The Fashionable Housewife

A Personal Shopper (For Other People’s Closets)

The Fashionable Housewife — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:00:57 +0000

So I just got word about a cool new company
you have to check out. It’s called thredUP.

The premise is simple: exchange stylish clothes you’re no longer wearing for “new-to-you” stylish clothes in return. You get to pick the brands, sizes, colors of the types of things you want in return and all you do is send away items you no longer wear (how cool is that???). The kicker is it’s cheap and it’s all done through pre-paid mail (a la Netflix). thredUP is still in private testing, but I’ve heard from their founder they’re planning a public beta launch for Mens and Womens clothing in early August (kids very soon after). You can sign up to be part of the launch – and try the service for free – but you have to be one of the first 1,000 to sign-up so don’t waste anytime. (less than 300 freebies are left for the trial, so you better hurry!!!)

Check it out at www.thredup.com and let me know what you think.

Do Hair Removal Lotions & Creams Actually Work?

The Fashionable Housewife — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:20:46 +0000

Yes and no. It all depends on your skin and the hair you are trying to remove.

If you have sensitive skin like me, you want to be careful using Veet Hair Removal Cream, Nair Lotion Hair Remover or any other hair removal cream.

Tips and Tricks For Hair Removal Creams:

1. Use before showering.

2. Don’t be skimpy!

3. Don’t leave it on too long!

4. Be gentle to your skin!

Normaderm Deep Cleansing Gel

5. The Bikini Zone.

Bikini Zone Bikini Creme Hair Remover Kit

Bikini Zone Medicated Creme for Bikini Area

If ingrown hairs are a problem when your hair is trying to grow back, try Bliss Ingrown Eliminating Pads.

Want to keep visible fuzz and irritation at a ‘bare’ minimum between shaves or waxes? Try Bliss Get Out of Hair!, a targeted body lotion that is formulated with fuzzkill™ complex to help you look less ‘hair’-ied, willow bark extract to limit ingrown hairs and a cache of calming and moisturizing ingredients to smooth and soothe.

You can also try Nad’s Ingrow Solution. While I’m not crazy about their Hair Removal Kit, their other products are pretty good.

Green Is The New Black

The Fashionable Housewife — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:00:57 +0000

Here’s a handful of carefully selected articles centered around cruelty-free products, eco-friendly, organic, and all things natural!

So now it will be easier than ever to be eco-friendly and fabulous. Being being green is chic.

The Fashionable Housewife is excited about Count Me Healthy Jewelry. A great way to track your health goals so you can get healthy faster!

My Beauty Bunny explains what it means for beauty products to be natural and organic.

Posh Swaps shows how you can have a stylish Eco wedding, a great way to start your married life!

Eco bags review by Quinta Trends

Are you a blogger? Want to join Green Chic Group? Email me!

Saying Thank You In Style

Lucie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:00:42 +0000

Those of us who don’t own our own vacation homes may be lucky enough to have friends who do. A plaque in my aunt’s North Carolina retreat reads, “Buy a mountain house, and you’ll always have friends.” Truer words were never spoken.

So how do you thank the people who are kind enough to share their little piece of paradise with you? The best gifts add something to the home, so that your hosts remember your visit fondly for years to come. (And hopefully invite you back!)

Since so many happy times revolve around eating, I love giving pretty, helpful gifts for the kitchen. These Williams-Sonoma kitchen towels are endlessly useful, even doubling as casual dinner napkins.

A set of 8 is currently on sale for $8.99, which means you can give a big stack of them.

If you’re willing to spend a bit more (and have more room in your luggage), try something novel and fun, like the Cuisinart ice cream maker, currently on sale for $49.95 at both Amazon and Crate & Barrel.

Or you could help stock the house with entertaining items for those days when the weather makes outdoor fun impossible. With a little shopping, you can always find cool DVDs at good prices. If your hosts have kids, consider family friendly options, like this Harry Potter box set, currently on sale for $29.99.

But because the whole purpose of a vacation home is spending time on the beach, hiking trail, or boat, I love gifts that make those activities more stylish! For just $17.99, get one of Blue Q’s fabulous bags, perfect for lugging sunscreen, insect repellent, bottled water, and flip-flops.

Not only are they cute and inexpensive, they’re also eco-friendly. The bags are made from recycled water bottles and grain sacks, and a portion of each purchase benefits the Nature Conservancy. That’s a gift your hosts are sure to appreciate!

Lucie is the Director of ZinaBeverlyHills.com.

Photo by Tricia Morton McLemore.

The Final Sale on Rue La La TODAY!

The Fashionable Housewife — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:30:12 +0000

The Final Sale is probably like one of the best things that happens on Rue La La! 36 top brands, up to 75% off, all in one giant boutique. It’s seriously like Christmas in there! Everything you want, at prices you can actually afford.

Sale starts at 11am ET! If you aren’t a member of Rue La La, hurry up and CLICK HERE TO JOIN so you can gain immediate access to the site and get to shop this amazing event!!!

What is RueLaLa?

RueLaLa is an exclusive, invitation-only online destination connecting consumers to that which only fashion insiders used to be privy to. The site features up to two new private sale boutiques a day, each open for just a brief window of time. Boutiques offer members access to current season merchandise from a mix of fashion and lifestyle brands that range from super premium labels to more mainstream must-haves at discounts of 30% to 80% below retail.

RueLaLa is accessible through membership only. Membership is free but available through invitation-only.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN!!

Sometimes it IS as Easy as Black and White

Amanda Davis — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:55:17 +0000

Black and white has always been high fashion. Its CLASSIC! You can pick up choice pieces for your wardrobe and wear them over and over again. The beauty of black and white fashion is that it can be clean and professional but also edgy and cool. Pick up that black and white pencil skirt that has caught your eye and pair it with a plain tee for a super affordable outfit. It is not about how much you spend, it is about how you wear it with confidence and JAZZY JAZZ! Add a splash of color in accessories, shoes, or even your lip color for the KAPOW!

Kimchi Blue White Henley Dress $58.00 Urban Outfitters, in stores and online, Fitted Sheath Dress, $49.00, Newport News, online, Garden Rose Print Skirt $14.80 Forever 21, in stores and online, Necessary Objects Flutter Dress, $39.99 Overstock.com, Silence and Noise Twill Pleated Trouser $58.00 Urban Outfitters, in stores and online, Inheritance Pencil Skirt $88.00 White House/ Black Market, in stores and online, Ruffle Mesh Top $68.00 White House/ Black Market, in stores and online, Pointy Toe Satin Pump, $39.00, Newport News, available online, Women’s Xhileration Trella Wedge Sandal, $22.99, Target, in stores and online, Athena Platform Pump $26.80, Forever 21, in stores and online, Patent Bag, $29.00, Newport News, available online, Silver Onyx Hook Earrings, $24.99, Target in stores and online, Sacred White Lotus Necklace, $26.99 Available on Overstock.com , Sassy White Ruffle Tote, $39.00, Available online at Anyknockoff.com, Oversized Bow Clutch, $25.00, Newport News, available online

Loving Reebok’s New EasyTone Sneakers

The Fashionable Housewife — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:28:28 +0000

Reebok EasyTone Sneakers
$109.95
Free Shipping
Available at: ShoeMall.com

I’ve been wearing Reebok’s EasyTone Sneakers since May. I almost forgot to follow up my first post and tell you how much I love them!

I wore them almost every day for 2 weeks. Then we had like 6 weeks of rain with almost no break, so that put a kink in my walking routine. Thankfully, I’ve been able to go out walking again a few times in the past 2 weeks and it’s reminded me how great these sneakers actually work!

Just a few hours of wearing them and you begin to feel muscles working that you didn’t even know you had. When I was wearing them almost everyday for 2 weeks, I really noticed a difference in the way my legs looked and felt. Normally I don’t feel a 2 mile walk the next day, but with these sneakers on, my legs were burning the next day. Not an oh-my-god-i’m-going-to-die sort of burning, but definitely noticeable muscle activity that usually isn’t there.

I would compare these to MBT sneakers because the benefits you get are similar. Reebok’s EasyTone Sneakers give you the same kind of benefits as MBT sneakers for like half the price.

These sneakers are great for people who walk everyday, so they can get the most out of their walk. But they are even better for people who don’t get to walk a lot (like me) so you can tone and strengthen your legs a lot faster than you’d be able to with normal sneakers. If you aren’t into wearing sneakers, FitFlops make a great alternative.

Perfect Boot Cut Jeans For Pear Shaped Women

The Fashionable Housewife — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:26:52 +0000

If you have fuller hips and thighs (Pear Shaped), then finding the perfect boot cut jeans are just a click away now!

Being a bit pear shaped myself, I’ve always had a bit of trouble finding jeans that fit right. If you have fuller hips and thighs, you know what I’m talking about. If the jeans fit your butt and thighs, then the waist is either huge or gaps in the back. One size down and you can’t get them up over your knees. Yeah, I’ve been there. I avoid trying on jeans for this reason…

Then I discovered new denim brand, Little In The Middle. A collection of signature jeans designed to fit women with small waists and slightly larger hips. Their jeans come in sizes ranging from 00 up to 20, are reasonably priced at around $130 each and made in the US. These are real jeans for real women. If you’ve ever had trouble finding the right jeans to fit your curvy figure, Little In The Middle in the answer!

Designer Lee Ann Park launched Little in the Middle in the hopes of revolutionizing women’s clothing to reflect a real fit. She designed her denim line around her own patented “one-up” sizing chart after years of frustration with her own voluptuous figure and the lack of fashion catering to her build. For example, a size 6.1 is designed to fit a woman who’s a size 6 waist, but a size 8 through the hips and thighs.

See my Today’s Outfit featuring Little In The Middle Jeans.

Little In The Middle, is featured in August’s issue of Real Simple Magazine! They magazine features “The Jean Handbook” with jeans for all different body types, all for under $70. Little in the Middle is featured on page 76 in the magazine, but we have a sneak peek for you…

Click To Enlarge

You can find Little In The Middle jeans on www.truejeans.com

If you are pear shaped and need some outfit ideas, check out Summer Outfit Ideas For Pear Shaped Bodies.

Count Me Healthy Jewelry

The Fashionable Housewife — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:00:35 +0000

I’m a stay at home mom, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get stressed out. Some people think stay at home moms have it easy, but that’s probably because they haven’t watched kids for more than an hour in their life! Some days, I have all I can do to stay sane and keep my kid alive. In the process, I usually forget to do a LOT.

Busy moms need a reminder to take care of themselves. Whether you need help remembering to drink more water, take your BC pill, tracking diets with “point” systems, or new moms can even use it to count hours between feedings for their newborn. Count Me Healthy has a new Mommy & Me Bracelet that helps mom keep track of her health goals like losing those post partum pounds or keeping track of which side to nurse on.

I’ve been using my Count Me Healthy bracelet to track how many bottles of water I drink and a reminder to take my daily prescription. It has a built in jump ring in the middle of the bracelet, so you can track more than one thing if you want to get creative. This bracelet serves as an attractive daily reminder for busy moms.

Giuliana Rancic from E! News

The Count Me Healthy bracelet is quickly becoming popular and has been seen in Shape Magazine as well as on the wrist of Guiliana Rancic from E! News (seen right).

The Count Me Healthy bracelet is really easy to use. Here is how it works…

Just choose a health goal you wish to monitor. Some examples are: drinking more water, quitting smoking, better nutrition or adding daily exercise. Next, assign a value to each bead based on that goal (for example, if you are tracking glasses of water, each bead could stand for one, 8 oz. glass of water).

Then, just slide one of the beautiful beads from one side to the other – counting your way to better health. At the end of your day, tally the beads and write down your progress.

Reports state that many future health problems can be prevented by making healthy choices today. But with today’s hectic lifestyle, it is easy to lose track of the promises we make to improve our personal wellness. With Count Me Healthy, now you can monitor your choices anytime, anywhere and look stylish while doing it.

Click here to learn how you can use Count Me Healthy to track your health goals.

You can find Count Me Healthy on Facebook and Twitter. Each bracelet retails for $88 each and can be purchased online at www.countmehealthyjewelry.com.

Readers of The Fashionable Housewife can get 20% off with this discount code: 56666

China Glaze Retro Diva Collection: Swatches Part 2

The Fashionable Housewife — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:00:09 +0000

China Glaze Emulates the 70’s with a Free-Spirited Retro Diva Collection that is reminiscent of a time of platforms, hiphuggers and disco days.

The collection was released last week and features twelve free-spirited shades that pay tribute to the sexy and exciting decade. This Fall 2009 collection from China Glaze is absolutely fabulous.

There are 6 purple-ish red shades, 4 orange-ish shades, a beautiful red and a cool dove-gray color. Below, you’ll find swatches of the five darker colored shades. Out of these 5, I think Stella is my favorite one!

You can find pictures of my toes painted in Stella here and here.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Stella A raspberry shade with a fuchsia-pink shimmer to it. This is the first color in the collection that I used on my toes. It looks great with a lot of outfits. Not so much with red though… It has a purple edge to it so it looks great with black and gray outfits. Definitely one of my favs in the Retro Diva collection!

Stroll This maroon shade has gold and red sparkles in it. You can bet I will definitely be rocking this color come Christmas time! It’s just a very fun shade of red. This one is also a bit sheer, so be careful when applying it to do 2 even coats.

Short & Sassy My mom’s favorite color in the collection is definitely Short & Sassy. I received the collection in the mail the same day she came to visit me. She immediately sat down and polished her toes with this rich cranberry shade. It has a low shimmer but is a nice rich color that is great for toes this Summer, or finger nails come Fall.

Skate Night Similar to Short & Sassy, just lighter. This one is more of a raspberry color with a pinkish shimmer to it. Even though this is a Fall collection, I think this color is great for Summer.

Thunderbird This is another one that is great for a date night or special occasion. It’s a rich shade of ruby red with a light shimmer to it. Great for toes all year round. Easy to apply to. One coat looks great and dries quick.

What’s your favorite shade?