Prince Charming

DIY Halloween

I’m a huge fan of Halloween. Not because I’m a fan of trick or treating or because I’m into anything spooky (I’m the biggest coward ever!), but because I’m a huge fan of dressing up. This year I took it too seriously and did not one, not two, but four costumes. I’m especially a fan of making my own costumes. It’s, like one of my professors said, a chance to be an Art Director and show your creativity.

American Apparel knows this, and is using people’s need to show their creativity as a way to promote their brand and the versatility of their clothes. In their yearly Costume Contest, customers upload their homemade costumes to show off and be scored. The prize is just a a$100 gift certificate, but there’s already 1,163 submissions for this past Halloween.

I’m not going to re-post any of these, but I’ve decided to show my favorite homemade costume made by one of my good friends.

Members Only Bargains

 

When you think of bargain hunting nothing nice comes to mind. You usually associate with crowded racks, pushy women, long lines for the dressing room and an overall unpleasant shopping experience. And there’s always the risk that wehn you find that perfect top/dress/pants/skirts it has a stain/ snag/tear. In my head it’s a little different.

For a while, I’ve been fascinated by the recent rise in members-only shopping web pages. I love going on RueLaLa, Gilt Group and Hautelook to check what the sales are for each day.   They’ve managed to turn crowded and unglamorous sales racks into fabulous exclusive online boutiques. They have sales that last one to two days with prices that are usually 40-70% off.  I have to admit that I quickly became addicted to checking what was on  each day and what fabulous finds I would save money on.  I love everything about the shopping experience. I like feeling I save money, the idea that I’m part of a secret club, the amazing selection of brands, the quick shopping and getting the gorgeously wrapped package with the personalized notes. I’m the ideal customer.

As an advertising student I’m amazed at how the marketing aspect of these webpages work. They opened a nische market in a seemingly overcrwoded internet. They found a way to tap into the demographic of big spenders, and those who want to be big spenders, by  packaging a sales rack in a much more alluring shopping experience. To get customers they rely on word of mouth and since women love secrets, especially shopping secrets, this method has been a hit. That, along with a $10 credit incentive has women sharing memberships with all their friends and taking the advertising aspect away from the online sotre’s hands. According to a Wall Street Journal, 

The private-sale business avoids two common pitfalls of online commerce: low margins due to inventory costs and spending on online ads. Marketing centers on email blasts to members. And by carrying only a few dozen styles, often out of season, the sites are able to keep a lid on inventory spending.

They not only manage to save themselves money, but also their clients. The time limit also ads pressure for the consumer and they think less about buying things. I’ve been about to buy things that have sold out and because of that (and to their benefit) I’ve learned to act quickly when I do want something. They don’t skimp on the shopping experience though. The web-pages are extremely user friendly and make sure that the shopping experience is special up to the point where you get your package. You get your quality goods in a gift box with a letter and  in some cases other perks. RueLaLa has RueLaLa business cards which you can use to give to your friends and invite them to join the site. It sure beats shopping at Marshall’s or TJMax’s crowded racks to try to find some fancy bargains.

I might be a bit biased since I love bargains and I love shopping, but there’s definitely a future for these pages. There’s a reason why there’s so many popping up. Brands, clients and investors love them. I’m not the only one.

If you’re interested in some bargains, here’s a link for a membership to Rue La La (by far, my favorite)

http://www.ruelala.com/invite/didisworld

All Together Now

Those who know me well know that I usually make fun of these things, but I couldn’t help it. I’m intrigued (and slightly obsessed) with this new Budweiser ad:

and this is what hapenned when I put together a couple of friends, a ton of time, and some beer.

Yes, that’s me and of course you’re allowed to laugh.

Better Late than Never

Americans tend to be innovative (or in some cases claim they are), but this is far from new.  Allure’s Daily Beauty Reporter  mentioned delivery  beauty treatments  as if they were a completely unique and ingenious concept. Coming from the Dominican Republic, I beg to differ. You can have anything done at home: blowouts, manicures, pedicures and massages. Though Allure mentions this as a perfect service for elderly women that can’t get themselves to a beautiful salon, in Santo Domingo it’s used by women of all ages.  In most cases it’s not more expensive than visiting your local beauty parlor and much more comfortable. 

visit the allure link HERE.

I’m a fan of this, and I know a lot of my friends are too. (Just ask my friend Moli)

Hopefully, the US will catch on to this pretty soon, but knowing US beauty prices it’s bound to be quite expensive.

via Allure

I WANT

This is Hermes’s new bag the Birkin Shadow. I love this take on the Birkin by Jean Paul Gaultier. Do any of you have $11,000 to spare and feel like giving it to me?

Via NotCouture

Playlist : Amargate

 

I did some excessive traveling last weekend and I found some of my old playlists. It humored me that my old playlists have titles that are clear definitions of what they are:

Amargate (Sadden), Algrate (Get Happy), Duermete (Go to Sleep), Despiertate (Wake Up)…

 

So here’s a list of the songs in one fo them. These are the saddest songs I’ve heard,  in no particualr order.

 

Amargate

1. Colin Hay- I just don’t think I’ll ever get over you
2. The Cure- To Wish Impossible Things
3. Dashboard Confessional- Ghost of a Good Thing
4. Dashboard Confessional- For you to notice
5. Dishwalla- Every Little Thing
6. Enanitos Verdes- Eterna Soledad
7. Incubus- I miss you
8. Ingrid Michaelson – Masochist
9. James Blunt- Tears and Rain
10. Joaquin Sabina- Amores que Matan
11. Kid Loco- A Little Bit of Soul
12. Madeleine Peyroux- You’re going to make me lonesome when you go
13. Matchbox 20- If You’re Gone
14. Pepe Aguilar- Miedo
15. Pink Floyd- Comfortably Numb
16. Ray Charles ft. Diana Krall- You Don’t Know Me
17. Wilco- Hate it Here
18. Alejandro Sanz- Tu No Tienes Alma
19. John Mayer - Slow Dancing in  burning Room

 

more playlists to come…enjoy

I hate goodbye’s

I’m not graduating this year, but I’m leaving Boston for a long time and I can’t help but think about all the little and big things I’m going to miss. I feel like venting, and here’s a list of some of those things.Boston Things I’m going to miss:

1. My whole foods addictions (that special honey mustard, goat cheese salad, the little flavored yogurts, the salad bar, the chicken salad sandwich, the larger than most cupcakes)
2. the 3 Little Pigs
3. the concierges in my building  ( Ralph and Herb make this feel like home)
4. my neighborhood where I actually feel I know people.
5. anna’s taqueria’s tacos al pastor
6. Wee my manicurist. She’s the best of the best. And the nicest person ever.
7. my  broken in and broken couch (ask anyone, it’s the best)
8. wine nights at my house
9. all the shoes I’m going to have to leave behind
10. The Hill’s breakfast BLT.
11. Fig‘s Fig Pizza
12. useless days with Moe
13. SFR Runs and Matt dancing while driving
14. my room, my bed, my pillow
15. my bookshelf — i don’t believe in throwing out books and love having them all lined up.
16. My DVR!!!! ( I loooooove it. I dont know when any of my favorite shows are done because he/it/she figures everythign out for me)
17. being only 4 hours away from home
18. but mostly: the friends that go to matinees with me, the friends that eat brunch with me, the friends that take cooking classes with me, the friends that watch satc reruns with me, the friends that have couch time with me, the friends that pretend to diet with me, the friends that make me want to become a better person, the partying friends, the library friends and the lazy friends.

Some of them sound snotty, but they’re the little things that make me, laugh, smile or just feel content.