Party girl

It’s my party, I’ll wear pants if I want to.

I was trying to figure out what to wear to our engagement party. Most stylist and fashion editors recommend a pretty party dress. I know, as I’ve given the same advice. But that’s just not my style. It’s just not me.

Granted, I’m in for any excuse that helps me buy new clothes, but a dress wouldn’t work for our wine and cheese. I wanted something more cool, fun and not so girly or rustic. A tea party dress just wasn’t on my agenda.

I headed to Zara and picked up a pair of faux leather pants. They were more like leggings (button- and zipper-less, elastic waist) but the fabric fit much better and wore like pants.

I was feeling like a billowy blouse with a 1970s fashion sensibility would be perfect. So I grabbed this powder blue silky top and wore a long gold necklace that I knotted about midway down.

I had to wear heels, but instead of buying a new pair I wore my Via Spiga T-strap pumps I got from a shoe sale at Hanleys last summer. I painted my exposed toes with Rimmel 60 Seconds in Blued Eyed Girl.

My nails I painted in Nars Andy Warhol Collection in Black Room, leaving the moons open. I just used the Essense French Manicure Tip Guides at the cuticles to create that perfect line. Here I’m enjoying a stacked sandwich the next day with our cheesy appetizer leftovers.

Heck, why not read more: Here are one published story and two blog posts I wrote.

• What to wear to an engagement party

• Shopping at Zara.ca

• Planning an engagement party

Sparkling moon

This is the result of nail envy. It would seem that all of the Canadian beauty editors get their nails done at Tips Nail Bar in Toronto. If I compliment a colleague’s nails, I know what she is going to say. She went to Tips. They’ve worked with Revlon for events and fashion shows (ahem, Lucian Matis). I was once invited to get my nails done there by a lacquer brand, but it was on my birthday. I have yet to make it there. But my jealous nails, after a basic manicure with Dior’s Gris Trianon (a colour recco by Glow’s beauty editor), wanted some glam, some shine, a moon manicure. I took inspiration from a recent Tips moon mani. Instead of the nude moon, I went for Nars Silver Factory, which is part of the Andy Warhol collection. I simply used the Essence French Manicure Tip Guides, by placing the strips about half a centimetre from my cuticle. Too much polish can run under the guide, so I was careful to apply two thin coats, peel the sticker away and finish with a top coat. It’s my cheap and chic delay until I finally get my tips into Tips.