one part glitter, the rest is ALL glam...

{me + bubbly = happy happy!}

Getting ready for a big New Year's party need not be stressful.

Plan ahead & keep your look simple with a touch of sparkle.

Remember to pop the bubbly early to get the party started quick!

My go-to look is always a LBD adorned with glitzy

accessories, dark black tights & ultra fun shoes.

Follow these easy steps and you'll be dressed in no time.

Don't forget, a little glitter goes a long way!

One Perfect Little Black Dress

shift dress by shell kare

{or its equivalent}

Add the Gorgeous Shoes

louboutin peep toe glitter pumps

$725, saks

or

dolce vita studded pumps

$210, bloomingdales

or even

lanvin jewel embellished ballerina flats

$640 net-a-porter

And the Statement Necklace

fiona paxton draped bead & chain necklace

$300, saks

or

starboard bib necklace,

$69.50 banana republic

Plus the Glamorous Bracelet

kara ross braided snake bracelet

$175, saks

or

ondine bracelet

$45, banana republic

Finally, the Makeup

don't you dare forget the makeup!

I got this amazing trio of eye colors as a gift &

it's PERFECT for a glamorous New Year's Eve eye!

goldstone long wear eye palette

$31.90, nordstrom

And the High Shine

any lip gloss, Chanel works fine!
Glossamer, $24-$27, everywhere

For Extra Glitz:

HAPPY NEW YEAR GORGEOUS!!

xo,

TBF

{p.s. I'm sick, so I will be staying in with Chinese food, movies, the hubs, the dog & the snow! Even if I wasn't sick, we're typically low-key New Years celebrators...}

photos via: goop {how I love to hate this site!}, le fashion, pretty little world, monica rose, le fashion {x2}

Holiday Movie Report: Clooney's Worth the Trip!

Hello & hi! Reporting to you live from my local movie theater! The holidays are my favorite time to snuggle up and watch a movie, either at home or at the theaters. The best movies seem to come out around this time and there's a whole lot to choose from...

That being said, I just saw, "Up in the Air" and was thoroughly entertained. It not only solidified my love for one Mr. George Clooney, but it also played to so many different emotions. It's truly a film for everyone and anyone. It was simultaneously uplifting, thought-provoking, funny and a bit sad. The acting was flawless, the story was deep & relatable. I suggest seeing it and soon. A movie that can express so much within the confines of two hours is certainly worth my $10.

What movies have you seen this holiday season?

My Birthday Giveaway: The Sartorialist Book!!

2009 has been quite an exciting year for me. I started my blog, started grad school and I also grew my hair pret-tay long! As a very special gift to my readers/new friends, I'm hosting a birthday giveaway! My birthday is next Wednesday and I just love to share the goodies! To give thanks to all my lovely, fabulous readers, I'm personally giving away a copy of The Sartorialist paperback book by Scott Schuman. 512 pages of pure street-style-pornography!

{sans the nudity, of course...}

It's no secret that I have a major crush on the über-talented photography couple, Scott & Garance Dore, tell me they don't ooze cool...

{I linked their sites to their names, so if you don't know, now you know...}

Scott & Garance, pda'ing it up in Milan!

I'm making this very easy to enter. Make sure you're a follower of this blog and leave a comment below telling me your favorite birthday gift you've ever received. You can list more than one...

Entries will be accepted until next Wednesday at 7:31AM

{exactly when I decided to greet the world}!

If you'd like to tweet or share this giveaway on facebook or your blog, just leave me another comment to let me know! It would be like little birthday gifts across the internet! I'll give you another entry for that : )

Also, I'd like to congratulate the winner of the Perricone Adavanced Eye Therapy Giveaway:

Miss Hanako66 of Bailey & Meister

Congrats my darlin', I'll be a emailin' you shortly!

photos via The Sartorialist & Trendy Crew

monday tumblr: laid back, easy

precisely how i like it.

simple, effortless, chic.

you?

photos via garance dore, just jared, unknown, trendy crew, montmartre photo blog, copenhagen street style

Sunday, Live Blogging...from the couch?

Parker was ALL ready to do his live blog post...

but he just couldn't get off the couch.

I guess there's always a next time...

scarlett's bazaar

there's nothing about this cover that i don't love.

nada.

isn't her makeup to die for?

i'll be back later with a how-to...

i don't celebrate Christmas, but......

every year i yearn for a tree...

Columbia University, College Walk,

my favorite place to enjoy the lights...

can you blame me?

wishing you the merriest of christmases...

hope it's spent warm by a fire,

surrounded by lots of presents, delicious food & loved ones...

xoxo,

TBF

photos via we heart it & flickr

Giveaway Giveaway! NV Perricone Advanced Eye Area Therapy

Looking for youthful skin in 2010?

Look no further!

I'm so excited to tell you about a giveaway I'm hosting...
I could have sworn Brooke Shields once said, "nothing comes between me and my Perricone" or was it her Calvins?

...regardless!

Our friends at NV Perricone are giving away a free bottle of their bestselling Advanced Eye Area Therapy, which retails for $95.

Let me stress to you the importance of a really good eye cream, for anyone 21+.

I used to say 25, but now I'm convinced I should have started earlier!

For lots of info about this product, click here.

Wanna win?
Here's The Rules:

1. Tell me why do you need this product, including other products you've used in the

past and been unhappy with to receive one entry.
2. The Beauty File subscribers in readers, or google friend follower will

automatically get another entry {just let me know how you follow this blog!}
3. Individuals who share this giveaway via blog, website, Twitter or Facebook,

and let me know about it will get another entry.
4. The contest will last for 7 days starting Dec 22, 2009 to Dec 29, 2009.

I will announce the winner on Dec 29, 2009.
5. The giveaway is for US residents only. Sorry!

Because those laugh lines won't be so funny when they're permanent...

top photo via Lolita

street meat

I love the:

  (a) glasses
(b) hair
(c) boots
(d) black leather pants
(e) black fur stole
(f) all of the above

*if you guessed (f) all of the above, you are SO right*
totally gorgeous.
i really wanna rock some leather pants.

via this is simes

Rachel Antonoff & Alia Shawkat totally Top That!

Do you remember, Teen Witch, my all time favorite 80s movie? Yeah, well, it's back and BETTER than ever...Watch fabulous designer, Rachel Antonoff, remake that famous scene, "Top That," accompanied by Alia Shawkat (of Arrested Development) and Rachel's brother, Jack (rocker from the group, Steel Train). If you can believe it, the song's not even the best part...check out the clothes for Rachel's Spring, 2010 collection...and if you haven't seen this movie, get thee to Netflix...stat!




via teen vogue

i want to go to there!

hope you're all having a fabulous friday!

have been quite taken by this roche-bobois ad for the last few months.

thought i'd scan it in for you...

how cozy are those sofas and that view?! whew!!!

if you're anywhere near NYC this weekend, please

stay safe and warm in the blizzard...

if you live in a warm place, we hate you.

just kidding!

we love everyone around here....

: )

be still my heart...

gulp.

what's the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for you?

even if you can't remember, isn't it nice to think about?

love actually photo via miss at la playa

For Your Holiday Consideration: Pluma

I have the pleasure of introducing the lovely &

talented Jessica, of Pluma.

Pluma is a Brooklyn-based, über chic

headband & hair accessories line.

Jessica shared the Pluma story with me:

Pluma started almost two years ago when my roommate and I decided to make some headbands to wear to a party. Everyone there loved them so much that we ended up starting a website to get them out to more people. Now the company is just me and I have been incorporating beading, crystals and feathers into the new line Noir. Noir is inspired by old Hollywood glamour so the style names come from the most popular names in the 20s, 30s and 40s. While the accessories are inspired by the past, it is important that they all still look modern and that every piece is wearable and comfortable.

How much do we love old Hollywood glamour?

Here's a link to the Pluma website: PLUMA

comfort + style = chic, timeless & elegant

Evelyn
Austrian crystal starburst appliqué on

a satin headband.
$65

Camilla

Gold beaded medallion with a double strand
of gold chain and feathers on a silver clip.
$65

Grace

Austrian crystal appliqué with circular center on a
satin headband.
Comes in black & white headbands.

$65

**Right now, all Pluma Noir headbands are 30% off on the website!**

They're also sold online at www.revolveclothing.com
And in these stores {click here for more info}:
New York: Sucre in the W. Village, Thistle & Clover in Ft. Greene
LA: Polkadots & Moonbeams
Seattle: Velouria
Portland: Parallel

curiouser & curiouser

{from almost famous...of course}

kate's a contradiction of gargantuan proportions.

Don't forget to stop by Liz's blog today to tell her which famous celeb
would play you in your biography. I chose Emily Blunt...
Well aware that we look nothing alike, but I adore her
with that charming accent & razor sharp wit...

Re: Miss Blunt: A quote taken from Marian's comment below because it was just PERFECT:


"One of my favorite lines is from The Devil Wears Prada...when she talks about how she doesn't eat anything all day and when she feels like she is about to pass out, "I have a cube of cheese"..."

via: hang the dj & a series of serendipities

Guest Blogger: Courtney of In(side) the Loop

I am honored to introduce, for the first time on TBF, the lovely Courtney Barton from one of my most favorite blogs, "In(side) the Loop." I started reading her blog long before TBF was even a thought. She has a killer eye for style, an adventurous spirit and that certain je ne sais quoi only a Louisiana native living in Kuala Lumpur may possess. She lives her life "out loud" with husband JJ, and her dog, Burkly Deluxe in tote. Her passion for exploring beautiful countries and hunting down wondrous Malaysian food & wine is quite contagious. She's simply delightful and I'm so thrilled to have her here.

I asked Courtney to devise a personal holiday dream list.

Here's what she came up with:

I certainly don't expect Santa to deliver a bag teeming with laptops, cameras, and fine art, but I love having aspirations. After all, what else is an ultimate Wish List for? Happy, happy holidays!

1. Ever since meeting Malaysian artist Ahmad Zakii Anwar, I've become utterly obsessed with his contemporary charcoal drawings. Zakii's pieces are so realistic they resemble photographs, and I can't think of a better souvenir of our time living in Kuala Lumpur.

2. I love sending tangible, handwritten mail. My mother-in-law gave me a "B" wax seal when I married JJ, and I don't think a week goes by without finding something that needs to be signed, sealed and delivered. I'm nearly out of my navy wax, so I'm hoping for a motley box of refills.

3. LoefflerRandall shoes are my greatest weakness. I have a pair of snakeskin flats I've owned for nearly three years—and they still look brand spankin' new.

4. I've managed to capture many great moments with my trusty sidekick [the Canon G9], but now I'm itching for something more advanced. Enter the 7D. Way out of my amateur league, but I love knowing I will never outgrow its capabilities.

5. Since Malaysia isn't exactly known for winter, I can't justify the expense of new boots. A pair of Bandits—like the Darjeeling ikat bows—could jazz up my current shoes.

6. I adore my MacBook Pro, but my eyes beg for a larger screen while my photos beg for more storage space. iMacs fascinate me. The thought of having nothing more than a monitor, keyboard and mouse gracing my desk sounds just dreamy; CPU units be damned.

7. Quote Studio is chock full of smart, well-crafted designs. I could have made a wish list from this designer alone, but I'll start with the S-shaped coin purse to house my Shanghai Rummy sen. When I win big, I'll return for the rest of their drool-worthy bags.

8. If asked a month ago whether I'd like another dog, I would have lightly laughed and maybe mentioned something about you being off your rocker. Then I sauntered into a local pet shop and came across a 2 month old Saint Bernard. A Saint Bernard that threw her arms around my neck at our first encounter. I'm still thinking about that sweet girl...and wondering exactly how hard it is to potty train a dog.

Visit Courney's blog, In(side) the Loop, here.

Thank you Courtney, we're so glad you could stop by!

Have a very Happy Holiday!

xo

*Coincidentally, but not entirely accidentally, I am also a guest blogger today!

Visit me at the English Muse for dreamy Parisian photographs from 1962!*

Happy Weekend!

Working on my term papers until further notice, {or boredom}

leave a message & i'll get back to you soon!

Be sure to check out the 1st installment of my holiday
gifting guide, Best of Beauty, below...

I have some exciting guest posts and a fabulous giveaway very, very soon!

Oh, and do have a very happy Chanukah  : )

{I got my Parisienne & I can't stop spraying it!  Thanks, lovey!!}

xoxo

kate spade photo via this is glamorous

TBF's Holiday Gift Guide: BEST OF BEAUTY

There's nothing more exciting than shopping for friends & family.

However, we've all had those holiday shopping days at the mall, when you
emerge 9 hours later, empty-handed, semi-battered & 100% discouraged.

Lucky for you, I've decided to take the guess work out of your

shopping for all the beauty lovers in your life.

Here are my picks for BEST IN BEAUTY, Holidays, 2009.

Perfect for those on your list who love, love, love beauty.

Also a great 'subtle' hint to those who may need some

extra help in the glam department...
Rude? No!
Considerate? Yes!

Hit it!

I. MAKEUP PALETTES

NARS Everlasting Love,
15th anniversary makeup palette
for dramatic smoky eyes & nude lips
all you need to be glamtastic year round!
NARS has the MOST pigment in their colors,
thereby making them the best...hands down.
$75, Nordstrom & Saks

Bobbi Brown, Earth Metal Lip & Eye Palette

The eye colors are heavenly, mix & match 'til your
heart's content, then you get to mix your own gloss.
What on earth is better??
$60, Bloomingdale's

II. MAKEUP BAGS

Tori Burch

Cheetah-Print Cosmetics Case
Reminds me of the LV stole I'm currently obsessed with.

$75, Bloomingdales

Henri Bendel

Heritage Label, Large Makeup Bag
I've had my Bendels brown/white striped makeup case
for years. They make the BEST cosmetics cases!

$55

III. MAKEUP BRUSHES

Shu Uemera Compact Brush Set

Includes the following brushes: blush, eye shadow, lip/eye liner, concealer/foundation.

Shu is known for their luxurious & exquisite brushes.
Treat yourself to one, too!
$55, Sephora

or

Bobbi Brown: The Basic Brush Collection
6 fabulous brushes: Concealer, Foundation, Face Blender,
Eye Shadow, Eye Liner and Eye Brow
1 amazing case...
There's absolutely nothing missing from this,
except the skilled hand you need to apply it all.
practice, practice, practice!
Bloomingdales, $175

IV. SCENTS

Yves Saint Laurent, Parisienne
light, sweet, fresh
$85 / 3.0 oz
Neiman Marcus, Saks
*on my list*

Juicy Couture, Viva La Juicy
$85 / 3.4 oz.
Delish.
Saks, Neiman, etc.

DIOR, Miss Dior Chérie
$92 / 3.4 oz.
If you've seen the commercial for this {by Sofia Coppola}
there's no way you won't love it!
Sephora

Happy Hunting & Happy Gifting, loves!

xoxo,

TBF

top photo via live journal

the kid stays in the picture

Um, she better...she's impossibly chic!

I didn't know they made Burberry trenches this teeny...

Not that these ladies have to worry, Miss Isabel Marant booties,

but seriously...what to do when your six year old is more

stylish than your friends?

Time for new friends?

{Emmanuelle Alt & Geraldine Sbaglio}

via trendy crew

love in the clutch.

this clutch.

don't you?

{buy it at bloomingdales. it's felix rey.}

Video Inspiration on a Cold Night...

I am tired.  I stayed up last night until 4:30am finishing up a term paper that really should have been done this weekend.  I don't know why I do it, but I seem to do it a lot.  "NEVER AGAIN," the recovering procastinator sighs, "never, ever again".....until next time, that is...am I some kind of a masochist?  an addict?  Bottom line: it's just no good for my complexion!

Whatever, I'm soooooo over it  :  )

Anyway, the paper is done, turned in, on time, and onto the next.  I have no time to blog, but I just stopped by Lily & the Muse {I blog there too!} for some much needed video pick-me-up and came across this.  This one minute video turned my entire day around.  I think it will do the same for you.  Do yourselves a favor, watch it.  And then watch it again.  I want to know what it evokes for you...

It brings me right back to high school....just getting my license and driving around aimlessly just for the sake of driving...breezy summer nights driving near the beach...it's the little things, right?

Thanks to Morgan Kendall from Polaroid Cupcake for posting this.  Explore more amazing videos at Lily & the Muse...