Resolution No More

Hello fellow fashion mavens! Wow. It's already the last day of 2008. What fabulous plans do you have for today? Rather than concentrating on starting anew tomorrow, I plan to take this day to relax a bit more and work a bit less.

Long ago I made a resolution to stop making New Year's resolutions. It's worked out just fine and I don't experience the regret and failure that so many do by March (or Jan. 15th if you suck at it like I do).
If there is something you want to better in your life...just do it. No need to wait for a significant date.

Want to stop smoking? By god do it now please. Your puffing makes my hair stink and me fearful of wearing designer clothing for a night on the town.
Need to lose weight? Put down the Christmas pudding and walk away slowly. Or quickly rather. Might as well start burning calories when you can.

I'm not one to preach "make the most of each day", "try to find something positive in every trial", etc. I'm more of the school of thought that says "stop your bitching and do something about it because you're giving me a headache".

Rather than grand resolutions I take little baby steps such as:
~I will do my best to look presentable when I leave the house because if I don't I will most definitely run into someone I know.
~I will do my best to not scream at the boys so much. It gives me more wrinkle lines and I can't afford the constant upkeep. The boys ignore my screaming anyway...so what's the point?
~I will keep trying to do little things so my friends know that I appreciate them. I'm not a big hugger but I can send a cute card for no particular reason.

So do your thing, do it well, and take care of yourself.
Hey..I've never claimed to be wise.
;) Jennifer


(photo of Dec. 4th Haute Market shopping party vendors and some of my greatest girlfriends! - courtesy of TL Goodwin photography)

New Years Eve plans?

For the first time since having children, we have secured a babysitter for New Year's Eve.
In years passed we found it easier and less expensive to host a fabulous party in our home with great amounts of food and liquid libations - one year we even enjoyed the performance of a friend who could do an amazing Frank Sinatra impersonation.

During any given NYE either my best friend or I was pregnant and therefore it was pointless to pay loads of dough for all night drinking that we could not enjoy.
Instead we've enjoyed the safety and convenience of partying at home for 9 years.


Oh my goodness...nine years.
The children of our group now outnumber the adults 2 to 1. It's time to end the tradition and start anew. But where? The city has so many fine NYE parties.

My friend Drew, of DREW6, is excited to be playing at Kansas City's famous Hyatt New Year's Eve party. Tickets start at $79 per person.

"The Black Party V" is hosted by Californos in Westport, MO, costs start at $85 per person/ $160 couple.

Pierpont's at Union Station , KC MO. Offering a 4-course prix-fixe menu, ($60).

Seven Downtown KC MO. serving regular menu as well as delectable special, created by Chef Perkins, incl. prime rib, stuffed dover sole, & many other delicious specials.

Trezo Vino Wine Bistro, Leawood, KS. Offer traditional menu as well as a unique 6-course New Year's Eve selection prepared by our Executive Chef, Michael Peterson, ($100/couple).

Yia Yia's Euro Bistro - Overland Park Offering regular menu plus a special 3-course menu. Choose all 3 courses for $39.50 or you can buy each individually.

I'm going to check out Trezo Vino. It's a wine bar, and that's pretty much "our thing". Plus it's close. As much as I'd love to be at the Hyatt...that will have to wait until we have an overnight babysitter so we can enjoy the libations and a cozy hotel room to stumble to at night's end.

Have a safe and happy New Year everyone!

After-Christmas Sales

There are so many sales and so little time. I've compiled a short list of some faves. Happy shopping and be safe!

Beginning Friday, December 26th, you can take up to 60% off your favorite Bliss products during the Post-Holiday Sale! There won't be a better time for you to stock up on everything you wanted but didn't get for Christmas.

Up to 75% off at Gennaio Boutique, 311 N. Dean Ave. , Raymore, MO

Title Boxing Club: Get to the nearest TITLE Boxing Club in the KC Metro area to lock in your membership now, rates are going up as of Jan. 2 09.
New location opens 1/02/2009 at 151st & Antioch.
Visit 119th & Metcalf in Overland Park or 50 Hwy and 291 South in Lee's Summit to join. Members can attend all three clubs!

Boutiques giving back

Get great discounts and do good deeds.
Support the Pajama Program.

Bring a new pair of kids pajamas to any of these Kansas City metro stores and receive a discount off your purchase!
See stores for restrictions.


Denim Couture
Overland Park, KS
10% off your purchase with PJ donation

Riviere Tatters
Mission, KS
10% off your purchase with PJ donation

Frankie & Jules
Overland Park, KS
20% off entire purchase with donation (coupon will be given) expires 5.31.09

Bon Bon Atelier
KC, MO
10% off your purchase when you donate a new pair of pj's

Rigenerante Day Spa
Leawood, KS
10% off any one service, per customer, for a donation of new pajamas

Remember, it must be a new pair of pj's. We usually need teens sizes more than baby/toddler.
Have a safe and happy holiday!

Salon product sale today only!

Here in the Kansas City area we have many excellent salons to choose from.
One of which is Xiphium Salon in Leawood, KS.

My inbox had a great deal from Xiphium inside:

20% OFF THIS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23

ALL RETAIL* PURCHASES WILL BE AT A SPECIAL SAVINGS OF 20% OFF FROM 9AM-9PM.

Take advantage of this fantastic special for any last minute gifts, stocking stuffers, or treat for yourself. Great hair and body products, great discount!

XIPHIUM SALON
10589 MISSION ROAD
LEAWOOD, KS 66209
913.696.1616
In the Mission Farms shops.

*PREPACKAGED HOLIDAY GIFTS SETS NOT INCLUDED IN OFFER

The trendy traveler

As many of you prepare to depart for holiday gatherings I thought it most important that you check out the recent article we posted at HauteWeekly.com about fab traveling tips, thanks to our NYC contributing editor, Sarah. She's "been around" and has the scoop. ha ha!

"We've survived Thanksgiving and are gearing up for the next 30 days of holiday celebrations! Keeping yourself organized while you travel is the best way to maintain your sanity(and the sanity of those irritable people behind you in the security line). What makes me such an expert? Well, a few months ago while on a business trip, I made my way through the security line and my bag required extra attention. The security officer said with a smirk "boy, that's a busy bag!" And it was. It was a mess.
As a result of my "busy bag syndrome" I've managed to lose 2 phone chargers, 3 camera battery chargers, and countless tubes of lip balm and hand cream. So, my dear friends, on my latest trip I was determined to get it right...and am happy to share my tips with you!"
Click here for full article.

Either you're in or you're out

Fashion certainly changes as often as the weather here in the Midwest. The latest changes for NY fashion week have been churning up storms of gossip.

First Betsey dropped out, leaving me so disappointed as she puts on the most magnificent, theatrical shows. Recently she used a pirate theme to show off her girly designs and feminine frocks. But Betsey no more for NYFW.

Vera Wang, who is making strides with her lesser expensive line of ready-to-wear featured in Kohl's stores, has also dropped out of fashion week leaving a gaping hole in the Thursday tent schedule.

Wait....what's this? Its that..??? No...it couldn't be! By golly if it isn't our old friend Tommy Hilfiger filling Vera's time slot in the tents after a three year break from Bryant Park.

The iconic american designer is back at a time when we could use some positive icons and nostalgia

First Obama, now Tommy. Good heavens Toto, this Dorothy can't wait to leave Kansas and take seat in the tents to see what other surprises are in store. My mouth is already watering for my Midwest Airlines chocolate chip cookies.

What's your bebe personality?

Gifts for all personalities (even if you have multiples)

bebe.com Gifts: She Gets the Party Started
Dates: Now through 12/31/08.

bebe.com Gifts: She's All Business
Dates: Now through 12/31/08.

bebe.com Gifts: She's Off the Clock
Dates: Now through 12/31/08.

bebe.com Gifts: She's On the Move
Dates: Now through 12/31/0.8

And the discounts:
ENJOY150 - Spend $500 or more on bebe.com merchandise, get $150 off of your order
Dates: Now through 12/24/08.

GET50OFF - Spend $250 or more on bebe.com merchandise, get $50 off of your order
Dates: Now through 12/24/08

GET20OFF - Spend $125 or more on bebe.com merchandise, get $20 off of your order
Dates: Now through 12/24/08

Bag Bargains

Good morning fashionistas. My friends at Avelle (the new Bag Borrow or Steal) sent me an email last night about a fab sale starting today!
Of course I had to take a peek to pick what I want before anyone else knew about the sale :)

Normally I'm not a COACH fan because we're so saturated with the brand where I live that I'm just plain tired of seeing it. But this beautiful bangle is too hard to resist.
Since it doesn't have the C's all over (and not so subject to bad copies being worn all over town - I'll skip my soapbox today about carrying copies).

This bangle is chic and a bit edgy, plus it's on sale so that right there seals the deal. If you create a login at Bag Borrow or Steal, you have can use the Wish List feature. Then just share that login info with your hubby as a big fat hint to what you want for Christmas. Easy and more certain that you get what you want, instead of cheap perfume he and the kids pick out at SUPERSTORE.

Enjoy!

Feeling Lucky?

Lucky Brand Jeans is always sending me great online deals. Today is no exception.

Get 50% off any item with any regular price purchase at LuckyBrandJeans.com, now through Dec 24!
I could definitely use this cozy cap during this Midwest winter wonderland, in purple color, of course.

Or in Aspen if I'm lucky enough to make it out to Aspen Fashion Week. Yes, even Aspen is getting into the Fashion Week scene.

Aspen Fashion Week announced for March 1-5, 2009. Celebrating the "mountain lifestyle," the five-day event will showcase the winter resort and ski wear markets with nightly fashion events, in-store presentations, and après-ski soirees. An estimated 15 designers will present their winter 2009/2010 collection to fashion buyers and press, and organizers expect that in 2010, the event will expand to include full-scale runway presentations.

Goodbye

A fashionista leaves us but not before she strutted her stuff down the runway a few months back.

You are missed girlfriend.

In loving memory of Laura "Lolo" Plunkett. May the legacy live on and the girls remember to "Pass It On".

Go get your mammograms girls.

Laura and Jennifer after the Why Pink fashion show at Haute Market, Oct. 2009.

Photos by TL Goodwin Photography.

Next Haute Party

I'm working away on the boutique list for our next Haute Market shopping party. It's a great selection of boutiques with women's apparel, a few designers with cute kids clothes, some great local jewelry designers, great girlfriend gift boutiques and more. Make sure you've joined our newsletter for updates about the 2009 shopping parties!

Remember to check our two gift guides. One is of local KC boutiques offering great discounts. The other is a list of online stores offering online gift cards. Great for that last minute shopping and no need to pack a bulky present on the plane when you fly to grandma's.

Black Out

Stuck in the rut of wearing all black? I know...it's so easy to do and so effortless. Not to mention you can sometimes get away with wearing the same black dress twice in one week with no one noticing.
Today I will assit you in your stealthy ways keeping your budget out of the red and your wardrobe looking different.
Requirement A number one? Make sure you at least wash before re-wearing!


Ok chameleon girl. Let's do it.
Surely everyone knows the secret of a scarf. Easy way to change up and dress up a look. Especially wearing one with jeans. this one will go well with your black ensemble but with a bit of color to boot.
Tolani Myst Scarf in Black/Blue
$60 at Revolve Clothing.


Trick #2. A vest. Over a light sweater or blouse, it changes your look and keeps you a tad warmer. Though I'd prefer a color, this inexpensive
Striped Tuxedo Vest option from Charlotte Russe is doable, and only $18.99.



Women: Tuxedo vest - menswear blue
Or this more color version at Gap.com for $48.

Shake it up, change it up. Make it a point to pull 5 items out of your closet that you can wear more often by adding a simple accessory or extra layer.

Please email us if you find a buried treasure or turn something drab into gold!

Hump Day Bargains

Enjoy Extra Savings at Barnes & Noble.com
Save 10% on one item with Coupon Code: D9E4E3T
The 10% discount will be applied to the most expensive eligible item in the order - not the entire purchase - and will be deducted after all other discounts, including (if applicable) the standard Member discount, are applied.Run dates: 12/10 - 12/18.


Rigenerante Day Spa, Leawood, KS. - $10 off any Gift certificate purchase of $100 or more
Purchase gift certificates online https://rigenerante.boomtime.com/lgift
and be sure to visit their monthly specials: www.rigenerantedayspa.com/docs/month.asp
(GC must be purchased at Spa; Must mention Haute Market Holiday GC Special when purchasing)

DVF sale in NYC

Hey NYC fashionistas...

the DVF Sample Sale starts tomorrow at 9 am at 260 Fifth Avenue, between 28th and 29th, New York City.

Up to 75% off great items from Fall '08 - including dresses, sweaters, coats, jackets, pants, tops, skirts, and, did we mention dresses?

See you there!

HAUTELOOK gets "Best Virtual Sample Sale"

Style Maxim - personal stylists, shoppers and wardrobe consultants - voted HauteLook as the best virtual online sample sale site for their "good balance of (designer) labels, price and availability".

So now HauteLook is officially "crowned" for doing what we were already aware of...bringing the best prices on designer brands with the ease of shopping right from our laptops.

Check it out now. Sign up for their sale notices and get reminders about upcoming sales you won't want to miss.

HauteLook.com

Fab Friday Finds

Deals and steals all over the 'net.

HauteLook has great designer sample sales going on now! Sign up for their give away, then go check out the boutiques.

Avelle, the new Bag Borrow or Steal, has reduced prices on all Sale products! Get a designer bag for bargain prices. I just snagged an adorable Lulu Guiness handbag for under $50!

Lucky Brand Jeans :
'Tis the Season to be Lucky - Give and Get 40% Off! Enter code 8DFFM Offer good 12/7-12/14/08.

Buckle:
· $50 Off select men's Affliction jeans
· $10-20 Off select women's MEK jeans
· $10-20 Off select men's MEK jeans
· Extra 15% Off women's sale merchandise**
· Extra 15% Off men's sale merchandise**
*Specials are applied to merchandise and everything is priced as marked. Inventory is low on many styles and is not guaranteed.
**Includes merchandiser marked 25%, 1/3 and 1/2 off. Includes 3/4 sleeve and long sleeve tops, sweaters, outerwear, footwear and accessories. Excludes short-sleeve merchandise.
Favorite Bands. Favorite Brands. Shop Buckle.com.

Great music is fashionable

Music and fashion often go hand-in-hand. The makeup, the styling, it's all part of the package.

It's really great when a local band hits it big and it helps that they are fashionably hip too.

Drew6 and Haute Market have worked together several times over the last 2 years. Drew and a few of the band members have performed at the Haute Market events. Haute Market even had the honor of being the presenter for the We Kiss CD release party a few weeks ago.

Today I'm extra proud because Drew6 had the greatest review from our friends at INK Magazine here in Kansas City:

"With its latest, We Kiss, Drew6 shows it has no pretenses. The record is an unbelievably polished collection of catches and traps carefully designed to ensnare the female listener. With a sharp ear to the ’80s, We Kiss runs the gamut from upbeat electro-pop to snakey slowdowns. Gooey synths melt across distorted yet restrained guitars to back up singer Drew Six’s extra-breathy delivery." Steven Garcia, INK.

Not only is the music great, but Drew has a great sense of fashion...especially on stage. Always hot denim, usually a very cool vest and a hip scarf. Drew knows how the ladies like it! ;)

Get your CD and a few for your friends because this baby is blowing out quickly.
Download it directly to your music library.

More how-to hair

Simply how-to hair video by famed stylist, Jonathan:

Designers going ghetto?

I'm not sure where or when it started, but it was most noticeable with Target. Liz took the chance and revolutionized maternity wear. I noticed because I was pregnant at the time (ahem...again) and was so excited that someone thought beyond the maternity tent and actually designed affordable, wearable clothing that I wept (shut up...I was a preggo....we all cry).
Liz Lange Maternity for Target was genius.
Yet naysayers basically accused some designers of going ghetto...selling out to go "mass".

Next for Target was Isaac Mizrahi, three time winner of the prestigious CFDA Designer of the Year award. Selling out? Hardly. It's selling smart.
Making fashion more affordable? Brilliant.

Now you see Botkier doing bags for Target. For lack of better punch-lines...Target has hit the bulls eye time and time again.

Then there is Kohl's. I'm the first to stand up and protest the wearing of any "fashion" (ahem...using that term loosely) from Kohl's. And bless their hearts for trying, but Daisy Fuentes? No. Missed badly.

So what happened at Kohl's to make them finally get it? Well, the name ties my tongue up in knots (Very Vera by Vera Wang)...but otherwise I think they got it! Not to mention a sweet little line by the name of ELLE. Perhaps Kohl's realized that to carry a "designer brand", it helped that the label was by an accomplished designer. Someone who has not only been to fashion week but shown on the runway.

How do I know about this, you ask? I certainly don't watch the news.
I am going to make a confession.
I shopped at Kohl's last weekend.
Seriously...it was to find some shoes for the boys! They are little, they trash their shoes and I was going to teach them a lesson by making them wear those utility- boot looking things. Plus they carry Tony Hawke clothes and it's about the only brand my 8 will pay attention to and my 5 is addicted to (my 3 doesn't care...he'd rather run around naked).

We're making our way to the checkout and I remember..."oh yes...that silly rumor I heard about dear Vera and also our friends at ELLE".
YIKES...rumor no more...it happened.
"Hey...that dress is kind of cute (I duck my head and graze thru the rack). Cripes...this isn't half bad". It's pretty cute...most of it (beats the hell out of Croft & Barrow). I wanted to just grab a few "research items" and leave but figured an extra trip to make returns is not what I needed...so I tried a few things on and came home with some quite surprising finds. Bargains too since it was all half off. A Vera dress, t-shirt and ELLE's cute faux leather cropped jacket.

So it's kind of cute that designers occasionally go "mass". Why not? We're the one's that stimulate the economy, after all.
Wait....what's this? Zac Posen is now planning on an expansion beyond ready-to-wear and a lower-priced collection. Seriously? Ok...now I've heard it all. But truth be told...I can't WAIT! Zac Posen items that won't make me miss a mortgage payment? Brilliant!

World AIDS Day - it starts with you

Around forty million people are living with HIV throughout the world - and that number increases in every region every day. Ignorance and prejudice are fuelling the spread of a preventable disease. If people weren't so afraid of the prejudices, they might not be so afraid to test. Early testing can mean a meaningful life by easily keeping HIV at bay.

World AIDS Day, December 1st, is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS. This year, it’s up to you, me and us to stop the spread of HIV and end prejudice.

HIV positive designer, Jack Mackenroth, started a fabulous campaign, Living Positive by Design. It's purpose is to further educate people about the importance of HIV testing in order to catch the disease early and to eliminate the stigma associated with having HIV. Jack has been surviving for a few decades with the disease and turns his experience into knowledge to share with others

You can be entered for a chance to win a beautiful red scarf designed by Jack. The red scarf borrows from the red-ribbon concept awareness, plus it's a fashionable look for these chilly winter days. Just email us right away to enter. Type "scarf contest" in the subject and give us your name, address and a valid email address. Drawing will be held this Friday at 11:59 pm. Winner will be notified by email. One entry per person. Valid in the continental United States.

Other ways to show your support:
Jack has also designed a special t-shirt to raise more awareness about the importance of HIV testing.
On the front it says “Love across barriers soothes the heart and cures the soul.” The back says “Shame can be fatal. Get tested.”

For more info, or to purchase, visit Jack's site.