POP (up)!

Today was a very exciting day for Skinny Jeans.  First, it was the one year anniversary of my store location opening!  I am so proud to be a part of such an amazing team and cannot believe how far we have come.  I can’t wait to see what happens in the future.  Love you girls!!!!

SECOND!  Today was the first day of the Sundar Imports Pop Up Shop.  I have been waiting for this day for three months.  I am sure you are thinking….what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is she talking about?  Well, let me fill you in!  Sundar Imports is a cool little shop started by some moms in Hudson, Wisconsin who (in their own words) :  “shared a love for fair trade fashion with frill and a personal vision to make the world a little brighter!”  The shop currently appears every few months for 3 days and is filled with fair trade goodies from around the world.  The ladies at Sundar spend oodles of time looking for clothing, jewelry, bags, headbands, etc. which are inspired by artisans around the world.  They have featured items made from recycled saris, old cassette tapes, and even acai berries.  So for the next two days (sorry, they are closed for today), they will be sharing their wares with the local area.

Of course, being the lover of all things fashion, I arranged to meet my friend, Leah, at Sundar after work.  I said if she was interested in a particular clutch shown as a teaser on their Facebook page (make sure you “like” it!).  Leah is nothing if not determined.  She showed up an hour early and waited on a bench for the opening.  Twenty minutes prior I pulled up, just as a few other ladies showed up and the line began.  I would have a picture of the line, but I did not want to lose my place as #2 in line!  One of my favorite parts of line, was making “line friends”.  Naturally, I love to chat and we had a blast talking to those around us.  

At five o’clock on the nose, the doors opened (thank goodness, since it had started to rain).  I felt like it was Black Friday at Wal-Mart, except we were all sociable and fun!  The girls lined up were all so determined and eager, but who could blame them.  The items Sundar  Imports has are so cute!  Girls were grabbing pants, dresses and accessories up as quick as they could.  Changing rooms were filled with as many girls as possible at a time and there was a overall feeling of camaraderie at the shop.  Some of the hot items (from my observations) were the navy lace Astoria dress, which our line friend Michelle managed to snag as you can (see her extreme joy in the picture above? YAY!), a cute rouched hoodie, a great scrunched scarf  and the adorable Sundar Frill Pant.

Downside?  These poor girls are so popular, the line to check out can get a little long.  But they seem to always be streamlining to make things faster and easier.  When something is this cute and fun, isn’t it worth the wait??  Besides, it is always a great excuse to make MORE line friends.  Do you see my friend, Shannon, waving from the front of the cash/check line while my other friend ,Tracy, laughs?  If you think that line is long, you aren’t even really seeing the credit card line.  Wow.  But can the girls at Sundar help it if they are popular?  Nope!

While at Sundar Imports, I noticed a lot of familiar faces.  Half of the shoppers are our shoppers at Hot Mama!  It was so much fun to see these ladies out and about, supporting another amazing company.  Did I mention Hot Mama and Sundar have some of the best customers ever?  Not that I am biased or anything…

Of course, I would not be a good blogger if I did not purchase some wares to sample myself.  I DID try on the navy lace dress, which I was amazed to see fit (and was cute) but I passed due to the disagreement between the neckline and my boob size.  However, I left with an adorable headband (for me…not my kids…just sayin’), the recycled clutch in navy from New Delhi, and the Mirasol Farm salt scrub. 

I would be an even worse blogger if I did not mention on of the cool changes I have seen since the last Pop Up shop.  This time around, Sundar Imports is donating 5% of their sales to The SOURCE.  The SOURCE is a newly formed resource organization serving the needs of the Hudson community. Its purpose is to provide a place where Hudson area residents can interact with volunteers to identify the best available social services to meet their needs.  I love that Sundar Imports not only has a global focus, but a local focus as well.  Can these ladies get any more fabulous?

So if you are in the Hudson area this weekend, please be sure to visit Sundar Imports!  They are located  in Hudson, Wisconsin at 220 Locust Street (right below Knoke’s Chocolates, so stop in for a sweet, chocolaty treat as long as you are in the neighborhood).  This time around, they are open September 21 (5:00 pm to 9:00 pm), September 22 (9:00 am to 6:00 pm), and September 23 (11:00 am to 4:00 pm). 

If you can’t make it this weekend, hopefully I will run in to you in a few months at Sundar Imports for holiday shopping.  Don’t worry, I will bring my wish list to make it easy for you.

Fancy Friday with Ashley Coconut!

Happy Friday!  Here is today's guest blog post with Ashley Coconut.  Note to self:  never steal her outfit.....

B!&%$ Stole My Look!

Last Saturday, the Vice President of Hot Mama wore this dress to our store and looked Amaze Balls! Yes, I am obsessed with Fashion Police and every other reality show on E! and Bravo. But she wore this dress, short brown booties, a chunky pearl necklace, threw her hair in a top knot and looked HOT! My mission this week was to somehow replicate, so today is Fancy Fur Friday! 

Enjoy!

Dress:  James Perse- Hot Mama

Vest: BB Dakota- Hot Mama

Boots: Born- Herbergers

Necklace: a vintage peice from my Grandma

Headband: Anthropologie (not a great hair or make-up day, so Hello Headband!)

Fancy Friday with Ashley Coconut!

OK, I am so excited about this I could piddle!  A few days ago, my friend and fellow stylist, Ashley Coconut (a nickname she earned randomly from my Littlest) agreed to do some guest blogging for me. I have known Ashley for years,  admittedly a large portion of my “vintage” Hot Mama wardrobe has been her work.   I love her style and her energy as it is completely contagious.  She has such a great, creative mind and a real knack for making moms look and feel hot, and I love turning to her for new ideas. So, without further adieu, here is the first, of hopefully many, posts from Ashley Coconut!

 
Happy Fancy Friday Everyone!! I'm Ashley Coconut, another Hot Mama member, and I met Heidi when she was a customer of mine in St.Paul. I loved working with Heidi, because she is a risk-taker and is open to try and experiment with any piece!  (**Heidi note:  I think she loves me because I will pretty much try on anything and parade around in it, good, bad or otherwise.)
 
But I am excited to share my FANCY FRIDAYS with all of you! About two years ago, I realized I was wearing leggings, ponchos, boots and a scarf everyday to work....boring and lazy. So I challenged myself and my team to figure out a way to spice up our casual look, for gods sake, we work in a retail store!! So I created FANCY FRIDAY, yes I have it typed in bold because it's a big deal in my no-kid-I-love-clothes-yes-I-have-a-lot-of-time-on-my-hands-world. If you hear me talk with Heidi or other fellow Hot Mama employees I discuss outfits like it's a major world issue or something, pretty intense.  (**Heidi note:  It is true.  She does get intense but it is freakin’ awesome.  Ashley is very inspiring).
 
But FANCY FRIDAY, is a day where I can get glammed up, put on a heel, rock blingy jewelry, wear a dress, or maybe wear some bold lipstick. My goal every Friday is to wear an outfit that would be acceptable on The Young and The Restless, have you ever seen any of them in sweatpants? Even at the Club?

I hope to inspire you with some ''dressier'' outfit options, and give your boots, ponchos and yoga pants a rest.

James Jeans Twiggy Legging Jean - Hot Mama

Sanctuary Surprise Back Tunic - Hot Mama

Nine West Shoe - DSW  (I will probably only be able to wear these for about 2 hours, then I will rock my sequined Toms)

Lilith Fringe Necklace – Stella & Dot

p.s. my favorite accessory: Dr.Pepper Lipsmackers!!!

Confessions of a Hot Mama Stylist

As a stylist at Hot Mama, I have mass quantities of fun while I am at work.  As I tell my kids, "Mommy gets to play Barbies all day!"  Pretty sure they take that literally.  However, as much fun as it is to go to work, it is not without its challenges.  Often, I run into shoppers who are not familiar with the Hot Mama experience that we provide.  People have become so jaded as customers, they have started to approach shopping as a war:  customer versus the dreaded salesperson.  Customer service that was once held to such a high standard has fallen to the wayside at many stores.  However, at Hot Mama (and a few others), we still believe in it and strive to provide it to you with passion.  So here are some confessions from the inside to make your shopping experience with us (or any other store like us) much easier!
 

• When we start a conversation with you, it is not because we are trying to sell you.  Shockingly, I am actually interested in what you are doing today. Or where you got those amazing shoes (I might want a pair).  Or what you have planned for the weekend. Or just simply how your day going. I am truly listening - not planning my next move to "sell" you. How can I be of any help if I don't get to know you? Besides, shopping is much more fun if you are with girlfriends.

  

• We don't make commission, so please do not call me a sales person. I am a stylist. I am at Hot Mama because I want to be here. True story. I am pulling tons of items for you to try on because I actually want you to look and feel hot. Seriously. That is the only reason.  Well, that and it is fun for me. It is my job and I love doing it. If I have to sell you on something, it is not a good choice for you, your lifestyle, your body type, or your budget.

• Your children are really not bugging me. The whole reason we have a play area in the store is so you can bring them with you. So, your five-year-old is crawling under the clothing racks while your two-year-old is busy grinding animal crackers into the carpet. Whatever. Stuff happens. I am not bothered by it. Kids will be kids. I have yet to wish another parent would take their kids out of the store.  Usually, I just find them entertaining and fun.   Now, MY kids? They sometimes bug me when they are in the store. But they act like a couple of wild hooligans who have lost their brains and manners.  Oddly enough, everyone else seems to think they are cute.  Go figure.
• No one looks as hard at your body as you do. Think about it for a minute. What do you do when you look in the mirror? Zero in on your "flaws." Now ask yourself this: what do you think everyone else is doing? They are looking at themselves!  Did you really think you were the only person to do this? Really? People are so focused on themselves, they do not notice whatever minor or imaginary imperfection you are finding with yourself. I wish you could see in the mirror what I see when I look at you, because I truly don't see whatever "flaws" you are talking about and trying to point to. I just see the fabulous woman in front of me.

 

• Dress the body you HAVE, not the body you WANT. I would love to be three sizes smaller. But I am not. So I choose to rock the curves I have. Why deny yourself the feeling of being fabulous because you would like to lose five more pounds, or have longer legs or a bigger chest? Love the skin you are in and be the most fabulous YOU that you can possibly be.  It is extremely freeing and much more fun.

• Yes, I am being honest with you. What good does it do me to lie to you? No good at all. If I lie and send you out the door looking less than stellar, that reflects bad on me and Hot Mama. Plus, why would you ever want to come back? Or tell your friends to come in? It is my job to be honest (in a very nice way) to help guide you to items which fit and flatter. Besides, I am a terrible liar. You would be able to tell. I have absolutely no poker face.
• No, I do not spend my entire paycheck at Hot Mama. But I secretly want to.
• I don't want you to buy anything you don't love. If you don’t want to run right home to put it on, why spend the money on it? We get more product in every day. It is like Christmas morning every day at our store, and our UPS guy, Bob, is Santa Claus. I would rather have someone come in frequently to shop than do it one or two huge bursts a year. It keeps your closet fresher and helps you find more things you actually are excited about.

So next time you are out shopping, think about the person who is approaching you.  You will know in a minute or less what their motivation is, simply by talking to them.  You might be surprised to find out, they have your best intentions in mind. Customer service is not dead, so give us a chance to prove it!

Seasons Change.

It is that time of year.  Nights are getting longer and cooler (hopefully).  Back to school shopping is in full swing and the Great Minnesota Get Together, the State Fair, begins in less than a week.  I am becoming torn between two seasons.  Well.....kind of.  Not really.  I am completely ready for summer to end.  Yes, I know this makes me a complete nutter to most people but it is my least favorite season.  I long for the days of layering thermals, snuggly sweaters with skinny jeans and boots.  It is worse when you are surrounded by adorable fall clothing all day long.  I have been living in September/October since July.

On the bright side, my customers are finally moving into fall shopping mode!  That  means I get to dress people up in my adored fall ensembles all day long.  We are having a good time figuring out how to make this transition from summer into fall together, giving us all the chance to start wearing our favorite fall pieces starting now. 
Yes, I know I should be saving my “back to school” clothes for later, especially since I have hidden my daughter’s new school clothes and let her cry over the skinny jeans she was dying to wear to school already in August (Evil Skinny Jeans and Yoga Pants – taking lessons from Evil Joy, perhaps?).  However, I am the mom so I make the rules, and I say that I can start wearing my fall yummies right now.
At this point, I am sure you thinking, get to the point: how are you incorporating fall during the middle of August.  It is easy.  With a little help from my friends (i.e. the stylists I work with at Hot Mama), we are all finding new and different ways to bring sweaters, jackets, fur vests, boots, layers into our summer wardrobes.  Add a pair of boots to a skirt or shorts (see photo below).  Layer a scarf over a T-shirt for an extra splash of fab during your back to school shopping excursions.  Toss a fur vest over a lightweight dress for a little extra warmth and style at night.  Add a snuggly sweater or sweatshirt to a pair of shorts for running around the playground with your kids.  Throw on your skinny jeans and roll them up to wear as a crop on days that are not blazingly hot (or be like me and do it any day it strikes your fancy.  Screw the thermostat).
 

 

My Hot Mama Stylist Models!

Emily (left)

Sweatshirt - Lavender Thymes

Shorts and Bracelets - Hot Mama

Socks – DSW

Boots – Nordstrom's

 

Leah (right)

Scarf and Skirt - Hot Mama

Boots - REI

So start pulling out your fall gear and find creative ways to make it transitional during this change of seasons.  I know I am.  Thankfully, fall will be here before we know it! 

The Thrill of the Hunt.

Three days ago, my husband gave me his blessing to buy everything on my wish list at work.  What?  Seriously?  I could not believe it. My frugal hubby, who just last week was telling me I needed to keep an eye on my spending, told me to get crazy and spend some of our hard earned money on myself.  Friends told me to take the money and run, not to look this gift horse in the mouth.  It is 3 days later and I have still yet to spend the money.  I can't help but wonder why?

After thinking about it, it finally hit me.  Much like the episode of Sex and the City where Aiden and Carrie are getting along too well, I was missing the thrill of the hunt.  Not just the hunt for those amazing finds or deals, but the hunt for MAKING the purchase and bringing it home.  I was getting to shop without the drama.  No calculating, hiding, sneaking around, just smooth shopping on the horizon.  No need to hide part of the purchases in the closet or in the trunk until I can get it past him at a later date.  I was missing the excitement and drama that is usually attached to a big shopping trip!

OK, ladies.  Let's be real.  We all try to pull things over on our men, especially regarding shopping.  We know we do it.  They know we do it.  It is all part of what keeps our relationships exciting.  The excuses  we make, the half truths, and the outright lies are all the thrill of the hunt which is shopping.  Can you honestly say the following has never left your mouth?

• "Oh, I have had that forever..." - Since when does forever equal one week?
• "These never go on sale.  It was such a good deal, I couldn't pass it up."  - Really?  Never goes on sale?  Just this one time?  No one really believes that, not you, not him.
• "No, I only spent $XXX today." - Yeah, right.  You probably spent twice that and hid the rest on your "secret" credit card or used your cash stash.
• "I just haven't worn that since before I had the kids." - This one was my favorite.   It doesn't work anymore, but it did for awhile.

There are hundreds, if not thousands more I could add to this list.  I am sure my hubby could even add a few of his own.

Really, it is by far not the worst problem to have.  I am sure most of you are screaming at your computer/iPad/phone screens that I am an idiot for waiting this long, even if my husband has spoiled the hunt for me. I am extremely thankful my husband desires to make me happy.  The way to a man's heart may be through his stomach, but my path just might start in the closet.  Happy wife, happy life, right?!

In the end, I will suck it up and go shop.  It is a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

Rawr!

It is time I admitted one of my sad addictions.  I luv me some animal print.  I can't stop myself from drooling over every piece of animal print that we get in the store, be it reptile or leopard.  The girls I work with may think it is an obsession but I like to think I am getting back to my primal instincts. To be perfectly honest, I envision myself as a 80 year old lady, wearing a leopard print velour jumpsuit and way too much eye makeup; playing random poker games for quarters (and most likely cheating like my grandma did <3).  Even my daughters (ages 3 and 5) are currently begging for more animal print in their fall closets.  What can I say? Like mother, like daughters!

So how does a mom wear it everyday?  Well, that is an easy question to answer.  Treat it as the neutral  it actually is.  You can add little pieces with a shoe, belt, purse, or a scarf to add a little extra something to your ensemble.

Mom's shoe:  Me Too

Kids' shoe:  Gap Kids

Or you can go bolder by choosing bigger pieces like a shirt or jacket.  I have this leopard print dolmen sleeve top by Jolie, which is super soft and comfortable.  It looks great with a pair of jeans for schlepping around with my kids, yet was cute enough to grab a drink with my friend Marta after work!

Shirt:  Jolie

(via Hot Mama)

For the more adventurous ladies out there, go for animal print denim, which is VERY hot this fall.  Personally, I am holding out for a pair of reptile print skinny jeans from Sanctuary.  They WILL be mine.  Oh yes, they will be mine.  I have big plans for them, having created several outfits in my head while at work, often testing them out on my unsuspecting customers and myself.

Shirt : Michael Stars

Jeans:  Sanctuary

(both via Hot Mama)

So figure out what your inner animal style is and let it show.  Grab that animal print you have secretly been ogling and run with it.  Let yourself be bold, be adventurous, be RAWR!

Well, I'm in trouble....again.

My husband is balancing the checkbook.  Yup, he still does this every month, sitting down with a pencil, highlighter and calculator.  I like to call those our "fight" days.  One time, he even tried to do it on our anniversary!

This month, he has discovered my early love of the new Sephora which is opening only a scant mile from my work.  What is worse, my cousin is the manager and has the ability to talk me into glorious pampering items designed to make me look and feel fabulous.  What is not to like about that?  You think he, of all people, would WANT me to be as amazing and relaxed as possible.  Happy wife = happy life, right?  Apparently, not in the eyes of my spouse, who would like me to curb my obsession with Sephora and my place of employment, Hot Mama (HA!!!!  Not going to happen).  It is times like this I must be reminded of the following:

 Yes, I would love to purchase every single Benefit, Philosophy, or Urban Decay product waived under my nose, but I must remind myself that it will disrupt the wedded bliss usually I experience at home.  It is up to me to reign in my own love of delicious products to sooth the savage beast I am married to tonight.

BUT, fear not, my intrepid readers!  Fall is my favorite season for fashion and my hubby has already been warned of and agreed to some shopping adventures for me.  I am now weighing my love of Sephora with my love of Hot Mama.  Hmmm.....which do you think is going to win????  So in the near future, I will be reminded of this following:

And I can't wait!!!!

To be continued......