I’ve always loved interior decorating, but while designing my new salon (set to open this spring in the Four Seasons in Austin, TX), I got very into finding the perfect home goods. Beautiful furnishings, unique artwork, and interesting textiles are just some of the items I’m currently obsessed with and after scavenging around the internet, I came across the very popular website, Design*Sponge, run by Brooklyn-based writer Grace Bonney. It satisfies my cravings for all things home and lifestyle related and has been a success since its launch in 2004, in large part thanks to the experience and vision of Bonney, who has written and/or edited for Domino, In Style, Better Homes and Gardens, and Time Out New York magazines among others. Called the “Martha Stewart Living for millennials” by the New York Times in coverage from a couple of years ago, the blog covers store and product reviews, city, product, and gift guides, diy projects, before and after furniture and home makeovers, home tours, trend forecasting, and even recipes, as well as featured podcasts and videos. They have many different innovative and experienced contributors to guide you along and the voice of the site never becomes stale or boring because of this.

I enjoy the soft, vintage-inspired yet elegant look of Design*Sponge itself in addition and its easy to navigate, simple and pretty format. It’s sort of like Lucky magazine if it were reincarnated as a product and home design site. The trends and products written about are usually shabby chic and polished simultaneously and it’s updated about 6-10 times a day which makes for awesome interior design reading and viewing all day long! Trust me, it is worth a visit if you like home goods and design, just for the beautiful home tours and advice doled out daily. It is also endlessly fascinating for me, as a hairstylist, to read about upcoming home trends and how much they intersect with hair and fashion trends (for example using ikat and ombre patterns). The budget and diy sections are helpful and wallet friendly also. Taking a trip or want to find great new places in your own hood? Check out Design*Sponge’s city guides which can advise on stores and restaurants (there is even an Austin one).

But Design*Sponge isn’t just another endlessly cool design site. It’s also dedicated to its Biz Ladies endeavors, which aim to inspire and instruct female entrepeneurs in the product and home design business through free meet ups all over the country with already established professionals. There is also a Biz Ladies mini guide section on the site which advises designing women on financial decisions, marketing, and legal concerns. It additionally provides  a few small scholarships to incoming design and art students in the USA and Canada. Check it out at http://www.designspongeonline.com/!

This week’s Style Stakeout is centered on a somewhat controversial fashion icon (note the black and red Narciso Rodriguez, the white, one-shoulder Jason Wu gown, or even the pale gold matching frock and long coat by innovative Isabel Toledo and the uproar all three caused). You may have guessed I’m talking about First Lady Michelle Obama, whose varied choices and insistence on wearing lesser-known, mostly American designers is not only politically and fashion wise but also a smart choice for our struggling economy. After sporting an affordable, black and white, floral empire-waist dress from chain store White House/Black Market last year, the dress sold out online within hours.

Michelle Obama's head-to-toe J. Crew enemble.

Likewise, Obama loves herself and her children some classic J. Crew, often dressing them in their kids’ line, Crewcuts. As a result, J. Crew’s stock and popularity has soared and Michelle Obama has been crowned an influential fashion force for everyday women and has been credited for helping stimulate the American fashion economy.

Sasha and Malia Obama sporting Crew Cuts by J. Crew outfits.

Though she has been compared most frequently to Jackie Kennedy style-wise, she is clearly cut from different cloth, no pun intended. Where Jackie O. was untouchable and ethereal, Michelle is relatable in her style (not to mention that Jackie frequented the most expensive European ateliers while Michelle sticks to big name chain stores like H&M and lesser known, ethnically diverse American designers). She is also a departure from previous First Ladies in other ways and this is reflected in her clothing. After all, Michelle is an accomplished executive in her own right as well as a busy mother to two young girls and she dresses accordingly. Gone are the stuffy suits and boring accessories of First Ladies past and in their place we have easy dresses, flats galore, and up to date accessories. She is also a noticeably more casual First Lady, even sporting a controversial pair of shorts at one point. I am a fan of Michelle Obama’s style in short because she is fashion-forward yet elegant,  down to earth, a champion of young, up and coming designers, and wildly accessible for the legions of American women who worship her style.

Mrs. O relies on conservative staples such as dressed up cardigans (often argyle, embroidered, or jeweled), sleeveless sheaths that flatter her tall, athletic physique, lots of A-line and empire silhouettes, and neutrals punched up with flashes of bright color (she is especially partial to reds, purples, and yellow), which are universally flattering and easy to wear style solutions. I suggest seeking out these options at places like the aforementioned J. Crew, H&M, and Banana Republic and splurging on items from a diverse pool of American-based designers like Thakoon, Michael Kors, Jason Wu, Isabel Toldeo, Ikram Goldman, Tracey Feith, and Diane Von Furstenberg. Flats (Obama prefers pointy toe ones) are also a great option and cute, inexpensive ones can be found almost anywhere. Although a lot has been written about the lovely First Lady’s clothing style, very little is said about her choice of accessories yet, in my opinion, this where she shines. Michelle prefers to add flair and personality to her outfits with small touches and doesn’t flinch at sporting colorful, vintage-inspired floral pins and jewelry while calling attention to her great figure with a big ol’ belt looped high on the waist. She also ups the quirk factor with large double strands of pearls, perhaps in homage (or a sendup of) to traditional First Lady style.

Her beauty routine seems to be fairly streamlined and manageable as well. Michelle’s hair is cut into a chic and stylish bob that suits her angular facial features. It is most likely her natural hair, which I applaud, and is probably relaxed and blown out whenever she washes it. Her makeup is similarly low-key and consists of mostly neutral tones, with a base of cream based foundation set with powder and soft cream to powder blush in a neutral shade layered on top. For lips, she sticks with hydrating, soft lipsticks or glosses and goes for mineral-based, lightly smokey eyeshadow. The eyes are fininshed off with black liner applied close to the lash line on the upper lid. Curled lashes and black mascara complete the look. With her easygoing beauty routine, not to mention her stellar sartorial style, Michelle Obama is truly a fashionable First Lady for the masses.

Flawless, dewy skin is Michelle Obama's signature beauty look.

Why shoes? Many children in developing countries grow up barefoot, putting them at risk for soil-transmitted diseases which can cause physical and cognitive harm, as well as painful cuts and sores that have the potential to become infected. Additionally, some of these children are not allowed to attend school without footwear. Not getting an education often results in failure for these kids to fulfill their potential.

I suggest buying a pair of TOMS not just in support of this movement but because they are comfortable, affordable, come in vegan (making them an even greener choice), male, female, and kids styles, are classic yet fashionable, and come in a variety of cool colors and fabrics. I am especially fond of the newer metallic, tribal, and plaid ones worn with skinny jeans and a casual, cute top or with rolled up boyfriend jeans and a button-down. The plaid, lace-up styles shown here are to die for as are the generally cheerful, colorful, beachy vibe they give off. Celebrities like Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart are even known for sporting the espadrille-like flats and they have been featured in OK!, Marie Claire, and Self magazines, further cementing their popularity.

Celebrities like Keira Knightly, Sophia Bush, Scarlett Johannson, Kristen Stewart, and more are all wearing TOMS shoes that give back.

Check out the TOMS website to see pictures of how other customers are wearing their shoes (be prepared to view prom-goers and even brides sporting their TOMS in style). There is even word that the company will be debuting a modest wedge and boots (and they have already added some vintage-looking tees and hoodies to the lineup) at some point so stay tuned for more ethical and adorable options!

Target has always been a good spot to pick up some quick items, but it’s only in the past few years that it has become a fashionably respectable place to go shopping for clothes and accessories, in large part thanks to its pioneering designer collaborations. The popular collaborations between high-end designers and the mega chain store prove that there is a market for innovative design at every price point. Wonderful, diverse designers that have worked with Target successfully are punk-influenced Jonathan Saunders, Brit Luella Bartley (my fave), dreamy Rodarte (loved the sparkly skeleton dress pictured in the collage above), the colorful Liberty of London, elegant Proenza Schouler, shock master Jean Paul Gaultier, girly Erin Fetherston, and the daring, late Alexander McQueen.

One look, two different colors from the Zac Posen collection for Target.

Designer Zac Posen is the latest bold-faced design name to get in on the act for the red bullseye and his collection doesn’t disappoint. Although quality and sizing accuracy can suffer with a lot of the Target designer collabs, they are always a success in terms of creativity and style. I adore the gold brocade Mad Men-esque dress and the purple-y pink number shown in this collage (in general, the dresses are usually the standouts) from his line. Cynthia Vincent is also currently showcasing a Target line of adorable, summery wedges (love the tribal, brightly colored pair pictured above) and flat gladiators. Coming soon,  whimsical hat-designer Eugenia Kim has recently announced an upcoming project with the big T and there have been rumblings about Betsey Johnson possibly starting a lower-priced lingerie line with them as well.

It’s obvious that when designers pair up with chain stores typically found in malls, the result is often fantastically affordable, cute stuff and it is an opportunity for everybody to purchase fashion-forward items as well as help the designer in question achieve mainstream recognition. However, as I’ve said before, beware of quality and sizing issues with them and teeny bopper-geared styles (especially with the Target lines). The idea is to incorporate the designer collaboration pieces with more expensive or vintage pieces and create a sort of high/low-end style hybrid. Trust me, the result will be much more rich-looking, mature, and interesting.

One look from Norma Kamali's line with Walmart.

Some other favorite past designer/chain store teams include Parisian knitwear maven Sonia Rykiel for H&M (the pink-striped sweater here is a piece from this line) old-school Norma Kamali for Walmart (the black leggings and checked tunic above), and design darlings Alexander Wang and Phillip Lim for Uniqlo. More recently, we’ve seen Charlotte Ronson for J.C. Penney, Cynthia Rowley for surf brand Roxy (just look at that awesome bandeau bathing suit), Christian Siriano and Lela Rose for Payless (these black heels are Siriano’s), Jodi Arnold for The Limited (the white dress), sophisticated Rachel Roy for Macy’s (love the jewelry, pictured here, from her collection), and the Olsen twins of The Row and Elizabeth and James fame with Olseboye for J.C. Penney as well. TopShop and Urban Outfitters have been known to get in on the designer act sometimes too. Coming soon discount bridal emporium David’s Bridal will feature a collection by Vera Wang and there will be a line of Pierre Hardy shoes for GAP come fall (I’ve seen the previews for this one and it looks great).  Who says designer threads don’t come cheap?

Starlets appear flawless on the red carpet and for other press appearances, but they also get a little help (and in some cases a lot!) from their trusted makeup artists. While us commoners don’t travel with a hair and makeup team, there is one thing you can concentrate on to help get your favorite celeb’s look – beautiful, clear skin. Foundations, powders and other skin cosmetics help achieve a flawless complexion and stunning, healthy glow but you have to know how to pick out the right colors for your face. Below, I’ve featured three hot celebrities with three different skin tones and their makeup style for you to replicate.

Fairest of them all…

Pale skin seems to be having a renaissance recently, though A-listers like Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett have been secure with their fair coloring for a while. And with good reason. Milky skin, when it’s unblemished, can appear sexy and elegant in it’s own right not to mention better for your health as it calls for staying out of the sun.

Scarlett Johansson is a classic example of an alabaster-skinned beauty who knows how to work with her delicate coloring and pull it of in style. Johanssen obviously stays out of the sun and has never caved and sported the fake tan look as many other celebs have. To maintain perfectly light skin, be sure to protect it daily with a foundation, tinted moisturizer, or concealer with SPF and prep it before putting on makeup by washing with a mild cleanser. Add stick concealer to your problem areas only and then apply foundation with your fingers instead of a sponge for a light application. Also, pick a semi-matte foundation that matches your skin exactly and make sure the effect is not too heavy. You don’t want to look ghostly or old-fashioned but healthy and current. Cover ALL problem areas as blemishes and discoloration will show up more on pale skin. Apply a sheer powder on top of the foundation and opt for a rosy blush if you are brunette or a soft pale pink if you are blonde or redheaded. Pair with smokey eyes and pale pink lips for a sexy and mod look or go for a vintage face and choose minimal eye makeup and red lips (Johansson wears both looks but usually goes for a red-lipped vintage-inspired face). Don’t forget that body skin should be hydrated as well. I like moisturizers with a bit of shimmer for evening on the decolletage, arms, and legs.

In the middle…

Medium or olive skin tones are easy to work with and can pull off a variety of makeup looks as well as tolerate a lot of makeup. It is also easier to pick out makeup shades and you have the option of going for a paler look with foundation and a rosy blush or going darker with bronzer. Stars with this kind of coloring range from the paler Natalie Portman right up to famous latinas like Jennifer Lopez and the beautiful Cubana celeb I’ve chosen to highlight, Eva Mendes.

Eva Mendes has said in the media that she has always been a girly girl in love with makeup and it shows. Her makeup is usually perfectly feminine and plays upon her beautiful tawny coloring as well as her strong features and lovely bone structure. You can get her fresh, seductive look by choosing nude tones, which also happen to be in style now. Make sure all products you select are warm-toned. Apply a beige foundation that suits your skin all over the face, preferably use one with a bit of shimmer and, again, avoid full matte finishes. Finish the look with some powder bronzer (less greasy than liquid formulas) or a peachy/apricot blush on the cheekbones, at the hairline and jawline to achieve that sun-kissed, sexy effect (go ahead and put some bronzer on your decolletage as well). Mendes likes to sport bold brows and I think this is a great look for brunette women with this coloring, just be sure your brows are perfectly shaped (you might want to leave this to a professional). Make like Mendes and finish it off with pearly colored eyeshadow, black, feline liquid eyeliner, tons of black mascara, and glossy, pale pink lips. Mendes also mentioned in a recent article that she always moisturizers with regular old cocoa butter.

Dark and sexy…

Darker skin tones, from lighter cafe au lait shades all the way up to mahogany are striking and sexy. They key to making dark skin shine is to not try to mask it in paler makeup but rather find products that match your skin tone well and play up your powerful coloring. A little strategically placed shimmer never hurt anyone either and no one knows how to portray a strong and beautiful look more than Beyonce.

Beyonce Knowles, unlike the other two celebs I’ve profiled here, does not stick to one makeup look. She is a chameleon, switching it up and trying trendy colors and textures, including all the eighties-inspired makeup we’ve been seeing lately, yet she always looks polished. To get Beyonce’s glam skin, play up your coloring and cover imperfections with a tinted moisturizer. If you can’t find one that matches your skin exactly, try blending different shades to get the right color. There aren’t as many options for African-American skin as there are for other types so it might take a little trial and error to find your ideal products (Beyonce likes Giorgio Armani skin makeup). If you like more skin coverage, use a foundation with light-reflecting particles to get B’s fresh, glam face. Use a deep bronzer or blush high on the cheekbones and avoid layering powder on top to get a more dewy effect. Finish it off with smokey eyes in neutral eyeshadow shades like charcoal or chocolate brown and some nude lip gloss.