STYLEnosh

SASS, STYLE & SUBSTANCE BEST POSTS OF THE WEEK!

Check out these bloggers from Sass, Style & Substance for this week’s best beauty & fashion news!

eye4style eye4style reviews the chic Delirium & Co. Candle collection.

A Touch of Blusher A Touch of Blusher comes across some of the best makeup brushes.

My Women Stuff Takes the new Dove Visibly Smooth deodorant for a test drive.

Beauty Match A few summer 2009 make-up collections that will turn heads!

Eat Smart Age Smart American diets versus European diets.

STYLEnosh Can you really have too many handbags?

Style Manila PROMOD SS09 introduces French sreet style to Manila streets.

Splendicity Accessories Chloe is on the hunt for a stylish diaper bag that can pass as a great purse.

image: Stock.xchg

THIS WEEK'S SALES!!!

Macy's - Buy one, get one free! Click here to view the catalog.There deals for everyone including shorts, tank tops, and capris.

Belk - Take an extra 15% off sale price purchases. You'll get 10% off the home and shoe departments.

The Limited - New markdowns just taken, up to 60% off. Lots of stuff on sale for less than $30!

Bloomingdale's - Take 30% off a selection of designer handbags. Also save 30% off men's merchandise.

Liz Claiborne - Save 25% on summer items. The prints and colors in this collection ARE summer.

Gap - T-shirts are on sale for the entire family including men, women, kids, and moms-to-be.

CAN YOU HAVE TOO MANY HANDBAGS?

After yesterday's post, I have a confession to make. Remember last week, I posted the sales for the week? You may recall that the Kate Spade outlet stores were offering an additional 50% off the lowest ticketed price. Well I did what any faithful Kate Spade aficionado would do. I grabbed a shopaholic friend and made the trek to the outlet. The Kate Spade store was at the end of the succession of stores and by the time I got there, I was ready to shop. I thought maybe I'd buy a bag, if the price was right of course.

Well, the price was a little too right. See these three bags? Yeah, I kinda bought all of them.

But wait, before you shake your head and wag your finger, here was my logic.

1 - Most people that know me know that Kate Spade is my handbag of choice. In fact, it's my signature bag. So if there's an opportunity to get one of these beautiful bags on sale, I'm definitely looking into it.

2 - This sale was fan-tabulous! That means it was so good I had to combine fantastic and fabulous. I originally planned to buy a bag online but I thought the deals at the outlet store would be more beneficial. And I was right. The bag I was eyeing online was about $144. The outlet store sale price was about $82. The original price was $275. I call that a significant savings.

And C - There's no way I could successfully disregard points one and two and not buy a bag or two. I hadn't purchased a new KS bag in three years. I was definitely feeling a little over due. Instead buying the hobo bag I wanted, I grabbed these three: a brown leather tote (perfect for my fashion magazines and writing journals), a bright yellow satchel, and a red clutch with fuchsia leather trim.

See how the red clutch transforms into a tote? Absolutely delicious!! I would hang my head in shame but how can I when I look so cute!

SN

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TOO MANY CLOTHES?

There's nothing like packing to remind you of just how much stuff you really have and probably don't need. I'm not talking about packing for a trip. I'm talking packing for a new home. Yes, I am in the process of moving. And instead of picking up and moving across town, I'm moving to a new state. Florida to be exact. I'll be living, working, writing, and shopping in Naples. So I'm feverishly trying to get all my stuff boxed up and ready to go. This process has definitely confirmed that some of the previous purchases I've made were not the most wise.

Exhibit A - While going through my closet and subsequently pulling out everything, I found more than one item with the tag still hanging on it, like this black dress and these satin black pants. I think both items were around $15 a piece. And while those are some rock bottom prices, it's still $15 too much if you never wear it. I purchased the dress because you know, you always need a little black dress, right? But the trick to buying the perfect little black dress is to select a simple style that will last over time. I bought this one about six years ago and when I tried it on yesterday I though ick! I clearly no longer liked the dress but more importantly looking back, I don't think it ever looked good on me.

Exhibit B - There was more than one or two items that can easily be identified as, "I just bought this because it was on sale." The money I spent on that $7 blazer could have been used to buy something I really loved. Or here's a radical idea, I could have saved the dough and not bought anything. 

Packing has the unique ability to force you to touch every piece of clothing you own in a short period of time. And while folding that item into a box or storage bin, you really can't help but think back to the reason you bought it or when you wore it or why you never wore it. It's a great reminder that sometimes we just buy unconsciously on a whim. And most times, we don't need to buy anything at all.

SASS, STYLE & SUBSTANCE BEST POSTS OF THE WEEK!

Check out these bloggers from Sass, Style & Substance for this week’s best beauty & fashion news!

A Touch of Blusher A Touch of Blusher stops by Dolce & Gabbana's makeup counter in London.

My Women Stuff 1 Month 1 Eyeshadow 1 Blush - Take the challenge!

Bags, Bling & Beauty Bags, Bling and Beauty invites you to check out swimwear tips from Shoshanna Gruss.

Raging Rouge Raging Rouge blows her diet with a 2,000 calorie treat by MAX Factor.

eye4style eye4style has the scoop on the new contemporary collection from Badgley Mischka - Mark & James!

Beauty Match Kylie Minogue’s behind the scene U.K. Elle shoot.

Eat Smart Age Smart Win $10,000 to get in shape!

STYLEnosh THIS is the problem with cropped pants!

Splendicity Accessories Have you heard about the new reality tv show that's all about shoe designers?

SN

image: Stock.xchg

THIS WEEK'S SALES ARE EVERYWHERE!!!

I finally stopped reworking my grocery budget and utilizing other tactics to find a way to get in on some of these delicious sales so that I could tell all of you about this weekend's Memorial Day deals. If you are seriously trying not to spend money, DO NOT READ THIS POST. There, I've shown some level of fiscal responsibility. Now we can proceed to the shopping! 

Nordstrom - It's the Half-Yearly Sale for women and kids. The savings start at 33% off and go up from there. Once on the website, click the links on the left to narrow your shopping to 50% or 60% off.

DSW - In order to celebrate the one year anniversary of their online store, DSW is offering $10 off of a $50 purchase. Click here for the in-store coupon. Or use promo code DSWBDAY for online purchases.

Macy's - There are tons of specials to be found. Check out the catalogs for the details. Note: There's a link to the extra 15% or 10% off shopping pass located right below the Memorial Day Sale catalog.

Kate Spade - You'll save an extra 30% off sale items at the online store. And at the Kate Spade outlets, you can take 50% off the lowest ticketed price on all handbags. There's a 10 handbag limit at the outlet. Seriously, these deals are so phenomenal they're worth missing a meal or two. I'm just saying......

Belk - It's the Biggest One Day Sale on Saturday, May 23rd. The preview day is today. There's a coupon on the website for an extra 20% or 15% off of sale purchases. Unfortunately, the coupon is not functioning properly when you click it. Hopefully the Belk IT department will get this issue corrected promptly.

Kohl's - For every $50 you spend, you'll receive $10 in Kohl's cash. The Kohl's cash coupon will be emailed to you. And then between May 26th and June 10th, you can redeem your Kohl's cash. Click here to check out the other deals at Kohl's.

Lord & Taylor - Save 20% off sale-priced and clearance merchandise. There are exclusions so definitely read the fine print.

The Limited - I wrote a post about this sale on Wednesday so this is just a reminder. I'd say 30% off markdown prices is worth a browse through the store.

Old Navy - On Saturday, May 23rd only, snag those colorful rubber flip flops for adults and kids for only $1. Click here for all of this weekend's deals.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!! Enjoy the holiday weekend!

SN

WhatWentWrong - HEY SHORTIE!

Some days I feel like I'm on a one woman campaign to reduce the number of women who wear capri pants incorrectly. This lady is a great example of one of my campaign targets.

So here's the problem: When you're short, you may be thinking, "I'll just cuff my jeans since they're too long". Which basically makes you look considerably shorter than you already are. Please don't misunderstand my intentions here, I am 5'3'' and quite comfortable with my height. I'm not one of those people who banishes flats from her wardrobe. Height is not the issue. But don't volunteer to look like a troll. Proper fit is the point here. Which leads to looking your best with whatever size or shape you are.

By cuffing the jeans to a length somewhere between the knees and the ankles, this festival participant cut off the line of her leg. And inevitably, this length will always make you look short and squatty. I should know. Last month while hanging out in Florida, I landed on the beach with my nephew's class trip. Since my sister didn't tell me we were going on the field trip, I wasn't prepared. So the only thing I could do was cuff my pants and take off my 3-inch heels as we sloshed through the sand. (Thanks sis.) Later when I took a picture, I confirmed that my cropped jean look did indeed make me look shorter.

Solution: It's actually quite simple. If you're on the shorter side, keep pants lengths (and hem lines) at or above the knee. You can go a little below the knee if you add a heel. Otherwise, you'll just create a look that doesn't look good on you. Period.

SN

BIG SALE AT THE LIMITED

I was at The Limited on Monday and I while browsing through the racks I kept thinking, "They really need to make this sale a little more appealing". Well apparently all I needed to do was wait one more day because the Memorial Day sale is here and with it comes some fantastic deals!

The big deal is 30% all clearance items. (Note: The price online already reflects the discount.) They're also taking 40% off of regular-priced shorts and cropped pants. Now I can finally find another pair of shorts that doesn't wrap around my butt like sausage casing. 

SN

Image:The Limited.com

NEW TARGET GO INTERNATIONAL: TRACY FEITH

Warning: This new line at Target is for the chic or fashion daring individual. All beige lovers need not apply!

I was at Target yesterday and when I walked past the Tracy Feith for Target racks I was totally surprised by what I found. If you're not familiar with this designer, check out the Tracy Feith bio. His style aesthetic, mixing bohemian with a luxury feel, has definitely carried through to his collection for Target. The looks are all very interesting and fresh. I love, love, love the sheath dresses! (The dress shown here is priced at $39.99.)

The star of this line is all of the colorful prints. If you tend to dress in from head to toe in black, white, or khaki, you should indulge a bit and try something from this line. Just remember if you're wearing a colorful top or skirt, be sure to pair it with one of your more neutral pieces. And if you're a fashion risk taker, mix and match those prints for a fashion forward look.  

This embroidered blouse is beautiful in person. And at $24.99, it's quite affordable. Several people reviewed this item and said that it was too big, giving it a "shapeless", "potato sack" look. One way to minimize the an extra blousy top is to add a belt around your natural waist. You'll not only create a waistline, you'll also be successfully accessorizing too.

SN

Images: Target.com

SASS, STYLE & SUBSTANCE BEST POSTS OF THE WEEK!

Looking for the best in beauty and fashion news? Check out these bloggers from Sass, Style & Substance!

eye4style eye4style is ready for summer with the chic new POOL swimwear line.

A Touch of Blusher A Touch of Blusher adds another lilac eye palette to the stash.

Eat Smart Age Smart Madonna and Gwyneth’s personal trainer reveals all.

Beauty Match Pedi Pistol for home pedicures.

STYLEnosh STYLEnosh delivers scary tales from the fitting room.

Splendicity Accessories Inspirational accessory picks from Pantone's Fall 2009 color forecast.

SN

image: Stock.xchg

THIS WEEK'S SALES!!!

JCPenney - It's the Biggest Sale of the Season with 40% off original prices and an extra 10% off sale prices. Use promo code BSOTS9 online. Click here for other details. There are also Doorbusters on Saturday from 8am to 1pm, which you can check out in this week's sales ad. The prices in the sales ad are good until Saturday, May 16th.

The Limited - Everything is still Buy 1, Get One 50% Off until Tuesday, May 19th. Just remember that markdown merchandise is excluded.

New York & Company - New York is on Sale again. There are some great deals on the NY&C Collection. But there are some other items worth checking out in this sale in general.

Lord & Taylor - It's the Private Sale with 20% off regular and sale-prices. Use promo code PRIVATE. Click here to see the entire list of sales at L&T.

Banana Republic - Take 25% off any purchase of $100 or more. Offer good online and in-store through Sunday, May 17th. Use promo code SUMMER to redeem online. To get the sale in the store, print this page with the barcode.

Aeropostale - Shorts for girls and boys are Buy 1, Get One Free.

Bloomingdale's - Take 25% off for every $200 you spend. Sale good through Sunday, May 17th.

MATTHEW WILLIAMSON AT H&M TODAY!

Matthew Williamson, the designer from the UK known for his incredible hues, debuts his summer collection for H&M today. I was at the store the other day and they had a few pieces already out on display. I definitely liked what I saw.

The line is bursting with vibrant pink, yellow, and green color. I love the tunics and the dresses! But be forewarned, this line isn't cheap. The H&M website shows tunics from $70 to $100 and dresses from $80 to $350. Something tells me those pieces will still fly off of the racks. Click here if you'd like to see the full line. (Just click on the collection at the bottom of the page.) Note: There are even a few items for the guys.

SN