Thankfully, we have absolutely no patience whatsoever. You see, we had reconciled to wait until after Christmas to do our sale shopping, which is what we’ve done in years past, and we always cleaned up real nice. But a couple of days ago as we stared into our closet, wondering what we’d wear to these nonstop holiday soirees, and we got a case of that resolution-destroying I Have Nothing To Wear bug.

So scurrying to Barneys (Copley Place, 617-385-3300, www.barneys.com) on our lunch break we went. And we’re oh so glad we did, as the prices had already been slashed to levels they’ve never before sunk to pre January—and the pickins’ were already trending toward slim side.

If we had stuck to our guns, we’d have been too late to score the perfect-fitting Vena Cava dress we’d been eyeing for months (marked down from around $550 to about $175). We’d have missed out on the dark Rogan shift (pictured in white) that has just a hint of sheen, a subtle black and white plaid under layer, and a vampy exposed zipper in back (originally $264, now $159). Our closet would have hungered for the sophisticated burgundy sheath from this new Italian label that we can’t pronounce ($450, down to $150), and we would been forced to go nude from the waist up without the tunic-length white button-down by Vince ($195, now $59). The horror! (more…)

Our hair is a classic underachiever. (Well, just mine. Lots of fellow Bostonistas have wildly successful, popular, fun hair.)

I know I should coax it to greatness, but I am (mostly) busy and generally distracted and also somewhat conflict-averse, so I usually overlook its mediocrity. My patience, however, expires around the holidays. So our December interaction tends to go something like this:

Me: Hey! Holiday parties! Let’s get ready!
Hair: Meh. How about we stay home and make faux-healthy macaroni and cheese and watch Britney: On the Record instead?
Me: Come on! We’ll have fun!
Hair: Not feeling it.
Me: You know what? I don’t ask for much. I don’t force you to change. No highlights. Not much random goop. I even bought the special no-snag hair ties after that stylist accused me of trying to murder you with the regular kind. So will you please do me this one favor and behave passably for a few hours?
Hair: But it’s so hard. And I’m just not naturally good at looking good. So let’s just stay here, and I’ll remain messily stuck on top of your head, and you can wear the college sweatpants with the hole in the ass, and we’ll both be happy.
Me: You are, hands down, the worst.

And then I drag it to the party, where it sulks and demands to be put up in an artless and non-voluminous ponytail.

But, according to SalonCapri owner Nick Penna, our relationship doesn’t have to be quite so dysfunctional. He recommends three low-maintenance, party-friendly looks.

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My hair has always been long and unmanageable. I’m notorious for going six months without a trim (because I hate when I ask for an inch off the ends, and suddenly four inches of my precious mane fall to the stylist’s floor).

But to maintain healthy tresses, you can’t just use an everyday conditioner. Here are my favorite treatments (and some not so good ones) that have helped (or hindered) my quest for lengthy locks. (more…)

We recently rented a house in Nowheresville, NH. The place was a dream, and the trip, divine. Getting there? Not so much. After a four-hour battle with Friday afternoon traffic, our navigation system lead us off the beaten path and onto a country-dark dirt road that was liberally sprinkled with sharp rocks, cavernous ditches, and (we swear) the Blair Witch. Disgruntled and on the brink of turning home, we finally made it.

Once there, however, we found the homeowner’s warning that standard GPSes often lead guests down an undriveable road. Really? Thanks. If only we’d used FlipKey, a new Boston-based website that provides the real dirt on vacation rentals.

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Turns out you don’t have to be up to your pocket-scarf in old money to dress like a classy WASP.

The enduringly dapper Joe Ferrarro, once named by the Globe as one of Boston’s best dressed, dishes out candid advice on how to be the snazziest budget-minded sartorialist in town on his blog, An Affordable Wardrobe: Dressing Like a Gentleman on a Chimneysweep’s Funds. (more…)

As Madonna was gearing up for her concert last week, her long-time makeup artist Gina Brooke, who doubles as Shu Uemura’s artistic director, took time from a very busy tour schedule to teach a master class at Shu’s Newbury Street location. Here, she weighs in on a few of our most pressing beauty Qs:

Bostonista: We’re junkies suffering from true makeup addiction. Should we weed down our beauty products to a few basics? 

Brooke: “There are no rules to makeup. And there’s nothing wrong with have a whole trunk full of it.”

Bostonista: Good answer! So, when should we wear false eyelashes?

Brooke: “Everyday! Why should we wait to look our very best for a special occasion?”

Bostonista: Hooray! Well, in that case, we want to look just like the Material Girl! How do we do it???

Brooke: “It’s flattering for people to want to imitate Madonna’s look, but what will work for her won’t work for you. Every woman should approach makeup as an individual because everyone has different complexions and skin tones.”

Bostonista: Yeah, yeah, fine then. Earlier, you really drove the point home that “beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin.” Is it okay for us to just use inexpensive drug store facial cleansers?

Brooke: Sorry! There’s no comparison between regular cleansers and Shu’s cleansing oil. I even use the oil for shaving and as a hair product substitute.

Bostonista: Wow– that’s serious devotion. What else in your makeup bag?

Brooke: Phyto-Black Lift Renewing Firming Night Cream, Drawing Lip Pencil in Red 192 liquid eyeliner, High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil (Advance Formula), Brightening Cleansing Oil, eyelash curler, Face Architect Remodeling Cream Foundation
– EMILY A. BROWN

Shu Uemura, 130 Newbury St, Boston, 617-247-3500, www.shuuemura-usa.com

Should you still be feigning ignorance to the fact that you’ve been wearing your “just in case” jacket with regularity, let Bostonista break it to you—summer is over. Say it with us… It’s over!

It’s time to back away from the flip flops and loosen your death grip on those summer scarves. No seriously, let go. We’ll get through this together.

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Training for a half marathon would have been impossible without my iPod. It made those training sessions fly by because I could sample new music every time I hit the pavement. But, for all my iPod gave me, I misused and abused it to the point where it no longer functioned.

How did I ruin it? Well, I hated running with awkward arm bands, and carrying it in my hand messed with my stride. I preferred hands-free and arms-free gadgets while jogging, and so I would…stick it in my bra. Obviously, I wasn’t that surprised when the device fizzled out after suffering too many sweat sessions. (Thankfully, after I completed the race.)

But then I found RhythmBRA. (more…)

We’ve always thought of Labor Day as a great reason to get to the beach. Or the pool. Or the mountains. Or, frankly, anywhere that involves doing as little actual “labor” as possible. That is, until this year ushered in a nasty surprise in the form of the demolition of our cozy South End apartment.

Finding a new place to live was the easy part. Leaving behind our building mates was harder. But nothing, not even the gracious help of a few strong men, compares to the p.i.t.a. that is moving.

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So here we are, the last unofficial week of summer. Fortunately for us, September in 2008 is like July in 1998—sultry temperatures and sunny days. Which means we can squeeze every last wear out of our warm-weather wardrobe. But what, dear readers, to do about our white pants?

Most of us grew up listening to our mothers’ staunch Memorial Day through Labor Day edict; most of us also rolled our eyes and tried to rebel against the fashion statute. But yet, every fall we pack up our whites, eschewing all things light until snow ushers in acceptable “winter whites.”

This Bostonista loves her whites. She also loves and respects her very stylish co-workers. So late last week, she conducted an informal office poll: White after Labor Day—brilliant idea or fashion tragedy?

The votes are in…

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