Mrs. Priss

Anyway, I stumbled upon a darling little shop over at Etsy that I just had to share. Luxe Deluxe offers a variety of unique, inexpensive and flipping adorable jewelry (have I ever mentioned what an accessory addict I am? DEFINITELY stocking up on some of these little gems).

A few of my favorites:

Love Nest - Umm, could this be any more adorable?

Audrey - Such a lovely take on ‘Modern Vintage’.

So there’s just a little dose of stylish goodness for you all before I leave for my overnight trip to San Francisco. Shopping at Union Square, anyone? You can meet my mom and I first thing at the Market Street Starbucks, but I can’t promise we won’t leave you for dead if you fail to keep up. Shopping. Fools. Right. Here.

Have a great Mother’s Day!

Tina, you are hilarious. Absolutely loved Baby Mama. And I’m digging the nautical-esque look you have going on here. Can I please copy this general idea, but spend about $2,000 less? Okay, thanks.

So, here’s another celebrity-inspired outfit for a fraction of what the original items cost. Let me know what you all think, and if you have enough time, explore Polyvore and try to beat my deal!

• “The Sweetheart” Curvy Jean - Old Navy: $34.50
• PPQ Stripe Top - Oli: $43.27 (I know I can do better than this… Disgraceful!)
• Ruched Front Cardigan - Dorothy Perkins: $35.40
• Strappy Knot Wedge - Go Jane: $15.99
• Squared Corner Color Frames - House of Sunglasses: $9.99

I had to add the glasses… come on, it’s Tina. :)

Alright, I’m about to let you in on a little secret that I’ve been keeping for about a year. You have to realize that It’s not going to be easy for me — I’m putting myself out there BIG TIME — so I need your word as my friend not to completely disown me. Are you in?

Okay, so I have these jeans. Three pair of them, actually. And they are absolutely flawless.  The fit minimizes any and all flaws in the butt/hip/thigh area, the length is ideal for wearing 4″ stilettos (high-waters, no thanks), and the wash… Ohh, the wash… ultra dark and slimming and perfect and fabulous and you get it already, so I’ll shut it.

Anyway, these great jeans are only $24.99. Seriously!  So, if you’re asking yourself what the big, dark secret is, let me just say is has to do with where I found them.  I– I can’t even bring myself to say the name, but I’ll give you a hint:

Take this man’s initials…

add it to one of these…

and let the horror ensue.

Anyway, Mixit brand jeans are great, I love them, and I don’t care if my Great-Grandma shops at Penny’s owns a pair… I’m still rockin’ em.

The Little Black Dress is the one piece in a woman’s wardrobe she can always rely on to make her feel feminine, lovely, and irresistible… but it can be quite boring if worn all by it’s lonesome!

I’ve come up with a few different ways to change up that black dress using my new favorite toy, Polyvore.

Ladies’ Night

Bold, fun accessories are the easiest way to dress up any outfit. These hot red heels by Steve Madden and funky charm bracelet by Betsey Johnson make this completely appropriate for Girls’ Night Out. Just try not to attract TOO much attention. :)

High Tea

If you’re going out to Sunday brunch or having tea with Grammy, you might want to rethink that zebra print clutch. A more appropriate and sophisticated way to accessorize is with a cute jacket, dainty jewelry and lacey, feminine details. Don’t forget your hankie!

What are your tips and tricks for dressing up the plain old Little Black Dress?

Click on images for full details and links to individual items.

That’s me in all my three-year-old, ratted hair glory. I was quite the happy, giggly child… always singing, dancing, and ‘Pwaising the Lord’. For some reason, and I can’t quite put my finger on it, this picture says otherwise. It’s probably the horizontal stripes. Yeah, that‘s it.

I know we all have a hidden stash of those embarrassing photos that we’d just DIE if anyone saw (or post on Myspace without our consent… ahem, ahem). I actually have an entire developed roll where I cut my face out of every single picture I appeared in. No joke! There are holes in the place of my face. Very mature reaction, I’d say.

There is an endless list of complaints we all seem to have — our foreheads are too shiny, we suddenly put on 60lbs and have 15 chins, or we look like we’re trying to get in a little power nap during our own birthday party because our eyes just won’t… stay…… open… Zzzzz.

I did some research (for myself, mostly because I blink. All the time.) and managed to find some very helpful tips on how to look completely fabulous in every picture.

• Pull head forward slightly to minimize any appearance of a double chin.
• Turn your body partially sideways to the camera, with one foot in front of the other. Point your front foot toward the camera and put your weight on your back foot. This sort of ‘cuts’ your body in half and flatters any figure.
• Just like your Grandma said, ‘Shoulders back, chest forward, stomach in.’
• Don’t press your arms completely to your side - this will enhance the upper arm flab that we all love so very, very much. Instead, hold them slightly out to your sides so they don’t squish and flatten out.
• A slight tan will also help you look a tad thinner. I say ’slight’ with emphasis because self-tanners can and will ruin your life if you aren’t careful. Oompa Loompa isn’t a good look, so use tanners sparingly.
• A tip for the photographer: Don’t shoot from below. We really don’t need those extra chins.
• The old saying that ‘Black is slimming’ holds true, most of the time, but it’s not the only color that makes you look thinner. Wearing an entire outfit in just one color will do the trick as well. Also, simply knowing your body type and how to dress to conceal flaws will help you out tremendously.