I Can Stop Whenever I Want, I Swear!

I'm obviously on a sample sale shopping stint right now... mostly because it's Christmas time... uhh, yeah... that's it... it's Christmas time. Ha.

I recently got the low down on a few other sample sales happening this coming week. Check it out...

Rachel Pally.

Rebecca Minkoff

Archipelago

I know, I know... Candles aren't necessarily something you can wear... however, if you are anything like me... then you'll want your living space to be just as stylish as you are! Hence, the need for candles! I do want to warn you that Archipelago's candles (and diffusers, potpourri, ect.) don't smell "pretty." By "pretty" I mean they are not anything like those girly, nauseating smelling candles you may find at the mall. They have scents that are more exotic and complex then the average candle. Personally, I love musky and woodsy smelling candles... and anything else for that matter! MMM! I can't wait. They also offer lots of soy and natural candles!

I do want to *WARN* you... The Archipelago's Factory Sales are intense... we're talkin' complete mad house. Last year's sale was ridiculous! It was raining/sprinkling and people were still standing in line to get in. Go early, well fed, wear comfortable shoes and a small purse that will keep both your hands free!

Miss Me Sample Sale, Part 2.

Photo Credit: Miss Me.

Previously, there was a post on a Miss Me Sample Sale in downtown LA. Well, this past weekend I was in the area and made a last minute decision to go check it out.

Below is some important info that you will need to know when you go:

• CASH only... which isn't much of a surprise.

• There ARE dressing rooms... approximately 3 or 4 of them.


• The address is 4715 South Alameda St., however, when you are on Alameda Street you will need to turn right (if coming from East Vernon Ave.) into the driveway right before the pink building that is for KellyToy, 4811 South Alameda St... then drive all to the end, it will be on your right.


• NO tax! YAY!


• Jeans are all $30 each!


• They have women's, men's and kid's clothes.

Sadly, I only had about $60 worth of cash but I didn't really need more than that! As I mentioned previously, they did have their other sister brands there as well... Rock Revival and Mek. I scored a gorgeous pair of Rock Revival jeans for $30 that normally retail for $159!

I also got a camel colored poncho-esque tunic zip up sweater for $20. The picture looks kind of horrific, but trust me it looks so much cuter on! I'll def post a better picture when I can!

Happy Sample Sale Shopping!

Pretty Young Thing.

Photo Credit: MSAhluwalia.

A few weekends ago I saw the Michael Jackson tribute movie This Is It. I'll admit that I initially planned on renting it once it was out on DVD, however, my dad being the HUGE MJ fan that he is wanted to see it while it was still in theaters so off we went to the theaters!

No doubtingly, music and fashion go together just like PB&J. Of course, the legend that is Michael Jackson is no exception to this rule. I definitely think everyone should incorporate a little King of Pop style into their own everyday uniform.

Obviously, you can't expect to throw on all of these MJ inspired clothes, walk out the door and call it a day. I'm not saying you can't... you can definitely do it, however, just like MJ, you may get a few... err... not-so-endearing stares and you'll look like a HOT MESS.

In case you're not sure what consititutes as a Michael Jackson staple... here's a little guide to help you out...

You might be asking... Where in the whole would I wear these rediculous items to?! Welllll.... I'm glad you asked!!!

MJ Goes To Work: If you're lucky enough to work in an office that doesn't require you to wear business attire (aka take-away-my-soul-while-you're-at-it! clothes... BO-RING!), then I suggest you give this a spin.

MJ Goes To A Meeting: Sure... MJ's meetings were probably vastly different then our ideas of a meeting. Meeting with associates at the office... Meeting with girlfriends for drinks... Meeting for a late night dinner... You get the picture.

MJ's Night Out: MJ may not have been lucky enough to have a few nights out on the town tearin' it up (without being completely bombarded by... well, everyone!), but we do!

Alright... now that you've been throughly prepped on MJ's signature style... go and be gorgeously stylish!

PostScript: I'm sure I should have broken this down into 2 posts... but hell, the King of Pop deserves a momumental post! RIP MJ.

The Gorgeous-ness That Is Sam Edelman.

I'm not sure what triggered my latest obsession with snake skin... but I have been noticing that I've been eyeing everything that has snake print on it! So sure enough, this past week I gave in. I was at Nordstrom Rack (even though I knew I shouldn't have been there to begin with!) on my lunch break and I spotted a pair of Sam Edelman pewter snake skin booties that were a PERFECT fit! I looked at the price and they were ONLY $39.99! Of course, I knew I shouldn't have been shopping to begin with so I put them back and left. After a few hours of debating, I went back after work and they were still there! This was obviously a sign! I grabbed them, holding on to them for dear life in fear that someone would try to snatch them from me, then made a bee line to the cashier.

Here's a few more absolutely gorgeously delicious pairs from Sam Edelman.

PostScript: Check out the TO DIE for heel on this baby!

Miss Me Sample Sale.

I love designer denim and I can usually justify buying it because I can wear jeans to the office so I wear jeans almost all the time so naturally when I received this flier in my email my heart started to beat rapidly and I was filled with excitement. That was quickly followed by a cold sweat because I remembered that I have already cheated repeatedly on my credit diet and I can not go shopping... again! But that doesn't mean I can't go check it out right?!

PostScript: Miss Me, Mek and Rock Revival are all part of the same company... which might possibly mean that this sample sale will have more than just Miss Me denim! Or at least info on Mek and Rock Revival sample sales!

Hard Candy At Wal-Mart.

Photo Credit: ScreamLikeAStar.

A few posts ago I mentioned that Hard Candy had launched a line for Wal-Mart. Well, last night I ventured out to Wal-Mart to check it all out and see if it was even worth going to Wal-Mart for again in the future.

Being an adult, only a few things were actually appealing to me since about 85% of the collection is glitter filled make-up. Boo! I did end up getting the Sheer Envy Cosmetic Primer, Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Heatwave and Just Nails Nail Polish in Rumor Mill.

I know that every make-up artist will swear up and down that foundation primer is *mandatory*. I previously used Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer which was amazing and made my skin feel soo luxuriously smooth and make my face look flawless! The downer was that once I ran out I wasn't compelled to spend $40 again for a new bottle. So it was back to foundation on bare sun-screened skin... until now! Hard Candy's Sheer Envy Cosmetic Primer is ahhhh-mazing! Just as good as Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer except way cheaper! It's $8! This alone will be the reason that I will return to Wal-Mart!

Being the bronzer addict that I am I grabbed the darkest bronzer they had with no hesitation. Just like the primer, So Baked Bronzer in Heatwave is superb! I LOVE Nars' Bonzing Powder in Casino but I decided to venture out and try this one. It is a very decent (and cheap, $7) substitute. It goes on so smoothly and doesn't look orange at all! So gorgeous!

Lastly, was the Just Nails Nail Polish in Rumor Mill. Usually, I only stick to OPI and Essie nail polish brands because they go on smoothly, don't EVER chip and have gorgeous colors season after season. But I had to try one of these new Hard Candy nail polishes because what else are they known for?! DUH, their nail polish! So I picked up Rumor Mill, a deep plum purple color. It went on really smoothly, but it looks black! If you know me, I don't do black nail polish... I do dark nail polish because I still want to be able to see a hint of color. This one is totally black! Maybe I'll be able to see some color in the sunlight. Also, we'll see if it chips within a few days. On the plus side, it is free of DBP, toluene and formaldehyde... I don't know what those chemicals are but I'm sure they're bad for you! And it doesn't smell as strong as other nail polishes!

I Just Might Need A Bigger Bank Account.

Photo Credit: CondemnedToLove89.

Anyone who's anybody in this town has their own "clothing/shoe/jewelry/handbag/anything else you can come up with" line (a la Paris Hilton & Christian Audigier's Ed Hardy, both of which happen to be slapping their names on anything they can get their money hungry hands on). Of course, these lines try (and usually succeed) to appeal to the type of consumer that think that if they owned this celebrity sponsored crap that they would be more like said celebrity and that they'd have a "piece" of them.

Obviously, I'm not excluded from above said consumers. I'll admit that there are a handful of celebs that have launched their own clothing/accessory lines that I absolutely adore, i.e. William Rast, L.A.M.B., dVb (I adore everything about/by Victoria Beckham), Jessica Simpson (shoes only) and (finally, the meat and potatoes of this post) House of Harlow 1960.

Nicole Richie's House of Harlow 1960 started in Fall 2008 and featured only 1960's inspired "costume" jewelry... I personally don't consider it as "costume-y" as it could be... but again... I like mostly things that are flashy and over the top.
Just absolutely gorgeous, huh?!

Welllll... as if I didn't already want *every* piece of jewelry in her existing line, she will be debuting her new shoe collection, Winter Kate, in Spring 2010. From the few pictures I was able to find, it has a very native american, tribal feel.... I LOVE IT! Who am I kidding... they had me once I saw the TO DIE FOR platform and chunky heel! I think I can manage to pull away from my natural gravitation towards everything black, leather and rock n' roll for a minute and do the bohemian, tribal chic thing for a minute... or two.

PostScript: Don't you just love that she names her line after her daughter, Harlow Winter Kate Madden?!?

Behind the Scenes: That Noise Photoshoot.

This past Halloween weekend I got the chance to assist on a photo shoot with stylist Kelly Dixon for the band That Noise at Bar Lubitsch in West Hollywood. The shoot was for promo shots for the band since their cover of "Sex on Fire" is starting to play on the radio.

The photographer, Suzi Gunn (who just so happens to be a Playboy photographer), took some shots of the guys outside of the bar and in an alley before heading inside Bar Lubitsch.

Being the first shoot I've ever assisted on, this was seriously one of the best experiences I've ever had! Everyone there worked amazingly well together and everyone was so easy going and friendly! It was a great experience! And Kelly is suuuuchhh a sweetheart! I can't wait to work on more shoots with her!!!

Once we were all finally done with the shoot we all went to Toi on Sunset for some bomb ass Thai food. MMMMM! This was only my 2nd trip to Toi, but if you've never been there... you need to go! SO DELICIOUS!

Below are some pictures that I took with my shitty ass camera. Half way through the night I switched over to using Kelly's camera, so more pictures to come later!

Delaney hard at work.

Shoes for the shoot + a pair of sneaks that Vlado Footwear hooked the guys up with (they each got a pair).

The rack of clothes for the guys & Jay trying on a belt.

Jay, Kelly & Delaney smelling Jawnee's hair after his trip to the salon.

Pre-bar photo shoot outside.

I know it seems like I wasn't doing anything because I'm not in any of the pictures, but I was the steaming queen that day! Steamed almost everything in site! Plus, someone has to be the official picture taker to document the whole extravaganza!

More photos to come!

Ponchos.

I may be late on the bandwagon on this one but... I REALLY WANT A PONCHO. The first thing you probably think of when you hear the word "poncho" is a traditional Mexican poncho that is thick, itchy and burlap. That's not what I want. LOL. Think of a poncho a la Jessica Simpson.

For once... something SUPER comfy but doesn't look like a Snuggie (aka Jesus robe)!!!

Cheapies.

Photo Credit: Jeff Harris.

I don't know about anyone else... but I always love finding awesomely cute cheapie rings at Forever 21/XXI. The only downer about cheapie rings is that they tarnish... FAST! Especially since I wash my hands at least 20 times a day at work. A friend of mine gave me a little trick to help make them last... at least long enough til I can invest in some *serious jewelry* like the ones above!

What you'll need:

• Good clear nail polish.
• Any cheapie rings that you would like to last for longer than a week.
• Paper towels or newspaper (to protect the surface you're working on).

Step 1: Put the paper towels/newspaper over the surface you're going to be working on.

Step 2: Paint the clear nail polish over all of the surfaces of the ring, including the inside. You may want to paint the ring in sections so that you get a nice smooth coating everywhere.

Step 3: Let it dry. You can do a 2nd coat, if you wish. I did, but only because I'm anal like that.

The nail polish will help protect the cheap coat of metallic paint from tarnishing off. Brilliant, huh?!

As Promised... My Halloween Costume.

So I'm obviously no model... by no means. Ha! And lucky for you... you get a (horrific) glimpse into my day job. Yes, this is the cubicle I live in Monday through Friday. Pretty beige. The only highlight... literally... is the blinding light in the left corner... my pretty decent view of Glendale/Burbank. I'll admit that I do have a gorgeous view of the sunset everyday... Monday through Friday that is.

So this was my last minute, DIY Halloween costume for work. Everything was pulled from my own collection (aka closet) except the knee-hi socks. I thought I did pretty damn good!

PostScript: You can barely see in the picture... but I put all the contents of my purse in a backpack. LOL. I truly felt like I was back in high school all day and I LOVED every minute of it. Yes... I went to Catholic school all my life. Yes... we ALL know what they say about Catholic school girls. Shut it.

Winner, Winner! Chicken Dinner!

PhotoCredit: SlovakSlammer.

So I probably haven't mentioned it yet, but I attended Luke Storey's School of Style this past summer (more on that in another post). In the past few weeks I noticed that the School of Style and ThisNext.com was hosting a contest for one lucky winner to win an "Official Stylist Kit". To enter, all one had to do was create a celebrity worthy outfit. Also, you could enter as many times as you'd like. I have to admit that I did procrastinate in entering. But once I got started I was easily able to crank out a good 4 outfits; 1 for a guy and 3 for a girl.

Then, after a completely amazing weekend (more on this amazing weekend in the near future!), I get an email from Lauren Messiah (Fashion & Style Expert/Community Manager at ThisNext.com) that totally capped off my great weekend! I WON THE CONTEST! Pretty friggin sweet, if you ask me!

The Kit includes: Prop bag, gaffers tape, safety pins, black safety pins, handi-wipes, Sharpies, scissors, top stick, lint roller, tagger gun, seam ripper, sewing kit, hang tags, clips, and masking tape.

To the average person this probably sounds like a bunch of random ass stuff you would find in your kitchen junk drawer.... But oh, you are SO wrong... all of these assorted items can be and are an absolute life saver for any stylist or aspiring/assistant stylist! Plus, who doesn't LOVE free ish?!

Oh yea, I'm sure you wanna see what exactly did I put together that got me to win huh?! Here's my winning look:

Here are my other outfits that were entered: