Win a Trip to New York City For Fashion’s Night Out!

Are you a budding fashion designer?

Is shopping your first love?

Are YOU Fashion’s Number One Fan?

CBS has announced a contest calling for fashion fans from all over the country to upload an original video that could help them earn the title of Fashion’s Number One Fan!!

After a period public voting to narrow down the finalists, CBS, Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and New York City & Company will select one winner to be flown to New York City for the biggest fashion party in history: Fashion’s Night Out 2010.

Here are more details and the link to enter..

Beginning Tuesday, July 27, fashionistas nationwide are invited to upload a 30- to 90-second video of themselves explaining why they love fashion for the chance to be chosen as Fashion’s Number One Fan and win a trip to New York City for Fashion’s Night Out. CBS will choose the Top 10 video entries to be posted on CBS.com for one week – from August 24 to August 31 – during which people can log on to vote for their favorite and help determine the five finalists that will be in contention for the grand prize.

On September 3, a panel of experts from CBS, Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and New York City & Company will select one of the five finalists as Fashion’s Number One Fan. The lucky winner will win a trip to New York City in September to be a part of the biggest fashion party in history: Fashion’s Night Out 2010!

The deadline for submissions is August 20. Go to http://www.cbs.com/fno to enter and for more information.

The winner of the Fashion’s Number One Fan contest will receive the following prizes:

* Two round-trip airline tickets to New York City

* A five-night stay for two at the five-star Mandarin Oriental, New York

* Two exclusive seats to Fashion’s Night Out: The Show at Lincoln Center on Sept 7, 2010

* The lucky winner will be driven in the all new 2011 Volkswagen Jetta for Fashion’s Night Out

* Two tickets to a Fashion Week show

* Exclusive Fashion’s Night Out merchandise

* Two tickets to Green Day’s American Idiot on Broadway

* One year’s worth of Maybelline New York cosmetics in a signature makeup artist kit

* A $500 Macy’s electronic gift card, plus an appointment with a Macy’s by Appointment (MBA) personal shopper

So WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!???

Good luck and see you backstage!!

And even though doctor’s mandate 20 minutes, three times a week of unprotected sun exposure,

still, the truth is, that sun damage news is even more an issue than ever.

Salmon Fume Salade… YUMMY!  Fatty fish is a great source of Vit D just like the sun!

The Marquise de Pezé and the Marquise de Rouget with Her Two Children, Elisabeth Vigée-LeBrun (1787)

The word “bonnet” French for various types of headgear for both sexes.

Interesting history and all, but  you know, I am all about CONTEMPORARY stylish solutions!

While a cool summer hat really will not have any effect at all (according to scientists) on our ever depleting  ozone layer,

layering on a cute lid this Summer will give you the protection your head and face need when the hot summer sun is showing no mercy.

crushable and cute cowboy style at American Eagle Outfitters.com

Plus, it will definitely style up your vibe a few notches in that fun, simple sexy and  jaunty way that will always be pretty darn irresistible!

Think retro bohemian floppy ’70s-style straw hats,  to a crushable bucket, to a cowboy  style to a visor.

Here are a few of my faves that we all can truly pine over!

After all these hats aren’t just great style —they’re good for your health as well!

Rachel Comey Magazine style hat

Eugenia Kim Visor

Melissa Odabash Straw hat

Juicy Couture Stripe Straw hat

Burberry packable bucket hat

Otte Straw boater hat

Floral printed Trilby Hat

So, go out and get a lid on!

photo creds: creative commons and flicker

Yet, it is HOT out there, and so much of what we end up doing, ends up being done in air-conditioned spaces!

One of the things I hate doing more than anything in the scorching season of  summer time, is blow drying my hair.

Yet, I swim at least five times a week, so I have to wash and condition,  and I cannot let my locks dry naturally every day.

Well, I don’t dread my blow out so much anymore,  because I have now been introduced and am in a steady relationship with…

the coolest (literally and contextually) of the cool hair dryers, the CENTRIX Q-ZONE hair dryer.

The Centrix Q-Zone hair dryer combines cool ionic technology with super silent performance for a superior blow dry without the stressful noise!

The Centrix Q-Zone super quiet, ionic, ceramic, lightweight, clever, sexy, sorta alien looking blow dryer.

Just think about defrizzing from the Summer heat,  while silently blow drying your hair!

Want some other fun tips to try this season?

Maybe changing up your nail polish look at the drop of a hat by layering shimmer and matte or both!

How about getting out in a hammock in the shade and doing some summer reading? You will need some great looking sunglasses, but they are reader friendly!

Then check out my ABC segment below for some ideas!

What are some of your favorite ways to stay happy in the heat during the Summer?

creds: cricket.com

see disclosure for product info.

It is an occasion for joy, celebration, beauty and equally as plentiful,  STRESS!

Putting the entire event together,whether near to home or far,  can be exhausting and challenging, putting strain on the beauty routines of even the most disciplined beautiful Bride to Be!

Wedding in Scotland! How romantic and serene!

One of the biggest challenges every bride has to” face up to “  is achieving a gorgeous, yet natural appearance that will work for a classic, chic rememberance of the wedding, for years to come.

Do your makeup  easily with the TEMPTU airbrush  system!

Now, I have tried just about every foundation/ coverage product on the market, and see them all backstage at New York Fashion Week, magazine  photo shoots,  and in real life at work.

There are several excellent products out there, but only TEMPTU will allow the creation of a  perfectly enhanced complexion with technology enhanced beauty!

Included in the makeup arsenal of many professional movie and film makeup artists all over the world, the genius TEMPTU airbrush system comes with a multitude of foundations, blushes, bronzers, highlighters, touch up foundations and powders.

SO  easy to use, and not JUST for the movies or runways,  you too can create a sheer, yet fully balanced  complexion in just minutes with no mess, no fuss, and all day wear!

To see it in action, just watch the video below!

Temptu products are sweat proof, cry proof, and water proof.

Silicone based, they don’t clog pores and only come off when you wash them off!

I wear them for my on camera and OFF camera life no matter what season!

Here are some other  great tips  and cool products you have heard me rave about, that I shared a few days ago on my ABC network segment.

You can enjoy the upcoming wedding ( or any life event really! ) to it’s fullest, by preparing ahead with exceptional hand care, skin perfecting, and teeth whitening,

coupled with one of  the most innovative methods of applying makeup for the big day,  TEMPTU Airbrushing!

creds: Temptu.com, creative commons images,  and  my own stash.

see disclosure for product info!

I have been holding onto a group of colours from CND’s genius artistic team for a couple of months now,

and it is KILLING  me not to share them with you!

So, I give in and will give it up so you can share in the fun !

cnd @ rag & bone, shattered grey and matte velour finish.

When I was backstage at the Fall/ Winter 2010/11 collections this February,

I saw LOADS of clever and really luxurious mani/ pedi’s.

cnd @ carolina herrera, subtle, pretty, interesting colour. like choco milk!

There were countless reincarnations of classics, modern, wearable art, and brilliant colors,

cnd @ diego binetti, gothic jewelry inspired and rockstar luxe!

but the most intriguing were colors of teal, navy, grey, nude, black, taupe, GREIGE (more on this one later) …and of course  CLASSIC American Beauty RED !

So, if you are already bored with Summer brights and neons, take a walk to the dark side a bit early,

and be the first on your block to show off the trends before they REALLY hit the masses in September !

First up, my favorite color of all, is the NEW Look from CND for Fall 2010!

This baby is a little box set of Urban Oasis and Teal Sparkle, is $20, and not available until September 2010 at select salons and professional beauty stores.

To get a denim manicure, try CND’s limited edition Urban Oasis Colour, a spruce crème, or layer it with limited edition Teal Sparkle Effect for a greenish-blue glimmer.

HINT !  DENIM IS STILL VERY RELEVANT FOR FALL!!!

So don’t throw out that boyfriend/ husband denim shirt just yet!  Add it to your JEANS!

Dolce and Gabbana S/S 2010

But back to the subject on hand..:)
(or feet!)

“Texture adds to the strength of the look – and autumn is all about dimensional manicures,” says CND Co-founder Jan Arnold.

Extravagant midnight manicures and tonal shades of heathered mushroom and gray nails complement this Fall’s masculine palette of mossy greens, black leather and textured fabrics.

To achieve Ruffian’s “Lunar Eclipse” manicure, pair deep blue Inkwell with Gold Chrome around the cuticle edge for a metropolitan look.

For greige nails like those that complemented Marc Jacobs’ refined menswear-inspired collection,

or Rag & Bone’s chic boyish styles, use dark, concrete gray Asphalt.

Classic red nails make way for rich, darkly modern reds with a fiery, defiant attitude.

Oxblood red Dark Ruby was topped with Super Shiney™ Top Coat for a provocative, 1930’s liquid finish to accessorize the urban street ensembles seen at L.A.M.B.

Porcelain doll perfection was achieved with Monique Lhuillier’s ultra-shiny, molten manicure in Rouge Red.

To reach ultimate glam status, sweep Crimson Sparkle over Scarlet Letter as seen at The Blonds for an electro-luxe manicure.

Glazed neutrals balance feminine tailoring and ethereal designs seen on the catwalk.

To get the cashmere manicure from Behnaz Sarafpour, layer opaque, nude Desert Suede topped with Super Matte Top Coat for a touchably soft finish.

For pristine, mattefied, limestone nails as seen at Jason Wu, layer Silver Chrome with Putty and Super Matte Top Coat.

So, as Jan Arnold of CND so aptly says,

“Nails are the exclamation point to the statement!”

I ask you then,

what are you going to EXCLAIM this Fall?

Creds: CND.com,  Elle.com, my stash from MBFW backstage shots.

See disclosure for product info.