Shopping Bust!

Please sir, may I have more - warm sunshine and a
wine cooler, oh, and the Sunday sales inserts, too.

Hola darlings!  I am back home from sunny, warm Las Vegas, back to cold, damp freezing Milwaukee, brrrrr.  It's 32 degrees F right now and tomorrow we'll be under a wind advisory, with winds up to 50 mph whipping off Lake Michigan from the east.  You know what that means - WIND CHILL, BABY!  Yep, the temperature equivalent will be in the teens.  So I went from sunny warm Las Vegas, sitting with my shoes off, feet up, sipping a cocktail, soaking in the intense southwest sun and loving every second of it, to this - the equivalent of the Duchess of Cambridge Catherine waking up as Oliver Twist. 

About that shopping expedition Saturday - what a bust!  My intent was to get to the shops at Caesar's Palace but I never made it there.  I ended up in the shops at the Miracle Mile and felt like I walked 10 there and back to the Excalibur where I was staying, and the only success I had was purchasing the shade of Bare Escentials mineral make-up that I like, and a new tube of Primer, from Sephorra. 

The other object of my search - a houndstooth plaid tote bag, or purse - not to be had for love nor money.  I saw a few, a very few, but they had pink plastic trim, not what I wanted!  They were also too small.  I looked at nearly every shop in the Miracle Mile and came up - empty.

Later, as I was wandering through the unfortunately ghost-town like atmosphere of the shops at Bally's, I saw a beautiful houndstooth plaid scarf.  I almost bought it, but decided against it.  That's ironic since a few weeks ago I was looking all over Milwaukee for just such a scarf, and couldn't find one!  So I found one in Las Vegas, and decided against purchasing it because I had my heart fixed on a tote!

To be honest, all those empty shops and desperate shopkeepers spooked me!  I couldn't help but wonder how the few stores remaining open have managed to hang on, as there was no one in them except the sales clerks!  It was easy to think on Friday night after the Sting concert as Georgia and I strolled through the shops at Caesar's Palace window shopping while waiting for the parking structure to clear, bumping elbows with lots of other people, that everything is "all right" in Las Vegas.  But it's not, unfortunately.  How well I remember those same shops back in 1999, during my first visit to Georgia in Las Vegas (I also went to watch the FIDE World Chess Championship taking place at Caesar's Palace).  Those shops were bustling back then and there were many different shops, including a jewelry store where I'd bought a pair of gold earrings, and two different shops where I stopped to purchase eggs to add to my collection - one of Indian brass that opens to hold a scented candle and a large cloisonne egg of celedon green and brass, with its own brass stand.  All those shops - gone - just empty spaces staring at me.  I stopped momentarily at a Hagen Daz ice cream counter and then walked away when I saw the price for a single scoop of ice cream - $4.95!  ARE YOU FRIGGING NUTS?  I left the ghost town as quickly as I could and headed back toward Paris as fast as my tired legs could carry me!

Well, I'm giving up the idea of doing anything accessory-wise with houndstooth.  I located some nice looking totes online, but I want something that will do the trick but is inexpensive.  I haven't found something suitably inexpensive to suit my taste - that's not to say I haven't found some bags that I'm over the moon for:

From Spiegel online: $59.  I love this! It is an obvious knock-off of the fabulously popular (and expensive)
Alexander McQueen houndstooth tote - see below from Polyvore.   I just seem to be experiencing an
attack of frugality recently; maybe I'll get over it before this tote disappears...

This is the real deal - the "Faithful" houndstooth tote designed by Alexander McQueen
that was so popular a few years ago.  I found the image at Polyvore, which indicated that
this tote originally sold at net-a-porter.com for $925 and was sold out! 

Las Vegas Bling!

Hola!  I've been in Las Vegas visiting Isis and Michelle since Thursday (Thanksgiving Day).  It was a good experiencing flying on the actual holiday,  and lots of other people had the same idea.  Not only did I get a more reasonable fare, the airports, while busy, were not overwhelming.  Milwaukee is, I hear, the largest feeder market to Las Vegas in the entire United States.  Not sure what that says about Milwaukeeans :)

In any event, I got here at 10:35 a.m. and was enconced in my hotel room in plenty of time to catch most of the second half of the Packers/Lions game.  The Packers won, and all is right with the world.

The weather has been FABULOUS!  In the 70's and sunny.  Sooooo dry, too!  It's been wonderful to be able to run around outdoors with no coat and when sitting in Isis' backyard actually get too warm! Even in November the sun is more intense here than in Milwaukee, that's for sure.

Yesterday I did a little shopping.  I was interested in checking out the beaded bracelets at Lily Rocket, a retailer of inexpensive fashion jewelry and accessories that are EVERYWHERE in the Las Vegas casino/resort shopping areas and in the airport, too.  Many items are priced $10, some are priced 2/for, and some are priced much higher than $10, but we're not talking high-end here.  These are fashion fun pieces that for many women are meant to make a statement.  That doesn't mean that items suitable to more sedate tastes aren't available.  One has simply to spend some time thoroughly examining the store displays -- there is much to see!

The thing that initially drew my eye to this particular Lily Rocket location was a houndstooth checked tote bag.  I loved the pattern and style of the tote but it was way too large for me.  Unfortunately, it was the ONLY houndstooth check accessory in the entire store!  That didn't stop me from shopping, though, as I zeroed in on the bracelets...

After taking several photographs of these bracelets against the table and on a black background and not being happy with any of them, I settled on these, because they are the clearest.  I have a new-found respect for those folks who photograph jewelry for catalogs and websites!  The other thing is, I don't have a scissors so I haven't been able to snip off the plastic bands.  Each piece was $10.




I chose this bracelet because of the easy clasp and the crisp
black/white/silver colors. There are tooled "silver" beads interpersed
faceted, striped and swirl designed plastic beads.

Large red natural stones separated by small 'silver' beads, larger
tooled 'silver' beads and faceted black  beads.  The photo doesn't
do this bracelet justice!  It has the "it" look in person.



 I also purchased a couple of silver and turquoise rings from Turquoise Treasures; I hadn't meant to stop but a chess set on display caught my eye, and one thing led to another, and I ended up purchasing one ring while headed elsewhere, and a second ring when I stopped in again on my way back to my hotel!  Well, darlings, they were 50% off and unlike so many things these days, they were crafted of American stone, American silver, by Native American craftspersons.  The rings together cost about $75 after the 50% off mark-down.Again, the photos aren't the best.  The turquoise is the green kind with small brownish flecks in it; the proprietor told me what kind of turquoise it is and where it is from (Arizona), but I don't remember the name.  The mounting is sterling silver and hand tooled.  I am not a "silver" person but I am loving these rings!

Classic and simple design, the stone does the talking on this ring-finger
ring - it's about 3/4th of an inch long.

I am headed out shopping again today.  I am on the hunt for a houndstooth checked bag -- surely one must exist somewhere in these shops!  I am also headed to Sephorra to lay in a new stock of Bare Minerals.  I tried a different brand - an expensive "name" brand - and I don't like it.  I don't see the coverage I need and it looks dull and flat like face powder.  Am very disappointed.  Give me my Bare Minerals back!

Bracelets: Make Mine Beaded

One of the women in our investment club makes jewelry in her spare time as a way to supplement her income, and she does pretty well at it.  She attends a couple different events each month and makes a few hundred dollars profit per month. 

Now that's a financial incentive, but I don't have the inclination to make necklaces and bracelets.  My schedule is fully-loaded as it is! 

So, when I attended a neighbor's party on Saturday where Mary Kay products and Just Be Jewelry were featured, I thought hmmmm --

Jewelry making has really taken off, or maybe it's always been popular and I just haven't been paying attention.  While I wasn't interested in the Mary Kay products (I'm loyal to L'Bri products, which work excellently for me and are aloe-based and almost purely natural), I spent a lot of time at the jewelry table.  There were several bracelets in particular that I really liked.  I'm not a bracelet wearer!  I ended up purchasing two to take with me to Las Vegas for presents.  I can only hope my friends like them, but when it comes to things like jewelry, taste is such an individual thing, one never knows. 

You know, I didn't blink an eye paying $18 each for those bracelets, but really, when I think about it, that's outrageous when I look at the stock at Sam Moon, for instance.  Yeah, I keep harping on Sam Moon, but for inexpensive and trendy accessories I don't think there's a better place to buy. 

I know beads and beaded jewelry have been getting bigger and more trendy over the past couple of years.  Those ridiculously expensive charm bracelets made up of individual beads/charms that cost so much -- today's equivalent of beany babies as far as I'm concerned!  I think some of them are pretty but, really, I'm not into wearing a mini-fortune of charms on my wrist that won't hold their value. 
Now, of course, the market has been flooded with fabulous fakes for cheapskates like me :)  Hell, why pay for Pandora if I can buy something I think looks just as cute for under $10 for an entire bracelet?  I'm not above using a purse gifted to me that looks much like a fake Coach bag, so I won't turn my nose up at inexpensive but trendy accessories.  By the way, those bracelets I bought for my friends -- neither of them were beaded but one did have some little mini-pearls on it.

Sam Moon has a huge selection of bracelets; these are just three of many that show the range of the "beaded" look.  They're not Pandora charm bracelets, but I'm not into the charm bracelet look:

Sam Moon:  Filigree Ball Stretch Bracelet

• .75" Beads
• Burnished Silver Metal
• Polished Silver Beads
• Stretches To Fit Most

$6.99
Item #: 368930

Sam Moon: Multi Bead Stretch Bracelet

• Burnished Gold Metal
• Black, Brown Wooden, And Dark Green Beads
• Silver Faceted Rhinestones
• Stretches To Fit

$5.99
Item #: 365938

Sam Moon:  Fashion Stretch Bracelet

• Multicolor Genuine Glass Beads
• Square and Circle Beads
• Stretches to Fit

$4.50
Item #: 359796

I selected the first one because I like it's "substantial" look and while I'm not a fan of silver toned jewelry normally, in this style I think it's perfect. This is probably the most traditional looking bracelet - it is symetrical in design.  It has an Indian vibe that I like.

I selected the second bracelet because I like earth tones; I find the polished beads appealing next to the wood, and I like the juxtaposition of the silver toned divider beads with the warmer gold tones. 

The third bracelet is delicate looking and reminds me of something a fairy princess would wear - not exactly sure why; maybe because it looks youthful and fun.  It's a pretty little bracelet for a pretty little price! 

I stopped by at Overstock.com and found many La Preciosa bracelets for sale for under $20.  This is typical of what I saw - I selected this one because I the "black/white" scheme appealed to my chessly sensibilities:

Overstock.com:  La Preciosa Glass Silverplated Black
Glass Bead and Charm Bracelet
$17.99
Item#: 13647571
This pretty bracelet from La Preciosa features black glass beads in various designs that alternate with silverplated beads and a single charm bead. The snake bracelet is crafted of silverplated base metal and secures with a lobster claw clasp.

If you want to buy gold and silver, you can always shop at Pandora :)

Bathrobes!

A few weeks ago I finally trashed a yechy black "velour" robe that I'd inherited from one of my sisters (a smoker, it had a few burn holes in the front) many moons ago - I think in 2001.  It was already old and worn out then.  It wasn't a flattering robe:  DREADFUL color, it was too big, it had 1980's styling complete with "big" built-out shoulders (!) and it wasn't warm.

When I say I trashed it, I really mean it - it went into the black plastic garbage bag that holds two weeks' accumulation of trash in my household.  The bag was picked up two Tuesdays ago. Adios, dreadful Robe of the Grim Reaper.

I had a reserve robe that I pulled out - not much better, though.  Cream color, and while I like the convenience of a zip opening/closing, this one kept opening from the bottom up whenever I took too large of a step or moved too fast, or sat down on the toilet!  Okay, let's not go there...  It's material is tight-knight and warm enough, but it picks up every bit of dark lint in the house and since I'm not so careful with my house-cleaning these days, there's lots of that laying around (hey, I prefer to spend my time on other more important pursuits and since it's just me, who gives a hoot if I live in a dirty house most of the time?)  I thought there must be something warmer out there with today's miracle fabrics - something in a darker color - something that wouldn't show coffee stains and make-up splotches and other things...  Being cream colored, well, to put it bluntly, the robe I'm using at the moment shows dirt more often than I remember to toss it into the washer.  Hmmm....  It was time to go shopping for a new robe.

As is often the case in my crazy life, synchronicity was at work behind the scenes.  It seemed my friend Ann was also tired of her old robe, which she could no longer get clean around the neckline - you know, that old "ring around the collar," and after several years of wear, no matter what she did she couldn't get rid of the ring around the collar.  It was a white robe!  Who would wear a white bathrobe except at a spa where you only have to wear it once?  Well, for that matter, what woman in her right mind would wear a cream-colored bathrobe unless she has staff to make sure it's laundered when needed and kept in pristine condition...

I happened to mention to Ann last week that I was looking for a new robe (in addition to hunting for new shoes - another story), and she said that she was too!  And so, we arranged a robe hunting expedition.

Let me tell you, this robe hunting is serious business!  We had both, independently, hunted first at Boston Store in the mall downtown during our lunch hours.  No luck!  I didn't like the pastel colors - I wanted something vibrant and with a zip-up front, and not short - I wanted ankle length!  I was looking for a red or even better, a plaid, even a green, or a royal blue.  But all I saw was white, white, more white, pink, icy blues (brrrrrrrrr) and sickly looking greens and yellows.  YECH.

The other drawback to shopping at Boston Store is the price.  Even at "50% off" the robes were too expensive for my taste.  I'm not generally what I consider a cheapskate but there are certain lines I draw in the sand, and I won't budge, not even if a bulldozer rolls over me (well, I guess, particularly then, since I'd be smushed up into a hole in the ground...).

My friend is even more money-conscience that I am.  So, we devised a plan.

The plan didn't work.

We went to K-Mart, where I ordinarily don't shop, but I had seen some shoes advertised there and years ago the same sister who had passed the cigarette-holely robe on to me had taken me there once and I found shoes that actually fit....  So, I was going to look for shoes, and then robes, and Ann was going to look for towels, and then robes.

We walked out of the place empty-handed and depressed.

Ann suggested Sears, but I nixed that.  These days, Sears in on par with Walmart as far as its merchandise is concerned.  And on principle, I refuse to shop at Walmart.  We went to Kohls.  Same deal.  Walked out empty-handed and depressed.

Robes, robes, robes!  I couldn't get the damn things out of my head!  I swear I had a nightmare about robes chasing me down and strangling me when I refused to buy them on Wednesday night (the evening of the ill-fated shopping expedition).  So, what did I do on Thursday?  Spent all of my spare time online robe-hunting.

Ideally, Ann wants something in REAL chenille, which I don't think is made anymore.  I looked - I really did.  I would have paid up to $60 for a REAL chenille robe for her, although that is nearly two-times as much as we pay for each other's gifts (by mutual detente), but all the chenille I found was either synthetic or WAY out of my budget -- and I wasn't sure it was REAL chenille.  At that point I wasn't even looking for a robe for myself, I was concentrating on Ann.  Her birthday is MONDAY!  I wanted to get her something besides the usual Olive Garden Gift Card I get her.  Mind you, she loves Olive Garden and she uses up those gift cards, but it's just the same old, same old, and boring!  You know what I mean?

And so, selfless creature that I am, I I determined that I would go shopping today in hunt of a robe and give up a good chunk of my Saturday to do so.  There had to be a robe somewhere for Ann, and maybe along the way I'd find one for myself, too. 

I was temporarily delayed by attending a neighbor's Mary Kay/Just Be and I don't know all what else party that started at 9:00 a.m. for Breakfast!  Yep - I went for Breakfast, LOL!  I made my purchases (more about them later) and headed back home around 10 a.m. to pick up my shopping bags.  I had to make the rounds.  First, to pick up a prescription at Walgreens, where I got waylaid on my way in and ultimately donated twenty bucks on my way out to Veterans for Christmas (yeah, I'm a sucker); and then I headed to the TRUE OBJECT of the trip:  TJMAXX.

While it seemed like I was inside TJMAXX for hours, I was actually back home before 11:30 a.m. and that included the walk from my house to Walgreens, then to TJMAXX, and the mile back home again. 



Ellen Tracy Black Scroll Robe
Originally priced $68.00 at Boscov's, on sale for $34.00.
I paid $24.99 at TJMAXX. 

TJMAXX had robes!  Granted, not the dream robe selection that I was looking for, but intriguing enough that I spent a lot of time checking them out, and I saw a few robes that I liked for myself.  In the end, I opted for a thick, plush chenille-"look" robe by Jasmine Rose for Ann in a light mint green color (she likes green) at an amazingly low price.  Her robe looks like the one on the home page of the Jasmie Rose website.

And, for myself, I jumped off the plank and bought a black and cream colored "swirl" patterned kimono wrap robe, Tracy Ellen brand.  It has a black shawl color and deep black cuffs which I had to roll up because the sleeves were so long.  Yeah, it's not a zip-up!  Belt-styled clothes are not flattering on me because I have no waist to speak of, but otherwise I REALLY like this robe!  It's uber-soft (some kind of microplush) and very warm and snuggly.  It goes with my black uber-warm slippers (which need to be laundered, they're starting to smell funny...).

So, at least this shopping trip was successful! 

Shoe Shopping Bust

Had a friend take me to tonight to K-Mart and Kohls in last-desperation attempts to find some work-a-day shoes that fit.

No go.  Only a very few W width shoes -- not in my size (8 or 8.5, a popular size) or in any style I'd care to wear to the office.

Two hours of valuable evening time wasted, and I'm so pissed off right now I could kill someone with my spit. 

Like middle-aged women don't exist?  Like no one has wide feet?  Most of the shoes and boots I saw out there are things only hookers would wear.  That you see them creeping into the "professional" (I use that word advisedly) world speaks ill volumes about the level of taste existing in women today.  I think there are MILLIONS of women out there in the world today who find themselves in the same predicament.  What the hell are they doing for shoes? Wearing sandals all year round?  Oh Goddess!  I mean, no offense, Goddess, I know you usually wear sandals and Grecian robes and all that, but I can't pull off that look at the office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2011. 

And what is with all this plastic sole crap?  Ho wonder so many femmes are now running around in $19.99 on sale "mukluk" slippers.  Geez!  I'd like to see them wear THOSE in a blizzard.  But maybe they're the idle wealthy, and don't have to slosh through wind, water, slush, mush and - oh yeah, the fluffy white crap that falls by the foot here in Wisconsin in December, January, February, March and sometimes April, too. 

I'm disgusted.  I need new shoes - I can't find any.  Well - maybe I could - if I spend $100 or more for a single pair.  This is not St. Louis heels I'm talking about.  This is work-a-day pumps or a flat that won't kill my feet. But, it's not as if I haven't looked (many times recently) at Zappos and other on-line shoe purveyors!

Why can't I find ANYTHING in a reasonable price?  Where did all the shoe stores go to?  All the "department stores" stock these days is "medium" width in styles I wouldn't be caught dead in.

How to Put an Outfit Together

Okay, I hate to seem like an advert for Sam Moon, but he (or they, or it) keeps coming up with these fantastically enticing emails.  At least, I find the enticing!  Here's the latest from - what else - 11/11/11!

Sorry!  Couldn't capture the entire image in a single screen shot, the top part was cut off.  I do love the suggested accessories, even if the outfit leaves much to be desired.  I am a professional woman, and cut-out sweater without something underneath and black jeans just do not cut it in my world.  So, come on designers, get with the program.  There are millions of us professional women out here waiting for you (DESIGNERS) to give us decent, figure-flattering outfits to wear.  Please do not hate "boobs."  Tits and ass probably did not get us where we are, but we have them, nonetheless!  Especially when we get older...

Leopard Spots!

I do like leopard print.  A few years ago, I went waaayyyyy out on a limb - for me - and purchased a mock-turtle neck cotton knit long sleeve shirt in a leopard print.  I have worn it many times since: sometimes with beige; sometimes with black; sometimes with brown.  I love that shirt and it's actually getting a bit stretched out now, a combination of wear and my weight loss around the middle - YAH!

A few months ago I acquired a "leopard spot" carryall from Estee Lauder on special - spend so many dollars, get so many dollars back in samples plus the purse.  I purchased some mineral make-up to replace my rapidly diminishing Bare Minerals (I thought I'd try a different brand and see how I like it) and I got free samples of a number of different "age-fighting" products, none of which I've tried yet.  I'm so happy with my L'Bri products I haven't felt the need to try anything new, but they're sitting in the upstairs bathroom tray of "try me" products so sooner or later I'll give them a shot.
The purse is red with black spots and has black faux-patent leather trim.  I love it!  I haven't used it yet - must do that!  When it comes to putting outfits together, I'm still in my no-fashion frame of mind most of the time - and I must put deliberate effort into planning something to wear that will allow me to use that bag.  I won't wear it, for instance, with my bright yellow rain-jacket; nor with my light blue light-winter jacket, and it certainly won't go with my heavy-duty down fuchia winter coat, or my steel-blue ankle-length down coat (that I think weighs about 30 pounds) for those really 40 below zero Wisconsin winter days...  It seems I have nothing in outerwear that it would "match" and I'm just not going to carry a bag, a handbag or a tote or anything in-between, that doesn't coordinate one way or another with my outerwear - and innerwear too, of course!
I have thought about a red coat (as you know if you've read prior posts here) and I've also thought about a purple coat - only because of the purple and red ladies whom I love, and I think purple and red go together beautifully.  But I haven't made any purchases yet and may not.  I'm not the easiest size to fit - most clothes that have enough girth to fit my middle area (even with the weight loss) have arms down to my knees and are mega-large everywhere BUT where I need the large.  It is quite obvious that people who design these coats (and women's clothes in general), do not have any idea what an average middle-aged woman's figure actually looks like.  They're still stuck on designs for Olive Oyl.  You know - Popeye the Sailor Man's stick-figure girlfriend.  HellooooOH, Anorexia!
Back to leopard print!  I have been eyeing a couple of bags at Sam Moon's website, including this 11 x 17 tote, for a very reasonable $20.99 (not including S&H):

The tote above has black trim and is roomier:  13.5 x 18.5 inches.  The reverse side is solid black, so it suits someone like me, with a more conservative style (although I'm fighting it, darlings, I swear I am!) 

Soooo, which one do I choose, the full-out leopard print that is a little smaller, for a lot smaller price? Will I be able to fit in everything I need, particularly when travelling?

 Or do I choose the larger, more conservatively styled tote, for $17 more?  I would be able to fit more in for travelling, including probably a book AND my neato tiny Acer notebook that is a mere 10.1" across!  To be fair, my little Acer notebook would also fit in the less expensive tote, but wouldn't leave much room for anything else.

Either one is neutral enough to go with my current autumn/winter selection (such as they are) of coats - unlike my red and black leopard print tote from Estee Lauder!

On the higher end (much higher for most of the looks), you can always do one or more of these if you have the cash or are willing to run up your credit cards, but I did sniff out this bargain from the New York Fashion Magazine, Leopard Spots (October 30, 2011):

Zara top, $49.90 (yes, that is not a misprint), at 580 Broadway.  It's not my thing - looks like a pajama top to me, darlings, and those black strips right where your boobs are - no thank you.  But one never knows how a clever one might put this together with some other pieces and come up with something absolutely suberb - minutes the black strips (If they're sewn on, I'd remove them in a flash). 

Kardashian Rip-Offs?

It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  Over at Goddesschess we've had people rippping off Mr. Don's fantastic graphic ideas for years, some more blatant than others.  Now tonight I came across this article:

Latest Kardashian scandal: Kardashian Kollection bags look a lot like knockoffs

Balenciaga bag vs. Kardashian Kollection purse: knockoff or coincidence?

If you suspect Kim Kardashian’s marriage was fake, wait until you see her new collection of handbags, which Fashionista says look very familiar. Kim and Khloe went down to Australia for the launch interviews (see below), where Khloe said “these are our designs, we design everything” while Kim insisted that “we're extremely involved in every last process." Hmm. We perused the full line, and we think the Kardashians should give a little credit to Balenciaga, Hermes, Chanel, Alexander Wang, YSL, and many other designers. The sisters have admittedly knocked off logos, dresses, and now their entire line of handbags raises similar questions. True, the Kollection bags are a good deal cheaper than their lookalikes. From obvious similarities to very close shapes and colors, we’ve rounded up 11 Kardashian Kollection bags that look like knockoffs of other designs. Do you you see the resemblance?

First up: a riff on Balenciaga. On the left we have their Arena Classic Part Time bag, $1,545. On the right, Kardashian Kollection Zip Feature Bag, $59.95. Kim Kardashian wears her Balenciaga bag everywhere so we feel there's no feigning ignorance about this blatant replica.

Chloe vs. Kardashian Kollection

On the left: Chloe Marcia Medium Leather Tote, $1,650. On the right: Kardashian Kollection Tote Bag, $99.95. Same shape, same handles, same curved front flap. Coincidence? You decide.

Photo by: Chloe and bagsac.com.au

Oh my. Well, the rest of the article is the same, with photograph after photograph.of comparisons.  I wonder if there are law suits being filed right now, or already been?  No wonder Ms. Kim K. is looking so grim these days.  I don't for an instant believe she's actually really sorry about divorcing her unsuspecting husband of 72 days.

Putting an Outfit Together - Accessories

I love seeing photographs like this because it shows me the A-B-Cs of how to put fashionable looks together, not only with clothes but also with accessories.  This is from Sam Moon, who sells modestly priced - accessories - hats, scarfs, tons of purses, clutches and bags and fashion jewelry in every size, shape and color under the sun! 

Vogue Pattern of the Week: V8753 Jacket

Well, it could be a sleeveless over-vest as well.  Love this pattern!  It's on sale this week, too, only $4.99 -- don't know how long the sale price will last.

Link to pattern information.