 Flirting with the idea of cardinal-red plumage. Take Two: Tanya Pai
Fresh from my adventures in hair tinseling, I was ready to attach more crazy stuff to my melon. And after my trip to hippie-centric Coachella, where every third girl seemed to sport hair feathers, I was excited to try the trend for myself. Like Anne, I immediately gravitated toward the bright colors, but this time around I stuck with a more natural hue to avoid any unfortunate Cher/Showgirls connotations. Nick suggested white feathers with gray stripes for the contrast they’d provide against my black hair. He gave me three — one fat and one skinny one on the right side of my part, and another fat one on the left — placed close to the front of my hairline to frame my face. The thick feathers were downy on top, like genuine bird plumage. They are, according to the company, real rooster feathers and not some strange synthetic, as I first thought. A spritz of hairspray and a couple of passes with a flat iron tamped them down, but as soon as I left the salon they fluffed right back up. (This proved to be a recurring problem; when I styled my hair at home, no matter how much spray or heat I attacked the damn things with, they remained fluffy, like some bizarre case of the frizzies.)
 The finished product (and an appropriately hipster pose). After leaving the salon I went to lunch with my boyfriend and my parents, who were in town for the weekend. On seeing my new ‘do, my mom said, “Hmmm. Interesting,” which is her way of saying she’s not entirely on board with whatever fad I’m testing. The men made noncommittal noises that basically translated to “I’m hungry, let’s eat.” The best comments I received that day came from an elderly couple in the elevator at the Harvard Art Museums. “I just love them; they’re fabulous!” exclaimed the woman. “It’s like a fascinator,” muttered the man. And that was it. Beyond the usual queries as to what exactly was on my skull, I didn’t get many reactions. And believe me, there were plenty of chances — those things just. Didn’t. Budge. My coworkers asked me several times if I had new feathers put in. “Nope,” I replied, “these are the same ones. Still.” Don’t get me wrong, I liked them — but they were so close to the front of my hairline that I had trouble styling my bangs, and the thicker feathers (in addition to the aforementioned fluff problem) were short and thus had a distressing habit of coming loose from whatever bobby pins I had stuffed them into and flapping about merrily in the breeze.
Finally, after I’d had the feathers in for an entire month, I couldn’t stand them anymore. “Please help me,” I begged Anne, who took pity on me and brought some pliers to work. After a couple of quick squeezes I was officially feather-free (and more excited than I’d ever been to brush my hair). Would I get them again? Maybe — if I plan to hit another music festival. But first I’m hitting the hardware store to score a pair of pliers.
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 Image courtesy of gofugyourself.com. One of our covert workday pleasures is checking gofugyourself.com for the latest LOL-inducing rants from fashion police and nymag.com contributors Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan. So when we found out they had penned a young adult novel, Spoiled (in stores next month), we naturally had to check it out. Click through for Heather and Jessica’s thoughts on Sweet Valley High, their next project, and striking a balance between soap opera and sincerity, and check back in June for our full review of Spoiled. READ MORE
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You’re hearing it here first: Priscilla of Boston is holding a sample sale next Saturday, May 21 at its Charlestown factory. With more than 800 luxe wedding gowns starting at $199 (and even more bridesmaid and special-occasion dresses, plus shoes and accessories) up for grabs, it’s sure to bring out Hub bridezillas and their entourages in full force. The bonzanza begins at 9 a.m., but Priscilla VP and general manager Michael Kelly has advised that “there will be a waiting line” (which we take to mean arrive early, à la Running of the Brides). Hope to see you there! 40 Cambridge St., Charlestown, 617-242-2677, priscillaofboston.com.
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 A couple of months ago we fell in love with Etsy’s Shop Local option. Now we’ve discovered something even cooler: Mass Art Made, a brick-and-mortar store showcasing handmade goods by Mass Art’s students, alumni, and faculty members.
The store, which opened last month, offers a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind apparel, accessories, and décor – think Short Army knit hats, laptop cases screenprinted with original paintings, and jewelry galore ― along with a small selection of commercially produced goods from companies with employees who attended Mass Art. Artists submit a portfolio and are chosen by a jury of staff members, alumni, and local business owners. Then creative director and manager Ginger Russell chooses which pieces to display in the store and updates the selection every couple of weeks.
Prices range from $1.25 postcards to a $13,000 painting, and sales work on a consignment basis, with the artist receiving a 50 percent commission. The store also donates 10 percent of total sales to funding Mass Art scholarships. To further brand its contributors, the store displays QR codes next to specific pieces; when scanned, an interview with the artist who created the piece plays over the PA system.
While the school is following in the footsteps of other institutions, such as RISD, this type of shop is unique to Boston thus far. “Usually a store sells something very specific to meet a need,” says Russell, “but we have a radically different model to support the college.”
625 Huntington Ave., Boston, 617-879-7407, massartmade.com.
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By: Tanya Pai
Now that spring has finally sprung, it’s time to slough off the dregs of winter – literally. Enter Bliss Spa’s carrot-and-sesame body buff, a 90-minute exfoliating treatment that’ll zap dry, flaky skin and leave you glowing from collarbones to toes. First you’re rubbed with a mixture of shredded carrots and essential oils, then drizzled with warm milk and honey. After, you’re wrapped up burrito-style in a foil-like sheet, and the technician gives you a scalp massage while the skin-softening wrap does its work. Then it’s on to the sesame-and-salt body scrub, followed by a rinse under the Vichy shower and a slathering of body butter. A word to the wise: You will be practically naked in front of a stranger, and salad ingredients might find their way to some strange places – but for a beach-vacation-ready bod, not to mention the pure indulgence factor, we think we can deal.
$165 for a 90-minute treatment, Bliss Spa, W Hotel, 100 Stuart St., Boston, 617-261-8747, blissworld.com/spa.
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By: Tanya Pai
One of the hot nail fashions popping up on runways and red carpets this season is the half-moon manicure. The style, also called the “moon” or “reverse French,” dates back to the 1930s and is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, thanks to celebrities like Dita von Teese, who rocks the classic incarnation (maroon or red tips and a nude base), as well as Rihanna, who added her own contemporary spin. Click through the slideshow for some tips on the look from Bliss Spa‘s lead nail technician, Nancy Le, as well as pictures of my attempt to master it ― then tell us in the comments about your favorite new manicure trend.
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If you haven’t caught our new May issue just yet, be sure to watch StyleBoston this weekend when they cover our latest issue, including the ultimate dining bargains around the city.
Saturday at 11:35 p.m. and Sunday at 12 midnight on WCVB.
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By: Tanya Pai
I am completely addicted to waterproof mascara. Not only is it the only way I can get my stick-straight lashes to hold a curl, it also frees me from worrying about turning into the Joker while walking to work on one of our fair city’s many rainy days. The downside to this budgeproof stuff? Getting it to come off before bed.
I’ve tried makeup remover after makeup remover, all of them promising that waterproof makeup will slide right off – but I always ended up having to scrub, resulting in irritated eyes. That is, until I discovered the magic that is pure jojoba oil. The golden liquid can be used as a moisturizer for hair, scalp, and skin, and it’s awesome for removing even Tammy-Faye-esque coats of mascara.
Just lightly moisten a cotton pad with water, add a couple of drops of the oil, and apply to closed eyelids. (I’ve found it works best if you hold the pad in place on your eyelid for a few seconds first.) Once you’re done, tissue off the residue; your eyelids will be makeup-free and ungreasy yet moisturized enough that you can even consider skipping the eye cream. It’s all-natural, fairly cheap, and a bottle lasts forever. I may never buy regular makeup remover again.
Available at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or at desertessence.com.
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By: Tanya Pai
Some of you might be familiar with crackle nail polishes from back when Cover Girl debuted its series in the late ’90s. And because every trend gets recycled at some point or another, it probably comes as no surprise that this graffiti-inspired look is making a comeback this season. So is the fad all it’s cracked up to be? To find out, I tested two colors from China Glaze’s crackle collection: the slate-colored Cracked Concrete, and pure white Lightning Bolt.
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By: Anne Vickman
 Our affinity for fire aside, we’ve burned enough candles to know whether or not a pillar of wax is worth our salt. The new GloLite candles by Plymouth-based PartyLite actually impressed us, which is saying something. The dim glow of a burning wick telegraphs romance and relaxation, but sometimes said glow is a little too dim. So dim that we still bash our shins on the corner of the bed and trip over our slippers, which is anything but romantic or relaxing. GloLite’s lightly scented candles have a smooth texture with striations that look similar to onyx or selenite, and create a glow from top to bottom that’s bright enough to actually see by — and admittedly quite mesmerizing. For a candle, that is.
$12.95 – $16.95, partylite.com.
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