Maybe if They Were Betsey Johnson Sunglasses...

I never would have accidentally left my new pair of shades behind. But this time, they were Coach.

I say this because the way I cherish Betsey Johnson is like no other. My next pair of shades will most definitely be a pair from this fashion designer's collection, especially after seeing my friend wear a black pair at a bbq. I gasped the minute I saw the tiny leopard decal near the lenses. I asked her slowly, "Are those...Betsey Johnson...sunglasses?" When she said yes! I almost threw my hands up in a hallelujah. I also love the price point of most Betsey glasses: less than 100 bucks.

But anyway, back to my new big, Coach sunglasses. They are not only extremely important for protecting my eyes -- they are prescriptive!!! God forbid, you know? My first time ever including a prescription with sunglasses...

So the fact that I came very close to being nearly $300 in the hole, and losing a fresh, olive-toned pair of shades is so disturbing. Here is how it went down: I arrive with Stephanie at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center (while I did the network and media thing with the Plastic Surgery Studios team, she did sales processing), and I couldn't find my press badge. So I say, "Go ahead, let me just sit down for a moment and look through my purse." Well, I DON'T find my badge, forcing me to find the press office and now write my name on a generic press badge (not nearly as cute and credible in my eyes). After I do all of that rummaging and getting the replacement card, I head into the convention center to work.

After a few hours, my feet that were strapped in by 4 inch-mesh heels were killing me, so I happened to walk past the couch again so that I could find a place to sit and rest for a few. Thankfully, one of the marketing sales consultants got my attention. He was sitting in the exact same spot I was, so when I go over to sit down and chat...just GUESS what is sitting in its nice little brown-printed box with the light shining directly on its fabulousness? MY GLASSES! I almost had a heart attack. I never realized I took them out.

So here are my 3 lessons from that situation:

(1) Once you go Betsey, you always go right. I am turning to her Gods next time for memory.

(2) If I have to take everything out of my purse to find something, there is WAY to much stuff in there.

(3) Know that there ARE good people in the world. Although we were surrounded by one of society's most wealthiest bunch -- plastic surgeons -- they could have always snatched my glasses and gave them away. Just because you have a lot of money doesn't mean you don't do evil deeds. So for ME, in such a busy place...finding my glasses sitting nicely on a lamp-lit table...I was happy to know that those with morals and a good heart really doooo exist!

Anyhoo....my all-over-the-place story has come to a close, and I must move on to my next to-do item; I got corporate material to proof! But I wanna know: What have you come so close to losing that you thought you would lose your mind???

Photo Credit: http://www.hamptons.guestofaguest.com/

"Zara" Gets Thumbs Up...OC Sales Associates, No Comment

Think Urban Outfitters and Forever 21 topped with French Connection and Anthropologie. This is the vibe I get when browsing in the Spanish fashion boutique, Zara, at South Coast Plaza (in Costa Mesa, CA). Yesterday, it was my older sister's birthday. This means that it automotically means a day of shopping. So me and my favorite girls -- my mom, my sis, and my niece -- decided to head to this indoor mall, due to the weather. Preferably, we would have chosen Old Town Pasadena, but the chill and inconsistent rain pours aren't too fun to deal with.

Following the positive and delicious dining at "The Clubhouse" (2nd floor), including my 12 o'clock bloody mary, we headed to Zara. While the customer service, I will admit, is non-existent, the current merchandise is totally worth their B.S. The sales were phenomenal:

- $19.99 for 80s-inspired skinny jeans

- Heels and booties ranging from about $29 -- $59

- a bold color selection of turtlenecks with 3/4 sleeve length for $9.99

- Peacoats started @39 -- $100

And their regular-priced items aren't too shabby either! The kiddies and guys can also enjoy Zara -- great fashion for all. Because the goal of the shopping trip was to treat my sister to her birthday gifts, I chose to hold back and not shop for myself. (The day before I got a cool, polka-dot umbrella and Spring floral dress from H&M. I was good.) So she chose this olive-colored, drapey cardigan with loose ruffle-like material at the opening. Totally my sis's style. Regular-priced...but was OK. She deserved something cute on her special day.

As for the rest of our time spent at South Coast Plaza...

After my niece rode the carousel with my mom (yes, in the mall, there is a carousel) and got a purple Mickey-shaped balloon, we headed to Nordi's -- of course. Sarah then chose the rest of her gift -- a new, Betsey Johnson necklace. Get this: the theme was yellow taxis. I LOVED IT, and admit, the salivation started to kick in.

A nice suprise at the end of our 4-hour shopping trip at South Coast (we hit up a few other stores in between), I eyed a Reality TV "star" shopping at the end of the accessories counter at Nordstrom. It was Lynn from the "Desperate Housewives of Orange County." (She is the newest addition of the show -- the one who annoys Vicki to no end.) I usually don't get starstruck, but because I watch the show religiously, I thought it was very cool. My sister and my mom thought I was ridiculous, because they had no clue as to who she was and as to why I cared so. But I did! Fortunately, I stopped myself from approaching her. Even though the cameras weren't there, and it wouldn't have been a big deal; what do I say?..."Hey Lynn, you are my favorite housewife!" Really...no.

So, in getting back to my original point: Zara is hot and worth a drive if you are in the Inland Empire or Los Angeles area, and want to gather a few basic as well as cutting-edge, trendy items. My 31 year-old sister and my 59 year-old mom both found great items (my mom chose one of the turtlenecks), which shows you that all ages and styles can enjoy the store.

Just, on your way out the door, prepare yourself for a little South Coast sales associate snotty-ness.

Photo Credit: http://www.ocstandard.com/

KROQ at the Slidebar in Fullerton -- I Saw the "Miss Double D-ecember" pageant!

In addition to the rundown of the "Miss Double D-ecember 2009" article on PlasticSurgery.com, I thought I'd share two pics of me and two rockin' DJs of the-world-famous K-R-O-QQQQQUUUUEEEE!

In the cute beanie is Nicole Alvarez and in the cute coat is Lisa May! And that's me sporting my PlasticSurgery.com Tee. Audrey (PS.com's cool SEO marketing manager) and I passed out tons of T-shirts and rub-on tattoos to a crowd of 90% guys who got to the Slidebar at 6 a.m. Talk about wanting to be up close in line to see boobies! Quite a phenomenon, I must say.

Hosted by Ralph Garman, the winner of the "Miss Double D-ecember" pageant was....Cassandra from Chino Hills. A local! I had a tank top and two of my business cards waiting for her, and I offered a modeling gig for our site, if she's ever interested! Muah! Perfect opportunity to get our name out there.

(Oh and I wore my Betsey Johnson black gladiator wedges with my new Forever 21 skinny jeans, and I will proudly say that I was comfortable even though standing and walking for a few hours. Just an FYI.)

How Often Do you Clean Out Your Big Handbag?

"Oh my goodness, what do you have in there?"

"It's so HEAVY!"

Those are the comments I usually hear from either my boyfriend, friend, or mom when I ask them to pick up my big, black Kathy Van Zeeland handbag if my hands are full. Most of the time though - those thoughts are my own. What DOES the Good Girl Gone Shopping really need to store in her purse, day in and day out? My Kenneth Cole wallet, black organizer, Betsey Johnson makeup bag, business card holder envelope contraption, keys, phone, a bottled water and a snack usually...

So today, being a Saturday and a day to change old habits, I am cleaning out my handbag. As I discussed in my recent BlogTalkRadio interview with Barbara Howard; I stick to one big black bag that will go with all of my outfits because rotating purses with my outfits always sorta screwed me in the end: I would continously leave this or that in the handbag from the day before. Sooooo, I now stick to one awesome bag and then have my evening clutches for fancy dinners, night clubs, bars, etc. Of course, I will always be on the lookout for a great big bag on sale, and then THAT bag may be my day-to-day purse. (I do have this amazing brown and beige Louis Vuitton canvas bag and a deep red leather Coach bag. Although I rarely use them, it's nice to know that should my outfit work well with either of those -- I have 'em to use! And of course, Betsey Johnson is next on my list.)

Of course the only problem in using the same purse is that I begin to use it as luggage and seriously jampack all that I can in it. As a personal shopper and wardrobe consultant, I would encourage a client to evaluate what they really need, and alleviate the burden of a heavy purse by leaving the unnecessary at home. Why can't I take my own advice? Simply put: I believe that each of those things are a necessity. So, I basically have two options. Either I clean out my handbag once a week and get rid of the bonus contents (such as bills I need to mail or certain pieces of jewelry I decided to take off mid-day), or just leave some things at home.

So I am going to start weeding out and condensing what I deem as necessities. Wish me luck!

How often do you clean out your handbag? (Leeann and Sarah -- this is especially geared to you!)

Photo Credits: Jessica Simpson (http://www.bagsshoesandeverythinginbetween.blogspot.com/), Beyonce (http://www.beauty.glam.com/), Anne Hathaway (http://www.pursepage.com/)

BANG BANG BABY -- Watch out!

I have discovered an amazing jewelry line -- via myspace -- that I know my clients will simply adore; it is inspired by two of the coolest designers around. Owner and designer Liz Besanson admits that the ever-so-lovely Betsey Johnson and Tarina Tarantino are some of the inspirations behind her line, Bang Bang Baby. So I had to "send a message" to this company, while asking to feature it on Diary of a Personal Shopper. Liz agreed (yay!).

A little background history: Born and raised in New York City, she did the corporate thing for awhile first, while gaining the backbone and tough skin that she needed in a competitive industry. Good thing, because Liz dealt with her fair share of rejection before being turned away from boutiques due to her jewelry line being too "edgy."

So she decided to transform the style of Bang Bang Baby into more chic and glamorous style with, still, a touch of edginess. Then it wasn't long before boutiques starting picking up on her eclectic combo, carrying her line in their store, and making their customers extremely grateful (I'm sure). And get this --Liz never studied jewelry design! But with her drive, talent, passion and unwillingness to hear "no," I ask you this: Does that matter when you are holding an awesome piece of custom-designed Bang Bang Baby jewelry? I think not.

Just see what Liz had to say for herself:

Me: What is your philosophy on fashion?

Liz: Fashion is always evolving. Trends come and go and we know this. To me, fashion is a form of expression as cliche as that sounds. Growing up in SoHo (New York City), I found myself loving the high-end boutiques, but not being able to afford them. So I developed a style that would look just as good without breaking my bank account. I frequently visited designer outlet malls and thrift-stores to find one-of-a-kind pieces to add to my wardrobe. Many people complimented my style and mentioned how "rich" I always look. Little did they know! I guess I bring the same influence into my jewelry designs. I prefer not to stick to one certain "look" or "style." I love them all, especially the edgy look. However, I can only take so much of it and then I need to wear something girly and fun! So when I take a step back and assess my jewelry style, it clearly speaks on the style that I personally own.

Me: Who is Bang Bang Baby designed for?

Liz: I would love to believe that I design for everyone, but this is not true. The 20 to 30-something crowd really gets my designs. They are my audience. There are a few others who will contact me to have something custom designed for them that aren't quite as quirky and bold.

Me: Tell me about the evolution of the name 'Bang Bang Baby'...

Liz: The name came about from searching on the Internet for inspiration. I wanted something that would be bold, fun, and would get people talking. While searching, I came across a picture of a vintage pin-up calendar girl. She was wearing a cowgirl outfit and holding a little gun that shot out a flag that read "Bang Bang Baby!" The picture was sexy, bold, and fun. It really jumped out at me! My designs are just that, and hence, the company name was born!


Want to win a Bang Bang Baby-designed piece of jewelry? Here's how you will win a surprise piece that Liz will pick from her new Fall "Retro Chic" 70s-inspired collection: Post the interview question that you would have liked me to include in this article. Then I pick my fave!

Contest will end this Friday, August 8th! GOOD LUCK.

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Liz!

The 'Good Girl' Finally Goes Handbag Shopping

I spent quite awhile yesterday in Macy's scoping out the fabulous handbags on sale -- my brown H&M chocolate bag just doesn't cut it anymore as the, I hate to say, cheapness is coming through as the color is fading and actually scratching off. Sounds like I should have gone handbag shopping before it even got to this point, eh?

Beauty Chatter Sarah, with her genius "Handbag of the Month" column really got me thinking of what I'm looking for. And while I love both Sarah's Ed Hardy big bag and Beauty Chatter Leeann's multi-colored L.A.M.B. purse, I need to find something that exhibits a mixture of my personality and practicality, and to be completely honest, not cost me half of my rent money!

So, I had a (mental) shopping list of what I wanted out of my new handbag. This was it:

- Black
- Trendy
- Edgy
- Quality
- Fun
- Versatile (can dress up and down)
- Professionally-chic
- Under $100

And I am vey proud to say that I found EVERYTHING I was looking for in a Kathy Van Zeeland "Rock & Roll Fold Over Chain Tote." Although it wasn't on sale -- it goes for only $89. With such awesome details, that bag is totally worth it:





(http://www.amazon.com)

With a huge collection, Kathy's white puffy purses is next on my list. Let's just see if I can keep it clean!

I then headed over to Ross for a designer wallet for less, and to my pleasure, I found a Kenneth Cole Reaction aqua-green wallet to go with my bag for only...$9.99! I like mixing and matching, so this was perfect and still allowed me stay within my budget.

Saving money while shopping is all about knowing which places offer fabulous fashion finds for less, being realistic, and having your own criteria.

What do you want out of your next handbag? A Betsey Johnson purse, clutch, or tote is on my list for some funky freshness. And of course, before I left Macy's, I still got my Betsey fix. I couldn't resist these pearl bow earrings:




(http://www.kaboodle.com/)

NEW Trendy Handbag Giveaway in Time for Spring!

I love pinks, reds, and purples - some of the most obvious, stereotypical shades of femininity. But with the surge of the primary color trend, I can't get enough of royal blue (hence, my blue sude shoes I can't stop talking about!). Various shades of turquoise sprouting up all over are also getting me extremely excited about Spring and Summer.

So, guess what? ShopManhattanite.com is doing something really cool for y'all. This adorable online couture-driven shop is offering Diary of a Personal Shopper readers 20% off of their purchase (just type in "GoodGirl") at checkout through all of March.

In addition, I am giving away one Trina Duffle Bag in Terry Green! Its gorgeous blue, white, and green floral print is soooo perfect for warm weather fashion. And if you love, love, love the purse; there are matching pieces to create a whole collection!

So are you into the primary color trend? By answering this question, I will enter you in a random drawing held this Friday, March 7th.

Here are some of Manhattanite's ultra-feminine featured blouses-slash-dresses in atypical "girly" colors (and remember, you get 20% off! Plus, free shipping over 150 bucks):

Amanda Uprichard Flutter Sleeve Dress
$198.00

Yumi Kim Audrey Blouse
$140.00

Betsey Johnson Washed Habotai Dress

$325.00

Betsey Johnson Paisley Halter Top
$195.00

Good luck, and happy shopping. Manhattanite has such cute, modern sketches. Promise you'll have a great time hangin' out while browsing!

Photo Credit: Courtesy of http://www.shopmanhattanite.com/

To My Cyber Fashion Friends: I Heart You!

What can I say except that I love my couture-loving, budget-conscious blogging buddies I have met via myspace, Divapreneur, MyBlogLog, and Facebook (There are so many more networks that I can't wait to join!).

And especially for all my fashion friends who enjoy the heartfelt diary pages of my shopping sagas, I honor you like the endearing and lovable Betsey Johnson on the runway.

When I need inspiration, I log in. When I want to read amazing blog posts, I turn to you. And when I am reading your profile, I leave long-winded comments.

A random blog post, I know. But so necessary.

Photo Credit: http://www.newsday.com/