Archive for June, 2008

Being fashionable doesn’t just apply to us as individuals. It also applies to our kids and keeping them comfortable, yet looking good.

A while back, we added Preschoolians, a maker of shoes for babies to our list of Market America partners. Shortly after, Tiger Woods’ daughter was seen wearing the “Old School Freestyle Red Stars” by Preschoolians at the US Open Golf tournament.

(Photo courtesy of Preschoolians.com)

These shoes come in many different styles and colors for your baby and are available for around $40! Hailed as Time Magazine’s “Coolest Invention Visu Fit Window,” Preschoolians ensure that your child is ready for cruising or taking that first step. Enjoy!

Love,
Loren

A few entries back, I highlighted eLuxury.com for purchasing authentic Louis Vuitton handbags and accessories on the web portal. Just the other day, I ran across another site, Designers Imports, that offers handbags, sunglasses, scarves, wallets, not to mention shoes and eyewear from top designers like Coach, Prada, Chloe, Burberry, as well as many others.

Not only can you find great handbags (and possibly one to go with your new purchase from White House | Black Market), but you can also get them at a great price.

I found the following Zip Hobo Bag from Coach for around $250!

Designersimports.com offers a great selection of handbags and accessories for nearly any occasion. Not to mention, they are available at great prices!

Love,
Loren

Did anyone happen to catch the show, The View, hosted by Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd? Yesterday’s guest was nothing short of amazing. Michelle Obama looked stunning in her black and white tank dress. If you all are not aware, tank dresses are the “it” fashion this summer! In addition, the use of floral accessories (as this dress clearly has on the strap) and leafy prints are hot as well!

While listening to Michelle Obama, I couldn’t help but notice how professional; yet relaxing she looked in her dress. Great for carousing around town or even in a business setting (with a nice black cardigan of course), this dress has it all! What was more surprising about Michelle’s outfit though, was the fact that the dress she was wearing looked like a very pricey $400 dress.

Not only was the dress that Michelle Obama was wearing very chic (and stunning on her), but it also didn’t break the bank. Her tank dress was a mere $148 from White House | Black Market, a recent partner store addition to marketamerica.com! Visit White House | Black Market to find this dress (keyword: tank leaf), along with many others!

This goes to show you that everyone loves a bargain!

Love,
Loren

I hope everyone had a great Father’s Day with their Dad’s! We’ve been hard at work, continuing to bring you the stores you want!

We recently added Chico’s as a Market America partner store. With summer here, it is a good idea to remember that dressing during the summer doesn’t always mean wearing t-shirts and shorts. This year, colorful attire is very fashionable and with that, I found some great examples to help demonstrate this to you.

While shorts may be comfortable at times, they aren’t always practical. Try wearing a pair of light-weight pants or even a nice pair of crop jeans. Chico’s has the following jeans for a low $32. They are great for the weekend or nice to wear around town!

As I mentioned, color is in this year! Try a Zenergy Wildflower “saucy” tee, complete with lots of color. Although this is a t-shirt in a sense, it is a dressier one that won’t look like something you pulled out of the laundry. It is available at Chico’s for $48!

Tired of being cold when you’re out, but don’t necessarily need or want all the added bulk of a sweater or parka during the summer? Try the Kalista Jacket. It is very lightweight and will keep that chill away (no gloves or scarf required). It was also available at Chico’s for $118, which in my opinion is a great price.

Remember, you can still be fashionable, yet “centsible” when shopping!

Love,
Loren

In continuing with our FashionCents Style Tips this week, today we wanted to focus on pants and shorts for Dad!

Yesterday, I mentioned how sandals and socks do not go together. The same thing can be said about jeans and shorts or jorts as they are commonly referred to. Jean shorts do not count as shorts, especially cut-offs. While they may be great for working around the yard, they don’t quite cut it when you’re going out.

For years, I had to constantly beg JR to get rid of his jean shorts. When I finally did, he didn’t realize what he had been missing out on. Shorts can come in many different styles. There are cargo shorts, linen shorts and the standard khaki pleated pair of shorts, not to mention shorts for working out that help wick-away sweat. While all of these shorts have a different application, many of them can be worn with a pair of sandals that I mentioned earlier, to help create a nice outfit that is both attractive and comfortable.

Since this is all about Dad this week, I wanted to bring to your attention a few great deals (not to mention, stores) that are available on the web portal.

First up is Macy’s. Remember how I mentioned that Born shoes were extremely comfortable? Try these Herringbone shorts from Tommy Bahama! JR is constantly raving about how they are so comfortable and lightweight. If there is anything you want to wear whether playing golf or just having dinner out, it is a pair of these. They are available for $72 right now!

While Herringbone shorts are not applicable in every situation, I figured I would look for something else a little more durable and laid back. Mark mentioned having the perfect white t-shirt. To complement this, I found a great pair of cargo shorts (in camo too!). This is a hot summer look when you’re wanting to relax and yet still look great! They were available at Cabela’s for only $15! A great deal if you ask me!

As the title suggests, this entry was about shorts…and pants. I found this great pair of Hugo Boss linen and cotton blended pants at Bloomingdale’s for $125, which are perfect for an evening out or a trip to the beach!

Until tomorrow…

Love,
Loren

Not that we ever need an excuse to celebrate dads (or shop!) but we can always use some ‘censible’ advice when it comes to gift giving. And, as if you didn’t know it, shopping through the marketamerica.com portal is a great way to save money on those gas prices that are on the rise (As I am entering this blog the news is reporting that prices may hit $4.50 a gallon by July 4th!)

SOUND ADVICE
For the music enthusiast there is nothing like a good pair of headphones. Dad can tune in to his rock-n-roll jams and tune out the world with Sony’s Over-The-Ear Noise -Canceling Headphones. They are available in black, have incredible sound and are a cool $99.99. Available at bestbuy.com.

EXTRA! EXTRA!
So naturally I looked for some sort of amazing gadgets but there were so many! Then at barnesandnoble.com I found something even better – ‘Gadget Nation” by Steve Greenberg. It’s an incredible book that not only has some of the most dynamic products I have ever seen but also shares some truly behind-the-scenes inspirational stories of how an inventors dreams become reality. It also costs less than most gadgets: $11.97.

BURN BABY BURN!
Get Dad up and going! It’s not so easy to get the gym these days but it’s very important for a longer healthier life and daily physical, mental and emotional well-being. The best product, hands down, to get him going: TORCH Pre-Burn (an MA featured brand) Get a15-day supply for only $59.95.

A STEP AHEAD!
Here is another way to put some pep into Dad’s step with the Orca shoe from Skechers. It’s super comfortable, hip and a great compliment getter. Absolutely get them in the camouflage color! Just $30 at Skechers.com.

ROCK IT OUT!
Michael

Summer is upon us. At times though, it seems that we forget that what works during the Fall and Winter, doesn’t always work during this part of the year. With Father’s Day fast approaching, I wanted to share with you a few FashionCents Style Tips to keep Dad looking top-notch from head-to-toe! Each day this week, we are going to highlight a different part of Dad’s fashion and share with you a few tips on getting the latest look for less!

Shoe-stopper!

For starters, sandals and socks do not go together. Instead, try a casual type of sandal or even a nice leather sandal. There are many different types of sandals available. The thong sandal, slide sandal, as well as the dress sandal are all comfortable and help replace that aging pair of outdoor sandals or bright orange-colored crocs that somehow keep reappearing.

Not only does a nice pair of sandals provide comfort and support, but they can be worn with shorts or even dress pants when on vacation! Not to mention, they look nice too! Two particular pairs of sandals that I found at some of our partner stores were from Kenneth Cole and Born (they have lots more!).

If you haven’t ever tried a pair of Born shoes, you need to. Your feet will thank you! Dillard’s carries the Born “Engle” for $90.

For a dressier sandal, I suggest the Kenneth Cole Men’s Look Special sandal, available at Shoes.com. These sandals come in black as well as brown and are available for around $70!

You can’t go wrong with either look, as they are both “hot” styles and available through your Market America web portal now!.

Tomorrow…Pants: the long and short of it.

Love,
Loren

Adding to what Michael wrote earlier last week about finding that perfect white t-shirt or the absolutely necessary black dress, I wanted to share with you a new store that I found recently.

Many of you have been clamoring for such stores as Williams-Sonoma and Banana Republic, along with restaurants like Red Lobster, Olive Garden and many other popular Darden restaurants. Well, this online store does it all and is a recent addition to our Market America partner stores. The store is called MyChoice Gift Cards.

While other people are out driving around looking for that elusive black dress, shop with confidence knowing that you’ve got a new outfit, dinner and entertainment all covered…and don’t forget about Father’s Day which is just around the corner. So get yourself something nice, cut-down on the driving and surprise Dad this year!

Love,

Loren