Author: Erin

The Dress A Day Dozen Gift Guide: #6 Fancy Umbrella

Erin3 Comments

Thanks for all the fish! There will be blue skies ...

As everyone knows, the perfect gift is something that the recipient wants, but wouldn't buy for her- or himself. And fancy umbrellas fall into this category. Everyone loves them (like the ones above from Modcloth, $27.99 and $37.99) but nobody wants to buy them, because umbrellas are #1 on Family Feud responses list under "Items You Often Lose." 

Umbrellas are also good "I don't know you very well, but I like you enough to give you a present" gifts, if you stay away from the overly cutesy (nothing anthropomorphized) or the overly branded (no sports logos).

[And we're still on the fundraising drive/Secret Lives poll:]

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

If we reach $1200 in donations by December 25, I will write a new "secret lives" story, that will include the top-two vote-getters below:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200

The Dress A Day Dozen Gift Guide: #5 Birchbox subscription

Erin1 Comment

Birchbox

The idea behind Birchbox is really simple: they send you a (beautifully wrapped) box of beauty samples (skin cream, makeup, hair stuff) each month, and if you like them, you buy the full-size products in their store (and if review the products you get points towards … more products). A month of samples is $10, and I've gotten at least one sample in each box that I would consider bigger than "sample size".

Everyone knows that the free samples are the best part of buying makeup, moisturizer, or perfume (and that often the "sample size" of something is all you really want) so why not just sell the samples? Genius.

A year of Birchbox is a very pricey present (you do get one month free, making it only $110) but I have to say I love getting those nice little boxes in the mail … you're basically giving someone a beauty grab bag every month for a year. It's about the same as buying one drugstore makeup item a month … or doing what I do, blunder into department stores to buy expensive lipsticks that don't suit me. If you consider it that way, I actually think I might break even on my Birchbox experience. (8 drugstore foundations, 12-13 clumpy mascaras, or 4-5 expensive department-store lipsticks a year < 1 Birchbox subscription).

[And we're still on the fundraising drive/Secret Lives poll:]

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

If we reach $1200 in donations by December 25, I will write a new "secret lives" story, that will include the top-two vote-getters below:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200

The Dress A Day Dozen Gift Guide: #4 Walker Bags

Erin2 Comments

I love these cases from Walker Bags: 

Walker_doublezip

They make fantastic presents — if you pre-load them. A quick trip to the drugstore or dollar store and you can give a great emergency kit: aspirin, nail files, safety pins, bandaids, gum, lip balm … you can also add a $20 if you're so inclined.

NYCers: They sell these at Ricky's and they often go on clearance in January — stock up for next year! And if you live near a Kinokuniya or a Muji you can find similar bags there (although Walker's are the nicest, and they're based here in San Francisco …)

 

[And we're still on the fundraising drive/Secret Lives poll:]

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

If we reach $1200 in donations by December 25, I will write a new "secret lives" story, that will include the top-two vote-getters below:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200

Vogue 5121: Girl's Night Out

Erin9 Comments

Vogue_5121

Birgit sent me the link to this ages ago — I can't believe it's still available at her shop. Don't these girls look out for a good time?  They all look loaded for bear, but my money is on the brunette in teal. 

I think view D is the prettiest dress — even in basic black. 

The fundraiser is still going strong — remember, if we hit $1200 by Christmas, there's a new Secret Lives story coming! And there are still 3 or 4 prepublication copies of Secret Lives up for grabs for the next few donors … 

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

 

 

Remember to vote for what you want to see in the story:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200

The Dress A Day Dozen Gift Guide: #3 LEGO Dynamo Flashlight

Erin4 Comments

You cannot tell me this is not awesome:

Picture 5

Look at that happy face! Look at that glowy foot! It's a LEGO guy! It's a flashlight!  Or, as Amazon puts it, a LEGO Hand Crank Dynamo Flash Light Torch!

Yes, that's right: no batteries! Crank this little guy up and he glows! 

And: he is under $20. Best. Present. Ever.

[And we're still on the fundraising drive/Secret Lives poll:]

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

If we reach $1200 in donations by December 25, I will write a new "secret lives" story, that will include the top-two vote-getters below:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200

The Dress A Day Dozen Gift Guide: #2 Engraved Compact

Erin1 Comment

A present which always looks fancier than it is is an engraved silver compact, like so:

Picture 3

This one is from ThingsRemembered (and is only $15) but there are dozens of sites online that offer custom engraving. 

The important part of the gift is the choice of engraving; I like quotes, myself. A great one for a compact is from Ruskin: "Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless; peacocks and lilies, for instance." (Kind of a memento mori, but for prettiness.) Or try Horace: nihil est ab omni Parte beatum.

[And we're still on the fundraising drive/Secret Lives poll:]

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

If we reach $1200 in donations by December 25, I will write a new "secret lives" story, that will include the top-two vote-getters below:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200

Happy Birthday, Holly!

Erin6 Comments

Yesterday was Holly’s birthday, and as a present she’s giving us all a sale: 

 

Hollyflame

You have GOT to click on the link to see all the pictures of this stunner. Silk chiffon! Halter-neck! There has GOT to be some alternate universe where I wear this dress every day, right? 

If that universe, for you, is this one, Holly’s sale is 25% off, and runs through midnight (CST) December 4th. Use the coupon code TEENAGER. (Because that’s how old she is, OF COURSE.)

[And we're still on the fundraising drive/Secret Lives poll:]

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

If we reach $1200 in donations by December 25, I will write a new "secret lives" story, that will include the top-two vote-getters below:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200

The Dress A Day Dozen Gift Guide: #1 The Portable USB Power Supply

Erin2 Comments

E686_portable_usb_power_supply_inhand

I know, I know, it's not a dress, but I think this portable USB power supply (from ThinkGeek) is a great present. For $20, you can have a backup charger for your cell phone, mp3 player, what-have-you that holds a charge for up to three months, and is only a quarter-inch thick.

Besides, your loved ones should have one just in case they are ever in a MacGyver-like situation — when someone says "if only we had a Li-Polymer battery cell" they can rummage in their bag and say "Oh, like this one?" before tossing it in their direction. Think how satisfying that would be! (Totally satisfying.) It's like two gifts in one!

(And don't forget — we're still in Charity Drive Time: check out the widget & poll!)

 

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

 

If we reach $1200 in donations by December 25, I will write a new "secret lives" story, that will include the top-two vote-getters below:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200

It's That Time Again …

Erin4 Comments

Time to do a charity donation drive! 

Women-for-women-logo-share

This year’s charity is Women for Women International. Why give to a women-focused charity? I strongly recommend you check out that link — but here’s the short version, from their web site:

  • [Women] bear a disproportionate burden of the world’s poverty (They represent 70 percent of the world’s poor)
  • Their ability to have a decent life is limited (they perform 66 percent of the world’s work and produce 50 percent of the food but they only earn 10 percent of the income and own 1 percent of the property)
  • Investment in women is inadequate (recent data shows that only 3.6% of overseas development assistance was earmarked for gender equality (UNIFEM). And for every dollar of development assistance, two cents goes to girls (Girl Effect).
  •  During and after conflict, women are particularly vulnerable to violence and exploitation (About 70% of casualties in recent conflicts are women and children (UNIFEM) and the forms of violence they experience include torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution and mutilation (UN)

Women for Women does great work in trying to change all of the above.

And to encourage you to give if you can, here’s the deal: the first 15 people to donate this year will get a galley copy of The Secret Lives of Dresses. (Just email me [erin at dressaday dot com] your receipt and your mailing address).

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

If we reach $1200 in donations by December 25, I will write a new “secret lives” story, that will include the top-two vote-getters below:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200
Sound good? Let’s go!

Booooooooooots!

Erin27 Comments

Forgive the multiple oooooooo's and the exclamation point, but really, these deserve it:

Picture 2

 

They're the Corso Como Rhonda (available from Amazon and anywhere boots are sold; I bought mine gently pre-loved — and significantly cheaper than list — on eBay). And I loooooves them. (There's those oooo's again!)

I didn't realize when I moved to the Bay Area last year how much I would need flat black boots. You see, when it's pretty much 50 degrees all winter long, it's too cold for bare legs, but slightly too warm for tights. This only leaves knee socks (which I do love, but are occasionally a bit juvenile) and boots. Flat, black boots that go with everything. (If you're asking "why don't you just wear pants," this must be your first time here at A Dress A Day. Archives are on the right. Take your time, we'll wait.)

Flat black boots. Sounds simple, right? You can't open a web browser without tripping over a boot sale, this time of year. But the flaw in my boot-seeking plan is that I have big calves. Big, muscular, yeah-I-used-to-play-college-soccer calves. Calves that, at 16" around, are EXACTLY ONE INCH bigger than most boots' top circumference.

But these beautiful soft, classic boots have TWO elastic insets in the back. It looks like a cute design fillip, but the two inserts mean that these boots Just Fit, without me having to take them to the Magical Boot-stretching Man. (Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the Magical Boot-stretching Man, but the hassle of "will it stretch?" means that I'm usually limited to buying boots on super-super-sale, so in case they don't stretch I won't have wasted too much time and money.)

So, thank you, Corso Como, for doubling up on elastic. Two thumbs up! (And thank you, also, for not draping these boots in pointless metal hardware and wacky straps.)

(Btw, if you have the opposite problem — teeny ectomorphic jackstraw calves — check out the last letter here at Tomato Nation's Vine for your options. Because, sadly, there's no Magical Boot-shrinking Man.)