Gilt Warehouse Sale introduced me to Anna Beck

Yesterday I went to the Gilt.com warehouse sale hosted in Boston. I dressed appropriately in tight-fitting clothes that would allow me to try on clothes without having to waste time in the fitting room. I only had 2 hours to find amazing deals!

Recently I've been obsessed with jewelry. Ok fine, I guess I've always loved jewelry. However, I've finally mustered up courage to wear what I own and love, to let go of what I doubt I'll wear and to purchase fabulosity.

The jewelry table at the warehouse sale had a flat rate of $20 for everything on the table. I scoured through each box of jewels, many housing broken pieces. Then I saw it. This gorgeous ring.

The ring has an "ancient" appeal. The craftmenship is meticulous and stunning.  I instantly nabbed it for myself and went on my merry way shopping for other goodies at the sale.

When I got home, I did an internet search on Anna Beck. Visiting the website is when I realized I had scored big with my purchase. The least expensive ring I could find on AnnaBeck.com is $135... did I mention I got my ring for $20?

I love an amazing deal, but I also love the introduction to new artists. The company is a duo-team of sisters. Becky Hosmer designs and sister Rachels manages. You can learn more about them and browse the jewelry on AnnaBeck.com

I am officially a fan of Anna Beck! I look forward to showcasing this ring as much as possible!

ChickDowntown.com Giveaway! CLOSED

Have you checked out ChickDowntown.com yet? If not, you must head over. This is one of those online stores that is so much more than a place to get the latest labels. ChickDowntown has a blog with several contributors who write about all the latest and greatest fashions, including which celebrity is sporting them. I'm an avid reader, and thanks to ChickDowntown, I have a lot more favorite designers.

BB Dakota is a brand that I discovered through ChickDowntown.com. The label is young, modern and inspired by major fashion icons. These clothes are very affordable, allowing more of us to enjoy fantastic fashion. Check out the Battalion Jacket (RIP Michael Jackson) which comes in black and ivory and the Twilight jacket which also comes in Forest and Silver Birch! How awesome are they?

I am also in LOVE with Love Quote scarves. They've been around for a while and worn by many

a celebrity. They come in several colors and are light enough in weight to be worn year-round!

My favorite is this scarf in the color Solar!

Now the fun part...

How would you like to win one of these items shown above?

Yes that's right, chickdowntown.com is offering one of you the chance to win your choice of either the Twilight Bella Jacket, the Battalion Jacket or a LoveQuote scarf in your choice of color!!!

To Enter:

In a comment, pick the item you would like to win and tell me how you would put together an outfit with it. Feel free to check out chickdowntown.com to help you with ideas for an outfit.

Rules:

Only one comment allowed. PLEASE LEAVE AN EMAIL FOR CONTACT!

Winner will be chosen by random.org and have 72 hours to contact me for win.

Contest ends 8/24/09

Per chickdowntown, "If the randomly chosen winner has already won a prize from chickdowntown.com, a different winner will be chosen so that more people have the opportunity to win. Thank you for understanding!"

Items subject to availability

Be sure to check out my other giveaways listed on the top right sidebar.

The Correct Button

The rep from Milly sent buttons to me a few weeks ago, but unfortunately they were not the right button. I had such a tough time getting them in the first place because FedEx sucks, so to finally get the WRONG button just pissed me off.

I emailed the rep and thanked her for her effort, but the buttons didn't match.

In the weeks that followed, yet another button came off and the side strap came loose. For what seems like a high quality coat, I am shocked that all of this is happening. It's not like I'm tossing the coat around and abusing it.

I decided to give up on the coat, but keep it just in case I one day had a use for it.

Well it turns out that might be sooner than I thought. Yesterday a different rep from Milly emailed me to apologize for sending the wrong button. She asked for a pic of the coat and promised to try and send the correct buttons this time.

Once again, Milly is amazing with customer service. We'll see if the correct button comes this time. My only stipulation was to please use the USPS because I hate FedEx.

Project Runway Obsession

I just watched the finale for season 2 of Project Runway. Unfortunately I missed that season, so I was super excited for a marathon today.

I couldn't be happier that Chloe won. Her pieces had been clean and sleek through the whole competition. Unfortunately for me, her store is in Houston, TX. I sent an email through her website asking if any of the many many many new boutiques cropping up in Boston might carry her collection. I just LOVE the 13th piece.

Jeffrey from Season 3 needed an attitude check, but there is no denying his talent. I love the rock star couture, but I can't afford any of his designs. Could I get a sale please??? For say... 95% off?

Jay McCarroll, the first. I honestly wasn't impressed with anyone from season 1. I gotta admit though that I am a nerd at heart and I tend to find his collections to appeal to the haute geek in me.

Target Couture

I have no idea how Target did it, but they became a huge hit in the world of department stores. People started to add a french accent to Target, and it suddenly became a fashion icon. Several designers actually have collections sold exclusively at Target. I already mentioned Schouler below.



I'm not sure if Target Couture is a branch of Target, or some artist's love affair with the target symbol. Regardless, I absolutely love this Duffle Bag. I've been looking for some resort-style luggage, and the subtle target stiching (white on white) is very attractive. The striping reminds me of gucci. The lock... did someone know I love Louis Vuitton?



Check it out before it sells out. (via Shop Intuition)

Proenza Schlouler Designs

As a mathematician at heart, there's something appealing about the geometric influence in Proenza Schouler's designs. Check out the collections on the Proenza Schouler website. I particularly like the darker, brooding colors with a hint of pizazz for this year's Spring. It's a bit more my taste.



I found a few items available for purchase at Bergdorf Goodman, but I'm hoping to find the designs I particularly want somewhere soon. Click on the photo and you should be taken to my recommendation on ThisNext.com.



Granted I most likely will not be purchasing any Proenza Schouler clothes right off the runway, but like most designers now-a-days Proenza Schouler offers a cheaper collection available at Target.