Reader discount code: eShakti

eShakti has kindly extended its coupon code for Sidewalk Chic readers. From now until 12/31/11, use "SIDEWALK0811" and receive $20 off on your next purchase -- just in time for those holiday parties coming up!

Read my original review of the dress above here.

Coupon code - eShakti

eShakti was kind enough to offer Sidewalk Chic readers a discount -- just use "Sidewalk0811" and receive $20 off any eShakti order from now until October 31st. With plenty of dress options under $100, that's a nice deal. 

And if you're interested, here's my review of the pretty maroon dress above.

Giveaway - Win a custom print from Easy Canvas Prints

Let's start with some art fun this Monday, shall we? This week's giveaway is offered by Easy Canvas Prints, an online canvas printing company that turns photos into wall art. They're giving Sidewalk Chic readers a chance to win an 8x10 canvas print of their own!

I was offered a chance to review their services by testing out their site tools and choosing a canvas print. I decided to use a photo of my own below -- something that I found sentimental and would punch up the colors in my living room. I chose the 8x10 option of the photo below, but there are other larger sizes available. 

I found the site tools really easy to use and customize -- you can crop and add different editing options to your heart's desire to the photo. In addition, there's an option for how to make the image look on the sides of the canvas, which really helps create an art gallery look to the print. All in all, I got my order very quickly and am very ecstatic about the results:

With that said, Easy Canvas Prints is offering one U.S. reader an 8x10 canvas of their own photo! There are so many options on how to customize these prints -- you can use it for a beloved photo, art print, or favorite phrase. Just check out the ideas in the gallery here. 

To enter: 

- Visit Easy Canvas Prints and tell me what you would put on your canvas print by leaving a comment below.

For extra entries (make a new comment after doing each):

- Become a Facebook fan of Easy Canvas Prints. 

- Follow Easy Canvas Prints on Twitter.

- Become a follower of Sidewalk Chic on GFC.

Giveaway ends Monday, August 22nd. Open to U.S. readers (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Good luck!

LuShae Jewelry Review

When  LuShae Jewelry asked me to review one of their pieces, I was excited to do so. They make pendants, earrings and rings, the latter of which really drew me in. I was really impressed with their Web site -- some of the cute pieces that caught my eye include the Pave Elephant Ring, the Black Onyx Egg and the Champagne Wishes ring, just to give an idea of how much variety they offer.

I ultimately chose the Aqua Eternity Enamel Ring, because I was interested in a ring that could be worn everyday, and I liked the eternity wave style and the aqua color.
Here's the description from the Web site:

                                                                           

Aqua Eternity Enamel Ring features a High Lustre silver tone with prong set mini CZ inlaid in an eternity style. This style is so cute to accessorize with. Its embellished with little CZ that personify waves on this ring and they will certainly make waves when worn on a picturesque summer day. White Gold Rhodium Bond is achieved using an electroplating process that coats the item with heavy layers of rhodium, a close cousin of platinum that costs three times as much, which gives our jewelry a platinum luster.

I ordered the ring last Tuesday, and it came less than a week later. The presentation of the package was great -- the button closure on the ring box was a nice, elegant touch.

As for the ring itself, it's beautiful and I think it looks even better in real life because it's really sparkly, and the aqua enamel is such a pretty color. I love the eternity wave design of the aqua enamel and cubic zirconia, and it seems really well-constructed. I ordered it in a size 5 so it could fit my ring finger, and I think it fits true to size.

In indoor lighting, closeup

 

Natural lighting, with other accessories

I've had this ring for a few days now, and I think it will be a frequent player in my accessories because of its color and design. I can think of more than a few outfits that this ring would look great with.

Many thanks to LuShae!

A day at the movies, Part II, and Dress #10

 

Dress: Spense, Macy's;

Tights, sweater: Target;

Boots: Kady cognac, Target;

Red leather bag: Monique, thrifted.

How I've worn the dress before: here.

  Jeremiah, V. and I went to the Best Picture Showcase, Part II yesterday and it was so much fun! (Read my Part I recap here) Some highlights:

1) All of us won movie trivia again -- our annual streak continues. I got a question right about Walt Disney (he has the most Oscars ever), V. got a question right about the other animated movies besides "Up" being nominated for Best Picture (it was "Beauty and the Beast") and I think Jeremiah's question was about which movies have been nominated for the most Oscars ("All About Eve" and "Titanic"). I won a "Team Jacob" shirt (and even though I'm not a "Twilight" fan, I'm so rocking it) and we all won movie tickets. Yay!

2) Having V. there. In years past, Jeremiah and I have gone by ourselves and considered it our belated Valentine's Day date. This year, we invited people (Jeremiah's sister came last week, and V. came this week) and I think it was a lot more fun because we had another person there to discuss the movies. 

3) We also brought Sprinkle to watch the movies. 

  

Me and V. hanging out with Sprinkle in our super-stealth theater photo. For the record, her favorite Best Picture-nominated movies were "Avatar" (because the aliens are blue like her) and "Up" (because it had lots of animals and balloons).

4) Eating delicious popcorn and Coke Zero during the day, and having a pretty healthy Panera salad for dinner to make up for the gluttony.

About my outfit. Like last week, I wanted to wear something colorful, cheerful and comfortable for 12 hours of movie watching, so I wore this dress. It held up throughout the day and didn't produce any wrinkles, which made me happy.

Here are my thoughts on the movies we saw. Again, I won't give away any spoilers, but just the main bits of the plot.

1) "Up": This was probably my favorite movie of the day. Carl Fredricksen and his wife Ellie dreamed of having an adventurous life and one day moving to Paradise Falls, an exotic locale that reminded them of the explorations of their favorite pilot, Charles Muntz (a Charles Lindbergh-like character). The mishaps of life get in the way of Carl's and Ellie's dreams, and faced with living in a retirement home, Carl decides to make the trip to Paradise Falls with his house and thousands of balloons. Partnered with Russell, a young Japanese American Boy Scout-like character, and several animals they meet, Carl embarks on a new life adventure. Many of the scenes seemed to pay tribute to classic movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "The Wizard of Oz." This movie is poignant, incredibly sad, hopeful and possibly the funniest animated movie I've ever seen. It made feel inspired about my own life. Please go see it. It's amazing.

2) "A Serious Man": I had no idea what this movie was about before getting into it -- I kept confusing it with Tom Ford's "A Single Man" and kept thinking I would see Colin Firth's performance (he's up for Best Actor). No. This is a  Coen brothers film about the terrible, unexplainable things that can happen in life. The movie is about Larry Gopnik, a Jewish professor in 1960s Midwestern suburbia whose life just seems to get worse with every moment: his lawyer bills keep piling up, he's awaiting his tenure decision, his wife wants a divorce and his apathetic children only seem to care about television shows and date nights. On top of all that, Larry can't seem to get an appointment with the most revered rabbi in town for guidance. The movie was really good -- the plot, the dialogue, costumes and cinematography were great. Many religious themes crept up in the movie. I loved it, and like a Coen brothers movie, the plot and the ending are unpredictable.  Michael Stuhlbarg did an amazing job as Gopnik.

3) "The Hurt Locker": I had many expectations for this movie, as it's supposedly one of the frontrunners for the Best Picture Oscar. The movie centers around an American military bomb disarmament squad and the many perils they face in the Iraqi war. The action scenes and the dialogues are amazing -- this movie does not let you relax at all. At one point in the movie I had to tell myself, "It's just a movie, if any of the characters die, it'll be okay because you'll see them at the Oscars tomorrow." It was seriously that intense. However, there were some parts of the movie that made me want a little more: what the motivations were for the characters to go into war, and what their home lives were like and how the war affected their psyches. Overall, it was a great movie.

4) "An Education": I had high hopes for this movie because of the buzz and acclaim from the blogosphere. Carey Mulligan stars as Jenny, a 16-year-old British girl who begins a relationship with a suave, mysterious much older man in this coming-of-age drama. He introduces her to an exciting, glamorous world of art and parties that is at odds with her studious goals of getting into college. Carey Mulligan was fantastic as Jenny and she's up for a Best Actress Oscar. Peter Sarsgaard did really well as David, Jenny's older lover, and I loved Alfred Molina as Jenny's father Jack (he also played Doctor Octavious/Doc Ock in "Spiderman 2"). The costumes were incredible -- the patterns and cuts of the pieces (especially when Jenny dons more grownup frocks) were very glamorous, beautiful and 1960s. I want every single dress Jenny wears. One part of the movie that I wish could have been explained more were David's motivations/home life, but overall it was a great movie.

5) "District 9": I had no expectations for this movie before watching it -- I thought it would be a cop thriller. The movie is about a present-day Earth in which an alien species becomes stranded after their mothership loses one of its key pieces and they can't be transported home. As their mothership hovers above Johannesburg, South Africa, many of the aliens adjust to living on Earth. Stuck with a million otherworldly inhabitants, the humans react by trying to enforce sanctions upon the aliens and put them into camps to control their behavior. I liked this movie -- it was a great thriller and I thought it was very accurate with how humans would react if an alien race suddenly became stranded on Earth. The way many of the aliens were treated was very similar to the Japanese-American internment during WWII. Overall I loved it, and I think it's possible for a sequel.

Overall, the Showcase was a wonderful experience this year. I think it's been rather difficult for me to describe which ones were my favorites, because with so many genres, it feels hard to compare. If I had to rank them from my most to least favorites, it would go like this:

1) Inglourious Basterds

2) Up

3) Avatar/Hurt Locker

4) An Education

5) Up in the Air

6) A Serious Man

7) District 9

8) Precious

9) The Blind Side

I'm about to watch Oscars coverage -- hope you all have a wonderful night!

 

10 down, 35 to go.

A day at the movies, and Dress #5

 

  

  

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft;

Tights, boots: Target.

How I've worn the dress: here, here.

The "Best Picture" Showcase Part One at AMC Theater was so much fun yesterday! As I mentioned in my last post, AMC Theaters does a movie marathon every year with the movies nominated for the "Best Picture" Oscar. Because there are 10 nominees this year, the marathon was split up over two weekends, and Saturday was Part One. I went with Jeremiah and his sister, Rachel this year. 

Some highlights:

1) Unlimited Coke Zero and popcorn for the day. I have a soda addiction and this was not helping, but boy was it great to break the rules Saturday. After years of going to this movie marathon, I knew to pace myself because if you don't, you seriously start twitching during the fifth movie.

2) Winning trivia three times. We each answered a question correctly and won prizes! It almost wasn't fair, but since we've been doing this for four years now we knew to study up on our Oscar/movie trivia during the year. I won a "Precious" poster, Jeremiah won a "This is It" Michael Jackson shirt (ha I'm keeping that for myself) and Rach won a "Team Edward" shirt, and we all got movie tickets. I think Jeremiah and I are going to use ours on "Alice in Wonderland" (!!) and "Shutter Island."

3) Talking to some other movie goers who were just as enthusiastic about the Showcase. One of them had gone to the Showcase a couple of times before so we got to chat about "The Reader" (both our favorite from the previous year). 

4) Finding this "Alice in Wonderland" poster and wanting to pose next to Johnny Depp. Sorry for the lighting in the pictures but finding this giant poster was enough to brave unflattering lighting. You'll notice that I'm wearing my "go-to" outfit for The Dress Project -- I wanted to be as comfortable as possible at the movies but still retaining a bit of my personal style. I'm not wearing any jewelry -- who wants to get popcorn butter on that?

Here are my thoughts on the movies I saw yesterday. No spoilers, I promise.

1) "Avatar": I will admit, I wanted to hate this movie because I am an unashamed movie snob. Going into it, I thought it was overhyped and I was biased in thinking it would be a teched-up Pocahontas story. And in a way, it was on the latter. Jake Sully is a handicapped Marine in the year 2154 who is pulled into an expedition to the planet Pandora after his twin brother, a Ph.D scientist who experimented with avatar technology, dies. Sully is trained to use his brother's avatar body to communicate and ingratiate himself into the Omaticaya native clan, so that humans can drill for the nearby natural minerals. I ended up thinking the movie was better than my expectations. The story was engaging, the visuals were stunning and it was suspenseful the entire time. The 3D imagery was impressive because this is one of the first movies to use it extensively, but it wasn't as if I felt like I was there along with the action and it certainly was not the strongest part of the movie -- the visuals of Pandora's nature were. Because of the strength of imagery, technology and likable plot, I wouldn't be surprised if this won "Best Picture" (as of right now, it's one of the front-running contenders). (I also kept my 3D glasses because they were cool-looking.)

2) "Up in the Air": I had already seen this earlier in the year, so you can read my thoughts on it here. I will say that a second viewing of it made me like George Clooney's performance even more.

3) "Precious": Oh, what to say about this movie. "Precious" is the story of an overweight, black and sexually abused teenager Precious Jones who daily struggles with her home life, school aspirations and second pregnancy. She spends some of her time daydreaming about having a better life -- by having a light-skinned boyfriend with a motorcycle, walking the red carpet or being a blond, skinny teenager. Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique's performances were especially strong, thought-provoking and real (I think Sidibe is deserving of the "Best Actress" win, and Mo'Nique is surely a lock for "Best Supporting Actress"). Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz are almost unrecognizable and transformed in their roles. I also really liked Paula Patton's performance as an alternative school teacher. Make no mistake -- this movie is depressing and poignant and deals with the heavy subjects of sexual abuse and poverty. I spent some of the movie crying and peering through my eyes during suspenseful moments. It's worth seeing at least once for Sidibe's and Mo'Nique's performances alone.

4) "The Blind Side": By the time this movie came around, it felt lighthearted considering the heavy subjects that "Up in the Air" and "Precious" had tackled. This one is based on the true story of Michael Oher, an NFL quarterback who escaped childhood poverty when a wealthy and supportive Memphis family welcomed him into their home and eventually adopted him. Quinton Aaron did a fantastic job as Oher, and Sandra Bullock was funny and believable as the whip-smart adoptive mother Leigh Anne Tuohy  (she's up for "Best Actress"). I don't know if I see this as a big "Best Picture" contender, though, because at times the dialogue and the scenarios were sappy and predictable, but it was enjoyable. As an alumna from an SEC university, some of my favorite scenes include cameos from coaches from some of the SEC schools, as well as ESPN football analyst Lou Holtz.

5) "Inglourious Basterds": My favorite movie in this entire lineup -- Quentin Tarantino did not disappoint. This movie is based on a revisionist history look at World War II. It involves two concurrent plots in occupied France -- in which a Jewish American Allied squad and a French theater operator both plan to kill Nazi leaders. As a history junkie and Tarantino fan, this may be my favorite movie of his since "Pulp Fiction" (and that's saying a lot, because I loved the "Kill Bill" series). The visuals, the dialogue, costumes, action and performances were amazing, and as with most Tarantino films, the concurrent plotlines were funny, suspenseful and well-written and acted. Christolph Waltz is up for "Best Supporting Actor" for his role as a Nazi officer and if he doesn't win I will be really sad. Brad Pitt's, Diane Kruger's and newcomer Melanie Laurent's performances were great as well. I really loved this movie and though it may not have a chance to win the "Best Picture" Oscar ("Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker" are the favorites right now), I would be incredibly happy if it did. Seriously, go watch the previews, read the IMDB entry and find a way to watch this movie soon.

Overall, it was a great day and the best part is that I get to do it all again next weekend with Part 2 of the Showcase. Because there are 10 "Best Picture" nominees this year, AMC split up the marathon to two weekends. Next up will be "An Education," "District 9," "A Serious Man," "The Hurt Locker" and "Up." Yay!

Edited to add: In case any of you are interested in doing Part 2 of the AMC "Best Picture Showcase," many cities around the U.S. are participating, so you can check here to see if a theater near you is doing it next week. I know some theaters did a 24-hour marathon this past Saturday, but many are still showing half the nominated movies this upcoming Saturday.

JoAnn's winter wonders

Just a few great things I've discovered the last couple weeks and I can't stop thinking about them. Here, a collection of books and movies that have helped me get through winter's bluster:

  

[Sources: Image 1, Image 2]

 

 Russian Ark

A beautifully crafted and highly ambitious movie directed by Alesandr Sukorov, "Russian Ark" depicts 300 years of Russian history as seen through the hallways of the Hermitage museum. If not for the history, luxurious backgrounds, intricate macaroon-pastel-colored costumes and priceless art, see it for its impressive cinematography. The 99-minute movie was shot in a single day and in a single take, with thousands of actors and extras.

 

 

[Images via here]

Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright delves into her jewelry box to pay homage to her oft-worn accessory, the brooch, and how she uses it to express herself in daily and diplomatic matters. Animal pins often took on symbolism: a turtle might represent slow-going negotiations; a serpent meant "Don't Tread on Me" in a meeting with Iraqi officials. I got a chance to briefly meet Albright a few years ago at a conference (she wore a gold medal-looking brooch; I didn't think to ask about its significance), and I think the book is a fascinating read into the political, personal and sartorial history of one of America's leaders.

[Image via here]

Up in the Air
I really enjoyed Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air," in which George Clooney depicts an HR consultant who travels 300+ days every year to different parts of the country and lays off staff at different companies. Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga also star. Funny, witty and heartbreakingly poignant, this movie seems to understand that what's important in life isn't so much the lofty priorities you've set for yourself, but the people you meet along the way. Will probably get some Oscar noms.

 [Image from here] 

Good Omens

  Whatever I say will not give this book the credit it deserves. I first read this book three years ago, and every re-reading since has got me finding something new to laugh about and discover. This critically acclaimed book begins as the end of the world is near and two otherworldly creatures -- a demon and an angel -- are reluctant to see it come. Enter a misplaced Antichrist, the (personified) Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, English humans and a 300-year-old prophecy and the result is sooo funny. I wish they could find a good way to turn this into a movie, which has been rumored for sometime.

What's getting you through winter -- any fun movies or books you've come across recently?

Rodarte for Target review

After scouring the looks for the past couple weeks online, we finally got to see some of the pieces from the Rodarte for Target line. Here's our take!

Outfit 1

 

Juniors Lace Halter Dress in Pink and Juniors Mesh Lace Cardigan in Black

Nikki:  This dress looked great on the hanger with its beautiful colors, but when I put it on the collar choked me because the straps were a bit short. Fortunately, the collar can be tucked in, but I'm not sure of how well the dress will hold up on its own.

 

I liked this cardigan a lot but the buttons didn't align properly.

 

 Outfit 2

 

Crepe Slip Lace Dress in Nude

(Worn with my Target Cognac Kady boots)

JoAnn: I had high hopes for this dress when I saw it on the rack.The color in real life is a gorgeous beigey nude with a bit of pink. However, when I tried it on in a medium, I felt like the color really washed me out and it looked more lingerie-y instead of a party frock. I also had major static cling issues and had to keep pulling down the back of the dress so I didn't flash anyone who happened to be standing in the dressing room hallway. I think this would be a good slip dress or layering piece, but I think especially with the nude color on me, I don't know that I would ever wear it on its own. I didn't try the black for fear of the same static issues.

Outfit 3

Juniors Mesh Lace Top in Chesterfield Navy 

(worn with american eagle tank top)

Nikki: This shirt looked super cute, but in reality it wouldn't last ten seconds in the wash. The print was nice, but the fabric wasn't durable at all.

Outfit 4

 Crepe Lace Print Dress in Oxford/Black

JoAnn: I tried on a medium in this dress and it was too big up top. I loved the print of this dress and it would have been something I could have incorporated into my wardrobe on that alone. However, the fabric of the dress is really thin and would probably need a slip dress underneath it.

Outfit 5

Kimono Floral Print Hooded Raincoat in Beige/Pink

Nikki:This jacket was way too big (keep in mind we just grabbed things off the rack). Like everything I tried on, the print was lovely, but it was extremely thin. In my opinion rain jackets should live up to their name. I would have liked it more if it was a little thicker.

Outfit 6

 

Sequin Leopard Print Dress in Gray

JoAnn: I liked the fit of this dress - it was a medium and fit pretty true to size. The sequins gave the fabric more weight and the low neckline showed some cleavage. The print definitely stands out and this would be a good party piece.

Outfit 7

 

Cotton striped long sleeve top in Navy/White 

and Black Skirt (Not showing up online so I can't find the name of it)

JoAnn: I ended up really liking this combination and felt very me in it. The top is 100% cotton, comfortable and nautical stripes are such a closet staple. I'm wearing an XS in the photo, and though a little tight, the size worked. I think I'm going to wait until I can get a small. The skirt was the right length and had a brocade-ish stripe at the bottom. I think it would be a good basic to have.

Conclusion

JoAnn: The Rodarte for Target line had some bold pieces and beautiful romantic prints. The fit for the most part was true to size. I really did like some of the dresses, but the fabric was often a concern because they looked and felt too thin. I will probably go back for the striped top because I think it's a wardrobe basic that I can't get enough of anyways. I may try to go back for the crepe lace print dress if I can find one in my size. I will also try to go back and see if any nearby Targets have some of the pieces that weren't available at our store.

Nikki: This line had great prints that are quite lovely and are mainly true to size, however, the fabric felt flimsy and felt like it could fall apart in the wash. Like Jo said, the fabric felt a little too thin. The line had a great concept but it didn't seem like it was carried out too well.

What about you -- did you get to try out the line and did you have any favorites? Let us know what you think, and if you agree/disagree with our thoughts!