wishbone clover

Small Business Saturday Spotlight: Joy O Designs

Thanks to American Express for sponsoring my writing today about small businesses. American Express is presenting Small Business Saturday, a way to honor the local merchants who are the backbone of the economy, this Saturday, November 27. They're offering statement credits to people who shop at small businesses, advertising for small-business owners, and donations to Girls Inc. for "Likes" of the Small Business Saturday page on Facebook. Join the celebration by clicking the "Like" button and then visiting the Facebook page to learn more about the program and read the terms and conditions that apply.

I love Best Buy as much as the next 100" flatscreen HDTV-craving person, but whenever possible I like to patronize local businesses, especially when I'm shopping for gifts. You get amazing service, and beautiful, unique items.

One of my all time favorite small businesses is Joy O Designs. She creates simple, elegant and gorgeous designs, and even better, her line Kyler by Joy O is entirely eco-friendly.

Silver hoops have always been my go-to style for earrings, and over the years I've had many favorites. A few years ago, I had a surprising urge for gold hoops. Specifically rose gold. A friend introduced me to these Joy O Grass Handmade Hammered Hoops and the rest is style history. I wear these, or the ones I subsequently ordered in silver, almost every day. You can see them in pretty much any photo of me taken in the past 4 years!

My super-fashionista sister is also a fan, so we trade Joy O gifts every birthday. Even though our styles are so different, Joy's designs, like the simple thin cuff, works for both of us. And for Cameron Diaz and a bunch of other celebs, like Anne Hathaway, who also love the whole collection!

Joy is based in SF, and I've had the pleasure of meeting her in person. She's just as lovely as her designs, and puts her heart and soul into every aspect of her business. If you're shopping for a jewelry-loving lady this weekend, I highly recommend checking out this local small business Joy O Designs and Kyler by Joy O for special and wearable pieces your girl will pick out of her jewelry box every day!

 

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I am also a partner at Clever Girls Collective.

The Perfect Airport Shoe

I’m a frequent flier, a planner/worrier, and a shoe fetishist. The search for the perfect pair of airport shoes is an inevitable obsession.

Lately I’ve been wearing a pair of black leather Lucky Brand clogs while traveling, and they score an amazing 6.5 out of 7 on the Wishbone Clover Seven Point Perfect Airport Shoe Scale.  They are a little higher than I anticipated, so they’re bad if I need to sprint from one terminal to the next to make a connection (#2, Mobility). However, both shoes have a four leaf clover lucky charm on them, which provides double luck for good connections.

These clogs score 6.5/7, which is the highest I've ever found.

The Wishbone Clover Seven Point Perfect Airport Shoe Scale

1. Comfort

They have to be comfortable enough to wear all day, including if I drink too much Diet Coke and get The Swollen-ness of The Ankles. Also, no heel blistering, toe pinching or instep crushing.

2. Mobility

When I only have seconds to spare between connections, my shoes have to be mobile/secure enough to walk-jogs through endless terminals. Falling off your heels is mortifying in a crowded airport!

3. Fast on – fast off 

All about the security line. I travel with two bags, a coat, and my computer – I don’t have time for zippers, and forget about laces.

4. Sock Compatibility

You need socks in an airport. This is what disqualifies flip flops.  When I'm sock-free, I can feel the disease boring holes through my bare soles as I stand on the rough grey security area carpet, waiting for my shoes to pass through the x-ray machine.  Feet need protection!

5. Be Pretty

This disqualifies Uggs and Crocs. Goth Crocs do not exist. I’m wearing heavy black eyeliner and possibly last night’s false eyelashes. At 8am. Foam rubber shoes or round toe sheepskin boots are beyond incongruous on me, even when they’re black. And if I wouldn't wear them in real life...well, this is real life. So

6. Class Factor

Be acceptable first class upgrade shoes – I’ve only been upgraded twice in 20 years, but it’s so worth it! I believe in being prepared, so usually no to sneakers, and I always have a drapey scarf to distract from my jeans – I mean my "designer premium denim trousers."

7. Versatility

Must go with all outfits packed – there’s no point wearing a pair of shoes on the plane that you can’t wear once you get there. Versatility is the watchword of travel outfits!

Past Perfect Airport Shoe Contenders:

Adidas Djyena

Score: 4/7

These are possibly my most favorite shoes ever. I’ve had them for about 10 years, and consider it one of my worst failures that I didn’t secure them in black when I had the chance. They are now completely out of stock, even on Ebay.

They score off the charts on characteristics 1-4.  And while I appreciate their sort of mod-hipster appeal, they are in essence white tennis shoes. Their outfit pairings are limited. So they fail on 5-7.

Isaac Mizrahi Kitten Heel Ankle Boots

Score: 4.5/7

I dread the day (and I know it’s coming all too soon) when these Isaac Mizrahi kitten heel ankle boots are hopelessly dated. I paid all of $30 for them at Target at least six years ago, and have reheeled and resoled them several times.

They score very high on 4-7, and are pretty good for #3 – zippers require one extra step past slip ons, but it’s negligible.

However, the top of the list is a tough one. These boots are okay for limited periods of time, but the combination of the pointy toe and sodium swell means they can get uncomfortably tight. Also, the little heel looks like it would be an easy walker, but it’s a little spindly, and a little slippery, so I wind up tippie–toe-shuffling across expanses of polished airport floors.

Pretty Much Any Running Shoes

Score: 3/7

In the interest of saving suitcase space, I wore my running shoes on a trip this summer. Hands down the most comfortable, stable, practical shoe for getting around. High scores on 1 and 2. And 4.

Sadly, they fail on all of the other categories. Slow at the security line, only moderately cool looking (except for this one pair of green suede Tretorns and similar novelty styles). You can’t wear them in first class, and they make every outfit, except workout gear, look kinda dorky.

The Search Continues

I’m pretty pleased with the 6.5/7 Lucky Clogs, but I also won’t let that make me complacent. There is always another shoe to try, in the elusive hunt for the traveler’s Holy Grail of a shoe that scores a perfect lucky 7/7 on the Wishbone Clover Seven Point Perfect Airport Shoe Scale.

Glasses Are Cool. Except When They Aren't.

My very stylish friend Sassafrass Jess got new glasses and wrote a really sweet, insightful post using them as a metaphor. Because she's smart like that. For comparison, she posted a photo of herself back in the 80s, with her "Sally Jessy Raphae-hell" frames.

I don't have any clever stories on hand, but somehow (oh yeah, call it a procrastination tactic, you're right) I feel compelled to share my own faux Victorian mutton-chop-sleeve blouse -- and feathered hair -- version of bad 80's glasses:

Cathy in the 7th grade

Also, it takes a truly discerning eye to see, but I'm wearing about eight pounds of navy blue eyeliner, too.

Oh, junior high. Bad fashion. Good times.

I think that Jess and I turned out ok, despite our transgressions in the 80s!

I Told You About My Other Other Job, Right?

Thanks to the awesome Jennifer Huber, aka solotravelgirl, for capturing this madness magic on video and posting to YouTube

It's a big joke that I write for a zillion different blogs, but hardly ever here. Lately I've been even more MIA than usual, because business has been booming with my social media agency, Clever Girls Collective.

I told you about that, right?

Together with the brilliant and awesome Stefania Pomponi Butler/CityMama and Sheila Bernus Dowd/Xiaolinmama, we are taking the worlds of Twitter, Facebook, blogging and yes, even YouTube, by storm. Things are moving so quickly that we're still developing our website, designed by the talented Fog City Design.

That said, we already have some highlights to brag about, including getting Carson Kressley to take off his shirt (and put on our client's shirt, RIPT Fusion, the Yummie Tummie for men) in front of dozens of adoring fans at BlogHer '09. Please see the video above for the entire luridly delightful episode. I'm very proud of my performance, including touching Carson's breast.

PS, Carson is as sweet as can be. And he doesn't have man boobs at all, so I don't know what he was talking about in the video. But I still touched him there, because wouldn't you?!

Also, we are hosting a totally fun weekly Project Runway Twitter Party, with prizes. Because the only thing that can make Tim Gunn better is the possibility of winning makeup or jewelry or cute clothes.

You can participate in the party by following @CleverGirlsColl on Twitter. For all the details, including the prizes each week, check out the Clever Girls Collective Facebook page. Become a Fan and get the updates delivered to your wall!

I'm not going to lie and say I'll be here more, but a new season of Dancing With the Stars starts on Monday, and Maks is single now, so ... you do the math.

- Cat/DearBadKitty

Everyone Loves the Pink Derek Lam Sunglasses

I picked up these fabulous pink Derek Lam cat's eye sunglasses for a steal at Loehmann's. But even if I had to pay full retail, they were coming home with me. My fingers went numb when I touched them -- they spoke to me.

Little did I know that everyone would find them as irresistible as I do! It's pretty much universal: family and friends ask to try them on and then strike a fun pose for the camera. What's a shutterbug to do? I snap away...

Weighing in on the "Jessica Simpson is Fat" Thing

This is my professional style writer opinion: People, get a clue!  J-Simp is a curvy girl with terrible taste in clothes.

But let's get one thing straight, Jessica's not fat, she's stacked.

She's been through the "high-waist-mistake fat wringer" before. For an illustration, please see the photo above from The John "I'm A Tool" Mayer Era.

Perhaps this time will teach her to donate all -- yes, Jessica all -- of her high-waisted pants to Goodwill or Dress for Success. This style will always look bad on her, no matter how much/poorly she accessorizes.

Leaving aside her wardrobe shortcoming, there is not a (straight) guy out there who wouldn't be pumped to hang out in a hot tub with a bikini wearing Jessica, right now. They might request ear plugs, to avoid hearing her inane chatter, but she would score high on any T&A assessment.

To summarize: say all you want about her clothes, but leave her ass alone.

Woman Haunted by Truth of Big Hair Past

Blast from the Past - Retro 1970's Purse

Weekend projects always deliver unexpected delights. I was going through storage and found my purse from when I was five INSIDE a LeSportSac from the 80's that I thought I could put on ebay. It was like a time capsule! The best part -- the items inside: two crayons, a small plastic horse, a matchbox car and thirty seven cents, and a bicentennial button. I'm guessing that the change might have represented my life savings at the time because it was twenty two pennies, a dime and a nickel. That's a whole lot of candy!

How Mariah, Madonna, Gwyneth, Janet, et al Lost 20 lbs.

They never eat.

THE END.

Urban Burkha: A Goth's Battle with Sunburn

Yes, I learned today that in my black linen skirt the piercing sun of spring can  STILL sunburn me. For pete's sake I was under an umbrella at Red's Java House. I was consoling the loss of my laptop and backup drive - through some freaky bad technology luck. Sadly, my remote blogging skills are terrible, but I hope to start blogging from the iPhone and we'll see how it goes. Tips anyone?