The Recessionista™ Blog, frugal fashion trends

Saturday, April 30, 2011

The Recessionista Reviews Matthew Willliamson for Macy's

Pictured: Separates from the MW for Macy's line on the rack at my local store.

Although I stopped in the nearest Macy's to check out British designer Matthew Williamson's collection for Macy's the day it launched, I haven't had a chance until now to share my findings with my readers. This is a lovely, tasteful collection full of brilliant impressionistic style prints for spring/summer wear. The prints are more muted than Williamson's previous collection for H&M. Don't expect screaming bright yellows or parrot prints in this Macy's Impulse line.

Pictured; My personal fav, the MW Iris print dress--reminds me of a Monet.

One of my favorite pieces from the collection is the above Iris print dress priced at $99.00. This dress has a V-neck, fitted waist and full skirt that will compliment many figure types. My other top picks are the printed maxi dress tiered with halter top (sold out on line) and the lavender Grecian style one shoulder dress for $119.00. The color palette for this collection is really striking, the blues are deep royal colors, check out the blue smocked tiered dress and the printed rain coat to see what I mean. The collection has more casual styles too, cropped pants and peasant blouses that are very comfortable.

Pictured: This MW Maxi Dress is already sold out online.

My only caution about this collection is the sizing. You really need to go to a store and try it on to ensure fit. Some items are what I call, "contemporary sizing." This means they run a bit small. Other pieces are loose and flowy. The largest size the collection goes to is US Size 12. However, some pieces run a little larger than others. Most of the cocktail dresses are also a bit on the short side, so be on the look out for that. However, if the fit works for you, then I think this collection does provide fashion value. And most Macy's shoppers I saw agreed with that. I heard two statements consistently from in store shoppers: "Wow--this stuff is cute" and "This is not that expensive." I also heard most shoppers say they didn't know Matthew Williamson, or if they did , it was only via H&M.

Although Macy's says this limited time collection won't be eligible for sales or discount promos, they said that about the previous Kinder collection, and all of that is now on sale. So if you are patient, I think you can score some of this for less in 30-45 days. You just have to decide if what you want, in the size you want it, will still be there! If you've seen the collection at your local Macy's , leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Get Kate Middleton's Royal Wedding Jewelry Look for Less

One day later, and I'm still obsessed with the Royal Wedding! Sorry dah-lings, I can't help it. The hats alone were mind blowing. What about the hats Fergie's daughters (Bea & Eugenie) were seen wearing? They gave new meaning to the term bad taste. Poor Fergie girls. They aptly demonstrated the old adage, money can't buy good taste or style. I put Princess Anne in that same category. Loved her wedding dress back, in the 1970s, hated the purple floral outfit she wore yesterday.

One thing that literally shone brightly at the Royal Wedding was the bride, Kate Middleton's exquisite and very understated jewelry. I've never had the occasion to wear a Tiara , but if I did the 1936 Cartier Tiara that the Queen lent to Kate yesterday would fit the bill! The tiara is called the Halo Tiara, and it was a gift from the late Queen Mum to the her daughter, then Princess Elizabeth, when she turned 18. I wish someone in the Royal Family would wear the stunning Tiara more often, maybe it will be Kate. Then, there were the brilliant diamond teardrop earrings that the bride wore. The earrings were a gift from her parents designed by jeweler Robinson Pelham to compliment the Tiara. The pear shaped drop earrings had a little diamond acorn dangling in the center. The acorn is the new Middleton emblem on their coat of arms. By chance, I was looking for a similar pair on the Internet yesterday, and stumbled upon the Christina Teardrop earrings from website Carolee for $32.00. The earrings are a nice reflection of Kate's style at a small price. They might be a nice Mother's Day gift. :)

Pictured: From Kohl's Two Kate inspired jewelry choices

For more Kate inspired jewelry, check out a surprise source....Kohl's! Yes, I found these two Kate jewelery dopplegangers at Kohl's. Both pieces are a little more pricey, but they are real. They have a nice pair of vintage inspired pear shaped diamond earrings (on sale for US $164.00) , and a less expensive white lab created sapphire ring (on sale for $61.00 US), similar to Kate's engagement ring. Use your Kohl's coupons or Kohl's cash to bring the prices down.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Kate Middleton Wears Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen

Kate Middleton looked every inch a modern Princess in her beautiful Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown early this morning as she walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey. The dress seems to pay tribute to Grace Kelly's wedding dress, which Kate was said to have admired. As you can see from the picture above (via my fabby screen grab), the dress is a high-necked, sculpted long-sleeved bodice in lace, with a slim fit at the waist and hips. The dress has a long train, which seems to be a tribute to Princess Diana. Mr. McQueen must be smiling from the after life to see his design house so honored with designing the wedding dress of the future Queen of England.

"Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing," the palace said in a statement. "Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen's work. Miss Middleton worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress." According to the official statement from the palace, the lace applique for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace. Individual flowers were hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create the dress' unique design, which incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock all hallmark emblems of the United Kingdom.

Pictured: A full view of Kate's dress captured via screen grab from the Livestream.

I had a sneaking suspicion that the House of McQueen would be the designer after Sarah Burton was spotted exiting the Goring Hotel in London last night and her visit was outted via a series of Tweets. Why else would Ms. Burton be out sneaking around the Goring if not to do last minute fittings? I love Twitter--this is how I get the scoop today on fashion...the Twittersphere. It's eerie how reliable the stream of social media information has become.

Click here to watch the Royal Wedding live stream via the Washington Post,

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Kate Middleton Rumor Round-up: What Will the Bride be Wearing to Westminster Abbey

Pictured: Kate Middleton as a wedding guest. (photo via website youandyourwedding.co.uk)

If you're on Royal Wedding watch as I am, then you know that the Internet is alive with rumors about what Kate Middleton will wear down the aisle tomorrow at Westminster Abbey. I had to take some time after work tonight to read the British papers, to get the fashion low down. Here's a little round-up of the recent rumors. My UK friends call this the "ju-ju." It's a good word for it!

The Daily Mail: reports "Kate designs her own dress: It's ivory satin and lace with pearl buttons a 10ft train and a 'nod' to Lady Diana"

The Guardian reports that 3,000 of their surveyed readers believe Kate will wear a "vintage-inspired, bias-cut ivory Libélula gown designed by Sophie Cranston." The Huffington Post agrees with the Sophie Cranston rumor.

Twittersphere vis Tweets via Fashionista: The Daily Mirror‘s Mark Jefferies tweeted, “Sarah Burton seen in Goring hotel, but heard rumour from other journo design is by McQueen himself, so could be vintage or from his sketches!" The Telegraph‘s Bryony Gordon said, “Top fashion source just msged to confirm that [Jefferies's] tweet. Apparently the dress is a vintage McQueen design.”

You and Your Wedding offers several choices for Kate's dress by Fashion editor Peta Hunt from Alice Temperley to Sassi Holford.

Who really knows? I would say, just Kate's sister and Mom . They say not even Prince William knows. So, tune in tomorrow. So far, Kate's fashion sense has been impeccable, so I can't wait to see her choice. The wedding will be televised at 1:00 am PST, 4:00 am EST. Get your English Breakfast Tea ready!

Looking for Something Very Special for Mom? Chanel Vintage Jewelry Sale

Yes, I am addicted to Chanel. Yes, I love Coco and all things Coco completely. Yes, I lust for the double C insignia, and have gone on many an epic quest to find my Chanel jewelry. So if you love Chanel, like I do, you'll want to check out new shopping site Ajaline's Vintage Chanel jewelry sale. Warning the sale is not cheap, but it certainly is cheaper than paying retail for Chanel. The sale features pins, bracelets and earrings with many of the distinctive Coco designs including the double CC initials and lucky number 5, camellias, comets and Matelassée quilting. Prices range from $325.00 to $2,685 USD, so shop at your own budgetary peril. But if you're looking for a really special gift for Mom, this just might be the ticket. Click here to join the website as my guest, and check out the Chanel sale, on until May 6th.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Ted Baker London Offers Savings for the Royal Wedding

In preparation for this Friday's Royal Wedding ceremony, and honestly, the TV show based on the ceremony :) retailers are gearing up to cash in . Kate Middleton style is everywhere, as are souvenirs that run the gamut from tasteful to downright cheesy. One promotion, and group of items I do like, is the Royal Wedding items from Ted Baker London. Ted Baker is a favorite designer of mine. Of course, I only buy on sale, but when I buy Ted Baker delivers quality for price. In preparation for the Royal Wedding, the UK brand is offering 30% off items on their website when you use code: TED30LKY. The code is good on apparel for men and women, as well as the many Union Jack branded "Kate" bags in their Royal Wedding shop. If you're an Angophile like me, you will definitely want to give this promotion and sale a look. And consider this, you can actually use the 30% savings to shop for someone else, your Mum! Remember, Mother's Day is May 8th. Click here to see what Ted Baker has for Mother's Day gifting.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Loft Loves Teachers: National Teachers Day is May 3rd

Alert the media! It's time to honor some of the hardest working, and most underpaid workers on the planet : Teachers. I want you all to save the date of May 3rd, because that is National Teachers Day. I am already getting some gifts ready for my little niece & nephew to give to their teachers to show their appreciation. But Ann Taylor Loft has a good idea to help teachers too. If you are a teacher, go register online as a LOFT Teacher to get special discounts at Ann Taylor Loft. You'll save 15% on purchases, plus get special event invites and, if you register you'll receive a $10.00 coupon on May 3rd to shop at Loft. How cool is that? Imagine the power of the purse when you double dip at Loft with the coupon for Mother's Day on May 8th. That's #winning! :)

Monday, April 25, 2011

Coming up at Gilt Groupe: Gossip Girl Sale + Mother's Day Boutique

Tonight (April 25th) at 9:00 pm PST, Gilt Groupe is offering what they are calling a "Gossip Girl" sale, inspired by items from the popular TV show. I'm not a huge fan of the show, but the clothes the actresses wear are cute & pricey. They may be some good deals on the Gossip Girl fashions (or so I hope.) Click here to use my invite to join Gilt to check it out.

Then, mark your calendar to return to Gilt Groupe for a special Mother's Day Boutique on April 28th. For the first time ever and in celebration of Mother's Day, the Gilt Groupe has curated an "exclusive video sale" so you can find the perfect gift for Mom. But here's the best part, the online chic boutique is offering a selection of items under $100 to suit every type of Mom - from the home body, to the fashionable, to the most glamorous, available only through this video. Since the Great Gifts Under $100 for Mom sale isn't going live until Thursday, April 28 at noon click here to see a sneak peek so that you can preview the sale video and see the buyer picks. Here is the key thing to know about this new online video shopping format: The sale is viewable only through the video and features a wide selection of items to suit every mom - from the fashionable to the erudite, the home body to the elegant. So basically, if you don't spend some time watching the video, you can not shop for discounts for Mom at Gilt Groupe. What do you think about that readers? It is smart of Gilt to make you view a marketing promotion on a video, in exact for the lure of bargains?

Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Recessionista's Weekend Update: Royal Wedding & More

Happy Weekend readers! Finally, some time to get some rest has arrived. And, it's Easter and Passover too. But the holidays are not the only celebration coming up. It's almost time for the Royal Wedding in the UK. That means retailers are in over drive producing Royal Wedding fashion knock-offs and jewelry. Here are some of the week's best thrifty deals that have turned up on my radar:

Gap Sweepstakes--Gap is offering a Royal Wedding Sweepstakes and savings offer to shoppers that buy at the Gap this week. Click here for details.

Pictured: The KLJ Duchess Feather Brooch is part of the new QVC Royally Chic Collection

QVC's KLJ Royally Chic collection--QVC is launching a new line of jewelry inspired by jewelry owned by member's of England's Royal family. Lane created a complete collection of fashion jewelry based on actual pieces worn by Lady Di, Kate Middleton and the Duchess of Windsor designed by jeweler Kenneth Jay Lane (KLJ.) The line will debut on Friday, April 29 at 2 PM (ET). It's called the KLJ Royally Chic collection and will preview on QVC during A Royal Affair –the multimedia retailer’s special broadcast from 10 AM – 4 PM (ET) celebrating Kate and William’s nuptials. The line features a reproduction of Princess Diana's sapphire and diamond engagement ring for approximately $40.00. My favorite piece in the new collection is a reproduction of a brooch owned by Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor. The brooch features the Prince of Wales plumes. I'm not the only one who loved this piece. Elizabeth Taylor bought the real brooch after the Duchess of Windsor's death at an auction.
Century 21 will offer online shopping; New York City's Brick & Mortar discount retailer Century 21 has announced on their Facebook page that they will soon be offering online shopping. The first designers at the online store will be McQ (4/27-4/28), Just Cavalli and Love Moschino (4/27-5/1). Click here for details on the new online shopping.
Local.com offer coupons & deals in your area: My final tip is on new website Local.com. Give this site a look before shopping or going out to eat. The site is a deal aggregator, picking up the most recent coupons and sales. You can search in your area for savings before heading to the shops or pointing and clicking online.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Happy Earth Day! Get a Free Music Download from Alternative Apparel

Last night I attended the Earth Day Grand Opening celebration of the new Alternative Apparel store in Venice, CA. The opening was such fun, and I'll be showing pictures of the store and talking about the deals soon. But first, I've got to give all my readers a heads-up for Earth Day on this deal for some free music. For a limited time, you can receieve a free digital download of Alternative’s Sprouting Up music compilation featuring songs from Hellogoodbye, Rose Elinor Dougall, White Denim, Moby and more. The limited-edition giveaway will be available to Alternative’s Venice first 500 store visitors from April 22nd–24th, as well as to the first 1,500 online visitors of the Alternative website on Earth Day at alternativeapparel.com/sproutingup1337. So point and click to get the music! Happy Earth Day.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Origins Cosmetics Earth Day Trade-in Program & Recycling

Here's a great deal that just turned up on my Earth Day deal tracking system. This Friday, on Earth Day (April 22, 2011), customers are invited to "trade in" any one of their existing skin care products, regardless of brand, for an Origins high-performance, paraben free cleanser. This offer is good while supplies last at Origins retail stores and department store counters for FREE. I love this deal! Take the opportunity to clear out some cosmetics or cleansers that you aren't using or that have harsh chemicals for an eco-friendly Origins product. If you bring in a product to trade-in to your local Origins store, you can choose between two full size award-winning products – Checks and Balances Frothy face wash or A Perfect World Antioxidant cleanser with White Tea - while supplies last. Note, this are not trial sizes. Click here to fill in the form from Origins.com, then print it out and bring it to the store to get your free products. Plus, all cosmetic packaging collected from the products you trade-in will be recycled or responsibility converted to energy through the Return to Origins Recycling Program.

The Return to Origins Recycling Program offers consumers a place to drop off their empty cosmetic packaging – everything from bottles, tubes, jars, deodorant sticks and compacts regardless of brand - to be recycled, when possible, or responsibly converted to energy. Customers also receive free samples as a thank you from Origins for participating. Since the programs launch Origins has recycled more than 17,000 pounds of cosmetic packaging. Way to go Origins! No wonder Dr. Andrew Weil loves them!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Eco-Friendly Alternative Apparel to Open in Venice, CA

Just in time for Earth Day, environmentally friendly apparel maker Alternative Apparel is opening a store in the epi-center of hippy dippy cool: Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice, CA. Venice has always been the domain of artistic and unique boutiques, so Alternative Apparel will be a great addition to the neighborhood. According to their Twitter feed @alternative1337 , Alternative will be in Venice planting seedlings around the neighborhood in celebration of the opening.

Look for Alternative Apparel employees riding around Venice on bikes, this Friday, April 22nd, on Earth Day. The store employees will be pulling carts behind Linus bicycles, handing out discount cards, swag bags and more. If you're in the neighborhood, look for some good deals on Alternative's terrific fleece and pima cotton apparel. If you're not in the Los Angeles area, you can still enjoy Alternative Apparel Earth Day savings by shopping their online store. Get 20% off your Alternative order with code: GREEN1 good until 4/24.

Starbucks Earth Day 2011 Offer: Free Coffee When You Bring in Your Own Mug

Earth Day 2011 is on Friday, April 22nd. Here's a a good deal on Earth Day if you are a coffee or tea lover. Starbucks will pour you a free cup of coffee or tea if you bring in your reusable beverage holder, instead of using a disposable paper cup. So remember your fashionable reusable mug on Friday. I know I'll be lining up at my local Starbucks with my fabuless Pink travel mug. According to Starbucks “Last year, when we did a similar promotion on Earth Day, more than 1.2 million of you participated in the free coffee giveaway. Let’s see if we can beat that this year! Although reusable serve ware and tumbler use still only accounts for a small percentage of total beverages served, those of you who did bring in reusable mugs still made a significant impact. In 2010, people brought their own tumblers into our stores more than 32 million times, keeping nearly 1.45 million pounds of paper out of landfills.”

Check out the Starbucks online Store Locator to find a store near you and give them a call to make sure they’re participating before your use your precious and expensive gas to drive to Starbucks for your free coffee.

eDressMe's Earth Day Sale

As some of you may know, Earth Day is this week. This may be the time to discover eco-friendly fashion. This week website eDressMe is offering 20% off their sustainable dresses made from biodegradable materials. The sale offers a range of fashions from maxi dresses in bright,cool colors, plus cocktail dresses with ruched detail and boho-chic tops. If you're interested in checking it out, click here. Use code EarthDay20 to save 20% until April 22nd. Featured designers include EcoSkin and Jonano.

And don't forget to check out the Conscious Collection of white, recycled fashions at H&M. Stay tuned for more Earth Day specials this week!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Sunday Savvy: Kate Middleton Style Watch

Pictured: Ingenue's replica of Kate's engagement dress is spot on

As the date for the Royal Wedding draws closer, retailers have come up with some stunning replicas of Kate Middleton's blue surplus bodice Issa dress for a fraction of its designer price. Naturally, I've been watching the crop of knock-offs with intense interest. The best looking one that I've seen is from UK retailer Ingenue , a small fashion label, called the 'Pepita dress.The dress is currently on sale at website ChicaBoutique.com for €89.99. Both ChicaBoutique and Ingenue London will ship the dress to the UK, Ireland and rest of the world. Another replica of the dress, but much shorter in length and a bit tarty, is being sold at retailer Lipsy. Lipsy's panelled dress is available for 45 GPB, and ties in the back. These dresses are selling like hotcakes.

Pictured: Max Studio dress at Marshall's is a close match to Kate's Issa. (screenshot from ABCNews.com)

If you're in the US, try looking at Marshall's for a $29.99 Max Studio dress that closely resembles Kate's sapphire blue Issa. I'm on the lookout for this dress, if any of you see it at your local Marshall's please leave a comment. The Nanette dress that Kate wore in her engagement photos from Reiss, was reissued and sold out in a nano-second.

My final Kate Middleton style tip is a replica of her engagement ring being sold on the Home Shopping Network for $29.95. This was Princess Diana's engagement ring and HSN has done a very respectable reproduction of it. If you can't afford diamonds and sapphires, there's nothing like some good looking CZ and simulated sapphire. Kohl's also has a similar ring on sale for $22.00, but I haven't been able to find it on their site.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Spa Week Tip: Run Don't Walk to Verabella Spa in Los Angeles

Pictured: Verabella Skin Therapy as featured in People Magazine. (image courtesy of People)

As some of you know, it's Spa Week for a few more days (until April 17th). I have to let all my Los Angeles readers and visitors to the LA area know about one of the best deals on the Spa Week menu: Verabella Skin Therapy in Beverly Hills. Verabella was recently featured in People Magazine for their "InstaLift Facial" on sale during Spa Week for $50.00 (regular price $225.00). I stopped in yesterday, and had the facial and it was divine! And even better, the facial was given to me by the spa's owner and skincare rock star Vera Kantor. Vera's unique and natural skin care products have been featured everywhere from Tattler magazine, to In-Style to People and with good reason. There's a reason Hollywood's elite flock to Vera during awards season, or before public appearances. She gives her customers amazing service and loving skin care. Vera spent 90 minutes with me, and explained every step of the facial process and the products she was applying to my skin. The InstaLift facial starts with a Honey-Almond lotion application, that smells wonderful. The facial continues with cleansing and exfoliation, then a non-surgical micro-current is applied via a special device that stimulates, tightens and tones facial muscles and contours. Although I was skeptical about this treatment, I could see for myself, that the process was working. Vera did the treatment on half of my face, and then stopped so I could assess the results. I looked in mirror to compare the treated side of my face versus the untreated side. I could see that the treated side was a bit firmer and the circles under my eyes were fading. The lines on my forehead were also a bit less apparent. Another big plus for me about this treatment is that all the products used in the facial are environmentally friendly. The Verabella skin care line is made up of botanically-rich, paraben-, petrochemical-, sodium lauryl sulfate-and synthetic fragrances and dye–free products, never tested on animals and formulated with a base of active aloe vera. The facial ended with the application of Vera's special cucumber aloe moisture cream with SPF 45 blended in. I was so pleased with the cucumber aloe lotion that I bought some to take home for $52.00.

Although Spa Week is over on April 17th, some of the specials are extended at Verabella through the end of this month. The Spa is booked, but you maybe able to sneak if if there are cancellations. It's definitely worth a free phone call to find out. The receptionist Raegan is extremely helpful and service-oriented. There is no snobbery at this Spa. From movie stars to recessionistas, all clients are treated well.

If you're not in Los Angeles, check out Vera's menu of products for your own Spa at home treatment. Following at the Spa Week specials at Verabella:

$50 Verabella Spa Month Treatments

Instant Lift (50-min)
Micro-Diamond-brasion (50-min)
Skin-a-Peel (50-min)
Combine any 2 treatments (90-min) listed above for only $100.

Please note, this is not a sponsored post, and I didn't receive any free products or treatments from Verabella in exchange for writing this. I paid for my facial at the Spa Week price of $50.00, and paid for my products too. I left feeling that I had not only received an amazing value, but that my skin definitely looked better. I will definitely return to Verabella for a treatment. My skin is worth splurging on, and as long as Spa Week special are going on, this is one luxury that you can afford! To stay up to date on deals at Verabella, follow Verabella90210 on Twitter.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Hot Tip for Easter, Prom, Mother's Day or Spring Shopping: The Lord & Taylor Sale

Fashion alert! Big sale at Lord & Taylor! If there is an L&T store near you dah-lings, then print out the above coupon and take it to the store for your special savings at the friends & family sale going on now. The above pass/coupon entitles you to an extra 25% off almost everything and 10% off cosmetics and fragrances at Lord & Taylor in-store only, for one week! The event begins in-store on Saturday, April 16th and online on Thursday, April 14th (today) through Saturday, April 23rd. So print out the pass, and reap the savings. There are savings online too, but the extra savings are for in-store shopping It's a great time to get something stylish for Easter, Prom or do some early shopping for Mother's Day. The store also has a sale on wedding dresses if you're in the market for a bargain on a great dress for your special day.

I always love a good sale at Lord & Taylor, they have great quality merchandise, top designers and a wide variety of goods. Check out savings on the Lauren by Ralph Lauren line, DKNY, Layfette 148 New York, BCBG, Betsey Johnson, Jones New York, and many more! If you check it out, leave a comment and let me know what you find.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

White Lightening: H&M's Conscious Collection is White Hot

Last night I had the pleasure of shopping the big H&M store newly launched in Las Vegas. The new store is in the Forum Shops, surrounded by upscale, pricey retailers like Valentino, Tory Burch, Dior and Tourneau. The Forum Shops offer the same pricing and selection as Rodeo Drive stores, which means beautiful garments at outrageous prices. This makes the Vegas H&M a welcome respite from all the over priced, albeit luxury, shopping.

Pictured: The H&M White Dress recently worn by Natalie Portman.

With the launch of the new H&M Conscious Collection, made of recycled fabrics, the store delivers both value and summer chic. The collection which is for women, men and children and is made from environmentally - adapted and greener materials such as organic cotton, Tencel® and recycled polyester. H&M’s designers have been inspired by different shades of white. Ironically, the H&M designers for Conscious seem to think that white is one of the most important colors this Spring. The entire collection has a a minimalist, tailored look is combined with romantic lace, Broderie Anglaise, frills and draping.

The H&M Conscious Collection is a real winner, in my opinion. The white dress Natalie Portman wore at a recent Hollywood red carpet event (pictured above) looks as good on the rack as it did on the Academy Award winner. Priced at $49.95, it's a very good value. Look for the gorgeous peach colored shoes to complement all the white looks. If you see the collection, leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Target Officially Announces Limited-Edition Collection by Calypso St. Barth

Pictured: A preview of Target's CB collection

Target has officially announced and released 87 images for their upcoming Calypso St. Barth collection, due in stores on May 1. Like their Liberty of London collection launched last year, this new collection will include clothing and accessories for women and children, plus home decor like candles, pillows and glassware. Target is hitting on all merchandising cylinders with this one, and I'll be anxious to see what the quality is like. Upscale brand Calypso St. Barth can be priced in the hundreds of dollars, but of course Tar-jay will have none of that. Target reports that pricing will range from $1.99 to $79.99, the collection is available May 1 through June 11 at all Target stores and Target.com. And, unlike the GO Collections, the clothing will include dresses in petite and plus sizes available at Target.com through Aug. 15.

Pictured: Target CB Fan-Print Dress in Turquoise for $36.99

So think eastern intrigue meets hippie meets big box, and this is going to be one interesting collection! Can you look like Saint Tropez without the mark-up? :) There are plenty of maxi dresses, short dresses, swimsuits, scarves, espadrilles and beaded jewelry. What do you think readers? Had you ever heard of Calypso St. Barth before their Target deal was announced?

Sunday, April 10, 2011

White House & Black Market Introduces the Work Kit

White House Black Market is on my deal radar this week for both a sale alert and their new "work kit" collection. First up , the sales news. WHBM is offering 20% off their perfect 10 dresses. As usual, the collection of sale dresses is tasteful and versatile. Remember, Michelle Obama has chosen WHBM for some of her public appearances. And with good reason. White House Black Market offers clothes that can take you from work to play. Their new work kit collection is designed for the fashionable working woman and is well priced. Look for wardrobe staples like blazers, pants, skirts, cardigans, and blouses that you easily mix and match together to create a variety of different looks. I don't have to tell you about the color palette. There are some colors, but most pieces are surprise, black and white. Remember, Chanel loved black and white as she believed it never went out of style.

Pictured: One of my favorites from the new WHBM dress collection.

Check out the Striped Ponte Sheath dress recently featured in Harper's Bazaar. This one is going on my sales watch list. The criss- cross stripes cinching at the waist is designed to be slenderizing, and it works!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

The Recessionista's Weekend Round-up

Pictured: Our new fashionable bumper stickers from Build a Sign

Happy weekend readers! I hope you're all relaxing and taking a well earned break. There's a couple of interesting things going on in the world of low priced fashion that I wanted to clue you in on, but first, I need to talk about the cool little bumper stickers that a company named Build a Sign made for me as a gift. Check out the pink and black The Recessionista bumper sticker with my motto, "Surviving the downturn in style!" If you're making signs for a garage sale, a party at your home, your business or something else fabuless, do check out Build a Sign. I have 50 bumper stickers, and in celebration of my 3 year Twitter anniversary and over 6,000 followers @Recessionista, I am giving away a Bumper Sticker to any reader that wants one. Simply leave a comment with your email so I can reach you to get you a sticker. Now one with the fashion news on my patented The Recessionista's radar tracking system!

Kinder on Clearance: The Macy's Kinder Aggugini Impulse Collection is now on sale/clearance at your local Macy's and Macys.com. I really liked this collection and Macy's always has good customer service, so I returned one of the dresses I bought for a "price adjustment" and picked up a few of the tops that are now just $17.00.

Pictured: Courtney Love's 1960s Vintage Dress from eBay

Courtney Love Couture: Courtney Love is selling some of her designer duds and vintage frocks on eBay. I remember when Courtney used to perform with her band Hole in her "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane" ripped up baby doll dresses. Now she's all about couture and high-end style. If you check the sale, you'll find Marc Jacobs, Anna Sui, Gucci plus shoes from Chanel, Fendi and more. However, to me the most intriguing pieces are the vintage dresses. Courtney (or her stylist) has some great taste. Check out her 1960's Turquoise dress to see what I mean.

Pictured: Love this blue dress from Costello for Uniqlo priced at $29.99

Designers at Uniqlo: The Huffington Post reports that budget fashion retailer Uniqlo will partner with nine name designers this year as part of the brand's Designers Invitation Project -- Costello Tagliapietra, Charlotte Ronson, Vena Cava, Double Standard Clothing, Nine, Suzuki Takayuki, Theatre Products, Tiny Dinosaur and Zechia. Each piece will reportedly sell for just $29.99 Look for Costello in stores first, on April 21, followed by Charlotte Ronson (May 5) and Vena Cava (May 12). Look for Uniqlos in New York, Japan and London to carry the designers. I wish we had Uniqlo in Los Angeles, hint, hint. I'll have to go to Uniqlo next time I'm in NYC.

What else?

The Ross (Ross Dress for Less) Spring Dress event is going on just in time for Easter.
Derek Lam on eBay: Sunday, April 10th, you can pre-order the DEREK LAM + eBay collection at dereklam.ebay.com. eBay says quantities are limited, so you can order your favorite dresses before the collection officially goes on sale on May 10th. Warning, it's not cheap.
And finally, Project Runway's Tim Gunn will be at Fashion Island for a Fashion show on April 16th. Click here for deets.

Friday, April 8, 2011

The Recession Makes Strange Bedfellows: Karl Lagerfeld and Diet Coke

Pictured: Karl Lagerfeld and Lily Cole Celebrate The Designer's Latest Collection For Diet Coke

Check it out! Karl Lagerfeld, the designer for the House of Chanel, has designed 3 new bottles for ....wait for it, Diet Coke. Yes, the economic downturn makes strange bedfellows. I smell the strong scent of a talented designer cashing in. OK, that's fine. Bravo KL. But will his special Diet Coke bottle sell more soft drinks for the brand? I'm not so sure about that. Does anyone buy diet drinks because of the bottle? Click here to watch the famous designer shill/hawk his Diet Coke collaboration. I can't help but wonder what Mademoiselle Coco would think. I also wonder how much Lagerfeld was paid to design a soft drink bottle. I'm putting Lagerfeld on my watch list for brand endorsements. I can't wait to see his Macy's collection due this Fall.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Lands' End Special Early Sale for Readers of The Recessionista

Lands’ End has thoughtfully shared a promotion code for their Family and Friends sale with me a day early. So now, I get to pass on the savings. The Lands’ End Family + Friends sale runs Friday, April 8 through Monday, April 11 and offers 30% off site-wide plus free shipping on every item. Special for readers of The Recessionista Blog, the sale is open early, that means TODAY! Click here to shop early! My personal favorites, their bright accessory scarves, swimsuits and casual shirts. Enjoy!

PS, Land's End offered the first 25 bloggers to post on this a Rope Handle Bucket Bag. So I'm passing on the savings, whether I am one of the first 25 or not! :)

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Bacon Perfume for $36.00. Will it make you Sizzle? :)

Don't we all want to look sizzling hot when we go out? But is the answer bacon perfume? (that's pronounced "bay-cone".) The creation is by fargginay, The new scent is actually a revival. It was first created by a Paris butcher in 1920s. John Fargginay, a Parisian butcher discovered " a secret recipe blending herbs & essential oils with the essence of", wait for it......bacon. Yes, the pork product that you fry up in a pan for breakfast or a good use in a old BTL sandwich. As the story goes," film stars & heads of state would frequent his shop to procure the magical elixir." According the new Fargginay company's website "with a wink of the eye and the secret code, "fargginay," customers would be slipped a discreet pouch containing the formula said to trigger pleasant memories. After a massive fire on July 4, 1924, the business was lost and so was the formula." Devastating. Truly one of the tragedies of the 20th century, perhaps spawning the expression, "you stole my bacon."

But now, this homey scent has been revived and mass marketed. The new perfume will be sold for $36.00.
What do you think readers? Do you want to smell like the kitchen at the nearest greasy dinner? What's next Mildred Pierce Chicken & Waffles eau de toilette? Twitter is lighting up like a switch board with comments on "bay-cone." Only time will tell if it's the new greased lightening, but for my money, I think I'll pass.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Hot Tip: Babakul on Sale at HauteLook

Pictured: Three great Babakul dresses on sale at HauteLook.com

Back in January I feel in love with the Babakul brand of fashions at the Fred Segal store. In French, Babakul means hippie. This brand is all about hippie Boho chic. Babakul is the creation of True Religion co-founder Kym Gold and is based here in Los Angeles in the home of some of the best hippies, Venice. Now LA based discount shopping club got the inside scoop on selling Babakul for at about 70% off retail. The dresses I saw at Fred Segal for $275.00 are now selling for about $83.00 US on sale site HauteLook. If you're not a member of HauteLook, use my invite to join the club.

If you loved Jovovich Hawk (as I did) odds are that you will like Babakul. The pieces are very romantic with frilly blouses, classic blazers and vintage style wrap dresses. The Babakul boutique on HauteLook is open until Thursday (4/07) 8 am PST. Take this opportunity to check out this new California collection at deep discounts. Sizing is contemporary, aka runs small, so you may need to buy a larger size than you typically take.

Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I do earn a small referral fee if you shop from this my HauteLook invite.

The Recessionista to Speak at Retailcamp LA, April 9 &10

Dah-lings, it's so exciting...I'm going to step out from behind the Blog and Twitter @Recessionista to speak on a panel at Retail Camp LA on Sunday April 10th.   I'll be waking up early and getting fully caffeinated to meet with all the peeps and tweeps. If you haven't heard of Retail Camp and you're in the business of fashion or marketing you might want to check out this conference.   The event is sponsored by Fashionably Marketing Me (Macala Wright) , WWDMagic, USTREAM and Mashable. My panel will be on "The Business of Blogging." I'll be speaking with some blogger superstars on this panel and trying to answer all your questions. Here are the details:

The business of style, fashion and beauty blogging is changing. From new technologies to new government and legal regulations, bloggers need to run their website like business. This one-day session will include:

10:45 – 11:30 AM: Business of Blogging 2011

·       Marie Denee, TheCurvyFashionista.com
·       Valerie Elizabeth, SocietyStylist.com
·       Tina Craig & Kelly Craig, BagSnob.com
·       Mary Hall, TheRecessionista.Blogspot.com
·       Erin Weinger, Editor-In-Chief, StyleSectionLA

If you're interested in attending Retail Camp, click here for ticket information. If you can't attend, book mark Fashionably Marketing Me and give the site a read. It's full of great tips on the fashion industry and social media marketing.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Save the Date: April 15th OUTNET Birthday Sale, US and UK

Where can you go to get a designer item for $2.00US? The annual OUTNET Birthday sale, of course. You may have to get up at the crack of dawn to compete for bargains against UK shoppers, but if you score, it will be worth it.   Here are the details! THE OUTNET is turning 2 and to celebrate the website is holding a $2 in the US/ 2 GBP sale on April 15th. There are only 2,000 tickets and with over 2,400 designer items priced at just $2 each, so it’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss.

To win a $2 sale ticket, you'll need to ENTER THE DRAW between April 4th and April 12th. Here's what you need to know:
    * Enter the $2 sale draw and every day 200 winners will be picked at random to win a ticket to the sale on April 15th.
    * You only need to enter once to be included in every daily draw.
    * There are more chances to win! Tell your friends (if you're feeling generous) to enter and you could win a ticket – the top 200 sharers will automatically receive a ticket.
    * The OUTNET is also giving away 20 prizes of $200 store credit and all those who enter the draw will receive free shipping. Everyone's a winner!

See below for a sneak peek at some of the fabulous designer items that will be up for grabs in the $2 sale. Since I'm a giver :) here's my invite for a chance to shop the sale on April 15th? Click here.

Pictured: Sneak Peaks from the OUTNET B-day sale.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Neiman Marcus Shows Fan Appreciation via Facebook Giveaways

Neiman Marcus is running a fan appreciation sweepstakes on their Facebook page with some pretty fabulous prizes. Since I don't have the big bucks to give my dear readers these pricey prizes that Neiman's is offering, I thought I would let you all know about this. Hey, I would give you all designer prizes if I could!

Neiman Marcus is showing Facebook fans some love through the month of April and anyone is eligible. Just go to the Neiman Marcus Facebook page, and select "like us", then click on the "We Love Our Fans" tab and enter there. Prizes to include a Tory Burch dress, Manolo Blahnik ballet slippers, and an Alexis Bittar bracelet.

In my constant effort to win expensive items for nothing, I already entered. I only shop at Neiman's when they have sales, so I like the idea that they are giving something back to those of us who give them our business. A more reasonable approach to Neiman's merchandise is to shop their Last Call outlets. Be sure to check those out for chic fashions for less. You can also shop Last Call online, and they offer some great deals. Check it out at LastCall.com.

The Recessionista Blog is back... for now, thank you readers!

As some loyal readers and Twitter followers of @Recessionista know, the blog went down and off of Blogger (blogspot) on April Fool's day (no joke) and just returned, about 20 minutes ago (Sunday night, April 3.) I found out the Blog had been take off the air by loyal Twitter follower and fellow blogger @readywriting. My heart skipped a beat. I ran to the nearest Internet access point, and realized this was no April Fools joke. Why was the blog down? Apparently, it was mistakenly detected as spam by a Blogger Algorithm so robots disabled it! Go figure. In the end, only human intervention by a guy name Brett at Blogger, who I think read all the Tweets and my post on The Chic Bargainista, bought The Recessionista back here to its original home.

Now, I learned a very serious lesson here, web data can be down in the blink of an eye, and Blogger doesn't have a support help line like an ISP that a Blogger can call for help. Blogger also doesn't send an email to the Blog owner to give them any notice or warning. All this leads me to contemplate the future of The Recessionista. In the meantime, if you read here and you work on a PC or on the web, especially if you write or blog, back up all your data! You better believe I am working on this now, and saving the latest versions of my web templates now.

Readers, thank you for all your messages over the weekend. I love all my readers, Twitter followers and Facebook friends!! I've never felt so supported. Thank you! The power of Social Media & community is great!