VaVaVaVEGAN

Safety First, Kids… And Kitties

jen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:19:52 +0000

Keep your fave furry friend safe with a fashionably free pet safety pack from the ASPCA! Their pet rescue window decal not only alerts rescue personnel that pets are inside your home, but it also doubles as daring decor, with a flash of Oh No! orange as the accent color. The safety pack also includes an ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center fridge frame donning some life-saving digits. If it’s that easy to talk yourself into indulging in this pre-spring weather with an early pair of espadrilles (and I know it is!), sending out for this freebie should be a no-consultation-neceassary kind of click.

[free! order online from the ASPCA]

Chinese New Year: Year Of The Cat

jen — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:55:20 +0000

It’s true, I have been hibernating… at least from the internet lately. But now it’s time to get back in the swing of things, blog style. And although it still feels like winter weather outside, it’s more than time to shed your shearling shoes for something equally as cute and cozy. Lucky Cat Shearling Boots by Bamboo provide all the comfort and none of the cruelty with their faux shearling interior and psuedo suede exterior. By traditional Chinese standards, oh ten is technically the Year of the Tiger, but mini Maneki Neko makes such a fetching little felidae that he deserves to steal some spotlight.

[$19.99 by bamboo on amazon.com]

3, 2, 1, Blastoff!

jen — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:21:45 +0000

You should check out this great site I joined called Blastoff Network. It’s a customizable page that combines the best news, videos, music, and social networking with cash-back shopping from the biggest retailers such as Target, Best Buy, and Tiger Direct (I fill this is with better ones later). Check out Blastoff Network at http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=-461492612752069207231 or visit my Blastoff Homepage at http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=-461492612752069207232.

Sorry, I had to get it out. I’ve been spamming up all my social sites with this neat little note ever since I read an entire magazine about it at Barnes and Noble yesterday. A chance to earn some extra cha-ching for cli-clicking my dollars away as usual sounds like a sweet deal to me. Maybe it will inspire something new to write about? Let’s see.

Also, speaking of clicking for a cause (one other than myself), have you had your kibble yet today?

I Like Big Bumpers And I Cannot Lie…

jen — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:09:58 +0000

If you’re one of the kids who already reads my blog babble, I’m sure you share in my sentiment when I state how infuriating it can be to even think of losing a furry little friend for some overpriced and down right offensive outerwear. But even more unbearable than such a cruel cop-out is suffering a loss without even as little as any explicable excuse. Coming from someone who’s been in two very recent car accidents “incidents”, I can attest that it certainly is tough out there on the road. People rarely break for each other, let alone crossing critters. So, in honor of fallen fur balls, cool car accessories, and my recovering ride, I decided to treat my tiny Toyota to a designer bumper bandage – compliments of happy2craft. Now I can look fly in my spruced up subcompact, while simultaneously reminding the road hog behind me to cruise with compassion.

If this all seems a little out of the black and blue, you can chalk it up to a delayed PTSD deal… or maybe even some early Thanksgiving thoughts. ModCloth’s Thank-a-Thon Blog Contest forced me to do a little self-reflection. And just like that, I realized how thankful I am for the people who care, the ones who will begin to, and most of all, for my every day animal encounters that keep me inspired to shop, share, dress, and drive responsibly.

[$3.95 at zazzle.com]

Faux Find: Sugar Skull Satchel

jen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:48:45 +0000

This is the first year I’ve actively observed Dia de los Muertos. I learned how to create sugar skulls, participated in a local ritual and celebration to honor those that have passed, chowed down on some Mexican treats, and spent some personal time reflecting on happy memories of grandparents, friends, and pets. Although there’s no doubt of the sanctity behind the Day of the Dead, it is traditionally deemed a celebratory holiday. And as with most common holidays, I decided the day required some special dress. The calavera is not only an important part of the days’ offerings and decorations, but also the focus of my festive getup. I’ve come across many pieces portraying it – now on my must-have list – but Loungefly’s line of vegan handbags was certainly one of the stand-outs. The Cream Sugar Skull Satchel is the perfect accessory with a traditional meets modern take, crafted out of thread, metal, and PVC. Oh, and despite the name, it’s dairy free.

Candie Cardi

jen — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:28:49 +0000

So, it’s Halloween – a holiday who Hallmark has turned into a candy carnival – and unfortunately it’s a bit brisk and rainy. But don’t sweat the sweet stuff. Stay toasty in these tasty threads from Rock Steady.

[$48 candie cardigan at shop.steadyclothing.com]

Faux Find: Feather Boas

jen — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:16:50 +0000

As a follow-up to my aforementioned birthday activities, I found myself contemplating the often 1920’s or ’50s style of the burlesque babe. I mean, they don’t really wear a whole lot, so in terms of actual items, the few things that automatically come to mind are boas, boobie tassels, and loosely lost lingerie. With the latter two born in eras where newly discovered synthetics were widely used, I went on a mission to find some fun faux boas. ‘Cause real ones just aren’t cool. Most I came across seemed to be lacking a little something, but then I stumbled upon a whole slew from The House Of Bachelorette. Prince charming and engagement rock sold separately.

Birthday Cake & Boobie Tassels

jen — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:07:14 +0000

Yesterday, I reached the quarter of a century mark in my life, so I thought why not celebrate French Quarter style with a risque burlesque extravaganza – except this one was a little less overblown, a whole lot more modern, and located in the East Village.

I didn’t have overly high expectations for the little dive in Alphabet City, but I was immediately taken by Bar on A with their orange and black decor, complete with synthetic snakeskin detailing around lights, poles, and other subtle spots. It was casual with no cover – and the show only had a $5 buck bill.

I had already decidedly given the Kitty Nights gang of girlies kudos for the super catchy catty show name. There were the usual scenes – a mix of sultry and silly, which I quite enjoyed. Plus, this particular night also included a special act by the fierce little lady who ran the show – Ms. Fem Appeal. While I’m not sure exactly how I felt about the Little Red Riding Hood reenactment, I can safely say the fur costume that was flung around were totally faux. And what a fabulous time it was overall. The motley musical selection combined with a little bit of glamor, sauciness, and striptease was just the right amount of entertainment and excitement I was looking for to take on the big two-five.

Here, kitty kitty…

The “It” List vs The Hit List

jen — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:10:49 +0000

It was time.

Actually, for the third time that season, it was time. The dreaded closet clean-out – an activity that every shopping addict hates. In a squalid attempt to inspire myself, I turned to the experts: Finola Hughes, Tim Gunn, Stacey London, Clinton Kelly, and any other wardrobe editing expert I could think of. But have you ever actually read any of their essentials lists? Smart, sure. Practical – how about impossible. Who really has a total of 10 pieces in their wardrobe? Certainly not me. And if you’re reading this, my guess is probably not you either. Plus, sometimes it can be extremely difficult to give some items the boot. There’s that history together, the emotional attachment, the dependency, and those intimately shared moments of retail therapy. So how exactly does one do it when working with such volume? Well, I can’t exactly explain how I got through it all. But I can tell you what I ended up with. Being both a virtually unstoppable overstock-er and OCD organizer times ten, I decided my leftover items not only needed to be cherished, but also charted.

Or at least that was the original plan. My so-called attempt at a “retail run-down” list failed miserably as I still seriously had too many items to count. Sickening, but even so, severely less than I started out with. And although I don’t like to play faves(yes I do), I’m clearly a heavy hitter when it comes to scarves and cardigans. They’re so essential and multi-seasonal! But if you’re more of a well-rounded gal, it’s probably worth it to leaf through The Lucky Shopping Manual for some solid advice.

The upside of this whole experience, aside from some extra closet space, is that it left me a little more uncertain about my next sure-to-be-unnecessary splurge. I’ve learned it’s ok to swear off swiping some platinum level plastic for a bit and forget this weekend’s purely impulse fashion fix because I got everything I need right here.

*Warning: Do not attempt this stunt at home, unless properly supervised and armed with aftercare items such as extra creamy cake batter ice cream, mellow-out music, and a credit card shredder.

I Like To Moove It, Moove It

jen — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:37:52 +0000

I used to be pretty down with Three Dog Night, but after my recent search and rescue request mission for a size 11 heeled vegan boot, I must seriously disagree with them about one being the loneliest number. I think my pal/web designer extraordinaire Jenn Schiffer can definitely attest that, in fact, 11 is the loneliest number – or I bet it certainly feels that way when you’re stranded solo in a shoe store surrounded by a sea of sevens and other so-never-gonna-fit-me sizes. Luckily, Moo Shoes stepped out onto the scene at the turn of the century to toss you leggy ladies a life preserver – and a complimentary lesson in size conversion. (An American size 11 equates to a European size 42.) Find my picks below.

You take the high road…

And I’ll take the low road…

…and I swear I’ll stop making silly song puns before the next post (total lie). Check out MooShoes.com ASAP before the size sells out, or if you’re kickin’ it local, stop by their flagship store in NYC.

[$149.95 Elizabeth Boot by NOVACAS at mooshoes.com]
[$139.95 Betty Boot by NOVACAS at mooshoes.com]