The "Denim Glut," and is it real!

Hi Jennifer: As your humble west coast correspondent for all things fashion, fun and glamorous, I have done the research you asked me to do on the “Denim Glut” that has been so talked about for the past year. I visited around a half dozen stores and boutiques In Los Angeles and have spoken to the owners and managers about the high cost of premier denim brands and their loss of popularity. I also spoke with shoppers on the street and in the malls about the brands of jeans they buy and how these savvy women see the trend. Granted, this is not a conclusive survey by any means but it’s very telling of the trend and was extremely informative. I had no idea what to expect!

It seems that “7-for-all-mankind” is still the king of the premier denim lines with True Religion, and Citizens of Humanity following close behind but all of them have seen their sales dramatically decrease with the economic slowdown. Many store owners and managers have cut back on these lines with some cutting them completely from their inventory and open-to-buy. The common phrase was, “. . . . nobody wants to spend $250+ on a pair of jeans anymore!” And, “. . . they don’t sell like they used to . . . “ It appears that these lines just got to big and saturated. Store owners became tired of the brand and so did the customers. My research showed that the corporate office of “7” has even reduced their prices and even the newer items are dramatically cut in price.

I also discovered that wearing a premier denim line just doesn’t mean that much anymore, at least to the women I spoke to. It used to be a huge status symbol but they now view premier denim as a “been-there-done-that” kind of thing. They still want to look nice but they don’t want to spend the money anymore. I have to say that I was surprised by what I heard but not shocked.

The store owners and shoppers apparently believe that anything over a $100 is too much money for today’s stylish shopper. For the average shopper it appears that value is now more important then status.

The bottom line was this; no store owner wanted to get the premier line in and immediately mark it down 20-30% just to move it out the door. Wow! Now that was a surprise. So it’s true, there was a denim glut but not the way I thought it was going to be. There wasn’t too much denim just too expensive.

Thanks for the assignment Jennifer. It was incredibly fun and I look forward to the next one.

Lynn, Los Angeles.

Cute T's!

I love just throwing on a t-shirt in a hurry for class and getting compliments on how cute it looks. But I always think to myself 'why are people completing me, I just rolled out of bed'! That's the beauty of cute graphic T's. They make you look put together (even when you're not!), and they are so fun that they always catch someones eye.

My favorite one is the Miss Me "Flying Heart" Top. The shiny silver and rhinestones are so cute! I love the burnout look. It's fun to wear different colors underneath t-shirts like this for a different look every time. I have a perfect little grey tank top I can wear under everything and anything! I couldn't live without it!

-Julie

Chaudry "Printed Short" Skirt

How cute is this skirt!?!? How cute is this top!?!?

I love that this Chaudry "Printed Short" Skirt can be worn both ways, it's very convenient! It would be the perfect piece of clothing to take with me this summer on vacation. I could find a third useful way to use it too...a swim suite cover up :)

Kalyn

Shoulder Pads

I guess you could say that I’m slightly obsessed with Rihanna.
Every time she is photographed her cool rocker vibe style amazes me. She's always very put together and I'll have to say that I’m quit jealous of her wardrobe!
Rihanna can basically pull off any look, she was spotted partying at West Hollywood’s Bar Delux on Thursday wearing this lace top with shoulder pads! I don’t think that many people can get away with wearing shoulder pads but…of course she can!

What do you think...will you be wearing shoulder pads if they make a huge come back?

Jessica

No Surprise on 'Idol'

Well almost! Quirky jerky perky Megan survived another week and I now believe it's because she's so gorgeous and weird that we need to keep her around with hope that she dramatically improves. She makes for great television because I tune in just to see what she'll do next. I've only seen her have one good performance and Randy Jackson called her last performance a "train wreck." I'm not sure but it looked like Megan may have thought that was a compliment.

Adam Lambert (left) was safe. Thank God! Look at him! He's gorgeous! When it gets down to this level the fans can find a favorite and vote off the competition. I get nervous at this level because 16 year old Allison Iraheta is a young girls favorite and nothing will stand in their way. Not even Adam Lambert.


Michael Sarver was voted off and it was time for him to go. He's a gentleman and respectful but his talent level just wasn't high enough. He was asked to sing his last song to see if he could save himself right after Stevie Wonder did his rendition. He started to laugh and said, "I have to follow Stevie Wonder?" He sang and it was better then the night before but not good enough to save him.

Matt Giraud was the surprise of the night. When I saw him in the bottom three I was shocked. He can play the piano, he can sing, and he has showmanship. Why he was their is because he's not the fans favorite. Talent has nothing to do with it now. Well, not completely but the young girl vote in America is a tough thing to beat.

That's all for now, Jennifer. I'll talk to you later!

Lynn, Los, Angeles

My "Weekly Favorite" Item. . . !

Some of my favorite things I often assume are every one's favorite things. Recently, I was getting a 'mani' and a 'pedi' with a friend and I was shocked the salon didn't use Seche Vite. I very quietly mentioned this to my friend, who replied, "what's Seche Vite?" I couldn't believe my ears!

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat is undoubtedly the finest, fastest and shiniest top coat I have ever used. The secret behind the patented formula is how it penetrates through the nail lacquer to the base coat forming a single solid coating over the nail plate. Not only will your nails dry ridiculously fast you will have the most gorgeous gloss you've ever seen! Apply this top coat immediately following your last coat of color. Reapply any time to have that "I just had a mani" look!

It's my favorite item giveaway this week, and that's not all! I'm also adding my favorite nail color from the Spring OPI collection! Seche Vite retails for $10 and is available in nail salons across the US. I'm sharing this favorite of mine along with a gorgeous nail color to every order placed online! (while supplies last) Be sure to enter promo code "sechevite" at checkout.

If you have any questions regarding this product or anything else on jlamore.com send me an email or call me toll free 866-631-3880. I would love to hear from you.


Jennifer

Next exciting event... Britney Spears!

I'm heading to the Britney Spears concert next weekend in Minnesota! I'm so excited...I've been waiting to see her on tour since I last saw her in, what, 2001 or so?! It's been too long, Britney!


What to wear to the concert! Everything in the new Rock Star Style category would be great for a concert, but for Britney I want to be a bit more girly and flirty rather than a rocker look. I'm thinking something like the Susana Monaco "Madeleine" Top. I could pair it with leggings and black boots with a jacket. It'll be nice to have a tank top to wear when I'm dancing all night at the concert!

-Julie

Lauren Conrads clothing line

Lauren Conrad is planning to take a couple seasons off from her clothing line :( I'm a Hills fan, so I'm a little sad.

She did take time to blog about the issue saying "I learned so much in the past year and I want to apply that to the improvement of my clothing line. I also wanted to make some changes in production so I would be able to lower the price point. That being said, I am actually really excited about beginning this process."

I'm also excited to see her new improved line! TEAM LAUREN :)

Jessica

Celebrities love Miss Me

Ashley Greene, one of the many stars from the movie Twilight and the upcoming sequel New Moon was trying on Miss Me clothing at their showroom in L.A. on March 5th! It's good to know that celebrities have the same taste as us here at J.Lamore :)

Jessica

Miss Me "Embroidered" Jumper

Hi J.LaMore shoppers! I was just browsing through the What's New and instantly noticed this cute Miss Me "Embroidered" Jumper. This embroidery is really beautiful and I'm loving the colors against the black. I have a pair of great wedges that I bought from J.LaMore a couple of years ago that will look fabulous with this :) Very exciting!

Kalyn

Adam Lambert rocks on American Idol!

Hi Jennifer and friends: Last night's American Idol was amazing and interesting at the same time. My favorite female singer, Meagan Joy Corkrey was absolutely gorgeous. She is so beautiful that it's a complete shame she cannot sing to save her life!

This is what I would say to her; "I'm sorry Meagan, its true. You would be better off just standing there looking gorgeous doing nothing but smiling in a cute dress then to go out there and try to sing and dance. By the way, you can't dance either. . . . "

But the amazing singer of the night and the new front runner is, Adam Lambert. His rendition of "Tracks of my Tears" was unbelievable! Amazing! Incredible! He cleaned himself up, slicked his hair back and didn't have finger nail polish on and had an Elvis kind of look with a little Kurt Russell mixed in. He looked amazing in his silver suit and had more stage presence then any other performer of the night along with Allison Iraheta.

The theme for the night was 'Motown' and I was hoping for all the great songs of the past. They even brought out Smokey Robinson to help the contestants with their songs. Although I love Smokey and all his songs but he was very kind to all the singers when they came in when they sounded bad or had bad ideas about a song. Smokey even offered advice on some lyrics that Danny Gokey should add to his song and when Gokey sang the song he left out the lyrics and had the back up vocals sing the lyrics. I was stunned!

I'm working on trying to find out who owns the house the contestants are staying at. It looks amazing!

Lynn Los Angeles.

"Perk & Work" Article

My husband and I were watching a news program last night when he commented on a gorgeous attorney who was a guest on the show. He said to me, "man, her eyes are really freaky." "No kidding" I replied, "it's all the botox she's had, her face isn't moving."

Believe me, while I've not had any "work" done, I'm not against it in the least bit. It just seems that there are times when it gets taken too far. Case and point with the gal on the news program. She was gorgeous, but looked so lifeless.

Today, I came across an interesting article in the April issue of Vogue Magazine. In the article titled, "Perk & Work" the author, Sally Singer, acknowledges the extreme measures women are taking to look absolutely perfect. "With advances in medical procedures, fatalism (i.e., you work with the body that nature gave you) has given way to a different idea: You work the body that nature gave you." She continues on to say, "manufactured bodies are everywhere now."

The article moves on to discuss the challenges fashion designers face with our ever changing bodies. Which body type will be popular the next few years? Large breasts? Small breasts? Bootylicious? Not so bootylicious? Fashion designer Zac Posen notes, "Pieces are being rebuilt to a whole new body proportion."

All of this made me wonder, what is it that drives us to augment, needle poke, and resurface our bodies? Why does my friend think her lips are never big enough? Or my other friend worry so much about the lines around her mouth? Why do I wish my breasts looked better in a halter top? Who or what is driving us to perfection? I'm not against it, I'm just curious how we got here.
Jennifer

Love This Dress!

Susana Monaco has always been one of my favorite designers. She has those great "basics" that we all need and some fantastic collection pieces that always make me drool!

I love this bow dress we just got in from her, it's so chic. I have a couple of summer parties that this dress will be perfect for.

Jennifer

Whoa whoa!

I just learned (after describing him to my sisters fiancee, my dad, and Jim), that the "big shot" whose VIP area we were in at Tao was Chris Moneymaker! He's a really famous professional poker player for those of you who don't know (obviously I didn't!) Pretty cool, though!

-Julie

More Vegas Pics!

<-Rooftop at Pure

My favorite picture of the trip! ->

Us girls with our "Thunder from Down Under" boys! Some of them took us out after the show and they were so nice!! It was fun listening to their accents all night (not to mention looking at them...!)

-Julie

Vegas Trip!

I'm home... and had the best time of my life in Vegas! I'm exhausted, but it was worth all the fun we had. The weather was gorgeous and the clubs were SO much fun!!

Our favorites were Body English (Thanks Amanda for helping us out there! The Hard Rock in general was awesome!!), which had a really fun dance floor and great bars. It was packed full of young people, too! Our other favorites were Pure, where we sat VIP and feet away from DJ AM! And the last night we went to Tao... which was the most amazing club I've ever seen! If you've never been to Tao you have to see it to believe it. With 3 levels (The roof top is "Tao Beach"), Asian decor, and a great dance floor, it's definitely one of the coolest places I have ever been!! The line was out the door, but we got in right away since we had VIP with some of the "Thunder from Down Under" guys, which made the night even more of a blast!

We didn't eat anywhere to fantastic, since we were on a budget. We did go to a funny restaurant called "Dicks Last Resort." It's just bar type food (good deals on drinks, too), but the waiters are supposed to be mean to you which makes the experience funny. I wouldn't go there if you're looking for a nice evening... but for a cheap daiquiri and some laughs it was pretty fun!

During the day (when we were actually up and about... it was hard to get up after those long nights out!! We didn't get home till 4 AM one morning. I'm the kind of person who likes my 8 hours!)- we went to the pool and shopped! The Venetian was amazing! Those shops, the canal, the gondolas.... whoa! It all was so fun.

The two pictures I posted are from Left to Right- Us 5 girls on our second night at the Luxor Hotel, and the picture on the right is us before the middle girl (Sarah's) birthday dinner. This is the view from the patio at our friends brothers house. Pretty gorgeous, huh!

More to come soon!!

-Julie

My "Weekly Favorite" Item

Say it with me, Davines...Davines....Davines, oh my hair feels better already! Made in Italy and pronounced, "daahviness," this is number two on my list of three all time favorite hair conditioners.

(Don't forget, I'm giving this away FREE with any online purchase while supply last. Enter "momo" at checkout. I have my fingers crossed for you!)

I feel so lucky to have such wonderful friends who turn me on to their "favorite things." Recently, I had a get together with a group of friends at J. LaMore. My friend Shannon brought the best hostess gift ever, a jar of Davines Momo conditioner. Davines is an exclusive brand of hair care products, manufactured in Italy and is only sold in the finest salons across the world. To me, the beauty of Davines is their company philosophy, "crafting products and projects for our world that express a thoughtful balance of substance and style, nature and science, people and spirit." Well said. I love products that are good for us and good for the earth.

The Davines Momo conditioner is a daily formula, that is so rich and luxurious, every time I use it my hair feels slippery it's so soft. Since I've gone more blonde, my hair needs extra conditioning, and the Momo conditioner is getting the job done. With milk thistle extracts, this conditioner is unlike anything else you've tried.

You can find this Italian conditioner exclusively at Shannon's salon, Circa Bella in Middleton, WI (608) 333-6063. It costs $24 for 8.45 ounces. For a limited time, I'm sharing this product for FREE with all online orders at jlamore.com (while supplies last). Be sure to enter promo code "momo" at checkout.

Jennifer

If you have any questions regarding this product or anything else on jlamore.com, send me an email or call me toll free 866-631-3880. I would love to hear from you.

Fall 2009 Chanel

Perusing through the Wednesday, March 11th edition of WWD, I came across an incredible spread on the Fall 2009 Chanel collection and I've been mesmerized ever since. I keep glancing at the glamorous photographs and imagining myself walking the streets of Paris wearing one of the fabulously designed "frocks" by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. Oh, a girl can dream, can't I?

The Fall 2009 Collection included plenty of the designer's signature tweed pieces which are simply amazing as well as a collaboration of beautiful chunky knit sweaters in a soft, pretty colors like bubble gum pink color and a creamy milky white. I can't forget to mention the to die for oversized knit hats. They are simply incredible. The make-up the models wore for the show added to the whole glamour feel. Their eyes were stunning. It looks like the top lashes have very little mascara on them while the lower lashes are heavy with mascara, liner and touches of white. Tres Chic.
Au revoir!

Jennifer

Cute Outfit

Hi fellow shoppers :)

Now that the weather in New York city is actually feeling a little like Spring I'm definitely in the mood for some Spring shopping! YES, I have Spring fever....like everyone else does too I'm sure!

The last couple years I have been into jean shorts and I love this Sang Real "Six Button Sailor" Short. The six buttons are really cute and add a fresh look to the old jean short look. I also really want to get the Susana Monaco "Button" Halter to wear with the shorts. It will look adorable tucked in!

Kalyn

Susana Monaco "Bow" Dress

How beautiful is this Susana Monaco "Bow" Dress?

Bows are the best accessory for a lady to have for this spring and summer, they add class and interest to any outfit.

The fit of this dress looks flawless, and I love the shiny polyester. Its a perfect little cocktail dress to wear to a wedding!

Kalyn

Idol frenzy. . . . I love it!

Hi Jennifer: I watched American Idol last night and I have to say it was great entertainment. I've been kind of disappointed in the past few weeks but last night was really good.

Megan Joy Corkrey is my favorite. Aside from the hideous, what-were-you-thinking tattoo on her right arm, this young lady is stunningly gorgeous with a great voice to boot. However, would someone teach this poor girl how to dance or move so she doesn't look like she's drunk or about to taker her first step without crutches.

But, the buzz around LA on the radio and local news was the black finger nail polished Adam Lambert singing "Burning Ring of Fire" by the late Johnny Cash. OMG! I thought it was freaky and weird and . . . freaky and . . . . . wow! What was that! He's gone tonight! I thought in the past he had an incredible voice but when I heard that hideous sound coming from his voice I wanted to, like Simon said, "people all across America tonight want to throw their television sets out the window."

I don't mind when a performer wants to make a song "their own" but that sounded like someone was killing their cat. Yuck!

On another note! I Paula coherent? I mean seriously. Does anyone know what this woman is talking about. EVER! Has she ever made sense about anything? I can hardly listen to her anymore. I think this year she has gotten worse. Don't you think "dope." Randy Jackson has a new saying that is catching on in LA and it's "dope." Everything is "dog, that was dope." I'm sure I know what all of that means but people seem to like it. When I first him say that I thought, "well, that was mean" and it wasn't until later that I had a "ah ha" moment and it all made sense. Sort of!

Anyway, back to work!

Lynn, Los Angeles.

Bob Dylan's . . . Outhouse?

Hi Jennifer: Thanks for the new assignment and I'm working on it right now.

I had a few minutes here to write a humorous note about singer Bob Dylan and the outhouse he has on his gigantic estate on the ocean in Malibu. It appears that the outhouse is 'blowing in the wind' and creating a horrible odor for the neighbors when the wind blows just right. This happens about every night at the same time when the wind shifts. Apparently the neighbors are getting sick and have complained to the City of Malibue who have done nothing up to this point. Some say it's because he's such a big celeb that they don't want to offend him. Hmmmm!


The neighbors have been complaining for months and Dylan just ignores the complaints and keeps the outhouse where it is. The outhouse is for the security staff who sit in the guard shack on the property and compound. Bob Dylan has a security staff and a guard shack? Ok!



I've never seen the house and now I don't want to. Gross!

Lynn, Los Angeles

Jessica Simpson. . . Booooed?

Hi Jennifer and friends: As your west coast reporter for all things fashion, fun and well, more fun, I was at the Rascal Flats concert in Irvine, California and had a great time with my friends and co workers. I know Jennifer is a huge country music fan and I thought Rascal Flats was amazing. Great music and tons of fun. Thanks for the tip on that!

However, the opening act was Jessica Simpson. I know that in the jlamore.com friends blog I have picked on Jessica Simpson in the past but I have to say, she is terrible. This woman cannot sing at all. Not only that she forgot the words to a song and was booed terribly. I think booing is rude but when you pay $60 for a ticket it seems like the only recourse you have. She recovered well and said that it happens all the time. Her bad performance was actually more talked about then the great performance of Rascal Flats.

I have more fashion news to report and will do so in a later post. Off to work I go!

Lynn, Los Angeles

Susana Monaco Jacket

Wow. This "Scarf" Jacket just stopped me in my tracks and I instantly had to blog about how much I adore it!

Susana Monaco always has the most beautiful clothes but this is unbelievable!

The scarf on the Jacket is actually removable too, not that I would ever take it off...just good to know my options :)

Kalyn

My "Weekly Favorite" Item. . . !

After too many years to count, I've excitedly tried every hair conditioner I could get my hands on! (remember, I'm a "hair care product junkie!") So trust me when I say, I have three conditioners that are going to blow your hair away!

The first conditioner I'm featuring in my "weekly favorite items" is a product called, Sudzz fx Moxee. I clearly remember the day three years ago when my friend, Nicole, who owns a local salon walked into J. LaMore. She started rambling, something about dry hair, bad ends, and looking dull when she said, "frankly Jennifer, your hair needs my product!" Ouch, right? I knew it was true though and said, "please help me!"

Sudzz fx is an elite brand of hair care products and is only available in the finest salons. The Moxee conditioner is a thick and luxurious formula that contains organic botanical's that stimulate the regeneration of cells while preserving color and maintaining softness. Another huge perk, it smells incredible! This is definitely one of my favorites!

You can find this delicious conditioner exclusively at Nicole's salon, Co Leigh Co. in Madison, WI (608) 661-4277 or coleighsalon.com. It costs $28 for 10 ounces. For a limited time, I'm sharing this product for FREE with all online orders at jlamore.com (while supplies last). Be sure to enter promo code "sudzz" at checkout.

Remember, it doesn't matter what size your online order is you still get a bottle of this fantastic product. Love it! Love it! Love it!

Jennifer

If you have any questions just send me an email or call toll free 866-631-3880.

Ready to get out of this 10 degree weather!

Only 2 more days till I'm laying by the pool and partying on the strip in Vegas!! My bag is packed (ok... almost packed!), and it's full of J. LaMore clothes!! I didn't realize how lucky I was to have so many J. LaMore items until I went through my whole closet to decide what I wanted to take. Surprise surprise that just about everything that I really want to wear is from J. LaMore!!

I've got my Susana Monaco tops for shopping during the day, Union Shorts to pair with tee's when I want to be casual, My Sky and Nu Collective tops to be glitzy during the night, My Union and Miss Me jeans to pair with those tops, and Dresses from Christopher Deane, Yoana Baraschi, Sky, and Susana Monaco. What would I do without J. LaMore and the great designers that you carry, Jennifer?! I'll be sure to post pictures!!

Thanks so much to Amanda B, Lynn, and Jennifer for the great advice about Vegas!! It's going to make my trip so much more fun!

-Julie

Language "Dusk" Tube Dress

Hi J.LaMore friends! I love this new model, she really knows how to sell an outfit. She definitely is making me want the Language "Dusk" Tube Dress!

This dress just looks really comfortable and practical! I love how it is dressed up in the lookbook with a silver belt and some great starppy sandals too!

Kalyn

Allison Iraheta wearing My Tribe!

Hi Jennifer: Thanks for the heads up that American Idol contestant (and my choice to win the whole thing, by the way), Allison Iraheta is wearing the My Tribe leather jacket that jlamore.com has for sale. She looked incredible in the jacket and she can sing, too! Wow!

Allison is only sixteen years old and has the stage presence of an old veteran performer. I wasn't fond of the song she sang but she has a voice that can sing any song. I hope as the competition heats up she learns where her strengths and weaknesses are in her voice to find the right song.

The other contestants are good but Anoop singing "Beat it" by Michael Jackson was awful. It was a "what were you thinking" kind of a moment. OMG!

I know you follow American Idol and I'll keep you posted on the back story.

Lynn Los Angeles

Who's the new J. LaMore Model. . . !

Hi Jennifer. Thank you for the Preferred Customer email and the discount. It's much appreciated. I see you have another gorgeous model on your website. It always amazes me how you find these beautiful women.

The lookbook is awesome and the how you put it all together is incredible. I am loving the little shorts I pictured here on the right. Very cute!

Talk to you soon!

Lynn Los Angeles

Bright colors for Fall & Lindsay Lohan!

Hi Jennifer and friends: As your west coast correspondent for all things fashion, fun, glitz and glamour, I have spoken to several buyers over the past couple of weeks and the one thing that will be prevalent this fall is dark colors with bright colors mixed in with textures. It's amazing how things change so quickly in the fashion world.

What's also interesting that top buyers from around the world don't go to Paris anymore because of how crazy the Euro is. They wait for Paris designers to come to the TRAIN show in New York. (I know you told me never divulge a J. LaMore secret but you were right on the money with our past discussion on buying, fashion and business.)

Hey Jennifer! I also know that your product give-a-way is hugely popular and that you love Sephora like all of us do so I got the scoop on Lindsay Lohan and that she is launching her own brand of self tanning mist. There is one thing about Lohan is that she is amazingly popular with cosmetic companies who want to use her branding power to sell products. I was never a fan of Lohan but I am impressed with her marketing skills and the people behind the scenes. If they could only keep her out of rehab.

But anyway: her self tanning mist is called Sevin Nyne and promises to give women instant tanning results. The product is supposed to take between 2-5 hours to get full end result which lasts 4-5 days. The Sevin Nyne self tanning mist will sell for $35. The only down fall is that the mist does NOT contain SPF, but is stain resistant - and features a rich tropical fragrance. Sevin Nyne’s website is slated to launch on April 15th. The mist will also be available via Sephora.com & in-store via Sephora on May 1st for a six month period.

When it comes out I will give it a try and see if it's worthy of a Jennifer LaMore give-a-way.

That's all for now! I'll be in touch!

Lynn, Los Angeles

Vegas Baby. . !

Hi Julie: As a woman who has been to Vegas many many times (probably too many times) I can tell you this. You will have fun, even on a budget! Here's some sage advice for you and your friends and, remember this, Vegas is not cheap, but if you dress the part, lots of cover charges will be waved. Door checkers love the hot ladies. Hotel rooms may be cheap but that's it. Everything else is expensive! Glass of cheap wine $15.00. I don't know your budget but if your a college student I would imagine that the least expensive night out the better.

For dinner: Lots of very good restaurants in Casino's like Paris and the Palms. A little pricey but fun and excellent food. Try the Japanese restaurant "Little Buddha" in the Palms. Yummmm!

Try the roof top bar at the Rio. Very fun and a fantastic view.

Go to "Rain" in the Palms. Britney and Paris Hilton always go there. Its filled with stars and celebs. It's pricey but fun.

The Hard Rock Hotel pool during the day is great fun. Lots of celebs and a fun place to be seen. Bring your skimpiest suit because the skimpier the suit the better the service.

For sight seeing during the day (if your sober) go to The Venetian hotel. OMG! Go to the second floor and see the shops and the gondolas in the river. Amazing! There's a river on the second floor with gondolas floating around with people in them. I love it! Only in Vegas!

Bring along a good pair of walking shoes. The funny thing about Vegas is that everything is very close but the size is deceiving! You walk a lot and its a long way to go from one casino to another during the day, even if the casino is right next to each other. They're giant properties and will take you forever to get from one to another. Your feet will get sore.

I'll send you more stuff before you go if you tell me where your staying, etc. that will help me a lot in how to guide you. You will love it.

Lynn, Los Angeles

Vegas here I come!!

The countdown is on, only 8 more days till I am in LAS VEGAS for SPRING BREAK! I don't think I could be any more excited!!!! We're staying with a friend for 3 nights, then staying on the strip for 3 nights (we had the chance to stay for free with a friend, but can you believe how CHEAP Vegas hotels are?? It's going to be about $10 a night per girl... that's less than a cab ride home!) We're going to see Carrot Top one night (for free!), and a show I just cannot WAIT for, "Thunder from down Under"! Have any of you ladies heard of it?? It's the "Australian equivalent to Chippendale's"... but I heard it's better! That will be one wild and hilarious night!!!

I've never been to Vegas and would love to hear feedback from anyone who has been there! What's the hottest bars/clubs, shows, and restaurants???

I also need to find a smokin' outfit from JLa to wear out one night! I'm thinking the Yoana Baraschi "Tulip Mesh" Top as dress. Yes it's short... but hey, it's Vegas!!!

-Julie

Green Dragon

Whoa. I'm loving this little Green Dragon "Isla" Skirt-Dress! I like that it can be worn two different ways and both ways are sexy with a unusual casual twist.

Tie Dye is a must have for spring/summer 09!

Kalyn

My "Weekly Favorite" Item. . . !

I hope this isn't too much information, but I've been a size 34 C/D ever since I was about 13! Can you imagine how my girls are looking today? With a bra on, I'm fine, they look great. But take away the bra and I'm well, less than perky. Then I came across this week's favorite item and my tired size 34's have never looked so good!

Pure Style Girlfriends, "Pick-Me-Up" breast lift tape is one of my all time favorites. These are tried and true adhesive strips that will lift your breasts up by two inches. Comfortable and flexible, they can be worn for up to six hours at a time, with or without a bra or even in your swimsuit.

You can find this amazing product right here at J. LaMore. One package contains three pair for $17. For a limited time, lucky online shoppers at jlamore.com will get this $17 value for free with any purchase! Be sure to enter promo code "pickmeup" at checkout!

Enjoy!
Jennifer

What would I do without J. LaMore?

First off, thank you Jennifer for the kind welcome! It's so exciting to finally be a part of your Friends Blog! What a fabulous way to connect with people ...

Second, I just have to shout out to J. LaMore for helping me out the other weekend. I was getting ready to attend the Fashion Fridays runway event at the Cardinal Bar, and it was one of those, "Oh I have absolutely nothing to wear!" days (which of course, is what I said while standing in front of a jam-packed closet). So after work, I popped into J.LaMore for some help (it's conveniently on my way home) ... and wouldn't you know, there was a My Tribe dress that screamed my name! It's black with blouson sleeves and I paired it with turquoise tights (I'm partial to loud colors), a brown belt and my Frey boots — it was fabulous! I don't know what the heck I would have done without it.

Last thing — just wanted to give a shout out to brava magazine's blogs! They're finally up and running, so check out my Style File blog when you have a chance: bravastylefile.wordpress.com. Also, our March issue is out, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Thanks again, Jennifer!

XOXO,
Mollie

***SPOILER ALERT****

If you have not seen the season finale of the bachelor and you don't want it ruined for you, DO NOT READ ON!

Can you all believe what Jason Mesnick did last night on the bachelor?? 99% of the women I have talked to today agree that he is a total JERK! What kind of man would propose to a women, then 6 weeks later break up with her on national television??? I loved Melissa and think that Jason's a total loser for giving someone like that up. He claims to have "been hurt so many times by women" and "been in too many bad relationships".. well Jason, no wonder you're divorced and getting hurt... you are an idiot when it comes to women!

-Julie

American Idol

Is anyone watching this season of American Idol? I've been watching it on and off and have a couple of favorites already! Adam Lambert sang "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" by the Stones on the last episode of Idol and it was fantastic. He is definitely a star in the making.

Allison Iraheta is only 16 years old, and "displayed talent well beyond her years" according to the Idol judges as she sang the song "Alone" by Heart. She rocked.

I would be completely shocked if these two contestants aren't in the final five. They both are so talented and completely natural stars on stage.

Jennifer

New Arrival

I love the new spring arrivals and can't wait to do some spring shopping - my best cure for wintertime blues!

As of this weekend, I have another new arrival in my family. We bring her home tomorrow and can't wait. No name yet, but we're excited for our new "shorkie."

-Amanda in NY