Rate My Look- New BR Skirt

Remember my confession last weekend about the shopping spree I went on? Well, in addition to some Ann Taylor blouses, and a new Coach handbag, I also scored the fabulous skirt in this outfit:

It's a wrap skirt from Banana Republic that I scored for about $15! I wore it to work this week and I was comfortable for a full day of bridal-alterations-mania! I love the print, the length, the pockets- pretty much everything about it. And of course, the price can't be beat. I also got a lovely printed silk blouse at the same outlet, but haven't used it in an outfit yet. I'm sure I will soon, though.

As for this outfit, some of my co-workers commented on the lack of color. Of course, the bag is a nice pop of bright blue, but I didn't exactly carry it around all day at work. Without the bag, it's a very neutral outfit, but  I think it's good to shake things up and do something unexpected every now and then. The shoes pictured are pretty much my favorite work shoes for the summer. The neutral color makes them ideal for just about any outfit and the wedge adds just enough height that I'm not in flats. Have you figured out yet that flats are not my favorite? I've also got a favorite ring- my new seashell ring. It is certainly eye-catching and a great conversation piece. I think I've worn it nearly every day since I bought it. 

What's your favorite new summer piece that you simply can't stop wearing? Obviously, for me it's the seashell ring, but I want to hear what you're wearing this summer! Leave a comment and tell me all about it! 

Beauty Product Review: Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer

I don't know about you, but no matter what the season- whether it's the most humid part of July or the driest day in January, I struggle to keep my lips moisturized. Softlips lip balms were always my favorite in terms of moisturizing, while I always favored other products like the L'Oreal Infallible line or Buxom lips for color. While Softlips are great for moisturizing alone, they don't provide color at all, at least not the products that do the best job moisturizing. And while I love the lip colors in my make-up bag, sometimes I just want a touch of sheer color  as opposed to a really saturated look. I had resigned myself to a life of dissatisfaction in lip products until I discovered the ideal product had been right under my nose for year. Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer is a product I see pretty much everywhere I go, but I always thought of that brand as being utilitarian and not exactly a "beauty" product. I'd only ever known crunchy, granola types to use that brand with any regularity, so I hadn't really associated it with a beauty regime. Narrow minded, I know. Go ahead and judge me, after all, I judged the granolas.

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Fig, $5

One thing I love about Softlips and Buxom is that your lips get that tingle-y feeling when you apply the product. Not everyone loves that feeling, but for me, it's the mark of a great product. I absolutely love the tingle and without it, I'm never quite satisfied with a lip product. I'm sure it's partly psychological, but the fact remains that the products that actually made my lips soft were the ones that started with a tingle. When I saw that Burt's has peppermint as one of the (100% natural) ingredients, I thought I might have found a new favorite. (All too often, that tingle-y feeling comes from alcohol, which dries your lips out.) When I saw the range of colors available, I knew I'd found a product I'd be using for years to come. "Fig" is my favorite color because it's a touch darker than my natural lip color without being overpowering. I don't look too "done up" when I'm wearing it, but I also look presentable and polished. 

So if you're looking for an inexpensive, all-natural, moisturizing lip color, Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer is where it's at. And despite my narrow-minded opinion from years ago, I now know it really is a true beauty product.  

Stella and Dot- New Fall Collection

I am drooling over SO many of the new items in the Stella and Dot Fall 2011 Collection! And fortunately, quite a few of them are whizzing on over to me as I type this very post.

My favorite, though, is this statement necklace called "Marchesa:"

Marchesa Necklace, $178

I also had trouble resisting the new chantilly-lace-inspired cuff and earrings: 

Chantilly Lace Cuff, $98 and Chandelier Earrings, $49

If you have not yet booked a trunk show with me, I suggest doing so soon, since after the reveal of the new collection, I suspect lots of people wanting to book trunk shows right away! Email me if you are interested and don't forget- the hostess receives 25% of the trunk show sales in FREE jewelry! 

How to Successfully Shop at Yard Sales

We're heading towards the middle of summer and that means one thing: yard sales. If you've never experienced the joy of purchasing something fabulous at a bargain price, you just haven't lived. And with the economy the way it is these days, we're all trying to save a buck or two. I've scored some really amazing pieces out yard sale-ing and you can too, if you're willing to put in the time one or two Saturday mornings this summer. Here are some tips for successful yard sale shopping:

1.) Find yard sales in wealthier neighborhoods- even if it means driving 20 or 30 minutes out of your way. Often a trip out to another town will prove far more successful than sticking to your own neighborhood. Plus, it would be awkward to drive by your neighbor wearing the baseball hat you bought from them. Especially after talking them down from 50 cents to a quarter for it. But seriously, find a nice, upscale neighborhood and you'll be amazed at what you'll find- from home decor to designer shoes, even furniture and small kitchen appliances- keep an open mind and travel with lots of cash.

2.) Avoid yard sales with re-usable signs. I once heard this tip and it's proven to be true- if someone makes a yard sale sign out of poster board, they're probably only having a yard sale for one weekend and their goal is some spring cleaning. If they make it out of plywood, they are likely professional yard sale hosts. In other words, they're doing to make money as opposed to getting rid of their clutter. The prices and haggling will differ greatly from the amateur to professional yard sales. And you can bet that plywood sign is out just about every weekend.

3.) Stick to accessories- I rarely shop for clothing when I'm at yard sales, mostly because I will never buy something without trying it on. And there aren't exactly a lot of yard sales with private fitting rooms and mirrors. Instead, keep an eye out for shoes, jewelry, handbags, scarves, etc. If you can find several small items at one yard sale, you can often haggle more on the price, too. Let's say you find a pair of shoes, two handbags and three pieces of jewelry- offer one price for the lot rather than asking for individual prices on each. You can save yourself a lot of money that way. It's rare that the yard sale host won't go for it- after all, they're getting rid of a bunch of stuff all in one shot, so they're motivated to give you a good package price.

4.) Be an early bird. Get out the door early and arrive at the big yard sales before they've even technically started. Most people advertise a yard sale to start at 8 or 9 AM. Show up an hour early and you'll have your pick of all the best stuff.

5.) Sleep in late. Arrive at the yard sales towards the end of the day. Most people wrap up their sales between 2 and 4 PM. Show up an hour before it's over and you can get much better prices. By the end of the day, the host is tired and willing to drop prices on the things that have been picked over all day.

6.) Host your own yard sale first. Use the nice weather and yard sale season to purge your own closet of the things you haven't used recently. Then, when you come home from shopping at yard sales, you'll have closet space for all your bargain finds!

Leave a comment if you have your own yard sale-ing tips! I'd love to hear them!

Help Me Out: What Is It With This Dress?

Seriously, every time I wear this dress, people LOVE it. (Click here, here and here to see it styled a little differently.) I'm not trying to brag or anything, it's just that I never expected it to be the one that makes people go ape. Seriously. Do you want to know how much people love this dress? Every time I wear it -and I mean every time- strangers on the street stop me to tell me how great it is. I made this dress over a year ago and when I bought the fabric, I knew I'd found a great print, but I had no idea how great. But is that it? Is it the print that is so great? Because I'll be honest- the shape is exactly the same as a lot of other dresses I've made, so it has to be something else that people are drawn to. Maybe it's the ribbon embellishments I've added to the shoulder and waist? I think people are strangely drawn to them, however I've always thought of them as being a little odd. When I added them to the dress, it was partly out of boredom (I needed to try something new) and party just to be a little quirky. I was really into embellished clothes at the time. Is it the color combination of grey, black and orange? It's a great color combo, no doubt, especially since it combines black and orange and yet is not at all Halloween-y. Right?

So, do me a favor and be honest- leave a comment and tell me what you think is the magic of this dress? Is it the print, the color combination, the embellishments, the shape, or everything together.Please let me know so that I can maybe make another dress or two that really makes people go crazy. Because I'll be honest- there's not much better for the ego than to be constantly stopped and told how fabulous you look. And of course it doesn't hurt my ego knowing I made the thing everyone thinks is so fabulous.

Rate My Look- Shopping Spree Stuff

First I want to congratulate "Anonymous" for correctly guessing which handbag I bought over the weekend. I opted for the smaller of the two and I'm very happy. The price I paid? Well, let's start by talking about the original sticker price- $348. It was marked down to $269.99 and then with a 50% discount followed by a 30% discount the final price was (drum roll, please).... $94.50!!!

And here I am sporting not only my new handbag, but one of the 5 new tops I bought as well. This one happens to be from Ann Taylor LOFT (as is the skirt):

Skirt and Top: Ann Taylor LOFT

Bag: Coach

Shoes: Payless
Necklace: Stella and Dot

Ring: Some little shop on Nantucket... 

I loved this top so much when I saw it in the shop, I actually bought it not only in this fun summer-y print, but I also got it in three other solid colors- peach, white and brown. I've already worn the peach one and I'm certain I'm going to get a lot of wear out of all four of them. I realized the other day that while I have a lot of great skirts, I don't have that many great tops. When I decided to stop at the outlets on Sunday, I had that goal in mind- to find great tops. I'm happy to say I was so successful. In addition to these tops from Ann Taylor, I also scored a fabulous printed silk top from Banana Republic. Maybe I'll post a photo of that one soon! 

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday, everyone! 

Shoesday Tuesday- Wedding Shoe Shopping

For some reason, I'm surrounded by brides- and I'm not referring to work. I have a whole mess of friends who are engaged and getting married soon. It's funny how these things happen in groups. Anyway, I'm getting together with at least one of these brides this week to shop for shoes for her wedding. I love shoe shopping 100% of the time. And wedding shoe shopping? Even better. We're going to hit Nordstrom as their shoe department is pretty stellar. I've done a little pre-shopping online and here are some beauties I've found:

Ivanka Trump "Dermani" Sandal, $129.95

I can see this shoe on a bride who has selected a slinky, sexy gown and wants shoes that are equivalent in their sex appeal. 

BP Platinum "Medina" Sandal, $69.95

This shoe is ideal for the modern bride who wants a little bit of funk, but still wants to feel "bridal." The color says, "I'm a wedding shoe." Everything else about it says, "I'm a super fabulous shoe." 

Badgley Mischka "Lyndee" Sandal, $215

Planning a beach wedding, but still want height? A wedge is the way to go and these Badgley Mischkas are wedges done right. The floaty, floral detail at the toe is just a bonus. 

Bourne "Josephine" Pump, $245

For the traditional bride who wants just a touch of sparkle, these peep toe pumps are perfectly classic. They work with everything from a ball gown to a retro-sheath and just about everything in between. 

Of course, not everyone goes for the traditional ivory or white shoe to match the color of the dress. There are many other contrasting choices the modern bride can make to show a touch of her personality and style. 

Enzo Angiolini "Smiles" Platform Pump, $94.95

Can't you see these on the most dazzling of "dancin' queens?" I can! 

Martinez Valero "Zoie" Pump, $63.90

What better way to incorporate your "something blue" than with a fabulous pair of shoes. And don't these remind you of the pair Carrie wore when she married Big? I thought so... 

Dolce & Gabbana Lace Bow Platform Pump, $695

Of course, blue isn't the only color brides may choose to wear. Whether you want to match the color of your bridesmaids' dresses, or just have a fun pop of color peeking out from under your gown, this modern choice will set you apart dramatically from the more traditional bridal shoe choices. 

I honestly have no idea what types of shoes my bride friends are thinking of wearing, but I can guarantee we'll have fun shopping for the perfect pair! 

Leave a comment to tell me what you think of bridal shoes in general, or these choices above, or anything else that comes to mind. And if you want to tweet, like we do every week, don't forget the hashtag #ShoesdayTuesday