Kate Spade Brights

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DRESS: Kate Spade  |  SHIRT: theory  |  SHOES: Kate Spade  |  BAG: Kate Spade

 

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It’s been a bit gloomy the past couple days here in San Francisco, so a little dose of bright color a la Kate Spade seemed to be just what the doctor ordered.  If you’re still stumped on what to get your mom, sister, girlfriend, female judo instructor, etc. for Christmas, I’ve included some much more favorite gifts below that are still available for totally free shipping before Christmas day.  Regardless of the recipient, you really can’t go wrong with these babies.  I mean, have you seen these earrings and these cheeky coasters?!  Get outta here.

 

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This post was produced in collaboration with Nordstrom and Kate Spade.

The One accessory I Can’t online Without

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DRESS: Gabriela Hearst (also available HERE and HERE, and love THIS affordable alternative)  |  SHOES: Manolo Blahnik (similar affordable alternative HERE, HERE  and HERE)  |  BELT: Chloe (affordable alternative HERE)  |  BAG: Victoria Beckham (similar HERE and HERE)

I used this emerald eco-friendly satin gown just recently to the fashion group worldwide Rising star awards where rich as well as I were honored to be recipients of the business innovation award for Trove.  If you’ve complied with this blog for any type of amount of time, you likely understand that when it comes to accessories, I have a chronic addiction to waist-cinching belts, so it likely comes as no surprise that I employed this Chloe belt to finish off the look.  You may have likewise noticed that it’s about the 200th time I’ve used this Chloe belt in the past a number of weeks, so today I believed it was high time that I devoted a publish to my most-frequently used accessory: the midsection belt.

 

 

In addition to producing a lovely hourglass shape, midsection belts always seem to completely “finish” any type of look.  however more than an aspect of polish, midsection belts can likewise totally transform even the most laid-back outfits.  A true testament to the capability of accessories to totally transform a look is this recent publish in which I’m using a giant large cardigan as well as stretchy stirrup pants.  The difference that a lovely midsection belt as well as heels makes in dressing up an attire comprised completely of laid-back pieces is staggering.

 

 

I likewise just recently used the same Chloe belt in this recent post, which serves as one more excellent example of providing a traditional gown new life with the addition of a simple accessory.  While the Chloe belt is definitely pricey, you can see that I wear it CONSTANTLY, so it was worth the splurge for me.  However, you definitely don’t have to splurge to get a killer midsection belt.  Below, I’ve rounded up all of the midsection belts that have caught my eye lately, including this beauty that’s only $55!

 

THE finest midsection BELTS at all cost POINTS

DRESS: Gabriela Hearst (also available HERE and HERE, also love THIS affordable alternative)  |  SHOES: Manolo Blahnik (similar affordable alternative HERE, HERE  and HERE)  |  BELT: Chloe (affordable alternative HERE)  |  BAG: Victoria Beckham (on sale! similar HERE and HERE)

A Rejoinder and statement of Principles

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I don’t normally take the time to reply to negative comments that are left on this blog — why encourage people who are spoiling for a fight? I’m not bothered by their criticism, for the most part (and if it’s justified I do try to take it to heart, however unpleasant it may be to do so!). but a lot of of the time replying to negative comments falls under the heading “Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty and only the pig enjoys it.”

However, there have been a few comments on a recent post which I feel I need to respond to, if only for clarification. A commenter, generally anonymous, but also signing one comment “7/10 split”, suggested that I am a “professional what? writer/ advertisers? whose goal is to sell things”, and also a “shill.”

For the record: I am not a “professional advertiser”. I am a writer, but of a very particular kind.

The same commenter (who may be this blogger) also suggested that I don’t sew the dresses that I post here. If you would like to see pictures of ME in the dresses I have attached (and I admit, I don’t typically post pictures of myself here because, all things considered, I had a better time in labor — and I didn’t have an epidural! — than I do having my picture taken) you can see them in five out of the first six pictures here.(The dresses shown in that link include a Duro, the pink jellybean dress, the blogiversary dress, the stunt Valentine’s Dress, and the yellow-bird dress.)

Whether you take pleasure in my articles or not, I would like to state unequivocally that I do NOT accept money to post about any particular dress, fabric, pattern, pair of shoes, etc. There is NO payola or kickback scheme in effect on this blog.

For book reviews, I am, as is common practice in publishing, typically supplied with complimentary copies of the book in question, to review or to give away.

The advertisers on the right-hand side are just that: advertisers. They have no influence on content, and I do *not* ask them for complimentary stuff.

I accept pictorial ads only from people who sell patterns, fabric, or vintage clothes, or are otherwise related to sewing. I need to approve the ad before it will run. My ad rates are very low; $25/month (with a minimum three-month commitment, because I’m lazy and don’t want to be bothered putting up and taking down ads all the time). I also participate in Google’s AdSense program, which are the boxed text ads you see on the page, and in the Amazon Associates program, which gives me a commission on books purchased by Amazon customers who clicked on links to books from this blog. (To give you an idea of the profits from those two sources; my last “payment” from Amazon was a $35 gift certificate which I used … to get a lot more sewing books. Google pays every two months or so; I think my last check from them was in the $125 range.)

I have set up “Dress a Day Inc” as a LLC company, so that, if I say something libelous and am sued, the company will be the target of any claim (and not my family). This indicates I file taxes on all the income from this blog — if there is any, after paying hosting fees to my Internet service provider.

As for the comments about the sweater in question, I am doing a little research on the subject; the commenter suggested that the sweater probably cost less than $1 to make, and that all the labor involved was sweatshop labor in Asia. I don’t think that’s right, given that the cost of a pound of even low-grade cotton is about .71 — that’s a pound of unspun cotton. From what I can tell, the spinning of one pound of raw cotton fiber produces 840 yards of yarn. That seems to be on the low end of the number of yards you’d need for a sweater — any knitters want to jump in here? — and the sweater I posted about was 14 gauge, which is a fairly fine knit). So, at least .71 in raw materials, plus the spinning cost, plus the fashioning cost, plus the cost of the buttons — I think it would be hard to get the raw goods cost of this garment under $1. even leaving aside that the garment is made in China (I called and asked) — there’s the cost of the coming up with the design, a job nearly certainly done by an American at American wages. (J.Crew employs about 7600 people.) The same commenter said that the sweater I linked to could be found in discount stores for under $20; if, in fact, that is the case — why haven’t I found it there? It’s not like I haven’t been looking! Do you aspect the salary of the designer into the cost of the sweater? If not, why not? Do you aspect in the jobs of the catalog writers (Americans), shop employees (American and for the stores in Japan, Japanese)? The distribution center employees (in Virginia and North Carolina)? The UPS person who will bring it to me? (Hi Luis!) The short answer, it seems to me, is that a narrow focus on manufacturing jobs is not helpful; if the company can’t manufacture goods at a affordable price, then all those other jobs I pointed outabove — they go away, too. despite conjecture about how much of the price of the sweater is pure profit, large retail chains have very small profit margins — one source puts it at 2%. another source (from 1998!) puts the apparel profit margin at 5.4% … and given the rising costs of commodities considering that 1998, I can’t think of that margin has gone up.

I apologize for such a long and tedious post, without even any pretty pictures to enliven it; I pledge not to make a routine of this kind of thing. However, I do treasure the depend on you place in me by checking out this blog, leaving comments, and contributing to a little oasis of dress-loving camaraderie online, and I didn’t want to give credence to accusations of shilling, payola, and “blogging under false pretenses” by letting them go by in silence.

(Comments of the kind “all her taste is in her mouth,” “this is soooooo awful lol”, and “i cant believe u wear this!” will still be ignored. De gustibus, etc.)

If you ever have any questions about me or this blog, well, my email address is on the right-hand side, towards the bottom. I do try to answer all the email I receive.

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Blue Gardenia’s Sale …

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Denise at Blue Gardenia is having her yearly sale … right here are the details:

Another shameless plug. Forgive me. Please. however the home loan must be paid. The pups must have their treats. as well as His Bertness has a fondness for Haagen Dazs. Oh, the list, it is endless. Truly.So. Take your seats. The curtain’s rising. The drums are rolling. Etc.I announce, without further ado, the blue Gardenia’s once-a-year sale. as well as it’s a doozy. Really. purchase any type of three products — patterns, jewelry, mix as well as match — as well as get 33 percent off. Yup. 33 percent. Is that wonderful or what? You can buy ten, twenty, thirty items, forty even, as well as you’ll get 33 percent off the overall price. as well as your purchase will come lovingly shipped, as always. The patterns carefully kept in archival wrap with backing boards, the fashion jewelry in classy boxes. as well as you don’t have to stand according to the riff raff. No pushing. No shoving. No smelly armpits or aching, inflamed feet.

Early next week I’ll select the winners of the best/worst present ever contest … so there’s still time to look at your haul from Thursday as well as state “What were they thinking?”

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Madewithawesome.com – new site, new designs and discount CODE!

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Madewithawesome have some of the funniest designs out there and have never failed to be very original. The story is that they come from a magical world at the end of a rainbow, where you get only if you follow a very colorful unicorn. Neat, isn’t it? They have a different kind of humor than others and make for a fantastic collection of prints.
The site is brand new and is quite easy to browse through because it focuses on the designs with clear cut information and an inviting layout. I really liked how user friendly it is and I’m sure to visit them much more often because of that, not to mention the laughs they give me.
But wait, Tshirt factory readers ! You have a discount to all this awesomeness! That’s best – use the discount coupon code TSHIRTFACTORY and you get 10% off at checkout. get over to their site now!
The WormholeFossils RefueledGarden SnakeHot Air BalloonLunch Breakzp8497586rq

0/5 (0 Reviews)

I Don’t know What You people Are believing

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Seriously. Holly at LuciteBox vintage has had this up as a Buy-It-Now on eBay for like, a week now and it’s STILL THERE. I was taking a look at my list of to-be-blogged topics and believed “There’s no method that dress is still up,” but when I went to check, it was. Sheesh! What is up? Is everyone still getting back from Labor Day vacation? Are you still trying to get that last week of wear out of your summertime sandals? Does everyone have the horrific head cold I came down with?

I mean, inspect out the back:

That alone should have made you hit that useful “Buy It Now” button.

Anyway, it’s navy, B36/W26, and just ordinary gorgeous, and pretty inexpensive at $74.

Everyone should have a extremely structured dark dress for the days where you mean Business. This is a brook-no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners dress. I have one that is black crepe and insanely severe; but it can go from lady-scientist to hardcore-vamp with a change of shoes and a slash of red lipstick. This is one of those dresses, and believe me, once you have a dress such as this you feel a renewed sense of confidence. It’s like having a $100 bill in your pocket, an unmetered vehicle parking space, a new pair of kickass shoes, and a amazing idea, all at once. even when you’re not using it. just having it in your closet, ready to pull out in case of emergency, is enough.

So why is this still available? I don’t know. I am going to have to fall back on my conventional there’s-no-good-explanation explanation: sunspots.

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