Event Alert: BagTrends Green Arm Candy Party

What: An event focusing on the most fabulous among eco-conscious handbag designers, as well as "in the bag" essentials like makeup, stationery and small goods.

The event, hosted by BagTrends, will also feature the official NYC launch of EcoStiletto.com. (Yay! Finally!)

Attend this event to enjoy:
- complimentary drinks from a stylish, new liquor company
- Gift Bags* full of in the bag essentials, discounts, books, and more
- A spa/wellness center for guests to indulge in
- Exclusive discounts from your favorite brands and the chance to preview new lines

You may decide to go for the shopping, but will likely decide to stay also for the relaxing hand and shoulder massages, and also for the chance to meet the designers, receive special discounts and enter handbag giveaways!

Where: Union Square ballroom, 27 Union Square West, NYC

When: Monday, April 13th, 6 pm-9 pm

RSVP to RSVP2@BagTrends.com



*actual gift bag is reusable, compostable, fair trade, bag-a-liciously donated by GiveaGreenBag.com and Nepalesepaper.com

Insider Shopping, March 2009

I seem to be running late on things these days... but as we say in Italy, better late than never! So here are this month's offers:



Friends & Family event at Prescriptives: through March 21, get 30% off your order and free shipping, with coupon code FRIEND9.

For the entire month of March, you can enjoy lots of beauty products up to 75% off at the Sephora sale. And you can also get free shipping with any order of $35 or more with coupon code SHIP35. If, however, the contents of your shopping cart amount to $50 or more, you are already entitled to free shipping, so use coupon code GONATURAL to get 8 natural product samples, in addition to the 3 you already get with each order.

Jane Iredale makeup is without a doubt the best, as far as natural makeup goes. They have gorgeous colors and very good quality. It may not be cheap, but your skin will thank you (and if you are used to shopping at Sephora or Nordstrom, you probably don't spend much less). Through march 23, you have your chance of stocking up on some basics from Jane Iredale and get a fabulous gift with purchase: enter code JIDTBT at checkout and get a free Twice Blushed 2 (a $48 value) with your purchase of $125 or more!

Have you entered the Banana Republic + Benefit sweepstakes yet? they have fabulous prizes! And if you decide to shop while you are there, use coupon code HOTCORAL to get 20% off your order of $50 or more, through March 19.

Know someone who is getting married? For the entire month of March, they (or you, really) can use coupon code BIGDAY to get free shipping and a free eye mask sample on orders of $75 and above. Or forego the coupon code, and get a free blood orange and white pepper body butter with your order of $75 or more.

Shopbop is one of my favorite online boutiques: you can always find interesting and super-trendy items there. Enjoy an extra 20% off sale merchandise already discounted at 70%, with coupon code 20OFF70. Offer is only good until Thursday, March 19, so hurry!

Victoria's Secret always has some coupon codes for us to use. I love having an excuse to get myself something pretty! Here's the latest: use coupon code PNKPTY to get a free lace undie with any purchase from the VS Pink line. And if you are shopping a lot, add code XTRASAVE to get $20 off a $125 order, and $50 off a $200 order – maybe ask a friend to make an order together, so you can put this to good use.

Amazon is having a sale on new spring arrivals! Choose among lots of items of apparel, shoes and accessories, 30% off. And when you spend $25 or more on apparel or shoes, you get a free subscription to Lucky magazine or Details. Add to that the fact that many merchants ship for free with orders $25 and above, and you might find yourself saying "Why not?".

I don't know about you, but I'm of the viewpoint that we can always use a new bag. Check out the selection of affordable bags at Baghaus and get $15 off your order of $75 or more with coupon code GREEN15, through March 22.

Need a new pair of shoes for summer? Head to Shoes.com and get 22% off your order with coupon code LUCKY22. Offer valid until Friday, March 20. And if you get there too late, no worries: you can still use MSAVE to get 20% off your order, until the end of March.

Starting Thursday 19, Bare Necessities will be having a 4-day sale, where everything will be at least 20% off. Plus, you get an extra 30% off already discounted items.

Spring is a great time to shop for clotheing for next fall, too. Dillards is having a clearance sale on women's clothing, shoes and accessories, with items reduced up to 70%.

Luna Boston is my absolute favorite place to shop for handbags and other great accessories. They are really nice and friends, they package everything with care and you get free same-day shipping with all orders above $100, plus free returns! So imagine my excitement when I found this code on the April issue of Lucky magazine: through May 3, you can get 25% off your purchase from Luna Boston with code LUCKYBREAKS12! Now... what to pick?

Hmmm... brownies. Fairytale Brownies is having a 40% sale on their fabulous Brownie boxes! Free shipping too. There, you have your excuse: it's too good to pass up.

Remember the episode of Friends where Rachel gets a little carried away and buys an entire room from Pottery Barn and reproduces it in her apartament as it was in the catalog? Man, I LOVE when Pottery Barn has sales. There are a few cool offers now, like the Bedroom Sale, and for your tots, Pastel Critter Chairs for $99 (instead of $129), the gorgeous Palace Hotel (still expensive, but it would make a fantastic gift for a little girl!) and some of the furniture for its rooms, among other things. But my favorite? The Penelope Love Seat from PBTeens. man, I want one!


What about you? What temps you most of these offers?

Craving: a gorgeous laptop bag!

Having a laptop is great for many reasons. You don't need to kick out anyone from the pc, you can just grab your laptop. You can blog and surf for hours without getting "chair butt", because you can sit comfortable on the sofa – put your feet up, even. And if you suffer from insomnia, you can browse in the middle of the night from whatever room is the farthest from everyone's bedrooms, so you don't wake anyone up. Last but not least, laptops are portable. Which give you an excuse to buy a new accessory: a laptop bag!

Unfortunately, despite much (much, much) browsing and searching, I don't seem to find a laptop bag I like. Not one under $100 at least. Sure, I found the Kate Spade Calista, Hayden Harnett's Catalina, the Nika by Francesco Biasia (my favorite!) and the J'Tote laptop bags (thank you, GeekSugar!) but honestly, if I'm going to spend $200 or more on a bag, it's most definitely not going to be a laptop bag! It would have to be a handbag, something I can use with or without my laptop.

I have been looking, on and off, but haven't settled on anything yet – my laptop still doesn't have a lovely bag to call home, so it has never left the house.

But now that I'm planning to go to Blogher, I'm thinking I should probably get a laptop bag. But since I don't want to be schlepping several bags in the July heat, I'm thinking a lovely tote, large enough to accomodate my laptop as well as my handbag essentials (phone, wallet, necessaire, sunglasses, iPod) is probably the best way to go. Which is when the search for a laptop bag became a small obsession, because it became a handbag search. And that, my friend, is a whole other ball (bag?) game. So I spent several hours on the web, as I often do when I set out on these virtual expeditions, to find the perfect handbag/laptop bag. The requirements:
- must not cost more than $300 (it's a handbag, so it gets a bit more string)
- must be large enough to accomodate my laptop (when it's inside a sleeve)
- must also leave space for my handbag essentials
- must have straps long enough to be worn on my shoulder
- and of course, must look lovely.

My favorite findings:

1. L.A.M.B. Signature Williamsfield Tote, (pictured in Marigold print): coated canvas, with leather trim/accents and gold tone hardware. This tote is the perfect size. It's not huge and cumbersome, but it's large enough for your everyday essentials plus a couple of books and a bottle of water... or a laptop! The Marigold print is great for spring and summer, but I also like the Masala print, which is more versatile year-round. The tote retails for $295 and it's available (in three prints) at many online retailer as well as Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks, and so on – but it's now on sale (Masala print only) at Luna Boston for $235.

2. Lucky Brand Starbust Runaway shoulder bag: canvas, with cotton lining and suede detailing. It's such a cute bag for spring and summer! And a perfect bag for traveling, because it's spacious and has a wide shoulder strap. You can find it at Piperlime, for $138.

3. Steven by Steve Madden Summer Vertical Tote: leather, with cotton lining. Lots of pockets and the silver-tone hardware give it a bit of an edge, like most pieces by Steve Madden. It retails for $298, but right now it's on sale for $187 at Macy's, where it's available in Yellow, Mauve and Black.

4. Antonio Melani Michael Clutch: fabric with orange leather accents. This one is really cute, it can be carried as a double-handle tote or folded, the handles held by a leather strap with a cute goldtone hardware accent, and carried as a clutch. (This would make a nice gift for for my mom, who has a short attention span with handbags.) It's sold at Dillard's for $159.

5. Foley+Corinna Summer Fun Tote (pictured in black): canvas and patent leather. I almost didn't include this one, because it retails for $395, which is out of the price range I had set. But it's a really great summer tote, so I decided to google it and I was able to find it on sale for $276.50 at Pink Mascara, where it's available in white/black and grey/silver. I also found it on sale at Luna Boston for $135! And I love that they also have it with red patent leather accents.

6. Nine West Justine Convertible Tote: synthetic leather, with contrast fabric accents. This is a more affordable option. I found it on Piperlime, where it's sold for $89, but after a quick search I found it on eBags for just over $71 – and there are more colors available too: Geo Mandarin (above), Powder Lemon (yellow), Garden Ice (white), Garden Denim (a sort of aviator blue) and Black.

I realize that you, like me, probably don't dish out $100+ for a summer bag very often, however these bags are very versatile, and you have to admit these are pretty good deals, considering they are all quality brands. If you want to save even more, don't forget to go through eBates every time you shop, and you will get a percentage back. 3% seems like nothing, but if you shop online a lot, it adds up. Also check websites like RetailMeNot and CouponCabin before you shop at a specific store, you might find a discount coupon, or one for free shipping or a a gift-with-purchase.

For my part, I promise I'll try to find some discount coupons for the stores where these bags are sold and include them in this month's Insider Shopping, so you can get your favorite one and save as much as possible!

Is there a Shopaholic in your future?

Two week ago I went with a friend to see Confessions of a Shopaholic. I read all the books in the series, and while I can't always relate to Becky, I certainly find her funny. And Isla Fisher was the perfect choice, she portrayed the character beautifully.

You probably have already seen the trailer, but if you haven't, here it is:



I enjoyed the movie, it was definitely a "girls night out" type of movie, for a relaxed evening and some fun with friends. But even more than the books, it left me wondering: are we celebrating shopaholics? I don't mean it as a critic to the movie, but when you think about it, Rebecca isn't the only popular character who got herself in financial trouble because of her shopping expenses. Carrie Bradshaw did, too. SATC aficionados will remember when she realized that she couldn't afford to buy her apartment but she had over $40,000 worth of shoes in her closet. And that was without counting the clothes and other accessories.My daughters obviously don't watch SATC, and my shopping habits are nowhere near Rebecca's or Carrie's or any other one of those gals – but Stella already has a passion for shoes, makeup and jewelry, and I do wonder what it will be like to shop with them when they grow up. Will they be all about the "magic cards" like the child version of Rebecca in the preview?

I was just talking about this with another friend who also has two girls, and she had the same concerns. Sure, it's probably too early for me to worry about it, but in a few years Sarah will be a teenager and then she'll have to start managing her pocket money and any money she gets as part of birthday presents, etc. Perhaps I should start teaching her now about saving money and so on – although I am not entirely sure I'm the best person for that, to be honest. I don't even trust myself with a credit card, I only have a debit card for my own shopping: much safer, once the money is gone it's gone, can't go below zero ;-)

I think probably that'll be the best way to go for Sarah too, especially if it's something I have some control over, like the Current debit card by Discover, where parents can set spending limits and restrict the categories the card can be used to shop from. Something like that would make me feel a bit better, sort of like a child safety on a pc: you set the parameters, and then you can give your child a reasonable amount of freedom to use the pc, or in this case their card, with their own money.

I do realize that like everything, we'll have to let go of any control on this too, when our kids grow up – but it's nice to know there's smarter ways to draw that fine line between freedom and lack of control. 'cause I don't know about you, but I prefer my purchases without a side of guilt.

Insider Shopping, February 2009

Ah yes – Insider Shopping is late this month. I apologize! I hope the shopping deals below make up for it a little bit ;-)


Receive FREE Standard Shipping on any $50 Clinique order, with code COMFORT09. Or use code FEBHM to receive a FREE trial-size High Impact Mascara and FREE Shipping with any $35 purchase.

Receive a free full-size Love Handler ($36 value) with any Bliss purchase, including the sets, where you already save 10%.

Need to get a gift that won't break the bank? Or maybe you just need a little pick-me-up for yourself? Check out the Tarte EcoEyes set. It comes in a nice purple cosmetic pouch and contains all of Tarte's eco-friendly essentials for great eye makeup. A $109 value, it's available at Sephora for a limited time for $39.

And if you want to get a nice present for a real girly-girl, snag something from the Limited Edition Juicy Couture for Sephora collection, now up to 75% off.



I told you about Tobi before – I really love this online store! Online help from a stylist, gorgeous designs from DVF, Botkier, Missoni and others, a section dedicated exclusively to eco-friendly fashion.... what's not to love? Especially with an additional 25 percent off sale items! Enter the code 25MORE at checkout.
And if you are ready to start indulging in some Spring shopping, today is the last day to get 20% off the new spring arrivals, with coupon code SPRING20.

Love the new sample sale websites? Check out Hautelook. This invite-only platform offers discounts on premium brands like Balenciaga and Christian Lacroix. Use promo code INSTYLE09 from February 13th until March 31st to receive 20% off purchases of $100 or more.

Do your New Year's resolutions include "get in shape"? Motivate yourself by getting one of the new bathing suits from the new Victoria's Secret lines and get a free tote with your purchase, with code SWIMVS. And if you shop by February 28, you can take $10 of your order with coupon code 10FORYOU (don't you love that VS lets you input up to 3 coupon codes?)

And speaking about getting in shape... Need new workout clothes? No? Want some anyway? Enjoy 20% off all purchases on fila.com and use promo code FILAINSTYLE from February 13th until March 31st to receive 20% off all purchases.

Valentine's Day has passed, but there's still time to share the love. Through Feb. 23, buy a pair of jeans for yourself at Joe's Jeans and get a pair for your sweetheart at 50 percent off when you enter JOELOVESME at checkout. Additional purchases will receive 25 percent off.

Yoox, the place to get designer apparel and accessories at a discount year-round, has marked down it's Fall-Winter catalog, so you can now indulge guilt-free by scoring items up to Extra 70% off.




If you are anything like me, Valentine's Day is definitely not the only time of year when you like to enjoy gourmet chocolate. Check out Lula's Chocolates and enjoy a discount for orders over $40: enter code CHATTER10 for 10% off. And for orders over $80, enter code CHATTER15 for 15% off.

A trip is a surefire way to fish the winter blues, but we are in a recession. No problem: take advantage of Travelocity's Silver Lining Sale and save up to 50% on hotels when you book a vacation package. Hawaii for $67 a night? I'll pack my bathing suit!

And with with JetBlue's March Into Spring Sale, you can book your flight as low as $39 each way. The deals end Friday, so book now for travel before April 1.

It may be still chilly out, but we are getting ready for Spring. Time to declutter and organize your closet to make space for the new Spring/Summer collections! The Container Store's sale coulnd't come at a better time: save 20% off sitewide, with code CLUTTERCREW through March 1.


That's it for now - happy shopping!

Event alert: Shecky's Girls Night Out, Spring -Summer '09

What: Shopping, browsing emerging designers (up to 75% off), free drinks, games, complementary beauty treatments, ogling cute bartenders (isn't that one of the fun things to go on a Girl's Night Out?)

Where: Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, Houston, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., Miami, Atalanta, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas.

When: The first one, in Philadeplhia, will take place on February 24th-26th. You can see all the dates here.

My "local" GNO, in New York, is scheduled for Wednesday-Saturday, March 11th-14th, 2009, 5pm-10pm

Place (NYC): la.venue & Terminal Stores
608 W. 28th St. (11th & 12th Aves.)

Price of ticket: general admission is FREE (!!) for Shecky's insiders (i.e. subscribers to Shecky's newsletter), $30 if you want to get Shecky's Deluxe goodie bag.

More info here.

See my review of last Summer edition here.

I'm a Shecky's Insider, and since I'm adopting a carpe diem policy from now until I leave, I might just pop in to check out the merchandise and enjoy few cocktails. Are you coming along?

Countdown to V-Day: subtle hints for your guy (or not so subtle)

With less than two weeks to go to Valentine's Day, it's probably a good idea to give the man (or men, if single and juggling ;-)) in your life some idea of what you'd like and what you expect. Poor guys, most of them already have trouble getting us a present for our birthday and at Christmas/Hanukkah, so Valentine's Day and anniversaries just add pressure.

Lift the pressure by gently suggesting some ideas - or casually leave this webpage open on your pc right as he's walking through the door.

1. Flowers: that's a no-brainer, right? Gotta have flowers on Valentine's Day. Buy us a nice enough bouquet and we might just forgive you for not offering to help with the dishes.

2. Chocolate: very nice addition to flowers, and the two together will be enough for many women (me included). Of course at Valentine's Day there are tons of heart-shapes boxes and such, but don't just reach for the box of chocolate you see: if chocolate and flowers are the gift, get the good stuff.

3. Jewelry: it is often said that if a man wants to get lucky, then jewelry is the go-to gift. I can't promise it'll work (and it definitely won't if that's the only reason you's buying jewelry - you know, karma), but I'm pretty sure it'll be appreciated. I like Wendy Culpepper and Fragments, because their pieces are classics, with a twist - and they have a wide range of prices to fit every budget.

4. Accessories: What girl wouldn't like to open a box and find a gorgeous pair of heels in her size? A pair of designer shoes might be a long shot, but how about something a man perhaps finds more useful (never use the word "practical" when talking about clothes/accessories, unless you mean "ugly" and are trying to be diplomatic), like a gorgeous pair of cashmere gloves or lovely silk scarf?

Another option: combine 2. and 4. with these gorgeous chocolate shoes from Gayle's Chocolates:


5. Lingerie: another popular gift for Valentine's Day, for obvious reasons. If that's what you want to gift your gal, then go for it, but make sure it's something classy (if it's something that might be featured in an adult movie, then it's a NO), possibly silk. And only get this if you know the correct size. You might be surprised to know that many women aren't very truthful about their real size ;-)

6. Pampering: a romantic, relaxing, spa weekend is a great Valentine Day's gift. But if that isn't doable, a gift card for a mani-pedi, a couple's massage or a beauty package at a day spa are great too. And so are the luscious, spa-quality sets available nowadays: they smell great and the products are a real treat, and allow you to bring the spa home. My favorite? The sets from Origins. Always a treat.

So... I hope this helps. And remember, if all else fails, flowers and chocolate are always good. Especially accompanied by a lovely dinner... one that she didn't make herself :-)

Shopping event alert: Barney's Warehouse Sale

What: Designer clothing, accessories, shoes and handbags from current and previous seasons, up to 75% off.

When & Where:
Los Angeles:
February 5th-16th
Barker Hangar, Santa Monica Air Center
3021 Airport Avenue

New York:
February 12th-March 1st
255 West 17th Street
(between 7th and 8th Avenue)



I find live sample sales and warehouse sales a little scary, but this one might just be worth it.

Sharing the fabulous: Interview with Jean Vouté Pratt, of Style Observer

I'm like a shy guy: pretty girls make me nervous. Maybe because often they will look you up and down (what Becky Bloomwood refers to as the "Manhattan once-over") and on a low-self-esteem day, it's all I can do not to hit the ground running. Jean Vouté Pratt, the fabulous woman behind the popular fashion blog Style Observer, is nothing like that. She is as nice and friendly as she is gorgeous – translation: very.

I had the chance to meet Jean and her lovely husband for coffee, and when I asked her if I could interview her for my blog, she gracefully accepted. (My reply? A very professional "Yay!") If you know and love Style Observer (and why wouldn't you?) you'll love this, so get reading!

Hi Jean!

I'm really excited to have you on my blog, so before I start babbling, let's get right down to it:

Mother of two, happily married, but also business woman and renown fashion expert. You are an inspiration! How do you do it all?

Since I work from home now, it's easier to manage my time. I can work into the night if I have to. I make it clear to myself and anyone else that my boys come FIRST. So, I work around their needs – which sometimes means I'm up until 2 A.M.



I have been a fan of Style Observer since I first found it, last year. You never seem to miss a beat! Like the recent "Splurge vs. Steal" post, a really fitting topic in the current economic climate. These days people are more careful what they spend their money on. What do you think are the things one should splurge on, and get the best available? Is it the shoes? Handbags? The perfect pair of jeans? Special occasion clothing?

Everyone is feeling it [recession] right now! So, we're all looking to save money. I don't think many people are splurging on big items right now. If you want to invest in items right now, it should be the classics: handbags, shoes, trench coat... pieces that you will use for years.


I love the most recent posts where you show how to dress for your body shape! We all want to highlight our best features and... well, hide our flaws a bit :-) I have enjoyed the "universal" tips a lot too, like when you showed us how the perfect pair of black pants can get you out of a "what to wear?" conundrum. Are there other "key" pieces you think every woman should own?

Absolutely! Every woman should own: a crisp white shirt, a pair of black pumps, a black skirt, a festive top - in a color that suits them, a pair of well constructed jeans, a great white tee, a trench coat, a pair of brown boots, a tote bag, and a clutch. These are your "go to" pieces that will never let you down.


I noticed you included pieces from the Anya Hindmarch for Target line in some of your posts. What do you think of the partnerships between designers and popular store chains? Target's Go Designers, Vera Wang for Kohls and so on. Do you own any items from these collections?

Yes, I have an Anya Hindmarch shoulder bag and clutch form Target. I love when designers partner-up. I want their designs at reasonable prices, just like the next girl. I have no problem carrying a Target bag to fashion week, as long as it's chic and good looking. Anya Hindmarch did a phenomenal job with her design for Target – it translated really well! I'm usually really hopeful when I hear a designer is doing a collection for Target or H&M etc – BUT I'm usually disappointed with what comes out. Except for Anya.



You seem to enjoy casual clothing as much as dressing up. What is your favorite item in your closet?

I love to dress up sometimes, but I need to be able to hang around with my boys most of the time. Casual clothes are a huge part of my life . I have a pair of motorcycle boots that I have had for almost 15 years, and they are perfect! They are my everyday boots that I can wear into the city or running around with my kids.


You and your blog work as inspiration for many women out there. Who is your inspiration?

My parents! They grew up in the Bronx together, and worked their "bottoms" off to build a great marriage, family, and business. It's truly an American Dream story. I've learned such different things from each of them that I use in business everyday. My Mom taught me to trust my "gut" instincts, and my father taught me to "never give up". They both taught me that family comes first- no matter what. I always refer back to that.


You recently answered a reader's question about how to update her "business casual" style. This reader had no problem defining her style, but I know plenty of people who are still struggling to find their own. Can you offer some tips?

What do you like? When you see other girls' styles, what catches your eye and why? What do you feel comfortable in? What impression do you want the world to get when they see you? A good tip would be to try on, try on, try on, and play a little with looks. Take someone you really trust with you to a store and ask what looks good etc. Cut out pictures of looks that you like and pin them on your closet wall.


Your posts on Style Observer are really helpful and insightful. Do you offer personal stylist services?

I'm about to start offering some services. A closet consultation, where I will help the girls go through what they have and pull outfits together. Also, I will be available to go on shopping trips for advice on looks etc. I'll probably try to figure out a way to do a Skype call for girls who are not in the NY area. Style Observer is about to expand offering more to the readers. Stay tuned for that!


Thank you Jean, for all the fantastic tips! Thank you also for fitting this chat into your busy life.

Thanks Elisa, I had fun answering your questions!


Jean blogs about fashion on Style Observer, where she breaks down current trends and helps readers put fashion and real life together. If you have a style question for Jean that you'd like addressed on her blog, e-mail her at Questions@StyleObserver.com

Stamp of approval: great everyday bag

A few months ago I was lucky enough to win a Botkier Sasha satchel from ThisNext. I saw it, I really wanted it, and spent many hours doing recommendations on the site, disregarding the household chores (ok, that's nothing new). It paid off. I won it.

The Sasha was my very first designer bag. I've had "brand" handbags, but never a designer bag. I've always been of the opinion that spending several hundred (or several thousand) dollars one one bag was silly and wasteful - why do that when you could have several less expensive bags instead, and have more variety?

That was my opinion, until I started using the Sasha. The bag is a medium size, which means I can fits lots in but no so much that it's so heavy that I can't carry it comfortably. It has two handles but also a wider strap, so it can be held like a satchel or carried on the shoulder like a hobo, leaving my hands free to pick up Stella, hold a coffee, push the stroller and so on. And the fact that the bag is made of nylon (with patent leather accents) means that it won't get ruined if I wear it when it's raining, and that it doesn't stain as easily. In other words, a perfect bag for a fashionable mom. And don't let the word "nylon" put you off: because of the quality of the material and the way it was dyed, the bag looks more like satin, it's really lovely! I get a lot of compliments on it.



Because of the bag's characteristics, I ended up using it for 3 weeks straight after I got it, no change. Needless to say, that had never happened before, and I finally had to admit the truth: when you have a really nice handbag, it will go with almost everything and you won't feel the need to change it as often. Which means that instead of owning the current 20-something bags I have in my closet, now I'd much rather have 3 really great bags (saving up for a Jackie or Asher right now).

The Sasha nylon satchel retails for $480 ($450 online), but is now on sale at Tobi ($270), LunaBoston ($225), Endless ($300), ShopDressOnline ($332, large), Shoes4Go ($315). Mine is burgundy, but the bag also comes in Chocolate Brown, Electric Blue and Black.



Pssst! If you are reading this on January 21 or 22, you might be lucky enough to score a Medium Sasha on RueLaLa for $175! It's by invitation only, so if the link doesn't work, e-mail me for an invite.

Lucky Shops... oh yes she does!

On Friday, as planned, I met my friend PJ and we made our way to Lucky Shops. Contrary to what you might expect however, I didn't show up really early, bracing myself for several hours of marathon shopping. After being warned by a friend who had attended last year's event that most of the merchandise would be "cheaper than usual, but still pretty expensive" I had decided to follow my organizing-freak instinct and had already planned (almost scheduled) my purchases for the approaching holiday season; so I was going mainly in an investigative capacity, so to speak, and using the fact that I had won the tickets as excuse to have a girl's night out. Of course I am only human, and I'm a girl, so I left ample room for the possibility that I'd find something I simply must have (and could afford), and I took a credit card with me anyway.

We showed up a little before 5 p.m. (closing time was 7 p.m.) and started making our rounds. Here's a summary.

Lines & crowds: Doors opened at 10 a.m., but as I said we didn't show up until a little before 5 p.m., so I can't testify to the lines and crowds before then. But I can tell you that I was VERY impressed with the venue (Metropolitan Pavillion, in Chelsea) - it was airy, well-organized; the bar, the ottomans, everything perfectly placed so as to be easily accessible but not in the way, not to disturb the flow of shoppers. Impressive.

Cocktails/drinks and food: Beer, cocktails - including a delicious one with tangerine juice - bottles of Coke and Diet Coke free for the taking, as well as the newest iced coffee drinks by POM. Miniature Larabar fruit-nut bars, 100-Calorie Packs of Ritz crackers and Cheese Nips.


Gift bags: No giftbags, really - unless you count the miniature shopping tote from Shop Rock & Roll containing a Chevy notebook and a sample of Benefit "That Gal", which you got after taking a survey at the Chevy Maliboutique.
Other freebies:
- full-size Garnier Nutritioniste products (Skin Renew face moisturizer and Nutri-Pure Gel Cleanser), and skin consultation at the Garnier Nutritioniste booth;
- a sample of Benefit You Rebel tinted moisturizer and free shipping on the next purchase at the Benefit online store (use code LUCKYYOU) valid through tomorrow, November 11;
- a 25% online discount from Lizzie Scheck Jewelry using code LSJ25;
- a free silver Nintendo DS pocker mirror, exactly like the pink one I got at Shecky's Girls Night Out;
- free consultation with stylist Danna Weiss.

Merchandise and discounts: lovely clothes, jewellery and shoes, for the most part. Mostly designer. Prices were discounted, some even affordable, but not cheap. Example:
- Foley + Corinna city clutch, $220 (retail price $440)
- Chloe suede wedge boots originally priced at $1,150, 50% off at LuckyShops
- MINT by Jodi Arnold top, $138 (retail price $308)
- And these gorgeous Kate Spade peep-toe pumps, $135 (retail price $328), which I definitely would have bought if it wasn't for the fact that I have 3 brand-new pairs of peep-toe pumps that I have yet to wear, just sitting prettily in my dresser.


A few highlights:
- Shoes, bags and accessories from (as in: worn on) Project Runway.


- Conscious Jewelry by Danna Weiss: gorgeous necklaces. Thick gold-plated chains with perfectly shaped and polished crystals and gems, each related to a specific chakra. Designer Dana Weiss describes her line as "metaphisically designed and eco-conscious" and recommends choosing your pieces carefully, based on what you are drawn to the most, because that is the stone covering the area where you need to restore balance. This may sound ridiculous, but after following the instructions and putting on the chosen stone, I believe there is something to this.

- The Denim Bar was definitely brilliant. Several brands, all priced under $100 (discounted) and a Singer station where you could get your newly purchased denims hemmed for free. Smart thinking, Lucky!

- The Botkier booth was a thing of beauty. Lots of gorgeous bags and shoes in different sizes, models, colors and materials. When even a nylon bag feels and looks so rich and luxurious and you find yourself preferring it to more expensive leather handbags, you know that's a label to go for.


As closing time approached, the deals started popping up. A few we noticed:
- Siegerson Morrison flats for $30
- Rafe New York peep-toe flats for $30
- Gucci sunglasses for $90
- knee-high Dr.Martens patent combat boots for $60

That, of course meant that just as we were trying on shoes, the event ended and we were left to watch the booth attendants add more styles to the shelves for those same low prices, in preparation for Saturday's "Shop-a-thon" (Lucky's words, not mine).



Which is pretty smart when you think about it, because PJ and I were actually tempted to purchase a Saturday ticket and return the day after, to do some actual shopping. But since we were exhausted after only 2 hours and we had taken it pretty easy, we figured we woulnd't enjoy the "last man standing"-like atmosphere that was probably going to characterize the Saturday Shop-a-thon, so we decided to let it go - PJ had scored a lovely pair of leather pumps

A word of caution: if you ever plan on attending any such events and do a day of marathon-shopping, don't stop until you get home. Don't even sit. If you do, you might end up falling asleep, surrounded by your shopping bags, in an inappropriate place where you might be filmed and/or photographed. Don't believe me? Scroll down.



Told you ;-)


P.S. Didn't make it to LuckyShops? Don't be sad. Bluefly is now making the fabulous clothes and accessories from LuckyShops availalble online!

Event Alert: EcoStiletto Green Girl's Night Out

Ah, you lucky West-Coasters... especially if you live in L.A. (I miss sunny L.A.!) Here's another fabulous event organized by EcoStiletto!



About the event: A free fundraiser for Dress For Success
Presented by The Healing Seed and Perfect Organics
Host committee includes Anna Getty, Josie Maran and Kelly Rutherford

Bring gently-used, career-appropriate jewelry, scarves, belts and handbags to donate to Dress for Success; Intuition will donate 10% of sales. An additional 5% off will be deducted if you bring your own shopping bag!

What you'll be able to enjoy at this event:
- free lip and cheek touch ups from Perfect Organics
- virgin organic hempseed oil hand treatments by The Healing Seed
- appetizers by FOOD
- signature cocktails

Sustainable designers will be showcased at the party. They will include: Larsen Gray, ecoSkin, Doie, Del Forte Organic Denim, Elodie, Heather Heron, California Rising and Erica Weiner. (Note: Rachel from EcoStiletto will be guest editing INTUITION's new eco-friendly clothing section, which will include the above designers and some others.)

Where and when: INTUITION, 10581 West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles
on Tuesday, November 11th from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

This event is free and open to the public.
Please RSVP to events@ecostiletto.com

Living green is getting more and more fabulous, I tell ya ;-)

Event Alert: Intuition's "Life is Beautiful"

What is it? An event organized by Intuition and Linea Pelle. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Intuition is hosting this "shop for a cause" event where 25% of the proceeds will be donated to breast cancer research for a cure.

Enjoy champagne and cupcakes while shopping, receive a special goodie bag and enter to win a special edition Linea Pelle handbag!

Where is it? Intuition,
10581 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA

When is it? Thursday, October 30 at 6-9pm.

RSVP at info@shopintuition.com

Blogger, interrupted.

Had I slept better the last two nights, I would have sounded smarter here. Had I not caught a bad cold (or the flu?) from Stella (the source of my sleepless nights along with the cold) I might have followed my usual "I'll take blogging over a reasonable bedtime" and actually produced a decent post.

But since this germy foe is making me foggy and sleepy, I suppose I'd better make it short, to avoid falling asleep while typing and ending up publishing something that reads ajskhyho'213Y 0[4J{oq38w r180= 1u4-jYF 1UU13-R97 hfH077E TPWATUG-2]QT8 or something along those lines.

I didn't want to just skip it, because I gathered some shopping tips and sale alerts I wanted to share with you - of course at the time I thought I would have been able to include them in a charming, funny post instead of just dumping them unceremoniously right there, but as Aaliyah said "Yo, I don't know what to tell ya". So without further ado or embellishment, here they are, my shopping notes:

- first things first: if you are getting ready for the Yoga Festival I told you about, make sure you check the Gaiam Outlet sale. They have yoga clothing, shoes and yoga bags, and also yoga props and videos at very affordable prices.

- Amazon has a great offer for parents of young babies: they call it the Amazon Baby Registry Promotionand it works like this: if you, your friends or your family complete $750 of purchases from your Amazon.com Baby Registry by September 30, 2008, you'll get six months of free diapers from Seventh Generation. How cool is that? You get the stuff you need AND free diapers. Read more about Seventh Generation diapers here.

- The iPhone 3G was big news and people are still talking about it - everybody has one. Personally, I was much more excited about the arrival of the new iPod Nano:
new design, new games, new features (shake to shuffle! flip it to view in landscape!), better picture resolution, lower price ($149 for the 8GB)and... 24 hours of battery life, ladies and gentlemen! (Take that, iPhone.) And to top that off, just check out these colors! If that doesn't make you giggle of excitement you have a black, black heart ;-)

- And now onto the girly stuff: spend $100 on beauty products at Neiman Marcus and you'll get a lovely crocodile-embossed tote filled with goodies for free. The offer is good online until Sept. 15 and in stores until Sept. 14.

- A mention of this is enough to temporarily revive me from my flu-induced semi-coma: TopShop finally launched their US site! And right on time for Kate Moss's autumn/winter collection!
To celebrate the launch of the US site, TopShop.com is offering free shipping on your next order using this code: USFREEPOSTAGETS01 when you checkout. The offer expires Sept. 18 - no time to waste!

- Need some new shoes for fall? Until Thursday, September 25th, save 20% on your order from SteveMadden.com with this code: EXTRA20. So what will it be? These below are my favorites:


And now, I have to say goodnight - I promise to resurface as soon as I get a break from this nasty cold!

Decòr me gorgeous, said the room

I am pretty sure we can all agree on one thing: by now we have fully established that I don't like household chores.

But boy, do I love trying my hand (and hubby's patience) at interior decòr. Nothing is more fun than picking the right pillows, paintings and accessories to create an entirely new look in your living room. Or picking all new bedding, shams, curtains and prints to give a fresh look to your master bedroom. It's just so fun!

I play it cool, but I secretly harbor a wish to decorate my house like the rooms you see on the pages of a Pottery Barn catalog. Sure, sometimes they look a little too perfect, and I prefer a more "lived in" style - something that won't make your guests stand around because they are afraid of smushing the sofa pillows. And sometimes it's a little too Town and Country, which is so not me.

But other times there will be this room, or just a shot of a corner of a room, and it conveys such casual comfort with a few beautiful pieces, I wish I could just jump into the page and sit on that armchair, and look out that window.

Of course I could always run out and buy a whole bunch of new furniture and duplicate the room in the picture, kind of like what Rachel did in that episode of Friends. But I would obviously regret it and be ashamed of it - plus I was lying, I can't really just go out and buy a whole bunch of furniture, my husband would have a cow.

Which leaves two options as far as I'm concerned: creating virtual rooms and creating real rooms with mix-and-match pieces.

Creating virtual rooms is great because you feel like you are actually shopping for your favorite pieces but you don't accumulate stuff, don't spend a dime and you reserve the right to change your mind as many times as you like; and all while getting some great ideas for the time when you can actually redecorate. My favorite places to do this is Shopstyle Living, where you can save pieces you like and then compose virtual rooms to save in your stylebook - and even join groups and share your creations with others.

But when you are ready to actually redecorate, don't just buy a bunch of stuff you like - I mean you can do that, but what you had in mind might not actually translate well into your space.

If you already specific piece of furniture in mind, make sure you get the right shapes and sizes by using the HGTV Room Planner.

Once you have your furniture, accessorize with things from a bunch of different places, and don't be afraid to explore stores that you normally don't look into. An unexpected detail can give them room more personality. For instance, West Elm furniture feels a little cold and too minimal for me, but I think they have some really cute pillows and vases.

Also, don't think you will need a huge budget to redecorate a room: you can give a new look to a room by just getting new accessories. I just fell in love with this Target commercial for that reason (and for the cool music and dancing, of course):


Don't forget to scour the web for interesting details to add to your room, to change it from run-of-the mill to one of a kind! Here are some:
- Kanibal Home features redesigned and reupholstered salvaged furniture, limited edition pillows, wall art and restored found objects, among others. Their selection is really random, so if you don't find anything you like the first time you visit, keep checking every now and then because they post new items often, and they feature a wide variety of styles.
- Mothology features some great vintage-inspired decorative objects and furnishings.
- UncommonGoods also features some interesting items in their Home Decor section (and on the rest of their site!)

and then there's Etsy, of course. Just look up whatever it is you need and you'll find a large selection in different styles, colors, materials and prices. Here are a few cool stores I found by searching for "pillows":
- Greenroom
- Eliza Leigh (I love her Dressmaker and Runway pillows!)
- Paris Buildings on Helena Carrington's shop
- Flowers and Dots on Couch Design (I love how this pattern looks mode and art deco at once)
- the Bella Pillow on JKHill Designs

These of course are things I like, but there's really something for everybody and every taste on Etsy.

Ah, yes - I love interior decorating.

So imagine my joy when I went to vote for some friends' blogs on Divine Caroline's Blog Awards and found some amazing decorating blogs in the Home & Food category! There are some real pearls there.

Do you like decorating? Do you have a favorite site, store or inspiration? Feel free to share your decorating secrets.


P.S. If you are trying to figure out what your decorating style is, take the "What's your design style?" quiz at MyDeco.

Here's some cool stuff for you. Wanna buy me something pretty?

BlogNosh: no, I'm not going to start including my blogroll in my "cool finds" posts, silly! BlogNosh makes the cut because it's a blog of blogs. Or rather, it's kind of like a "best of" of the blogosphere, except it only publishes great posts that have already been archived. So if you find yourself wishing that new bloggers and visitors could see some of your favorite old posts (from your own blog or someone else's), look no further - just submit your entries to the BlogNosh editorial team, you'll get a heads-up when they are about to be published. So you have time to doll yourself up (and your blog) for the new visitors.

Amazon.com's Universal Wishlist feature: can I get a Halleluja, brothers and sisters? Because I LOVE the Amazon wishlist thing and I have been waiting for years for them to come up with a way to add stuff from stores they don't have a contract with. Finally!!! Now just add the link to your Links folder and click on it when you find something you like. Then just add the price of the item and any comments... et voilà! There you have it. So now people only have to check one wishlist to buy you the right present. Which means I can stop doing this. (Oh, don't look so shocked. I told you I'm an organizing freak. And maybe a control freak. And a bit spoiled, too.)

This is for you, Harry Potter fans: J.K. Rowling's new book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, is now available for pre-order on Amazon, including the beautiful Collector's Edition - I have never read the Harry Potter books (I can hear a collective gasp - they are on my list!!) but the Collector's Edition is so beautiful that I am tempted to give in and order it! Both editions will be released on December 4.

The Human calendar: many of you are probably already familiar with this, but for those who aren't check it out. I think it's kind of dorky but also cool at the same time: a calendar to add to your blog where the day, month and year are written on piece of paper shown by people. No, seriously, this description just doesn't do it: go see it!

If you are one of those who have a drawer full of takeout menus but keep adding more, you will love this: SeamlessWeb is a website that allows you to order your food online. They have over 2,000 delivery and takeout restaurants in New York and other major cities across the US (plus London, UK). They also started adding places in the NY Metro area (yay!). All you have to do is input your name and address and you'll be shown a list of restaurants in the area that will deliver to your address. When you click on a restaurant's name you can view the menu and prices, the delivery time and reviews from from previous customers.
I am kind of picky about food and rarely order in, but I have to say that this is a really cool idea!

Multi-event Alert!!!

Ok ladies, grab your calendars because I'm going to tell you about 3 different events that will be taking place this fall. Ready? Here we go:


HERE COMES THE SUN yoga festival

What is it? An event revolving around yoga, but with lots of other stuff. They usually have a famous guest teacher or two (last year it was Sara Ivanhoe and Kristin Mc Gee) plus several other yoga teachers from the area. They have a variety of yoga classes, for all levels and for all tastes. They have more physical types of yoga, like Yoga for Athletes, but also more mind-body classes like Ashtanga. Last year they also had a corner separate from the event, where the noise didn't carry, called Meditation Hill (cheesy, I know, but kind of cool too) and a separate section for Pilates Classes, some of them lead by Kristin Mc Gee.

There's also a live musical performance at the end (between 3pm and 4pm) - last year it was Joan Osborne.

Where is it? Central Park, New York

When it it? Saturday, September 27, 2008

Price of ticket: $25 online, $30 on site. I got a coupon to save $5 dollars but it's reserved to last year's participants so I cannot post it here. I will, however, give it to the first person who e-mails me :-)

More info here.






SHECKY'S BEAUTY NIGHT OUT

What: A night of pampering, cocktails, chatting with friends and trying new beauty products.

Where: La Venue, New York NY

When: Thursday, October 2 and Friday, October 3, 2008

Price of ticket: $10 for general admission, $30 including Shecky's Deluxe goodie bag (which I am expecting will be better than the GNO bag)

More info here.





SHECKY'S GIRLS NIGHT OUT

What: As the graphic says, a night of shopping, browsing emerging designers, free drinks. See my review of the Summer edition here.

Where: New York, Charlotte, Atalanta, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego

When: The first one, in New York, will be every evening from Monday, October 13 to Friday, October 17, 2008 - the others will follow (some dates are still to be decided)

Price of ticket: $10 for general admission, $30 including Shecky's Deluxe goodie bag.
Note: There is an offer right now to get tickets to both the Girls Night Out AND the Beauty Night Out for $45, including Deluxe goodie bags for both events!

More info here.

Are you going, Elisa? So far, I only got a ticket to the yoga festival. I might go to Shecky's, not sure. If you are going and want to meet, drop me a line! If you want to take me to Shecky's as your guest, call me ;-)