TLC for a Fair Complexion

Getting ready for the day!

Well friends, here I am in all my un-retouched glory.  I thought today I might share with you some of the things I (obsess over) use to take care of my complexion.

It's no secret that I am very fair.  I've spent most of my adult life protecting my skin from the sun, and I've learned that it has two settings..burnt and pale.  I prefer the latter, and it just so happens that it suits my love of vintage style ;)

For the most part, my skin has always been pretty cooperative, but I find now, as I'm in my late 30's, it's reached a point where it can become very dry if I don't take care of it.  So here is the system I'm currently using.

AM

• I wash my skin using a gentle cleanser (I like Clarins Cleansing Milk with Alpine Herbs)

• While skin is still damp, I apply Burts Bees Naturally Ageless Intensive Repair Serum (as you can see, I reallllyyy love natural products ;)  I let it soak in for about 5 minutes, and then I apply my moisturizer.

• My moisturizer can vary depending on how dry my skin is feeling, but my standby tends to be Cerave Moisturizing Day Cream with SPF 30

• After that, I apply concealer where needed and my make-up for the day!

PM

• Lately, for reasons I cannot quite figure out, I have been breaking out a little around my forhead and nose (SO unfair!  I'm not a teenager anymore, after all!)  So my evening routine currently consists of using all the products in Murad's Acne Complex Kit.  Technically, you're supposed to use it morning and evening, but I've found that while it does a wonder at keeping my skin nice and clear, it is VERY drying if I use it more than once a day.

 Once a week, just to combat the drying, I also use a  moisturizing mask like Burts Bees Intense Hydration Mask.

And that's it! 

I also have my very first appointment with a dermatologist next week to get a baseline for any skin cancer concerns (always a worry for fair skinned gals!) and to have them take a look at that pesky break out issue I mentioned earlier to make certain it's not an allergy related issue.

Do you have any favorite skin care products?  Do you use foundation (I typically avoid it in favor of BB creams because I find it too heavy, but I'd love to hear your input..especially if you have a good recommendation for fair skin!)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Books, Books, and some more Books..

Credit

I worship books in whatever form they come in.  For the longest time, I refused to get a kindle because I feared that it would interfere with the pleasure I derived from snuggling up in bed, turning the pages and smelling the delightful papery-ness that comes from a good book.  I was SO wrong.  Instant gratification.  Now I have stacks of books and a pretty substantial kindle library, and I couldn't be happier.  I thought I would share a few of my recent purchases with you..feel free to ask questions about them, I'm always happy to provide my opinion!

Amazon

I love the idea of constantly evolving.  One of my favorite stories about Benjamin Franklin is how he kept a log his entire life of the things he wanted to improve on and rated himself regularly to keep track of  how well he was succeeding.  I was so moved by this suggestion, that I started my own book to track my evolution.  One of my more recent yearnings is to change up my make-up routine and shake things up a bit.  Jemma Kidd is amazing.  (Also, if you're in the market for a make-up manual, Kevin Aucoin is a genius.)

Amazon

Fair warning..there are no patterns in this book.  It's more of a technical "how to" on sizing vintage knitting patterns (which you can find for free in abundance on the internet.  One of my favorite resources for this is freevintageknitting.com).  However, if you've often been frustrated by yarn selection or resizing of vintage patterns, like I have, this book is great.

Amazon

Another great vintage resource, this one DOES come with patterns (on cd).  I love how they put the looks together in this book.  The outfits are adorable.  You'll be seeing a pattern or two from this as part of the Create 365 project ;)

Amazon

..cause you can never have too many books about Marilyn..

Amazon

Great tips on signature looks of some amazing women!

This is just the tip of the iceberg (I have oodles more to read on my kindle and some great vintage books I picked up at a used book store a few weeks ago).  Now I just need another 10 hours in the day ;)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Create 365 - Deco Cigar Box Purse

I love cigar boxes.  They're so easy to decorate and make such cute purses or jewelry boxes!  They're a great gift idea :)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

The "Whimsy" Giveaway!

Hooray! A giveaway! 

ConstantlyAlice will be giving away a prize package that includes the Sweetheart Beret from my recent blog tutorial and 50% off any one item in the ConstantlyAlice Shop! 

Entering is simple..simply be a subscriber of the ConstantlyAlice Newsletter "Whimsy".

When you subscribe, you will be eligible for exclusive reader discounts and special features (so really, it's a win/win ;) You can subscribe here on the ConstantlyAlice blog , or on Facebook.

Contest is open to all entries and will run until 12/15! Good Luck ♥

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Wishful Thinking - December Edition

A few more items on my holiday wish list!  (From some of my favorite shop girls ;)

1. Faeriewickets
2. Crimson Crimplene Vintage
3. Gypsum Moon
4. Nyssa, Ink
5. Mercanstyle
6. Therz World
7. Hunters Kitchen
8. Kris's Vintage Clothing
9. Lady Jane Vintage
10. Ms. Maude
11. The Thrifty Gypsies
12. French Press Vintage
13. Vintage Home Shop
14. Enframe Photography
15. Treatsoap
16. Bre's Baubles Vintage
17. English Shop
18. Televised
19. Gingermegs Vintage
20. Sock Monkeys and Bacon
21. ChicVintageWear

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Name the ConstantlyAlice Newsletter!

I have recently embarked on a new adventure..a newsletter!  It will be a monthly compilation of the best of ConstantlyAlice blog posts, shop updates and sales, style suggestions, gift ideas, tutorials, reviews and a "Go Ask Alice" feature where YOU can write in and ask me anything :)

I'm planning the first holiday issue to be released next month..However...I am stuck on a name!  I want it to be cohesive with the shop and the ConstantlyAlice brand, but something fun and catchy..so I'm asking you, my darling readers, to offer up your suggestions!  The winner will be announced in the first newsletter and will receive a ConstantlyAlice brooch as a thank you.  Just leave your suggestion in the comments below, on our facebook page, or tweet it to @ConstantlyAlice!

To sign up for the newsletter, just take a peek at the top of this page, right underneath the ConstantlyAlice header and add your email address to the list!

Looking forward to your suggestions <3
 Hugs and Smooches,
D

A Sorta Fairytale..

A while back, I wrote a post about some changes to the blog, the shop and my life in general.  I felt like I had lost a little of my direction and needed some time to find my way.

After some brainstorming, I've come up with a few ideas:

• The stunning model in the photo above is my lovely daughter, Shannon.  You will be seeing some more of her and her best friend, Jules, as I transition the clothing photos in the shop over to live models.
• The appearance of the shop and blog will be taking on a bit of a vintage/fairytale/literary quality.  You will see a more consistent theme and a lot of the new handmade jewelry and accessories coming into the shop will be inspired by my love of literature.  (Plus there will still be plenty of vintage!)
• I am moving towards making ConstantlyAlice a more permanent source of income.  This means you will see more merchandise coming to the shop on a regular basis.  You may also see me branch out to ebay in addition to my etsy store to give you more purchase options.  Finally, you will certainly begin to see more activity here on the blog!

I have some other treats in store for you..like a holiday season launch beginning at the end of september/beginning of october and maybe even a look book to show you some styling options :)

It's good to be back, and I'm so glad to be sharing with all of you again!

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Pin up Plan - Pin up Yourself

I just discovered this super fun site that allows you to create your own pin ups.  Just like paper dolls for grown ups :)

To say it is addictive would be an understatement.

Here are a few of my designs:

You can try it out for yourself here.  And please feel free to share your own designs on my facebook page here!

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Outfit Post - Tangerine and Green

My curls turned out MUCH better today, though I had different plans for my bangs..  The lovely Casey over at Elegant Musings cut her bangs recently and had created a pinterest board of different ways to wear bangs.  Since my general default is either straight, or pushed to the side when they get too long, I figured I'd give some fun curly bangs a whirl...Fail.  BIG fail.  I looked like a poodle, so I shellacked them to the side.  I think I'll practice a bit more with different ways of curling them before I debut a new bang look ;-)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Outfit Post - Red and Leopard

“I don't mind living in a man's world, as long as I can be a woman in it.” - Marilyn Monroe

I share these outfit posts regularly on my facebook and twitter pages, but I haven't thought to share them here until now!  I don't want to exclude any of my blog friends <3

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Try It On For Size - A Week of Signature Style

We've finally reached the point in the Signature Style Project where it's time to try our new style out!  So far we've:

• Gathered information about our Signature Style preferences.
• Identified what Signature Women's styles appeal to us
• Incorporated our passions into our Signature Style
• Gone on a shopping safari to inspire us
• Cleaned out our closets
• and Learned to Accessorize

Now it's time to put some of that research to work for you!  If you've been keeping a binder of ideas or a Pinterest board (like this one for the Signature Style Project) you'll want to have it handy as you plan out a weeks worth of signature style!

Now, there are a few different ways of doing this.  Now that your closet has been edited down to items that you love, you could just choose to pick your outfits each morning based on your mood for the day.  There shouldn't be any wrong choices!  However, if you (like me) prefer to get those extra few minutes of sleep in the morning, I recommend planning your outfit at least a day in advance.  Here are a few things to consider when putting your look together.

• Pick a top and a bottom or a dress - I tend to lean towards dresses because I think they are the easiest thing in the world to wear!  However, if you plan to go with a top and pants or a skirt, that works too.  Just make sure you are considering the colors and textures as you plan your outfit.  Are you doing a print?  Will you be wearing a bold color (in which case you may want to tone down your accessories or choose items from the same color family or a complementing color family.  For great tips on color theories, head on over to Charlotte's blog at Tuppence Ha'Penny.  She did some wonderful blog posts on it.  Begin with the introduction and work your way through the series!)

Modcloth.com

•  Select a layering piece - This could be a sweater, cardigan, jacket, scarf, wrap, or even your coat!  It adds some visual interest and color to your outfit.

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•  Consider your accessories - Shoes, handbags, brooch, hair accessories, hats, jewelry, gloves.  Make sure they add visual interest to your outfit, but do not distract.  You want to make sure YOU are the focal point of your outfit!

irregularchoice.com

•   Finally, be sure to plan your hair and make up to suit your outfit.  Whether you are going for a retro look or a modern one, paying attention to the little details like a hairstyle that suits your look or the right color lipstick will add polish to your Signature Style!

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Above all, have FUN!  If you'd like to share your signature look, please feel free to post a photo on the ConstantlyAlice facebook page :)  I'd love to see your style.

Hugs and Smooches,
D

A Few of My Favorite Things

Holy rainy day, folks!  I think my next blog post might need to be a tutorial on ark building..

For now, I'll let you in on a few of the things that brighten my rainy days :)

Vintage Fashion Library is an excellent resource for vintage patterns and dating vintage clothes.  Plus, it's just fun to look through ;)  (Another excellent resource is Fashion History Costume Treasury.)

My beloved Pinterest.  If you aren't using it yet, you don't know what you're missing.  It is totally addictive, and there are quite frequently funny little posts like the one above that make me chuckle.

I love this fabric from Fabric.com.  I haven't quite decided what I would use it for yet..perhaps a skirt?  Maybe a cute blouse?

Ravelry is amazing, whether you are a beginning knitter or an old pro.  There are thousands and thousands of patterns to choose from!

Odosketch..would you believe this sketch was done on a computer?  So fun for doodles!

Evernote..like virtual post-its.  I would forget half of my life without it!

vjunkies on ebay

Lilli Ann *sigh*.  I don't think I've ever met a Lilli Ann piece I didn't like.

The Glamourdaze channel on YouTube.  A must for vintage lovers!

Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday...I'm off to find my galoshes ;)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

It's National Sewing Month!

September is national sewing month!  I LOVE to sew.  It's such a fun skill to have (especially if you love the look of vintage but can't always find the item you're looking for.)  It also reminds me of my Gram, who passed away a few years ago.  She was a whiz with a pattern and could easily take a top from one pattern, sleeves from another and create a bottom to match whatever look she was trying to achieve.  It makes me happy to be able to carry on this skill and pass it down to my daughters.

Here are some of the fabulous vintage patterns I picked up at Brimfield last week.  With shows like Mad Men being such a hit, and Pan Am starting this month, retro 50s/60's fashion is going to be a big hit this fall!  I plan to add a few of these to my fall sewing "to do" list, and a few of them will soon be up for sale in the shop.

Adorable little play suit!  I love these combination options with both skirts and shorts :)

Another combo outfit.  This is a jumper, a dress, or a jumper with a contrasting dress underneath.  Perfect and warm for the fall :)

Cute little wrap top with bottom option (LOVE the two tone shorts ensemble.)

Love that white blouse in the middle with the peter pan collar and bow.

Classic shirt dress.  I would like to make this in a pretty blue/green plaid flannel that I have in my stash.

The shape of this dress is great, and those giant pockets on the front are FANTASTIC.

The one with the buttons would be so cute in a a pumpkin colored wool plaid.

Another fantastic convertable dress!  The first picture shows the dress with a detatchable over skirt.  The perfect way to take a dress from day to evening!

Adorable.  Love that third option!

Last but not least.. A house coat!  Great for hanging out at home, with nice big pockets :)

Sometimes (often in fact) vintage patterns are very tiny.  That's where a link like How to Resize a Pattern from Sense and Sensibility patterns come in.  So don't shy away from trying a pattern just because it may be a little too small!  That can be fixed :)

If you find yourself in love with any of these patterns before I have a chance to list them, leave me a message in the comments and I will get back to you with a price.

Hugs and Smooches,
D

It's a Vintage Halloween!

Halloween is one of my FAVORITE holidays (costumes and candy??  What's not to love?) and it will be here before you know it!  And what is more perfect for an amazing costume than vintage?  (the answer is nothing, my friends, nothing at all..)

Here are a few suggestions for the perfect vintage Halloween costume:

Why not wear a 60's wiggle dress and wig and go as Marilyn or MadMen's Joan Holloway?

How about a poofy 50's cupcake dress or 80's prom dress, crown and wings for Glinda the Good Witch?

A tutu, bob wig and some great 1920's make up and you could be Louise Brooks

Everybody loves Lucy!  A cute 50's shirt dress, a red wig and her signature red lipstick (you could even add a frilly little apron ;)

The possibilities are endless!  What are your costume plans for Halloween this year?  I'd love to hear them (and see them!  Feel free to post a picture on ConstantlyAlice's facebook page ;)

Hugs and Smooches,
D