The Latest From Lester’s

Our back-to-school blowout may be over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still share awesome products that help make school easier, any time of year! 

As a self-confessed shopaholic, it would only make sense that I become familiar with all of the retail stores, both offline and on.  If you’re not familiar with Lester’s, “an iconic retail institution in the NY Metro area for over 60 years” then I hope you’ll take this chance to see what they are all about!

Lester's, has been operating in the New York Metro area for 60+ years and in edition to it’s flagship store in  Brooklyn, Lester’s now also operates in Manhattan, Long Island, Westchester and Deal, NJ.  In 1948, Lester and Lillian Kronfeld proved that they had the fight formula for success with Lester’s gift of gab combined with his business savvy and Lillian’s eye for fashion.  With their children Sheri and Perry and nephew Barry run the ship, Lester’s is still a family affair.

Lester’s carries a variety of women’s, junior’s and children’s clothing by some of the hottest brands including; 7 For All Mankind, Free People and Dr Martens to name a few.  Recently I had the chance to work with Lester’s and since I’m all about shopping, I had to say yes!  For our review, Lester’s sent us the ultra cool and super fun  multicolor Pixel Moda watch. Since my ten year old Sporty Spice usually checks the time by grabbing my phone, I thought she would be the perfect person to help me review the Pixel Moda.  When it comes to trends and what’s hot in fashion, Sporty Spice is always spot on, I’m serious people, she’s usually the one in her grade who starts the trends that the other girls follow.  I knew she’d love the Pixel Moda watch simply because of how fun and playful it is and I was right…she instantly took a liking to it.   I love how colorful the watch is and  I can’t help but thinks it looks like a bunch of bright and colorful Legos. 

If you’re looking for women’s, children's or juniors clothing and accessories…make sure you check out Lester’s!

Disclosure:  I was provided with the item above in order to facilitate my review…all opinions are my own!

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Karen Kane Collection: You’re Going to Love This!

 

Being a work-from-home mom means not having too many occasions where I get to dress-up and strut my stuff, which is kind of disappointing since I am all about fashion and shopping!  There are of course, occasions like rare weekend outings with friends and my recent Adults Only trip to Tennessee where sweats and t-shirts won’t cut it and for those occasions I choose Karen Kane!

 

If you’ve never heard of Karen Kane, then let me be the first to formally introduce you!

(From the Karen Kane website)

 

One of the most respected names in women’s apparel today, Karen Kane has become truly synonymous with style, comfort, and sophistication. That distinction comes from the brand’s namesake and chief designer.

After growing up in the small town of Santa Barbara, Karen moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer. She enrolled in the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and graduated two years later with a degree in fashion. After meeting her husband Lonnie, the pair launched Karen Kane out of their garage in Studio City. With little more than a dream to work off of, they shipped their first collection in December 1979. By the time they were ready to begin production on their next collection, they realized that they would need more space to keep up with demand. Moving to a new space in Downtown LA, Karen and Lonnie continued to do all of their own sewing and manufacturing before finally finding contractors who could support their growing business.

As Karen’s company continued to expand, so too did her family. Today, she has two sons who live in Los Angeles and New York City, and the company has grown into a 130,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in Vernon, California. Karen’s collections are featured in department stores and specialty boutiques nationwide. The Vernon office holds the company’s design, silk screening, research, pattern making, grading, cutting, and customer service departments. Corporate showrooms in Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas assist with sales, as do many retail representatives across the country.

While trends have changed since Karen launched her first collection, her approach and personal philosophy toward fashion has never wavered. She designs with ease, luxury, and longevity in mind. Her inspiration comes from that which is closest to her soul – the California Coast she has long called her home, the city streets she and her co-workers navigates each day, and of course, her family. When asked about the qualities that define Karen, many of her colleagues and contemporaries quickly point out two things: her professional drive and personal sense of humility. This could be seen as early as high school when she won an award in for “Outstanding Tailoring” from the State of California. That award would be the first of many more – the prestigious FIDM Peacock Award for excellence in design upon graduation, two annual “Best Modern Wear Line” Dallas Fashion Awards, a nomination for the Fashion Industry Guild’s “California Designer of the Year.” In 2000, her husband Lonnie also received an award of his own for “CEO of the Year” from Apparel Magazine (known at the time as Bobbin).

I have been a fan of Karen Kane’s fabulous designs so when I had the chance recently to work with them on a review I was extremely excited!  What I love most about Karen Kane’s pieces are that they instantly give you the air of luxuriousness—you feel more sexy when you’re wearing the pieces and that’s a definite must for me!  While the pieces may be a little more than some of us mommy’s are used to spending, the pieces are made to last  through each season and still come out looking fabulous and feeling even better!

 

I was sent two amazing tops from the Karen Kane collection to review!  I received both the Smocked Sequin Top and the Sequin Stripped Blouse.  I have to admit I fell in love with the Smocked Sequin Top as soon as I saw it on the website, it’s simply amazing with a gorgeous scroll design and flutter sleeves, it is guaranteed to get a couple of stares whenever you wear it!  I also love the casual feeling you get from the Sequin Stripped Blouse but with so much wow factor you’ll definitely be the topic of much conversation—I know I was!  Since I also believe that pictures speak volumes I decided to do a lil modeling and show you how much I love these great blouses!

 

 

Me posing for the camera in my Smocked Sequin Top which is my new FAVORITE top!

 

 

A close-up…look at the amazing sequin detail—gorgeous! 

 

 

Me wearing the Sequin Stripped Blouse from Karen Kane—LOVE this!

 

If you’re like me and love getting dressed-up and painting the town then you have to check out Karen Kane…I promise you will be coming up with all kinds of new reasons for a night out! 

 

You can purchase both the Smocked Sequin Top and the Sequin Stripped Blouse online at KarenKane.com!

 

*I received the products mentioned above to facilitate my review…all opinions are my own and were not influenced by the sponsor! *

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Enter LOFT'S "MY PERFECT SUMMER GETAWAY" SWEEPSTAKES!

I wanted to take a second and share a great sweepstakes with all of you from one of my absolute favorite places to shop…LOFT!!!!  All of us busy parents dream of a relaxing, FUN, amazing getaway and you can enter for a chance to win an unforgettable summer vacation for two OR eight other prizes including a $1,000 LOFT gift card!  You can check out all of the details below!

 

 

LOFT'S "MY PERFECT SUMMER GETAWAY" SWEEPSTAKES

'LIKE' LOFT on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/LOFT to enter for your chance to win an unforgettable summer vacation for two OR eight other prizes including a $1,000 LOFT gift card! This sweepstakes runs from May 9th to May 30th, 2011.

Grand Prize
LOFT will present one (1) Grand Prize Winner with the ultimate weekend getaway for two, including airfare, transportation and hotel accommodations!
Grand Prize Winner will have the option to choose from the summer-inspiring destinations below:

• Tulum, Mexico
• Bar Harbor, Maine
• Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
• 
  First Place Winner: one (1) first place winner will receive a $1,000 LOFT Shopping Spree
  Second Place Winner: one (1) second place winner will receive a $500 LOFT Shopping Spree
  Third Place Winners: six (6) third place winners will receive a $250 LOFT Gift Card each
• 
  For full rules and regulations, please go here.

 

So head over and “Like” LOFT on Facebook and enter for a chance to win an amazing summer getaway! 

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Isabella Oliver Review

  Through all four of my pregnancies my wardrobe was a mess.  My regular clothes taunted me from my closet, but I knew that I had to look and wish, but not touch…it was awful.  I have never been the type to wear maternity clothes, because to be honest most of them are hideous, I opted instead for sweats and t-shirts and we all know how attractive that is…not!  Being pregnant is hard enough, between the morning sickness,backaches, and terrible cravings, finding maternity clothes that make you look and feel amazing shouldn’t be so difficult.

Last fall I was introduced to a company who took my views on maternity clothes and turned them upside down!  Isabella Oliver Maternity is a clothing company that believes that maternity clothes should look good and be comfortable.  Not only does Isabella Oliver do maternity clothes (loved by many celebrity moms!) they also have Isabella Oliver 365 which comes from the same philosophy - stylish, modern classics that look and feel great.  If you’re looking for a great top, dress, or jacket you have to check out Isabella Oliver! 
Here’s a little more about Isabella Oliver Maternity and Isabella Oliver 365 from there website:

When we first started Isabella Oliver, it was because we couldn't find any pregnancy clothes that we liked to wear. So, in 2003 we launched our first maternity collection, a collection of beautifully-cut maternity clothes made from the best fabrics which not only look good, but are also very comfortable too. Fast forward to the present and we are dressing pregnant women around the world, have been awarded the Queen's Award, and our maternity signature detailing (wrapping and ruching)has become a standard for every pregnant woman's wardrobe.

Together with Geoff (my husband and co-founder) and our team, Isabella Oliver has been a labour of love and a real team effort from everybody here. We are very proud to have achieved what we have, but the truth is that we never stand still andare always asking for the thoughts and reactions of our customers, like you.


Isabella Oliver 365 is born out of our first venture, Isabella Oliver Maternity, which we launched in 2003 to give pregnant women a place where they could find stylish and well-cut clothes that look and feel great. Over the years our customers, friends and family were asking us why we weren't applying the same design approach of creating stylish, well-designed pieces in easy-care fabrics to clothes for women who weren't pregnant. We agreed and in 2008 launched Isabella Oliver 365.
The 365 collection is based on enduring classics with a modern twist. Clothes that you can throw on and know you'll always look and feel great in; pieces that you can come back to day after day, year after year. Clothes that are made of the best, beautiful-to-the-touch fabrics. Isabella Oliver is a modern collection to suit women's needs all day, everyday.

 

As I mentioned above I fell in love with Isabella Oliver’s designs from the first moment…they are timeless, elegant, comfortable, and absolutely beautiful.  Of course, I am not pregnant, but as I mentioned above Isabella Oliver caters to both mommy’s to be and us mommy’s who have already delivered.  I recently had the opportunity to do another review for Isabella Oliver for our Holiday Gift Guide, I received the Billow 2-in-1 top to review.  The Billow 2-in-1 is a top with an attitude…you can wear it as is (with collar and cuffs) or remove them for a completely different look!  I must admit I am in love with this top…it’s versatile, stylish, and it looks great on!  Of course, I also have my eye on a few other lovely pieces at Isabella Oliver…I must bookmark and send to hubby!  

If you’re looking for a great maternity wardrobe or even if you just want a new fall coat…you have to check out Isabella Oliver!  Make sure you check out our Holiday Gift Guide featuring Isabella Oliver and so many more great holiday gift ideas!

Buy it!

You can purchase the Billow 2-in-1 online at IsabellaOliver.com!

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Day 1 of Tickle Her Pink…eShakti review and giveaway! CLOSED

It’s Day 1 of my Tickle Her Pink Valentines blog party…be sure to check back the rest of this week and the beginning of next week for more great Valentine’s inspired reviews and giveaways!

It’s not often that I buy new clothes for myself, between the endless needs of my kids and the overwhelming guilt that I feel when I do buy myself something, it just does not happen that often. When I do splurge and buy myself something I tend to be extremely picky, I mean when you only buy yourself clothes a couple of times a year you have to be that way…right.

A few weeks ago I was introduced to a company called eShakti and was instantly infatuated with their designs. eshakti is a company who focuses on making their customer’s happy; from the wide range of sizes and designs to the fully customizable options available on each piece, it is clear that eShakti is a customer-friendly company. eShakti offers its customers a wide range of items from amazing dresses to jackets and accessories. Their mission says eShakti is “to make every customer look her best” and judging by their attention to detail, it is clear that eshakti takes that mission very seriously.

I would describe my personal style as classic-casual, for me to love an outfit it has to fit well and look amazing and eShakti’s designs were right in tune with both of those criteria. As a matter of fact, the most difficult thing about choosing an item to review from their online store was choosing..it was extremely difficult because there were so many amazing things to choose from! I finally settled on a very fun and classy wide sash wrap top, aside from loving the top on the site I thoroughly appreciated that I had the option to customize the top to my specifications including custom sizing (which I did not take advantage of).

When my top arrived I was very anxious to try it on, so I ran to the bathroom and once I figured out the wrapping I stood admiring myself in the mirror. Now I have to admit that I didn’t love the top on me (one of the hazards of online shopping) but it was because of the garment not fitting well, the actual design and look of the top I loved. While the opening in the front left me overexposed (again a sizing issue) it was easily fixed by adding a colorful cami underneath. In the future when ordering from eShakti I would definitely spend a little more time and effort and go with the custom sizing option. Aside from the fit I love the top and would definitely recommend eShakti to anyone looking for affordable, unique, custom designs.

Hey all you men out there…something from the Spring 2010 co llection would be perfect for your significant other this Valentines Day..hint…hint!

Buy it! You can find the top I received and a multitude of other amazing items online at eShakti.com!

Win it! eShakti has graciously offered 2 of my amazing readers a $20 Gift Certificate to eShakti.com.

The Rules: To be entered into this giveaway please visit eShakti.com and have a look around (don’t get lost), then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite item at eShakti is. This is mandatory and must be completed before any extra entries are counted! Non-bloggers please leave your email address in your comment so that i can contact you in the event that you are a winner!

Extra Entries: Extra entries aren’t a have to thing, but I do like to give my readers as many chances to win as I possibly can…do one, do them all, but please leave separate comments for each extra entry!

Follow Misadventures in Baby Raising via Google Friend Connect, via Email, or RSS feed…2 extra entries each!

Grab my Tickle Her Pink event button and place in on your blog (if you grabbed the button before today Thursday January 21 you receive 5 extra entries)…2 extra entries!

Grab my NEW MIBR button and place it on your blog…2 extra entries!

Become a Fan of Misadventures in Baby Raising on Facebook…2 extra entries!

Follow me on Twitter (please leave your Twitter ID in your comment so I can follow you back)…2 extra entries!

Tweet this giveaway on Twitter…1 Tweet Per Day for the length of giveaway!

Win one of 2 eShakti GC @Allie_23 http://tinyurl.com/yjq7cez

Enter any of my other giveaways…1 extra entry each!

Blog about this giveaway with links to this post and eshakti…10 extra entries!

Fine Print: This giveaway ends on Thursday February 4, 2010 at 11:59 PM EDT. Two (2) winners will be chosen via Random.org and announced on this post. Winner(s) will have 48 hours to contact me and claim their prize, failure to do so will result in me choosing another winner (via a LIVE giveaway on Sunday January 31, 2010 at Noon EST).

Good Luck!

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