Posts Tagged ‘shopping’

I’m a big fan of vintage shopping and antiquing and had been making plans to shop the famed Rose Bowl in Pasadena for months when lo and behold my hair stylist friend extraordinaire, Theodore Leaf (www.theodoreleaf.com) and I learned that Eddie Ross (www.eddieross.com) was coming to town to lead a group through the masses of flea market finds. We were both fans of Eddie’s work on Bravo’s Top Design and I’m always a fan of a preppy guy. So we signed up for the “walk along.” There were about 15 of us and with coffee in hand and my tote bag empty and ready to fill with negotiated bargains we headed off into the rows of booths and tables filled with silverware, glassware, fabrics, knick-knacks and furniture. Eddie would stop at a variety of outdoor booths and give the lo down on how to re-do furniture to update it, give advice on how to determine the worth of an object and what’s good stuff from the “trash.” Let’s be honest it shouldn’t all be someone’s trash is another’s treasure, some of it is just junk. Theodore, his boyfriend Matt and I had so much fun—how could we not? A warm, sunny day, Eddie and his main man Jaithan to escort us through the finds of The Rose Bowl plus he gave us some nifty ideas on hostess gifts and table settings. It was a relaxed atmosphere and we met many other gals and guys to socialize with along the way.

Eddie suggested and Theodore literally translated into a hostess gift a small jar of olives with the antique fork and personalized ribbon for me the next time he came to dinner. I added my version of a spoon with a colorful ribbon and lavendar honey.

Anything can work just by taking antique silverware and pair with cheese, olives, jam, or chocolate sauce and tie with a ribbon and small note.

I took his suggestions and created my own small, but charming gifts for my next dinner outings at friends’ homes.

Besides, silverware and vintage cloth napkins I also bargained for this camel saddle (walked away only paying $25) that with new leather became a cool footrest in my living room.

Here’s the video from my latest appearance on ABC’s The View, showing Sherri and Elisabeth how to get amazing designer looks for less at T.J.Maxx and Marshall’s! What a fantastic time, and the four girlfriends we dressed were super terrific. I love The View, and I love me some T.J.Maxx and Marshall’s!!

Great gift ideas for the men in your life, from Father’s Day ideas to cool choices for the boys, all presented by me on AOL’s StyleList.com.

Go to my TV & Videos page for this, and tons of other great gift ideas for men AND women!

http://www.alionthego.com/category/tv-videos/

Vacation is just a few days away and you don’t need every lip gloss or eye shadow on your trip nor do you need five necklaces. Time to edit your selections down to tinted moisturizer, a pinky gloss and a black masacara plus a chunky necklace, two simple necklaces with charms to layer, a bold cuff and dangly earrings. Put yourself in a happy-go-lucky mood and pack them in Trina’s Morrocco collection. The jewelry roll has multiple pockets so the jewelry doesn’t get tangled. Find them at Nordstrom.

Pillows are the added value to our home decor. Bright pops of color, over sized and comfy or a way to help define out style in a room. I have been know to fall in love with a pillow and travel six hours on a plane to get it home safe and sound to place on one of my couches. With the multitude of online sites, I spend a little “me time” perusing various designs and calculating my next purchase based on how long have the other pillows been on my couch and how long will they last after my dogs take their hundredth nap on them.

My latest pillow finds are dramatically different from one another. One is quirky while the other is dramatic. I don’t see them becoming couch buddies, but I do see one as a gift for a friend and the other pure whimsy to create like characters of my family.

While the Kleins’ Studio would have a hard time fitting the Duggar family on a pillow the rest of us can have fun immortalizing our whole brood on a pillow by logging onto www.Kstudiohome.com. Select from a cast of characters that best resemble your husband, your kids, even your pets plus choose fabric and stitch color. All the pillows are hand embroidered and they use 100% organically grown hemp and cotton. Prices start at $134.

For the modern girl with a white leather couch, these pillows add the right pop. Lisa Pearl’s mission is world domination through edgy couture home accessories. She says she is seduced by the female face which is the main focus in her pillows. She prints her original photography onto the pillows and designs with the intent to be anti-trendy. She is flattered that her work is owned by a pop princess, a hotel princess and a bona-fide royal princess. Her pillows start at $220. Go to www.lisapearl.net

Save time shopping by “bracketing”-take an item a size smaller and higher into the dressing room with you.

Q. Do tight clothes make you look thin or are baggy clothes better?

Alison: Avoid baggy and tight—neither is appealing. Wear clothes that fit your shape and size. Baggy looks sloppy and doesn’t define a shape of the body. Tight clothes will only show off any bulges or flaws. Every designer cuts differently. There is no universal size or cut of clothing. And with the creation of vanity sizing where designers/retailers will cut larger yet put a smaller size on the label means you have to try the clothes on whenever you shop. Shopping should not be a chore. When you have the right skills, shopping can be uplifting and confidence building and needn’t take hours to accomplish a task.

Spend time trying on clothes from a variety of designer or retailers with prices that fit your budget. When you find the right fit and a variety of choices that fit your lifestyle, make those retailer the initial go-to on your list when you need to replenish pieces in your wardrobe or need something new. Shop the inexpensive shops like Forever 21 and H &M when you want to try out a trend. These shops offer “disposable” fashion at a low price. Spend more money on the classics that should last in your closet for years and keep the trends for under $100. When you spend money on quality pieces think in terms of the cost per wear ratio—the price comes down the more often you wear and longer you have the item in your wardrobe.