frugal fashionista

the last 8 months i have been putting in long hours at work, spending my time and energy with the Last Call Neiman Marcus team. i call it my home, these people are my family, and we just launched today what we have put our hearts into. 

www.lastcall.com

                                             

go be frugal, go be fashionable! you may never leave!

vintage Gucci

I am a lucky girl. i have this amazing grandmother. she has a true passion for fashion, fashion that has a story, makes a memory, and provides a speciality feeling. she is my reason for what i do daily.  every once and a while my sister and i venture into her closet (its a room not a closet, its about the size of my apartment). so you can only imagine the fun we have in there picking out things that we love, placing piles of jewelry on ourselves, wrapping scarves around our neck, pulling the clear drawers open with her beautiful manolo blahniks, and grabbing clutches from their protective cloths and drooling over the vintage, the new, the old, the unique. sometimes we get to walk away with a little precious gift and usually its either because my sister has begged for an item because we are just flabbergasted by the complete awesomeness or she has a story behind the item, doesn't wear it enough to make it as special as it really is, and we walk away with something new. 

years ago my sister brought home this gorgeous vintage Gucci tote, that was barely holding together by the handles. every single use was a delicate and scary moment, because these handles could break at any point. well they broke, and this poor bag sat in the closet with broken handles, for almost a year.

so one day, while at my parents house, i was helping my parents clean out some closets, and i saw vintage Gucci. so sad in the closet and untouched, it was kind of ironic, because i was wanting something new to freshen up my wardrobe but really didn't have the money to splurge on something special. so i took this bag home with me and decided i would take it to Dino's (Dino's is similar to God, they fix shoes, bags, belts, leather accessories, but they do it to the extreme and at a very reasonable price). Dino's is in Highland Park Village next to MiCocina and Anthropoligie, and I recommend that every goes there to save their shoes and handbags. 

I handed my bag to the man at the cashier (in my mind I believe he was Dino, because he seemed so sincere, serious, and passionate about what i was about to hand him). So "Dino" took the bag and asked it's story and as I told this story, this bag felt even more special then just a sweet present from my grandmother's closet. this bag had traveled with her, and been more places i probably had. "Dino" said "I can defiantly fix these handles, and if you would like I could clean up some of the stitching, and make this look brand new." My eyes lit up with hope and excitement. 

Ten days later I went to Dino's and picked up my vintage Gucci, and with more happiness then I could imagine, I paid only $80 for new leather handles, re-stitching, and a little bit of polish; the best $80 I have ever spent. I had tears in my eyes as I walked to my car with my " new purchase"

skinny girl

this past weekend i got to catch up on Bettheny Frankel's show, Bethenny. I giggle at her show constantly and cannot get a hold of myself. but i also really love her healthy habits, fit body, and sense of humor. i traveled to her website, www.bethenny.com, and couldn't peel myself away from it. i literally can hear her verbalizing the words on the website, and mostly she uses her sense of humor to intrigue her viewers and followers, and that really keeps me watching. she just makes me laugh. i may becoming just a little obsessed with her...but i don't mind, i think she is kind of awesome. 

so because of my small, minute obsession, i decided to order her book, Naturally Thin. i cannot wait to get this in the mail and start reading it. 

i also am going to have to pick up a bottle of her Skinny Girl Margarita next time I go to the store. 

lightbulb

i like to think i know a lot of things..you know the little things people don't think about, such as toothpaste acts as a really great jewelry cleaner...farecast.com is a great flight predictor ( i trust it when booking my flights)...glass tupperware is safer then plastic tupperware...retailmenot.com saves me from shipping charges when shopping online...you can use a wire hanger to organize rolls of present wrapping ribbon..the little things. but i am compulsively obsessed with magazine tear outs. i tag a page, tear it out, then i place it in an a very organized binder by subject, and place it into the clear protective sleeve. some may think i am crazy but in the end i always have the things that interest me, the recipes that i love, and my favorite inspirations organized to my simple reach.

oh sweet peanut

so i mentioned my best friend had her baby! oh yes he so stinkin' cute! i cannot wait to meet the little guy! but until then i got him so gifts i just hope he (and mommy Leah) love and can't get enough of!

every baby needs a stuffed animal that they tote with them from the beginning till the end. i could not resist on getting him anything but the best, so of course I went to Neiman Marcus. there are just so many great gifts you can get a baby but this little guy will be perfect in peanuts little crib. he is a sweet little thing.

jellycat junglie monkey

another great brand of goodies for a good baby are some products that will keep this baby soft, healthy, and clean. none the else i had to get peanut & leah some great products for bathing. Noodle and Boo is a line made by a mother herself. so this stuff really fulfills its needs for a baby's soft little body.

noodle & boo super soft lotion (mom can use this on herself too)

noodle & boo ultimate ointment (this will keep the tushy diaper rash free)

but i have to say the ultimate item any baby needs is a blanket. a blanket they can carry for years and years and is super soft to the touch. also with a little personality. so of course i turned to one of my favorite vendors Boogie Baby. Ellie from Boogie Baby is one of the sweetest most honest people I have ever worked with so of course I had to get one of her blankets for this little guy. of course i had his real name (Dominic) on the blanket, although I was so tempted to put his nickname. this also (based on verbal description), will match peanuts room. 

boogie baby football blanket

I can't wait for Leah, Chris, and Peanut to get the gifts because right now that is as close as I can get to them. Hoping for a trip this summer to visit my best friend and her beautiful baby. 

peanut

last october i got a message from my best friend that she was pregnant. we hadn't spoken in sometime so it kind of came to a shock to me, but through weekly phone conversations, i grew to love this little guy. i would ask Leah (my best friend) a million questions about pregnancy (as i do to anyone who is pregnant), i mean you could ask a million questions and still not have them all answered!

but as this baby was growing in Leah's stomach, they didn't have a name, so i named him peanut, i refer to him as peanut all the time. i felt like by giving him that name, it gave him a purpose, he was no longer an it, or referred to as the baby. he was peanut.

i have really fallen in love with this baby, and March 26th i get a text from leah she wants to call me because she wants to just catch up. didn't hear from her, assuming she crashed after work. i wake up to a text message "so my water broke, i will call you later with details." as i gasped for air, i am thinking to myself, the baby isn't due for another month!! he was early but completely ready to be in this world!

36 hours later, Dominic Peter born 3.28.10, 6lb's 15 oz, 20 inches long. now that he has been named, i have yet to depart from the name peanut. i can't let it go, and today while talking to the new mommy, she told me she refers to him as her little peanut, and they melted my heart. i know i may not be blood, but i feel like i have become an aunt and can't wait to meet this little guy. i also can't wait to visit leah, chris, and peanut because i haven't seen leah for almost three years, yet i talk to her at least once a week. if it was my choice i would talk to her everyday. i love leah to pieces, am so proud of her and Chris, and in love with the little peanut.

these boots are made for walkin'

i love being a texas girl!!! cowboy boots are such a great accessory to a floral dress, with leggings, skinny jeans, tights, etc. but recently i went on a journey to help someone find the perfect boots (i already had mine). there are so many places in dallas to shop for cowboy boots, but the best are the ones that are warehouse style, with boots just lining the walls!

(so colorful!)

so chic with a black summer dress, big shades, and a big bag!

even with a wedding dress

But one thing I became educated on during our hunt for great boots was a fabulous brand, Ferrini! Ferrini makes great leather accessories, men's shoes, but most importantly fabulous cowboy boots! they use the most divine leather from alligator, ostrich, crocodile, lizard, kangaroo, and python. the boots are also comfortable and will last a lifetime! they distribute to places all over the country so find a western warehouse and find those boots that will be worth the price and last a life time! We were successful!!!!! (mine are not Ferrini, but these men's boots, are fabulous!)

(mine are just cute because they are tiny, but how sexy are those men's boots!)

get ready!

chicago, here i come

so with my new job we have a week in the Executive Development Program where we do a store rotation. it is to help us better our knowledge on how the department managers run their store, stock levels, handling and catering to our customers, managing the sales team, and the list goes on. the cool part about this week, we can do it in any Neiman Marcus store in the country! so of course this was my chance for a "vacation"!

i was disputing between San Francisco, my favorite city in the country, or Chicago. both of these places would be absolutely fun, but i had to think of the logical place. now San Fran would have been the best because that Neiman Marcus is a little unique, it has gorgeous building structure and design that i have never seen in a Neiman Marcus before, but because the travel to and from the actual store would be more difficult, San Francisco is out

i have chosen to go to Chicago. totally excited for a million and one reasons. i will be staying with my sister (my best friend) for like 10 days. her poor husband will be sick of us by the end of these 10 days because we are like two ridiculous kids when you put us together. i will be working at the Michigan Avenue store (hopefully/most likely). there are many reasons that i am excited for Chicago and Michigan Avenue Neiman Marcus, but i will let you in on the best reasons.

1. lunch and dinner dates with my sister at the Zodiac. the Zodiac has the best food, but the ultimate favorite part of the meal is the popovers! these things are absolutely delicious. they are served with strawberry butter that is divine. the popovers aren't good without this Strawberry butter. (little secret, i can order these any day i want from Bar 6 at the Dallas Neiman Marcus where my office is located. if you add a bowl of their other famous divine food, the chicken broth, the meal is under $4, awesome). me and sissy just love to eat these and just talk. thank you popovers for coming into my life!

2. getting to ride the Elle Train. in Dallas we don't get the luxury of a free ($5/day) ride

to work. every morning when i get to drive to work in Dallas, i have to think hard, pay attention to the traffic, rush through the parking garage, which plays music that reminds me of a circus, and walk heavily fast by all the bums on the empty streets of downtown Dallas. the Elle has so much to offer, people watching, time to think about life, and the maturity that a real adult feels in a big city! Although i don't know how to really take the Elle, my brother in law already told me which trains to get on, so i think I can handle it now! thanks Ad!

3. time with my sissy and brother. sorry scott didn't mention you before, but i get to see him to. i love my brother, he is the cutest thing. now that we are adults, i think the three of us together are more childlike now, then we were when we were children. we can workout together, shop together, visit family together, and just be together. its not often the three of us are all together so it will be great to be together, the three of us. (yes they left me out of this picture, terrible sad as you can tell, but i still love them)

so as you can see this is a very exciting treat for me during a crazy time at work, it will get to be a little exciting for a little change. i know that Chicago is a little different then Dallas, people, ethics, culture, all of it, but i am excited to shove my little Texas self into a little bit of Chicago. And to bring the true culture of Neiman Marcus from the original store on Main Street, I have a lot to bring to you Chicago, get ready!

airplane bathroom

i have been working for Neiman Marcus in the buying office for 2 years and seven months. i had a great office working in the children's buying office for these 2 plus years. i learned so much and made some great friends. the great part of working in the kids office is that i could fit in most of the clothes we bought, and i enjoyed looking at the new seasons lines seasons in advance before they appear on the site or in the stores. i dealt with samples, photography, order writing, editing, working with a great team, meeting great vendors, and i made some best friends. as of January 11th, i was promoted, yah!! but it was a bittersweet goodbye. i am so excited for my next steps as an assistant buyer, but was truly sad to leave a business i grew completely fond of, but also leave behind my group. these girls were so outstanding to work with and i walked away with best friends. you ladies know who you are. on my last day in the office there were tears, but i had to capture my office in a picture. there were four of us in an office with no window and the size of an airplane bathroom. it was kind of like living in a sorority house, but we didn't have to sleep or shower in the same place. we talked about love, life, goals, and anything my best friends know, my office knew it to. going to work every morning was always a privilege and a great therapy session to talk about everything and anything. i miss these ladies deeply but am so excited to have great relationships with them outside our airplane bathroom, goodbye to comfort, hello to opportunity.

my desk

i miss you!

san francisco*

a few weeks ago i got to travel to visit some friends and family in San Francisco. i haven't been since i was 18, so i was extremely excited to go at a time in my life when i really value my "vacation days" and can grasp the atmosphere of different cities. so i thought i would take tons of pictures because i got this awesome camera that i was dying for for the holidays (nikon 3000), but you start to feel like such a tourist in a city like this, with it wrapped around my neck. but anyways it was an incredible trip. from great restaurants, beautiful sunsets, eating on an ironing board as a table, visiting Berkley University, walking The Haight, tai food (my first time trying it), seeing great friends, sitting by the fireplace on a cold day, watching old family videos, and giggling with my cousins, i couldn't have had a better vacation (mini vacation). i cried the whole plane ride home.

imperfectly perfect

the new year is around the corner and i always like to make new years resolutions, but i like to do them before the new year, so i start them early on. i believe it is important to always have a new years resolution whether its an action, emotion, or goal you set, its important to improve yourself every day of every year. i have come up with a few that i think will make me feel better but also be better to those in my life. there is always room for improvement. no one is perfect just imperfectly perfect

1. clean less : i am what you could call crazy when it comes to cleaning and organization, and i need to learn to be a little less "ocd". everyone in my life could agree with that. people think i am crazy (i don't really care), so to be a little less crazy i can handle.

2. make the conscious effort to stay in better touch with my friends near and far. i am pretty good at that because i call my besties at least twice a week, but sometimes phone tag happens and its a long standing game that can go on for weeks, and since my best friends live all over the country one living out of the country. my friends are my heart.

3. take up more pilates & yoga. over the years i have lost the flexibility in my body, and as i get older (less younger), the body handles things differently, i believe a young body equals a young mind, and being young is to me what makes life fabulous.

release*

“a gait in which at some point all feet are off the ground at the same time” Also known as running. Running lets me go to the place where all thoughts are released and I am free from all stress, troubles, thoughts, and I can run towards all the dreams that I crave. the first two miles are the hardest and from there it gets easier, the increase of speed, means the increase of release on my mind. I don’t think running is the best thing for the body since the impact is intense on all joints and bones, but that doesn’t matter when you are running with emotion. I guess you can call me an avid runner but I only allow three miles. If I feel the need to sweat more then I allow four miles, but three is perfect. It also burns 375 calories for those three miles, it keeps me in shape in mind and body. its my release

In loving memory of Lois Ann Schuster Freundlich

To my sweet Nana, you are always in our hearts

Lois Ann Schuster Freundlich, beloved wife of Edward Freundlich for 60 years, passed away peacefully on Oct. 10, 2009. Born Dec. 9, 1929 in Chicago, she was a wonderful, compassionate, sweet, loving person. She married Edward on Dec. 3, 1949 and devoted her life to family whom she loved so very much and for whom she gave endless hugs and kisses. We will always remember her smiles, warmth and generous heart, her love of cooking, every holiday, parties with dear friends and anything joyous. Her home was open to all and always a place of much love and happiness. In addition to her husband, Edward Freundlich, she leaves behind her son, Edward Freundlich, Jr. and his wife, Susan and their children, Evan and Sara; her son, Andrew Freundlich and his wife, Carrie and their children, Amy, her husband, Adam Gregor, Melissa and Scott; and her daughter, Susan Zimmerman, her husband, Richard, their children, Katie and Bill. She also leaves behind her dear brother Jerry Schuster, dear sister-in-law Mary Lou Schuster, and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and many friends that she spent so many wonderful years with. She is now with her mother Lorraine, father Jerome, brother Jack, and sister-in-law Elaine and many other loved ones. Private only memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Midwest Palliative & Hospice Care Center, Skokie, IL or a charity of your choice.

On October 10th, 2009, we lost our loving Nana to Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is a progressive and fatal disease which destroys brain cells, causing memory loss and problems with thinking and behavior, severe enough to affect daily life activities. Today Alzheimer's is the seventh-leading cause of death in today's society. It was a long several years of watching our Nana lose her memory. Deep down she still had memory of her husband, our amazing Papa. The love they shared was an unconditional fairy tale love that every person is looking for in their life. They are lucky to have each other, and are an inspiration for those in love, looking for love, or waiting for love. I admire them both, the commitment to their children, grandchildren, and each other. We know Nana is in a safe place, much happier place, and is missed by all her children and grandchildren every day.

all that jazz

sequin leggings, the buzz has grown and they are ever so popular this season!

expressfashion.com $98

the glitz & glam has sparked the fashionista in me. as i have been "cutting back" on my spending, i have allowed myself to only shop for the needs, but these leggings will have to be bought soon. leggings have been such a hot trend for the last year and its great to see the new legging in a fanciful form.

victoriassecret.com $88.50

neimanmarcus.com $348, La Rok (i want you but can't afford you)

sequin leggings I will find you, this may just have to be an expensive indulgence to perk up my with-drawl of shopping, they have been worth the wait!!

teeny halloweeny

dear amy...thank you for the embarassament

dear all readers, my sister decided to take some pictures out of the vault to paint a picture of what halloween means to her. but i want to put it out there, that my mother always dressed us alike. always, from corny holiday sweaters, halloween sweatshirts, but thats what made people believe we were twins. to this day people still think we are like twins.

so in order to get back at my sister for the lovely photos, i just decided to take it all the way and post a video, please enjoy. this video is my little brothers 1st birthday, he is our teeny halloweeny. he is the only reason i love halloween, he is the cutest most adorable little thing i have ever seen. i love him so much. please ignore my 4 inch thick glasses, and the two mullets that my sister and i are modeling. enjoy our teeny halloweeny on his 1st birthday (1989), i heart you scott*

Basic Black

so i have been reading this book called basic black: the essential guide for getting ahead in work and in life by cathie black

cathie is the president of hearth magazines. she is in charge of the great magazines cosmopolitian & marie claire, which i am sure everyone has heard of. this book offers invaluable lessons that will help you land the job, promotion, or project you are vying for; cathie provides personal stories of her own and other women that have been valuable in her life. as i read this, the one thing missing from this book is the fashion, but as i read it, all i can think about is the basic black necessities in fashion that these women should be wearing while conquering their successful careers. so i decided to share some of the "basic" blacks that i think every woman should have in her closet (not all these are work appropriate, but i love them)

a little ruffle goes along way

from work to play

one shoulder, a great new trend that leaves a little sexy

these are my must have accessory when the leaves have fallen and we hit our cold months (in dallas that means december)

and who doesn't love a little Louboutin

are you ready for some football

that's right ladies, it's football season, the men hibernate into bars, homes, basements, where ever they can get away from us, but let me tell you something i have learned, football is fun to watch. the adrenaline rush you get when that hot body runs down the field, so worth watching. i have to say there are some good looking football players, but the best ones are the ones with the great touch down dance.

but if you don't find this amusing, sorry ladies, you are going to have a very boring fall, because these men are obsessed with the "fantasy football" and the "real football", i know its sick. i suggest you get down to the googling, and google your fingers away and read up on your football statistics, so when you finally get your man to take you to dinner, you can find something to really intrigue him with, football. that's all that makes these men happy. i honestly love football, love finding a great team to root for. it really impresses these men. so just a little information on my favorite football player : Marion Barber, he is known for "the stiff arm" i love him for this. when he gets the ball he puts that arm out and just pushes all these big boys down and runs it into the endzone, unbelievable! i love it. so please if you have learned anything, pick a player talk about it with your man, he will be head over heels for you.

a good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. ~Lois Wyse

that's right my best friend is coming to Dallas! i haven't seen her since we graduated in May 2007, so it's been 2 & 1/2 years. long time. i haven't seen alot of my great friends from college because we live all over the U.S., but i am super excited, i mean there are no words to how excited i am to see her. here's a little bit about our friendship. we both joined pi beta phi our sophomore years of college. we had been randomly selected to be roommates, along with another girl in our house. every semester it was house policy to switch rooms, and every time we would choose to be in a room together. our friendship grew from day one, and we really are so much alike. she is just like a sister to me. what's great is we both have amazing sisters that we are lucky to add each other into our lives. as senior year was ending, that last semester we really embraced each other, and became best friends. through some of the hardest times we were there for each other, leaned on each other, and giggled with each other. we went out together, ate jimmy johns together, got dressed together, did our hair and makeup together, gossiped together, laid on the futon together, watched every MTV show together, held each others hands through many shots of vodka. we were inseparable. i love her with all my heart, and can't wait to capture some good memories with her when she comes in town. friends aren't always easy to find, and i believe fate really gave me such an amazing best friend. thank you fate*

beautiful INSPIRATION

style : the images below are what style is defined by. this is beauty, carrie bradshaw gives women all over the world the confidence to feel beautiful in anything they wear. thank god for the amazing writers of sex and the city, cannot wait to enjoy the next addition to the sex and the city collection, with the second movie. i heart you sex and the city*