Fashionista Style in Recessionista Times

On Wednesday, March 16, 2011, Columbia welcomed its first-ever Style Swap! Style Swap is an event started by Style Girl Jess James in Wilmington, North Carolina to allow women to come together and share their closets and support a worthy cause. (Proceeds and items left from the swap were donated to The Women’s Shelter.) Coordinated by Flock & Rally, sponsored by VanJean and Pout! and hosted by The Shop Tart herself, Anne Postic, it was held at MoMo’s Bistro on Devine Street - which they were kind enough to close for the day!

Style Girl and Style Swap creator, Jess James

Anne Postic of Shop Tart

Gift bags donated by Pout! for V.I.P. guests

James got the idea for Style Swap after hearing about similar events taking place overseas. Soon after moving to Wilmington from Pennsylvania, she began her Style Girl column for the Star-News. It was during this time that she began building what we now know as Style Swap. For the mere cost of parting with one clothing item and an accessory, you have the potential to find Dolce and Gabanna, Manolo Blahnik shoes and Prada bags, which was the case at this 'swap'.

"In this penny-pinching economy, is there such a thing as guilt-free shopping?" James quips on her website. "Finding $50 J Brand jeans and a $20 Tracy Reese dress doesn't feel so bad. Coming home with something you love in exchange for something you no longer want - priceless."

At registration, everyone was able to purchase a charity raffle ticket to be entered into a drawing - and just look at some of the prizes!

The display of all the amazing prizes for raffle winners.

$250 gift certificate to VanJean

2 $50 gift certificates

Nana by Sally clutch, worth $65

$50 gift certificate to Revente with purse and sunglasses

Austral salon shampoo, haircut & blow style by owner Tim Shealy plus 2 products

Freshwater Keshi pearls with freshwater freeform nugget pearls and 22k gold-filled chain from Theodosia, worth $325

Kicks Exceptional Shoes gift certificate for $50

Illuminations MedSpa NEOCUTIS system

Sponsored swap outfit valued at $146, Bohemian

Sponsored gift from Pink Sorbet

Sponsored raw silk skirt, LaRoque

Businesses were also able to set up vendor tables and sell merchandise. There was everything from shoes sold by Kicks, lovely Lilly Pulitzer and Carolina Cup items from Pink Sorbet, jewelry by Theodosia (located in Charleston), beauty items from Pout!, Tory Burch from VanJean and vintage items from Style Girl vintage collection, represented by James herself. Also in attendance were representatives from AUSTRAL salon and Illumination MedSpa to pass out product and service information.

Retailers setting up vendor tables prior to the event.

Lanvin dress, for sale as part of the Style Girl vintage collection

Pink Sorbet

VanJean

Kicks

This event was a fashionista's dream, not only for the wardrobe updates and making of new friends, but doing it all in the name of a very worthy cause. Its giving back and getting something in return all in the name of fashion and philanthropy - what could be better than that?

Ashleigh and Jess James at Style Swap

For more information on Style Swap and where Jess James and her team will be heading next, visit her site and and subscribe to the Style Girl newsletter.

Follow Ashleigh on twitter

CJ by Cookie Johnson

On Friday, March 11, 2011, Cookie Johnson came to Nordstrom in Charlotte, North Carolina for an event demonstrating how her new line of jeans fits every type of woman. Her line, CJ by Cookie Johnson, is a premium denim line that offers a range of styles from sizes 0-18.

What makes her jeans stand apart from other premium lines is not only do they go up to a plus size, but as Johnson said, they also have, "more room in the thighs and derrière, a tapered waist, silk waistband, and they come up a bit higher in the back for women with real bodies."

Thanks to Oprah Winfrey, her jeans are now on a national platform. Johnson sent a pair to the famed talk show host for an issue of O Magazine and she said, " I got a call a few days later from [Oprah] saying that she had never found a more comfortable pair of jeans and that she has worn them three days in a row!"

Johnson said that she feels like she has tapped into an untouched industry of making premium denim for women of all shapes and sizes. She says that her, "jeans are woven with self-esteem and that we can all still look good in this denim revolution."

"After years of punishing myself, not eating that last cookie, I realized it's not me, it's the industry!"

CJ by Cookie Johnson can be found at:

Nordstrom

Neiman Marcus

Lord and Taylor

Saks Fifth Avenue

Follow Hallie on twitter

5 Ways to Get More Youthful-Looking Skin

Everyone is always on the lookout for a quick fix to help them turn back the tell-tell signs of aging. Since searching for the fountain of youth has proven to be a waste of your good years, many people resort to plastic surgery. However, before going under the knife, take a look at these tips for getting more youthful-looking and feeling skin. You could get great results for a fraction of what it would cost you in surgery.

1. Screen the Sun

Sunscreen is so important to your skin’s health that it has to be mentioned twice in two weeks. While almost everyone loves the sun, it is one of the most dangerous things your skin is exposed to. The sun breaks down your skin's naturally produced collagen and elastin. After years of unprotected exposure to the sun, skin can begin to look old, prematurely wrinkle and feel leathery. Use sunscreen daily to protect the longevity of your skin’s youthfulness.

2. Get your Bounce Back

Elastin is what makes skin bounce back when pressed, an essential to firmness. We stop naturally producing elastin at about the same time as we hit puberty, but modern science can help! Scientists have found that dill extract will make more elastin for skin since our bodies won’t. Dill extract can be found in products such as Olay Pro-X Intensive Firming Treatment, Aveeno Ageless Vitality and DDF Restoring Night Serum.

3. DIY: Collagen

Collagen is what keeps your skin feeling soft and supple instead of a texture that resembles a tough leather bag. Retinoids are the key to making more collagen when your skin needs a little help. An overwhelming number of dermatologists agree that retinoids actually work. Retinoids can be found in Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream.

4. Change the Dark to Light

Studies show that dark spots can age your skin's appearance by 10-15 years. There are prescription options available to treat an uneven skin tone, however, some great nonprescription options include skin lighteners and exfoliators. Try Clinique Even Better Clinical Skin Tone Corrector, SkinCeutical Pigment Regulator or Vivite Vibrance, which has gotten great reviews. Apply these to your entire face - and not just over the dark spots! - then apply sunscreen (VERY important!). You should start to see fading in about three months.

5. Put Your Skin On a Diet

Research now shows that low levels of nutrients that are essential to skin’s health, like zinc and vitamin C, could slow skin’s ability to repair itself. Eat a diet rich in antioxidants (green tea, for example, can be a chic alternative to coffee and serve to help your skin too), fatty fish (salmon, a tasty option), dark green vegetables (broccoli, a favorite that works), almonds and walnuts. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water!

These tips are good for your skin but also good for over-all health; just remember, everything in moderation!

Follow Ashleigh on twitter

Savage Style

A hole new look at fashion

Sweater + Jeans + Scissors = a transitional weather outfit sure to keep your body temperature and personal style meter somewhere between hot...and ultra cool:

Name: Dustin

Spotted: Village at Sandhill

Wearing:

Sweater: Vintage (cut it himself)

Under Shirt: Urban Outfitters

Shorts: Guess Jeans (cut them himself)

Boots: Clarks

Watch: Fossil

2 Black Beaded Bracelets (above watch): Black Market Minerals

Additional Beaded Bracelet (below watch): Purchased in Mexico

Think you've got enough style to be considered a shopping savage? E-mail your photos to dwaun@shoppingsavage.com with a breakdown of your outfit and your photo may be our feature of the week!

Dear Shopping Savage...

Dear Shopping Savage,

I am currently pregnant with my first child and while the excitement and preparation of being a mommy is all-consuming, I'm very concerned about maintaining my personal sense of style as my belly is ever-expanding. I've seen women in maternity clothes (i.e. circus tents) and that look just isn't me! I want to embrace the belly! How do I develop my maternity look for work and for play: (1) without breaking the bank and (2) with absolutely NO MUUMUU dresses?

Signed,

Maternity Wear for Blossoming Baby Bump

------------

Dear M.W.F.B.B.B.,

Just because you're "with child" doesn't mean you have to be without style. Maternity wear has come a long modern way since the days of women being relegated to wearing muumuu's for any reason other than channeling Mrs. Roper from Three's Company.

As your pregnancy progresses you're going to want to invest in a few key pieces of maternity wear - two pairs of maternity jeans, two pairs of maternity work pants, four to six maternity tank tops - and/or a belly band - and solid colored maternity tops as you progress throughout your pregnancy. Escape the higher cost of maternity wear by looking at the sales sections first. Even if its a little larger than you are at that time, you can tell if you'll grow into it. Also, if its something you like you should get it so as you to continue to expand your family from the inside out you'll have new affordable baby-on-board clothing to look forward to wearing. Not only will this help you evade the feelings of "I'm pregnant and nothing fits" but it will work as an overall confidence booster if you're ever feeling at odds with yourself and your bodies changing landscape.

Look for maternity tops - or dresses - that appeal to your sense of style and work with your current wardrobe accessories. Go for jewel-toned tops and dresses that will pop against your skin tone and will add to your growing glow. A statement necklace, pair of earrings or bangles and bracelets will help draw attention away from your midsection and back to you. Even shirts or dresses that show off your cleavage or décolletage will draw the attention back to you and not your pregnancy.

So you see, you can move into maternity and avoid muumuu-ing. The closest you may come to a loose, body skimming dress would be in the form of an empire waist or halter dress which will be your friend once you start to reach your due date. This advice should help you keep your style while highlighting your pregnancy. The expression "you can have your cake and eat it too" comes to mind but in your case, you can have your baby and save the cake till after you've shed the post-baby weight.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: Dwaun@shoppingsavage.com

USC's Project Condom: Season 4

On March 1, 2011, at 8 pm in the Russell House Ballroom, the University of South Carolina's Carolina Productions, Changing Carolina Peer Educators, the Student Health Services and Campus Wellness came together to put on the 4th Annual Project Condom Fashion Show. In addition to the creative runway presentations, the show's purpose is to promote sexual health and awareness, STD prevention, sexual protection, promotion of consensual sex and rape awareness.

There were 15 teams who designed outfits for models to strut down the runway made completely out of condoms donated by One Condoms. The teams can be made up of any student organization or just friends wanting to create a look to help promote a great cause. The outfits ranged from “The Jersey Shore” to an Audrey Hepburn inspired look.

This year, the winners consisted of Michelle Fantone, Heath Lanier and Christy Lester with their look entitled “Waking Up in Vegas”.

Their inspiration for the look was, “unlike in Vegas, what happens last night doesn't always stay in last night. Unless protection is used, our decisions from the night before can lead to consequences that can follow us for the rest of our lives in the form of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, or unwanted pregnancy.”

By using a showgirl dress made out of condoms, the team showed that sex and sexiness can be good and fun, if used with the right intuition and protection.

Here is a video recap of all the looks and a few extras from the show:

Follow Hallie on twitter