Oct 30
After a year of no shopping, and hearing my cohorts who are now at the end of the diet talk about how they are still not shopping, I realize that I love that particular activity. More than ever. The year off only honed my taste level and made me more mindful, focused, and particular when I shop. I am better at it now. During the diet, I could see what fabrics failed me, wore out too fast, seemed like disposable clothes. I took a mental note of that and paid attention to the fact that three cheaply made sweaters are the same price as one great, long lasting one. I would rather have fewer things than things made with the idea that they can be tossed out because the item is so “cheap”.
I love shopping alone, I love shopping with my friends, I love finding out about new businesses, meeting the owners, and telling my clients where they might find what they are looking for. Even my salon on Queen Anne has a series of photos in each room, photos of women shopping in Paris. The photographer, Esther Sirotnik, uses digital film, but does not touch up the images, crop or change them. The shot above is the shot she captured that day. I love it that only the dog is aware. I adore these images (Ms. Sirotnik also has a book called Unexpected Paris) because it captures these women, who are all doing the same thing, but they are from all different parts of the world. The photos really do capture the feeling of why I love wandering through shops, the feel of fabrics, talking to the boutique owners about their businesses, seeing what kind of buyers they are and what they are passionate about.
You can see the photos on Monday, November 8th from 4PM to 7PM during the Olivine “pop up shop” we are having at my studio. Or go to Esther Sirotnik’s website. But I warn you….if you are still on the diet here looking at the photos is like a person off sugar looking at pictures of Trophy Cupcakes.
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Tagged with: Beauty Alert!, clothing diet, cosmetic hoarders, Esther Sirotnik, eyebrows, make-up expires, olivine, pop up shop, Stacya Silverman, TGAAD, toss your old make-up, trophy cupcakes, unexpected paris
Oct 08
Hi Ladies,
Do you hoard make-up and cosmetics? Are you a product junkie who cannot throw out anything? Contact me, I have a major magazine who wants to interview you. Must have a sense of humor about your hoarding.
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Tagged with: beauty alert labels, Beauty Alert!, cosmetics expire, Ladies Home Journal, make-up hoarders, old make-up
Aug 29
The Search for the Perfect Black Pants
I went shopping for the first time today in a year. (Not counting the times I cheated with the second hand items….) I went downtown with my friend Anna. I bought these beautiful black pants and a jacket. The jacket I might return, I am keeping it in the bag with the receipt because I am not sure about it. The pants are fabulous, it is so hard to find black pants with no pockets. I think what I am going to buy now is the basics, and go for quality, not quantity. I envy men that they can just throw on a suit and look great, and no one says “oh, we have seen that suit before”. So…this might be my suit.
More soon…..
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Tagged with: Anna Lauris, basic black pants, Beauty Alert!, Boynton, clothing diet, cosmetics expire, jackets, Label your cosmetics, Max Mara, Message Glue, Nordstrom, Sally's Rules, shopping, Stacya Silverman, suits, when to toss mascara
Aug 28
Sunday is in 2.5 hours from now. It will be the end of my year long “no shopping for apparel diet”. I said last week that I would go downtown and see what damage I could do. I got a post from a reader saying “Didn’t you learn anything from all of this?” I will say, yes, I did learn something!!!! I learned that I missed shopping with my girlfriends. I actually gave up something I love doing, and it ended up being a great way to learn to appreciate what I have, and really think about what I want. What is the point of giving up chocolate if you never liked chocolate? Are the people on this diet really never going to shop for clothes ever again after the year is up?
Although I have never been an out of control shopper, or freakishly impulsive, it did feel good to enjoy what I have — and take what I wasn’t wearing to the tailor to make it better. If it wasn’t possible to save with the tailor, I gave it away. But I do love a good clothing designer, I love seeing what people are creating, and I love visiting small businesses and seeing what the buyers are presenting. I love women’s apparel.
What ever your reason for starting this whole Sally thing, it will be an interesting year. Too bad stores aren’t open until 11:00 AM on Sundays. I will be downtown with my friends tomorrow, and next week, I will be in New York. I may buy something, or not, but I will be following many of Sally’s rules, combined with Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style rules. Only if I love it and it looks and fits great, and something I need. I will also be sticking to basics. More soon, with photos of what I actually get, if anything!
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Tagged with: Apparel Diet, Beauty Alert!, Beautyalert.biz, clothing, fashion, Sally's TGAAD, shopping, Stacya Silverman, Tim Gunn
Aug 22
In exactly a week, I will be off this “no shopping for clothes diet”.
I have to say, it has become easier as time went by. I thought it would be grueling towards the finish line. So, Sunday, August 29th I will go downtown and see what damage I can do.
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Tagged with: beauty, Beauty Alert!, clothes, clothing diet, expiration dates for cosmetics, fashion, mascara expires, shopping, Stacya Silverman, TGAAD
Aug 08
Today I took a walk downtown with my fellow TGAAD pal, who shall remain nameless. I will protect her identity because she not only cheated, (not as much as I have…) but she has no computer right now so she can’t confess her sins. Anyway, we had a great day window shopping, and it was nice to know that I wasn’t really tempted at all. Not because the clothes weren’t gorgeous, they were. It was more that I feel good about what I have, and I really liked hanging out with a friend looking at things, knowing the only money we would be spending would be at Cafe Campagne for lunch. (Yum). The shops we looked in were Baby & Co, which my pal thought was a maternity store for the whole time she lived here. Then, another fantastic shop, Alhambra. I love the look and feel of well made things, great fabric and good quality.
When I finally go shopping, my big rules will be: Must fit/hang well, made by a responsible company, and made well.
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Tagged with: Alhambra, Baby & Co., Beauty Alert!, Campagne, clothing diet, shopping, Stacya Silverman
Jul 18
This morning, I had to put on a winter sweater. In July. It is so cold here in the mornings now, I am starting bitch non stop on the side walk with clients I run into, or whoever else happens to be in my path. I am turning into one of those people who talk about the weather too much. Today my friend Sue came by to help me with a project, and we both started up immediately on the subject of the weather and how frumpy we looked. Just tryin’ to keep warm, we have to digg out late fall or even winter things. And they are usually in the shades of brown, beige, black, or grey. Not summer colors, but here we are all bundled up in our dreary wear.
Now here comes the idea for the a business. In this economy, I am hoping someone will do my friend Sue’s idea for a clothing line. The first thing she said when she started to tell me the idea is “I am NOT doing this. This idea is for someone else to do. Just sayin’”. Here is Sue’s idea: Why doesn’t anyone come out with a clothing line just for our weather? Why can’t we have clothes that are warm, and water proof, but cute and stylish? And in appropriate colors for the season we are in? The person or people who came out with this clothing line would for sure have a customer base in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and maybe parts of other states.
Why can’t coats be gortex and fabulous? I know some of you outdoorsy gals are going to try to convince me that REI coats are cute. They are not. Just so you know. They are practical, and can be tolerable. Cute they are not. And I think fleece is horrible. There are my thoughts. I am going shopping in like 40 days or something. We should have a countdown clock here. I will be on the look out for cute, water resistant coats in good colors, with a form fitting style. Let me know if you see anything like that, or decide to do Sue’s idea.
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Tagged with: beauty, Beauty Alert!, business, coats, creators of Beauty Alert, expiration date labels, fashion, jackets, july in seattle, Labels for cosmetics, Stacya Silverman, TGAAD, water proof
Jul 06
O.K. I am just sayin’. I think the diet is over for me September 10th, is that right Sally? But the deal is, and I am telling you now, I will be in New York on September 1st and I am going shopping. I am going shopping! And I am going to buy clothes, dammit. I ran into Stephanie Greco on my walk this morning, and we are both so done with this. Also, I went to a CEW (cosmetics executive women’s group) in NYC last week and I got a swag bag. The speaker was Bobbi Brown, so there was all this lip gloss from her, and a gift card for Hautelook.com So I used it on a bra, a camisole, and….pajamas. Are pajamas cheating? I will be breaking out of this on September 1st, 2010. Just sayin’.
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Tagged with: beauty alert labels, Beauty Alert!, Beauty Expiration date stickers, bobbi brown, CEW, haute.com, Stacya Silverman, Stephanie Greco, TGAAD
Jun 26
Ok. Just went to Newark on Alaska Airlines, and lost that yellow coat I bought. My client says it is pay back for cheating, some kind of punishment from the universe. I don’t think filling out the “lost and found” form online with Alaska will do me any good. I really don’t think I will ever see that coat again. Shoot!
How much more time do we have left? I talked to Stephanie Greco the other day, and we are both so ready for this to be over. But….I am glad I did it. I really do see how many clothes I do have and I have been wearing them. And I think I will be a better shopper when this all comes to a close. So, when is that? I am going to take that day off to shop.
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Tagged with: Alaska Airlines, beauty alert labels, Beauty Alert!, cosmetics expire, fashion, make-up expiration dates, sally bjornsen, shopping diet, Stacya Silverman, TGAAD
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