Meet the Staff: The Sketchbook
· Blog Home
· Profile
· MySpace
· Contact Us
· FAQ/TOS
Older Articles
· Color Me In: Amy
· Beauty Notes: Hauling (5.23.05)
· More on sheers...
· Beauty Notes: Diagnosis of a Trend: Sheer Makeup
· Eye Makeup for Green Eyes #4
· Beauty Notes: Building an Eyeshadow Wardrobe (Brow...
· FOTD
· Beauty Notes: Building an Eyeshadow Wardrobe (The ...
· Beauty Notes: Hauling (5.14.05)
· Beauty Notes: Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow
Comments
Archives
· Beauty Blog (2003-2004)
· Fashion Blog (archive)
· New Releases Blog (archive)
· Beauty Articles (archive)
· April 2005
· May 2005
· June 2005
· July 2005
· August 2005
· September 2005
· October 2005
· November 2005
· December 2005
· January 2006
· February 2006
· March 2006
· April 2006
· May 2006
· June 2006
· July 2006
· August 2006
· September 2006
· October 2006
· November 2006
· December 2006
· January 2007
· February 2007
· March 2007
· April 2007
· May 2007
· June 2007
· July 2007
· August 2007
· September 2007
· October 2007
· November 2007
· December 2007
· January 2008
· February 2008
· March 2008
· April 2008
· May 2008
· June 2008
· July 2008
Recent blog posts:
Links
Barneys
refinery29
The Sartorialist
Jargol
Perfume Shrine
Ambre Gris
Polyvore
The Fashioniste
The Powder Group
LA-Story.com
Dain's Literary Attempts
Colleen's Beading Blog
Colleen's Adult Acne Blog
The Beauty Blog Network
Eponym Blog Directory.
TBF Project:Blog
Posted by Dain, Thursday, May 26, 2005 4:52 AM (Eastern)
Hmm... to my mind, a title like this sounds like the Odyssey. Roll your eyes, if you will, but the similitude is apt. Minimalism was the original tenet whereby I approached the cosmetic world, particularly because I hardly had the monetary wherewithal to spend as I pleased. It has only been in recent years that I've strayed from it, and now, as I watch my NARS duo collection (I have owned exactly twelve—Babylon, Rated R, Heaven, Dream Lover, Earth Angel, Rebecca, Cleo, Sundance, Sea Sex & Sun, Misfit, Key Largo, Elsa—at some point or another) blossom into insanity, I realize that it would do me well to return to it. Not that every single duo *isn't* a masterpiece in its own right (NARS duos do have a certain magical quality to them, a source of artistic inspiration always), but this is ridiculous.
It is much like how I crave Salt Works' nonfussy and cleanly cut jeans (the line prides itself as such), in this age of True Religion fervor. Even despite my preference for trousers, it is clear that there is nothing that simultaneously looks as good, but so easy to wear, as jeans. But all of this supercool, embellished, and very very very hip denim that glut the market these days? Meh. It turns me off, the way whorish makeup turns me off—overdone, unless you're Adriana Lima. Not that there's anything the least bit wrong with True Religions, but SuperHip jeans? Come on! They're jeans! They're supposed to be simple and nonchalant and comfortable and casual—a refreshing alternative to more restrictive clothing. I can only say, my fashion sense feels harried by the SuperHip-ness that seems to prevail these days over my denim. A great fit is one thing, embellishment is another.
In much the same vein, I'm gonna clean out my stash. Top to bottom. Remove it of unnecessaries. Ebay/swap what I do not want/will not use, keep what I admire but will not repurchase, and once this has all been set in motion, stick to that which I truly need and love. My stash could be worse, of course, but that is not the material point. No one really needs sixty (or so I imagine) shades of eyeshadow, save for makeup artists or those individuals who love to experiment (if you are the latter, I commend you... you deserve a big stash). But I am like most women (though I've got some pretensions towards makeup artistry), I use very few things, when you come down to the nitty-gritty, quotidian reality of it. I use very few things. Let us take a moment to censure my consumeristic tendencies: I use very few things. Let that humble you.
It's a rough process. The companies are very, very good at offering things you'll want (but may not need). And no one is ever completely satisfied with what they have. That's ok. Minimalism recognizes that stashes are ever a work-in-progress. Don't let such objections daunt you.
Labels: minimalism
subscribe
in a reader
Post a comment (NO SPAM)
Links to this post:
Create a Link