Behind the scenes on a beautiful day

Today was a beautiful, sunny 70 degree day in Madison (in March!) and we took advantage of the nice weather to shoot some new clothes outside. J. LaMore is located just a block away from Wingra Lake, which is lucky for us, because on nice days we can take advantage of the lovely scenery. Jess and I made our way straight to the pier where we took this fun jumping shot.

Our dear Ruby loved to go to Wingra Park every day to get some exercise and "go to the bathroom," so we like to think she was proud of us for shooting there today. (Love you, Rubes!)

Stay tuned for new Charlotte Tarantola, LinQ, and new line Laquette, which will be on the website tomorrow!

Mandy
Creative Director

Ruby, our Golden Retriever, has died.

With great sadness and broken hearts Jennifer and I feel it's necessary to announce that our beloved companion and family member Ruby, the J. LaMore Golden Retriever, has suddenly passed away. We make this announcement because Ruby has touched so many people and we don't want our friends who come to visit, shop, or socialize with us to be shocked or placed in an uncomfortable position when they discover the news.

It was Sunday when Ruby was acting perfectly normal and going through her everyday routine when suddenly something changed. She wouldn't move. Ruby would just stand in one place with her head low and staring straight ahead. We decided to watch her closely as this was very unusual behavior for her. In the afternoon she began to shake and her gums went from red to grey so we decided to take her to the Emergency Vet Hospital where an ultrasound discovered a tumor as well as blood in her stomach. Emergency surgery was performed to try and stop the bleeding and we learned that it was a large tumor on her spleen that had ruptured and her liver was filled with tumors as well. Ruby died on the evening of Sunday, March 28th. Jennifer and I were shocked and inconsolable.

When we picked Ruby up from the kennel ten years ago little did she know that she won the lottery. As you know, Ruby and Jennifer were one in the same and would be inseparable if restaurants, nightclubs, buying trips, and airplanes allowed dogs and if you knew Jennifer you were forced to know Ruby. The "No Dogs Allowed" sign didn't apply to us. She slept in our bed, lived on our furniture, ate only the best food, and had a fantastic life where everyone loved her. If reincarnation exists I believe that everyone would want to come back as Ruby.

Jennifer and I are trying to celebrate her life instead of mourning her death and would love it if you did the same. We miss her terribly.

Jim

Scam Alert!

This past weekend just about everyone I know, including me, received an email about how to test and keep an Apple Ipad. The email states that you get to test an iPad for about two months and then you get to keep the Ipad as compensation. As soon as I received this email I thought that it was very odd but the person who recommended my name I completely respect. He's in the tech business. I did some research and found out it's a scam.

The email came for a website called testitandkeepit.com (link removed). This email is a scam and is what's called "phishing" as the people involved want to harvest email accounts and passwords. The email comes from a person you know and respect so you think it's legit. It's not legit, it's a scam!

If you receive this email do not click the links and or sign up.

Jim

The Tournament

I have never really been a great basketball fan, but the tournament is very exciting. It is even more exciting now that I have an eleven year old son, who filled out my brackets for me, and we're in the top five!!! That's my boy!!

Well, one of the best nights of my college career was when Michigan beat Seton Hall twenty years ago. Yes, folks. I was there, and I will never forget it.

First of all, I had to go to Dooley's at two in the afternoon to reserve a table (and still had to wait in line). I promptly put on my headphones, got under a table, and began studying for my accounting exam the next day. This did not last for long. The partying began early.

I now know why it is still one of the ten best championship games ever. Michigan led at the half, 37-32. The score was within one or two points during the entire second half. Rumeal Robinson, typically a poor foul shooter, sank two free throws with three seconds to turn a one-point deficit into an 80-79 victory over Seton Hall. I am getting chills just writing this.

The next thing I know, I was just covered in beer. The procession to South University began. All I remember is being on the shoulders of a very large football player, chanting "Who let the dogs out!!!!" South University was a sight to remember. Just a million people. There was the token fifty-year-old hippy, buck naked on an awning, dancing with the Michigan flag.

I rushed into a dorm to use the restroom. It was like a ghost town. Probably the only person studying that night was my bookworm sister. She's also probably the only one who wasn't hungover or passed her exams with flying colors. Well, like my friend always said:"Lila, will you remember that exam, or will you remember one of the greatest moments of your life?" She was right.

Michigan had the greatest freshman class ever, the Fab Five, headlined by Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, who led Michigan to the title game in 1992 and 1993, but lost to Duke and North Carolina respectively.

After this, we returned to being a football school; well, except for the last few years. Hopefully we'll be back. Oh, and, for the record, I didn't do so well on my accounting exam. It didn't help that I had to get up and throw up every so often. But it was worth it.
Yup. I'm in there somewhere!!

Lila.

The 'Catch-22' Of My Stressed Out Looks. . . !

Hi Everyone! I had the funniest converstaion the other night and it was because I've been feeling yucky these last few months. Lately, it seems like as the day goes on my attitude and my looks go by the wayside, and when it's time to go home I'm cranky and I look like hell!

The second half of the day I seem to spend more time in the bathroom trying to fix my hair, touch up my makeup, and generally adjust my disheveled self so I can go home. I can't figure this out because I love my job, I enjoy my co-workers and my personal life is in great shape. I just think I look terrible lately. I also can't decide if it's my looks that bug me and make me cranky or if I'm cranky because of my looks. This has been going on for about three months now.

My fiance' says I'm stressed out and if I watched a video of myself all day long I would see it. "That's crazy!" I said to him. "I don't think I'm stressed out!" He said I was crazy if I don't think I have stress. I work hard and I love the challenges of my job but I don't look at it like stress and I don't think I'm crazy either. But, to be completely honest, I don't really know what stress or crazy is. My looks have stressed me out lately that's for sure, but could the fact that my looks have given me stress further enhance the reason of my stress. My fiance' burst out laughing and said that I was experiencing my own mental Catch 22. What? I had heard of the phrase but didn't know what it meant.

My fiance explained that a Catch 22 is a challenge of common reasoning. A no win situation of round-about logic and that it comes from the book and movie of the same name. I didn't read the book or see the movie so I had to look it up on Wikipedia. To save you the time, here's what I found out. The basic idea of the phrase comes into play when a character in the book doesn't want to fly any more combat missions because they're dangerous and if a person wants to fly dangerous missions he must be crazy so he goes to the doctor hoping the doctor will call him crazy so he doesn't have to fly anymore dangerous missions. The doctor then explains to him the rule of Catch-22 which prevents anyone from avoiding combat missions;

"Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to."

OMG! That is so funny and my fiance' explained how the Catch-22 phrase applied to me; If I'm stressed out because of my looks my looks have caused my stress so I must be stressed out which means I also must be crazy. However, If I look good to everyone except me my stress isn't real so therefore I can't be stressed out which means I'm not crazy. He burst out laughing!

It somehow made sense and both of us started laughing about this. He also said he was going to start taking notes on our conversations so he could write a book. From now on I'm not going to worry about this and every time I look in the mirror I'm going to think about this hilarious conversation. Now I want to see the movie!

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

Weigh In

About three years ago, Jim and I decided it was time to put an end to our daily mantra of "eat whatever we want and worry about it later." We joined Weight Watchers. At the time, when people found out we were going to WW, they thought we were crazy. Neither one of us was significantly overweight, we just wanted to gain control of our eating habits and loose a few pounds.

Weight Watchers works. The plan is simple, all food items are measured in "points" and the points are tallied based on several factors such as fat grams, calories, and fiber content. Depending on your weight, height, and activity level you are allowed a certain amount of points a day. If you stay within your point range, you should loose weight (or should I say, remove weight. The WW meeting leader Dawn, always said if you loose it, it can come back. Let's remove it!)

In addition to your daily allowance of points, there are weekly bonus points, which can be used all at once or spread throughout the week. So my daily point count was 18. An apple is a point, a yogurt is a point or two depending on the variety, a chicken breast around 5 points and so on. I have to say, it was pretty easy to understand and not too tough to adhere to. We went to WW religiously every Friday morning, weighed in and stayed for the half hour meeting. I lost around 10 pounds while Jim lost around 20!

So three years later, how are we doing? I'm still around my goal weight, within a couple of pounds. I've seen the scale creep up a couple of times, but with the basics of WW under my belt, it's pretty easy to get back on track. Jim is doing well too. A few pounds here or there, but he's never too far off base.

Between WW and going gluten free, I feel like we're eating pretty healthy. I love Sarah's humorous advice on a cheap scale, but I have to say, we have a really nice scale, and I love it. In addition to weight, it also lets you know how hydrated your body is and your fat percentage. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment?

Jennifer

"Weighing in on the Issue"

Hi Bloggers!
Sarah~It sounds like you are doing great! Being able to run 3 miles is a huge accomplishment..I can totally relate to what you are going through as I recently started back working out after slacking BIG TIME over the winter..It was sooo easy to find excuses: too cold, too crowded, possible snow storm, too rainy and the list went on and on.....I've been a member at my local gym for about 12 years and really love it...It's the hassle of getting myself into the car and driving there but once I am there, I am so glad I went and all the people there motivate me. I was shocked when I read that your weight could fluctuate up to 5 pounds per day...I usually weigh myself about once a week otherwise I get too frustrated obsessing on the numbers.I try to work out about 4-5x per week varying the things that I do(treadmill, elliptical and recumbent bike). Like you said, muscle weights more than fat so the scale can actually be very deceiving..I go by the "jeans" test. When my jeans start to get too tight, I know its time to get moving again. I feel your clothes are the best indicator since muscle may weigh more but it makes you leaner, therefore losing inches.....
I found this on mayoclinic.com/health/weightloss :
Weight loss~ 6 strategies for success:
1. Make the committment-Permanent weight loss takes time and effort. It requires focus and a lifelong commitment. Make sure that you're ready to make permanent changes and that you do so for the right reasons.
2. Get emotional support-Pick people who you know want the best for you and who will encourage you. Ideally, find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, spend time exercising with you, and share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle.
3. Set realistic goals-BE Realistic otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure! Make sure that your goals are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and trackable.
4. Enjoy healthier foods-One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without giving up taste or nutrition.
5. Get active, stay active-Dieting alone can help you lose weight. Cutting 500 calories from your daily diet can help you lose about a pound a week: 3,500 calories equals 1 pound of fat. But add a 45- to 60-minute brisk walk four days a week, and you can double your rate of weight loss.
6. Change your lifestyle-It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for only a few weeks or even months. You have to make them part of your lifestyle.

**You likely will have an occasional setback. But instead of giving up entirely, simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once, but stick to your healthy lifestyle and the results will be worth it. **

***Happy Moving***

Troo Tops

Hi Bloggers and Friends:

I purchased this Troo "Peace Love Rock & Roll" top and the Troo "AC/DC" top and I LOVE them both! I put a tank underneath~with the burnout effect and subtle crystals it looked so fun! It will also make a great layering piece under a blazer or hoodie..I remember that jlamore.com carried Troo last year and the the pieces went fast and I missed out.....I decided I was not going to miss out on these tops.....I think this top would look really cute under the LinQ "Crop Hoodie" jacket". I am really excited to see what other spring/summer "new arrivals" jlamore.com come in!

ps~I also purchased the Black Orchid "Jewel Mercury Skinny" jean...I love the distressing and they are super comfortable. This is my first pair of Black Orchids and I will definitely get more! These tops are going to look great with the jeans and cute pair of heels! Now, if I could only find a pair of heels that are under 4". It's not as easy as you think!

New Lookbook Preview: Military Surplus

SPRING TRENDS 2010

Military-inspired style has been appearing in a big way on the runways this season and it's a trend that we love here at J. LaMore. There is something so classic about military wear and we believe that the staples will never go out of style: ie. the trench, the trouser, anything in khaki, etc.

Today we shot a lookbook with new model Sarina that reflects the recent splurge of military wear into the fashion world. Stay tuned to see how we translate regulation attire into fashionable street wear.

The new lookbook will premiere tomorrow! Watch for it!

Mandy
Creative Director

Slice and dice fashion: Cut-out dresses

The latest scoop on what fashion is IN: well, it's about more skin. There was quite a generous array of "peek-a-boo" dresses up on the runways, from flirty frocks to boudoir looks. Bold colors, shiny, glossy fabrics and sassy cut-outs: this is going to be a hot summer!

The Soul Revival "Bubbling Flowers Melinda" Dress is the perfect spring dress to pull off the cut-out look with its sexy cut out back.

Jessica
Stylist/Model

Get the WAVE!!!

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I never do anything to my hair. It's not that I don't want to look "done up" it's just that I have no idea how to style my hair. While searching for easy hair tricks I came across this picture of Sarah Jessica Parker and a HOW TO to get the wavy hair look.



Follow these simple steps before bedtime
1. Wash hair as you normally would with your regular products.
2. Apply a rinse out conditioner.
3. Finish with a cool/cold water rinse.
4. Towel blot.
5. Apply leave-in conditioner.
6. Detangle hair gently from the ends up to the roots.
7. Create desired part and/or fringe sections and arrange hair the way you normally wear it.
8. Allowing for where you wish to create waves, separate strands into individual 2" sections.
9. Gently twist hair into a clockwise direction until the hair is completely twisted (the tighter you twist, the tighter the resulting waves). You can also braid your hair or put it in a ballerina bun for a different wave pattern.
10. Tuck the end of the twisted strand under at the base of the twist and secure with elastics.
11. Go to bed and allow hair to dry naturally overnight.
12. The next morning, carefully remove the elastics.
13. Use fingers to pick out waves and arrange as desired (do not brush it or the waves will come out).
Kalyn
New York

Faux Lash Sales Are Up . . . !

Looks like long luscious lashes are becoming a must have accessory!

According to reports, faux eyelash sales have increased 6.2%, with annual sales totaling $44 million.

Here's a tip for applying your own lashes: Standing in front of a mirror, curl your own lashes with an eyelash curler (ALWAYS curl your lashes BEFORE applying mascara, curling after can rip out your eyelashes). Then remove the false eyelashes from the kit and measure to your own lash line. If the lashes are too long, trim them with a pair of grooming scissors. Use the enclosed applicator to hold on to the lashes while applying a thin ribbon of adhesive, give the adhesive 30 seconds to get tacky, then apply the lashes to your upper eyelid.

Kalyn
New York