Mood:  celebratory

I have a dilemma. I am considering packing up this blog and focusing my interests elsewhere. Over the past couple of months, I have gotten involved with a website called We Heart This. At this site, I have started a mini-blog examining how society views fat people (and some issues of the feminist variety). I have also become a reviewer for WHT, where every month I will have one major post and a few comments.

Most of my free computer time is dedicated to WHT or updating my statuses daily on Facebook and on Twitter. I have not been posting here as often as I would like, and, although it is a hobby, I don't want to cause a diservice to my regular readers by being behind. On the other hand, this is the only outlet I have where I can post my movie, book, and TV reviews as well as give my thoughts on all the world's  "lighter" moments.

I haven't decided. Give me some feedback.

 In the meantime, I covet this Keds rainbow sneakers. (The color kind of reminds me of a pair of shoes my college buddy bought back in 1993 that were lime, pink, yellow, and maybe had a dash of peacock blue.) I don't know if I have anything in my wardrobe to match them except maybe some black on black ensembles.

I Like:

Champion CVO Rainbow by Keds

Mood:  caffeinated

Savvy Mode is sponsoring a shoe giveaway. The lovely people at Paris Hilton Footwear will give away 4 pairs of stylish heels to Savvy Mode readers. Savvy Mode has picked 2 styles to give away, 2 pairs of Destiny (retail $93) and 2 pairs of Senorita (retail $93).

Simple rules to win a pair of Destiny:

1. Let me know what is your favorite Destiny color by visiting here and what will you wear with Destiny. The 2 winners will have a chance to pick the color of her choice. How exciting is this giveaway!
2. Earn an extra entry by following or subscribing to Savvy Mode.
3. Earn a 3rd entry by blogging or tweeting about this giveaway and let me know about it.

A simple rule to win a pair of Senorita:

1. Open to those who blog about this giveaway and let me know about it. This is my way of thanking those who take the time to share this giveaway with their readers. The 2 winners will be able to pick the color of her choice.

Mood:  caffeinated

If there was ever in my life when I seriously, seriously desired and considered parting with more than $100 for a pair of shoes, these patent leather wedges below by Tayrn Rose would be the pair to do it. I am incredibly frugal and cheap. The most expensive pair of shoes I own is a pair of black Timberland winter boots that I've had for nearly a decade. The second most expensive pair are a pair of black knee high Bandolino boots I got from DSW for $70. 

While on vacation in Florida, I visited one of the outlet malls. Normally, I don't get excited for trips to the outlet mall because 1. the stores rarely carry my size and 2. the prices are still too expensive for me. However, a trip to Saks Off 5th with my sister in law and mother in law proved to be a fruitful trip. I racked up on some pretty costume jewelry earrings that were marked way, way done. (They were marked $17.99 but had a red tag, and I was able to get it for an extra 50% off!) I was also able to try on, strut around in, skip, bounce, jump, prance, and sashay in a pair of 3" wedges without feeling off-balance, uncomfortable or in pain. As a matter of fact, I was so comfy in the shoes that I could have ran out the store with them on my feet.

But, I chose not to shoplift in the presence of my mother-in-law. lol.  On Zappos.com, these Taryn Rose wedges are on sale for $231. At Saks' outlet store, they were $242. I could not pony up that much money (or credit card) without extreme buyers' remorse or a huge fight with my husband. So, I'm a bit of mourning.However, I will bookmark these shoes and continue to look at them daily because I found something that I never thought I could find: high heels that I could walk, dance, and work in without pain. 

I Like:

Drewal by Taryn Rose

Mood:  a-ok

I am a fashion moderate--stuck in the middle of several different styles. I am a mash up of looks. I'm neither a sex pot nor am I androgynous like Tilda Swinton. I prefer pants over dresses, and consider myself more Katherine Hepburn than Audrey Hepburn but I do have my girlie girl accotruments like lip gloss, dangly earrings and manicured toes. I am a New York City girl with a strong penchant for wearing black and other neutrals, but I do love my colors. For example, I rock a baby blue peacoat in the winter and a red fur Kangol newsboy cap in the fall. (I even have turquoise shoes and a pair of orange sandals!)

So, with all these fashion ingredients that make up my syle, I was utterly baffled and scared by the extreme and singular fashions featured in the August 2009 issue of Marie Claire magazine (U.S. version). (It was as terrifying and domineering as MC's fashion director Nina Garcia's television persona.) There was a fashion spread featuring all black and hardware laden shoes and purses. Another fashion story revealed a growing trend (I hope not) of studded accesories that makes Pinhead from the movie Hellraiser look downright cuddly. $700 leather gloves covered in safety pins? Round toe flats with pointy grommets? Really? Into S&M much? 

Check out the Iron Maiden pictorial on page 36; the frightening shoe hybrids on page 44; and the letters C (chains), G (grommets), M (metal heels) and Z (zippers) in the A to Z accessories story.

I am wondering why there's extremism in the August issue? Are these harsh accesories supposed to protect us from the harshness of the recession. Perhaps it is a backlash agsint the feminine yet classic fashions of first lady Mrs. O? Probably a little from all of the above. But no thank you MC. I'll stick to my tomboyish slacks, ultra fem blouses and bright colors.

Mood:  mischievious

Within the past two weeks, I got a full size cKone perfume and body lotion set; a 2 ounce bottle of Chole perfume; and an eco-friendly skincare line including a full size jar of eye cream/moisturizer, lip balm, and face reviver. I love coming home and opening packages to find free free and usable items for me. The downside was that I don't remember entering contests for any of those products. I vaguely remember a contest for the eco-friendly skincare line, but I couldn't tell you from which blog, magazine, or prodcut site I entered. I am a fashion and beauty contest addict. I only keep entering, several times a day, because I ocassionally win. One of the first things I do when I get on the computer at work each day is go to BeautyBlitz.com and enter their daily giveaway. I'm starting to feel a bit guilty with my giveaway successes.

Oh well, guilt or no guilt, here's a link to a new giveaway I'm entering. You should give it a try!

I don't know if I've mentioned it to you before, but Moi is one hairy woman. There is not one area of my body that doesn't have excess hair. I'm always looking for ways to remove hair from my legs, bikini line, chin, jaw, neck, eyebrows, arm pits, and toes. (EWWW, yes toes.) Mostly, I get anything on my face waxed and use a safety razor & electric clippers for everything else. It is time consuming especially when you're planning to hang out on the beach. (Normally, I only shave my legs up to the knees.) By some luck of the cheapie gods, I found Sally Hansen's spray on/shower off hair remover on sale 50% off at Walgreens. I had seen ads for it last year, but since I don't like to spend money, I resisted trying it.

The product promises to be remove hair and stubble after 3-minutes; to have be drip free; and smell like vanilla. It also to spray on at any angle. It lived up to its promise except for smelling like vanilla. It smelled like eye-burning chemicals and my bathroom stank of it even after I rinsed off the product. I sprayed my entire legs from hip to ankle, and waited the minimum three minutes. (My hair is naturally coarse, and I usually wait the maximum amount of time for chemical hair removers but I did only 3 minutes because I didn't do a spot test for an allergic reaction.) 

Aside from the smell, the product did work. It rinsed off easily without my rubbing it off with a washcloth and it removed 90% of my leg hair. It probably would have been more if I had left it on for another minute or two. I plan on using it on my armpits as well, because I look to have the smooth pits. It's my thang. I will probably buy this product again in the future even when it isn't on sale.

Mood:  happy

During my freshmen year of college, I had a part-time job where I made $70 every two weeks. I’d buy two weeks of tokens for $20; $5 lunch for the day; a cassette tape or casi-single from Tower Records ($8) or a mix-tape from the street ($5); and a pair of shoes on sale from Fayva—my cheap shoe haven until Payless Shoe Source started popping up. (Sometimes I went to some of the junior chain stores like Rainbow Shops, Strawberry, and Joyce Leslie.) Some of the shoes were cute. Some of them were functional. Some of them hurt my feet. Didn’t matter, because I had new shoes.

As I got older and started making more money, I continued to buy shoes. They were a little more fashionable; a little more expensive; and a little more comfortable. When my self-esteem was low and my weight was up, I could always buy a new pair of shoes. Shoes always fit. Shoes never made me look or feel fat. Some women color their hair, and others buy lipstick. My picker-upper is shoes.

My love affair with shoes is 20-years strong and a source of comic fodder for my family. My grandmother calls me Imelda Marcos. My husband laughs at my desire to have a $1 million shopping spree at DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse). But, my girls love my shoes. They love to play with them, wear them during dress up, and sometimes chose shoes for me to wear. My favorite thing is when I buy a new pair of shoes (or boots), and my oldest daughter sees them for the first time. She will squeal with delight, the only way a 4-year-old can, and say “Mommy, they’re boooooty-full.” (She will say that even if it is a simple pair of thongs.)

Recently, I answered a poll question on blog about how many shoes did I own. I counted in my head, sure that I was accurate, and came up with 50-pairs of shoes. Then early this week, the rod in my closet broke and I had to clean up and reorganize my closet. I found 3 more pairs of shoes that I had forgotten I had. This morning, I dug in my big plastic bin of summer shoes to grab a pair of sandals to celebrate the warm weather. In it, I found two more pairs of shoes that I had forgotten I owned. WOW! Within a week, I had found five pairs of shoes. Just as I was lamenting that I didn’t have enough money to raid the latest Payless BOGO (buy one, get one 50% off) sale and indulge in their new eco-friendly line, I discover 5 new pairs of shoes. How fortunate? Am I fortunate?

I suppose I am fortunate because some people don’t have any shoes. But then again, maybe I am a bit unfortunate. Don’t laugh. The people who work at Payless have to eat too.

The Shoe Count:

12 pairs of boots: 3 leather-esque knee high; 3 pairs of faux Uggs; 1 pair of wellies; 2 pairs of ankle boots; 1 pair of Timberlands; 1 pair of snow boots; and 1 pair of faux suede boots. (And I still want the quintessential pair equestrian boots.)

11 pairs of flats: 2 lace-up oxfords; 4 pairs of nursing clogs/faux Crocs; 1 pair of patent leopard print peep toe; 1 pair of pink pointy toe; 2 ballet flats; and 1 pair of UNC blue sneaker mules

6 pairs of sneakers: 2 pairs of trainers; 1 ath-leisure; and 3 pairs of “skips” (and planning to buy 2 more!).

6 pairs of heels: 1 red; 1 camel; 2 black; and 1 stripper pair (6 inch heels!)

13 pairs of sandals: 1 novelty pair; 2 heeled; 1 wedge; 2 Birkenstocks; 5 flat pairs; 1 flip-flop; and 1 gladiator (which I’m looking to update)

Wow, that’s damn near 60 pairs and I’m not even counting my “house shoes.” Boy, I was off in my original estimation. Perhaps it is time for me to chill. Do I really need more? No. Do I really want more? HELL YES!

Mood:  chillin'

Jessica London

Easy-to-wear skirt with a row of goldtone buttons down the front. Buttoned patch pockets. Side zip. Imported.

Mood:  a-ok

Moi has learned of an awesome contest to win a set of Sinful Nails nail polish. You may not know this, but Sinful Nails is my most favorite drug store nail polish.

Check out the awesome nail polish display below from Getcha Nails Did:

Now click HEREand enter by February 13th. I know I will.

Mood:  on fire

The cold temperatures and gray skies has frozen my brain and dulled my recent book reading binge. So, I've dove head first into aspirational reading. No, not inspirational, but aspirationa! I'm up to my neck in the shiny, glossy, and (somewhat) cheap escapism of magazines. InStyle, People Stylewatch, Figure, Life & Style, Allure, Parents, Glamour (both U.S. and U.K. versions) and Sophisticate's Black Hair Styles magazines have been weighing down my purse for the past two weeks.  I've flipped through those glossies, tearing out pages, clipping pictures, and earmarking stories. I've developed a wish list of new (or old but never used before) make-up and skincare products I'd like to buy. (Hopefully, I will buy some once I or if I receive a tax refund.)

So, shall we begin?

 1. L'oreal H.I.P Color Presso lip gloss which is a dual chamber tube that allows the user to mix the perfect shade. I've become a real fan of lipgloss over the past five years and I've found that I now have more tubes of lipgloss than I do tubes of lipstick. Who would have ever thunk it?

2. Sula nailpolish doesn't need nail polish remover. It peels off! Imagine changing colors so quickly and easily. 2a. And since we're on the topic of easily removed nail polish, I'm also interested in tryinf out Sally Hansen Nail Art Pens. It reportedly works over any nail polish color and can be removed with water before you add the sealant. How cool is that?

4. My favorite make-up color is green. I don't know why, but I love sporting green finger nails or eyelids.  Styli-Style Line & Seal 24 Twist in Emerald seems like it would be right up my alley.  (I'm waiting for a set of these semi-permanent eyeliner that applies like marker that I won from BeautyBlitz.com.)

5. Nars blush in Orgasm. I really want to see what all the fuss is about in person. The same with Creme de la Mar.

6. Sonia Kashuk for Target make-up brushes because it is always recommended as the best set of brushes to own on the cheap.

Mood:  a-ok

Recently, I've been simply bored by my eyeshadow palettes. Since April 2008, I've been using a truly awesome make-up palette from Markwin's cosmetics/The Color Institute. It included:

• 12 lip glosses in pink- and brown-colored based neutral colors
• 4 blushes ranging from bubble gum pink to barely-there mauve
• 16 cream eyeshadows in pale metallics and etheral neutrals
• 12 poweder eyeshadows that read darker than they wear
• 2 super-blendable eyepencils in brown and black
• 2 super-blendable lippencils in plum and coral and 
• 1 passable mascara.

It has been an awesome experience for me. The darker and metallic cream eyeshadows had great lasting power as eyeliners, but faded quickly when applied as shadow. The powders lasted well, but where a little too pale and neutral behind my eye glasses. I barely used the super sheer lip glosses on the left side of the palette, because it gave my mouth a pretty gleam but no color which is what I want from lip gloss. On scale of 1 to ten, I give this palette a firm 7 for being reliable. However, I'm bored with it. It's autumn now and I want my eyes to pop in outrageous colors. Yet, I didn't want to spend a ton on designer eyeshadow brands that I might get sick off in a few months.

As autumn transitions into winter and the season's color palette transitions from rich colors to washed out grays and blacks, I knew that I needed something to keep feeling bright during the long dark days. So, I wandered into one of my local beauty supply shops and found the best and cheapest eyeshadow palettes. For less than $5, I walked out with ten shadows featuring colors like neon pink, deep aqua, neon yellow, and purple. The brand is called L.A. Colors. 

At $1.99 per palette, I was a little nervous that I was going to get crappy quality and a rash. But I was wrong. L.A. Colors metallic eye shadows go on smooth, rich, and bright. They colors are bright on the lids but not as severe a neon as it reads in the package. 

My first and most favorite palette was Tease (see below)

Mood:  on fire

I’ve been having so many thoughts swirling around in my head lately that I haven’t had the discipline to slow them down and commit at least one of them to a blog post. Well, a tiny lull at work has given me the opportunity to share. For the past three weeks, I’ve been using Avon’s new primer called MagiX Face Perfector SPF 20. I am simply in love with it.

I ordered it from Avon’s website, and got it an introductory price of $7.99. (I ordered two tubes!) This wonderful primer has kept my otherwise greasy t-zone looking semi-matte all day at work. It has even worked during some of the most humid days New York City’s Indian summer has thrown at me. Although I sometimes feel like my face is very shiny, the mirror tells me different.

Many of the reviewers online said that it can be worn without a moisturizer underneath. I only recommend this if your skin does not feel dry after you wash it. I use Neutrogena’s Oil Free daily moisturizer with SPF 15 around my smile lines, jaw line, neck and just underneath my eyes since those are the areas on my face that wrinkle easily; need a lot of sun protection; and rarely get shiny. After waiting 2-3 minutes for my skin to absorb the lotion, I rub a dime sized amount of MagiX into my cheeks, on my nose, chin and across my forehead. If I have enough time before work, I also dust a bit of loose powder all over my face to really set the matte look. (I suggest MaxFactor's ColorGenuis Blush or M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish applied with a kabuki brush really keep your face shine free.)

MagiX claims to reduce the appearance of pores with “patent-pending Optix [sic] Light-Diffusing Technology”; block shine for up to 10 hours (at least 6 hours for me); reduces the look of fine lines; and makes skin feel softer. I can testify that this is pretty much true for me. The topping on the cake is it has SPF 20, which is added aging protection. It is also one of the most affordable primers out there. (Smashbox’s famous primer costs almost $40.) I am totally in love with Avon right now. Brava! Let me know what your favorite primer is or if you've tried any of the products mentioned.

Mood:  celebratory

Talking Fall Trends and Must Have Classics with The Budget Fashionista

by Kiki White

September 9, 2008

In the midst of New York Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and celebrations for the 5th anniversary of her famous website, thebudgetfashionista.com, Kathryn Finney took some time out to answer a few questions from yours truly. Enjoy!

Q. What are the five most dominant trends you're noticing for the Fall 2008 season? And, what are your tips for incorporating the looks without breaking the bank?

The five top trends are:

Flared/Wide Leg Pants: One of the hottest trends for fall is the wide leg pant. This can work for everyone- make sure that the width of the flare is proportionate your body type and look for pants with Right technology available at Fashion Bug, Lane Bryant, and Catherines. 

Must Have Accessories: The structured clutch, The Female Fedora, The Patterned Tight, feathered headbands. All three trends are very affordable ways to update your wardrobe without going bankrupt. These items can be found at places like Old Navy, Wal-Mart, and Payless for well under $20.

Superhero Looks: Inspired by Summer 2008's superhero mega hits like Hancock and The Dark Knight, superhero looks incorporating back slim pants, tough leather or leather like jackets and dark make-up are all key to pulling off this look. Get slim (but not skinny legged) fittings pants, Old Navy and faux leather bomber jackets from Target, Charlotte Russe, and JC Penneys.

Gray and purple:  Gray is this season's neutral and purple is this season's red.

Plaid: Plaid is back with a vengeance for fall from skirts to bomber jackets. Think prep school bad girl. You can find plaid jackets at Forever 21, Jc Penneys, and Macys.

Q. Of the designers who are making lines at lower price points (e.g. Thakoon for Target Go International; Alice + Olivia for Payless Shoe Source; Patricia Field for HSN), whose Fall line (clothing or shoes) are you most looking forward to?

I'm looking forward to the Norma Kamali line at Wal-Mart.  I'm interested to see how a relatively high end designer translates their clothes to the ultimate mass market store. It's either going to be amazing and do for Wal-Mart what Isaac Mizrahi did for Target or it's going to fail miserably.

Q. Tim Gunn has one. Stacy and Clinton of TLC's What Not to Wear have one. And, Project Runway judge Nina Garcia also has a list of the essential items every woman must have in her wardrobe.  Now it is your turn. What essential items does The Budget Fashionista recommend that every woman have in her wardrobe?

There are ten things every Budget Fashionista must have in her closet.

- Black Suit. Either matching black skirt or black pants. Made out rayon material.

- White Cotton Dress Shirt. This is an important closet staple and can be both trendy (wear underneath your favorite t-shirt) and classic (wear it with a business suit).

- The Perfect Pair of Jeans. A great fitting par of jeans should be standard in every closet. Two pairs are even better. You don't have to spend a small fortune for these. Both Faded Glory (WalMart.com) and the Rider brand (Target and Wal-mart) are great-fitting jeans that cost less than $30.

- Pair of Plain Black Pumps. A pair of 1 to 2 inch plain black pumps can take you from the office to dinner.

- Black Dress. A closet staple, the dress should be made of a sturdy, but lightweight fabric like cotton/rayon blend. Avoid heavy wool fabrics which counteract the slimming effects of the color.

- T-shirts. Black, white, and a fun color. Perfect for layering as well as wearing alone, these shirts help stretch your closet way beyond its limits.  Make sure the t-shirts all have 1-2% spandex/lycra content which helps the shirts maintain their shapes.

- Tote Bag. Serves double duty as a briefcase during the week and a shopping bag during the weekends.

- Pair of Sneakers. One pair of sneakers that could also be worn both to workout in and for casual days like shopping.

- Trench Coat/All-Weather Coat.  Wear it as a coat or a dress. Look for a version with removable lining so that you increase usage.

- Another skirt or Bottom. A weekend staple, these pants add diversity to your outfits.

I choose these ten things because combined they make over 35 different outfits, which saves you both money and time.

Q. It has been reported that some luxury fashion designers dislike "get the look for less" stories in fashion magazines and on blogs, because it may encourage consumers to buy lower-priced imitations.  If one of these designers criticized your blog, what would your response be?

I know for a fact that the mass market lines of the designers is what keeps them afloat. In fact, the mass market lines can lead to the resurgence of their couture lines (ex: Isaac Mizrahi's line at Target led to the resurgence of his couture line). So, I would say to them that readers of The Budget Fashionista pay their rent and they really shouldn't bite the wallets that feed them.

Q. You're celebrating the 5th anniversary of your blog, www.thebudgetfashionista.com. Over the past five years, have you thrown caution to the wind and spent a hefty amount of money on a fashion item that you thought would be a classic but turned out not to be?

No. And it's really because of the cost per wear (the price of an item/ # times you'll wear it in a given period), forces me to think of what I am buying before I buy.