Finally Someone Pays Me to Shop! (Plus a Quick Trip to Target)

I got a call from a market research firm the other day. They ask me lots of question about buying hair care products and where I like to shop and whatnot and said they'd call me back in five minutes to tell me if I qualified for any upcoming studies. I figured it would be one of those sit-around-a-table deals where you get free bad dinner and have to spend three hours talking about what you like in plastic shampoo bottles.

Instead they asked if I could meet them at Sephora and talk about my shopping experience there. I was all over that. I took the day off work, got to sleep a little later than usual, and met two market researchers at The Mall. I picked up a few items I was out of as I chatted with the ladies. Then we cruised The Mall, talked about what catches my eye in a window and why I like the Aveda store and hate the Mac store. Then we drove to a nearby CVS, discussed hair products and makeup, and I bought some mousse. It took one hour and they paid me $175 to run my errands and talk about my favorite activity--I hope they call back!

I had some spare time, so I got a pedicure with my birthday girl pal, and stopped in Target on my way to the gym. I had purchases a long white belted Isaac Mizrahi sweater with pretty pearl buttons a couple weeks ago. What was I thinking? Long? White? Belted? I returned it and in approximately seven minutes found two more sweaters, and a dress and a top from the Go line. There was no specific designer attached to the Go items currently in the store (Rogan is winding down and Richard Chai is gearing up), but I liked what they had going on. Lots of flowers and ruffles--and I'm a sucker for both these days.

Here's the dress. It's very fun and vintagey and cute on. Short but not too short, and quite figure flattering. (Cheapy Jr. doesn't care for it, but he's four--what does he know? He's quite the fan of my Chick Flick Cherry toenails, however.)


This is the top I got. It's very similar in style--floral and ruffly--and I probably should have gotten one or the other, but I couldn't decide and I like them both, so now they are both in my closet. Note that both of these items look better in person than they do in these photos. I don't know what it is about the Target website, but they really don't do their clothing justice.


Check out the exposed silver zipper up the back--that was the clincher.


The other items a got were a couple of cropped cardigans. I can't get enough of them for summer. It's hot outside; it's freezing in my office. A mini cardi is the perfect thing to keep the chill off my arms and shoulders and not eclipse my entire summer outfit. They also fit into my bag quite nicely. I must have close to a dozen at this point--a few from Anthropologie, a couple from Old Navy, and four of the exact same one from Target in different colors. Have you all noticed I collect things?

Talking Products: Hits & Misses in the Drugstore Cosmetics Aisle

Since I discovered stores like Aveda, Origins and Sephora years ago, I seldom venture to the cosmetics section of the drugstore or grocery store anymore. Lately, however, I've been drawn there by ads or magazine articles or perhaps the invisible force of Max Factor. Here are few things I've been test driving.

Burt's Bees Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil
There are many Burt's Bees products I like and use regularly (my daily shower would not be as happy without Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream and Citrus & Ginger Root Body Wash). But when it comes to lip balm, I've been a loyal Rosebud Salve user for years. But then a magazine ad for this Burt's Bees lip balm made me wonder if it's really wise to continuously put a petroleum product (petrolatum) on my lips. So I gave the Burt's Bees balm a try--and I'm hooked on it. It feels nice, has a pleasant taste, offers a hint of tint, and it makes my mouth feel smooth and happy. It's also a great base for lip color. (One should never paint lipstick onto a chapped canvas.)

L'Oreal Endless Lipcolour
Speaking of lipstick...lately I've been searching for one that really stays on, which is a bit of a switch from my usual lip tints and sheer lip colors I've been wearing for the last five years or so. But lipstick and I--we're old friends. In the '80s I went through tube after tube of a L'Oreal variety in Toned Up Taupe, a pinkish beige with a hint of frost. In the '90s I went more bright and bold--L'Oreal Colour Endure in Wild Violet or Kiss Me Red. Colour Endure was awesome. It wore well and and it felt great. I've still got a few long thin gray tubes of it in my vanity table, but I was told by Charlotte, a L'Oreal Customer service person, that they no longer make it. Unhappy news. Charlotte suggested I check out L'Oreal's website for an alternative, which is where I discovered Endless. It came also came in a long skinny tube, and, says the site, it offers a "tattoo effect" for your lips. I was game. I bought Never Ending Rose. It's a great shade for me and it stays on well, but my lips felt like the Sahara--dry dry dry and hardly kissable. I miss Colour Endure (which is available here and there online and on eBay). My relationship with Endless has ended.

Yes to Carrots Eyes and Face Makeup Remover
I read about a Yes to Carrots product in Jean Godfrey June's column several issues of Lucky ago. She loved the product. I happened to see a Yes to Carrots display one day as I was walking through Walgreens, and, since I was in the market for something new to wash my face with, I decided to give Yes to Carrots Eyes and Face Makeup Remover a try. I've been using a rather expensive cleanser. Or actually not using it. Generally by the time my day winds down--after I work, pick up Cheapy Jr., run random errand, cook dinner, clean up, get Cheapy Jr. to bed--the thought of pinning back my hair, getting out a wash cloth and waiting for the water to warm up seems really hard. For more than 20 years, I actually took off my makeup with Pond's Cold Cream. I loved how it smelled and it reminded me of my grandma. Once I found my current facialist, however, this was no longer allowed. (I had some seriously clogged up pores, whiteheads, etc. Mineral oil--not so great for the face.) And besides the washing my face thing being hard, I also missed the creamy loveliness of the Pond's. This Yes to Carrots makeup remover gives me that creamy lovliness, it makes my face feel almost as soft as Cheapy Jr.'s, and it's made from good ingredients like carrot juice, minerals and Dead Sea mud. I absolutely love this stuff. And I'll definitely be trying other Yes to Carrots products--I have a feeling their Body Butter will be awesome.

My Shopping Weekend: Venturing to the Other End of The Mall

I generally stick to the end of The Mall near Macy's because there's a parking garage there that almost always offers rockstar parking, and it's near the Gap and Sephora.

Today I shopped at the other end of The Mall. (That's where the Aveda store is, and I got a haircut there during their charity cut-a-thon.) There are stores at this end that I like, but sort of forget about. I cruised through Banana Republic and got bored. (I like the Banana at my favorite outdoor mall much better.)

Next I hit the sale rack at J. Crew. They had lots of nice items on sale and tried on a bunch. I thought about a wrap dress and madras mini skirt but passed on them. (I bought a madras blazer from T.J. Maxx recently, and I fear I could easily over-madras.) I tried on several tops and concluded that J.Crew clothing is generally made for B cup and below. (Are the preppy all flat chested? Cheapy will never leave me for a J. Crew model.) I did buy a silk shirt similar to the one below. My friend had this one on when we went out the other night and I really loved it. The one I bought is the same cut but in a gold and white animal print. The print along with an an exposed zipper in the back add a little edge to the conservative boatneck cut. The animal print top looks fab with my destroyed jeans.


I also popped into Ann Taylor for a spell to check out the clearance. (The full price items at the front of the store were really icky. They have this whole white/turquoise/green/blue/lots of pattern thing going on and that I found quite unappealing.) They had a 75% off rack in the back of the store and I found me some paisley. (Much like rickrack, I have a soft spot for paisley.) So I went home with silk shirt number two, a button down in a brown and white paisley pattern. I can't find it online. It was on final sale for $19.99. The cut is really flattering (it's petite). And I recently decided I look really good in brown.

I also bought yet another clutch from an eBay seller. (The red one I got last week was kinda disintegrating so I got a refund from that seller and sent it back.) This one should prove to be quite nice, and it's a perfect neutral for spring--I think it will go well with my two new silk tops--and I really like that it's got silvertone accents instead of goldtone.



And check out how nice this bag is on the inside. It looks new.




My only other recent purchase was a pair of straight cut black pants from the Gap. I got them on Thursday when I took back some trouser jeans because I decided the rise was too low. I will be bringing these pants to a tailor, however, to have the waistline taken in just a bit. (They will join the three dresses and one pair of pants in need of hemming that have been in a shopping bag in my trunk for two weeks--it's hard to find time to go to the tailor). The size I purchased fits perfectly everywhere but the waist. I can literally take them off without unbuttoning them. The next size down was too tight everywhere except the waist, of course. But with a little nip, they'll be just right. Everyone should find a good tailor--proper fit is important, fellow shoppers!

Shoe Shopping with Cheapy: DSW

I'm starting to think I might have to change my husband's blog persona from Cheapy McMeiserberg to Spendy McShopalot. He keeps planning dates that involve shopping. Last weekend it was boutiques; this weekend evening shoe shopping. (This was after an day of Old Navy with Cheapy Jr. and shopping for an office furniture. We were almost getting to the point of too much retail even for me.)

Cheapy/Spendy has a habit of over-scheduling. His Saturday night plan: babysitter arrives at 6:45; we go taste wine; hit DSW and the Gap at one shopping center; go to Aveda and Macy's at The Mall; have dinner.

We tasted wine, shoe shopped, and went to the Gap for 10 minutes. Cheapy had no idea how long it can take to wend one's way through the two-floor expanse of our beautifully lit and well stocked DSW store.

Cheapy bought two pairs of shoes for himself, one by GBX (his Favorite Shoes Ever!) and one by Timberland. I must say I like Cheapy's taste in footwear. (I happen to think there are not a lot of attractive options when it comes to men's shoes. The lack of footwear options is one of the many reasons I'm happy to be a girl. That and I don't have to shave daily, take out the trash, or walk around with a penis, but I digress.)

During our evening of shopping at DSW, Cheapy had a shopping milestone: It was the first time in his life he's ever purchased two pair of shoes on the same day. (I also think it's the first time he's ever purchased two pairs of shoes in the same year.)

He was on a shoe-shopping high. He was so excited about finding a GBX shoe that he wanted to walk around the store and look for shoes for me. Somehow I walked out with the closest thing DSW had to stripper shoes. They're Michael Kors does stripper shoes in ivory patent leather with a bit of a vintage feel. They're just like the ones pictured below except instead of cork, the heels and platforms are navy and ivory striped. They're very tall but very comfortable, and I let Cheapy talk me into them despite the fact that they're ankle straps and I hate ankle straps. (I'm actually thinking about taking them to a shoe repair and having the strap shortened so they become slingbacks. I love slingbacks.) The fact that these are so light in color, however, makes them an acceptable ankle strap for someone my height. In black or something dark they would cut my leg off at the ankle. The ivory blends enough with my anti-tan that they work. And I've got a perfect pair of shoes to pack next time we go to Vegas.


P.S. Cheapy is still really excited about his shoe purchase. He told me he was in a good mood all day because of his new shoes. He was excited that he got a couple of compliments on them. He said several times throughout the day he took a few moments to just stare at and admire his shoes. I think he's starting to understand me.

The One Thing (Besides Boots) That Gets Me Through Winter

Lately (for the last few months) I've been complaining about winter/longing for spring. It's not just because I want to wear sandals. The cold weather and my hair do not get along. All day long I fight the static. I curse the static. I dread the static. The static keeps coming back like a no-good boyfriend.

I'm not into the rubbing dryer sheets on my head thing. Static Guard smells weird and I don't really want in my hair clashing with the Aveda products. Instead I lightly spritz my head with my Evian Brumisateur Mineral Water mister and that does the trick--bye-bye static.

I've spied an Evian Brumisateur in Samantha Jones' medicine cabinet in a Sex & the City episode. J Lo had it in her toolbelt in The Wedding Planner. I have it in my bag, in my travel bag, and in my bathroom at all times.

In addition to the magical static busting, it's lovely to mist your skin (it's intended use) with Evian during those dry winter days, and it's refreshing anytime. In a pinch, you can wash your hands with it. And I guess if you were stranded in the dessert you could spray it down your throat (although that situation has not arisen).

I Never never never get on a plane without a travel size bottle, and I never go shopping without it. (Trying on a pullover sweater without a Brumisateur in my bag is unthinkable.) This is a pricey ($15 for the 14 oz. bottle; $16.50 for 3 travel size) yet essential staple and I don't leave home without it (and my AmEx).