Your classic statement pieces

Have you ever wondered if there was a guide to essentially "the top" fashion items that never go out of style and are worth the investment? Well, search no further! I recently discovered Nina Garcia's The One Hundred - A guide to the pieces every stylish woman must own and I fell in love. I could not put this book down! From sunglasses to investment bags to suits to sneakers this book has every name brand item and affordable alternatives you could imagine.

Nina Garcia gives you the confidence you need to try something new and be comfortable in your own clothes. I must admit I smiled when I read that a few items I own were written about in this book but it also opened my eyes to various designers and looks that I might not have thought were classic but truly are.

One of my favorite parts of the book was when she described cocktail rings, "a big vintage fake is even preferred" because you don't always need to shell out tons of money to feel and look glamorous. I think that accessories can say a lot but I am usually a minimalist so I should push myself to try layering bangles or every once in a while flaunt a huge cocktail ring!




These fabulous pieces are all under $20:

CheapChicDaily

Shopping Spree Alert!

It's that time of the year...Tory Burch sample sale! The first one in 3 years I won't be attending.


ClothingLine

Inspirational Ideas turned into Fantastic Businesses

Have you ever thought of an idea that would be a great business concept? Well so did these girls!

I came across an article on Under30CEO.com regarding some of the top female entrepreneurs. I have previously blogged about LearnVest but now I am even more inspired after reading about some of the other women. I also knew the story behind rent the runway: 2 Harvard Business School classmates started the company's concept which was recently referred to as being the "netflix" of fashion.

However there were a few new faces and businesses. The trendy reusable bags that say FEED on them, give proceeds towards feeding the hungry. GREAT idea and they are cute. Not only are they useful but by purchasing them you are actually helping do something for those in need. Similar to TOM's shoes (which I love!) this concept is wonderful. I never would have thought a young female created the bag!

PaperlessPost is another great website. Although the idea is similar to an "e-vite" the elegance and realistic look are far superior. I often think about how much paper is wasted in old fashion invites but will e-vites ever catch on for wedding invites? I guess the trends are changing.

Overall, this was a great article and I truly enjoy reading about young women starting their own businesses.

Checking e-mails 2 times per day, is it really possible?

I just started reading The 4-Hour Workweek and I am amazed at the concept of being able to limit checking e-mails to just 2 times per day. The author suggests that you maximize your time by eliminating lots of useless activity (checking personal e-mails, facebook, news etc.) and spending time more efficiently.

I think humans have a natural curiosity and constantly want to know what the latest news is or how many new messages are waiting in the inbox. I am anxious to read the section that suggest you "outsource" your life to a virtual assistant. I don't think I could utilize the service at this point in my life but certainly if you are the type of person with a busy job, a family and other people depending on you I can only image trying to juggle scheduling and personal tasks.

Seriously, how many hours a day are spent in front of electronics: ipads, TV's, laptops, cellphones, e-readers and the list goes on and on. I mean how much time is spent face to face anymore? Yet, e-mails are so convenient and make communication much faster and more straightforward then a phone conversation. How many times is considered overkill? 4 times, 8 times, every hour?

The lure of discount websites

I have never used Groupon but I have definitely taken advantage of travel deals from TravelZoo e-mail blasts and dinner discounts. Actually I just discovered blackboard eats and VillageVines this year (they both offer discounts off your bill).

Over the holidays, I received a photography class as a gift from my parents and I had a really good time (despite the fact that I was using a point and shoot and everyone else had $1,000+ professional cameras!). I never would have thought to sign up for it but I learned a few new tricks and took great photographs.

Some of the discounted daily deals are really random things that I would never use. For example, I once saw a discount for a professional closet organizer for $100+ which was a little bit ridiculous to me. I am a neat freak and I would never pay someone to organize my stuff! Yet, a lot of the restaurant deals sound appealing. The fact that Groupon changes it's deals so often is nice because I think it lures new customers in. Trying something that you would not normally try and paying 1/2 the price sounds like a plan. A lot of my friends have tried things on Groupon and recomended them to me. I found my old hairstylist through a friend that used a Groupon deal at a hair salon. I don't know if I could ever buy something on one of the sample sale sites like Gilt unless I knew my exact size because when I shop I like to see it in person and touch the material or try it on etc. However, dinner discounts never fail!

Hopefully, I'll get a bit more adventurous and try something out of the ordinary!

Global Fashion: Spotlight on Hong Kong!

On a recent trip to Hong Kong, I did some serious shopping! There is one district in Hong Kong where I find myself falling in love with trends from all different parts of Asia. The area is called Causeway Bay. There is a huge department store from Japan called SoGo as well as tons of little shops that import clothing from Korea and Japan.

I took a picture of an adorable little shop that sold jewelry and accessories with the cutest pink decorations. I find that the Asian culture enjoys cartoons, stuffed animals and anything with rhinestones (oh and of course HELLO KITTY).



I bought a blue button up t-shirt from Korea as well as 2 jackets and 5 pairs of shoes! I could have spent the whole day shopping but I had other things to see and do. I love the fact that you get access different trends from surrounding countries in Hong Kong because when I traveled to Tokyo a few years ago I found it fascinating to see how dressed up all the women were. They dye their hair, wear tons of makeup and always walk around in high heels. I also loved visiting harajuku to see how all the teenage girls looked in real-life. They had some really interesting outfits and were happy to pose for pictures.

However, in New York, you can shop at many stores which have global fashion trends but in Hong Kong it is so fun because you are shopping near the source (China) where nearly all garments and shoes are made!!!

Ladies Market for example, had tons of bootleg Tory Burch shoes and handbags for tourists. However, I never purchase fake items because aside from being illegal the quality is always terrible and often not even real styles of what is actually produced.



By the way, over 70% of the worlds shoes are made in China. Another interesting fact: Luxury designer items often hide the fact that items are made in China: How do the brands get away with this? Some hide the “Made in China” label in the bottom of an inside pocket or stamped black on black on the back side of a tiny logo flap. Some bypass the “provenance” laws requiring labels that tell where goods are produced by having 90 percent of the bag, sweater, suit or shoes made in China and then attaching the final bits — the handle, the buttons, the lifts — in Italy, thus earning a “Made in Italy” label. Or some simply replace the original label with one stating it was made in Western Europe.



Made In China on the Sly

How to make a few extra bucks: Consignment 101

The catch phrase from SecondTimeAround is "Recycle your unwanted clothing and start earning money today!" Now consignment is certainly not a new concept but I think that it is becoming more popular because people are getting more and more into recycling/reusing everything.

Usually, I try to clean out my closet 1-2x per year. I analyze each item of clothing and ask myself: does this fit me? is this style still popular? will I wear this again? If the answer is no to any of those questions then I usually I chose to donate. I have a few cousins or family friends that are younger than me and would probably fit into my old clothes so that is option #1. Then, if that doesn't work out I usually donate to salvation army or something along those lines.

This year, I happened to be walking around shopping and I found this great store that was selling near-new used clothing but really upscale designers. I figured it would be worth a shot to consign considering the items I was going to give away were Tory Burch, Lilly Pulitzer, Ralph Lauren and BCBG!

Well, it was a great decision - I made over $100 and I still have a few more months to continue to consign. It is a great idea so check out the site for more details:

SecondTimeAround