Weekend Update: Green Nails and Sample Sales

Hey!

Urban Outfitters has a very good facsimile of the Chanel Jade Nail Polish – and it’s on sale!

And I just walked past the American Apparel Rummage Sale. The lineup of Ugg wearing folk was around the block. Better you should go this afternoon.

Watch Week: Site You Might Like

If my week-long attempt at writing about watches has taught me anything, it is that I am no Watchismo Times. It’s my favourite place to scope out innovative watch designs. If you want to accquire a funky, vintage or just plain old interesting timepiece, visit the Watchismo store.

Actually, even if your not into watches, you are guaranteed to find one you like. Plus, if you become a Watchismo Facebook Fan, you could win a free watch!

Image via Watchismo

Incoming: American Apparel Rummage Sale

American Apparel is having a Rummage Sale. They are promising thousands of garments at up to 85% off. Inventory will be replenished throughout the day (so that if you go on Sunday stock won’t be totally picked over) and nothing will cost over $50. I’m gonna stock up on leggings and undies myself.

WHAT: American Apparel Rummage Sale
WHEN: Fri, Nov 27 and Sat, Nov 28, 10am – 9pm, Sun, Nov 29 10am – 7pm
WHERE: 590 King St. West
WHAT ELSE: Free admission. Cash, credit and debit accepted

Watch Week: Marcel Boucher Jump Hour Watch

Two interesting things about this space age superstar: It bears the name of imminent jewellery designer Marcel Boucher and its a mechanical digital watch.

Boucher got his start in the fine jewellery world, apprenticing at Cartier (his wife Sandra was a designer for Harry Winston and Tiffany). In 1936, at the height of the Depression, he decided to launch a collection of bejewelled, three-dimensional costume jewelry brooches with naturalistic subjects.

Boucher died in 1965, but his widow kept the company running until around 1970. At that time Marcel Boucher became a subsidiary of Dovorn Industries, a watch maker.

Which brings us to the watch pictured above. Jump hour (aka direct read) watches displays with numerals like a digital watch, unlike an analog watch which points at the number printed on a dial. They were first invented in the 1880s, had a brief revival in the 1920s, and then were resurrected in the 1970s, when the watch industry was at wits end trying to battle quartz watches and inexpensive Timexes and Japanese imports.

Both Boucher jewellery and and jump hour watches are very collectible today (I sold the one pictured above to a nice man in the Netherlands).

Fun Fact:
Even though he had his own line, Boucher still freelanced for other jewellery makers – including an outfit called Avon of Belleville, which was made in Belleville, Ont. Not to be confused with Avon the cosmetics company’s costume jewellery offerings, Avon of Belleville is signed “Avon” in script or all caps followed with Boucher’s four-digit inventory number.

Sneak Peak: L’Oréal Paris Studio Line Indestructible

Oh man, I’ve been itchin’ to test out the upcoming L’Oréal Paris Studio Line Indestructible Collection ever since Eric Del Monaco gave me a sneak peak of the products during Fashion Week. While the line isn’t in stores until February, hopefully a bit of advanced buzz wouldn’t hurt, right?

First off, most of the looks Del Monaco and his team created for fashion week – textured braids, bouncing curls, etc. – were made with the Indestructible Collection. The stuff really has hold, but with flexibilty. If you have fine hair like me, the Mousse adds a boost of body. If you want to create a quick updo that won’t fall down, run a dab of Indestructible Gel before you set your bun (Del Monaco adds that when you let your hair down, you’ll also get that sexy librarian wave).

Anyway, full review closer to February. In the mean time, you may want to hold off on buying bulk-sized styling products until then.

Watch Week: Old Waltham

There’s something about a watch that looks its age in a distinguished way. Like this nine jewel 1936 Waltham that was part of a lot I won on the eBay. I think its dirty dial only makes it look more handsome.

Back in the olden times, Switzerland was not the epicenter of watchmaking that it is today. From around 1650 until 1850, the English made the most accurate watches available. The Swiss were better known for their super complicated novelties (warning: link is NSFW). And, for a while, US companies (like Elgin, Gruen, Hamilton and Waltham) took on the Anglo/Helvetica cabal by pioneering the production of watches on an assembly line and making watches that were both accurate and affordable.

What wounded the American companies was that, after WWI, they didn’t make the switch from pocket watches to wrist watches fast enough. Then the depression hit. What killed it was that during WWII, the factories put most of their capitol into regearing for military production. The Swiss, being a neutral country, just kept chugging out watches. Waltham ticked its last tock in 1857.

Fun Facts:
1. Timex, a downscale American watchmaking concern, survived and prospered thanks to its cheap, “disposable” watches.
2. Bulova was a technically an American company (even though they imported Swiss Movements). In the 1960s, they created the revolutionary electronic Accutron tuning fork watch – the most accurate timepiece available until quartz watches took over.
3. In 1966, Hamilton acquired the Büren Watch Company in Switzerland. By 1969, the Hamilton Watch Company completely ceased its American manufacturing operations. The Hamilton name is now part of The Swatch Group.

Holiday In: Box Sets

You know how those makeup palettes that they sell at Christmas are always disappointing because they aim for the least objectionable shades — nothing fun, always slightly ruddy looking? Not this year my friends!

Quo’s Treasure Box (pictured above) is the perfect present for makeup junkies. It’s got a colourful collection of 24 eye shadows, eight lip glosses, three pressed powders, a black mascara and a lip liner housed in a jeweled compact. And it only costs $35.

Sephora’s Color Play Palette II sampler comes with 36 highly pigmented powder eyeshadows, 12 lip colors, three powder blushes, and a bronzer for about $24.

If there is just too much selection in the above palettes, consider Cargo’s Hands of Hope Collection, which features nine full-sized brilliantly hued, shimmery, professional quality eye shadows for only $29 (available at Sephora and Murale).

Watch Week: The Tudors

It looks like a pretty unexceptional watch, does it not? Except that the Tudor brand is Rolex’s more modest sister. Tudor was introduced by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1946. The most important difference between Rolex and Tudor is that the Tudors do not have a Rolex manufactured movement, but a rather a modified ETA mechanism.

This is as close to owning a Rollie as I will ever get.

Fun Watch Facts:
1. Few watch companies make their own movements. the list of manufactures includes Rolex, Glashutte Original, Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux and Chopard. This kind of information probably only matters to crazy watch people and to people who are trying to justify spending too much money on a watch.

2. Many watch companies have less expensive lines. Bulova has Caravelle, Hamilton had Vantage, Benrus had Belforte. Secondary lines were mostly introduced to battle bargain brands like Timex. They frequently had non-Swiss movements to keep costs down.

Interview With A Beauty Advisor: Carolyn Black

Beauty advisors are our friends. They save us money by steering us away from impulse buys that we will use once and then leave in the medicine cabinet for five years. They point us toward new products so we don’t keep wearing the same purple eye shadow that we originally sported in the ’90s. And sometimes they even give us free samples.

Carolyn Black is a beauty advisor who is also my friend when I’m not shopping for cosmetics. And she has graciously agreed to answer some questions. Keep reading for her awesome eyebrow tips.

Who are you and what do you do (a brief bio)?
My name is Carolyn Black, and I am a beauty advisor at Shoppers Drug Mart, as well as a makeup artist on the side.

When did you decide that the world of beauty was for you?
I have always loved makeup. When I was younger I used to play with sparkles and white eyeliner, and it just grew from there!

How did you originally get into makeup?
It started with my second part time job. I was working at Shoppers as a cashier, and I realized I was spending more and more time in the cosmetics department, so I ended up going to school for special effects makeup.

What is your beauty philosophy?
Take care of your skin and play with your makeup. I understand that certain colours look better on certain people, but makeup is all about fun and playing!

What is the most fun about working with makeup?
Everything!!! I love that my world is always changing, and there is always something new out there to try! It sounds weird, but would be surprised at how quickly a woman’s mood can change when she finds that perfect lipstick. And to be the person that helps her with it is pretty rewarding.

What is the most difficult part ?
It’s hard to say. I think anyone who has worked in retail would probably have the same difficulties.

Who is your personal style inspiration?
I don’t really have one. For makeup I am loving what Lâncome is doing right now.

You have the best eyebrows ever — what’s your secret?
Haha!! I don’t do much, I think a good eyebrow is all about how you fill it, and I truly recommend a powder to fill in your brows. I use Lise Watier, they have two colours so you can create the perfect colour for your brow.

Here are the three steps to follow when filling your brows:
1. Brush your brows in the wrong directions. Wherever you see spots without hair, fill them in.
2. Comb your brows back, then fill brows in again.
3. Run a mascara wand through your brows to soften them and correct any areas that may be too dark.

Where is the best place to watch people in Toronto?
Honestly the Eaton Center. So many people come through there everyday with so many different styles it’s pretty crazy. Because there are so many tourists going through there everyday, you get to see what’s going on in fashion all over the world!!

What is your favourite fashion/beauty or design thing right now?
Stirrups! I was just reading an article about how someone has created some that you attach to any pair of leggings so boots go on easier. Oh, and pockets in skirts and dresses. I have no idea what took people so long to figure out how much better life would be with pockets.

Incoming: West End Antique Show

If you’ve ever wondered what your precious treasures are worth to somebody else, you should check out the The 7th Annual West End Antique Show at the Swansea Town Hall in Bloor West Village. Admission is free, lunch is available and evaluations (from dealers selling hustling silver, tablewares, jewellery and much more are $5.

Even if you don’t need someone to validate your awesome taste by assigning a dollar value to it, you can pick up some prezzies for friends, family and yourself.

WHAT: West End Antique Show
WHEN: Sunday, November 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
WHERE: Swansea Town Hall, 95 Lavinia Avenue, Bloor St. W. and Runnymede
For more information please call 416-392-1954 ext. 242