PURPLE BLAB

Today marks a new weekly column on Purple Blab that will introduce you to the most stylish and chic bloggeratti of the moment. Each week, you will meet a new blogger and learn “25 Things You Didn’t Know,” until now!

Blog: Feels Like White Lightning
Name: Elizabeth Spiridakis

1. I have a lifelong intense fear of the lifesize blue whale hanging from the ceiling at the Museum of Natural History. Even now I can’t stand beneath it (my heart rate is quickening even as I type this, no joke!)

It’s been a long time dream of mine to be in the business section of the New York Times, the ultimate authentication and validation for any entrepreneur. I have always visualized a big, splashy feature on how I built a business in a new, innovative way… perhaps that I sold it to a major company for unheard of amounts of money… maybe a little bit about it happening before I turn 40. And when I woke up yesterday morning, this is what I saw!

Every season, fashion designers have a look book, a book that’s curated to perfection, showcasing the collection. It’s not something beauty brands would typically do. Being that I’m such a fashion girl at heart, I was a little jealous! I wanted one!

Today we launch our look book (the cover image is above)!

So I asked some of our favorite bloggers and F.O.P.L. (friends of Purple Lab) to strike a pose. We turned my apartment into a photo studio.

The kitchen was the Dolce Gusto coffee and muffin “craft station” as they say on movie sets.

When I was little, I told my mom that when I grew up, I wanted to find things and tell people about them. That’s part of the reason I became a journalist and one thing I miss about not being one now.

So I thought I’d take a moment to share what I’m totally crazy obsessed with at the moment. Below, my ten favorite things.

The Spanx Bras. OMG! Have you worn one yet? The most comfortable bra I have EVER worn. The material is like Wolford hosiery soft and is made so that the surface is totally smooth, no matter how tight your top is.

I’ve been sharing what goes on behind the scenes when I’m at HSN but I want to give you a sense of how intense it really is.

This is what I see day in and day out while I’m there. Even in my dreams.

Imagine doing five shows over a 36 or 48 hour period. Now, I have to be at HSN in my green room two hours before each show so in essence, I’m there for 15 of those hours, not including the times I’m there for meetings in between.

After the 2a.m. HSN show, it was hard to sleep. I was on such an adrenaline (and Red Bull) rush, but I think I may have dozed off by 6a.m. or so.

The 2p.m. with Amy Morrison was amazing. It was my third time working with her and we have such a good connection. Love her!

I wore leopard print Derek Lam. Feminine. Flirty. Fun. But not too O.T.T. (over the top).

See a clip from the presentation below – and note: about 6:27 in, Jessica Harlow, the winner of the model search contest, is on! Yay Jess!

Those who know me know that I am not a night owl. I’m in bed by 10:30, never later than 11. So having a 2a.m. show is not easy for me. It takes an enormous amount of mental prep, not to mention sugar-free Red Bull (the only time I will have caffeine -I never drink any and I hate coffee).

Let’s just say, it took a long time in makeup to get me ready!

I’m just back from a five show stint on HSN and let me tell you – it’s so much easier the second time around.

Self portrait with Todd below – pre-show and pre-makeup!

First of all, I was A LOT less nervous having done this before. I felt more calm and like myself. I mean, I still had SOME nerves. I can’t lie. But I didn’t feel like I could have passed out at any moment.

I recently wrote about the Women in Need charity event. But what I didn’t share is the high drama look I gave my eyes, thanks to Lashionista Modelista (clearly, an addictive product for me!).

It’s super easy and here’s how to do it yourself:

When you do something like this, something that draws all the attention to your eyes, keep the rest of your look soft and neutral.

I’m totally a curly girl. I think I have straightened my hair twice in the last seven years. I just don’t feel like me when my mane is not a little bit unruly and wild.

I received a few emails, asking me how I do my curls. I’m flattered! So I thought I’d share my secret, which I can’t quite claim as my own because everything I know, I learned from Devachan, where I have been going to get my hair done for the past 13 years.