Marie Claire articles from April 2007

Marie Claire archives from April 2007

Editor's note.
April 1, 2007... I've been called competitive, and I have no problem with that. Shrink from challenges and you won't grow. So this season, as presidential hopefuls kick off their campaigns and American Idol upstages every show on TV (except Grey's Anatomy--more...

Kreme de la kremlin.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... I always love your articles about different countries and cultures, but "From Russia, With Mixed Emotions" [Feb. 2007] had me absolutely psyched. I am a Russian living in the U.S. since 2002. I'm 26 now, and I identified with every sentence as...

Praising Paulina.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... Thank you for the February 2007 issue and especially for the beauty story with Paulina Porizkova! I really admire her, and she's always been my favorite model. Your tips for makeup are very helpful and prove, once again, that women can look...

Grrrls and boys.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... In "Why Can t America s Sweethearts Stay Married?" [Feb. 2007], I noticed that All Wentworth felt the need to qualify her criticism of men's philandering by emphasizing that she wasn't going to start "quoting Naomi Wolf" or "burn [her]...

A matter of faith.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... After reading February's Q&A with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, one question stood out: "Do you feel certain that customs and behaviors--arranged marriages, honor killings, domestic violence--are so entrenched in Islam that one must renounce the religion to...

Behind the cover shoot.(Interview)
April 1, 2007... Sandra oh showed up at L.A.'s Quixote Studio wearing a major, chunky skull ring that drew oohs and aahs. Her secret: It's actually a $10 novelty Secret Santa gift from Grey's Anatomy costar Justin Chambers. The studio shook with techno and hard...

Get that swing: from trapeze shapes to haute sweatshirts, these five pretty jackets can be yours.(FREE FOR YOU NOW!)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... 6 to win! Candy-colored enamel beads make this organic linen Mint Jodi Arnold jacket even yummier, worth $440. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 10 to win! Trapeze silhouettes react new heights this spring. Kenzie's lacy version, worth...

America vs. France.(SHOPPING)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... We've got Jessica Simpson and Marilyn; the French have Vanessa Paradis and Bardot. Is your style idol a pinup, a princess... or presidential material? ICE QUEEN GRACE KELLY CATHERINE DENEUVE INDIE HEIRESS SOFIA COPPOLA...

America at lease: bold color, uncluttered lines, and a dash of denim show off our sporty, can-do spirit.(SHOPPING)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... $375 Hogan; (888) 60-HOGAN. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $6.50 Claire's; www.claires.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $39.99 Proenza Schouler for Target; www.target.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $290 GF Ferre at Macy's; (877)...

French dressing: get your chic on! French allure is yours with timeless, tailored pieces in red, white, and black.(SHOPPING)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... $275 Chloe at Barneys New York; (888) 8-BARNEYS. Savoir faire is in the air in Paris with these smart shades. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $190 BGN at Kit Couture; (212) 965-8110. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $280 BCBG Max Azria;...

Time zone: "French women don't get fat," and neither do their watches. Americans, on the other hand, like 'em supersize!(SHOPPING: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... 1.TISSOT, $425; www.tissot.ch. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. TIMEx AT WALMART, $99.95; (800) WAL-MART for stores, [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 3. CARTIER, $4700; (800) CARTIER for stores. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 4. BULOVA, $650;...

Shop talk: shagadelic, baby! Sixties style rocks on, skinny jeans go vintage, and fashion's quiet genius wins Paris's most prestigious award.(SHOPPING)
April 1, 2007... Nothing like unraveling one denim line just as you're stitching together a new, cooler one. Lauren Jeans Co. is Polo Jeans reincarnated--but with vintage washes and snugger fits. Skinny--jean perfection for under $150. Visit www.ralphlauren.com...

Fashion tutorial: look smart--not silly--in the hot new headgear, whether you prefer beginner level or postgrad.(SHOPPING)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... BEGINNER Band-Aid Looks like a scarf, fits like a headband. The wider the better, as it can be worn over the hairline for a super-fresh take on a retro style. $18.50 J.Crew; www.jcrew.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Gallery hopping.(SHOPPING: WHAT TO WEAR FOR)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Style connoisseurs are already collecting these Pop-insured pieces for city weekends. (Get 'em while they're haute!). $99 United Nations Colors; (800) 535-4491. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $598 Elie Tahari; (212) 334-4441. ...

Working it at work.(SHOPPING: WHAT TO WEAR FOR)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... neutrals say you're no-nonsense in the office. Peep-toes and pencil skirts suggest you're up for drinks after... $138 French Connection; www.frenchconnection.com for stores. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $85 Nine West; (800) 999-1877....

Do the ruffle.(SHOPPING: SPLURGE VS. STEAL)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Tuxedo ruffles riff on formalwear but are hardly stuffy. Pricewise, put on the ritz or save your pennies... $685 SPLURGE Blouse and skirt, 3.1 Phillip Lim at Muleh; (202) 667-3440. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] STEAL: $89 Bebe: (877)...

Tech & the city.(SHOPPING: MOST WANTED)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... high tech has hooked up with high fashion, and you're lookin' totally plugged-in. PALM TREO 860 The smartphone gets juiced in bright apple red. A smart buy at $199; store. palm.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NOKIA BH-302 BLUETOOTH...

The new jet set: some celeb styles fly, and some should be grounded.(STAR STYLES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... ACCESS HOLLYWOOD weekend co-host Shaun Robinson is frequently sprinting from one coast to the other to snag the scoops on the fabulous and famous. "My travel plans are very last-minute, depending on an interview or event that I cover," Robinson...

10 best fashion: under $100.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... You're a megahit in your Madonna-designed jeans and metallic and black separates; invest in a rock star-worthy coat, and you're going platinum! 1. TANK, $99, Norma Kamali for Everlast; (800) 8-KAMALI. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2....

French twists: America & France face off: "Anything we can do, the French can do better." Oh, really? From classic coiffure--like the twist above--to the latest in cosmetic surgery (or saying "non" to it!), American and French women rarely agree on what makes a femme truly fatale. Read on ...(BEAUTY)
April 1, 2007... THE american BEAUTY Captains of industry American women love makeup. No surprise, then, that from long-wearing lipstick, like CoverGirl's Outlast, to high-performance lengthening mascara, like Maybelline's Great Lash, we drive...

25 products that changed our lives.(BEAUTY)
April 1, 2007... 1 Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder, $34 Like shampoo (minus the water), these powders sop up oil and add comph. (Available in five shades.) 2 L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara, $7.35 If it's thicker, longer, "movie star" eye fringe you're...

"What I love about me".(BEAUTY ROAD SHOW: PARIS)
April 1, 2007... CLEMENTINE PERIESYOLI, 21 "I'm more natural than American women--with their silicone and peroxide." KINDA MEDDOUR, 26 "Because they have more make-up products to choose from, Americans can be more creative." AUDREY CANTERAS,...

Blink pink.(BEAUTY NEWS: Give your eyes extra elan; get sexier skin--organically)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... A grad of Paris's Ecole Chauveau (the Harvard of makeup schools), Gucci Westman Neville, international artistic director of Lancome, gave new meaning to "makeup artist" by creating the shadow palette Pop Cherub. We see the masterpiece of...

Nontoxic tips.(BEAUTY NEWS: Give your eyes extra elan; get sexier skin--organically)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Fifty years ago, Sally Hansen redefined nailcare with Hard as Nails; now she's pointing the way toward toxin-free manicures. Her new Salon Nail Lacquer delivers polish without poison (toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate, which has been...

Feel like a Naturelle woman.(BEAUTY NEWS: Give your eyes extra elan; get sexier skin--organically)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Call them official-o-philes: The French use Ecocert, an accredited organization, to determine whether cosmetics are truly organic. One brand that passed the test? Paris-based Patyka. All of its products contain potent plants, such as Cyathea...

War of the noses.(BEAUTY NEWS: Give your eyes extra elan; get sexier skin--organically)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... "Americans like crowd-pleasing fragrances, while the French prefer the quirky," says professional perfumer Ann Gottlieb. This spring, two much-anticipated scents epitomize the divide: The U.S.'s CK IN2U is a warm vanilla floral, and France's...

She balmed in Europe.(BEAUTY NEWS: Give your eyes extra elan; get sexier skin--organically)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... French-born beauty mogul Isabelle Masson-Mandonnaud, cofounder of Sephora, has just brought over Crazylibellule and the Poppies, mostly single-note scents that come in bag-friendly balm form. They're already enjoying sellout status overseas......

Judgment in Paris.(BEAUTY NEWS: Give your eyes extra elan; get sexier skin--organically)
April 1, 2007... In Greek myth, it fell to Paris to choose the fairest goddess (he went with Aphrodite). Now it falls to international Marie Claire beauty editors (including moi) to judge The Prix d'Excellence Awards for best products. The anointed: Chanel...

Prelude to a kiss: in France, a crimson kisser is de rigueur--it's not for nothin' that they call lipstick rouge a levres. Steal their signature look with glosses, sheers, and creams for every whim and wallet.(BEAUTY: SPLURGE VS. STEAL)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... SPLURGE Why do you think they call it racy? The "click" that signals this tube is closed sounds like the shutting of a jaguar car door. $30 Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Brilliant [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] STEAL Available...

Angel baby: the daughter of the French prime minister imports her secrets for naturally noble beauty.(BEAUTY SNOOP)
April 1, 2007... WHEN YOUR famously dashing dad's full name is Dominique Marie Francois Rene Galouzeau deVillepin--and he's prime minister--and your best client is Count Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy, chances are you travel in rarefied circles. But to...

Tipping points.(BEAUTY 101)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... the French manicure's clean look can translate anywhere. Follow these five steps. 1. BE PUSHY: "To create smooth nails pre-polish, soak them in soapy water for two minutes, then carefully push back your cuticles with a wet towel. Trim any...

Ask Didi: someone need a beauty hug? Beauty Director Did Gluck is here for you.(BEAUTY: THE EXPERT IS IN)(Column)
April 1, 2007... Perfectly Clear Q: Do you recommend do-it-yourself microdermabrasion?--Tanya Farhat A: Microdermabrasion is among the best skin services to try at home (beats DIY bikini waxing), and there are two new products that make the process...

10 Best beauty: our beauty editors' faves this month.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... 1. GLEAM GIRL: Inflate your lips with Flirt! Flirtatious Plumping Lipgloss in Bronze Pout, $12. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. JUST BLUE IT: Look toe-rrific in OPI Polish in Teal The Cows Come Home, $7.50. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Failure to lunch: with models literally dying to be skinny, former model and MC's new style director Cleo Glyde recalls the days when six grapes equaled a binge.(BODY IMAGE)
April 1, 2007... * WITH EIGHT DAYS to go till the Bill Blass show, I was deep into a green-grape diet (three for breakfast, two for snacks, six for binges). How else was I going to fit into my assigned skintight showstopper? I was a model on a mission. But...

The filter: what all your friends will be (or should be) talking about this month.(CULTURE)
April 1, 2007... It's a twofer kind of month: Everything's pulling double duty, starting with campy double bill GRINDHOUSE. Think two flicks in one--PLANET TERROR, directed by Sin City auteur Robert Rodriguez, and DEATH PROOF, directed by Kill Bill guy Quentin...

The Lizard Cage.(Brief article)(Book review)
April 1, 2007... THE LIZARD CAGE, novel, by Karen Connelly (NAN A.TALES/DOUBLEDAY) TO SUM UP: A political prisoner in 1990s Burma befriends a boy working in the prison (aka The Cage). WHY IT'S CLEAR CONNELLY'S A GIFTED WRITER; She makes solitary confinement...

You Don't Love Me Yet.(Book review)(Brief review)
April 1, 2007... YOU DON'T LOVE ME YET, novel, by Jonathan Lethem (DOUBLEDAY) TO SUM UP: L.A. alt-pop rockers find sex, love, art, and success while--you guessed it--finding themselves. WHY IT'S A MUST-READ: You can't have a contemporary-lit discussion without...

The Mistress's Daughter.(Book review)(Brief review)
April 1, 2007... THE MISTRESS'S DAUGHTER, memoir, by A.M. Homes (VIKING ADULT) TO SUM UP: Homes learns the identity of her birth mother, and it's not quite the fairy tale she imagined. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: If you ever wondered what it's like to be adopted, this...

Author Q&A: Dana Vachon on his novel, Mergers and Acquisitions.(Interview)
April 1, 2007... When I meet Dana Vachon for coffee at a cafe in the West Village, he's wearing a suit. Not surprising, considering he worked on Wall Street for three years. In fact, everything about him indicates that he was bred for banking--from his calm...

The You're-Gonna-Need-A-Kleenex Film: Pride.(Movie review)(Brief review)
April 1, 2007... THE YOU'RE-GONNA-NEED-A-KLEENEX FILM: PRIDE (TERRENCE HOWARD, BERNIE MAC) Pride is based on the true story of an inner-city swim coach who turns a bunch of misfit neighborhood boys into Michael Phelps wannabes. If you've seen Glory Road,...

The Smart Satire: The TV Set.(Movie review)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... THE SMART SATIRE: THE TV SET (DAVID DUCHOVNY, SIGOURNEY WEAVER) A scriptwriter (Duchovny) gets the green Light for a drama based on his brother's suicide. The network suits worry it's too depressing and want to lighten it up for ratings' sake....

The Oscar Contender: Black Book.(Movie review)(Brief review)
April 1, 2007... THE OSCAR CONTENDER: BLACK BOOK (CARICE VAN HOUTEN, SEBASTIAN KOCH) This Dutch film about a young Jewish girl in Holland trying tO escape the Holocaust is no Schindler's List, but it's pretty darn close. The movie is thoroughly engrossing,...

The Dance Album: Sound of Silver.(Sound recording review)(Brief review)
April 1, 2007... THE DANCE ALBUM: SOUND OF SILVER (DFA/CAPITOL RECORDS) At long last, an appropriate occasion to wear your leggings and Vans--an LCD Soundsystem dance party! James Murphy's newest collection of punky electronica reminds us why he's our favorite...

The Neo-Soul Throwback: Luvanmusiq.(Sound recording review)(Brief review)
April 1, 2007... THE NEO-SOUL THROWBACK: LUVANMUSIQ (ATLANTIC) After a three-year hiatus and a label change, Musiq "Onewordalbumtitle" Soulchild is back with his fourth disc. The boy with the wicked falsetto croons about real love one minute and picking up...

The Wild Card: Armchair Apocrypha.(Sound recording review)(Brief review)
April 1, 2007... THE WILD CARD: ARMCHAIR APOCRYPHA (FAT POSSUM RECORDS) Bird is back--Andrew Bird,that is. His latest genre-buster offers up more violin-laden indie rock of the thinky, soaring variety. A must for anyone who's worried her playlist is all...

Two-minute date: Jonathan Rhys Meyers.(CULTURE)
April 1, 2007... If you ever have the pleasure of talking with Jonathan Rhys Meyers, prepare yourself for some heavy truths. Consider: "I believe people have been getting blow jobs for hundreds of years," he says matter-of-factly. "You should see The Libertine....

Zoe Bell is on fire: with Grindhouse opening this month, the butt-kicking stuntwoman behind Xena and Kill Bill finally gets to be the star.(CULTURE: ACTION FIGURE)
April 1, 2007... * Zoe Bell has spent a good deal of her acting debut riding spread-eagle on the hood of a white Dodge Challenger while a sicko in a black Charger slams her car into guardrails. The movie, called Death Proof--the Quentin Tarantino-directed half...

How's your morning commute?(EYE ON THE WORLD)
April 1, 2007... "MY OFFICE IS IN THE PLANE!" NAME: Lori Michels AGE: 47 PROFESSION: Commercial pilot/guide LOCATION: Wasilla/King Salmon, AK "My commute is down to the dock and into the plane. I run a company called Sky Trekking Alaska....

More than a pretty face.(Interview)
April 1, 2007... IN A COUNTRY where 50 percent of citizens are illiterate and more than two thirds are unemployed, an international film festival is the last thing on anyone's list of priorities. But what if movies could educate and distract a devastated...

"Can I bluff my way to bigger bucks?": got a workplace worry? Take it to the coach.(THE CUBICLE COACH)
April 1, 2007... Q: Dear Cubicle Coach: I need a raise but I'm not due until next year. Can I say I've been offered another job? A: You need a raise? Too bad. Who cares! We don't. No one is ever going to give you a raise because you "need" one. Cut back...

The most powerful people you've never heard of: if you really want to make it in DC, remember these names.(Washington, D.C.)
April 1, 2007... Power is Washington's greatest commodity. And it's fiercely coveted--like white truffles, pink diamonds, and a Botox cream that works. One assumes that power manifests itself in obvious places, like the posse of silver-haired, pudgy,...

Oh baby! she's not the button-nose blonde, and she won't be ending up with McDreamy. But she's the one we all love. On the set of Grey's Anatomy with Sandra Oh.(Cover story)
April 1, 2007... Well, at first I wanted to be Cindy? Because I loved her hair?" Sandra Oh, channeling a Valley girl, is bouncing on her heels, trying to keep warm between takes; for some reason the Grey's Anatomy studio is the temperature of a meat locker. To...

QA: does hooking up hurt you? You bet ... says Laura Sessions Stepp, after spending a year entrenched in the sexually charged world of single 20-something women.(SEX NOW)
April 1, 2007... Kimberly, A 27-YEAR-OLD nanny in Atlanta, has had sex with three men in the past month. "I have a job, hobbies, and friends I love. A monogamous relationship is the only component of my life that is lacking--but I love it!" she says. "I want...

The woman who could be queen: when you're Prince William and you have your pick of any woman in the world, whom do you choose? Meet Kate Middleton.(ROYALS)
April 1, 2007... * A PRETTY ENGLISH girl walks down a London street, shielding her eyes from photographers hoping to snap her with her boyfriend, the prince. She is young and well-mannered and smiles politely as they pursue her, yet already her face is taking...

Her best shot: the Taliban leave death threats on her door at night. But for Malalai Kakar, Kandahar's top cop, fear is not an option.(INTERNATIONAL REPORT)
April 1, 2007... It is morning in Kandahar, and the streets are full of Taliban. They wear white or black turbans, long beards, and charcoal eyeliner, and drive Toyota pickup trucks, roaring through intersections, narrowly missing street vendors' carts, acting...

Uncoupling: we love each other. We have two beautiful daughters. Why couldn't we stay married?(RELATIONSHIPS)
April 1, 2007... My husband has been sleeping in the basement for five nights. He calls it his bachelor apartment. He sleeps well there. Jerks off a lot. I am upstairs. In our bedroom. In the bed we shared for seven years. I do not sleep. I do not jerk off....

Designers duke it out! France has always been the heavyweight champ of fashion, but America is emerging as the challenger. We asked American designer Doo-Ri Chung and French design team E2 to style the same model in five different outfits. Chicest of them all? Your call!(AMERICA VS. FRANCE)
April 1, 2007... AMERICA VS. FRANCE LEFT: Dress, $1995, shoes, $1095, Donna Karan Collection: python bag, $2490, Devi Kroell; tote, $475. handbag, $660. Bulga. RIGHT: Cardigan, $865, Charvet; blouse. Chanel Couture; skirt, $430, Barbara Bui; shoes,...

Natural selection.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Spring's sci-fi styles touch down on the ancient Galapagos Islands, where Charles Darwin first pondered his theory of evolution. With their ultra-modern shapes and futuristic fabrics, the're pretty proof of "survival of the fittest" Dress,...

101 ideas: the perfect pair of jeans dresses down the extreme trends you were too timid to try.
April 1, 2007... TOP: Vest, $79, Sisley; blouse, $19.80, Forever 21; jeans, $198, Earnest Sewn; shoes, $145, Farylrobin; sunglasses, $220, Christian Roth; belt, $36, Calvin Klein; scarf, model's own. CENTER: Jacket, $168, Banana Republic; sweater, $345,...

Your best birth control: scared of weight gain? Hate the idea of hormones? Want more spontaneity with sex? Don't compromise on your contraceptive. Find the perfect one for you.(YOUR SEX LIFE)
April 1, 2007... Which Method Fits Your Life? Find your lifestyle on this chart, then read on for the specs on your best options ** SINGLE AND HOOKING UP With your work-all-day/party-all-night life, you can barely keep track of your cell phone, much...

What we talk about when we talk to ... John Edwards: the presidential candidate on his ego, John Kerry, his hair (that hair!), and why you should vote for him.(Q&A)(Interview)
April 1, 2007... Q: Two of your opponents--Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama--are not your traditional candidates. A: Right, a woman and an African-American. Q: What's it like being the "white guy"? A: [laughs] I think we want as many good people in...