Cute sundress from Target

I ordered this dress online from Target recently, and I love it for the Summer. It is a very lightweight cotton, great for super hot days. The fabric of the skirt is sheer though, which you can see in the photo and the reviewers on the sale page mention it too. So you need something under it if you wear it out anywhere besides just around the house. I wear nylon taps under my Summer dresses, and an ivory pair worked fine to cover the see-through view.
The bust and straps are smocked. It's pullover and comfortable. It's only $19.99, so don't expect high quality, just a super casual, super lightweight Sundress.

What Say We?... Yay or Nay?!

Amerie attends Nanette Lepore and the Creative Coalition's Fashion Votes event at the new Nanette Lepore boutique on Melrose Avenue on June 16, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

Amerie has always been a diva I love to watch out for on the red carpet. This outfit however left me a little perplexed. While I love the color an overall shape of the dress, the detailing is a little reminiscent of the 1980s. The hint of rectangular shoulders and buttoned down, flap pockets throws the dress off to me. In any case, Amerie is one of those ladies who could make a brown potato sack look fashion-forward, so I'm going to give her a "Yay". At lease this look is better than this catastrophe. Now if we could just get her to release an album...

A bit of cheap...

Whilst luxury brands are buoyant and many people are fast realising that cheapie Primark frocks have their consequences and are moving into a slower and more expensive way of buying into fashion, on the flipside, there seems to be a 'tendance' for the cheap and a bit of tackiness. I don't mean dresses constructed out of Tesco bags or such ironic 'cheap' statements but I'm talking about things like polyester getting a new lease of life, exemplified by the 100% Italian polyester dresses seen at Lanvin SS08 or the lux-tackiness expounded by Balmain's AW08 collection (I suspect there is one Christophe Decarnin-obsessed stylist dressing the whole world in Balmain but I'm not complaining...).

It's always a hint though, a subtle nod towards tackiness that doesn't veer right into universal bad taste. When I see Bjork & McElligott's AW08 collection modelled by Ben Grimes (no comments about her 'bigger' size please because I think she's a beaut....), I see that lux-tack vibe coming through. If I'm honest, some of the clothes do remind me a little of this shop called 'Selene' on my local high street back in North Finchley when I was a teen and I'd see orange lace shirts and black lurex dresses ahoy. I don't mean that in a derogatory way though because the great thing about lux-tack is that just as you think it's a little bit 'cheap' looking, you touch the fabrics and see the construction and realise that it's not. There's a certain accessibility about 'lux-tack' that is way less overwhelming than full on lux-lux. It's that awkward/sexy thing that I'm always attracted to, which springs out to me when looking at the collection...

Designer Jewelry Bargains at Net-a-Porter

Net-A-Porter.Com is the world's premier online luxury fashion retailer. Their award-winning website, presented in the style of a fashion magazine, offers the style-savvy customer exactly what she wants - unprecedented access to the hottest looks of the season from international cutting-edge labels via worldwide express delivery. Since launching in June 2000, the company has established itself as a luxury brand with impeccable packaging and unrivalled customer care.





Kenneth Jay Lane Rock Crystal Necklace

Necklace drop measures 8.5 inches.

Could also be wrapped around wrist to style as a bracelet.

$62





Citrine by the Stones Heart-Shaped Earrings

A playful addition to any outfit that is sure to lighten the mood.

Earring drop measures approximately 2 inches / 5cms.

Handmade and plated in 18 karat gold.

$45





Julie Sandlau Leaf Necklace

A gorgeous necklace for spring which is also a great gift idea.

Necklace drop measures approximately 27cms/ 10.5 inches.

$115





Citrine by the Stones Half Hoop Earrings

A luxe handmade hoop style for evening.

Earring drop measures approx 4cms/ 1.5 inches.

Wear with your hair up, or bare shoulders for maximum effect.

$129





Kenneth Jay Lane Swarovski Crystal Cuff

Electroplated in 22k gold

Gorgeous, organic mottled finish.

$105





Julie Sandlau Spinel Earrings

Aqua blue Spinel faceted rectangular earrings.

Small cubic zirconia stone at the top.

Gold-plated sterling silver hooks.

$161





Roberto Cavalli Hexagonal Bangle

A fabulous arm bauble with a chic patent finish.

The perfect way to add some gloss to your look.

Bangle circumference measures approx 7.5 inches/ 19cms.

$535





Lara Bohinc Rosetta Knot Necklace

A simple signature look from Lara Bohinc.

Drop of necklace is approximately 56 cms / 22 inches.

$222





Citrine by the Stones Rain Hoop Earrings

Earring drop measures approximately 3 inches / 8 cms.

A gorgeous hoop perfect for day to evening wear.

For pierced ears only.

$229





Oscar de la Renta Thin Woven Bangle

Oscar de la Renta red bangle simply slides on.

Bangle circumference measures approximately 29cms / 11.5 inches.

$218



Have a great Week!

Maggie

See full article.





Related Entries:

Jewelry Career Resources - 08 August 2006

Jewelry Designer for Princesses - 08 March 2007

Jewelry Bargains at Max & Chloe - 03 May 2008

Jewelry Bargains at Zavier - 11 May 2008

Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com.

I'm Not Pulling a Style Bytes

I'm swamped with finals week (possibly my last finals week ever, OMG) and other projects, but I'll be back soon, really, I swear.

Anastasia: The Queen of Brows

Amongst other things, I am obsessed with my brows and have every tool available to make them full, natural and gorgeous. I recently got the complete Anastasia Seven piece brow kit and am obsessed with it! Known as the "one stop" brow shop, it really has everything you need to make your brows perfect! Hollywood Stars have trusted Anastasia with their brows for years, but if you can't make it to her boutique in Beverly Hills, you must get this set! There is the Brow Powder, Brow Gel, After Tweeze Cream, Eye Lights Matte Pencil (I don't leave the house without this!), Brush (Angled Cut / Spooley), Precision Tweezers, and Stencils (so handy if you have sparse brows!). Anastasia also offers a disc with instructions if you are clueless but if you are a seasoned pro at tweezing and shaping, you will know what to do and will love playing with this set! At Anastasia- $85

there and back again

I'm back after a rocking west coast trip and straight into night shifts to recoup my travel bank. Photos will be up in the next few days.

P.S. I had the honour of meeting Jasmine from Pike/Pine on Capitol Hill last week- click for a photo (scroll down to 3/5/08).

Whose Shoes Wednesday…The Answer!

Manolo asked, whose shoes?

Manolo answers, it is the Marlon Brando!

Congratulations to the Manolo's internet friend Irene Done who was the first to correctly identify the one and the only Brando.

Good Guy/Bad Boy

One of the best things about shopping at Goodwill and other resale, thrift, and vintage stores is that - for not much money - one can acquire a wardrobe full of different looks and trends that allow one to be a different personality whenever one chooses. Want to be the neon-leggings and vintage-tunic wearing fashionista one day and the suit and secretary-blouse sporting careerwoman the next? Done. Have a desire to be a biker dude on Saturday and a boat-shoe-wearing prepster on Sunday. No problem.

In that spirit, this week's Goodwill Good Buy of the Week offers two men's look that might seem to be diametrically opposed. But, for the right person, they're just the variety he needs for his wardrobe.

The "Good Guy," wears linen/cotton chinos in a lightweight denim finish from Banana Republic. They're a size 31R and feature a tab front closure, two side slash pockets, and two back slash pockets. They have a straight leg and are perfect for casual Friday at the office or Saturday morning flea market adventures.

On top is black button down knit shirt - also from Banana Republic - that is a size small and still has its tags! It has a collar, embossed buttons, and is in super-soft 100% cotton. Every guy needs a shirt like this.

But what about the "Bad Boy"? What does he wear? Well, he starts with a v-neck, collarless tie-dyed shirt from Diesel in a size medium. There's about a one-inch rip on the inside seam of the right arm, so look for a special price on the DC Goodwill eBay store later today.

And for pants, the "Bad Boy" goes with ultra-distressed jean by Guess Premium. No need to wait for the seams to wear thin, or to add your own patches - they're already present! Check out the detail below...nice.

And here's the fun part: these jeans are also a size 31R. Hmmm...are you saying, DCGF, that both pairs could be worn by the same person? Yes, exactly! Just not at the same time.

That's the beauty of a trip to Goodwill, as I said. Try something new. Try something old. Try a bunch of stuff and if it works out or if it doesn't, at least you can say you took a chance on something different and know what suits your style. And then, well, just donate back what you don't like! Trust me: another Good Guy or Bad Boy will come along to perfect his style, too...


Pssst! Gals, I meant to tell you that I have four pairs of BRAND NEW black trouser jeans by PURE COLOR up on the DC Goodwill eBay store now. You know how great those are and how hard they are to find! Happy shopping....





Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on eBay funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.

Goodwill’s fashion blog provides detailed knowledge and insight on vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories that are valuable to fashion shoppers. The facts and opinions shared present readers with entertaining, exciting and value based information on vintage and contemporary fashion and shopping trends.

Blog Break

Due to some personal issues I'm working through right now, I'm taking a break from the blog. When stress and depression are present, inspiration is not.



I'm going through a pretty rough time currently and I need to focus on getting better and attempting to enjoy the holidays and my family.

Peace, love, and bulletproof marshmallows,
The not-so-Happy Hippie.

I Like HIS Style!

Ebony Magazine is giving thanks to all those brothas that know how to make us swoon. Effortlessly swagger is innate. It cannot made. And if you don't believe me take a look the four men pictured (four other covers are avialable). Each one has made a mark in our community and the world, for not only being talented, but for being an unapologetic individual. Be sure to grab a copy, or two, this coming Tuesday:

For the first time ever, Ebony magazine presents not one, not two, but eight quintessential covers to celebrate the 25 coolest Black men of all time. Jay-Z, Barack Obama, Prince, Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Marvin Gaye, Muhammad Ali and Billy Dee Williams take center stage as they personify Black cool on the covers of this historic collector’s edition. From their sleek, debonair styles to their smooth-as-silk personas, these magnificent Black men have conveyed, captured, and conquered the quintessence of cool while making it appear effortless.

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge the photos...

Nuovegioie Jewelry

Fashion Jewelry with an Italian Flair

Nuovegioie (or Nuove Gioie) is an Italian fashion company that managed in a little over 15 years of activity to set new standards in silver craftsmanship, changing the aesthetic perception of silver by focusing on the flair of innovative work. The unique style of the Nuovegioie jewelry collection is inspired by the latest fashion trends, sometimes anticipating them, sometimes interpreting them with a personal and versatile design.





Lavender Multi-gemstone Sterling Silver Fashion Ring

Exquisitely cut baubles of lavender sparkle in a twisting branch-like design, expertly paired with a beautiful wide sterling silver band by Nuovegioie. It provides the perfect bling for drinks out with the girls or dinner with your man. Made in Italy.

$292



The lines of this exclusive silver jewelry are feminine, delicate and bold, seductive and unique. The pleasure of a piece that is totally out of the ordinary but perfectly in tune. Nuovegioie jewelry provides an element of pleasure and distinction to wear in any situation. Experience and originality, but especially passion and dedication, are the elements making Nuovegioie one of the most interesting collections in the world of silver jewelry.





Black Square Stone Sterling Silver Fashion Ring

A flash of polished and knotted silver encircling a bold jet black center stone makes this right hand ring the center of attention at your next cocktail party. Made in Italy.

$192



Nuovegioie was brought to life by the will and determination of two young entrepreneurs from Camisano Vicentino in the eighties, and is now a very important company in the silver jewelry industry. Lifestyle Nuovegioie comes from a balanced mix of trends, fashion, flexibility and flair, together with innovative design.





Pink Flower Sterling Silver Fashion Ring

A delicate flower with a pink round natural stone at the center is presented on a sleek and elegant sterling silver setting with a 5 mm band for a sweet and refined detail. Made in Italy.

$169



Collections range from light and informal jewels, to wear with jeans, to important pieces for important situations. The excellent quality to price ratio is the winning factor with Nuovegioie. Its jewels are accessible dreams, not to remain abstract fantasies but to become true as splendid and versatile creations.

See full article.





Related Entries:

Jewelry Career Resources - 08 August 2006

Native American Inlay Jewelry - 14 January 2008

Caroline Ballou Jewelry - 26 May 2008

Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com.

Meet the Snob Team!

Tina Craig and Kelly Cook, Owners and Founders
Our family has grown since we started three years ago and you probably know them all by name and post now but we thought you should meet them, face to face. We would not be able to handle all that is involved with running our network of blogs without our girls (and boy!).


Anne Winston, Writer. Anne is 22 years old and lives in Los Angeles, she keeps us young with her enthusiasm and boundless energy. She writes mostly for Beauty Snob but contributes every so often to Bag Snob as well as the weekly Web Snob entries on all the Snob sites.



Sharon Feiereisen, Writer. Sharon is the newest member of our team but it feels like she's been with us forever! She is 23 and lives in New York City. Sharon writes for Beauty, Bag and Tot Snob.



Allison Yarborough, Marketing and Merchandising. Allison is our "jack of all trades". She is my assistant and much much more. Without Allison, my world would be a jumbled and confusing mess of Fed ex boxes and unsent mail.



Richard Cook, CFO and Chief Tech Nerd (AKA Kelly's Hubby). Richard is a Software Engineer and is responsible for helping us get started, he trained us (no easy task as we both have short attention spans) and he still maintains our site. He also pays our Bag Snob bills (with our money but neither Kelly nor I can balance a checkbook to save our lives so we depend on Rich to tell us how much money we have to spend!) plus he keeps all the ads and artwork on our sites current. We don't pay him regularly but the privilege of being Kelly's husband is payment enough for him.



Anis Kim, Tech Support. Anis generates all the affiliate codes for the bags we write about and helps us with the tech side of our entries so we can focus on writing. She lives in Los Angeles.

Marvel-ous!

Eco is the new "it", and companies touting their bags as eco-friendly, vegan, earth friendly, etc fill my e-mail box. But really, I'm all for leaving a better earth for my kids, but I'm also about the shallow stuff, like carrying a cute bag, (and fun shoes, if you must know), so when the 2 meet....eco or vegan-friendly AND cute...you know I'm interested!
Jane Marvel is that company. And while the bags are not something I would give up my Koobas, and Marc Jacobs for, they are great bags for those times you need something sturdy but still good looking.
Made from laminated canvas, the bags are strong and lightweight. They are also available in any of 12 fabric choices...all lovely, and none garish or ick.


The Jitney is one of my favorites. A great tote on a shoulder strap with a wide opening, this is a perfect travel bag. The covered corners add extra durability, and will prevent additional wear. It's $96, a great price for a bag that will last for many day trips.


The wide shopping bag is similar to the Jitney, but has that dainty tote look popularized by Goyard (a coated canvas bag that sells for more than 10 times the Jane Marvel) and subsequently borrowed by Vuitton. There are 2 side slot pockets for change or keys...perfect for a bottle for any moms looking for an un-diaper bag. At $57, this bag could not be any more perfect! (take a look at the Computer Messenger, it has real diaper bag potential!)


The Duffel Weekender in the larger size is the perfect weekend bag. While it might not collapse as easily as say a LeSportsac, it is a bit sturdier and more substantial. Like most other Jane Marvel bags it's virtually waterproof and stain resistant perfect for those unexpected toiletry spills! At $118, the price is extremely reasonable.
To complete all your travel needs, there are zip pouches, as well as a hanging cosmetic bag.
All Jane Marvel bags come with a little surprise gift inside. These range from coordinated compacts, to CD cases, mouse pads, or even a sleep mask all in an FAA approved see through bag. To find out which gift each bag comes with visit the Jane Marvel Shop and click on the bag you like...for those who like surprises (not me, I'm a "need to know now") you don't have to peek.

An Imagined Conversation Between Myself and This Shopbop Model

Me: So, how are things?

Shopbop Model: Good, good. Things are good.

Me: How's the family? The family good?

Shopbop Model: They're fine, yeah, they're doing well.

Me: Good. And work? How's that going for you?

Shopbop Model: It's really great. This shopbop gig has got me some other offers and I think it's gonna be a really good year for me.

Me: That's fantastic! How about your love life?

Shopbop Model: Umm...Actually it's not so good. It's really bad, to be honest. It's kinda hard for me to talk about, but, well, I walked in on my boyfriend having sex with my mo--

Me: YOU'RE WEARING A TOWEL.

Shopbop Model: What?

Me: WITH HEELS.

Shopbop Model: Wait, this? No, no, this is a dress.

Me: Yeah, that's a towel.

Shopbop Model: But it costs $500!

Me: Yeah, that's a really overpriced towel.

Shopbop Model: But it has sequins!

Me: I bought a sequined towel once. From Hilo Hattie. It said "MAUI" on it in silver sequins. And it was a towel.

Shopbop Model: Really? Why would you buy a sequined towel?

Me: I don't know. It hurt really bad so I gave it away.

Shopbop Model: Good call.

The Mother of All Linktastic Thursdays

Have we actually HAD a linktastic Thursday yet? Nevermind, this will still be the largest one. I have to keep you guys going over the (for US-ians) holiday weekend, since there's no way I'm blogging tomorrow, my FIFTEENTH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

The present for the fifteenth anniversary is "crystal," and so DH and I have been joking about what to give each other: "A DVD of The Dark Crystal!" "A CD by The Crystal Method, or Crystal Gayle!" "Burgers from Krystal!" "Way too much Crystal Light!" But the joke always stops on "crystal meth!" (yes, I know, drug use isn't funny, especially meth, but ...). I think we're just going to go roller-skating, though.

Anway: on to the links!




I sorta bought this pattern last week, even though I still have no idea where to put the pockets. It's so Lilly-Pulitzery, isn't it? I think it's the scarf-ponytail combo. I see this in a Liberty twill with contrast binding, natch ... or maybe a bright pique. Yellow with pink binding? Ooh! Anyway, Michelle at Patterns from the Past has one more, in a slightly bigger size (B38-40); click on the image to go snap it up! And tell me where to put the pockets, please.

Oh, and speaking of patterns: Jen has started a special section on her site, where almost 200 patterns are on sale for $1-4. And her coupon code for July is FIREWORKS15, for 15% off. Use it over and over again all month ...

The nice folks (Hi Trudy!) at Hotpatterns are running a Choose 3, Pay for 2 sale ... I think it's automatic, no code required.

Sheila at Out of the Ashes Collectibles is also doing a sale: 15% off all weekend, code AMERICA.

PashaPlum just put up some larger-sized patterns in her Etsy shop. I like this one best.

Remember that Sew U wiki contest? Birgit and Jace won!

Mary Beth sent a link to this bib at PurlBee. It's not a dress, but they've got this gorgeous linen bias tape in from Japan that is well worth seeing ...

Kay sent a link to another toilet-paper wedding dress contest, this one for design students (sponsored by Cashmere tissue, which I think is a Canadian brand). Some "I can't believe that's made of toilet paper" moments there, for sure.

Several people (including Margaret and India and Jen) sent a link to the great felt-tip marker pocket dress:




I love all the little pockets, but couldn't at least one of them been big enough for my cell phone?

Lisa sent a link to a kerfuffle over at the NYT about jackets-required restaurants. Needless to say, I'm firmly on the side of the snooty restaurant. I'm not saying you can't eat fancy food in flip-flops; I'm saying why would you WANT to? There are few enough opportunities to get all dolled up these days, so let us have our fun!

Nora sent a wonderful link to the naughtiness that was the tea gown.

Eirlys sent a link to this Michael Miller fabric called That's Sewing Wrong. It made me laugh ...

And Dilly sent a link to this wool with little Es on it. I think it would make an incredibly elaborate Halloween costume. You sew it on the bias to make a businessy suit and then claim to be an Enron executive. NOBODY would get it, which would be wonderful.

Did you know The Blue Gardenia is blogging about learning to sew? She's hilarious. And she certainly has enough patterns to choose from. (But I don't think she should do this one.)

Rita at Cemetarian sent me this in response to my I-love-tucks post. Soooo nice.

I saw Jeffrey Beebe's paintings last week and fell in love with them. I now need to become moderately-to-ridiculously rich so I can afford his work. But a girl can dream ... about clock-watching bristle-block guys.

And too-many-people-to-list sent me the link to the letter scarf. And pretty much everyone apologized for sending it, to which I say: "Don't apologize! Keep sending!" I mean, it's not like your links pile up in drifts around my office ... and each one is a lovely reminder that people actually read this blog, internalize my obscure tastes, recognize excellent items elsewhere on the interwibble and then are motivated enough to hit SEND. Which, quite frankly, is a power medieval kings would (and often did) kill for. So keep sending! I love links!

But that's all I have for today. Check back next week for more of As the Links Churn. Will Erin ever find orange bandanna-print fabric? Or clean up her sewing room? Or get to Trader Joe's for more 100-calorie milk chocolate bars? Tune in and find out!