Coquette

Spring Work Wear Wear at $50 or Less

Stylehive rounds up some stylish spring work wear for $50 or less. I love this cropped blazer by Hinge that's only $39.97.

Share Your Mother's Day Stories with Coach

I'm so excited to be a part of Coach's Mother Day Stories campaign happening now on Facebook (Also online at Coach.com/stories). My story "Mom's Bag of Magic" is listed (please like it!) and tells the tale of my mom's Coach bag always filled with anything I ever needed. There are more great Coach Stories from fashion editors and bloggers to read and while you are at it, share your own story too!

My story features this photo of my mom and I at Disneyland in the early 80's. I always remembered how happy I was during that trip. I noticed my mom was wearing high wedge sandals!! I showed her this picture again and asked her how in the world she could wear wedge heels running around Disneyland with a little kid. She laughed and said she couldn't remember. Then, ten minutes later she told me it was probably because she didn't have a pair of tennis shoes. Ah, moms.

DIY Color Block Mountain Painting

If you are looking for easy ways to spruce up your bare walls in your home, look no further than this recent CRAFT video by Meg Allan Cole on DIY color block mountain painting. Meg created a five-paneled blue gradient mountain range using only 2 paint cans – one rich shade of blue and mixed with various amounts of white.

Proenza Schouler PS1 Wallets

If you are looking for a pop of color in your accessories but aren't ready to leap into a candy-colored handbag, this Proenza Schouler PS1 Wallet is the perfect choice. Priced at just $165 the wallet is only available on the Proenza Schouler web site and matches the PS1 handbag satchel shape in a mini mini version. Super cute right? My favorites are the ones above, especially the Kelly Green, but there are 13 colors you can choose from. It's definitely not a big wallet to stuff your life into, but a nice compact one that can fit some cards and cash. Perfect for your small handbag or pocket!

Web Snob Weekly Roundup

Here is this week's Web Snob with the latest in fashion, beauty, celeb, and lifestyle:

• Bag Snob has one of the best Botkier bags ever!
• Shopping and Info loves the Rag & Bone motorcycle leather jacket in this great cognac brown color.
• The Shoe Goddess thinks a metallic sandal is the perfect summer accessory!
• Inspired by Pantelleria, a Sicilian island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea that's been dubbed "paradise," this Armani scent at Beauty Snob evokes beaches in the summertime.
• In the hunt for a job? Stiletto Jungle explains exactly what to wear to an interview.
• Rachel Zoe is a mom! Allie is Wired has the new baby details.
• Bag Bliss stopped off at the Kara Ross showroom in New York!
• Fashion Pulse Daily indulges in a very (Kenneth) Cole evening featuring the fall 2011 collection.
• The Jet Set Girls talk Spring Nail Trends 2011 with the gorgeous new colors from butter London!
• Second City Style interviews Clinton Kelly and finds out "What (Not) To Wear" this spring.
• StyleHive loves the new Skin Re-Newing Trio from bareMinerals and is giving away a set to three lucky winners!
• The Beauty Stop has tips for a successful eyebrow wax.

Floral Finds

Floral patterns are a top trend for spring. Stylehive picks five great floral pieces for your spring wardrobe. My favorite pick is this Winter Kate by Nicole Richie Floral Tamarin Jacket ($195).

Spring Essential: DKNY Heritage Print Scarf

My favorite accessory this spring is the silk scarf. Right now I am wearing the DKNY Heritage Print Scarf ($95 at DKNY) almost all the time to dress up my outfits and sweaters. I have two of them – one in red and one in nude that I alternate between so much so that I just leave them on top of my dresser these days. If you had to get one, I'd go for the red because it's the accent color of the season and will continue to be for fall. I love wearing it loose in the front for a more casual feel or tied sleekly in the back when I wear it with a blazer. You can instantly add polish and instant French style with this scarf!

See more DKNY scarf inspiration in the DKNY Spring 2011 lookbook or runway video.

Related Coquette Post:
DKNY Spring 2011 Fashion Show - NYFW

New Coco Mademoiselle Short Film with Keira Knightly

Keira Knightly stars in the new Coco Mademoiselle fragrance ads as a modern day, motorcycle riding Chanel superhero. Here's the short film version of the ad that's wonderfully shot all around Paris.

Web Snob Weekly Roundup

Here is this week's Web Snob with the latest in fashion, beauty, celeb, and lifestyle:

• A bag that is both PETA- and Bag Snob-approved does not come along often - a pure Spring bag!
• Second City Style thinks these celebrity trends are tired and well past their expiration date.
• The Jet Set Girls show off the new Kate Moss for Longchamp Faraway Collection.
• This luxuriously scented sensuous oil at Beauty Snob is a must-have for anyone who loves getting in bed.
• Shopping and Info loves the James Jeans seen on Megan Fox in LA on Monday.
• StyleHive shows us how to get more designer pieces while saving in the long run!
• The Shoe Goddess gets a sneak peek at Nicholas Kirkwood's Fall 2011 Collection!

My Favorite Estee Lauder Products

Since last summer, I've had the pleasure of working with Estee Lauder on a few of their events. Beauty High reports on the new upcoming ad campaigns featuring diverse models Joan Smalls, Constance Jablonski, and Liu Wen. This is the first time an asian model is a part of a big cosmetics brand. For me, this is huge. Growing up in the Bay Area in the 80's, I never had a good experience getting makeovers done at cosmetics counters. No one understood my Asian skin or my almond eyes. Thankfully things have gotten better in the last few years. I'm really happy that Estee Lauder has been taking the lead to bring diversity to the forefront.

I would also like to mention that ever since last summer, my skin has been radiant and in no small part due to the skincare and makeup tips I've learned from the folks at Estee Lauder. So much so that I migrated onto the Re-Nutriv line when my Chanel cleansers were done just before Christmas. (I was using Chanel for 6+ years.) Not once this winter season has the skin on my face ever felt dry. It's been soft and hydrated. This is the first time in years I've felt this way. I also will note that I rarely wear foundation or powder. I probably only wear powder twice a week, and foundation maybe once or twice a month. I really don't think most people need to wear foundation daily as it can really clog your pores. The key for me that I've learned from older Asian (and French) women is that it's more about skincare and less about covering things up with makeup.

In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing some videos with wonderful tips from Estee Lauder makeup artist Alan Pan from when I filmed him in San Francisco last November.

Here's my favorite Estee Lauder products that I use everyday:

Morning Routine

Perfection Wrinkle Lifting Serum ($55-$125)

Time Zone Line and Wrinkle Reducing Cream SPF 15 for dry skin ($58)

If I am going to wear makeup here's what I do:

Spotlight Skin Tone Perfector ($32)

This product is amazing! It really evens out your skin tone and gives you a good natural glow. If you have to get one product, get this one.

Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Powder ($50)

Here's a tip I learned from Alan. Put a bit of powder on the cap of the bottle and gently dab it on the sides of the powder brush. You really don't need a lot of powder on the brush for it to be on. It's amazing how a little can really go a long way.

Evening Routine

Re-Nutriv Hydrating Cleanser ($39)

Re-Nutriv Softening Lotion ($40)

Advanced Night Repair ($49.50-$125)

Time Zone Night Anti-Line/Wrinkle Creme ($62.50)

My next purchase this spring will be for a Clairsonic. I'm still figuring out which one to buy - Classic, Mia, or Opal. I have tried the Classic twice while having facials last fall and loved the exfoliating results.