Molly Bloom knows style

Confession time. I bought a Ramones shirt from Delia’s. This could be the least punk thing of all time. So it goes.

The last Ramones shirt I owned was in high school and that was swiped by my teenage boyfriend. I tried to buy a Ramones shirt off eBay and got screwed. Unless I steal one or print it myself, there is no punk way to acquire such a shirt.

I’ve been thinking about getting a new Ramones shirt for a while (such a tough decision, I know). I ended up buying one from a cheesy teenybopper store that makes looking cool a hell of a lot easier than when I was fifteen. When I was fifteen I was pen pals with a copyeditor at Sassy magazine. He sent me a Polaroid of the Ramones he’d taken at a record signing and told me to keep on rockin’. So I am.

You know what I’m excited about? Yellow. Bright yellow-yellow. And maybe also grass green.

I bought Hollywood Fashion Tape on impulse. It was in a little display at the cash register of a boutique and I was curious about what I could do with it.

This stuff is life-changing. It’s double-sided tape that you can use on fabrics or skin. I use it most often to keep blouses from gaping between buttons. I also use it to keep the collar of a shirt dress laying just so. I keep a few strips in my bag in case of fashion emergencies — it’s great for sagging hems, lost buttons and other emergencies.

Last summer I forgot to pack the correct undergarments for the dress that I was wearing to a wedding. A bit of this tape kept my brassiere from showing (and I think you have figured out by know how much I loathe a visible bra strap).

I’ve tried using regular double-stick tape and it doesn’t hold fabric well or stick to skin. I usually cut the strips in half to fit between buttons, so I’m really getting 72 strips instead of 36. The same company also makes a Red Carpet Assortment, which are different shapes of the double-sided tape.

If you’re a sweaty glistening girl, you may want to check out Behind The Seams.

Never underestimate the power of a red velvet ribbon. Experiment with different widths of ribbon and shades of red, tie the knot in the front or back, mix it up. It’s easy to make a choker, a headband, a bracelet, a belt. My favorite: a classic hot-rolled high ponytail with a short bow. Festive!

This trick also works with black velvet, satin ribbons, whatever. Tie yourself up.

At a party last weekend there was a woman wearing a lovely silk high-collared dress. It was gorgeous, a perfect winter white. Unfortunately it was marred at the neckline by makeup streaks. I can understand why she put on her makeup before putting on the dress. White clothes are an invitation to spillage. Even loose powder can sprinkle down stains. But her face rubbed against the garment and the makeup stayed with it.

Tip: Attach a Kleenex to your hairline using a few bobby pins, then slip into your clothes. Ta-da! No flesh-tone streaks. And always apply lipstick once your clothes are on to make sure the shade works with what you’re wearing.

When I moved to the Bay, the song “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)” was playing as the car entered the airport lot. Eerie, no?

Regardless of your location, pinning a few flowers in your hair is always stylish. Adding a floral touch works with any ‘do, long or short, frizzy or straight. If you’re going the fresh route, orchids are easy to work with and will last through the night. They’re quite easy to install and only require a hair pin. Be sure to leave a little less than an inch of the stem on the flower so the bobby pin will catch.

Normally I don’t approve of fake flowers, but they make great hair clips. I have a red silk peony clip that is perfect with red lipstick and a black halter or dress. One advantage to using a faux flower (or fruit!) is that they last longer and are at the ready, no pinning required.

When you go floral, less is more. Tone down the jewelry, especially around the face. Clothes should be simple and sophisticated, never fussy. A flower can dress up casual wear or add a romantic elegance to the little black dress. If you’re having a night on the town, bring a fresh flower along for your date to wear as a boutonniere or corsage.

Past the age of 10, everyone needs a real wallet. Losing your loose ID and ATM cards is annoying and laying a wad of cash on the counter is so not chic. But supporting independent artists is tres chic.

Poketo wallets feature work by an array of international artists. There are different series of wallets, loosely based on a theme. The designs are exclusive to Poketo and the wallets function as a promo piece with artist info inside the wallet. I dig all the wallets but right now I feel a kinship to the images designed by Stella Im Hultberg.

People constantly comment on my wallet and my husband gets even more compliments on his. The wallets are sold online, at art shows and at select stores. They make great gifts. Poketo: art for your everyday!