Shine (12 page)
Authors: Star Jones Reynolds
- Spaccio Etro
Via Spartaco, 6
+39 02 57931
fax +39 02 5410 8539
Mon 3–7; Tue–Sat 10–1:45, 2:45–7; Sun 10–1
Brands:
Etro.
Star tips:
A great store! Paisley prints and high-quality silks, cashmeres, and cottons are what Etro has become known for. Here you can find fabrics, accessories, and clothes from past seasons at 50 percent off. I wore Etro to the 2005 Daytime Emmys, and it’s one of my favorite dresses of all time.
- McArthurGlen Designer Outlets
Via della Moda 1
15069 Serravalle Scrivia
+39 0143 609000
http://serravalle.mcarthurglen.it
Daily 10–8
Brands:
Armani, Burberry, Cacharel, Marina Yachting, Nike, Ralph Lauren, Samsonite, Sergio Tacchini, Stefanel, Valextra, and Versace.
Star tips:
Some of the best deals here are on Valextra bags, where you can find them up to 50 percent off. I love my white Valextra luggage, and if you can get it half off…my goodness.
Rome
Rome is a wonderful city to explore. These are my favorite bargain stores:
- Bulgari
Via Condotti 10 (near Piazza di Spagna)
00187 Rome
+39 06 69 62 61
fax +39 06 678 34 19 www.bulgari.com
Brands:
Bulgari.
Star tips:
While not an outlet store, this is a must-see. As Fodor’s travel guide puts it, “What Cartier is to Paris, Bulgari is to Rome.” Bulgari represents the ultimate in Italian luxury. Prices range from the affordable to the insane, but it’s worth browsing (and splurging).
- Diffusione Tessile (outside of Rome in Pomezia)
+39 069 105 673
www.diffusionetessile.it
Mon 3:30–7:30, Tue–Sat 10–7:30, Sun closed
Brands:
MaxMara, Zegna.
Star tips:
This is an excellent outlet. You can find a lot of deals for under 100 euros. This store stocks all MaxMara lines from Sport Max through Marina Rinaldi, but everything has been relabeled with the generic “Intrend.” Don’t be put off. Who sees the label once you have it on anyway?
- Di Nicola
Viale Mazzini 159
Mon 3:30–7:30, Tue-Sat 9–1, 3:30–7:30, Sun closed
Brands:
Great designer brands like Cerruti, Loro Piana, Laura Biagiotti, and Versace.
Star tips:
Usually the discounts are between 40 percent and 50 percent.
- Discount System
Via del Viminale 35
+39 064 746 545
Brands:
Azzedine Alaïa, Ralph Lauren, Rifat Ozbek, and Prada.
Star tips:
They have an excellent selection of shoes, belts, scarves, and sweaters. When I was a bit bigger, I spent a great deal on the accessories because the clothing in a lot of European outlets really didn’t fit my body.
- Il Discount delle Firme
Via dei Serviti 27 (Largo del Tritone)
+39 064 827 790
Brands:
Designers vary according to stock.
Star tips:
This is a small store, but you can find discounts of up to 50 percent off the original retail price for famous designers as well as handbags, luggage, shoes, gloves, umbrellas, perfume, and lingerie.
- Discount dell’Alta Moda
Via di Gesù e Maria 16
Rome (near Piazza del Popolo)
+39 063 613 796
Brands:
Stock varies.
Star tips:
It’s the luck of the draw, but discounts can be good and you can find the occasional amazing piece here.
- Moda Doc
Società Bezabea
Via B. Gosio 116
00191 Roma
+39 063 338 207
Brands:
Genny, Iceberg, Prada, Versace, Complice, Sergio Rossi, and Anna Sui.
Star tips:
The best deals are pieces from last season, which are the most heavily discounted. For my full-figured sisters, you’ll also be able to find sizes up to size 18!
- Vesti a Stock
Via Germanico 170/A
Roma
Brands:
Armani, Mani, Krizia, Trussardi, Moschino, Dolce & Gabbana, and MaxMara.
Star tips:
This place is great for finding larger sizes—you can find up to size 16 in designer labels at 50 percent off.
Switzerland
- FoxTown Factory Stores
Via Maspoli 18
CH-6850 Mendrisio (near Milan)
+41 848 828 888
www.foxtown.ch/mendrisio/us/welcome.xhtml
Daily 11–7
Brands:
Dolce & Gabbana, Etro, Ferre, Gianni Versace, Gucci, Just Cavalli, Missoni, Miu Miu, Prada, Valentino. FoxTown outlet mall, just
over the Swiss/Italian border. With over forty stores, FoxTown is a European rarity: an American-style outlet mall.
Star tips:
Italians cross the border to buy Italian brands here and to take advantage of the discounts. The average discount is anywhere between 30 percent and 70 percent. There are two other locations in Switzerland, in Villenueve and Zurich.
Japan
- Gotemba Premium Outlets (in the Tokyo area)
1312, Fukasawa
Gotemba-shi, Shizuoka-ken
+81 0550 81 3122
www.premiumoutlets.co.jp/gotemba
Hours vary by season. Check the outlet’s Web site.
Brands:
165 stores, including Lanvin, Laura Ashley, Anna Molinari, Loro Piana, Armani, Marina Rinaldi, Bottega Veneta, Chloe, Paul & Joe, Paul Smith, Diffusione Tessile, Escada, Etro, Theory, Kate Spade, Vivienne Westwood, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Sergio Rossi, and Gucci.
Star tips:
At the foot of Mt. Fuji is an amazingly beautiful place for shopping. Added bonus: there are amusement park rides for the kids so they don’t have to shop till they drop.
- Rinku Premium Outlets (near Osaka)
3-28, Rinku-ourai-minami
Izumisano City, Osaka
+81 0724 58 4600
www.premiumoutlets.co.jp/rinku
Daily 10–8
Brands:
150 stores, including Armani, Bally, BCBG Max Azria, Coach,
Dolce & Gabbana, Etro, Furla, Kookai, Marina Rinaldi, Marella, Miss Sixty, Salvatore Ferragamo, Theory, Jill Stuart, Lanvin, and Versace.
Star tips:
This is one of the largest outlet malls in Japan. It can get very crowded with both locals and tourists, but the selection is excellent and remember Marina Rinaldi has plus sizes!
- Sano Premium Outlets (in Sano)
www.premiumoutlets.co.jp/sano
+81 0283 20 5800
Jan.-June 10–8
July-Aug. 10–9
Sept.-Dec. 10–8
Brands:
Over 100 stores, including Lacoste, Lanvin, Bally, Paul Smith, Escada, Sisley, and Theory.
Star tips:
Modeled after an early American village with shopping “streets” and “squares” evoking an eighteenth-century New England steeple. Fifty miles north of Tokyo, it’s in an area where you can shop or ski at resorts near Nikko and Nasi-Kogen. Skip the skiing and buy something cute for après-ski.
- Toki Premium Outlets (near the Nagoya area)
www.premiumoutlets.co.jp/toki
+81 0572 53 3160
Mon-Fri, Sun 10–8; Sat 10–9
Brands:
Lacoste, Bally, Versace, Bruno Magli, Coach, Furla, and Versace.
Star tips:
Built in the image of a Colorado ski village surrounded by the mighty Rockies. It’s great fun to shop in these out-of-the-ordinary surroundings.
- Tosu Premium Outlets (in the Fukuoka area)
www.premiumoutlets.co.jp/tosu
+81 0942 87 7370
Sat, Sun 10–8; Mon-Fri 10–9
Brands:
90 stores, including BCBG Max Azria, Miss Sixty, Escada Sport, Sisley, Theory, Coach, and Furla.
Star tips:
Women will be happy with this one. Lots of great bargains.
Mexico
- Premium Outlets Punta Norte
Hacienda Sierra Vieja No. 2
Lotes No. 2 y No. 14
Col. Hacienda del Parque
Cuautitlán Izcalli
Estado de México
www.premiumoutlets.com.mx
Sun–Thur 11–8; Fri, Sat 11–9
Brands:
Christian Dior, Coach, DKNY, Tommy Hilfiger, Pepe Jeans London, Zara, United Colors of Benetton, and Zegna.
Star tips:
Here you can find discounts of 25 percent to 65 percent on in-season and first-quality merchandise.
I know, I know…I’m a goddess and a lifesaver and a true girlfriend. Just pick me up a Prada bag at a discount and we’ll call it even. Just kidding! But please visit me (www.starjones.com) and tell me of your finds.
Makeup
The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural.
CALVIN KLEIN
Who did it? Well, for one, Cleopatra did it. She did it a lot. Also Jezebel, Nefertiti, Clara Bow, Princess Pignatelli, Queen Latifah, Lena Horne, Jackie Kennedy, even Laura Bush. Definitely Nicole Kidman. Definitely Halle Berry.
Who didn’t do it? Eleanor Roosevelt. Queen Anne. Cotton Mather’s wife. Probably Mary Todd Lincoln. Lindsay Lohan when she was eleven. Lots of others didn’t. Wouldn’t. Couldn’t.
Do what? Face painting, that’s what. Otherwise known as makeup.
Down through the ages, makeup has had its ins and outs. The ancient Egyptians wouldn’t be caught embalmed without a pot of black kohl (neither would I), and Roman beauties used barley flour to camouflage their classic Roman pimples. But makeup was sinful for Puritans and Englishwomen of the sixteenth century, who were subject to a law saying “a woman who seduced any one of Her Majesty’s subjects by using face paint and false hair” was guilty of witchcraft. Clearly, I would have been burned at the stake.
Even the Bible comes down hard on makeup wearers, saying, “the assembly shall stone them…and burn up their houses with fire.” Bit of an overreaction, even if it is the Bible, if you ask me.
Nevertheless, even in the most prudish of times, women have always found ways to color their faces with oils, lubricants, the color from natural berries and earth pigments, and by just pinching their own cheeks to raise some color.
Why? Because makeup helps you look terrific on your journey to finding love. Makeup, whether he knows it or not, is a definite turn-on for Prince Charming. You say your boyfriend likes the natural look? As in Gwyneth Paltrow, Holly Robinson Peete, Sheryl Crow, and the girl next door? Truth is, I could probably scrape three pounds of Bobbi Brown foundation off the face of any of those “natural-looking” women—maybe even four pounds from the girl next door.
If you want to be your most gorgeous, go to the nearest good cosmetic
counter in a large department store on a day when they’re doing free makeovers (this happens almost every day), and get your face done by someone who’s good at it. You don’t even have to buy anything, although the makeup artists appreciate it if you spring for at least a lipstick. Makeup is your friend. It gives you the strength you get from feeling pretty. It helps make you the best you can be, physically. Makeup is fun, child. In fact, I even remember my pastor encouraging all the women in church to wear our prettiest clothes and best makeup on Sundays. He told us that when we go out on Saturday night, we try to make ourselves look as good as we can, so why don’t we do the same thing when we come into God’s house? I don’t personally believe you should come to church looking like a painted lady because you’re not trying to seduce the minister, but if a little blush makes you smile, and a great lipstick perks up your face, something tells me that God doesn’t find you a harlot.
Okay, walking into this section, understand I have great skin. It comes from my eighty-six-year-old grandmother, Pauline, and my mother, Shirley. I didn’t do anything to deserve it—I just lucked out. But I have to tell you—as good as my skin looks when I wake up in the morning, all natural and warm from sleep, it looks better with makeup.
I love makeup. And so, secretly, do you. I know this because women who hate themselves for caring so much, who consider themselves beyond the falseness of blusher and foundation, will break the knees of any other woman who gets in front of her at the makeup artist’s counter—the artist who said he’ll show her how to make her eyes look larger. If you’re getting ready for love, making yourself the best you can be, a little makeup never hurts.
Here’s my routine:
A Star Makeup Regimen
First of all, I drink about ten to twelve glasses of water each day. I’m not exaggerating about this—there is
nothing
like water for the skin.
I always use a moisturizing cream in the day that’s not too heavy and a more substantial cream at night before I go to sleep. It softens the skin and helps the next day’s foundation blend over the surface. If I’m in an expensive mood, I use
La Mer
or
La Prairie
Skin Caviar, which are two of the most expensive creams on the planet. When I’m in my cheapy-cheap mood, I use
Dove
moisturizing cream from the drugstore. Result—
shhhhh
—about the same.
Foundation comes next: I use
Era
Face Spray-on Foundation for all-over coverage and
Dermablend
to cover my full face of freckles. I also sometimes use the
MAC
and
Iman
brands for those days when I’m toning down the diva. Like most people’s, my skin has different colors, so I often use two colors to enhance the natural variations on my face. I use a lighter color under my eyes, along the nose, and at the forehead. Then, with a darker color, I blend the foundation until it all melds together. I top with the number 5 face powder from
Yves Saint Laurent.
