LEATHER & LIP GLOSS

Spring doesn't officially start until March 20th, but it's never too early to start hunting for the hottest looks and products for the season. With pastels topping the list of hot fashion/beauty trends this Spring, here are some awesome products and a "how to" video from mark., showcasing a fun, fresh, Spring makeup look using pastels. Makeup artist Jamie Greenberg focuses on the color pink in this look, but you can have fun with any pastels this Spring! You can sport this look on Easter Sunday, during an afternoon coffee date, or just to meet up with some friends. Here are some of the products used in this video: On the Dot Pastel Eye Color Compact, $16 Please Hold Eye Primer, $9 No Place to Run Eyeliner, $9 Min-a-Real Cream to Powder Foundation, $18 Lipclick Full Color Lipstick, $11 To purchase any of these products, or to find more hot Spring looks and items from mark., visit meetmark.com

Introducing... FASHtastic Finds . This is where I post about fashion and beauty deals, steals, contests, events, new products, activities and anything else I think fashionistas might want to know about! Here are today's FASHtastic Finds . CHARLOTTE RUSSE has some fun new Spring/pastel nail colors and some fun heart shaped sunglasses. Both of these are awesome picks for this Spring. Check them out here !   DOROTHY PERKINS is having a Facebook "Fash Off," where you can vote on who wears fashion pieces best. Check out their Facebook page to see the looks and vote for your favorite. www.facebook.com/dorothyperkins   H&M is streaming an online fashion show from Paris on February 27th to introduce their Autumn 2013 Collection. Visit their   Facebook page for the details.

We are already two months in to 2013 but there is still plenty of time to show off some of this year's hottest looks. From fun and funky to plain and simple, here are five different trends that are gracing runways, streets and magazines in 2013. POLKA DOTS Polka dots are making their way through the fashion circuit this year. Whether a cute pair of pants, a preppy sweater or a fun pump, polka dots are a great way to add some pattern to your wardrobe. Since polka dots are a busy pattern, keep the accessories and corresponding pieces simple. NEON Neon colors are not just for crossing guards or nighttime bike riders. This year, neon is making an appearance in the closests of fashionistas everywhere. Bright yellows, oranges and greens make for a fun pop of color. Tone down the neons by pairing with neutrals. DENIM Denim is a large part of almost everyone's wardrobe, which makes it an easy trend to maximize this year. Instead of just wearing jeans, liven up your deni...

Celebrities are known for their glitzy, glamorous looks on the red carpet but they also have days when they dress it down for laid back outings around town. Often times we want to emulate their looks but don't know how without breaking the bank. With a bit of shopping around, you can find affordable pieces that will have you looking like your favorite celebrities in no time! First up- the adorable and quirky Gwen Stefani. Below is a picture of the lovely Gwen on a seemingly low key day, sporting a casual look that mixes color and comfort. Beneath the picture of Gwen is a collection of items that you can wear to feel like you are also a "hollaback girl"! To create the collection, I paired a set of black leggings and a casual racerback tank with some fun chunky wedges. I added a large black handbag and a simple, small necklace and topped off the look with some bright red lipstick to copy Gwen's signature bright red lips! Total cost for this look? $112. ...

Looking for a fun and unique handbag? Check out the  Change It Up  bag from mark. Keep it as a Neapolitan ice cream style with black, white & pink, or zip away the pink to get a simple black and white bag.   Order yours here! Change It Up, $38 from mark.

Do you ever stand staring at the clothes in your closet and think, "U gh. Same old selection and I have no money to buy anything new" ...? I think most of us have had that thought when trying to figure out what to wear sometimes. What many of us don't realize is that we can take the pieces we already own and combine them to create several different looks, without having to spend more money on new pieces. One suggested fashion staple for women is the "little black dress." But I recommend the "basic black slack." Any nice pair of black pants will do (preferably one that doesn't collect too much lint). Here are three different looks, using the same pair of black pants and creating three totally different outfits. The first one is a daytime look. Pair the pants with a comfy sweater, comfy boots, and for those in colder climates, a comfy jacket and beanie. A nice sized tote bag makes a great accessory for this look. Since the look is not meant to be...

If you're like most women, the thought of wearing two different prints in one outfit may seem a bit scary. In our daily lives, we usually stick to the solid or patterned ensemble but rarely venture out and do pattern on pattern. The truth is, we can mix prints and still be fashionable. There are really no fashion rules regarding print mixing, but there are some tips that I would give to make you feel more comfortable in doing so. In these two examples, I have mixed prints but have stayed within the same color family. In other words, the floral shirt/shoes and plaid jacket are different prints but they use many of the same colors. This makes print mixing more "safe" and many women feel better combining the patterns when they keep the prints in the same color realm. The other outfit has a different print for top and bottom, but both are the same colors. The pop of red and leopard in the handbag and shoes gives the outfit a nice punch. As a gene...

It's a new year and you know what that means- a fresh start to the dating scene for all those singles searching for love. A large part of being successful in dating is presenting yourself at your best, especially in the beginning. I've heard it said that a man knows in the first 30 seconds of meeting a woman whether or not he wants to see her again. That being said, I have put together two different date ensembles- one for daytime and one for evening- that are sure to impress any date. The daytime date look is ideal for casual dates like meeting for coffee, going to a movie, having lunch or visiting a museum. You don't want to overdo it for a daytime date but you still want to look your best. First impressions are important in the dating game and can sometimes be the "make it or break it" moment for your date. This daytime date look is fun and comfortable with just a pop of color. A nice pair of jeans, a solid, comfy blouse and colorful accessories make up this ...

Since we are officially in the Winter season, I wanted to focus on women whose color palettes are Winter. Every woman's coloring determines what season she is- Spring, Winter, Summer or Autumn. I use the Color Me Beautiful books as a reference. Here are some defining traits for Winters: *Hair color is jet-black, brown black, silver, white, medium to dark brown with ash highlights *Hair will have no red highlights *You are not a Winter if you are a blonde *Skin tones are porcelain white, beige, rosy beige, olive, cool beige, almond, cocoa, mocha, mahogany, ebony to black with blue or reddish undertones *Many African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, Latinas & Middle Eastern women are Winters *Deep, dark eye color, including black, black brown, cool hazel with blue or green, dark blue, gray-blue, gray-green or charcoal Not sure if you are a Winter? Here are some celebrity Winters. If your coloring resembles these beauties, and you have the traits listed above, the...

It's officially winter and you know what that means- time to get out the snow boots, the scarves, the sweaters and the knit hats. I can't say that winter is one of my favorite seasons, however, one thing I do like about the season is that you get the opportunity to play around with layers. Plus, most women look totally adorable all bundled up! Here are two different looks for winter that I created on Polyvore . I chose products that I thought were cute/stylish/current, however, you can find comparable products for half the cost at most department stores/online retailers that still accomplish the overall look of the ensemble. The first collection is a great look for daytime. You can't go wrong with corduroy pants and a sweater, accompanied by a few accessories to balance out the cuteness with comfort! You could add additional layers, like a long sleeved tee under the sweater, or a jacket on top, if needed. If you are planning to attend any holiday parties this ...