Giveaway [closed]: $45 Rebecca gift certificate

I wore this outfit last week (twice!) and almost didn't post it since I didn't get a good shot of it. Alas, I ran out of time today to grab a picture of what I'm wearing, so I had to resort to the 'ole "don't post unless you absolutely have to" file.
I'm sorry I'm standing like a flamingo here. I need some posing tutorials, stat!
I'm crazy about animal prints and literal animal prints! See my other zebra scarf here.
date: 23 & 26 Nov 2011 | occasion: errandsshirt: American Apparel | shorts: 80's Purple (similar)| tie: belt from a Francesca's dress | loafers: thrifted Newport News, Savers (similar) | scarf: c/o Happy Scarf (made in China*. See comment.) | mustache ring: c/o Rebecca

It's the end of November already. Can you believe it? It's now the end of Movember, too. I'm not a dude, but I love the spirit behind the Movember movement and all the vigor that the dudes in Austin had for it. When shopping at Rebecca last month, I had to get this cool mustache ring so I could proudly proclaim my Mo' Sista pride. For more info on Movember, go here. You can also donate to the Austin Movember team here or make a general donation to the US Movember charity here.

Rebecca is a cool little jewelry shop and everything in the shop is handmade. In addition to the mustache ring, I picked out a really great necklace that I've been sporting with my button down shirts this season. The Crystal Bib Necklace (pictured below) may be the prettiest thing I own, and I can't wait to show it off in an outfit post soon. I'm so excited that one lucky Adored Austin reader will win a $45 gift certificate to spend at Rebecca herself.

Please take a peek around Rebecca and pick out something nice for yourself.

my favorites: harmonica necklace | feather bib necklace | crystal bib necklace | double finger mustache ring
Edit: form removed. Entry period over.
When you get a chance please check out Rebecca all over the internet: Shop | Facebook | Twitter. She has some great Twitter and Facebook fan deals going on, including 25% off and free shipping. If you're in the Chicago area, make sure to check out their booth at the One Of A Kind Show (they're #2020) on December 1- 4.

Whew! Are you feeling it? We're six days into seven days of giveaways on Adored Austin. Late tomorrow I'll have a video review up as well as a great giveaway for anyone who knows or has a baby. If you'd like, follow Adored Austin on Google, Bloglovin', Twitter, or Facebook. Who knows... there may be a secret, funny, special giveaway just for those who follow me on Facebook...

By the way, the winner of the Send the Trend Kilby Headband giveaway is Lisa G! Congrats!

And there's only one more day to enter to win any tee of your choice from StyleMint. Go >>>

Giveaway [closed]: Purse & Clutch

You guys! My new dress and my new lens are here! I am so excited!I was so excited that I fell into my closet and randomly grabbed whatever to wear...Either that or I'm trying my hand at pattern mixing. I used to think stripes and florals were a bit of a stretch for me, but whoa! Today I'm sporting two types of chevron, floral, and leopard. You might be a style blogger if...date: 29 Nov 2011 | occasion: errandsdress: Edge of Urge (USA made) | jacket: c/o Francesca's Collection (USA made) | vintage belt: Thrift Town | clutch: c/o Purse & Clutch (fair trade, handmade) | shoes: c/o Lulu*s
I love this little clutch so much. It's the perfect size to throw in my diaper bag and pull out to take along when I don't feel like lugging the entire diaper bag inside.
Better than that, it's a bag with a whole lot of heart behind it. Purse and Clutch is owned by my new friend Jen, and I'm so pleased to introduce this little company to you. From their company profile:

"The mission of Purse & Clutch is to partner with local economies to create dignified, living wage jobs for those in need. We place a high value on relationships, generosity, beauty, and intentionality, and use these values as decisions filters.

We purchase our products from JOYN, a fair trade, wholesale company with a vision to connect the poor with Western markets.

They provide the people of Dehradun, India, the opportunity to work in a great environment and provide for their families. The employees of JOYN take the time to know, understand, and love those with whom they work.

They work with the local economy, instead of against it, which discourages dependence on outside aid that can only be a temporary source of help. JOYN chooses to employ many who would otherwise be unable to find work: men and women with severe health issues, women who have been domestically abused, and youth who are breaking family cycles and choosing employment over begging.

JOYN employees card and spin fabric from 100% organic cotton and then weave it together by hand. Designs are then added through the ancient Indian art of hand-carved wooden block printing."

I'm especially pleased to offer one lucky Adored Austin reader her choice of bag from Purse and Clutch.

styles pictured: virtuous v handle purse | lovely leaf clutch | lovely leaf purse | classy circle handle purse
edit: form removed. contest period over.

When you get a chance please check out this wonderful new company: Purse & Clutch's shop | Facebook | Twitter

We're five days into seven days of giveaways on Adored Austin. I'm having a really good time doing this! I hope you're having a good time, too. If you'd like, feel free to follow Adored Austin on Google, Bloglovin', Twitter, or Facebook so that you can get advanced notification of my final two giveaways and so we can be best friends forever on the entire internet.

P.S. #1
Today is the last day to enter to win Hem Gems.

P.S.#2

The giveaway winner of the best cardigan in the world from Francesca's is Aubrey! Congrats!

Giveaway [closed]: StyleMint tee

When I was a kid, watching Full House, if you would have told me that the twins who played Michelle Tanner would grow up to be bona fide fashion designers, I would have said, "Michelle Tanner? No. Kimmy Gibbler, maybe, but the 'You got it dude' kid? Nope. I don't believe you."

There are only a handful of celebrities whose personal style I'm a fan of. Chief among them? Nicole Richie, Rachel Bilson, and of course the Olsens. Unlike other celebrity designers, their lines seems to reflect their actual style sensibilities... but unfortunately, also their budget (I'm specifically referring to The Row and Elizabeth and James). Ah, so wonderful but so out of my budget.

So that's why I was excited to learn about StyleMint earlier this year. It's Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's tee shirt line backed by the BeachMint company, who also backs Kate Bosworth's jewelry line JewelMint and Rachel Bilson's ShoeMint collaboration with Steve Madden. Each tee is priced at $29.99 and they're manufactured in L.A.

I tried the Pacific tee in my last outfit post, and I loved the ease of it. I was impressed with the quality and the shirt washes really well. It's thin but not so thin you need a camisole. It goes well with jeans, but I can also see myself wearing this with cutoffs and boots well into the Texas summer. I plan to wear it again with a maxi skirt for a comfortable, stylish alternative to sweats at the store.

I'm excited to host a giveaway for a StyleMint tee because it's hard to find affordable, domestically made, stylish basics, and let's face it: blog reviews are always more fun when there's a giveaway involved, right?lt;span class=" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">
styles pictured: rush | bixle | hudson | fillmore | see more >>>
Edit: form removed. Entry period over.
And just so you know, there's HUGE sales going on on StyleMint, JewelMint, and ShoeMint today. Yay, CyberMonday! Check my new sales page for more info.

When you get a chance, join StyleMint and check them out online: Shop | Facebook | Twitter

We're four days into seven days of giveaways on Adored Austin. This has been fun! Make sure to follow Adored Austin on Google, Bloglovin', Twitter, or Facebook so that you can get advanced notification of my next three giveaways!

P.S.
Today is the last day to enter to win a the best cardigan in the entire world from Francesca's Collection.

Giveaway [closed]: Send the Trend gold braided headband

Whenever I wear a headband, Chris always says "Gimme that headband!" in a menacing voice because he absolutely cannot see a headband without thinking of this crazy anti-drug PSA called "Straight Up" that he had to watch in school when he was a kid.

Despite that totally creepy song, I love headbands. I especially love hippie headbands that go around your forehead. In my opinion, fun headbands are an easy way to give an otherwise tame outfit an extra edge of style oomph:

1. floral crown: Accessorize (similar) | 2. flower headband: Ross (similar) | 3. polka dot headband: Accessorize (similar) | 4. necklace as headband: vintage, Style Station (similar) | 5. floral pin as headband: HEB (similar) | 6. bow headband: Marshalls (similar)
When Send the Trend contacted me about doing a review and a giveaway, I did not hesitate to pick out a flashy ornate headband, perfect for all the holiday parities I have coming up. I can see myself sporting this with a little black dress and some ankle boots (note to self: add a little black dress and ankle boots to winter wish list...). Since today we're just lounging around the house, I'm dressed a little more casual:



date: 25 Nov 2011 | occasion: movies at homeheadband: c/o Send the Trend | shirt: c/o StyleMint (USA made) | necklaces: c/o JewelMint | pants: thrifted House of Deréon, Buffalo Exchange (similar) | citrine studs: c/o Wild Gems | shoes: Dr. Scholls
EDIT: Form removed. Entry period ended.
When you get a chance, be sure to check out Send The Trend for accessories and jewelry all under $30: Shop | Facebook | Twitter

We're three days into seven days of giveaways on Adored Austin. Isn't this exciting? I am sure you're going to win one! Make sure to follow Adored Austin on Google, Bloglovin', Twitter, or Facebook so that you can get advanced notification of my next four giveaways! They're going to be great!

Thanksgiving 2011

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and if you live in Austin and don't have dinner plans, please join me and my family and a few friends to celebrate the holiday together.

Chris and I don't have any family in Texas, and we'd be all alone if it weren't for friends (new and old). This is our fourth year of doing Orphan's Thanksgiving at our house, and I would love to have you over. Last year Elizabeth came by, and the year before that an entire film crew in town joined in the celebration. It won't be strange to join strangers, because strangers are just friends we haven't yet met, right?

If that wasn't cheesy enough to entice you, let me give you a quick rundown of our menu so far:

• smoked turkey, fresh off the Primo
• green bean casserole
• oyster dressing
• roasted butternut squash
• macaroni and cheese
• mashed at home potatoes
• from scratch rosemary and sea salt rolls
• homemade pumpkin pie, pumpkin mouse ice cream cake, pecan pie, and sweet potato pie

The festivities start at 5pm and if you want to cook with us we'll be out of our pajamas by 10 a.m. Contact me for more details.

Sales! Sales! Sales! Oh, my!

Because I'm such a fan of online shopping, I'm going to scour my sale notices and update my "Sales Alert" page late tonight while tomorrow's rolls are baking. Already I've taken advantage of some online sales:

1. Refurbished Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens | 2. Zig Zag dress (USA made) | 3. fox ring
I don't know if you've noticed, but my photo quality 'round here has gone way down in the last couple of months and my videos aren't as crisp. Jude pulled my camera down from the entry table a while back and busted my plastic nifty 50 lens, which I absolutely loved (I really can't recommend it enough for anyone with a Canon SLR). It was my fault for not having my camera in my bag, but no way was I going to get another plastic $100 lens. I saved up to buy the f/1.4 which has a full metal casing, and I can't wait to use it! I rented one from Precision Camera a couple months ago and while I can't really tell a big difference between it and my first lens, I'm happy to be able to have a 50mm fixed lens again.

As for the dress and the ring, oh, man. They're from this online shop that I have never heard of called Edge of Urge. Those purchases were not at all necessities, but I had some Refinery29 Reserve credit burning a hole in my virtual pocket, and I wanted to use it. I hate when deal sites say "Get $80 of credit for $40" when nothing in the shop is under $80. That's why I was so excited that there were plenty of things to buy for under $80. Truly it was one of the best Refinery29 Reserve deals I've seen in a long time, and they even have a ton of crazy Jeffrey Campbell's in stock. I almost got the $150 for $75 deal, instead, because I've been contemplating some spiked loafers and some Litas (okay, not really) but I used a little restraint. This time. (By the way, this deal is going on until Monday if you want to get on it and maybe try some Jeffrey Campbell's).

Speaking of crazy shoes, one of the things that I'm most excited about is the ShoeMint launch on Friday:

Did you see those leopard print wedges in the video?! I'm already a member of both Kate Bosworth's JewelMint and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's StyleMint (my tee shirt review and giveaway is coming on Friday!), and since I'm such a huge fan of Rachel Bilson's personal style, this ShoeMint collaboration is just what my closet needed. Anyway, if you haven't signed up for ShoeMint yet, get on it. Anyone who enters by Friday is signed up to win a year's subscription of ShoeMint shoes. The drawings are daily, so you've still got three chances to win. Go >>>

Now that I've dropped a nice chunk of change this week already, I'm going to take it easy on Black Friday. Instead I'll be shopping on Small Business Saturday and checking out the Austin Vintage Style Fest. What about you guys? Will you be shopping on Friday at all?

Giveaway [closed]: Hem Gems

I mentioned the other day that I got some Earnest Sewn jeans thanks to Shop it To Me. I love them. They fit like a dream, except for the length... again. What gives with premium denim being so long? I'm 5'8'' which is pretty tall for a lady and I almost always have to take my jeans to the tailor to get four inches taken off. Who is wearing their jeans this long? Basketball players? Giraffes? Clowns on stilts?
The other day I hosted a giveaway for a Hollywood Fashion Secrets Jean Kit that had some hem tape inside. The hem tape was basically a super sticky, doubled sided tape that pulled off clean for a temporary hem fix. An alternative to this is Hem Gems. Have you heard of Hem Gems? I wore some on Saturday since I hadn't yet taken my jeans to the tailor, and they're one of those "Duh! I need these; why didn't I think of that?" inventions. They're basically little tie tacks for your jeans. With these little babies you can adjust your favorite jeans to fit just right with flats or your highest heels, and they come in all sorts of cute shapes:

[not pictured: the studs I have since they're no longer offered online. See them here.]

Review: They are so easy to use and since they work like tie tacks (i.e. they have a special back that keeps them on) you don't have to worry about the pin back falling off and you being on the receiving end of surprise puncture wounds. It took me less than three minutes to Hem Gem my jeans. I prefer the "tuck 'em under" technique:

Since I'm sure I'm not the only one who hates when her jeans are superfluously long, I am excited to give away a set of Hem Gems to one lucky Adored Austin reader:
Edit: form removed. Entry period passed.

If you've ever had problems with the length of your jeans or wished that your jeans had adjustable hems, Hem Gems are the thing to get. The giveaway winner can choose between the silver studs or the silver stars.

Check out Hem Gems online: Shop | Facebook | Twitter

And if you have time, follow Adored Austin on Google, Bloglovin', Twitter, or Facebook so that you can be sure to get advanced notification of my Thanksgiving week of giveaways! I have a giveaway lined up every day for the five days or so, so be sure to check back here for more giveaway fun.

Giveaway [closed]: The best cardigan in the entire world c/o Francesca's Collections

I am thinking about renaming this blog Adored Yellow Striped Cardigan, because I am that head over heels for my new yellow striped cardigan from Francesca's Collections. I got it on Friday and I have worn it every day since.

Saturday:
date: 19 Nov 2012 | occasion: GCDG coffee date with Bee, Joanie, and Sarah
cardigan: c/o Francesca's (USA made) | plaid blouse: vintage Levis via Andrea and the Delightful Dozen (similar) | jeans: Earnest Sewn c/o Shop It To Me (USA made) | moccasins: thrifted Minnetonka via Goodwill | Hem Gems studs: c/o Hem Gems | diaper bag: Timi & Leslie

Sunday:
date: 20 Nov 2012 | occasion: Austin City Life gathering
cardigan: c/o Francesca's (USA made) | chambray blouse: Trouvé (similar) | skirt with belt: c/o Peacock Plume (USA made) (similar in beige) | necklace: on loan from Manic Trout (handmade, ATX) | wedges: Cynthia Vincent for Target (similar) | clutch: c/o Purse and Clutch (handmade, fair trade)
If you don't believe me that this cardigan is the best cardigan in the world, how about you source check me against Kendi (wearing a similar one), Stephanie, or Ashley. Lovely, huh?
OR how about you enter to win one? What? Yes! That's right. My friends at Francesca's Collections are letting one lucky Adored Austin reader win her very own striped cardigan in either yellow or navy blue. It's comfortable, it's stylish, it's made in the USA, and it could be yours:

Edit: form removed. Entry period passed.
I love Francesca's Collection because their stuff is cute and styish and they always say if items are imported or made in the US. Check out Francesca's Collection: Shop | Facebook | Twitter

And if you have time, follow Adored Austin on Google, Bloglovin', Twitter, or Facebook so that you can be sure to not miss a single thing on my Thanksgiving week of giveaways! I have a giveaway lined up every day for the next week or so, so be sure to check back here for more giveaway fun.

P.S.
The winner for the Hollywood Fashion Secrets Jean Kit giveaway is Alex! Congrats!

Outfit overload!

Two necklaces, two watches, three rings, five bracelets, two shirts, tights, a mullet hem skirt, heels, a belt, and a clutch. Question: How many style blogger trends can one blogger possibly wear at once? Answer: all of them.



date: 17 Nov 2011 | occasion: Marie Claire LOFT fashion showskirt: Langford Market (similar) | sleeveless button-down: American Apparel | chiffon tee: American Apparel | lion necklace: Manic Trout | magnifying glass necklace: c/o JewelMint | gold watch: thrifted Michael Kors (same) | black watch: vintage Gucci (similar D&G) | bangles: Ten Thousand Villages & InPink | ring: Manic Trout | vintage clutch: Texas Thrift (similar)| textured tights: Target (similar) | heels: thrifted Seychelles via Savers (similar)
The only thing this outfit is missing is friendship bracelets, thick rimmed glasses, and a floppy hat.

A few changes and also a disclosure about my Scrooge McDuck-like goals for Adored Austin

Hi, there! I am adjusting the 'ole blog a little bit. If you check the sidebars, you may notice a few additions.

On the left side we have:

Hooray! You can sign up to get these straight to your inbox once a week.

Now let's talk about how I plan to turn this blog into one giant commercial so that I can swim in a pool full of gold coins like Scrooge McDuck.

On the lower right side, I've added a slew of invite only sale sites that I use. Some of these you may know about, some you may not. I don't want to fuel anyone's shopping addiction, but I do want to encourage you to find the best deals possible when making your fully thought out purchases. Raise your hand if you hate paying full retail price on anything (my hand is raised, is yours?). It's always free to join these sites, and I have used all of these at least once (except ShoeMint since it hasn't launched, yet). With Christmas coming up, I've been scouring these sites for gifts. Check 'em out:

My personal favorites are Fab, Groupon, and Amazon's MyHabit. If you join using any of my links, beware. I may get shop credit for those sites if you make purchases. Can you sleep at night knowing that you may have enabled me to get another piece of animal jewelry or even more animal clothing?

In the lowest right you'll see that I've added a few affiliate advertisement banners. These are only from retailers that I use and love:

In addition to these, in my outfit posts, you'll may start noticing links to "rStyle", which is the blogger ad network rewardStyle that you no doubt may have seen popping up on the style blogs:

More info on that here.

So why all the sudden changes? Please know that I have no desire to make Adored Austin a full-time job or to twist it into some grand money making scheme... unless I can make so much money that I can have an indoor swimming pool full of coins and buy myself a revolving closet like Cher had in Clueless. Cheese alert: I enjoy doing my blog because it has given me the amazing opportunity to meet other bloggers and to meet other Austinites that I would not have had the chance to meet otherwise. That, in and of itself, is enough for me.

However, I do spend a fair amount of money and time on this hobby blog, and I love doing it at the level I'm doing it right now. After two and a half years of never posting an affiliate link or an invitation to a members' sale, I've decided to switch it up. I just want to see if I can make a little more money so that I can have the opportunity to bless Chris and Jude a little more and to build a fund to be able to throw more Adored Austin events. And also, it's really hard to swim in a teacup full of pennies totaling $2.14.

I know that every blogger swears that her ads do not affect her content. I can't vouch for anyone but me, but please know that like my Adored Austin partnerships, my affiliates will only be from retailers that I actually use. If you ever see an ad for some crazy expensive luxury brand that only has cruddy products made in China, please feel free to call me out on it.

Please feel free to click or not click on anything you see on Adored Austin. I promise that my family won't starve if you don't buy these $90 Minnetonka boots like mine from Urban Outfitters... although in full disclosure, I could really use the 315 pennies I'd get from the commission off your purchase for my Scrooge McDuck coin swimming pool.