I was in the mall the other day to grab some new makeup and I walked by the Gap and noticed they were having an awesome sale on kids clothes – namely summery-type items that would really come in handy with all of this warm weather. How great are these dresses? Also, did you know that DVF (Diane Von Furstenberg) did a kids line for the Gap? Now your little girl can have her very own DVF wrap dress! Spoiled, much?

I’m always a sucker for a great sale – especially for kids clothes because they grown and change so quickly! Have you started shopping for summer clothes for your kids yet? Where are your favorite places to shop? I personally love the Gap and Target – they both have adorable clothes at reasonable prices. I also love Tea Collection, 77 Kids, and Children’s Place – but I order those online mostly.

I’m glad to see that Gap has really upped the ante lately with their clothes for both kids and adults. I remember not too long ago, there were a grand total of 3 dresses offered for women for the summer months. That’s a far cry from Gap’s Womens line this summer – tons of great dresses to choose from.

Read the original GAP Kids Sale: Girls Dresses on Chic Shopper Chick.

“He changed the way everyone looked at hair. Before Sassoon, it was all back-combing and lacquer; the whole thing was to make it high and artificial. Suddenly you could put your fingers through your hair!” — Grace Coddington, Creative Director, Vogue

An avid soccer player as a child, Vidal Sassoon turned to hairstyling after his mother revealed to him that she had a premonition that he would become a hairstylist. She brought him to a local shop where he was accepted as an apprentice, and he never looked back. All of the hairstyles introduced by Sassoon were very modern and incredibly low-maintenance. His hairstyles focused on dark, straight, and shiny hair that was totally free of product and cut into geometric, yet very organic shapes.

Of course, who can forget his iconic commercials in the 1980′s and the ultimate tagline – “If you dont’ look good – we don’t look good!”

I personally grew up with Vidal Sassoon products lining the walls of my shower, so I felt it was appropriate to remember Mr. Sassoon with a post. I admire him for being such a visionary, yet an incredible business man as well. Thank you Mr. Sassoon – you were and still are an inspiration.

“When I looked at the architecture, the structure of buildings that were going up worldwide, you saw a whole different look, in shape. My sense was hairdressing definitely needed to be changing. To me hair meant geometry, angles. Cutting uneven shapes, as long as it suited that face and that bone structure.” — Vidal Sassoon

Read the original Vidal Sassoon, Remembered on Chic Shopper Chick.

What? Gentlemen Square / Prices range from $45 – $99 per item

What’s Chic? A personal stylist sends you a case of fresh, sharp new gear every month. You pay for what you keep and return the items you don’t love.

What’s Weak? Invite only right now means you’ll have to wait before you get access. To keep your wallet looking as good as you will, you’ll have to be diligent about returning items you don’t love.

I wrote earlier about JackThreads as a secret to staying stylish. And while I love JackThreads for my casual wear, my job requires that I be in front of clients on a regular basis. I have to look professional, but I can’t look like a banker. My clients expect that I’m ahead of trend and looking forward. What I wear is a big part of that image.

This is where Gentlemen Square comes in. When you sign up, you take a quick style quiz that helps Gentlemen Square’s stylists to understand the types of clothes and style you like. They’ll also ask for your sizes. The best part? Once you complete your registration you’re connected directly to the stylist who will be curating your monthly cases of awesome. They’ll get to hear direct from you about your likes, dislikes and tastes, and all of this information will go into creating the custom style cases sent to you each month.

Once you receive your case, simply try the items on and keep what you want, return what you don’t. You’ll be billed only for what stays with you. So what comes in the case you ask? Great question. You’ll get a combination of dress shirts, polos and ties that are hand selected to match your style profile. Try them on, keep what you love and send back the rest. It’s that simple.

Does Chic Dad Recommend?

Does Chic Dad recommend a service that saves time, takes the guesswork out of style, and let’s me try on clothes hand-picked just for me in the comfort of my own home? Do our kids like candy? Gentlemen Square is a great way for the busy professional dad to stay looking sharp without eating up valuable time trying to find, try and buy the items that make up a polished wardrobe. If there’s a downside it’s that your wallet might take a beating, but with some self-control, and Gentlemen Squares’ reasonable price range you should be able to find some great pieces that fit your style and your budget, all while giving you your time back. Now that’s something the Chic Dad can recommend any time.

Disclosure: Chic Dad used to work with the founder of Gentlemen Square, but I was not compensated for this post, and I do not hold any equity in the company.

Read the original Gentlemen Square Keeps You Looking Sharp Every Month on Chic Shopper Chick.

I’ve also paired these same red jeans with a black tank and a 3/4 length sleeved black blazer for a business meeting in LA. Currently I’m on a quest to find a turquoise top to wear with these pants, because I love color-blocking and I think it could make for a really fun, bold look. My next purchase is definitely going to be these same exact jeans, but in bright blue. I’m obsessed. (Pardon the grainy iPhone photo).

I actually went into my local Lucky store to grab these next pair of jeans because I wanted to be able to look around at all of the different styles, and try on a few different pairs before I made a commitment. I immediately picked up a pair of the Lola Skinny Jeans (don’t be fooled by the name, they are actually a “curvy” fit) and when I tried them on, it was love at first sight. The dark wash made them very flattering on me, and they even had a bit of a stretch to them. Interestingly enough, I had to go a size down in these, but hey, I won’t complain.

I love these jeans because the dark wash makes them so versatile – I can wear them with a fancy-schmancy top or I can just go with a t-shirt and jeans. I kind of mixed the two here – I styled them with a black v-neck t-shirt, a black knit cardigan, a purple scarf, and my L.K. Bennett Maddox Wedges. What do you think?

Even better – the new summer line hit the website as of today – so there are all kinds of new items to check out over there. I’ll be on my honeymoon in Bora Bora at this time in 6 months, so all I can think when I see the new line is “Oh, how perfect would that be for the honeymoon!” Like this silk Dale Hope Corrine Dress – how gorgeous is this?

I’ve been drooling over some of the awesome accessories like the floppy straw hat, turquoise necklaces, and colored skinny belts. I’m also really excited to see the colored denim trend move into shorts – they have lots of brightly colored shorts now gracing the pages of their site as well.

So what do you think? Are you as obsessed as I am?

Disclosure: Lucky Brand provided me with some clothing to facilitate this review – but opinions are 100% my own.

Read the original Rockin’ Colored Denim with Lucky Brand on Chic Shopper Chick.

So armed with my gift card, I hurried to my local Walmart to check and see if was possible to find great quality clothing for my kids at an awesome price. And oh boy, was there ever. Actually, there were so many great outfits that we had trouble choosing. I settled on this adorable white and pink tulle Easter dress for my daughter, and a 3 piece set including shirt, vest, and pants, for my son. They both look so adorable that I bribed them with stickers to come to the park with me in their Easter best so that I could take their photos.

I seriously have such cute kids. I mean, clearly everyone thinks that their kids are cute.

The thing is that mine really are.

And of course, here they are, with the Easter Bunny – the classic shot!

Audrey Grace’s dress was just over $16, and Bank’s 3 piece set was $16 on the nose. I was amazed (and thankful). Have you checked out the clothes in the kids section lately? There are a ton of cute options – my daughter LOVES Hello Kitty, and they had so much Hello Kitty stuff that it made my head spin. They also had lots of cute outfits that included the matching one for the doll – my daughter loves dressing up her doll just like her.

So if you’re in need of an outfit for Easter, be sure to check out Walmart!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Walmart but all opinions are my own.

Read the original Easter Style – Adorable and Affordable at Walmart on Chic Shopper Chick.

The look is very flattering, and considering the popularity of everything that Duchess Kate wears, I thought it was worth noting that a similar style was on sale at ideeli. (ideeli is members only, but if you need an invite to ideeli I have one!)

Because of the 3/4 length sleeves, it would be a great dress for cooler weather, paired with tights, boots, and a blazer. The dress comes in Green or Black, and at $50, it’s a steal.

Happy shopping!

Read the original Look for Less: Duchess Kate’s Reiss Dress on Chic Shopper Chick.

** This post is a part of my 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, created in partnership with Amanda of Mommy Mandy and Kristin of Our Ordinary Life. Please check out their Holiday Guides for more great gift ideas! **

I’m not big into wearing t-shirts but every now and then a few really cute, great shirts do actually make it into the rotation. Since early October, the “Anchored” t-shirt from Scared Panda has been one of them. Featuring the Manhattan skyline (one of my favorite places!) and designed by Brooklyn resident Brad Jonas, the shirt reminds me to refuse to be overwhelmed – there is always something so much bigger than what I might be dealing with.

Plus, it’s just stinkin’ adorable! I have gotten at least one compliment from strangers on it each time I’ve worn it – about 3 times now.

If you’re looking for a gift that also allows you to give back this holiday season – this is it. 10% of every sale of this t-shirt goes to Scared Panda’s non-profit partner Growing Home, a Chicago-based non-profit that provides job training through an organic agriculture business. Talk about giving to give back! I love it! Plus, each shirt runs around $18 and during the Holidays includes free shipping and gift wrapping – so you have a great gift wrapped and shipped for under $20 smackeroos!

Better yet? All of their tees are printed using only eco-friendly inks and is produced locally in the US!

Best yet? I have an early Holiday Gift for you! Use the coupon code “PANDAS” to receive 10% off your next order.

Go, shop, and be well! Happy Holidays!

Disclosure: Scared Panda sent me a t-shirt to wear. All opinions on its awesomeness are my own.

Read the original Holiday Gift Guide: Scared Panda Eco-Friendly Tees on Chic Shopper Chick.

One of my favorite television events of the year is coming up – and for once, I’m not talking about any sort of awards show. I’m talking about the 85th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I have such wonderful memories of this parade – I distinctly remember my 7 year old self sitting firmly in front of our large console television and watching the giant balloons go by as delicious smells of a southern Thanksgiving wafted from the kitchen.

Of course, this year’s parade will return with the usual suspects – Kermit the Frog, Snoopy the Flying Ace and Spider-Man – alongside the loveable Clumsy Smurf, Buzz Lightyear and Mickey Mouse and I’ll be planted yet again in front of the TV with our two pajama-clad kiddos watching them float by. This parade always ushers in the beginning of Christmas for me – the official start of the holidays, but this year I have the inside scoop about more than just Santa and the cool balloons.

My sources at Ann Magnin tell me that Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011 will be featured on her own float wearing a stunning coat by Joseph Ribkoff. The gorgeous knee-length ivory coat has a feminine ruffle and an eye-catching fabric rosette – proving that is possible to look chic and stay warm (a la our favorite fashion icon, Kate Middleton). And honestly – wait until you set eyes on this baby – it will be the most coveted item on your Holiday Wish List.

I know it already is on mine.

Read the original We Covet: Teresa Scanlan’s Coat In the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Chic Shopper Chick.

The answer is yes. But after awhile, my eyes began to wander. And my heart began to lust. First it was a purple pair, a Spring style that I hunted down relentlessly all over the Upper East Side-to no avail….huge bummer. I did, however, find them in Emerald Green and now we are insperable! These jeans have become my new uniform.

There are a multitude of ways to wear colored denim, but this is my go-to look:

Of course, the bright denim takes center stage in this ensemble. I tone down the bright factor with some of my wardrobe staples-an easy tee and classic blazer. My favorite tees are the v-necks from Old Navy and my all-time favorite blazer is the Gabe from Theory. Jazz it up with a great necklace-currently, I’m into big gold collars-and you are all set!

Have you jumped on the colored denim trend? What’s your favorite way to wear it?

Read the original Must-Have: Colored Denim on Chic Shopper Chick.

Frankly, there are a lot of questions I need answered. Who is pregnant? What will Dan do when he finds out Vanessa sold his book for publication? What is going to happen to Chair (Chuck/Blair) in the midst of all of the royal wedding planning? How long will Serena stay in LA? And perhaps most importantly…

What the HECK happened to Dan’s hair? Ew.

No matter your level of Gossip Girl curiosity, I’m sure you at least want to know the thing that we all do – where are all of those amazing clothes from. So, here is your Season 5, Episode 1 Gossip Girl Fashion preview for “Yes, Then Zero“.

Serena’s Purple Dress in LA with Nate

Catherine Malandrino Dress
Azzedine Alaia Platform Shoes $838

Serena on-set in Los Angeles

Maje Cream Silk Studded Tank Top $80
Alice + Olivia Shannon Printed Maxi Pleated Skirt $484

Serena in Los Angeles

Rag & Bone Aubry Top (sold out)
Theyskens Theory Beaded Vest (sold out)
Rag & Bone Feather Skirt $277

Blair Waldorf

Oscar de la Renta S/S 2011 Dress
Nancy Gonzalez Clutch

Diana Payne (played by Elizabeth Hurley)

Herve Leger Bandage Dress
Jimmy Choo Nude Sandals

Read the original Gossip Girl Fashion: Season 5 “Yes, Then Zero” on Chic Shopper Chick.

Well, this is definitely not your mother’s J Crew. Or mine, even.

Jenna Lyons has done it again, this time transforming the prepster cool looks into an almost unrecognizable mashup of prints, color, and texture. Familiar highlighter pinks and citrus tones make their return for Spring. They bring with them familiar J Crew standbys like chambray, slubby silks, and sequined stripes. The styling was part Tory and just a touch menswear…if you peered really deep, you can see a little bit of 2011′s Spring J Crew peeking through.

Was it tailored? Yes.

Playful? Yes.

J Crew? I’m not so sure.

Ms. Lyons has thrown me for a loop this time. Is this another J Crew revolution or just an update to their current recipe for success? I’m going to have to let this one sink in for a little bit. What’s your initial reaction?

Read the original Fashion Week: J Crew Spring/Summer 2012 on Chic Shopper Chick.

Get out your shades, ladies! DVF’s Spring collection is full of punchy, cheery colors and many lively prints. If optimistic is what she was going for, well I give her an A-plus. Familiar shapes like wrap dresses, cropped pants, and toga styles were broken up by menswear-inspired blazers and punctuated with lighthearted prints. The kimono styles and wide obi belts were a welcome update to the expexted DVF wrap dress.

The diverse silhouettes and creative juxtaposition of the styling showed just how versatile this collection is. Sophisticated prints, fabulous frocks, smart work looks-in DVF’s neck of the woods, things sure are looking up!

Read the original Fashion Week: Diane von Furstenberg Spring/Summer 2012 on Chic Shopper Chick.

I’m sorry, but was there a convention for the completely chic that I was not invited to? I’m just gonna go ahead and say it, I. DIE. Die.

My mouth is hanging open like Eli Manning at a press conference. I cannot get over this collection!

From dressy elegance to casual cool, every single look was a win. Fluid fabrics worked seamlessly back to tough leathers, chunky knits, and structured shapes. Bold hued looks were grounded by all white, ethereal ensembles. This collection is totally glam, utterly cool, and very, very wearable.

Which look is your favorite? Clearly, I’m having trouble deciding.

Read the original Fashion Week: Rachel Zoe Spring/Summer 2012 on Chic Shopper Chick.

DIY-ing with the girls from Honestly…WTF
click here for more info

Exploring all the neighborhoods of NYC inside Lord and Taylor
click here for more info

Loading up on Missoni for Target at the Pop-Up Shop
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And I’ll probably wrap it all up with a free Foster the People show at Lacoste…all in a day’s work, my friends!

Cocktail parties, fashion presentations, meet and greets, and perhaps a free drink (or three)-there’s bound to be something happening in your neck of the woods!

Check out the offiicial guide for all the fashionable functions and hot happenings!

Read the original Fashionable Happenings: 2011 Fashion’s Night Out on Chic Shopper Chick.

all necklaces from forever 21

Do ya need a quick wardrobe pick-me-up during this time in between seasons? I know I sure do! If you have been following along, you know that I have already started gathering ideas for my Fall Wardrobe. I also have begun saving for those “musts” and investment pieces for the season.

The problem?

I want to shop now.

The cure for my fashion itch is accessories — specifically those from Forever 21. I can load up on a variety of styles, look good on the cheap, and as it turns out-these items are usually the ones I get the most compliments on!

I’m obviously a necklace person; I love just tossing ‘em on over a simple tank, a fun romper or easy strapless dress to instantly elevate my look. Pieces with movement, layers, and tassels add a bit of texture and interest to outfits comprised of softer fabrics-a must for all the lightweight jersey we are currently wearing to keep cool! Bird accents are also something I just can’t seem to pass up-whether a feather for a Boho feel or a tiny bird charm for a sweet vibe, I’m all about the “fowl play”. The statement collar is another silhouette I love, as it can be paired back to the simplest of outfits and take them from tame to eye-catching.

Do you have a go-to store for accessorizing frugally?

Read the original Fall Tip: All About Accessories on Chic Shopper Chick.