$75 off of $100 at Old Navy {Giveaway CLOSED}

It is no secret that I love to shop (see name of site, above).  I’ve gushed multiple times about my love of Old Navy for great deals, and stylish options for a fashionista on a budget.  I have an Old Navy within a mile of my house, and it has always been one of my favorite places to go for wardrobe staples and a quick wardrobe fix.  I’m a huge fan of their sweetheart jean (and we all know about my love for denim) and sundresses.

Old Navy reached out to me this week with an offer I couldn’t refuse.  They want to offer 10 of my fabulous readers the chance to win a coupon for $75 off of $100 purchase.  Um, that’s $100 worth of clothing for only $25!!!  (I know you can probably do the math, but I’m just SO excited – and a wee bit jealous that I can’t win myself!)

Old Navy already has fantastic deals, so this will really help you to stretch your budget a long way and help you to get a huge jump on that back-to-school shopping!  Don’t forget, I have TEN of them to give away!  Speaking of fantastic deals here is a sneak peek at the Item of the Week — a Long Sleeve Blousy V-Neck tee for just $8!!!

To win, leave a comment in the post below telling me what item from Old Navy you would pair this awesome v-neck tee with!!  (Or, if you’re a dude, just click over and tell me whatcha like, mkay?)  Bonus entries available for blogging about this contest with a link back here, stumbling my site, subscribing to my feed, or tweeting about this!  US entries only, contest ends August 2nd, 2009 at 11:59 pm CST.  Good Luck!

Gone Bloggin’

Hey y’all – I know you may or may not have noticed that I’m a bit MIA.  Well, consider this my sign in the window that there is not as much content as usual because I am officially at BlogHer 2009!   I’m so excited (and a bit nervous about 1,400 women in one place, but I digress) to be here and it hasn’t even started yet.  I’m already having a great time re-connecting with old friends, making new ones, and laughing harder than I have in at least a month (playing checkers, of all things, with Christine – and realizing JUST how bad at it I really am – she even had to make one of my moves for me!).  Not to mention, before my poor roomie Katja had even arrived, I practically destroyed my half of the room – it’s amazing what I can do with a few hours and two outfit changes.

So yeah, I’m having a blast already and nothing has even really happened yet.  I’m so excited to see what the week will bring!  In case I don’t post much over the next few days, I apologize.  In case I post eleventy-thousand times a day, I apologize.  I can tell it will go one of two ways, and I’m not sure which it will be yet.  At the very least, you can click around this post to read a few other awesome blogs to pass the time.

In the meantime, check out this hilarious pre-BlogHer post by @naturalwoman, sent to me by my friend Reem.  I laughed so hard I may have even snorted.  But I’ll never admit to that.  Oh, wait…

PS – A big thanks to Wal-Mart – who sponsored my trip to BlogHer this year as one of the ElevenMoms.

Coco Avant Chanel – Sneak Preview!

If you read here regularly and know anything about me, you know that I have a slight obsession with all things French, all things Chanel, and all things Audrey Tautou.  So when I get hit with this ultimate trifecta all at once?  Well, it’s pretty much my own personal slice of heaven.  Today I happened upon the trailer for the film and I literally squealed out loud.  So just in case you like French, Chanel, or Audrey Tautou (or just like a good movie), I’ve posted the trailer here for you to see.  I’ve gotta say, I’m totally jealous that France has already gotten to see it, and that the UK gets to see it at the end of this month, but we have to wait until September!

Check it out, doesn’t it look so awesome?  Have I mentioned yet how excited I am to see it?!

Summer Trend – Neon Nails

As particular as I am about clothes and makeup, I seem to neglect my fingernails.  I mean, I keep them well groomed, but I’m never very adventurous when it comes to nail color. A swipe of OPI’s Natural Nail Strengthener every other day, and I’m set!  This summer, I’ve made it a point to bring a splash of color into my world (and my nails)!  Neon colors were all the rage on the runways, and he neon trend is still, well, trending.   From colors that are vaguely reminiscent of highlighters to bold purples and blues, neon on your nails is now! Check out some of my suggestions below!

Check out these two colors from one of my all time faves, Essie.  On the left is Perky Purple, and on the right is Funky Limelight (think yellow highlighter!).  Both colors will have you staring after your hands as you gesture!  $8 a pop!

I like this hot hot pink color from Zoya, called Layla.  I love Zoya polish because they are a non-toxic option and they have incredibly long wear! $6 a pop!

Another of my favorite polishes, that I discovered in the UK, is difficult to find here, but a fabulous line.  Pop Beauty makes this awesome line of nail polish (they sell the makeup at Sephora but not the nail polish!) that goes on more like paint than polish!  Very few bubbles, and no streaky look, but even better are the cool colors it comes in.  Check out Turquoise and Mandarin, both pictured above.  $14 a pop.

Anna Sui Designs Gossip-Worthy Line for Target

The fall of 2007 was my very last semester teaching, and it was a semester that I found myself teaching French at an all-girls Catholic high school.  I actually loved teaching all girls, and found that forging a bond with the young women whom I taught was a natural thing that helped me to gain their trust but also their respect.  It wasn’t long before the September air began to cool down, and the jitters and buzz surrounding the first major test of the semester began to work itself into a near frenzy.  My big test, however, had competition.  The premier of a TV show called Gossip Girl (which, the girls impatiently told me, was based on a VERY popular series of books) was coming on the night before the test…so how in the WORLD would they have time to study?!

Since I fancied myself a good teacher, I did what anyone in my shoes would do…I watched the premiere.  Oh yeah, and I was totally embarrassed to say that I LOVED it.  Naturally the girls screamed in delight when I went back to school and admitted to them that I had watched it, and begrudgingly admitted that I actually enjoyed it.  A lot.

I don’t teach those girls anymore.  Actually, I don’t teach anymore at all.  But I still watch the show, and, um, I’ve seen every single episode.

I think the word I’m looking for is “addict”…

Gossip Girl is a delicious escape for me from everything that is “supposed” to be in the world.  They aren’t affected by a recession, and the fashion on the show certainly proves that they aren’t restricted by their bank accounts.  Of course, it’s the fashion that I love almost as much as the rollercoaster plotline.  Each ensemble fits the character’s personality to a “t” – I swear I wait each week to see the clothes just as anxiously as I await Blair’s latest scheme.

Naturally, I was so excited to see that Anna Sui was tapped to design a “Gossip Girl” inspired line for Target to be released in mid-September.  There are 19 looks in all, in 4 distinct categories.  There are the Blair’s, the Serena’s, the Jenny’s, and the Vanessa’s.  Check ‘em out below — which fits you best?  And what do you think?  I think some of the looks, especially the white lace “Blair” dress, is dead on.

The "Blair" Look

The "Jenny" look

The "Vanessa" Look

The "Serena" Look

The September Issue

Couldn’t get enough of The Devil Wears Prada?  Well I’ve got 88 minutes of pure bliss for you then (ok, I only have the 2 minute trailer here, but you get the picture!)  Scheduled for a September theatrical release, The September Issue is a documentary by director R.J. Cutler that details the making of the September 2007 issue of Vogue, and perhaps more importantly, gives us an inside look at what it’s really like to be Anna Wintour.  The film was created from over 300 hours of video accumulated during an 8 month time span.  The preview has me ridiculously excited for it’s release (in New York at the end of August, and in selected cities in September). My fingers are crossed that I don’t have to wait for the DVD or Blu-Ray Disc!

Check out the preview, and just TRY telling me that you aren’t just as excited to see this as I am?  You know…after reading The Devil Wears Prada I thought that no one could be so demanding, so partictular…but after watching this preview I’m starting to think that maybe, just maybe, Lauren Weisberger’s novel was a bit more telling than I first thought!  Either way, The September Issue makes Anna Wintour even more compelling than ever.  Seeing the trailer just makes me want more, and I’m assuming the movie will as well.  Enjoy!

Sunday Style – Top 10 Picks of the Week

Need some style infused into your Sunday?  Since this is typically the day I bum around in yoga pants, a racerback tank, and flip flops, I figured the least I could do was THINK about style.  So here they are – my top 10 picks of the week!  The best part is that NOTHING in this list is over $70.  Most of them range from $10-$20 – proving that you CAN be trendy without spending a fortune.  See anything you love?