Suzie Says: TOMS + Target

Target debuted the Target + TOMS Limited Edition collection, featuring apparel, accessories, shoes and home goods for women, men and kids, all under $50.  The best part? For every gift you buy,the TOMS/Target partnership will be providing shoes, a blanket or meals to those in need.  

I checked out the Target + TOMS collection first-hand today and it's great! On my gift list is a poncho, retailing at $28 (this purchase provides one blanket to those in need)...

TOMS for Target Poncho

I'm also coveting a coordinating graphic tee which retails for $16 (this tee gives a week of meals to those in need):

TOMS for Target Logo T-Shirt

To date, TOMS as a company has given more than 10 million pairs of new shoes to children and has helped restore sight to more than 200,000 people...(did you know that children cannot attend school in many countries without shoes?)   

By gifting the TOMS + Target Collection this holiday season, you'll be giving back to those in need as well. 

Remembering Joan Rivers

Joan & Melissa Rivers / Baltimore Sun

Our deepest condolences to Melissa Rivers on the loss of her beloved mother and business partner.

Did you know that Joan Rivers had 15 shows planned in the UK in October besides many other work obligations? Her work ethic was unparalleled and Melissa is sure to carry on with steadfastness.

As "JOAN RANGERS" ...who never missed an episode of Fashion Police, we will miss Joan Rivers, a style icon, loving mother and grandmother and trailblazer for women in comedy.

Suzie Says: Great Tips for Protecting Your Wardrobe from Real Simple

I found this information in Real Simple Magazine and just had to share because I know we all want to protect the investment we've made in our wardrobe!

Here are 10 extremely helpful tips - for more tips visit RealSimple.com!

1. Don't Drive in Good Heels: the floorboard scuffs the heels and the pedal scratches the toe. Drive in flats or buy heel protectors by Smart Heel ($9)

2.  Never Hang Pearls:  This weakens the silk threads that hold the necklace together.

3.  Launder Whites After Every Wear: Though it's tempting to re-wear, body oils and perspiration will cause a once bright white to take on a yellowish tint.

4.  Don't Overwash Darks:  Frequent washing will fade black...run darks on a short cycle in cold water and allow to air dry. Blot stains; rubbing will create a lighter spot.

5. Beware of the Dryer:  Excessive heat makes fibers brittle causing the fabric to break down.Combat by removing lightweight items, camisoles and everything containing spandex 10 minutes prior to removal of heavier garments such as sweatshirts and jeans.

6. Sole Protectors: Have a shoe maker attach rubber bottoms to shield leather soles from water absorption and wear and tear. Although they can cost about $10 they can extend the life of your shoes for years. 

7. Alternate Bras: Allow a bra to rest a day in between wearings to the elasticity has a chance to bounce back.

8. Never Leave Sneakers in the Car:  Extreme temperatures - hot or cold - will wear down the rubber and heat can warp EVA (the material in the midsole) which can result in less shock absorption for your feet during workout. For the same reason don't dry running shoes on a radiator or in a hot dryer. Let the shoes air dry.

9.  Dry Clean All Separates of an Outfit Together: Otherwise one piece will fade at a faster rate than another. When dry cleaning suits, three or four times a year is sufficient, according to John Mahdessian, President of Madame Paulette, a New York dry cleaner.

10. Wash Unstained Jeans Every Third Wear: Melissa Ladines, a fit expert for Levi Strauss states that "Most people wash their jeans too often".  If you want to preserve the deep dark rinse skip the clothes dryer and let them air dry to take them to the dry cleaner.

Pucker Up With Crayon Lipsticks: It's National Lipstick Day!

It's National Lipstick Day! Celebrate by wearing your favorite lipstick. For those who dislike lipstick, there are many new incarnations which might change your mind. Consider the "crayon lipstick."

Sisley Paris "Phyto Lip Twist" Tinted Lip Balm ($50.00): This balm/gloss/lipstick hybrid promises the "reinvent" the lipstick experience, giving lips color similar to a lipstick but with the shine of a gloss. And P.S.: It doesn't require a sharpener. 

Cover Girl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm ($5.19-$6.99) Combining sheer color with soft shine and no stickiness, all in a unique twist-up form.

Burt's Bees Lip Crayon - Infused with jojoba oil, shea butter, kendi oil, this product promises to make lipstick easy to apply without a mirror, anytime, providing opaque, matte lip color with "zero mess or hassle."

Susan Says: Have a Nice Guilt Trip

Have a Nice Guilt Trip / Available at Barnes & Noble

I just finished previewing Have a Nice Guilt Trip, the newest collection of essays from mother-daughter writing phenomenon Lisa Scottoline (who is a New York Times-bestselling author) and her daughter, Francesca Serritella, also an award-winning writer.

Through the eyes of women of two generations (actually three, including tales of Grandma, a/k/a "Mother Mary") the essays take a no-holds-barred look at how women see themselves. You are sure to identify with much that is reflected upon including guilt, divorce, family, jury duty, obsessing over our pets, hoarding and politics. Being a woman of a "certain age," I especially enjoyed how Scottoline pokes fun at herself and made me a believer that it's best to embrace the aging process, separate the truth from the hype and be true to yourself.

The book is the perfect choice for summer reading -- a quick read and a perfect gift for moms, daughters and grandmas.

Star Style: Kardashian Edition

Like mother, like daughter! Kris Jenner made news this week for wearing the same Givenchy top-and-skirt combo that daughter Kim had worn on a trip to Thailand. It's not the first time that Kim and Kris have rocked the same look.

Kim and Kris both donned a red lace Valentino number last year.  (And for the record, Kim doesn't just share clothes with her mom; she also made headlines when she posted a photo of herself wearing a bikini on loan from younger sister, Kylie, age 16.)

Kim's not the only daughter to share clothes with mom. Khloe borrowed Kris' Valentino dress to wear to Kim's recent pre-wedding brunch at the estate of the designer of the dress himself:

Susan Says: Read These Books Now

One author, two amazing, must-read books for women of every age! 
 

Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty @ Barnes & Noble.com

First, Let's Just Say it Wasn't Pretty is Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winner Diane Keaton's account of her life in front of the camera. In a world obsessed with beauty, Keaton believed that she was outside of the "conventional" standards. To overcome this, as well as her struggle with bulimia, Keaton created her own personal style and fought through many insecurities and became a style icon. 
After romances with notable men including Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, Woody Allen and Sam Shepard, Keaton chose motherhood through adoption at age 50. 

Keaton recounts how beauty ideals change as we age and how important it is to love your style and, above all, to love yourself.

Such a great message... but don't just read this book! 

You also must check out Then Again, Keaton's memoir about her mother and herself. 

Then Again @ Barnes & Noble.com

In this book, Keaton presents an elegy to her mother, Dorothy Hall, through journals her mother wrote -- almost like a memoir within a memoir.  In addition, she chronicles the life of her entire family in a tale that encompasses four generations. Underscoring it all is an enduring faith and love which reveals how the bond between a mother and a daughter defined both their lives.

Covetable Mother-Daughter Jewelry Designs -- Perfect for Mother's Day!

Sea Elise Locals Only @ $275

Since Mother's Day is almost here and summer is upon us, we were inspired to share this jewelry company we discovered which is helmed by a mother-daughter duo. Sea Elise offers unique necklaces, bracelets and earrings which are inspired by the designers' mutual love of the ocean and travel, including having worked in Africa, backpacking in Indonesia and visits to Mexico, Australia and Central America.

We think it's great that the designs are created by a mother-daughter team and are handmade in the USA incorporating natural elements such as wood, bone and geodes mixed with neon pops of color and statement charms.

Atop and below are a few designs we're currently coveting:

Cabo - Wood (from $27.50)

Eleanor $145

Suzie Says: Re-Inventing Your Wardrobe

Do you have a closet full of clothing and find yourself routinely wearing only a select number of pieces?  Enter Lawrence Zarian, fashion/lifestyle expert, author and TV personality who wowed me in a recent television demonstration on how to re-purpose your clothes and build new fashion looks with the items you already own.

Here are some of the great tips Lawrence shared:

• Update Your "Little Black Dress": Everyone owns a scarf or two, so just take a scarf and run it inside the back of the dress and tie a bow in the back and you'll have a newly created "exit" look. 

• Re-Invent Your Shirt Dress: Simply unbutton the shirt dress and wear it over a camisole...wear over jeans and you have a brand new "duster."

• Re-Style a Summer Dress: If your summer dress has a bit too much color or pattern, here's a solution: put a black skirt over the dress (as long as the material is light) and you have a new two piece outfit that is more "wearable."

Zarian's book "10 Commandments for a Perfect Wardrobe" will debut this month and besides great fashion tips from some of the biggies in the fashion and fitness world, you can share his candid personal journey about weight, self-image, self-acceptance and being beautiful, inside and out.

SJP's New Collection a Fashion "Shoe-In"

"People should dress the way they want. Any rules for age or shape are silly.  If you walk out the door feeling good about yourself, that's what counts."

So stated Sarah Jessica Parker - aka SJP - during a recent interview featured in InStyle Magazine.  

Parker is, of course, famous for the stunning clothing and shoes during her years as the star of Sex and the City, as well as her highly coveted "real-life" style.  She's famous for donning ultra-high-end labels like Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo, and now SJP is bringing that high-style to the mass market through a partnership with George Malkemus, CEO of Manolo Blahnik, to create a more affordable line of shoes and handbags.

Vogue UK describes the SJP collection as "pared-back, simple and elegant" with pumps and flats priced between $200 and $300 and bags for around $700 and reports that the SJP collection will be produced entirely in Europe and New York City, and will be sold exclusively at Nordstrom.

The shoes debut on February 28 at selected Nordstrom stores and at Nordstrom.com.  Meanwhile, here's a first look at  a pump from the collection, the "Diana", which was featured in Lucky magazine and will retail for $365.