Carey Ann Jewels

I have just come across a jewelry designer by the name of Carey Ann Jewels, her jewelry is hand made of fine silver and made in San Diego. The earrings above should be on my site by early next week! They are made of Sterling Silver Ear Wires and drop approx 2 ½ Inches, these Natural Stone Dangles Will Vary In Size, Shape, and Color. All of the items in this collection are made by hand thus no two pieces will ever be exactly alike. The results are beautiful and unique, these earrings make great gifts!

Big Buddha Bags for Fall 2009!

I know it's so hot your makeup is sweating off right now but designers are already thinking about the fall and winter season! I am super excited about the new Big Buddha bags I just ordered for Fall! They should be here late summer and include luxury fabrics, tassels, rich colors and great hardware.
Five years ago handbag designer Jeremy Bassan created Big Buddha causing quite a commotion when he started shipping a noticeable number of packages from his college dorm room.
From small beginnings designing purses from his home in Santa Barbara, California, the 25-year-old has been diligently working to establish Big Buddha as a front-runner in affordable fashion-forward handbags for women.
Check shopclotheshound.com in the coming months for these bags as well as other pieces from Free People and French Connection!

Clothes Hound Party

Nikki threw a great "Clothes and Cosmos" party last night! There were about 10 girls there, typically I require 20 or more but these ladies shopped enough for 30 women. They were so much fun and it was definitely a great time had by all. They literally bought every purse I had so I have to restock now, just placed a Big Buddha order today! Thanks ladies for a fun and fabulous party!

Summer Weddings

Watching last nights episode of The Hills got me thinking about weddings. Of course you hope you don't end up begging people to show up the way Heidi did! If you are going to a wedding one of the first questions that comes to mind is what to wear, your probably wondering if it's open bar first but what to wear is a close second.

When choosing what to wear pay attention to two key details, 1. Time of Day and 2. Location. Don't wear white, black during the day, sequins or your overtly sexy club wear.

Do wear something feminine and appropriate for the time of day. A pastel, ruffle or floral dress for daytime or a little black dress for evening (after 6 p.m.) will take you almost anywhere. I think I'll wear this Aryn K ruffle dress for my friends up coming wedding.

Fashionable Beach Destinations

There are plenty of fashionable beaches however I don't believe Topsail Beach to be one of them. I had a fabulous beach vacation and while Topsail beach is a great place to hang out with friends, relax, tan and drink too much it's not where you see the most up to date, well edited styles. I have seen enough Jorts to last a lifetime. These aren't your Jessica Simpson Daisy Dukes, Jorts are tight long jean shorts, I'm not even sure where you find these anymore? Maybe they are a DIY garment.

Note to all wearers of Jorts.....there are some great shorts out there that can be worn at night, think linen or silk with cuffed legs, not tight, long or rolled up.

All prices are negotiable in a recession....

As a business owner I'm not sure I should be blogging about this but if you haven't already heard, as I told my girlfriend just days ago, all prices are negotiable in a recession. WWD posted an article about this very thing, From today's WWD: Prices are often open to negotiation. As one Lord & Taylor salesperson said when a shopper inquired about the length of a sale: “There’s always a sale!” I understand feeling uncomfortable about asking for a lesser price than the one posted but as my mom always said, "you don't know unless you ask."

The star also wrote an article on this topic. They said if you are a hesitant haggler:

Simply ask for what you want.
Give a specific number. Don't use a range of numbers.
Once you agree on a price, ask for other concessions
Do research on rival deals and be prepared to walk away.

I'm renting a beach house with friends for memorial day weekend and was able to get an extra night thrown in for free. YAY! So next time your shopping for flights, furniture or fashion ask for a discount, you may not get it but if you do you've saved a few bucks!

Designer Spotlight - PEEL

Peel was launched in 2004 by a Vancouver designer, the eclectic and feminine label has quite the following. Peel is an elegant and affordable take on feminine classics. To top it off, designer Megan Berks uses sustainable fabrics where possible. These designs will stand the test of time, looks like a worthy investment to me. [Peel]