Fabulous Consignment Finds: Michael Kors Collection & CH Carolina Herrera

People are always surprised when I tell them I buy much of my professional wardrobe at consignment shops.  I get it.  Some people are freaked out by wearing other people's skeege.  You can avoid the skeege-factor by buying at the right store.  If you purchase items at the right shops, the clothes are barely worn or, in some cases, brand new. 

There are certain things I look for in my on-air wardrobe:

• A good fit.  Bigger clothes make you look heavier.  ALWAYS slim fit!
• Color - a constant challenge.  It's hard to find good, solid colors in tops and dresses that flatter.  I wear way too much black. 
• Neckline - in a blouse it's got to be a scoop or v-neck.  Boxy necklines make me look like a linebacker.
• Free of patterns, in general.  Patterns still are considered distracting on tv news channels.  Meaning, that great Missoni top or DVF dress that is co cute in person, can make viewers nauseous.  

The shops I frequent in Dallas, Clothes Circuit and Clotheshorse Anonymous, are selective in what they accept.  Items must be clean, gently used and free of any imperfections.  I know this because I am an avid consignor, as well.  I am always editing my wardrobe to eliminate items I no longer wear.

I was over the moon with my two recent purchases: a vintage, red Michael Kors Collection button down blouse and a cute purple/lavender CH Carolina Herrera blouse.  I need colors like this in my on-air wardrobe.  Both are big, so I will have them taken in a bit but I was absolutely thrilled. 

Even better was the price.  Clothes Circuit, drops the price on items after a certain period of time.  Both of these were considered Fall items and were in the mid-50's (can't remember the exact price).  I got out of there, with two tops I can wear for a few seasons on-air, for $112.46!  Score!  Remember, shopping is a sport.

Secrets to 12-Hour Makeup

Heading out after a full day at the office and want to keep your makeup from looking tired and faded?  You can, it's relatively easy and you don't need to reapply a full face.

I'm the queen of 12-hour makeup.  I do it almost daily because my days start mid-morning and I need to be in high hair in makeup for various TV shoots.  Take a look at my schedule this past Thursday and you'll see why I need long-lasting spackle.

• 11am shoot at Cowboys stadium
• 12:30 shoot at North Dallas high school 
• Anchor the Fan Sports Show from 6:30-7:30 
• Anchor sports for 10pm news on CBS

I applied my makeup at 9:30am and reapplied throughout the day with the last touch-up coming around 10:15pm. 

You don't need to add more product or color, just freshen up what you already have on your face.  More color, like eye shadow or concealer, simply looks layered-on and cakey.  By adopting the less is more philosophy, you can look fresh-faced 12-hours later.  (In the ensuing video, I applied more eye shadow because I was preparing for harsh TV lights.  In the non-HD universe, you don't need to do that).

Here are a few more tips:

• Start with a good eyeshadow primer to keep your eyeshadow from creasing.  I use Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion.  Game Changer!  It's $20 from Sephora.  It's the bomb.  It totally prevents your eyeshadow from getting stuck in those eyelid creases. 
• Work those lashes!  Re-curl your eye lashes to open your eyes.  Top off those curled lashes with a coat of mascara.  If your lashes look clumpy, use an eyelash brush to separate them.
• Highlight your hotness by dabbing a little highlighter on your face.  The bow in your upper lip, your cheekbones or the tip of your nose.  This simply adds a little pop that makes a difference.
• Use lipgloss and a lip pencil instead of lipstick.  Your face can look old lady-ish if you're reapplying lipstick every hour.  Think color bleeding into those lip lines.  Using lipgloss and a pencil keeps your lips looking younger, fresher and less cakey.

 The video below illustrates those suggestions (and more) right before I head to the studio.

How to Survive and Thrive Traveling to Paris with a Baby

Paris is so popular that we created a site to focus solely on our Francophile wanderlust. 

Visit FabFrenchFinds.com to read this story! 

Merci!

French Women DO Get Fat

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The Perfect Work Bag for Women

Is almost impossible to find!

I know because I've searched for decades.  Only recently have I found some quality options.  I bring this up because the Wall Street Journal writes about the conundrum working women face when schlepping around their work items, along with their personal stuff in a solid bag that is functional yet stylish.

The woman profiled, Silicon Valley executive Kim DeCarlis, seems quite the practical professional carrying a medicine kit, eye mask and ear plugs in her surprisingly fun Johnston & Murphy computer bag.

Gucci Soho Shoulder Bag aka the Kitchen Sink Bag

I jaunt across North Texas from sports facilities to my story shoots to Mother's Day Out carpool lines.  I have a bag that goes everywhere and carries everything: my Gucci Soho Shoulder Bag.

Gucci Soho Metallic Leather Shoulder Bag

It comes in a variety of colors.  The metallic color is chic and versatile, too. I call it a Kitchen Sink Bag because it would truly hold that and more while still being stylish enough to take someplace fun and not scream "WORKING MOTHER WITH A SIPPY CUP IN BAG!"  Candidly, I think if it came between the husband and the bag, the bag would win.

Sophie Hulme Leather Tote

I am also in love with the Sophie Hulme Leather Tote.  It's professional, structured and holds my iPad, notebooks, cell phone makeup and jumbo bottle of hairspray.  I get more compliments on this bag than any I have ever carried.  Both men and women comment on it.  It also comes in tan and burgundy.  Just gorgeous.

Quality Work Bags Under $400
Both of those purses are investments but I will use them for years to come.  Here are some stylish options for under $400.  Still some major bucks, yes, but for something you will use daily, this is money well-spent.

Michael Kors Hamilton North South Tote, $358

Coach Madison East/West Leather Tote, $298

Lauren Ralph Lauren Tote, $268

Get These Fabulous Work Bags

A Paris Refresher for Traveling with a Baby

The Eiffel Tower from Les Ombres restaurant on top of the Musee du Quai Branly

Ah, the sport of travel.  Perhaps my favorite sport of all time.  I don't golf, play tennis or meet friends for bridge.  I save my time and money for traveling.  Nothing refreshes my soul or or energizes my spirit like getting the heck out of Dallas.  We're heading to Paris one week from today.  We're taking Jordan (a challenge itself) but I am looking forward to spending full days with her, something I never get to do in Texas while working.

While I'm good about assimilating into the local practices whenever I travel, I revisited my observations from my last trip to Paris in the summer of 2010.  I learned a valuable lesson from a bartender, that has really stuck with me, in town or out of it.

Harry's American Bar

My crash course in French culture came to life in, of all places, Harry's American Bar.  Cliche spot to drink, I know, but we stumbled across it and were thirsty.  It was dead empty save for the bartender, a Frenchmen named Gerard, and a British man who now lives in Paris.  We gave our customary "Bonjour" to both men and went to the bar.  We waited for Gerard, who was sharing a glass of champagne with the expat Brit, to come to us at the bar to ask for our order.  We ordered our champagne and thanked him. 

A couple of glasses later, the expat Brit left for his family's Sunday dinner and Gerard was deep in conversation with us.  About this time, an American couple walks in wearing jeans, tennis shoes and, yes, dual fanny bags worn tightly around their waists.  Already fitting the stereotype the gentleman barks "two Bloody Mary's!".

"You can always tell the Americans," Gerard whispers to me.  "They never say hello, please or thank you.

A great, yet basic lesson: manners!  Politeness is something every grandmother tells us to practice, yet it's forgotten in our harried world.  While graciousness and manners should be exhibited daily, traveling avec l'enfant is the absolute perfect time to be extra diligent about being polite, particularly when she's screaming.

Here are a few photos I stumbled across from our last hop across the pond.  They can occasionally cure my travel bug.

If you have any fabulous new suggestions, please share!

Arc de Triomphe

Monks at the Louvre

Jean-Michel Othoniel's Metro Station Kiosque des Noctambules (kiosk of the night-walkers)

I love their street signs

The Cell Phone Diet. Really? Really. Sorta.

Ok, when I saw the headline "How the 'Cell Phone Diet' Works" my eyes immediately rolled and acquiesced to the full idiocy that seems to be invading the weight loss world.

But once I got past the headline, I realized, it's not that ridiculous.  Not so much the "diet" part but the essence of making your smartphone work for you to help you accomplish certain things.  And, at the end of the day, your cell can help you shed some pounds.

Follow me here:

Psychotherapist and weight loss expert William Anderson is touting his book, The Anderson Method - The Secret to Permanent Weight Loss and recently offered some advice on the Huffington Post.  The book title itself is a bit eye roll inducing.  Want to know the weight loss secret: move more, eat less crap and more of the good stuff.  I digress.  His clients are incorporating their phones into their broader plan of attack to get lean.

• He has clients make their ringtones and other alerts motivate them to stay on the track.  The theme from Rocky works for one lady.  Ok, I'm all for whatever works. 
• Use a picture of yourself at your target weight or some other inspirational photo as your wallpaper or screensaver.  I've done this.  I've used not a pic of myself but something that motivated me as a screensaver.  When trying to lose weight in the past, I have put Post-It notes of my target weight on my mirror.  Just a subtle, almost subliminal reminder. 
• Download a calorie counting app onto your phone.  I've raved about The Daily Plate, my personal favorite diet log app.  This is a smart move.  Studies routinely show that logging your caloric intake is an effective weight loss tool.  I would also suggest logging your exercise, too.  It's a great way to track your progress. 

Here's another suggestion: set motivational reminders as appointments or tasks.  This might sound a tad Tony Robbins-esque (talk about eye-roll, ugh) but I have a 10am daily reminder of things I want to accomplish.  It can be as simple as working on my financial and professional goals or little notes to myself to serve as motivation.  Kind of corny, I know.  But it's a gentle nudge in the right direction.

If you need one to get you going on the exercise path, try this one I fully embrace:

“To keep the body in good health is a duty; otherwise we shall not be able to keep our minds strong and clear.” -Buddha