It's Sale Season! To Shop or Not To Shop?

                          

                                   Zac Posen at Neiman Marcus

Everybody loves a sale but not everyone loves sale time. This is the time of year when we are bombarded with sale notices coaxing us to come into a particular store for fabulous savings.  Our anxiety goes up threefold as we try to maximize on savings of some, otherwise unobtainable, expensive merchandise.  But catching the sales is like catching a falling knife. The precision of such a task is difficult. The schedule of events and mark down percentages are so complicated that one needs a spreadsheet just to make sense of them.  The following are a few suggestions to keep your cool and make smart decisions amidst the frenzy. 

Millinista Alert! Linleigh's Boutique Hat Finds for Spring

  
                    
                               My friends, Leslie, Lisa and Gabriella at Lotusland 

I recently received an invitation from my dear friend, Caroline Thompson, who was chairing a fabulous charity event for Girls Incorporated of Santa Barbara at the beautiful botanic gardens of Ganna Walska Lotusland.  For attire, it suggested "Garden Attire-Flats and Hats."

Prolific Peeping Toms

  TOMS canvas slip-on shoes
Two years ago, my then 18-year-old son, Alec, pointed out a pair of Toms  at Sportie LA, a crazy jammed packed shoe institution in Los Angeles. I immediately scoffed at his choice thinking the lightweight canvas slip-ons were inappropriate foot wear as his Vermont college has more snow, slush and mud days than sun days. But he sure knew how to spot a trend! Nowadays, Toms are showing up everywhere, offered in myriad styles and fabrics.  Suffice to say my practical side is now giving way to my emotional side. I can be fashionable and philanthropic this spring!

Toms was started in 2006, by an American, Blake Mycoskie, who befriended children in Argentina and discovered they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, vowing to match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. Since the launch of that program, One for One, Tom's has given over 400,000 of shoes to children in need. 

Check out Blake and some happy, young recipients below.

Come Fly With Me: Packing for a Carry on Baggage Weekend Trip

 

I had a packing conundrum this past weekend as I was preparing to travel to Houston for a four event Bat Mitzvah extravaganza.  Do I check my one bag and pay the $18.00 baggage fee and then wait and hope to get my bag at the other end?  Or do I figure out a way to carry on my 2 airplane allotted bags?  With my handbag counting as one bag, squeezing all my party outfits into a 21” roller board wasn’t going to be a stress free possibility.  I had the additional dilemma of timing my arrival with the start of the first party, so the extra 30-40 minutes waiting for my bag was going to be cutting into my precious cocktail hour. The voice of reason was rearing its stubborn head while contemplating the beauty of making this the ultimate packing challenge.  

Not Just a Tank Top...

 

I took my friend, Lissa out today for a quick post surgery shopping mall run in this torrential Los Angeles rain and I stumbled upon a fantastic find. Check out Express’s sequined tank. It comes in myriad colors: navy, black, graphite, sapphire, hot pink, nude, etc…  For $29.50, this 60% cotton/40% modal tank comes in sizes xxsmall-large. 

Golden Globes Red Carpet: Linleigh's Favorites and a Few Faux Pas

I especially love to watch the Golden Globes each year starting at 4 o'clock with the red carpet bit all the way to the bitter end. Drinking a glass of nero d'Avola and eating a red velvet moon pie while watching celebrities don beautiful gowns, I'm in golden globe nirvana. So what did I like? Who did I think wore it well? Let's start with Emily Blunt who chose a pale pink frothy gown by Dolce Gabbana. She was lovely. Her makeup was soft and she accessorized perfectly by just paying homage to her wrists.

 
                                       Emily Blunt   

Secondly, I loved Olivia Wilde's ensemble. She was sexy in her fully sequined jet and silver Gucci dress with the asymmetrical drape and just the appropriate cleavage for that neckline. Mariah Carey, take note.

 
                  Olivia Wilde 

Recycle, Recut and Rejoice! Getting Eco-Chic with an Old Suit

                    The Tuxedo 

 

I took a hard look at my closet this morning pondering what to wear this upcoming holiday season.   I have a few events where the dress is to be interpreted. The invitations read, “Come dress to impress” and “festive holiday cheer”.  Hmmm, I think, is it outside, with or without heating lamps? Are we standing or sitting?  I take all these details into consideration because no matter how fabulous the outfit is, if we have to cover it up with a warm coat because we're outside, then we should be focusing on what  fabulous coat to wear, not so much what’s underneath. 

The OTK Boot---A Sixties Rage Returns with a Vengeance

 
Barbarella 1968

 

I recently took stock of my own boot collection, one in which I've meticulously collected over the years like  pieces of fine jewelry. While reflecting on my own boot brood, the 1960's Armour Hot Dog jingle came to mind: "Big kids, little kids, kids who climb on rocks, short kids, skinny kids, even kids with chicken pox." Yes, they are like my children, each distinct, purposeful and varied. My boot portfolio can describe a veritable plethora of attitudes and can fill every boot wearing function: rain, snow, cowboy, modified cowboy, bootie, motorcycle, riding, pointy toe flat, pointy toe high, killer knee high 4' heel (the kind you need help peeling off) and even the native American fringe boot, I've still yet to wear. But I don't own this one.  I don't own an OTK boot, that is an "over the knee" boot.  So before you go "boo hoo", I am not saying I am buying the new and improved version, which by the way, Jane Fonda sported over forty years ago. I am just saying I don't own it. But if I were to purchase one, I want to share with you some of my favs.

Found: The Elusive Daytime Dress

                      

3.1 Phillip Lim cascading ruffle dress plum $675

Chic daytime dresses are hard to find. And if you do find one, it is frequently boring and uninspiring. Every woman should have at least one daytime dress in her closet to wear for events like a charity luncheon, a bridal shower, a funeral, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony or a "business" cocktail party. Today I found some great daytime dresses while shopping at Barneys CO-OP designer RTW. The Phillip Lim dress shown above would be appropriate for all those occasions mentioned with the exception of wearing it to a funeral. 

Let's Be Shoppertunistic: Linleigh's October Target Finds

My neighbor, Lissa, is a my coconspirator. She loves a good bargain, but who doesn't? So once a month the two of us make our Target pilgrimage to scoop up the goods. My favorite find was this washed leather-like trench coat. The fabric is supple and the fit is great. I got one for myself! 

Converse One Star Belted Outerwear Trench $59

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