Razor has USB charger; footwear wards off rain
So everything’s going gadget-y these days. So much so that even electric shavers are looking like iPhones.
The ShaveTech not only resembles a small iPhone, this sleek, travel-friendly razor can be charged via its built-in, pullout Universal Serial Bus, or USB, outlet. This allows the user to plug it into any laptop or USB car charger — “no more searching for the right adapter overseas or filling up outlets with endless cords,” according to the news release. A single charge will last for 30 minutes. Offered in black or white, the ShaveTech comes with a soft pouch for protection and a cleaning brush.
ShaveTech is billed as giving an “incredibly close” shave. Having received a sample, I turned it over to the person in my household who could definitely use a close shave: my husband, Dre. For him, the gizmo gives a decent shave, but not a perfect one.
According to instructions, the user should stretch the skin taut before shaving for best results. Dre did this, but some stubborn hairs evaded the blades, especially under the chin. And we share the concern of some online reviewers of the ShaveTech: Allowing the battery time to run down completely before recharg-
ing — per the ShaveTech’s instructions — could be an issue for time-pressed travelers. But the gadget’s handiness factor is unmistakable.
ShaveTech is $29.99 and is sold online at Shavetech.com and at select retailers in the United States and Canada.
ROCKIN’ THAT FOOTWEAR
With the abundance of wet weather here lately — sleet, snow, rain, repeat — just what will those April showers be like? No telling. But shoe brand Rockport stands ready to help its wearers weather any storm.
Rockport’s waterproof footwear offerings include boots and shoes — including men’s dress shoes — bearing Hydro-Shield technology, which its makers guarantee will keep the moisture out even in the most oppressive precipitation.
Among the waterproof styles are the men’s Ellingwood ($100), a leather, tapered-toe dress oxford that comes in oxblood or black. It’s equipped with waterproofing substances tanned into the leather and a special seam-sealant designed to help keep the foot dry. A sample of the shoe proves its sleek, elegant looks and immaculate workmanship; it’s easy to cringe at the thought of testing it out in wet weather. But my reviewer, who raved about the shoe’s look and comfort level, will be doing so soon. Look for a follow-up report in a future Dressing Room.
Meanwhile, Rockport also has released its spring 2015 line for women. Among the styles is the 7 to Seven High Color Block Pump ($150), offered in a pearlized dark azure suede, black or nude with snakeskin detailing. The shoe features a 3 3/4- inch heel made more comfortable with a hidden, half-inch, dual-density platform that bends with and cushions the feet. A NanoGlide lining helps reduce friction. There’s a rubber outsole to help provide a good grip on various surfaces. I tried the shoe; here again, the workmanship, detailing and comfort level are laudable.
Rockport is sold at Dillard’s and Belk stores as well
as Rockport.com.
STILL BLOSSOMING
It was in September that I first mentioned Cherry Blooms. This is the Brisbane, Australia-based product, founded by Jellaine Ross, that’s basically a set of eyelash extensions in a kit: A tube of transplanting mascara gel and a tube of dry nylon brush-on fibers work together to make lashes up to 300 percent longer and thicker without looking fake. They can be worn up to five days.
I recently obtained my own kit for use, and have been getting better at applying Cherry Blooms and making them look natural. If you’ve worn the highend NaturaLash or Xtreme eyelash extensions but can’t afford them right now, this kit will prove a consolation. Multiple applications elongate the lashes considerably. (Note: I’ve found that if I make mine too long, the tips will become bent as the day goes on.)
Cherry Blooms kits are about $69 and available through Karla Scott, “The Lash Queen,” at The Diamond Salon in Little Rock, (501) 612-9767; Tina Holt of Conway, an Arkansas distributor, at (501) 539-0386; or Kolorkouturecosmetics. com. An instructional video is available at Cherryblooms.com.
SHIRT UP STRAIGHT
We all know that slouching and hunching are bad for us, and that good posture gives us presence. The Paris-based UpCouture apparel is all about good posture. Offering items for women and men, UpCouture is said to be the world’s first patented anti-slouching, posture-promoting shirt line.
UpCouture’s signature shirt is the “Up T-Shirt.” Thanks to a patented active mechanism, extra-thin elastic film — built in between organic cotton layers within the shirt — pushes and maintains the shoulders in an upright position. The configuration of the elastic bands offers optimal pressure, which makes the T-shirt less comfortable to wear when slouching than when maintaining good posture. (The shirt doesn’t actually force the wearer’s posture into position, which would weaken the back muscles.)
The Up Shirt line is the brainchild of lawyer Neda Naef, CEO of UpCouture, who was concerned about the nonaesthetic appearance caused by her slouching. A fitness enthusiast, Naef theorized that if she had trouble maintaining good posture throughout the day, then a great number of other people probably have the same problem.
UpCouture’s anti-slouching Up Shirts are online and priced in euros, at UpCouture.com. Most shirts are $127 euros, which isn’t cheap; that’s about $142.
WOMEN IN BLACK
Break out your mother’s vintage black frock for Fashion Footprints: Celebrating the Little Black Dress. This event will take place from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the new studio of designer Linda Rowe Thomas, 310 Center St. in Little Rock. It’s one of the Fashion Footprints Spring Events, in collaboration with Oxford American magazine, Esse Purse Museum, Thomas and the Capital Hotel.
Guests are encouraged to wear their family-heirloom fashion garments and accessories and share personal stories behind them in front of a “confessional” camera. They’ll also be encouraged to share stories via video at the April event, whose details are to be announced. Clips from those videos will be shown at the final Fashion Footprints event in May.
Tickets to Thursday’s event are $25 and are available at eventbrite.com.