Gun oil & gun powder...my favorite fragrances

Today's fragrance: Anne Pliska
Notes are bergamot, amber, patchouli, geranium, musk and vanilla. It is a powdery incense with a huge splash of orange peel on me. It is a wonderful cool weather scent.

quote from Bonnie and Clyde
(texashideout.com)

Burberry Prorsum.
I think this collection had a Bonnie and Clyde vibe. Loved it!

Burberry Prorsum. 

Burberry Prorsum Spring 2006 RTW. (style.com) 

Antonio Marras.(modaonline.com) 

Antonio Marras Spring 2006 RTW. (modaonline.com)

Robert Rauschenberg's Garnet Pack 1989. (photo from www.artfacts.net) 

Marni Spring 2006 RTW. (style.com) 

Marni Spring 2006 RTW. (style.com)

"I want to cancel out beauty, cancel out nostaglia- we don't know where we are now or where we are going".
(M to Suzy Menkes@the International Herald Tribune)

The collection was a mixture of delicate shapes with slashes of boldness(see above dress).
I loved her use of dusty colors and treatments to linen fabrics. The grey woolen stockings seemed an odd choice for a spring collection but the visor hats were more confusing to me.

I think this was M's political statement. She managed to capture the feeling of uncertainity and panic in the world. I think this was a more intellectual collection than Marc Jacobs fall collection. She experimented with fabrics and shapes, made a political statement and managed to create a collection that is slightly odd but compelling. Marc Jacobs did all these things but it did not haunt me like this Prada collection.

I am sure the reviews will be mixed but I do believe it deserves some gushing. It might not sell out in Bergdorfs or Barneys but it will end up in the MET in a special exhibit. Mark my words.

photograph from modaonline.com

The use of grey woolen hose that sagged made me think of victorian novels. It was a very strange effect but it managed to work. I truly can not explain it. I think that is why she is so revered. She can make grey heavy wool stockings look appealing and interesting. Strange choice for a spring collection but then all the collections seem stuck on fall. Very strange. (photo from style.com) 

"The collection has a girly edge-but in the end it is nasty". (quote taken from Suzy Menkes in the International Herald Tribune) 

Prada Spring 2006 collection RTW. The dress looks amazing close up. The fabric appears to look like velvet but it is actually a linen. I love how she is experimental with fabrics. (moda.com) 

Happy Birthday Victoria! Hope you have a lovely and amazing Birthday! 

photograph from my favorite movie The Women.

2 shopping reports from Ohio:

The first shopping adventure took place in Cleveland at Beachwood mall.
Cavewoman, me and Miss Griff met in our local Nordstorm fragrance department for sniffing. We sniffed the new Laura Mercier Amber scent. Hermes does not have to worry. They still hold the title for best amber fragrance. LM's amber is very weak and muddled. Patti and Leah are still trying to decide if they should cave on Lancome's Climat. They tested it again and it smelled fab on them. I have no idea what they are waiting for. It must not be love.
Patti did finally get her bottle of My Queen. I tested it again and still have to say that I prefer Barbara Bui. There is just something about the Bui.
Griffie caved on Omni and some Kiehl oils. I have never bothered with the oils until I sniffed the vanilla on L's wrist. I am under contract not to discuss this fragrance because it will cause a frenzy on MUA.
So I am mum on the subject.

Anyway...Valentino's V is a nice woods based fragrance. It did not slay me so it will not make it onto my vanity.
Griff and I did enjoy testing the new Jo Malone's Pomegranate fragrance. It was available at saks. It was very autumn-ish with leaves, incenses and a juicy pomegrante thrown in the mix. Cavewoman wrinkled her nose and was not a fan.
I have never had good luck with the lasting power of Jo Malone's fragrances so I walked away from the bottle.

At Sephora we tested Baby Phat. It contains an impressive list of notes but it just did nothing for me. It did not inspire passion or hatred.

At Nordstorm I began my search for foundations again. I had taken a rest from my search since I had fallen in love with my Chantecaille. My relationship with Chantecaille is complicated. It was not love at first sight. It was a makeup relationship that grew over time.
Last week I left my chantecaille jar at my friend Mary's house. I reached for my Laura Mercier and instantly regretted it. I needed a foundation fast.
I discovered two at Nordstorm.

1. Chanel's Fluide de teint eclat source de Jeunesse
aka satin smooting fluid makeup:

It is a oil based foundation that glides on like silk. Great coverage with a flawless finish. I found a great match with 20 Clair Cameo.
Oil based foundations perform the best on my skin. They are harder to find so this was an exciting discovery.

2. Lancome's Teint Idole Ultra:

Great lasting power, velvet finish, great coverage, does not settle into lines and has a great fresh look. It is around $35. I thought this was a great price considering what I have spent in the past.
This is a water based foundation that performs like a fine high end oil based foundation.

Shopping with these two ladies is always a blast. We shop well together. We finish each other sentences and gush over the same things. I can not wait for the next cleveland get together.

Today I went with Patti to our local Kaufmanns in Boardman Ohio. It was a beauty product trunk show. The show was pretty crazy with 600 women in a very small space. The beauty sale associates threw freebies in the crowd and the ladies went insane. It was a strange scene.
My favorite speaker was the Chanel rep who was very charming and funny. She refused to throw anything because she could not handle a Chanel product hitting the floor. Instead she just invited everyone to visit her department and she would personally hand them a freebie. The Chanel makeovers looked incredible. Gorgeous skin looks with great bold lips. I will have to try to get a Chanel makeover later down the road.

My makeover was scheduled at the new MAC counter. My makeover was a success. She did a smokey purple eye with Trax, Seedy Pearl, Sketch and Black Tied. I will never be able to do it again...but I purchased all the products. I finally splurged on a MAC brush. It is 224 and is beloved by so many muaers. I also bought my first cream blush called Brit Wit, Prep+Prime(This primer is better than Nars) , Plum Dandy lipstick and Star Nova lustre glass.

The two fragrance highlights of the day were Brittany Spears Fantasy and Lancome's Hypnose. Fantasy is a huge surprise. I am not a foody fragrance fan but this one takes the cake...or the cupcake.
One of the notes is a cupcake heart accord. I am guessing this is the slightly uncooked gooey center. The drydown is what makes this foody scent lead the pack. Impressive and sexy. I am surprised that this is not a bigger hit.

Hypnose is not available yet but cavewoman managed to have a national rep spray some from her lab bottle. It is like Monyette Paris but with a more beach vibe. This one is great and FBW. Patti mentioned bringing back 2000 et une Rose and received a very bored response. Damn those Lancomers. It is now my goal to speak to someone in a position of power in that company. I have no idea how I will do it. But it needs to be done.

Another amazing day with the cavewoman!
Have a great weekend everyone!

The United States Postal Service released a stamp commemorating the 100th birthday of screen legend Greta Garbo. All this week I will post pictures in her honor.  

Norma Shearer. 

Monica Lhuillier Spring 2005 RTW. (style.com) 

J.W Waterhouse's Psyche entering cupid's garden. 

Costello Tagliapietra Spring 2006 RTW. (style.com)

No matter what life you lead
the virgin is a lovely number:
cheeks as fragile as cigarette paper,
arms and legs made of Limoges,
lips like Vin Du Rhône,
rolling her china-blue doll eyes
open and shut.
Open to say,
Good Day Mama,
and shut for the thrustof the unicorn.
She is unsoiled.
She is as white as a bonefish.
(Anne Sexton)

Not a very spring-like coat(but I love it!) from Libertine. I actually liked this collection. I am a sucker for tulle skirts and sparkles. Throw in a whimsical print...and you hooked me.(style.com) 

Great coat lining with pictures of Queen Victoria from the Libertine(a NYC show) collection. (style.com) 

Quirky print from Basso & Brooke 2006 Spring RTW collection.(gettyimages.com) 

The great opening for the Basso and Brooke show. I struggled with all the london shows. Nothing made my mouth water and not one piece "wowed" me. I will go out on a limb and state that C-Neeon had the best show. It was the most interesting and was a "sucker punch" of fresh air. (photograph from gettyimages.com) 

More Paul Klee inspired fashions: Donna Karan Spring 2006 RTW. (style.com)