Tag Archives: MAC

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

3 Nov

A mostly casual “Out of the Box” this week with plenty of panel outfits on offer with a dash of award show performance ensembles, an important makeup campaign, magazine editorials and a lovely treat to end on. keri-russellThe 92 Y and Hollywood Reporter evening with The Americans didn’t give anything away for season 5, but there was a whole lot of insight and fun including a discussion about Keri Russell’s “Emmy vein” and you can read all about it here.

What I didn’t mention is this spot on panel attire in that it is super casual with a dash of fancy with a pair of white Louboutins. Also an ideal fall sweater/skinny jeans pairing and you could easily switch the pumps for boots; great daytime casual.mandy-mooreAt Entertainment Weekly’s PopFest Mandy Moore also does the heels/jeans thing dressing it up with a blazer; giving great vertical stripe and light pink lip color. I haven’t seen any of This is Us yet because Too Much TV and I am impressed that I don’t know what the whole twist is yet. *cue me finding out later today*amanda-peetFor my honeymoon I bought two new striped tops and then added to my collection with yet another while on this trip; I am very much part of the “you can never have enough striped tops” school. Amanda Peet is giving classic stripes and skinny jeans and yep, I’m here for it.crazy-ex-girlfriendThe Crazy-Ex Girlfriend cast delivering on a very active panel and it might only be two-episodes in, but this new season is magical on every level. dixie-chicks-and-beyonce“Daddy Lessons” is up there as one of my most played songs this year from both “Lemonade” and the Dixie Chicks tour so when Beyoncé played with the Dixie Chicks at the 2016 CMA Awards it was the perfect marriage over both versions. This was a phenomenal performance and I was smiling so much throughout my cheeks began to hurt by the end.

And you can get a free download of this song from Soundcloud! Thanks guys!


A couple of months ago MAC teamed up with Taraji P. Henson for a limited edition collection and gave us this fierce as fuck campaign image. Now MAC has announced that come February 2017, Henson and her Empire co-star Jussie Smollett will be ambassadors for their Viva Glam line. Viva Glam started in 1994 and 100 percent of proceeds from a Viva Glam MAC product have gone to the MAC AIDS Fund raising $430 million in sales.

This is a really striking image of the pair and that lip color sure looks incredible. I will definitely be adding to my collection when it is released in February.genevieve-angelsonIn this landscape of too much TV when new full seasons are released on streaming platform there is often a mixture of excitement and dread (today it is The Crown delivering these feelings). Good Girls Revolt is one such project (especially as my Gilmore Girls catch-up continues) and I am thoroughly enjoying this drama, the female friendships and of course the costuming. Star Genevieve Angelson discusses the clothing aspect in Interview magazine and the accompanying photoshoot includes some super high waisted pant treats.

“There are the romantic relationships in the script, but my personal romantic relationship was with the costume designer. We would create names for certain outfits… I had a jumpsuit I named Larry. I was just waiting for the episode where Larry would come out and we would be together. This is weird now, isn’t it? I’ve anthropomorphized a jumpsuit.”

I am looking forward to seeing Larry in action and that seems like a totally appropriate jumpsuit name.jake-gyllenhaalBecause sometimes the perfect outfit involves a grey T-shirt, sunglasses and a beardy Jake Gyllenhaal waving while at Jimmy Kimmel Live! 

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

26 Aug

A really fun mix this week from “Out of the Box” with a makeup campaign, magazine covers and red carpet events delivering the sartorial goods. And we are about to enter the very busy September period – both professionally and personally for me as I’m also getting married next month – and I cannot wait.Taraji P HensonThis week MAC announced a forthcoming collaboration with Taraji P. Henson and sign me up already. The first image of Henson for MAC is super sexy and is giving me flashbacks to her editorial, which also happened to be my favorite magazine cover from 2015 (and yes it is still on my coffee table).Mary Elizabeth WinsteadMary Elizabeth Winstead is currently top of the character style crush list on BrainDead and now the IRL one after this appearance at the premiere for The Hollars in a divine Victoria Beckham frock. As if I need another reason to be lipstick obsessed. Sarah PaulsonJust looking at Sarah Paulson’s Marc Jacobs ensemble in this heat is enough to make me sweat, but despite the August temps Paulson is totally crushing this outfit while on the pre-Emmy trail at this Television Academy event. I am still head over heels in love with her haircut. Rami MalekContinuing his patterned shirt domination is Rami Malek also at the same Television Academy event and the top button done up look continues to work like a charm. Switching things up in a double breasted jacket and Malek is definitely high on the Emmy red carpet most anticipated list. This was also the week he took his first Instagram photo. Big things are happening.Michelle ObamaI wasn’t entirely bowled over by most September issue efforts this year and it has been left to some of the weekly/bi-monthly magazines to pick up the slack including this fantastic shot of Michelle Obama wearing Jonathan Simkhai on the cover of Variety.

In the piece Obama talks about the range of shows she has guest starred on (Billy on the Street, Carpool Karaoke on the Late, Late ShowiCarly) to the shows she loves right now (The AmericansOITNB) and what she watched when she was growing up (The Mary Tyler Moore Show).

The whole piece is really great in how it explores the decisions Obama has made about which shows to appear on:

“While I am first lady, I wasn’t first lady my whole life. I’m a product of pop culture. I’m a consumer of pop culture, and I know what resonates with people. I know what they’ll get a chuckle out of and what they think is kind of silly. And whenever my team approaches me with ideas and concepts, we’re usually like, ‘Is this really funny? Are people going to understand it?'”

And and there is also an A+ thread about why pop culture is so important “So it becomes very important for the world to see different images of each other, so that, again, we can develop empathy and understanding.” To read the whole thing head here.Gina Rodriguez Latina magSomehow it is time for October editions of magazines and we have a contender for magazine cover of the year with Gina Rodriguez giving so much engaging fierce face for Latina. This haircut really is spectacular and I love how confrontational and disarming this look to camera is.

In the piece Rodriguez discusses the Alex Garland project she was shooting over the summer and Annihilation is very high on the movies I can’t wait for list (and not just for Oscar Isaac reasons – the whole cast is fantastic). Luckily Jane the Virgin doesn’t have Rodriguez tied to a Kit Harington no haircut contract clause and while commenting about her Annihilation hair chop she remarks “I am not my beauty. Who I am is not my fucking hair, and to be an actor is to transform.”Gina RodriguezThe whole shoot is spectacular and this is just one of many incredible shots of Rodriguez doing her fashion thing. For more head here.

Makeup Like Marge: The MAC Simpsons Collection

9 Jul

The MAC Simpsons themed collection arrives online August 28 and in stores a week later (September 4) and what better way to celebrate 25 years of being on air than with Marge Simpson emblazoned makeup. Blue and yellow are the two colors that spring to mind when thinking about Marge and these can be daring and difficult shades to pull off – I have been using this blue eye pencil recently and so I’m ready for Marge Simpson related tones. With the eyeshadow palettes they are accompanied by purples and pinks with Marge’s eyes embossed onto the color (as you can see in the shot below).

MAC SimpsonsOther items include lip gloss with names like Nacho Cheese Explosion (which I assume is the yellow color in this photo) and Itchy & Scratchy & Sexy. Blush, false lashes and Simpsons nail stickers will also be available and while I’m not sure yellow lip gloss is my thing, the packaging is exquisite and the eyeshadow palettes are certainly tempting.

Throwback Thursday: Makeup Edition

29 Aug

Having been a teenager in the ’90s I have many terrible makeup related stories that mostly feature ill advised blue mascara/sparkly eye shadow combinations and because I messed up my eyes so much I always feared doing the same with my lip color. This meant that I avoided lipstick and instead briefly embraced the concealer as lipstick trend (also terrible). Luckily I have a chance to rectify the mistakes of my youth as everything that was hot in the ’90s is back for another go and hopefully this time around I will get it right. I might leave the daisies behind even if Drew makes them look so enticing.

Drew Barrymore daisyMAC recently announced they were bringing back some lipsticks and eye shadows from the decade that had us reaching for plaid flannel shirts, crop tops, mini kilts, pop socks, slip dresses and chokers. Brands with discontinued colors aren’t the only ones getting in on this wave of ’90s nostalgia and Nars, a company that produced its first campaign with 12 lipsticks in 1994 has a color that perfectly represents this period and it’s called “413 BLKR.”

Nars BLKRThe name comes from the location of Nars’ first flagship store in New York City’s West Village. The deep rose brown pretty much embodies the red carpet makeup look of stars like Drew Barrymore and Winona Ryder. Pairing with super smoky eyes defies the bold lips and eyes rule but things were a messier in 1994. Now you can take a cue from the Michelle Williams Louis Vuitton campaign that pairs a strong brow with the dark lips. It’s dramatic without looking like you’re going to a ’90s themed party.

Winona RyderThis is perfect timing for the Reality Bites TV show because apparently people have run out of ideas and nothing can be left alone. If we’re going to pick over the carcass of all music, movies and TV shows from the 90s I’d quite like to see The Craft on the small screen (yes I know The Secret Circle only last one season).

Fairuza-Balk-in-the-Craft-This is mostly so I can see the return of Fairuza Balk, who I find terrifying and mesmerizing in equal measures.

For more on my lipstick obsession head here.

MAC ’90s Makeup Revival: Be Your Own Angela Chase

11 Jul

It’s hard to escape from ’90s nostalgia whether in countless lists on BuzzFeed or projects like the Boy Meets World spinoff Girl Meets World. While I can still pretend that The X-Files didn’t debut 20 years ago and still get excited about the forthcoming reunion panel at Comic Con and ignore crop tops despite them being in every shop at the moment; one thing I am glad to see is the return of some discontinued MAC products.

MAC_By_Request

MAC by Request is back and it features six lipstick shades and five eye shadows from the ’90s that are no longer available; now is your chance to change that. You can vote between now and July 21 on the MAC Facebook page for the products you would like to see return (one ballot per product category each day) and the top three lipsticks and eye shadows will be on sale this winter.

With smokey eye colors such as Ashbury and the muted peachy-pink Flavour lipstick (second from the right in the picture above) you can perfect your 90s grunge look and because I thought wearing blue mascara was my only makeup choice I’m glad that this revival will give me a chance to rectify that. MAC was a product that existed in magazines and not in real life when I was a teenager and as you can tell from my blue mascara remark I definitely wasn’t an expert (not that I am now either).

Flavour is from the 1994 Freedom Colour Additions collection and is a muted tone that looks like something My So-Called Life’s Angela would choose – Angela rarely strayed from neutral tones except for in the pilot and when she was angry at Rayanne for sleeping with Jordan – which is probably why it stands out to me. There are bold colors among the nearly nude ones if you fancy something a bit more Cher from Clueless with Glam (far left) and Pink Poodle (far right).

What discontinued MAC product do you want to see in your makeup bag?

Julie Hammerle

Nerds Need Love Too

Sofa and Remote

I love talking about TV as much as I love watching it

Ellie Writes Stuff

About this and that

Twitter Music Club

A rotation curation music club, based on Twitter, mainly for Kiwis

INTO ROW Z

If you enjoy a challenge, like Claude Makélélé, read my blog. Its about sport.

lost somewhere in new york city

We rock a lot of polka dots

sankles

We rock a lot of polka dots

frocktalk.com/

Just another WordPress.com site

Cultural Learnings

Television Reviews and Analysis

judgmental observer

film, tv, popular culture, higher ed, unicorns

Rookie

We rock a lot of polka dots

The Frisky

We rock a lot of polka dots

Tell Us a Story

stories about true things