Your New Year's Eve Dress is in the Bag!

Chic Fashion with the blue velvet Jennifer Dress in a Bag by NYC fashion designer, Nora Gardner!

If you are looking for the perfect dress for that Christmas Party or New Year's Eve, take a look at NYC fashion designer Nora Gardner's NEW Dress in a Bag. Perfect for that holiday destination and travel, it rolls up and then wears wrinkle free.

Nora Gardner's Jennifer Dress in a Bag fits in it's own satiny pouch. Take it out, NO wrinkles!

The Jennifer Dress
This design by Nora is very easy to wear and perfect for a posh touch of winter elegance. Black or Navy Blue velvet, the cut and fit of this dress has a bit of stretch. This dress is very size forgiving and would make the perfect gift for the fashion forward woman who travels.

Add a touch of elegance with this vintage gold leather evening bag.

Proudly Made in New York City-Visit Online at NoraGardner.com

PRESS UPDATE:

NEW DESIGNGER NORA GARDNER will hold their first showroom sale TUESDAY through THURSDAY,  December 10, 11, 12 

UP TO 80% OFF RETAIL - FASHION FORWARD WORKWEAR - OFFICE READY DRESSES AND SUITS WITH SOPHISTICATED STYLE

339 West 51st Street (between 8th and 9th), #1C * New York, NY 10019

HOURS:  NOON -3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. - and/or by appointment

Text Nora directly at 203-550-1022 for appointments

Keep a Dress in a Bag in your desk drawer at the office. Add some pearls for after-hours!

Jennifer Aniston Gift Set
You'll want to top off your holiday look with the perfect fragrance accessory. Layer this celebrity scent creation with pampering creams to the finishing note of eau de toilette. Beautiful presentation just as glamorous as Jen! Jennifer Aniston's Gift Set available at QVC.com  Set the holiday mood with these beautifully handcrafted Volcanica Candles from Bali.

Jennifer Aniston's fragrance gift set for the holidays. Volcanica Candles handcrafted in Bali.

 

Dress, Fragrance Gift Set and Candles c/o Nora Gardner NYC, QVC and Volcanica of Bali respectively.

Bling in the Holiday with NYC Designers Isaac Mizrahi & Nora Gardner

Your Holiday Style begins with the perfect LBD blinged out with these key accessories. Dress: Alyssa by designer Nora Gardner, NYC

New York, NY Tis the season for holiday office parties and corporate events where you want to let your personality shine. Never underestimate to power of first impressions. At one corporate Christmas Party, I was introduced to the dean of a local college who recommended me for a teaching position which I accepted! How you present yourself is key and a polished, elegant look is what to aim for. Start with the perfect Little Black Dress from NYC based designer, Nora Gardner. Here is her "Alyssa":

"Alyssa" transitions perfectly from the office to an evening affair with a few accessories.

Alyssa Dress by Nora Gardner
First of all, let me say that this is one NYC fashion designer who "gets it" when it comes to clothing for active, young professional women. I love Nora Gardner's Alyssa for its V-neck and lovely fitted waistline thanks to a generous invisible back zipper. The bit of Spandex means this dress is comfortable for sitting and walking. The slit pockets make it perfect for a day at the office but the fit says anything but matronly. Wide shoulder bands means no worries about wearing a strapless bra underneath and the length is just right.  Wear it to the office during the day and add a statement necklace for after hours.

Alyssa Details

Offered in Dark Grey and Jet Black

Hits at the knee

37" from high point of shoulder

Model is wearing Size 0

Fit: Narrow Hip (see size chart)

Shell: 50% Polyester, 46% Rayon, 4% Spandex

Lining: 100% Polyester

Care: Dry clean only

Find a Sizing Chart Here.

Proudly Made in New York City-Visit Online at NoraGardner.com

PRESS UPDATE:

NEW DESIGNGER NORA GARDNER will hold their first showroom sale TUESDAY through THURSDAY,  December 10, 11, 12 

UP TO 80% OFF RETAIL - FASHION FORWARD WORKWEAR - OFFICE READY DRESSES AND SUITS WITH SOPHISTICATED STYLE

339 West 51st Street (between 7th and 8th), #1C * New York, NY 10019

HOURS:  NOON -3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. - and/or by appointment

Text Nora directly at 203-550-1022 for appointments

Isaac Mizrahi Live!
NYC fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi has a beautiful collection of watches this season. His Live! line offers lots of bold designs but I fell in love with this much more dressy, demure Crystal Watch.

Isaac Mizrahi Live! Crystal Bracelet Watch

Unlike my other bracelet watches, you don't need to take this watch to the jewelers to shorten the band. Simply open and remove the extra links by hand to get the desired wrist width you need. My wrists are extremely skinny so for a watch to fit me without falling off is quite a feat. Face is a lovely white Mother of Pearl with Roman numerals. See this watch and more at QVC.com

Isaac Mizrahi's Crystal Watch at a NYC party.

Crystal Bracelet Watch Details

• Silvertone; stainless steel backing and crown
• Round and square, clear crystals border case and bracelet links
• White mother-of-pearl dial; Roman numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12; bars at other hours; silvertone hour, minute, and second hands
• Bracelet with two removable foldover clasps
• Japanese movement
• Adjusts from small to large
• Approximate measurements: Bracelet 8"L x 1/2"W at links; Removable links 3/4"W; Case 1-1/8"L x 3/4"W
• Box, instructions
• 5-year Limited Manufacturer's Warranty

The Crystal Bracelet Watch comes beautifully gift-boxed.

Add Some Sparkle! 
You can really add interest to a little black dress like the Alyssa with both a watch and a little vintage evening bag. This is not the time to be shy, especially if your dress is monochromatic. Here my evening purse has an added snowflake pin over top the silvery sequins. It goes perfectly with the Crystal Watch!

Detail showing the snowflake pin I added to this vintage evening bag.

Sparkly Evening Bags 
Don't be afraid to add even more bling to bag or clutch for the evening. A dark, solid dress needs a bit of sparkle and your bag and bracelet (watch in my case) can give you the glitter you need to stand out. Also keep in mind that your nails can be accessorized with some beautiful sparkle finishes shown in the Holiday 2013 Collection from China Glaze.

Don't forget to bling those nails too. Happy HoliGalze Nail Lacquers from China Glaze

Happy HoliGlaze Nail Lacquer Collection from China Glaze
NEW for Holiday 2013 are these eye-blindingly sparkly nail lacquers from China Glaze, Los Angeles, CA! These all have built in nail hardeners and dry to a gorgeous finish. Pop one or all in a festive design for your next holiday party. See more holiday collections online at ChinaGlaze.com

PHOTO: Nail Lacquer Colors Left to Right
Bells Will Be Blinging - Elfin' Around - Your Present Required

Dress, watch and nail lacquer c/o Nora Gardner- NYC, QVC and China Glaze respectively. 

Holiday Party Prep - Calista Tools Ion Hot Rollers

Model Secrets: Hot Rollers are used backstage at fashion shows for an instant set and style.

Backstage at many NYC fashion shows, you'll see makeup artists and hair stylists busy at work. Let me tell you, it is CRAZY back there and the models need to have their hair ready to go for the next outfit. Curling irons are great but I've also seen hot rollers being used....however not like these!

Calista Ion Hot Rollers
I have a very lovely old school set of Caruso hot rollers in my closet. I brought them back in the day when I was doing runway work but they never really got hot enough to do very much and they were hard to place in my long hair. I saw these Calista Tools on QVC and really liked how easy and fast they were to get super results. Best of all, you have the option of ordering the blue rollers for longer hair. They worked SO well too! You get 12 rollers and all of them heat at the same time so no waiting or rotating unless you want super tight curls. Either way, you can reheat them as the rollers heat up in only 3-5 minutes.

Calista Tools Ion Hot Rollers all fit on the heating unit at once.

Using Hot Rollers
The base of the Clasita Tools Ion Hot Rollers has a shut off switch which is unique as most hot roller sets do not. This means you can leave it plugged in and ready to go for an early morning appointment or a quick transition for the evening.  These rollers are VERY easy to put in and even if you're all thumbs like me, you will not burn your fingers. The heating mechanism is inside the roller so you can get them in place without a problem. If your hair in long like mine, you'll appreciate the longer rollers. I was able to do my entire mop in under 15 minutes. As I was putting the last rollers in, I was taking the first ones out. The result was soft, shiny curls that did not look or feel fried as can sometimes happen with a curling iron.

This is my hairstyle using the Calista Tools Ion Hot Rollers for the first time.

How Are These Hot Rollers Different?
According to Calista, their Hot Rollers infuse the hair with ion technology for shine and strength. You don't need to shampoo your hair before using them either. I used them on my hair dry after only a spritz of Garnier Fructis Flat Iron Protectant Spray. The photo above was taken at the end of the day and even the next day, my hair had great body and a bit of wavy curl. If I had used hairspray, the curls would have been more defined and lasted even longer. I've never seen a hot roller set with an option of LONG rollers like this. Those alone are worth the price of the ticket as they heat evenly and curl so well. 


Here are more details about Calista Tools Ion Hot Rollers:
Who is it for: All hair types--fine, coarse, thin, thick, short, long, layered, or one-length hair. Everyone can get body, voluminous wave, and/or perfect curls in a short amount of time. The Ionic Hot Rollers also come with a travel case, so creating perfect curls is easy anywhere you travel.

Why is it different: These state-of-the-art curl rollers have the PTC heating element in the roller itself, allowing the rollers to heat quickly and stay hot longer. Also, to promote healthy-looking hair, Ion technology infuses multi-element mineral powders into each roller when it is cast, lasting the life of the roller. This technology infuses moisture, which results in extra body and added shine.

How do I use it: Plug in the base, place the rollers on it, and watch the red dot on the top of the roller turn dark in three minutes, letting you know they are heated. Roll sections of your hair onto a roller and use a clip to hold in place. Your long-lasting curl will be ready within three minutes, but the longer you leave the rollers in, the more tightly shaped the curl becomes. Because of the Ion technology, you will find the hot rollers add much more volume and curl to the hair. For softer looks, use less rollers than you would normally use with traditional rollers.
Includes:

• Base with 12 roller stations
• 12 rollers: Short includes six 1"diameter x 2-1/2"L rollers and six 1-1/4"diameter x 2-1/2"L rollers; Long includes 12 1"diameter x 5-1/2"L rollers
• 12 plastic butterfly clips
• Zippered nylon travel case
• ETL-listed base

 .
Why Hot Rollers are HOT (again)!
These rollers are fast and extremely easy to use. I was so impressed with my first try using the long rods. To get the most natural looking curls, alternate the wrapping direction as you go. Fluff or run through the strands after your locks have cooled a bit to release the body and bounce. Hot rollers do not crease or leave indentations in your hair and you can just add wave with body by putting more hair on each curler. As for styling I also like to use a soft Boar Bristle Brush on my hair as it is more gentle and imparts a lovely shine.

My Long Roller Set of the Calista Tools

Party Prep
These would make the perfect Holiday Gift so I've added them to my Lucky Gift Guide! If you get these for Christmas, you will be so prepped for those New Year's Eve parties you've been invited to. The little black bag is perfect for travel so you can take them along if you are going away for the Holidays. See what else is new from Calista Tools at QVC.com

Calista Tools Ion Hot Rollers c/o QVC

Holiday Time! Laura Geller Baked Stackable Macaroons for Face & Eyes

Laura Geller Baked Stackable Macaroons 9 Piece Collection offers sparkle and glow for eyes & face.

Looking for the perfect holiday glamor gift? I've fallen for these sweet treats from QVC's Easy Gifts collection. Perfect to give or to get for yourself. Beautifully boxed for the holidays, Laura Geller's Baked formulas create a subtle luminescent finish for color that has depth and dimension, leaving skin radiant and healthy looking. Infused with centella asiatica and white tea extracts, these Baked Stackable Macaroons are handmade in Italy.

This Laura Geller Collection comes in this SWEET holiday gift box, all ready to place under the tree. See? Easy.

Laura Geller Baked Stackable Macaroons
This fab set contains three shades each of blush, highlighter, and eye shadow begin as swirls of liquid pigment that are baked on terra-cotta tiles for 24 hours and finished by hand in Italy. The result is a silky wash of long-wearing color that illuminates the skin.

So Here's What You Get in This 9 Piece Set!

• 0.06-oz Baked Brulee Blush in Gingerbread
• 0.06-oz Baked Brulee Blush in Lychee Rose
• 0.06-oz Baked Brulee Blush in Cassis Violet
• 0.06-oz Baked Brulee Highlighter in Honey Lavender
• 0.06-oz Baked Brulee Highlighter in Toasted Coconut
• 0.06-oz Baked Brulee Highlighter in Dulce de Leche
• 0.06-oz Baked Brulee Eyeshadow in Orange Blossom
• 0.06-oz Baked Brulee Eyeshadow in Mocha Latte
• 0.06-oz Baked Brulee Eyeshadow in Chestnut

Laura Geller Baked Stackable Macaroons Collection allows you to mix and match, blending colors as you wish.

How I Use It:
Baked Brulee Eyeshadow-I use these eyeshadows dry for daytime wear as they are very subtle. My favorite color of the trio is the Orange Blossom which has a lovely shimmer that you can wear in full sun. Very sheer. 
Tip: If you want more intense color for a night out, DAMPEN your eyeshadow brush first and use these buildable pigments wet. They compliment each other perfectly so use all three!

Baked Brulee Eyeshadows. Each case has a little makeup half-moon mirror inside!

Baked Brulee Blush-This trio is highly pigmented, (especially the Lychee Rose), so a little goes a long way. The shimmer is very fine in all of the blushes and very easy to blend out.
Tip: Using a dry fan or blush brush, pick up a small amount of pigment and blow off the excess. Sweep upwards onto the apples of the cheeks and blend out well.

Baked Brulee Highlighter-Highlighter is one of my favorite beauty steps as it adds the finishing touch to your foundation. Laura Geller's toasty trio did not disappoint as these pigments are sheer and shimmery. So light and airy! The Toasted Coconut is gorgeous on bare skin.
Tip: Apply highlighter to the top of your cheekbones, nose, chin and the inner corner of the eyes yes. Still, don't forget about those collarbones and shoulders when wearing your Christmas Party & New Year's Eve gowns!

On the Holiday Set at QVC. Laura Geller's Baked Macaroons made my Lucky Gift Guide so check it out!

Laura Geller Makeup c/o QVC

Toscanella Leather Duffel Bag by Pierotucci of Italy 

Gifts We Really Want - L'Occitane en Provence Hand Creams

L'Occitane en Provence - Memoirs of a Hand Cream Holiday Gift Set is the complete holiday package!

Provence, in the South of France: It always seems to be a challenge to choose just the right holiday gifts each year for our friends and family. Then there's all the boxing, wrapping and everything else. Well, not this year! On my last visit to QVC Studios, I heard about QVC Gifts. These are a special collection of holiday gifts that come in beautiful packaging, pretty much ready to set right under the tree.  These are top luxury labels from designers like Issac Mizrahi, Laura Geller, Josie Maran, WEN and Philosophy.

On L'Occitane de Provence's Set at QVC TV Studios.

L'Occitane en Provence
So I was very excited to see L'Occitane included among the QVC Gifts collection as this is a line I've been using for quite some time. In fact I keep a tube of their 20% Shea Butter and Lavender Hand Cremes in my makeup bags. L'Occitane's creams are made in France with real botanicals so you get all the healing benefits inherent to the plant. 

I keep a tin of L'Occitane's 100% Shea Butter in my first-aid kit.

  
L'Occitane's Lavender Hand Creme is so soothing and calming on long flights or car trips. My book, The New Woman's Herbal and Nutritional Guide extols the healing wonders of Lavender for burns, scrapes and irritations. It's like having a first-aid cream that also smells amazing. Just like the finest aromatherapy oils, the essential oils used in L'Occitane's hand creams are harvested from all over the world: Grasse, Turkey, Bulgaria and Morocco to name a few.

I always keep a tube of L'Occitane Lavender or Shea Butter hand cream in my travel bag.

Memoirs of a Hand Creme Set
Now that you know how GOOD L'Occitane Hand Cremes are, let me tell you about the beautiful set of 8 being offered in their Memoirs of a Hand Creme from QVC. Beautifully gift-boxed, it opens like a bed-time story book tied with a satin ribbon. Only it's a TRUE story! It tells the tale of their unrivaled 20% Shea Butter hand creme and all the others made from the most fragrant plants and flowers.

L'Occitane's Story of a Hand Creme opens to hold 8 of their full sized 30 ml hand cremes.

These are the same full 1 oz tubes sold at their NYC flagship store. I shop there so I know. This is a great value as each tube of hand creme retails in the store for about $12.  However, some of the cremes in this collection I've not seen in the store such as the: Pivoine Flora Hand Cream, Fleur Cherrie and the Rose 4 Reines Hand Cremes. You can gift the entire set or break it up into individual elegant stocking stuffers. There's plenty to go around, even if you like to save a tube or two for yourself!

The End!

L'Occitane Memoirs of a Hand Creme c/o QVC