Lykke Li’s Youth Novels has been in constant rotation in my car for the past year. It’s a great CD for road trips, and a pick-me-up during my daily commute. So, I am totally stoked to be going to see her live for the first time this Tuesday. Even more so when I came across this photo of her on Style.com rocking the couple-years-old trend I haven’t quite gotten over myself- turbans. How cute does she look? (If only a little seasonably inappropriate…):

Turbans are a trend I’ve been obsessed with for years, ever since the Spring 2007 Prada collection. Yet, the closest I’ve gotten to actually sporting the look was a wide knotted satin headband, that I have tragically misplaced. I’m thinking for Tuesday’s concert, I may finally need to go all the way with the look… paired with a vintage concert tee and cut-offs, to tone it down a little.

This black and gold lame version is exactly what I need in my life.

Memorial Day weekend is sort of the unofficial summertime kick-off. BBQ’s, pool party’s, officially being able to wear white and an extra day off of work all put me in a summertime state-of-mind. Here are some beauty tidbits, influenced by the summer months, that have been on my mind this weekend…

Summer is sandal season, which in turn makes it also pedicure season. I felt silly even contemplatin wearing close-toed shoes this weekend. No longer can I hide unkempt nails under tights, socks and a pair of boots. Just in time, NARS is celebrating their 15 year anniversary with a limited edition collection of vintage, previously discontinued, nail enamel shades. Perfect for summertime, I’m loving the shimmery tangerine Cha Cha Cha and deep grape Tallulah.

Giving up on my binkini body preparation plans of either tanning in my backyard or faking it with some self-tanner, I cultivated my base tan at a couple different pool parties over the weekend. I managed to hold my head high, despite a fellow sunbather inquiring if I had spent the last several months in the Netherlands, as that was the only reasonable explanation for my pallid frame which apparently was blinding him. I decided to embrace my paleness, and the lack of wrinkles and skin cancer that will hopefully come with it, and instead worry about what all the sun and chlorine was doing to my recently chopped, and finally healthy locks. It might just be my imagination, but it is already starting to feel a little dry after only two days in the sun and chlorine. Next time, I’ll come prepared with Phyto PLAGE Protective Beach Spray, which protects, moisturizes and nourishes the hair with UV filter, anti-UVB polymer, Olive Oil extracts, and Calendula, Willow and Rosemary extracts.

I’ll also be prepared with my base tan (a less-whiter shade of pale, if you will) and perfect pedicured toes…

I am not one to spend a lot of money on beauty products, and most of the expensive items in my bathroom either belong to my roommate or have come in a gift bag. I am perfectly happy with drugstore brands that I have been using for years such as Cetaphil (and to be honest I sometimes buy the generic version), Dove Body Wash and Biolage shampoo and conditioner. My one splurge is usually Bumble & Bumble Creme de Coco conditioner because I am obsessed with the smell. I use it sparingly and try to make the tiny bottle last as long as possible. Recently, however, I received a great, cheap haircut and because I saved so much money on my cut felt justified in splurging on product (my mind works in twisted, expensive ways). I purchased a tiny bottle of Bumble & Bumble Treatment Styling Balm, and I am really, really happy with it. Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe that paying almost $40 for 3.4 fluid oz of styling balm is completely outrageous, but when this bottle is gone, I might just do it again. Anything that gives my hair a little shape and style, tames my frizz and adds some shine and all I have to do it run my fingers and a little of this magic potion through it when I get out of the shower? Perfect. Imagine the possibilites if I went wild and actually attempted adding a round brush and blow dryer to the equation? I might leave the house with this hair:

Gucci hair, swooon. Heyyyy, it could happen…

Image Source: Style.com

A couple things I have stumbled upon on the internet that are too good not to share…

First, I am loving this behind-the-scenes video of Mary Kate Olsen’s Interview Magazine shoot. This image from the shoot is also great, is it just me or is MK totally pulling off Betsey Johnson’s haircut?!

I highly recommend a subscription to this awesome magazine, which was co-founded by Andy Warhol in 1969 and still continues to remain relevant and totally cool.

I was also excited to discover this…

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Kate Spade has posted some awesome e-cards created by friends of the designer on their website that you can send to your loved ones for free. The cards are designed by many different people and come in varied styles, so there is bound to be one that’s perfect for your special someone (or even a few special someones). How cute are these?!:

Of course, “cute” is not an unusual adjective for something created by Kate Spade. I am loving this plaid raffia shopper. Unlike the e-cards, it’s not free, but I think it may be an even better Valentine’s Day gift…

Image Sources: Some Notes on Napkins, E! Online, Dani Crazyworld

When I first started looking at the images from the Chanel spring 09 haute couture show, although impressed with Japanese hairdresser Katsuya Kamo’s incredible paper rose, camellia, and feather paper headdress masterpieces (which, according to WWD, were made in three weeks with seven helpers and two packets of 11×17 printing paper), I was a little underwhelmed. Sure, I understood Lagerfeld’s theme of juxtaposing the darkness of the current economic meltdown with an all-white collection, but I was looking for something fabulous and decadent to feast my eyes upon and I just didn’t see it. Of course, when it comes to couture, the magic is often in the details, so when I switched over to Style.com’s detail shots, that is where I found it.

The exquisite lace, delicate beading, and flowers in weightless, cut-out, 3-D montages of organza and cellophane are a feast for the eyes. And paired with Kamo’s creations, even better when viewed close-up, the collection certainly wows. Thank you Lagerfeld, for giving me the pristine, spring-dreaming, pick-me-up I was looking for.

Not surprisingly, I suddenly have the urge to accessorize with a white cocktail hat, anyone else?

Thanks to Coco:

Cintia:

Scarlett:

And this lovely girl on The Cobrasnake:

I am seriously considering becoming a redhead. I have been quietly patting myself on the back for months now, applauding my decision to save money by embracing my natural boring brunette locks, but inevitably the itch for something new and different has begun. Of course, red hair is nothing to enter into lightly. It’s a big, bold change that can take forever to get rid of. More so than becoming a blonde, which can take a few dye jobs to finally cover without fading, red sometimes keeps showing up after countless dye jobs… I know from personal experience watching my roommate try to get rid of her red for a year or so. But now that she is officially a brunette again, I think it may be my turn. I have been thinking a slightly non- commital and budget friendly way to add a red hue to my hair may be to buy Artec’s color depositing shampoo and conditioner in a red shade, such as Cherry Bark (for red, red brown or auburn hair), Red Clover (bright red or red brown hair) or Orange Marigold (for copper, auburn and warm brown hair) and see if I can get the reddish brown shade of the last three pics I posted, in the comfort of my own home. I figure if I turn my hair into a scary hue it will be the extra push I need to go get REALLY red, I’m talking Coco red, at the salon. I’ll let you know how it goes…

Image Source: The Cobrasnake, Fashionologie, Miss at la Playa, Bellasugar