.:: EVErsion ::.

Keep Pushing Play!!

2011-02-01T22:19:00.000-08:00

I have to say, after doing both videos (Perfect Push-Up and Hip Hop Abs), I'm super tired!!

Though the easiest thing to do would be to give up, I'm going to keep charging!!

BTW-for those of you who want to take a day off, DON'T! If you're using a video: KEEP PUSHING PLAY...if you're jogging outside, power walk it! I kept pushing play and I'm down to 173.3 so far!!

Hip Hop Abs & Perfect Push-Up

2011-01-30T20:36:00.000-08:00

WOW...Since I finished Slim In 6 last week, I wanted to get started on a new routine so that my cardio and stamina won't go soft. I decided to try Hip Hop Abs and the Perfect Push-Up...This is what I got from Hip Hop Abs: While I liked the idea of dancing as a variation of cardio instead of jogging, I felt like I had two left feet doing this dance routine!!

It starts off fairly simple and then gradually turns into a dance routine. So far, I'm a bit embarrassed to do the moves because I simply "don't have it" when it comes to doing the "sexy" moves...We'll see how I progress!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perfect Push-up: WHOA. I could barely set my max! I bought this product a year ago and I finally decided to get up and get my money's worth. The package comes with a routine schedule, demo video, and already built push-up handles . The trick is to establish your "MAX" by first doing a set of push-ups as many as you can without stopping. Then you have to round that number. So if you can do 8 push-ups without stopping, your max is 10. I, pathetically, could only do 2 :( So my max was 0. The routine for me is: 4,3,2,1...

Let me tell you, my arms were shaking and my shoulders felt stiff. This is going to be an interesting month, but i look forward to challenging myself with the combination of both work-outs! :)

About weight-loss:

2011-01-27T16:03:00.001-08:00

i forgot to mention, that prior to updating this blog, I had started on a program called: Slim In 6. Let me tell you, at works!! I lost 12 lbs in one month! So down from 204 to 192. (Thanks Debbie for developing an awesome workout, where ever you are!)

Next, I started power walking about 3 months after doing Slim In 6, and lost 17 lbs! So far, 175lbs and 45lbs more to go! Eating right is also key!!

Cheers-

Living As A Plus Size Woman

2011-01-26T12:16:00.000-08:00

OK...So a while ago, 2009 to be exact, I stopped blogging and I realized that my last post was about a healthy lifestyle and reaching your goals. Suffice to say, I didn't. As a matter fact, not only did I not reach them, I went down into a slippery slope of weight gain. 204 lbs to be exact. And working in the fashion industry, this simply doesn't cut it.

So now, I realized, regardless of the industry, I had to make a change. I had to make the change not only for vanity, but simply because I was tired of having lower back pains and my knees hurting when I go up the subway stairs. So I figured, surely someone out there knows how I feel. I hope whoever reads this will take that journey with me and see if I can work towards it, so can you...I will be logging my progress and be as candid as I can, and hope to either inspire or be a precautionary tale for those who are thin but have a tendency to overeat! Enjoy and have a great workout...

How Skinny is TOO Skinny??

2009-10-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

This is a really disturbing article of just how distorted the fashion industry can be.
Rather than encouraging young women on viewing themselves as healthy happy beings, it promotes eating disorders and image-conscious complex to the young girls who look up to models.

Filippa Hamilton was fired and now is coming forth to confess it was more to do with her being "too fat", than to fulfill her contractual responsibilities. You can see more on the Shine article:

Photoshopped Ralph Lauren Model: Filippa Hamilton

**Remember that the average American Woman is a size 14 NOT a 2!!

Happy Hunting on your favorite styles!

SS

Money Management Tips for the Year!

2009-10-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

Fall is officially here and as we all are trying to keep afloat on our average spending, here is a great article written by Erin Joyce that can help every shopper both short and long term! Chose wisely this season how you want to spend your limited cash flow and search for the best deals in town!

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/107879/6-financial-moves-that-sound-good-but-aren%27t.html?mod=bb-banking_budgeting

Happy Hunting on your favorite styles!
SS

Member Spotlight: Kimberly Fowler

2009-08-06T21:58:00.000-07:00

In 1982 when biathlon athlete Kimberly Fowler set out to complete the Bud Light Race Series in Farmer’s Branch, Texas, the last thing she expected was an accident. But as Fowler neared the race finish, she was hit by a car that was trying to cut through the course. After a difficult recovery from the accident, during a class at South Texas College of Law, Fowler suffered a seizure that landed her in the hospital once again in 1983. After rounds of tests, her doctor discovered something much more severe than bruises and broken bones as he had the previous year: he found a brain tumor. He told her she didn’t have much time left. To Fowler, dying was not an option. She overcame her battle with cancer and became a competitive triathlete, founded YAS Fitness studios and created the DVD series “Yoga for Athletes.” Here the YogaBear member shares her story.

Q: What crossed your mind as the accident was happening?
I woke up in the hospital and the first thing out of my mouth was, "Where is my bike?"

Q: What gave you the idea to take up yoga as a way of healing?
My physical therapist at the time was an Iyengar Yoga instructor, so she showed me yoga poses I could do at home to help rehab my shoulder.

Q: If you could do it all over again, would you have started that biathlon?
Of course, I have no regrets. I truly believe everything happens for a reason. I might never have gotten into yoga without that accident. And the breath work in yoga helped save my life when I had the climbing accident in 2000. I was free climbing at Mount Charleston, Las Vegas, hit a patch of ice & fell about 20 feet. Landed on a stump-basically impaled myself, my ribs broke off and went thru my internal organs. It took 6 months to recover, after which I started YAS. I had been thru the brain tumor at that point so I knew "This too shall pass". I truly believe "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger".

Q: How has this experience changed you?
I've had a lot of trials and tribulations in my life, but they have all taught me something or lead me in a certain direction.

Q: What advice would you give to someone experiencing the beginning stages of healing?
Listen to your body. I think a lot of us give too much power to our doctors. If I’d listened to my doctors, who told me I had 6 months to live when I was diagnosed with a brain tumor, I would be dead right now. My tagline "I'm not your guru, you are" is very close to my heart. I think we each need to trust our instincts—you know what's best for you!

KARMA BENEFIT GALA ON 8/19 SAVE THE DATE!

2009-07-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

Yogabear's first ever benefit will take place on 8/19! Join in for fun & socializing in the spirit of giving back! For more info, visit the official event website Karma:A Benefit for Yogabear

See you there!

Event followed by silent auction...

Happy hunting on your favorite summer styles!
SS

Emma Watson: Emerging Style Icon

2009-07-21T15:11:00.000-07:00

As the latest installment of the Harry Potter franchise nabbed the box office #1 spot this weekend with $77.8 MIL, this time, fans take notice that the three musketeer wizards are all grown up!

One actor in particular: rising star and emerging fashion icon Emma Watson has definitely earned her style stripes with mixing classic lines and London street chic fashion. Here are the young siren’s different looks on occasions and thus so far, does not disappoint!
Happy hunting for your favorite summer styles!

Donna Karan Launches Urban Zen's First Initiative--The Well-being Forum

2009-07-02T20:09:00.000-07:00

April 26, 2007

NEW YORK -- "Imagine if Eastern Philosophy harmonized with Western medical practice and if we treated the patient with the same passion with which we treat the disease ... When my husband Stephan, and best friend Lynn Kohlman were stricken with cancer, so much was missing from their care. They needed the powerful science from Western medicine, but they also needed the healing that can only be accessed from the heart, spirit and alternative approaches. Out of my frustration with the care they received at even the best medical facilities, a commitment was born. My mission is to create a working environment where the worlds of conventional and alternative medical practices unite to create new ways of healing, health and well being, focused on the total human and medical needs of the patient." Donna Karan ...read full story:

http://www.cancercompass.com/cancer-news/1,12544,00.htm

**SOURCE Donna Karan's Urban Zen Well-Being Forum

Sarah Jessica Parker has twins thru surrogate mom

2009-06-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

By MEGHAN BARR, Associated Press Writer Tue Jun 23, 1:03 PM PDT

A publicist for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick says a woman carrying twins for the couple has given birth to healthy girls.

Publicist Simon Halls says the girls were born Monday afternoon at an Ohio hospital. He would not specify the hospital or city.

Halls says that Marion Loretta Elwell Broderick weighed 5 pounds and 11 ounces, and that Tabitha Hodge Broderick weighed 6 pounds.

Parker, the 44-year-old star of the TV show and film "Sex and the City," and Broderick, her 47-year-old husband and fellow actor, had confirmed they were expecting twin daughters by a surrogate.

They were unable to conceive since Parker gave birth to a son who is now 6.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

SPANX: LE NOUVEAU HAUTE CONTOUR

2009-06-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

Funny little thing about women and their beauty secrets…A couple years ago, when I lived with my friend in Miami, we scouted through numerous outfits for Saturday night’s outings. As I started to try on my outfits, I realized that I was beginning to lose my fight with the “Battle of the Bulge” and my thighs were getting too big for my jeans! Just as I was about to rule out jeans and opt for a summer dress, my roommate whips out a mesh body suit and said, “The answer to all your problems! Wear this and you will fit into anything you want!”

SOO…it turned out as no surprise, that more women wear undergarments that aid in giving them the overall slim & trim figure than expected. The even faster growing trend: Hollywood actresses and personalities are becoming more open about wearing slimming garments; particularly SPANX.

Spanx?? Really? How good are they? Good enough that now Hollywood leading ladies wear it on the red carpet! Such ladies include Taraji P. Henson (when she accidentally flashed her Spanx at the Academy Awards red carpet), Tyra Banks proudly praises the body shapers, and “bootilicious” fashion icon Kim Kardashian openly tells E! that she loves the undergarments because they give her that smooth hour-glass figure.

Spanx, now being a household name thanks to entrepreneur Sara Blakely, has launched their new branch of Haute Contour line that allows you to OPENLY wear Spanx as outerwear! With beautiful laces, extremely comfortable support, and classic strong craftsmanship, Spanx is now the ultimate must-have piece of garment to look in shape!

Happy Hunting on your favorite looks!

मिगुएलिना सैम्पल सेल!!

2009-06-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR!! AND THE PRICES ARE JUST RIGHT FOR THE ECONOMY TO GET CONTEMPORARY DESIGNER GOODS ON SALE! HAPPY HUNTING ON YOUR FAVORITE STYLES!!

SASHA SUYEN

YOGIS WITH A PURPOSE

2009-06-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

In a survey of fifty (50) women who were asked what their weekly routine consisted of in order to keep in shape, it was no surprise to find that at least 30 of them are yoga aficionados. The terms, “Raja, Hatha, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti,” have become synonymous with fitness and it sure pays off as more people are able to contort their bodies in ways they did not think they could and achieve healthier outlooks about their fitness abilities.

So what do you get when you combine the strength of yoga and the will of humanitarians who use their knowledge and love of yoga to support a good cause? You get YOGABEAR! This great non-profit organization focuses on, “provid[ing] the community with more information about yoga as a complementary treatment in cancer recovery.”

Big kudos to Yogabear on their continuing efforts and growing support from across the nation. And for those who are either curious or interested about Yogabear, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?? Contact a volunteer today! You can follow Yogabear on Twitter, yogarbear.org!

Yogabear will be holding a YOGAPALOOZA Fundraiser this June 27, 2009. For more information, please visit www.yogabear.org and click on Yogapalooza event for the schedule of events. Much success!

Sasha Suyen

Speidi quit reality show

2009-06-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Reality D-listers (I won’t ever bother to call them celebrities) Heidi and Spencer Pratt quit NBC Show, “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” last night Tuesday bailing out on their chosen charity. Apparently, the Cost Rican jungle wasn’t glamorous enough for the duo as Spencer stated, “Super-celebrities don't belong in the jungle. They belong in Hollywood with the paparazzi."

The show’s premise is to place semi-famous personalities to compete for food and supplies; sort of like a D-lister “Survivor” spin-off and the price goes to their charity that they represent. My only question is: WHO in their right mind would want these two nut-jobs to represent them??? They contribute nothing to society and are over-indulgent. The more nauseating sentence Spencer said while caught on the floor talking to his agent was, “I’m too rich and too big of a celebrity to be here…and being here will only affect our celebrity status to go down.” All this while Heidi goes on camera crying because they took the labels off her shampoo. Wtf??

Now it is clear why Joel McHale of E!s The Soup makes fun of the pair so much.

**Picture courtesy of E!
-Happy Hunting!
Sasha

A Finite Date for the Recession?

2009-05-20T02:57:00.000-07:00

According to The Wall street Journal, a survey of 52 economists predicts that the recession might have a possible estimate as to when the recession will end. The lucky number: 2010. Could it possibly be that by this time at least half of the 600,000 (approx) will be back in the work force?

Not just yet…Since the economy contracts with gains and losses measured in each quarter, it is estimated that it will gain it’s GDP at 1.4% and expand more than 2% roughly around the first half of 2010. Now the reality: “Seasonally adjusted claims in the week ended May 9 increased 32,000 to 637,000 from a revised 605,000 in the preceding week. Most of the losses can be chalked up to Chrysler LLC's 27,000 layoffs following its April 30 bankruptcy filing.”

Again, what does this mean to the taxpayers? The bottom line is: we can really hope that the fiscal and monetary stimulus provided by the Obama Administration will serve as a basis to the road to recovery.

Swine Flu: A Pandemic or Panic?

2009-04-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

Hello to all,

It's been a couple of months since I last published a posting. I have been working on a number of styling projects consulting people on “what not to wear” for a variety of occasions as well as establishing my brand identity.

I was compelled to write however, with regards to the swine influenza that has been occurring at a rather alarming speed. Hour by hour, the danger level has risen to a level 4 which is two steps away from this being a pandemic. It has been estimated that a vaccine would take up to 4-6 months to be produced. However, here are some tips I came across as of now that could be helpful for us to take as precaution:

http://health.yahoo.com/news/ap/med_healthbeat_swine_flu_q_a.html

Health comes first above everything else, especially when residing in a metropolitan area. And soon, I will restart posting my usual. Until then, stay safe!

51 Year Old Model

2009-01-28T19:06:00.001-08:00

Finally, the proof that shows that fact that beauty has no age limits! Eighties icon and fashion runway model Ines de la Fressange, strutted her stuff at Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring/ Summer 2009 couture collection. The stunning 51 year old took the stage, and the breath of many onlookers as she walked down the catwalk with a sleek sexy little black number proving that not all models are supposed to be rail thin. Ines was one of the first models contracted exclusively to Chanel fashion house and now, years later, graced the runway looking absolutely better than ever!

I think this was a great statement she made along with visionary designer Gaultier, to show that there should not be an age limit (or size 0-2 standard for that matter) and finally stop sending out the wrong message to young girls. This media frenzy and obssession with weight and age has caused more than enough social problems and body-image issues amongst youthful girls who resort to binge-eating and throwing up to lose weight and suffer from depression from self-inflicted criticism based on a self comparison to the disturbingly thin runway models.

OPEN YOUR EYES...Women come in all sizes and shapes. Embrace it and love it for what it is!

Happy hunting on your favorite looks!

Product of the Month!!

2009-01-23T21:52:00.001-08:00

SHAPE UP SHOES

Now you can look chic while exercising! And I don't mean wearing "booty shorts" with a ton of make-up trying too hard to look like a Pussycat Doll...This vegan/ environmentalist supporting product was made with no animal products or testing.

The shoes were invented by an OB-GYN in an effort to find a way to improve circulation in her patients. The shoes are meant to be unisex (although I must admit I would be puzzled if I saw a man wearing these o_O), but you can wear them while doing chores etcetera while improving your posture, building lean muscles, and stronger legs! Of course in no way shape or form does this mean you should not go to the gym. A healthy diet and regular exercise is the key to long lasting health and fitness; so don't assume that you can buy the sandals and expect to lose weight solely on this routine. I can personally vouch for them and say they are a GREAT product to try out! And the price? Just $39.99...Affordable, stylish, and serve a function: PRICELESS!!

check it out at: http://www.shapeupshoes.com/

Happy shopping!!

Michelle Obama's Inaugural Style

2009-01-21T19:21:00.000-08:00

POLITICAL COUTURE:

For the first time since Jackie O', fashion designers have never been more interested in the First Lady as a muse for Haute Couture like they are for Michelle Obama. WWD, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue have all speculated over who will be the chosen designer(s) for the big day and finally, they are revealed. Narciso Rodriguez: designed the infamous camel and black ensemble for the press conference. Isabel Toledo: Created the inauguration embroidered lime green dress and coat. And finally: young designer, 26 year old Taipei native Jason Wu designed the inauguration ball white gown.

Since Jackie O and Princess Diana, many style watchers and fashionistas have been analyzing her looks to see what she'll wear next, and how her style will inspire designers. Hopefully, with the new president now fully on duty as Commander In Chief, we will soon start to see the changes in our country towards a positive light with favorable results for our economic crisis.

Happy hunting on your next couture outfits. Now is the time to buy all your favorite designer looks for less!

(pictures provided by: Chicago Tribune/ Yahoo! Buzz. Also, see my editorial comments there)

A Graphic Statement

2009-01-18T15:11:00.001-08:00

In the spirit of promoting local and upcoming artists, my favorite artist of the week is native Miami talent and entrepreneur Enrico Morales. The graphic and multi-media designer has exhibited his latest collection at various galleries where he was invited to exhibit his work.

Using different mediums to convey his visions, Enrico brings vibrant fusions of photography, graffiti, and art sculptures to capture a sense of an alter ego or realm of imagination. Check out more works on this note-worthy art rebel at: www.enricomorales.com

Happy shopping and promoting the arts!

Style Watch

2009-01-18T14:46:00.000-08:00

For this week, Lindsay Price is the favorite trend setters who are keeping it simple, elegant, and polished. Lindsay's choice of outfits all compliment her figure, accentuate her feminine physique, and all three garments are styles that any woman on a budget can get the look at an affordable price. My only criticism are the clutch and shoes she wore for her little black Calvin Klein dress. The dress could have worked better with a gold lame clutch if she wore the shoes, and the shoes could have been slightly different. They are too reminiscent of a dancer and the cut of the shoes is becoming slightly outdated. Other than that, she is rocking a total Park Avenue Princess chic look.

Happy hunting on your favorite looks:)

Prelude to Fashion Week?!

2009-01-18T00:21:00.000-08:00

Fashion Week is right around the corner. But in the spirit of making the economic situation a little amusing, I found these links to pictures pictures not only hysterical, but pretty much sums up our social attitudes. Due to copyright laws and respect for the artists, I am only posting the link so that anyone can visit the site and take a look at these great political cartoons!

http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/properties/candorville/art_images/can1081109_lr.jpg

WAR HAS A DIFFERENT TEXTURE

2009-01-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

For the past week or so, we have been watching clips and excerpts on the news about Israeli troops bombing and launching missiles over Palestine; and the world simply hears subjective criticism fueled by the media with pictures of protesters from around the world against this war. Albeit it is true that the very word “civil war” is an oxymoron (as a war can NEVER be civil because of the casualties involved) a war however, can surely be justified. This happens to be one of them. Being an environmentalist myself and opposed to any war, I understand Israel’s decision to take action and hopefully, more people will too.

Hamas (not to be mistaken for the Muslim religious community who follow the Qur’An which promotes peace) happens to be one of the biggest terrorist groups who have widely spoken about taking over Israel and making it an Islamic nation getting rid of all Jews.

For those critics who have the luxury of sitting at home in our Democratic country being protected by our human rights: you are clueless of what it is like to live as a civilian amidst war, ignorance, to live in a refugee camp, and sheer hatred. With longtime training and brainwashing of Islamic youth from ages 5and up, Hamas trains these youths how being a suicide bomber will do good for their country and make them heroes. This is not news. This is not the first time Hamas brings to light their intentions, nor are they willing to negotiate peace; hence Israel’s decision to fight against terrorist groups and NOT Palestinian civilians. As many have asked, “How can peace be negotiated with a culture that does not value human life?”)

And for the record, Israel DID agree to share the land; this tiny little land that harbors three of the largest religions in the world (Judaism, Christianity, and Muslim). But for extremists, this is simply not enough. They want all or nothing. And us? We just sit at home behind our televisions and warm couches pointing fingers. BECOME INFORMED BEFORE MAKING A DECISION ON WHERE YOU STAND.
Supplement:
(http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Insight/Article.aspx?id=915914

The Persistence of Time

2009-01-06T21:57:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are over and we’ve eaten all the gluttonous foods, drinks, and indulgences we could possibly intake; in comes the sense of guilt and remorse for all things past and things undone or said for last year. The resolutions have been made and the affirmations to start anew have been proclaimed as the ball dropped over Times Square. But instead of remaining in the same cycle most of us make when we start all over, take into consideration a few things:
1) Take things slow and be realistic: We can’t do a 180º in a month by going cold turkey on some habits. Make a few cuts here and there and let things naturally progress towards your goals. This is being eating/ exercising/ procrastinating, etc.
2) Respect your limits of mind/body and soul: In a craze to do many changes, don’t take on too many projects at once otherwise you’ll end up not accomplishing anything. Take one project at a time before embarking on other things.
3) Remember to enjoy yourself: If you’re like me, you tend to overwhelm yourself and forget to take a step back and enjoy things around you. I realized that in the end, instead of saying, “I can’t wait for my life to begin”, I realized that this IS my life; and it’s a damn good one so far:)

I’m sure to some I sound like a retarded fortune cookie singing kumba-yah...But all I’m saying is, even if your goal this year is to slim down to a waist size of your choice to look amazing in a dress or outfit you’ve been eyeballing, that too will take some persistence and labor that in the end many give up one quarter of the year in. Happy New Year to All

SURVIVING THE HOLIDAY CALORIES

2008-12-23T19:05:00.000-08:00

“After this weekend, I totally promise to hit the gym up for the New Year!”- Popular phrase

I dragged one of my friends to come join the gym I attend (every once in a while unfortunately) and the sales rep mentioned that prices go up as the holidays roll around. I asked why and he said, “Because every year people get on a work out high after pigging out and then run to the gym in January and then things start to die out…” This is absolutely true!! Every year we all make affirmations of turning over a new leaf and become more proactive about health and fitness. How about this year we try to prevent from binge eating during these calorie-filled holidays?! Below are some great links to holiday cooking recipes and remember to have a happy, SAFE, and joyous New Year!!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/
http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/holiday-meals.jsp
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Holidays-and-Events/Main.aspx

CREATIVE VS. COCKY ADS

2008-12-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

In order to become an entrepreneur, sure we’ve covered the basics for a successful formula: a good product, a target audience, and great advertisement. To sell men’s suits and apparel, it is no doubt more difficult to do at times because men tend to be very goal-oriented and specific with what they look for in a store. Throughout many of my style consultations with men and undertaking an entire apparel feng shui in their closets, many like to buy the same t-shirts/ different colors without experimenting. However, those who open up to a new look always show promise and the result is more often than not an almost religious experience for meJ

The key to a man’s successful and stylish closet is to have the basic items like: casual pants that fit (baggy jeans are soooo out!), graphic tees for non-working days, a classic white/ blue/ black or neutral color collar shit, a casual blazer, cool kicks and the classic chick-magnet “power suit” . No doubt with the empire that artist Sean Combs has built along with other hip-hop artists catering to the young male audience, aspiring rappers/ singers/ Casanovas are all shopping for the perfect suit and fragrance that not only will land the job, but land the perfect lifestyle and the “playa/ hustler” persona that the advertisements blast on TV and magazines. But how much effort for creativity are these ads really putting in? Men should realize one thing about the ever-evolving female psyche: WE WANT THE WHOLE PACKAGE. A man who dresses nicely, makes an honest living for himself (before any readers go off calling me a gold-digger, listen to my words correctly; for HIMSELF, meaning you need to at least be able to sustain yourself so that we won’t become your nannies or sugar mommas) and treats women with respect. With that being said, brings me back to the topic of advertisements. I recently came across an older ad for lawyer-turned-designer Duncan Quinn of a man dragging a woman with pin-up girl lace bra “dead” over his luxury car. As a woman, I instinctively found it offensive and misogynistic. As a writer, I took a look at it again…Verdict: Still offensive. What a chazer! I did further research. Under Refinery29, I found a synopsis advertisement of the “designer’s” brand lifestyle, “A well-tailored suit has transformative power. The cloth, the cut, when done just right, can make a man feel larger than life. Duncan Quinn, a Savile Row-style suit-maker in SoHo, makes suits, shirts, ties, and accessories specifically for the man who wants something more than the ho-hum, mass-produced off-the-rack look.” –(http://www.refinery29.com/refinery/NYCmen_11.php?levelID=2) And there’s more…His Diary section of the website was yet another pathetic “Mad Men” wannabe lifestyle in his “Little Black Book” section stating that his weekend consisted of, “fast cards, fine wines, fantastic food and some frivolity to take the edge off…” –DQ.

Overall, the synopsis fell short of creativity and reeked of being completely smug and unoriginal. To my male readers, I would have to say to you that MEN make the clothing; not the other way around. And there is a difference between a chic advertisement of a true Renaissance Man and something that is just plain offensive to the opposite sex.

HOW TO STAY TRENDY IN AN ECONOMIC RECESSION

2008-12-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

Ok ladies & agents, and avid fashionistas. Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past two years, you already know that we are in an economic recession. Don’t let any “b.s” advertisement tell you some story to alleviate your worries: [Profanity] HAS HIT THE FAN! Unemployment is at all time high and it almost looks as scary as the Great Depression of 1929. Stores have been closing, sales look miserable and employers could cry over their quarterly reports, and people are being laid off.

As recently seen on every newscast, Black Friday turned out to be a huge success for deal-seekers as the shopping lines and frenzy extended all the way to the curbside. Despite skepticism and worries, store owners were pleased with the outcome of so many bargain hunters camping out at the crack of dawn in front of stores. By noon, tons of holiday shoppers were walking out with large bags filled with merchandise.

How what does this mean? We as consumers run out to the stores to spend the little (if any) disposable income we have on luxury goods? What does a college student do in a time like this when you’ve been eyeballing that Dolce & Gabbana plaid dress but have to save up for school books next semester? What about a working mother with a small child that works in an office and still enjoys treating herself with a blouse or pants that compliment her figure? Do we have to stop shopping altogether? By all means no, however, we could become more informed consumers. In all seriousness, where there’s a will there’s a way! There is a way to shop and save during this dry spell.

The first thing one must understand about economics is that the nature of its course is like a slope. We are in the middle of a transition on the downward slope and while things may seem gloomy, it just means we really have to prepare ourselves and be more frugal with our income. Girls, you can always get the latest trends at phenomenal prices at H&M. You can stay warm and hip in their great tights and leggings. Knit tops and holiday party dresses go for anywhere in between $30-$65 on sale. A giant entity in the junior market for at least ten years now has been Forever 21. Their latest item to scoop up for the last days of the year is their ultra chic sequin Flap Tunic at only $24.80. For those moms wanting to shop away for their tiny tots, Baby Gap has some amazing deals that will leave more in your piggy bank! Their special “Gifts under $30” can come in handy this holiday season your best friend’s children, nieces, nephews, including your little one. E.L.F. (http://www.eyeslipsface.com/) has a ton of great make-up at great prices.

So despite the low moral due to the worst feared scenario we have been dreading these past couple of years, no matter what you are looking for this holiday, you don’t have to break your bank account and be afraid to go over the credit limit and delay your mortgage payment. As a consumer, your best weapon is to be informed and most important, learn to be frugal during this time in our economy! I am optimistic to say that we will get through the downward slope and look forward to the economy picking up; all the while mixing and matching trendy pieces with left over savings!