Lucky Shops A Hit with Fashionistas, Celebrities, and American Express ZYNC Cardmembers

A few days ago, I posted news about an annual rite of Fall for fashionistas, everywhere:  Lucky Shops.  This marathon shopping experience was scheduled this year on Thursday Night, Friday and Saturday November 4-6, 2010, ending before another annual marathon, the New York Marathon for runners.  I don't want to be a broken record about Lucky Shop is, and what it means to the throngs of (mostly) women who plan girlfriend weekends around it--check out my review about Lucky Shops and how American Express is partnering with this event with special benefits for AmEx ZYNC card members. 

Simply,  Lucky Shops is much like the magazine that bears the same name:  a fashion-oriented  shopping-oriented experience that features over 60 designers and retailers from fashion icons to cult favorites to up-and-coming brands. While there are plenty of sample sales in Manhattan, not all of them feature current items.  Walking around the floor of the Metropolitan Pavilion, I saw many signs announcing that the designer items were current season.  Now, that's special! Even celebrities come like Hilary Duff, Mary Alice Stephenson, Michelle Trachtenberg, Lesley Hornby and Nate Berkus, attended to shop for "gilty pleasures!"

Designers included:

FASHION:   Alice + Olivia; ALICE by Temperley ; Charlotte Ronson; Clu; Diane von Furstenberg ; Foley + Corinna ; Geren Ford; Jodi Arnold; Kenneth Cole; Mara Hoffman; Milly; Miss Me; Nicholas K; Rebecca Taylor; Shareen Vintage ; Shoshanna; Steven Alan; Thread Social; Tommy Hilfiger ; Tracy Reese; Trina Turk ; Tucker ; Twinkle by Wenlan; Vena Cava; Walter



JEANS:  AG Jeans; Citizens of Humanity; DL1961 Premium Denim; GoldSign; Marc Allison Jeans; MiH Jeans

BEAUTY:  Maybelline New York


BAGS/SHOES/SCARVES:   A Peace Treaty; Botkier; Hayden-Harnett; Kooba; Matt Bernson; Nine West Vintage; America Collection; Pour La Victoire; Rebecca Minkoff


JEWELRY:  A Peace Treaty; Alex Woo ; Amrita Singh; Bing Bang by Anna Sheffield; Dannijo; Helen Ficalora; Lee Angel; Melissa Joy Manning; Miguel Ases ; Pamela Love; SEQUIN; Tina Tang

LINGERIE :  Commando; Cosabella ; Elle Macpherson Intimates; Only Hearts

SPECIAL!!  The American Express ZYNC Card Boutique featured some of Lucky Magazine's favorite designers including: Tucker, Alex Woo, Twinkle by Wenlan, Tina Tang, and Yumi Kim. A personal shopper will be on hand to assist ZYNC Card members. The Boutique will also offer guests a sweepstakes for a chance to win signature pieces from select designers, as well as a gift --a lovely purple scarf--with purchase for all American Express® Card members.

Other special offerings included:

THE BOUDOIR BAR (very popular) featuring intimates from Lucky Cosabella, Commando, Elle Macpherson Intimates and Only Hearts.

JEANIUS BAR: A Lucky Shops staple featuring denim brands: AG Jeans, Citizens of Humanity, GoldSign, MiH Jeans, DL 1961 Premium Denim, Marc Allison Jeans and more

MAYBELLINE NEW YORK COLOR STUDIO: they were offering complimentary mini-makeovers with the season’s hottest shades.

NINE WEST VINTAGE AMERICA COLLECTION: Nine West Vintage America Collection including shoes, accessories, and apparel.

FORD WARRIORS IN PINK:  a boutique where 100% of the Ford Warriors in Pink apparel went to Susan G. Komen supporting breast cancer research.

I didn't know all of the designers on display, but the women who were carrying around two, three, four, six...Lucky Shops shopping bags on their arms, certainly did.  These women follow fashion, and they know what they're buying.  Many were from out of town, such as the woman I chatted with from Los Angeles who brought along friends for a true, Girlfriend Weekend, centered around Lucky Shops.  Another, beautifully dressed woman, "Michelle" from Michigan says she plans a weekend in New York every year to attend Lucky Shops and has been attending for a number of years.  "Chantelle" told me that she saved her money to attend the Thursday Night VIP night (the night I attended) even though it costs $185.00 (tto get there first, and for the gift bag)  and and in past years, took advantage of the two-day Savvy Shopper pass for $60.00.  In fact, almost every person I spoke to had been to Lucky Shops more than once, and was already dreaming of next years event.

So why would you spend money, to spend money?  Like Sheckys Girls Night Out, and other shopping "parties," Lucky Shops gives you access to discounts you would not normally be able to easily access, especially if you were an out-of-towner. And, there are nibbles, drinks, and even a DJ to keep the energy up. It is also a bonding experience for groups of women who are girls that just wanna have fun. The cost for a one-day pass Friday was $35 and Saturday it was just $30. The experience of walking through aisles of fashion finds while drinking, eating, and making memories with friends--priceless!There is a also VIP gift bag that is touted as being worth $500.00. If you are paying $185 for a ticket, you can get some of your money back not just in fun and bargains, but with actual products. I am guessing that the gift bag contents may be slightly different in each bag, but mine had mostly beauty items. As someone who reviews beauty and gets products to review directly from companies and PR firms, more shampoos and facial products didn't set my motor racing, but most people are not beauty reviewers so the gift bag would surprise and delight with many useful items  From experience, I can see that the sheer amount of products in the bag could add up to a goodly sum.  Here are the items I found in my gift bag:   Pantene Restore Beautiful Lengths Replenishing Mask; Essie Nail Polish in Jelly Apple; Fleexies Instant Slimmer Tank Top (in medium);  A bag with (Maybelline New York Volum’ Express Mascara, Maybelline New York Eye Studio in Green Envy and Maybelline New York Champagne Shimmer Lipstick); Olay Regenerist Advanced Anti-Aging Eye Roller (love this product!);  Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant; Yes to Cucumbers Hypo Allergenic Towelettes; Clearasil Ultra Overnight Face Lotion; Clearasil Ultra Overnight Serum; $50 Gift Card to Patty Tobin Fine Fashion Jewelry; Veet Supreme Essence Hair Removal Gel Cream; Pureology Serious Colour Care Pure Volume Shampoo and Pureology Serious Colour Care Pure Volume Conditioner (these can run $28.00 each and up):  Gillette Venus Embrace Razor; Kiwi Express Shoe Shine Wipes;  and a Kenneth Cole New York Umbrella;   Outlander  by Diana Gabaldon paperback book; mini Ugg boot key chain (really cute). and a $200 Laser Hair Removal Gift Card to Completely Bare Spa.  Judge for yourself if the Gift Bag and first crack at the clothes, is worth the additional VIP ticket cost.  If you go to Lucky Shops for serious bargains, and not just for fun, you need to be a savvy shopper to know what the deals are.  For example, a ring being advertised for $39.00 is, I researched later on, just  $42.00 retail, so that's not much of a  savings.  But the Sam Edelman pony hair oxford shoes I couldn't resist at $90.00 were current season and priced at $180.00 -- a bargain!  It also helps if you are a small size as the majority of items were sized 0-8 with less choice in medium and large. This isn't bargain basement shopping, either. Almost everything is 30% to 60% off retail, but most things are still $100+. There used to be more give-aways and a few $5 , $10, and $10 bins of bargains, but this year, I didn't see any. Still, women were shopping up a storm, ringing their arms with $300 and $400+ handbags, and festooning themselves with jewelry. Access to designer clothes like this must be heaven for out of town shoppers, maybe a little less so for New Yorkers, but there were plenty of both, and everyone was having a great time. 

Alas, even the deep discounts can make a deep dent in your wallet. And this is important:   bring a credit card.  It is  the only form of currency accepted. 

I used my American Express card, of course.  This year American Express did something special for their young, ZYNC Card members -- they had special benefits including: Early access to ticket sales before the general public; Fifteen percent (15%) off the regular price of tickets; Access to preview shopping on Friday and Saturday; Early access to Lucky Shops via exclusive ZYNC Cardmember entrance when with a valid ZYNC Card; The fantastic, ZYNCSM Boutique- with merchandise from Lucky’s favorite designers, such as Tucker, Alex Woo, Twinkle by Wenlan, Tina Tang, and Yumi Kim. The Boutique also offered people a chance to win signature pieces from Yumi Kim, etc and, of course, you would sign up for the Zync card right at the event.  If you are a responsible young person with a job and can pay your bills in full, you can get a ZYNC card for an annual fee of just $25.00 and start enjoying some of the traditional benefits American Express offers all cardmembers, and also special events and benefits for ZYNC cardmembers. You can add "packs" (including a fashion pack) to your card for $25.00 a pack (and some, like an eco pack and a philanthropic pack, are free).  These packs give you even more access and benefits throughout the year from music, to sports, to fashion...whatever your interests are.  For ZYNC card members who couldn't attend Lucky Shops, American Express, for example, AmEx is providing consumers with access to shop the ZYNC Lucky Shops on-site designer boutique online at boutiques.refinery29.com  (going on through April 2011). Fashionistas will can seek advice from Lucky Alpha Shopper Bloggers via e-mail,  while perusing the online store. ZYNC Card members can also access a Cardmember-only ZYNC Boutique and having early access to the Daily Deals (some really cute stuff)!   

Start planning for next year's Lucky Shops: http://www.luckyshops.com/

Get the American Express Zync Card

Check out the American Epress ZYNC Facebook page at facebook.com/zync  

follow @AmericanExpress on Twitter

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me.  You can show your interest and support by subscribing to this blog. Several options are available on the right hand side of this blog. Also, you can follow me on Facebook and Twitter  (@advicesisters).  You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column  on the Examiner.com.   *I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

Sensational Smashbox Gifts for Holiday 2010

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Davis Factor, co-creator of Smashbox Cosmetics. The last name "Factor" might ring a bell, as Davis and his brother Dean, are the grandsons of another very famous makeup artist and cosmetics mogul: Max Factor. Apologies to Davis from one photographer to another, but I didn't have my camera with me, so the photos are Blackberry quality.  To get an idea of how great the product really are, visit www.smashbox.com 

 

I've always been a huge fan of these high performance, pro-style, user-friendly, glamorous products.  They help make your look, flawless, even if you only have minutes to spare.

Smashbox is differentiated from other makeup brands by the fact that it was literally born in a photo studio, to be used by professional makeup artists (as well as consumers at home).

Bring one or more of the Smashbox  holiday 2010 collection (called "WISH") into your life for the holidays, and for gifts, and do good as well as look good. The company will donate a portion of proceeds of the Wish Holiday Collection to The Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit that provides care and invests in life-saving research for millions of sick or injured kids. With great gift sets and amazing values, how can you resist?

Here's the lineup of Smashbox for Holiday 2010:

FOR STOCKING STUFFERS AND THE BUDGET MINDED: there are beautifully boxed Smashbox gift sets that won't break your budget, but be warned: they will cause breakouts...of big grins!

Wish for the Perfect Pout ($29.00) - A limited-edition set of six, sheer gorgeous glosses including exclusive holiday shades. This is a $96.00 retail value. The colors are sheer and shimmery, and make even lifeless lips look sexy. But there are six in the box, so if you're really strapped for the holidays, split up the box between two friends, or give six friends a stocking stuffer they will really love. This is such a great value full of beautiful and silky shades from deep plum to light nude that at less than $30.00 you will be tempted to keep them all for yourself. And why not?

Wish for the Perfect Pencils ($16.00) - These creamy, long-wearing, waterproof Smashbox eyeliners provide bold color that doesn’t smudge or budge for up to eight hours. Includes Onyx, Orchid, Graphite, and 14K. These are a $50.00 retail value, to delight an eye pencil fan or for yourself, to add some smashing (pun intended) colors to your eye pencil wardrobe.

BIG DEALS - All of these nicely boxed Smashbox gift selections are affordable and impressive:

Wish for Gold List ($49.00) - inside a "woven" metallic gold zippered makeup bag are four must-haves (with a touch of shimmer and gold) for the holiday season: a travel-size Photo Finish Luminizing Foundation Primer, Photo Op Under Eye Brightener, Fusion Soft Lights eye and cheek luminizer in Baked Starburst, and O-Gloss Gold (a new, gold shimmered version of the amazing O-Gloss--I defy your lips not to look awesome with a simple slick of this gloss).

Wish for the Perfect Primers ($39.00) - a great look requires a great foundation. This set has Smashbox's wonderful, 1 oz. Photo Finish Foundation Primer, 0.0 oz. Photo Finish Lid Primer, and a 0.375 Travel-sized Photo Finish Targeted Pore & Line Primer. Smashbox primers really make your face a smooth and workable "canvas" and they're a step you can't ignore if you really want a polished, perfect look. This set, by the way, is a $72.00 value.

Eye Wish Palette ($45.00) - if you love eye makeup, you will die for this limited-edition eye palette with a dozen shadows, four cream eyeliners, and mini versions of Photo Finish Lid Primer and Mini Lash DNA Mascara. This gift is a $245.00 retail value--and it looks every bit of it, even though it costs about the same as dinner out. The nicely boxed set comes in a re-use able, shiny, gold fabric, mirrored keepsake box. The generously sized squares of pressed powder eye shadow are in matte and shimmer formulas. Even better, there's an "Eye Wish Look Book" with strips of different looks and specific "how-to" for each one, literally in a cello envelope sleeve right under the interior mirror. You can't go wrong, and you'll get a chance to try different looks and play around with color. This is the absolutely perfect gift for a woman who loves makeup, or a younger woman who wants to play, and learn with great products. It's a deal!

EXCLUSIVE GIFTS: one  is at Sephora,  the other, Ulta. Both are beautiful and exceptional values:

The Wish List $49.00 (value $108.00) is exclusive to Sephora. It makes a mighty impressive gift that is still within the realm of affordability. Inside a nice box are five Smashbox essentials to make your look, come alive: travel size Photo Finish Foundation Primer; Photo Op Under Eye Brightener, Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner in "Midnight Black," the new, O-Gloss in "Gold" (so gorgeous that you don't even need a lispstick--it's a must-have for everyone) and a Fusion Soft Lights in "Baked Stardust" (shimmery shades of bronze, copper, gold that flatter every skin tone--swirl together as a highlighter, use individually, or even on eyelids).

The Wish for the Perfect Palette ($59.00 -- value $160.00+) is exclusive to Ulta. Now it's my "go-to-for-everything" when my makeup has to be right, and done quickly!  Inside a gold, metallic cardboard box is a large (bout the size of two paperbacks), shiny black, hard-sided, cardboard compact that unfolds to reveal a mirrored interior with a full level of eye shadows, plus two pull-out drawers, and more Smashbox makeup items than you ever dreamed you could own: 49 pressed powder eye shadows, 10 cream eye liners, 6 brow powders, 1 brow wax, 8 lip glosses, 2 blushes, 1 bronzer, 1 highlighter, and 4 mini brushes (shadow, liner, angled brow, lip). You also get a little "get the look" booklet with some suggestions for applying some of the products and colors. It may seem that when you have this many colors, you might not find them universally flattering, but somehow, they are! The collections were put together so that there are many favorite colors, and a few trendy or riskier shades that you can try, but they're not in tones that are so "out there" that you would be afraid to use them. This set is the ultimate for any makeup lover, or for someone who doesn't have a clue, is stuck in a makeup rut, and, of course, a little splurge for you.

If you want to get some truly glam makeup for yourself or someone else this holiday season, make it Smashbox and help "give back" and well as get gorgeous! You can find Smashbox products at http://www.smashbox.com/ ,  Sephora, sephora.com, inside JC Penny, Ulta ulta.com, Nordstrom, beauty,com and select Macy's stores.

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

Nineteen NEW Books to Read, Reflect, Give

Do you love to read?  So do I!  Books are an investment that pay you back in memories, ideas, skills, and inspiration, for a lifetime.  Whether you prefer to read read books online, or on an electronic book reader (personally, I'm resisting them),  or in the good old fashioned print-on-paper form, the 19 books in this review will enhance your life or someone else's. They are all recent publications, and in bookstores now.  Some are perfect reads for today, and some will make lovely gifts for the holidays.  Presented below ere are my selections for November 2010:


SELF HELP and RELATIONSHIPS:

Fight Less, Love More - 5 Minutes Conversations to Change Your Relationship  without Giving in or Blowing Up by Laurie Puhn, JD (Rodale Books 2010) is not written by a psychologist or doctor, but by a different type of "relationship expert" -- a lawyer.  Certainly, attorneys spent a lot of time listening to, and deciphering, what's behind people's words, to solve their conflicts and win juries to their point of view.  The author breaks down the types of conversations ordinary couples have every single day, and suggest better ways to improve the discourse so that the outcome is positive instead of negative. The advice really isn't at all new (e.g. "pick your battles, remember to say nice things to your partner every day, don't broadcast your troubles,  etc) but the book is well organized and easy to follow.  If you feel your relationship has begun to falter, the author gives easy to implement, sound advice.  Absorb the "grandma wisdom" and take the steps suggested to re-energize your relationship. 

I have always loathed the term "cougar" to describe an older woman "stalking" a younger man for love, as if he were "prey." So I wasn't amused that Hunting Season, A Field Guide for Targeting and Capturing the Perfect Man by Elle, Avon A 2010) uses that same type of analogy, but clearly geared towards young women hunting for a husband, a boyfriend, or a lover.  The Author, "Elle" (she tries to elevate her star status by using just one name and not stating any degrees or qualifications) doesn't appear to have the creds to write a book about dating and relationships. Her very short bio says she works in hedge fund operations and "hunts by night" but doesn't even say if she has had personal success in  "stalking and bagging" her own "kill." Honestly, you have to have a gimmick these days to get noticed, so I'll give the author props for being somewhat clever. But I personally was turned off by suggesting that men are "animals" and using hunting analogies to teach the skills a woman needs to "stalk a guy and "bring him down" (as in, kill or shoot him). Furthermore, there's nothing unique about what's in the book.  I have written several dating books, and I know that they're only as good as what you take away from the printed page.  he ideas may not be new, or even good, but if one or two, work ideas get you where you want to be, then you'll appreciate the book for what it is. . The writing is light and not too-too serious, so it's actually a fun read.  If you have a friend who is down in the dating dumps and really wants a lasting relationship,  I wouldn't suggest this book.  Get her/him a serious book like the one The Advice Sisters penned a while back:  Recruiting Love - Using the Business Skills You Have to Find the Love You Want by Alison Blackman Dunham and Jessica Blackman  Freedman .  If you have a friend who just likes to play around, or really does like hunting (with gun, bow and/or  arrow) The Hunting Season will be a fun read.  Just don't give her/him real amunition!

When you're not looking, you can miss the things that can enhance your life. Beauty and the Soul - The Extraordinary Power of Everyday Beauty to Heal Your Life by Peiro Ferrucci (Tarcher/Peguin 2010) is a bit abstract, but it brings home the essential point that how we view the world around us and use the beauty the surrounds us, can make us healthier, and happier. Ferucci is a psychotherapist and philosopher, and he writes like one. The font in this chunky paperback is so small, I could barely read it, and it is written in a rather dry, academic style, but if you can wade through the psych-speak the message is simple: take time to look at, appreciate, and absorb the beauty that is around you. By so doing, you make life easier, more satisfying, and yes, even more fun. Beauty, and beautiful things, are all around us if we choose to look for it, and at it. This book crystallizes the who, what, where and why. This is a nice book to read around the holidays, when people sometimes feel a bit "blue." Package it with a soothing sounds CD and a beautiful candle, for a gift that will do good as well as look good. Even his Holiness the Dalai Lama, apparently liked it!

Email. Texting. Social Networking.  Online dating. We have been reduced by computers, and "sound bytes" to minimal and sometimes, artless, communication.  But when someone near you is in real distress, it is hard to comfort them with "OMG! or "WTF?"  The Art of Comforting  - What to Say and Do for People in Distress by Val Walker Tarcher/Penguin 2010) gives us some real ways to connect on a personal level. Whether the situation calls for comforting a child, or a co-worker, or a spouse that is suffering. most of us really do not know what to say, how to act, or what to do.  In the case of serious suffering, some people feel so afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing that they just "disappear" at the very time that other person needs them the most. Maybe it is a sad commentary on our society that we need to learn (or re-learn) how to be compassionate, but the author gives good tips for listening and responding, offering little gifts and acts of kindness to those who need them, without feeling foolish or fearful of offending.  The subject may not be "happy" or amusing, but it is an important one. The way you interact with others in need of comfort can change their lives, as well as yours. Get it, and read it

Cancer is still one of the most virulent killers of our time. While treatments have come a long way, and longevity rates continue to rise for some cancers, the "C" word still strikes fear in many people’;s hearts. And, if you have ever survived a cancer, or have had to watch a loved one or friend experience it, you know that their lives, and ours, will be altered forever. No matter how determined and how upbeat, the journey of going from cancer patient to survivor can be grim. Fran Padgett’s book: Breast Cancer, No One Chose This Journey (Bayou Publishing, 2010) showcases the stories of 30 friends and others she has met. The book is full of Ms. Padgett’s artwork, illustrating each of the stories. Personally, I didn’t’ much care for Padgett's paintings.  And, while I appreciate the genuine effort and emotion put into every page, I found the stories to be very depressing.  I believe the book is meant to be uplifting, to show that no one is alone in the struggle to survive breast cancer, but many, if not most of the stories are about those who fought and  lost their battle with cancer.  The pages of hope, fear, disappointment and loss are peppered with what feel to be a genuine river of tears. The stories are powerful, and personal, but they were hard to handle. Read it with a box of tissues.


BIOGRAPHY and AUTOBIOGRAPHY:

"Disturbing" is the one word I'd use to categorize Please Stop Laughing at Me - One Woman's Inspirational Story by Jodee Blanco  (Adams Media 2010). The victim of real-life bullying as a child and all the way through high school, Jodee Blanco knows first hand how vicious bullying can get out of hand, and literally, destroy a young person's life.  Her courageous, real-life story as a victim of bullying had me squirming, alternately feeling terribly sorry for her, and being annoyed that she couldn't, somehow, get her tormentors to stop.  But, it seems, her parents, her friends, and even the educational system failed her.  There are stories of bullies (and often, they are girls) broadcast constantly in the media. It is a serious, life-altering and sometimes, life-ended situation that has even spread to the Internet with deadly consequences.  The story is a must-read for parents, even if they can't imagine their child could ever be bullied. For anyone who has been a victim of bullying and survived, reading this book will be a validation.  Thankfully, I have never been bullied, nor would I ever have considered torturing someone else in that way, but it certainly opened my eyes to the issues, the problems, and the unbelievable pain that these kids experience.  Well done!

Bad Girls Go Everywhere The Life of Helen Gurley Brown, The Woman Behind Cosmopolitan Magazine by Jennifer Scanlon (Penguin 2010) is a very interesting biography of a woman who helped a generation of women change the way they viewed their own sexuality, and the way men and women related to one another.  Young women today may not even really remember Helen Gurley Brown's ground-breaking book: Sex and the Single Girl, published in the 1962.  But that little book started the culture of the “fun, fearless single girl” who didn't feel guilty about having sex outside of marriage as long as she did it on her own terms. Helen Gurley's Brown's single girl loved every minute of her single life (until she finally found the right man, if ever, and settled down with him). As long time Editor in Chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine, Ms. Brown did more than act as a figurehead for a women's magazine, she helped generations of women feel good about their  lives and their sexuality.  She gave them "permission" to enjoy sexual freedom at time when women were still quite repressed. Bad Girls Go Everywhere chronicles Brown’s life from her early childhood in the Ozarks, to her high powered life as a magazine editor to her accomplishment after Cosmopolitan.  She was named powerful women over age 80 in 2008 by Slate Magazine. But despite extolling the virtues of the fun, fearless single girl, Brown has been a devoted wife to Producer, David Brown, obsessed with looking her best at all times, being sure her husband was treated like a King, at home, and staying unrealistically fit and thin. Still, Helen Gurley Brown helped usher in the sexual revolution that women today take for granted, and her life and struggles make for page-turning reading!


FOR YOUR COFEE-TABLE:

In decades past, when you heard the word "cigarette," it was synonymous with sophistication and glamour.  These days, it tends to evoke a different meaning.  But The Cigarette Book by Chris Harrald and Fletcher Watkins (both of whom worked in advertising, among other things -- Sky Horse Publishing, 2010)  is a literal A-to-Z compendium of tobacco ephemera and facts.  The book doesn't try to be an academic tome about smoking, tobacco or the industry.  It just lays out interesting tidbits, along with a trip down memory lane for those who are interested in the topic.   It is colorful both in illustrations and examples.  Consider this book as a holiday gift for a friend who just can't quit, or one, who did.

Rejection isn’t pleasant to deal with, but LetOther People’s Rejection ters, edited by Bill Shapiro (Clarkson/Potter Publishers 2010) will make at best, make you feel better about your own trials and tribulations (especially if you are job hunting and/or looking for love), or at least amuse you enough to divert your attention from your own own miseries for a moment. The collection of entertaining "missives" are letters, postcards, Emails, and even texts and things written on scrap paper, compiled by Mr. Shapiro through friends and associates, and other sources.  The "authors" of these little masterpieces of rejection run the gamut from note-ables such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, who told his own daughter in a letter:  "what you have done to please me or make me proud is practically negligible," to text messages and emails from modern, spurned lovers who aren't quite as eloquent, but equally direct.  We tend to think of rejection letters are being mostly for love and work, but people get rejected for a variety of things, a variety of ways.  For example, there's one from a medical insurance carrier, rejecting a request for coverage for a breast reduction. Most of these rejection communications are humorous,  because they’re not directed towards you, and they’re complied after the sting of the rejection has long passed.  But they illustrate the undeniable fact that no one gets through life without a few "disses" once in a while, no matter how famous, successful or well intentioned. This book is fun to flip through, and it would be a perfect book for someone who needs a pick me up, or leave it on your guest room night-stand!

It's hard to take The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex by Kristen Schaal and Rich Blomquist (Chronicle Books 2010) too seriously.  For starters. it has a spoof on the famous painting, Birth of Venus, with a do-eyed brunette wearing panties and a bra, and sports socks standing in the iconic "shell,"  with a crazy-looking couples with lots of "big hair" as cherubs. in the left hand corner. That should be a clue that while this book is a little bit "joy of sex," it's authors are more "Rivers & Murphy"( Joan and Eddie) than Masters & Johnson.  There are some actual tips in this book,. but the author admit they're not really qualified sex advisers.  So why buy the book?  It's momentary,silly fun. The illustrations are cute, and it would make a wacky wedding shower gift for one of those "Couples" showers where nothing else quite fits the theme. Leave it on your guest room's bedside table., for those who simply can't sleep well in strange bedrooms.


Books for Chicks - No review is complete without at least a couple of  "gilty" pleasures:

The Overnight Socialite by Bridie Clark (Weinstein Books, 2009) grabs you from the first page and takes you on a classic,  chic-lit ride all the way through to the end.  Lucy Ellis is the classic Pygmalion tale made modern, amidst the glitter and glam of the world of socialites, and fauxcialites.  The writing is fast-paced, the characters, distinct. While the story isn't really new (a "nobody" down on her luck is plucked from the street to be remade into something else and fool society) there are plenty of new twists, references to labels and restaurants plucked right from the Big Apple, and, of course, love, betrayal, and maybe, success?  (you'll have to pick it up and read it to find out).

Fake Perfect Me by Kari Kamm (Two Harbors Press 2010) features Isabella Reynolds, the eptiome of a  NYC party girl. She's not yet 30, but had a successful beauty company, a rich boyfriend, an adored puppy, and lots of fabulous friends. She dines at fabulous places, goes to fabulous clubs, and wears nothing but designer labels. When she needs additional strength, she wears (one) of the Kruggerands she inherited, that helped her start her own skin care line. Sounds perfect? Maybe not. The girl has an eating disorder. This could have been handled by the author in a more serious manner, but it's just an "anchor" in the plot.  Ms. Kamm could have delved into this more deeply, nd made the book more than just a "story." Still, Isabella learns the truth as real life impinges on her fantasy that no one has it all, and no one is truly perfect -- but you'll find the book to be a perfectly fun read!



 

CRAFTS, FASHION and ENTERTAINING:

Tea is not just a comfort, it is a social ritual, especially during the holiday season.  You Can Do Tea by Sandy Lynam Clough  (Havest House Publishers, 2010) is a pretty, hard-covered gift book that would make a lovely part of a "gift basket" along with a lovely tea, muffin or scone mix, and jam. The beautifully illustrated book shows the reader how "anyone can do tea", with recipes, decorating ideas, even what to wear and how to start a "tea group." In all honesty,  the book has very, very elementary information that most adult women already know.  But it is so beautifully presented and illustrated, you'll enjoy taking a moment to look at it, anyway.  It is most ideal for a young woman who longs to be a "hostess," but doesn't know how.

Entertaining with a tea party has been one of life's little pleasures that people have indulged in for generations, and in every culture. Two new books by certified tea specialist Lisa Boalt Richardson (Harvest House Publishers 2010) will have you thinking in new ways about making tea, taking tea with friends and even cooking with tea. Tea with a Twist - Entertaining and Cooking With Tea offers suggestions for eight different themed tea parties, offering ideas from decorations, to food. The illustrations are lovely, the recipes, do-able and delicious. Imagine hosting an “All About Chocolate” tea party this holiday season, or perhaps, an Indian Chai High Tea, complete with appropriate dishes to compliment the spicy chai. Also beautifully illustrated with complimentary food suggestions and recipes, is Your World in A Teacup, Celebrating Tea Traditions Near and Far. The author presents themed tea ideas from China, England, Kenya, Russia, Iran, France, Morocco, and the United States. Even if you didn’t hold a tea party, the recipes are good enough to copy, save and use for other occasions. These are generously-sized gift books that will entice you, and delight your favorite chef, gourmet, or hostess.

Whether you're just low on funds this holiday season, or, like me, you just love to put a little bit of yourself into every gift you give, by making it by hand, Gifts Cooks Love: Recipes for Giving by Diane Morgan & Sur La Table (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2010) will give you lots of beautifully illustrated and explained "how-to" ideas for great food gifts, along with ideas for packaging and wrapping. There are even suggestions for gift labels that explain the gift and how to use it.  The book was created with kitchenware retailer Sur La Table and the presentation of the gifts is stunning.  Whether you are a novice and just want to put together non-cook gifts such as Backyard BBQ Rub, or like me, you love canning and want to whip up jellies, chutneys and perhaps A big, beautiful, Biscotti Christmas Tree, there are ideas in this book for you.  Some take a lot of time, some are as simple as putting dried mushrooms into a pretty container. No matter what skill level you are, you'll enjoy trying, and eating, these recipes. The book is eye candy for a cook, or someone who wants to be.  Grab one for yourself and one all those people on your gift list who would love DIY goodies. You may just be thanked back---with a beautiful gift of food!

A year ago in November, 2009, I recommended a book by Stacey J. Miller called 101 Recipes for Microwave Mug Cakes: Single Serving Snacks in Less Than 10 Minutes, by Stacey J. Miller (BPT Press, October 2009). The little paperback provided recipes for snack cakes cooked in your favorite tea or coffee mug,  using little more than your microwave, some vanilla pudding, some flavorings, and a few teaspoons of all purpose flour. I liked them so much, the author, Ms. Miller, used my endorsement on the back cover of a new, microwave mug cake version: 101 Recipes for Gluten-Free Microwave Mug Cakes: Single Serving Snacks in 10 Minutes or Less (BPT Press, October 2010).  I wish I could love this version as much as the first, but I don't.  My first problem with this new book of recipes is that some of the ingredients are somewhat  exotic and might be difficult to obtain.  In addition, unless you are planning to make a lot of these individual serving-sized mug cakes, you may waste a lot of money on unused portions of the ingredients. For example, to make the Blackberry Muffin Microwave Mug Cake you need to use just 2 tablespoons of Yoplait blackberry Yogurt, and 2 tablespoons of vanilla JELL-O pudding (guess you can eat the rest of these), but also tiny ( 1/4 or 1/2  tsp.) amounts of guar gum, xantham gum, or tapioca flour, gluten-free millet, gluten free sorghum flour, potato starch, and  among other things.  Some other recipes call for baby food, or, perhaps one tablespoon of something like canned pumpkin that is usually sold in inflexible, and fairly large amounts.  I love the idea of making something quick, easy and affordable. The mug cake idea is great.  However, for this gluten free version, you will have to invest in ingredients that you might not normally use and that might spoil while you're waiting to make more mug cakes.  For that reason, I didn't test the recipes, but based on the last book,  I'm guessing these are good.  If you are really allergic or sensitive to products that have gluten in them, these healthy, yummy little mug cakes,  could be a godsend.

Do you love earrings, but haven't a big budget to buy them? The Earring Style Book by Stephanie A. Wells (Random House 2010) offers 40 different earring designs that you can make with minimal time, effort and tools. Ms. Wells is a jewelry designer, and her step by step instructions will help you create a dream wardrobe of earrings–some in as little as an hour. Although many of the designs are similar plays on the same theme, they give you an opportunity to learn how to create some basic designs, and then elaborate on them.  With time and experience, you'll be making your own designs, using the book's instructions as a jump-off point.  The book is well illustrated, with easy to follow instructions. You may not be able to get all the semi-precious stones that the author uses in the designs, but you can substitute with beads, or other stones just as easily.  The book made me want to rush right out and get some wire, pliers and beads and get started! Whether you make earrings for yourself, or as holiday gifts, this is a great DIY craft book. Get one for yourself now, and make gifts for the holidays and wardrobe-enhancing accessories for yourself.

Before I started writing about beauty, fashion and lifestyles,  I was a certified image and color consultant. I was convinced that everyone really can wear just about every color–it’s just a matter of intensity and tone.  The guidelines I used were created by Beauty for All Seasons:  "The Four Season Concept of Color."  The Four Season Concept offered only four color palettes -  two cool: Winter and Summer, and two warm: Fall and Spring. The Color of Style by stylist David Zula (Dutton/Penguin 2010), modernizes this four season color.  The author suggests six archetypes that possibly might reflect your look, within the four season color concept. For example, Mr. Zula  claims that not all Springs are alike,  so he presents a variety of options within each season with five true colors, and three base colors, plus your "archetype" --and he runs down the options from soup-to-nuts, including what he feels should be your signature fragrance.  While I like the idea of personalizing the four season color concept, Mr. Zula’s ideas are complicated and if I found them a bit overwhelming, you may feel it, too.  Most people can't really tell an ecru from an ivory or an eggshell --that level of sophistication only comes with a discerning eye and a lot of practice.  Furthermore, I'm wary when someone suggests (to total strangers) what their signature scent should be, or what fabrics they would like to wear. This type of formula takes away the decisions from the clueless, but it also makes them slaves to a formula. My final issue with the otherwise interesting way to view color and styles is the author's use of celebrities to tell us what we want to look like. Still, the book is full of style points, and for that, I give it points, too!

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

Play for Her by Givenchy Pink and Purple-Perfect!



Justin Timberlake and actress Noot Seear at the Eiffel Tower

There are so many fragrances out on the market, and so many new ones arriving every month, that sometimes it seems hard to distinguish between them, But Givenchy has created Play for Him and Play for her, and they're eye-catching. The new, Play for Her Eau de Parfum comes in two different versions, and they are packaged in a unique and modern way. There is a "pink" and "purple" version of Play for Her, and the flacons are not traditional bottles.They are sleek oblongs encased in pink or purple metal cases.  They are decorated to look like an Mp3 Player  and are about the same size as an iPhone. They have a very tactile quality.  If you want to take your "Play" with you, the metal casing, and the recessed spray diffuser that designed into of the bottle, makes it easy.




With superstar Justin Timberlake as the "Face" along with a pretty actress.model, Noot Seear, and a bottle that is a nod a young, electronics-dependant generation, I wonder what "story" was presented for perfumers Emilie Coppermann and Lucas Sieuzac. Perhaps they were given the task of making a fragrance something that is really fun to "play" with. Play for Her is available in two editions and I'm assuming they'd both be classified as "floriental." There is pink Play For Her with a floral/gourmand quality to it, and of light to medium intensity (depending upon how much you spray on yourself).  And there is the purple Play for Her, which is more intense, and really brings out those gourmand, creamy notes. Personally, I like the purple one better because it is more seductive --  but they're both pretty.   Top notes include pink peppercorn, white peach and orange blossom, followed by the heart of magnolia, Tiare flower and orchid, wrapped with the base of sandalwood, patchouli, tonka bean and benzoin.  No matter which version you choose (if you don't get both), you'll find the scent to be elegant and very, very nice to wear.  People will stop and ask you what you are wearing.  I was informed that when the skin of someone wearing Play Her meets the skin of someone wearing Play for Him, they blend together beautifully.  The possibilities, and the "play" concept, go beyond the simple forward and back buttons on the perfume bottle...they are obvious!

The 1 fl. oz. size is affordable and tote-able (just don't mix it up with your Mp3 player and try to scent yourself with your iPod instead of your perfume)! 

It goes without saying that Play for Her will be a coveted, Holiday gift- there will be a holiday set with two adorable mini-sized Play for Her Flacons--can't wait to see them.  If you see the holiday gift set grab it!  They aren't going to last long.

THE COLLECTION: 

1 oz Eau de Parfum Spray - $47.50
1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray - $68.00
2.5 oz Eau de Parfum Spray - $79.50


Visit Sephora or Sephora.com or Givenchy online

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html

American Express Zync Card Members at Lucky Shops, How Lucky Can You Get?

Oh!  To be young again!  Many have uttered that cry, but for those who really are under the big 3-Oh, American Express has a special charge card called ZYNC that lets fashionistas into LUCKY SHOPS early, and with special benefits. If you have a ZYNC card you're really in luck, because LUCKY SHOPS STARTS TODAY!

you can even re-use the bags you get to tote your goodies from Lucky Shops

Each year, Lucky Magazine also hosts LUCKY SHOPS, a three-day discount shopping event held at the Metropolitan Pavilion, a popular event space for sample sales and fashion week runway shows, eagerly anticipated and always sold-out event makes the pages of Lucky Magazine come to life. The shopping extravaganza attracts people of all ages who (for a fee) are able to purchase fashion items from some of the most high-end designers, with price-tags that bring these items into the realm of reality for non-celebrities and millionaires.Lucky Shops will take place at the The Metropolitan Pavilion on November 4-6, 2010. Tickets are almost always sold out.  “Lucky” designers from across the globe, from fashion icons to cult favorites (See by Chloe, Theory, Vena Cava and others) market and sell apparel, accessories, jewelry, and beauty products to “Lucky” uber-consumers, avid shoppers, designers, stylists, fashion insiders, socialites, celebrities, and media insiders.  The event will host over 7,000 attendees and proceeds will benefit Lucky’s charity partner Free Arts NYC. This organization provides under-served children and families with a unique combination of educational arts and mentoring programs (so cool!)

HERE IS THIS YEARS LUCKY SHOPS 2010 SCHEDULE:

10th ANNIVERSARY VIP SHOPPING PARTY Thursday, November 4  - 6PM - 9PM - $185.00*

FRIDAY PREVIEW PASS Friday, November 5 - 11AM - 8PM  - $40.00

FRIDAY GENERAL ADMISSION Friday, November 5 - 12PM - 8PM - $35.00

SATURDAY SHOP-A-THON Saturday, November 6 - 11AM - 5PM - $30.00

SAVVY SHOPPER 2-DAY PASS Friday November 5 - 11AM – 8PM  - and  Saturday November 6 -
11AM – 5PM - $60.00

Bonus! Included with ticket purchase is a one-year subscription to Lucky (a $12 value!) See offer & refund details. Visit http://www.luckyshops.com/ to purchase your tickets today!

MORE ABOUT THE AMERICAN EXPRESS ZYNC CARD:  I have been a long time customer of American Express and have had several different AmEx cards, but this ZYNC card is geared towards twenty-somethings.  You use it like a other AMEX credit cards, but you must pay your balance off each month. There is an annual fee (go to the American Express  ZYNC card Web Site ) but it is tiny: $25.00. You can accumulate points as with other AmEx cards, by adding "Paks" by interest for another small fee of $20.00.yr. (the "eco" pak is free).

At Lucky Shops, ZYNCSM Cardmembers enjoy exclusive Lucky Shops benefits, including:

Early access to ticket sales before the general public

Fifteen percent (15%) off the regular price of tickets*

Access to preview shopping on Friday and Saturday **

Early access to Lucky Shops via exclusive ZYNC Cardmember entrance when you show your valid ZYNC Card

ZYNCSM Boutique- shop for merchandise from Lucky’s favorite designers, such as Tucker, Alex Woo, Twinkle by Wenlan, Tina Tang, and Yumi Kim. The Boutique will also offer guests a chance to win signature pieces from Yumi Kim, etc.  There will be a personal shopper to help you as well (who wouldn't love the chance to have a personal shopper?).
ZYNC Card members will enjoy exclusive perks and privileges, including:


• Entry tickets 15% off the regular price at www.LuckyShops.com


• Quick pass to the event via a VIP entrance


• One hour early access prior to doors opening on both days


• Personal shoppers on-site to assist with any shopping and fashion queries


• A trendy purple scarf gift with any purchase on-site


• Immediate ZYNC Card member access and special gift via on-site acquisition

 
...I will be there tonight and will be tweeting from the event. Please tweet me @advicesisters and say HI if you are there or have questions you want answered about ZYNC or Lucky Shops!


Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me.  You can show your interest and support by subscribing to this blog. Several options are available on the right hand side of this blog. Also, you can follow me on Facebook and Twitter  (@advicesisters).  You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column  on the Examiner.com.   *I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

Lip Lovers Rejoice! DuWop Lip Colors are Covetable for You, For Gifts

Wouldn't it be great if you could find a lipstick shade you love, and then actually "tweak" it to make it your own?  It isn't a fantasy, you really can get your own, special shade, with DuWop's Private Lipstick $22.00.  Inside a striking, shiny, smooth, gunmetal case (that closes with a distinctive "click!") is a unique, color-changing lipstick that morphs into each woman's personal private shade.  "Private Red" is a rich, easy to wear red with just enough warmth so it doesn't look gaudy or ghoulish.  "Private Plum" is a creamy, warm pink-ish plum that is universally flattering.  "Private Nude" looks very light and fleshy, but mixed with the red, it makes a rich brick that's perfectly beautiful, Use it as a base for other lipsticks when you want to warm up and soften the color, or wear it with a slick of shimmery, tinted lip gloss.

The Private Lipstick Formula includes a blend of three, naturally derived pigments: annatto, hibiscus, and henna.  But what makes this lipstick extra-special is that it uses the technology behind the classic "mood lipsticks" of the seventies, to make each lipstick color just a little bit different on each person's skin. Annatto lends a rich pigment base, while hibiscus flowers offer gentle antiseptic properties, and henna leaves behind a long-lasting stain. Additional hydrating ingredients such as beeswax, castor oil, and Vitamin E keep the lip color lightweight and emollient. There are no Parabens, Sulfates, Petrochemicals, Phthalates,  GMOs or Triclosan

The lipsticks are some of the most luxurious, silky, hydrating, and flattering I've tried in years.  The pigments are rich and elegant, and they just make you feel special when you apply them.  As to the lip changing technology, if I remember correctly, your body heat changed those mood lipsticks garish colors from blue, yellow and green to a gaudy pink, orange or brown. But these DuWop lipsticks do NOT change color that dramatically nor do they turn garish colors.  Depending upon your body chemistry they may turn a bit more pink, or orange, but they're not going to look like you've experimented with leftover Halloween makeup! 

On my skin, Private Nude, for example, got a tiny bit deeper and warmer, but only by a degree, which is fine, because I liked it just "as-is."  When the lip color wears off, there is still a hint of stain left behind, making it great for dates, parties, and those long meetings where you can't go out and "touch up" without being a distraction.

....and here's even better news!  If you love these lipsticks you can get all three colors:  Private Nude, Private Plum and Private Red, in a trio of minis!

 Private Lipstick Trio There's nothing cuter than tote-able, min-sized versions of your favorite products.  You'll get a tiny "zip lock" carrying case containing  3 x 0.14 oz Private Lipsticks in Red, Plum, and Nude.  The hydrating beeswax, castor oil, and vitamin E help keep the lip color lightweight and emollient --and it gets even better!  The set is just $19.00 --a great value less than $6.50 each!

Du Wop's covet-able Lip Colors also include a new cult classic:  Venom Gloss $18.00 each full size (.35 fl. oz). The slant-tipped tubes of rich, lip color are more opaque than a gloss, but just as shiny. When you apply these silky glosses you'll quickly feel a pleasant tingle that helps to plump your lips with a secret blend of essential oils. They taste like spice with a hint of fruit,. Great colors, super-shine, and lip plumping, light reflecting great-ness. When you look in the mirror, you won't believe your eyes.  I just looked and silently said:: "'WOW!"

Now there is a holiday pack of all eight shades, in miniature 0.17 fl. oz. slant-tipped tubes called the "Gloss Candy Box" ($25.00) .  Enclosed in a holiday-themed box with snowflakes are DuWops's top eight colors:  buttercup, pink champagne, berry chill, wisteria, jessamine, tulip, oral tree and lantana. You can't beat this for a lip loving friend's holiday treat (and of course, you've got to get one for yourself at just a little over $3.00 each)!  You will get the same silky, hydrating, luxurious color and high shine along with the fabulous, lip plumping benefits that make these so covet-able.  If you are really strapped for cash this holiday season, you could break up the set for eight spectacular stocking stuffers, but I'm willing to bet when you see this collection of minis, you won't ever want to let them go!

Love DuWop?  So do I!  Visit the DuWop Web Site and shop online!

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics

and Fashion Review column