Sunday, March 27, 2011

Going Gaga + One-of-a-kind Finds

Good evening lovelies! I hope you all had the most amazing week! Tonight, I am going to bring you an amazing idea that is Gaga-inspired, since I am going to her concert Tuesday evening, as well as a special find that I stumbled across today in my adventures.

Special Find

While taking a few-hour much needed break today, my mother and I wondered around in Ojai earlier. [Yes, where Reese Witherspoon just got married. Yes, where Robert Downey Jr. was yesterday. Yes, I missed Robert Downey Jr. by 24 hours. F@#%!!!] I stumbled into a consignment store hoping to find something wonderful to take home; I wasn't let down. For the past year and a half I have been trying to find a magnifying glass necklace worth my money. To find them in a store is nearly impossible; to find them online is very easy, but they are always very expensive. If you go on Ebay or Amazon or Etsy, they're all very beautiful, but the more affordable ones are always the plain ones without much detail. Retailers and sellers across the world know that these are very popular, which is why the prices are always so high. Usually in demand by old ladies, they've been seen around the necks of younger fashionistas over the past few years, making the magnifying glass necklace something desirable with a grandma-chic feel.

True to my form of being somewhat of a grandma, I have been searching non-stop for a funky little one to hang around my neck. I had just about all given up until I walked into the store and asked if they knew if they had any on hand from any sellers. 

This is what they brought me:

Originally, $40. I asked if they could take it down to $30. I asked politely and was more than willing to wait while they called the seller. She agreed. More than I was willing to spend for any piece of jewelry, but I had waited for a year and a half to own one, and now I do. 

Little did I realize how excellent of a deal I actually got until this evening when I checked online for other swan necklaces....:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/61258600/the-vintage-swan-magnifying-glass

The beautiful necklace that i own is not the only one, which I'm perfectly fine with since was the only one I could find online. This goes for $62, without shipping & handling. I got mine for $32, after tax, no shipping & handling needed.


If you ever see something you love that is more than you can afford:
1.) Ask POLITELY. If you are rude, you are going home empty.
2.) Have a price in your head BEFORE you talk to them, but seem very sweet and thoughtful about how you say it. DON'T say it bluntly or with an attitude.
3.) If you need to wait for them to call someone, be patient and be willing to wait.
4.) Be firm, but BE POLITE. They are more willing to work with nice customers.
5.) DO be willing to bargain. My recommendation, start off by first stating a lower price than what you can afford. That way, if they bargain up and you end up settling on a higher price, it's still one that you can afford and won't break the bank.
6.) One of the most important rules. Show that you love it and are serious about buying it. If you act nonchalant and like you really don't care, they're not going to want to put in the time to bargain with you since it seems like it's not that important to you. If you act like you need it and you can't leave without it and you're serious about bargaining, they will take you more seriously and be more willing to work with you.


Going Gaga

Since dressing like Lady Gaga is expensive and time-consuming and sometimes just seems downright painful, I still want to bring a very gaga-feel to my outfit when I attend her concert Tuesday evening. That's why, on a whim, I decided to get my nails done. For those that know me, I almost never get them done. It's happened 3 times in the past 5 years. But, between work and more work, I haven't had the time or the energy to make my nails pretty. That's why, when I was at the nail salon, i came up with the idea for this:


Yes, Gaga lightening bolt nails. The guy who did the bolts was hilarious and it was an excellent experience, and I have gotten a lot of compliments since I have gotten them done. They're bright and bold, but not insane. They're doable, and wearable for anyone of any age. For those who wish to try this at home, I recommend a special nail polish that has a super-fine and thin brush. Thick brushes can't draw the edges like small brushes can. If you've made a mistake and wish to erase some polish, get some nail-polish alcohol, dip a piece of cloth in, and wipe away the mistake. Alcohol erases nail polish, which makes sense since nail-polish remover is made up of mostly alcohol.

If you're using an insanely thick and glompy nail-polish, pour in a bit of acetone, but make sure to mix thoroughly. A bit of nail polish acetone will thin out the nail polish enough to make it glide on smoothly if it's a very thick one. 

Oh the things one learns at the salon.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Contest Winner


Good evening lovelies! I hope you all have had an amazing week! Tonight I am excited to announce my contest winner who wrote this amazing post about this favorite trend!!

Contest Winner

“The Cherry Red Coats caught my eye because they’re trench coats that carry a bold color. They can be an amazing back-up piece to any outfit for the girl that’s on the go. These types of coats remind me of that New York style, and add that red daring color and you have a stunning trench coat that amplifies your outfit.”

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Wednesday Woes

Good evening! Tonight due to unforseen projects, I can't do a full post. Tomorrow I will do my scheduled post for this evening.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Green & Gold

Good evening lovelies! I hope you all are getting ready for finals and midterms and finding yourselves actually getting some sleep at night. Before I dive into fashion, I want everyone to know that no matter what's going in your life, whether it's your first time on stage, or your first time on tv, or your first time doing whatever, don't stop believing in yourself. My ex recently played his first poker tournament at Harrah's Casino this past weekend in the WSOP tournament and placed 3rd out of 400 people. It was his first tournament, and nobody believed him when he told them that. They thought he'd been doing this for years. Fake it til you make it!!!!!!!!!!

Now, on to fashion!

As we all know, this coming Thursday, March 17th, is St. Patrick's Day. Where did the time go?! Now, I know that this is a huge drinking night, but unfortunately it falls on a Thursday. For those of us that have to work the next morning, we can't get all crazy-like and party til dawn. For those that will and then go into work, you're crazy.

For those of us though that still want to look good and have fun at the same time, I've put together 2 really fun outfits: one for work during the day, and then one for when you go out at night. You'll be able to take the day outfit into the  night-time one without even thinking, and still look great!

St. Patrick's Day: Take 1

Mossimo Women's Open Stitch Cardigan green: $10.48

A perfect GREEN piece for the day, but not an obnoxious leprechaun green that makes you sick. This green is subtle, and work-appropriate all while tying together a perfectly fun and funky outfit.


A fun, funky contrast to the floral print of the dress, but it's  not overpowering so it compliments it nicely.



I love solid tights, and these are fun, yet completely work with the other pieces.



An adorable little dress that works perfectly in the office belted under a chunky cardigan and paired with a solid pair of black tights.

Restricted Tomboy Booties: $19.94

These booties are adorable and completely work-appropriate and set off the darker colors of the other pieces in the outfit.

Total: $53.42



St. Patrick's Day Outfit: Take 2


Since you'll be dancing or drinking, or both, this short-sleeved dress is perfect to go out in after work.



Fun and funky and a perfect contrast to the darker colors on the dress.


This adorable pouch is just the right size to carry everything you need in, but small enough that it won't bog you down while you dance.


And of course, perfect to go out in!!!!!!




Adorable, an GREEN! Getting in the green for the night on the town!

 Total: $49.83




And there you have it lovelies! Easy to dress for less for any holiday! Also, don't forget to enter my contest!!!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Contest Announcement!

Good evening lovelies! I hope you all are having an amazing March so far! Happy belated Mardi Gras! I hope for those that had a late night had a smooth transition into an early day.

To help you all detox from a night of possibly too much fun and to help with Lent coming up soon, I've once again paired up with the amazing CSN stores to bring you an amazing prize for a fun and easy contest starting tonight!
CSN Stores

CSN is by far one of the most amazing places I've found on site or online to find anything you could possibly ever look for. They have everything from amazing shoes and purses, all the way to pendant lighting, and their variety just keeps getting better!

Contest Prize


Features:
* Yoga kit
* Nylon tote bag with shoulder strap
* Includes yoga instruction wall chart
* Washable
* 68" L x 24" W sticky mat
* 72" woven cotton strap with buckle
* 2 firm foam blocks

I chose this as the prize because yoga is good for everyone, no matter your age, no matter your physical condition, whether old or young, injured or physically fit, EVERYBODY benefits from doing yoga, and this kit will help get you started. I do yoga at least once a week and I have seen a major difference in my body since I started it over a year ago. I recommend it for everyone, and yes, even guys do it too.
Contest

Ok everyone, this is very easy. In my post before last I spoke about the most popular trends that were seen on the runway this year and showed examples of each. All I want you to do is let me know which one out of the ones I posted is your favorite and why. This contest begins tonight and ends next week, March 17th, St. Patrick's Day!

The winner's post will be put into my Sunday blog post, as well as the trend! The prize will be shipped out the next day.

All emails need to be sent to: confessionsofachocoholic@yahoo.com

All submissions need to have:
- Name
- FULL Address
- Description of favorite trend

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Mardi Gras Madness

Good evening lovelies! I hope you all are having an amazing March madness so far. As we all know, Mardi Gras, the infamous holiday for having fun and letting loose is coming up in only 2 days! I know that it can get very cheesey and themed with the fake beads and crazy hats. If we want to wear our love into the office though, we're very limited with what we can wear. Which is why tonight I am going to bring you an all-day fun, festive outfit for all of you Mardi Gras lovers out there!

Mardi Gras Madness

$50 or Less

As we all know, the main colors in Mardi Gras are; purple, green, and yellow. Wearing too much of each color can get to be a bit much, which is why I devised this full-proof fun outfit without getting a little too costume-y.



Adorable and perfectly appropriate whether you're running to a meeting, running errands, or simply around the house. Lightweight enough to run, but still enough to keep you warm during this chilly winter month. And of course, purple for festivity!




Perfectly adorable skinny jeans that will fit snug to your body and make you feel sexy and beautiful while running around all day because these jeans won't loose their shape! And of course, they're green! This green isn't a putrid, in your face green, it's a subtle one that looks lovely against the bright purple top.


This pretty little belt is a lovely contrast in color to the top and jeans, but it's a skinny belt, so it's not overpowering against the 2 different colors, but it still has a fun print that pops and makes you look fun. The flowers have yellow, so this is a subtle and fun way to sneak some yellow into the outfit without making a main attraction.





This adorable little ballet flat will help pick up the flower detail on the belt as well as provide a perfect neutral color for the outfit. This silvery brown works perfectly with every color in the outfit and provides a comfortable shoe to run around in all day and then run around in all night too!

Outfit Total: $51.54



Also lovelies, I will be hosting a new contest in my blog that will be worth your while! Make sure to read my Wednesday post to find out how to be entered for an amazing prize!!!!!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Fashion Week Runway Trends

Good evening lovelies! Tonight, I am going to over the top trends seen on the 2011 Fashion Week runways. There are some wonderful trends out there, and I'm going to show you how to partake in each trend for $50 or less!

Top 10 Runway Trends

$50 or Less

1.) Dramatic Capes
This cape is a fun alternative to the classic nude trench coat. Capes can be a lot of fun, but for those who are nervous about possibly looking like they just came from a renaissance fair, I recommend breaking in the trend with a classic alternative, such as this nude trench cape. 

2.) Geometric Color


 A very fun, easy way to ease into geometric color without looking like something from the 80's or from a Lego's set. Pair this with a fun bright blue sweater and a yellow clutch for those who are daring, or softer colors for those who aren't into full outfits of bright colors. This is another really fun, easy-to-wear trend that is flattering for any shape. Even when I was 200 pounds, I wore shirts with geometric color prints, and they can be very slimming if you chose the right combination pattern.

3.) Plaid Pants

 Very Gwen Stefani meets punk rock band singer!  This is such a fun way to wear plaid because it can be dressed up, dressed down, punked out, or made for the office. However you want to wear them, you can, and they always look great. Anyone of any size can wear plaid, depending on the print of course.

4.) Fringe



Fringe can be very difficult to pull off without looking like something from Wild Wild West. This little cardigan is black, so it is a basic staple that will go with everything, but it still allows you to partake in a trend that could otherwise be costume-y and horrific.

Those with bigger busts and tummies, do be careful with fringe. Too much can be horrific. If you are heavier on top, I recommend  hints of fringe on the bottom. They will make your bottom half look larger, thus making you look proportionate.

5.) Winter White



This adorable bolero is an excellent way to partake in the trend without going crazy and going all out in a huge fur jacket. This is a great way to stay with the winter color scheme without going overboard and still appearing professionally trendy at work and then transitioning into flat-out trendy in the evening.

6.) Cherry Red Jacket




This jacket is amazing, bold, and spot-on with the vibrant red background. This may seem very busy but in truth, paired with a nice pair of jeans, black patent pumps and a nice t-shirt, this turns a basic outfit into something amazing, but not overpowering. I recommend a well-fitting trench for everyone. They are a staple for any wardrobe because of their ability to take an outfit from ok to WOW. This is the fun trench that does that. Red can be a very bold color for most, but it is an excellent color to have, whether as a full piece or as an accessory.