Loving this now | My Mom, The Style Icon

If you haven't seen this yet, chances are it will make it onto the periphery of your pop culture radar soon. My Mom, The Style Icon is a  blog that has - faster than a speeding bullet - become the next blog-to-book project, having been commissioned by Chronicle to produce a print edition of all the stylish retro mamas out there for 2011.

The blog is an homage to real-life style icons - mainly, our mums. The pictures tell the story, as do some of the comments. I particularly like her observation "that Women really knew how to accessorize in the '60s. Pins, hats, ribbons. If you wear any one of those items these days you better be prepared for some not-so-gentle ribbing. I think I liked people in the '60s better than us." Too true, lady, too true...

It's a log of inspirational pics. Women living life stylishly everywhere, everyday, without (in large) a staff to do it for them, the help of disposable fashion (a la Primark), endless credit and over-night shipping. 

If you've experienced internal strife about breaking free of the parred-down, frump-tastic modern woman uniform (more prevalent in the US than the UK, bless the British) of North Face fleece (in, of course, your colour of choice as a means to let your personality shine through), boot-cut jeans, running shoes, scruffy ponytail and nary an accessory in site, let this site inspire you to break the shackles of said uniform and live life with a bit of stylish elan.

My Mom, The Style Icon

Beauty crystal ball: V Magazine gets industry insiders to talk trends for beauty 2010

Halloween has come and gone again, which means it's a made dash to the end of the 2009 (and the decade) from herein out. We're starting our slippery slide down that annual slope with beauty predictions for 2010 from V Magazine, who've questioned models, stylists and creative directors how they think beauty will shape up in decade two of the 21st century. Here's what they had to say:

"More is more! Women want to look strong, powerful, and sexy again," – Aaron De Mey, Creative Director, Lancome (DARIA WERBOWY photographed by Mario Sorrenti, makeup by Aaron De Mey, hair by Didier Malige for Frederic Fekkai) 

"The future of beauty lies in personality, which is far more interesting than just being beautiful. Knowing yourself and making yourself known as you want to be – even being someone else if you want." – Christophe de Lataillade, Creative Director, Thierry Mugler Parfums (ANNA VYALITSNYA Photography by Richard Burbridge, makeup by Kabuki, hair by Shay Ashual, styling by Brian Molloy  (Bustier by Thierry Mugler; Earrings by Cartier) )

"The future of beauty is the pursuit of a cyber-esque perfection. I wanted to transpose this virtual world onto a real face." – Val Garland, Artistic Adviser, YSL Makeup (KAROLIN WOLTER Photography by Miguel Reveriego, makeup by Val Garland, hair by Peter Gray)

"Beauty in 2010 will focus less on the external and more on the internal. Our health, mind, energy, and, most important, spirit will be the new foundations of true beauty." – James Gager, SVP and Creative Director, M.A.C. Cosmetics Worldwide (ALI MICHAEL Photography by Miles Aldridge, makeup by Ellis Faas)

"Beauty 2010 is about spontaneity, freedom of expression, and confidence." – Linda Cantello, International makeup artist, Giorgio Armani Beauty (KATRIN THORMAN Photography by Daniel Jackson,makeup by Linda Cantello, hair by Esther Langham, styling by Marie Chaix)

"Modernity is taking the classic and making it surreal." – Kamo (MIYUKI KOIZUMI Photography by Kazunari Tajima, makeup and hair by Kamo)

"Black is the new black." – James Kaliardos, Creative Director, L’Oreal Paris International (HEIDI MOUNT AND SASHA PIVOVAROVA Photography by Mario Sorrenti, makeup by James Kaliardos, hair by Recine, styling by Jane How)

"The future of beauty is about letting your freak flag fly. Anything goes when the whistle blows!" – Jimmy Paul, Editorial Stylist, Bumble and bumble (COCO ROCHA photographed by Alasdair McLellan, makeup by Kaoru, hair by Jimmy Paul, styling by Marie Chaix)

"Optimism. The more, the better." – Gucci Westman, Creative Director, Revlon (NATALIA VODIANOVA photograped by Craig McDean, makeup by Gucci Westman, hair by Julien d’Ys (necklace by Tom Binns Design))

"The past inspires the future." – Aerin Lauder, Senior VP and Creative Director, Estee Lauder (Photo (1983) by Victor Skrebneski for Estee Lauder)

Images and copy courtesy of V Magazine.

Smell this now: Bois d'Alexa candle by Alexa Rodulfo

When I first found the Bois d'Alexa candle waiting in my postbox (way back in early 2009), I was moving house and thus not lighting any candles in the vicinity of my growing newspaper mountain (the best paper with which to wrap kitchenwares). My flat resembled a large tinder box and open flame was the last ingredient I wanted to be responsible for supplying. However, I was curious... I peeked under the weighty pewter lid of the candle sent over by the famed Alexa Rodulfo herself so I could at the very least get a feel for the scent. It weighed heavy in my hand since the candle, made in historic perfume center Grasse, comes encased in opaque black French glass. It feels as luxurious as it smells; this product has a presence. Simply put, it's sensory decadence that won't leave you feeling woozy as is so often the case with pungent products, superbly rich puds and other slightly nefarious implements of decadence. You won't dry heave at the thought of using Bois d'Alexa after overdoing it the night before because, frankly, there's no overdoing it with this candle. 

For those of you who aren't familiar with Alexa, she is the go-to makeup and hair stylist for the social set of this world, making up the likes of fashonistocrat Margherita Missoni and media royalty Wendi Murdoch. 

Description

Bois d'Alexa is a unisex-scented candle that comes in a black French glass container with a lead-free Pewter lid encased in a velvet pouch. The wax is black, the wick is made from 100 per cent cotton and the candle is made in Grasse, France.

The fragrance include notes of orange, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon blossom, cedar, vetiver, guaiac wood, white musk, oak moss, leather and hints of vanilla.

The Good

The musky, wooden scent. It is absolutely pervasive. When it's sitting sans pewter lid on my coffee table, the entire living room is redolent of soft cedar, slightly green and gently musky. It's a candle a man would't be embarassed to have sitting out in his flat (let alone next to his bed). It's not too metro and it doesn't reek of a Little Tree care freshener. It is, in my estimation, one of the best scented candles on the market.

Plus, each candle is handcrafted and comes in a velvet pouch... all made in Grasse. This stuff is good,

The Bad

As with so many things, the price is a bit steep. $68 for a candle is hard to justify for some, but it does burn for 50 hours.

Buy Bois d'Alexa at Aedes de Venustas and Colette.

Update on 10.3.2009 by Jessica Teas (née Gearhart)

I was just pinged with an email about the fact that Alexa is releasing three more candle scents, soon (hopefully) to be followed by other products.

The three scents are: BOIS BLANC, BOIS SAUVAGE, BOIS D’AMOUR.”

Alexa says: “I wanted to create something beautiful. Once you become captivated by a scent, it will remind you of and take you to places that you have been before: you may not quite know where, but you know it’s a place of calm and pleasure.”

About the scents

BOIS BLANC: The base notes are Violet Leaf with Bergamot and Grapefruit; additional spicy accents are added with Nutmeg, Cloves and dry notes of Cedar wood, though the overall affect is anchored with woody facets of Vetiver and Sandalwood. The finishing touch is a note of White Musk.

BOIS SAUVAGE: The perfect blend of acidic citrus fruit and the base perfume of woods, BOIS SAUVAGE is like a walk through the wilderness. Lemon and oranges mingle with rum vapors, moss facets and the warm aroma of crisp trees. Still familiar with its musk powder and hints of old leather, this is an entirely new, unique creation.

BOIS D’AMOUR: Familiar, inspiring and full of love – this scent is built around a mix of red thyme and nutmeg, with a strong overtone of the calming, invigorating green mint. The green tea marries a patchouli bouquet, with the slightest taste of cannabis accord. The endnote is the harvested familiar banquet of gaiac wood, cedar wood and oak. 
   
The three candles are available exclusively from Colette from tonight and then globally from November 2009.