"skin me and wear me like last years versace"

One of my best accessories is ... me.  I love me so how can I go wrong?

Everyone is a canvas and in this case, you can literally paint yourself.  How cool is that!?  In this case, I don't mean paint your clothing (that was big in 2007 and copied on Project Runway a few seasons ago) but rather, paint yourself (big even when we were single-cell organisms).  

Makeup has changed through the ages, had its trends, and, sometimes, made us look like clowns.  In this case, it's more of a combination of clowns and trends ... with a regional influence.

For this, we need a bit of background: Our nation is obsessed with New Jersey.  Between south park, the Bravo Network, the Style Network, and my grandmother, it's like an infection.  In my case, it's terminal:   Jersey is the homeland of my rents, their siblings, and 3/4 of my grandrents.  (The odd one out was from Chicago.)  Our blood is toxic.

The main thing I learned from my own Jersey experience is, if the number of Jersy-ians in a room doubles, the sound level quadruples.  This ratio has held true through the tests of time and reality tv.  

And the only thing louder than a Jersey Girl is her Makeup.

Or her love of animal print.

In this case, I'm taking all of the above and showing how the combine in one amazing product.

NYX Cosmetics came out with a "Haute Jersey" pallet in conjunction with "Jerseylicious," a show that causes my IQ to drop but is impossible to turn off.  (I mean, who kicks someone in the head while they're unconscious?!  Thank god you weren't wearing shoes.  SERIOUSLY.)  

I digress.  You can find the pallet here  HAUTE JERSEY and shipping isn't too bad.  Yes, that means that I actually purchased it! I sadly haven't found it in any Ulta stores and that's the only local chain I've found that carries NYX.  

As for the actual makeup, there are 24 different eyeshadows.  TWENTYFOUR. Matching your shirt and your eyeshadow will never be an issue with this selection ... remember that kind of matching is always a fashion no-no!  (Mr. Jay ran that rule home on ANTM several seasons ago and it should never be forgotten!) Also, the blush/brozer selection will have you covered for EVERY season.  No joke, 3 bronzers, 2 blushes, and a combo bronzer/blush made into a cheetah print.  

Amazing-ness for $25 + whatever I paid for shipping. 

So not only is the case on trend but the makeup is too.  

Cheetah print is essentially timeless if used right.  If used in place of a neutral or as an accent, you're spot on!  (Pun indented.)  If you wear the cheetah equivalent of a "kentucky tuxedo," check you're self before you wreck yourself.  If you don't know what that is, I'm sure urbandictionary.com has some colorful definitions to view.  

Coco Chanel, the most over-quoted, cliched woman ever, had an adage that applied to jewelry: put on your jewelry and before you leave, take a piece off.  This also applies to any loud/animal prints in your life.  Less is more and, if you're not sure about how it looks, err on the side of caution. 

Also, just like with trends, you don't need to jump into a trend headfirst.  Not all of us can work a snakeskin print bodysuit, let alone afford one.  In this case, get a snakeskin clutch or purse.  Not only will you be on trend but you can work it into outfits to come.  

And then you can match your snakeskin clutch to Haute Jersey for years to come.  I'm sure Mr. Jay wouldn't mind that.

are unfinished edges a bad thing?

If you were asking my grandmother that question, the answer would be a resounding "YES."  In her opinion, some of the worst crimes against fashion are pieces of clothing where patterns don't match at the seams (hurts the eyes), unfinished edges (the clothing will rip at first use), and over-embellished tops (robs her the chance to use every necklace in her closet in her outfit).  


And that's SO not me.  


In my world, sometimes those things have to happen.  Fashion doesn't have one definition.  Fashion also doesn't totally define a person.  It's the most adaptive form of expression: from a kentucky tuxedos and ostrich-feather skirts or sequin vests to your birthday suit, everything a person wears shows a little about who they where, who they are, and who they want to become.  An example is a woman wearing clothing too large after losing immense amounts of weight or the new college graduate wearing ill-fitting suits with too-tight collars.  We've all been somewhere, we got here, and we're going there.  Duh.  


Needless to say, we all make choices, like different things, and, without a doubt, abhor what we don't understand.  I try to give everything a chance ... it might strike out but you can't knock it till you try it!


Regardless, no matter the materials, a ball-gown sized confidence always makes a look.  


Rock that gold lame tube dress, light-up stripper heels, and feather headdress.  You will turn head but if you've got the guts too pull it off.  DO IT.