The Cheeky Strut crew gets all up in your makeup bag, Pantone puts us in a tizzy and a local boutique takes egg hunting on for style.
Pantone's color of the year is Emerald, which is your cue to buy up the shade in mass amounts. It's hailed as a lively, radiant and lush green, and if you're starting to worry on where to find it, jb and me has you covered. With a store in Holland and one in Grand Rapids, co-owner Jamie Grasman says jb and me plans to play with this color in their accessories, shoes and skinny jeans selection. Watch for hints of the emerald green hysteria and when spring nears, the store will "explode with shades of green." It's a color that translates well into different styles and is a fun hue to experiment with this season. "It can be poppy with a bit of sass," Grasman said. "It can be worn with a bohemian vibe and it also can be a subtle pop to your classic work ensembles." Preppy, zesty and energetic, this color is your style compass this spring. Kermit was wrong—it is easy being green.
The Cheeky Strut crew is at it again, this time with a spring-cleaning alert for your makeup bag. Bring in your cosmetics bag and Makeup Artist and Event Coordinator Lisa Richards will give it a good cleaning and tell you what you might want to throw out. Brushes will be cleaned and sterilized for only $1 per brush. Does your bag need a personal shopper? That can happen, too. Drop your bag off in the morning on your way to work and pick it up on your way home all fresh, clean and with a list of recommendations on what you might be lacking. "Dirty brushes hold bacteria and mix with different colors creating a dull, muddy color," says Richards. "Getting a clean brush really helps the makeup go on better and be more true to color." The lesson here is that a clean makeup bag is a happy makeup bag.
The dream of a girlfriends' weekend is a reality in Holland. The first weekend in March is all about you and your gal pals. The Girlfriends Weekend, in its fifth year, is full of things women love with plenty of focus on fashion and shopping. The Breakfast and a Show event is held Saturday, March 3 and highlights include a breakfast fashion show featuring Downtown Holland's clothing boutiques with a DJ spinning a custom mix for the occasion. "It's still high energy, even though it's very early in the morning," said Kara de Alvare, interim marketing director for Downtown Holland. The girls-only weekend features shopping opportunities, a pajama party (complete with refreshments, DJ and photo booth) and activities from trunk shows, personal style advice, jewelry making and more. Come for the whole weekend or pick up a Saturday-only pass, but do come for BFF shopping, shrieking and shenanigans.
A huge fashion show is going down in Kalamazoo. A La Mode AFFAIR is held March 29 at 7 p.m. at the Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center. Put on by the Michael J Modeling Agency, this fashion extravaganza features participating boutiques and designers from Grand Rapids, Detroit, Kalamazoo and Lansing. The show is hosted by Bianca Golden, "America's Next Top Model" All Star. Fashion industry leaders showcase their best and boutiques involved range from Gibson Girl, Cakes Boutique, i heart ipanema and many more. Mingle among show owners, designers, models, photographers, magazine columnists, fashion bloggers and stylists for a night filled with photo opps. We hear red carpet entry is at 5 p.m. and tickets range from $20 to $35. DJ Angelo is on hand for the fashion show as well as the VIP Fashion Network after party, which is black tie attire at Webster's in the Radisson. Look for the event on Facebook.
Gina's Boutique and Lia Rose in downtown Grand Rapids have something to hide. On March 27, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the stores will be peppered with more than 50 eggs that when opened, feature discounts ranging from 10 to 50 percent off one item or gifts. Get into the holiday spirit and find the "Golden Egg" and you'll receive a $100 gift certificate good toward new spring fashions. Gina VanGessel, owner of Gina's Boutique, predicts that black and white will be a big trend along with bold stripes, Bermuda shorts and sporty dresses. Wine and treats will be served, but don't get distracted—keep your eyes on the eggs. "Fashion will last a lot longer than candy," VanGessel said.
