Erika Lehmann

As I was scrolling through my email yesterday morning, these sexy, military-inspired totes caught my eye.  I stopped, and the sudden movement made boyfriend look over as well.   They must have caught his eye too, because suddenly he said “oh, those are cool.”  Completely unprovoked.

I knew I needed one.

Let’s be clear. I’m a handbag maven, but I’m insanely picky.  I’ve been carrying around nothing more than a wallet for 6 months because I can’t find a purse that I like.  This is serious business for me.  For me to instantaneously fall in love with a bag like this?  This is major.

As if the outside wasn’t enough of a selling point, our friends at Clava were nice enough to send me a photo of the inside of their tote.  Look at all of those fun pockets and compartments!  This would be amazing for all of the traveling that I do.

Military-inspired looks are hot again this fall – so these bags would give you a jump on the trend.  These Clava totes are available online and retail for $160.

If little AG and I are playing a game, coloring, or doing anything where “colors” are required, she is always sure to give me the color pink.  It’s because pink is my favorite color – even my 3 year old knows that.  (Cue the Aerosmith song here.)  I have pink luggage, more pink shirts and dresses than the law allows, pink shoes, every shade of pink nail polish known to man – I was even given the nickname “Pinky” in college because my classmates said I always had on something pink, somewhere.  (It was true!)

For me, pink is always in fashion.  For most people, it hits it’s fashionable peak in October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  While I think it’s great that everyone rallies to show their support during the month of October, I also think it’s important that we remember that breast cancer is something that affects women all 365 days of the year.

Including today.

Everyone has a story – some heart wrenching, some victorious, some that are still hanging precariously in the balance – about how breast cancer has personally touched their lives.  It’s for that reason that I want to start the conversation early.  Yes, I know it’s July and not October, but it’s always the right time to support a great cause.

You already know about my involvement with Hanes as a member of the Comfort Crew, but did you also know that Hanes is a major supporter of Susan G. Komen for the Cure^®?  Hanes is donating a total of $500,000 – split 50/50 between the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure^® Series and  Passionately Pink for the Cure^®.  Of course, in their signature “comfortable” style – 1.5 million people who participate in the race this year will be outfitted in a Hanes 100% cotton Tagless^® T-Shirt.

Hanes also has their very own “Pink” collection – which is available now on Hanes.com.  I’m a huge fan of their comfy pink ankle socks (I love padding around my house in them – great to keep my feet warm on cold wooden floors!) – and sorry if this is TMI – but a HUGE fan of their No Ride Up cotton bikinis.  They withstand the test of trains, planes, and automobiles without a problem – but even more-so – they withstand the test of running, jumping, and tumbling after a 3 year old!

Win It! Hanes has graciously given me a $100 gift card to give away to one very lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader!  It could be you!  To enter to win – head over and like the Hanes Facebook Page.  Once you’ve done that, head back over here and leave a comment with what Hanes Pink product you would most love to have, or why Komen is a cause that is near and dear to your heart.  To recap – you must become a fan of Hanes on Facebook AND leave a comment to be entered to win.  Bonus entries if you tweet about this contest (include @ErikaLehmann so I get a heads up).

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are emailed directly — please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contest ends at 11:59 pm CDT on July 31st, 2010.

I am 100% positive that you read my post earlier today that detailed my experience and time on the set of The Jensen Project back in March.  While I was on set, I had the opportunity to interview the one and only LeVar Burton – yes, of Reading Rainbow and Star Trek: The Next Generation Fame.  I was totally geeked out – as were most of you, my Twitter and Facebook friends, when you saw photos of us together and saw that I had the chance to interview him.

The interview itself has been up on YouTube for quite some time (why aren’t you subscribed to my channel?!) but I wanted to share it here, as the excitement mounts for tonight’s premiere!  Don’t forget that you can enter to win a copy of the DVD/CD pack of The Jensen Project over at the other post, simply by leaving a comment!  Yo, dawg, Randy Jackson laid down the tracks, so you know it has to be good!

So here it is, my interview with LeVar!  It was a lot of fun – I think you’ll love it! Also, a huge thanks to Kelly at PegLegPug and her master video editing skills for making this video look amazing (two camera angles was no small task!).

Back in March I had the most incredible opportunity to visit the set of The Jensen Project – a joint movie project by Walmart and P&G in an effort to bring back family movie night.  This is their second project in this endeavor – the first being Secrets of the Mountain.  The Jensen Project stars Kellie Martin, Brady Smith, Patricia Richardson, and LeVar Burton, to name just a few of the all-star cast.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience – check out the recap of our time on set below!  (Which, for the record, can also be seen in the “bonus features” section of the DVD!”)  Pay close attention to the last 5 minutes of this video where I prove, once and for all, that I am a GIANT. GOOFBALL.

For the record, my experience on-set was AMAZING.  But, I should also state, for the record (who keeps these “records” anyway?) that I support this movie for several reasons – the least of which was the trip to Canada to hang out on the set.  So here ya go – reasons why I am 100% behind The Jensen Project.

1.  Family Movie Night is back. Well, it’s about time!  How much junk is there on TV, seriously?  Even when the programming itself is mild enough to watch with your kids, you end up covering their eyes during half of the commercials for shows like “Desperate Housewives”.  You can watch this together with your family – all of them!  Sa-weet!

2. The movie is awesome.   I know what you’re (potentially) thinking.  After school special?  Captain lame-o?  Sorry to disappoint you, naysayers of the world – this movie is SO not lame.  Secrets of the Mountain proved that Walmart and P&G can indeed swim in this made-for-TV-movie world, and the all-star cast of The Jensen Project proves that again.

3. I adore the cast. I simply cannot say enough NICE things about them all.  This is the most down-to-earth, kind, genuine, hardworking group of people that I’ve ever met in ANY profession.  For instance, before we “officially” met, Kellie Martin and I ended up in the same elevator at our hotel.  We chatted away like old friends. I arrived later that day on the set and went – oh, right.  So that girl from the elevator (who’s ear I TALKED OFF) was Kellie Martin. She greeted me with a smile when I walked in and immediately said “We met in the elevator!”  Why yes, yes we did!

I grew up watching Patricia Richardson on TV each week, but in a very surreal moment, she stood and talked to me for 20 minutes about her children, her hiatus from work, and Twitter – and this was after the cameras stopped rolling on her interview with us.  I was totally geeked out.

Of course there was LeVar Burton who graciously played along with my antics both before and during my interview with him – and was so much fun to talk to. He even gave a shout-out to my dad during our interview – a longtime Star Trek fan!

And then there was Brady Smith (CONGRATS on the new beautiful baby girl, Brady!) who showed off pictures of his beautiful pregnant wife, and then asked to see pictures of my daughter. The next day, he saw me wandering the lobby of the hotel and invited to give me a tour of Montreal and to have lunch with him and Kellie.  So for several hours on the last day of shooting they voluntarily hung out with a random blogging chick from Louisiana – and they made me feel right at home.

…so there you have it.  This is the short of the long story – a story that I could go on and on about for a bit, but it boils down to this.

Watch The Jensen Project tonight on NBC at 7pm CDT.

You won’t regret it.  Follow me on Twitter for updates, and follow @Kellie_Martin and @LeVarBurton as well!

PS – Want to win a copy of The Jensen Project?  Leave a comment to be entered to win the DVD + CD combo – available in Walmart on July 17th!  Contest ends July 25th at 11:59pm CDT.

I couldn’t resist sharing this irresistible contest with my favorite people (that’s you!) – imagine if one of you won!  Knowing that you all love to shop and almost everyone loves to travel, I thought this was one sweepstakes that I couldn’t pass up blogging about!  But hurry, today is the last day to tweet to win!

The US Virgin Islands department of tourism is giving away a shopping trip to two to St. Thomas, which includes a 5-night stay at Bolongo Bay Beach Resort and free tickets to concerts featuring Wyclef Jean, Chrisette Michelle and more.  And really, couldn’t you use a (free) vacation right about now?

@USVIMockoJumbie will be tweeting updates on St. Thomas shopping deals/discounts and shopping tips now and during the Festival. Travelers love shopping in the USVI because there’s a $1600 duty-free allowance for U.S. residents, and prices on electronics, jewelry and designer good are typically lower than on the U.S. mainland. Here’s a list of some deals you can expect to find on St. Thomas during the USVI Shopping Festival:

*30 percent off swimsuits at Purple Papaya, Charlotte Amalie,
*70 percent off select jewelry at Alpha jewelers
*Coupons for free merchandise at A.H. Riise stores
*Designer sunglasses on sale at Solstice Sunglass Hut
*$25 certificate and a free gift at Golden Star Jewelers

So how excited are you?!?!  Go check out the Shopping Festival page for the rules on how to enter.  Go, run, TWEET!  (And don’t forget your favorite fashion blogger if you win – she LOVES to travel!)

Can we just, for a moment, talk about this:

Season 4 of Gossip Girl began shooting yesterday in Paris, and from the looks of this photo, the fashion is primed to be even more incredible than in years past.  The storyline picks up with Blair and Serena spending the summer in the City of Light, where the first 2 episodes will take place.  The season premiere airs September 13th, 2010, and as a serious Gossip Girl addict, I can’t wait for them to be back on my television, where they belong!

xoxo,

E

I have a LOT of hair, and that hair has lots of body, and some definite texture to it.  Unfortunately that “texture” really just translates to something between curly and wavy and often ends up looking frizzy.  I own every straightening iron, fancy pants blowdryer, and expensive hairbrush in the book just to keep all of that hair in check.  It’s a lot, yes, but it’s an investment in making sure that I look more Tina Fey and less Tina Turner.

Oh, and add in Louisiana humidity to the mix and we’re talking poofy to the max!  So, while I enjoy some waves and body in my hair, I usually still have to use almost all of those tools to “straighten” it before it looks presentable.

A few of my friends have had those Brazilian Keratin treatments done to their hair – and they have raved about the results.  However, they’ve also sheepishly diverted attention away from the 400 and higher price tag.  So, when Rio de Keratin offered to send me one of their at-home Keratin treatments to try, I jumped at the chance.

I followed the directions to a “t” and saw excellent results.  The treatment was so easy to apply (section your hair and spray it on until your hair is saturated!  So easy even I could do it, and that’s saying something!), and after a careful blowdry with a large round brush and 5 passes with my flat iron (as per the instructions, to “set” the treatment) I had pin straight, shiny, AMAZING hair.

That night was a girl’s night, and my friends all marveled at my hair.  (“I did a keratin treatment” I said nonchalantly as I accepted their compliments.)  That night, my boyfriend had the similar comments, and the next day my mom noticed as well.  Not bad.

The best part is that it has lasted.  My air-dried waves have at least less than half of the frizz that they did before.  This cuts my straightening and taming time down significantly, which leaves time for the cooler things in life, like tweeting and blogging.

Rio de Keratin launches August 1st, and if you are looking for a cost-effective, natural, at-home solution to those pricey salon Keratin treatments, this is definitely an option to consider.  At $100 it is still an investment and it won’t last as long as a salon treatment, but it’s an excellent option for anyone wanting to try it (or wanting to have it done on their own schedule).

Disclosure:  Rio de Keratin sent me the treatment to try for free, but that in no way affected my review or opinion of the product.  If you’d like more information on how this works, you can check out my Disclosure policy.

What a great way to celebrate a Friday and a long weekend!

Tory Burch is having a sale and well, I’m so excited that I almost feel like Tory herself has personally invited me to  rifle through her closet and pick out a few things that I like.  You already know I’m crazy about Tory.  I’ve been to her show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and I wish Audrey’s feet didn’t grow so quickly or I’d have already bought a pair of the kid’s Revas for her!

This is a good sale, y’all.  We’re talking 50% off here.  50% off of my coveted (and no I still don’t have a pair dear readers) Tory Burch Reva.  Everything is on sale.  You can snatch up some gorgeous tunics (which she is oh-so-famous for!), some adorable accessories, and even a skirt or a dress (or two or three!).

Here are a few of my favorite items from the sale:

So what are you waiting for!  Run as fast as your computer will let you to the sale – who knows how much longer you have!  Oh, and if you don’t mind – grab me a pair of the Reva’s while you’re there?  I’m a 9.5. 

“I meant to.”

My family says this is my lifelong motto.  To be blunt (and slightly morbid), they say that on my tombstone, it will be written “I meant to.”

Because I did.  Truly I did.  I’m a good intentioned soul.  I meant to.

Which brings me to this:  Back in February I was given the most amazing opportunity I’ve yet to have as a blogger.  I was extended the opportunity to join the Hanes Comfort Crew – which as you might be able to guess is a natural fit with my brand.  Bonus?  They offered us the chance to go to Walt Disney World on a VIP experience to discover Hanes’ role as the official apparel brand of the Walt Disney World Resort.

Take a gander at the looks of delight on Audrey Grace’s face as she experienced Walt Disney World, the Hanes way.

Today as Audrey and I prepared for our trip back to Walt Disney World in September (85 days, but who is counting?!), we looked back through pictures from our time in February and I was re-inspired by the memories and found myself nostalgic for our Hanes friends.

It was the experience of a lifetime, and I got the most incredible education on Hanes and their role in the apparel world.  Plus, I made some of the closest, most amazing friends from the Comfort Crew and the brand team. More than that?  Hanes unwittingly turned me into a brand ambassador and believer.  (And for the record, they more than converted my mom too!)

So what is it about Hanes?

First of all, they’re a brand that cares.  If you’ve ever visited the Hanes Green site, you know about their commitment to sustainability.  It’s everything from their EcoSmart^® polyester fiber (which is made from recycled plastic bottles), to cutting water use per product by 18% since 2007, to becoming a 2010 EPA Energy Star Partner Of The Year. They are also a major partner with Susan G. Komen – be on the lookout for a second post this week encouraging you to “Think Pink” this summer (as well as a $100 Hanes Gift Card Giveaway).

Second of all, their products are amazing.  I personally am a lingerie fanatic, and I now live in my Hanes bras and panties.  Also, the word on the street is that the men’s boxer briefs with the ComfortSoft® Waistband are pretty much the most comfortable thing on the planet – but being as I’m not a guy, I can’t personally back that one up.  Let’s just say I have it on good authority.

Lastly, and it has to be said, Hanes products are just great basics for any wardrobe.  One of my favorite products are the long sleeve t-shirts that are sold in little rolled up packages.  Tell me that you can’t make a t-shirt fashionable, and I’ll tell you you’re crazy.  A pair of jeans, a long sleeved tee, a long necklace or a scarf around your neck and you’ll look like a million bucks.  Fashion doesn’t have to be complicated, and it most certainly doesn’t have to be painful!

It’s all about being comfortable.  Hence my role in the Comfort Crew and self-declared ambassador role for such an awesome brand.  You can buy a lot of things, but most of them aren’t all that comfortable.  Not so with Hanes – comfort is their number one priority!

Stay tuned this week for an awesome giveaway thanks to Hanes!

Wedding season is here and this time we are addressing dressing for evening weddings. In the last post we covered daytime appropriate wedding attire. I personally love evening weddings. There’s something about the candlelight and evening setting that just screams romance.  Besides, who doesn’t love to get dressed up?

A black dress is very appropriate for an evening wedding and one that comes to mind instantly, but I love this Acne Lou Lou wrap-front satin dress {$300}. This beautiful wrap dress is an elegant way to wear a bright color instead of your classic black dress. The black belt gives this dress a chic evening look. With such a bold colored dress keep the accessories simple. Check out Christian Louboutin’s Anna Strass Sandals {$895} to add a bit of sparkle to the outfit. Erickson Beamon’s Crystal Snowflake earrings {$255} compliment the shoes and add a bit of fun to the overall look. For a simple yet elegant clutch check out this one from  Sondra Roberts black {$88}.

Long dresses are always appropriate for evening weddings. Printed dresses are especaily beautiful such as this  Zac Posen’s Rosson printed silk gown {$868}. Since the print is so bold pair with simple gold sandals like these  Jimmy Choo’s Suave mirrored-leather sandals {$595} for a chic touch. Complete the look with this beautiful  Soft Bow Wristlet clutch from BCBG Max Azria {$98}.

Evening weddings are fun to dress for, as you can channel you inner movie-star. Have fun creating your own evening wedding look. For more ideas check out my video series where we talk about current runway accessory trends and how to apply them to your wedding day attire. For more styling tips and fashion news come visit me at Red Sole Diary .

I’m a scrapbooker and photography nut from way back, so when Walmart offered me the chance to check out their Quick Memory Book Maker to make a memory book of my own, I was ecstatic.  I was so impressed with the low price – $15 bucks gets you the cut out front cover and 20 pages of photos that you can arrange any way that you want.  Not to mention, 97 cent shipping to your home!

Ok, I may have gone over my 20 pages.  I ended up at 36.  Thankfully, they let me pay to add some on.

I did a video review of my experience below – but basically it was smooth sailing and so easy to use – and the finished product is simply stunning!  Don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself!

Disclosure:  I did receive the memory book for free in order to help Walmart work the bugs out of the new quick memory book maker system (and true to form, I managed to break something – go me!) BUT the opinions expressed here are mine and are in no way, shape, or form influenced by this free product.  If I don’t like it, I don’t talk about it and I certainly won’t recommend it – that’s my promise to you.  For more info, check out my Disclosure Policy.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Ramblers Way Farm. All opinions are 100% mine.

Wool.

Just the word makes me think of the itchy, scratchy, uncomfortable bulky sweaters that I was forced to wear as a child.  I won’t even mention the horrific patterns that they came in.  It’s just that I wonder – why was wool always so uncomfortable?  It always seemed too hot, too scratchy – never the cozy feel that one hopes for in the winter.

Now, imagine a wool that can keep you cool as well as warm.  A wool so soft that it feels amazing next to your skin.  That’s Rambler’s Way wool – wool “re-imagined”.  Check out this Next-to-Skin scoop neck tee – it looks amazing, soft, and so comfortable (I’m actually drooling over it over here – what a perfect basic tee that I would wear all of the time.  Seriously.  ALL. OF. THE. TIME.)

If you want to try it for yourself, you can request a fabric sample on their website.  In the meantime, let me tell you what I learned about Rambler’s Way – and why their wool is the bomb dot com!

• Wool doesn’t wrinkle that easily, or soil easily. It’s naturally resistant to those things, which means you get extra wear out of your Rambler’s Way products.
• Wool is a renewable fiber – means it’s good for the earth and for us too!
• The wool is enzyme treated to resist shrinking when you do toss it in the wash!
• Natural, non-synthetic – no chemicals on this wool, baby!
• Made from American Rambouillet wool, the backbone of the American sheep industry – means it’s USA made – good for the economy.
• Rambouillet wool is superfine – best for garments like the ones that Rambler’s Way makes.

So what do you think?  Does this make you reconsider your perception of wool?

I know it made me reconsider mine!

Greetings from the fabulous though rainy NYC! Two weeks ago, I attended Lara Spencer’s Product-n-Press Summertime Baby in Chelsea and had such a blast previewing new products that included everything from makeup, accessories, and clothing to petwear and a new line of espresso and iced coffee drinks. After totally agonizing over my favorites, I’ve come up with three that are essential to any Chic Shopper Chick—sexy (and slimming!) makeup, a vintage-inspired fashion line full of sophisticated and tailored looks for both day and night, and bold, edgy accessories.

Purple Labs NYC

One of the first tables I visited featured Karen Robinovitz’s Purple Lab NYC makeup line. Purple Lab bills itself as “a fresh, fun innovative brand all about double-duty beauty, a mix of science forward technology and a dose of chic glam into your,” and, let me tell you, their products do not disappoint! I was able to grab a sample of their featured “Huge Lips, Skinny Lips” lipgloss–a lip plumper that comes in a variety of fun and flirty shades that’s infused with orange peel extract (a natural metabolism enhancer) and hoodia (an all-natural plant extract that acts as an appetite-suppressant). And it’s paraben-free! The lip gloss goes on so smoothly and stays on, giving your lips that sexy, tingling sensation of a lip plumper and fantastic color. Plus, who can say no to a makeup that gives you an extra bit of support in getting ready for bikini season? Other fantastic products include “Cheek Implants,” a long-lasting cream blush that’s full of active ingredients that plumps up cheeks and “Lashionista Modelista,” a mascara with a hint of diamond dust. Purple Lab NYC products can be bought online or in-store at Kitson and Scoop.

Yeojin Bae

Yeojin Bae, an extremely talented fashion designer from Melbourne, Australia, was on hand to showcase several gorgeous summer pieces from her self-titled label. Sold in Barneys New York as well as other upscale stores and boutiques world-wide, her line combines detailed tailoring with feminine hues, producing chic daywear and seriously lust-worthy evening wear. The dress that caught my eye—and one that would totally turn every head on 5^th Avenue—was her Maggie Petal cocktail dress in Mint, which Bae expertly pairs with a skinny cantaloupe-colored belt in her summer 2010 lookbook. The color is refreshing, the flower detail is flawless, and the look overall is so unique a summer-y. Perfect for wedding season! For a more casual look that showcases Bae’s vintage inspiration, I absolutely loved her Ruby hand-beaded wrap dress in Sky Blue–also a part of her Summer 2010 collection.

Adha Zelma Jewelry

Created by two long-time best friends, Sheanan Bond and Cherise TrahanMiller, Adha Zelma jewelry is a handcrafted jewelry line that draws its inspiration from natural elements and possesses a distinctly spiritual aesthetic. These embellished tear-drop earrings and cascading necklaces adorned with one-of-a-kind beads, feathers, and stones can dress up any day outfit or add some spice to a simple LBD. A favorite of mine on display were the Sly earrings from the Rock & Bone collection. Described on their website as “4 strands of 24k gold-plated Czech beads accented with duck and goose feathers, bugle beads, onyx, abalone, citrine, howlite, goat teeth, and red chalcedony,” I would pair these earrings with a simple racerback tank, a pair of distressed jean shorts, and some studded gladiator sandals for a rocker-chic day look and a slinky black dress for an elegant but edgy going-out outfit. Adha Zelma jewelry can be bought online on their website or at ShopFlick, as well as in store at several boutiques in Brooklyn, NY.

I was on vacation with my family this past week, and before we left for dinner one night, my two sisters looked so stylish that I ran inside to grab my camera so that I could share it with you.  Both of them pulled off a perfect summer look that was unique and individual to each of them. 

Dawn chose a high-waisted black skirt paired with a blousy striped tank and a fun octopus necklace.

Danielle chose skinny jeans, a smart grey tank, and a bright blue cardigan and a playful scarf in colorful beach tones.

Both of them looked uber chic, but I loved that they had chosen two completely different looks.

What’s your ideal summer look?  Have you created an outfit that you are especially proud of? Send it to us and you just might see yourself gracing the pages of Chic Shopper Chick!