Fashion Sensei Says…

 

Hi everyone, this very late edition of Fashion Sensei Says… comes with some fancy new fonts that I have been experimenting with.  I just discovered that there is a new edition to Windows Live Writer so I have been playing with some of the new features.

My apologies for the scarcity of posts.  I think the stomach virus’ that have been wreaking havoc in my household have finally subsided (fingers crossed).

 

Man Skirts?

The NY Times is blaming Marc Jacobs for the new skirt trend seen on Paris runways during Men’s Fashion Week.  Designers, including Number (N)ine, Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Rick Owens- all had fellas strutting their stuff in skirts.  What no minis?  On second thought, I don’t want to see that either. [Photo Source: Vogue.com]

 

Silly Monkey…

(click on images for photo source and shopping info.)

Someone reportedly paid $2,025 on eBay for a pair of Naughty Monkey shoes that Sara Palin wore during her campaign for Vice President.  The shoes that regularly retail for $100 were sold by a person who identified herself as Palin’s niece.  As a bonus- the Alaskan Governor is supposed to sign the shoes too.  [the cut]

I did a little searching and found the exact same pair on Endless.com marked down to $86.90.  I mean if you want to be a Naughty Monkey, why not go for a pair of shoes like these?

I “Double Dare” you…

Check out more about Governor Palin on the cut, where they also report her $180k wardrobe has been stuffed away in garbage bags.

 

Forgive Me For Finding Humor In the Following Statement…

I was just reviewing a long list of press releases and this one struck me as funny: “L.L. Bean Recalls Ice Cleats Used During Winter Weather Due to Fall Hazard”  [PR Newswire]  Man that sucks.

 

This One’s Not So Funny…

“Vermont Teddy Bear’s Limited-Edition ‘Recession-Proof Love’ Bear Brings a Bit of Humor to this ‘Bear Market’ “  [PR Newswire]

There’s nothing humorous about losing 40% of your 401k’s value.  Nor would I want a broke bear to remind me of it.

 

 

 

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Shoppers Cast Your Vote!

When you go shopping, you want to feel good about your purchase, right?  You also want a helpful sales person or customer service associate available if you need assistance.

Recently, the results from the National Retail Federation Foundation/American Express Customers’ Choice survey were released.

Here are the top ten:

1. L.L. Bean
2. Overstock.com
3. Zappos.com
4. Amazon.com
5. Lands’ End
6. New Egg.com
7. JCPenny
8. QVC
9. Coldwater Creek
10. Nordstrom

The survey, which polled 8,167 consumers asked, “Thinking of all the different retail formats (store, catalog, internet, or home shopping), which retailer delivers the best customer service?”

So my dear Fashion Sensei Readers, this is my question to you today.  Who would you choose? (It doesn’t have to be anyone mentioned above.) Who would you vote as having the WORST customer service?  Be sure to leave a comment.

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Fashion Sensei Says…

Happy Friday!

It’s been some week here in the Sensei household, I was sick,  then my oldest was sick, followed by my youngest who spent the past two nights throwing up…  I need to find the number to call in for a mom’s personal day.  If anyone knows it, let me know!

 

That’s A’lotta Bananas!

Yesterday I went to Banana Republic to redeem a $50 customer appreciation card that my husband so graciously gave me.  It’s a long story how he got the card, but the long and short of it is, B.R. couldn’t find a pair of pants that they tailored for him for several weeks, so they gave him the card.

Anyway, I can’t believe how low some things are marked down.  I purchased $339.20 worth of merchandise for only $79.15.  When you take off the $50 discount card, my total bill was $30.17!

My best deals were a pair of jeans for $14, reg. $89 and a black sweater from the fall collection for $9.74, reg $79. I almost felt a little guilty…but then I came to my senses!

Banana Republic is having an extra 25% off today online if you want to get in on the sale, but there was a much better selection at my local store.

Fashion Royalty

 

So let’s talk about Michelle Obama.  Beautiful at the inaugural address in Isabel Toledo, stunning in Jason Wu at the inaugural balls- but what I want to talk about is the amazing dress she wore to the National Prayer Service on Wed.  I did some hunting and it turns out that the 50′s style dress with an Asian inspired print, was designed by ex-surfer Tracy Feith.  The first lady  bought the dress at the ultra chic boutique Ikram, in Chicago.  No doubt that if there are any of these $720 dresses around, they have been snatched up by now.

There is some good news for those of us who do not have the budget to buy a $720 dress, Feith has been tapped by Target to design a collection for their GO International line and will make it’s way to the stores on May 17th.

Now That’s Hot!

(click on image to enlarge)

The temperature here in MI is supposed to take another dip tomorrow, so if you see me walking around in one of these, don’t be alarmed.  At first I thought these were some kind of new snow suit.  Turns out, they are sleeping bags by Lippi Selk Bag. 

 

From Fashion And Back

January 22nd kicked off the exhibition of British designer Hussein Chalayan at London’s Design Museum.  The exhibition will include a retrospective of his experimental and conceptual designs spanning the past 15 years.

His collections are not only art, but encompass technology, philosophy, anthropology and much, much more.  The video above includes a moment where a model literally steps into a table and walks off with a skirt; a crystal and LED lit dress; and magical dresses that literally transform before your eyes.

If you are in the area, this is a must see. If not, here are some links that you can experience some of the incredible and inspiring moments from his collections and learn more about this exceptional art and fashion visionary.  First, a sneak peak of the exhibition from Telegraph.co.uk,  a video retrospective of his work from style.com, an article from Telegraph.co.uk revealing more about the artist/designer and finally a link to YouTube for a collection of videos from his runway shows.

That’s it for today guys, have a great weekend!

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Free Cosmetics

As part of a class action settlement, some of retail’s biggest names such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue have begun dispensing some $175 million worth of free cosmetics and you can get yours too.

First, click on this link to see which stores near you are participating and what they will be giving away. 

Next, boogie your butt on down to the mall today! Even though this free cosmetic bonanza last’s 7 days, I just returned my local mall and the free cosmetics were going fast.  Some items were already gone when I arrived at my local Nordstrom.  I cued up in a line of about 30 people to receive my free mascara from Lancome.  There is one catch, you only get one item.

As I understand it, you are limited to one item period.  But I spoke with one woman in line who had gone to each of the four local participating stores.  She said “I spend a lot of money on this stuff.  They are only giving out sample sizes and I don’t feel guilty about going to each store.  We should be suing the lawyers who got this settlement!” 

I asked another woman in line how she knew about this and she said that a couple of her co-workers came back from their lunch break with several bottles of perfume. 

As I left Nordstrom, the trash cans were overflowing with the paper bags holding the free cosmetic.  Why?  Well, it appears that they were stuffing it in their purses and making a bee line down to Macy’s to get more free stuff.  While the rest of the mall was deserted, women could be seen wearing a path from Nordstrom to Macy’s and I saw another woman giving directions to another shopper to Neiman’s and Saks.

So if you want to get in on the giveaway, I suggest you check it out tonight.

P.S. Thanks Shannon for the tip!

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It’s A New Day

In honor of today’s historical inauguration, I have a toy for you to play with.  But first click here for a little background music.

Obamacon.me allows you to upload any picture and customize your message inspired by Shepard Fairey’s iconic campaign poster of Barack Obama.

You can upload the poster to twitter and facebook, or if you really love your creation, you may buy merchandise with your poster’s image on it.

Have a great day everyone!

The "Mini Trend": Is Bigger No Longer Better?

While reading the Sun this afternoon, I stumbled upon an intriguing concept emerging from this recession, the “mini trend”.

In an effort to continue marketing to the “recessionista” crowd, the mini trend has emerged as a way of appealing to style junkies whose bank accounts are quickly becoming tapped out.

Instead of purchasing a full outfit that embodies a current trend, those who want to look stylish, but no longer have the cash (or more likely, the credit line to buy a full outfit), may instead buy one item from the trend.

This is hardly a new concept.  As women grow older, they look silly in a head-to-toe trend.  Not to mention, those fashions were not made for our more, shall we say, mature bodies.  So, in order to look hip and young, we buy the “in” belt, shoes or handbag.

But then I got to thinking, is America changing the way we think about ourselves and how we spend our money?  Are we becoming more introspective?

Money magazine has declared “Super Size Is So Over…”  While they are referring to the actual size of things like the Mini Cooper and the decline of “Mc Mansions”, I’m beginning to wonder, are we really changing our opinion that bigger is better?

The king of luxury, Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld was recently quoted in the New York Times as saying:

“This whole crisis is like a big spring housecleaning — both moral and physical… Bling is over. Red carpetry covered with rhinestones is out. I call it ‘the new modesty.’ ”

Could this recession be changing the way we think about ourselves and how we spend money? Or is the downsizing that many of us are experiencing a short lived fad to get us through, until we can go back to our more free spending ways?

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Fashion Sensei Says…

On My Own…

Well, I didn’t win the free personal trainer for 6 weeks (boo-hoo!) so that means that I will have to motivate myself into getting in better shape.  I finally lifted a weight other than my two children today.  So back to the gym I go…  How’s everyone else doing?

 

Happiness Is…Free Loot!

To console myself after the loss of the personal trainer contest, I entered another contest to win some free boots and you can too.

The ladies over at Running With Heels are giving away a pair of fab new boots by La Canadienne.  The great thing about them is that they are made for comfort, are breathable and waterproof.  Something this MI gal can appreciate when there is a foot of snow on the ground!  Be sure to click on the link above to enter. 

In other free loot news, head on over to the Fashion Sensei Coupons to see how you can win some more swag from jbandme.com.  Check back each week in February for new discounts and prizes.

 

Footloose And Fancy Green…

I have gotten word that Zoe & Zac, in an alliance with model, environmentalist and eco trendsetter, Summer Rayne Oakes (yes that’s her God given name, and no she says, her parents are not hippies),  have partnered and designed a new eco-friendly brand of shoes for Payless this April.

In a statement from Payless,  the line is to include stylish footwear and “accessory products that are also green through the use of sustainable and eco-friendly materials such as organic cottons and linen, natural hemp and recycled outsoles, as well as the use of eco-smart packaging”.

The initial launch is to only include women’s products all priced under $30, and future lines will include expanded lines for children and men. 

 

It’s So Sad To Say Good-Bye…

I received a disappointing e-mail yesterday from the owner of a local boutique called Gracie’s.  It said that after four years, she will be closing up shop.  Another victim of the Great Recession.

I stopped by Gracie’s when I first started my personal shopping service and she was so wonderful.  Not only was she willing to loan me clothes to take to my clients, but she even offered to deliver them to me.

I remember asking her how she chose the name Gracie’s.  She told me that if she ever had a daughter, she wanted to name her Gracie and since she does not have a daughter of her own, she was nurturing her “baby” Gracie in the form of a boutique.

Now that she is closing, it feels like a death of a dream.  And as someone who is chasing a dream of her own, it saddens me.

Her 75% off sale starts today, so if you live near Birmingham go check it out and wish Jill well.

What have you seen in your community and how has it affected you?  Leave me a comment.

 

This Weeks Funny Fashions…

I didn’t want to leave you bummed out so here’s something funny to end the post.

Click on each image from style.com for more information.

Fashion’s idea of a space age straight jacket.

 

Marie Antoinette meets a geometric quilting bee.

 

“Forgive me fashion, for I have sinned”.

 

In a full body mug shot,  Crystal was picked up by the fashion police for her peek-a-boo un-speakables. 

Leave me captions of your own…

 

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The Cut, Clueless & Sexy Beijing

Now that all the holidays are over, I’ve been catching up on all that’s new in the fashion blog-o-sphere.  Here’s a sampling of what I found: 

the cut- 

NY Magazine’s fashion blog the cut had all sorts of interesting fashion news.

First, they delighted in speculation that Vogue editor, Anna Wintour may be the next French Ambassador for the Obama Administration.  Sounds a bit too far-fetched to me, but it doesn’t sound like the fashion world would be too sorry to see her go, according to the cut: 

[T]he fashion world is buzzing over the rumor that Wintour might leave “with a guillotine glee akin to that which preceded the death of Marie Antoinette.”

 

No Sale, No Teenagers

In another bit of elitist news, there are reports that Versace stores refuse to put their merchandise on sale to dissuade the likes of us common folk and the more insidious demographic: teen girls. 

“Our regular client was not queuing on January 3-4 in Milan or Rome but was on the slopes in St Moritz or on a boat in the Caribbean,” he said. “We want to offer a real luxury and not to open our doors to the consumption of young girls who can put the designer handbag of their dreams on their arm with less than 300 Euros. We are not interested in that.”

I for one was working with a client ( a lovely one at that) instead of cruising the Caribbean on Jan. 3rd and on the 4th, I was involved with something that Versace would deem blasphemous: grocery shopping!  I’m not sure I will be invited to a Versace party any time soon…

Are You Kidding?!

And the last bit of news from the cut involves the indie- stylista- actress Chloë Sevigny.  In an interview for Esquire magazine, miss Sevigny states:

“I don’t really have any concept of how money works. I don’t know how much things cost. Like a BMW. Or a quart of milk. It’s embarrassing.”

Comments like that make me want to slap her silly.  But since it appears that she is already silly and I am not a violent person,  I will instead offer a standing invitation to come grocery shopping with me on any given Sunday.  Love you Chloë . 

My New Fav: Sexy Beijing

So while I was catching up on all the new fashion blogger news, I visited Fashion nation and discovered this fantastic site called Sexy Beijing.  It’s an internet production based in Beijing, China that involves an American woman interviewing the Chinese people on topics involving: love, relationships, sex and women’s issues.

Channeling Carrie Bradshaw of Sex And The City, creator Anna Sophie Loewenberg, a.k.a. Su Fei, travels the city interviewing the Chinese people about the afore mentioned topics and in turn, brings us closer to a culture that many of us here in the West, have never seen. 

In a video presently on the main page of her site, she interviews Chinese construction workers on their love lives and what qualities a good wife embodies.

Upon viewing the video, I was first struck by Anna Sophie’s fantastic Mandarin accent.  It was as though a local Chinese woman had taken over her body.  After living in China for a decade, she seems to have perfected a Mandarin accent.

I was also fascinated by how candid these men were in answering her questions.  The men in her piece were very open to share their opinions.

As a Western woman, my interest was piqued a couple of times when I learned that matchmakers were still commonly used in the country and by a reply from one of the workers who viewed beauty as useless.

When asked what was more important, looks or cooking skills, the man replied, “Cooking skills.  Good looks are useless right?  What good is beauty if I don’t eat well?”  Quite a polar opposite to American men don’tcha think?

I encourage you to check out her site for yourself.  To read an article about her from CNN, click here.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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Happy New Year: A New Year, A New You

Doesn’t that seem to be the mantra that every magazine, morning news show and everything in between seem to say at the beginning of every January?

It feels as though January has become Body Awareness Month.   “Happy Body Awareness Month everyone!”  As if the other eleven months don’t offer enough reminders to eat less, look younger and to lust after the figure of a pubescent girl. 

Look, I’m not angry.  It’s just an observation.  It’s the culture we live in.  But each year at the beginning of January, we are forced to reflect on how we view our bodies.  Do we need to lose weight?  Firm up or just eat healthier?

I for one, could stand to do all of the above.  After losing close to 100 lbs (I weighed about 240 on the day I delivered my eldest son) three years ago, I have been really struggling not to gain it all back.

I don’t have six days to work out anymore.  My kids require my taxi driving services far too much during the day to fit in a workout.  I could do it at 8:00pm after they go to bed, but who wants to do that?  I still work out when I can, just not six days.

So I just have to be careful about what I put in my mouth and keep my body image feelings in check.  I can’t call myself a cow if I eat a cookie or say, “well you’re going to gain all that weight back again”.

I am a firm believer in what you believe,  you become.  Notice I said what you believe.  Thinking and believing are two different things.  I keep thinking, someday I will win the lotto and never have to worry about money again.  But do I believe it in my soul? Eh- I’m a little wishy washy. Not to mention I would have to play the lotto a little more often.

It was really interesting how I was viewed after I lost all my weight.  My family was really worried that I was losing too much weight.  But when you come from an overweight family, what is “normal” can get a little skewed.

People who didn’t know me when I was fat, just assumed that I was always this size.  The funny thing is, they viewed me as the “skinny bitch” now.  Me, the girl who used to shop in what my girlfriend endearingly called “the big girls section”.

So that starts to mess with your mind a little.  You start apologizing, no, no, I’m just like you.  Look, I’m starting to gain all the weight back.  And then I did.  I’ve gained about 10lbs (maybe more- I was afraid to weigh myself today at the gym after all the terrible things I ate and drank over the holiday.) 

At what point do I just say, it’s ok.  Stay at the weight that makes me feel comfortable in my own skin?

I’m working on it.  Oprah had an interesting show yesterday talking about this very subject and her frustration with her own weight.  She says that she eats to fill a void.

I would agree with that statement.  Eating makes me feel good sometimes.  If I’m feeling anxious I might nibble on something.  If I want to celebrate, I like to go out to dinner or have a cocktail.

I’m not sure there is any good answer on body image, except to take care of the one you live in.  You wouldn’t fill your house with a bunch of trash and expect to feel comfortable would you?  How would you get around in your house if it were piled up with trash?

I think I will remind myself of this analogy when I want to eat to fill a void.  According to Oprah, I need to then ask myself what is the void that I am trying to fill?  That’s a heady question- and one that I would rather try to avoid.

All this analization of our bodies is just too much.  I’ve made a resolution this year to focus on my relationships with others instead.  I want to connect with someone everyday.  Even if it’s just an e-mail that says “Hi”.

Maybe then I will be more focused on what truly makes me happy instead of finding an artificial replacement.  At least that’s what Oprah says will happen.

So what do you think?  I really want to have a conversation about this.  What do you struggle with and how are you resolving to make it better this year?

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Happy New Year!

Hi everyone, Happy New Year!  I hope that you had a wonderful holiday.

I enjoyed some time with family and friends, worked a little and of course did a little shopping.  Oh- and I finally got my braces off! Yahoo!  I have to wear my retainer full time until next year, but it is so nice to have the braces off.

If you haven’t already be sure to scroll down and check out the series on makeup that went up just before Christmas.  The makeup artists that I worked with on the piece had a lot of valuable information.

So now it’s catch up time.  I appreciate the comments that I have been getting from you and will work on responding to each of you this week.

I am also working on a piece on body image for the New Year and would love to get your input.  If you are interested in contributing, send me your thoughts by the end of the day tomorrow.  fashionsensei(@)gmail.com

Further, I would really like your input on topics that you would like to see covered here on Fashion Sensei.  One of my objectives this year for the blog, is to make it a little more interactive.  So if you have any suggestions, be sure to let me know.

I don’t have much time to write today.  I was notified over the weekend that my eldest son’s class will be having their holiday party today because school was canceled on the day of their party due to a huge snowstorm.

The snow day was the same day I was set to get my braces off, but I was hell bent on getting those braces off and nothing was going to stop me.  I kept joking that I was going to pull my kids on a sled to the orthodontist if I had to.  After two long years, there was no way I was going to wait any longer.  That day we had 5 inches of snow on the ground when we set off to the ortho and by 3:00pm we had somewhere around 10 inches total.

So getting back to my son’s party.  This morning, I have to go get 20 helium filled balloons and somehow transport them in my car back to the school.  Secretly, I was happy school got canceled, because I had no idea how they were all going to fit in the car.  Well, I guess I will find out today.  I’m sure it will be hilarious.

Ok guys, that’s it for today.  I’m anxious to hear about what’s been happening with you,  so please leave me a comment.  Also, keep an eye out for some outrageous sales today.  The word is retailers are looking to liquidate their fall merchandise today to make room for spring.  I saw that Bluefly is offering an additional 30% off their sale prices for up to 80% off!  I saw this BCBG black blazer for only $77.90 , market down from $278.  It’s a very practical staple.

Talk to you again soon!

Tanya