Friday and Saturday proved to be two of the best days QUiD has ever had. I have to say, those Head Girlies really went all out with promoting the show this year and it showed. My perfectly placed little booth had more traffic than the 405 at rush hour. Yay! Here are a few pics of my booth before it all started. As usual, I managed to not capture a single human in my photos. Oh well, enjoy!

My girl Tara snagged this one!

for the boys (and girls)!

Okay. Here’s the official poster art for Girlie 2009. Their new website, http://thegirlieshow.net is also up and running with some great pics, cool video documentary, etc.  Hope you can all be there!

I’ve been in Texas at my parent’s home for the past several days. I needed some serious backup. The Girlie Show is in11 days and I have loads of things to finish. (P.S. The Girlie Show is the biggest/coolest art show I do each year.)

Thanks to an awesomely crafty mom, I’ve been able to complete many of those “almost there” projects. Whew. Still a long way to go, but here are a couple of things that will debut at Girlie this season.

Sorry for the awful pics!

Piled with vintage goodness!

If you’d like to see the new things in person, come out to the show!

The Girlie Show

November 6th & 7th

OKC Farmer’s Market

The street style movement has hit full force along with its quirky and sometimes questionable trends. For the most part I’m on board, but here’s one look I just can’t make up my mind on. You’ve probably not seen any sane (or even remotely en vogue) human wearing a fanny pack since at least 1996. And if you have, I can almost guarantee they were sporting it along with khaki shorts and a bowling shirt in high pursuit of Mickey Mouse.

The fact is, however, the fanny pack may be making is fashionable return to society. We’ve seen it on the runway mix by designers like Gucci, Mulberry and Marc Jacobs in understated chic prints for spring. There are several handmade hipsters jumping in on the zipper pouch trend with great finesse.

So tell me, Fanny Packs: Wear ‘em or no?

Sage Hip Pocket, Jenny N Design; Plaid Cargobelt, Utility Wear; Whiteout Fanny Pack, Junkprints; Army Green Hipshack, May Tree Ark; Fancypack, Carrotcake

Cooler weather is just around the corner (hopefully) and with the climate change comes the wardrobe change. Out with the tank tops and in with the sweaters. Hello, knee boots and goodbye, peep-toes, right? One simply cannot go out barelegged in 40 degree temps, so what else is a girl to do other than pack away the open-toed shoes until spring? Everyone knows that stockings are reserved for closed-toed shoes only, right? Since the dawn of time (or somewhere around then) the fashion gods have forbidden us to wear open-toed shoes with any type of hosiery, so surely 2009 will be no different, right? Wrong! Apparently the powers that be have grown tired of seeing the same knee-boot and skirt combo year after year, and frankly, I’ve had my fill as well.  As crazy as it may sound (or even look to some) the infamous fashion faux pas is now the “it look” for the season.  That’s right, you heard me, open-toed shoes for fall…with tights.

Now, take a moment to collect yourself, lift your jaw off the floor and pay attention to the following restrictions before you go traipsing down the street in your white Easter shoes and suntan pantyhose.  It’s not as easy as it sounds and if you don’t do it right you’ll end up looking like you’re trying to score an invite to your Granny’s bridge club. So here’s how to pull it off, if you dare.

First of all, these aren’t just any open-toed shoes. Actually, the open-toe should really be more of a peep-toe. The shoe needs to be a little chunky, not skimpy or strappy, and the heavier the fabric, the better. Suede, wool and flannel are all good choices.

Moving on to the issue of hosiery, let’s just take a moment to clarify the difference between tights and pantyhose. Pantyhose are the staple of every great-grandmother’s wardrobe. In my humble opinion, they were made strictly to disguise any unsightly varicose veins, bruises, age spots or any other imperfections of the leg. So, unless you are a geriatric member of the AARP (or a Hooter’s waitress), there is no need. Tights, on the other hand, can be a fabulous accessory when paired with the right shoes. The tights you want for this look are a dark color and very opaque. In addition, textured tights can really break up the monotony of an all black ensemble.

This look actually made its runway debut last season, but sometimes it takes a full year for a new runway trend to translate into everyday life.  Keep in mind that some people have no tolerance for breaking old, outdated fashion dos and don’ts. So prepare yourself for some raised eyebrows from those who aren’t aware of the new trends, which, let’s face it, is practically everyone. I say ignore the naysayers and strut your style savvy stuff. If anyone gives you slack about your fab new look, tell them to check out QUiDessential and I’ll set them straight. Or if you, yourself, are one of the eyebrow-raisers who simply cannot get on board with this look, don’t worry; it’s a definite fad that will probably be long gone by this time next year.

~ Courtney

From the minute I could read “chapter books”, I fell in love with Nancy Drew. Her clever antics and sleuthing ways keep me on my toes even today. In fact, it was my love for Miss Drew that inspired me to create a new series of posts entitled Look Lit.  Each week we’ll do our best uncover the style of a children’s literature hero. 

 What character’s look would you like to see?

Magnifying Glass, The Weather Workshop ; Vintage Dress and Jacket, Modcloth; Skirt, Anthropologie; Smith & Corona Typewriter, Finding Fabulous Christian Louboutin Heels, Barneys

Fact About Nancy

The first three Nancy Drew® stories were published on April 28, 1930.

Nancy’s hair color has changed over the years. It was blonde at first. Then in 1957, a printing error on the cover of The Haunted Showboat caused her hair to be titian. Soon after, the books referred to her as titian-haired. It has been described as strawberry blonde too over the years. It has never been brunette in the books.

Nancy was 16 in the original books. It wasn’t until the late 1950s that her age changed to 18 to accommodate driving laws in all states. Nancy has never been in school in the books.

Unless you’re just in love with the jeans and a t-shirt look, I’ve decided that the awkward period between summer and fall can be an absolute fashion nightmare. Particularly when the humid summer heat seems to drag on endlessly. My solution for the perfect transition piece: the skirt. You can layer it up with a cardi or jacket and cool it down with a simple tank or tee. Plus, it pairs brilliantly with tights and leggings, boots or a simple ballet flat. Here’s to the skirt!

Eugenia Mini, Anthropologie; Free People Ribbon Mini, Free People; Vintage Print Mini, Renouveau Clothing; SoCa St. John Pleated Black Skirt, Nordstrom; Leifsdottir Gray a-line Skirt, Nordstrom

Why is it that when fall and winter roll around, we find ourselves piling on the concealer, pancake makeup and layer upon layer of loose powder? Could it be Halloween that inspires us to conjure up the spirit of Mary Kay, circa 1994? All spring and summer we have been fresh faced, sun kissed, dewy, and natural, but as Labor Day approaches, women feel the need to break out the ivory foundation and matte lipstick. As we inch closer to Thanksgiving, the chalkier we become. We resemble department store mannequins until about Easter, when we finally scrape our faces clean once again. Well, ladies, the cakey look will not be making an appearance this season.  Fall 2009 is taking a luminous turn.

Since the dewy look is apparently here to stay (for now), it’s probably a good time to talk about how to achieve this look without appearing greasy or too barefaced.

The two most vital products needed in order to achieve that glow are a sheer foundation and either a cream blush or a cheek stain.

One of my favorite “cheapy” foundations is Cover Girl’s TruBlend. It gives enough coverage to even out skin tone, but does not settle on top of the skin and in pores and lines like most foundations do. If you don’t need much coverage at all, a tinted moisturizer is also a good option. Smashbox Shear Focus is an awesome tinted moisturizer that also offers SPF 15 protection. If you’re on a real budget, simply mix your own liquid foundation with your moisturizer for a similar result.

The best cheek stain that I have come across is Benefit Posietint. Apply it to the apples of your cheeks for a sheer pink glow. (Tip: Posietint can also be used as a lip stain, just apply a little bit of gloss on top to add some sheen.) If you aren’t in the market for a $28 cheek stain, try applying your own blush and then dabbing a tiny (I do mean tiny) amount of hair serum, clear lip gloss or Vaseline on the apples of your cheeks. This will allow you to control how much glow you want, although remember that the goal is to have a subtle glow, not to look like a fry cook at KFC.

Lastly, if you have oily skin and cannot part with your pressed powder compact, try using rice sheets or Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets instead. These sheets are very inexpensive and absorb oil without removing makeup or leaving you with a dull, powdered look.

Well, ladies, that concludes Dewy Makeup 101. Have fun experimenting with your fall makeup looks and remember less is more!

~ Courtney

This fall, Qe has some fantastic plans. From beauty reviews to runway design to indie fashion, there are plenty of things to get excited about. Today, we’re debuting one of my favorite ideas for the season, She Says. These posts will be an opinionated review of all things beauty. And best of all, they will be written by my best childhood friend and fellow fashionista, Courtney.  Courtney has been on top of every beauty gadget and trend for as long as I can remember, so it’s a great honor to have her agree to contribute. I know you’ll love her witty reviews and opinionated rants as much as I do! Feel free to leave her loads of comments and questions!

Here are a few promised pics from the show this weekend!

Samantha Lamb on percussion

QUiD goodness