The Beauty Department

So how excited was I when I read this article on imnotobsessed.com???
These key words jumped out at me (obviously)
Lauren Conrad...Launch...Beauty...Fashion...
I was so excited that I happily clicked on through the link to her new website!!!

It is called The Beauty Department and it launched yesterday!

I love it.  I devoured the website clicking on every single subsection. 
It is a new site so I was able to check out every single section.

More Lauren is always better in my world.
Which is my only critique of the site...wish there was more stuff directly from "Lauren".
There things that are on the website reminded me of her book Lauren Conrad Style (that I wrote about here).

The main subsections include:

Tutuorials (love)
Easy to follow steps on things I need to practice more...like the perfect red lip and fun ways to update a ponytail etc.

Hair
Pretty much the same things as the Tutorial section which is nice that they break down "how to"s...as the website continues I expect it will obviously grow in beauty resources.

Makeup
Similar to the other sections (likely because it JUST launched yesterday).

Obsessions
This seems like it will be the "trendy" section with neat things like Ombre Nails...gee Ombre is getting into everything lately!

Inspirations
There is only one right now and that is Kate Hudson...I like how they describe and throw together pictures of the celebrity.  Hopefully they will also incorporate real women too as Inspirations kind of like how Glamour takes pictures of women with style for their mag.  I'm sure there is no shortage of beauty and style inspiration in places like LA and NYC.

This or That
Is the section for crowd participation.  The first entry is Blow Dry versus Natural Dry Hair.

About Us (which is basically is a description of what it is...)

 

photo: angela+ithyle/thebeautydepartment.com

"We are so excited to be launching thebeautydepartment.com!

This is a site for anyone who’s ever had a beauty question or gotten into a fight with a hair brush and lost. We’ll be covering all kinds of hair+makeup how-to’s, nail trends, skin issues, tools, current obsessions & inspirations, as well as countless quick tips. In the process we are truly excited to get to know all of you! We want  to read your emails and we want you to participate in our voting polls so we can figure out exactly what you need! We want to make beauty as accessible as possible. We’re releasing new things every day including videos, printable photo tutorials and exclusive images of our lovely Lauren Conrad. Don’t forget to bookmark thebeautydepartment.com and check back every day for your daily dose of pretty!"

I know I could definitely use a daily dose of pretty...Love it!

"I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned"

Woot woot in Lauren news today...

From: imnotobsessed.com...

"Former ‘Hills’ star Lauren Conrad must be doing something right with her L.A. Candy book series because she just signed another 3 book deal!  Harper Collins signed the reality star and fashionista for a new series, The Fame Game, which is a spin-off of her current books.

We took the mean girl of the [L.A. Candy books], spinning her off. This series is about a girl who loves everything that fame is, and that’s all she’s ever really wanted,” Conrad explains. “[Madison] has fun with the press, she enjoys the attention, she welcomes scandal!”

Us Weekly asked Lauren when she found time to write:

“Between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. My phone doesn’t ring, and there’s nothing on TV!”

How excited am I?  I read all of her books (read here) and really enjoyed them.  It reminded me of a junior novel version of my fav author Gigi Levangie Grazer (Author of Stepmom screenplay (Julia Roberts movie) that I wrote about here). 

Perfect beach reads and yet another "junior" novel series that I devoured (joining my love of Harry Potter, Twilight series).  I think I'm going to start the Hunger Games Trilogy...and seeing as its being made into a movie (starring Jennifer Lawrence Academy Nominee for Winter's Bone)  I have high hopes for it.  Has anyone read it yet?

Excited!  Go Lauren :)  now if only her show (my post about that is here) would get optioned because I'm dying to see it. 

Fingers Crossed for a new Lauren Conrad show to find a way to air!

So in random TV news.
Remember when I wrote about Lauren's new upcoming reality show on MTV here or when I wrote about how much I admire her here.
Well her new show that was filming was probably the show I was most excited to see EVER.  I always really enjoy Lauren Conrad's shows, fashion and books.

So when the new show was filming I was so excited!
Then I heard that MTV decided NOT to air it.
Boooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is MTV's statement. (from Here)

“She did do a pilot. There were talks about whether we could somehow manage to put together a special based on that footage but that’s also a big question mark based on her interest in that and the finances. We love her! We would love her on our network. It was a great attempt but it just didn’t feel like a perfect fit for us now.”

Interesting enough Lauren released her own statement over why it wasn't going to air any more.  AND I have to say so super proud of her to stand up for herself and state her own opinions. (from here)

“We sold a show to MTV, filmed it and are really proud of the final result,” Conrad tells Gossip Cop in a statement. However, she adds, ”MTV felt the subject matter was too high brow for their audience and offered me the opportunity to change the show by incorporating more of my personal life.”

As opposed to “The Hills,” which followed the reality star and her friends as they partied around Hollywood, the thrust of the yanked show was Conrad’s work as a fashion designer.

“We agreed going into the project that this show would be an aspirational one, focusing on my career and my goals and not my personal relationships,” Conrad says. “We delivered the show that we sold and are sorry MTV didn’t feel their viewers were savvy enough to appreciate it.”

I love that she addresses this issue.  Also I think that it is a different audience that would like this show (like ME!!! even though I totally watched the Hills and Laguna Beach too but I think I would actually like this more because I love Project Runway and the parts of the other shows that shower her fashion, etc).
Also I love love LOVE the opening that was released for the show...it is so pretty and fun and different.

I reallly hope that a network picks up this show because I think it will be AMAZING.
Fingers crossed.
Go Lauren!



Pics from here: http://fashionista.com/2011/02/lauren-conrad-on-her-new-line-her-canceled-mtv-reality-show-and-that-rumor-that-whitney-port-blamed-her-for-the-demise-of-the-city/,

Shrove Tuesday and International Women's Day...Coincidence?!

Today is Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday/Carnival depending on where or how you celebrate it.
I was raised Catholic so Shrove Tuesday it is.
It is the last day before Lent where you are supposed to give up something until Easter.
The last day to get all your bad things in...like egg/butter/syrup etc that you commonly see in Pancakes.
When I was little I remember being so excited that I would eat Pancakes virtually all day (at school) and my mum would make them for Dinner.  Breakfast for dinner=amazing!


Wikipedia does the job of explainging it pretty well here.
I used to want to travel to Olney, England

...to participate in their traditional Pancake Day Race that all began when ..."It all started in 1445 when an unknown woman cooking pancakes heard the shriving bell summoning her to confession. Alarmed, she ran to church wearing her apron and still holding her frying pan, and no doubt drew the good-natured ridicule of fellow parishioners. Thus, unbeknown to her, started a tradition that has lasted all this time".  (1)  How fun does this look? 2 

Rumor has it that here it is restricted to women who have lived there a minimum of three months. 

So my guilty Catholic conscious has me trying to come up with what to give up until Easter.
And I'm stumped.  Previous things I have given up in the past include chocolate chip cookies (at age 8), potato chips (at age 14), wine (at age 23) and now at 29 I'm stumped! I don't really have a diet high in chocolate chip cookies or potato chips or wine for that matter.  And you are supposed to give up something that is difficult for you to do.  Maybe I should give up talking to Jacob haha.  (I said difficult not IMPOSSIBLE!) Hmmm I'm going to have to think about this for the day before I commit to anything. 

Also thanks to one of the blogs I love Aspiring Kennedy...I found out that today is International Women's Day!  And it is the 100th Anniversary (or as I love to say Centennial!)  for this day.  Apparently there are over 200  (260 to be exact) events in Canada (who knew?!) but not a single one where I live...oh well.  Maybe I will just list 10 women that I admire (in no particular order and that I think of off the top of my head...which means I'm likely to miss something key and important ie. obviously my amazing girlfriends crush this list)...(yes some of them are totally fictional but who cares!)  From first two are from Glamour's 2009 Classic Beauty Guide...


Elle Woods from Legally Blond
I totally identify with her (character).  Being not taken seriously sometimes just because I like style and fashion and girly things.  I am smart but sometimes I pretend I'm not (that's a whole other ball of wax).  I need to be confident in myself and trust my gut more.  There is likely more strength in me embracing myself and who I am (purse dog, pink laptop sleeve and all) then in trying to be something I'm not. 

Monica Wright from Love and Basketball.
For the pure simple fact that things worked out for her probably better than she ever imagined...she got the guy, the career and the family she always wanted (so jealous).

Brooke Davis (duh someone from One Tree Hill!)
Smart and independent love her (character) on this show!
Think troubled relationship with her parents but finds the strength to pursue her dreams and become hugely successful while having AMAZING friends who love and support her (do I identify much? Of course!)

Julia Styles Character in Mona Lisa Smile.
I don't particularly love the movie but when it's on I have a compelling urge to watch it all and I totally root for her character and enjoy that she is/was a pioneer of pushing herself further in a male dominated profession/world.

Okay Okay I feel guilty not including "real women" so here are the ones I admire...


Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (I think I want to read more about her...I wonder if there is a good biography out there).(3)  I love her style (see trench below haha) and I want to learn how she gained strength in the face of such sadness in her life.

Lilly Pulitzer (4)
I wrote about her in this post here.  I love her and her independence and the clothes are pretty much amazing too! 

Diane Von Furstenberg (5)

I totally look up to her as a style icon and as someone I want to be like.  I grabbed some things from her Huffington Post Interview that totally clicked with me.  It doesn't hurt that I'm DYING to own one of her wrap dresses.  I would love to read her biography as well.


Do you think that personal style is a professional asset?
Yes. But it doesn't just have to do with your appearance. It's your character too: Who you are, how you present yourself, how honest you are. It's your voice, the way you speak, the way you write. All of it makes you; therefore, you have a style.
What do you think the professional benefits are of making a statement with your wardrobe?
I think the wardrobe is an accessory of who you are. You absolutely do not make a statement on the outside independent from the inside. Or independently of your capacity.
What advice do you have for professionals seeking to create their own brand identity?
You make sure that what you do, how you present yourself, from your voice to your hairdo to what you wear, all fits with who you are. Because the more natural you are, the more comfortable you will be in your skin and the more confident you will be. The more confident you are, the more beautiful you are and the more successful you are.
Seriously can you get any more genius than that?


Lauren Conrad (6) (ummm hello huge influence on me!) wrote about her here.
Love her style, her clothing and her fun personality (from what I know from reality TV obviously!)

Kim Kardashian (7)  She makes me feel better about my own body.  I can deal with my complete misproportions when I look at how beautiful she looks.  Total inspiration.  I am trying to embrace my Kim K body type.

Tinsley Mortimor (8)  I recently watched a marathon of her reality TV show.  I was totally addicted!  And I could appreciate how she was able to go against what a lot of people thought was "right" and followed her heart.  Her and her mom have an interesting relationship (identify with much?  Yup I do).  I think she handles most things with pose and I hope to come out as unscathed and mature and she does.

Gail Vaz-Oxlade (9)  She is kind of Canada's version of Suzie Orman except not so annoying.  She totally has me on a cash budget and using her jar system which has helped me start to save for retirement and have an emergency fund (things I'm embarrased I didn't start doing until this last year!)

There you have it my 10 most admired/interesting women in honour of International Women's Day.  If I could be a little more like these women I would be on my way to something great...of course I have to embrace the things that make me ME too.  How fun is it that it is International Women's Day AND Shrove Tuesday?!  Just a coincidence I guess but a fun excuse to enjoy pancakes at some point!



PS.   I love all things girly and it seems way more fun than being a stinky boy. Thank goodness I'm a woman! Especially a woman from Canada versus so many other countries where I wouldn't have access to education, travel, and even something as simple as clean water or food.  I am a lucky woman and I need to remind myself a lot more of that.    

I heart Lauren

Okay obviously I love all things "Lauren" related and when I speak of Lauren I mean only one...Lauren Conrad.  Love her style and just in general feel like I learned a TON (about boys and friendships etc) watching her on The Hills etc.  Not to be a crazed fan but in general if she is attached to a project I can pretty much bet that I will love it. 

I love her style and loved her Lauren Conrad collection but at the time couldn't spend the $200+ on it.  I still went to the store and sighed and stared at the gorgeous clothes.  I love her style.  As much to know that when she eventually got to Paris she had this GORGEOUS black wool coat and I scoured EVERYwhere to find out what it was.  Turns out it was a Marc Jacobs jacket (completely unavailable due to it being made a season before-darn TV).  It was black and wool and a little bit of a swing coat but the back had this perfect PERFECT bow.  Anywho her are some pics when she got to Paris (finally)...total inspiration.

Even though her fictional books are for young teens I LOVE them.  Very gossip girl like (which is a total guilty reading pleasure for me).  I've read these two...

But haven't had a chance to read this one...but it is next on my list.

My cousin Bella bought her latest style book so I borrowed it and FLEW through it.  It was...AMAZING!  Of course.  No surprise that I loved it. 

There was also a decent amount of fashion (with an index telling you exactly what each article of clothing was at the back which I LOVED).  Ways to style a LBD (little black dress) 5 ways.  Tips on shoes and how to give yourself a basic wardrobe.  It also talked about packing (and gave sample packing lists...did I mention I LOVE lists).  And so much more.  I've been really good about using the library and borrowing books but this one may just be a purchase.  I missed her book tour in October (darnit!!!!)  and I just noticed there was an event in a city that Taylor lives in so I would have BEGGED her to get me an autographed personalized copy for me (I.would.die- to quote Rachel Zoe).  Well here is hoping that her next book tour I will be at...trying not to look like a crazied fan.  But hey my blog address has laurenshouldhavegonetoparis in it with reference to the lesson that I (should) have learned from her but like her I needed to make my own mistakes (kind of like she did). 



Ps I totally love my new signature block!  How fun :)