Saturday, August 25, 2007

Amazing Shoe Sale

Y'all I don't often do this, but I have got to share an amazing shoe deal from Style Bard Shoes with you here.

This deal only lasts through the 27th, but there's plenty of time to get your hands on amazing, quality shoes for sale on Shoes.com.

They're already 75% off. You get an additional 20% off. And there's Free Shipping.

Best of all, I just love so many of these shoes, and they're perfect for Fall. My favorites are these Caligarius 'Anita' pumps in Plum Suede. How work-appropriate and gorgeous are these? And that low heel won't have you kicking off your heels under the desk. I mean, you can if you want to.

I don't need work shoes at the moment, but I'm trying to make my mother buy these so I can live vicariously (and borrow them? mom?). I scrutinize and shop at shoe deals day in and day out, and I think this is an exceptionally good sale.

For more sale details: Click Here.

Friday, August 24, 2007

New Article for HerFabLife!

Here's this week's installment for HerFabLife!

New Neutrals for Fall
- Introducing new rules for neutral shoes.



** cross-posted to Style Bard Shoes

Panties Speak a Thousand Words

Storytime! And this is a little story about a pair of panties. Yes, my friends, we're talking about underwear.

I recently encountered a bizarre little situation that illustrated for me how succinctly an article of clothing can represent your (sad) life story.

A friend of mine was over for the weekend and forgot to pack panties. I have done this before. Um, a lot. I'm always the guest who forgot ONE thing, and, you know, if I'm coming to visit you, just plan on visiting Super Walmart at 3am, because that's when I'm going to need a bra/deodorant/toothbrush or whathaveyou.

However, being in Boston, where there is CERTAINLY no Super Walmart - no, not even Boston, but Somerville - home of 'Nothing's Open Past 7, so Hunker Down for the Night, Ladies' - there was definitely nowhere for her to grab another pair for the next day. Great friend that I am, I said I'd lend her a pair.

And ew, no, shuttup. I'm the kind of person who forgets she buys something the minute it's put away, so I usually have 3 of anything with tags still on. (Sidebar: To counter this, I usually leave new things in the bag on my floor until I'm ready to wear it. There you go.) Or I'll buy a multipack of panties (what? sometimes you're just broke and need some cotton undies to get you through a long laundry spell!) and then I won't like one or two of the colors (WHITE), so I assumed I'd at least have those extras in my drawer. ANYhow, I assumed I had some clean, UNWORN panties to lend her.

So I pull open my drawer (second one down, thanks, the top is too cliche) and triumphantly saw a tag right away and yanked the pair out, handing them to her. Pink. Pink and frilly. Pink and frilly and sheer girlygirly panties!!

Caught, abashed, I mumbled, "Because.. I just... I guess I bought them to have something sexy-- for--- I guess my next boyfriend? And that's - why - the tag's still on. Um."

Yeeeeeah. But she wore them, oh yes she did. My panties and I saved the day! Unfortunately, I think that good deed gave away more about me then anyone necessarily needed to know. And now you know, too! Enjoy!

Friday, August 17, 2007

Latest for HerFabLife!

There was a little lapse there, but here's the latest Bard article for HerFabLife!

The "It" Factor Can Change Your Life
- Some tips on how to streamline your image to create an "It" public image.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

New Purse, New Shoes

So here's a picture of my new adorable purse and shoes.

Are you ready for the best part? You ready? $20 each at TJ Maxx. I'm like a walking commercial, baby.

I would've spent a lot more on them too. Comfortable, cute, and the green purse I've been seeking for - mmm - 6 months?

I may have been over this before, but I'm not really a purse girl. I just don't understand them; they fall off my fashion radar. They don't "do it" for me. (Ew. I think I hate that phrase.) Anyway, I buy a purse about once or twice a year, when the one I have is ripping or in some other way irking me. I just use it and use it everyday, I buy something neutral and all-encompassingly practical, and maybe switch it out to its tinier counterpart for an evening event. Shoes, I'll go nuts about - the perfect "feel", how they'll function in my wardrobe, what I'll wear them with, what I'm lacking to complete my collection. But purses? I've got nothing. I would love nothing more than to fall in love with one purse, spend a fortune on it, and never buy another purse again. Ever.

As my last purse (from December) got stained, I threw it out and got this one. I am very happy. It could be a little deeper, but I am happy. It has pockets. Three large pockets! And for twenty bucks, if the shallowness bothers me in a month or two, I can go back and buy another one guilt-free. As a last comment, it has bronze adornments, and I like bronze because I can wear gold or silver jewelry without feeling too odd. (Or matching bronze flats! I know purses and shoes don't have to match anymore but I imagine I'll be wearing these a lot come fall, so the matchingness excites me! Exciting!)

That is all. No wait - I think it begs to be mentioned that my past 3 purses (that's a year and a half to you calendar folks) were all black. So this is a big step in the world of pursely accessorizing. Yay!

**cross-posted to Style Bard Shoes

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Product Review ~Dream Matte Mousse~

I've been wanting to try Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse for awhile now, due in part to favorable reviews from some of my favorite beauty bloggers. I haven't shopped for foundation anywhere but Sephora for a the last few years for several reasons. Namely, because I like to try before I buy, and because I believe foundation is the single most important item of makeup a girl uses. You don't want something cheap and cakey ruining your look, or worse, your complexion. Bad foundation- not necessarily horrid, but maybe not the best for you- will undermine anything else you try to do with your makeup. Hell, it'll undermine whatever you try to do with your look, because if your style is right, attention should be drawn to your natural beauty, especially your face.

But let's face it, Sephora is a little pricey, and it's not quite ubiquitous yet. Even if it has to be crammed into J.C. Penney's to reach every mall, I'll take it for the sake of convenience. Until them, having a drugstore backup is key.

Borrowing from my cousin with a similar complexion gave me the opportunity to finally test the Dream Matte Mousse without buying it (and risking, as I have in the past, using it twice and throwing it away). So here's the report.

Pros:

Texture- I really liked the light, fluffy feel when I spread it across my face. When I first inserted my finger (more on that later) I was doubtful, but the moment it glided on, smooth and light, I was happy.

Color- Maybe it's a total coincidence that the one shade I got my hands on matched my coloring. But I'm going to count this as a plus, because it blended so well with my other makeup and my coloring without standing out or not blending at all.

Price- For approximately $7, I would use this in a bind. It's fair for the product and much cheaper than what I'm used to. Also, due to the fluffy, condensed texture of the mousse, it spreads easily and I feel it would last a good while for the price.

Cons:

Packaging- No applicator? No mirror? Really? I do buy my makeup based on both the product and function. I need to apply and touch-up makeup on the go, I need to use great tools to make great makeup work to the best of its ability. More to the point, I don't want to buy something separate that'll get lost, and I reallyreally don't want to press my fingers into mousse. Eeeew.

Settling- I liked this foundation a lot more when first applied then I did when it had dried and set. In normal poor indoor lighting, it isn't as smooth against the contours of my face as I would like, it doesn't quite fall, drape, like an upscale powder will, so some flaws are actually defined. It's worse close up than from afar, but it was still noticeable to me.

Longevity- My trial only last 2 days, so I can't say how the product holds up after constant use. But then again, I wasn't inclined to use it frequently or for a long period because of the performance. It would never be my daily foundation. I did notice that the mousse seemed to get a bit mushy and maybe even dirty? after finger being dipped and dipped and dipped into it. It's no longer all swirly and appealing like the picture, no sir.

The bottom line:

In a pinch I would grab this because the color works, it feels light and nice on, and I know what to expect and what its downfalls are, rather than try to navigate an unknown drugstore choice. However, it's not something I'm in love with, and I don't want to know what my semi-sensitive face would do if I wore this for more than two days in a row.