Shoes, Glorious Shoes!

I have a teensy weensy confession to make.

I've never actually been in a Payless Shoe store.

Maybe there are others out there too, but a girl in my office looked at me like I had three heads when I told her this. Seriously, three heads. And maybe as if I had acne on them too.

Honestly, I've always been a shoe snob. I walk a lot, I don't want disposable shoes, and frankly, I just plain like expensive shoes.

But when I heard Lela Rose did a collection for Payless, I began reconsidering my boycott. So yesterday, I mustered up all my energy and headed out to Wheaton, Maryland, to find these shoes.

WHEATON, Y'ALL.

As I've said before, as a full blown east coast girl, things have to be dire for me to use the word "y'all." So, you know I'm serious here.

I was hoping that my tackling a far away store I might be able to snag a pair of the T-strap pumps from the collection, but alas, that was not to be.

I don't actually think they exist. They were a myth, like the Loch Ness Monster or a compassionate conservative.

But I did try on the other shoes from her collection. I really liked, and actually purchased, the Finsbury pump in black and the Chancery peep toe in red. They were surprisingly comfortable.

Ah, ha ha ha. Soon you will be on my feet my pretties!

What were not comfortable were the Addle Hill flats. Ugh! I pitied the modeles who had to wear these for the collection.



But all in all, I think I'm most excited about the Finsbury pumps. They play into the menswear, buttoned up theme for fall and will certainly be worn around work as soon as the weather turns crisp. I'll wear them with pants for a little masculin-feminin action, and with pencil skirts and stockings for a sexy-librarian chic vibe.



And they cost less than my weekly latte-habit. And less than the amount of gas I probably used getting to Wheaton. Oh well, maybe they weren't such a good deal after all...

photos courtesy of payless.com

Oblivious to the World

Oh, wow, sorry...hi.

I've been totally out of the blogging loop because I have been deeply engrossed in my gadget selection of the year.

Yes, I get to buy a new cell phone! The Q is so cute! And I could keep in touch with my friends, instead of being forced to plod along with my government issued Blackberry, not emailing anyone fun for fear that someone subpoena my emails and then will haul me before Congress and make me testify as to why I made fun of Chris Dodd's eyebrows.

But the new iPods are on the way!

Crap, so many decisions. This is why I own three billion lip glosses.

Anyhoo, there has been big news in the world of bargain fashion!

First up, Lela Rose for Payless has debuted.

I'm not usually a fan of bargain shoes, but I am a HUGE fan of Lela Rose. (Loved loved loved her wedding dresses.) The pictures below look adorable, but I don't know how good they look in real life. Also, the T-strap pump is the one that everyone is all hot and bothered about and it's already sold out! What the F?

On deck is the Simply Vera by Vera Wang collection for Kohl's.

While this line was eagerly anticipated (well, at least by me) the response from Winona at Daddy Likey , who checked it out early, makes it sound pretty craptacular. How disappointing. (I also didn't like her wedding dresses.)

Ok, so, batting cleanup in this festival of low priced surprises is the Alice Temperley line for Target! Definitely a line for fall. With all the greys and blacks, it's just about perfect for all those upcoming funerals and sitting shiva that I've got planned.

Just kidding! I know that grey is the new black and that black is the new grey. I mean, duh, I invested all my spare time this summer reading about fall clothes in the air conditioning while it was a 100 degrees outside.

Ahhh, so now, if I could only bring myself to try on some fall clothes...

Nevermind...I'm going to go read some more articles about which iPod is actually worth $400.

photos courtesy of nitrolicious.com

I'll Never Go Hungry Again (in Georgetown)

So yesterday I celebrated my last day of freedom...errr...recess, with a quick spin around Georgetown.

Mind you, this was simply a scoping mission as the 85 degree weather puts a little damper on my eagerness to try on wool and faux fur. Look, they can AC the tar out of the place until I can see my breath, but sorry...not trying on long sleeves just yet.

I did get over to the currently-under-renovation Sephora, where they have kindly moved the makeup to the lower floor, thereby eliminating my last excuse to not browse any time I'm in the 'hood (Sometimes, even a short flight of stairs is an Everest I'm not willing to climb for the sake of makeup. Yes, I am truly that lazy.)

My favorite find of the day was the Vincent Longo Eyeshadow Trio in Biscotti. The single pot contains easily wearable colors, for both day and night, and they have great shimmer. I really like the idea of getting three shadows in one little jar...I feel as though it will help me pare down my makeup bag (Insert snort of derision here).

I also discovered that Le Pain Quotidien is opening on M Street next Saturday! For those of you who haven't been privy to the carbo-holic wonders of this Belgian chain, you owe it to yourself to check it out. Fantastic breads, yummy tartine sandwiches, lattes served in bowls the size of my head, and a praline spread that I would sell my unborn children for.

A staple for refueling on New York shopping excursions (they are convienently located near my favorite shopping haunts), I"m delighted that they have opened in Georgetown because (a) it's so close to my house! and (b) because I swear to God if I had to endure one more veggie cobb salad at J. Paul's I might scream.

Now, if only I could do something about the dearth of cheeky cupcake spots and frozen yogurt...

photos courtesy of sephora.com

Tumbleweeds

Just a little something to get you through the last day of August...

New York Magazine has an online article about the top five runway falls!

because who doesn't like watching a supernaturally thin unbelievably tall woman take a tumble?

It also proves that if they can't walk in these shoes...no one can.

And, yes, it makes me feel better watching Jessica Stam fall knowing that I didn't actually plunk down for those Chloe shoes that looked so awesome on the runway.

Also...get psyched for Fall Fashion week...

The rest of September is guaranteed to suck.

photo courtesy of nymag.com

Wait a Minute Mr. Postman

I think my mailman is mad at me.

I have yet to receive my September Vogue and Elle magazines.

Maybe they gave him a hernia?

Line 'Em Up

Keeping with my "scrimp versus spend" mentality right now, I have to confess that another area where I'm not inclined to break the piggy bank is when it comes to eyeliner.





The reason?





Well, it's really three fold:





1. I rarely use it. Mostly because I'm just plain lazy.





2. I get off on the idea of being able to be frugal and multipurpose my eyeshadows.





3. Ummm, because pound for pound, I'm not using as much of it as I do, say, foundation.





It's all a numbers game.





However, I do enjoy a good liner just as much as the next gal. I love my Bobbi Brown Gel Liner because it stays on for about three days, therefore allievating aforementioned concern number 1. I also like amping it up for a Saturday night by breaking out my teal eyeliner, prompting many a man to ask, while squinting at my face, "Is that like, green? On your eyelids? Are you feeling ok?"





So let's just say I'm not going to plunk down the big bucks for that reaction.





So, one solution I've found particularly useful are the Brightening Eye Liners from e.l.f. Cosmetics. They go on smoothly, come with their own sharpener and come in a variety of wearable shades.

And they cost one smackaroo.

You can't even get a lead coated toy for that price.

I'm particularly enamored with the Plum shade for fall (I am so planning on rocking an all purple wardrobe this season. It'll be like Prince is testifying on the Hill everyday.) and the technique of lining the underside of the lash line is pure genius.

Other faves include Coffee and Midnight.

What else are you doing with that dollar? Except waiting for the light to go on at Millie and Al's?

Yes, I have a sick obsession with a bar where you can buy dollar Jello shots. Don't ask why, because I really don't know.

photo courtesy of eyeslipsface.com

Fiscal Matters

Today Meghan over at Faking Good Breeding posed the question, "Are fashion and beauty blogs contributing to overspending?" She then goes on to discuss the trend of higher prices for luxury items in stores and the blogs that make a pricey bag seem like a food/shelter necessity which can make the average girl go a little luxe-crazy. Even when her lust exceeds her means.

I think Meghan makes some excellent points, and I started to think out the products I feature.

First, I would like to say that most of the people I know work for the government or are similarly enslaved to a price fixed salary system by which they make just enough to live in DC, not look like a slob at work, and afford a weekly binge drinking session at whatever dive bar is happening at the time (somehow last week was Millie and Al's?)

Second, I would say that, while I love drooling over the pages of Vogue and fantasizing about a life where dollar Jello shots are not a way of life, I certainly splurge a lot when it comes to beauty and fashion.

So, in honor of the upcoming end of the fiscal year, I present some tenets of my personal budget balancing philosophy, and how I choose products for my blog so as not to drive you all to the poorhouse.

Try before you buy. I think this is essential. Not only could you have some horrific allergic reaction to things, it could look just plain awful. I wholeheartedly endorse companies that are liberal with the free samples (hence the multiple references to Kiehl's products in my blog) and I am never shy about asking for a tester to take with me.

Know what's important. Don't ever scrimp on stuff like sunscreen. You may think you are being frugal by saving money by applying teensy amounts of sunscreen and splurging on Creme de la Mer, but the joke will be on you when you have spend all that money on reconstructive surgery after they take out that melanoma and half your head.

Also know what is important to you. I love lip gloss. Love it. And I like expensive ones. And I'm willing to cheap it out a lot of other things to get the fancy lip gloss.

Buy drugstore mascara. I know people rave about DiorShow. I love bloggers who swoon over Lancome. But honestly, the best way to save money is to spend less on the thing you are (hopefully) throwing away every three months. However, refer to the aforementioned rule if mascaras make you weak in the knees with lust and maybe use Chapstick instead of Chanel on your mouth.

Body wash. Honestly? It's soap. I don't fuss around here. There are some sick ass generic moisturizing washes that are just as nice as the expensive stuff. It just doesn't look as pretty in your shower.

Shampoo and conditioner. Ditto. Pantene is God's gift to my head.

Forever 21. When it comes to clothes, I swear to all that is holy, I get more compliments on the stuff I bought here than anything I picked up at Barney's.

Lastly, I would like it to be known that I do actually buy and use many of the products on my blog (which might explain the lack of posting lately). I try to keep in mind that not everyone has access to a Sephora, 24 hour drugstores, and relatives who know me well enough to give beauty gift certificates at every possible holiday (well, Starbucks too) and promote products accordingly.

So...let me know...do you carry a Balenciaga bag and wear Payless shoes? Use Wet n Wild exclusively on your face but get weekly manicures? What is your biggest beauty or fashion splurge and where do you pinch your pennies?

Left Out

It was a big beauty weekend. Just not for me.



I spent the past weekend up in New York with my family, mainly to pick out a wedding dress. But I had a hidden agenda...



I was planning on heading directly to Barney's, do not pass go, do not stop to pick up Pinkberry, and spending the gift card that has been burning an enormous hole in my pocket since I received it in DECEMBER.



So I dragged my mother and sister and found, to my shock and dismay, that they loaded up on goodies while I left the Empire State with nothing! Nothing!



At the Bobbi Brown counter, the salesman loaded up their eyes with the Longwear Gel Eyeliner in Espresso. My sister took to the stuff like white on rice, due to the interesting technique of the makeup artist of feathering the liner underneath her lashes instead of on top.




They also both tried out the Corrector, which works with concealer to even out dark circles and liked it. I think my sister even wheedled her way into a compact powder ("It gets so hot in the subway! I need something to keep shine at bay." Seriously, hostage negotiators have nothing on my sister.)





While they left, bags in tow, I watched enviously as my sister played with the shiny new boxes and laughed while my mother squirmed and rubbed her eyes (she hates eye makeup. I swear that my sister and I were adopted).



But I left empty handed.



ME!!!



Something is wrong with this world when I can go to a beauty floor like Barney's with money that isn't even mine, and not find a single thing to buy.



I'll blame it on the August blues (sick of summer, not ready for fall) but next time I'm up there, I swear...things will be charged.



I did get a wedding dress though...

photos courtesy of bobbibrown.com

Do as I say, not as I do

This weekend I got a pretty nasty sunburn.

For those of you know know me, I'm whiter than the whitest white available from Benjamin Moore, and it doesn't take a whole lot to turn me the color of a stop sign.

Oh, and also, it in that super sweet farmer's tan look that is all the rage now. Yay for me.

So, for all future excursions into the outdoor environment when I'm not wearing head to toe clothing, I'm picking up vast quantities of Kiehl's new UV protective Suncare Sunscreen Cream.

It contains a combination of Parsol 1789 and the newest sunscreen ingredient Mexoryl, which is also found in the famed European version of La Roche Posay and was recently approved by FDA. It helps stop the agin effects of sun damage and something like eight out of ten dermatologists recommend it.*

The other two were too busy performing liposuction because it reimburses better.*

They have one for face and body and they will work together like He-Man and She-Ra, Princess of Power, to fight the next impending sun burn so hopefully I won't end up looking like Warren Christopher in three to five years.

*all statistics totally fabricated.

photos courtesy of kiehls.com

Just Clean, Healthy Living...

After the deluge of work that has been the hallmark of the past few weeks of my life, I have finally woken up with a new sense of purpose.

To clean myself up.

No, seriously, I need like a Swiffer for my soul.

So, I plan to devote some of my (hopefully increased frequency) posts to sort of a detox plan which I'm sure will head to crap the minute Congress resumes after Labor Day.

No worries, why clean anything unless you can muck it up again?

I've been spending a ton of time on this Self Magazine blog called "Eat Like Me" It's written by a nutritionist who blogs about everything she eats during the day. She is insanely healthy, of course, but it's fascinating in a slightly voyeuristic way.

Every day I think, how awesome would it be if she downed a HUGE slice of chocolate cake. I'm so twisted. It's why I work in government.

It also has given me tons of ideas for healthy lunch options, snacks and breakfasts which will hopefully counteract the eight tons of crap I've snarfed down while working non-stop during July. Not to mention all the "reward" snacks for making it through yet another hellish day. Oh, and let's not forget the distillery I've certainly been a boon to in Ireland.

So, I'll do a cheers to hoping that healthy eating will go one step farther to clearing up that sallow tinge to my complexion and those Tumi sized bags under my eyes.

And let me know what you think of her blog...

Everyday Idiocy

Poor poor Giada.

I'm going to say it again.

Poor, poor Giada.

I've always had a sort of soft spot for Giada De Laurentiis in that sort of "Look! A pretty woman who is a decent cook! And she (allegedly) eats! And her nails are so pretty!" way. I have a few cookbooks, I'll watch her show, especially when it involves recipes with Nutella, my post about her nail polish is far and away the most popular thing I have ever written.

But lately, I think she is making some bad bad choices.

Most upsetting to me personally, was her trip to DC on her travel show where it seemed like everyone in her crew had dropped acid and then wrote the script. A detailed list of her offenses was catalogued in the Washington Post's Reliable Source.

Most offensive: Georgetown is NOT outside of DC, you loser!

Most hysterical: The thought of Giada actually in Adams Morgan on a weekend night.

As one of my friends stated so succinctly, "You'd think she'd have room for some facts in that giant head of hers."


More recently, I noticed a thread on Chowhound dissecting her most recent exploit. Namely, the "Women We Love" section of Esquire magazine.









Yechhhh.






Look at the melon on her!

If we were on America's Next Top Model, this girl would be packing her bags and leaving the house tonight.

Ok, I get it. She's supposed to look edgy and sexy, yet in homage to her Italian food persona in sort of a Sophia Loren way. My problem is mostly that she looks insanely awkward, insanely retouched, and, well, insane.

Honestly, I think I'm just still scarred from the whole Rachael-Ray-in-FHM spread that still haunts my dreams.

But I do love the shoes...

Oh, and her chicken saltimboca.

photos courtesy of esquire.com

An Open Letter to That Girl on the Bus Yesterday

Dear Unknown Chick on the Bus Yesterday:

I know you don't know me and I don't know you, but I wanted to let you know that certain things are simply not acceptable in a polite society when you are above the age of fifteen. One of those things is walking around on a Monday with a neck so full of hickeys that it looks as though you were attacked by a vacuum cleaner.

Now, I know that you may having been living it up on Saturday at Town Hall, The Deck, Smith Point (for old times sake) or wherever else the Late Night Shots crew has decided to grace with their presence. And I know that perhaps that last sour apple martini may have clouded your judgment enough that you hooked up with that guy wearing Topsiders and the pink polo.

And that's all well and good.

Kudos!

But here's the deal. It is no longer okay to make a half hearted attempt at covering up the hematomas of early Sunday morning with a popped collar.

So, unless you have a clotting disorder or something (and even if you do!), heed my advice....get thee to some concealer!

Seriously. I heartily recommend investing in some Dermablend if you are ever planning on hooking up with Mr. Hoover Mouth ever again. But honestly, just go with what you've got in the house! Spackle it on. At least it will look like you made an effort.

Okay, so anyways, I liked your bracelet watch, but do something about the neck. Unless, of course, I have this all wrong and you have some sort of cancer or something. In which case, I apologize and take back everything I just said. Get well soon!

Peace out.

Caphillbarbie.

Feel Free to Ogle the Lawmakers

The Hill has released the annual 50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill Issue!!

Wow, sometimes I think my standards for "news" are super low...

If you are on the Hill, or just wandering around the Hill aimlessly as a tourist (someone at the corner of Independence and New Jersey Aves yesterday asked me, "where is the Capitol?" I refrained from laughing at her openly as she seemed sufficiently sheepish when I pointed at the huge white dome right in front of her) pick up a copy!

Or, if you are stuck at your desk until hell freezes over check it out online at the link above.

logo courtesy of thehill.com

Sheer Insanity

In the weeks before the blitzkreig that has been my job lately, I was sampling lipsticks.

Not just any lipsticks. Sheer lipsticks.

I have a certain phobia about putting a heavy matte color from a tube on my mouth. I blame my mother and the time she dressed me up as a clown for Halloween.

It's probably not the reason, but it could be!

For that reason, I've always gravitated towards glosses. Their sheer sparklyness just fit my expectations of what my lips should look like.

But there are downsides, namely: the stickiness, the constant need for reapplication, the fact that my boyfriend refuses to kiss me when I wear it, you know, the usual. But the alternative was too much to bear.

So in recent months, I have noticed a proliferation of sheer lipsticks that seem like the answers to my prayers. Sheer, lightweight, color with some sparkle that goes on with the elegance of a lipstick without the spine tingling fear that usually accompanies it.

Here are a few of my favorites in the category:

Vincent Longo Baby Balm - it's called Baby Balm! How cute is that? And it has SPF...

Clinique Almost Lipstick - the Black Honey color is a true classic, and looks good on everyone. While that is rarely true, it's dead on here.

NARS Sheer Lipstick -not all of them are sheer, but the ones that are are fantastic. I love Dolce Vita and Roman Holiday which gives a beautiful baby pink mouth WITHOUT the chalky-ness of the Proenza Pink.

Laura Mercier Lip Stain - Ok, this one isn't in a stick, but the colors are cool and elegant looking, and that makes up for it.

I'm thinking about buying myself a new color for fall as a present once recess starts, but I'm definitely going to save the glosses for girl's nights out, that way, it will have worn off before I ask for a goodnight kiss.

photos courtesy of lauramercier.com and sephora.com

Necessary and Proper

My beauty necessities to get through the next few weeks before recess...

Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Treatment

Jameson Irish Whiskey

Is that wrong?

photos courtesy of drugstore.com and winebeers.com

A First Time for Everything

Yesterday, I bought my very first piece of a Target capsule line!

Yay for me!

While I dutifully have checked out almost all of the GO International lines, and even tried on a few items, nothing has grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me around, and screamed "Buy Me!!"

Until I was in the tomato red dressing room in Rockville slipping on a pair of Libertine navy blue shorts with embroidered skulls and whales on them.

First of all, I don't really look great in shorts. But I love the concept and the look on others, therefore I try them on in stores all over the world, look terrible and get depressed. Much ice cream eating and self flagellation shortly ensures.

Second of all, I usually don't like what J. Crew affectionately calls "critter shorts." I leave them to interns and pages from New England liberal arts colleges who think they are appropriate for casual Fridays (they aren't!).

But these were so different...they looked good! And the "critters" were slightly subversive, the skulls tempering the sugary sweet whales (Ha ha! Listen to my mad Top Chef skillz!)

Totally high off of my victory over shorts-dom, I kept on wandering and stumbled on the Devi Kroell accessories collection. While I've been drooling over her snakeskin bags at Barney's since they showed up (note to all, the salespeople at Barney's do not look fondly on plebians drooling on expensive handbags. Actually, they would probably prefer that you not engage in any bodily functions in the store, like sneezing, coughing, or breathing) but it would take me selling an egg or a kidney or some other organ to be able to afford one.

Unfortunately, the bigger bags in the collection were not great looking. But there was one pochette left in the dark grey and I snapped it up. In the smaller size, the metallic faux skin looks great, but it doesn't translate to the ginormous big bag.

So...I considered this a successful afternoon. In fact, no ice cream or whip necessary!

photos courtesy of target.com

Tis the Season

Everywhere I look lately, I see pregnant women! Seriously, it looks like it was a very busy winter in Washington!

And while motherhood is wonderful, blah blah blah, I cannot imagine being stuck in this insane heat carrying a whole extra person, nevermind the increased blood volume, the 1 lb placenta, amniotic fluid, etc. (I had a friend who would break out her weight gain during pregnancy just about every week. The numbers stuck.)

So, I would like to give a big shoutout to all the mommies-soon-to-be and wanted to compliment one in particular that I saw on the elevator.

While this woman looked as though she was about to burst forth with a wee one between floors two and three, she also looked cool, calm, and comfortable in her blue madras tank dress and chic flat gladiator sandals.

Kudos to you, mystery chic pregnant woman! I hope you give birth soon...at least the hospital will be super air conditioned.

Lessons Learned

I'd say that June was kind of an odd month for me. Due to a kidney stone "the size of an M&M" (I think I asked the doctor, plain or peanut?) I spent a lot of time on my couch watching tv.

Well, June is apparently bride month on TV. Especially the Style Network.

So I've pretty much watched every episode of Whose Wedding is it Anyways ever created. As I'm someone who generally thinks of the Big Day as that Tuesday in November, it was quite informative. And I learned some valuable lessons for planning my own wedding.

• If anyone uses the words "princess," "diva," or "bling" in my presence, I will shoot first and ask questions later.
• I don't care who considers this a tradition, there is no way my fiance is sticking his hands up my dress in front of 180 people
• Color coordinated tie backs make me gag.
• The "theme" of my wedding will be "I'm getting married"
• Fondant. Yecch.

On the slightly less misanthropic side of things, here are some other details I gleaned:

• Every girl looks beautiful when she pops out in her wedding dress, and her mother will cry.
• The tasting is clearly the most fun part of the entire planning process, if only because it will be the only thing my fiance gets excited about.
• Lighting is KEY. Apparently. Everyone tells me this.
• Mani-pedi is a necessity so at least I'll be forced to make time in my schedule before the Big Day.
• Wait a second, people give you gifts? Awesome.

For those of you who've done this before (or several times before, I don't judge!) let me in on a key secret to a successful wedding plan. Besides first getting lithotripsy and hoarding the Vicodin.

P.S. Also totally excited by niche beauty market like this Bridal Palette from Bobbi Brown....

Nice & Easy

This weekend I did something I almost never do.

What, you ask? Sleep til 11? Pretend to clean my apartment and end up watching TV and reading magazines? Drink white wine in place of dinner? Nope, I do that stuff all the time!

I returned a beauty product.

Insert gasps of shock and awe here.

Typically, when I don't love a beauty product, I sort of suck it up and move on, or try to find another home for it with a friend or loved one. Somewhere where it will have lots of room to run around and play. Or, I leave it languishing underneath my sink until I move and throw everything away in a fit.

But not this time. This time, I was mad.

I saw an article about Bumble and Bumble's Curl Conscious Curl Creme in the July issue of Washingtonian magazine and got all hot and bothered about it. It seemed so effortless to make easy frizz free waves! But this is also the magazine that devoted an entire issue to how rich Washingtonians are without a single mention of how the other half (actually, a lot of DC) struggles to make ends meet.

So, the Curl Creme sort of made me look like that time I accidentally washed my hair with hand lotion instead of shampoo. I think I'll just stick to trusting their restaurant reviews from now on.

So, I returned the offending hair product and coughed up a little extra to trade up to the Laura Mercier Metallic Creme Eye Colour (yes, British spelling. I can't get Blogger to make the accent grave in "creme" though.) I originally had my heart set on Mercury, a silvery purple, but they were out of it, so I picked Titanium, a grey-purple, instead.

I've been pretty pleased so far. The creme goes on easily and blends really well, leaving a light veil of shimmery color that doesn't crease or smudge. With a little extra layer or a swipe of my purple crayon-esque Sephora liner, it morphs into a fast evening look, which will make it tops on my list for travel and for those days when you have to go all day to different events and can only carry one small purse. (seriously, they should have a beauty Olympics. that kind of day would be like the biathalon, a.k.a. the awesomest event EVER)

So, I guess the moral of my story is, if at first you believe the lousy beauty advice of a magazine and buy a dud, return it and try, try again!

photo courtesy of lauramercier.com

Paradise Found

I've been thinking a lot about traveling to some tropical places. Like those hotels in Indonesia where you have your own bungalow or jetting off to Aruba. Places where you never change out of a bathing suit and you eat fresh fruit for like a week.

Riiiight. I watch way too much Travel Channel.

I burn under the moonlight, so scratch the frolicking in the sun is out. I actually don't even own a bathing suit that isn't from 1993. And I practically have scurvy from the mistaken belief that I can get all my daily vitamins from ingesting 3 double tall skim lattes a day.

Sometimes I supplement with peanut M&Ms!

So, maybe my island getaway vacation is pure fantasy, but I recently re-discovered a product that makes it feel like I've jetted to paradise.

After a long bike ride on Saturday during an absolutely gorgeous morning, I was inspired to, you know, look good that day. Actual effort here, people! Be proud of me.

I dug around in my scads of bottles on the bathroom sink (oh, fiance's foot has been firmly placed down. get rid of some of the stuff on the counter, or else!) and came up with my long lost sample of the NARS Monoi Body Glow II.

I wrote about this before, but this is a body oil that smells like you've died and gone to heaven. An island paradise where no one ever sunburns type of heaven. I slathered myself with the oil, hoping it hadn't gone rancid in the year it languished on my shelf.

Two minutes later, my fiance showed up to see if I was making any progress on the getting dressed so we could get on with the eating of brunch.

(oh, also, for all the DCites in the house, the ONLY time to go to Two Amys is lunch on the weekends. Heed my advice or be cast down into Dante's lost tenth circle of hell where you will be forced to wait two hours for a table while being shoved by waiting pseudohipsters threatening to spill wine on you, have your toes run over by mammoth double-wide strollers and then smacked in the knees by the children who should be in the strollers but are walking and carrying toys in a restaurant. At 10 pm.)

He starts sniffing around. I think I yelled something about promising to clean the counter soon, but he cut me off.

"What smells so good?"

Oooh. How unexpected. My fiance typically only comments on smells when we are fighting about who will take out the trash this week, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear him comment on the Body Glow.

And the accolades continued! By Sunday, I gave in and ran down to Blue Mercury to buy a bottle of the Monoi Body Glow. I may have to forgo a few lattes this week to pay for it, but I consider it an investment in the future marriage.

And hey, he's stopped commenting on the products in the bathroom. And that is paradise to me!

photo courtesy of sephora.com

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.