Q&A with Leading Ladies of Jerseylicious

Early this spring, I heard about a soon-to-air show on the Style Network called Jerseylicious. After MTV’s Jersey Shore (I didn’t watch it, but Snooki and the gang were everywhere – right?), I was all Jersey’d out. But then I remembered how much fun the Real Housewives of New Jersey were with their cattiness and table-flipping shenanigans, so I decided to give this new show a chance. It had, after all, three big things working in its favor:

a) Jerseylicious is a reality show. I’m not going to argue with you about how real these reality shows actually are, but whatever the case, I happen to love reality programming. 75% of my TV lineup is reality...and I find it very entertaining.

b) Jerseylicious centers around the staff at Gatsby Salon in Green Brook, NJ. You obviously know how I feel about beauty, so tuning in was a no-brainer.

c) I like it when people add 'licious' to the end of words.

Since March, Jerseylicious has become must see TV for me on Sunday nights (along with Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane). I love the cast’s crazy antics and over-the-top, to the next level Garden State style. To celebrate the Jerseylicious season finale on May 9, Spoiled Pretty scored interviews with the leading ladies of Jerseylicious: Tracy DiMarco, Olivia Blois Sharpe and Alexa Prisco.

Tracy is an up-and-coming hairstylist who has achieved success after less than two years in the business. Not only is she Olivia's arch enemy, Tracy is also currently dating Olivia’s ex-boyfriend. Sparks usually fly whenever this "gangsta at heart" is around.

SP: When did your fascination with fashion and beauty begin?
TD: When I was really little I used to do hair on the playground at recess and at summer camp! I was a little hustler charging kids lunch money to braid their hair!

SP: What is your everyday beauty routine?
TD: Wake up, shower, blow out my hair, curl it, tease it, clip in extensions…GO!

SP: What techniques, products and tools do you use to style your hair? And how long does it take, from start to finish?
TD: TEASING COMB (very important!) and CHI Helmet Head Hairspray! Start to finish takes about an hour. =)

SP: If you could give Olivia a hair makeover, how would you style it?
TD: I would fuse extensions into her hair. She was very fine thin frizzy hair with POTENTIAL to be nice, but she needs work to add thickness, volume, and curls.

SP: I thought you looked gorgeous after your Warren Tricomi make-under. Why were you so quick to revert back to your signature look?
TD: Like I said, 3 things I’ll never give up: 1) teasing my hair, 2) having "cat eye" eyeliner and 3) boys. VERY IMPORTANT TO ME! And when they ripped the tease out, my heart skipped a few beats!!!! But thank you! You are very sweet!

SP: If you could style hair at New York Fashion Week for one designer, who would it be and why?
TD: It would have been Alexander McQueen, his style was unbelievable, he was such a risk taker and true to himself. I am very upset that I will never be able to work with him after all of our loss! It was very upsetting because he was so insanely talented and he thought outside the box and that’s what I like…being different. He was the definition of different…but now if I had to style hair for someone, it would be Betsey Johnson because she is such a free spirit and fun-loving designer. Her style is off the charts and I know I’d be able to go crazy and do the crazy over the top hairstyling I’ve always wanted to do!

SP: What was your most embarrassing fashion or beauty moment?
TD: When I said that I didn’t like black and blue and they showed my outfit on the first episode…I meant NAVYYYYYYYYYYYYYY BLUE and black! Ha ha…oh well - what am I gonna do about it now?!

SP: What’s the best beauty tip/secret you’ve ever heard?
TD: Deep conditioning treatments...those are HAIR LIFESAVERS. I can’t live without them with all the damage I do to my hair between teasing, curling, and hairspraying! Haha

SP: What is one Jersey stereotype you hate?
TD: That we are bimbos or slutty. We are not…we just have confidence and are risky enough to not wear what everyone think we should wear. We have minds of our own and were not afraid to use them!

SP: Define "Jersey style."
TD: Confident, sexy, unique, wild, classy & unique! We know what we like and we don’t make excuses for it!

Olivia is a young makeup artist who attracts drama wherever she goes - but now she's ready to prove she has what it takes to make a name for herself. Olivia's ultimate goal is to run her own fabulous salon, with zebra-stripe chairs, a runway down the middle and a full-service bar.

SP: When did your fascination with fashion and beauty begin?
OS: I've honestly been really into fashion and beauty since I was a little girl. I would use markers as makeup on my Barbies and I’ve always been very obsessive and excessive with clothes. Even when I went through a tomboy phase (yes, that’s right, I went through a tomboy phase) when I was in elementary school, I always needed to have whatever was in. I remember I would always beg my parents for the new 'IT' shoes, or jeans, or toys, whatever the case was, and they would always have to go on hunts to find it. I always wanted the hardest things to get. I think I’ve always loved being on my A-game when it came to style and glam.

SP: What is your everyday beauty routine and how long does it take?
OBS: I take a lot of time on my makeup. Especially my eyes. I’ve gotten a lot faster (thank god) but I just really love having a smokey eye...whether it’s a little smokey or full blown smoketabulous. And I always wing out my eyeliner. I use a cream pot eyeliner with a brush. It’s the best way to apply a perfect precise wing that lasts. My eye makeup does NOT move. I can wake up in the morning and go out with my eye makeup from the night before if I wanted because it still looks perfect.

SP: What are the five beauty products that you can't live without right now?
OBS: NARS Casino Bronzer, MAC Gaga or Snob lipstick, C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine, HIP black cream pot eyeliner, Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus, and MAC vanilla pigment. Wait was that more then 5? I still have more though! Oops.

SP: If you could only use one brand of makeup for life, which would it be?
OBS: MAC…duh! Zero hesitation.

SP: If you could give Tracy a makeover, how would you do her makeup?
OBS: Strip her of her spray tan and then give her a great smokey eye, and cut/contour her cheekbones and give her a great cheek highlight, and add some color to her lips because the color she wears is too pale.

SP: You were stunning after your Warren Tricomi make-under. Why were you so quick to revert back to your signature look?
OBS: Just like you said, because that is my signature look. I’m me, and no one is ever going to change me. I love the way I dress and I feel comfortable this way. I’m not an older woman, I’m not from California...I’m a young 22 year old girl from jersey, and my look is perfect for me.

SP: What’s the secret to your deep, dark tan?
OBS: I tan at least once a week. And as soon as summer rolls around I’m at the beach almost every day (where I overdose in oil). I also use NARS casino bronzer. I hate spray tans. It feels so gross to me.

SP: What’s up with your nails? Why are you so attached to the long, Acrylic manicure?
OBS: I’ve had my long nails since I was 16. They just kinda got longer and longer as time progressed. They have become a part of me and a part of my personality. I freaked out when they took them off on the show because I felt like I was being stripped of my physical personality that I love so much.

SP: What was your most embarrassing fashion or beauty moment?
OBS: I wear these jelly-like bra inserts, I call them chicken cutlets (because that’s what they look like). Anyways, I was dancing at a club when one of them flew out of my bra. I knew that I had lost one when I looked down at my chest and saw that I had one noticeably larger/perkier boob...just then the lights in the club went on and the DJ made an announcement how he had gotten hit in the head by a fake plastic boob. Then to make matters worse, my girl ran up to the DJ booth yelling, "Oh, that’s my friend's!" and then ran it back to me in front of everyone. I smiled at the crowed, shoved it back into my bra, and continued to dance.

SP: What’s the best beauty tip/secret you’ve ever heard?
OBS: To use rubbing alcohol to put your broken eye shadows back together!

SP: I live in Philadelphia – so if I came across the bridge to The Gatsby for a Jerseylicious makeover, how would you do my makeup?
OBS: Honey, you would leave that salon looking fabulously bronzed, glamorously smokey eyed, and feeling extremely confident!

SP: What is one Jersey stereotype you hate?
OBS: I hate when we're referred to as 'The Dirty Jerz'. We are so clean! New Jersey actually has really strict sanitation laws. Pedicurists aren't even allowed to use those razor file things on clients! It's against NJ laws! Haha! I learned that in cosmetology (beauty) school.

SP: Define “Jersey style.”
OBS: Loud, over the top, flashy, and most importantly...confident! Confidence is the key to a true Jersey look.

The Glam Fairy, Alexa, has a successful business doing makeup for Jersey brides on weekends. Alexa is not a fan of the stereotypically Jersey look; she feels bare midriffs, designer knockoffs and fake boobs give "real" Jersey girls like her a bad name.

SP: When did your fascination with beauty begin?
AP: My fascination with beauty began when I was very young. The answer "I was playing with my mom's lipstick" is almost a cliché answer when a makeup artist is asked... so to stray from the cliché I will say that that, ultimately, there is an insane source of gratification when you watch a woman look in the mirror after you transformer her. A sense of accomplishment - a sense of pride - and ultimately an understanding that you have the capacity - through your artistry to potentially change the way a person feels about themselves. Now my being cognitive of the ability at an older age and at a younger age simply being happy making someone else happy is basically all umbrella'ed so to speak under that philosophy.

SP: What is your everyday beauty routine?
AP: It’s hard to believe, but every day I am not a glamazon. I like to let my skin breathe. So, typically, I do about two coats of Crème de la Mer, throw on a baseball hat, and put together a cute outfit. When I really "unleash my inner glamazon - so to speak - I do it all out so, my skin definitely needs to breathe when it can. So every day, it’s just a bunch of hydration and rhinestones on my wrists to distract.

SP: When did you start doing wedding makeup?
AP: I started doing wedding makeup when I was about 20 so that was maybe eight years ago and I started my business six years ago. However I have been doing regular makeup as long as I have been able to hold a brush.

SP: What is your favorite thing about doing wedding makeup?
AP: Hahaha...aside from transforming the bride, I love feeling like Jambi from Pee Wee's Play House. I mean there is almost a skeleton that you can apply to nearly every bridal "morning" - the bagels, every door bell ring and the bring wondering who it is when of course it’s a sequence of the florist, the neighbor, the aunt, the photographer, and then the limo. Oh, and of course the infamous "gift" from the groom that always seems to come in before I seal in the makeup!

SP: What products are staples in your Glam Fairy makeup kit?
AP: Silicone base primer, sealer and Xanax – really. I like a great eye base like Urban Decay Primer Potion. Lots of various textures, finishes, and colors of eye shadows. MAC PowerPoint pencils because they are waterproof and fabulous for the bride. I could go on and on.

SP: What are your top three tips to brides doing their own makeup on their big day?
AP: 1) Ask yourself why your fiancé has probably 1-5 unnecessary toys that he didn’t ask you if it was okay to buy. 2) Understand that you are not a makeup artist. 3) Just like the groom will not review with you all the "purchases" he makes at the bachelor party, you too have the ability to treat yourself – it’s only your WEDDING DAY! And call the Glam Fairy! Sell his quad and PlayStation and book your makeup with moi!

SP: What is one Jersey stereotype you hate?
AP: Oh god...the fact that we are continuously stereotyped! I mean this is bordering discrimination. What the hell do I have in common with someone that has five W's in their name? Nothing. I run a business, I listen to Phil Collins. I don’t share living spaces with people EVER...especially not "down the shore" (it’s just idiotic...that is peak season for weddings). I mean I hate that we are stereotyped. Is it possible that a person can live in Jersey and be a successful business woman? I feel like a rare exhibit at the MOMA.

SP: Define "Jersey style."
AP: Jersey Style is just understanding who and what you are and realizing that no matter what you wear your personality, aura, and presence are the absolute key in making you sparkle in a room. And that very ability can happen in sweats or little black dress. It’s just about rockin' it!

Fashion School Is In Session: Interview With Sydne Summer

Everybody puts their pants on one leg at a time. But while most of us are just throwing on an old pair of faded Levi’s and t-shirt, only a select few would think to pair a $23 skinny white jean with a BCBG leather jacket, Forever 21 lace camisole, Manolo Blahnik gladiator sandals, and assorted silver and black bracelets.

Such is the gift of Los Angeles based Fashion Editor, blogger and TV fashion commentator, Sydne Summer. On the Style Network’s website, Mystyle.com, Sydne deconstructs star style, advises real women on how to cop runway and red carpet trends, and interviews style icons. Sydne’s own blog, ThinkThruFashion, provides how-to solutions, fashion and beauty tips, trend breakdowns and pictorial inspiration of clothes on real people.

Recently, I had the opportunity to pick Sydne’s brain and learn some tricks of the trade. If, like me, you’re looking to up your style ante - read on. Sydne’s taking us to fashion school...

SP: When did you first fall in love with fashion?
SS: I can’t pinpoint one exact moment because I have so many childhood memories that involved fashion. I grew up in the 80s and I used to stage photo shoots in my backyard dressed in neon shirts over biker shorts with my hair parted as far to the side as possible. During a family holiday one year, I think I was about seven, I made my younger cousin produce a fashion show while the adults were having cocktails. We made a royal mess in my grandmother’s closet trying on her silk printed tunics and piles of costume jewelry. Then I charged everyone a nickel so they could see us model our creations. And I don’t know when I was first given my dress-up chest but I don’t remember every not having it. Whenever I had a playdate we’d immediately dig in to the box of elbow length gloves, silk pajama gowns and rhinestone shoes and prance around thinking we were Claudia Schiffer.

SP: What was your first big break in fashion?
SS: In college I was interning for Boston Magazine Publications. My editor was planning an event for Elegant Weddings to shows Boston brides how to create a New England-style wedding. I had to research New England based brands and have them ship us samples to use during the event. My editor was really pleased by the assortment of clothing, jewelry and party favors I came up with. She then trusted me to handle bigger projects, which was a great learning experience.

SP: What does it take to succeed in fashion?
SS: To make it in fashion in general, I think you need to study. Not study in the sense of cramming for a law exam but studying everything and anything about fashion. During fashion week, if I can’t make it to the shows I spend hours and hours on Style.com, analyzing each piece and writing down what I like and don’t like about the collection. When I’m out to lunch at the farmers market, I study what people are wearing to observe what works and what doesn’t work on different body types. I’m constantly reading up about designers, pouring over every fashion magazine and just talking to regular people about what they think about the latest trends or what so-and-so was wearing. You just need to absorb everything around you and of course, it doesn’t hurt to have the innate eye for style.

SP: What is your style philosophy?
SS: I think the most important thing is to dress for your body type. It doesn’t matter how much you love a trend. If it’s not right for you, you shouldn’t wear it. I have an hourglass shape, so even though I loved the dropped waists that were in style about two years ago I resisted. I knew they wouldn’t look good on me so I admired from afar as my more narrow shaped friends strutted around in the flapper style dresses.

I’m also big on mixing high and low, something I did way before Michelle Obama came along in her J. Crew and Lanvin combos. I splurge on shoes, two handbags a year and dresses I know I’ll wear season after season. Then I head to Forever 21 and stock up on all the trendy stuff I’m loving at that moment—but might get sick of in a few months.

SP: What is the most treasured item in your closet?
SS: My father passed away when I younger so on my 21st birthday my mother made a necklace using the diamond from her engagement ring my father gave her. She set it on a platinum strand with floating diamonds so it would be a present from both of them on my birthday.

SP: If you could spend the day with one fashion icon (living or deceased), who would it be and what would you do?
SS: I’d love to spend the day with Christian Dior. His New Look is perhaps one of my favorite fashions of all time. I’d spend a day with him in Paris and go to my favorite museum, Musee d’Orsay. Dior started in art before becoming a fashion icon. Then we would go to his house and he would create a dress for me that would make me look like Dita von Teese. We’d go out later in the evening and talk about his genius ideas over glasses of champagne.

SP: What makes a woman 'stylish?'
SS: Confidence. I know everyone says this but that’s because it’s true. I think I started gaining this confidence after I stopped comparing myself to other people. I grew up in Miami then moved to Los Angeles as a teenager so I’ve always been around beautiful women with great style. But over the years, I developed my own style and once you start becoming comfortable with your body and your sense of fashion it shows in the way you carry yourself. People would rather look at a woman standing tall and smiling in a Kmart dress than a pouty girl sulking in the corner in couture.

SP: Who are some of your favorite designers of all time?
SS: Missoni for prints, Dolce & Gabbana when I want to feel sexy, Chanel for handbags that I can’t afford, Rebecca Taylor and Catherine Malandrino for feminine pieces and Jimmy Choo for classic shoes.

But as much as I love designer pieces, my favorite thing is to mix them with inexpensive finds. I do that in my blog on a daily basis. It’s fun to put an outfit together and have people guess which piece cost $300 and which cost $30. Their guesses are often incorrect, which just goes to show, you don’t need designer good to look good.

SP: Which trends will be big this summer?
SS: Rompers are huge, which I’m super excited about because I never bought one last summer and I’m a big fan of jumpsuits. Cutouts are popular on clothing and bathing suits. Also a big bathing suit trend is the one shoulder, which we know is extremely popular for dresses as well. Maxi dresses are everywhere, I especially like them paired with a bib necklace, another trend for spring and summer. As people get more tan, they’re going to start wearing one of the hottest colors this season: bright pink. And as we’ve seen on Rihanna, Lindsay Lohan, Victoria Beckham and just about every other celebrity, denim is distressed. Plus, the boyfriend jean is still going strong.

SP: Which trend(s) do you wish would die?
SS: I hate over-the-knee boots. I’ve seen maybe one person pull this look off: Diane Kruger in Tommy Hilfiger. But the majority of time, the thigh high boots just look like Pretty Woman, pre-Julia Roberts’ classy makeover. Then there is the harem pant that just won’t seem to go away. They’re still popular for summer, which means we’re going to see plenty more baggy crotches on the red carpet.

SP: Current handbag obsessions?
SS: I am absolutely obsessed with Valentino’s spring collection. Of course, I can’t afford even a fraction of any of the handbags but I could sit and stare at the floral masterpieces all day. They truly look like pieces of art. Just look at this one!

SP: Which celebrities would you love to style and why?
SS: Anne Hathaway. I love feminine, elegant pieces and I can’t think of any current star who looks better in them than Anne. Recently she’s tried to look edgy, wearing suits and leather but to me, she looks best as a classic beauty. But truthfully, I’d rather style women that really need help, rather than those that have Marc Jacobs on speed dial. I get more enjoyment out of helping a friend realize how amazing her body when she has the right clothing.

SP: Where are your favorite places to shop?
SS: I recently got in to the whole vintage thing and even if I don’t buy anything, I have a blast shopping at thrift stores. My favorite one in L.A. is Jet Rag. I got this 80s velvet dress, cut off the skirt and now it looks just like a Balmain top, shoulder pads and all. I can’t wait to wear it with jeans this fall. For trendy items, I always go to Forever 21. And for my splurges I wait until Saks has their huge sales and stock up on everything I’ve been coveting online.

SP: What tips do you have for women who want star style on a budget?
SS: Don’t try to copy a star from head to toe. If Beyonce is wearing Balmain and you try to find the exact same $11, 000 jacket for $11 you’ll just look like a cheaper version of Beyonce. In my blog, I always recommend to take inspiration from celebrity style instead of copying it. Figure out what you like about their style and find ways to make it your own. Earlier this year I really liked Cameron Diaz’s all-American look. But I didn’t try to find an exact replica of her striped Michael Kors dress. Instead I thought about what it was I liked about her style and kept that in mind when I went shopping. Things always look more expensive when they’re original—or at least when they’re styled in a creative way.

SP: Can you share some figure-slimming fashion tips?
SS:
1) Create the illusion of long legs by wearing shoes that match your skin color.
2) Show off your best feature. Mine is my waist, so I’m always cinching everything with belts. My friend has the hottest legs, so you’ll usually find her hiding her stomach with a billowy top and showing off her gams in a mini. My mother has amazing shoulders, so she always looks thinner when she wears a shell or halter.
3) Wear monochromatic outfits. If you wear all black, navy, brown, etc, it will create the illusion of a longer and leaner figure.
4) And if all else fails throw on some statement jewelry. If you have sparkly earrings or a unique necklace, nobody will notice you’re having a fat day.

SP: What are three fashion accessories every woman should own?
SS:
1) Black pumps: They add instant sex appeal and never go out of style.
2) A bright or metallic clutch: It makes sure a LBD isn’t boring and dresses up a pair of jeans.
3) A tan leather carryall: If I could only have one bag, it would be my cognac Foley + Corinna hobo. I can wear it with black, brown or navy and the more worn the leather gets, the better the bag looks.

SP: What products are staples in your makeup bag?
SS: Mascara is a must. It’s an instant pick me up when I haven’t slept. I switch on and off between L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara and Stila Convertible Mascara. For lips, I’ve been carrying around a tub of Rosebud Salve since my freshman year of college. But recently I’m addicted to C.O. Bigelow Mint Lip Tint Gloss. The coral has just a touch of color and the minty flavor is refreshing. I also need a bronzer. Whenever I’m laying out on the beach I always cover my face with a towel or wife beater. So my face obviously is just a tad lighter than my body. Bare Escentuals A Little Sun is great because it gives me a natural glow. I start on my cheekbones then lightly dust the rest of my face.

For more of Sydne’s fab fashion advice and commentary, visit mystyle.com and thinkthrufashion.com.

New Reality Show Addiction: Running In Heels

Sunday night, I caught the premiere of Running in Heels - the Style Network's behind-the-scenes look at Marie Claire magazine. The show had me at hello, and I can't wait until the next eppy.

If you missed it, check the sched so we can discuss.

And get this...Style is teaming up with DSW for a month-long Heels-A-Day Giveaway. Enter for your chance to win a hot pair of heels.

Running In Heels airs Sundays at 8pm EST.