February 22, 2013

Vintage airline posters

If air travel was as stylish as it appears to have been in decades past, I might not mind the crazy prices and endless inconveniences. Seriously, look at these vintage airline posters. Aren't they gorgeous?








1. allposters.uk.com / 2. simplycirculate.wordpress.com / 3. ptatransitauthority.blogspot.com / 4. galerie123.com / 5. deckss.com 

February 20, 2013

Style School: How to Do Red Lips




I was kind of a tomboy growing up. Didn’t really do makeup, didn’t bother much with my hair, and almost always wore jeans and t-shirts. I was more into music and books, and trying to look pretty usually just made me feel awkward.

Flash forward 10 years. I still think of myself as pretty low-maintenance, but at 26 (WOW), decided I can’t keep going through life looking like a high schooler. I decided it was time to learn some of the basic how-to-look-good skills I never bothered picking up as a teenager.

Starting with red lips, because they’re super glamorous, and my eyes light up whenever I see someone wearing them. I asked my sister, Georgie, for help with this one because she knows more about beauty and makeup than anyone else I know. She was even a beauty intern for Vogue! Here’s her advice.

Pick the most flattering shade
Whether you choose a red with warm or cool undertones depends on your complexion. “Skin color is the most important, followed by hair color and eye color,” she says.
Orange reds look best on fair skin with pink undertones and light hair (think Kate Bosworth), or on cocoa skin (think Zoe Saldana).
Coral reds look best on naturally bronze or olive skin (think Kim Kardashian), or on beige skin with light hair and light eyes (think Uma Thurman).
Brick reds look best on beige skin with green eyes (think Sophia Bush) or fair skin with yellow undertones (think Devon Aoki).
Deep reds look best on golden skin with dark blonde hair (think Lauren Conrad).
Plum reds look best on darker skin (think Iman).

Apply it right
Once you get the right color, here’s how to keep it from bleeding all over the place or fading away in five minutes.
1. Use a nude lip liner to line your lips and fill them in completely.
2. Swipe on the lipstick. Use a Q-tip to erase any mistakes around the edges.
3. Pop your index finger in your mouth and make an “O” shape while pulling it out. That’ll get rid of any excess red inside your lips so you don’t end up with lipstick on your teeth.

Keep everything else simple
Remember, your red lips should steal the show. So keep your blush light, use a beige or nude eyeshadow, and if you want eyeliner, just do a thin line at the top. (Mascara’s fine, but don’t overdo it). Clothes-wise, Georgie says she likes sticking to neutral colors—and I agree, this looks amazing, right?--but you certainly don’t have to.



Here's my first attempt from Friday night. I love it! Even with a crappy iPhone picture, I still look pretty good. 

 Image: primped.ninemsn.com.au

February 19, 2013

Good and Good For You: Kale-Parmesan Salad




I’ve been kind of obsessed with Dr. Andrew Weil for a while. Eating Well for Optimum Health was a big read for me in high school, and thanks to it, I spent a whole summer eating hippie cereal with seaweed-fortified soymilk for breakfast. EdenSoy is so good…and so expensive.

Seriously, though. Dr. Weil is great because he’s really intelligent, and manages to communicate his thoughts about health in this sort of jolly, soothing way that makes me think, Yes! I can take care of myself and not be miserable while I do it. And the fact that he looks really happy—no, joyful—in all of his photos is just so NICE.

He has a new-ish cookbook out that I (regretfully) don’t yet own, but when I saw the recipe for his kale salad with Parmesan and breadcrumbs, I had to try it. (Also: I don’t care how many people say kale is played out, it’s a vegetable, not a band, and I'm going to keep eating it.)

Dr. Weil’s Kale-Parmesan Salad
Adapted from True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure

2 large bunches curly kale, tough stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus some shaved cheese for garnish
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Rinse all your kale well and dry thoroughly. If you skip this step, you could end up eating dirt, which is always disappointing.

In a measuring cup, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Pour it over the kale. Use your fingers to toss the kale so the dressing gets on every leaf, then massage the dressing into the leaves for a minute or two. Let the kale sit for a half hour to soften up.

Add the cheese and the breadcrumbs to the kale and toss to combine. Divide into serving bowls and top with a little more cheese (grated is fine, but I think shavings look pretty). Eat and feel the glow that comes from eating an enormous bowl of vegetables.

Serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a side dish