{Such A} Recessionista Shop n' Swap

This past Sunday, despite the grey dreary day, I ventured north to the wilds of West Chester for the Cincy Chic "Recessionista Shop n' Swap". Held at the West Chester Conference Center, the event was billed as a fabulous day of fashion, shopping, games and prizes. Armed with four items marked for giveaway, in I went to try my hand at swapping.

First, a few words about my items. I chose to take only four things, thinking that if I took too much, check-in would take forever, and if I took too few, I'd have no swapping power with the rest of the recessionistas. My four items were chosen because 1. they were fashionable and 2. they didn't fit anymore. My fingers were crossed that two dresses, a white button-down and a cream tulip skirt would amount to moola for me.

Score! I traded my items in and received $100 in swap cash. Swap cash, for those not initiated in the lingo, are dollars that you spend strictly on items in a clothing swap. Donna Spiegel from the Snooty Fox evaluated my items, and initially offered me $80 in swap cash, but then upped it to $100 when she noticed that one of the sundresses was a Tori Burch. Yes, I swapped a Tori Burch -- see #2 above as to why.

With my cash in hand, I started browsing the items on the rack. Snooty Fox volunteers were busy tagging and hanging all the swap clothing.The items were supposedly hung by size on specially created racks, but after a few minutes I could tell that the semblance of sizing order wasn't going to last...I watched one rather large woman take an armful of clothes and move them from the size 14 end of the rack, down to the zeros. Above the clothing, shelves held a variety of accessories including shoes, hats and purses.

Selection varied throughout the course of the day, but for the most part it was so-so. As Amy Storer-Scalia pointed out, "For a free event, you're going to get all types of clothes". I did find items that I wanted, but ironically I got them from a friend who also came to the swap. Here is what I wound up with:
1. Miu Miu Dress
2. Forever 21 black/white cap sleeve shirt
3. Red satin cami with white lace inset at neck
4. Black/white spaghetti strap top
5. White House/Black Market Black Pinstripe Pants
6. Forever 21 Aqua tank with front lace panel
7. An ugly black Coldwater Creek short sleeve shirt (see below for the why)
8. A fab pair of crimson platform heels (DID NOT FIT!)

Outside of the swap, there were oodles of great clothing, jewelry and handbag vendors. My personal fave, Missy DeGroot was there from DeGroot Handbags with her purses, as were Miche Bags and Paolo. I know I saw at least three tables loaded with sparkly jewelry - necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Finally, the clothing. Snooty Fox of course represented with treasures culled from their area stores, but other local boutiques included Splurge, Miss Martha's Dress Shop, Missy and Jack and my new favorite -- M641. I had the pleasure of chatting with Ina (@M641 on Twitter) who is clearly going to become a good friend...not only is she extremely friendly and knowledgable, but her fashion advice is top-notch. At her request, I purchased a rather ugly, shapeless black Coldwater Creek short sleeve shirt. Pin a brooch her, add a swatch of fabric across the middle and voila! You have a beautiful spring shirt. I would've never thought to dress up the shirt to make it wearable and cute. Hopefully Ina will be able to offer tips to Redkatblonde readers again soon.

Rounding out the list of who's who at the Recessionista Shop n' Swap were Kelly Long, a certified financial planner and Kristen Monroe of Qfact Market Research. Kelly shared frugalista beauty tips including asking your stylist to touch up only your regrowth if you get your hair colored, "I only ask her to touch up my roots when they start to sparkle!" Kristen was there to find respondants for one of her market research surveys -- each of which pays you for your time. Sign up. Make money. Go shop!

At 4pm we were treated to a fashion show emceed by Constance from WB64, and DJ'ed by Brian from Q102. Each model strutted an outfit and handbag supplied by a participating Shop n' Swap vendor. I saw lots of cute things, but yikes! Some of the items were, well, total splurges and not recessionista at all. Me being me, I still loved them and will probably still purchase them. Clearly I'll be doing a few market research studies to pay for the cute hoodies I saw from Elizabeth's Closet!

My take? Go to shop and swap events, and go often. Take your middle of the road items for swap and prepare to find good wardrobe building basics, as well as a few attention-getting pieces. If you can't find a shop and swap locally, grab a bunch of girlfriends, buy a bottle or three of wine and trade clothes with each other. Everyone comes out ahead!

(Such A) Passion for Fashion

Passion for Fashion
From a casual night with the girls to a formal affair with your man, use these fashionista tips to ensure that your Valentine's Day attire is nothing less than chic.

No matter if your happily hitched or single and searching, use these Cupid couture tips to make everyone fall in love with your wooing Valentine's Day wardrobe.

Cupid may be stupid, casual doesn't have to mean throwing on an old sweater and jeans to toast your favorite Hallmark holiday. Instead, try dressing it up a bit by adding a romantic-inspired ruffled blouse in fiery red to your best-fitting dark denim. Red is generally a universally flattering color, so unlike its popular pale-pink Valentine color counterpart, you can wear it and not be completely washed out.

For added pop, layer on a big, bright glittery necklace with bold gemstones and brass or gold links. Try "Millie's Eating Contest" by designer Rachel Leigh (yes, that's the name of the necklace!). You can find the necklace at Madeira's The Wardrobe. Keep the rest of your jewelry to a minimum, and finish off your look with either strappy black sandals (no snow) or high-impact, pointy boots (snow).

Take your sexy self to Bar Louie and celebrate with their "Top Gun"-themed event. If you're really inspired, add aviators a la Kelly McGillis. Or, ruffle some feathers with a cream ruffle Geren Ford dress with a black bow cinch waist, also at The Wardrobe, when you drop in on all the singletons enjoying the annual CincyUpdate Jilted Lovers Party.

If a formal date is on tap for V-day, guarantee your man's gaze never leaves you by taking the little black dress to the next level. Instead of a plain black dress, try a white dress with strong, black geometric stripes and patterns. The majority of designers at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week showed black on white dressy looks in everything from pantsuits to cocktail dresses.

Add a pashmina wrap for warmth, and instead of jewelry, consider carrying an oversized statement purse. Clifton's Mustard Seed boutique has an authentic Hermes Birkin Bag for sale right now (originally $60K, a relative steal for $15K), but if Hermes is a bit rich for your budget, local designer Missy DeGroot creates true arm candy with her bold purses in a rainbow of colors and styles. Choose a bag in fire-engine red to add a splash of color to your ensemble. Now that you're glam to go, make reservations to see the Cincinnati Men's Chorus perform "That's Amore" at Below Zero lounge…a night complete with appetizers and sparkling wine .

Romance is in the air and all over Cincinnati, restaurants are rolling out the red carpets for couples seeking to enjoy a candlelit dinner date to celebrate Valentine's Day. If you're in the mood for love, opt for a feminine and sexy dress in a soft fabric. Magenta is a great transition color from winter to spring, and in a pretty fabric like silk or satin, is so versatile. Snap Boutique in Hyde Park carries a sweet dress, perfect for dinner dates. Keep it soft by pairing it with either long, silver chain necklaces, or one elegant pearl necklace. Slip on a pair of matching heels, and you'll have an elegant look worthy of new fashion icon Michelle Obama. Brown Dog Cafe in Blue Ash is offering a special love-themed menu for Valentine's Day, but be sure to make a reservation as seating is extremely limited!

From a night out with your best girlfriends to a date with your sweetheart, this Valentine's Day dress to impress in fine fashions from any of Cincinnati's chic boutiques, and be ready for any type of date that may come your way.

(Such a) Interview with Patty Brisben

I was fortunate enough to be hired by Cincy Chic to interview Patty Brisben, CEO of Pure Romance. Below is the interview...enjoy!

Making Sex Sell
Love is in the air, and no one knows the business of love better than Patty Brisben, CEO of Pure Romance. See what's new with her booming business and get Patty's tips for celebrating Valentine's Day with your sweetheart.

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Cincy Chic: To start, what do you consider the highlight of your career?

Patty Brisben: The highlight of my career has been the ability to empower women and give them permission to comfortably explore their bodies, intimacy and sexual health. Women should demand better relationships in and out of the bedroom, and I'm so excited that I have been able to contribute to this movement.
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Cincy Chic: How has Pure Romance grown? Any plans to expand internationally?

Brisben: Pure Romance is not officially international, though we do have consultants who are working overseas in countries throughout the world. We also have plans to expand internationally in the next five years, but for now we are focusing on reinforcing and expanding the markets we have built within the states. Pure Romance is projecting to do over $80 million in retail sales in 2009.
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Cincy Chic: We'd love to hear about your fun and interesting experiences developing and naming new products! Care to share?

Brisben: I work with an amazing team of mostly women when developing and naming our products. This works out well because this primarily reflects our target market. We make sure our products are always tested before they ever hit the warehouse shelves, and we do this by presenting potential items to our 200-plus board members (who are the top consultants in the company).

Naming the products is really so much fun, and we are lucky to have a creative staff. We include everyone in the process from executive staff to packers and pullers in operations.
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Cincy Chic: With Valentine's Day right around the corner, tell us how Pure Romance celebrates the "love" holiday.

Brisben: Back in the late '80s, early '90s when I was a consultant, I had so many requests for parties around Valentine's Day I just couldn't fulfill all of them. I didn't want to play favorites either, so I decided to do an "Open House" in a local conference room so that everyone could attend and purchase products there. It was so popular it became a tradition every year and typically would take place the weekend before Valentine's Day.

To this day, the tradition continues with Pure Romance's Valentine's Day Warehouse Sale. It's the only time of the year we open our doors to the public, and both men and women are able to shop straight from the warehouse shelves as well as ask questions to consultants monitoring the floor. Couples love this since men only shop at www.PureRomance.com and our parties are for women only. This year the sale runs Feb. 6 to Feb. 14 from noon to 8 p.m. every day except Valentine's Day, which is 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Cincy Chic: It's Valentine's Day: Where do you go, what do you do? Any local recommendations for a date?

Brisben: Instead of following the crowd and making reservations at the local restaurant, I would suggest picking out a new recipe the couple has never tried and tell them to cook it together on Valentine's Day. Cooking can be sexy and fun, and if you've ever seen the film "9 1/2 Weeks" you'll find there are some very creative ways to come up with dessert!
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Cincy Chic: What are some of your tips for longevity as a couple?

Brisben: One of my best pieces of advice is to always communicate. If a couple decides to start a family, I always remind them to dedicate as much time and energy toward their children as one another. Too often couples become consumed with the day-to-day responsibilities of raising kids and forget to nurture their own relationship. One of the best gifts you can give your children is setting a positive example and showing them their parents love and care about each another.
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Cincy Chic: What's the best advice for a couple to resolve an argument?

Brisben: Couples should set the grounds for an argument before they even have their first fight. Conflict is inevitable in relationships, so it's important that couples agree they will always respect one another, never hit "below the belt" and fight fair.
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Cincy Chic: Finally, can we get a list of your favorite Pure Romance products?

Brisben:
1. Pure Romance Between the Sheets is my first book. I took the 25 years of experience I've had as a Consultant and CEO/founder of Pure Romance. It's truly a comprehensive look at intimacy, including everything from sexual health issues to communication in and out of the bedroom.

2. We're at the height of the cold, and one of the best ways to boost the immune system is through massage. Couple the Pure Romance's soy-based Burning Desire candle with the Hot Heart Massager to simulate a hot stone massage in the comfort of your home. Massage has also been noted to have therapeutic qualities and helps to open the doors of communication between couples.

3. I developed Ex-T-Cee more than 16 years ago when I first started Pure Romance, and it's still one of our top sellers to this day! We're definitely living in a world of low libido, and this topical arousal cream is a wonderful way to enhance foreplay and intimacy for women in the bedroom.

4. The Jelly Tool Belt is a wonderful couples toy that"'levels the playing field" between men and women. Men are like microwaves and women are like crock-pots. Let's face it: Women often need a little more time to get in the mood! You should always pair c-rings with a creamy lubricant like Lickity Stiff.

5. Sometimes it can be arousing to put all of your focus on your partner. A great product for this is the Super Stretch. It's a very versatile product that can be used alone or incorporated into lovemaking. Many women actually will pack it in their boyfriend's/husband's suitcase when he will be away on a business trip. Just be sure to always pair with a creamy lubricant like Whipped.

6. 7th Heaven is an amazing bedroom toy for women that can be used alone or with a partner! It's a great product for women who are exploring their own pleasure points, and it helps them to better communicate those hot spots to their partner. With seven different speeds/pulsations it offers a unique pleasurable experience every time!

7. I like to think of Bling Bling as a bedroom toy that is literally a piece of art in the bedroom! Encrusted with rhinestones, it lives up to its name and is sure to deliver a lot more pleasure than your every day piece of jewelry! All of our toys should be used with lubricants, and in this case I would recommend Pure Romance's Sweet Seduction.

Such a fine purse

Has anyone else purchased a DeGroot handbag? They are only the most fabulous handbags in the entire world...and I do not exaggerate. When I have men telling me my purse is great, you know that it's a mega-star of a purse. If you haven't purchased one, and are dying to, you're in luck! Cincy Chic is hosting a lunchtime trunk show for DeGroot Handbags. I am madly in love with my bright red Isis Tote. The event takes place at AVS Gallery in downtown Cincinnati.