Why, hello, Ms. Ball gown...

So I am a little behind. It's Fashion Week everyone! And I love to look at the shows for not only the hair and makeup, but the clothes! That's why I do what I do. I have loved clothes since the time I could pick them out for myself and will love them till the day I die. If you allow them to, clothes will speak to you. If you take away the price tag, the "Where am I going to ever wear THAT dress?" And "Who but the rail thin model would look good in that dress?" clothes will jump at you, saying "No one in the world is meant to wear this dress but you! Yes! YOU, Bridget!"

I have a wildly overactive imagination and often dream of myself walking the streets of Paris in an elaborate ball gown, eating a croissant, and wandering in and out of shops, cafes, and museums. Not only am I in a ball gown, everyone in Paris is! And the men are all in very well tailored Tom Ford-esque tuxedos with their hair parted and styled just so and they hold doors open for you, smile and say "S'il vous plait! Allow me, Mademoiselle!" All of us women give our flirtiest smile, and shyly look away as we glide inside to experience many more encounters just like this.

As I was browsing style.com this morning, I was left absolutely breathless. I found my wardrobe for this exact occasion. John Galliano has done it again. Everything is absolute perfection, from the perfectly cut suits inspired by the original "New Look", to the exquisite hand painted ball gowns and the hats that absolutely complete the look. The Golden Age of Glamour is rising again, ladies and gentlemen! It's time for us to stop looking like we don't give a care and to put forth a little effort! Am I suggesting we are styled like this everyday? Absolutely not, that would only happen in my imagination, but let's give it a whirl! It can be as easy as a blow out or putting on some red lipstick, but you owe it to yourself to be the best version of you that you got!

I am also devoted to my plaid shirt, leggings, and riding boots look, but add a bit of a glamours blow out and a hint of lips or eyeliner, and suddenly you are the most glamorous girl at the stable! Take a peek at these pictures and maybe think of them for a moment the next time you go out! Or head over to style.com (where I got these pictures from) and look at the Spring 2011 Couture shows. Armani Prive is quite space age-y and perfect for those Star Trek inspired fans. And Oribe and his team styled the hair for that show, so you know it's worth checking out!

Let the clothes do all the talking and you never know who you'll meet.

Next on Getting to Know You...

Is the super sunny, always up beat, incomparable Gabrael!

Here is what Gaby (as we affectionately call her) had to say for herself:

I am a born and bred midwesterner that loves animals. Some would say to an unhealthy point. I CANNOT drive by a stray dog without stopping and taking it home to nurse it back to health.
I've been fortunate to have amazing opportunities to do hair all over the country, including Orlando, Salt Lake City, and Washington DC. These different cultures have enabled me to be a well rounded stylist by learning and applying different hair styles and trends.
When I am not being a crazy dog mom, I'm at SalonNfuse making people feel and look beautiful. I love to pamper and give all my guests a moment of relaxation and peace in our crazy busy everyday lives. We all need it no matter how much we think we don't.
I hope you will come in to SalonNfuse and receive the hair experience you've always wanted!

Survey!

1) Name: Gabrael Rebekah

2) Where are ya from? Northern Indiana...plenty of corn.

3) How long have you been in Nashville? 2 1/2 years

4) Do you have any children (fur children and/or human children)? And, if so, how many? I have 3 amazing dogs. The oldest and most bossy a Jack Russell Terrier named Maitlen. My middle fur baby is a girly girl princess Doberman named Ellie. Our youngest we think, is our rescue Pit Bull that wandered into our lives. He is the most gentle and relaxed of any dog I know. We creatively named him Pit Bull.

5) What did you want to be when you were growing up? Meteorologist

6) What would you do if you won the lottery? Open a dog rescue, probably targeting Pit Bulls

7) What is the last book you read? Power of a Praying Wife

8) What is your favorite word? Gazebo

9) What is the most embarrassing CD in your collection? Gloria Estefan...don't judge.

10) Who is your ultimate style icon? Jacqueline Kennedy

11) What is your favorite place in the world? Anywhere that my family can be together...dogs and all

12) What is your idea of perfect happiness? Heaven

13) What is your all time favorite quote? God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. ~C.S.Lewis

Getting to know you!

I was talking with our amazing front desk girl Mrs. Chelsea Burns this morning (or maybe yesterday morning...) and we came up with the idea of giving each lovely lady (and, of course, Robert) their own blog post so each of you in cyberspace can get to know us! We are quite a unique group, and some of us are a bit shy so I gathered up some survey questions that I felt would give each of you a pretty good indication of how we really are.

Let us begin with me! Well, I am the one writing the blog so I was the first one to respond to all the questions. I said I would post each person in the order that they responded to me so here goes nothin'!

Bridget Murphy

When I'm not at work doin' what I do best, connecting with people while doing their hair at salonNfuse or at a runway show or photo shoot, you can almost always find me at home with the children, Archie and Lucille. The fact that my children bark and walk on four legs hasn't struck me as strange, that's just who they are and I love them for it.

While I am at home you can find me avoiding laundry and all other responsible duties by watching my guilty pleasure, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I often ponder the everyday dilemmas these women must face...Which pool will I be lounging about at today? Where is my limo? and What time is my facial?... And wonder how they make it through life with all these road blocks in the way. ::sigh::

When I'm not wondering what it's like to be a BH Housewife I can also be found reading, (yes, even though I am addicted to trash television, I can still read... it's all about being well-rounded), wandering aimlessly about on the Internet, at the gym attempting to train for the Country Music Half Marathon in April, and trying to convince myself that cooking is fun. I made the most delicious Green Goddess pasta the other day and you must try it! It was to die for!

I really do love what I do. One of the most wonderful feelings in the world is to know that you have connected with someone and helped them, even in a tiny way, and I get to experience that on a daily basis. How cool is that?

Survey Time!

1) Name: Bridget Murphy

2) Where are ya from? Tucson, AZ

3) How long have you been in Nashville? Just a little over 4 years.

4) Do you have any children? (Fur and/or Human children) And if so, how many? Yes! 2... Archie and Lucille.

5) What did you want to be when you were growing up? An Actress, Pediatrician, Miss America, and a Florist.

6) What would you do if you won the lottery? I would first pass out. Then I would pay off my own debt and the debt of those close to me, buy a house in the Southern Hemisphere to ensure I never had to endure winter ever again, travel the world, start a dog rescue, shop, shop, shop, and continue to live my life with (hopefully!) much less stress!

7) What is the last book you read? Tie. An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin and Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.

8) What is your favorite word? Happy.

9) What is the most embarrassing CD in your collection? So many, probably anything by Celine Dion.

10)Who is your ultimate style icon? Also so many! I'll break it down into two categories:

1) Modern: Blake Lively, not really my own style but she always looks incredible!
2) Historical: Again!! Brigitte Bardot and Grace Kelly.

11) What is your favorite place in the world? Cuddled up with the fur children, and someone who always makes me smile!

12) What is your idea of perfect happiness: Feeling completely at ease with the world around me and everything in it's right place.

13) What is your all time, number one, most undeniably favorite quote?

"People should fall in love with their eyes closed. Just close your eyes. Don't look. And it's magic." Andy Warhol

I can't wait to see who's next!

Blushing Brides...

Last Sunday, January 9th, the team at salonNfuse had the wonderful opportunity to work with two local publications, her Nashville and Nfocus magazines, on their annual Bridal Brunch!

What a lovely group of people and a beautiful set up we had at the Vanderbilt Commodore Ballroom. This was a brunch that future brides could purchase a ticket to and in one magically convenient room all (well most) of their bridal needs could be met. There were vendors from the Party Bus people, to Flowered Hair Pieces and bakeries! Anything that could possibly be a part of a couples big day was present! During this lovely convention there is a bridal fashion show that goes on so all the excited brides can get a sneak peek into the seasons newest styles!

Two of Nashville's most popular wedding dress suppliers, Arzell's and Glitz, were presenting us with the season's hottest looks. And we had the lovely opportunity to provide the hair and makeup.

We had the most amazing set up with the most amount of space I have ever seen for a backstage, which is always an amazing bonus, and a wonderful group of real women to work with.

We got there early that morning to begin glamming up the 14 girls with the season's poppiest lip colors and most stunning swept back and romantic hairdos! Who says that just because you are a bride that you have to put all of your hair back? If you've got the locks then show 'em off!

And there is no need to keep your makeup simple and understated. After all, the classic wedding look is winged eyeliner and bright red lips, so why not take it to the next level and got for a bright fuchsia with a barely there eye? Or take that classic wedding dress and vamp it up (ever so slightly) with long, loose curls, smoky eyes, and barely there lips? The opportunities for a wedding look are endless! Just because you are a bride doesn't mean you are cornered into the "bridal" look. Have fun! This is your day! Just do something that makes you feel like the best possible version of you and you will always be sparkling!

And don't forget about the amazing bridal packages we offer at salonNfuse! Call us at (615)-649-0501 for more details!

What's In Your Makeup Bag?

So, from time to time I get really bored and find myself browsing the Internet for hours. Many, many hours. As I was browsing the other day I discovered a new feature over on style.com, a favorite of mine for all things fashion, and it's called Beauty Essentials. I see the word "essential" in a beauty blog and I immediately think "I MUST HAVE THIS!!!", but it gets better!

This is a feature showcasing what is inside the makeup bags of fashion's elite that keeps them looking fresh and healthy.

I die, as Rachel Zoe would say.

On top of amazing makeup finds (a lot of which I knew about...I have to give myself some props) there are also beauty tools, skin and hair care products. While there are many fantastic hair care lines in the world, I can't say that I have found one that tops Oribe. Funny how that is salonNfuse's new brand of choice, isn't it? And it's also funny that Amber Valletta and Dree Hemingway both cannot live without a little Oribe in their life.

Have you tried the Signature Moisture Mask yet? It's kind of like when you can feel that your skin is getting really flaky, and dry, and tight and you decide that you are going to risk being a sticky mess and slather yourself in a super thick body butter because you know the hydrated, glowy, touchable skin is totally worth the sticky-ness. That is how you will feel about your hair after using this mask. It is a totally luxurious pick me up and only takes 10 minutes!

And Dree Hemingway is a fan of the Shampoo and Conditioner for Brilliance and Shine. With a name like that how could you not be? The name also says it all. The clients I have that have tried this are absolutely in love! Who wouldn't want to wake up to brilliant, shiny hair everyday?

With all this being said, aside from trying Oribe, I want to know....what are some of your beauty essentials?

Here is the link to the style.com Beauty Essentials page:

http://www.style.com/beauty/beautyessentials/