The Pippa Effect ~ 5 Tips to Dress Revealing without Showing Too Much

Do you remember the royal wedding last April and more importantly, which sister's dress can you vividly picture in your head right now? If you're thinking Pippa, you're not alone. People around the world couldn't stop talking about Pippa in her flattering, form fitted white bridesmaid dress and there was an insane amount of press specifically buzzing about her backside. As many women know when it comes to revealing clothing, whether you're covered or showing skin, there's a fine line between sexy and Snooki (who I just learned is preggers btw. Yikes!).

And speaking of Pippa, my friend Gigi and I were shopping a few months ago and spotted a long sleeve lace dress at H & M. We both bought it and she noticed Pippa wearing a lace H & M dress almost identical. The same photo of Pippa was just featured a couple days ago in my supermarket weakness, InTouch Magazine.

I wore the white lace dress a week ago on a SF hill lined with pastel painted homes. I carefully applied my personal "revealing clothes" rules and hopefully Pippa & Princess Kate would approve~

1. Long Sleeve Dresses = Conservative

 They're a popular trend right now and if you're totally covered on top, you can show more leg (bare or in tights). The same is true with the reverse showing more skin on top if you're wearing a longer skirt or pants.

2. Tone down MakeUp & Accessories

 

I was so excited when my friend Courtney who is a Stella & Dot stylist here in the Bay Area let me shop her collection and wear this Contessa Jade Necklace. I loved the contrast with the lace dress. I also used Nicki Minaj Viva Glam Nicki MAC lipstick, but made it subtle with a light gloss. Check out Stella & Dot here or for questions, email Courtney at courtneyjheinze@gmail.com

3. Take the Proper Precautions

If you're wearing any outfit remotely revealing and there's any chance you might slip, fall, or flash more than a smile; plan accordingly with the appropriate undergarments. In this day in age, you don't have to be a celebrity or a royal princess to have a creeper post a photo of you on the Internet.

  

4. Going Nude is Still in Style

I've posted about nude and neutral heels in the past and I could have worn other options, but nude heels are a great understated choice for dresses and skirts in all colors and patterns. Plus, they lengthen legs and put the focus on your outfit.

Potrero Hill neighborhood~These are baby San Francisco hills but they're still awful in heels.
Photos by Thomas Delgado Photography

DETAILS by Dale

5. Don't Forget about the Hair

How you style your hair is a big part of completing your look and I just discovered this quick style a few weeks ago when I read twists are the new braids for 2012. If you noticed on the Oscars red carpet, side swept hair was a hot trend on stars from Stacy Keibler to Maya Rudolph, but it's too fancy for day time. I wanted a more carefree casual style for this dress.

Three Minute Hairstyle~Here's what I did:

A. Brush all of your hair to one side

B. Take a small outer section and twist it around to create a loose side ponytail using your own hair as the hairband :)

C. Use a few bobby pins and hairspray to keep it in place.
Bonus: I'm also wearing Salon Perfect lashes (#53) that still look natural during the day.

I used this little faux flower clip to help keep it in place and hide a bobby.

What are your "revealing clothes" rules? I've noticed everyone has their own and rules vary widely between me, my friends, my mom and of course guys have their own opinions?

xoDale

(Sidenote) I just officially switched my site to http://www.savvyspice.com/ so the links might be acting weird for a day or two but will be fixed soon. Have a great week!

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Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Designers: Who was Best Dressed at Last Night's Oscars?

Awkward! I'm sure you saw or heard about Sacha Baron Cohen's latest publicity stunt for his new movie The Dictator. So what did he do on the red carpet before last night's 84th Academy Awards? He 'accidently' dumped an urn of Kim Jong II fake ashes (rumored to be Bisquick) all over an unsuspecting Ryan Seacrest. I felt bad for Seacrest who admitted later he knew something might be up when Sacha requested to be interviewed. The worst part was Sacha pulled his lame stunt on the safest bet in Hollywood.

Seacrest has built an empire between his hosting gigs, radio and television shows so he obviously wasn't going to freak out or cause a scene. Ryan is a pro and was visibly annoyed, but played it off well joking with his E! costars before simply changing into his spare Burberry tux jacket. What if Sacha Baron Cohen had tossed the ashes on someone like a feisty Kelly Osborne, a crazy Charlie Sheen or Chris Brown at the Grammy's? Then it would have been an actual scene; not to mention the risk of getting punched in the face and a choatic red carpet chase weaving through celebs. Borat 2.0 needs to step it up if he's going to get our attention after his Khazakhstan antics because last night's stunt was weak, rude and ultimately boosted Seacrest's publicity to a higher level.

But enough about Borat, let's talk fashion! Here's my picks of last night's winners, stars who got left in the dust and the debut of Angie's bony leg. Who were your faves?

Winner ~ A cape on the red carpet is a fashion risk, but I think Gwenyth Paltrow made it work in this Tom Ford gown and she killed it on stage with Robert Downy Jr.

Left in the Dust: This Giambattista Valli red gown was swallowing Emma Stone alive and unfortunately spit her out on the Oscars worst dressed list.

Winner- Octavia Spencer not only won Best Supporting Actress, she was one of the best on the red carpet in this form fitting Tadashi Shojr gown that gave her a flattering hour glass figure.

Left in the Dust: Kristen Wiig looked pretty and I liked the J Mendel gown but the color completely washed her out of the running for any chance on a best dressed list.

Winner ~ Does Guiliana Rancic have any time in her busy schedule to be Hollywood stylist because she is consistently one of the hottest celebs on the red carpet? She did it again last night in this Tony Ward number.

Left in the Dust: Sexy? Yes, but this dress is more appropriate for a weekend in Vegas with her 24-year-old boy toy. J Lo had bloggers insisting they spotted a wardrobe malfunction in this Zuhair Murad revealer. I didn't catch it.

Winner~ I was pleasantly surprised to see Michelle Williams glowing and looking gorgeous in this bright Louis Vuitton gown with one of my favorite spring trends, PEPLUM.

Left in the Dust: Sorry Sandra, but I was a little blind sided by this ill fitted Marchesa gown. Unfortunately, it's doing nothing for her figure and should have been locked in the fitting room.

Winners~ Cutest couple until Summer ALERT! George was flawless and his girlfriend Stacey Keibler was statuesque in this golden Marchesa gown. He didn't go home with the Oscar, but I'm sure he still had a great night as one of the best dressed couples.

Winners ~ Including Angie's pose. Besides the couple's leg up in the looks department, Angie's Altier Versace dress was nothing too special. But, her pose was apparently. She kept sticking her leg out creating a huge buzz and even a twitter account called @AngiesRightLeg with over 12,000 followers already.

(Photo Credits- Getty Images, WENN images)

There were so many other great looks of the night and I love hearing different opinions, so who were your FAVES? And what did you think of Sacha Baron Cohen's Seacrest stunt?

If you love all the awards show fashion talk, tune into E!s Fashion Police with my fave judges: Guiliana Rancic, Kelly Osborne, George Kotsiopoulos and of course Joan Rivers tonight for their take on the nights winners & losers. Have a great week!

xoDale

Special Announcement:

Jason Wu Handbag Giveaway Winner!

Congrats to Carrie of the blog Carrie's Closet chosen today by Random.org for winning the Jason Wu for Target handbag. Thank you so much to everyone for entering. I really appreciate it and I'll always keep you posted on upcoming Giveaways.

Addicted to Chipotle? 5 Tips to Eating Mexican Food & Never Gaining Weight

In case you missed the touching Chipotle commercial during the Grammy's promoting sustainable farming, it captured America's attention with cute animated farm characters and Willie Nelson singing Coldplay's "The Scientist" in the background. I'll share the commercial at the end of the post, but first I need to tell you a few things about Chipotle before they have you wrapped around their little organic farm fed fingers.

My experience with Chipotle goes a little something like this:

1. I first discovered this Mexican grill in college when I worked at a Chipotle while attending Chico State.
2. It's super clean which is a huge plus considering dirty stories you've heard about some fast food joints. You can't miss the stainless steel everywhere and they had a special cleanser called "Dazzle." It was my job as a cashier to keep everything sparkling. If I never hear, "Dale, we're gonna need you to Dazzle here" or "Dale, don't forget to Dazzle there," it will be too soon.
3. I got laid off from Chipotle a few months later after a 'lack of hours' for my schedule and perhaps due to my Dazzling skills.
4. Problem: Employees were allowed 1 free meal per shift and I had become totally addicted to Chipotle!
5. I continued to go in every week, get my food to-go and smile at my ex-managers because I had no choice. I love Chipotle and eat it all the time, but there's a misconception because it's 'organic' and MSG free that it's super healthy. Chipotle is a calorie killer if you're not careful!

Here's my Tricks to get the most Barbacoa for your buck & Never gain a pound eating Chipotle weekly: 

1. Order 1 Single TACO instead of 3 (which is what the order comes with):

Sounds simple and small, but you're getting more than you think. Plus, you can get whatever you want on it. Here's a breakdown of calories for 1 single barbacoa taco which I got by dividing their portions for the taco order by 3. (It's probably a little more though because they are pretty generous with portions) 

Small Flour Tortilla-  90 cals

Black Beans - 40 cals

Cilantro Lime Rice- 43 cals

Barbacoa meat - 56 cals

Fajita Mix-1 oz- 10 cals

Fresh tomato Salsa - 10 cals

Corn Salsa- 26 cals

Sour Cream - 40 cals

Lettuce 2 cals

 TOTAL -Approx. 317 Calories

 2. Go Easy On the Chips & Guac

One Serving Size of Chips & Guac is over 700 calories. I took a handful of my friends (approx. 100 Cals) and about 1 oz of Guacamole (50 cals). Diet soda or Water with lemon - Zero Calories

3. Eat Happy & Avoid the Calorie Killers (aka the Burritos)

 

While working at Chipotle, I routinely saw people order burritos and get "double meat" & "extra guac." The HUGE tortilla itself (290 Calories Each!) would often break, need to be re-wrapped or sometimes double wrapped. These monster burritos can easily be 2,000+ calories each and unless you have the metabolism of Michael Phelps, it can spell trouble after time. But I totally understand how boring the salad bowls are, which is why I like the single taco. If you're going with a burrito, just eat half or be mindful of the "extras" you're adding inside.

4. Who Knew Restaurant Food Could be this Affordable?

Minus the chips and guac I mooched off my friend, a single Barbacoa taco meal with a water is super cheap and under $3. Plus, you don't waste food by ordering too much you can't finish.

5. You can eat like this at any Mexican Restaurant

 Mexican food is my favorite kind of food, and while there's Chipotle's nationwide, you can order like this at your favorite taco trucks or restaurants in your area if you don't have a Chipotle in your city.

I hope these tips help. The entire meal with a small portion of chips and guac is about 500 calories which is perfect for a snack, lunch or light dinner when you're having a serious Chipotle craving. Do you have any fast food calorie saving tips?

As promised, here's that cute little Chipotle commercial

Have a great weekend!

xoDale

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Full House Fashion Finds! It's Time to Scope Out Your Parent's Wardrobe

When I grew up, not only did I live in a full house, I had three dads. My real dad and then my Full House dads, Danny Tanner and Uncle Joey. John Stamos was way too cute to be considered anything other than a crush as I'm sure millions of young Uncle Jesse fans and their moms would agree. Watching Full House in the 90's is a distant memory now, but I'll never forget one scene in particular during the show's intro. DJ, Stephanie, Michelle and their 'dads' were all playing in San Francisco's Alamo Square park in front of a street lined with Victorian homes called the "Painted Ladies."

Yesterday, my sister and I stopped by this same spot with some friends relaxing on Presidents Day. I took some pics of her wearing a fashion find that's actually from my dad's wardrobe. Hint: It's not the sheer pleated maxi skirt.

 My sister, Jody, and the famous Painted Ladies

As I help fix her collar, I want to mention this Levi's jacket. My dad's wardrobe consists of commemorative T-shirts from 5K runs along with Nike sweatshirts my siblings and I wore in Jr High. Recently, my mom asked me to organize their closet and weed through their clothes and what did I find? This vintage Levi Strauss denim jacket he wore in college. Score! 

Jody in this Wilster maxi skirt and Wallace, our neighborhood pup

Reason #98 why women LOVE maxi skirts: Super windy days are no match for them!

Wallace was actually here on a shoot for his SF based apparel company The City Supply Co.

Nothin' says 'California Girl' like wavy beach curls & a pair of aviator shades

Random Sidenote~ I ran into Jodie Sweetin (Stephanie Tanner) in a coat check line at a club in SF 5 years ago. I was more star struck than seeing a mega celeb because I grew up with her on TV, but I contained myself. She alluded to the fact she wasn't supposed to be drinking as she was going through a messy divorce. A year later, she was on the cover of People magazine after marrying a new guy, having a baby and admitting to her battle with a meth addiction. Despite growing with 3 supportive TV dads, child stars sure have a rough time in life. :(

Details by Dale

crop top sweater~H&M recent, jacket~Levi's, maxi skirt~Wilster (old), oxfords~Bamboo,  rings/necklace~F21, watch~Michael Kors, nails~OPI 'Gargantuan Green Grape'

UPDATE- After many comments on this skirt, I wanted to share a couple similar pleated maxi skirts I found on my rewardStyle account:
Deep Purple Sparkle & Fade Maxi $59.95 here
or Alice + Olivia purple pleated Maxi $396 here

While I was happily surprised to find this denim gem from my dad's college days; there's a few other reasons to check your parent's past statement makers. Guys may find old suits, jackets or even pocket watches from their dad's or grandpa's wardrobe they can have altered for a new classic look. Women can find handbags, jewelry, flirty retro dresses or sweaters perfect with a maxi skirt or to pair with a bit of peplum. I know I'll be saving tons of my clothes for my future daughters some day, and in the mean time I loan them all to my sister. :)

Have you ever found a fashion treasure from your parent's past wardrobe?

~xoDale

Also, I want to say Thank You to Abby of SoCal Sophisticate for her touching feature of my 'Curiousity' post on her blog. And thank you to Juneli from Fashionable Yours  for giving me the 'Versatile Blogger Award.' I really appreciate the support :)

Smooth Sailing Shopping Tips because Every Outfit Needs an Anchor

How exciting is it when you learn something new that makes your life so much easier?  Maybe you discovered a shortcut driving to work, online banking, or you just baked the most amazing red velvet cupcakes from a recipe you saw pinned on your newest addiction, Pinterest. There are fashion shortcuts too, so you don't have to splurge or devastate your budget to dress your best. In no particular order, here are a few of my budget friendly shopping secrets below:

1. Search for designer staple pieces at bargain prices from stores like TJMaxx and then pair them with vintage clothing. Or once you find your anchor piece, re-style your existing wardrobe and filter through discount stores for some major steals to compliment your look.

2. An outfit is 50% clothes, 50% styling. I just made that up, but the truth is the Real Housewives of Orange County and Beverly Hills prove that spending millions on a wardrobe can still make a person look like a cool 20 bucks.

3. If you love designer clothes, check consignment shops or second hand stores. My favorites in San Francisco are Crossroads Trading Co. and Cris which has every designer you could think of from Gucci to Pucci at super discounted prices.

Below, is one of my favorite recent dresses shot at the port of San Francisco with a Carnival Cruise Ship in the background. 

One of my favorite trench's from Crossroads Trading Co. I usually don't go out with my legs so wintery white, but I'll have a "How To" Youtube video coming soon showing celebrity red carpet leg tricks.

Budget Friendly Styling Tips: For men & women, don't spend your entire paycheck on an outfit. You need a focus (anchor) piece first. This dress was from a little random Orange County store for $22. Then build around your anchor with accessories and shoes.

(Sidenote) If companies wonder whether fashion bloggers sell their products; I saw these Zara heels on just a few of my fave blogs including Atlantic-Pacific, The Fancy Teacup & Vivaluxury last month. I thought they were so cute; the next day I went out and bought them.

If I'm buying a dress like this that's not the best quality, I look for details that might make it look more expensive. Check for nice original patterns or solids (try avoid knock-off designer print which can look cheap). I also liked the the front vintage-looking flaps & the matching material belt on this dress. 

DETAILS by Dale

Ring - F21, gold bracelet- H&M (old), watch- Michael Kors, bangles-F21, handbag- LV (present)

Dress - 2Hearts, trench- Juicy Couture, nails- OPI - Charged Up Cherry

Photos by Thomas Delgado Photography

Speaking of shortcuts in life, I have to mention Carnival Cruise Lines. Carnival may offer enticing deals, but I would highly recommend sailing with a different cruise line. After an awful experience on one of their "fun ships" a few years ago, I highly recommend doing your research into other lines before taking a cruise. Sadly, after hearing about the Concordia Cruise ship disaster off the coast of Italy, I wasn't shocked to hear it was owned by the Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines. That company needs a life saver, and fast!

If you have your own budget friendly styling tips or a favorite store where you always find trendy clothes at great prices, let us know. :) 

Have a great 3-Day weekend!

xoDale

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CURIOUSITY...

It's rare, but sometimes I interrupt my regularly scheduled blogcast for a more pressing issue. I wanted to post about the fashion at the Grammy's, Adele's amazing night and Nicki Minaj's slightly psycho performance. But Whitney Houston's untimely passing was on every one's mind and while people are speculating that drugs contributed to her death at age 48, we're still asking how could this happen?

The world was privy to Whitney's public struggle with substance abuse after she married bad boy Bobby Brown. It became blatantly obvious she was having problems during her "crack is whack" interview with Diane Sawyer in '02. When I first heard about her death Saturday on Twitter, I couldn't believe it! Within seconds, every trending topic was related to 'RIP Whitney' so I knew it was true. My initial thoughts were A. It's sad to lose a talent like Whitney Houston  B. She had such a beautiful voice and what a terrible loss for her daughter C. Why did she have to start doing drugs? I thought about how difficult it is to see people get addicted to DRUGS whether it's on Intervention or in real life.

Then, I thought about Ann...

Who is Ann?
She's a homeless woman living in San Francisco with one of the worst crack addictions I've ever seen. At times I've been terrified of her because she screams uncontrollably on the streets yelling at imaginary people while she's high. Sometimes she has bloody scratches and bruises on her face. I've seen her get kicked out of stores because customers are scared of her. Even worse, I've seen her nearly hit by cars multiple times standing in the middle of the street howling and contorting her face as if she's in some sort of nightmarish horror film.

I'm sure thousands of SF residents would recognize her because she's one of the well known homeless people in the city. But there's something about Ann that everyone should know...

I've talked to her a few times and she's one of the only homeless people in SF I've seen addicted to drugs who I still thought had a chance to get clean. I'd pass her on the sidewalk nearly every day for the past 6 years and then a few months ago, she was gone. I wondered if I'd ever see her again. Suddenly, she re-appeared this January. The day I interviewed her she was calm and seemed sober at that moment. Ann is smart and despite the unthinkable circumstances she's encountered on the streets, she has a good heart. The last thing she worries about in the morning is hair or makeup and she's about 90 pounds as drugs have ravaged her body. She's also almost the exact same age as Whitney Houston.

Here is my Interview with Ann in SF below:

The last thing I told her is that I truly wish her the best and that I hope she gets clean one day. She said "Thank you," and she appreciated talking. The reality is she's so heavily addicted to crack (which she told my friends and I last year), that it's doubtful she'll ever recover in a SF homeless outreach program (aka Methadone clinic). Her only slim chance might be a center the caliber of a Betty Ford Clinic or Cirque Lodge which are SUPER expensive celeb rehab hotspots. But how would that happen when Ann has no money? I saw her a few days ago walking down a side street with a couple other homeless men and it was clear she was on drugs.  :(

What are your thoughts on any of this? Were you surprised by Whitney Houston's death? It seems like every year Hollywood stars die too young and the toxicology reports always come back with some sort of deadly cocktail. The same drug abuse is happening all over the country.

I'll be back in a couple days with a nice light-hearted topic :)

xoDale

Styling My Favorite Love Birds & 8 Tips for Capturing Great Couple's Pics

Have you ever had a good friend who is dating someone you can't stand? You act polite in the beginning of their relationship, but at some point you decide it's time to be brutally honest. My best friend, Laura, knows exactly what I'm talking about. "That guy is a total dirtbag" or "he's as dumb as a brick." Whew, I do not miss those college pep talks when we were roomies. But I appreciated her opinion and good friends should tell you the truth. Luckily, I never had to initiate that convo with her. Her fiance, Sean, is not only smart, successful, stylish and witty, but he's Laura's perfect match. They are some of my favorite people in the world and they recently took their official engagement photos while I styled their shoot.

First, I did Laura's hair, makeup and helped style her outfits. Then it was off to the wilderness for an outdoor shoot with our photographer, Thomas. Wedding season is around the corner, so whether you're taking your engagement photos, receiving wedding announcements in the mail, or maybe you just want to take a professional photo with your significant other....
I have 8 tips to help capture a great couple's pic:

1. Smile, Have Fun, & Be Yourself

Sounds like first date rules, but it still applies for couple's pics. It can be a little awkward posing together at first, but engagement photos are supposed to be lovey dovey. You can still have fun and warm up with silly poses at first. My sister and I told them to make a little heart with their hands. My guess is Laura's thinking "this is kinda cute," while Sean is saying to himself "this is lame and better not end up on the Internet." :)


2. Choose Scenery Special to Both of You

Laura and Sean are both from N. California and we found this great location with a covered bridge. Choose your favorite spot to take photos that represent you and your happy place. Maybe it's a park, winery, the beach, a part of your city, or your fave restaurant. I highly recommend at least a few outdoor shots.

Behind the scenes: I'm doing a few makeup touch-ups for Laura which brings up the importance of makeup & hair...

3. Makeup, Wardrobe & Hair. What should you Wear?

We've all seen wedding photos with 70's staches, 80's perms and outdated clothes. There is no way to predict future styles, but you can generally stick to some classic hair and clothing trends. I chose a red F21 blazer, gold jewelry, flattering dark denim and riding boots. Don't wear anything so flashy or trendy that it will look out of style before you even tie the knot.

MakeUp~ I kept Laura's makeup close to my sister's natural makeover look, but added a Espresso eyeshadow in the crease to make her green eyes pop. I used Temptu airbrush foundation, MAC shimmer in the corners of her eyes, natural Salon Perfect #53 lashes & MAC highlighter on her cheeks for a subtle glow.

Hair~ I wanted her hair full, but I still used a 1 1/2 curling iron to create waves with her front pieces to keep it out of her face. Sean styled his own look nicely in a camel trench over an eggplant polo.


4. Create Your Own "Awww" Moment

"Aww, he's such a gentleman." That's what you want your friends and family thinking when they see your photos. There's nothing like a bit of chivalry during a precious moment between a couple in love. If you can capture that Notebook-esque moment on camera, even better!

5. Holding Hands is so Trendy Right Now

Personally, I prefer walking arm in arm, but who doesn't think it's cute to see a couple holding hands? It's also a popular shot for engagement photos. We see couples from junior high to nursing homes holding hands so this is definitely a DO! This pic of Laura & Sean reminds me of a modern day Hansel and Gretel (minus the brother/sister part)

6. Mix it Up with Black & White Photos

Black and white photos are timeless and classic. Sepia is cool too. If you noticed the outfit change; everyone from highschooler's taking senior pics to Giselle "Big Mouth" Bundchen knows that photo shoots are a lot of work and time consuming. If you're getting all gussied up, have 2 or 3 outfits to try different looks.

This whole scene reminded me of Twilight. I curled her hair more, added a charcoal smoky eye and Laura wore vintage fur with a brooch. Sean kept it cool channeling "Team Jacob" in grey denim and a leather jacket.

7. The Kiss ~ Is it a DO or a DON'T?

There is a reason the 'Kiss Cam' is so popular at sporting events. A gentle kiss on the forehead, cheek or lips is endearing and gives a photo that total "aww" factor again. The KISS is a DO! But I'll leave it up to your discretion. The last thing you want is a make-out pic that will trigger any thought along the lines of "Eww! Get a room."

8. Do You Need a Professional Photographer?

It always helps to get the highest quality photos, but it's totally up to you and your budget. It seems like everyone has a friend with a high quality camera or knows an aspiring photographer, so you can always check before spending money. Camera Details: Canon 5D Mark II ~ 135mm f/2 L ~ 35mm f/1.4 L ~ Elinchrom Ranger AS Speed

And that's a wrap! Special thanks to the happy couple Sean & Laura. (Previously featured in last summer's Vegas post).

Are you getting married or shooting engagement photos soon? We've all seen couple's pics from Facebook to fridges; so if you have some great tips or shoot ideas, please share. 

Hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day weekend. If you're ever looking to do a couple's photo in NorCal, I'm running a Special on styling packages for engagement or couple's photos. Email dale202@gmail.com for details :)

xoDale

CLOSED~ My Jason Wu Floral Handbag Giveaway and Did Target Learn its Lesson?

Ahh, with every season it seems a new affordable designer collaboration is just around the corner. Yesterday, the hype and excitement over Jason Wu hit Target stores nationwide. It wasn't near the madness of Missoni for Target last year and it was child's play in comparison to the complete craziness of our Versace for H&M adventure a few months ago.

When Missoni hit Target last September, I saw pushing, hoarding and cart snatching. Versace for H&M included some pretty horrible human behavior all in the name of flashy leopard print and gaudy chokers. Yesterday, at the Colma Target in N. California, I arrived at 7:30 am and was about 40th in line. By 8 am the line had grown to over 200 Jason Wu hopefuls. The store manager came out 5 minutes prior to doors opening and told us there was a limited supply. After making a couple friends in line, I went straight to accessories for a scarf and handbag. By 8:02 when I got to the clothes section, almost everything was wiped out except a few dresses. For the most part, after the initial rush, shoppers I saw were pretty calm and understanding if they made it in too late. Luckily I got this handbag below to Give Away...

I first saw this handbag featured in February's Glamour magazine

3 Surprises at Target yesterday and how they've improved since Missoni:

1. Hoarding was at a minimum~ Target learned from the Missoni insanity and made a 2 limit rule. Each person could only have a maximum of 2 of the same item. This cut down on racks being cleaned out by one person. Of course there was a frenzy and not all Targets were organized to deal with creepy couples like this in Miami.

2. Super Bowl Sunday=Smart Planning?~Unlike Missoni, it appeared women had a harder time finding guys to drag along as their shopping wingmen. I know I did. I only saw about five guys in line. This cut down on men powering through and snatching up items to sell on Ebay. It seemed as though most women there were true fashionistas and fans of Wu. They also started the online sale early in the am to avoid overwhelming Target's site. Plus, if it did crash, I'm pretty sure the BIG game, Madonna's half-time show and Super Bowl commercials would have taken precedence in the news yesterday.

3. Dressing Room Consideration~ There was a huge line of women going to try on items. I was pleasantly surprised to see women trying on clothes and returning them to associates if they weren't a good fit. This allowed a group of women and teens eagerly awaiting discarded items to get a chance to buy some Jason Wu. I hadn't seen this in past designer sales, because people would buy anything just to go sell on online for triple the price.

Jason Wu Handbag Details: 

Whether you're a fan of floral or not, flower prints will be everywhere this Spring and how cute would this purse look paired with a white sundress on a warm summer evening? :)

The bag is easy to open as it has a magnetic snap.

There is also a longer navy leather shoulder strap on the inside.

The bag has a tag with a bio about Jason Wu and his designs. 

Photos by Thomas Delgado

Now for the Giveaway, 1 WINNER will WIN this handbag

To ENTER~ 

Each action below is 1 Entry for a total of Up to 5 Entries

* Be a Friend on Google Friend Connect (GFC)

*"Like" Savvy Spice on Facebook here

*Follow @Savvy_Spice on twitter

*Follow Savvy Spice on Bloglovin here

*Tweet or mention this giveaway on your blog

Important: 

Please leave comment below letting me know how you entered.  

All entries will go into an Excel spreadsheet, and WINNER will be chosen by Random.org.

Giveaway ENDS Monday Feb. 27th at Noon PST
I will contact the winner & announce it on my blog & twitter 

 OPEN Internationally & I'll cover shipping

Good Luck to everyone! If you made it to one of the Target's yesterday or bought online, how was your experience? 
xoDale

Heavy Metal Fashion! What's your SuperPower Statement Piece?

Do you believe in Superpowers? I'm sure you remember flipping through the pages of comic books as a kid seeing your favorite heroes fight off evil villains with superhuman strength. There is also something called 'Superpower Fashion,' or at least I think there should be in every one's closet. A 'Superpower Statement Piece' is an article of clothing or an accessory that instantly makes you feel good and more confident the moment you put it on your body. I'm not saying you can conquer the world, but you definitely get the feeling you could kill it on the catwalk or take on Lex Luther.

'SuperPower Fashion' examples:
1. A Power Suit for men or women
2. The LBD (little black dress) or any dress you consider your perfect go-to option for an event
3. An accessory like a handbag, watch, earrings, a tie, necklace, ring or bracelet that gives you an instant rush.
4. A sleek classic leather jacket, your perfect pair of flattering jeans, or even a new hairstyle you love.
5. As many women know, stepping into a pair of heels or over-the-knee leather boots in the winter is a bit of a high.

(Sidenote) It has nothing to do with the cost of the item, it's how you feel wearing it. While the concept is a bit superficial, wearing 'SuperPower Statement Pieces' can give you an emotional boost. I decided to put together an 80's inspired evening look that combines the forces of some of my favorite "SuperPower Statement Pieces."

Create Your Own Fashion Powers

 If I ever had to fight crime on the streets of San Francisco in this outfit, I'd bobby pin my bangs back and use these make-believe strengths: Faux leather pants for catlike reflexes, mesh heels with leather detail for karate kicking bad guys, super spiked bracelet~my secret weapon, fingerless leather gloves to protect my knuckles. (In reality, I know I should just avoid the bad neighborhoods & carry pepper spray.)

Accessorising Statement Pieces: fingerless gloves~ALDO, spiked bracelet~F21 &

NEON clutch~Nine West. Keep an eye out for neon handbags and clutches all over this Spring & Summer.

For less intensity and leather free looks, try a blazer this season in a bright color. ~F21

Also, for bold makeup, I tried a winged eye-liner & my fave Temptu foundation from Sephora

Clothes sometimes can literally make the statement. I bought this tank from a San Diego vendor at the Thread Show here in SF. I got home and saw that it read 'Art Kills Artists' and had no clue what it meant. Turns out, Art Kills Artists is an organization in SD for starving artists worldwide to submit their art work & get exposure on its site.

Details

Some of the most comfortable heels I've ever owned ~Guess. Leather leggings~ H&M (last fall)

Gotham City Police had the bat-signal and SFPD has this retro Coca-Cola signal around the corner from their SOMA station. I always Enjoy seeing this huge lit up billboard as I enter San Francisco from the Bay Bridge. 

Photos for this post by Thomas Delgado

I think every one has a favorite outfit, top, dress or suit in their closet they love because they just feel so good wearing it. What's your "Superpower" fashion piece?

If you don't have your's yet, maybe we should go shopping together. :)

Hope you're having a great week 

xoDale