Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
What's blooming in spring fashion
Spring is just around the corner, and while a young man's fancy may lightly turn to thoughts of love, a young woman's fancy is more likely to turn to thoughts of.... fashion. Spring has always been my favorite season, and not just because of the longer days and green hills. I love being able to shed my bulky coats and show off my bare legs. I love that you can wear sandals and sundresses along with boots and sweaters.
No-Sew Halter Top
I've wanted to make my own halter-top tshirt ever since I saw Leila from Don't Speak Whinese rock her awesome handmade outfit at last month's Clever Girls' Party. But alas, it involves a teensy bit of machine sewing, and even though I have a perfectly good Singer sewing machine in the garage, the thought of winding bobbins and threading needles in order to make something I'm going to wear in public is so unappealing, it makes me want to do laundry.
How to Dress for an Eighties Party
I've known for a long time that my friend's 40th birthday bash was going to be a Big Deal, but I had no idea how much until we received the invitation. It contained a big F Bomb -- Fashion Bomb, that is -- it was an Eighties Party, which basically upped the ante for the guests; instead of just showing up, we had to get in the spirit and come up with an 80's costume.
Now, I am the Queen of all Dressing Up (see any October/Halloween post I've ever done), so the 80's theme was great news. The 80's are my element -- all I needed to do for inspiration was look in my high school photo album and listen to the music on my iPod -- and I knew I could put together a Madonna-style outfit without breaking a sweat.
Cut-up shirt, miniskirt, fishnet stockings, leg warmers, heels, side ponytail, neon pink earrings, fingerless gloves, crucifix bling. Easy peasy.
But the dress-up element threw Alfie for a loop. I haven't quite managed to convince him that dressing up is fun, or that he won't feel ridiculous if everyone else looks ridiculous along with him. To make things worse, he hates 80's music and fashion, so he couldn't really get too excited about it. And it's not like you can rustle up a genuine male 80's outfit from your closet (unless of course you live in a trailer park). Do you know how many 80's costumes there are for men in your local costume store? None. Maybe a rocker wig or a mullet, a Michael Jackson outfit if you're lucky. I searched for weeks to find a good outfit (I must have hit every Goodwill store within a 20-mile radius from our home, searching for a Miami Vice white jacket or acid-wash jeans), and Alfie must have changed his mind about a dozen times. In the end he decided on an 80's rocker look, with acid-washed jeans and big, poufy hair.
I was spraying bleach on these jeans about 3 hours before the party. I used so much bleach, I'm surprised Alfie's legs didn't fizzle away along with the denim. And in case you didn't know, that hair is not his. No way I would marry a guy with big, curly mullet hair!
I think we did okay in the costume department. But as much as I enjoyed putting together our outfits, seeing what other people came up with was even more enjoyable! We saw some great outfits, and just in case you need an 80's costume idea -- or a good laugh -- I'm sharing them here with you:
Male
Men can pretty much put on a mullet wig and claim they're in an 80's costume, but frankly, I think that's kind of lame. To be truly in the (80's) zone, you need to put in a bit more effort, and I loved seeing all the effort that showed up at my friend's party. I do think Alfie was one of the male standouts, with his long, flowing locks, but there were quite a few other creative male outfits:
* Don Johnson in Miami Vice (white suit with pastel colored tshirt)
* Larry Bird (complete with #33 jersey and caterpillar mustache)
* Preppy boy (pastel Lacoste or Izod shirt with upturned collar, white sweater draped across the shoulders, khaki shorts or chinos with rolled-up pant legs, loafers without socks, wayfarers)
* Beat boxer -- neon colored shirt, baggy pants, Converse hi-tops or Vans sneakers, Sony Walkman (yes, the real thing! He must have a big attic to be keeping stuff like that).
Female
As I expected, we saw every variation of Madonna imaginable, from her grungy Suddenly Seeking Susan look to her corseted Like A Virgin lace getup to her sleek Vogue look with headset microphone and cone bra. And since the 80's look is creeping back into fashion, I wasn't surprised to see loose belted shirts, skintight jeans and heels. But I should have known that Girls Just Wanna Have Fun -- I was amazed at the other kinds of outfits my fellow females came up with! No detail was spared, from shiny blue eyeshadow to teased hair to lace gloves (fingerless, naturally) to Swatch watches.
* Krystle Carrington.
* Any and every variation of the hideous Gunne Sax prom dress and white, low-heeled shoes (the birthday girl even had a gigantic wrist corsage!).
* Acid washed jeans skirt and jacket.
* Shoulder-padded dresses and fringed, stiletto-heeled cowboy boots.
* Flashdancers (off-the shoulder shirts, leggings -- some were neon! -- and legwarmers).
The winning outfits for male and female would have to go to the Jane Fonda aerobicizers. "Jane Fonda" wore a headband across her forehead, wristbands, a thong leotard and shiny lycra tights (I couldn't wear that even in the 80's!). Her male counterpart wore exactly the same thing, except instead of a leotard he sported a midriff shirt with cutoff sleeves. It was absolutely horrific, and absolutely brilliant! Or should I say, totally rad....
Can anyone think of any other 80's outfit I need to add to this list?
Now, I am the Queen of all Dressing Up (see any October/Halloween post I've ever done), so the 80's theme was great news. The 80's are my element -- all I needed to do for inspiration was look in my high school photo album and listen to the music on my iPod -- and I knew I could put together a Madonna-style outfit without breaking a sweat.
Cut-up shirt, miniskirt, fishnet stockings, leg warmers, heels, side ponytail, neon pink earrings, fingerless gloves, crucifix bling. Easy peasy.But the dress-up element threw Alfie for a loop. I haven't quite managed to convince him that dressing up is fun, or that he won't feel ridiculous if everyone else looks ridiculous along with him. To make things worse, he hates 80's music and fashion, so he couldn't really get too excited about it. And it's not like you can rustle up a genuine male 80's outfit from your closet (unless of course you live in a trailer park). Do you know how many 80's costumes there are for men in your local costume store? None. Maybe a rocker wig or a mullet, a Michael Jackson outfit if you're lucky. I searched for weeks to find a good outfit (I must have hit every Goodwill store within a 20-mile radius from our home, searching for a Miami Vice white jacket or acid-wash jeans), and Alfie must have changed his mind about a dozen times. In the end he decided on an 80's rocker look, with acid-washed jeans and big, poufy hair.
I was spraying bleach on these jeans about 3 hours before the party. I used so much bleach, I'm surprised Alfie's legs didn't fizzle away along with the denim. And in case you didn't know, that hair is not his. No way I would marry a guy with big, curly mullet hair!I think we did okay in the costume department. But as much as I enjoyed putting together our outfits, seeing what other people came up with was even more enjoyable! We saw some great outfits, and just in case you need an 80's costume idea -- or a good laugh -- I'm sharing them here with you:
Male
Men can pretty much put on a mullet wig and claim they're in an 80's costume, but frankly, I think that's kind of lame. To be truly in the (80's) zone, you need to put in a bit more effort, and I loved seeing all the effort that showed up at my friend's party. I do think Alfie was one of the male standouts, with his long, flowing locks, but there were quite a few other creative male outfits:
* Don Johnson in Miami Vice (white suit with pastel colored tshirt)
* Larry Bird (complete with #33 jersey and caterpillar mustache)
* Preppy boy (pastel Lacoste or Izod shirt with upturned collar, white sweater draped across the shoulders, khaki shorts or chinos with rolled-up pant legs, loafers without socks, wayfarers)
* Beat boxer -- neon colored shirt, baggy pants, Converse hi-tops or Vans sneakers, Sony Walkman (yes, the real thing! He must have a big attic to be keeping stuff like that).
Female
As I expected, we saw every variation of Madonna imaginable, from her grungy Suddenly Seeking Susan look to her corseted Like A Virgin lace getup to her sleek Vogue look with headset microphone and cone bra. And since the 80's look is creeping back into fashion, I wasn't surprised to see loose belted shirts, skintight jeans and heels. But I should have known that Girls Just Wanna Have Fun -- I was amazed at the other kinds of outfits my fellow females came up with! No detail was spared, from shiny blue eyeshadow to teased hair to lace gloves (fingerless, naturally) to Swatch watches.
* Krystle Carrington.
* Any and every variation of the hideous Gunne Sax prom dress and white, low-heeled shoes (the birthday girl even had a gigantic wrist corsage!).
* Acid washed jeans skirt and jacket.
* Shoulder-padded dresses and fringed, stiletto-heeled cowboy boots.
* Flashdancers (off-the shoulder shirts, leggings -- some were neon! -- and legwarmers).
The winning outfits for male and female would have to go to the Jane Fonda aerobicizers. "Jane Fonda" wore a headband across her forehead, wristbands, a thong leotard and shiny lycra tights (I couldn't wear that even in the 80's!). Her male counterpart wore exactly the same thing, except instead of a leotard he sported a midriff shirt with cutoff sleeves. It was absolutely horrific, and absolutely brilliant! Or should I say, totally rad....
Can anyone think of any other 80's outfit I need to add to this list?
Getting Dressed
Over the years I've gotten used to the surprised looks I get when people realize that my kids are mine (i.e., Oh, they're calling her mama, she isn't the nanny!). For the longest time I've blamed it on Alfie's Caucasian genes , but nowadays everyone tells me The Pea looks just like me, only fairer (and the boys have my coloring anyway). Since that excuse doesn't work so well anymore, I'm looking for another one : maybe it's because my kids are usually much better dressed than I am. This morning, Jammy's teacher told me she saw his jacket hanging on a hook outside the classroom yesterday. It wasn't there anymore, and I panicked. I love that jacket; it's an aviator jacket with a sherpa collar and cuffs, distressed leather and tons of cool patches scattered all over. It's one of the few identical things that 3Po and Jammy are willing to wear at the same time, and if one gets lost there goes the twin look. Besides, I paid a lot for that jacket (okay, I got it on sale but it was still a splurge)!
I rushed over to the lost and found and breathed a sigh of relief when I found it. Not a big deal after all, but afterwards I got to thinking about how nice that jacket was. And how I don't have a jacket as nice as that. My winter coat is a fake sherpa coat that I got from Old Navy for about $20. It's thick and fleecy and comfy, but I have a sneaking suspicion it makes me look a bit dumpy. I do have some decent clothes, but when I'm racing around in the morning I usually just pull on some yoga pants and a shirt (sometimes straight from the bottom of the laundry basket because I couldn't be bothered to fold it and put it away), hoping the outfit will inspire me to work out and figuring no one is going to care what I look like.
Maybe I've been living in casual California for too long. When we were in Manila it really hit me how nicely everyone dressed, and I.. well, I wore my usual tees and yoga pants or jeans. Women wore leggings and skirts and dresses. There wasn't a single sweatpant or oversized tshirt to be seen. Sure, people wore jeans and tees, but the jeans were nicely pressed and the tees were fitted. People wore accessories like bracelets and earrings and pendants. I don't mean that everyone wore expensive clothing, but most people obviously took the time and effort to look decent. Even people who didn't look like they had much money went around the shopping malls in stylish flip-flops, while I stomped around looking like a clown in my scruffy Mary Jane Crocs.
Whatever the reason, I know this is something I need to work on. Saying that people don't care what I look like is no excuse. I know Alfie cares what I look like. I know my kids do too (I love it when they look at me and exclaim, delightedly, "Mama, you look nice!"). And deep down, I think people do care what other people look like. Not on a personal level, but I think people do form opinions about other people based on how they present themselves. If two candidates present themselves at a job interview, all else being equal, who is going to make the more favorable impression: the one dressed smartly and professionally, or the one in a wrinkled suit? Why else to seasoned travelers advise people to dress nicely if they're hoping to get upgraded on their next flight? Besides, I feel more confident when I dress nicely, which affects how I deal with other people and how they deal with me.
An Afternoon of Fashion and Fun
If I had my way, I'd stay in my pajamas all day -- and if I had any pajamas without snowflakes or Strawberry Shortcake or paisely swirls or stripes on them, I probably actually would. But last Saturday I was invited to Aspiring Couture's Winter on the Runway event and I realized that printed stretch cotton probably wasn't going to cut it. So I took my time, dressed up and got ready for an afternoon of fun and fashion.
Aspiring Couture is an online boutique featuring creations by various independent artists, and last weekend's show featured the best of winter fashion by Wise & Prosper, Mahtab Azimi, Selah D'Or, Jesica Milton, Liise Wyatt, Karly Orr, Sofie Olgaard, Gypsies & Lords, and Zoe Hong. I got to hang out in the press area and play the part of the paparrazzi, clicking along with all the professionals. I thank my lucky stars that I decided to make an effort with my appearance, because apparently even the photographers have a sense of style:
I've never been to a fashion show before (I don't think American Girl fashion shows count), and now I can see why people like going. It's a visual treat to be able to sit back and look at such beautiful things being paraded in front of you. Kind of like visiting a museum, but instead of walking around and admiring things, the artwork obligingly walks by you. What I really liked about the fashion show was that the clothes featured were clearly designer quality -- but they were also fashions that normal, stylish people can actually wear. Here are several that really stood out for me:
This dress would be the hit of any holiday party. Especially when there's dancing and shimmying involved! If you still don't know what the word "Bongga" means, I suggest you look at this dress. Now that's Bongga.
I thought this dress was so romantic and fresh, and I could immediately see The Pea wearing it to a holiday party ten years from now. I just hope her dad doesn't decide to follow her around with a floor-length cape and shotgun to scare off all her boyfriends.
At times, the star of the outfit was not the dress; my eyes were instantly drawn to these femme fatale booties by Eidia Lush.
Okay, maybe I wouldn't wear all their designs. You'd have to be super skinny and live in New York to pull this one off.
This is one design I love, but unfortunately it doesn't love me. Again, only for all the skinny ladies, All the Skinny Ladies.... (*sings to the tune of Beyonce's Single Ladies*)The fashions on the runway (and on the blog) were simple yet stylish, elegant yet fashionable. Most surprisingly (and refreshingly), they're also reasonable. Most of the fashions I saw on the Aspiring Couture blog are priced between $100 and $300, which is pretty much department store prices! Even the most "inexpensive" dresses, the $95 Monroe and $90 Meibury by Mahtab Azimi, are the ultimate in designer chic.
I have to commend Allison O'Grady, founder of Aspiring Couture, for putting together such an enjoyable holiday event-- and for finding such a great group of designers. Thanks, Allison, for supporting these up-and-coming artists!
Disclaimer: I was not compensated to post about this event. I did receive a press pass and a sliver of luscious red velvet cake.
You're Invited to a Style Lab Twitter Party
Great news: Bonggamom Finds is partnering with Ubisoft to bring you a Twitter Party that's stylish and girly and oh-so-fun. We're talking fashion, makeovers, and games girls play. We're talking moms, daughters, sleepovers and manicures. And we're talking prizes!
What: a Style Lab Twitter party
When: Tuesday, December 15th, 5:00 - 6:00 pm PST
Where: Chat with us on Twitter using the hashtag #games4girls (you can use services like Tweetchat or Tweetgrid to follow the conversation)
Head over to the Twitter Party post on Bonggamom Finds to see the great prizes you can win........
Photo Hunt: Twisted
As soon as I saw that this week's theme was, I knew just which photo to use. This summer the kids made some tie-dyed shirts with their cousins. We've never made tie-dyed shirts before, and the kids just couldn't understand why you have to twist and scrunch up the shirts before applying the dye. They just wanted to lay the shirts flat and squirt dye on them. I told them to be patient, twist the shirts up, wait and see.
But I didn't hear any complaints about the results!
For more twisted things, head on over to the Photo Hunt.
Oh, and I'm trying out Mr. Linky's Magical Widgets, so if you leave a comment on this post, I'd love it if you could please leave your links below. Thanks, and have a great weekend!
But I didn't hear any complaints about the results!
For more twisted things, head on over to the Photo Hunt.
Oh, and I'm trying out Mr. Linky's Magical Widgets, so if you leave a comment on this post, I'd love it if you could please leave your links below. Thanks, and have a great weekend!
I've Found Bonggamom!
My SlimPerfect little black dress arrived in the mail today, and I couldn't even make it up the stairs before ripping the package open and tearing my clothes off (good thing the front shutters were closed and the mailman had long since gone). Call me Shallow Hal, but I was as excited as a little girl -- it's been so long since I've worn a little black dress anywhere, and here I find myself, little ol' me, winning the Slimperfect BlogHer model contest and getting this perky cuteness of a dress to wear to BlogHer! I quickly checked my reflection, and Thank God (ok, thank Slimperfect) , I don't look like Gwneth Paltrow in a fat suit with this dress on.
Yes, it's short, but don't worry, I won't be doing a Brittney Spears on y'all at BlogHer because, shhhhh, don't tell but the dress has built-in shorts underneath. That nice cleavage? They are not inserts, they're all mine, because I don't have small boobs, really I don't, despite my past posts to the contrary.
After a couple of shots (photo, not vodka), I handed the camera to The Pea, who started getting creative with her angles.
And I started getting creative with the dress itself, changing the neckline to something a bit more my style. Please excuse the Frida Kahlo-like eyebrows and messy hair; that will be taken care of by the makeover I'm getting treated to on Thursday night. Yes, makeover! Squee! I feel like Cinderella. If Cinderella ever wore a short, sexy dress with high heels, that is. No, not Cinderella -- I feel like Bonggamom.
Yes, it's short, but don't worry, I won't be doing a Brittney Spears on y'all at BlogHer because, shhhhh, don't tell but the dress has built-in shorts underneath. That nice cleavage? They are not inserts, they're all mine, because I don't have small boobs, really I don't, despite my past posts to the contrary.
After a couple of shots (photo, not vodka), I handed the camera to The Pea, who started getting creative with her angles.
And I started getting creative with the dress itself, changing the neckline to something a bit more my style. Please excuse the Frida Kahlo-like eyebrows and messy hair; that will be taken care of by the makeover I'm getting treated to on Thursday night. Yes, makeover! Squee! I feel like Cinderella. If Cinderella ever wore a short, sexy dress with high heels, that is. No, not Cinderella -- I feel like Bonggamom.
The Gay Queen - Beauty Queen Smackdown!
When I heard on the telly this morning that Miss California's views on gay marriage supposedly cost her the Miss USA title, I assumed that Miss California had strong pro-gay-marriage views and Middle America (as evidenced by the judges' scores) did not approve . I don't know why; maybe it's because everyone I know in Silicon Valley supports gay rights, and I thought Miss California would mirror California's liberal tendencies. I heard Perez Hilton's name mentioned and I thought he must be championing her, saying she was robbed of the crown because she supports gay marriage.
So when I heard the full story, I was surprised and saddened. Not because she stood her ground and stayed true to her religious beliefs, but because those religious beliefs are making life hell for gays who just want the same legal rights as everyone else. So many people cite the Bible and God's will as reason for their opposition to gay marriage, but that argument doesn't make sense because laws shouldn't reflect the views of any particular religious affiliation. They can ban gay marriage in their churches all they want, damn gays to hell in their speeches and whatnot -- that is their right according to the First Amendment (see, I still remember my US citizenship material!). But it's not fair to deny two people the same legal status and rights that are given freely to other people, simply because of their sexual preferences -- and because of other people's condemnation of said sexual preferences.
So yes, I was suprised. But then again, maybe I shouldn't be. After all, California did ban same-sex marriage last November. Living where we do, it's hard to remember that there are many more people like Carrie Prejean living in California. Despite all the boos she received for her answers, despite losing the crown, it's undeniable that Carrie Prejean reflects the views of a great many people in the US. But the fact remains that she did get boos. And she did lose the crown. So maybe things are changing.
So when I heard the full story, I was surprised and saddened. Not because she stood her ground and stayed true to her religious beliefs, but because those religious beliefs are making life hell for gays who just want the same legal rights as everyone else. So many people cite the Bible and God's will as reason for their opposition to gay marriage, but that argument doesn't make sense because laws shouldn't reflect the views of any particular religious affiliation. They can ban gay marriage in their churches all they want, damn gays to hell in their speeches and whatnot -- that is their right according to the First Amendment (see, I still remember my US citizenship material!). But it's not fair to deny two people the same legal status and rights that are given freely to other people, simply because of their sexual preferences -- and because of other people's condemnation of said sexual preferences.
So yes, I was suprised. But then again, maybe I shouldn't be. After all, California did ban same-sex marriage last November. Living where we do, it's hard to remember that there are many more people like Carrie Prejean living in California. Despite all the boos she received for her answers, despite losing the crown, it's undeniable that Carrie Prejean reflects the views of a great many people in the US. But the fact remains that she did get boos. And she did lose the crown. So maybe things are changing.
Armani saves my ass
I hate shopping for jeans. It's so difficult to find the right pair that fits me that I just don't bother looking anymore. But last weekend I managed to find a great-fitting pair of jeans -- skinny jeans, no less! I went shopping with my cousin Angie, who is the essence of boho chic. She mentioned how much she loved the jeans that her best friend (who works at Armani Exchange) had just gotten for her with her employee discount. I thought, I need new jeans and I've never tried Armani. Why not? I left Alfie with the kids and the promise, "I won't buy anything unless you see it first".
Famous last words. As soon as the jeans were on, I fell in love. Angie raved about how they looked on me. Her friend was about to end her shift and take her 30% discount with her. What choice did I have? I figured I could always return them if I had second thoughts. Nope. And icing on the cake.... Alfie thinks they look hot. So please forgive my self-indulgence and MySpace-esque narcisissm, but I am posting this little homage to my new skinny jeans.
Comfy, stylish, flattering to the ass -- and 30% off. Perfect. Now excuse me, I'm going to celebrate with a double scoop of mint chocolate-chip ice cream.
Okay, make it a single.
Famous last words. As soon as the jeans were on, I fell in love. Angie raved about how they looked on me. Her friend was about to end her shift and take her 30% discount with her. What choice did I have? I figured I could always return them if I had second thoughts. Nope. And icing on the cake.... Alfie thinks they look hot. So please forgive my self-indulgence and MySpace-esque narcisissm, but I am posting this little homage to my new skinny jeans.
Comfy, stylish, flattering to the ass -- and 30% off. Perfect. Now excuse me, I'm going to celebrate with a double scoop of mint chocolate-chip ice cream.
Okay, make it a single.
Unleashing my inner kid
Today I took The Pea and her best friend to Michaels craft store for an American Girl Doll craft activity. Michaels usually holds some kind of craft class for kids on Saturday mornings for a fee of $0-$5. This one was free, so I was expecting a fun but low-key craft: decorating your own paper bag, maybe, or making a paper purse for your doll. We were surprised to find that the activity was doll tshirt painting! Michaels provided the doll's shirt, fabric paint and little jeweled studs.
The swag whore in me was delighted that they were offering all this nice stuff for freeeee (American Girl sells a doll tshirt painting kit featuring shirts just like these, 3 for $20). The girls were having so much fun, it made me envious. I felt like snatching The Pea's project from her and completing it myself (especially when the paint started coming out in blobs, squirting all over the doll shirt). The girl in charge must have seen the hunger on my face because she let me paint a doll shirt of my own. Wooohooo! I copied the design from the shirt The Pea was wearing so that she and her American Girl Mia would have matching ice skate tees. Damn, these kids today are so lucky!
The swag whore in me was delighted that they were offering all this nice stuff for freeeee (American Girl sells a doll tshirt painting kit featuring shirts just like these, 3 for $20). The girls were having so much fun, it made me envious. I felt like snatching The Pea's project from her and completing it myself (especially when the paint started coming out in blobs, squirting all over the doll shirt). The girl in charge must have seen the hunger on my face because she let me paint a doll shirt of my own. Wooohooo! I copied the design from the shirt The Pea was wearing so that she and her American Girl Mia would have matching ice skate tees. Damn, these kids today are so lucky!
Moms Tshirt giveaway
Calling all you moms out there! Who wants a free shirt? Especially a free shirt that tells the whole world just how much you love being a mom? Awww, come on, you know you do..... and all you have to do is enter my giveaway here...
Shoes, shoes and more shoes
And here is the subject of another shoe-related post I did last year:
And for this year's shoe theme, here is 3Po in his tap shoes, all ready to do the shuffle step:
Last but not least, here are The Pea's current favorite shoes. If only they made these sparkly pink-and-brown confections in grownup sizes
For even more shoes, click here.
An American Girl Fashion Show
For The Pea's 7th birthday, her grandmother and I took her to an American Girl Fashion Show . Despite the $45 price tag, we naively weren't expecting much; a few nibbles and a nice fashion show in some function room. All I can say is, the folks at American Girl must be secretly tutored (or owned) by Disney, because just like Disney, They. Go. All. Out. In other words, Bongga.
The show was held at the Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton, an absolutely gorgeous located on the former estate of William Randolph Heart's mother. Driving up the winding road to the clubhouse (note to Bongga Sister, who plans to move to Pleasanton in June: boy, have I got the perfect neighborhood for you to go house-hunting in!), we passed well-manicured lawns and putting greens and pools and fountains that screamed, Money! Class! Don't forget our No-Denim Dresscode!. The parlor room where people picked up their tickets and waited for the show to begin proved to be just as elegant.
The show was held at the Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton, an absolutely gorgeous located on the former estate of William Randolph Heart's mother. Driving up the winding road to the clubhouse (note to Bongga Sister, who plans to move to Pleasanton in June: boy, have I got the perfect neighborhood for you to go house-hunting in!), we passed well-manicured lawns and putting greens and pools and fountains that screamed, Money! Class! Don't forget our No-Denim Dresscode!. The parlor room where people picked up their tickets and waited for the show to begin proved to be just as elegant.
The show's main sponsor, Girl Ambition, had a booth with some freebies, cute shirts and a Celebrity Interview station where they interview girls who are willing to get in front of the camera and talk about why they love their American Girl dolls. The Pea and her friend were too shy to volunteer.
There were a few souvenir items for sale, like posters and notebooks and doll outfits with matching girl-sized tshirts. Whyever didn't they sell the matching girl-sized skirt as well? If they had, they could have pried another $15 from our pockets.
They had an assortment of door prizes as well as a separate raffle with some really fabulous things, such as dolls, backpacks and beds. Raffle tickets cost $10 and I never win at raffles, so I decided to resist entertaining the fantasy of paying $10 and winning a Mia doll.
Upon entering the ballroom, each little girl was given a special American Girl goody bag with stickers, a notepad, keepsake book and coloring page (I quickly made a mental note to photocopy it for future "Mama I'm bored" days; click here for the coloring pages). We proceded to our table, gawking and gaping at the beautifully decorated ballroom.
Instead of nibbles, we found quite a substantial lunch at our places (thank goodness we didn't have time to stop at a McDonald's on the way over!).
The fashion show itself was really cute. Models walked the runway dressed to match the American Girl dolls they held in their arms. We saw the well-loved American Girl historical characters like Kaya....
Addy....
Kit...
Julie, and all the others.....
.... as well as a bunch of girls in contemporary clothing (The American Girl of Today).
I was totally surprised by what a good show they put on and how much I enjoyed it. A cheapskate like me doesn't usually say this, but it was totally worth the money and I'd pay it again if I had the chance. Look at it this way: people pay $100 for Cirque du Soleil or $40 for The Nutcracker every Christmastime. Your little girl will appreciate this just as much.
Speaking of little girls, The Pea loved it. It was absolutely the perfect birthday present. She was thrilled to dress up and join us and her doll and her best friend and other girls and mums and grans, all dressed up and acting like little ladies. Her table manners were impeccable. She was thoroughly transfixed the entire time. When she saw her own Just Like Me doll appear on the runway in one model's arms, her entire face lit up. And as much as I enjoyed watching the girls on the runway, I preferred watching my own little American Girl.
Get thee to a Gymboree
Hey, the coupon does say to forward it to friends and family.......
It's so hard to justify buying Gymboree clothes at full price when they put stuff on sale so often, and when they generously hand out coupons like the one above. Some of their current crop of dresses are a lot simpler in cut and color than usual, which suits The Pea perfectly (as well as her mother). I can't wait for cooler weather so she can wear them with tights and her new purple Lands End boots.
It's so hard to justify buying Gymboree clothes at full price when they put stuff on sale so often, and when they generously hand out coupons like the one above. Some of their current crop of dresses are a lot simpler in cut and color than usual, which suits The Pea perfectly (as well as her mother). I can't wait for cooler weather so she can wear them with tights and her new purple Lands End boots.
Save the date: Great clothes, Great cause!
Mark your calendars, you hip, fashionista wanna-be-bongga moms, and get ready for the second Hip Kids Boutique Sale! Organized by one of the founders of the Silicon Valley Moms Blog, this sale features over twenty unique designers under one roof in Palo Alto., with a percentage of the proceeds benefitting InnVision. More info to come soon!
Back-To-School Savings at Gymboree
I can't believe we have less than three weeks left of summer vacation! The Pea starts school on August 28th, and her brothers begin a week later. My mother, who is here for her annual "see the grandkids" visit, brought a ton of hand-me-down clothes for The Pea, courtesy of my aunt and my 11-year-old cousin, and my sister sent along her 7-year-old son's clothes for the twins. Since both my aunt and sister are certified shopaholics, all three children have more than enough clothes in nearly-new condition -- and to them, it's just like getting new clothes anyway.
But for those who can't rely on hand-me-downs to stock up on their kids' back-t0-school wardrobe, here's a Gymboree back-to-school coupon I got in the mail, good for 20% off your entire purchase (one-time use per customer, expires August 15, 2007). Just type in the promotion code below when you check out online:
210503818173
(For those of you who care, I'm not being paid for this post, I'm just a mom who loves to shop and hates to pay full price). I'm sorely tempted to use it myself, but the kids' closets are already bulging with stuff! So use it with my love, and Happy Shopping!
But for those who can't rely on hand-me-downs to stock up on their kids' back-t0-school wardrobe, here's a Gymboree back-to-school coupon I got in the mail, good for 20% off your entire purchase (one-time use per customer, expires August 15, 2007). Just type in the promotion code below when you check out online:
210503818173
(For those of you who care, I'm not being paid for this post, I'm just a mom who loves to shop and hates to pay full price). I'm sorely tempted to use it myself, but the kids' closets are already bulging with stuff! So use it with my love, and Happy Shopping!
A good excuse to shop
Hey, Palo Alto (and Bay Area) moms, here's a chance to stock up on some hip kid's fashions, support some mom entrepreneurs and help out your local school at the same time. A fellow Silicon Valley Mom, Pamela, is co-hosting a shopping fundraiser next week. I've always admired Pamela's sense of style so I'm sure the stuff at this boutique will be worth the visit. She's hosted a couple of Tea sample sales that I have been to and I love their stuff. I just wish they made stuff in larger sizes so I could continue buying some Tea for Natalie (who is tall for her age and wears a size 7).
Say Cheese, Dammit!
Check out my latest post on SV Moms Blog...
And speaking of posing for the cameras, we just watched (on DVR) the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2006. Amazing bodies, faces and outfits! I particularly loved the plaid, Scottish-themed undies. Graham didn't care what they were wearing -- these women could wear panties from Target and make them look hot. We were surprised to see that Adriana Lima has crooked teeth! Maybe we don't see her teeth in any of the VS ads because she's always pouting and puckering up. Well, as Graham says, if that's the only flaw she has, he supposes he can live with it......
And speaking of posing for the cameras, we just watched (on DVR) the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2006. Amazing bodies, faces and outfits! I particularly loved the plaid, Scottish-themed undies. Graham didn't care what they were wearing -- these women could wear panties from Target and make them look hot. We were surprised to see that Adriana Lima has crooked teeth! Maybe we don't see her teeth in any of the VS ads because she's always pouting and puckering up. Well, as Graham says, if that's the only flaw she has, he supposes he can live with it......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
