shouldered. The Doo.Ri shirts were very cute, much more angular, but the real winners for me were the Rodarte shirts.

I've been a fan of Rodarte for a few seasons, especially their work with big fabric rosettes. I snagged all three of their shirts, a little sleeveless trapeze top with a pleated mock turtle, a dress in a similar shape with pockets in the front, and the tank top adorned with what look like farfalle pasta bows.

All in all, I really think it's nice for Gap to jump on the designer bandwagon and put out something more interesting than a ribbed tank top, but given their history with fashion-fowardness (cough...SJP and Lenny Kravitz...ahem...no one wears their Gap jeans with Louboutins...cough) it might not fly.

So, until I actually sell my soul (know any lobbying groups hiring?) and can afford Anne Fontaine, I certainly plan on wearing my shirts...just as soon as the sun decides to ever shine again...

Also, next up from the Target Go International line...Paco Rabanne designer Patrick Robinson. I loved his revival at Perry Ellis and am eager to see what he turns out for Target.

P.S. Mom, despite the way the shirts look, I SWEAR they are not maternity clothes.

10 Things I Hate

People who listen to their voicemail on speakerphone;

Men who have shoes that make more noise than mine when they walk;

That I can never seem to really clean my coffeemaker;

That the perfect pair of shoes on sale for next to nothing is always a full size too small;

People who can not figure out how to use their SmartCard properly;

Anyone who says "knock, knock" outside my office instead of actually just knocking;

Girls who think it's cute to wear dresses that barely covers their asses, get sloppy drunk, and dance around slamming into people, saying crude things and touching other people's boyfriends (yes, table full of drunk girls at Blue Gin last weekend, I mean you);

That the shadows in the NARS duos are not available individually;

People who ask and answer their own questions as a form of conversation;

That the storm of the century totally derailed my plans to spend a leisurely afternoon in the Barney's beauty department this weekend.

Jumbo Jet Liners

Eyeliners are awesome.

Okay, fine, I say this about just about every beauty product, but I really mean it this time!

Seriously though, they can define your eyes, enhance your lashes, wake up a look, and what other product, when applied with the hand of a third-grader with the shakes can be smudged and then called a look?

I'm not even going to try to say that I'm good at putting on eyeliner. But I've got Q-tips, and, contrary to what Paul McCartney says, that is all you need.

Lately I've been intrigued by brightly colored eyeliners. Since my "going out makeup" has recently look a whole lot like my "work makeup" and my "waking up having forgotten to take off my makeup because I was working on a briefing book last night makeup" I decided it was time to branch out.

While I wandered, weak and weary, through Sephora, nothing was really grabbing my eye and was about to give up and check out the Sephora brand nail polishes, when I noticed their Jumbo Eyeliner pencils. They come in a multitude of hot metallic shades and cost a jaw dropping five dollars.

No, really, I think my jaw dropped, which was unfortunate because I think I was inhaling a latte at the time. Those little cotton pads are not quite as good as Bounty for mopping up spills, let me tell you.

I picked up an emerald green and a dark violet pencil, both of which I have worn out on the town to great effect. Well...at least I felt more dressed up than when I go to work.

They aren't the softest of pencils, so I might recommending warming the tip with a hair dryer (ON LOW!!) for a second or rolling between your fingers to aid in application. But for trying out a color that you are not so sure of, this is the way to go.

Next up...I might try a blue mascara. I know! I know! I'm such a trend whore. I'm like the sucker kid in an afterschool special on peer pressure where Rachel Zoe is playing the pusher.

Also, a killer idea, DuWop has a pencil sharpener with an antibacterial blade! Yes! Cooties begone! No pink-eye for this girl.

photos courtesy of sephora.com

Ask CapHillBarbie: Cutting the Losses

That's right! After an absurdly long hiatus, here another edition of "Ask CapHillBarbie!" But this time I need all the locals in the house to pipe up to help out Delia who writes:

Being a Washingtonian for most of my life, I've borne witness to the trials and tribulations of the hairstyles of politicians, their wives, and other transplants while laughing to myself. The joke was thus: I already had a stylist. A stylist to end all other stylists. Colorist to color all others jealous. Then, three years ago, the joke was on me and he packed up and moved to Arizona under cover of night, and I have been lost ever since. Do you have any recommendations, or could you poll your beauty colleagues of DC to help me find one?

I totally understand the pain of losing a stylist. I used to trek up to NY for the most fabulous hair cuts until my stylist decided to pack it in and move to Iowa. Seriously? Iowa? What is going on here? Is there something in the corn there that makes people want to leave a place like New York? Can't we have it shipped? I mean, my strawberries probably come from Mars, what is so great about Iowa?

Wow, I was seriously bitter about that.

However, through lots of deep breathing, soul searching and alcohol, I have finally come to peace with it. I have fallen in love with my current stylist, Paul at Serenity Day Spa in Tenleytown. He gives a great cut, fantastic color and he's an awesome gossip. I have referred many a friend to him and no one has come away disappointed.

But I believe that there are many other talented stylists who have loyal clientele out there, so speak up! Help out a sister in need and let us know if you have a hair stylist who you can bear to part with, for even one open appointment...

question was heavily edited as I am a little punchy this early in the morning. And yes, I mean 10:30 a.m.

Cake Walk

I've honestly never really been a fan of cake. Love icing, just not the stuff underneath it.

I was always the weird kid at birthday parties who begged for the slice with the frosting rose, then ate all the icing and left soggy cake wedges behind and ran off in a sugar induced frenzy. While I'm a decent cook (with a kicking manicure, thanks Giada!) I've never been a good baker. And I really only got into the cupcake craze for the cute accessories and the high icing to cake ratio.

So I was totally psyched when I got a moisturizer that sounded like it was made from icing! Buttercream, from DuWop promised to be dessert for my body. Yum. Who isn't into that?

But when I smelled it I noticed it didn't quite smell like icing. It actually smells exactly like cake batter. Coffee cake batter, to be exact. Which is good, because my one big exception to the cake-hating rule is for a really good coffee cake.

The lotion goes on smoothly and sinks in really fast. While the smells lingers, it's not over powering, and given the cold snap, I only notice the smell occasionally and I don't have hungry co-workers following me around waiting to pounce.

Little known fact: government workers are vultures when it comes to cake, especially free cake. It turns into Shaun of the Dead around here when it's someone's birthday. Actually, that's probably pretty widely known.

So I'm soft and pretty, smell nice, and am safely protected from cake-eating zombies. The only problem is that I sometimes get a hankering for a slice of cake...

photo courtesy of duwop.com

Stop It! I'm Blushing!

I've never been one of those people who ever thought I would wear blush. I would turn fuschia when I got called on in law school classes, I have been asked by numerous spin teachers if I have a medical condition since I turn purple after 10 minutes on a bike, and I get sunburned by the light of the moon.

Well, let's just say that none of those looks are particularly attractive. So, in lieu of Mother Nature, I rely on that other goddess of the Earth, Sephora.

I have always stuck to powder blushes, namely NARS in Sin and Orgasm.

But lately, I have been drawn to alternative forms of blushing. I haven't discarded my beloved powders yet, but I'm certainly becoming a fan of something fast and dirty that I can apply with my fingers. Is that weird?

First up, I broke down after my Peter Som lip induced craze and bought the Lancome Magique Blushes in Pink Softness and Feminine Rose. The former is a hot pink, more suitable to going out on the town and deserves to be the center of attention on your face, but the latter is a pale pink with gold sparkles which plays well with others. The texture is kind of like chocolate mousse, it melts onto your fingers and can also be applied with a blush brush. However, sometimes it can be hard to control how much you pick up when you dip into the jar, leaving you open to drastic over-blushing.

Second, I had picked up a tube of Delux Beauty's Flush Stick on sale when Sephora was phasing it out. I was worried I would have to tell you that it was no longer available, but it seems to be all good on their own website. Which is nice, because it's one of my favorites. I wear Fuschia, which isn't nearly as bright as it sounds. It goes on sheerly and gives me a nice natural flush. Not like I sprinted to catch a Metro or anything, more like a brisk walk in the tunnels between House Office Buildings.

Third, the most recent option to enter my life is the DuWop Blush Therapy. It smells like aromatherapy and looks like a Push Pop. What's not to love? It comes in some great pretty shades and goes on lightly and blends easily. I've been using Elixir, which is an almost bricky red, which gives me a sunkissed look, but I've got my eye on Retreat, a soft berry color.

So...I hope I've inspired you to look beyond the compact and get all alterna on your blush's ass. I just wouldn't suggest walking around with your skirt tucked into your tights to acheive that oh-so-cute-aren't-I-embarrassed natural glow.

photos courtesy of lancome-usa.com, duwop.com, sephora.com and deluxbeauty.com

Happy Birthday to Me!!

HAPPY BLOG BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

Yup, that's right. One year ago today, my little baby blog was born.

Honestly, I'm kind of astounded that I have lasted this long, what with my gnat-like attention span, minor idiocy and ridonculous working schedule. Also, I'm still flabbergasted that anyone actually wants to read anything I write. But I have loved writing every post (by the way, this is also post number 150) and loved being able to try so many beauty products and learn so much from all of you.

Ok, I'm done being sappy...I think as a birthday present to myself, I might go pick up a new mascara, maybe even pre-order Tim Gunn's new book (seriously, I'm buying whatever he is selling) and kick back tonight with my mini bottle of Cava and celebrate.

Love you all!

photo courtesy of confetticakes.com

It's a Lash-Off!

About a week ago, while perusing my local CVS, I noticed a fire sale on mascaras. I instantly snagged a tube of the Cover Girl Volume Exact as I thoroughly enjoyed the tube of the Lash Exact that I reviewed last year, and the endless takes of the Top Model girls flubbing their lines.



But the more time I spent in the cosmetic aisle, the more I wanted a competitor. The new plastic porcupine applicators are all the rage, and I wanted to see if they were all the same. After checking out the Maybelline version (and seeing that it wasn't on sale) I picked up L'Oreal's Telescopic. Perhaps I was just intrigued by Penelope Cruz's accent.




And the Cosmetics Deathmatch was born.



First up, the Volume Exact. And let's just say I was unimpressed. Clumps, clumps, some smearing on my eyelid, and barely noticeable lashes. That sums up the experience. I threw it back in the makeup bag.



Next, the Telescopic. Better darkening, but again with the clumping! I ended up having like three big lashes. I looked like a knock-off anime character. But, it seemed better than the Volume Exact, so I kept using it.



A day or so later, my annoyance with the Telescopic reached a fever pitch. Much like my annoyance with Penelope Cruz's dismal acting in American movies. The mascara is so wet. Although I heard once that wetness is the essence of beauty. And clump-inducing. And difficult to wash off.



I reached again for the Volume Exact. This time, I was careful when applying so as not to smear and ended up with decent lashes. Not that voluminous, but I could actually tell that I had more than four lashes between my two eyes. As I continued to use the Volume Exact, I found that my lashes looked natural and pretty, but lacked something at night.



With that in mind, I tried out the Telescopic again. For the last time. I just don't like it. This time, my lashes were actually spiky, instead of soft and flexible.



And we have a winner! Kind-of.




I can't really recommend either, so I would advise everyone to keep moving, and pick a more traditional time-tested variety, like L'Oreal's Voluminous or Cover Girl's Lash Exact (for some reason better than the Volume Exact. Go figure.)


I'm still searching for a new mascara to love, so if you know of a good candidate, let me know! Also, has anyone tried the Maybelline version?

photos courtesy of walgreens.com and covergirl.com

Spring Has Not Yet Sprung: So Buy Cashmere!

While the weather enjoys its little schizoid episode down here, I find myself dreaming of spring days where the air is balmy, I actually feel like wearing shoes with soles as opposed to sneakers, and people suggest going out for drinks on a Tuesday just because.

Of course, even during these mythical spring days...I will need to stay fashionably warm, which is where Uniqlo comes in!

Uniqlo is a Japanese import which has alternately been called the H+M or the Gap of Japan. This past winter, they assaulted New York with a variety of pop up stores and massive flagship on Broadway in SoHo. They are known mostly for the candy store-esque variety of high quality cashmere and wool sweaters at totally reasonable prices. Seriously, walking into this store is amazing...just colorful sweaters stacked as far as the eye can see. I could hear the Oompa Loompas singing in the background (actually it was probably just Japanified emo).

I picked up an eggplant cashmere turtleneck and and pink merino sweater over New Years in New York and barely broke $100. I was also dying to pick up a pair of skinny jeans that I had tried on previously but hadn't been brave enough to buy at the time, but they were gone! Hell hath no fury like skinny jeans scorned, I guess.

Oh well, this spring Uniqlo is making like every other cheap and chic line (et tu, Target and H+M) and collaborating with a few well known designers for capsule collections.

First up is the line from cashmere designers Lutz & Patmos who are known for luxurious million ply sweaters emblazoned with skulls and pot leaves on them. The sweaters for Uniqlo appear DEA cleared, chunkier knits in mostly soft neutral colors with architechtual silhouettes. Yuh-mee. Check out more info about the sweaters at The Shophound and Elle.com for more photos.

The store is also carrying designs from two lesser known designers (at least on non-rising sun shores) Kino and HALB. From the picture I've seen of the Kino stuff (HALB is menswear), they look feminine, delicate and cool. Color me interested.

I'm headed up to the city this weekend and plan on doing more than a little damage at Uniqlo, but what I'm most excited about is the next wave of capsule collections, expected to hit shelves in mid-April. One of my absolute favorite designers, Philip Lim is helming one collection, while Alice Roi fronts the other. Check out more with pictures and drop dates for more collections at nitro:licious, who seems to have all the scoop.

In the meantime, I'm off to learn Japanese and try to send Uniqlo nasty messages about bringing back some shipments of skinny jeans and asking them why New Jersey seems fit for stores, but not our Nation's capital? I mean, Menlo Park? Seriously?

So, I've Got this Bridge...

I simply don't get it.

And by "it" I am referring of course to "smart makeup" or makeup which adapts to your unique skin tone and changes to match it perfectly. All the magazines and Sephora stores have been hyping one product in particular. That's right Smashbox's O-Glow, I'm talking about you.

Now, let me be frank here. I am a HUGE sucker for all things new, cool, in nice packaging, etc. But this really smacks of the Emperor's new clothes.

The Sephora web page touts "the first intuitive blush, this clear gel reacts with your personal skin chemistry to turn cheeks the exact color you blush, naturally in just seconds! O-GLOW works on every skin tone, from the lightest to the darkest, to give everyone a naturally gorgeous glow. "

Uhhhh...okaaay.

It's intuitive. Like a pyschic. Or a mood ring. Or maybe a clear fuschia blush gel???

But you don't have to take my word for it. Check out personal experiences from The Beauty Addict and The Non Blonde.

Also, I'm skeptical of anything with goji berries. I once saw a Law & Order: Criminal Intent where a serial killer ate them for energy. I'm just saying.

Oh, and Almay Smart Shade? This post applies to you too. You are totally on notice.

Don't Make Me Choose!

If I had to play Sophie's Choice with my beauty products, I think I would pick lip gloss.

My list of praises to sing is long: it's cute, it's fun, there are endless choices, and it wipes off easily.

But I could never choose just one lip gloss. NEVER. At my most recent count, I was carrying precisely six lip glosses around with me.

No yelling, Mom!

I actually like to wear different lip glosses during the day and my newest favored gloss (yes, "favored status," like a concubine) is the Balm Shelter from TheBalm. The cute names of the glosses make it easy to adapt each gloss to a personality or mood.

Right now, I'm digging on Girly Girl, a peachy shimmery gloss that feels very spring in light of the actually appearance of the sun and temperatures above Arctic levels. It translates well to a late afternoon briefing where I actually like the people in the room or when I went for my very first caffeine pick me up of the season without a scarf.

My next favorite of the bunch is Daddy's Little Girl, a sheer sparkly berry color. It looks like my mouth, but better. Perfect for those times I like to look polished but not wanting to attract too much attention (re: skeevy member on the loose) or simply want to be authoratative without everyone staring at the my mouth.

The neatest part about the glosses is that they smell exactly like Hubba Bubba bubble gum. It took me the longest time to figure out exactly what that scent was. Also, you can pick up a limited edition set of three glosses at Sephora and keep swapping glosses all day long!

What about you? Any preferences for lip glosses for certain times of day? Any good luck glosses that you wear before an interview, big presentation or date?

photo courtesy of sephora.com

Glory Days

There is something magically and frustratingly chic about Britain. Brits always seem to have a cool streetwise sense of beauty and fashion that simply doesn't transfer over to the US. Maybe it's a lingering sense of inferiority as a former colony, feeling related to a country yet not able to participate fully in their sense of patriotism.

Whatever. I'm a mutt of Eastern European immigrants who came over in 1900. I can't exactly cry "Don't tread on me" with much authenticity.

All the same, there is something about the stuff they have there that just seems better than it is here. Case in point...they totally stole the Bliss lady!!

Marcia Kilgore started Bliss spas in the 1990s and it quickly blossomed into THE spa to visit. Without all the fussy trappings of older spas, it appealed instantly to a younger set and the cheeky (like the witty british slang?) titles of spa treatments and products bolster the hip image.

While Bliss took off, offering a fab catalogue with tons of products and opening spas all over the country, Marcia Kilgore faded into the background of the brand. But recently I read an article about how she was thriving in London and creating a new line of beauty products called Soap & Glory.

Designed to look like tabloid headlines, the names of the products are a riot (i.e. Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss, The Righteous Butter Lotion, and Clean On Me Shower Gel) and it comes in the hottest pink packaging. I got those "new beauty product jitters" for about three seconds until I read that the line would be offered exclusively at Harvey Nichols and Boots stores in the UK and Ireland.

Bollocks.

On my weekly stroll around Georgetown today, I nearly spewed my double tall skim latte all over the Barney's Co-Op. And those salespeople would have been royally pissed about that, major sticks you-know-where on those people. There were those sleek pink tubes! Soap & Glory! In the US of A!

I thought the best thing about the products, besides the hot-ass packaging, was the light scents. I took some big heady whiffs and none of the products made me gag. Sweet. Also, the hand cream was excellent. Perhaps not as intensive as my normal Kiehl's, but it dried completely on contact without any greasiness. Seriously, my next stop was Barnes and Noble and I was able to hold the door open for someone else!

According to the website, Soap & Glory is only being offered in Barney's Co-Op stores here in the States. But check out the merch on the Boots.com website and drool over all the other stuff we can't get over here.

photo courtesy of boots.com.

And yes, I chose a Springsteen title for a reason.

Dedicated Efforts

Recently, I heard that a friend of a friend had taken my advice and bought herself a tin of Smith's Rosebud Salve. I happen to love this product and use it much like Nia Vardalos's family uses Windex in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. However, my friend did not love them smell.



I believe the phase was "granny-smelling."



I understand.



I was at first a bit offput by the smell, but it inured itself to me the more I used it. However, I fully support ditching a product due to smell. Hell, I've ditched jobs for the same reason. Luckily, I have come up with some other options:






First, Smith's makes a Minted Rose Lip Balm. This came out around Christmastime and was prominently displayed at all Sephora checkout counters. Some people raved, but personally, I felt it smelled kind of like your grandmother's purse. You know, her perfume mixed with those old clear mints you find near the hostess station at Italian restaurants that were in there so long that they got crushed up at the bottom? Yeah, like putting your head in there and taking a deep breath.



Not for me.




Second, Smith's also makes a Strawberry Lip Balm. This tin has a different look to it, not quite as old school, but it has its charms. The smell is rather nice, very fruity, and not at all grandmother-y. Actually, I used to have a doll that smelled just like this.




Third, is not a Smith's product at all. My lip balm of choice before the Rosebud Salve was Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm. It comes in a handy stick (sometimes the germaphobe in me gets a little grossed out by sticking my fingers in the Salve), has a smooth matte waxy feel, and has the most intense peppermint scent. I used to keep it out for exams and apply whenever I was feeling a little woozy. Perked me right up. I'm actually convinced it help me pass the bar exam.



Well, that, and the constant crying jags, the 4000 practice questions and abject terror as a motivation tool.

Also, as an aside, I want to give a big congrats to the friend in this post and to anyone else who matched today!!

photos courtesy of sephora.com and burtsbees.com

Heebie Jeebies Begone!

I don't know about you, but pedicures can really freak me out sometimes. Once, my mom and I watched a Dateline episode detailing how this mother and daughter contracted some hideous incurable disease in their legs from a dirty nail place. We shrieked at each other for about an hour afterwards. So, whenever I see those pedicure chairs with the swirling foot baths, I get a case of the creepy crawlies like no other. Seriously, if I didn't have to operate heavy machinery to get to the salon, a Xanax might be a prepampering necessity.


Most of the time, I try to chose my place carefully, watch for reused instruments, and try to calm my racing heart with Lamaze breathing and wishful visualization of a fictitious autoclave in the back of the salon.


But I think I found a solution!

Last week during the F4 tornado that was my week getting ready to go to my friend's wedding (insert Wicked Witch of the West music here), I made a last minute appointment at the Red Door Salon in Chevy Chase for a mani/pedi. After some mix-up whereby a facialist thought she would have to perform a pedicure (a thought which blanched her with terror) I sat down to what may have been the most sanitary and nicest pedicure ever.



While the salon did have the chairs, my pedicurist brought over a stainless steel bowl (stainless! it can go in an autoclave! or at least the dishwasher) filled with warm water and small pebbles. She proceeded to use all new instruments and files which had stick-on filing surfaces. They were brand new! The woman even wore gloves. I was in germaphobe heaven.



The manicure was equally antiseptic and efficient. I also watched my manicurist use a technique I've never seen before. To clean up the area around the nail, she swiped carefully around the nail bed with a paintbrush dipped in nail polish remover. It worked brilliantly!



My only complaints? The price is a little steeper than my regular place, but for a pedicure that clean and stress free, I could be willing to shell out. Also, the selection of polish colors was not my favorite. They only carry their own line, so if you want your favorite, BYO. Then there was the tickling factor...but that is really my problem, not theirs....

Yogasmic!

I can barely contain myself. One of my favorite stores is opening in DC!

That's right....Lululemon Athletica is finally opening a little outpost right near me...and a bigger store is on the way!

Seriously, there is nothing like cute clothes to make me want to exercise.

For those of you who haven't had the fabulous opportunity to check out a Lululemon yet, let me just say....do it! A Canadian company, I discovered Lululemon while visiting Toronto a few years back. They make the sweetest yoga clothes that can take you from yoga to brunch to shopping to errands and back again. They have a wide selection of sports bras for every level of chestiness, pants to flatter every bottom and colors to make even the couchiest potato fashionista drool...

I have patiently planned every trip to LA to include a stop off at the Santa Monica store (opened years ago, damned healthy earthy crunchy Californians!), and begged my mother to stuff my stocking with their clothes this year (New York got their store this past November!). But no longer!

Another great thing about Lululemon? They do extensive outreach in the community to promote yoga, which means free classes, demonstrations and just general happiness. Hop on the mailing list asap and peruse the website to plan your spring yoga wardrobe!

And we have a winner!

Okay, I had reviewed all comments on the nail polish issue and have made my decision.



Arguments were made that the neutral look was classic and would not end up looking dated in 15 years, like a teal taffeta pouf skirt, that a neutral tone was more appropriate for a wedding, and that a light shade of pink would mesh seamlessly with the chocolate brown of the bridesmaid dress.



There were also a few who suggested a deeper shade of pink (excellent suggestion, I'm thinking maybe Essie Fiji?) Those who suggested a french manicure (normally, I love all things Gallic, but I must admit my deep burning hatred for the French manicure.) There was also one person who wanted to know if I had asked the bride (I did.)



However, on the Go Vamp! side, commenters told me to do what I wanted, that this was chic and stylish. There were also alternatives suggested, like a brown shade to match the gown. Plus, the bride did tell me to do what I wanted...



However, the vast majority of the votes were for the neutral/pinky tone. And while I fully believe in protection from tyranny of the majority (can I get a shout-out for James Madison?) I think neutral is the way to go.




Right now, I'm leaning towards Lippman's Sarah Smile...but feel free to post your favorite Essie or OPI pinky pale shade here!



Thanks for all the advice...and if anyone knows of a great nail salon in Austin, I'm all ears!