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Can Olivia Palermo Make Floral And Leopard Happen?

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:48:09 +0000

We expect nothing less than amazing from one of New York’s finest dressers, Olivia Palermo, and that’s just what she gave us Monday, rocking a black Emporio Armani jacket trimmed with Mongolian lamb’s wool trim. Never overdressed (even for London Fashion Week where anything goes right?), we think this actress/model/blogger/fashion phenom is bound to make neon, floral pants and leopard pumps a new classic in print-mixing. We’ll repeat, floral. And leopard. And neon.

Tell us what you think in the comments below! Does this unconventional mashup of LOUD only work for Ms. Palermo or will you be rocking the same look by springtime? We kind of already know the answer…

Photo: Courtesy of Giorgio Armani

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Spring Skirts To Buy Now (And The Tights To Wear ‘Em With!)

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:45:14 +0000

We’re always on your side when it comes to keeping your wardrobe fresh and fun all winter. Today’s challenge? All of those bright, tempting spring skirts staring at you through the windows on Michigan Avenue, as you trot by in your down parka, your layers, and your shearling-lined everything. It’s cruel. We’re putting a stop to this sad reality right now. Read on for a few of our favorite spring skirts, and the perfect pairs of tights that will let you slip them on…immediately! Don’t wait until Chicago’s spring decides to arrive (in June, perhaps?). Wear what you want now, with a few Refinery29-approved modifications, of course.

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6 Bizarre Red Carpet Beauty Secrets

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:24:08 +0000

With the Oscars literally right around the corner, most of Hollywood is at Defcon 2 trying to get themselves primped and primed for the film industry’s biggest night. It’s no secret that celebrities go to great lengths to look their best on the red carpet, but even we were surprised by some of the cray-cray things they’ll do to look perfect. Deodorant on your face? Jell-O lips? Many of Hollywood’s A-List have tried those bizarro beauty treatments and so many more.

But unlike leech facials or snake venom injections, some of these tricks are actually doable by your average non-celeb. We asked a panel of experts to give us their thoughts on six of these whackadoo secrets to see if they’re worth guinea pigging.

Would you try these tricks or do you think they’re better left to desperate starlets?

Photos: Via Wal-Mart, Soap.com, Jell-O

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Cat Breading: There’s An App For That (Plus, Score A Free Download!)

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:45:09 +0000

You might have LOLed at our previous post about Cat Breading, aka making your cat a yeasty and fashionable accessory out of a slice of bread. But while some of us have cats that won’t sit still long enough to give them a doughy mane, or we simply don’t have an occasion to deck our felines out in the finest whole wheat-couture (royal weddings don’t come around often), there’s now an iPhone app called Breadit that’ll give you all of the grain with none of the hassle. In fact, the creator of Breadit made the app as a Valentine’s Day present for his girlfriend, who loved the trend but had cats who just wouldn’t cooperate. Yeah, he won February 14 this year.

The app itself is very simple: Just take a picture of your favorite feline (or other unsuspecting meat creature, we suppose), choose your bread, and drag, pinch, and rotate the slice until it’s the proper size to fit your subject’s visage. Then, consider it your civic duty to share your pic through every single one of your social media channels. Seriously, the world wants to squee at your new little cat loaf.

You can download Breadit for $ 0.99 at the App Store, but we have a surprise for our R29 cat-lovers: We’ve got a few exclusive free download codes, so tell us in the comments below why you love your cat, and we’ll pick five winners to get their bread on. Meow!

Photo: Courtesy of Breadit

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This Is Our Jam: Welcome Back Sailors, “Stronger” (Keep Shelly In Athens Remix)

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:24:11 +0000

Greece’s mysterious Keep Shelly In Athens have become critical darlings this past year for their sultry take on Mediterranean pop, so it makes perfect sense that they would be tasked with remixing Italy’s similarly lush Welcome Back Sailors. “Stronger” in its original form was a beautiful, if lugubrious torch song — a slow burner for lost evenings in once-classy hotel lobbies. For the remix, Keep Shelly In Athens turn up the heat considerably, adding a sparkle of ‘80s glamour and driving, high-energy synths. Imagine winding down the Amalfi Coast in a convertible toward a clandestine discotheque; It’s got all the soul of the original, and twice the tension. (International Tapes)

Welcome Back Sailors—Love (That’s All)
“Stronger” (Keep Shelly In Athens remix)

All music is for sampling purposes only. Please go out and buy the artists’ records. If you would like for us to remove a track, please email us at feedback@refinery29.com.

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Amanda Seyfried Gets Cray Cray With A ‘Coon, On Conan

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:15:09 +0000

First Kristen Bell went ballistic over sloths on Ellen, and then, last night, Amanda Seyfried “blew her mind” over Conan’s taxidermy raccoon — what’s with these chicks and their odd animal fetishes (and feeling compelled to share this particular brand of peculiarity with talk show with hosts)?

Last night, the
Lovelace
starlet admitted to owning quite the collection of “stuffed” animals including a mini-horse, a chickadee named Linda, and an owl named Beatrix. Clearly, Amanda likes her some taxidermy, which prompted Conan to gift her said raccoon (who just happens to be equipped with a jet-propeller pack on his back. Wonder if she’ll name him after her benefactor? Watch the video we first caught on Vulture, for a trip to this funny farm!

Video: Courtesy of Conan O’Brien

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Caption This! Good Kate, Bad Kate For W Magazine, By Steven Klein

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:45:09 +0000

Winning caption: “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been three months since my last hair appointment.” — Ffyona Dolman

Runner-up: ‎”Kate finally realized that listening to ‘Like a Virgin’ and ‘Like a Prayer’ back to back on repeat was influencing her sense of style.” — Micheline Duterte Ludwick

See the rest of the entries here.

Check out today’s caption contest!

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The Next Best Thing To Don Draper: Estée Lauder’s Mad Men Collection

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:15:15 +0000

We’ve been counting down to the premiere of Mad Men with an almost obsessive level of anticipation, but waiting for the March 25 premiere has pretty much been torture. As if we needed something else to get ourselves excited for the forthcoming return, Estée Lauder is releasing Mad Men-themed makeup this March: The two-piece collection features a cherry red lipstick and a crème blush compact. The classic products are complete with Estée Lauder’s retro packaging — gold cases and ’60s-inspired boxes. We need this in our lives right now. Well, this and Jon Hamm, but that’s kind of a given.

Estée Lauder Mad Men Collection, $ 25-$ 40, available in March at Bloomingdale’s stores, Bloomingdales.com and EsteeLauder.com.

Image Via: Estée Lauder

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Sneaker Snaps Challenge 2: Smashin’ Your Passion

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:45:08 +0000

By now, you’ve met the competitors in our little footrace: Meghan Donovan of Wit & Whimsy, Becka Diamond of Slowly Goes the Nite, and Ann Colville of Holier Than Now. But for you to pick a winner in this contest, you’re going to need to know what makes them tick.

To help you out, we challenged them to put on their new favorite shoes grabbed from Nine West’s first-ever sneaker collection, talk about the personal passion, activity, or art that keeps their gears spinning, then crush that obsession into beautiful pieces.

So, pay attention to their photo shoots, future voters, because these bloggers have opened their hearts and smashed their possessions to secure your approval. BTW, when you cast your ballot for the best blogger, you’ll automatically be entered to win a $ 500 Nine West gift card! And remember to keep tuned in for more info about Nine West’s first venture into sneakers by following @ninewest on Twitter and @ninewest on Instagram.

Now, put on your protective goggles, because in this slideshow, there’ll be some very stylish flying debris.

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Style Syllabus: Spring Sandals To Wear With Socks, Right Now

Dana — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:24:09 +0000

If you’ve been out on the shopping circuit lately, you may have noticed that spring shoes have already arrived, even though the spring temperatures haven’t quite caught up. Our toes are tingling to come out and play in the new styles, but… frostbite, you know? But there’s a way around that.

Why not take a leap and start sporting sandals (with socks) before it’s warm? Yeah, we said it. What you might consider to be a fashion faux-pas is actually turning out to be a totally cute pre-season way to put some extra spring in your step. When well-matched, socks-and-sandals combos can dress down power heels and add a girly edge to a day or nighttime look, suitable for the classroom or after hours at the Uni pub.

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