Wigs Are Not Just For Halloween

In the shower today, I got a nice chunk of hair in my hand while shampooing and, of course, I wasn't happy: I've been losing hair like crazy lately, and I don't know why.

"If this keeps up, I'm going to go bald", was my first thought.

My second thought went out to Daisy.

Daisy is a loyal NY Spender's reader, and currently battling breast cancer. She wrote on the blog how she will need to start therapy and how she will likely lose her hair from the radiations. She wasn't looking forward to it.

Hair is such an important beauty trait for us women, and the thought of losing all of it... well, it is a scary thought.

But that doesn't mean that we have to just sit and take it. There are solutions out there.

When I had the worse hair loss of my life (because of some health issues) back about 10 years ago, I used a lot of scarves in my hair (think Bret Michaels  ;). My hair was so thin right in front, that I couldn't make a part because it looked too wide and obviously not pretty. So I started using little silk scarves as headbands, tying the ends on the back of my head. I also started using Rogaine for women (and I have to tell you that that stuff works!). Fortunately, after a few months, my hair started growing back even stronger than before.

This story to say that I understand the fear of going bald...

Here is another quick story for you:

On Friday we had our annual Halloween Contest at work. The shallow part of the story is that I got 4th place and I was a bit sad (more on that on Monday, maybe I'll post some pics). The relevant part of the story is that, as pretty much every Halloween, I was wearing a wig: a blonde, sexy bob.  ;)

While I was getting ready in the ladies room, other girls were putting on their costumes as well. One of the girls came dressed as Avatar (good thing I didn't) and while she was putting on her long braided black wig she was saying to the other girls around:

"I love wigs! If I ever lose all of my hair I will be ok, because I will just wear a different wig every day, pink today, blonde tomorrow..."

I was listening to her while applying my "cat" makeup on, and deep down I silently agreed with her, not with the part that I would be ok with it, but definitely with the part of wearing the wigs.

I've carefully saved all of my wigs from past Halloweens, and I have to say that I have a small collection already (short blonde, long red...), which I hope I will only need for future Halloweens, but in this life (knocking on wood) you never know.

If you are in a place right now where your hair is falling off for various reasons, don't despair. Use a scarf, use hats. And look at some wigs out there, nowadays there are so many options and at very good prices.

Let's look at some of them together, shall we?

Blonde Wig

Dark Wig

Another Blonde Wig

Maybe a Feathered Look?

Dark Feathered

I Don''t See Why Not

Foxy Curly

If You Want To Go Shorter

Shorter and Blonder

Short Black Bob

If You Can Pull It Off

Shorter

Shorter Still

Shortest

I firmly believe most of these wig will look natural enough, so don't be shy and give them a try.

Then again, some people would rather not wear a wig, and sites like Bald Is Beautiful are out there to "send a message to women that they can "flip the script" on the many traumatic aspects of the cancer experience, and embrace every part of their journey with self-love, empowerment, and a deep knowing that their beauty and femininity radiate from within and are not diminished in any way by the effects of having cancer"

While I think I would rather wear a wig, this is the best example of "bald is beautiful" for me: Melissa Etheridge.

Her performance at the 2005 Grammys, showing up completely bald as a result of breast cancer treatments, took my breath away. I always get goose bumps and teary eyes when I watch this video. I hope you will enjoy it too, and maybe derive some strength from it.

Threadless Select

My good friends at Threadless have come up with a new line of t-shirts, Select, with designs printed on finer cotton for softness, and using water-based inks to be eco-friendlier, and finer attention to details and stitching.

Designed, as usual, by the community and curated by Threadless, the Select line includes all original Threadless designs blown up, or scaled back with the original concepts intact.

One of my favorite is the "Dandy Lions", shown here, which of course is sold out in my size!

The women's collection includes racerback tanks, tunics, and tees, mostly in neutral colors.

Men get more t-shirts, but with slimmer cuts and different materials than original Threadless tees.

Out of their collection I love the "Poker Hand Values" which actually lists all the points in the game of poker in ascending order, to help you remember that Royal Flush always beats Four of a Kind.

Or identify the wearer as a "player".  ;)

Check out the entire line at Threadless Select.

Disclaimer: The featured product was provided to me, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing and review. NY Spender is not being compensated monetarily for this review. Opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by compensation, monetary or otherwise.
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Fashion Success: Simple is Elegant

You don't have to go crazy with details and accessories. A few good pieces will always go a long way.

Take this lady, for example: she must have been in her 50s or so, and she carried herself so well I had to take a quick snapshot.  ;)

She is wearing:

1. A pair of jeans that fit her perfectly (nothing too long or too tight...).

2. A jacket and a bag that are simply black, with the added touch of both of them having a similar quilted pattern.

3. And a cute pair of flats, and you might not be able to tell from the picture, but they are purple, which was a subtle splash of color to the outfit.

Well done!
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Buy Earrings Support Breast Cancer Research

Jewelry Designer Kendra Scott will donate $5 to breast cancer awareness for every purchase of the Kendra Scott “Danielle” Earring in Pink Rose Quartz or Bright Pink Jade.

Kendra is also offering 20% discount: these 2 pair of earrings were originally priced at $60.00 and now just $48.00.

www.kendrascott.com

The Kymaro Body Shaper

I'm not a big fan of infomercials, and I believe that, more times than not, the products are not that great.

When I was asked to review the Kymaro Body Shaper I gladly accepted because I had a baby 15 months ago and I'm starting to panic because I still have a pudgy belly (but I had no idea it was an infomercial product).

I also accepted because I had tried other body shapers without any luck, like the famous Spanx, that did nothing for me, and it actually felt very comfortable, like an oversized pair of pink underwear.

The  main idea behind body shapers, though, shouldn't be "very comfortable", because if you need to contain a bit of belly fat, the process can't be completely painless.

When I tried the Kymaro Body Shaper on, I knew it was a different product. It wasn't easy to put on, and for a minute I wondered if I needed a bigger size, but with a little help from my man I was able to finally squeeze myself into it.

Once I had it on, I liked the tightness of it. Like it promises to do, the Kymaro slimmed me down instantly and  made me stand up straighter. It almost felt like a corset. There was no give in the fabric at all, and my belly had no choice but to be contained.

I made the mistake of trying it on as we were about to have dinner, and I sat down and started to eat with the Kymaro still on thinking nothing of it. After a few bites I realized that my belly had no room to expand and if I wanted to finish my dinner I had to take the Kymaro off. I don't consider this a negative, as the body shaper was basically doing its job, but keep this story in mind if you are planning to attend a big event with a lot of food while wearing it.

The overall feeling I got about the Kymaro is that it is one of the few products on the market that actually does what it promises to do, since I've already bought a few body shapers that did absolutely nothing for me. The problem with a good body shaper is that to do the job that it needs to do it has to be a little (or a lot) uncomfortable (unless you know of some other great and comfortable body shaper, in which case, please let me know!).

I guess the best use for a Kymaro is for that special occasion when you want to wear that special dress. You suffer for a couple of hours and then you're back home and free again. To wear anything so restrictive on a regular basis is still something that I am not ready to do, and as crazy as this might sound, exercise is almost starting to look like the less painful alternative (who would have thought!).

If you would like to give the Kymaro a try, you can find it at UbuyEZ.com

Disclaimer: The featured product was provided to me, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing and review. NY Spender is not being compensated monetarily for this review. Opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by compensation, monetary or otherwise.
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Breast Cancer Awareness Month - For Daisy

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and right about now one of NY Spender's first and most loyal readers is fighting her battle against breast cancer: Daisy.

I asked Daisy if she wanted to share anything with the rest of us, and this is what she sent me back:

"I am comfortable saying that in my case, early detection is the key theme, and the only theme. I went in for my routine yearly exam at my gynecologist, which lead to a mammogram. I used to consider these yearly exams a nuisance and would put them off. I was even planning to skip the visit to the obgyn. THAT would have placed me in a very bad position. I would advise from the bottom recesses of my heart for women to visit their doctors routinely."

Yes, please let's all listen to Daisy and keep those doctor's appointments. And if you want to support the ongoing research here are some places where you can shop for a cure:

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, for the month of October Ecoist will donate 10% of their Pink Hope Collection to the Breast Cancer Fund.

Founded in 2004, Ecoist develops fashion accessories for the eco-minded individual, Ecoist is known for its line of recycled handbags made from recycled candy wrappers, food packages, and soda labels.

ForTwoFitness.com, a brand new maternity exercise apparel line, is donating 20% of the proceeds of their berry-colored tops to the Susan G. Komen Foundation during October for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

All For Two Fitness Tanks are $34.99-$39.99.

Melange Perfume recently came out with an amazing Solid Perfume Palette Collection. And to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month 20% of October sales from their Pink Floral Palette are being donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Inspired by the artists' palette, each Melange Perfume Blending Palette contains four solid perfumes in a magnetized black parchment kit with blending instructions. Each solid perfume is a finished fragrance, inspired by the most sought-after notes in custom blending. Each fragrance in the palette is designed to be worn alone, or blended with others in the palette to create a unique custom blend.

Palettes retails for $28; available at www.melangeperfume.com.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, aerie, an intimates and apparel line by American Eagle Outfitters, will donate a portion of their proceeds for all bra sales to Bright Pink between October 18th through October 31st. From feminine lace and playful plaids to animal prints and push-up strapless styles, every woman, regardless of style and size, can give back this month.

Yosi Samra in conjuction with the ShoeBox are giving women a reason to shop for a cause!On October 14th, a $10 ticket buys you 20% off all purchase at shoptheshoebox.com and Shoe Box retail locations.

And, on top of that, $20.00 from every pair of Yosi Samra Pink Ballet Flats that are sold in the month of October will be donated to Komen Greater New York City.

AVENUE® is the first-ever plus-size specialty store retailer to join forces with Komen for the Cure in support of its promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever. Between October 17th and October 30th, AVENUE® will host a full-scale breast cancer awareness program that will reach out to every customer both in-store and via emails, as well as on Avenue.com. Visitors to Avenue.com will find a list of events that benefit “Komen for the Cure” that will be promoted during the campaign.

During the special two-week breast cancer awareness event, two limited edition products benefiting Komen for the Cure will be offered to AVENUE® customers: 2-piece knit socks featuring the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Running Ribbon logo ($4.50) and a Hope Charm Bracelet ($7.90) – with a minimum of $3 per item sold going directly to Komen. The knit socks and bracelet can both be purchased in any AVENUE® store, as well as online at Avenue.com. In addition, $1 will be donated for each bra and shapewear item sold in the AVENUE® stores during this event; customers will have the opportunity to make direct donations of $1, $3 or $5 at the checkout register.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Coach will donate 20% of every purchase from their Positively Pink Collection to BCRF.

Eberjey will donate 25% of proceeds from online sales of this Colette Set to the Susan G. Komen Foundation during the entire month of October, in support of the fight against breast cancer.

An avid supporter in the fight against breast cancer, LOFT has teamed up with three noted jewelry designers — Anna Sheffield, Kara Ross and Robin Renzi of Me&Ro -- to create a limited-edition jewelry collection benefiting The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.

The collection offers their customers a chic alternative to the customary cause-supporting pin. Each designer has infused her piece with the distinctive essence of her own namesake collection. From Anna Sheffield’s youthful commitment ring-style necklace with pink crystal accent, symbolic of a commitment to the fight against breast cancer ($34.50) to Kara Ross’s glamorous gold and pink chunky gem and chain bracelet ($39.50) to Me&Ro’s lush bracelet of dark pink beads and golden leaves, inspired by the desire to adorn and communicate through jewelry ($34.50), the pieces offer a stylish way to “think pink” in support of an important issue affecting women everywhere.

Five dollars from each item sold will be donated directly to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.

Lauren Merkin is partnering with the Young Survival Coalition to support Breast Cancer Awareness month.

They have created an exclusive edition of their popular Diana clutch in pink studded lambskin with Swarovski crystals. For the month of October, 50% of proceeds from this bag will be donated to the YSC, to further their work with survivors, caregivers and numerous communities to increase the quality and quantity of life for women diagnosed with breast cancer aged 40 and under.

This October, Unique-Vintage, the popular online vintage-inspired clothing and accessories boutique, is donating 20% from the sales of their pink items to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Avon invites you to help fight back and join the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade! Launched in 1992, BCC has raised and awarded more than $640 million worldwide to support the breast cancer cause, enabling all women, particularly those who are medically underserved, to access high-quality breast cancer screening and treatment.

Whether you're a survivor, supporter, or someone who's been touched by the disease, Avon Breast Cancer Crusade products are affordably priced with 100% of net proceeds donated to the cause.

Be strong, Daisy, we're all rooting for you!

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Fashion Auction Sites 101

Note from the Spender: This is a guest post from Millissa Mathai of Haute MIMI and I wanted to share it with you because fashion auction sites are becoming more and more popular these days and a little knowledge never hurts (especially when it comes to saving your money).

How To Win On Fashion Penny Auction Sites By Millissa Mathai

If you're a die hard fashionista then you are probably going crazy for fashion auction sites like LuxeWin, Oohilove and Jojolie, which allow you to bid on authentic designer bags and accessories and win them for 90% to 99% off their retail prices.

Unlike Ebay these sites do not let you manually place a bid. Instead you purchase bid packages and every time you press the "bid" button, the price of the item increases slightly from a start of $0 or $1 and the time remaining on the auction also increases slightly. Rules differ by site but if you can master the game, you will be able to reap the rewards of buying coveted designer items for a few dollars.

Now that fashion auction sites are becoming more popular it is becoming even harder to snag that to-die-for bag for dirt cheap, but don’t worry we've got you covered with some insider tips from the fashionistas at the premier online fashion auction site LuxeWin (http://luxewin.com) on how to maximize your chances of winning that item you have your eye on!

Tip #1 Review the Fashion Auction sites and Choose the Right One for you
The sites differ in many ways, including the types of fashion items offered (LuxeWin is more Contemporary, Oohilove is more Luxury, JoJoLie is more Classic, etc.), the cost of purchasing bids, the auction rules, the number of Free Bids that you get, the number of bidders per auction, etc. Focus on the one site that has the products that you want and the right mix of factors to increase your chance of winning.

Tip #2 Study the Bidding Patterns of Prior Winners
Each site allows you to view past auction wins. Note the user names of frequent winners. These “whales” often win because they are willing to throw a large number of bids at a particular auction item, so you don’t want to get into a bidding war with them if you can avoid it. Conversely, you will see that some winners are able to win using very few bids and at very advantageous prices. Was it time of day, type of item, time overlap with another auction that ran long? Look for patterns that will give you the advantage.

Tip #3 Use your Free Bids
Sites generally offer new players from 1 on (Oohilove) to as many as 5 on (LuxeWin) Free Bids for registering. Use them before considering the purchase of a Bid Pack. Clustering them in one auction is usually more successful than spreading them out across multiple auctions.

Tip #4 Don't Bid Untll the Last 10 Seconds or so
Do not waste your bids early on in the game. Wait till the auction clock reaches the last few seconds to start bidding. Keep in mind that waiting too long can cause your bid to not make it to the site’s server on time due to your internet connection and other factors, so generally 5 seconds or so is as late as you may want to be.

Tip #5 Start with Beginners Only Auctions
Most sites have them and reserve them for those bidders that have not yet won an auction. The auction item is usually of lesser value, or a Bid Pack, but there are fewer bidders and no “whales” to compete against. Here’s where you can test strategic approaches against other newer bidders.

Tip #6 Select which Auctions to Bid on Carefully
If you’ve studied the pattern of prior auctions, you should see that there are certain days of the week, times of the day and types of items that are less competitive. There will be a lot more bidders for the Jimmy Choo Bag than for the Rachel Leigh Earrings. Don’t bid on items that you really don’t want but don’t throw away your bids hoping beyond hope that you will win a $1,500 item with just a few bids either. Work the system to your advantage.

Tip #7 Be In It to Win It
Don’t participate with a few bids in many auctions but rather concentrate your bids on the very few that really matter. You have got to be willing to put a sizable number of bids behind your involvement in an auction to ensure that you outlast other bidders. Buy plenty of Bids in advance to make sure that you don’t run out mid-auction.

Tip #8 Consider Using the Bid Concierge To Bid For You
Enlist the help of a bid assistant to help you win the auction. You can input the price at which you’d like the Concierge to start bidding for you, the price at which you’d like the Concierge to stop bidding for you and the number of bids you would like for it to place. Many of the “whales” have learned to use the Bid Concierge effectively. On many high value items, the highest bidder frequently engaged the Bid Concierge to secure the win.

Tip #9 Keep the Faith and Have Fun
Don’t expect to win right away or to win without purchasing bids. The Free Bids give you a chance to get a taste of the action and a feel for how it all works without risk. Winners buy plenty of bids and are willing to commit when they select an auction they want to win. They don’t win every time, and didn’t necessarily win in the beginning, but they continued and developed strategies that have paid off for them. You can be a winner too if you learn how to work the system to your advantage.

Happy Bidding!
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Halloween Costume Ideas 2010

As Halloween is fast approaching, and with my daughter's costume already taken care of, it is now time to think about my Halloween costume, for the annual contest we have in my office (and in which I always win second or third place, never first... yet!)

For some strange reason, the top three costume I have in mind have one big thing in common: I have to paint myself blue!

Smurfette is a prime candidate, because it could be an easy costume to put together last minute.

Avatar is probably my favorite idea, if I can start focusing on the costume asap.

Corpse Bride is another costume I always wanted to put together, it's such a romantic figure!

What are you wearing this year? Anybody else wearing a "blue costume"?
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