The Lash Loft Eyelash Extension Experience in Dallas

Everyone who knows me can vouch that I have complained since the day I turned 13 and my mother told me that I could wear makeup that I HAVE NO LASHES! It's always been a frustrating thing for me...double, triple and even quadrupling my mascara coating so that I can make my "eyes pop." I remember being in high school and getting ready in the locker room every morning after basketball and watching as the girls prepped using their eyelash curlers and one coat of mascara for beautiful eyelashes. I was definitely jealous because I couldn't do the same. (*cue the sad violin music here*)

Anywho....so fast forward to current day and I'm still having the same struggle.  The false application lashes look way too over the top for me and I have never been able to find that happy medium of long but natural-looking eyelashes...until now.

I ventured into The Lash Loft which is newly opened in the Deep Ellum district of Dallas. The owners, Preston and Lauren are super sweet and they decorated the interior to be so trendy and posh.

Why not do a little pose right outside of The Lash Loft? Photo credit: Amber LaFrance

Anyways after an hour and a half, I had a full set of silk eyelash extensions and they turned out beautifully. I'm still going to have to get used to the process. I have super sensitive eyes so the bright lights and the fumes from the glue made the first 20 minutes of the process uber uncomfortable.

A great before and after pic.  I wasn't exaggerating when I said I had literally VERY SHORT lashes before. 

Other than that, here's how my lashes turned out and I have received SO many compliments on how natural they look...some of my friends couldn't even tell that I had the extensions.  Woohoo! I will be back for my refill and touch-up.  I may have just found my new addiction.

At the Lash Loft Grand Opening Soiree in Deep Ellum, from left to right: My Dallas Bar Association bud Stefanie Bradshaw, Attorney Brian Landa and me! That fabulous skirt??? By Gianni Bini at Dillard's!

BET's Let's Stay Together Love Tour to Come to Dallas

So...my luck with dating has been sub par at best.  At this point, what's left for me in the dating pool has been comical.  From being approached by the over-sexed atheist ("clearly he doesn't read my blog") to dating the hot model with B.O.--I've had my fair share of CRAZY experiences here in Dallas.  One thing I have always wanted to do but have NEVER done is something similar to speed dating.

Welp, BET is bringing their Let's Stay Together Love Tour to Dallas with celebrity matchmaker Paul Brunson...and yours truly *drumroll please*...has signed up to attend. Now, my socialite Dallas buddy, Hamilton Sneed of HAS Events wanted me to help promote the event saying they needed more men...which already sounds like a recipe for disaster.  The women to men ratio is already off.  But hopefully the good, non cray-cray, employed, automobile driving men of Dallas will show up for this "flow" dating experience.

Here's to hoping and um....I'll definitely be writing a blog post about it afterwards. Here's the info for those wanting to attend and make sure you put "HAS" in the field, when they ask you how you've heard about the event.

*UPDATE* - This event is at capacity for women. Men are invited to register!!!!

St. Patty's Day Dallas Style: Greenville Greatness and Ludacris Craziness

So this was my first St. Patty's Day parade and concert in Dallas and I see now why it is nationally recognized and why Mark Cuban shelled out $50,000 last year to save the parade when it was threatened to get cancelled. This is an ULTIMATE Dallas staple and I will never miss a parade again.

Oscar-like selfies with the people of Dallas..my hair included...it's its own person. I think this was after me and my friend Karen had about 3 jello shots from the random "jello shot vendor" on Greenville Ave.

I've done some great (*cough cough* *wink wink*) St. Patty's Day celebrations in my hay day back in college but um....I thought I had matured since then.  Clearly not.

Just give me my beer (in a koozie) and I'm a-okay! I think this pic was when I was telling my friend that I was happy my hair was natural...I didn't give two flips that it was raining.  NATURAL GIRLS ROCK! Oh yeah, and check out the green beer bottle cap earrings...made by 12 year old Brandon Belanger.  His company is Urban Art 12.  I got SOOO many compliments on my earrings...and yes, they were sober...I think.

Anyways, everyone's inhibitions were thrown to the wind and just there to have an all out good time. My hair seemed to be the icebreaker for everyone who came up to talk to me but I don't mind it...it usually is.

Me and friend Karen...so glad she came out to experience Greenville Ave. craziness with me!

After the parade was greatness.  The Ludacris concert...for all of only $15.  Dallas Observer....you did that.  And for the people who cheated the system and stood in the parking garage next to the concert (for free) and then had the nerve to complain that they felt the concert was wack...ummmm...you got to see Ludacris perform all of his top hits (FOR FREE) and in a "COVERED" parking garage while the rest of us GOT OUR LIFE...in the rain jammin to all of Luda's hits.  Take several seats...cheap Dallas people! I digress.

The carefree people of Dallas jammin' to Luda.  As for me...I was standing on a wet picnic table rappin and dancin my life away.

I was SO happy to be a Dallas-ite that day.  We came and PACKED out the sold out show...and danced and rapped in the pouring rain and it was seriously so much fun. I didn't realize how cold I was until I got home and it took 2 hours for me to warm up...but oh well. C'EST LA VIE!

This was my first St. Patty's Day Dallas experience and it will definitely not be my last. If you missed it...well...so sorry for you. There's always next year.

Who Wore It Better: Blair Eadie or Courtney Kerr?

It's the battle of two of my favorite fashion bloggers: Blair Eadie of Atlantic-Pacific and Dallas' own Courtney Kerr of What Courtney Wore.  I've noticed a TON of bloggers wearing the deep v-necked sweater with striped detailing on the edge of the sleeves and was quite intrigued when I caught both Blair and Courtney sporting the same look. 

Courtney's sweater is actually an oldie but goodie from Forever 21 but tells readers that it can be purchased from either Rag & Bone for $395 or Nasty Gal for $58. I can't say that I'm quite surprised, but Blair is wearing the Rag & Bone rendition of the ever so popular sweater.

So the question bids: Who wore it better? I have my thoughts but am curious to hear yours...

Blair Eadie of Atlantic-Pacific on the left and Courtney Kerr of What Courtney Wore on the right

Sarah Jessica Parker is Now My Homegirl and Other Shenanigans

Sarah Jessica Parker, or "SJP" as I would call her, came to Dallas on Sunday March 9th and this was something that was on my calendar for months.  I was doing the write-up for DFW Style Daily and just thought that I would show up, get my pics of SJP, interview a couple of SJP groupies and then bounce.  I was sadly mistaken.

See...what had happened was....(when you hear that, you know it's all going downhill)...I had a date the night before...and not just any date, a date with a hot guy and to see comedian Katt Williams.  And Katt didn't take the stage until SUPER late and I didn't get home until about 1:00 AMish but only because I had to stop by In and Out Burger to get a late night snack.  Anyways, I digress.

So the last thing on my mind was waking up at the crack of dawn to see SJP.  I honestly thought that I could just stroll into Nordstrom, get my info for my article in about an hour and bounce. WRONG!

SJP was scheduled to be in Nordstrom's from 12:30 to 1:30PM.  Something in my gut told me to climb out of bed at 9:30AM to get to Nordstrom's early and thank God I did. I literally rolled out of bed, put some jeans on, fluffed my fro and threw on some lip gloss.  I arrived to Nordstrom at 10:30AM to a line of fashionably clad gals waiting in line.

Met these three ladies in line.  The woman on the right was from CBS in Tyler and her mother is on her left and in her late 70's.  GTFOH!  Loved these women!

Again, stupid me...I'm thinking that I'm just gonna...stroll into Nordstrom's, get my pics of SJP, interview the groupies and leave. *Sigh*  So I get in line, only to have Nordstrom sales associates come by at  11:00AM saying..."If you don't have shoes or something purchased from SJP's collection, then you can't meet her."  (Insert a few expletive words here)

I just HAVE to get the scoop.  I HAVE to report on this.  There are no if, ands or buts about it.  So the Nordstrom sales associate comes back...and then I end up being the "groupie" that I was thinking that I was going to interview. LOL  I ordered a random pair of shoes off of the sales associate's iPAD, gave him my credit card...all so that I could have a "purchased item" in order to meet SJP and keep my spot in line.  There were a TON of people in line to meet Sarah...so I can only imagine the amount of $$$ that Nordstrom made at their impromptu sidewalk sale. However, I doubt that they were as smart as me...because I later took the shoes back ($270 pair of shoes) but yet I got both the scoop AND an autograph by SJP!

The impromptu sidewalk sale.  Everyone was desperate to get shoes in order to be able to meet SJP.  This is Dallas fashion blogger, My Fashion Juice, trying on shoes from the SJP collection. Noone wanted to lose their spot in line!

Fast forward to once we get inside at 11:30AM, I stay in line for an hour and finally get to meet the woman who inspired many of my fashion dreams. I tell Sarah of how I want to be the "Carrie Bradshaw of Dallas" which is in my by-line for DFW Style Daily and she goes on to tell me that I shouldn't wait to be "the Carrie Bradshaw of Dallas" but to anoint myself in the present tense that I AM what or who I want to be and just go for it!  She was so inspiring...so sweet and I will never forget this experience.  Watching Sex and the City will NEVER be the same again!

Click here for my post-event scoop published on DFW Style Daily!

And there I stood once inside..for 3 hours waiting to meet SJP and to get "the scoop." Noone said being a fashion journalist allows the red carpet to get rolled out for me EVERY single time. *sigh* So I waited....

The crowd

Sarah Jessica Parker doing an autograph for a fan

SJP!  Hey Giiiirrrllllll!!!!!!!!! lol

My moment with SJP...I wasn't nervous or anything.  Moreso surprised that she actually cared enough to speak positive affirmations to a complete stranger who she didn't even know.  How inspiring!

ALL PHOTO CREDITS: Leah Frazier

Poppin with Print Blocking

So for the past several years everyone has been obsessed with color-blocking and mastering the art of layering one bright and bold color on top of another one...think having a fuschia blouse on with a mustard pencil skirt. And while I absolutely love color-blocking (when it's done right), it can be down right atrocious if you don't know what you're doing.

So now the fashion Gods have moved on....as they always do...and have placed more emphasis on print-blocking than color-blocking these days.  Don't worry if you've gone out and bought a ton of bold and bright colored tops and bottoms to color block..this trend is still in. If you can master prints on prints, you'll be more ahead of the game.  

This was simple print-blocking for me.  It was more of the printed TopShop romper paired with the crazy printed tights.  Prints on prints = FUN!

In my opinion, print blocking is much harder than color blocking. With print blocking, you can have a plaid print paired with paisley...or floral prints with stripes. While these seem completely opposite (they are), if done right, it can make for a completely fashion forward and unique outfit combination. If done wrong, and I've seen a TON of designers fashion shows where it was tres "wrong", then it will not be a good look.

So my first attempt at print-blocking was while I was headed to a photoshoot to shoot for a local accessories company.  I wanted to be comfy but fashionable...so I paired a striped dress with an animal print scarf and then two-toned wheat colored Tims.  Now if that's not a bold mixture of colors and prints, then I don't know what is.  All in all, I was very pleased with how this turned out and received a ton of compliments.  I can't wait to try it out again!