Trouvé's envelope bag

This is one of my favorite purses, a perfectly-sized clutch from Trouvé. I can fit my phone, hand cream, makeup and mirror in this envelope bag. Also fits an iPad.

Almost giving up on lipstick

Tonight was a busy night at home. First, I feng shui-ed the guest room, which is where I keep my clothes and shoes because the master bedroom closet is too small, and then I did some spring cleaning in my Caboodle. That's right, Caboodle. I've had that green and purple box since I'm 18. It was a gift from my grandmother that I bought at the local Eckerd on Key Biscayne.

I wanted to try on my lipsticks, wanted to do a run through of the colors I had and see how much I really liked them. I threw almost all of them out (a couple of Laura Merciers, a Chanel and Chantecaille), and when I was done, I almost declared I would never use lipstick again. No way do my lips, with makeup, look as good as Kate Moss' in the latest Harper's Bazaar. My lips aren't as firm, and plus, they are a dark flesh tone. The lipsticks I had some color but were very sheer (except for the bright pink Chanel, don't know what I was thinking), and I determined my lips looked better with nothing on.

The ones I did keep where two perfectly textured lip glosses from Three Custom Color, in pink and nude warm tones. They give just the right amount of color. But I even pondered doing away with those. I'll keep them for nighttime outings.

It was in the midst of all this cleansing that I had this epiphany: it's better to wear bold colored clothes than bold colored makeup. Much, much easier to deal with. And now I want that colorful Ostwald Helgason dress I saw in this month's Harper's Bazaar.

I think I'll just go back to what I was doing five or six years ago: black eyeliner and nothing else.

AP story about Dallas fashion and the JPG exhibit

This is a great read by my friend Jamie Stengle, reporter for the Associated Press.

Best Lip Balms

In keeping with the theme...

Here's the low down on lip balms I recommend and the ones I don't.

First, the standouts:

1. Skin Organics Premium Coffee Berry with Hemp Oil: This is my favorite formula. I don't care for the glue smell it has, but it's a great product.

2. Laura Kopec's Natural Healing Salve: This comes in a jar. Hopefully we'll see it in a stick or pot sometime soon.

3. John Masters Organics Lip Calm: Oily, but also good.

4. Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Lip Moisturizer: Very good.

5. Nude: Just ordered this one form Barney's and like the formula.

These are some I've tried and don't recommend:

1. Kiehl's' signature lip balm feels good, but it's oily- most of it is petroleum jelly- and overpriced.

2. Clinique's is too sticky.

3. Burt's Bees is overrated.

4. Dr. Hauschka is overrated and overpriced.

5. Clarins' is average.

6. Aquaphor is average.

Best Nude Lip glosses

The NYT magazine recently printed a list of what were supposed to be the best nude glosses. Unsurprisingly, all the brands were mainstream brands. I tried Bobbi Brown's nougat and it wasn't good.

Of the ones I've tried, the ones that stand out are Laura Mercier's Bare Beige and Three Custom Color's Nude and Life's a Beach. These formulas are good: they aren't sticky, they give a hint of color and good coverage. Three Custom Color's Nude is darker than Life's a Beach, a color formulated by a makeup artist from Dallas.

Tailor knows best

Turns out I'm not having my new belted dress redesigned. My tailor, as always, was right: first, he suggested removing the belt's buckle and turning the belt around, to make it look like a sash around the waist. Then he suggested raising the hem just above the knee. It's not a totally new dress, but it makes it more elegant.

It'll be ready by Friday. Pictures to come then.

All roads lead to Lanvin- and recently The Row

Herewith some of my favorite things:

And for a splash of red, Valentino: