Fashion Hookup

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Jewelry Shopping in Vienna

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Planning a trip to Vienna can be very tricky – with so many things to see, you can’t count on getting through all of them, so sometimes you just need to make your arrangements in a way that you’ll get to see what interests you most. If you’re going on a jewelry shopping trip, Vienna definitely has a lot to offer you – the city is very well-known for the large number of different jewelry stores and large chains of shops it features, so whatever type of jewelry you’re into exactly, you’ll likely find something for yourself here.

The Jared Galleria of Jewelry is a very popular store, so when you’ve arrived, make sure this is at the top of your list of priorities for visiting. The store has quite a lot to offer and all of their products are unique and exquisite – and like we said above, any taste can be satisfied in Vienna, and this is really well represented in this particular store.

Also, there’s a Swarovski flagship store in Vienna – if you’re a fan of luxurious jewelry, you really can’t say no to paying a visit here. However, if you do, make sure you load up your wallet quite well, as you’ll likely find more than one opportunities to spend your money in this store – after all, we all know of the quality of Swarovski’s jewels and related products, but also the price tag commonly attached to them. Plan well and know what you’ll be buying!

Are You Chic Enough For Colette?

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Colette
On one of my research browses, I stumbled upon “Colette“.  The mouseover read “styledesignartfood”.  All things up my alley, so with trepidation I clicked.  I arrived at a white page, (after the annoying few seconds of “loading”), with a pulsating blue circle and very funky music which got my hips swaying even at 8 a.m. There is a mini music player, which has some very funky tunes indeed, making me feel like I needed some kind of cocktail in my hand was sitting in a very plush cushion, schmoozing with some extremely cool people (no doubt in Colette gear).

Colette is a concept boutique in Paris, which also has a flagship store in New York city. Named after the famous novelist (who wrote Gigi), the Paris store is strictly for the seriously chic Fashionista, who wouldnt be caught dead shopping at Printemps. Up and coming designers as well a smattering of uber-cool home furnishings and accessories, have found their way to Colette (as well as a very swish tea salon), and their website is a good place to source some of this coolness from the comfort of home.  Some items on the Fashion Hookup list:

Oakley X Colette Frogskins (only 100 pcs. in the world)

Little black dress with gold bow de Valentino by Alessandra Facchinetti

Tote Bag Stephano Pilati “I Love My Planet”

In Paris, Colette is at 213 rue Saint-Honoré 75001.  In NYC, 54th and 5th Avenue.

North Face Jackets on Ebay- Spot The Fakes!

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The eBay market place is home to many different items, real and fake. North Face jackets are extremely popular items on eBay because they can be sold at high prices because they are high quality jackets. However, there are a large number of North Face jackets which are being sold on eBay which are fakes. It is widely reported that you will find at least 300 fake North Face jackets at any one given time on eBay.

Like with many fake items on eBay, it is very difficult to tell the difference between the real and the fake items until you get them in your hands. However, one thing you can check is the location of the seller. I do not intend to be prejudice in any way, but you have to be very wary of the sellers of the North Face jackets if they are located in Asia. It is widely reported that you can only very rarely find a real North Face jacket from an eBay seller located in Asia, the majority are fake.

Even when you have received your North Face jacket, it is still difficult to indentify if the jacket is real or fake. In many cases, the fake North face jackets will have the authentic tags and the exact same quality patterns as on the real jackets. They are the exact same looking jackets but with a major difference, the material! The fake North Face jackets will not be made from the Gore-Tex material. It will be manufactured from a cheap substitute material.

You will soon realise this when you go out in the rain or snow later on and you find that you are soaked through within minutes and you are sweating like mad! If the material is real Gore-Tex then this shouldn’t happen. You should be kept dry! It may be easier to identify bad materials if you are already an owner of a known to be real North Face or other similar quality jacket. You could pour an amount of water on an area on both jackets and observe how wet the underside of the jacket feels and also time how long the wet patch takes to dry. If there is a major difference in the time taken by the two jackets then you will have probably identified that the jacket is fake!

The best advice that you can give to anybody when buying a North face jacket is to be suspicious right from the beginning. I know that doesn’t seem appropriate but it must be done. If you take some time to research about the jackets and use your own common sense if you see a really cheaply priced jacket, you will soon be able to identify if the North Face jacket is fake. It is not easy, but you will soon be able to differentiate between the real and the fake.

Its Sale Season! 5 Quick Tips For Serious Shoppers

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year – yes, ladies, it’s Sale Season!! If you’re a serious shopper (and bargain hunter) like me, it’s time to get some real damage done (as in credit card- but remember, its a bargain!),  and hopefully set yourself up with some terrific pieces for the year ahead.

Here are 5 tips to get the best deals and have a blast doing it:

1. Be An Early Bird – The cardinal rule in shopping, whether it be for a designer sample sale or at your farmers market for organic veg.  My sister, who works nights, does her grocery shopping at 7pm and always ends up with the lousy produce.  Duh? If shopping for shoes especially, the size 7 and 8’s are gone in a flash if you aren’t early. So set that alarm early ladies, it pays.

2. Make Time – You need time and patience to do a good shop. Trust me, a frenzied trip to a sale on your lunch break is not a good idea.  Clear your schedule for a couple of hours of good, solid shopping time. And do go through the items with patience, no matter how haphazard presentation may be – remember, amidst the polyester there may be some cashmere.

3. Grab as You Go– When scouring a sale, grab items that take your fancy, then edit later.  If you hesitate and think that you can “come back for it later”, chances are it will be gone.

4. Dress Appropriately – Yes, you should always look stylish, but when I’m on a serious shopping trip I like to dress for ease in the changing room.  A pair of tight, skinny jeans, for example, is a nightmare to take on and off in the changing room, as are shirts with too many buttons or other fiddly bits. You want an outfit that is easy to throw on and off when trying on multiple items of clothing.

5. Be Resourceful -Be friendly to sales staff at your favourite shops and they are likely to keep you in the know – when new sales stock is coming in, what may be hidden in the stockroom etc.  Online is also a good place to hunt for bargains when you just can’t face the crowds any longer.  Some good options are:

Designer Warehouse Sales

Shop Bop

Secret Sales

Finding The Perfect Jeans: The Inverted Triangle

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I’m not exactly what you would a call a jeans person, unlike some of my friends who practically live in theirs and own literally hundreds of pairs.  At this stage in my life, I have about 4 pairs in my closet (the ones pre- my last pregnancy are folded up in storage in the hopes the one day….), two blue (one dark with lighter stiching, one my all-round comfy Levis), one white (not used very often), one black (I got this soon after having the baby, so its fit now is very odd) and one “skinny”.  With all that skinny-jean craziness last year, the consumer victim that I am, I purchased a pair that I have to say I never liked much.  Why? It was so darn uncomfortable!

So when I found the “Jeans That Fit” videos in Video Jug (love that site!), I was pleased to find that the reason skinny jeans and I never meshed was because I was an “inverted triangle” and the big rule of that is :“No Skinny Jeans!”. Aha!

In the video, Natasha from the The Blue Jeans Bar in L.A. shares her jeans expertise, giving three simple tips for each body type. For me, the inverted triangle, which pretty much means I am top heavy, with broad shoulders and slim below, here’s what she said:

1. CUT: go for wide leg, boot cut, low rise, contoured waist

2. COLOUR: go for whiskering/ distressed fromt area to widen hips, lighter wash and fading in the knee area.

3. STYLE: go for stiching in the front pockets, cuffs to draw the eye down and balance the look.

and of course, the rule of : No Skinny Jeans!

Other body types featured on the videos are the apple, pear, boyish and hourglass shapes.  Watch and learn!