Reedem Your Groupon & Let the Fun Begin!

Congratulations on scoring a great deal with J. LaMore and Groupon!  Your Groupon can be redeemed online or in-store starting Thursday, September 30th.  Either way, the deal is yours!  Shopping in-store?  Stop in with your Groupon, have a glass of wine, and shop until your hearts content.  Please know your Groupon is not valid on sale items or with any other offers. 

Follow these simple steps to redeem your Groupon online:

If you don't already have an online account, create one by clicking on this link:

https://shop.modernretail.com/login.asp?type=myAccount&sid=119&shopperID=43520AEB9CBF4CD38D7A11F1731E9EDF

Once you've entered in your email address, create your own personal password for your new account.  Now, get out there and go shopping!  Add all items you would like to purchase to your shopping bag.  When you're finished shopping, click on checkout.  Remember, your Groupon is not valid on sale items or with any other offers.

At checkout, redeem your Groupon by adding your unique Groupon number (found on your Groupon) in the "coupon" section.  Please know, the unique Groupon number is NOT the bar code number.  If you're one of the lucky ones and purchased two Groupon's and would like to redeem them at the same time, only enter one code in the coupon box.  Please enter the second code in the comment section.  Your updated total will be emailed to you prior to your card being charged.

Have questions?  Give us a call, 608-238-2119, or send us an email!  We'll do everything we can to help make your J. LaMore and Groupon shopping experience fantastic!

Jennifer

Fashion

You know, I have always loved fashion. Ever since I was a little girl and then into my teenage years. I used to babysit a lot because my father wouldn't let me date, but at least I had money to buy clothes, which, of course, I had to change into, in the car, when my mother would take us to school. But, I had an interesting conversation with a co-worker the other day. By the way, my love of fashion has never ceased, and this conversation led me to really think about why I love clothing so much because, after all, it is only a materialistic obsession.....NOT.

So, my male co-worker just came up to me and told me that he didn't understand why I liked to dress up every day because it was a waste of my time since men don't really care what a woman is wearing. They basically just care what is underneath and just want to tear a woman's clothes off. Well, this was disturbing news to me, so I started asking many of my male friends on their thoughts on this view. It definitely varied.

One man who has been married for 25 years agreed with this theory and told me that women "only dress for other women". Another man, who is in his fifties, from L.A., completely disagreed, and said that maybe it was only a Wisconsin theory. I had no clearcut answer. I know that no one will ever change my opinion.

I am now 41 and have two children, and I have realized that I don't dress for the public or for my husband, who might not care, but for myself. Everyone has a vice or chooses to spend money on certain things, HD TVs, video games, etc. I love walking out of my house feeling good about myself, and that has a lot to do with how I dress myself. And I don't necessarily think that a woman needs to spend thousands of dollars; I could go to Goodwill and come out with a cute outfit. For me, I feel confident and beautiful and like a woman when I dress stylishly, and style is so subjective. I like my style. With all of the stresses in life such as kids, a job, etc., I get excited to pick out my outfit for the day and wear it confidently.

I remember when I had kids I told myself that I would not turn into a slob, since I stayed at home. I went out and bought a Juicy Couture velour sweat outfit, and my husband freaked that I spent $200 on a sweat outfit. Well, for me, personally, that outfit helped me stay confident as a new mother, not knowing what the hell she was doing, and I really believe it prevented me from developing post partum depression. I am not knocking PPD because I know that it is real, but I think that taking care of myself, including my baby, helped me from developing it.

So, just food for thought. I love studying designers and their train of thought as they create their new lines, and I really love creating a new look for myself.....for myself...and no one else.

Lila

Mixing Prints

I am a child of the eighties' fashion, and I have always loved mixing prints as well as textures, if done in the right way. I know that this can be tricky, but that's why I think this is fun. I think it looks amazing when disparate patterns click, and the result is an artful collage.

There is definitely a method to this mad plaidness. I like to find tops and bottoms linked by a common color scheme or mood. I also like it if the top and bottom are paired together in different proportions and definitely different textures. A loose top with slim pants or jeggings and vice versa. This may sound weird, but sometimes I think of animal prints as almost neutral. Mixing textures is also important, such as wearing a chunky cable knit with a simple cotton top that is thin and lightweight.

The outfit on the left is an example of the perfect match with color scheme and texture. This is a ruffle tweed pencil skirt by "Sine," and it is paired with a silk top by the same designer. The top also has hints of purple in it, but the overall look works. Both of these pieces can be found at my favorite boutique in the entire world, J. LaMore. Yes. In Madison, Wisconsin. Lila.

Tim's Rules to Dress By

One of my favorite fashion personalities is Tim Gunn. I absolutely love Project Runway. He brings such spark to the show. Recently, I came across a little blurb that he wrote in regard to dressing, so I thought I'd share.

1. SILHOUETTE: "When getting dressed, think of your body as a series of thirds; the worst thing you can do is cut yourself in half. Pair a top that ends at your waist (one third) with long pants (two thirds), or wear a knee-length dress that goes no longer than the bottom of your kneecap.

2. PROPORTION: "If you have something loose and blousy on top, whatever you wear below should be sleek and well fitted to serve as a counterpoint, and vice versa".

3: FIT: "Most women wear clothes that are too big--that's the comfort trap. Women don't want to feel constrained, but I say, if you want to dress to feel as though you never got out of bed, then don't.

Lila

8 Things You Need to Know About...You

I came across this short, witty article in the October issue of Glamour Magazine and thought it was brilliant.  After navigating through a health crisis, author Wendy Shanker (pictured left) discovered the secret to happiness is getting to know yourself.  Here (in her words) are the things she's learned that every woman should know:

The number of a doctor who knows your name and listens to you.  "Your grandma was right: If you don't have your health, you got nothing.  The truth is, I used to think I couldn't live without my weekly manicure; now I know I can't live without my health.  Getting ill taught me how important it is to always have a team of people around me."

A way to think about someone other than yourself.  "You don't need to build an orphanage or throw money at a charity (not that I'm stopping you).  You can help out the new girl at work or babysit your big sister's kids.  Focusing on someone else will help drown out the loop of blahs in your head.  For me, it was better than Xanax."

Whom or what you're addressing when you cry out, "Oh my God!" "Is it a spirit or a feeling you get in nature? A person, like the dude at Geek Squad? Gwyneth? Maybe the phrase is just a Valley girl expression to you, but exploring your spiritual path could be one of the great adventures of your life."

Emily Rossum in linQ!

I love it when stars are seen wearing pieces we carry at J. LaMore!  Emily Rossum is wearing one of our favorite's, the linQ "Dawn Snake Print" dress!  She's so adorable! 

We styled the dress with black tights and pumps, but it also looks amazing worn with the cute suede shoe bootie Emily has on.

I had already planned on getting this dress, now it's a must have in my book!  If it's good enough for Hollywood, it's perfect for me!

Jennifer

Manicured Brows?

Lately, to my surprise, fashion magazines are showcasing models with unruly eyebrows.  The first time I saw a young model with a bushy band above her eye, I immediately thought she must be a relative or friend of the designer.  There's no way anyone would intentionally feature those caterpillar like brows.  Silly me, I'm the one who's clueless. 

It appears this is a "hot trend" in makeup right now.  Not only are the brows bushy, they look like they've not been touched with wax strip or tweezers, ever.  Feathery and untamed are gracing fashion runways and magazines at a blazing speed.  I have to be honest, I just don't get it.

Compare for yourself, which style do you like better?  Overgrown, over penciled and thick?  Or refined, waxed, and shapely?

Is it time to reschedule our waxing appointment for the year 2012? 

Jennifer