Thank You!

I am actually sending a big "thank you!" out to the local media... seriously!

Dress for Success celebrated the NC Triangle affiliate's official opening yesterday morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Northgate Mall in Durham, NC. The amount of press coverage that was provided and has continued has been truly gracious and hopefully will recruit some new volunteers an resources our way.

Big thanks go out to (please let me know if I've missed any):--Women reinvent themselves at boutique - from the N&O's Sue Stock's retailing column
--More on giving - from the N&O's Sue Stock's retailing blog
--Women get boost with jobs - from the N&O's Barry Saunders
--A great video news clip from News 14 Carolina
--And finally, an in-depth coverage video (fourth down on the list) from News 14 Carolina with Executive Director, Pat Nathan!Please check out the above links and let them know that you enjoyed their coverage! We can always use more good news on tv, online and in the newspaper.

Stay tuned here for more info coming soon about Y.E.S - Young Executives for Success... a component of Dress for Success that provides networking, social events, and opportunities for young local execs to give back to Dress for Success in a really fun way!

The Best Darn Deal Ever...

...is back!

For those of you who missed the chance to get Microsoft Office Ultimate for $60.00 (I love mine!), they just re-released the offer today (right in tune with the start of fall classes).

Here's my original post about it, if you need more convincing: http://hanginginmycloset.blogspot.com/2007/09/ultimate-steal.html.

Here's the link to getting the deal (just grab a university email address and you're good to go): http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx.

PS - $59.95 for $600.00 worth of software - that's 91% off of retail!

Dear Bed, Bath, & Beyond

Dear Bed, Bath, & Beyond,

When you send me an email and tell me that my BB&B location is located at "1515 North Pointe Drive, Durham, NC" it really makes me doubt you.

Just wanted to make sure you guys know I will never drive to Durham (24.7 miles) for Calphalon, towels, and other BB&B necessities - not when I'd pass Cary on the way or could've just wandered over to Garner.

XoXo,
Lisa

Must Find a Way...

... to add Replacements, Ltd. into my busy schedule in September.

From Sue Stock - the business news writer who keeps us on our retail toes:Replacements will be selling more than 100,000 pieces of overstocked merchandise. Unlike previous years, shoppers will pay a $5 entrance fee and then $5 for a box that they can then fill with as much yard sale merchandise as it will hold. (Yes, you can buy multiple boxes.) Items in the separate sidewalk sale section of the event will still be priced per item.This is definitely a must-do shopping event.

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” - CoCo Chanel

I am not a Lifetime girl by any means (well, except for the 1:00am hour of Golden Girls re-runs!) and I usually cringe at the thought of a Lifetime movie, but not this one.Super big thanks to Lauren's post on the upcoming movie for reminding me a: that I wanted to blog about this, and b: to add it to my calendar and DVR so I don't miss it!

September 13th - 8pm. (Attn: local sorority readers - that's during recruitment. Don't forget to DVR it on the house TV!)

Can't wait!

PS - Shirley MacLaine is the "stuff" (if you will), too. I think she'll make a fabulous CoCo!

Catwalk for the Cure

If you're local, please plan to attend!

By the way, I have a pair of tickets (for you and a guest) to give away!

Just comment here or email me at NCSULilWolf@gmail.com to enter - deadline to do so is Friday - August 22nd, 2008 - by 12:00pm... (noon - not midnight).

As if fashion and contributing to finding a cure with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation isn't enough, the grand prize to be given away at the show is a stay for two at the all new The Umstead Hotel & Spa!

GOOOOD LORD what a generous donation from The Umstead that was!

DFS & Scout & Molly's

At my very first Dress for Success (Triangle affiliate) meeting, one of the first pieces of branding and support for the national organization was highlighted: the DFS scarf designed by Sean Combs (yes, P. Diddy).

It really is a stand-out piece and a great conversation starter - giving anyone who wears it not only a chance to financially contribute to the organization, but an opportunity to spread it's message to others who may also be in a position to give a bit of their time or wardrobes to others.

Of course, Scout & Molly's was one of the first Triangle retailers to offer the scarf - totally not surprising, since owner Lisa Disbrow is almost always pairing her store with one of our many great local philanthropies and causes.

Here's what her most recent store email had to say about the scarves
Also, in the spirit of philanthropy and helping, Sean Combs has designed a scarf for the Dress for Success program. For just $30, you can get a great scarf which goes towards helping disadvantaged women by providing clothing and career development and support. We have these really pretty silk scarves at Scout & Molly's of Raleigh.

Come on in and get one to support a great cause to help other women!
So what are you waiting for? Pick up your scarf today, spread the message, and please join me at the next DFS meeting!

A Reason to Return to the Gap!

I'm not a Gap-hater... I just haven't found anything of interest in there for years. It's actually been kind of tragic.

Obviously, I was really excited to see the following pics in my Google Reader today thanks to le petite blog and her "'fall' into the gap" post that completely revived my faith in the retail chain with the following images:

and

PS - Did anyone else get really bummed today when you logged into blogger and found a newly re-designed dashboard? Dang, another thing to learn my way around again (cough, cough: facebook)... and I sure don't think it's as pretty anymore, either. Hrmph.

WANT: Michelle Dress

Check out Nautical by Nature's post today for the most ridiculously adorable preppy stuff... ever.

This is by far my fave... and a steal at just $54.50!

Just think about how many formal-ish events you could wear this too. I say formal-ish because I could probably even be caught at the bar on a random weekend night in this thing. Just give me a chance to wear it... I would.

It comes in pink, too... but that would definitely require a specific reason (ie: breast cancer fundraiser! or baby shower).



PS - With a name like "Michelle Dress" it's obviously awesome. (By the way, that also happens to be my middle name!)

WANT: Blue Wash

Normally, I'd just list any info I receive in an email... but today's email from Lisa at Scout & Molly's was too pretty to not share in a picture!

Here's my newest must-have item. I know it's a bit small, but just give it a click for a larger image for the details. When you're hooked too - grab some for 20% off at Scout & Molly's when you purchase a pair of jeans (and who can't use another pair of jeans?)!



PS - Little-known techy tool here: when you click on the image, your browser will probably scale the image to 87% or so... just click on "view" then "zoom/zoom in" to see the details if the text is too small to read when it's scaled down!

Stalk It

Another Shop It To Me favorite... Ella Moss for dirt cheap. Nordstrom "claims" it's unavailable at the moment... this is worth stalking.Megan joked last weekend at the tailgate that her BF "Big Cam" and I really were meant for each other (we joke that he is my future ex-husband) - because we both can throw on a black shirt if all else fails and go on about our merrily. SO true. This is a closet staple (with a modern twist) worth owning.

(Too bad the lucky Ella Moss model looks anything but pleasant.)

More UA Love

In case you can't tell, I'm one of UA's biggest supporters (and not just because my favorite red-headed girl has been rockin' it there since the start of this year). Always have been - always will be.

The BF still asks to this day why I didn't go to work for them after graduation... my response is that they're too far from Raleigh.

Dear Under Armour, if you're reading this... can the fourth retail store in your series pleaaaaaase be located in Raleigh? Pretty Please?From Muscling Into the Mainstream

“This is more about marketing than anything else,” said Marshal Cohen, the chief analyst for the NPD Group, which follows the apparel market. “It’s not a new product, it’s not new technology. They turned what was a niche market — they took the undergarment, your under-sports apparel — into something you actually wanted to wear.”

The result, he said, is that “they connect better with the consumer than any brand we’ve seen in a decade.”Thanks for passing this along, E. Riley!

And PS - Marshal Cohen is still my favorite industry genius to this day. The man just freakin' gets it.



8/13/08 Update: Inc.com love as a result of the Times' article.

Blame it on Ashton

Kutcher (adorable as he is)... or Paris. But let's hope that by this point, no one is mimicking that silly girl.

I apologize for taking a disgustingly long time to get to this review as promised - sometimes the real life gets in the way of the "life of a trend correspondent" - or at least the blogging equivalent of one.

Back to the review, the infamous "trucker hat" - also known as "those awful vinyl-backed hats from the 1980's" being spotted on "douche-bags everywhere" (most recently on the campus of UVA in a undisclosed fraternity house).

Who told our once preppy boys that this is now the standard of cool? I believe it was our handsome friend Ashton, but boys remember: you definitely need the Ashton personality to pull it off and still make it look good.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good 80's cocktail party where everyone gets good and tacky... but in moderation. I know what goes around, comes around - but comes around BETTER is the important part to remember in that cyclical chain of events.

Just say "No" to Joe Dirt and "Yes" to vintage done right.

Recap (pun totally intended): "No" -->

"Yes" -->

"Another Domestic Goddess Tip" for your Wardrobe

From my other blog: Another Domestic Goddess Tip by way of the Beaufort Belle for protecting your wardrobe, home textiles, and dryer's longevity!

Oh, and while we're on the topic of dryer sheets... here's a great use from Lisa S. on how to turn your "waste" dryer sheets into something useful!

Beauty Buzz

I've always been aware of the mark brand of beauty products and am even more so aware that they are geared towards girls my age and probably a bit younger... but I had no idea they were so cheap and pretty much appear to be designed with me SPECIFICALLY in mind (just take a look at the wand applicator for their lip gloss... which is only 5 freakin' dollars!).

Does anyone use this? Because if the quality and results are as good as I hope, I may have a new addiction that will cost me way less than my current MAC loyalty... and bonus: mark has hair products, etc., too!

Check out Amy from I'm Just Beachy's store... I'm giving her full credit for driving me to her site with her lip gloss recommendation on her adorably beachy blog!

"Bonannos or Barefoot"

I am super behind on my trend blogging, but I just wanted to post a quick little blog love to Tres Poshe Preppy for posting about Stephen Bonanno Sandals... they are JUST as cute as Jack Rogers but I love the fact that you can add your monogram, etc. to these, too!And what's not to love about a company whose tagline is "Bonannos or Barefoot"?!

My favorite (for now) are these at the Phillie's game:A-dor-able!