Smoothing Lip Balm

Sorry readers, I know I have been a terrible blogger recently, but my life has been super busy lately! I will try and do better!

So with that, I have to share with you this great lip balm I recently discovered. My lips were so chapped and cracked, it was horrible, and my regular old Chapstick was not doing the job. Enter this Berry Smooth Lip Nutrition Lip Balm by Neutrogena ($7.59 at Drugstore.com). Two weeks later, my lips are perfectly soft and smooth. It's a miracle worker, truly.

It has little jojoba beads that gently exfoliate your lips. It's also really moisturizing and smells delicious. Seriously, buy this now before your lips react to the winter weather!

GoodShop

My friend Jenny just told me about a great website called GoodShop. You go to the site, enter the charity of your choice (they have a ton of charities, including the Austin affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, one of my favorites). Then you click on a link to any of the participating online merchants, and the merchant will make a donation to the charity you chose. The amount of the donation varies depending on which merchant you choose. And they have a ton of participating stores, like Gap (2.8% donation), Amazon (1.5% donation), Macy's (3.5% donation) and Target (up to a 3.5% donation). This is such an easy way to get your favorite charity some extra money. I am adding this site to my favorites and will definitely be using it as the starting point for all my online shopping.

Check out their news page for articles relating to the site.

Faux Leather Jacket

I was really surprised to see this faux leather jacket designed by Bagatelle at Ann Taylor. Much more modern than a lot of their stuff. I think this is such a cool shape, with unexpected details, like the offset zipper. Okay, yes, it's fake leather, so it's not an heirloom piece, but it's a lot of fun. $148 at Ann Taylor.

Softest Cardigan in the World

I know this sweater doesn't look at that exciting at first glance, but that's because you haven't tried it on. After extensive research, I have determined that this is the softest, most comfortable cardigan in the world. And it's only $49.50. Forget cashmere people, GapBody's cotton loungewear line is the softest stuff ever. I will be buying this and wearing it everywhere. Go to your nearest GapBody and wrap yourself up in this, and I can almost guarantee that you will not leave without it.

Last Call Neiman Marcus

I've blogged briefly about this before, but was inspired this weekend to talk about it again. Have you guys checked out the Neiman Marcus Last Call Clearance Center over in the Brodie Oaks shopping center off South Lamar? If not, you seriously need to go there. My friend Shelly was visiting me from Dallas this weekend, and she is a seriously great bargain shopper, so we hit Last Call on Saturday to see what they had. Guys, they have a LOT of great stuff. All the brands, from BCBG, Theory, Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs--any high end designer, they pretty much carry. They had some gorgeous Neiman Marcus brand cashmere sweaters, and an extensive collection of denim by Seven for all Mankind. Their dress collection was great, I saw the most beautiful navy silk beaded Theory cocktail dress. Their handbag section was very impressive, they had some great bags by Kooba, Cole Hahn, and Tory Burch, to name a few. The prices are very discounted--the stuff is pretty much last season, but...who cares? You definitely have to shop here, you're not going to find something every time you go, but when you find a great bargain, it will be totally worth it.

Tiered Dress

This navy silk dress from Banana Republic is so pretty. I love the randomness of the tiered layers, it's a little unexpected, and feels very modern to me. And those layers hide any trouble areas, as an added bonus. $150.

Fall Flats

I love the fall collection of flats at J.Crew. I love flats for work for the comfort factor, and these are so cute I will not miss heels at all. The two pairs above are standouts. The black tweed pair above is my favorite, I love the texture, and these will go with anything. They come in some fun colors too, red, green and yellow, and are $195.

The black leather pair with crystal adornment is $278. These are so pretty, I would wear them all the time. They'd look great with a cashmere sweater and jeans on weekends, and would definitely brighten up my work wardrobe.

Lorac Lip/Cheek Stain

My friend Jocelyn introduced me to this Lorac Lip/Cheek Sheer Wash this past weekend, and I had to share with you all. It's a stain, so it stays on a really long time, which I love, and the color is very natural looking. You do need to keep reapplying gloss, because it kind of wears away after eating and drinking. But it's very easy to apply and the color is very wearable. I like that it's a multitasker too, and can be worn as blush. This is a great item to stash in your makeup bag. $19, at the Lorac website.

Riding Pants

I really like these "Amelia" skinny riding pants from Martin and Osa. Riding pants are big for fall, and these are so classic looking. The fit looks really modern to me, I love the way they look with heels. They're twill with a little bit of stretch, so they look pretty comfortable...other than the "skinny" part! $79.50.

Suede Coach Purses

Dang it Coach. Just when I have almost convinced myself that I don't need a new bag for fall, you lure me right back in with these gorgeous suede bags. I really like the slouchy, relaxed vibe of the Zoe (left, for $398). But I absolutely adore the structured shape and mossy color of the Peyton ($798). So now, I just need to convince my husband to cut our food and entertainment budget back just the tiniest bit (board games and canned Spaghettios for a month or two should do the trick), and I'm all set. Wish me luck.

Hudson Wide Leg Jeans

Wide leg jeans are everywhere this fall, and this pair from Hudson looks sooo flattering. I love the dark wash and the cute, typical Hudson triangle back pockets. The great thing about wide leg jeans is that they're so versatile--they're dressy enough for work, and equally great on weekends. These are on sale right now at Shopbop.com for $99.50, off from $187.

Lightweight Cardigan

I really like this drapey, delicate looking cardigan from Shopbop.com, for $125. It has a really laid back quality to it, but at the same time looks really pulled together. And I love this orchid color (it also comes in navy). It's a great color that you can wear now, but will transition perfectly into fall. It's a prettier and slightly dressier version of your favorite cardigan.

Sparkly Sweater

Is this the most glamorous cardigan you've ever seen?? It's a cute little cropped sweater, every inch of which is covered in sequins. LOVE it. I would wear this all the time. It's such a special piece, but would look great with even just a tank and jeans. It was originally $450 at J.Crew, but is now on sale for $139.99!

Tax Free Weekend!

Don't forget, the tax-free weekend in Texas starts today and runs through the weekend. Most clothing and shoes under $100 are exempt from state sales tax. So get out there and do some shopping!

Invisible Belt

My friend Sue brought this product to my attention, and it's such a great idea, in the "Why didn't I think of that?" category. It's a clear, adjustable belt that lies completely flat against your pants. I never wear belts, mostly because I don't like the buckle protruding out when I wear fitted shirts. This completely solves that problem. Also, it's great if you want to prevent that gap in the back of your jeans when you sit down, as shown in the picture above. It's stretchy too, so it's not restrictive like a regular belt. So basically when you need a belt, but don't want to wear one, this is perfect. The regular size adjusts up to size 10, and they also have plus size versions. It retails for $16.95 at Isabelt.com.