Sephora Friends and Family 2009

Sephora's Friend's and Family started today and runs until November 2. I haven't had much time to think of all the fun things I want to get, so all I have picked up so far are the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and Soy Face Cream. After getting a facial at the Fresh Espace back in April, I'm in LOVE with their products and am excited about the chance to incorporate them into my daily skincare regime! I have read so many great reviews and the fact that they smell so fresh (I know, I know, but it's so true!) is just an added bonus. If I can think of some great undereye or anti-aging treatments, I'm definitely in for another order before this ends...

Although the promo hasn't been advertised nearly as much as in the past (what, no special flyer or email notification, Sephora?), you can enter FF2009 for 20% off your entire purchase. Remember you get 3 free samples of your choice and free shipping on orders over $50.

Cheers to the start of Friends and Family savings for us all!

Stomping in Puddles

Happy Friday!!! Although it's gray and cold outside, Fridays are always a reason to be happy.  This weekend promises to be a wet and sloshy one, with rain and more rain. How to tell if your area will require an umbrella and/or galoshes? Try this website - straight to the point and hilarious. It also stores your location info, and helpfully suggests whether to bring an umbrella. Funny, before I moved to New York, I never checked the weather, there wasn't a reason to. It still hasn't become a habit yet, so I just keep an umbrella in my bag at all times or go to Duane Reade to buy one (which I've done oh, 4 times).

For those brave enough to go out, I've come across some cute rainboots to equip you for some quality puddle jumping:

Burberry Mid Calf Check rain boot on sale at Nordstrom's for $99.90. The website doesn't show it as on sale, but anything ending in $.90 at Nordstrom's signals a discounted cost. Good for those who like the iconic design of Burberry but don't want to pay 2X the price tag.

A more subtle, gorgeous alternative from Burberry. Love the deep berry color that stands out in the rain. The tall boot is also more accomodating for wider calves, which from personal experience, should not ever have anything cutting it off at midcalf.  If I didn't already have this pair from Jeffrey Campbell, I'd get these in a heartbeat.

Hunter rainboots ($115) are a perennial favorite, and are available in short and tall lengths in a rainbow of colors. Yellow wellies stomping around on rainy days are just so happy! I'd want a fun pair to beat the rainy blues. A lot of retailers carry these, I'd wait until there is a coupon code to grab these (Piperlime would be a good bet with their 20% off coupons).

And just for fun, here are some adorable Tokidoki rainboots! These bring out my cheeky side who loves Hello Kitty and all cute animations. Ee! (There are also Hello Kitty rainboots available by the same maker but even I know some limits of embarassment).

This weekend is Saks Friends & Family 25% off. Burberry and Hunter are both not one of the many exclusions. Excuse the double negative, both are included! You can use this to get rainboots or anything else you've been saving up to get!

Reverse-Reverse Online Outlet

I recently discovered REVOLVEclothing.com's online outlet, Reverse and can' t believe I didn't know about it earlier! The site offers real deals on a bevy of goodies, free returns (like its parent company), and $5 flat rate shipping on all orders. After some quick perusing, I'm excited to say that there are definitely some great finds!

Gaspard Yurkievich Scallop Back Heel (orig. $381, sale $141) I la-LOVE the orange detailing and scalloped back! Why, oh why can't I be a size 8?!?

Susana Monaco Barathea Tie Coat (orig. $550, sale $193) I'm always on the lookout for perfect white coats and this one is absolutely gorgeous. The cropped sleeves and dainty collar are a perfect contrast to the more traditional winter coat.

MASON by Michelle Mason Belted Halter Dress (orig. $352, sale $124) A girl can never have too many black dresses! This would be an instant classic for a night out and the pockets and plunging neckline make it fun as well.

With so many options, this will quickly become one of my favorite online shopping destinations. Sample sale prices without the hassle of waiting for start times or worrying about no return policies!! Reverse is by invite-only so click here to join! :)

Wolford = Warm Fuzzies

Just wanted to comment on this amazing pair of tights that is keeping me warm today while walking to work and running some errands during the afternoon. Wolford's Opaque Polar Tights have a super warm, fuzzy lining alongside its interior that creates a much more substantial barrier against wind and cold, so much more effective than the hole-y fabric of tights. Like fleece for your legs!! Soft soft soft like the first time you wear it before washing.  The fibers are created using a moden knitting technique technology for extra durability. One of the commonly touted benefits of Wolford is that it lasts forever, which is three times longer than I can say for my other pairs (I'm looking at you Hue and DKNY!)

These do look like any ordinary pair but Google images assures me these are Wolford Polar tights

The outer surface of the tights is totally opaque and matte, unlike the soft satiny sheen that normal tights give, so it's a tradeoff.  But what's cool is the vertical ribbing on the outside (the fuzzy internal lining is stitched in vertical panes), adding a pattern to otherwise plain legwear.

Wolford tights are pretty expensive - retail is $68 for this pair - but I snatched these up in 2 minutes at the Ruelala sale awhile back for 50% off!  Literally, I set an alarm for the sale to begin since I knew my size and the opaque black pairs were sure to go quickly.  Years of piano and facebooking (now twittering) have trained my fingers to be super speedy and accurate in clicking.  I checked out with the Polar pair, and another dark brown ("Mocca") pair which is more breathable.  The dark brown is the go to during a cool summer/brisk fall day, whereas the ones I'm wearing today I consider my industrial strength tights.

Creators at Wolford, you guys are geniusesss.

Mmmilitary Coats

A guy in uniform may not do it for me, but there's something about a military coat - the epaulets, the big buttons, the double breast maybe? - that really tingles my aesthetic senses. It's only the first few weeks of October and already I'm feeling the chill in New York City; it's a good day if the temps are up around the mid-60's. If this were school, that would be an almost fail. NYC is an autumn fail, skipping past the gentle transition and plodding straight through to winter. BUT! The "almost" is salvaged by cozy scarves and warm coats to snuggle into... starting with beautiful military style coats that I'm loving:

Browsing through VS, this coat immediately caught my eye. Dark navy coats are a great way to change up the usual black jacket, and the double columns of buttons nip in on top, and flares out with a pleat. Girly on bottom to balance out the military look. The model's hair is in the way, but I think there are also epaulets on the shoulders! Once you have one or two basic coats, the next step is to shop for details, details. Given a choice, I would definitely go for the Sangria Red, yup.

Then, I went snooping around the Internet for other variations of this coat, and omg I found my dream military jacket, the Stella McCartney Felt coat, as seen on Anne Hathaway and Demi. DROOL, the color, the horizontal closures, the tie belt. If only, if only.

(photo by www.profashionelle.com)

Adding a Perfect Touch with Pearls

Lately, I've become absolutely obsessed with accessorizing with pearls. As a little girl, I was gifted with a pink strand and was adamant about wearing them everywhere. Now at the age of 23, I remember why I always loved them. They're a perfect way to dress up any outfit! Check out one of my favorite looks spotted recently on One Tree Hill (I know, no one watches this show but me):

Just found Tiffany's style blog recently and am loving it (I think it's my new favorite blog of the moment)! Her post here shows a beautiful pearl necklace from Marika King that I am dying to get my hands on! It's sold out for now, but will hopefully be available again soon.

I picked up a simple long strand of pearls from Nordie's recently and am going to keep my eye out for more to add to my collection. They will be the perfect touch to my darker fall/winter wardrobe. Here are a few other pieces that have caught my eye:

Betsey Johnson Tulle Trim Pearl Necklace ($48). It's simple and elegant, and the black tulle adds a fun touch! The black and white effect offers some similarity to the Marika King one.

Nordstrom Long Strand Illusion Glass Pearl Necklace ($48). I'm loving the layering possibilities and the fact that the pearls are spaced farther apart.

Forever21 is always an easy stop for fun and cheap accessories. Here's a pretty strand of faux pearls with a blush pink satin ribbon interwoven throughout. Priced at only $6.80, I love!

And just for fun, I saw this while shopping in SF last weekend. With a price tag of $598, it's probably a bit out of my price range, but looked so gorgeous wrapped up in a row of 4. I will probably have to stick with more affordable pieces for now, but am going to love all the fun possibilities they offer! Wear more than one piece at a time, tie on a satin ribbon, take them out to play or off to work. Why not have some fun with a classic staple?

The Bar Method: Small Moves for Big Changes

During senior year of college, my roommate and I started going to Dailey Method classes in Piedmont as a way to shape up before spring break. We averaged 3 classes a week for a month and I was amazed at the difference it made! Our laziness and lack of funds overcame our ability to continue past the new student introductory month, but I have continued to boast of the results I got from the few classes we were able to squeeze in. Approximately 10 lbs lighter and more toned than I've ever really been, it was the best workout I've ever tried.

Now that I've relocated to LA, the Westside and South Bay are actually quite littered with a few Bar Method studios--all inconveniently too far from me to attend regularly. After putting off making the trek for a year now, a Pasadena studio finally opened up this summer, offering the perfect stop for post-work days! I've been going for 2 weeks now and it's been such a great way to end the day after sitting in front of a computer all day. The Pasadena studio is gorgeous and large enough for classes of 20 to comfortably fit. It's conveniently located in the heart of Old Town Pasadena where you can park in the public parking lot on Delacey Avenue for free, grab lunch or dinner, or even do some shopping after class. I love that they stock their bathroom with Aveda products (including eye make up remover!) for the convenience of stopping by before work if I ever get up early enough for 6AM classes. What I've really loved most about it so far are the instructors--all sweet, helpful, and energetic girls! One of the girls is even a Cal alum! I've yet to take any classes with co-owners Kate and Liz, but am looking forward to soon.

So what exactly is the Bar Method and why does it work? Each 1 hour class consists of interval stretching, toning, and strengthening exercises and poses. The instructors throw in use of free weights, resistance belts, exercise balls, and foam pads for some moves as well. The focus of the bar method is to both burn fat and elongate muscles--a perfect combo for looking leaner. I've heard that it's supposed to help sculpt a dancer's body and the use of the ballet barre for stretching and back exercises offers a fun twist to other types of workouts I've tried. Who wouldn't want to look as lean and graceful as a ballerina? With a regime of controlled, repetitive sets, it's amazing how sore each class has left me because I somehow manage to work every muscle group while I'm there. What's great is that there are many suggested variations to making each set more difficult depending on how much you want to challenge yourself. According to Burr Leonard, Bar Method founder, this is an "exercise that holds a long term fascination."

Each studio offers a $100 new student introductory package, which includes unlimited visits for the first month! If you're interested in trying out one class, there is also the option of paying $10 for the first class and upgrading to the $100 package later. With a schedule as busy as mine, I'm glad that there are later evening classes that I can catch on my way home and multiple weekend classes to start my Saturday and Sunday mornings off with.

I'm looking forward to keeping this up and seeing some more changes! For now, it's so rewarding to know I can barely walk up the stairs in my house after only an hour of getting my butt kicked in class. This is a pricier alternative to a gym membership, but for someone who needs motivation to stay in shape, I couldn't have found anything better.