So Sad

I was at Neiman Marcus Last Call Clearance Center (side note: There used to be only two of these in the US. The original two were in Austin, Texas and somewhere in New York) in Austin not too long ago.



I always peruse the shoes there as you never know when you can get acid green Manolos for $70 or Gucci stilletto sandals for under $100...



Typically, shoes for me are few and far between. Let's face it, shoes usually don't make it to a clearance center anywhere if they are popular and fit well. Lo and behold, there were multiple pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes in a variety of classic and fun styles in my size!!! I gingerly pulled the shoes out of their spot on the rack and headed over to try them on. I was so excited!!!



Um. Yeah. I don't know if was just these particular pairs or if it is all Louboutins, but... I could not for the life of me squeeze my wicked stepsister foot into a reasonably and correctly sized pair!



Poor me. But yay for my savings account!

NEW SHOES!!!

I have a new source for fashion.

The Better Bag Lady

I purchased the above from her late on Wednesday. They were waiting for me today in my mail.

So. Great value and excellent service. I really could not ask for more!

And she also carries great brands. Stylish and fashionable brands. My two favorite adjectives for clothing and accessories...

Highwaters

Two posts in two minutes! Wow!

I have to get this off my chest... Unless you are wearing capri pants, the pant leg needs to break across the arch of your foot.

This means that if you are wearing pants that hit at the ankle, you need to go buy new pants!!! The exception, of course, are the horrors known as "ankle-length" pants. In this case, please only wear with flats. PLEASE!

To the woman who walked into my building in front of me today (in 37-degree weather, mind you): Your platform sandals are simply adorable! I covet them. I should not have seen much beyond the toe, though. Sadly, your pants ended a good inch above your ankle. This means that no matter how well they fit you in the waist, rear, hips, and thighs, THESE PANTS DO NOT FIT YOU PROPERLY!

Why is it so hard to get the leg length correct? When in doubt, go longer not shorter.

This public service announcement brought to you by Mrs. Pop.

Skincare Book

I posted about THIS BOOK on my workout blog because it has some diet tips for better overall health. Namely, the Green Sludge Cocktail that I'm going to be drinking for the next two weeks at least.

I feel it is appropriate to post about it here, too, because it has all kinds of skincare product tips and tricks and is written by a successful dermatologist.

In my world, anything is worth a try...

Awesome Moisturizer!

I've been a huge fan of Philosophy (www.philosophy.com) skincare products for a while. I spoke earlier about the "Makeup Optional" kit for congested skin. In it, there was "hope in a bottle" which I loved (and still do love).

Over Christmas, my brother got me another Philosophy collection that included their microdermabrasion product and "hope in a jar."

This stuff is A-MAZING! It's perfect for the drier winter weather and keeps my skin hyrated, makes the fine lines less visible, and doesn't break me out.

I've been using it since Christmas morning. Go get this stuff!

First Book Review of 2008!

Yes, the first book I read in 2008 was a fantasy-type semi-trashy romance. Sucker Bet is book four of Erin McCarthy's Vegas Vampire series.

If you are a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, then you will enjoy these books.

Sucker Bet revolves around a 900-year-old vampire named Gwenna and a present day police detective. They are trying to solve a series of murders and, you guessed it, end up falling in love.

It's a fast read and helped get me over my non-reading hump. I still have the huge stack of books on my nightstand that have only been touched for dusting purposes, but I think I am finally ready to start attacking those.

New Posts Coming Soon...

Lots of loot to post, plus a book review!!!

Preliminary Christmas List

Prayer Bracelet

Cathedral Pectoral Cross

Cartier Pasha C Watch

This Michelle Watch

Or this one

World Food Programme Feed Bag

Prayer Bead Necklace

Also, gift cards from Neiman's, Nordstrom, and Sephora are always welcome!

Why I Do Not Wear Nail Polish

I must apologize for the blurry nature of the pictures... Pesky camera phones and shaky hands!

Once I get a little, tiny chip in the polish, I cannot rest until it is all gone. Unfortunately, that typically happens when there is no nail polish remover around. So I pick. And pick. And pick. Until it is all gone.

As a side note, geez, my hands are vein-y! Whoa!

Holiday Party PSA...

Need a cute and festive dress for upcoming holiday parties?

Go HERE for adorable and inexpensive velvet dresses.

I just got this one:

More Favorite Cosmetics

Since I'm on a roll...

Favorite Foundation:
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra

Bronzing Powder:
Isadora's is fantastic!

I simply adore Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color, especially in pale pink and "Chocolate Kiss."

Benefit Cosmetics has several products I'm loving right now:
Benetint (This stuff is awesome on cheeks AND lips and really easy to apply!)
Ooh La Lift
Eye Bright (to be used with Ooh La Lift)
and Georgia

The one area I always seem to have trouble with is my eye shadow. I have palette after palette of eye shadows but always seem to gravitate to one basic look. And that particular look is boring. I am a fan of all-in-one kits and I like having a simplified makeup routine. In fact, my skincare routine takes much longer to do than my makeup.

So in one of my many self-improvement efforts, I am going to clear out the clutter in my bathroom and pare down the makeup, throw out the old stuff, and replace as necessary.

Favorite Cosmetics and Skincare

It's time for me to replenish my supply of cosmetic and skincare items. As I peruse Sephora, I realize that I have a lot of favorites and I'm out of everything!

I may just incorporate this list into my Christmas Wish list as well and just go ahead and ask Santa for gift cards. ;-)

I'm at the end of my NARS blush and lipgloss in Orgasm. I like old-school blush and love the lipgloss. It isn't too gooey and the color is subtle and flattering.

I also need more of my Philosphy skincare. Right now I use the Philosophy Makeup Optional Kit for Congested Skin. I've been going back and forth between that and Obagi, something I've mentioned before. I am, however, all out of everything but Retin-A, so I'm in limbo.

I love Covergirl's Lash Exact mascara and Perfect Point eyeliner.

I have more to bring up, such as foundation, bronzer, eye shadow, cheek and lip stains, etc, but I'm tired of posting links at the moment.

More to come...

It's that time of year again...

Time to start the ole "Wish List"...
So. I want this. The only thing I can't decide upon is the color... Brown is always stylish, but pink or indigo are a little more fun. And I have a pair of shoes that would match the lime color perfectly. Decisions, decisions...

Style PSA

It's the little things that matter when you are presenting yourself...

If, as a woman, your self-esteem is tied to the size of your pants, cut that tag out! I've been seeing a lot of women lately wearing clothes that are a size too small.

The #1 single thing a woman (or man) can do to look nice is to wear clothes that FIT. Don't kid yourself that it is the size of the clothes that determines how the world views you as no one sees the size but YOU! Do yourself a favor and go up a size if you are struggling to keep a button closed. You'll thank me because you will be able to breathe easier, AND! You'll look thinner!

It's a win/win.

Lately, much like Victoria Beckham, I've hated "flat" shoes. I mean I've gone out of my way to not wear them. But I'm a realist and I recognize the need for them (maybe your pants shrunk and are too short, maybe you plan on being on your feet all day, no matter). Two weeks ago, I got out my trusty "go-to" flats, my Nine West ballet flats. Sadly, they had been worn so many times, they were at the end of their lives.

That also happened to be the day that my mom was in town and she, too, was distressed by the state of my shoes. She suggested we go to Nordstrom and take a look at these ballet flats she loved. Never one to pass up a trip there, we were on our way.

I found these. They are the cutest little snub-nosed, cap-toe ballet flats I've seen in a very long time! I adore them and want them in many colors. I ended up walking out of the store with them on my feet and I've worn them at least 8 times since I got them.

As a side note, the man who helped us told us that BCBG is actually making Jessica Simpson's shoes now. I'm not sure how true this is, but it seemed interesting. It's funny, though, as there are not very many shoemakers around the world and most shoes do originate out of one of four major factories.

Semi-annual Closet Cleanout

This afternoon, spurred on by Dr Pop's decision to go through his clothes and get rid of things, I decided to move my summer clothes, in favor of my fall/winter ones (even though the highs are still in the upper 80s/low 90s).

I've been lamenting my lack of clothes lately, or rather, my lack of anything to wear... Ever! What I discovered during my treks upstairs told another story. I have plenty to wear and I told Dr Pop that if I said that I needed a sweater within the next 10 years, he is to swat me upside the head.

It's nice to only keep seasonal clothes in ones closet, though. That way there is room to see what you have, and things don't get crammed in corners where you cannot see them. I have such a difficult time sorting things and letting them go, though, that I have ended up with a monster on my hands... Me! I think I need professional help, because I am simply not strong enough to say goodbye to my "stuff."

Notes on "Fashion"

I'm a pretty boring person, clothes-wise.

I have plenty of clothes, but the last time I plunked down a significant amount of money for a "trend" was in the year 2000, when I spent $300 on a pashmina. Noted exceptions to this include shoes, sunglasses, and purses, though I will say that even when I do spend money on these items, they are more on the scale of "timeless" instead of "trendy." In other words, if I'm going to spend a lot of money, I don't want it to go out of style in 3 months. Needless to say, my wardrobe is woefully out of date!

I've never really been comfortable in clothes other than my normal, casual, semi, sort of preppy look. My uniform for work and play consists of a lot of jeans, capri pants, t-shirts, khakis, and polos. Period.

This weekend, I took a step toward changing that somewhat. I bought trendy clothes! If you're in Texas, you may have avoided the malls this weekend because it was tax-free weekend. Not me, though. I took advantage of the sales and the whole "no tax" thing and dedicated a portion of my income to looking good.

First stop was the outlet mall on Friday. Dr Pop went with me. He bought me two pairs of jeans and a Polo (baby steps, people, baby steps!). Later, I went to Old Navy and picked up two pair of pants. I looked at what I'd gotten and I realized that instead of breaking out of my pattern, I was giving into my casual, boring ways.

So on Sunday, I bit the bullet. Armed with a list compiled of "wish list trendy" items, I headed to the mall. Two hours later, I arrived home with an adorable shirt dress from the Gap and this long cardigan/wrap/sweater thing. Still not perfect, but getting better.

With tax-free weekend over, and me still not being all that trendy, I made one last stop at a store near work. Hello sale! And finally, FINALLY! I hit the jackpot. I'm wearing one of my trendy tops with my new jeans today. And damn, I look good!

So is there a point to this little tale of woe and shopping? Not really. But I managed to hunt some good bargains and move toward a new, more stylish, less casual me.

A demonstration of the reading list...

I have finished the Janet Evanovich book... It took a total of about four hours to read from cover to cover. That's what I love about her writing. It is just so fast!

Currently, I'm reading Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle.

I really don't know what I'll read next. Maybe I'll revisit Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. I don't know, though. I'm really not in the mood right now for anything that is taxing to read. I'm more in the mood for fun, flirty, easy, and cute.

Reading List

I have a stack of books that is about a foot tall sitting next to my bed...

I have really gotten into Peter Mayle. He wrote A Good Year, which was turned into a movie (look it up. :) ). I loved it so much that I read the first memoir he wrote, titled A Year in Provence. It is found in the travel section of any book store and chronicles the year that he and his wife decided to buy a 200 year old farm house in Provence and move there. It is fascinating and it will make you hungry. I can't wait to read his follow-up to that one and also the rest of his work.

Also sitting is the half-finished Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire, who also wrote Wicked, which I loved.

To be read:
The Other Bolyn Girl by Philipa Gregory

And... Well... I'd have to go back home to look at the rest of the books sitting there. I swear that there are at least 10 books.

What is on your summer reading list?

Stating the Obvious

Again!

No matter how tall or short you may be, if you wear high heels, please don't walk with permanently bent knees. It's not attractive and it makes you look self-conscious about your height.

It is my personal contention that all young women should take a modeling class just to learn how to walk with confidence.