Posts from — December 2008

Glitz and glam, holding a flute of bubbly, wearing some sexy stilettos….New Year’s Eve is here!

An event to break out the sparkles and sass, wear something a bit more daring than most other nights, and feel your absolute best.   Although it’s too late to purchase items online for the big 2009 countdown, when perusing my Salemail today, I came across some styles that conjured up these wonderful New Year’s Eve feelings of glamour, yet lent themselves to use throughout the year.

For instance, sparkle-filled dresses like these can make you feel like it’s New Year’s Eve for any wedding, cocktail party, or other special event:

Shoshanna – Antique Sequin Flower Strapless Dress Reg: $340.00 Now: $170.00 50% off!

Nanette Lepore Women’s “Moonlight” Knit Dress Reg: $260.00 Now: $182.00 30% off!

Carmen Marc Valvo – black nude lace overlay sequined dress Reg: $725.00 Now: $391.50 46% off!

And heels like these — wow oh wow — if you can tolerate the 4+ inches of height, these are perfect for creating an elegant look and turning some heads while you’re at it

Dolce Vita Tommy Pump Reg: $119.95 Now: $83.97 30% off!

Giuseppe Zanotti I86092 Pump Reg: $649.95 Now: $357.47 45% off!

And who’s to say New Year’s = Black, Gold, and Silver only?  Here are some colorful purple-hued picks that could be worn not only to add some flair on a night like tonight, but also throughout the year!  For instance, you could even throw on a cardigan and make the first dress work-appropriate, or a blazer over either of the final two tops!

DKNY – V-Neck Dress Reg: $295.00 Now: $70.76 76% off! or xxxx

Nanette Lepore – Touch Me Blouse Reg: $225.00 Now: $53.96 76% off!

Thomas Pink Luxury Collection Purple Ullapool Women’s Top Reg: $300.00 Now: $99.00 67% off!

And, of course, accessories!  Sparkle and shine the whole year, through and through!

Snowflake Rhinestone Earring Reg: $24.00 Now: $16.80 30% off!

Calvin Klein Metallic Small Lux Clutch Reg: $88.00 Now: $61.60 30% off!

Jill Stuart – Beatrice Large Soft Clutch $248.00 Now: $124.00 50% off!

Here’s to looking fabulous through 2009 — happy new year!

As a student, you’re always hearing about new reading recommendations (and requirements)…but when it’s for your field of study, those recommendations become a lot more fun and interesting to delve into!

The Shop It To Me blog was recently included in the list of the “100 Best Blogs for Fashion/Design Majors“.  Check out the whole list here (even if you’re not a fashion student; the list is quite impressive)!

Here at Shop It To Me, we love hearing how our subscribers are using their Salemail.  We couldn’t resist sharing this experience with you.  Sarah K. from the University of Michigan took a moment to share with us how she found Salemail helpful this past holiday season, to assist her student-budget:

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Thanks to Shopittome.com, I got everything I wanted this holiday season! Using the useful email feature (the small envelope under each picture) in the salemails, I was able to send my parents pictures of exactly which clothes I liked. The emails were so detailed, that my parents were able to know which size and color garment I desired. And of course, the prices from ShopItToMe were lower than the already decreased sale prices in stores!

The trend that I am into right now is delicate embellishes on clothes. Two of my favorite presents featured these details: a shirt for the Gap featuring a beaded bow on the front, and a cardigan from J.Crew decorated with a delicate silk flower. These are a simple update on a classic look that really makes the outfit stand out from others. I also got a new pair of True Religion jeans at a great price through shopittome.com.

To say I got everything I wanted and more this holiday season is an understatement! With the economy the way it is, I did not think my family was going to be able to give me the kind of holiday I’m used to, but thanks to shopittome.com and the great sale prices, I was able to get the clothes I wanted!

I love belted boots and I love riding boots. Naturally, I’m delighted the two styles have morphed into a new shoe variety – the belted wrap-around boots. My friend wore a cute pair yesterday and I was surprised at how affordable they are. Here’s the pair she wore – Steve Madden “Intyce” boots. They’re even better in person.

I tried searching for more wrap-around boots online. As it turns out, the other pairs I found were even less expensive than the Steve Maddens. I especially like the Nine West version, (despite the fact that the name of the model, “Yoursocute”, is so wrong in so many ways.)

Even less expensive, Target has a pair of wrap-around boots too:

Besides looking great, this style is especially functional if you have trouble finding boots that are big enough – OR small enough – to fit your calves. Since the buckle is adjustable, the width is pretty forgiving. Same great concept as a wrap dress, but for your feet.

2 days until Christmas – almost out of time to swoop up those presents!  It’s continually amazing to me how many people haven’t yet started their holiday shopping (ahem, Natalie!).

To top it off, this past weekend, many parts of the U.S. was blanketed with snow — deep snow — prohibiting (or making it difficult) for many to get out and shop.  As the USA Today shared, “Stormy winter weather affected many store openings late last week and made driving too treacherous for many to venture out for those last few gifts.”

My point?  Last-minute gift ideas are highly valued!

iVillage had some great ideas yesterday for last-minute gifts-a whole list you should definitely check out.  My favorite was tip #8: Give an e-gift card.  If you haven’t done this ever, it’s super easy.  You just enter the recipient’s email address and they receive an e-mail notification with an online code that they can use to shop. No shipping fees, no leaving the house, and you can even buy this Xmas morning to delivery later in the day!  Many retailers, including Foot Locker, and Victoria’s Secret, make the e-gift cards look just as visually appealing as a physical gift card itself!

Some other thoughts:

- Pre-shop online to find a few items you may consider as gifts.  Call the local store and see if they can put these items on hold for you, so once you arrive, all you have to do is go to the counter and check-out, saving you time once in the chaos-filled store!

- Shop off-hours! See my earlier blog post about stores being open in the early-morning hours.  Also, Macy’s is holding round-the-clock hours in several of its stores.  The flagship department store in Manhattan’s Herald Square and seven area branches will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the four-day stretch before Christmas.

Good luck!

It’s everyone’s least favorite holiday tradition – packing. When traveling, I used to manage to only wear about half of the clothes I brought while simultaneously feeling like I didn’t bring the proper attire for every occasion – telltale signs of poor packing. Luckily I’ve vastly improved now, thanks to lots of practice and great tips from friends who travel a lot for work. Since the holiday travel season is upon us, I thought I’d pass along some key guidelines to help you pack as efficiently as possible while still looking fabulous and apropos for every occasion.

1.      Pack in outfits! Think about your travel plans. What will the weather be like? What will you need for every occasion, every day? Plan out everything from shoes to underwear to accessories for each outfit, and pack only those items.

2.      Bring extra necessities. Socks and underwear take up little space in your suitcase, and running out of them is highly unpleasant. Pack extra just in case.

3.      Go easy on the shoes. It hurts me to say this – you have to pare down on shoes when traveling. Pick pairs that are relatively compact and that will match with multiple outfits. Deciding whether to pair the knee-high boots or the spiky pumps with that dress? Pick the pumps. They take up way less space, and you’ll still look hot.

4.      Wear the bulky stuff to the airport. Put on your heaviest coat and boots on the day you’re traveling (as long as they’re comfy enough for the airport.) It saves space in your luggage for other things.

5.      Pack an extra bag in your suitcase. If you expect to come back with far more than you left with, packing an extra bag is the way to go. But beware – many airlines charge $25 for every checked bag, so the extra space isn’t free.

6.      Cut down on the toiletries. Do you really need the hair gel, mousse, body lotion, face lotion and shave gel during your stay? There are probably some items you could do without or purchase when you get there. And remember – 3.4 ounces is the max for liquids in your carry on.

7.      Pack light, but bring warm accessories. If your final destination is cold, you can still ditch the bulky sweatshirts and sweaters as long as you bring a warm coat, hat, gloves and scarf.

8. Pack socks inside your shoes. Put items in every crevice of your suitcase. Put socks in your shoes and pack your underthings last. You can squeeze them into the wasted space between clothes.

9. Pack toiletries in a plastic bag. It’s not pretty when your liquids leak. Make sure any liquids are stored in a plastic bag – regardless of whether they’re in your carry on or checked bag.

10.   Utilize the resources at your destination. If you’re going to your hotel, friend’s, or parents’ house for the holidays, chances are you don’t need to bring many toiletries. Think about the items that will already be available at your final destination and don’t waste space packing them.

Women + Shoes = Euphoria!

In this newsclip, WCBS-TV interviewed a number of people about the psychology of women and high heels.  What brings this sense of joy that women experience from shoes?  And why do they continue to wear stilettos despite physical pain?

You must watch this clip – click here!

Some of my favorite quotes follow from the various interviews conducted:

“Shoes can be the catalyst to get you mobilized and help you get out and move beyond your comfort zone…”,  -Psychologist

“I’m like a foot psychic.  I can look at a foot and know where they’re coming from and where they’re going…the type of life they led”, -Podiatrist

“It’s an easy emotional purchase on a rainy blue day”, -Saks Fashion Director

“You’re either sexy or comfortable – one or the other – I haven’t been able to feel both!”, -Shopper

Enjoy!

Why is it that certain colors are “in” every season? In The Devil Wears Prada, Fashion Magazine Editor Miranda Priestly condescendingly told her fashion assistant it’s because designers choose colors for their clothing lines and their choices are eventually adopted by the mass market. Her exact words were, “In 2002, Oscar De La Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns… And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of 8 different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin.”

Harsh — but makes sense. But if retailers plan their assortment so long before they hit the shelves, how can they predict the right hues? As it turns out, there is a whole world of color pundits whose mission is to predict the next season’s shades.

One of the biggest color-predicting groups is the Color Marketing Group. In their fall/winter 2008 press release, they wrote that the biggest drivers of colors this season were the shades associated with the economy and environmental awareness issues. So far they’ve been pretty accurate. Among other colors, they predicted the “return of purple” and “fresh new grays.” That turned out to be true. In fact, Tamra blogged about those color trends earlier in the season.

Organizations like the Color Marketing Group predict the season’s colors, but other groups actually influence and help create the trends. One such group is Pantone. In a recent press release, Pantone announced the 2009 color of the year — mimosa. (In fact, Shop It To Me Trendsetter Jennifer Jane’s Style Journal wrote a great blog post about finding the color in her Salemail.)

The golden yellow is brighter than I’d normally go for, but it’s hard to dislike a color that bears the same name as such a tasty cocktail. Pantone says the color expresses “hope and reassurance” in a “time of economic uncertainty.” Mimosa lends hope and reassurance? I think Pantone is on to something. In light of the economic uncertaintly, I predict brandy, mint julep, and whiskey will also be big.

The constant debate around gift cards…  are they personal (allowing the recipient to choose the perfect gift for themselves) or impersonal (an envelope with a piece of plastic is so easily forgotten)?!

A few thoughts around how you can make gift cards a bit more personal this holiday season:

- Attach a creative card that lists a few suggestions of what you’d like to see them buy with the gift card. Even consider adding some photos or magazine clippings!  Help them move beyond the plastic and easily visualize the actual item you’re essentially buying for them.  So if you are giving $ toward J.Crew, write on the card “For some cableknit gloves or a cashmere sweater!” …the power of suggestion!

- Wrap the gift card in a box, and make the outer wrappings unique to that individual.  If the person is outdoorsy, use natural materials for the wrapping.  If they are southern preppy, use pink and green polka dot ribbon, etc.  Make the wrapping specific to the personality, leaving a halo effect on the gift itself.

- Add a homemade little something extra to the gift card.  If the gift card is for gas or car wash for example, add a homemade CD compilation that’s great for driving/road trips.  If the gift card is for a department store, add a nicely decorated envelope (think sequins, buttons, other fun add-ons) to store receipts in throughout the year so they’re kept safe in case needed for returns!

- Help them understand why you selected that particular store for a gift card.  Detail out adjectives that are unique to that store and their personality.  Relay an anecdote or memory that made you know they enjoy that store, etc.  (“I remember last year when you wore a white angora sweater that I adored, and you told me you bought it from Saks.  Well, use this in the best of health to buy something else special that you’ll look fabulous in!”)