It’s not that I don’t enjoy personal and street style blogs. I do.

Some of my favorite bloggers are personal and street style bloggers and I adore their content—but this post isn’t about them. They don’t need me to laud their virtues when hundreds upon hundreds of other have already done so. They don’t need me to defend them from potentially scathing articles when they watch each other’s backs and respond with intelligent commentary. They already have  a voice in the fashion blogging community. Hell, they are the voice (and face) of the fashion blogging community.

This post is about something someone else entirely.

This post is about the invisible fashion bloggers.

Unsure who I mean?

They aren’t street style bloggers. They aren’t personal style bloggers. They don’t fit into any budget, luxury, DIY, plus-size or accessory niche. And they aren’t lifestyle bloggers.

They are fashion bloggers. Plain and simple.

The Definition of a Fashion Blogger

In recent years, the popularity of fashion bloggers of the personal and street style ilk has reached record heights. The success of the “super bloggers”—The Man Repeller’s, Garance Dore’s  and Glamourai’s of the fashion world—has changed the very essence of fashion PR and media and it seems like someone, somewhere, is always talking about one of them. But all too often we forget that these “super bloggers” weren’t overnight successes. They are intelligent, hard-working, business savvy individuals who made a name for themselves in a time when the fashion blogosphere was searching for its stars.

And now…

Not only have they become the benchmarks by which we measure our own success…

They have also become what defines us.

How many times have you seen/heard/read something related to fashion blogging in the media? How many times was the focus something other than commentary on the “look at me! lookatmyawesomeclothes!” or “this shirt is c/o brand A, this purse is c/o brand B” or “f#@! did you see what she was wearing?? WHO is the designer?!” type blog? I honestly can’t remember.

If the focus wasn’t on street style and/or personal style blogs I can almost guarantee you it was one of the niche blogs—like DIY—I mentioned above.

Clearly, these are the only types of fashion blogs in existence (insert sarcasm here):

• Street style
• Personal style
• Niche

It’s a shame the biggest names in media perpetuate that stereotype. Because let’s face it. It IS a stereotype.

Earlier this week CNN jumped on the fashion-blog bandwagon and published an article featuring “Style bloggers to follow in any season.”  Did they feature some great bloggers? Definitely. Check it out and follow them if you don’t already. But what struck me most about the article was the disconnect between what they—along with IFB and StyleCaster—were saying and what they were presenting to their readers.

According to CNN reporter Emanuella Grinberg (bold emphasis mine):

“It’s no secret nowadays that some fashion bloggers wield just as much influence as magazine editors in shaping trends and sharing the latest news and images from the runways… Still, it takes more than a pretty face and fancy photography to make a blogger rise above the rest.”

Jennine Jacob of IFB and The Coveted was quoted saying (bold emphasis mine):

 ”Bloggers that have a particular angle with their content have a definite advantage over others… with the ones that stand out, when you read their blog you don’t just see pretty pictures. You walk away with something.”

The article then goes on to present some of IFB and Stylecaster’s “favorite fashion bloggers from a variety of categories.”

Guess what?

Not only do all of the blogs mentioned in the article fit into the categories I mentioned earlier… they all have pretty pictures. Very pretty pictures.

I’m not saying that the content on those blogs isn’t excellent—it is. What I am saying is that there are other types of fashion blogs out there—blogs that may forego the “pretty pictures” to focus on commentary and encourage discussion of the industry and trends—and I don’t understand why they are never represented in articles like this.

Jennine’s comment that “bloggers that have a particular angle with their content have a definite advantage” is something that I often see repeated on IFB. While I don’t disagree with this idea, I do take issue with the fact that IFB seems to only encourage niche blogging instead of doing more to help promote that other type of blogger. One that doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into a “niche.” One that is equally talented in terms of high quality content but perhaps with more verbiage than imagery in a given post. There is no denying that IFB  is a great resource for fashion bloggers and they do promote bloggers of all types via the Links a la Mode series. But I also believe they have the power to help fight the stereotypes that exist and instead they often (perhaps unknowingly) perpetuate them.

What is the saying? “With great power comes great responsibility.”

When will the IFB’s and StyleCaster’s of the world move beyond such a narrow focus and embrace—and encourage—the invisible fashion blogger?

The Invisible Fashion Blogger

Finally.

Now we can talk about what the heck I mean when I say “invisible fashion blogger”

If you are still reading at this point—and you blog about fashion in some way, shape, or form—ask yourself if you have ever felt like you weren’t sure if you belonged.

• Have you ever felt like you weren’t sure if you were a real fashion blogger?
• Have you ever felt the need to change the focus of your blog because it wasn’t following preconceived “fashion blog criteria” notions?
• Have you ever felt like you weren’t being represented as a fashion blogger?
• Have you ever felt overlooked because your fashion-focus was too broad?
• Have you ever felt your writing was too cerebral to be a fashion blogger?
• Have you ever thought about throwing in the proverbial fashion-blogger towel because you don’t want to take photos of yourself?
• Have you ever felt like the written word is becoming a lost art in the fashion blog community?
• Have you ever felt like there is no room for substance in the world of fashion blogging? That discussion and conversation have been replaced by consumption and more consumption?

If you have ever felt even one of those things you are the invisible fashion blogger.

And guess what?

There is more than just a place for you in the fashion blogosphere—there is a need.

We show our individuality through fashion. So why should we conform our fashion blogs to fit a mold dictated by stereotypes?  Let’s work together to change the face of the fashion blogosphere.

No matter what our individual differences may be, there is one unifying thread that connects us all—a passion for fashion.

How about we focus on that for a change?

Let’s Talk

I want to hear from you—am I completely off base here, or do you know exactly what I am talking about?

Do you agree?

Disagree?

Think I need my head examined?

Sound off in the comments!

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Are you a blogger?

If so, what made you start your blog?

• Was it a passion for your specific niche (fashion/ books/ food/beauty/celebrities/music/etc)?
• Was it a passion for writing?
• Was it the need for a distraction?
• Was it because blogging sounded fun?
• Was it because you needed an outlet for your thoughts?
• Was it something else altogether?

Whatever the reason you began blogging… what is the reason you stuck with it?

• Is it your passion for your niche?
• Is it your passion for writing?
• Is it the continued need for a distraction?
• Is it the fact that blogging is fun?
• Is it because you love having an outlet for your thoughts?

Do those reasons still apply? Have they changed as your blog has grown?

Maybe there are additional reasons you blog today, like the relationships you have built with other bloggers & readers or the fact you now have a voice in the blogging community.

But what about those other reasons? You know… the ones that have to do with aspirations.

• Success
• Status
• Celebrity
• Freebies

Have any of those impacted your blogging?

They did WHAT?!

Last month, the popular blog Fashionista posted a story discussing bloggers who fake VIP status by purchasing items and then claiming they were gifted by brands.

When it comes to blogging, few things surprise me nowadays but this actually did.

I won’t go into the details—you can read the article by clicking on the image above—but suffice to say that the idea of bloggers faking relationships with brands was a new one to me.  Maybe I am naïve, but I think that a blogger spending their own hard earned cash on a brand they like is a positive.  It shows that you are willing to put your money where your mouth is, so to speak, so why hide it?

Why lie about it?

And the idea that some brands are/were OK with it? I am still trying to get my head wrapped around that.

This became a hot topic of conversation on twitter yesterday afternoon between some blogging buddies and myself, but as the conversation continued our focus changed to what drives people to make these types of decisions and whether bloggers feel any accountability for their actions.

Let’s Talk Drive

So… motivation.

What would motivate a blogger to lie about their relationship with a brand?

Probably the same things that would drive them to infringe on someone’s copyright or plagiarize content.

• A desire for status
• A desire for instant success
• Unrealistic expectations/pressures
• Outward appearances that don’t match the reality
• A desire for freebies (ie: if you fake it, they will come)

But does that make it OK?

Just because you want to be perceived as successful, does that mean it’s OK to fake it?

My answer is yes and no.

We’ve all heard the phrase “fake it ’til you make it” and I think there is definitely some truth to that advice. If you want to be a success you have to believe in yourself and you have to act the part.

As a blogger, that means you should blog like you mean it.

Write with passion.

Write with authority.

Write like you are the #1 resource on said topic, even if you aren’t.

But don’t lie.

Don’t misrepresent yourself.

Don’t fabricate relationships.

Don’t steal other’s hard work and pass it off as your own.

Don’t be a bad example to others.

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Let’s Talk Accountability

Everyone defines success differently.

For some bloggers, success is measured by the amount of followers they have.

For others, it is the number of active commentors.

For others, it may be the number of brands they work with.

For others, it is simply may be a personal sense of accomplishment.

No matter how you measure your success on a personal level, if you have reach as a blogger you should also be held accountable for your actions.

That means…

You shouldn’t be rewarded for lying

You shouldn’t ignore the consequences of your actions.

You shouldn’t make excuses when you f&ck up – own it. Accept it. Learn from it.

You shouldn’t forget that you are a role model to someone, somewhere.

What Do You Think?

I think my feelings on this topic are pretty clear.

I think bloggers need to stop acting like we write in a vacuum and accept that if we put them out there, our words/actions are influencing someone. Somewhere.

I have no problems with bloggers who have lofty aspirations. Great! I have some of my own.  But unless I earn that success fair and square, I don’t want it.

Again, maybe I am naïve, but I think we need to be held accountable for our actions.

What about you?

Have you experienced the dark side of blogging?

Or maybe you don’t think this is an issue?

What changes need to happen in the blogosphere to help us become more accountable and less focused on instant success?

By now most of you know that last January I discovered that a number of my blog posts had been plagiarized by a well-known young adult book blogger. To make matters worse, the articles of some of my personal blogging idols had also been plagiarized by the same person.

This post isn’t about rehashing the dirty details. It isn’t about re-opening old wounds.

It is about coming to a realization.

It is about sharing why I only posted on this blog a minuscule 18 times following that discovery last January.

It is about admitting that I was so disheartened but what happened that I somehow lost my voice.

… and it is about trying to pick myself up. Dusting myself off. And finding my voice again.

A Voice Lost

I know what you are probably thinking.

 ”She’s crazy.”

“She’s clearly over-reacting.”

“Get over it already.”

Well guess what? You may be right. Maybe I was/am over-reacting. Maybe I should be over it by now. And maybe I am crazy. But none of that changes the way I feel.

I started this blog in 2010 as a way to escape from a broken heart. Back then I didn’t have any plans for it. I didn’t have any expectations. I didn’t have any direction and I didn’t have a voice of my own. I was a mess and it came through in my writing.

Somewhere along the way that changed. I started to connect with people in the blogging community. I joined ModlyChic’s Friend Friday series. I not only became passionate about what I was writing… I became passionate about the act of writing itself.

I found my voice and I was damn proud of it too.

That all changed in 2012.

I know plagiarism doesn’t impact everyone in the same way. I know that Vahni, Jamillah and Fajr were able to move on with their writing after it happened with their voices intact. I’m not saying it didn’t impact their blogging lives at all – I know it did. But they were able to get past it and move forward.  That wasn’t the case with me.

Maybe it’s because blogging helped me reconnect with my love of writing. Maybe it’s because it was such a personal outlet for me. Maybe it’s because I took particular pride in a number of the posts that were plagiarized. Maybe it’s because I am a crazy Scorpio. Maybe it’s because I was the one who discovered it. Maybe it’s because I respect another’s writing too much to ever do that to them.

I don’t know the exact reason that I took it as hard as I did but I do know that I took it personally.

When I first learned what happened I felt violated. Something had been stolen from me—my thoughts and my words—and I hated how helpless it made me feel.

Helpess, yes. Defeated? No. Not initially.

It wasn’t until the plagiarists true identity was revealed (by someone else) a few months later that things took a turn for the worse.

It was a scandal and it was ugly. It was personal.

Some people defended the plagiarist. Some defended us. We were introduced to a slew of new bloggers, many of which I now admire. That was a positive.

But during the height of the scandal our writing was belittled more times than I could count. It wasn’t worth anything. Anyone could string together what we had done. They weren’t original ideas. It was no big deal. We over-reacted. Etc. etc.

But that too passed. Everyone moved on with their lives. Back to business as usual.

Yet suddenly I felt like I had nothing left to say. No idea seemed good enough.

I began to question everything and I began to doubt myself.

So I just stopped.

I stopped writing.

I stopped trying.

At first I blamed it on being too busy. Not enough time to write!

Then I blamed it on being too stressed. Real life problems!

Then I blamed it on my other blog.  That one is more important!

But then I realized the true problem.

The reason I wasn’t writing on Beautifully Invisible anymore was because I didn’t believe in myself anymore.

The reason I wasn’t writing anymore was because I felt like I had nothing to say.

The reason I wasn’t writing anymore was because being plagiarized and belittled in the aftermath stole my self-confidence and it stole my voice.

The reason I wasn’t writing anymore was because I was watching all the blogger’s I respect move forward while I was frozen in place by my own self-doubt.

Is that a typical reaction to being plagiarized? Probably not. But it was my reaction.

Moving On

Plagiarism is more than just stealing someone’s words. It is more than just stealing someone’s thoughts and ideas. It is about stealing someone’s passion.

That is what happened to me. The plagiarist and the scandal that followed did more than just steal my words. They stole my heart.

Now that I understand what my problem is I hope that I can start to finally move forward.

I hope that I can stop doubting myself.

I hope that I can recapture the passion that writing used to bring me.

I hope that I can silence the negativity in my head and finally find my voice again.

Because I miss it.

And I miss all of you.

Anyone who is a big fan of jewelry is familiar with BaubleBar.  The company has grown by leaps and bounds since it’s launch in 2010 and they are a blogger favorite (especially the Buried Baubles!). The secret to BaubleBar’s success is that they source designer jewelry direct from designers which allows them to offer it on their site without the mark-up that a middleman or a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer would apply. They offer different price points and the quality across the board is excellent.

I’ve been a big fan since the beginning and they have really outdone themselves this year by offering various pop-up shops and collaborations ranging from Essie to DKNY.  This holiday season they have partnered with Elle Magazine and are working with some absolutely amazing designers to offer customers some must-have statement pieces that can be difficult to find elsewhere.  BaubleBar by Elle features pieces by designers including Kara Ross, Atelier Swarovski by Christopher Kane, Lizzie Fortunato and Fallon to name a few.

And of course three of my personal favorites:

Jennifer Fisher, Kelly Wearstler and Giles & Brother

Jennifer Fisher and Kelly Wearstler are two of the most talented women out there at the moment and the brother and sister duo at Giles & Brother design stunning but affordable pieces that will take your outfit to the next level. There are a ton of great baubles to choose from, including some rings I have been eyeing for some time, but I find myself drawn to these cuffs:

That Jennifer Fisher cuff especially. Oh. My. Lord. One for each arm please!

Have you checked out BaubleBar by Elle?

What do you think of the designer series?

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During this time of the year—even if you normally try to avoid it—you will be shopping online at some point in time. Whether you are purchasing gifts, holiday supplies or regular day-to-day needs, why not make the most of it and give back to a charity close to your heart?

It’s no secret that I love to use ebates so I can get some cashback when I am spending online. I do. I spend quite a bit online so why not get some kickbacks?  However… I am self-admittedly being a bit greedy.

What I do at the end of the year (and what I really should do all year) is shop via goodshop. With goodshop, instead of getting cashback for me a percentage of my purchase is donated to the charity of my choice. They get the kickback. It’s a great way to support a charity by doing something you already do.

Some of you know that —in the “real world”—I am a fundraiser. I work for a non-profit in the Cleveland area and have been a fundraiser for over 10 years. I know the world of charitable donations like the back of my hand and I can tell you with certainty that this is the easiest way you will ever find to support a cause you believe in. All you have to do is… do what you normally do anyway.

Websites like this usually give you multiple ways to support a cause with the most common being shopping-related donations and online search donations. goodshop is actually a part of a larger site called goodsearch—and it’s the one I recommend—but it isn’t the only option you have.

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goodsearch/goodshop/gooddining

My favorite. They allow you to give back in a number of ways:

• goodsearch: a yahoo powered-search engine that gives back. Earn approximately a penny for each search you complete using goodsearch. It might not seem like much but I use this as my main search engine year-round and those pennies do add up!
• goodshop: you can raise money by shopping online in two ways. Either visit http://www.goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx itself and search for retailers OR install the goodapp toolbar. I use goodapp and it automatically alerts me if the retailer I am visiting is eligible for a donation: 

• gooddining: I haven’t signed-up for this myself, but the third option allows you to earn donations for the charity of your choice when you dine out. You can earn up to 6% in donations when you use a registered credit or debit cards at participating locations (note: days when donations can be earned may be limited—read the fine print!).

Check out the faq if you want more information on where these donated dollars come from (mostly advertising dollars or commissions that are redirected to charities).

onecause

In theory onecause is very similar to goodshop. The site acts as a shopping portal that allows you to give back to a charity of your choice when you make an eligible purchase.

As with goodshop, you can raise money by shopping online in two ways:

• Go to http://www.onecause.com/shop itself and search for retailers OR
• Install the onecause toolbar:

I don’t use onecause myself but if you are interested in learning more check out their help page for more information on how they operate.

iGive

If you aren’t a fan of goodshop and/or onecause you can see if iGive is more your speed.

Again, iGive you gives you the option to donate back to a charity of your choice when you shop online.

• Use the site as a shopping portal by going to directly OR
• Install the toolbar

iGive, onecause and goodshop all operate on the same basic principles. For iGive’s fine print, please read this.

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goodsearch versus onecause versus iGive

As I mentioned, I personally use goodsearch (year-round) and goodshop (holiday shopping). I registered for iGive and onecause strictly for the purposes of this post and can offer you some quick comparisons here.

Donation Amount

In the screen captures above you could see that the donation when shopping Saks Fifth Avenue was largest when using goodshop (2.5 % versus 2.0% at iGive or onecause). goodshop also appears to have more partners and greater donation values across the board. This, combined with the additional donation amount you can earn by using goodsearch or gooddining, gives goodshop the edge.

A Case Study

I decided to take a look at a large non-proft—The World Wildlife Fund—and compare the success they have had on goodshop vs. onecause vs. iGive because that will be a good indicator of two things:

1. How many people are using the site in question, and
2. How beneficial they are to the organization in question

The thing to keep in mind about any of these websites is that they are only as successful as we make them. If you are consistent in your use, the contributions will add up. If you sign-up but never go back to it, you won’t help the charity at all. Still, I think the difference here is rather remarkable.

goodsearch: $8,971 raised from 2,001 supporters

onecause: $7.75 raised from 7 supporters

iGive: $197.72 raised from 48 supporters

goodsearch clearly is the winner here with over $8,000 raised by over 2,000 supporters. The other two sites can’t even compare. This doesn’t mean that the other two sites aren’t functioning as they should— it just means they aren’t reaching as many people. This, in turn, means that the greatest immediate impact is being made by goodsearch.

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Conclusion

I need to stop being so greedy and use goodshop more often.

What do you think? Will you start using any of these sites?  

Or, if you already do, what has your experience been like?

Sound off below!

Sincerest thanks from the bottom of my heart and Happy Thanksgiving!

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It’s that time of the year again! Black Friday and Cyber Monday are upon us and—as usual—my inbox is flooded with offers. The last few years I have compiled the best online sales and it has definitely helped me stay focused and hit the sales I want. Hopefully it has been/will be helpful to you as well.

I try to stay away from things like Best Buy and Kohl’s and really focus on the best fashion and beauty deals found online that people might otherwise miss, but please let me know if I have missed any major sales.

A few notes:

• This list will continue to be updated throughout November 27th (I am just getting started!)
• Don’t forget to go through ebates when you buy for extra savings – they will be offering up to double cash back on many sites this weekend!

Check out the list after the jump and let me know if you take advantage of any of these!

Clothing Retailers

Alice + Olivia: Enjoy 20% off sitewide. Offer valid November 21st – November 26th

All Saints: Enjoy 20% off select items with code THANKS. Offer valid November 22nd – November 26th

Alloy: Offers valid November 21st – November 29th

• Receive 15% off a purchase up to $99 with code APTIERA
• Receive 20% off your purchase of $100 – $149 with code APTIERA
• Receive 30% off your purchase of $150 or more with code APTIERA

Alternative Apparel: Take 25% off your purchase and get free shipping with code AAMONDAY

Ann Taylor:

• Enjoy 40% off your full-price purchase and 25% off sale items with code THANKS

Ann Taylor LOFT:

• Enjoy 50% off your entire purchase with code TODAYONLY. Offer valid November 26th only.
• Take 40% off your entire purchase with code ENJOY
• Get free shipping on all orders of $125 or more

Anthropologie:

• Enjoy free shipping on all U.S. orders of $100+

Azalea Boutique:  Enjoy 25% off your purchase sitewide (excludes sale) with code GOBBLE25. Offer expires November 26th

Banana Republic:

• Enjoy 30% off your entire purchase with code CYBER through November 26th.
• Enjoy free shipping on orders of $50 or more. No code necessary.

Barneys New York:

• Shop the Cyber Monday Sale
• Enjoy free ground shipping on all domestic orders

bcbgmaxazaria:

• Spend $300 and get $100 off your purchase. No code necessary.
• Enjoy up to 50% off various merchandise throughout the site through November 26th. No code necessary.
• Enjoy free 3-day shipping on orders of $150+ for a limited time.

bebe:

• Get 30% off sitewide with code BLACKFRIDAY. Offer valid November 23rd only
• Get 30% off sitewide with code CYBER30. Offer valid November 26th only
• Enjoy $20 off your order of $125+ with code HOLIDAY12. Offers valid through December 2nd
• Enjoy $50 off your order of $250+ with code HOLIDAY12. Offers valid through December 2nd

Bergdorf Goodman:

• Save up to 40% off in the 5F Sale (ongoing).
• Enjoy shipping with code BGSHOP

Beyond the Rack: Pay shipping once and receive free shipping on all ADDITIONAL orders through November 26th. No code necessary.

Bloomingdale’s:

• Enjoy $50 off your purchase of $250 – $499
• Enjoy $100 off your purchase of $500 – $749
• Enjoy $150 off your purchase of $750 – $999
• Enjoy $200 off your purchase of $1,000 – $1,249… and an additional $50 off for every $250 you spend beyond $1,000 (up to $3,000).
• Save up to 50% off sale merchandise
• Shop the list of Cyber Monday specials
• Enjoy free shipping through December 20th

C&C California:

• Enjoy 40% off sitewide and receive free shipping with code CCCYBER40 through November 26th.
• Enjoy 40% off your order and free shipping with code CCTURKEY40 on November 22nd
• Enjoy 40% off sitewide and receive a free gorjana necklace when you spend $100 + with code  CCBLACK40 through November 25th
• Enjoy 50% off sitewide with code CCBLACK50. Offer valid 12am ESt – 3am EST on November 23rd only

Couture Candy: Enjoy 26% off your purchase sitewide with code MONDAY

CUSP by Neiman Marcus:

• Enjoy an extra 20% off sale items. No code necessary.
• Enjoy 25% off your first purchase at CUSP with code SHOP25 on November 26th only

Cynthia Vincent: Enjoy 20% off your full price purchase and an additional 20% off sale items with code THANKS. Free shipping.

Delia’s: Enjoy 20% off your order with code DDT20A through November 29th.

Diane von Furstenberg (DVF): Enjoy an additional 30% off sale items and free shipping with code HOLIDAYSALE. Offer valid through November 26th

Dollhouse: Enjoy 20% off sitewide with code CYBER12

Dorothy Perkins: Enjoy 25% off sitewide with code DPHOLIDAY25. Offer valid through November 26th

The Earnest Sewn: Enjoy 25% off your purchase with code HOLIDAY25

Edun:

• Enjoy 30% off sitewide on Black Friday
• Enjoy 50% off sitewide on Cyber Monday

Ella Moss:

• Enjoy 40% off your purchase of $500 or more with code THANKFUL40 through November 26th
• Enjoy 30% off your purchase with code THANKFUL30 through November 26th

Erin Fetherston:

Valid on Black Friday only:

• Enjoy 35% off your purchase sitewide

Valid on Cyber Monday only with code PINKMON:

• Enjoy 40% off sitewide from 6am – noon
• Enjoy 25% off sitewide from noon – 6pm
• Enjoy 15% off sitewide from 6pm – midnight

Express: Enjoy 40% off sitewide until November 26th. Excludes gift card purchases.

Far Fetch: Enjoy up to 70% off sale items and free global shipping on orders over $160 from November 22nd – November 26th.

figleaves: Enjoy 25% off sitewide with code CYBER25 through November 26th

Forzieri: Get up to 70% off select items during the Cyber Monday Sale. Offer valid through November 26th

free people:

• Get an extra 20% off sale items through November 26th
• Enjoy free shipping (standard and international) on your entire order through November 21st – 28th. No code necessary.

French Connection:

• Enjoy 30% off your purchase of $150 or more with code LUVYOU.
• Enjoy free shipping on orders of $150+

Gap:

• Enjoy 30% off your entire purchase through November 26th with code CYBER
• Enjoy free shipping on all order of $50+

goldyn: Enjoy 25% off sitewide with code GIVEANDGET25

Gucci: Enjoy early access to the fall/winter 2012 sale using this private sale link.  Pre-order now and you save 30 – 40% off select items. Public access begins November 30th.

Guess: Enjoy 30% off sitewide on Cyber Monday only. No code necessary

Helmut Lang: Enjoy 25% off select styles. No code necessary.

Herve Leger: Access the secret sale for up to 60% off select items

House of Harlow: Enjoy 20% off sitewide with code CYBER20 through November 30th

Hudson:

• Enjoy 20% off sitewide on November 22nd
• Enjoy 30% off sitewide on November 26th
• Enjoy free shipping and returns on all domestic orders

InhabitNY:

• Enjoy up to 80% off select styles
• Enjoy 30% off the Fall Collection. No code necessary.
• Receive a $100 gift card for all orders of $500+
• Receive a $200 gift card for all orders of $800+

Intermix:

• Get up to 40% off select items during the designer sale
• Enjoy 15% off your full price purchase with code CYBER15 and also enjoy an extra 30% off all sale items for savings up to 70%

IntiMint: Offer valid November 26th only

• New customers will enjoy 70% off their first itemwith code ALWAYS70
• Returning customers will enjoy 50% off their entire purchase with code HALF50

James Perse Private Sale: Get early access here for up to 40% off. Open to the public starting November 23rd.

J Brand: offer valid through November 26th

• Spend $250 – $349 and get a $25 gift card
• Spend $350 – $499 and get a $50 gift card
• Spend $500 – $699 and get a $75 gift card
• Spend $700 or more and get a $125 gift card

J.Crew: Get 25% off any order plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more with code MONDAY November 26th.

Jessica Simpson:

• Enjoy 40% off sitewide and enjoy free shipping with code HOLIDAY
• Shop the sale for discounts up to 50% off.

Joe’s Jeans: Enjoy 35% off sitewide with code CYBER. Offer valid November 26th only. Excludes Vintage Reserve Collecion and select bags

Juicy Couture:

• Enjoy 30% off sitewide and free shipping through November 26th
• Enjoy $50 off your purchase of $200 or more with code PARTY
• Enjoy 30% off regularly priced merchandise with code SPARKLE

karmaloop: Enjoy 30% off sitewide and get free shipping plus a $30 gift code code CYBERKAM

Kelly Wearstler: Enjoy 25% off all sale merchandise with code KWMONDAY. Offer valid November 26th only

La Garçonne: Enjoy 15% off sietwide with code CMONDAY15. Offer valid November 26th

Last Call by Neiman Marcus:

• Enjoy 40% off everything, including clearance items, through 4PM CT on Cyber Monday only
• Enjoy 30% off everything, including clearance items, through November 27th. No code necessary.
• Enjoy 40% off cashmere, sweaters, coats, hats. scarves, gloves & more. Cannot be combined with 30% off offer
• Free shipping on all orders of $75+ with code LCNOV75
• Plus: shop through ebates.com for 2.5% cashback on your purchase!

Les Nouvelles: The entire site is already 40 – 50% off; use code MAYFLOWER for an additional 20% off your purchase through Cyber Monday

Lord & Taylor:

• Enjoy 25% off your purchase with code CYBER. Some exclusions apply.
• Enjoy free shipping on all orders of $99+

LUISAVIAROMA: Enjoy 30% off winter collections through November 26th with code BFCM3012U

Mackage:

• Enjoy $50 off your purchase of a regular priced coat and free shipping with code CYBER
• Enjoy 25 – 50% off select items November 23rd through November 26th.

Madewell:

• Enjoy 25% off your purchase with code TREAT
• Enjoy free shipping on orders. No code needed.

Manhattanite:

• Enjoy 30% off your purchase with code CYBER30
• Exclusions: pre-orders, special orders and previous orders

my-wardrobe:

• Enjoy 25% off full-priced AW 2012 selections with code PERFECTPRESENTS25. Offer valid through December 2nd
• Enjoy 20% off and free shipping on AW2012 items through November 26th with code BLACKFRIDAY20
• Enjoy 30% off the Winter Edit with code WINTERWEAR30 through November 25th
• Enjoy 30% off the party edit with code PARTYEDIT30. Offer valid through November 25th
• Enjoy 30% off your menswear purchase with code EARLYBIRD30 through December 2nd
• Enjoy $80 off your purchase of $280 with code AW12STYLE01 through November 30th

Natori:

• Enjoy 20% off your order of $250 or more with code HOLIDAY20. Offer valid through November 26th
• Free continental US shipping available for most items

Neiman Marcus:

• Spend $200 and receive a $50 gift card with code GC4YOU
• Spend $500 and receive a $125 gift card with code GC4YOU
• Spend $1,000 and receive a $250 gift card with code GC4YOU
• Spend $2,000 and receive a $500 gift card with code GC4YOU
• Enjoy free shipping with code NMFALL

NET-A-PORTER: The big sale is on! Enjoy up to 50% off select clothing, shoes, bags, lingerie, jewelry and accessories

OPM Boutique: Enjoy up to 70% off select sale items

OTTE NY: Enjoy 20% off sitewide on November 26th

The Outnet:

• Enjoy free shipping with your purchase of $250 + on November 25th and 26th with code GOODIE48

Piperlime: 

• Enjoy 20% off sitewide with code ME or CYBER. Offer valid November 23rd – November 26th
• Enjoy free shipping and returns on all orders

Portero Luxury: Offers valid November 22nd through November 26th

• Spend $500 – $999 and get a $25 gift card
• Spend $1,000 – $1,499 and get a $50 gift card
• Spend $1,500 – $2,499 and get a $75 gift card
• Spend $2,500 or more and get a $125 gift card

Qi New York:

• Enjoy 40% off your entire purchase with code MONDAY

Rachel Rachel Roy: Enjoy 40% off sitewide plus free shipping through November 26th

Rachel Roy: Enjoy 30% off sitewide and free shipping through November 26th

The Real Real: Enjoy an additional 20% off during the Cyber Monday Sale with code CYBER20

Rebecca Minkoff:

• Enjoy 15% off regular price merchandise with code CYBERMON15 (November 26th only). Some exclusions apply.
• Enjoy up to 50% off select styles plus get free shipping through November 26th

Rebecca Taylor:

• Take an extra 25% off sale items with code RTEXTRA2512
• Select fall merchandise will be marked 30 – 60% off
• Select accessories will be marked 60% off

REISS: Enjoy 30% off full priced items and free shipping through November 26th

Rent the Runway: Enjoy 50% off sitewide and receive a free lancome Juicy Tube with code CYBER50. Offer valid November 26th only

Revolve: Spend more save more offer valid November 26th only

• Enjoy $15 off your purchase of $100 or more with code CYBERWEEKEND15
• Enjoy $50 off your purchase of $250 or more with code CYBERWEEKEND50
• Enjoy $125 off your purchase of $500 or more with code CYBERWEEKEND125
• Enjoy $250 off your purchase of $1,000 or more with code CYBERWEEKEND250
• Enjoy up to 50% off sale merchandise, no code needed
• Enjoy free domestic shipping and returns and free international shipping for orders over $100

Saks Fifth Avenue:

• Shop the Cyber Monday designer sale for up to 40% off!
• Save up to 60% on select sale styles
• Get a $25 gift card with your $100 Cosmetics and Fragrance purchase with code BEAUTY12
• Enjoy free shipping and returns with code HOLIDAY through December 22nd

ScoopNYC: Enjoy 30% off your purchase sitewide sand get free shipping with code CYBER.

Selfridges: Offers valid through November 26th

• Enjoy 20% off fashion, homewares and accesories with code SELF20
• Enjoy 10% off beauty, fragrance and wine with code SELF10

ShopBop:Use code BIGEVENT12to receive the savings listed below. Offer valid through November 26th

• Get 20% off your order of $250 – $499
• Get 25% off your order of $500 – $999
• Get 30% off your order of $1,000 – $1,499
• Get 35% off your order of $1,500+
• Exclusions: code cannot be applied to gift certificates or shipping costs
• Plus: shop through ebates.com to receive 2.5% cashback on your purchase!

Shoshanna: Enjoy 30% off regular price items and an additional 20% off sale items. Offer valid November 25th and 26th.

Singer22: Offer valid through Monday, November 26th

• Take an additional 40% off sale items with code 40MORE
• OR take 20% off your order with code CYBER on November 26th
• Enjoy free shipping on all order of $100+ in the continental US

Splendid: Enjoy 40% off sitewide with code THANKS40 through November 26th

SSENSE:

• Save up to 30% on your purchase at the SSENSE sale
• Enjoy free shipping to Canada and the U.S. on all orders OR free shipping worldwide with code FREESHIPWW

Stylebop:

• Enjoy 30% off select Fall 2012 merchandise on Cyber Monday with code CYBER2012
• Enjoy free shipping November 23rd – November 26th

Theory: Enjoy 30% off your purchase with codeTHANKS2012. Offer valid through November 26th

Three Dots:

• Enjoy 60% off select items
• Take an additional 20% off sale items with code ADSA20
• Receive an extra 10% off your order of $250 or more with code EXTR10

Torn by Ronny Kobo: Enjoy 25% off sitewide with code THANKSGIVING12. Offer valid through November 27th

Tory Burch:

Spend $150 or more, receive a set of GWP notecards

Enter code GIFTFORYOU to enjoy the following discounts:

• Enjoy 20% off your purchase of $300 – $499
• Enjoy 25% off your purchase of $500 – $749
• Enjoy 30% off your purchase of $750 or more

The Trend Boutique:

• Take 25% off sitewide with code TAKE25
• Enjoy 20% off your purchase sitewide with code TAKE20
• Take an extra 25% off sale items with code SALE25
• Enjoy free domestic shipping on all orders

Urban Outfitters: Enjoy $15 off your purchase of $75 or more on November 26th with code SUPERCYBER.

Victoria’s Secret (thanks Heidi!):

• Spend $65+ and receive a limited edition Pink Tote filled with beauty items
• Enjoy $15 off your purchase of $100 or more with code 15OFF100 through November 22nd
• Buy 1 get 1 50% off on bras with code DOUBLEUP through November 28th
• Get a free pair of slippers with a PJ purchase with code SLIPPERS12 through December 3rd
• Enjoy free shipping with your purchase of $25 or more with code FREE25 through November 22nd

Wren: Enjoy 40% off full-priced items with code CYBER40. Offer valid November 26th only

Yoogi’s Closet: Enjoy 10% off sitewide with code BLACKFRIDAY through November 27th

YOOX: Take up to 40% off select Fall merchandise and enjoy an additional 15% off with code YOOXTHANKS. Offer valid through November 26th

Jewelry, Shoes and Accessories

Amanda Sterett Jewelry: Enjoy 30% off your entire order on Black Friday with code BLACKFRIDAY

Amrita Singh: Get 50% off sitewide with code BLACK12FS.

BaubleBar:

Cyber Monday: Offer valid Monday, November 26th at 12:01 am EST – Wednesday, November 28th at 11:59pm EST

• The popular Cyber Monday gifting suite is back! Get a free gift for every $40 you spend. Sign-up now for access.

bona drag: Enjoy 25% off your purchase with code dailycandycyber12

boticca: Enjoy 20% off sitewide with code UNIQUEGIFTS and get free standard shipping worldwide

botkier: shop the online sample sale on November 26th for up to 75% off select items.

catbird:

• Get a free pair of catbird heart stud earrings with your order of $150 or more. Offer valid November 26th

Charm & Chain: Enjoy 35% off sitewide with code LOVEIT on November 26th only

Dannijo: Enjoy 20% off sitewide with code CYBERMONDAY on November 26th

foley + corinna: Offer valid through November 26th

• Enjoy 20% off your order with code SAVE20.
• Exclusions: Disco City and Black Classic Styles

Footpetals:

• Enjoy 25% off your order plus receive a free shine sponge with code FPCYBERMONDAY. Offer valid November 26th.

gorjana and griffin:

• Enjoy 40% off sitewide with code CYBER 
• Get a free gift with purchase over $100 and $250 while supplies last

Heels.com:

Cyber Monday Sale:

• Enjoy $20 off your order of $80+ with code CM20
• Enjoy $40 off your order of $150+ with code CM40
• Enjoy $80 off your order of $225+ with code CM80
• Enjoy $160 0ff your order of $500+ with code CM160
• Enjoy $300 off your order of $1,000+ with code CM300

Offer valid November 25th and 26th:

• Enjoy 30% off your order with code CYBER30

Jennifer Zeuner: Enjoy 20% off sitewide with code JZJCM or THANKS20

Jessica Matrasko Jewelry: Enjoy 30% off sitewide on Cyber Monday only with code MONDAY. My pick is the shark tooth ring. LOVE.

JewelMint

Offers valid November 26th:

• New customers will receive 70% off their first item with code BFGET70
• Current customers will receive 50% off their entire order with code BFGET50

Jill-e Designs: Enjoy 20% off your entire purchase November 23rd – December 2nd.

kate spade: Save up to 75% on select items through November 26th

Kooba: Enjoy 25% off sitewide on Cyber Monday.

Linea Pelle:

• Spend $150 – $249 and get $25 off your purchase. No code required.
• Spend $250 – $349 and get $50 off your purchase. No code required.
• Spend $350 – $499 and get $75 off your purchase. No code required.
• Spend $500 or more and get $150 off your purchase. No code required.

Max & Chloe:

• Receive a free glitter clutch with any purchase over $350 through December 15th.
• Enjoy 25% off sitewide with code CYBER12 through November 26th
• Receive a $10 e-gift card for every $50 you spend through November 26th

Nine West:

• Get 50% off select styles, plus enjoy free shipping
• Buy 1 item, get 20% off your purchase
• Buy 2 or more items, get 30% off your purchase

PAIRE.us: Enjoy 30% off sitewide with code CM30. Offer valid November 26th only.

Pamela Love: Enjoy 20% off on Pamela Love jewelry on November 26th with code MONDAY

Rain Collection: Use code SPENDMORESAVEMORE through November 26th for the follwoing discounts:

• Get $25 off $250 – $499
• Get $50 off $500 – $749
• Get $75 off $750 – $999
• Get $100 off $1,000 – $1,499
• Get $150 off $1,500 or more

Shoemint: Offers valid November 26th only:

• Cyber Monday only: current customers receive 30% off their entire order with code 30HAPPY
• Current customers receive 25% off their entire order with code HAPPY25

Shoes.com:

• Receive an extra 25% off all clearance items plus free shipping with code YAMS
• Take 20% off sitewide plus free shipping with code CYBER on November 26th

sir alistair rai: Save 50% on scarves and other accesories sitewide. All sales are final

SPANX:

• Get 10% off your purchase and enjoy free shipping with code 372NEW
• Get $20 in SPANX booty bucks when yous pend $100 or more

Steve Madden: 

• Enjoy 25% off your purchase and free shipping with code GIVE25
• Enjoy 30% off plus free shipping with code HOLIDAYS30

Swarovski: Enjoy 10% off your order of $155 or more with code CHRISTMAS2012. Offer valid through December 2nd

Swarovski Crystallized:

• Enjoy 20% off your purchase sitewide
• Enjoy 30% off select designer collections including Dannijo, Philippe Ferrandis, Martine Wester, Ben Amun, and Ian Flaherty. Offer valid November 23rd through November 26th.

Tateossian: U.S. customers can enjoy 10% off their purchase with code CYBERMONDAY. Offer valid on November 26th only

United Nude: Enjoy 30% off select items with code PROMO30. Offer valid November 23rd through November 26th only.

Vince Camuto:

• Enjoy 30% off sitewide with code HOLIDAY through November 27th. Offer excludes watches and clothing

Vita Fede: Enjoy 30% off and free shipping with code CVF13 (I am super excited about this one… love Vita Fede!)

Beauty Products

Ahava:

• Get a free extreme night treatment ($72 value) with orders of $40 or more on Cyber Monday
• All orders receive free shipping, 3 free samples, and a complimentary gift kit

Beauty Bar:

• Receive $20 off your purchase of $100 – $199 OR $40 off $200+ with code BBCYBERMONDAY. Offer valid November 26th only

benefit:  Offers valid November 26th

• Spend $25 and receive a free deluxe mini total moisture with code SNOWBUNNY
• Spend $50 and also receive a free deluxe mini they’re real! mascara with code SNOWBUNNY
• Spend $75 and also receive a deluxe mini posietint with code SNOWBUNNY
• Spend $100 and also receive a deluxe mini stay don’t stray with code SNOWBUNNY

Birchbox:

• Spend $35 in the online shop and earn 70 points ($7 value) with code cybermonday35
• Spend $75 in the online shop and earn 200 points ($20 value) with code cybermonday75
• Spend $150 in the online shop and earn 500 points ($50 value) with code cybermonday150
• Enjoy free shipping on orders of $25 or more through December 31st

bliss: Offers valid November 23rd – November 26th with code BFRIW12

• Enjoy 50% off luxury items
• Enjoy 30% off Bliss+Remede bundles
• Enjoy 20% off Bliss, Remede and Elemis products
• Spend $150 or more and receive a cosmetic bag filled with travel size goodies

Bobbi Brown: Offers valid through November 26th

• 5 free sample treats plus free shipping on all orders

butter LONDON: $10 lacquer blowout and free shipping with code CYBER12. Choose from select colors.

C.O. Bigelow: Enjoy 20% off sitewide with code ENJOY20. Offer valid through November 26th.

Coterie: receive up to 55% off exclusive beauty deals including Julep and MOR products

Couture Color: Enjoy 40% off your purchase with code HOLIDAY12. Offer valid November 23rd through November 26th

Folica: 

• Take $25 off your order of $75+ plus free shipping with code TURKEYDEAL. Offer valid November 26th – November 28th

Josie Maran:

• Enjoy 25% off sitewide with code ARGAN25 through November 26th
• Enjoy free shipping on orders of $25 or more.

Juice Beauty: Receive a Juice Beauty grab bag ($100 value, includes at least 1 full size product) with a $50 purchase. Offer valid Cyber Monday only.

Kiehl’s: Enjoy $20 off your purchase pf $75 or more with code JOYFUL. Offer valid through December 31st

Kérastase: Enjoy 20% off and free shipping on orders of $100 or more through November 26th. No promo code required.

Murad: Enjoy $25 off your purchase of $100 or more

Nars: Enjoy 20% off sitewide with code NARSFF2012. Offer valid November 26th and 27th

Nordstrom: Shope exclusive Cyber Monday deals in the beauty department

NUXE: Enjoy 20% off sitewide on November 26th with code NUXECYBER20

Ouidad: Enjoy 25% off your purchase and free shipping with code FFCURL. Offer valid November 21st through November 27th

Philosophy: Offer valid Monday, November 26th – Wednesday November 28th

• Receive a free gift tote valued at $90 with your purchase of $75+ with code delight

Saks Fifth Avenue: Shop the special Cyber Monday beauty offers

Skyn Iceland: Enjoy 25% sitewide with code CYBER25

Smashbox: Enjoy 25% off your order of $50 or more with code FRIENDS2012. Offer valid through November 26th

spalook: Enjoy 20% off storewide with code JOY20

tarte cosmetics: Enjoy 25% off sitewide and free shipping on orders of $40 or more with code CYBER. Offer valid November 26th.

YSL Beauty:

• Enjoy 20% off your purchase, free shipping and 6 samples of your choice with code CYBER12. Offer valid through November 30th

Additional Deals Worth Noting:

Canon: Offers valid November 26th

• Receive 20% off select refurbished EOS Digital SLR Cameras
• Receive 50% off Select refurbished Lenses with a refurbished DSLR Camera purchase
• Receive 30% to 50% off select refurbished Consumer Camcorders
• Receive 35% off select refurbished PowerShot Digital Cameras
• Receive 20% off select refurbished EF/EF-S Lenses and Speedlites
• Receive $80 in additional savings on PIXMA MX892 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer
• Receive $50 in additional savings on PIXMA MG4220 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer
• Spend $50 on Genuine Canon Paper or select ink and receive 2 free gifts
• Receive 25% off select refurbished LV Projectors
• Receive 25% off select refurbished imageCLASS Multifunction Laser Printers
• Receive 25% off reburbished REALiS SX7 Mark II or REALiS SX60 projectors, plus receive a free REALiS Rolling projector case
• Receive $250 off select refurbished network video cameras
• Enjoy free shipping, no minimum purchase needed

The Fancy: Enjoy 20% off your entire purchase with code BLCKFRI on November 23rd

The Laundress: Enjoy 25% off sitewide with code CYBERMONDAY

Nespresso: Get a $100 club credit with the purchase of a $199 or above Nespresso machine made between November 23rd and January 21, 2013. Note: this is not an instant credit. You must download a voucher and submit documentation of your purchase to receive the credit. Read the fine print here.

Plum District:Enjoy 20% off your purchase with the following codes:

• November 23rd: Use code BlackFriday20
• November 24th and 25th: Use code SmallBiz20
• November 26th: Use code CYBERM20

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links for retailers that I personally support. Please note that if click through an affiliate link when purchasing an item I will be partially compensated for your purchase. You are under no obligation to click through via one of the links when purchasing, but, if you do, you will be supporting my site as well. Happy Shopping!

The modern fashion show has a long and winding history that spans empires, revolutions and key moments in history… and it all began with an Englishman by the name of Worth.

Image via

Charles Frederick Worth: The Father of Haute Couture

When someone says the words “haute couture” what is the first thing that pops in your head? Christian Dior? Jean Paul Gaultier? Givenchy? Though these designers have now become synonymous with the art of Haute Couture, a man/genius named Charles Frederick Worth is actually credited as its Founding Father.

Although the focus of this post is not haute couture, it is impossible to address the origin of the fashion show without studying the contributions Worth made to the world of fashion as a whole. His influence on the fashion industry goes beyond the subject of haute couture into the very heart of fashion itself.

An Englishman in Paris

Charles Worth was born in 1825 in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England.  At the age of twelve he began an apprenticeship at London’s Swan & Edgar, located just down the street from The National Gallery. His time at Swan & Edgar proved invaluable for two reasons: first and foremost, it taught Worth invaluable lessons about fine textiles and exposed him to the luxurious tastes of the privileged class. Second, the close proximity to The National Gallery allowed him to indulge his artistic passion and study the styles and intricacies of period costumes. In 1845 he left Swan & Edgar for a brief stint at silk merchants Lewis & Allenby. Later that same year he moved to Paris.

Although Worth’s childhood in London proved to be invaluable in honing his skills with textiles and fabrics, it wasn’t until his move to Paris that he took his first steps toward becoming the world’s first true fashion designer (another first credited to Worth!).  In 1847, the renowned Gagelin magasin de nouveautés at 83 Rue Richelieu hired Worth as a salesman. The firm specialized in the sale of fabrics, shawls, embroideries and laces to privileged clientele and Worth proved to be an asset to the company. He quickly rose through the ranks and was soon promoted to leading salesman in the shawls and mantles department. This was where he began working with a young demoiselle de magasin named Marie Augustine Vernet.

The First Living Mannequin (aka, The First Model)

To say that Worth was an ambitious man would be an understatement. He was ambitious, intelligent and competitive. As a salesman for Gagelin, Worth experimented with different ways to present goods to potential customers. He would “save the best” for last and entice his customers in a manner that ensured a sale almost every time. He also began using Marie Vernet as a model to showcase the shawls and other items to potential customers.

Marie and Charles Worth (via 1 and 2)

It wasn’t long until Worth and Vernet became romantically involved and in 1850 he began designing simple dresses for her that were meant to show off the wares at Gagelin. Marie inspired his creativity, and his designs stood out from the bespoke clothing that was the norm at the time. They were perfectly tailored and elegant in their simplicity. As he had hoped, clients began to notice her dresses which led to increased sales for Gagelin and—more importantly—the first inquiries and orders for Worth’s designs!

As the requests for his work increased, Worth approached his employers and they agreed to establish a small dressmaking shop for him on the premises, with Marie acting as his model. This is believed to be the first time that the sale of textiles and the art of dressmaking were brought together and the first time a man was the dressmaker. Potential clients would come to Worth and, instead of approaching him with their own ideas for a dress, they would pick from a group of existing designs that would then be altered to their particular measurements and requests.

A Rising Star

After their wedding in 1851, Worth continued to design dresses for his beautiful wife and they were seen not only in the shop, but also around town.  This led to the couple establishing a now-familiar marketing tactic:

1. Worth would design a fabulous new dress.
2. The dress was produced for Marie to wear.
3. Marie would be seen in the dress both at Gagelin and at events around Paris.
4. The orders for said dress would roll in.

It is a format that is still effectively used by designers today (Academy Awards, anyone?) and Worth is credited with being the first to do it.

Around the same time, Gagelin was sold and renamed Opigez & Chazelle. The firm decided to enter the Great Exhibition of 1851 held in London’s Crystal Palace and included several of Worth’s embroidered silk dresses in their exhibit. Worth’s designs helped Opigez & Chazelle win a gold medal in the category of “upper clothing” and helped Worth expand his following. More than six million people came to see the exhibition which was hailed as the first international “trade show” of manufactured products. This type of exposure was unprecedented for a fashion designer and Worth was able to leverage the visibility he received into new clientele.

The Great Exhibition of 1851 (via)

In 1855, another of Worth’s designs was entered by Opigez & Chazelle in the Exposition Universelle in Paris. Known as Worth’s “court train” dress, the design deviated from the standard and had the court train elevated from the shoulders rather than the waist. This innovation, combined with the exquisite embroidery, led to another top prize for the firm.

As Worth’s star continued to climb he realized that he would have to leave Opigez & Chazelle and branch out on his own if he was to achieve the success he dreamed of. Worth had lofty aspirations — he was determined to not only change the way people thought about fashion, but change the art of fashion itself.  In order to do that he would need more freedom and a patron of his own.

Worth et Bobergh

In 1858, Worth teamed up with a Swedish former draper’s clerk named Otto Gustaf Bobergh and opened Worth et Bobergh at at 7 Rue de la Paix. In its infancy, the firm was a small one; they employed 20 seamstresses and Marie acted as the main model. Marie would also visit potential clients at their homes and model clothes for them.

The House of Worth (via)

Worth et Bobergh’s first “official” client was a woman named Valerie Feuillet. Originally a client of Opigez & Chazelle, Madame Feuillet was unsatisfied with the gown they created for her to wear for a ball at the Tuileries Palace. She approached Worth and Bobergh at the eleventh hour and asked them to create a new gown. She was ecstatic when the two men were able to create an enchanting gown of lilac silk covered with spangled lilac tulle, caught up by clusters of lilies of the valley in time for the ball.  That evening, the gown caught the attention of the Empress Eugénie who had recently wed Napoléon III. This wasn’t the first time that the Empress had heard of Worth. Opigez & Chazelle had supplied the materials for her trousseau in late 1852 so she was familiar with his work for Gagelin. Nevertheless, she couldn’t believe that the gown had been designed and constructed by a man and—despite her admiration—she did not engage Worth.

Still, Worth’s popularity continued to grow. Now with the complete freedom to do as he wished, Worth was able to move forward with his own ideas and dictate fashion. In addition to one-of-a-kind gowns for the crème de la crème, Worth began designing full seasonal collections his less wealthy clientele could order in their own size.  He designed entire wardrobes, including morning, afternoon, and evening dresses, nightgowns, wedding gowns, gowns for masquerade balls, and even costumes worn onstage by the famous actresses and singers of the time. His work was recognizable for its design (he often borrowed details from the period pieces he studied at the Louvre and National Gallery), quality and perfect fit and soon others were attempting to copy his designs. This led to another first — the creation and ownership of a brand name. Worth branded his work and has been credited with being the first to place a label in his designs.

Less than 10 years later, the New York Times would go on describe Worth et Bobergh as a fashion house befitting royalty with “nothing but satin, velvet, gilding, and inlaid wood… enormous mirrors rose from the floor to the ceiling.” It was a fitting description, considering Worth’s most devoted clients ultimately were—in fact—royalty.

The Royal Couturier

Worth knew that it was essential that he find a patron whose influence on fashion was unparalleled. If he could garner the favor of someone with that kind of influence—someone who was a true trendsetter—his success was all but guaranteed. In 1859, he decided to approach Princess Pauline de Metternich, the vivacious wife of the Austrian Ambassador to Paris, Prince Klemens de Metternich. This decision ultimately paved the way for Worth to become the Court dressmaker to the Empress Eugénie.

Princess de Metternich in a Worth Day Dress (via)

The question was — how could Worth first gain Princess Pauline’s favor? The answer proved to be Marie. In order to entice the Princess, Marie went to the Austrian Embassy to speak with the Princess armed with some of her husband’s best sketches. Impressed with the sketches and the sense of artistry she saw in them, the Princess immediately ordered two dresses at 300 francs each and agreed to wear one of Worth’s designs at the next ball at the Tuileries Palace.

For the ball, Worth designed an amazing gown of white tulle spangled with silver and garnished with daisies with pink hearts, placed in bunches of wild grass. The flowers were veiled with white tulle and a wide sash in white stain encircled the waist. The Princess reportedly added her own touch by pinning diamonds all over and, as Worth had hoped, the young Empress did notice the gown and asked the Princess about it.

In Souvenirs de la Princesse Pauline de Metternich, the Princess tells the story in her own words:

“May I ask you, Madam,” the Empress inquired, “who made you that dress, so marvelously elegant and simple?”

“An Englishman, Madam, a star who has arisen in the firmament of fashion,” I replied

“And what is his name?”

“Worth.”

“Well,” said the Empress, “please ask him to come and see me at ten o’clock tomorrow morning.”

“He was made, and I was lost,” said the Princess “for from that moment there were no more dresses at 300 francs each.”

Eugénie had been impressed with Worth’s work when she had seen Madame Feuillet’s gown the prior year, but hadn’t been able to get past the idea of a man as a dressmaker. This time, things were different. Worth came to see her at the Palace the next day and—soon after—she became his benefactor and biggest fan.

By 1864, Worth held the monopoly on Eugénie’s wardrobe. He created all of her clothing, be it court dress, ball gowns, or street clothes.  The amount of clothing she required was staggering (imagine multiple gowns a day) and this led to a remarkable amount of work for the firm of Worth et Bobergh. Yet Eugénie was but a single client of many — the firm kept expanding until they ultimately employed over 1,200 seamstresses to keep up with demand. And Worth’s role proved to be more than just a dressmaker — he was known as a true artist. Before an important event his clients would come to the firm for his approval. He was the top stylist of his day, making last minute changes and adjustments until every minute detail was perfect.

1855 Portrait of Empress Eugénie Surrounded by her Ladies in Waiting by Franz Xavier Winterhalter.
It is rumored that Eugénie is wearing one of Worth’s designs that was presented to her by a friend. 

With the Empress as his Patron, Worth became the most sought after and expensive dressmaker in Paris — and perhaps the world.  He was known as the Royal Couturier and his label wore the Royal Crest as a symbol of the Empress’ patronage.  He enjoyed years of success as the lavish entertainment and spending of the Second Empire continued in France. Although the end of The Franco-Prussian War in 1871 led to the end of Worth et Bobergh’s Imperial Appointment, Worth’s popularity would continue to climb.

In the year following the war, Bobergh left the firm and the House of Worth was officially born. Business was reinvigorated with new clients made wealthy by the Industrial Revolution and the rise of America’s Gilded Age. Few designers could rival the amazing craftsmanship, styles and tailoring found in a Worth original and the House of Worth would continue to enjoy success after his death in 1898 and well into the 1900s.

The First Fashion Show

I know what you are thinking. This whole post is supposed to be related to the History of the Fashion Show, and I am just getting to this now?  As I mentioned earlier, I think it’s important to discuss all of Worth’s contributions so that we can put this is the right context.  Charles Frederick Worth’s fashion ideology was the precursor of what we know and love TODAY. He was the Father of Haute Couture. He was the First Stylist. He was an Artist. He was the first to use live models. He was the first to design and present seasonal collections. He was the first to hold fashion parades… aka fashion shows.

I mentioned this earlier, but in addition to creating one-of-a-kind designs for his wealthy clientele, Worth also exhibited full collections.  He would prepare a full portfolio of designs that were ultimately worn by live models and presented to clients in a fashion parade.  The designs the models wore were the equivalent of today’s samples — the client would select the design they wanted, give Worth their color and fabric choices, and their selection would be tailor-made in his workshop. Only a small and select group would be invited to these fashion parades but they were a successful way to increase orders.

Worth is also credited as the first to loan clothing to high profile clients.  We know this is common practice today but Worth was ahead of the times. In many ways, the publicity he gained when loaning clothing was greater than when he held a fashion show at the House of Worth. More people would see the design in question meaning the impact was greater. Call it a one-woman fashion show if you will but it was a way of displaying his work.

Antique illustration of Grand Ball in Tuileries Palace

Perhaps most significantly, the Second Empire is known for its lavish entertainment offerings. At the height of Eugénie’s reign as Empress, great State Balls and smaller receptions held at the Tuileries Palace, races at Longchamp, military parades, special court appearances, and evenings at the Opera were commonplace.  These events would serve the same function as today’s fashion shows–what better way to showcase your designs than to have Paris’ elite serve as your models?

The Trendsetter

There are a million other things that we could write about Worth. He is credited with raining the hem-line of day dresses to clear the ground.  He created the princess dress style which has no waistline seam. He helped make the crinoline obsolete by introducing the bustle.  He allowed illustration of his designs in magazines. He began selling patterns so that his designs could legally be duplicated in other countries. He was instrumental in founding what would become France’s fashion governing body, La Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.

His client list included royals like Queen Victoria, Empresses Maria Alexandrovna, Marie Feodorovna and Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, Queen Alexandra of England, Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Queen Alexandrine of Denmark; celebrities like Sarah Bernhardt, Lillie Langtry and Cora Pearl; and the women of America’s most famous families, including Mrs. J. P. Morgan, The Vanderbilts, The Hewitts and The Astors.

As I type this, the Western Reserve Historical Society in my hometown of Cleveland is hosting an exhibit entitled “Tying the Knot: Cleveland Wedding Fashions, 1830 – 1980)”. The star of the exhibit? The dress Worth designed for Alice Wade’s wedding to Sylvester Thomas Everett in 1879. I was able to see this dress in person and the word “stunning” doesn’t even begin to describe it.

 Alice Wade Dress, 1879

Beautiful, right?  That beadwork alone is amazing.

Conclusion

I could go on and on about Worth’s contributions to the fashion industry (more than I already have, believe it or not), but instead I have included some additional images of his designs in the slideshow below… but for our purposes today, I say:

Charles Frederick Worth is the Father of the Modern Fashion Show.

Do you agree? Are you interested in learning more about the history of the Fashion Show (Post-Worth, of course!)?  

Sound off in the comments below!

Sources/Recommended Reading (warning: you may have to hit the library for most of these):  

• The Opulent Era: Fashions of Worth, Doucet and Pingat by Elizabeth Ann Coleman
• A Century of Fashion by Jean-Philippe Worth, 1928
• Worth: Father of Haute Couture by Diana de Marly, 1991
• Souvenirs (1859 – 1871) by Pauline de Metternich
• Land of Desire by William Leach
• Luxury Fashion Branding: Trends, Tactics & Techniques by Uche Okonkwo
• Reforming Women’s Fashion, 1850 – 1920 by Patricia A. Cunninghman, 2003
• The Fashion Design Manual by Pamela Stecker
• Designs by Worth and Other Haute Coutures Forum
• The Bourne Archive
• L’Art et la Mode via Les Editions Jalou

Have you noticed that I have an addictive personality? I do. I blame it on the fact that I am a Scorpio.

I become absolutely obsessed with certain things. Like my favorite designer. Or a certain type of ring.

My latest obsession? Jennifer Fisher Jewelry.

A Girl Crush

This isn’t something new, really. I’ve mentioned the line before, but it is an obsession that has been a long time in the making. It began a couple of years ago when I started admiring the line from afar. The pieces have a recognizable tough/edgy look to them and I kept spotting them in magazines or on TV but I didn’t really know anything about it.

That all changed when The Coveteur featured Jennifer Fisher on their site. I loved reading Fisher’s story and thought it was fascinating that such an edgy line was ultimately inspired by her son Shane. Not only is Fisher the brains behind the business, she also has impeccable style and — clearly — an appreciation for the Tom Ford days at Gucci (see the image below).  Can you say instant girl crush?!

Image via The Coveteur

The line has been getting a lot of press recently. Magazines are all over it and pieces have been featured in movies and TV shows including Sex and The City, Gossip Girl and Hart of Dixie, to name a few. Fisher herself has been interviewed for numerous online outlets and that is only going to continue as her star continues to climb. To top it all off, she was recently named one of this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for her.

One of the best things about the line’s growing success is that high demand keeps it expanding.  A lot of the designs are now available in brass, which makes them more affordable, and I just recently discovered Fisher launched Fawn, a diffusion line of sterling silver jewelry.

A few months ago I finally broke down and purchased my first brass ring.

Then, a few bracelets.

And now I am completely “ohlookprettyedgyshinythings!” obsessed.

As you might guess, getting my hands on the Spring 2013 lookbook didn’t help. At all.

The Spring 2013 Collection

I could go on for days about the upcoming collection, but I thought I’d simply share a few of my favorite pieces with you instead.

• Top (from left to right): Rose Chainmail Cuff; Vertebrae Branch Cuff; Triple Hollow Wing Earrings in Rose; 14K Gold Large Spike Tag; 14K Yellow Gold Charm Ring w/Pave White Diamond Small Gothic Letter; Domed Caged Stud Earrings; Brass Rivet Cuff (bottom)
  
• Middle (left to right): Brass Small Square Chain Link Cuff; Skull Charm Bracelet, 14K Yellow and Rose Gold Gun Charms (bottom); New Prism Ring in Brass; 14K Yellow Gold Pulse Ring w/Pave White Diamonds; War Ring in Brass; Brass Double Finger Domed Cage Ring (bottom); 14K Yellow & Rose Gold Burnish White Diamond Word Cuffs; Brass Plank Ring
• Bottom (left to right): 14K Yellow Gold Charm Ring w/2 Small Skulls & Mini Pave White Diamond Cone; 14K Yellow Gold Zodiac Charms w/White Diamonds; Harness Cuff in Rose; 3 Piece Joint Mini Talon Sword Necklace; 14K Yellow Gold Pave White Diamond Jagged Star Earrings

Where To Buy

In all honesty, Jennifer Fisher Jewelry can be more than a bit difficult to locate if you don’t know where to look.  If you prefer bricks-n-mortar stores you can try Barneys New York or check this list for more options, but I recommend:

Jennifer Fisher Jewelry: the official website. The new collection isn’t available online yet, but check out her full catalogue of offerings here. And then make sure you follow JFJ on instagram (my favorite!), twitter and facebook.

Barneys New York: Barney’s carries a capsule collection of JFJ.

Edition01: This is one of my favorite places to buy JFJ (it’s where I purchased all my bracelets) and they have quite a few pieces available right now including a few Spring 2013 pre-orders. If you sign up with my link you’ll get $100 off your first purchase of $250 or more!

Moda Operandi: My other favorite.  They often feature JFJ and had a number of items from the Spring Collection available for pre-order a few weeks ago.  Sign up and watch for future sales!

The Spring 2013 Ad Campaign

Check out the Spring 2013 Ad Campaign and some shots from the Fashion Week Presentation below, and tell me what you think about Jennifer Fisher Jewelry in the comments!

I have some things planned for the future of this site, but in the meantime I thought this would be a great compliment to the 50 Shades of Grey-Inspired Jewelry post I published earlier this year.

If you’re a regular follower of this blog you already know that Tom Ford is my favorite designer (quite possibly the understatement of the century).  Ever since his return to womenswear in 2010, Ford has kept his presentations private and little to no imagery has been made available to press until the clothes are about to hit stores.  Until now.

The complete Spring/Summer 2013 Lookbook was released today and the pieces will speak to every 50 Shades of Grey-loving heart out there.  Ford managed to combine elements of bondage with classic staples and the result is amazing.  I guarantee you Christian Grey would love it.

But don’t take my word for it… check it out by clicking on the image below!

If you are interested in learning more about how to submit a post to future editions of Links à la Mode please check out this post on Grit & Glamour.

Let’s Give ‘Em Something To Talk About

Edited By Taylor Davies

One of the things we bloggers fear most is letting our content go stale. We fear losing our readers’ interest and engagement, and even worse – boring ourselves! So how do the bloggers in our community spice it up? Based on this week’s Links A La Mode submissions, you know just how to do it! We had a wonderful selection of posts this week that covered topics from racism in fashion, an HIV/AIDS benefit, to some racy accessories in the key of 50 Shades of Grey. Check out the 20 best links, sure to spark some great conversations and fire up your own blogging inspiration engines!

LINKS À LA MODE: THE IFB WEEKLY ROUND UP: MAY 31ST

• A Minor Obsession: Sportswear for the Non-Sporty
• Arash Mazinani: So You Want To Be Styled
• A Stylized Hysteria: When Universes Collide
• Beautifully Invisible: Jewelry For Your Inner Goddess: Sexy 50 Shades of Grey Inspired Picks
• DressCode:HighFashion: The 10 Most Fashionable Vacation Destinations SS12 & What to Wear
• Endear: Love Your Job
• F Go Round: Crazy About Yves!
• F.B.C. Creations: Can We Really Trust Stefano Tonchi? The Skinny on Elsa Shiaparelli
• Fashion Is Evolution: 5 Summer Trends I’m Most Excited About
• Fashion Love Affairs: DIY Diaries – Camera Couture
• Fashion, Well Done: Flags of our Fathers
• Finely Made: DIY Chain Peter Pan Collar
• In Her Glam: IGOTS: DCA Fashion Show & Women’s Expo
• Inspirations & Celebrations: Style Spotting Across America
• Miss Viki Secrets: Life Ball 2012 Opening Ceremonies
• SaraConstance: Gala Avanpremiere 2012 10th anniversary edition
• SheenaFab: How To Wear White All Over
• The Curatorial: Jungle Fever & Brooklyn Industries, Race and Fashion
• The Dapper Bun: Historic Tour
• Wina Wonders: How To – Blogging “Alone”

SPONSOR:

Fashion Sneakers at Shopbop: Ash Wedge Sneakers, Superga, Marc Jacobs Sneakers, Cheap Monday, Zanotti, Jeffrey Campbell, Pointer, Fitflop & Pour la Victoire

Interested in Participating in Links à la Mode?

If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group.

Is it the best thing I’ve ever read?  Absolutely not. Not even close. In fact, Bared To You by Sylvia Day is probably better. But it was my first introduction into real erotic literature. I’m not taking about the Danielle Steele and Harlequin Romance novels of yesteryear.  I am talking about real erotica… and in this case, a mix of kink/BDSM and vanilla erotica.

It’s sexy. So…so… SeXy.

Your significant other will be thankful you are reading it. Trust me

Ana Steele and Christian Grey are very complicated characters… characters I grew to love.  As for the whole BDSM world they live in?  Well, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I wasn’t fascinated by it.

But I digress, we aren’t here to talk about 50 Shades. We’re here to talk about baubles, and these pieces would be perfect for your inner (or outer) Ana Steele!

Sexy plus Bondage-y = 50 Shades-y

Throughout the 50 Shades novels Ana heeds the words of her “inner goddess.”  I envision her inner goddess to look something like this…

 Mud Flap Jill Necklace by Wendy Brandes, $1,600 (also available in silver $500 and rose gold $1,600)

An inner goddess should be as sexy as the things she is telling you to do.  Mud Flap Jill is perfect!

As for the rest of your jewelry…

Jennifer Fisher’s Jewelry is perfect for anyone who has a soft spot for Christain Grey or Ana… or just loves spikes and bondage-y looking accessories.  Like me.

 From left, top: COURAGE Cuff, $425; Pierced Ring, $280; TRUST Cuff, $425

From left, bottom: Infinity Key Charm, $600; Handcuff Ring, $225; Stud Cuff, $11,000 each

From left, bottom: LOVE Cuff, $425; Bandaid Cuff, $540; NO FEAR Cuff, $425

But, we can’t let Jennifer Fisher have all the fun!  Check out the great options below.  Some handcuffs. Some leather. Some chains.  What’s not to love?

From left, top: Stella & Dot Zabala Necklace, $248; Jessica de Lotz Handcuff Necklace (top), $713; A.L.C. Handcuff Bangle Set (bottom), $495; Fleet Ilya Cuffs, £120/set

From left, bottom: Made Her Think Reverse Open Cuff, $99/each; Bauble Bar Noir Crystal Cascade Necklace (top), $82; A.L.C. Double Bondage Bracelet (bottom), $375 ; Jacquie Aiche Leather Tassel Mala Necklace, $500

Now, of course, we can’t talk about all of this sexy jewelry without highlighting the ever-so-fabulous body chain! The types of body jewelry available today are simply out of this world.  They can go from day… to sexy night… straight to the bedroom!  Your choice.

From left: ARMOR Aeon Body Chain, $530; ARMOR Toro Body Chain, $155; Lascivious Aiko Waistcoat, £89;

Necklace for the shoulders by mylittlebride, (SOLD OUT)

And my absolute favorites:

From left, top: Cornelia Webb Draped Chain Dress, $1,189; Jacquie Aiche Dimaond Filagree Body Chain, $2,315

From left, bottom: Bliss Lau Kinetic Body Chain, $459; Cornelia Webb Fringed Chain Arms, $507

Sexy, no?

I want one of each please.  Including a Christian Grey!

Have you read 50 Shades?  What did you think?

What do you think of bondage-y jewelry?  Yay or nay?

The Story Siren (TSS) recently launched a week-long series on plagiarism meant to educate both herself and her readers.  Although a good idea in theory, it has also reopened wounds that are not yet healed and reawakened some feelings of anger and—quite frankly—sadness about the whole situation.

It has also dredged up discussion about apologies, personal attacks and moving on. I can’t speak to the feelings of the other bloggers whose work was stolen, but I can try to illustrate why it is that I have not yet been able to forgive Kristi for her actions (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, this covers it).  It is not my intent to attack her in any way… instead I want to use this experience to facilitate a discussion about non-apologies and their ineffectiveness.

A Clarification

Before I go on, I want to point something out that I feel has gotten lost in this drama:

Grit and Glamour and I were not the only two people Kristi stole from.  She also plagiarized Fajr of Stylish Thought and a guest post that Jamillah of Made to Travel wrote for my blog.

Let me repeat that.

Kristi lifted content from FOUR different authors on THREE separate blogs, and…

We, the bloggers who were plagiarized, have yet to receive a true apology from her.

The Famous Non-Apology Apology

A non-apology occurs when a person is compelled to express regret while—in actuality—accepting no blame or responsibility for their actions.  In a non-apology, the person at fault shows no real remorse for the wrongdoing and, instead, makes excuses and makes themselves appear to be a victim.  In a non-apology, the offending actions are not clearly described and are instead only hinted at. A non-apology is damage control at its worst.

image by thebigharumph via 

True apologies are direct, clear and brief.  They are not supplemented with excuses and justifications.  They do not suggest that someone’s actions or intent were misinterpreted.  They are transparent and outline the wrongs that were done.  They are authentic. They are damage control at its best.

As of now, the four wronged bloggers have yet to receive a true apology from Kristi.  All we have gotten is non-apology after non-apology.

“I’m sorry, but I am not guilty…”

This is a non-apology at its finest.

When we initially approached Kristi we gave her the opportunity to handle the situation professionally and admit her actions; instead she denied them and lied about her knowledge of our websites.  If she had simply accepted responsibility for what she had done with no excuses—and complete transparency—it would have ended here.  Instead, her “apologies” were negated by her outright lies and refusal to accept full responsibility for the situation.

This is when things escalated and we presented her with the IP evidence documenting the time spent on our websites.  At this point we asked her to remove all the posts in question and requested that she publish a post on The Story Siren that would serve as a public apology to the 4 bloggers whose work she plagiarized.  We felt strongly that her readers, and the authors and agents she works with, had a right to know that a blogger they respect knowingly plagiarized fellow bloggers.

This request led to more non-apologies.

“I am sorry… for the wrong thing”

When you are apologizing to someone, please don’t lose sight of what you should be apologizing for.  The issue here was not that we were inconvenienced. It was that we were plagiarized.

“I’m sorry I got caught, now here are my excuses”

When apologizing, don’t be dishonest about your actions.  We had proof that showed each visit to our blogs did not occur months ago, as she suggested, but as recently as January 11th and January 19th, 2012.  We reached out to her on January 20th, 2012.  That wasn’t “months ago” it was the day before. Excuses and dishonesty just weaken the apology further.

“I am sorry… but I am a victim here!”

In a true apology, one should never paint themselves the victim as Kristi did above. We weren’t—and still aren’t—out to destroy Kristi, her work, or her reputation.  We have never attacked her personally and this post isn’t meant to do so either.

“I am sorry… but I still can’t bring myself to say why”

This almost sounds sincere.  Except in order to truly be sorry for your actions you have to admit the mistake you made.  Kristi did not own up to her plagiarism in any of her prior emails (it was all a huge coincidence! I never visited your sites!), so which actions was she referring to here? The inconvenience she mentioned earlier? The lies? The denials? The disruption?  Again, no clarity.  This reads more like “I am sorry that you took this so personally.”  How can we forgive if the person at fault can’t find the right words?

All we ever asked of Kristi was that she take full responsibility for what she had done and stop making excuses. When it became clear that wasn’t going to happen, we dropped it. We didn’t force her to go public and decided to use this as a teaching experience on our own blogs. Given that our niches rarely cross paths (until now), we never expected this to come out.

The truth goes public

Though our initial contact with Kristi occurred in January, things went public in April.  We did not out her. Her own book blogging community did and things got heated.

I’m not going to discuss the first apology she posted on TSS because she admitted she was emotional when she wrote it and had to clarify her comments with a second one.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, that second apology was also a non-apology.

“I’m sorry… but not to the right people”

“I’m sorry I got caught… now I am going to change my story”

Chances are the people you wronged will be seeing your public apology so this is not the time to change your story.  In this case, Kristi did deny the facts in her correspondence to us.  Repeatedly. She also denied her actions.  Repeatedly.

“I’m sorry… that my reputation was hurt by this”

The key to a successful public apology is clarity.  By this point Kristy had apologized for everything except intentionally plagiarizing fellow bloggers.

“I’m sorry… because I am expected to be”

There are so many things wrong with this particular statement I don’t know where to begin.  First, what is the apology for?  Deliberately plagiarizing our work?  Getting caught?  Inconveniencing us? Representing the YA book blogging community?  Why would we judge others based on the actions of one person?

What about the two other bloggers that were plagiarized?  Do they not deserve an apology because they have stayed quiet?

Again, if you are going to publicly apologize to the people  that were wronged, be transparent about it!

If I had been in Kristi’s shoes I would have said: ”To the four bloggers I plagiarized, I am sorry for my actions.  I am sorry that I denied it.  I am sorry I tried to make it sound like a misunderstanding and a mistake.  It wasn’t. I knew what I was doing and take full responsibility for my actions.  I hope you’ll be able to forgive me one day.”

Plagiarism revisted…

“I’m sorry it’s public… so let’s downplay what I did”

Again, these comments are riddled with excuses that downplay what happened.  The phrase “I’m not really sure I realized” attempts to remove culpability.  The phrase “a couple of posts” downplays the fact that this happened six times and to multiple (four!) bloggers.

Then she goes on to admit that she copied the posts in question and made a few small tweaks.  That shows intent.  Plain and simple.    Intent indicates that she knowingly plagiarized.  It was no accident.

“I’m sorry… I made a big mess of things”

So close… but yet again, she stopped short of true transparency.  After this post went live on The Story Siren, I noticed a slight spike in my own blog traffic.  People were coming to my site after searching “Story Siren plagiarism” because they still didn’t know what she was talking about.  Everything is still being discussed in vague, nondescript terms.  How can you truly be an advocate against plagiarism when you can’t be transparent about your own actions?

“I’m sorry… but it could have been all of you!”

I’ll be the first to admit that we all make mistakes.  None of us are perfect.  But the above statement gets my blood boiling.  Again, it takes responsibility away from Kristi by suggesting that everyone (“all of them” “all of us” “we can all”) needs a lesson in plagiarism because everyone does it.  I have a Bachelors in English and have a career that involves plenty of writing.  I can guarantee you this is one line I have not walked.

Why Non-Apologies Don’t Work

There is a misconception that simply saying “I am sorry” fixes everything.  That couldn’t be further from the truth.  More important than those three little words are the way the apology is presented and the tone behind it.  Transparency and directness are key ingredients in making the wronged parties feel like the apology is an authentic one.

Excuses, double-talk, misrepresentations, half-truths and denials negate every “I am sorry” they are coupled with.

To those that believe we need to move on and that Kristi has apologized enough:

I don’t know Kristi. I don’t know what type of person she is and I can’t speak to her character.  What I do know is how she has handled this situation and that has been poorly.  I understand that she is trying to make amends with the book blogging community but for many that won’t happen until the non-apologies stop.

We—the victims—have tried to handle this in a professional manner.  We’ve addressed the subject on our blogs when we felt it was necessary.   We spoke out against any bullying occurring, whether the victim of said bullying was Kristi or one of us.  We have remained (mostly) quiet on other blogs and only shared our thoughts when absolutely necessary.  We have given her every chance to do the right thing by us.

And we are still waiting for that apology.

Every so often I come across a new jewelry designer whose work impresses me so much that they instantly climb right to the top of my “Must Have” list.  Where JamDesign is concerned it was a case of love at first site.

Designer Sogol Jamdar’s debut collection takes its inspiration from ancient body armor and Persian mosaic art.  Jamdar’s background in industrial design (she is a former interior designer and architect) is evident in the amazing craftsmanship of these pieces.  Each statement necklace is individually designed and handcrafted by Jamdar in the style of ancient “chain mail” armor and takes days to create.

I am having a difficult time picking a favorite from the debut Armour Necklaces Collection… which is yours?

 Twist

“The design of this necklace reflects “grandeur “ or nobleness. It is intended to emulate the movement of a scarf with no clasp.”

Temple

“In ancient Persian culture, the old temples were called Zigorat and were designed liked steps. This necklace is inspired from the shape of these temples.”

Shadow

“The design of this necklace is inspired by the natural bricks used in Iranian buildings.”

Ripple

“This necklace is inspired by the pleats and forms of a dress.”

Ocean

“The design of this necklace is inspired by a blue pond found in old Persian houses filled with red and orange gold fish.”

Lace

“Delicate, feminine and light the design, this necklace is intended to blend into the body. The chain is woven like lace and is closed in the back like a belt.”

Galaxy

“This necklace is inspired by the shape and color of the planets of the Solar System.”

Fall

“This necklace is inspired by a waterfall.”

Canoe

“This necklace is inspired by the form of a Middle Eastern sail boat.”

Bloom

“The design of this necklace is inspired from the blossoms of fruit trees in Iran during Spring.”

Violet

“This necklace has been inspired by the purple branches of the Arghavan (“violet”) tree in Spring covering the walls of Iranian houses.”

All of these pieces are currently available on BOTICCA, although stock is limited.

I am planning to get one for myself, what about you?

What do you think of JamDesign’s?

 All images by JamDesign via Boticca

A few weeks ago the folks behind the GLOSSYBOX beauty subscription service contacted me and asked whether I would be interested in receiving their inaugural U.S. box. Since I am a big fan of BIRCHBOX and am absolutely in LOVE with the PopSugar Must Have Box (BEST. THING. EVER.), I jumped on the chance to check it out. I’ve been dying to review it for you, but instead of just covering the GLOSSYBOX I received, I decided to wait for the May BIRCHBOX to ship so that I could do a comparison between the two services.

THE BASICS: HOW DO THEY WORK?

BIRCHBOX: If you sign-up for the BIRCHBOX subscription service you’ll receive a monthly selection of deluxe samples from both well-known and up-and-coming beauty brands.  Some samples are sent to everyone and others are chosen specifically for you based on your personal profile.  You can expect to receive a variety of  generously sized samples with enough product to allow you to figure out if they’re right for you.

• Cost: $10/month
• Number of Products: I have averaged 5/month
• Points: Earn points toward free boxes in a number of ways, including referral credits, surveys and full-size product purchases
• Brands I have received to date: ZOYA Nail Polish (0.25 oz), Kerastaste (0.16 oz), Juice Beauty (0.5oz), AHAVA (0.51 oz), Annick Goutal EDT (0.06 oz), Tea Forte, Weleda (0.23 oz), Marula Oil, Yes to Blueberries, Atelier Cologne, Befine (0.5 oz), Kate Spade (0.05 oz) , blinc mascara, Redken, philosphy, NUXE (0.33 oz) and more.

GLOSSYBOX: GLOSSYBOX US went live on Friday, May 11th, but the company operates in 18 countries throughout the world making it the world’s largest beauty subscription service.  From what I can tell, some samples are sent to everyone and others are chosen specifically for you based on your personal profile.  The samples come beautifully packaged in high-end gift boxes and are heftier than the samples found in BIRCHBOX (some are even full size).

• Cost: $21/month
• Number of Products: at least 5
• Brands they have worked with in past: check out the list. It’s kind of amazing.
• Points: “GLOSSYDots”, the brand’s loyalty program, gives members 20 dots for each product review.  1,000 dots = a complimentary box.

THE PACKAGING

BIRCHBOX packaging is completely recyclable, from the box all the way to the tissue paper.  The outer box is generally bright pink, but May’s packaging is black and pink instead due to the Gossip Girl theme.  Special boxes, like this one, usually have a sleeve covering the normal brown box.

In contrast, GLOSSYBOX packaging is much more luxe. The grey and pink outer box is more substantial than the BIRCHBOX counterpart and bears the GLOSSYBOX logo.  The main box is a lovely pale pink on the outside and black and pink on the inside.  The products themselves are wrapped with a black ribbon and printed tissue paper. What you can’t see here is the shredded black paper that also protects the products within the tissue paper.

There is a definite difference in the size of each box which can be attributed to both the packaging itself and the larger products found in the GLOSSYBOX.

THE PRODUCTS

Now this is where the differences between the two boxes really becomes apparent.

The May 2012 Gossip Girl BIRCHBOX:

Products included (size/value):

• Kiehl’s Abyssine Cream+ : an anti-aging moisturizer (0.25 oz / $7.10)
• Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15: love this!  (0.08 oz / $12)
• BVLGARI Omnia Crystalline EDT: not my kind of scent (0.05 oz /$2.40)
• Sarah McNamara Miracle Skin Transformer in GLOW :  a color corrector for the body (0.05 oz /$5.03)
• 2 notecards: they could have left this out of the box. Really? ($2.40)

The May 2012 Inaugural U.S. GLOSSYBOX:

Products included (size/value):

• basq cucumber tea eye gel (0.5 oz / $24)
• C.O. Bigelow lavender + peppemint shampoo (5.2 oz / $ 12)
• ERNO LASZLO Hollywood Collection samples
• KRYOLAN High Gloss Brilliant Lip Shine in Toffee (4ml / $18.10)
• O.P.I. Kiss Me on My Tulips Polish (0.5 oz / $8.50)
• CARGO EyeBronzer: love, love, love this!  great gold color (0.035 oz / $22)

Left: CARGO EyeBronzer/Right: Kryolan Lip Gloss

Not counting the Erno Laszlo samples, the value of the GLOSSYBOX comes in at $84.  That is pretty amazing.

CONCLUSION

The thing about beauty subscription services like BIRCHBOX and GLOSSYBOX is that there are no guarantees.  You may love every item you receive one month, hate most of them the next, and fall right back in love the following month.

This time around, I wasn’t impressed with my BIRCHBOX.  I love the Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment and am a huge fan of Kiehl’s, but the rest of the items just didn’t do it for me.  And the notecards?  No thanks. They can leave those out next time.

The May 2012 GLOSSYBOX, meanwhile, completely won me over.  The luxe presentation, full size products, selection and overall value just blew me away.  Even if the items had been typical travel sizes, the value would surpass the monthly cost.  At $21/month the GLOSSYBOX is pricier than BIRCHBOX, but, in my opinion, it is well worth it.

THE SCORE CARD:

MAY BIRCHBOX: C-

GLOSSYBOX: A

Have you tried either service before?  What do you love and/or hate about them?

Do you subscribe to any other beauty subscription services, like BeautyFix, that you would recommend?

EDITOR NOTE: Although this GLOSSYBOX was provided for consideration this is not a sponsored post.

UPDATE 5/1/2012: Topshop did the right thing and removed the copycat Punctuation rings from sale.  Kudos to Wendy for handling this professionally and calmly… and kudos to everyone who rallied together to show their support for Wendy!

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Wendy Brandes Jewelry.

Wendy’s pieces always top my “most-wanted” list and for good reason.  The craftsmanship and quality are—without fail—superb.  It doesn’t matter if the piece costs thousands, or if it’s something from her more affordable “WendyB” line, it’s always beautifully made.

Me and my swear rings!

My first purchase from Wendy’s line was her swear ring set ($380). I purchased these lovelies back in 2010 and they are f#@!-ing amazing.  Seriously.  If you want to make a statement with your jewelry this is the way to go. Anyone who catches a glimpse of your fingers will stop to ask you about them. A complete stranger may even ambush you in a  public restroom to get the deets on these rings (yes, it happened).

These rings are definite statement pieces… so we really shouldn’t be surprised that Topshop has come out with a disturbingly similar set of their own, right?

Freedom at Topshop's version of the Swear Rings

These rings ($28) are the latest offering from Freedom at Topshop, a line which claims to be “always one-step-ahead of the trends and updated with about 400 new pieces each month.”  Clearly, they are more affordable than Wendy’s rings, but I am sure you get what you pay for in each case.

Perhaps to distance themselves from Wendy’s swear rings, Topshop calls these “punctuation rings”. According to freedictionary.com:

Punctuation: 1. (Linguistics) the use of symbols not belonging to the alphabet of a writing system to indicate aspects of the intonation and meaning not otherwise conveyed in the written language.

That means the letter “F” is not a form of punctuation!  That’s OK, though… I can understand how vocabulary may not be a top priority when you are under pressure to come up with 400 new designs a month… that’s 4,800 pieces a year!  Imagine how difficult it must be to come up with that many original designs.

Now, Wendy herself addressed this topic and admits that word and letter jewelry, including the 4-letter-word type, has been around for ages.  Nevertheless, Wendy admits that she finds the execution of this particular idea a bit more similar to hers than she would like.

As do I.

In my opinion, there are too many similarities between the Freedom at Topshop punctuation rings and Wendy’s swear rings for this to be a coincidence.  A simple google search of “buy swear rings” leads right to Wendy’s site, so anyone researching these types of rings would easily find her version, and that could very well be what happened here.  It’s pretty clear that Freedom at Topshop is also heavily “inspired” by Jennifer Fisher Jewelry and Made Her Think, among others, and now they have added Wendy Brandes to the mix.

But the way I see it, these rings are a poor imitation of the real thing: Wendy’s rings.

What I don’t understand is why a company the size of Topshop doesn’t reach out to the original designers, like Wendy, and ask to collaborate with them?  Wendy Brandes Jewelry is a small business which means some of her designs can be quite pricey because of the cost of materials and manuafacturing.  I know Wendy would love to offer more affordable versions of her designs to the public, so why steal her design? Why not work with her instead?

I know Topshop isn’t the first fast-fashion company to lift the designs of others and mass produce them, but that doesn’t make this right.

What are your feelings on this issue?

Do you support what these companies are doing or do you stand behind the original designers?

Or is your stance somewhere in the middle?

What do you get when you combine the stunning Saskia De Brauw with some of Coco Chanel’s best quotes and a gorgeous array of Chanel lacquers?  Perfection.

Enjoy!

Video Details:
Director: Ruth Hogben
Creative Director: Peter Philips
Stylist: Victoria Young
Manicurist: Marian Newman

via SSS Library Research Guide

I wish I could start this post by saying that I am sorry that the truth behind The Story Siren has come out but I would be lying.  I see how devastating this news has been for the YA Book Blogging community but, in hindsight, they deserved to know the whole truth.

So I’m not sorry.

I don’t know how it happened, but I am glad that somehow, someway, members of the Book Blogging community ended up reading our posts and identifying Kristi as the person who had plagiarized our content. I’m not sorry that the truth was exposed, but I am sorry that some people have used this as an opportunity to bully. Bullying is not OK no matter how you look at it.

Bullying Kristi won’t fix anything.

Bullying ME also won’t  fix anything (I’m talking to you, you hate e-mailers).

The only thing bullying has done in the last 24 hours is make Kristi out to be the victim here.

Let’s make one thing clear.

Kristi is NOT a victim.

We are the victims.

Please don’t forget that.

She is the one who committed the crime and now that it is public knowledge, she has to deal with the consequences.  Those include owning up to what she did and admitting that she is guilty of knowingly plagiarizing our work.

Well, guess what?

Even in her latest “Clarification” apology she doesn’t quite manage to do that and instead invokes more doublespeak.

In her apology, Kristi says:

“Let’s try this again. I owe all of you, the blogging community and my readers a much better explanation and apology. My first apology was written out of emotion. I should have given myself the time to reflect before responding. I didn’t do that and I tend to let my emotions rule.

… When I first received the allegations of plagiarism, I was presented with the information and could not deny the facts. While the content was not identical the subject matter was. It was a confusion of inspiration and plagiarism on my part. I am not denying my actions. I was in the wrong.

… Was I feeling pressure to do something new and engaging? Something helpful and interesting? I was. Had I only paid more attention to where my inspiration was coming at the time, I should have handled the situation much differently. A simple email asking for permission or a link back should have happened. And I didn’t do it. I’ve preached that thousands of times. I lacked in taking my own advice…”

Please note the parts in BOLD in both versions of the apology above.

Now, some clarification from ME:

Kristi knew full well where the “inspiration” was coming from because she consistently visited our original posts the SAME DAY that the plagiarized posts were published on her own site.  She knew exactly what she was doing.

It wasn’t case of confusion, it wasn’t a case of “inspiration” gone wrong. 

It was a case of pure laziness and she got caught.

Need more proof?  Here you go (click on each title to see the images – they are quite sizable.):

Exhibit A Shows:

1. Kristi visited my site, Beautifully Invisible, 29 times between September 23, 2011 and January 20, 2012;
2. A quick glance at the length of each session since September 23rd indicates that she spent over 4 hours on my site. That isn’t just a few minutes… that is HOURS.

1. She visited my “10 Popular Blogging Myths Debunked” post (published by me on October 5, 2011), on both October 27th and October 28th, 2011
2. These dates correlate with the date the plagiarized post, ”10 Book Blogging Myths Debunked”, was published on The Story Siren (October 28th, 2011)

Exhibit C Shows:

1. She visited my “10 Things About Your Blog That Drive me Crazy” post (published by me on April 8, 2011), on both November 12th and November 11th, 2011
2. These dates correlate with the date the plagiarized post, ”10 Things I Dislike About Your Blog Post”, was published on The Story Siren (November 12, 2011)

Exhibit D Shows:

1. She visited my “Guest Post: How to Not be a Savage Blogger” post (published by me on June 8, 2011), on both October 5th and October 6th, 2011
2. These dates correlate with the date the plagiarized post, ”Getting Followers without being SPAM”, was published on The Story Siren (October 8, 2011)

Exhibit E Shows:

1. She visited my “Introduction: So You Want to Leave Blogger for WordPress” post (published by me on November 8, 2010), on December 9th and December 10th, 2011
2. These dates correlate with the date the plagiarized post, ”Why I Left Blogger”, was published on The Story Siren (December 10, 2011)

If anyone can enlighten me as to how someone who is not only an established Book Blogger, but someone who is apparently one of the TOP YA Book Bloggers in the blogosphere can not be aware where her inspiration is from given those facts, please do?  I think the evidence speaks for itself.  Kristi came to my blog on the days listed above with every intent to plagiarise my content.  

It wasn’t a mistake. 

It wasn’t an accident.

It was deliberate.

It was pre-calculated.

In her latest apology, Kristi asks myself and Grit and Glamour to not judge the YA Blogging Community by her actions and I am certain that I speak for both of us when I say that we won’t.  We’ve met some great bloggers as a result of this nastiness, and that at least is something good that came of this situation.

I speak only for myself, however, when I say that I won’t accept Kristi’s apology until she admits that she knowingly and with intent committed this plagiarism. 

Am I being harsh?  Perhaps, but I think I have a right to be harsh in these circumstances.  Apparently, Kristi is viewed as a role model by other YA bloggers out there which is something I was not aware of when we published our original posts in January.  Knowing that, the fact that she is still making excuses is simply is NOT acceptable to me.

My message to Kristi is this:

Take full responsibility for your actions  and admit that you knowingly and deliberately plagiarized our work. Until you do, I won’t believe nor will I accept any apology that you offer.  

Please stop making excuses. Please stop making this out to have been some sort of accident. You knew full well that what you were doing was plagiarism – you wrote about this very type in 2010. Was it was a mistake? Yes, a big one. But nothing is unforgivable if you own up to it.  

I know a lot of you are curious about what has happened to me… how come I went from someone who was so clearly invested in this blog to someone who hardly ever posts. Did she quit? Does she not care? Is she just too busy? Will she be back?

I am not going to go into a lot of detail, because my personal life is my personal life after all, and that ultimately isn’t what this blog is about.

However, I have decided to share something with you today that is very personal to me. It is something that has impacted my life in a very big way the past few months. Something has made me withdraw from this blog because I just haven’t been able to motivate myself to write about fashion and style and jewelry and pretty things the way I used to.

That something is death.

You can stop reading right now if you like. I understand. You probably came here looking for something lighthearted and this certainly isn’t it. So I truly do understand if you move on to the next blog post in your reader. But my emotions and the thoughts in my head are screaming for an outlet of some sort, and what better place to act as one than a blog?

So.

Back to death.

via

People lose family members, friends, and acquaintances all the time. Death is just a part of life. You would think that, as a 36 year-old woman, I would already have quite a bit of experience with death. And in many ways, I do.

But in just as many ways, I don’t.

I have been fortunate in my life that, until recently, I hadn’t lost many loved ones. The majority of those that I have lost passed away when I was much younger and they lived in a different country.

Across the ocean.

The other side of the world.

They were family… but for many years, they were also almost strangers to me. People I met once as a very, very young girl and only had vague memories of. People I only knew through stories told by my mother and father. People I longed to know… but never had an opportunity to meet.

Up until this past year, they were really the only people I had lost. Faint memories and characters in the story of my parents life. Their deaths impacted me simply because they impacted my mother and father, not because I knew them. I didn’t know them. They were little more than strangers.. and that always made me feel guilty somehow.

This past year that all changed. Now the people who are dying are more than faint memories and characters in a story. They are aunts and uncles and cousins I know and love. Friends I grew up with. Acquaintances I have known for countless years. People I love.

I guess it’s just a part of life… as you get older, the people around you get older, and the losses start to grow in number. This past year that number has become almost unbearable… we are well into the double-digits where loss is concerned. Some were expected. Some were tragic accidents.  All have been difficult, especially the most recent.

Yesterday we found out that my Uncle has been diagnosed with Stage IV Liver Cancer.  The doctors don’t know exactly how much time he has left, but it’s somewhere between hours and weeks.  We are all devastated beyond words, but all we can do at this point is be there for one another.

Be strong.

Love.

Try to let go.

And here is the problem.

Though I have let go of  those we have lost so far, I am struggling with something else.  These past few months I have found myself repeatedly confronted with the one thing that almost everyone hates to think about: mortality.  But whose mortality?

Not my mortality. That is the least of my worries.

Not the mortality of my Uncle.  That is constantly in my thoughts, but there is something else weighing on me.

That something is the mortality of my own mother and father.

The fact that, one day in my lifetime, unless there is some tragic twist of fate, they will be gone.

The very thought causes shortness of breath and heart palpitations.

It makes everything else in life seem so trivial…

So… unimportant.

via

I can’t imagine that day ever arriving, but this unbelievably cruel year has served as a type of wake-up call to me, and it isn’t a pleasant one.

I can’t think about it.

I can’t dwell on it.

And I won’t (you’ll have to forgive me this one time).

I promise I won’t.

I’ll continue to live life and make each day count.

Laugh.

Love.

But sometimes, sometimes…

Sometimes I can’t escape that thought.

And it paralyzes me.

When looking at my blog one of my biggest motivators has been my friend Casee Marie.  Her design work for her own blog, The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower (and now her latest endeavor, Literary Inklings) has always seemed so effortless and such a perfect reflection of her personality and content.  That is something I am still searching for myself, so I really look up to her and her sheer genius when it comes to blog design.

Which is why I am thrilled to bring you this guest post by Casee Marie… I know you’ll love it as much as I do!

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Stock Exchange – If you really want to use images in your design, Stock Exchange is a great source for free stock photos. Be sure to double-check the availability restrictions set by the owner to make sure you’re handling the photo in the right way. For example, the owner of this photo asks to be notified whenever their work is used publicly.

ColourLovers – For those wanting to focus their design on color alone, ColourLovers is a must-have resource. Browse color palettes for inspiration, or to find colors that will work best for you. You can also find seamless patterns, perfect for background use. (Again, be sure to credit clearly – contacting the creator for use of patterns is especially appropriate, I think.)

Note: When working with colors the easiest way to go about it is to use the HEX codes. (For example, you’ll find the HEX codes for this palette under the individual colors further down on the page.) HEX codes are the HTML variant of color and are most often used in template and theme editors, such as Thesis on WordPress and Blogger’s template system. Because of the infinite number of colors in the HEX system, a resource like ColourLovers is perfect for building a palette that will compliment your content.

Pugly Pixel – Pugly Pixel is a fantastic design blog and a great resource for building your blog’s design. Browse the Freebies and Tutorials or the marketplace for inexpensive accessories. The Blog Bling Kit is an amazing grouping of some of the best of Pugly Pixel as well.

Photo-editing programs and softwares
PhotoFiltre – FREE! – While it doesn’t have a ton of capabilities, PhotoFiltre is an easy, quality way to optimize and resize your images, and a simple program for beginning your experimentation with graphic design.

PhotoImpression – $39.99 USD – I don’t remember much about this program, although as I recall I graduated to it from MS Paint when I was first teaching myself graphic design.

Paint Shop Pro X4 Ultimate – $59.99 USD (sale) – I love this program and would recommend it to anyone. It’s easy to use and experiment with and offers top elements like editing layers. This is a great step down monetarily from Photoshop without sacrificing performance.

And there you have it: my complete thoughts – or, a rather big portion of my thoughts – on blog design and how to make yours unique. I hope this was helpful, inspiring or at the very least an entertaining use of time for you readers. If you have any queries or just want to chat about blog design, feel free to drop me an e-mail!

Thanks for reading!

- Casee Marie

Fonts used in this post: Diner, Deftone Stylus, Windsong, HenryMorganHand.

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If you haven’t already done so, check out Casee Marie’s blogs here: The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower and Literary Inklings
and follow her via Bloglovin’ here, Facebook here and twitter here.