Style & Beauty

I was born bald as a cue ball and stayed that way until I was around 2 years old -- my mother used to attach bows to my head using scotch tape because there was zero hair to tie anything to.

I spent my elementary school years with thick, coarse, wavy hair. It still brings tears to my eyes thinking of Mom brushing it up into pigtails, finishing it off with that weird '70s yarn all the girls wore.

Then, puberty hit. And my hair got curly and gigantic. It was the '80s and the era of my hair was born for had finally arrived.

Sure, there are may breeds of curly-haired girls -- the ones with the soft flowy waves, the air-dry-onlys, the natural run-your-hands-through-my-hair girls. But that was never me.

Today, as an adult in the year 2015, I remain a proud, big-haired girl. In photos, my head is usually double the size of anyone else's.

Us curly-haired girls have some secrets (at least I do) that may surprise you when it comes to our hair care regimen.

Like...

We don't wash our hair a lot.
Every other day? Nope. Every other-other day? Nuh-uh. I wash my hair twice a week, sometimes once. It always looks best on day three, don't ask me why. I read something where Lorde says she can go a whole month sans shampoo -- she is my current curly-haired-hero.

You wouldn't believe the amount of hair we lose when we do wash our hair.
I go through my hair when the conditioner is in it with an old school Goody pick that I've been using since Jimmy Carter was president. This is how I brush my hair. And you would not believe the amount of hair that I "pick" out of my head. Rather than let it go down the drain, I collect it in a pile and throw it away when I get out of the shower. It's gross.

Brushing.
We do not own a hairbrush.

Straightening.
When we get a haircut, sometimes the stylist will blow our hair out straight and we get asked these four questions:

• Will your hair get curly again?

• Is that a new hairdo?

• How did that happen?

• Why did you do that?

Cocktails in the morning.
I don't know any curly-haired women who don't use a mixture or "cocktail" of styling products on their wet head to prepare their curls for the blow dryer. I am a loyal follower of Catwalk by Tigi's Curls Rock Amplifier along with a few drops of Biosilk Silk Therapy plus a dash of Argan Oil. On the rocks. With salt.

Our tools look different.
This is my hairdryer. It looks like a big microphone/lollipop. It's the best.

So, now you have some insight, some secrets, a look into the life of the elusive and untamed naturally curly, big-haired girl. For me, today is a hair wash day -- excuse me as I gather my tools and prepare for battle.

And check in with me on day three, because it will be perfection.

Lori's website, Drawn to the '80s, is where her 5-year-old draws the greatest music hits of the 1980's. Her blog, Once Upon a Product, is where she writes about important things like beauty products, food and her Mick Jagger obsession.

Like Us On Facebook |

Contact HuffPost Women

I went to Prague looking for castles and old churches, and along the way I stumbled (there are a lot of cobblestones, and discovered a treasure of resale shops.

I like to think of myself as a seasoned second hand shopper. I have picked through the racks of the best designer consignment shops in Paris, Rome and Tokyo. Whenever I am in New York, I always sneak in a visit to the doyenne's of resale at Michael's and Encore. In Los Angeles where I live, Haute Seconds and ShopHers in Santa Monica are my guilty pleasures.

So excuse me beautiful women of the Czech Republic, I had no idea you were so fashion forward and thrifty. It never occurred to me you might have consignment shops in a country not so long ago dominated by the drab dress of the former Soviet Union.

So, as I navigated those historic but pesky cobblestone streets in my Tod's snow boots, it was a Gucci purse in a store window selling something other than Czech crystal that caught my eye.

I wasn't alone. A Japanese woman in front of me nearly dropped her map when she spotted the same store window. I knew I was on to something.

Inside the 2nd Chance Boutique, were lots of brands I didn't recognize, but I sure knew Dior and Escada. Also hanging on the racks of this nicely appointed shop were Thakoon and Maison Martin Margiela. Apparently when the Berlin Wall fell, so did the communist style of dress.

Prices you ask? The silk Thakoon dress was 4,600 Czech koruna. Which is about $200 US. The Margiela jacket was 2,200 koruna which is about $ 95 US.

Was this an aberration, an outlier of fashion in Prague? No. Turns out this is one of four designer consignment shops within a two block radius.

Diagonally across, on Trziste Street, I found Phase 2 Boutique. This shop had twice as much stuff plus furs. Here I found an Ann Demeulemeester chinchilla jacket for about $500. Yes a steal, and no I didn't buy it. It was enormous on me.

Though most of what's for sale is used, the clothes I saw were in really good shape, and mixed in with new items. Negotiating prices is tough because shop owners seem unwilling to bargain, and they don't speak much English. Some shops accept cash only, but they do take U.S. dollars.

Prague has a lot of great shopping, all the luxury boutiques and all the major European chain stores. And now you can add emerging high end consignment stores.

I don't suggest you shortchange your trip of the magical sites in Prague, but I do recommend you weave in a few minutes of fashion treasure hunting.

These three stores are within a few blocks of each other not far from St Nicholas Church on the Prague Castle side of the Charles Bridge. Trust me, those directions will make more sense when you get there.

2nd Chance Boutique: Karmelitska Street #24/299, Prague
Phase 2 Boutique: Trziste Street #8, Prague
Circle Second Hand: Prokopska # 3/625, Prague

Winter is here...that time of year when everyone starts complaining about dry, dull skin. The best way to sail through the winter months in tact is to pay attention to your skin's environmental protection barrier, also called the lipid barrier. This top layer of skin protects you from extreme cold, harsh winds, and your skin's arch nemesis, the sun.

Unfortunately, as you age, you produce fewer and fewer lipids and that means this much-needed protective barrier diminishes. The result: your skin gets drier, duller, and is more prone to wrinkles. Winter weather adds insult to injury. Following are four ways to support your skin's barrier function during the dry winter months:

1. Cleanse...without stripping your skin.
If there was ever a time to use gentle cleansers, it's winter. Look for cleansers with natural oils, like green tea oil, in their list of ingredients so you can cleanse and lubricate simultaneously. Let go of your need for "squeaky clean" skin because cleansers with harsh sudsing agents ultimately do more damage than good, stripping your skin of its environmental protective barrier.

2. Replenish the top layers of your skin with face oils.
Face oils are a key element for your winter skin care routine because they replenish the top layers of aging skin so that it can retain moisture and repel assaults from wind and cold. Even better, face oils penetrate past the epidermal barrier to deliver nutrients to deeper layers of the skin.

3. Exfoliate...with caution.
There's no denying that a little cell-shedding now and again makes your skin look and feel better. But, overdoing it creates sensitized, dry, dehydrated skin, which is the last thing you need during the cold dry winter months. Opt for more gentle exfoliators such as lactic acid, adzuki bean powder, or the more recent arrival: mushroom extract.

4. Wear sunscreen religiously.
Just because the sun isn't out as long during winter, doesn't mean you can take a sunscreen break. Always choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects you from both UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreens with zinc oxide do an especially good job of repelling rays before they can enter the skin and wreak havoc. Wear sunscreen every day, from dawn to dusk, rain or shine, in hot or cold weather.

No time to page through thousands of eBay listings? Then just sneak a peek at my Weekly eBay Roundup of top vintage clothing finds.

This eclectic mix of designer and non-designer vintage clothing and accessories caught my discerning eye because of its uniqueness, contemporary feel and highly collectible nature.

As always, buyer beware! Be sure to read the listings closely and contact the sellers with any questions.

This week's Roundup includes lots of great items but don't miss the 1960s Lucie Ann marabou robe, the 12k gold chainmail halter top, the Gump's obi silk clutch with jade clasp, the Chanel ostrich handbag, the Edwardian wedding gown and the Pueblo Depression era inlay earrings.

GET READY, GET SET, BID!!!
(Click on Pic for More Info and Auction Links)

Which item is your favorite? Leave me a comment below to let me know.

To receive the eBay Roundup of Vintage Clothing Finds via email, sign up for Zuburbia's mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.

DISCLOSURE: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia with no direct promotional consideration from the featured eBay sellers however Zuburbia may receive revenue as an affiliate member of the eBay Partner Network.

PLEASE NOTE that Zuburbia does not endorse the use of fur, feathers, leather or animal skins in fashion. Any of these selections are offered only as more thoughtful and eco-friendly alternatives for contemporary fashionistas who have not yet eliminated animal products from their wardrobes or for collectors who are seeking to preserve these items.

If a picture is worth a thousand words and a blog post is 750-1500 words; then I could write a novel to rival Marley and Me about the image above or dare I even say more pages than a September Vogue. It was snapped on February 28, 2013 during Paris Fashion Week at the American Ambassador's Residence fete in honor of Town & Country's Fashion Editor at Large, Jade Hobson. It was taken at a moment of extreme shock when I answered my cell phone because my ex was calling and my gut told me to take the call.

I had never heard him like this; he sounded both frantic and delusional. He had discovered the dog we co-parented in a noble but nonfunctioning state. He then scooped up the 75-pound, 15-year-old, one brown eye, one blue eye, Australian Shepherd mix in his arms and ran down blocks and across avenues to the emergency room. He confidently described the condition of Tyrone's twisted intestines and how the surgery was going to have him back home in days. I knew, I just knew this was it. My immediate concern was comforting daddy number two because our hairy baby was already living on borrowed time. He told me to go back to my event because he knew this was a big moment for me and he would call as soon as the old dog was out of surgery.

The room began to go out of focus with the tears filling my eyes and for some reason I just flipped the phone into camera mode to capture this milestone. I quickly retreated to a side room not knowing what to do. I found a fancy little sofa away from everything and slipped on some nonprescription fashion frames. Before I could compose myself to rejoin the festivities the phone rang again and I did not want to answer. He was only able to blurt out the words "he's dead". Now this is from a veteran journalist who had been witness to some of the worst disasters and wars of modern times. I began to pace and wait for him to catch his breath as I tried to tell him how lucky we were to have Tyrone and what an honor it was to share this magnificent being. We agreed to hang up quickly and I collapsed back into the doll furniture sofa.

In a nanosecond, I was surrounded by three huge men in black tailored suits and those clear, spiral earpieces. "Sir, sir what is going on?!" they demanded of me. I lowered my glasses as I looked up and said, "My dog of 15 years just died."

They melted into the most compassionate humans and quickly offered another route out of the event. They offered a car service, to retrieve my coat and help to inform my date. Those men gave me strength but it was the stunning, young blonde that was my date who kept me breathing.

She was an American exchange student that was introduced to me by her aunt. I had immediately grown fond of her when we met because as two Americans living in Paris, she felt like family. She was a tall blonde with a killer figure and charming personality. I had styled her in an asymmetrical, long sleeve, cashmere jersey dress with over the knee green crocodile boots. We had been so excited for this night; planning our looks and joking that unlike most fashion parties we were going to eat and drink everything put in front of us. There was a concert to attend afterwards in the aquarium for the French band "Sans Sebastien" plus just the glamorous fact that we were in Paris. She sweetly offered to get me to my room but I replied that wouldn't bring him back and I really didn't want to be alone. She was stuck with me whether she liked it or not and somehow in those moments she became my family.

We strutted into the aquarium like rock stars and the fact that I was hiding my tears behind those frames made everything more dramatic. There was a tour of the aquarium prior to the show and we faked interest in the darker rooms so that I could have momentary breakdowns with the sharks flying around my head. Everyone began to crowd into the performance space. Her French was strong enough that she was able to discreetly communicate to a couple that I needed to sit down. Meanwhile, she stood with her feet in bear traps of runway sample boots leaning from side to side to ease the pain. I felt like such a dork and hardly a gentleman in my tuxedo that had the lapels lined in vintage mink. Everyone was being so cool in that French way but I was a dressed up mess. After my favorite song played and we pretended to dance a little in support of the band, we exited to find ourselves standing directly in front of the Eiffel Tower during one of the moments it lights up like a sparkling space ship drenched in sequins.

I had to work the next morning as it was Paris Fashion Week and we were shooting a music video the next day. Wearing those crazy glasses every single moment for an entire week to hide my tears. Once they came off and more things focused, I worked up the courage to look at the photo. It looked like a piece of art. It felt as if someone else took it. More curious, why in the hell was Carine Roitfeld standing there absolutely gorgeous, poised, and backlit with the room parted staring at me? The strangest thing was that in my moment of absolute shock there was apparently a photo shoot scheduled and she served it up. I had as a model one of the most glamorous, powerful and cool women in fashion. If you enlarge the image, you can see Andre Leon Talley in the mirror. A fashion boy's dream turned to nightmare captured forever. Now the funny part, I try to find humor even in sorrow, is that every time I see her in press all I can think about is Tyrone. She gets a lot of press. Carine has become a bit of an angel to remind me of my dog and when I think of him all I do is embrace everything he brought into my world. Yes, I am comparing Carine Roitfeld to a 75-pound, 15-year-old, one brown eye, one blue eye, Australian Shepherd mix. One that brought so much love and beauty to the world and I hope she doesn't mind.

Award season has begun and I can't wait to see what the stars are going to wear on the green carpet!

What?

Sara, don't you mean the RED carpet?

No, I'm not color blind; I know a green carpet when I see it. After all, who can forget Meryl Streep's gold lame Lanvin gown, Cameron Diaz's bespoke beaded Stella McCartney gown or Cate Blanchet's Chopard diamond wreath earrings from green carpets past?

These glamorous ladies are part of a growing contingent of Hollywood stars who are taking part in a fascinating challenge -- the Green Carpet Challenge.

Its origins read like a modern day fairy tale any a-list actress would be thrilled to be cast as the lead character in. Let's say her name is Livia and she could be the stunning, powerhouse wife of one of the best actors of this generation. Let's call him Colin. Now that the two main characters in our modern day fairy tale are in place let's give our lead a challenge: what to wear to accompany her multi-nominated spouse during the awards season. But there's no designer showroom for her. Instead, Livia challenges herself to wear a gown that is both sustainable and ethically made.

By now I'm sure you've realized that this storyline strikes as too over-the-top and unbelievable to be anything but reality.

It is.

Of course, I'm referring to Livia Firth who in 2007 alongside her husband, the actor Colin, and brother, Nicola Giuggioli, co-founded Eco-Age, a brand consultancy enabling "businesses to achieve growth by adding value through sustainability."

As Livia told Harrod's magazine, she and her journalist friend, Lucy Siegle, made her first "green carpet" gown in 2010 out of discarded fabrics and "things from the garbage bin." That year, Livia's answer to that now-ubiquitous red-carpet journalistic question, "Who are you wearing?" was an original one to say the least.

Since then many celebrities have joined Eco-Age's global communication platform, dubbed, the Green Carpet Challenge (GCC Brandmark) and clamor to wear "green," red carpet gowns and tuxedos created by repurposed fabrics and ethical production.

Luxury designers have since adopted the challenge as their own and the GCC Brandmark has since become one of the validations of highest acclaim for sustainability in the international fashion and retail industry. And it's not limited to just the red carpet.

Gucci is famously the first to have created a handbag collection with the GCC Brandmark made from zero-deforestation, Amazonian leather. Notably, this collection sold out before it even hit stores. Stella McCartney, Tom Ford and Victoria Beckham are other celebrated designers among the growing, sustainable GCC ranks.

Chopard is the first luxury jeweler of its caliber to have been awarded the GCC Brandmark for its collection of Fairmined gold jewelry and watches. These pieces have been worn on the red carpet to dazzling effect by everyone from Cate Blanchet, Marrion Cottilard and, of course, Colin and Livia Firth -- Colin helped design the brand's first watch made from Fairmined gold and his lovely wife attended the Golden Globes last week wearing an amazing pair of Chopard Green Carpet High Jewelry earrings. Chopard even made the 2014 Cannes Film Festival's grand prize, the Palm d'Or, out of Fairmined gold.

It's been 4 years since that first "green," red carpet dress of Livia's was scrutinized and then highly praised by some of the industries toughest critics and influencers. And now, as in every awards season, there are to be dozens of glamorous red carpets that are walked on all over the globe, equaling countless gowns, jewels and tuxes paraded and admired.

Let's see how many of them come in shades of green.

Note: the author is in no way affiliated with Eco-Age, The Green Carpet Challenge, Mrs. Livia Firth or any other parties mentioned in this post, but is simply a great admirer of their wonderful collective works.

If there's one thing that never goes out of style, it's an epic girls' night in, and on Saturday BFFs Karlie Kloss and Taylor Swift took to Instagram to give us all a lesson in the craft.

Joined by fellow model Martha Hunt, fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson and stylist Ashley Avignone, the rumored Vogue cover girls gathered at the pop star's New York City apartment for the ultimate gathering complete with a crackling fire, plenty of wine, and lots (and lots) of cooking.

"Cooking all day with @Ashavignone @MarHunt @Tavitulle," she captioned on Instagram as her friends whipped up a variety of dishes. "Cold New York. Hot tea. @marhunt"

From the looks of it, Swift and her crew enjoyed a candle-lit table complete with wine and some tasty pasta. We can only imagine that homemade cookies were also included in the meal considering Karlie and Taylor's passion for baking.

As for the entertainment, the girls appeared to share plenty of laughs with Martha even taking to Instagram to show off her and Taylor's purrrfect arts and craft project, which included decorating the singer's iPhone with cat stickers (but of course).

Not content with their successful dinner party, the girls gathered together once again on Sunday, this time with the addition of model Gigi Hadid for a slightly more stylish affair. In a photo posted to the girls' Instagram accounts, Taylor can be seen sporting a sparkly white lace dress while Karlie, Martha and Gigi posed around her in various black looks.

"I'm convinced, blondes definitely have more fun," wrote Karlie alongside the photo.

Blonde or not, we're thoroughly convinced that no one knows how to throw a girls night in like this beautiful bunch. Here's to hoping that we get an invite the next time around (hint, hint)!

More on Modelinia.com:

Muppet Style: These Models Are Loving the Fuzzy Coat Trend - Are YOU on Board?

It's Here: Heidi Klum Debuts Her Sexy New Lingerie Line!

It can be fun to shop for fashion items and certainly a few new things or two can make getting dressed easier for whatever you've got going on. But it's hardly necessary to create a stylish look. In fact, not only can you do a little with a lot when it comes to your wardrobe, you can also reinvent old pieces and trends to wear them in new ways (and give your entire closet more life).

While it can take a little work, it's no more time or effort than trying to shop the mall or stores. It can also be just as fun. Here's how:

10. Set aside time. Set a date, a few hours on a weekend or evening, for your closet reinvention effort. Even just a few minutes a week can work -- and result in weeks, months or even years of stylish outfits.

9. Get inspiration. Start your wardrobe reinvention session by thinking on or looking for ideas. Inspiration within our own self is always the best for creating personal style, so take a minute to look over your closet and think about new and interesting ways you can wear items. A great way to do this is pick one item, and challenge yourself to create as many outfits as you can with it, mixing and matching different pieces, jewelry, and other accessories to create a range of looks. Outside inspiration can also be great! Hop on Pinterest or check out a stack of your favorite magazines to help get your styling creativity flowing.

8. Keep track. As you work on or wear ideas, take a photo or write the outfit combination down in a notebook. By keeping track of what you put together, you'll find it easier to get dressed in the morning and can even go through your own personal styling catalog of looks to help you pick things to wear when you've got something to dress for, are limited on time, etc.

7. Get creative. Wearing old things new ways can be easy and fun if you think a little out of the box. Layer things that seem like they might be interesting together. Do something different with trends by wearing them in different ways. For example, the party skirt with crop top or jacket might seem a little tired this year, but paired with a longer menswear vest and a belt cinched at the waist can give it new life. Don't be afraid to make mistakes! A little imperfection can actually make an outfit stylish.

6. Play on themes. A great way to style looks in your closet is to play on themes. Mixed textures, combining different lengths, going with sleek and architectural, combining volume, etc. can all breathe life into your existing wardrobe.

5. Look outside of fashion. So much inspiration for fashion and style exist in every place but fashion and style! Consider playing on ideas that you find in your natural world -- unique color combinations based on nature, textures and prints can be drawn from interior decor, the options and resources are endless.

4. Play with color. Color can make any outfit stylish, so experiment with what you've got. Try unusual combinations, such as brown with teal, or teal with navy. Or do a look that has multiple different colors in one. Just the same, putting ranges of the same or even the identical, matching colors together can create a great outfit.

3. Leverage accessories.Scarves, jewelry, shoes, handbags and other accessories are the key to turning ordinary clothing items into outfits. Try scarves as belts, tying to the handle of a handbag, or layer a bunch of different types of jewelry together from your accessories wardrobe to reinvent and revive tops, pants, skirts and more.

2. Consider alteration. You can update old fashion items through alteration, such as cropping a pair of jeans into shorts, having trim such as gems or piping, etc. sewn onto shirts, fabric paint or other additions and adjustments. This can be particularly easy to do and inexpensive, either cost of having a professional do the work or for the supplies to do it yourself.

1. Have fun!A lot of people take style so seriously, carefully concocting looks and making sure that everything's perfectly put together, etc. But in reality fashion is best when it's a bit unique and your own personal stamp. Don't be afraid to make mistakes! Not every look you put together is going to work. You never know until you try!

To see more ways to reinvent your wardrobe, and all of this month's edition of Condiment magazine, visit www.getcondiment.com

This just in: Print is not dead. Half the reason we still read fashion magazines is to thumb past those 20 or so glossy ads of pretty people before the thing even starts.

So imagine our surprise when not one but two major fashion houses announced that their spring 2015 models would be 70-plus years old.

But they're not the first. The love for ladies over a certain age has only grown. See eight women over the age of 60 who have earned the title of The Face.

JOAN DIDION, 80, FOR CÉLINE
This spring, expect to find the literary powerhouse gracing the pages of your Vogue. Even if it was for pure publicity (which it most definitely got), Céline scores colossal points in our book.

JONI MITCHELL, 71, FOR SAINT LAURENT
Another pop-culture dream team, the multiple Grammy winner joined forces with Hedi Slimane's reinvigorated Saint Laurent this season.

JESSICA LANGE, 64, FOR MARC JACOBS BEAUTY
Last spring, Marc Jacobs was a relative newbie to the beauty scene. So he made a statement by choosing the American Horror Story actress as the face of his budding cosmetics line.

CATHERINE DENEUVE, 70, FOR LOUIS VUITTON
New to beauty but not to fashion, Marc Jacobs doubled up on his lady love for spring 2014. He used his last ad campaign for Louis Vuitton as an opportunity to also feature the legendary French actress.

ANJELICA HUSTON, 63, FOR GAP
One of the most fabulous women of all time, the Oscar winner most definitely does not "dress normal." She schools us all. But props to Gap for at least bringing her back into our lives last fall.

LINDA RODIN, 65, FOR THE ROW
Unsurprisingly, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen love themselves an older aesthetic. However, surprisingly, they didn't make it public that they featured the former model until their pre-fall 2014 lookbook debuted.

JACKY O'SHAUGHNESSY, 62, FOR AMERICAN APPAREL
Say what you will about its other (questionable) photography, but we're all about American Apparel's 2014 "advanced basics."

IRIS APFEL, 93, FOR & OTHER STORIES
There's an awesome European line that just arrived in New York City. It's called & Other Stories (a sister to H&M), and it debuted this fall with a little help from Manhattan accessories icon Iris Apfel.

JACQUIE TAJAH MURDOCK, 82, FOR LANVIN
But the whole trend got its start from Alber Elbaz. The Lanvin creative director cast regular women in the brand's fall 2012 campaign, and the rest is glorious history.

More From PureWow

Awesome Dresses Above a Size 12
The New Handbag of 2015
7 Style Lessons We've Learned From Anjelica Huston
InstaBreak: Color-Blocking With Monling Lee
Awesome Weekender Bags
How To Wear A Scarf

By Alison van Diggelen, host of Fresh Dialogues

Diane von Furstenberg says that the greatest gift she's ever received is the lesson that "fear is not an option."

With 2015 off to a fearful start in Paris and its impact reverberating globally, especially within Jewish communities, it's a lesson worth exploring.

I sat down with von Furstenberg, Queen of the wrap dress and the DVF brand, and found a down-to-earth woman with a powerful story that resonates far beyond the world of fashion.

As a small child, von Furstenberg learned her lesson in a rather brutal way from her mother, a Holocaust survivor.

"She'd lock me in a closet and wait 'til I stopped being afraid," says von Furstenberg.

Her mother experienced atrocities at Auschwitz and her challenging life shaped von Furstenberg's to this day.

"Fear is not an option is everything: fear of flying, living, confronting the truth... fear of anything," says von Furstenberg, who has made some courageous choices in her personal and business life, as chronicled in her new book, The Woman I Wanted To Be.

She recounts the many periods of self-doubt and challenges she faced as her career soared, then flopped, and rose again from the ashes as she battled to stay relevant. She finally triumphed again in China and globally, ensuring DVF a place in the design history books. She's done it all: married (and divorced) a prince; been painted by Andy Warhol; made the front page of Newsweek; survived cancer; faced bankruptcy and become a doting grandmother.

In a conversation with Maria Shriver the day before our interview, she urged women to be hard on themselves. I asked her what she meant by that. Although some journalists claim she's impossible to interview, DVF answered my question directly.

"The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself," says von Furstenberg. "See yourself for what you really are... for the good and the bad, whatever. Once you have accepted that, then you can also begin to like yourself."

Along with Tina Brown and Sally Field, von Furstenberg is part of Vital Voices, a network that supports female community and business leaders around the world, both politically and financially. The group believes that more women in politics can contribute to a more peaceful world.

The interview took place at The Foreign Cinema in San Francisco on November 20, 2014. Many thanks to Julian Guthrie and Martin Muller for the invitation.

Check out our archives of Fresh Dialogues interviews with inspiring women like Meryl Streep, Maureen Dowd and Belva Davis.

This post originally appeared on Bustle.

By Ella Grace Downs

By now, you are almost certainly most-definitely singing the "Friends" theme song by The Rembrandts in your head. And if you aren't? Well, then I commend either your control over ear worms or your ability to remain under a cultural rock -- because "Friends" has arrived on Netflix.

And we're sure happy it is, because "Friends" just might be the perfect sitcom: it was the quintessential multi-cam network TV show of the '90s and early 2000s. It was about six 20-somethings living in New York, but mostly, it was about your friends becoming your family as you navigate the realities of adulthood. It had a little bit of everything you want from a sitcom: hot, young people trying to figure out their careers, relationships, sex, and the housing market of New York City. It may not have been the most diverse, edgy, sexy, or clever show -- but it was so. damn. funny.

Even though "Friends" was a pretty PG show most of the time, it had a secret, beautiful feminist core that really came through sometimes. Here, we take a look at the nine most feminist things about "Friends" -- which was actually, as it turns out, way more progressive than you probably realized.

1. The One Where Rachel Left Her Husband-To-Be At the Altar

This was literally the first episode of the entire show. Rachel left her boring, dentist husband and financially-secure lifestyle in Long Island on their wedding day in order to pursue an independent life in New York City. It's nothing that radical, but Rachel's self discovery and struggles to find independence were inspirational.

2. The One Where Monica Considered a Sperm Bank

Monica's break up with Richard really hurt -- they were perfect for each other -- but they wanted different things in life. Monica was ready for a family, and she was unapologetic about it. She wouldn't compromise her dream just to be with Richard, and she was so ready for a baby that she even considered going to a sperm bank and raising a child on her own. The fact that she was seriously considering it was one of the most independent moves she (almost) made.

3. The One Where Rachel Found Out She Was Cheated on With Her Friend Mindy ... and They Teamed Up

Whenever guys cheat, it's way too common for women to blame the other girl and not the guy. But when Rachel and her ex best friend Mindy teamed up to roast her ex fiancé Barry for cheating on both of them, we were reminded that cat fights were so '80s.

4. The Fact That Ross' Son Had Two Moms

Sure, there were some highly-problematic jokes, but Ross's ex-wife and her new partner, Carol and Susan, were still the totally accepted parents of Ross and Carol's son Ben. No one ever questioned that the two women raising a child were doing a great job.

5. The Fact That Monica Was Competitive as Hell, and Better Than Everyone at Football

Monica's go-getter attitude is a chief element of her personality. She is tough, assertive, bossy, and relentlessly competitive with everyone about everything. Which translates to being better than everyone at a lot of things -- including football.

6. The Fact That Rachel Chose To Be a Single Mother

When Rachel got pregnant, she turned down marriage proposals from both Joey and Ross. Being married and having a family don't necessarily have to be connected, and Rachel was the hottest single mom on network television, and everyone respected (and applauded) her decision.

7. The Fact That Monica Was The Boss

Monica's coworkers and subordinates were constantly undermining her and calling her a bitch -- an experience almost every girl boss has had to deal with, especially in a kitchen and food service, which is a total boy's club. It was awesome to see her take charge of her employees and work environment -- and not care what people called her.

8. The One Where Monica Proposed to Chandler

In one of the most beautiful moments in the show, Monica asked Chandler to marry her on bended knee. She didn't wait around for her knight in shining armor -- she grabbed him herself.

9. The Show's Depiction of Female Friendship

More than anything, Phoebe, Monica, and Rachel were there for each other through everything -- competition, break ups, hookups, marriage, and children. They were supportive of each other and always had fun. And when women stick together, feminism wins.

Images: Fox; Giphy (4), Tumblr (4)

More from Bustle:

Where 9 Famous Women Were At Age 29

Where 9 Famous Women Were at Age 27

Where 13 Famous Women Were At 25, Because The Quarter-Life Crisis is Real

Like Us On Facebook |

Contact HuffPost Women

I feel like I've known Patti Smith my whole life. When I was a child in the 70s, my cool older cousin Lucy idolized her, and though I wasn't ready to embrace her then (frankly, her hairy armpits terrified me), I eventually grew into her.

I started listening to her music, and when I moved to New York I went to see her sing, speak, read poetry. I used to walk to walk to work in Soho, and I would see Patti on Macdougal Street so often it felt like one day she would greet me, call out my name like Norm walking into Cheers. I read "Just Kids," everyone did, it won the National Book Award, but it still felt cozy and familiar, the way looking at pictures of old friends does.

My friend Cameron (@roon) posted a photo he shot of model Kara Neko (@indianpython) on Instagram; I thought she looked beautiful and compelling, and I realized she reminded me of Patti--her braids, the shape of her face, her direct gaze and expressive body. Kara and I connected through the app and made a plan to shoot together.

Patti Smith, "Day Dream" by Frank Stefanko; used with permission

Kara Neko (@indianpython) at A-1 Records, East Village NYC; photo by @jillshomer

I picked locations for us that would creatively play up on the association: A record store in the East Village, and the great punk clothing store Trash and Vaudeville.

Kara Neko (@indianpython) at Trash and Vaudeville, Saint Mark's Place, NYC; photo by @jillshomer

The Chelsea Hotel, where Patti and Robert Mapplethorpe lived together, is no longer accepting lodgers, so we shot at the Duane Street Hotel in Tribeca. Patti famously wore a crisp white men's shirt on the cover of Horses, Kara is equally dramatic in a plush white robe.

Kara Neko (@indianpython) at the Duane Street Hotel, Tribeca, NYC; photos by @jillshomer

"Love is an angel disguised as lust..."

Kara Neko (@indianpython) at the Duane Street Hotel, Tribeca, NYC; photos by @jillshomer

I am hugely grateful to Kara Neko for collaborating with me on this project, and to Instagram for bringing us together. Follow us on the app: @jillshomer @indianpython @roon

There are few events so beautifully elegant in the entertainment industry as the Golden Globe Awards. George and Amal Clooney were exemplary: him in a perfect, unadorned tuxedo with salt-and-pepper hair, his wife in elbow-length white gloves and black gown to complement the gentle, exquisite waves of her long black hair.

The Beverly Hilton was the setting for this cornerstone event of the film and television industry and the red carpet was aglitter with gowns and more than a few styles incorporating pulled-back hair that was clean, neat and very classy.

Katie Holmes, who has often done long waves, was in a neat, slick ponytail, proving again that this style has become one of the most versatile ever. Jennifer Aniston wore hers pulled back in a knot that was just as clean and neat, keeping with the trend toward simpler, but elegant cuts and styles that let eyes and lips shine.

Taylor Swift had her bangs pulled away from her face. Kate Hudson had her hair pulled back with caramel highlights. Sienna Miller wore a layered bob with a slight wave... it feels like we're moving away from hair with lots of defined curls. Again, this soft, effortless elegance appears to be trending.

The men, like Clooney, were equally elegant with their cuts. We're seeing lots of different styles among the men. A lot of the cuts are shorter, tight on the sides, longer on top like David Spade's, some a bit spiked or mussed on top like Justin Theroux's, but still sophisticated and sharp.

There is a certain effortlessness about many of the cuts among both men and women. That's part of the simple, quiet elegance they express. I love this. It has that natural look that is so popular now. Pixies, like ponytails, remain a consistent, versatile winner, as evidenced by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Of course, we're always delighted by the exception. Kelly Osbourne, actress, designer, singer and anything else she wants to be, did elegance differently with the softest of mohawks in pale lavender, taking snaps of gazers with a gemmed-out camera.

As always, be open to change.

You've finally found the perfect present, but it comes without a box or in that molded plastic packaging like headphones that's near impossible to wrap seamlessly. But, you try and make do with what ends up being a wrinkly, crinkly wrap job and 20 pieces of tape. No matter how great the gift, your recipient -- having received your lumpy, hot mess -- is secretly thinking, "Thanks...I guess?"

Beautiful gift-wrapping is kinda like fashion's first impression: a well-dressed box gets noticed, while a funky-monkey number can be shortchanged no matter how cool the contents.

And gift bags can be expensive or a car's ride away.

At zulily, we love easy solutions that take the hassles out of every day living. We've come up with a very clever idea that can be done in a snap, and all you need is wrapping paper, scissors and tape--supplies you likely have lying around the house and were planning on using anyway.

To prove just how easy it is? My third grader will demo.

Below, the supplies: scissors, tape and wrapping paper of a medium weight. Too thin and the paper will wrinkle and potentially rip. Too thick and it will be hard to manipulate and fold for our purposes, though truly any paper will do.

1. Roll out your paper, placing your gift in the middle: here we have a toy car for her brother. Make sure you have enough paper to completely cover the gift.

2. Then cut lengthwise.

3. Fold your edges to meet and overlap slightly in the center, and tape along the seam from top to bottom. It helps if your tape is fairly continuous as this will make for fewer gaps, but it need not be perfect.

Tip: If you are prone to paper cuts like I am with all of this dry weather, put on a little non-greasy hand lotion before you start. This will help ward away serious slices.

4. Keeping in mind how wide your present is, fold over the bottom of the paper so that it slightly exceeds this width. This is your base, because we're all about the base, 'bout the base! (We do encourage dancing while wrapping.)

5. Now this part is like origami. Open up the base and fold it towards the center onto itself: making two triangles that touch to become a diamond or square. Seriously, it looks trickier than it is.

6. Take the top and bottom points of your diamond and fold them toward the center crease, and tape.

7. You can eyeball cutting off any excess paper from the top.

8. Now you're ready to place your gift inside your custom-made gift bag. Fold over the top once or twice... however many times you wish, and tape to secure.

9. You can add a bow for extra beauty and viola! You've made your very own bag from scratch that can be made to fit any odd-shaped item for any occasion, even beyond the holidays.

See this bag being made on The Meredith Vieira Show and view more how-to pictures!

Author Elizabeth Schaeffer Brown represents a brand development vanguard uniting global, technological, and social concerns. She is currently a founder of Uncommon Union, a new kind of agency serving the social enterprise, which is entrusted to manage brands for responsible companies associated with luminaries like Hugh Jackman and Matt Damon.

3D printing will not be bringing back manufacturing jobs lost to China anytime soon. It will, however, support new opportunities for design, limited and customized manufacture.

To contrast the new paradigm with the old, look no further than automotive manufacturing, once a mainstay of industrial America. Local Motors, a Las Vegas-based car company, envisions a time when consumers can specify highly customized vehicles. After submitting their order, the car is printed and can be picked up the same day. Gone are the assembly lines and dealerships with rows of identical cars. Gone, also, are numerous factory jobs. Welcome to the world of on-demand manufacturing.

Although this type of manufacture is not a quick fix for bringing back old manufacturing jobs, it suggests many new possibilities. For ethical fashion, the implications are promising. Now that most cut-and-sew jobs have moved overseas, even limited manufacturing for locally sourced collections is a gain for both domestic jobs and accountability. For now, however, 3D printed fashion is a novelty.

Prepare for the Near Future

All the same, few doubt that highly automated manufacturing, such as 3D printing, are coming to fashion. The ethical implications of hyper-local, high-tech wear need to be sorted out. As much as it is important to support local economies where it is easier to monitor the supply chain, places like Haiti desperately need foreign investment. Any loss of manufacturing could represent a significant -- even catastrophic -- setback. Is there a balance that can support both developing and developed economies? Rather than simply offshoring manufacturing or bringing it all home, perhaps new technologies with their current limitations, present a collaborative solution.

I was discussing some of the complexities surrounding these issues with Lexy Funk, CEO of Brooklyn Industries, during a recent business meeting. She mentioned looking into the prospect of 3D printed clothing with MakerBot, another Brooklyn-based company, after attempting to do more manufacturing in the U.S. "We have manufactured locally and abroad," Funk explained. "We've tried to manufacture more in the U.S. and we can't support the volume of orders to make it work."

For a small manufacturer like Brooklyn Industries, the immediate prospect might allow custom or limited run 3D-printed elements with collections. In this scenario, the flexibility to design, add or alter a detail on the fly represents a new value proposition to consumers. Fitting together high-tech customizations with responsibly-manufactured small orders is a complex problem. Reassuringly, there are promising trends toward "collaborative manufacturing" that may give rise to answers. In fact, proponents argue big changes are already underway. Here are two things you might do to better position your business for them.

Think Small

Joey Adler, CEO of Diesel Canada and founder of Industrial Revolution II, an ethical factory based in Haiti, has found a niche. Although her vision is to expand production and provide as many jobs as possible, flexibility and small runs allow the factory to compete with Chinese industrial juggernauts. Combined with cutting edge investments in digital printing technologies, IRII can hold off a race to the bottom.

"We were doing this before anyone else in Haiti," Adler explained. "It took a while for people to understand the vision, but once we were up and running they saw the value."

While massive industrial 3D printing solutions are a ways off, creative collaboration around a greater variety of more customized products seems like a way to create jobs at home and overseas. The domestic technology, like 3D printing, and the economics for small, flexible manufacture abroad are aligning. A new economics of scale are reshaping the manufacturing process. Business should begin experimenting with innovative, small scale models that value flexibility over volume.

To Make Together, Explore Solutions Together

As someone personally interested in this subject, I encouraged Collaboration Quests, a social network that facilitates development projects, to take a closer look at collaborative manufacturing. Given that responsible business and social enterprises are more inclined to collaborate in finding solutions, I wanted to develop a context for them to connect and work together. I am now working with Collaborations Quests to find would-be collaborators around these issues. Connecting small scale manufacturers in the interest of incubating new ethical fashion technologies may not singlehandedly incur a "manufacturing renaissance." It may, however, build working relationships and enable unique solutions.

While massive industrial parks may not disappear, they will be increasingly out-maneuvered. Dropping marginal costs and small scale productivity gains are producing a dense network of makers who offer unique capabilities across the supply chain. It's true that details are still sorting themselves out, but that's how disruption begins.

Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program.

When I was 13, my mother finally said yes and gave in to my then-lifelong wish for curly hair. As a child, my hair was so straight that my grandmother used to tell me I couldn't make it wavy even if I stuck my finger in an electric socket. I was smart enough to have never tried that. Instead, I got a perm. I thought those curls would be the answer to all my prayers. They weren't. The perm made my hair look frizzy and beyond horrible. I tried to wash it out the very same night that I got the coveted perm and then had most of the curls -- I mean frizz -- cut off soon thereafter.

I also hated being tall. I was almost always the tallest girl in my class, which made those awkward middle school dances even more awkward. I spent much of the sixth grade as hunched over as I could in between my mother yelling at me to stand up straight and show off my "beautiful figure." Some figure, I thought -- string bean-like and flat-chested.

Then there was my true nemesis -- my freckles. Remember when Jan Brady stood in the old Jack and Jill bathroom she shared with Marcia, Cindy, Greg, Peter and Bobby and vigorously scrubbed lemon juice on her cheeks, hoping they would get rid of her freckles? That was me. I wanted to be the new Jan Brady -- to reinvent myself with a new look -- anything but the one that was my own. I tried everything I could to get rid of those damn freckles, to no avail. At the beginning of every school year, the freckles seemed to be in full force thanks to a summer spent outside in the sun.

Flash-forward several decades to my adult self. My hair is still straight. I can detect a slight wave if I let it air dry on a really humid day. Yet now, I kind of like it straight. I even have a flat iron for those really humid days, a fact that my grandmother would never believe even if she were around to see it. I'm still tall -- almost always the tallest woman in any group of other women I find myself in. And I'm okay with that, too. After years of wearing ballet flats, I've come to embrace the wedge and even the platform high heel. I no longer slouch. I don't think my mother would believe that either if she were here to see it.

My face is still freckled. The patches on my cheeks are visible all year long and now really come out in full force after a sunny vacation and those now treasured summer months. I don't wear makeup to cover them up. In fact, I had to explain to the woman helping me at a cosmetics store that I don't wear any kind of foundation or tinted cream. I like the freckles and the rosy cheeks. They are a part of me. I think it's cute when my dad refers to me as his "freckled Rach."

I'm also still flat-chested -- relatively speaking, that is, and I'm good with that. I wonder now why I counted the days until I could fill out a bra as a young teenager. After decades of wearing bras, buying bras and readjusting bra straps, I can definitely tell my younger self that it's nothing to write home about. My small chest makes it easier for me to take long runs, stand on my head during yoga class and wear just about any tank top in the summer and turtleneck in the winter.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that I have the perfect looks or anything like that. Not at all! I've just kind of learned to live with and even embrace my looks for what they are -- uniquely mine. They are part of who I am, for better or for worse. I am very cognizant of this, especially now around my soon-to-be 9-year-old daughter. Even at her young age I hear whispers at play dates and birthday parties about that girl's pretty blonde hair or the other girl's beautifully painted nails. How could my daughter and her friends not be aware of these looks? So many of them grace the pages of magazines and are splashed across our television screens.

Again, don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that that my daughter or any girl or woman, for that matter, should not want to look pretty. I always try to look my best, and I feel just as great as any girl after a good blowout or the successful purchase of a cute new outfit. I'm not a prude in the fashion department -- not in the least bit. I like to keep up on trends and follow them when they suit me. But I no longer follow a trend just to follow it or yearn for an unattainable look like the younger me once did.

I read the fashion magazines, yet take them with a grain of salt aware of the airbrushing and the plastic surgery on so many of the movie starts whose old looks I envied over the years. No judgment, just awareness.

I try to teach that awareness to my daughter when the opportunity arises. I happily braid her wet hair some nights before bed so that it will have even the tiniest wave in it the next morning as she wishes. But I remind her about the beauty in her own pin straight hair.

She likes her freckles, counting them and eagerly searching for more with me at the end of one of those long summer days. When she does this, I can't help but think of all of the time and agony I could have saved if only I counted the freckles instead of trying to scrub them away. Jan Brady could have too.

I hope more girls and women too will do that -- count the freckles, the laugh lines, the straight hairs, the curly hairs, whatever it is we have that makes us us.

1. The majority of your Friday nights will consist of couch, wine and Netflix and you will be TOTALLY fine with that. The thought of going out on a Friday after a long week sounds both awful and terrifying. Once a month, this thought will also feel exciting, but after you brave it, you'll be a mess for days. #NotWorthIt.

2. If you do find yourself out on a Friday, chances are you won't go out on Saturday. And if you do, you'll call it a bender. In your early 20s, you called that the norm. Oh, how times have changed.

3. You might start making more money, but it will all go towards weddings. Say goodbye to savings and hello to showering people with hundreds of dollars, and then probably not speaking to half of those people ever again.

4. You won't shop as much anymore. And when you do, it will almost always be for investment pieces. No more Forever 21 crap. It's Banana, Loft, J. Crew, and/or Anthro if you feelin' wealthy all the time. Or TJ Maxx, because if we're being realistic here, you're poor as f*ck thanks to all of those weddings. Buying "going out clothes" is rare for you now and you find yourself drooling over the same oversized sweater at every store. You basically wear the same comfy clothes over and over and you laugh at the fact you used to be afraid to wear outfits more than once.

5. You won't take as many pictures anymore. Your motto used to be "pictures or it didn't happen," but now pictures never seem to happen, regardless of how hard you try. You feel like an ass every time you exclaim, "Let's take a picture!" and every time someone else wants to take a picture, you get annoyed. This is why you wear the same outfit over and over again -- it never gets photographed.

6. You will stop buying dresses to wear out on the weekends because you no longer wear dresses out on the weekend. You have about 60 million dresses in your closet that are super cute, but they have absolutely no place in your life anymore. On the rare occasion you do go out, you're not going to places where people wear dresses, unless of course you decide to dabble in club life... but then your dresses would be too tame. That's one thing that hasn't changed at least -- you still have and will always have a packed closet with nothing to wear.

7. You will find yourself drifting apart from a lot of friends. You feel as though there is no time to hang out with even your closest friends now, so you split your limited free time amongst a true few. You just don't have the ability to make time for everyone anymore. You can't just get drinks all the time. You're tired and you have to save your money for other things.

8. You will start wanting wine more and more... After work. Every day. Sometimes you just can't and wine helps you "can," whatever that means.

9. You have actually stayed in because you have to "run errands" the next day. You know if you go out, you'll spend the entire next day on the couch and nothing will get done -- meaning the entire week ahead will be derailed. You have to clean. You have to buy groceries. You have to work out. You want to want coffee. And you can't afford the calories that come with a hangover. Way too many carbs to be desired.

10. You feel really cool and hip when you talk to recent grads in the office. Oh, you just graduated college? Me too... Or at least it feels like I did, IDK.

11. When you go out, you often feel like the oldest person at the bar. Which you very well might be. Are you too old to be at this bar? Where do people your age go out? Is that guy you're talking to younger than you? Because you don't want anything to do with that group of dudes by the bar in their mid-30s... Oh wait, they're your age? Oops. You actually cannot tell how old anyone is anymore. Maybe you should just stay in a corner and not talk to anyone at all.

12. There are babies on your newsfeed. Babies conceived by choice. By people YOUR AGE. What is happening?

13. If you're in a relationship, you start to get ring anxiety and if you're not in a relationship, you start to panic that you'll never get ring anxiety. Ring anxiety is a roller coaster of emotions -- Is the ring coming soon? Do I even want a ring soon? Do I even want a ring ever? I think maybe two years. Or three. Wait, I said that last year too. I'm sure there's not even a ring in the works. Figures. Do I even want a ring from this person? WHAT IS HAPPENING. And for those not in relationships, it's all panic over everything. Will I ever find someone? Am I going to have to cave and sign up for online dating? My mom keeps bugging me about that, but I don't even have time to date anyone. But I'm going to have to go alone to all these weddings and it's really expensive. AND I'M ALMOST 30. I'm going to be alone forever. At least I don't have to share a bed. Maybe I'll get a cat. Sigh.

14. You have officially lost control of your metabolism. It's gone rogue. There's literally nothing you can do to save yourself from gaining weight except of course sacrificing your social life, which you consider doing every so often, but then you fear losing all of your friends, so you end up drinking and eating shit at least once a week. You could also, like, work out as much as you used to, but you are le tired, so no.

15. People in their early 20s will try to make you feel better about yourself by saying "you're not THAT old," but that just makes you feel worse. You used to be on their level. Now they are just basking in their youth doing what you used to do every weekend. Make it stop.

16. You finally have a grip on this whole makeup thing. You have noticed that your face looks different than it did when you were in your early 20s. You're officially growing up, and it shows. Because of this, you actually start taking care of your skin and wearing makeup correctly. For instance, the last time I was at Sephora I asked for help and got foundation that actually matched my skin tone and wasn't three shades too dark. #Adulthood.

17. You've finally started ONLY doing the things you enjoy with ONLY the people you enjoy doing them with. If you're not into something, you're not into something. It's simple. You don't go places you don't want to go. You don't hang out with people you don't want to hang out with. What's the worst that could happen? You end up hanging out on your couch in yoga pants watching TV? That actually sounds better than going out with people you do like most of the time. Your time is precious and you're going to spend it wisely, without giving a F*CK what anyone else thinks. You've finally figured out the key to happiness. #PROUDOFYOU.

This post originally appeared on Forever Twenty Somethings.

Like Us On Facebook |

Contact HuffPost Women

There are few things other than death and taxes that are certain. The aging process is one of them, the inevitable and predictable result of living longer. The manner and degree that we age over the decades of life can be explained, understood and even manipulated by our lifestyle. This is the first of a series of articles about our aging face in which I will detail the changes that occur as we age. The blogs to follow will describe and explain ways to slow the aging process down and will discuss those habits to avoid that most certainly hasten that journey. Try not to become depressed by the changes that I describe, as they are part of the life journey.

There are two distinct systems affecting the aging face: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic or natural aging begins in the mid-20s, and continues steadily throughout life. Genetics plays a key role, allowing us to either blame or thank our parents for their contribution to our wrinkles and bags! Extrinsic aging is a combination of external factors that advance aging activity. These include sun exposure, pollution, gravity and personal habits like smoking and skin care. Let's explore this life-long march through time by each decade. Remember, the descriptions below are generalizations and may vary from individual to individual, dependent upon genetic and extrinsic factors.

20s and 30s

Sadly, our skin's intrinsic aging process begins as early as our mid- twenties. Production of collagen, the backbone of skin, decreases. Elastin, the substance that allows skin to snap back into place, starts losing its spring. Dead skin cells do not shed as quickly and the production of new skin cells slow down. Since Intrinsic aging is just beginning, those signs are not yet visible, however some people may demonstrate fine line wrinkles, usually around the eyes. Extrinsic aging factors active during these decades, will affect us significantly later.

40s

Extrinsic and intrinsic factors progress and contribute to age the skin. Decreasing hormone levels begin to influence skin, increasing dryness. Fine lines deepen, especially around the eyes (crow's feet), forehead and mouth. The lower eyelids may experience bulging of subcutaneous fat, forming bags, and the skin in general, becomes drier and less elastic. Skin pore size may increase and become noticeable. Early signs of jowl formation are seen. Extreme weight loss propagates loose, hanging skin because of the loss of elasticity. The fatty layer beneath the skin starts to decrease, making it appear thin and transparent. Hair starts turning gray. Hair loss for men and women can become evident.

50s
Wrinkles deepen and become folds or furrows around the mouth, forehead and face. Facial bone and fat mass decrease, causing sagging skin to appear more prominent. Jowl formation of the cheeks increase and skin tone becomes more uneven. Eyebrows droop, increasing upper eyelid skin redundancy, creating a fatigued or angry appearance. Lower eyelid bags become more noticeable. Neck skin starts to sag and muscles beneath become prominent. Skin becomes drier and sun spots turn darker and more prevalent.

60's
Continued reduction of facial fat and bone structure causes the cheeks and eye sockets to appear even more hollowed. This process, along with the help of compounded years of gravity, cause facial skin to appear even more lax. Menopause and decreased hormones maximize dry skin. Facial wrinkles and furrows deepen, especially the smile lines of the mid-face called nasolabial folds. Jowls become heavy. Aging of the neck continues with thinning skin allowing underlying separated muscle bands to appear more conspicuous. Hair thinning and loss continues and the nasal tip loses elasticity, and begins to droop. Even our ears change with age! Gravity's effect on our earlobes stretch them and actually increases the size of our ears.

70's and Beyond
All of the above conditions continue to progress. The combination of loss of skin elasticity, decreased mass of facial fat, bone and muscle and relentless gravity deepen wrinkles and furrows as our face seems to actually droop. This can cause the lower eyelids to pull away from their protective position next to the eyeball, causing dry eyes and allow irritants like dust to cause chronic discomfort. The nose and ears appear larger because of loss of cartilage strength.

So there you have it, we are born, and not long after we begin to age and look older! It is part of life that we have little control, or do we? The extrinsic, external facet of the aging process can be affected and slowed by a solid skin lifestyle. Check soon for Our Aging Face, Part 2, where I will share tips to create a substantial skin care regimen for all age groups to battle and defy the inevitability of looking older as we grow older!

Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many. ~Author Unknown

Lori Kyler Christensen was the fashion designer spotlighted at the most recent BOND Timeless Tuesday, which is a weekly fashion event at the BOND restaurant and lounge in Boston. Owner of the Venni Caprice clothing brand, Lori hand makes everything in her collection. After seeing her designs on the runway, it's almost hard to believe that so many beautiful and intricate designs could be made by just one woman.

Photo Credits to Masha Stepanova

When asked about her BOND Timeless Tuesday collection, Lori replied:

"I am just now turning my company over to streamlined, strictly couture wear. So tonight was pretty much just an introduction to what you can expect from now on from Venni Caprice. It's mainly going to be a red carpet worthy, flashy, classy, sexy, and feminine look."

Photo Credits to Masha Stepanova

The dresses spoke for themselves last night by simply embodying a stunning and elegant look. Even with minimal fashion knowledge, it would be easy for anyone to see just how refined and unique the Venni Caprice designs are.

Photo Credits to Masha Stepanova

I also asked Lori about her inspiration for the BOND Timeless Tuesday collection, to which she responded:

"The inspiration for these dresses is pretty much just glamour. It's a bit of old school Hollywood glamour meeting new school Hollywood glamour."

Photo Credits to Masha Stepanova

You can learn more about Lori Kyler Christensen and her designs at http://www.vennicaprice.com.

With the new year, comes new trends! This year, the color geniuses at Pantone have officially named the color of the year, Marsala! Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue that Pantone calls a "earthy red wine that embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal while it's grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, earthiness." Marsala is a romantic and enticing shade that is as rich as it is versatile. "Marsala enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, who had a hand in naming the color after drinking the fortified wine on a trip to Sicily. Seen on the runway during Louis Vuitton's and Dries Van Noten's during the Spring 2015 shows, its safe to say you'll be seeing a lot more of this robust hue.

Wondering how to incorporate Marsala into your life? Read on for my tips from my latest NBC style segment on the Kerri lee Mayland show for all the ways Marsala can translate easily into your wardrobe, beauty, home furnishings and interiors.

Ready? Steady? Lets get Marsala-fied!

The Wardrobe Report

Let Marsala shine by pairing it with jewel tones, blushes, camels and navys. Keeping in mind that the color looks best in rich textures or fabrics like suede, knits and leathers, try using Marsala as your base color and pair other rich fabrics with it, like silks and chiffons.

"This highly varietal shade combines dramatically with neutrals, including warmer taupes and grays," Eiseman noted. "Because of its burnished undertones, sultry Marsala is highly compatible with amber, umber and golden yellows, greens in both turquoise and teal, and blues in the more vibrant range." If you're too afraid to take the plunge into a head to toe Marsala look, try starting small and focusing on your accessories report by working in a structured tote, topping off your look in a fedora, pumping up the volume in a new pair of Marsala heels or upping your cold-weather arsenal with a plush scarf or poncho.

Pucker Up Buttercup:

Ready to work some Marsala into your beauty routine? The deliciously sultry hue, is an earthy mix of red and brown -- a shade that will instantly make a flattering statement, no matter your skin tone. If you've always steered clear from a bold red lip, its time to pucker up and ease into the timeless trend by painting your pout in this richer marsala shade. Pair it with a gold eye shadow, or kick it up a notch for night by layering the hue on lips with a dramatic black winged eyeliner look. Add some marsala nail art for a look thats sure to pack a fashionable punch.

Theres No Place Like Home

For the home, focus on using Marsala in your selections of leathers, metals or even in accent paint. It is almost a neutral in its own right so pairing it with black, white, ivory and glimmers of metallics is a fashion-forward and glam way of using it. Want to shed some light on the situation? Add a pulled-together Marsala table lamp that complements modern décor schemes into your home. If you're working with other warm hues like red, orange, or brown, Marsala can cozy up more traditional spaces by adding a pop of color with accent pieces such as with pillows, throws, and wall art.

Looking for more style tips?

Vist me at Style by Zoey for all your wardrobe, beauty and home design needs!
Clothes and accessories from Nordstrom and Cathy Cross.
Show: NBC

6 Confessions of a Curly-Haired Girl

Picking Through Prague's Resale Shops

Four Ways to Avoid Winter Skin Woes

Weekly Roundup of eBay Vintage Clothing Finds

The Moment My Dog Died: An Unexpected Fashion Story

The Glamorous Green Carpet

Karlie Kloss, Martha Hunt and Taylor Swift Give Us a Lesson in the Perfect Girls Night In

Shop Your Closet: 10 Tips for Reinventing Your Wardrobe Without Spending a Dime

Women Over 60 Getting the Fashion Cred They Deserve

Fear Is Not An Option

The 9 Most Feminist Things About 'Friends'

Channeling Patti Smith

Elegant, Seemingly Effortless Hair Takes Red Carpet at Golden Globes

How to Wrap an Odd-Shaped Gift

3D Printing, Ethical Fashion, and Collaborative Manufacturing

Count The Freckles

17 Changes Every Woman Goes Through In Her Late 20s

Our Aging Face

Venni Caprice Clothing Showcased at BOND Timeless Tuesday

Meet Marsala: How to Wear and Decorate With the Color of the Year