A Smashing Deal!

I know that many of you are hooked on the Smashbox Photo Finish (foundation primer) after receiving it in past goodie bags. I LOVE the way it smooths my skin and readies it for my foundation.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that ULTA has a great offer for you. Free gift with $35 Smashbox purchase!
The offer is only valid online.

An ULTA.com Exclusive! Receive a FREE travel-size Smashbox Celebrity Fusion Soft Light with any $35 Smashbox purchase! A $28 value. Plus, free shipping for orders over $65! See site for details.

Have a great New Year's Eve and be safe fashionistas!

Bottom of the Grapevine

Why do I seem to hear everything last? It's not like we still use pony express to get news to the Midwest. Geez.
So I hear that Natalie Portman is starting a shoe line. Ok. Have fun with that.
Do you think these stars really design the stuff their selling under their names?
Seriously...how can all these acclaimed actresses/singers really have the time to learn about fabrics, design and construction and come up with their own designs? Or learn all about scents and oils and the like, then come up with their own perfumes?
Unlikely.
It's great that these stars have loads of cash to do whatever whim strikes them...but I'd sure like to hear/see more from the fabulous locals starting their lines from the ground up. Wouldn't you?
Haute Market is on a mission to find and interview these faboo people and bring them to you!

Stand Up

I'll make this short and sweet because this is supposed to be my vacation week. However I have to go out and do a bit of work, make a few stops. I'm sure I'll run into some of you faboo fashionistas...so I'll say this:
"just because grandma gave you a Christmas sweater with a reindeer on it, and the nose actually lights up...does NOT mean you ever have to wear it....Please."
;)

Happy day!

The Day After

For many of you this day is, unfortunately, another day at the office. For those lucky enough to not be at work, it may be a huge shopping day with all the after-Christmas sales. I'm not one to barge out the door at 5am to hit the sales. I am in no need for leftover decor, sweaters with holiday scenes depicted on them, and picked over toys. If I do any shopping today it will either be a quick jaunt to check out the shoe sale or online at a few of my faves.

Today is a holiday for us and another day at home! If you live with and/or are married to someone from Great Britain, Australia, the Netherlands, or a few other far away lands, you may have the benefit of celebrating Boxing Day. I'd venture to guess that most Americans have no idea this exists, let alone what it's for. Even my English hubby wasn't sure of it's reason or origin.

Boxing Day is not recognized for cleaning and packing up remains of the tornado that hit our living room, nor is it a day for duking it out with relatives who have gotten on your nerves these last few days.

The holiday was originally called St. Stephen's Day and was a day for giving to those of lesser social standing. For example, the lord of the manor would box some money or a liquor and hand out the gifts to his serfs. It was a day to give gifts to tradespeople much like we, of future generations, give a gift to the delivery person or the mailman, or like us, tip even better when we're dining out. Not to suggest that we/I feel these people are of lesser social standing...it's just a way to give random kindness to those who make our lives easier.

For my hubby it meant another day of Christmas and gifts as they went to one grandparent's house on Christmas and the other on Boxing Day. For us it's just another day at home and lots of playing with toys, eating left overs and, yes, boxing up the remains.

However you spend this day, think about going back to the old tradition and handing out a bit of random kindness and generosity. The day will be brighter for that person, and you as well.
Cheers!

Happy Holidays!

Enjoy the holiday everyone! I'm giving myself some vacation time to hang with my kids who usually have to "wait just one more minute" while I spend time with Haute Market. I may even bake cookies today! Never fear, is pre-prepared dough - no one will be poisoned on Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas to all!

Last Minute Gifts

We have some great sponsors for our events and many of them offer gift certificates. If you (or your hubby) are still searching for the right gift, you have opportunity for salvation!
A massage from Massage Envy would be a treat for anyone on your list.
I've tried laser hair removal at Aestheticare and love it! What a great gift that would make.
Xiphium Salon is in their new location and are expanding the services they offer. A gift certificate for a new make up look would be fun!

Check out our Event page for links to our current sponsors. Past sponsors and vendors can be found by searching our Archive pages.

Hurry up....just a few shopping days left!

Season of Giving

Do you know what's really fashionable? Giving. Sometimes giving even when there isn't a lot to give means the most. The unselfish act of sharing what little you might have in order to brighten the day of another person.

Yesterday I was so excited to drop off goodie bags for the resident ladies at SafeHome. This is the second year I've done it and I know it makes some smiles happen.
Thanks to some shopping party left overs and huge product donations from Initial Design and jennyLou Boutique, I left 20 goodie bags packed with jewelry, body products, hand bags and more.
You can help SafeHome any time of year by donating products from their wish list.

Another in need of some Christmas spirit is a local 13 yr. old boy named Cody English. Cody fought cancer once, successfully. But 3 months later he received devastating news. The cancer is back with a vengeance. Cody is fighting very hard but I'm sure every little bit helps. You can visit Cody's web site and send him a note, mail a card, or even a little gift.

There are loads of ways to give and help this season. You don't have to send a huge check to someone. A quick card in the mail to someone who needs a pick-me-up is generous!

Happy holidays everyone!

No Whining! Just Wine...

A quick post about another fave wine. I'm definitely swimming in reds this winter. The bolder the better. Tonight it was Alexander Valley Vinyards' Cabernet Sauvingnon, 2005.
Yum. Fruity, juicy and so tasty.
According to the winemaker, the long growing season of this vintage (due to wetter and cooler than normal) allowed the fruit to stay on the vines a bit longer and develop more flavor. If you have the nose for it, you'll notice the cassis and possibly a hint of cocoa.

A great hostess gift for a red wine lover indeed! (hint hint girlfriends)

Country: United States
Region: California
District: Sonoma County
Type: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2005

Hair Follow-up

I found a great video that shows the hair-curling technique I blogged about yesterday. Video Link.
The difference is that I start the curl at the root and wrap tight for bouncier curl. I also don't do so much messing with the hair so that the curls stay locked. Check out the video and you'll see what I mean.

The curl stick, shown here, by TIGI, is one example of the special tools you can use for making curls. I stick with the regular curling irons and it works just fine for me.

Practice makes perfect. Try a few times and you'll see how easy it is to have great curls for holiday parties.

Holiday Hair: Do's & Don'ts

Special occasions call for special looks. Haute Market fashionistas are here to help you pull off a fab new look.
Whether you want to go sleek and classy, or full and sexy, it's all "in" this holiday season.

Hair Do: do practice a new look before the day of the party. It's one thing to show up to the office party with a totally new look, it's another for the look to be one people stare at in horror.

Hair Don't: don't try something too drastic that is permanent. The answer to having curl is not a last minute perm. Try different techniques and different curling irons. If the look is something you love, talk to your stylist about making it more permanent.

Vilma, owner of Xiphium Salon, taught me a technique that I love and have been doing for each Haute Market party and other special occasions. It gives me loads of long curly q's, but does take me a while to pull off since I have so much hair.

There is a special new curling iron to use for this technique, I don't have it yet so I use a regular one. Start with a small section of hair to curl, instead of clamping the iron down on the end and rolling up, you start at the root area. Clamp down at the top, then use your free hand to wind the remaining hair around the iron. Hold it there with your finger tips, being careful not to burn yourself. Let go and gently pull the curl down and it should spiral for you.

I start by sectioning my hair and holding it back with clips or scrunchies. Then I start with the lower section in back and work up. Like I said, it takes some time since you are curling every bit of hair, but it's worth it. Usually my hair is still curly the next morning and I can get away with running my fingers thru and shaking it out a bit.

This is just one of many ways to get some curl. Experiment and enjoy!

Check out Xiphim and our other event sponsors here: Events Page

Party Time - You Ready?

Are you ready for the holiday parties this weekend? I'm getting there...but need one more day of "me time" to get some things accomplished.
I'm so thrilled that my two little monsters are in mom's day out two mornings a week! With the big brother in school too, I'm on my own for 6 whole hours a week and it's liberating!!!
For the first time in years I had my nails done. I have gone to two nail techs this month at Oliver's Salon on 119th & Metcalf and they are both great!
If you can't afford or bother with the upkeep of having fakes, at least do some at-home remedies to keep your nails in shape and looking their best.

For a very quick treatment, if nothing else is available, I've been known to grab the olive oil out of the pantry and dab a bit on my cuticles. It softens them so I can push them back and trim if needed.
A great tool to have on hand is the four sided file-buffer. It's very inexpensive and a simple nail saver. File the rough edges, shape and then buff for a shine. Great in a pinch or when you just can't get out very often for a manicure, like myself.

Our friends at jennyLou Spa just sent out an e-newsletter with a fabulous sale! The body butter is GREAT for dry hands and cuticles too!
Here are the fabulous coupons:

Choose your gift!
1) Buy 3 get one free Body Butter, code: FREEB
or
2) Free foot file with purchase of Peppermint Foot Cream, code: FREEFILE
or
3) 25% off product orders over $75, code: 25SALE

You must add the freebie item to your shopping cart. Once you apply the code at check out, the discount will be applied!
One coupon code per customer per order. Offers cannot be mixed. No cash value. Discounts not valid on gift certificate purchases. Valid with online orders only.
AND...buy today, it ships tomorrow. Today only for these sales and priority processing, Friday, Dec. 14th.
Enjoy!

Finding Liberty

A great thing about having an event at the Wine Bar (see last week's event), is the fact that it's inside the Lukas Superstore. So I stocked up on a few of my favorite sips before setting up for the December party.
After all...I had to be on TV a few days later and that makes me nervous enough to lose my dinner. So like the lush that I am (or attempt to be) I have a glass of Cabernet to ease my woes.

One of my faves is Liberty School Cabernet, 2005.

I find it just a bit fruity but what I would describe as slightly strong at first to my taste buds ( I think a true wine snob would say it's "forward" or maybe "full-finished", I forget). Not something I drink on it's own very often. At least some tasty bread along with it. More preferably with a thick slice of steak.

A great treat to bring as a hostess gift. Stop by Two Chic Blvd's Girl's Night Out shopping event tonight and pick up a great wine bag for the perfect packaging.

Lip Smack

Is that crackling sound I hear the ice-covered trees out my window or your crusty dry lips? ICK! I'm here to save you my pets. Today is another list of my favorite things, starring lips!
First of all, surely you know to hydrate from within..yes? Drink loads of water. It's like the fountain of youth for your skin.

I'll tell you a few of the things I do to keep my smackers ready to pucker.
When my lips are a bit flaky I go to a lip mask by Mary Kay. The satin lips lip mask has a gentle exfoliating ingredient. It says to apply gently, but I give my lips a bit of a scrub.
Then I have a clean palette for applying lip sticks.

Upon that clean palette I like to apply lip stain by Urban Decay. I only discovered the glories of lip stain last week when my Urban Decay order came in. I have the Illegal color and love it!
I have a terrible time getting lip color to stay on. I think my lips still have the light pink stain on them that I applied yesterday!


When I'm out and about and have a dry lip emergency, I have two products I turn to:
Lano Lip lip balm and lip balm by BOBE - beyond ordinary bath essentials.
Both are great but made of different ingredients so if one doesn't work for you, the other surely will. Usually I have the Lano Lip and my son has the Bobe in his backpack. Bobe has contributed to our goodie bags several times so many of you have probably experienced it's soothing qualities.

So pucker up girls because you never know where that mistletoe will turn up!

Lash Bash

I love using fake lashes for a special event. It's especially fantastic for photos and/or tv. The extra oomph it gives eyes can be a stunning look. But it's obviously not for every day. Mascara, however, I use almost every day. It's a staple in my make up bag for sure.

Today I bring you the scoop, and my humble opinion, on five mascaras I've tried in the last week to help you make your lashes beautiful, in less time, this holiday season.



Maybelline's Great Lash mascara has been an old favorite of mine. However now that I've been experimenting, I'm not so taken with it. I found, that for my lashes, the brush pieces are too far apart, giving me clumps and that the mascara isn't going on very well. Not giving me much length or volume.

Avon Astonishing Lengths - I think it's on sale for $2.99 for a reason. The brush pieces are too thick, as in there is so much brush per section that it can't separate my lashes. The space between the sections would be good otherwise. So it went on messy, clumpy and left me frustrated.

Revlon Lash Fantasy® Waterproof Primer & Mascara, primer/mascara combo seemed like something fun to try. The primer part was easy and seemed to give a good first coat to my lashes. The next step, the mascara, wasn't as impressive. It didn't give me precise separation like it claims.

Rimmel Lash Maxxx has been my favorite lately. I love the unique applicator giving me fantastic lash separation and great length and color. My only complaint is that it dries so quickly that I have to get it right the first time because a second coat can get clumpy. The fact that I get good results overall makes it my fave.

My other fave is my old MaryKay waterproof mascara, but it's the old version and I haven't tried the updated model. I'm speaking of the one that was pink with the gold lid. The brush was a bit too long for me, but the coverage was very easy. It didn't lengthen quite as much as the Rimmel, but again, the benefits outweigh that one thing. I can do this one in the car, while the Rimmel really needs a steadier hand.
In the end, my fave is Rimmel Lash Maxxx because when it counts, this one gives me the best result.

I hope this helps your holiday party preparations. Look for more tips and reviews this week!

Winter Woes

Cold weather got you down? Holiday commitments have you in a bind?
Oh get over it and enjoy yourselves!!!
Good grief. This is the time of year when you can layer together all those great pieces and wear your faboo clothes to super parties!
Need some help?
These last few weeks of 2007 I'll be concentrating on bringing you tips for make up application and reports on some great products. Plus advice for dressing to WOW them.
Not before I share with you some great footage of the fashion show with Tm Gunn last week. :)
So stay tuned for more about the Gunn, lash out report mascara and so much more!
Happy Monday!

Fashion Royalty

Yesterday was a whirlwind of TV interviewing and celebrity chasing.
The TV spot at FOX4 went so well and Laura Thornquist is an absolute hoot! She's definitely Haute Market fashionista material. What you can't see behind that big desk is that she has some great taste in foot wear!

I was more nervous than ever because I was told that Tim Gunn was to be in studio that day too! I missed him at the station but I chased him down later at Dillards for the Liz Claiborne fashion show. I was so befuddled with stars in my eyes that I didn't even think to have the person next to me take our photo together. But I did get a great one later of an old college buddy of mine, who is of course a Haute Market goer. She and her mom were tickled pink to be having a photo opp with the fashion guru himself.

More news and some video will be coming next week. Right now I'm still trying to preserve the Tim-essence on my hand that he shook. :)

The Haute Hangover Strikes Again

Are you feeling it? It's nothing to do with alcohol...it's just the exhaustion after being at such a fun shopping party.
It was so wonderful to see so many faces I recognized of my repeat guests, but also all the new faces. So many Haute Market virgins were in the room last night. It was such a treat to see you all and have a smaller event so that I could work the room and visit with so many of you.
Thank you for coming!
And OH MY...the shopping frenzy was a blast! I even had time to shop this time. I hope those of you who made it to the event last night had an enjoyable time and that you'll be back for more. Many of you walked out with arms loaded full of clothes, gifts, and more! :)

The Wine Bar did a fantastic job with the food display and Chef Terry always cooks up amazing treats for us. Mouthwatering meatballs, delightful desserts...yum! Thank you guys!!

I hope you all have wonderful holidays and that you'll be back to party with us in February for the next event. 2008 will be a wonderful year!

Cheers! Jennifer

Concert Hangover?

I know some of you gals have it. Which of you is dragging your booty out of bed with ears still ringing? Miss Hannah Montana blazed into Kansas City last night, which may have been a treat to see, but it's the thousands of screaming little girls that I could do without. No earplugs big enough, no Valium strong enough.
Ugh...I cannot imagine the fashion and hair woe's some of you may have had to deal with as your darling little girl turned to crazed concertess.

If you were at the concert last night, share some details!
My boys want to know how the Jonas Brothers were (my three monsters do a great impression).

Now that Miss Montana is heading out of town, what will the radio stations talk about? I swear if I heard about it one more time!
Who knew that just when we thought we were rid of Billy Ray, he'd be back. Thank goodness he spawned a child with talent.

Pretty Printz

As usual, I went to the shoe store for a pair of shoes, came out with 4. Now I find reasons to wear my cute new shoes so everyone can see.

One of the things I bought that you won't see is like a secret little treasure just for me....me and my feet anyway. Treasure your feet with the Printz foam inserts. I thought I loved the Steppies that Apara contributed to the October goodie bags...I think I love the Printz even more!
They are a bit more thin than the Steppies. Great for when I'm barely squeezing my feet into a pair of must-have's.
Plus the Printz come in several different girly prints: zebra, blue camo, tiger and more! Hence, the name. (unfortunately no graphics yet to show you)

Apara saved the shoe day once again, and the balls of my feet for my ultra-high heeled shoes.

Three-inch high heels have you down? Apara picks you up and puts your feet at ease. Can you tell that I love these things? I swear this is not a paid advert! You don't know how many shoes I have that I never wear because I'd have to sit or else be crippled with pain. Now...nothing some ibuprofen and some Printz can't handle!
I bought mine at DSW. You can also purchase online at Cosmeticmall.com.

Holiday Time

I was just sitting here racking my brain for something holiday-ish to post about. Maybe decorating for the holidays, dressing for the holidays....
then my Outlook chimed that a new message arrived.
I simply have to share this joke with you and wish you a happy Friday!

Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates.
"In honor of this holy season" Saint Peter said, "You must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas to get into heaven.

"The first man fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on.
"It represents a candle", he said.
"You may pass through the pearly gates" Saint Peter said.

The second man reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys.He shook them and said, "They're bells."
Saint Peter said "You may pass through the pearly gates".

The third man started searching desperately through his pockets andfinally pulled out a pair of women's panties.
St. Peter looked at the man with a raised eyebrow and asked, "And just what do those symbolize?"
The man replied, "These are Carols."
And So The Christmas Season Begins......
(thanks for the joke, Julie - you made my job easier today!)

Snap!

I joined the new hairless craze! Well, not completely. I am starting with my underarms to see how it goes. So far, so good. I survived!
Some of my visits to the med spa have left me a little woozy. Remember the Botox incident? (see prior blogs for details - I'm not reliving it again for you)

The laser hair removal was a SNAP! Seriously. Like a very quick, tiny hot snap. Then the laser-thingy got really cold to relieve the treated area, so all was good.
It took about 15 minutes to do both underarms and then I was outta there to run my other errands. Easy peasy.
I'm a huge baby when it comes to pain, so believe me when I tell you that this is no big deal. If you've been wanting to try but didn't know what to expect...well, now you know.
I may even get adventurous and try the bikini area next!

Becoming Redundant

A new home-party type beauty biz is creeping across the country. I came across it at the event I visited last week in Miami.

BECOME is a brand of skin care boasting "age resistant" products, developed in Australia and selling world-wide.
You host a "home clinic" instead of a "home party".
The marketing is done well and the packaging is beautiful.

There is no make up to this line. Strictly skin-care.
Hydrating serums, cleansers, body wash, etc.
I respect that aspect. They aren't trying to do everything. They are focusing on a more specific need and trying to be the best.
However, the multi-product sample packet was suspiciously similar to that of an Arbonne sampler. I don't have patience for a 4-6 step skin routine at morning and night, and the tiny packets all attached together...trying to rip them open once my hands were wet, some spilling because they were liquid...ugh...I made a mess. I'm more of a two-step gal, sadly. Then I cheat with a little Botox later. Hey...I'm not saying it's the right way...it's simply my way.

It seems the ladies we met in Miami are on the ground-floor of this new-to-the-USA product line. It was great to talk to them and hear their excitement. I love hearing women talk about something they are passionate about.
There is no telling how long this will take to spread to our beloved Midwest, but if the excitement of those ladies is contagious, it won't take as long as fashion typically takes.

And the Winner is...

Congratulations to our two winners of the "Refer A Friend" contest:
Jennifer R., of Overland Park, referred Jen G., of Shawnee, (which makes it easy on me for remembering names)
and they both won the following prize package:
~Zeno acne eliminating device donated by Aestheticare Med Spa, retails at $175!
~A first-time massage at Massage Envy, $39.
~Two admission tickets to the February Haute Market shopping party!
Each of them scores that great prize pack worth over $200 each!

Now for some buzz:
Have you seen the new kid in town...at Macy's?
Jenni by Jennifer Moore is the cutest and most comfortable line of intimates that I've tried in a long time. I love these cute hipsters (no that's not me). Just $7.50 each or 4 for $19.98 at Macys.com.

Long-sleeved thermal Henly on sale for just $14.99 and the comfortable terry-knit sleep pants only $11.99! I can't believe the prices for this comfortable line of goodies.

Important Event Notes

Some quick reminders on this happy Monday!

Today is the last day to get entries to the "refer a friend" contest.
Check out this prior blog for complete info.
Prize package worth over $200 each - two winners! Winners will be announced in the Gift Guide email out tomorrow, Tuesday.

Tuesday, Nov. 27th, is the last day to buy tickets online for the Dec. 4th VIP Holiday Shopping party where guests will enjoy 25% off everything in-stock from our designers at the event! Great last-minute gifts at great prices!!
Very few tickets left so get yours today.

This week I have some great product reviews, news about a new line of beauty products hitting the scene and more!
Make the Fashion 411 Blog your home page! Just click your Tools button at the top of the page, Internet Options and Use Current.
Stay in the know with Haute Market!

Shopmania

Are you sipping coffee and surfing the net after a long morning of shopping?
Me neither. At least, not the early shopping part.
Not that I haven't been awake for a while. Nothing like cramming a family of 5 into a little hotel room and having a noisy two year old who wakes at 5:30.

Nope, I'm not braving the cold to do shopping this early.
We only have shopping to do for the kids at this point. I shopped for my friends at the last Haute Market and off our gift guide last week. So nah nah...I'm almost done. ;)

If you need more shopping help, there will be 6 more great gift ideas in this upcoming Tuesday's newsletter as we feature PartII of the Holiday Gift Guide. I'll also keep reseaching to find great new fashions, deals and steals as always. I wouldn't want to let down my loyal fashionistas.

I'm signing off because the hotel pool opens at 7am and I have to get the little monster out of the hotel breakfast room before we're kicked out.

Cheers!

Sales and Silliness

The early bird gets the worm today. I just heard about a sale this Friday and I am SO mad that I won't be here for it!

Two Chic Blvd. is having a sale this Friday from 10am to 3pm and if you've not been there when there is a sale...trust me...you don't want to miss this.
It's not just clothes either. For the holidays they have stocked up on loads of gift items!
jennyLou Spa body butters and chill pill bath fizzies are currently available at their store and have discounted prices if you by multiples! Every gal on your list needs a body butter!
Girly Cocktails are a new line of drink mixes that you also need to pick up for your girlfriends.
Of course there are plenty of great new items for you, my pretty fashionistas. MEK jeans just arrived, great jackets with faux fur trim...all the rage this season, and so much more.
AND...Two Chic Blvd. has tickets for the Dec. 4th VIP shopping party. Get yours now. We're just about sold out here at Haute Market central.

Ok, now for the silliness...My Michelle has a new work out plan for you. Get some new shoes from Two Chic this Friday...make sure they have a decent heel height...then go walk about 5 miles. Helps if you pretend you're in South Beach. Of course you may stop to shop while on your work out. Guaranteed to make you burn the next day. Between the two of us, after walking like that, were were some hunka hunka burning loves the next day. Of course now we're back to being spoiled Midwest girls who walk no where and drive everywhere. Yes, even to the mail box occasionally. We sure have it easy here. :)

Cheers!

Fun Fashion from South Beach

We managed to do a little bit of shopping in South Beach last week and wanted to show off our favorites. Stumbling upon a fun little boutique turned out to be quite a good time. Especially when the sales clerk is a cute young man from some where in the Carribean telling you that you look great in everything you try on! And for some reason the store had two cages with the most adorable puppies inside. I guess it was bring your pet to work day.

Michelle found this great top that cinches slightly at the waist with a stylist black belt, buttons up the front and is the most amazing color of purple - "the color of the season" (our cute boy kept reminding us).

I found only this simple little shrug and upon asking what it was made of, our cute boy-clerk didn't miss a beat when he said "puppy". I thought I would pee my pants! So Cruella DeVille I must be, for I bought the "puppy shrug" and it was all I could do to not ask the rest of the cute internationals we encountered if they wanted to pet my puppy. Instead My Michelle and I giggled every time someone commented on it and asked what it was made of...laughing to the point of hysterics. And that was pretty much how the rest of the night went in South Beach.

And if you want to stay awake in order to party 'til dawn like the locals, I suggest a Cherry Bomb: a very large daiquiri glass filled with several shots of cherry vodka, Red Bull and probably some other stuff but I couldn't recall on account of being high on Red Bull. Dancing machine I was...sleepy I was not.

View more South Beach photos on our MySpace Page.
Cheers!

No Place Like Home!

Dorothy hit it on the nose with that one.
I am so glad to be home. Miami is nice in that the weather is gorgeous and the beach is amazing, but at lot of it I could do without.
The drivers are certifiably insane. Someone is always honking at another, running reds and cutting one another off. Makes getting anywhere such a feat, and a miracle to do it in one piece.

I love our clean streets, smooth roads and the gentle beep-beep someone does if I'm still day dreaming (or yelling at the kids) when the light turns green.

I will miss the warm sand and cool ocean breeze. That's for sure. The outdoor cafes are also something I'll miss. Walking down the sidewalk on Ocean Drive takes you, literally, thru the middle of the restaurant seating and right next to amazing displays of their delicious platters, all to tempt you to stop and enjoy.

Time did seem to move a little more slowly in South Beach. 10 minutes resting on the hammock felt like an hour.

The shopping in Miami was ok, but really nothing more than we can get here. The shopping party we attended was definitely a let down. I was hoping to get some great tips and ideas. I left with a bit of a swelled head because I was so happy to learn that Haute Market is definitely unique, chic and full of great vendors. We have it good here gals...in so many ways.

Check out the Haute Market MySpace page for more great pics. Remember to get the hottest ticket in town this week - the Dec. 4th Holiday VIP shopping party is about a dozen tickets away from being sold out!

Quick Hello!

Hey fashioinistas. We're hanging in the hotel room, watching the waves...and of course we're listening online to Mix93.com. I just IM'd the morning crew...did you hear them talking about us just a few minutes ago? Ha Ha. Even in South Beach people are talking about us.

We checked out another shopping party company last night. Dang KC gals...you've got it good with Haute Market. My Michelle and I are so excited to see that Haute Market is definitely classy, chic and has the BEST vendors ever!!! I bought two things last night...sad.

It's my birthday!!! Just a few minutes until we find a Starbucks then go get our massages. This massage place is on an island, smaller than what we're on now. Can't wait! Massages pool side, Watsu pools...yum yum.

I can't say that there is a lot of fashion to report so far. The legs are long and the skirts are short. Except for this guy.....

Mi Miami!

We're here, we're here! The beach is literally just a few paces out the back of our hotel. I have a feeling this is going to be a good trip my friends.
My Michelle is having a Bloody Mary and is so bloody tickled about it. That and all the hot bods jogging on the boardwalk right behind us!
I'm ready for shopping and lots of research so we can write off the trip and send you lots of fun photos.
Yikes...speaking of hot bods and photos...a photo shoot is going on right now and ooh la la....I can't concentrate enough to type. Gotta go.
Once our room is ready we'll get some photos downloaded for you.
Tonight we check out the big shopping party and tomorrow is massages and shopping.
Catch ya later Midwest gals!
This is your Miami Fashionista, signing out!

EDITED:
photo of the view from our room. Uh huh...that's the ocean out there!
And one very bad photo of us after rolling out of bed and getting on a plane for 3 hrs...but at least we have palm trees! :)

Countdown to Sand

Some days I just don't know what to blog about. Some days don't turn out to be fashionista days. Today is one of them...already. Too early for kids to be fighting, email to be crashing.
I'm going to have to focus on sand.
Usually I hate having sand all over me...right now I'm thinking of how good it would feel to lie down on the hot sand on Miami Beach.
After that, I'll stroll over to Ocean Drive and do some window shopping, maybe even slip in to a few boutiques and get so crazy that my credit card company calls to make sure someone didn't steal my card. :)
Ahhhh....now I'm feeling better. (note to self to bring extra credit card)
I've got the camera battery charged to take lots of photos and videos for you.
If I haven't tossed this damn laptop out the window, I'll have it with me to keep posting blogs this week and hopefully give you a peek at the Miami fashion scene.
I'm sure My Michelle (the detail guru) has her typed and printed list of what to pack, so I'm going to buzz her and see if I can copy that list.
I've got the mini bottles of X-Rated Fusion Vodka for making our on-plane drinks and toasting to my first girls' trip. So my job is done. :)
This is the KC Fashionista signing out from the Midwest. Next blog I'll be the Miami Fashionista!
Cheers!
(p.s. I have 35 tickets on me for the Dec. 4th event, available only thru online purchase. The vendors each started with 5, except Two Chic Blvd. who had 10. So check with them if you want to buy tickets other than online)

Tanked My Travel Toast

I am not a happy lush today. I've just read the list of permitted items for air travel and it looks like they are going to put the kabosh on my bringing a big bottle of champagne on the flight. Also on the list of no-no's is my sword, saber and cattle prod. Good to know.

The TSA has 86'd my plans for toasting my first girls trip until we reach Miami. The worst part is that now we have to schelp around to find someplace to get our goods. At least they'll probably have fresh orange juice.

Now what in the world does a midwest girl pack for South Beach? Thankfully I was in shopping mode all summer and picked up some great summer dresses when My Michelle and I went searching for deals at several end of summer sales. Those outfits with tags still on and shoes that have barely scuffed soles are doing dances in my closet knowing they'll be on the beach in just a few days.

Hey chic chicks, post your travel tips right here on the blog. And if you know a great place we should visit while in Miami Beach, definitely let us know! I'm off to my friends at the Wine Bar & Lukas Liquor to get some mini bottles, because under 3oz is allowed. Yahoo! (oops, there's the yahoo-ing again).

TSA Prohibited Items List

On The Road Again

I don't get to travel a lot having such young kids, and I've NEVER been on a girls weekend. So I am totally thrilled to be going to Miami this week with My Michelle. (You know...the one who does all the work at the events so that I can have fun?) I have to refer to her as My Michelle, because one of my fave vendors is also a Michelle, Michelle of All Things Beaded, so when we talk about them behind their backs ;) we need to know who is who.
Anyway...

My Michelle and I are going to Miami this week to check out another party program - the one that inspired me to start Haute Market - and to celebrate my b-day.

My first girls weekend EVER and it's on the BEACH! Yahoo. Hmm...better stop with the yahoo-ing so it won't be so obvious that we're tourists from the Midwest. Probably will be obvious since I'll have no trace of a tan.

This week I am researching travel tips. All these new rules and regulations about what you can bring on the plane have me concerned. I need to know that we can bring our ingredients to make Mimosas. We're flying out at 7am and I think the occasion calls for a drink!

Feel free to post or email your travel tips here.
I can't wait to scope out all the Miami fashions and share them with you, my loyal fashionistas!

Sex, City and the Eco Bag

I still watch re-runs of Sex And The City as I anticipate the completion of the upcoming movie staring my 4 fave gals. While we wait, HBO can keep us busy shopping for memorabilia.

My chic NYC friend just sent me the link to this eco-friendly dry-cleaning bag with a Carrie-quote on it.
"I like my money where I can see it...hanging in my closet."
Amen sister. $29.99 at the HBO store online.

Remember we have the newsletter contest going on...over $400 in prizes await some lucky subscriber. Check below for Tuesday's blog post for info.

Safety Alert! Toy Recall

I won't usually post about toys and kids...but today it's very important. My kids begged for the Aqua Dots and thank goodness I refused because now they are being recalled around the world.

The news reports say that the product, made in China, allegedly has a coating that has been made with a very toxic chemical that can cause severe reactions in children if the pieces are injested.

Quoted from a report at MSNBC.com:
"Scientists say a chemical coating on the beads, when ingested, metabolizes into the so-called date rape drug gamma hydroxy butyrate. When eaten, the compound — made from common and easily available ingredients — can induce unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma and death."

Kids and pets...we all know they eat stupid things. Keep them safe.
Throw it deep into the trash today my friends. Don't risk it.

Who's Preggers?

This facination the media has with who is or isn't pregnant in Hollywood is slightly amuzing, but bordering on bordom.
Christina Aguilera just announced she's pregnant. Oh really? Duh CA. We could tell that from a mile away. Plus, remember your good friend, Paris, she announced it for you months ago at the late night party? So sorry if we didn't act surprised for you this week at your official announcement.

Then there is Jennifer Lopez still denying rumors. Honey...do you really need the media attention that badly that you need to string them along until you make an "official" announcement. Even your clothing designer is blabbing it all about town. Not to mention that your beautiful bump is totally showing.

Listen girls...flaunt it, show it and tell the whole world about it. Congratulations!

Photos by Jacob Andrzejczak/Getty Images

Sweeps Week

**EDITED TO EXTEND CONTEST!**
Everyone else has sweeps week, so we want in on the fun.

It's CONTEST TIME! We want to be the biggest and the best and we need your help. Please share the Haute Market newsletter with all your friends and co-workers. You could be well rewarded.

Win a FREE *massage and a Zeno zit-zapper, one for you and one for a friend!
Plus two free tickets EACH to the Feb. 10th shopping party.
That's a prize package worth over $200 for each of you!
Here is how it works:
Open the newsletter that we send every Tuesday.
Click the link at the bottom to Forward To A Friend. Send to all the chic chicks in your address book and tell them to sign up for our fabulous weekly newsletter and to put YOUR NAME down as the "how did you hear about us".
It must be your first and last name.
For every person that signs up, referred by you, you get an entry to the drawing.
If you win, we'll pick one of the people that you referred and she wins too.

Get it? Spread the Haute word and you could win. It's that easy! We'll draw the winners next week and announce it in the Gift Guide newsletter coming out Tuesday, the 27th!

Remember, your friends must list your name in the "how did you hear about us" field of our sign up form online.

Special thanks to Aestheticare Med Spa for the Zeno Acne Clearing Devices and to Massage Envy for the massages!
*Massage certificate value=$39. One hr massage for new customer is $39. Winner is responsible for any taxes and gratuity.

Looking Picture Perfect

Not to brag, but a lot of my friends thought I looked really great on my recent TV interview. I take no credit for that. It was my make up artist, Staci Broski. She's amazingly talented.
One little trick she used on me that day was fake eyelashes. They were so awesome! I'm sure that close up I looked like I had a tarantula on my eye...it sort of felt like it too.

I found some individual lashes that might be a good start for novices like myself. Ardell Duralash at drugstore.com, and they are on sale with free shipping. Not bad! They have some good reviews, even from a KC local. I think I'll give these a try for my upcoming photo shoot. Let me know if you've tried them and what your thoughts are!

Finally Friday

This is definitely the busy season and if you're looking for some great shopping, it's everywhere. I'm exhausted looking at the event calendars of all my Haute Market vendor friends. Some of those crazy gals are doing two shows a DAY! Nutty!

I'll be hanging out at church tomorrow. Well, I'm hoping for holiness by association, actually. There is a craft show at Trinity Lutheran Church, 7740 hedge Lane Terr, in Shawnee, tomorrow from 10-3. I'll be there with December event tickets on hand should you want to swing by and get a few for you and the gal pals.

Several of my vendors are in the Ladies of Charity sale going on at the Ritz Charles. Mandy's Way, All Things Beaded...I know those two are there and have December event tickets with them too.

Have a great Friday everyone! :)

Shop for Safehome

There is another great shopping event on the horizon.
Shop in Overland Park tonight from 5-9pm. Enjoy refreshments, massages, and of course, fantastic shopping. Many Haute Market vendors will be there selling there wares so get there early to grab your favorite things.

This mega trunk show takes place inside the Holy Spirit Catholic Church – St. Elizabeth Hall, on 103rd between Quivira Rd. and H-69. (map)
There will also be some great raffle items and the proceeds from this evenings event will benefit the Keeler Women's Center and SafeHome.

Hope to see you there!

Finding Our Fab Vendors

I'm getting bombarded with emails asking "who was that great designer at your last Haute Market who sold_____?" Hey, that's great! So glad you loved our shopping. But don't you know you can find out who was at each of our shows by visiting our handy little Event Archive page?

Now you can check back on past events and find out who your favorite designers were and how to find them. Just click their logo or name and be linked to their web site (if they have one). It's that easy. Events are archived for at least one year.

Check it out. Happy shopping!

Bigg Ideas

I get tired of this cookie-cutter world we live in and sometimes have to just make a break for it. I broke the mold with my new holiday card design!

Check out this awesome new holiday card design I had designed by Bigg Eye Creations. For much less than buying a card off the shelf at the mega stores, and way more cute, you can get cards at Bigg Eye in which the character on the card represents you, the friend you're giving it to, or even your entire family! So unique!

My new cards feature a character from the Sassy Susie collection. I picked the girl that looked most like me, then customized her clothes. It was that easy. Suzanne, owner of Bigg Eye Creations, is so easy to work with and loves coming up with new ideas like this one. Plus she's a local gal, which we all love supporting our own, right?!

Visit Bigg Eye Creations online now and design a holiday card showing each of your family members, even the dog. Hurry because her holiday rush is starting and you want to be first in line.

Halloween With The Girls Next Door

One of my favorite shows, oddly enough, is the Girls Next Door on E!. Mostly because it just cracks me up, and partly because it insipres me to do some crunch sit ups while I'm watching.

I was excited to see Hugh's girls with their line of Playboy brand costumes this year and just had to share these fashions with you. A few weeks back they had a huge selection of these outfits at the Halloween store near 119th & Metcalf, in case you're still needing a sexy costume.

Of course Holly would be showing off this Angel costume since she's Hugh's number one girl. And I love Kendra in the combat girl outfit. Very "her". The costumes run $60-100 in stores and online. Get your haute halloween style quick before they run out.

Tickets are available for the Dec. 4th VIP shopping party. Get yours before they are sold out!

Find Comfort In A Cause

I love when I can combine more than one of my passions into a two-for-one deal. Shopping, I suppose, is more of an addiction or hobby. But supporting great local causes...definitely a passion.

Haute Market is a sponsor for the "Making Spirits Bright" shopping event tomorrow, Saturday. This benefits the "Abby's Run for the Heart" organization, plus it's fun for the whole family.

Please come out to Lenexa tomorrow and support this great cause. What a fabulous lesson to teach your kids....have some fun with the family, support a local charity...it's win-win my friends!

Print and share the flyer with co-workers, neighbors and friends: http://www.hautemarket.com/MakingSpiritsBrightflyer-HauteMarket.pdf

Shop from some Haute Market favorites: Frankie & Jules, jennyLou Spa, Ribbon Chick and Blingirl. Plus many more!
Stop by the Haute Market table and buy your December event tickets!

Cedar Ridge Parkside Community Center
8839 Lackman Road, Lenexa map
October 27th, 2007, 10am til 4pm
Come meet Sizzle the Bull from 12 to 2 p.m.!

Fun With Fur

What girl knows how to have fun more than Betsey Johnson? You know you can count on her for vibrance and extravagance. I looking for some fun furs, my virtual trip to the Country Club Plaza was a fun one.
I spotted this embroidered velvet fur-trim coat $435. It's available in two color styles. Good luck choosing just one. The embroidery on this comfortable coat is lovely!

For a shorter and more flirty look, I love the Kamila Faux Mongolian Fur Vest w/ Hood, $128. Also available is a style in leopard print.

There is also a huge selection of sale items in the online store. So shop in your comfie pj's with me today. Have fun fashionista's!

Comfort At Home

Next in the series of all things comfie, I'm going with PJ's. I'm the worst sick person and I can tell I'm coming down with something, so I'm ready to mope around in my pj's all day. Thank goodness pre-school now has a drop off lane instead of walking the kiddo's in!

I have a great pair of pj bottoms, otherwise known as "loungewear", from Old Navy. They tie at the waist and have chic little girly chairs on them, like a cushy chair you'd sit at a vanity. The pants are 95% cotton, 5% spandex and so, so comfortable. I found other prints online, now just $6.99 each.

Of course I pair my cute lounge pants with my Haute Market t-shirt. I love these shirts! So comfortable and soft. You can see the whole outfit in action by watching the recent interview on Kansas City Live. Brett Anthony was certainly impressed that we wore pj's on live tv. :)

I'm feeling generous because I have a dozen or so haute t-shirts left, so for a few days, they are 50% off in our Haute Market online store. Grab a few because you'll at least want one for the gym and one for lounging in.
Cheers!

Goddess Feet

My love of shoes certainly can't compete with Ms. Marcos', Fab Lane's Kimora or probably even some of you fashionista's...but it's scaring the crap out of my hubby and causing him concern that he'll be kicked out of our closet soon.

I've been known to sacrifice my feet for fashion, limping around after a night in heels that were a little too high, dancing in boots that were simply made for walking. Thankfully, Apara came to my rescue recently when they contributed a foot-saving pair of Steppies to all the goodie bags for our Oct. 3rd shopping party a few weeks back.
As seen in popular magazines such as Vogue and InStyle, these luxurious products are definitely in style for us fashionistas!

The word "Apara" comes from the Hindu goddess name of Aparajita, whose name loosely translates to undefeated or above all others. This is how you'll feel when you have Steppies, Apara gel inserts in your shoes. You can buy online at Cosmeticmall.com for $7.99 a pair or in local stores like my favorite, DSW.

Not only is the product FABOO but the packaging is fabulous, a purse-shaped box! Check out all the other fabulous foot-saving products at Apara.com.

Were you among the lucky one's to grab a goodie bag at the last event? Please tell us what you thought of your Steppies and how wonderful they are for your feet. Just post a comment here using the link below. One lucky poster will receive a pair of free Steppies!!!

Creature Comforts

The weather sure flipped on us here in the flatlands, huh? With this rainy Fall weather comes my need to find, and pull close, all things comfortable and warm. This week on the blog you can find all sorts of things to keep you comfortable, warm, and snuggled should you be wanting to just crawl back under the covers.

One of my favorite goodie bag treats was about a year ago...SBS Teas gave us hundreds of bags of cocoa and tea. I was craving it today and revisited the web site to find this yummy Caramel Hot Cocoa. Made from only the finest ingredients, SBS Caramel Hot Cocoa™ is quite simply the richest, creamiest, most flavorful gourmet cocoa you have ever tasted. A silky smooth light chocolate flavor with a rich caramel taste. Decadent with water or double decadent with milk.

And...they have cookies! So you may as well add a few boxes to your order while you're there. Maybe even visit the free tea leaf reading page for a little fun too.

Friday Style for Jeans

This is the last day of my "dressing up jeans" series so I took a virtual trip to the Country Club Plaza in KC, MO, to scope out some fab tops for you.

Kimono-inspired top at BCBGMAXAZRIA $178 with comfie bell sleeves, plus it hits below the hip...more my style, as you know if you've been reading this week. I love the color, partly because it's not black which is too easy and predictable, and it will really pop next to a pair of dark jeans.


Check out this sequined jacket at Betsey Johnson.com. Cropped hoodie in black is sure to make you shine. $245.

Armani Exchange has this sexy pieced-foil tank online and on sale. Was $48, now just $34.99. Available in black or heather grey. I think the black is the best choice, paired with a sexy black jacket you'd be ready to roll.

It's in Black & White

I hope you're enjoying this series of "Dressing Up Jeans". I'm having a ball shopping in my pj's before the sun, and the kids, are up. Here is what I found today:


From White House Black Market's online store, this fabulous floral print, gathered top will definitely make a bold statement. Feminine and fun. $78 (cream/black)

Also from WHBM, the Princess Embroidered Bustier. This top is gorgeous and will definitely turn heads. Elegant, silky bustier features romantic, shadowy embroidery, vented sides, boning and a hidden back zipper. It's certainly beautiful enough to put up with it being dry clean only. Dress it down with jeans, dress it up with a black jacket or pants. Either way, it's a wardrobe must have in my humble opinion.

Have you found that fabulous pair of jeans yet? Get moving girlfriend, before these fab tops are gone!

P.S. have you purchased tickets to the Dec. 4th Holiday VIP Shopping Party? Haute Market is coming and this exclusive event will sell out. Don't be left in the cold. Buy today!

BeJeweled with Jeans

Another in our series of dressing up jeans...today it's dressing up with jewels. The jeweled neckline is very popular this year. I love it because with very little effort, my outfit becomes instantly sassy. Combined with vibrant colors and a fabulous pair of jeans and a great pair of boots.. my, my it just screams DIVALICIOUS!
My goal was to be able to shop in my pj's, yet be able to find tops that would be in stores local to me in case I needed to exchange or see in person.
I love this colorful, sleeveless jewel-neck top found at Nordstroms.com by Lily White, only $38. It's long for those of us who don't want our belly-button on display.

Next up, from the "Hint of Mod" collection, this Kensie jeweled silk top $78 at Dillards.com. Stunning scarlet with your basic black, yet so beyond basic. Scoop neck and loads of bling.

Something a bit more basic but with the accessory built in, this beaded collar tunic from ArdenB. Baby doll design with a ruched bust is one of my favorites, gives a bit more oomph to the bust while forgiving my midsection that has been missing the gym lately. $88.