S.W.A.G
Posted by Natalie Kaar / Thursday, July 14th, 2011
Bangles available at Cusp (Photo: mangotreebangles.com)
Hello there, shoppers! Accessories, accessories, accessories … love, love, love. Cusp, Cusp, Cusp … love, love, love. And yet another reason to feel amorous this AM is thanks to a new line of accessories available at Cusp that very successfully combines fashion with eco-friendliness.
Fashionistas, if you thought the only thing mangoes had to do with fashion was bearing a hot-right-now hue, then you were wrong. Meet Mango Tree Fitted Bangles.
The bracelets are made from Grade A mango trees after they’ve already been cut down due to no longer yielding fruit, and available in four different sizes (hence, the fitted description), 50 different colors and three different fun styles (slim, samba and bold).
Plus, they are fairly inexpensive. Slim and samba styles are $16 for solids, $18 for marbelized styles; and bold options are $20 for solids, $22 for marbelized.
And you know you were planning a visit to Cusp anyway for their Last Cuts sale.
Happy shopping!
–Natalie Kaar
Style Report: Ladylike Blazers
Posted by alexandra / Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Hello, shoppers! Fall is rapidly approaching, and the season’s newest looks are hitting stores, well, now. And right now, I’m loving all the cute blazers stores have been stocking up on!
Go for a more conservative look for work or switch it up with some fun embelishments, such as beading, big buttons, a bold color or even sequins. Get one with some girly details for lunch with the ladies. And if you want to be really daring, try one with some fun animal print! Whichever way you wear them, this ladylike look has a flattering shape and gives any outfit an extra boost of class and style.
You’ll love these examples of my new favorite fall trend:
Cropped Waterfall Blazer, $24.50 (Forever 21) Light and breezy, throw it on over a dress for a lunch date!
Beige Blazer, $38 (Gossip on 23rd) This sleek, feminine look is perfect for brightening up your office attire!
Lauren by Ralph Lauren 'Justin' Stretch Cotton Sateen Jacket, $169 (Bloomingdales) A fun and flirty color, a sleek fit, bold buttons... What's not to love?
Leona Bow Blazer, $200.90 (Hysteria) You'll love the rich navy color, and the bow gives it a great feminine touch!
Elizabeth and James Leather Sleeve Leopard Print Faux Fur Blazer, $895 (Nordstrom) In the mood to let your wild side show? The animal print in this eye-catching blazer is a great way to spice things up!
Happy Shopping!
–Alexandra Scarfone
Free Earrings For Life At Silver Parrot Jewelry
Posted by alexandra / Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Hello, shoppers! This month, Silver Parrot Jewelry Boutique is holding a scratch-off contest for its VIP (aka Very Important Parrot) customers.
The contest is from July 14 through July 30, and prizes will include discounts and “Parrot Cash,” which can be used exclusively at the jewelry store. Oh, and one lucky winner will also receive free jewelry for life!
silverparrot.com
One customer will be picked to receive a pair of sterling silver earrings once a year, every year. For the rest of their life. And for those of you who love the Old Town Alexandria store’s charming, hand-made pieces, this is a deal you won’t want to miss.
Simply bring your scratch off card with you to the store to reveal the fabulous prize you’ve won!
Happy Shopping!
–Alexandra Scarfone
Denim, the New Rage in Fine Home Furnishings?
Posted by Natalie Kaar / Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
(LegendBlues LLC)
Hello there, shoppers! If you’re looking for a special something to spice up your abode, perhaps it’s time to sift through your denim drawer. Today it seems that beautifully unique home furnishings are all in the jeans.
Recently, the Great Falls high-end home essentials store Bed Headers premiered LegendBlues, a line of custom, made-in-the-U.S.A. denim furniture, pillows and accessories that breathe new life into old memories and take recycling to a whole new level.
LegendBlues was officially born in 2009, but the dream began years ago. Designer and marketing executive Elizabeth Richardson had been saving favorite old jeans of her own as well as of family members for quite some time, believing that she would someday find a new purpose for them. When a friend gave Richardson an older chair that had “solid bones,” purpose: found. Working with a master crafstmen, the chair was upholstered using the old jeans and became the prototype for the truly one-of-a-kind collection.
All LegendBlues furniture frames are solid wood, Northern Soft Maple, chosen for their fine hand finish and acceptance to stains. The furniture is hand-dowelled, corner blocked and professionally finished by old-world artisans, and custom embellishments are available like nail head trim, open pockets, etc. The pillows and throws in the collection are accessorized with crystals, lace, cashmere, cotton or faux fur.
But Bed Headers and LegendBlues aren’t the only ones in the repurposed denim game. Just yesterday, as I was preparing for this post, Anthropologie debuted a denim rugs collection on Facebook, which uses factory denim scraps to create beautiful floor coverings.
And to think those old jeans of yours had been relegated to a closed-off existence in your closet.
Happy shopping!
–Natalie Kaar
This Weekend: Old Town’s 2nd Annual Christmas in July
Posted by Natalie Kaar / Monday, July 11th, 2011
(Photo: Spotted MP)
Hello there, shoppers! It’s Monday. Already looking forward to the weekend? Well, here’s a little something to get you even more anxious for it: Old Town Alexandria’s Christmas in July is back!
This Saturday and Sunday, July 15-17, The Christmas Attic and the Union Street shops will be bringing a bit of holiday season magic to the sweltering days of summer. Expect Santa & Mrs. Claus to be decked out like Jimmy Buffett and all sorts of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Just a few of the many attractions planned:
-Photos with Summer Santa & Mrs. Claus
-Holiday Trunk Shows
-Tips on Making Holiday Decorating Green
-Christmas Cocktail Party
-Pooch Pictures
-Cookie Decorating
-Paint Your Own Nutcracker
-Ornament Making
For the full schedule, visit the Christmas Attic’s website.
Yet one more reason you’ll want to attend: By joining in the fun, you’ll be helping to make some very sick children smile. A portion of sales proceeds from the weekend will support Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Happy shopping!
–Natalie Kaar
Ashleybug Organics & Sheyna Giveaway Winners
Posted by Natalie Kaar / Friday, July 8th, 2011
Thanks so much to everyone who entered our Ashleybug Organics and Sheyna giveaways over the past week. Without further ado, our winners are:
Ashleybug Organics bib-burp cloth gift set: Jelaire Grillo of Centreville
Sheyna earrings: Carlota Bindner of Woodbridge
Congrats!
And happy shopping, everyone!
–Natalie Kaar
Shopping Simplified: Shopittome.com
Posted by alexandra / Thursday, July 7th, 2011
Hello, shoppers! Online shopping can be difficult, between finding your size, browsing store to store and worrying about shipping costs and prices. Personally, I always feel like I find out about a fantastic online sale… right after it ends. That’s where Shopittome.com comes in.
www.cravebeauty.ca
Even if you hate online shopping, you’ll have a hard time resisting this site. When you register, you’ll be asked to check off some preferences: clothing and shoe sizes, favorite brands, categories of clothing and more. After that, shopittome.com does all the work.
Based on your preferences, you will receive a customized e-mail every day that lets you know about great deals, including special promotion codes, markdowns and VIP sale events, so you’ll never miss out on a sale again.
The site checks out over 200 retailers daily for deals on clothing, shoes and accessories for all sizes, ages and genders.
And all you online shopping addicts, the site hasn’t forgotten about you. You can shop on the website for anything you’re interested in (ie. boots, jeans, sundresses, etc.), and you’ll be given a list of results that matches your preferences.
You can even filter these by price and discount range or by category and add new brands and clothing preferences any time.
Shopittome.com also lets you know about any special or deal a designer is offering for any item you search. For example, search jeans and find free shipping on $200 orders from Nordstrom or get $30 off your entire order of $150 from any bluefly.com item.
Happy Shopping!
–Alexandra Scarfone
Posted by Natalie Kaar / Thursday, July 7th, 2011
Furniture from Lee Industries (shopthenestegg.blogspot.com)
Hello there, shoppers! If you think summer sales are the most exciting things taking place at area stores right now, you may be wrong. After all, it’s not just mid-season markdowns that are incredible, so is the new inventory according to several area merchants.
A few examples:
The Nest Egg in Fairfax now offers custom, made-in-the-U.S.A., upholstered furniture from the renowned Lee Industries.
Valerianne in Vienna has a lovely new line of tabletop ceramics and pottery all handmade using clay from the Andes Mountains in Peru. The store has numerous place-setting ideas and one-of-a-kind serving pieces and accessories. Oh, and very important: Each piece is dishwasher-, microwave- and oven-safe!
The Dandelion Patch, in Vienna, Reston and Leesburg, just got the fall colors of Vera Bradley accessories in stock for early back-to-school shoppers. Sorry to mention the S-word, kids.
And Gossip on 23rd, in Crystal City, as we have mentioned before, now has a much bigger store, including items for little ones and men, in addition to all of their on-trend, wallet-friendly ladies’ wear. For more on the expansion, see our August issue.
Happy shopping!
–Natalie Kaar
Exclusive Nordstrom Anniversary Nail Collection
Posted by alexandra / Wednesday, July 6th, 2011
Hello, shoppers! As you may know, Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale begins on July 15. In honor of the event, makeup brand Le Métier de Beauté is introducing an exclusive anniversary nail collection.
The Rock ‘n Romance Anniversary Nail Collection contains four glamorous, limited edition shades: Chrome Passion, a rich shimmery brown, Heat of the Night, a deep red, Midnight Rendezvous, a starry night blue, and True Romance, a pale pink with a light metallic finish.
nordstrom.com
The specially formulated polishes (they were made without formaldehyde, toluene or DPB chemicals) have a $40 value but are available for $25, exclusively at Nordstrom! The collection will hit the counters officially on July 15.
These shades look decadent and delicious and are an absolute steal! Shop early for the best deals… The storewide sale ends on August 1.
Happy Shopping!
–Alexandra Scarfone
Posted by Natalie Kaar / Wednesday, July 6th, 2011
(soletreadmills.com)
Hello there, shoppers! While summer brings lots of great opportunities to get outside and get moving, sometimes in-home workouts are more practical. And if it’s cardio that you crave, there is perhaps nothing more versatile than a good treadmill.
The problem: Just about everyone I know has a treadmill saga to spill, most about machines never making it to their first birthday or about ones in constant need of repair. My suggestion to keep your workouts from suffering: Go with a Sole.
My hubby, a marathoner and two-time Ironman, and I, a reasonable-distance runner, have pounded our soles on a Sole F63 regularly for nearly two years now with no problems, except for a small computer glitch (one of the numerals for calories didn’t light up anymore) that I believe was fixed for free or for practically nothing. But its not just the Kaars who give Soles a lot of use. The treadmill brand is also the brand of choice among Omni Hotels, Hotel Monaco and Hilton.
And Soles don’t just deliver on durability. I can’t tell you how easy it is to fold up the old Sole to save space in between workouts.
Adding to every runner’s and walker’s peace of mind: Sole backs every treadmill with at least a lifetime warranty on the motor and frame, and at least a three-year deck warranty.
And now is a great time to buy. Get a load of the deals on the Sole website!
Happy shopping!
–Natalie Kaar