Community Oscar Party - Pop Chips Giveaway

 Who doesn't love getting dressed up and walking a red carpet?  I teamed up with the community at Hudson View Gardens to host an Academy Awards party.  It started as a small, local event but the planning team turned out to be the A-list of volunteers... We had a lighting designer from major event venues, an event/floral designer, a media company who brought in the step and repeat and red carpet.

Zico Coconut water, Pop Chips and Raw Revolution provided healthy, glamour-friendly treats for all of the guests.  Hudson View Gardens is an amazing community of creatives and professionals.  There are retired TV execs, composers, cinematographers, past awards winners of Coty Awards (fashion design awards before the CFDA), Pulitzer award winners, past Oscar nominees.  Guests at the party included Guests included several fashion peeps and also Ms. Fabulous contributors, Mdivani Monroe and Fab Ritzy. Our Hollywood connection was temporary neighbor Lance Guest. He starred in several films in the 1980's that I remember watching at birthday parties (The Last Starfighter, Halloween 2, Jaws The Revenge...)

I got to work in a little "tribute" to Mdivani, the former senior designer at St. John who worked on special projects and celebrities by posting an old advertisement of Angelina Jolie in his St. John gown as the women's bathroom sign.  He didn't appreciate it as I thought he would.

I wore a Byron Lars wool and sequin brocade dress with a little tulle shrug.  Other guests came in tuxedos, couture, or their Sunday street-style best, (they were my fashion peeps after all).

For food and drink, I have to say, it was rather difficult to come up with a nominated film-inspired menu. I couldn't exactly serve Raisin Bran (Silver Linings Playbook). Serving a "Skyfall" martini was a no-brainer.  I served up some Kool-Aid and asked guests to drink it (in tribute to the cult theme of "The Master"), but no one seemed to get that one. I did serve up some teddy bear decorated cupcakes labelled "Ted's Munchies" and blueberry pie tartlettes for "Life of PI", (Again, I don't think anyone got these references either).

 It was really fun to host a community event that bridges several generations to enjoy a common love of movies.  (It also doesn't hurt to put everyone's attention on a 20 foot screen in high definition.)

Here's the good part for YOU... Want your own swag?  Tell me your favorite Oscar moment or Academy Awards red carpet look in the comments below by March 15, 2013.  I'll pick one at random to win a One Month Supply of Katy Perry's Kettle Corn chips (the ones served at the party).  

Good luck!

Disclosure: Product was provided by Hello La Mode, Pop Chips, Zico, Raw Revolution for this event.

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Closet Detox and $3000 Giveaway

I am a handbag freak.  Love them, I do.  However, I live in Manhattan, in a NYC-size apartment.  I can only fit so many pieces into my over-stuffed closet.  I have had to (tearfully) edit some out.  I have a Judith Leiber jeweled, satin clutch that I love, but unfortunately do not have an appropriate red carpet-worthy gown to wear with it.   I have a cool patent leather Kooba purse up for grabs too.

In the shoe department, you guys are really lucky... I have Burberry heels AND Prada Mary Janes that I have never worn.  Why?  Because I made the supreme mistake of buying them online on sale, and then procrastinating about trying them on until it was too late to return them.  Shame on me, goody for you.

Clothing-wise, I have everything from Tory Burch to Marc Jacobs, so please open some space in my closet so I can be allowed to go shopping again!

Now it’s YOUR turn! Detox your own closet and Hello La Mode will reward one closet with $3000 towards a new wardrobe.  We’re choosing one member on Hello La Mode who lists at least one new item for sale between now and January 30, 2012 to win $3000 in credit to shop the site for designer fashion.  500 other new listings will be rewarded $50 to shop the site.  It’s a win-win!

Shop and sell today!  

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Think Pink - October's Hottest Color

Yes,October is Pink Ribbon month to promote Breast Cancer awareness and raise money to find a cure.  Too many women have been challenged by this disease, many in fashion.  As a collective response, many fashion companies of collaborated with organizations to fight this killer.  The Council of Fashion Designers in America founded Fashion Targets Breast Cancer with a t-shirt campaign.

The current queen of pink, Betsey Johnson was a survivor.  She has designed a collection of jewelry where the profits will be sold to benefit Fashion Targets Breast Cancer.  My favorite piece is the Betsey Johnson "I'm A Survivor" Pink Ribbon Ring.

For local efforts, Dress Barn launched Paint the Country Pink where site visitors can "paint" across a map to show support for the cause.  Dress Barn will donate $1 for every painter who colors the site to the American Cancer Society.

Luxury resale marketplace, Hello la Mode is offering shoppers $50 off any pink fashion item on the site (use gift code: PINK).  They will be donating 25% of the purchase price of every pink item sold to the Pink Ribbon International. 

In Canada, the 9th annual White Cashmere Fashion show brought together Canada's top fashion designers for an event in Toronto.  If you weren't there, you can vote on the your favorite design by voting online and $1 will be donated for every vote to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.  (Photos from heydoyou.com

Designer Carmen Marc Valvo just hosted a Pink Ribbon fashion show in Tulsa with Saks Fifth Avenue.  The event was the 10th for the designer, a cancer survivor himself.  The fundraiser benefits Oklahoma Project Woman, which provides free mammograms and diagnostic services for residents with no insurance or financial hardship.

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How to Do A Closet Cleanse

It is the time to purge, renew, cleanse, specifically a closet cleanse.

Perhaps it is the fact that the school year starts in September, fashion week, I make my career strategy plans now or that the cute fall clothes finally hit the stores, but the New Year for me starts in fall. (Click here to learn more about the first-ever College Fashion Week presented by
Her Campus, and sponsored by U by Kotex®. which actually seems to combine all of the above.)

I won’t lie, my mother, husband and sister staged an intervention for about my wardrobe.  Mom (uninvited) barreled through my closet and pointed out that I had over 50 skirts.  She took it upon herself to pull items she figured had to be too tight on me to be flattering and gifted them to my sister.  My husband has long attempted to enforce a rule of no new items are allowed entry until an equal or greater number of items exit… Manhattan real estate is at a premium, so it was hard to argue with all of the above.

Having worked in the fashion industry for many years, it was easy to collect an above average amount of clothing and accessories. One, you have a heightened appreciation for them so you shop and spend more.  Two, you have access to sample sales, freebies and prototypes from work that that add to the pile.  

What to do?  There were a lot of precious designer pieces I loved but realized later, the Prada Mary Janes I loved from afar, hurt when I tried to wear them in real life.  There were a few smaller sized “inspiration” samples from work I just couldn’t bear to throw away because I knew what they cost.  You can make some money back on these with dedicated resale marketplaces like Hello La Mode.  They specialize in luxury so people who shop from them know the value and appreciate the pieces as much as you do.

In this economy, there are a lot of people who are looking for jobs, but can’t afford a new wardrobe.  A big part of any interview is the confidence you go in with.  If you have great suits, professional items you don’t wear anymore or are lucky enough to be in a casual office, donate them to organizations like Bottomless Closet or Dress for Success.  Not only do they provide people with the clothes to land the job, they aid in skills training so they are qualified for better opportunities.

There is always a clothing swap.  Get your friends together or make new ones at a local Meetup group.  Nothing is better for fashion, the environment and your wallet like a little recycling.

Are you inspired yet?  If nothing else, you can make room for something new that you really want, and have less choices to sift through when you dress in the morning.  No binge,  just purge!

Introducing NEW U by Kotex® Sleek* Tampons with PerfectTouch* Grip for "just right" placement, a smooth tip for easy insertion, and a slim size for your comfort. Learn more here.

Serious protection is now seriously flexible. NEW U by Kotex® CleanWear® Pads feature a MemoryFlex* core that moves with your body, and they've got you covered with an ultra-flexible 4-layer absorbency system. Plus, wings help prevent bunching and scrunching. Learn more here.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by U by Kotex® Brand via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of U by Kotex® Brand

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Louis Vuitton Giveaway!

Made your big fall handbag purchase yet? Hello La Mode is giving away a brand new Louis Vuitton Avalon handbag in their Facebook contest.  The purse is in my favorite fall color of oxblood in their signature Monogram Vernis finish.  I wish I could get in on this, but I'm an employee, so I can only let all of you know about it and hope you let me borrow it if you win!

To grab this baby you just need to enter here and invite five of your friends to join in. Just for entering, you will receive a $25 gift code.  Win-win right?

Good luck!

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Hello La Mode Preview Party

NYC's top fashion bloggers and designers gathered at 28 on 27 Tuesday to celebrate the pre-launch of a new online luxury resale site, HelloLaMode.com. 

I was intrigued by the concept of a digital marketplace that focuses purely on luxury, designer fashion goods.  I love that it takes the guess work out and risk out of buying consignment goods online by personally certifying each item that is sold for authenticity and condition.  When the company offered me a job as their marketing director, I was honored and said yes!

The party Tuesday brought out my favorite bloggers Jinna, Christine Tsang, Stephanie Unter, John Simon among others.  My design peeps from over the years came from companies like Carmen Marc Valvo, Diand von Furstenburg, Marc Jacobs and Calvin Klein.  

As the event planner for this little soiree, I had the privilege of serving up French favorites like sparkling wine, macarons and madeleines from Financier Patisserie.    

Fashion illustrator Jennifer Lilya, (part of the upcoming NY Fashion week exhibit) was on hand to sketch the guests in their chic poses.  For those who needed a quick fix, a spontaneous photo booth was also set up for fun.

This site really speaks to me since I have accumulated TONS of designer items over the years from being in the industry. Some were impulse purchases, some were just cool, but never found an occasion to wear it.  I have too many pairs of shoes I have never worn because I realized they weren't comfortable on my wide feet.  Some pieces were samples from my job or friend's jobs.     

With Hello La Mode, I can list of all of these for sale (then buy new stuff!)   For those who realize they are more attached to their pieces than they thought, you can always change your mind up until the actual sale takes place.  When a purchase is requested, the site will send out a free shipping label for you to send the item to the head office to be certified before it is sent out.  

If you are a buyer, your funds are held in escrow until your purchase checks out for both authenticity and item condition. 

All right, you know you have tons of neglected pretty things in your closet.  Isn't it time to purge and renew?  Check out the VIP beta version of the site at HelloLaMode.com   (Use password FASHION to enter).  

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