What women in their 20′s want

I have a confession for TVC readers:  I was prom queen. 

That’s right.  Me, queen of satire, sweatpants and with glasses to boot, was once a high school glamazon.  In addition to preternatural bronzed skin thanks to the local tanning salon, a crown of highlights that I still wouldn’t replicate today in favor of my natural hair color and a plethora of rhinestone jewelry from Macy’s, I donned a $400 floor-length taffeta dress that was the very epitome of a Cinderalla story.  (I should also note that I begged and pleaded with my mother to buy me this dress, as my salary as a coffee-slinging counter girl didn’t exactly make the cut for such an extravagant purchase.  She obliged mostly to shut me up and to regain some “peace and quiet around here.”)  The dress, which was white, had a tight, corseted bodice encrusted with Swarovski crystals and flowed to the floor with twenty-something layers of mesh tulle.  When paired with clear resin heels and an attitude straight from a Janet Jackson music video, my 5’4” frame towered over my classmates and won over the reception hall staff, our “judges” for the evening.  (Take that, Perez Hilton.)

That was my story then.  Nine years later, my catwalk consists of the sidewalk; my competitors are the other rush hour commuters with bagels and briefcases in hand, not dreamy dates from the soccer team or a Bonne Bell lip gloss.  Our judges consist of the narrowed eyes on the seat next to us in the subway, which subtly glance up and down at the fashions du jour and make mental notes to avoid a trend at all costs or to fly like hell to the nearest H&M before it’s completely sold out.  And with prom season in full swing, memories of that floor-length dress flood my memory and force me to notice the flux of women in maxi length dresses on the streets of the city. 

Interestingly enough, some of these dresses – often printed with funky floral or geometric patterns – could be considered prom-worthy, if paired with the right heeled sandal and silky pashmina.  When paired with bejeweled flats and a pair of oversized sunglasses, though, the maxi dress is contemporary, cool, and a relief to women everywhere who want hemlines shorter than their nether regions.  As is the case with many styles that sit on the fence of being pushed to black tie or totally bohemian, the key is to accessorize wisely. 

The maxi dress:  a flashback to that special night of dancing to Boyz II Men and raucous in a limousine, or summertime’s newest “It” piece?

-Karyn Polewaczyk 
 

Browsing through this weeks random free and almost free publications, I noticed a variety of Mother’s Day spa specials. Doggie moms are moms too, right? And since my pooch don’t got no daddy, I treated myself to an early Mother’s Day present and booked a day of services Friday.

For $89 plus tip, I was promised a papaya mango body polish, a 30 minute massage and a mani/pedi. When I arrived at the spa, I was immediately turned off by the late 70’s style chairs they have at the manicure stands. My brain reminded my mind not to judge a book by the cover, and I moved swiftly past said chairs to check in. The staff were courteous and contained only a little of the New York edge I usually encounter at these spa special joints. I was offered a choice between a Deep Tissue, Swedish or Craniosacral Massage, which I thought sounded like only a doctor should perform. I chose door #1, then took my robed and slippers to change.

The body scrub was okay. This may sound petty, but I get weirded out when I don’t know the brand of products used. I’m fine going to Elizabeth Arden, Bliss or Aveda, but feel skeevy when random “papaya” lotion is lathered on my naked body. The woman scrubbed me all right. She damn near scrubbed this doggie mama raw; but afterward, I felt five pounds lighter and my skin soft like a baby’s. My deep tissue massage made me scream in pain. I request three times not sooooo deep, and eventually she lightened up. Word of warning: if you can’t take the heat, don’t go in the Deep Tissue Massage’s kitchen. Choose #2 or #3.

The mani/pedi concluded my treatment and was pretty standard with a little more scrubbing and massaging on my now nothing-but-bone calves. It was the same caliber you would get at a Bloomie’s but with uglier chairs. My overall rating for this service is a low B. I would probably give it a C if it weren’t so cheap and might even give it a low A if I knew the products used.

Is it worth it? If you need smoother skin and a massage, yes. But like everything these days, it depends on you budget. Should you give a Vada Spa for a gift for your mother? Probably not. But it is totally fine to get a friend or your brother’s wife. No, really.

Vada Spa 387 6th Avenue between Greenwich and Waverly Open 9a.m. to 10p.m. 7 days a week. 212-206-1572

Perhaps it’s my Type-A personality, or perhaps I’ve seen one Oompa Loompa-esque lady too many emerge from a Mystic Tan session, but I have little tolerance for underperforming self tanners. The tint must be natural; the scent must be non-chemical; and the ability to prolong must exceed the expiration date of my bottle of soy milk.

If cream rises to the top, then so must a hazy copper that’s mimicked only by a timeshare on an island. St. Tropez self tanner, $33 at Sephora, is hands down the best self tanner I’ve used, period. Venerable strangers approach me in the street after just one application to ask if I just came back from vacationing in Mustique with Diddy. Okay, so they don’t ask me that, but I do get a lot of compliments on how ‘healthy’ I look. The key with Saint Tropez is patience. You’ll need a pair of plastic hospital gloves (avoid latex if you can), a ratty towel, and a good two hours for thorough application and sufficient drying time. Available in a foam (my favorite), spray, mist, gel or liquid pump, Saint Tropez is not for the beginner. I repeat, not for the beginner. While the result is second to none, a rushed, novice application will prove fatal to your social life.

Origins The Great Pretender, $18 at department stores, is, like our sunny own Miss California, first runner up. The coverage is creamy and effortless and leaves behind a cool, minty scent; its major drawback is the subtle shimmer built into the formula. Loyal TVC readers will know that I’m not a fan of shimmer or sparkle in body products, unless it’s on a 5-carat Harry Winston ring. The good news is that any remnants of a life lived on the Yellow Brick Road will wash off in the shower and leave behind a Jamaican-me crazy hue. The bad news is that it won’t work if you’re aiming to be out and about within an hour post-application. While Origins hits a home run with this product overall, avoid using it on your face. No one likes a disco ball head.

L’Oreal Sublime Glow moisturizing mist, $9, is a build-a-tan product that takes the cake for gradual tanners and self tan novices alike. I find that one application every three days is enough; applying a self tanner every day (as the bottle recommends) will leave people wonder if you’ve been plugged into an electric outlet. Unlike the St. Tropez and Origins tanners, this spray goes on clear. Bonus: it won’t rub off on clothes. Yikes: since you won’t be able to see it until the magic self tanning chemicals do their job, generally about an hour to two after application, any posthumous mistakes will be hard to fix.

One of the biggest complaints I hear of any self tanner are the not-so-sexy Orangina spirit fingers that are the unfortunate by-product of going sunless. Using a pair of plastic (not latex) hospital gloves will do the trick, as well as wiping hands clean with a wedge of fresh lemon. If you’ve got the bucks to spare, I highly recommend the St. Tropez self tan remover, $16, a miracle in a pump which also exfoliates hands to a glove-soft touch.

Like Michael Jackson once sang, ‘Don’t stop ’til you get enough’ – but do wear your sunscreen.

-Karyn Polewaczyk

Cancer is something I think we have all become a bit too familiar with. Whether it be a close friend, coworker, family member or a beloved pet it’s safe to say we all would love to see the day that we can officially kick that cancer to the curb, once and for all! The leader of fighting the fight, the America Cancer Society (ACS), holds several fundraisers throughout the year that raise awareness and money to further their extensive research.  If you’re looking to get involved but don’t know where to begin, this is the perfect opportunity for you and your pooch to give back to this great big juicy red apple that we all love so much and support the fight against cancer.

This Sunday, May 3rd, at 9:00 a.m.  the ACS will be hosting the 18th annual Dogswalk at Riverside park on 107th and Riverside Drive.  Here you and your philanthropy loving pooches can put your best paw forward as you walk to help raise awareness and most importantly funds.  Now, if there is one thing I know my fellow New Yorkers are known for its fundraising…and I mean fundraising in a huge way.  Go big or go home right? The walk-a-thon is just $35.00 to register you and your dog and is less than a mile (approximately equal the distance from Saks to Bergdorfs, roundtrip), but your participation and support will last well beyond the short distance walked.

Insider Tip: The first 700 registered participants receive a “Doggy Bag” valued over $50.00 in goodies!

For more information on the event details, and how you can help fight human and animal cancers go to:

-Lindsey