SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Get In The Halloween Spirit With These Spooky But Sassy Bing Bang Pieces

I'll admit: I'm the scrooge of Halloween. Maybe it has something to do with my scaredy-cat ways — after all, even things like the opening sequence in the "Thriller" video terrified me as a kid. After watching Friday the 13th during a sleepover at a friend's house at the age of 10, I had nightmares for an entire week. Needless to say, when Halloween rolls around and I'm confronted with teenagers in Jigsaw or Scream masks, my nerves are rattles. I truly wish I'd only see babies dressed up as pumpkins and little kids in superhero, princess and cartoon character costumes on Halloween. So there you have it: my scaredy cat confessions.

But this year, I decided I'd retire my Halloween misanthrope and try to embrace some of the festivities. After all, I managed to develop an appreciation for True Blood, which meant constantly reminding myself that vampires aren't real (seriously, I'm that big a wimp!). So, as part of my transformation, I'm offering all you Halloween enthusiasts a way to spruce up your ensembles with these Bing Bang by Anna Sheffield pieces.

Always treading the line between dainty and rugged, precious and stark, gentle and tough, Anna Sheffield crafted pieces that reference creatures of the night — from howling wolves to straight-from-the-crypt skulls — but are so small and delicate that they're imbued with this ladylike air.

If you prefer a bolder option, check out the Skull Rosary Locket, which features black horn, rosary-style beads joined together with gunmetal chain links and a tarnished rectangular silver with stamped with a skull and crossbones motif.

Now, this is the type of scary I can get with!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Bing Bang NYC Tiny Skull Studs, $30; Skull Rosary Locket, $150; and Tiny Howling Wolf Studs, $30. Available at Shop.BingBangNYC.com

Sang A Spring/Summer 2011 Collection -- From Gold Python To Belt Bags

 

Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of dropping by the Sang A Spring/Summer 2011 press preview at the CFDA Fashion Incubator in NYC. For this season, designer Sang A Im-Prop took her dexterity with exotic animal skins to new heights, crafting a collection that incorporates brushed gold python, black-and-white brushed python, desert stone cobra, mint-blue natural fish, warm platinum stamped alligator, black nubuck leather, crimson lizard, slashed black-and-white crocodile, and a glittery black snakeskin. These skins added a new zest to cult favorite styles like the Wave (pictured second from top in a radiant, brush gold satin python), a large tote with a rounded front zipper that houses a padded iPad/laptop pocket, and which features three quilted half-moon, ripple-like grooves along its left and hand sides, running from top to bottom like parentheses shapes. Similarly, the Mini Wave Warm Platinum Stamped Alligator tote (pictured second from top) radiates thanks to a sheen-laden, slightly distressed, buttery bone color with a grayish contrast along the scales and a light, antique gold glimmer that seems to swathe the bag in an almost surreal, cosmic blanket. These pieces speak to Sang A's genius, how she can use the richest, most sophisticated materials and manipulate them to create silhouettes that are streamlined but imbued with a futuristic, decidedly urban, edgy vibe via zippers, quilted shapes, and sculpted details.

The slouchier Mini Pop bag, meanwhile, now comes in a black-and-white brushed python (pictured fourth from top) and a surprisingly chic fish skin in a grayish, dusty, minty blue shade (pictured at top), the latter featuring slightly distressed, frayed edges that are powdery soft.

Classics aside, Sang A also introduced some new styles — among them the Rise, a chic belt bag with a sash belt that ties around the waist or hips (shown third below, in black-and-white rustic alligator) and a flap featuring two fluid, overlapping sculpted layers. Apparently, Sang A is particularly pleased with this launch since what initially drew her to handbag design was the notion of creating a belt bag that allowed for convenient access to essentials (keys, phone, etc.) without venturing into the horror-laden territory of the eye sores known as fanny packs. The Rise bags, then, function as the ultimate accessory, adding a dash of gumption to any ensemble, while also simplifying the lives of multi-tasking woman.

Another new addition is the Slide cross-body bag, which features a tough gunmetal chain strap and a trapezium-like shape with a triple wave flap, each flap featuring slightly jagged edges. Our pick: the black midnight, glitter snakeskin Slide (pictured third below), a cocktail-ready number with a rock-n-roll flair.

Fekkai Essential Shea Butter Shampoo And Conditioner -- Shea Gotta Have It!

Shea butter has been an essential part of my skincare routine for years — in fact, I used to walk around with the enormous tin housing the full-sized L'Occitane Shea Butter in my purse (it elicited quite a few sideways glances). Shea butter (otherwise known as Butyrosperum parkii) is created by crushing and boiling nuts from the shea trees commonly found in African countries like Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Sudan, then extracting the fatty residue, stirring it, and cooling it to produce a buttery balm. Rich in stearic and oleic acids, shea butter softens both skin and hair, which accounts for its usage in such hair products as Organix's Smoothing Shea Butter Shampoo, L'Occitane's Shea Butter Shampoo, Burt's Bees Hair Repair Shea & Grapefruit Deep Conditioner, and Hamadi's Shea Hair Mask, among others. Not only does shea butter hydrate hair strands and stimulates new hair growth, but it has a natural SPF protection factor of approximately 6, so that it automatically shields strands from damaging UV rays. But not all shea-packed products are made equal. If the appropriate ration of shea vis-a-vis the formula's other ingredients is not achieved, the final product can prove to be overly greasy, leaving hair feeling weighted down. The essential steps to create a stellar hair care product encompassing this ingredient, then, are: using a high grade variety of shea, striking the right balance of ingredients, and finding a stellar supporting cast of botanicals, minerals and vitamins. When these three elements converge, as in the case of the shampoo and conditioner in the Fekkai Essential Shea collection, your hair will taste greatness.

Both the Fekkai Essential Shea Butter Shampoo and the Fekkai Essential Shea Butter Conditioner contain no sulfates — an essential step in ensuring your hair remains healthy, as sulfates strip your hair of its natural oils, damaging the cuticle, and increasing porosity. What they do have is avocado oil, which restores luster and softens hair; castor oil, which boasts anti-bacterial and humectant properties; guar gum extract, which functions as a thickening agent; panthenol, which locks moisture into the hair cuticle; almond glycerides that condition and smooth hair; and Hydroxypropyltrimonium honey, which is derived from the honey comb, a natural humectant, as well as an antibacterial and antiseptic agent. Talk about yummy goodness!

The shampoo and conditioner smell exquisite -- boasting a sweet, slightly nutty, honey-tinged aroma that sweet yet milky, and incorporates a hibiscus-like freshness. Best of all, when you apply the Fekkai Essential Shea Butter Conditioner into your hair and massage it into your scalp, your strands will feel a bit plumper. It naturally conditions and detangles the hair so, once you rinse, you won't have to apply any additional leave-ins or detanglers. And, once your hair dry, you'll notice your mane feels softer and yet it has bounce and movement. If you've got dry, color-treated, or curly hair, you'll be particularly fond of these products, since they really deliver the necessary hydration and help to keep frizz at bay.

And that, ladies, is a great shea reaction!

Fekkai Essential Shea Butter Shampoo and Essential Shea Butter Conditioner, $23 each. Available at Fekkai.com or Nordstrom.com

New Same Sky Fabric Wrap Bracelets Launch At DKNY Stores

 

 

Founded by theater and film producer Francine LeFrak (her production credits include HBO's critically acclaimed Shot Through The Heart, which is set in the country formerly known as Yugoslavia and sheds light on the ethnic cleansing horrors that transpired in Bosnia), jewelry brand Same Sky is equal parts social empowerment initiative and global fashion effort. All of Same Sky's pieces are handcrafted by HIV-positive Rwandan women who survived the 1994 genocide in their country (during which more than 250,000 women were brutally raped, many infected with HIV as a result). By encouraging these women to use their artisan skills as a means for economic empowerment, paying them fair wages (15 times the average wage made by working women in sub-Saharan Africa), and providing them with a daily stipend for food and transportation to and from work, Same Sky gives these women the tools to better their futures. Since 2009, the Same Sky artisan community has grown from four women to over 50, all thanks to the jewelry purchases made by consumers across the globe, the proceeds of which are reinvested into the business.

Now, Same Sky has teamed up with long-time philanthropist Donna Karan, who will be launching the Same Sky fabric wrap bracelets in her DKNY stores. Featuring hand-dyed, braided or crocheted Rwandan textiles and balloon-shaped, hand-blown glass beads, Same Sky's fabric wrap bracelets measure 35” to 38” in length, wrapping around the wrist four to six times (depending on wrist size). Donna Karan will be launching four styles: the hot pink-infused "Material Girl" (pictured second from top); "Welcome to the Jungle," which merges earthy brown, grass green, and dark teal blue threads; "Tangled Up in Blue," a festive orange, turquoise and navy blue piece; and "Back in Black," a simple black piece.

Kudos to Donna Karan for allowing Same Sky another venue through which to expand its reach and continue doing its great work!

 

Same Sky fabric wrap bracelets, $40 each. Available at DKNY.com and DKNY stores in New York, Las Vegas, Boston, Costa Mesa, Honolulu, and London.

Illamasqua Art of Darkness Collection -- A Cryptic Beauty

 

 

After toying with notions of light and movement with its Spring/Summer 2010 collection, Illamasqua's Creative Director Alex Box has now gone in the opposite direction, crafting a fall/winter collection that's rife with a sinister sense of seduction. The Art of Darkness collection, then, explores the idea of the forbidden, taboo, and eerie, inspired by a mythical, underworld-like universe where animalistic, passion-driven Dionysian practices reign supreme. Each product in the collection, then, will bring out a naughty side of your personality, conjuring up your inner alchemist, sorceress, and black widow spider.

The products in the collection boast rich colors, many of them jewel tones and with metallic finishes that add to the collection's otherworldly, mythical motifs. There are two new varnishes: Scarab,a blackened metallic red, and Viridian, a metallic, almost emerald-like green. Two new shades join the popular Liquid Metals range: Superior, a metallic sapphire blue, and Resolute, a garnet-tinged russet red shade. Plus, a second edition of the Liquid Metal 4-Colour Palette (aptly dubbed the No. 2) incorporates jewel-inspired metallics — from the Resolute and Superior shades pictured above to the gold Solstice and emerald green Stoic. Lips, meanwhile, are meant to be intensely red, with either the creamy Maneater lipstick or the rusty red Hermetic lipgloss.

Here's a breakdown of all the products in the collection:

• Nail Varnish in Scarab (metallic red) and Viridian (metallic green)
• Pure Pigment in Ore (golden bronze) and Aluvium (lilac and gold)
• Liquid Metal in Superior (blue) and Resolute (Russet)
• Liquid Meta 4-Colour Palette No.2 (featuring Solstice, Stoic, Resolute, and Superior)
• Lipstick in Maneater (a deep red)
• Powdered Metal in Ether (pale gold)
• Intense Lipgloss in Hermetic (a pearlescent, coppery red)
• Precious Ink In Alchemy (sparkly gold) and Abyss (a gloss black)
• False Eye Lashes No. 23

Some of the products in the collection are absolutely bewitching, calling your name like playful, beguiling sirens.

The Precious Ink liners are one of the more understated offerings, but they're a great addition to any woman's makeup stash since they feature an angled brush leading to a minuscule tip that allows for greater exactitude when lining the eyes, so that you can get really close to the lash line or draw designs along your face and skin without it smearing everywhere. And the glitter-packed Alchemy shade adds that Midas touch with its bright yellow gold tone.

The lip colors are forbidden fruit that's impossible to resist, particularly the Maneater lipstick, with its near-matte finish, creamy texture, and richly pigmented red. The Hermetic, meanwhile, looks as magical as its name implies, with a rusty red color infused with light-reflecting particles for a sophisticated, high shine.

And then, of course, there are the new Liquid Metal colors and the Liquid 4-Colour Palette, which stands as the golden child of the collection, the cauldron with which you'll prepare those spellbinding looks.

Below, you'll find swatches of various products in the collection— the Maneater lipstick, Hermetic lipgloss, and Liquid Metal 4-Colour Palette — along with photos of a look created using these shades. Take a look and make sure to check out the above video for more info!

Feel The '60s Funk With Lisa Perry's New "Pop" "Art" And "Love" Clutches

 

Do you dream of Twiggy-like mod fashions that scream '60s groove child? Then you'll adore these new clutches from designer Lisa Perry, which feature the words "Pop," Love," or "Art" in block letters with 3D-style shadowing, so that they resemble words in vintage comic book speech bubbles. Available in vinyl or felt, these boogie-ready clutches are the perfect way to infuse some spunk into your wardrobe.

Lisa Perry, $225 each. Available at Lisa Perry Madison Avenue (located at 976 Madison Avenie in New York, NY). Call 212.334.1956.

 

Win This Alex and Ani Thunderbird Cuff!

Another week, another giveaway! And this one will have all you jewelry hounds in a tizzy. We've partnered up with the lovely folks behind online jewelry boutique Zeeberry.com to give one lucky reader the chance to win this Alex and Ani Thunderbird Cuff.

The Bohemian-flavored cuff is made of recycled metal, in keeping with the traditional eco-friendly methods employed by Alex and Ani, and features a gold finish. The center of the cuff, meanwhile, is adorned with a ribbon covered with layered feathers — some are peacock-esque, with carbon black backdrops and snowy white spots; some boast rich auburn and red mahogany colors, along with blackened edges; and some feature pheasant-like creamy buttery beige and black centers shades. And needless to say, the feathers were not plucked from any endangered species.

So how do you enter to win this lovely adjustable cuff? Follow these three easy steps:

1. Leave a comment below telling us why this piece would be a great addition to your fall wardrobe (Why do you think it's cool? What would you wear it with?).

2. Next, e-mail [email protected] — make sure to write "Alex and Ani Giveaway" in the subject of the e-mail and, in the body of the e-mail, simply copy and paste the comment you left below.

3. Follow @sickathanavg on Twitter and "like" us on Facebook.

That's it!

You must be 18 years or older to enter, and all contestants must reside in the U.S. The winner will be chosen at random and will be notified via the comments section below and via e-mail (make sure to provide a valid e-mail address when sending in your entry).

The deadline to enter is November 4th at 11:59 EST. A winner will be selected by November 7th.

Good luck!

And here's an extra bonus from Zeeberry.com if you want to indulge yourself (or if you'd like to get some holiday gift shopping done!): get $10 off any order over $50 when you enter the discount code SickaThanAverage at checkout.

Let Hello Kitty Get In The Driver's Seat With Smart USA x Sanrio Car Wraps

 

The spunkiest feline in the animated universe, Hello Kitty, is going on the road. Thanks to a partnership between Sanrio and Smart USA, owners of the Smart Fortwo model can now order Hello Kitty vehicle wraps for their compact, eco-oriented whips. Three full boy designs are available (pictured above) as well as 19 additional partial wraps in different color schemes and patterns.

During Sanrio's 50th anniversary events this fall (including a nationwide tour that kicked off on Saturday in San Francisco), Hello Kitty wrapped cars will be making an appearance. After all, Hello Kitty is one lady who likes to rule the road.

My take: I think these cars are adorable as promotional tools and as eye candy for events but, as fierce a Hello Kitty fan as I am, I can't imagine wrapping my car in an HK design. Then again, I've always thought people with wrapped cars had tool-like tendencies (don't get me started on a former "associate" whose car was ostentatiously wrapped in a Gucci monogram print), so I'm predisposed to scoff at the idea. That being said, I'd probably smile if I saw one on the road, zooming past me in traffic.

Just don't try to use one as a getaway vehicle!

Pricing starts at $500 for partial wraps (2 door panels) and $1700 for full wraps. Visit SmartUSA.com/hellokitty

Bobbi Brown Fall 2010 Black Velvet Collection -- Black Velvet If You Please

 

 

Forget soft smokey eyes — this season, we're going into more dramatic, intense territory, with sooty lids that nod to '80s excess (think Joan Collins in Dynasty) while incorporating a slightly goth, vampirical feel. But pulling off these dark, slightly sinister looks requires selecting premium cosmetics that feature rich textures. If not, you'll wind up with a two-dimensional, ghoulish look that will read like something out of The Craft. The new Fall 2010 Bobbi Brown Black Velvet collection makes this feat possible, offering dusky, carbon-like eye shadows with shimmering particles in shades like garnet, topaz, gunmetal, and tiger's eye adding intensity and sophistication, as well as creamy lipsticks, in near-black shades with deep berry undertones.

Below, you'll find more details on all the products in the collection, as well as swatches of some of the standouts and photos of some looks created!

Isabella Fiore Valentina Satchel Soon To Be Seen On "Gossip Girl"

Like most hot-blooded, fashion-obsessed women, I need to be checked into Gossip Girl rehab — it's like Cruel Intentions with better clothing and a socialite bent. As with Sex and the City, part of the joy of watching Gossip Girl is derived from fawning over the character's clothing, which ranges from Serena's free-spirited, Jane Birkin-flavored outfits and form-fitting evening gowns to Blair's classically feminine dresses, headbands and berets, Jenny's rocker-infused styles and slightly goth eyeshadows, and Vanessa's artsy, Boho ensembles. And while most characters' ensembles are always swoon-worhty, I do think the wardrobe chosen for Vanessa's character can verge on lampoonish sometimes — she's a documentary filmmmaker from Brooklyn, not a spiritual healer from Sedona, Arizona! When they start styling her in Navajo prints, fringe suede moccasin boots, and oversize turquoise jewelry all in one since outfit, it's more than a bit off-putting.

That being said, when they get the styling right for Vanessa, it's an A plus. We recently received a tip that, in an upcoming episode of Gossip Girl, Vanessa will be carrying this lovely Isabella Fiore Valentina satchel, a black Italian lambskinnumber with gold and alloy hardware hand-sewn along the rounded front panel (from vertical rows of flattened metallic eyelets to strips of rectangular-shaped metal bars, and rows of tiny ball beads).

These two-toned embellishments actually add a funky twist to the satchel without taking away its sophistication. We just hope Vanessa isn't wearing a poncho and leaf-shaped jewelry when she rocks this purse!

 

Isabella Fiore Valentina Satchel, $695. Available at Bloomingdales.com