Boutique & Beauty Week launches!

It's coming to Kansas City, then spreading to other Midwest metro's...Boutique & Beauty Week gives you 20% or more discount at participating boutiques, spas and salons for just one week!
Ladies, you will be able to buy a Boutique & Beauty Week passport for just $10, 1/2 of which goes to local charities. The passport comes with a complete list of all participating businesses and is your license to pamper yourselves!

If your business would like to participate, please email us today jennifer@hauteweekly.com

Shoe Fetish

I adore a fabulous pair of fun looking shoes. It doesn't have to cost as much as my mortgage payment either.

Take this adorable sandal at Bakers for instance.
Just $79.95 and available in two different abstract palettes: pink/blue or tan/yellow. The wrap around strap and peep-toe combined with nearly 5" height will get you, and the shoe, noticed.

Add coordinating bag now on sale for $39.99 and you are ready to strut it. Bakers.com

Nail It

Spring colors are popping up everywhere. Nails are no exception. Check out the fun colors available in the Lippmann Collection Nail Color at Nordstroms.

The nail colors are named after old music hits such as Brown Eyed Girl, Kiss From A Rose, and Makin' Whoopie. The line was designed by Deborah Lippmann, manicurist to the stars. $15 for .5 oz bottle at Nordstrom.com.

Home Sweet Home

Good morning fashionistas. I am finally back in Oz. I love my brief visits to the big apple but brief is all I can take. Oh how I longed for oxygen infused air! My hair was a wreck all week at is soaked up all the exhaust and subway fumes. My skin, however, was fabulous thanks to my host and contributing editor, Sarah. She works for Peter Thomas Roth and as a result has a sick amount of skin care products to play with and test. The chamomile cleanser is the best!

Fashion Week ends today and is all such a blur to me right now. I lost track of how many fashion shows I attended after seeing 6 on my first day there.
I was tickled to run into my fab fashion friend Jack Mackenroth at Chipotle of all places. We love to bitch about the trials of covering fashion week. Jack has been covering fashion week for the logo network so has his own entourage of makeup and film crew with him. Quite funny but it keeps him looking divine at all times. I'm green with envy babe.

I also took the wrong train one day and had the pleasure of being in Queens for a brief time. That was different. :) After that I studied the subway system and have it nearly mastered.

Wednesday night I attended my favorite beauty event of the year. The CEW (cosmetic executive women) Network's Beauty Insiders Choice Awards. Where beauty execs from nearly every beauty company known to woman converge to put their newest items on display in hopes we will vote for them. I come away with about 30 pounds of beauty swag to give away on the blog and the Haute Weekly site. Stay tuned and join the newsletter for your chance at winning my swag!

NY Fashion Week update

Hey there fashionistas. Checking in from the Big Apple to keep you in-the-know and up to date. Fall 09 fashion week brings mixed emotions and mixed reviews. Definitely is lacking what years gone by have put forth. Since several designers backed out of fashioon week the schedule is riddled with more newcomers than usual. Some should have stayed hidden where they were.

Fashion Week also brings out the freaks of fashion. I cannot understand why the fashion police do not stop these people at the doors!?! Seriously. I am quite certain that I was no where near inebriated when I spotted MC Hammer reminicent pants. Not to mention a mohawk and a pirate hat. The pirate boy..I wanted to slap him upside the head and steal his hat for my boys! That sort of hat only belongs in a movie or on a 6 year old.

I found a fabulous store today in the East Village, Cadillac Castle. They carry designer samples at a fraction of retail. A sexy Nanette Lapore dress for only $80! I scored a fun Walter trench coat that will be perfect for spring for just under $150....over HALF of retail.

Also met up with and interviewed the talented young Jamie Phyl of Phyl Couture. We met at St. Louis fashion week a year ago. I loved her style then and it gets better with time. Watch for a complete article with photos and video coming soon!

Another fab find from Fashion Week - I ran in to my gorgeous Jack Mack....at Chipotle of all places! Jack is interviewing designers for the LOGO network and has a hilarious blog going where he says what others dare not to. My kind of dish! http://www.newnownext.com/ New Now Next is Jack's current home on the web for all things feisty about fashion week.

Though I completely disagree with Jack about the fabulousity (or not) of Barbie...we do share a hatred of a certain PR company, which is way more fun to bitch about than the actual shows.

So many shows, so many photos...so little sober time at the computer thanks to the complimentary bar in the tents ;)

I will post more photos soon. It's not like us Midwest fashionistas are ready for Fall09 anyway....we can't even wear spring 09 yet for goodness sakes!

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Studs studs everywhere

No, I'm not talking about the men here in NYC.
The Mara Hoffman fashion show was riddled with studs. Studded shoes, studded leggings, even a studded bodice - I need to find out how much that weighs. Don't know how that tiny model stood upright.
Then there were the feather-fringed vests, wool fringe wrap sweaters, and cape coats.
I loved her collection and the flawless presentation. The hair was loose curls and waves. The eyes were colored with a turquoise shadow. The rest of the face was otherwise a beautiful natural look that no doubt took loads of makeup to create that effect :)

I wish I had time to give the scoop but I saw6 shows yesterday and am still spinning.
Herve Leger Fall09 collection is amazing and beautiful. I believe my mouth stayed in the dropped "OMG" position for most of that show.
Miss Sixty was over in a flash but was definitely high energy and fun.

I ran into my friend Carmella Spinelli, one of the master minds of SOHO119 in Kansas City. I am excited to get into the off-site showing of Luca Luca Fall 09 - the designer is one of her former students. That should be a fun time. Crazy meeting someone you know from KC here in the Big Apple.

Time to get ready. I slept in a bit thanks to the fabulous complimentary bar in the tents. Who knew I loved Chambord so much?
Off to Tracy Reese this afternoon and her after party tonight.
Have a beautiful day fashionistas!

As Seen In

Emails come in almost daily asking where to find a hot new product, something seen recently in a magazine. Here are a few popular products recently featured in magazines:

Sephora Brand Super Shimmer Lip Gloss Apricot Souffle
Featured in “Beauty Best-Sellers List” Essence Magazine, February 2009. Coats lips with a shot of glistening, glassy color from these innovative tube glosses. The convenient applicator tip makes perfecting your pout goof-proof! Available in cream and shimmer shades.
$10 each at Sephora.com
Plus, it gives back:
$1 from the sale of each Super Shimmer Lip Gloss in Forever Pink will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

SEPHORA by OPI Nail Colour Remover 2 oz

Only at Sephora.

Featured in “The Easiest Way…to Remove Dark Polish” O, The Oprah Magazine, February 2009.


It is a fast, gentle nail polish remover without harsh, drying effects or the tell-tale white residue left behind by traditional acetone nail polish removers. The superior formula contains grape seed oil, vitamin E, and extracts of sea kelp and aloe vera, making it more effective than traditional formulas. $5 and $9.

Next Wednesday is the CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women) Network's Beauty Awards Product Demonstration. One night and hundreds of new beauty products to see, use and sometimes take home samples of! Last year I scored so much swag that I had to buy an additional piece of luggage! The event then leads into a huge vote by all of the members of the CEW. I can't wait to get my hands on these new products and cast my vote. Then we'll start sampling and reviewing here on the blog and in some articles on http://www.hauteweekly.com/. Watch for it and the chances for you to win some of my swag!

Fashion Week Dud?

As much as I love my semi-annual trips to the Big Apple and attending the circus known as Fashion Week, I am becoming more and more disappointed at the news in my inbox lately.
I suppose the economy is to blame...perhaps the news media could just shut up their talking about it so much and it would get better.
The Haute Market shopping event last Sunday was clearly NO indication of any economic slump. Many of my boutiques reported it being their most profitable Haute Market show ever!

So I'll get out my Midwest soapbox and scream "shut up y'all!"

Fashion Week is not at it's best this season with many holes in the schedule. Where once the days were basically back-to-back fashion shows each hour from 9 am to 9 pm, now there are 2 and 3 hour gaps. The final Friday once had 11 shows, this year 5 are scheduled.

Betsy Johnson is gone from NY Fashion Week as is Rock & Republic, two of my favorite shows for their grandiose theatrical productions. Perhaps if they simply scaled down they could afford it, but then it wouldn't be their trademark showing I suppose.

Last season my favorite hang out was the Office Max suite where the handsome host started serving complimentary champagne around 3pm.

This season Office Max is not a sponsor but a recent press release says McDonald's will be there. This is the paragraph from the release:

Experience the latest in coffee couture as McDonald’s reveals an exclusive preview of McCafé Coffees, a hot new line of authentic espresso-based beverages. As the “official coffee” of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, McCafé celebrates its debut with an invitation to indulge in premium roast coffees and espresso-based drinks at an intimate café-inspired lounge, located in the main lobby.

Seriously? Coffee couture? McDonalds?

Thanks but I'll walk to the corner in any weather thrown at me to get my Starbucks coffee, and pay for it, rather than a free McDonalds cup.

Vibrant Rioja was another great sponsor last season giving out free wine samples. Now gone.

Oh good, Havianas are back. I wonder if they will be giving free flip-flops again this season or just displaying them.

It is sad that not even Mercedes Benz fashion week can get all their advertisers back.

Hopefully our new pres can kick start something.

Soon fashion week moves to its new home at the Lincoln Center. Let's hope these last showings at Bryant Park are stellar and give us something to recall in later years "oh remember when we used to go to fashion week at Bryant Park?"

Stay tuned as next week I'll be reporting directly from the tents, or the comfort of my friend's apartment, which is very Carrie-esk by the way (SATC). I'll be sharing my must-have's for my beauty bag and the outfits I've brought along. I have some goodies after a panic attack and trip to Nordie's yesterday! A bright new trench coat was at the top of the list once I found out about the lovely low temps and snowy days ahead in New York. It's a tough job but someone has to do it. With the way layoffs are going with the rest of the media I just may be the only KC girl there.

Bag It

In just a few days I will be the proud borrower of this fabulous Gucci handbag courtesy of Avelle - the new Bag Borrow or Steal.
Nothing like carrying a two thousand dollar bag to put a little skip in your step!
These people take such good care of me and my loyal fashionistas. They have donated dozens of gift cards for borrowing credit which we have been giving away for our Haute Weekly prize drawings (just be a subscriber to be entered) and for the Haute Market shopping parties.

I borrowed a fuchsia Dooney as well for the next week, gives me a great pop of color.
Check out Avelle - the new Bag Borrow or Steal. Now with more than bags...sunglasses and jewelry too! Put a skip in YOUR step.

Boxing Bob

Good morning fashionistas. I was absent from posting yesterday as I was still recovering from the fabulous Haute Market shopping party on Sunday.
I was puzzled about the aching pain I felt, pretty much all over.
Then it came back to me...kicking Mr. Bob's ass kicked mine the next morning.

My great friends at Title Boxing Club, the latest and greatest fitness craze by the way,
set up a mini stage at Haute Market, set poor Mr. Bob on there and let the ladies take a crack at it. Several ladies who endured very stressful weeks took some frustrations out on Mr. Bob.

I am the shy one and prefer sitting in the back drinking chocolate martinis versus being the center of attention. The things I'll do to get some attention for a business friend, however, is another story. So with bravery boosted by a few of the previously mentioned chocolate martinis, I demonstrated how truly comfortable my favorite pair of platform shoes really are.

Thankfully my boys are in tae kwan do so I've learned a few things and only looked slightly ridiculous rather than full on. However after about three punches my arms felt like jello. What a wimp! This is why I promise to never fight back should someone want to mug me. I might chase you in heels to get my Prada back, but you can have the rest.
Punching is a different ball game, which is why I switched to kicking the crap out of Mr. Bob (thanks to my camera man for getting my best side - ugh, LOL).
A bit more comfort set in so the guys taught me to kick with the right, two punches with the right then a quickie with the left. Once I pictured a face or two on the dummy I was really taking some good cracks at it.

Moral of the story...usually isn't one with me....a fabulous work out can be had with a few hourly kick boxing sessions each week. It was both exhausting and exhilarating. Title Boxing Club now has two Overland Park, KS locations and one in Lee's Summit, MO. Check it out.

As for the fashion part of this segment...red top from Two Chic Blvd - very comfortable! Jeans, my favorite Eight14's. Shoes from Zara.

Friday ramblings & getting "JACK'd"

I'm not sure how thankful I am that it's Friday. The kids have no school today and I have a boatload of work to do to get ready for the Haute Market shopping party this weekend. Thank goodness for interns!
I have two interns now and I am so excited about them. One has been with me almost two months, the other wrote her first article a few weeks ago and is ready for more.

Also being added to the team is a fabulous woman I met at fashion week. Rosemary is an absolute fashion addict. She writes a fabulous blog in her spare time and is going to be a contributing writer here on the blog and on Haute Weekly. I don't know how she finds as much information as she does, but I'm sure glad she does it and you will be too.
I can't wait to meet up with her in New York! One more week until Fashion Week! I'm giddy!

Fashion Week means hanging with my gal pal Sarah. We'll be hitting the tents at Bryant Park and a fabulous beauty event which will leave me with loads of SWAG to give away for our weekly prizes. Make sure you subscribe to the newsletter to be registered.

Lastly...listen to my fave radio station, 105.1 JACK FM today. I'm getting JACK'd!!
This afternoon I'll be chatting with DJ Jon Anthony about Haute Market and the Pajama Program.

Have a fabulous Friday wherever you are. Please come to Haute Market this Sunday if you are in the Kansas City area. Make sure you bring a pair of new kids pajamas to donate to the PJ Program!

Sexy New Scent at Sephora

New at Sephora, Bvlgari Jasmin Noir 1 oz Eau de Parfum Spray. Captivating and caressing, Jasmin Noir is a rich mix of voluptuous floral and precious woody notes with accents of almond and licorice. This infinitely addictive essence is sublimely revealed by jasmine, a flower whose beauty is as pure as it is tantalizing. This scent embodies the very heart of the Bvlgari brand.
Available at Sephora.com for $68.

For your penny pinching pleasure, loads of new value sets are available at Sephora.com . I'm going to go load up so I have all my beauty supplies to take to NY Fashion week. Join our e-newsletter and see next weeks list of my "must haves" for the trip.

Great Hair Everyday

It is possible to have fantastic hair every single day that takes just minutes to fix, doesn't have to be washed but once a month, and looks healthy at all times.

Wigged Out is a fabulous new wig shop created out of love and compassion by Tina Herold. Heartbroken about her own terrible experience shopping for wigs to get through her chemo treatments, Tina knew there had to be a way to make it more tolerable for cancer patients.

As a cancer survivor (yay Tina!) she has the understanding and compassion to make this difficult time better for women facing hair loss. Wigged Out is a beautiful new wig shop located in Tina's home. The cheerful setting and adorable logo are indicative that this is a happy place created for any woman.
Tina has even made house-calls. Well, actually, hospital-calls. One woman heard about Tina's wig business as she was taking care of her daughter who was in the hospital. Her daughter wanted a wig. The girl couldn't come to Tina, so Tina went to her.

You too can have a wig. You don't have to be experiencing hair loss. It's a great investment when you want a change, much like hair extensions, only easier to care for.
Visit the Wigged Out booth at this Sunday's Haute Market shopping event in Overland Park, KS. Try on a few wigs and have a bit of fun, get wigged out.

Super Bad

I confess that I watched most of the SuperBowl last night...even though I didn't know which teams were playing until a few days ago. I mostly get in for the commercials. Unfortunately they didn't live up to expectations set by advertisers in past Superbowl events.

My fashion let down was Jennifer Hudsons outfit. I adore the jacket with the delicate ruffle trim, but the way it was shaped so that it widened at the hips and tapered back...uh uh...not good for her body type with the white shirt underneath. She was definitely a magnificent choice for the Star Spangled Banner...I just think gals with some hips should be selective about the clothing shapes they choose.

Bruce...all I can say is that I feel sorry for the camera-man who got the crotch in the face. Ugh Bruce.