Bee aware for Earth Day

The mysterious disappearance of honey bees, called Colony Collapse Disorder, has the potential to put $15 billion worth of U.S. crops at risk, not to mention put a damper on all of our diets. In 2006, seemingly healthy bees were simply abandoning their hives, never to return. Scientists don't completely know why, but believe it may be due to pesticide exposure, inadequate food supply, invasive parasitic mites, among other factors.

Since Earth Day is next week, many of our fave companies are doing their part to help the bees. Venice-based Strange Invisible perfumes is donating 10% of every sale to the study of Colony Collapse Disorder. Their facebook page also is brimming with interesting facts about honey bees to remind us about how integral they are to our food supply.

Also, anthropologie has teamed up with Bono and Ali Hewson's company Edun to make super cute Bee Tees. Made in Peru from 100% organic cotton, shirts are made to draw attention to the current plight of honey bees and the organizations dedicated to saving them. You'll also notice that all anthropologie stores will display bee-themed window installations that reflect in direct and abstract ways upon bees' role in our world. The Bee Tees are only available in stores, so get yours now.

Plus on Earth Day (April 22!) there'll be an in-store book signing at the anthropologie at The Grove with JoAnn Cianciulli, author of L.A.'s Original Farmers Market Cookbook: Meet me at 3rd and Fairfax. A well-known food writer, Cianciulli's comprehensive cookbook celebrates the food, people and history of this LA landmark. I can't wait to get myself a copy and try out all the yummy recipes!



Strange Invisible Perfumes; 1138 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice; (310) 314-1508
anthropologie at The Grove, 6301 West 3rd St, Los Angeles. Signing will be from 6-8 pm.

Filthy and gorgeous for Earth Day

After TerraCycle helped us get Eco-Pretty we have been all about being green, especially since Earth Day is right around the corner on April 22. So we're excited about their new TV show, Garbage Moguls airing on the National Geographic channel that will take everyday trash and turn it into something spectacular.
The show follows the ups and downs of the TerraCycle team on the edge of billion-dollar success - and bankruptcy - all while trying to make the earth a better place. Garbage Moguls tracks the theam's work on two prototypes: a messenger bag for OfficeMax - made from old billboard materials and seat belts - and a kite made entirely of Oreo wrappers for Wal-Mart. Viewers witness the zany brainstorming ideas (a Slip 'N Slide made of wrappers?), the uphill battles and the real-life dramedy in the vein of The Office.
Also, if you can't get enough of this cutting edge company the founder, Tom Szaky just published Revolution in a Bottle. It's about how he dropped out of Princeton to create TerraCycle and the tribulations he faced along the way. Szaky argues for a new approach to business, an "ecocapitalism" based on a "triple bottom line." Every business, he says, should aspire to be good for people, good for the environment, and (last but definitely not least) good for profits. He shows how the first two goals can help the third.

The next airing of Garbage Moguls is of course on Earth Day and Szaky's book is available now.

Monocle moves to Brentwood

You may not be familiar with Monocle, but they are an international magazine/webzine based in London that scours the globe to bring subscribers the very best in cultural happenings. Monocle previously only had one other brick and mortar location in London until now. We are so excited that they've opened up shop in the Brentwood Countrymart. We're guessing they have a large subscriber base around the area and that's how they chose Brentwood vs. another part of our city.

Racked LA has all deets about the new store plus lots of photos! It is totally on our list of new places to check out.

We're also pleased that like The Organic Pharmacy, Monocle has chosen Los Angeles over New York.

The Monocle Shop 225 26th St., 19b, Santa Monica (310) 395-4180
Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm

sorry those are MINE!

Want some FREE MAGAZINES? I know, I didn't even have to ask. Well, here's an exciting offer for our Pretty readers to get their hands on mine. This is a new customizable magazine idea that combines your reads into one issue and sends them to you bi-weekly or monthly depending on how often the glossy publishes.

I signed up for it, but haven't received an official copy yet, so I don't know how it'll turn out. I'm also not sure how your interests will be tailored either because they ask you only four completely random questions. Hence, we'll see what craving sushi, juggling, singing in the car, and Socrates have to do with InStyle. Overall no complaints, it's FREE; so put away your sad not in this economy face and smile because someone is giving you a break. Plus if you're dancing between rent and shoes, then maybe you should put Money magazine on your list? You can't say we never got you anything.

MINE: My Magazine, My Way.

Invitation from The Organic Pharmacy

We're so excited to attend the official launch of The Organic Pharmacy in Beverly Hills next week. Don't be sad if you weren't invited because on April 2nd they're having a special event just for you. Well, it's really for them, but you're invited.
It's in honor of the new store and Margo Marrone's book, The Complete Guide to Natural Health and Beauty. This book is amazing, it gives you insights on living a greener lifestyle and putting the right foods in your body. For instance, she has unique Dextox Toolkit and an entire 10 Day Detox Plan. She writes, "A clean body will allow nutrients and oxygen to get to cells through an improved circulation, enabling hers and homeopathic remedies to act much more siftely and efficiently, to promote healthy and beauty"

She also goes into the science behind herbs and explains how different natural remedies are useful when it comes to treating common complaints. Marrone writes in a way that is clear and easy to understand. You don't have to be a total natural nut to understand how a few simple changes in diet can impact your life for the better.

Anways, you should go to check out this new beauty boutique and you'll probably leave with some new tips and tricks. We'll see you there Pretties!

The Organic Pharmacy

Gimme More...

We finally found a reason to smile about Britney's song being stuck in our heads. The photos from Robert Pattinson's GQ spread need no explanation as to why they are our Pretty Pick of The Week! Enjoy!


Full article via GQ
Photos courtesy of Nathaniel Goldberg (the world's luckiest photog)

Mrs. Meyer's has a new book!

We're all fans of the one and only Mrs. Meyers cleaning products (my doggie's a fan too!) so we were delighted to hear that the Mrs. Thema A. Meyer is bringing her cleaning tips to the Pretty masses with the her brand new book Mrs. Meyer's Clean Home: No-Nonsense Advice That Will Inspire You to Clean Like the Dickens. Hooray, just in time for Spring Cleaning!

Budget friendly and eco-Pretty, this book has tons for beauty-related tips that Mrs. Meyer's has learned from raising four daughters. Here's a few samples:

• To get hairspray off of mirrors: Pour rubbing alcohol on a cloth and clean in small circles. You can also use a baby wipe if you have them handy. Then grab club-soda that you’ve put in a spray bottle and give the mirror a spritz, wiping it clean with bunched-up newspaper

• Cleaning up broken glass: If your makeup mirror falls on the floor, you’ll want to remove all those little pieces from the floor. Dab a piece of bread on top of them, vacuum, then wipe down the floor with a water-dampened cloth

• Removing Mascara from clothing: Mix a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid with two cups cold water, apply the solution to the stain, and then blot until it’s gone.

• Makeup Expiration Dates: If you have trouble keeping track of how old things are, start writing the dates on them with a permanent marker when they’re new.Mascara lasts only three months, and it’s important that you remember when you opened it, because that wand gets a buildup of bacteria that you don’t want in your eyes. Sunscreen lasts one year and lipstick up to three.

• Keeping the Bathroom Smelling Fresh: Fill a spray bottle with water, three drops of lemon oil, and two drops of eucalyptus oil. Shake this really well before using.

Reflection on Image

Weekly frustration with the content (or lack thereof) of the LA Times Image section has compelled me to do a weekly bitch and moan. For their sake, we hope this won't be a long-running tradition but we have a feeling it will be. Without further ado...

This male model takes the bus and carries a backpack. Am I supposed to care?

The top story is on the life and times of male models. They ride the subway (err.."metro"), make around 40 grand a year and have to deal with flight delays. While female models are loved and adored, the male models sleep in dorm-like settings and don't turn heads as they walk the streets. Oh, and again they rely on mass transit. Plus, they carry backpacks!!! (wtf?) Yes, that's it, with all that's happening in fashion and beauty, that's what the Image section's front page article is focused on: how the modeling industry is as backwards as porn in which the women (gasp!) have it better off than the men.

Page two's article is on Barbie and how many LA designers played with their own Barbie as children. One had a pink convertible for her Barbie and another wished she looked like her doll. Fascinating.

Luckily fashion critic Booth Moore saves the section (and earns the expense of traveling to Italy on the paper's dime while the Times is slowly going bankrupt) with her runway report on Milan. The pic of the Jil Sander coat alone made up for the atrocious waste of space that was the male model article.

Page four's shopping article is on how gladiator sandals are yesterday's news and that you should throw them out and buy yourself a pair of huaraches, the kind that were omnipresent in your elementary school days (I had a pink pair). They'll probably be really uncomfortable, especially if yours is a genuine pair from an Olvera Street stall, so use some Dr. Scholl's and Foot Petals because those straps of stiff leather will probably make your feet bleed. Oh and hold the presses! There's a 10% off sale at Oou this week! 10% off?! Wow, what a bargain...

And the last article in the section is on Forever 21's new plus-size line. But before the Image section leaves you for the week, it does want to make sure it pats itself on the back by printing lots of letters in reaction to last week's hard-hitting article on how it's hard to find fashionable clothes when you're overweight.

Apparently the economy hit the beauty industry so hard that there's nothing for Image to report on it. Maybe next Sunday will be better...

Images via, well, Image.

Links a la Mode

Links à la Mode : March 6th

• 39thandbroadway.com - Why we love working in the fashion industry and despite all the hard work and drama, clothing the world is often its own reward!
• Being High Maintenance, not Bitchy - Checks out the new recyclable laptop from who else, Apple
• Breakfast at Saks - loving preppy looks from Liz Claiborne, Burberry, and H&M
• ericdwills.com - Check out the new “Blow” sunglasses from Dior Homme. They come in 5 colors, with each color limited to only 500 pieces worldwide.
• Fashion Daydreams - London Fashion Week Fall 2009 - Ashish show and the IFB party.
• fashion in my eyes - Shoes that makes you wanna dream!
• Fashion Pulse Daily - Is there such a thing as too many fashion reality TV shows? The newest one on Bravo might prove that the theme has gone into overkill mode.
• Fasshonaburu - Top Five Fashion Trends from NYFW
• fete a fete - Vouelle Spring 09 couture shoes from Paris!
• Independent Fashion Bloggers - Affordable Business Cards For (Somewhat Broke) Bloggers
• Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Fashion - Can the Remington Emi hairdryer create wavy hair in one easy step? Even on curly hair?
• Nico Assatly - Get in the Swing of thing!
• ShopDiary - Check out Net-a-Porter Notes Volume VII
• Shopping and Info - Shopping and Info found the most amazing crocodile embossed and python embossed Italian leather clutches.
• Solo Lisa - How to make high heels comfortable if you usually live in flats
• Star Fashion Addict - 2009 Men’s Summer Fashion
• Studio Purpura - London Fashion Week Fall 2009 Runway Sound Byte - Sultry, Passionate Designer Collections!!
• Style Bite - Handbags made out of paper? Gotta love it!
• Style Symmetry - Spotlight on The 100% Thrifted Pool!
• Style With Anna - The Right Jeans For Wider Hips
• THE COVETED - Vivienne Tam Hearts Bloggers
• the musings of ondo lady - Check out my review of the real life version of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ - ‘Running in Heels’

Book Signing at Stella McCartney

LA fashion week wouldn't be complete without a book signing from a hot environmentalist model. Summer Rayne Oakes (wow, what a name) has written a book on how to make eco-conscious decisions when shopping. If only some of our decisions were more environmentally friendly, what difference that would make! Animal activist/designer Stella McCartney will lend her boutique on Beverly to the event, so come along and have Oakes sign her new book Style Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Shopping and Beauty for you. Cocktails and snacks will be served.

The evite also states that it's a "fur-free event." PLEASE someone wear their grandma's stole to this thing -- you know, the kind with the head still attached? Oh, the drama that would ensue would be so entertaining!

March 12 from 7-9 pm at Stella McCartney (8823 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood). RSVP to Stylenaturally@groupsjr.com.

Source

LC confuses LA for CandyLand

Here's a book I'm going to talk about, but it's highly unlikely that I'll be flipping through the pages of Lauren Conrad's LA Candy. It's "written" by her and seems to be loosely based on her own life. The plot of a girl who unexpectedly becomes the star of a reality TV show after moving to Los Angeles, sounds a lot like The Hills, but without all the fancy editing and trendy music. Although, I'm sure there will be lots of crying between main character Jane Roberts and her friend Scarlett.

I can tell you first hand that LA is no CandyLand, well maybe West Hollywood. The novel comes out June 16 and will be followed by two more releases. Yay?

via People.
Photo by: Janet Gough / Celebrity Photo, amazon.com

Foley + Corinna sale merch is going going...

It's going on now, but you had better hurry up because all of the good stuff won't be there after this weekend. The Foley +Corinna sample sale runs today through Sunday, so put it on your weekend to do list. Up to 75% off sounds like music to my ears and I just may have to break the "don't buy stuff" mantra that we have going on here at Pretty headquarters. Racked LA has the inside scoop on the sale. It looks like they have lots of large purses and classy party dresses. Prices are still a little high, but these are quality goods.


Label: Foley + Corinna
Deal: Up to 75% off spring/summer samples and vintage
When/Where: Friday, February 27 through Sunday, March 1. Fri-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm. 8117 Melrose Avenue

Racked LA's take on it all: Most of the shoppers seemed to be congregating around the bag tables, and a salesperson confirmed that the items on display were pretty much all they had. Translation: bag fiends should probably make an appearance ASAP.

There were also plenty of unembellished chiffon and cotton jersey cocktail dresses to be had, with prices falling around the $150 mark.

McQ for Target hits LA early

We've already given you a little preview of the Alexander McQueen for Target collaboration, but most of us still have to wait until March 4 to nab ourselves some McQ of our own. I have my eye on a few things, but I know the racks are either going to be empty or not have my size. (In my experience, it's best to just purchase these GO International limited edition rags from Target.com and then return the items that you don't like for a full refund at the customer service counter at the store.)

But since we're in LA, and therefore we're awesome, we can nab some stuff early because one Target has Alexander McQueen on their racks already. Go to Racked LA to find out where.

It's Nast-y if you're Condé

Poor Condé Nast's pockets have a huge hole in them and sad editors are working their stilettos off trying to keep their underpaid assistant jobs. If you're not familiar with the magic that is Condé Nast, they're the publishing company that makes all those magazines that you're too busy to read. Including: GQ, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Wired, and so forth. We all knew they were doing bad; but it seems like the infamous address 4 Times Square is turning into Poor Times Square. As stated in a recent New York Post article:

"They are having the worst year of any publisher," said one rival executive who once worked at Condé Nast and said the company's recent cuts of 5 percent each on expenses and staffing isn't enough.

"They are overstaffed and overpaid. They should have cut back 20 percent when they cut back five," this person said.

The company can barely give out subscriptions these days. They're trying everything along with slashing prices. They desperately need to keep their subscriptions up, so their circulation remains high for advertising sales. For instance, see this GQ offer, (so debbie):

I can live without the "made in China" messenger bag. Is any publication able to persevere through this doom and gloom? Yes, actually there is. "Only one magazine in its stable is showing a rise over a year ago: Golf World, a small circulation weekly, that is up 16.5 percent through the Feb. 23 issue." said the NY Post article.

Does that mean put down the Vogue (which totally sucks these days anyways) and pick up Golf World?

Get Kate's Oscar hair

Last night it was all about the wonderful Kate Winslet. Yeah, sure, she won the big one. But she also had some crazy awesome hair going on; even the LA Times noticed and devoted a whole article to it. The genius behind the do was Renato Campora who was inspired by Grace Kelly: "I wanted the hair to be sleek, classy and modern and for the style to fit the neckline of the dress and create a little volume around her face.” We think he nailed it:

To get the look he started on wet hair and worked in Fekkai's All Day Density Styling Whip. He then blew out the hair with a round brush to get some volume underneath before using a 1-inch curling iron to make her retro waves. After letting the hair sit for 20 minutes (Kate probably spent the time practicing her touching speech) he brushed Fekkai's Coiff Magnifique Ultra-Light Finishing Creme through her hair, rolled it underneath and pinned it with long bobby pins and then sprayed it with an unnamed sheer hairspray. (Our guess is that he used everyone's favorite: Elnett.)

Info and top image via LA Times.

Pretty Postings

In celebration of Fashion Week, Jezebel has nicely collected the best "model slipping on the runway" incidents for your viewing enjoyment.

Looking for the perfect eyeliner? 15 Min Beauty Fanatic give you her faves.

Project Rungay picked their #1 fave PR look of all time.

Allure gives a helpful list of makeup that's inexpensive and will last all day.

Want to know the difference between NY socialites and LA celebrities? Fashion Rules breaks it down.

All the Rage gives a beauty breakdown from the Thakoon runway show.

Image via Fa'Shoe'Nista

Edit!

Just found an MUST READ from Jezebel. Celebs, cute doggies, snarky taglines: what not to love?

LEGO lives in fashion

It may be NY Fashion Week at the moment, but LEGO is shakin' things up by diving into pop culture. Our friends at TheCoolHunter have seen this iconic toy brand spawn new life in fashion.


"LEGO has been appearing in all sorts of unlikely applications from watches to cameras, bags and belts, to usb sticks, mobile phones and even cupcakes. Our favorites include a recent ad for hot fashion house Lanvin, which used color-spray guns made from LEGO in a recent campaign and adorable LEGO fashion show video by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac which cast LEGO figures as fabulous high fashion catwalk models" reports Laura Demasi.


JCDC Versus LEGO from Four H on Vimeo.

Images/story via TheCoolHunter.

Beauty BJ style

Our friends over at Elle got the inside scoop when it comes to Betsey Johnson's beauty routine - all from her NY nail spot to her love for Stila.
Where do you get your nails done? They’re fabulous!
I go to Beauty and the Best uptown for the acrylics. And then for the show I asked my receptionist, Tina—who has bows [painted] on her fingers—where she got them done. So the girls from this little beauty salon in the East Village popped up and put the little flowers on my nails. And I wanted both hands different—it’s my recipe. It’s that kind of thing. If you love it, wear it—if you love it, eat it. That’s what I think; I like that kind of simplicity.

What about your makeup? Stila is doing the makeup for your show—are you a big fan?
I just get makeup from wherever I can. From Maybelline to Chanel—you know, all over the place. And my pencils are worn down, I’m tanner than my last makeup—so I asked the Stila girl to do my makeup. Then she sent me exactly what she used that day—because I didn’t have the right foundation color, etc. And you know, their products are amazing—now I’m just going to stick with Stila.

My makeup hasn’t really changed since the 1960s! Except for the ‘70s when I went with no makeup for awhile… And the ‘80s was a little more extreme. But since then it’s been about the same.

But I don’t feel comfortable without my makeup on. I’ve got to have my lipstick! I just don’t feel like the same person and I don’t like the way I look without makeup. Every once in awhile, I’ll try something new—but then I don’t leave the house. But I mean, it’s like you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and you can’t lead a horse to water. But I do love Stila—and I love the artwork and the packaging. I mean, I almost died when I opened that eye palette and it began to talk! It’s amazing. I’ve got enough products for the next five years from them!

Interview by Emily Herbert of Elle
image via Imaxtree

Confessions and Cocktails at Studio Fred Segal

Get the Pretty inside scoop on beauty with Nadine's new book Confessions of a Beauty Addict. While you're at it receive a mini makeover from makeup artists from Stila, Laura Mercier, Dianne Brill and Smashbox!

Sadly, us Pretties won't be able to make it, we have a spa convention to attend. I know the life of a Pretty is rough, but someone's got to bring you all the LA Pretty-ness.

Naked toilet pose makes mag cover

Who knew that naked pee we all do before jumping into the shower has the makings of a magazine cover? Well if you're Heidi Klum it does. She even has that "Haha-- oops, you caught me!" look on her face.

Source.