Valentine's Day Looks

Valentine's Day means different things to all of us. For some it might inspire a hearty, "F U!", for others it's all romantical boner city. Whether you've got a hot date with a sexy significant other, or you're just going to eat an entire box of Choco Tacos alone, you might want to throw on something cute. We thought it might be fun to get a few of us ladies to put together their dream Valentine outfits to share. And because I love all of you, I'm going to include the notes I wrote when I started writing this blog... enjoy.

Hearts, hearts, hearts, F U, blah, blah, blah. Tom Hardy lady boner, and Alexander Skarsgard dong dance. 

Cheap Thrills: Last, Last Minute Christmas Gifts

You've waited too long, haven't you? You thought you'd have enough time, so you put off your Christmas shopping and spent all this time posting photos of your pets on Instagram and watching hours of Style Network.  Never fear, your last minute Whoreder Fairy is here in this ~Special Non-Friday Edition~ of Cheap Thrills! There are still plenty of options for holiday gifts, and most don't even require you to leave your house or the confines of your jammies.

Birchbox - The end-all be-all of beauty sample sites, Birchbox will deliver Christmas cheer to your boo's mailbox on your behalf! You can choose a 3, 6, or 12 month gift or if they're already subscribed, a gift card for them to spend shopping on the site. And it's not just for ladies anymore, folks, Birchbox Men gift subscriptions are also available. The gift can be sent immediately, and you look like a holiday hero without ever having to face a crowded parking lot or checkout line.

Netflix - Another guilty pleasure that can be gifted without any heavy lifting. There are 5 levels of gift subscriptions available, starting at $7.99 for one month all the way to $95 for one year. Just think how happy your loved ones will be, and they'll think of you every time they stream an episode of Gossip Girl. If Netflix isn't their thing, Hulu Plus also has the same packages available for gifting.

Restaurant [dot] com - There are two procrastinator gift ideas here: ecards, which can be sent via email immediately in denominations from $15 to $500. They also have the Dinner of the Month club, which delivers a monthly gift certificate for 3, 6, or 12 months (each at $10 per month). Stuff their stockings and faces at the same time!

Magazine Subscriptions - There are too many to list here, but pretty much any interest you can think of has a magazine associated with it. Buy your pals a subscription and they'll enjoy your gift all year long. Some mags, like Martha Stewart Living, have a feature that lets you print the gift subscription so you'll have something to hand over when exchanging gifts. There's a magazine out there for pretty much everyone: Mad Magazine, Cheese Lovers, Boozers, and Mini Horse Enthusiasts.

Photo Websites - Everyone is buzzing about Instagram's new terms of service, so for those ready to jump ship a gift to a different photo sharing/upload site might be a nice idea. Flickr still rules my world, you can buy a 1 or 2 year gift subscription for your favorite shutterbug.  Shutterfly has instant gift cards available from $10 to $100 and SmugMug offers 1, 2, or 3 year subscriptions starting at $35.


[Blank] of the Month - These gifts might be a little pricier, but if you're looking to make a bigger bang you can go with a monthly food/drink/luxury type of gift. There are hundreds of these monthly clubs to pick from, there's wine, meat, nuts, and fruit... and everything else. If you're feeling frisky, there's even a panty of the month club available.

Donations - If you want a gift that will do some good, you can donate to any of a vast number of charities. It's not for everyone, but if your gift recipient is into the idea it can be ridiculously easy to give. The hardest part might be deciding which charity or organization, there are SO MANY! ASPCA, The Red Cross, and  UNICEF are just the tippy-top of a long, long list. You can also look at local schools, shelters, churches to help out groups in your immediate area.

If you're reading this as you get ready to head out the door to a party and are thinking, "VANESSA, your ideas are amazing and your hair looks super pretty today, but I need something awesome I can grab on my way to this ugly sweater party!" My darlings, don't worry your pretty heads... I've got you covered. Stop by your local Mexican bakery and get a dozen tamales, or a big variety of Mexican bread. Not in a Latino state of mind? Not to worry, explore the goodies other cultures in your area have to offer. For some people these treats will be a taste from their childhood, and for others an exciting new foodie adventure. More original than a bottle of booze or a big box of candy, and the leftovers will be delicious. These treats will be a hit, and will make you look like the thoughtful and generous piece of work you are, even though you waited until the last possible second to make a decision, like always.

Merry Christmas, niños!

Cheap Thrills - Faux No You Di'int!

It's the return of Cheap Thrills! I had to take a little break when I moved to a new job, but now that I'm all settled in, I can get back to sharing my retail therapy with the world. In this week's post, we're gonna fake it 'til we make it.

Normally, fakes are a bad thing, except for lashes and really good Photoshop. And, as our little friend Snooki is demonstrating, fake fur and leather. When you go with faux fur and leather, you save animals and money - everyone's a winner!  I rounded up a bunch of different leather and fur pieces... whether you want to go head to toe like Snooki, or just add small touches is totally up to you, darlings.

Gemma Teller Morrow - Not Yo Mama (But You'll Wish She Was)

When I grow up I want to be Katey Sagal.

First she was tough and crass as Peggy Bundy in "Married with Children," now she's even tougher as Gemma in "Sons of Anarchy." Bitch will cut you, but she will look faaaahbulous doing it. 

She may play a Grandma, but that doesn't stop her from wiggling into tight, tight jeans, off the shoulder tops, dark lace, chains, knee-high boots, and lots of leather. Woot woo.

Wanna bring a little bad-bitch Gemma style into your life? Let's shop, shall we?

Firmoo

Dear ol' Rita has written about cheap glasses many moons ago, and Firmoo was on her list of must-try websites for their hot deals.

Firmoo offered to send me a free pair of glasses to review, and although I don't wear prescription, I wasn't going to pass up some cute new (free) sunglasses!

I decided to get fancy on them - instead of ordering their pre-made sunglasses I "made my own" by picking frames I liked and just adding tint. I used a model on their site with a similar shaped face to "try on" styles, but you can also upload your own photo. Don't know what style will look good on you? Here's a guide to help you pick the right look for your face shape.

I ended up choosing style DBSN5366 (which is now unavailable, sorry kids) and ordered 80% grey tint. While browsing their styles I noticed that not only are their prices great, they have a deal for all new customers - free glasses, just pay shipping! Woohoo! You can pick from prescription glasses, sunglasses, or if you just want to look smart - faux prescription glasses. Werk.

Once ordered, I figured they would take several weeks, but I had them within days. Good job, Firmoo! My new shades came in a hard case along with a cleaning cloth, a soft case, and a mini screwdriver.

Breaking Bad - The Scientific Kitchen

Breaking Bad Season 5 premieres tomorrow, July 15th on AMC and THIS girl is excited! I'd celebrate by cooking some meth in my kitchen... but uh... I'll stick to blue rock candy recipes, instead.
I'm all about using science in the kitchen, so let's explore some options, shall we?

Beakers are great for measuring, mixing, and drinking out of! Try this 6 piece set of beakers on Amazon for only $19.95:

Etsy Treasury: Blindingly Bright

With warm weather finally here, it's time to brighten our wardrobes with Summer shades (or so I've been told, I only wear black). What better way to brighten than with oh-so-popular neon? If you're scared, no worries, a touch here and there will still be exciting!

I gathered some fun pieces on Etsy, all for $20 and less!

Here's the link, kiddos: Blindingly Bright

photos: iphone case by seller shopsway, octopus ring by CABfayre, and cosmetic pouch by PouchAPalooza

True Blood Fashion: Lafayette and the Vamps

It shouldn't come as a big surprise that Lafayette and the Vamps would emerge as True Blood fan favorites. Glamorous, so very pretty, and sassy - they add a special flavor to the whole show that makes us all very happy.

Lafayette 
Sassy Hip Hop with a sprinkle of drag queen - that's what Heather wrote in our notes when we started working on this post and I decided to leave it because I couldn't say it any better. Lafayette works a look that is flamboyant and completely his own, but he still maintains a sense of masculinity. As fierce as a drag queen and as ferocious as the manliest macho man, that's our beloved Lafayette.

Lafayette loves showing off his toned arms (tickets to the gun show, anyone?) so that means you'll need to stock up on cool tank tops. The Deter Rib Cage Tank from Urban Outfitters is probably our favorite, as is this Glamour Kills Pizza Party number. Can you imagine anything better than Lafayette and a pizza party?! I can't. Be a walking optical illusion poster with this Tube Lines Tank from Karma Loop, p.s. hellooooooo mister male model.

True Blood Fashion - Sookie and the Werewolves

Heather is still a bit embarrassed to say it - but we're excited about this Sunday, kids! What's Sunday, you ask? OUR PRECIOUS TRUE BLOOD COMES BACK TO US. June 10th is the Season 5 premiere on HBO and we're ready to drool, I mean, watch the show!

Vanessa and Heather decided it would be fun to put together some fashion posts for the main characters, and although we originally had you, the readers in mind, we quickly realized it was all about us. For a few brief days we got to pretend to BE these characters... "if I was Eric, what would I wear?" and the answer is always "nothing," until we realized that post would be rather short.

Let's begin, shall we?

Sookie Stackhouse - Bon Temps' resident clairvoyant faerie waitress,  is a laid back country dish with sex served on the side. Sookie's look is sweet southern belle without the fuss and frills. Despite everything she's been through, there's still a bit of innocence that shines through her character and that's reflected in her wardrobe. She's not afraid to show off some sun-kissed skin, but it's never done in a vulgar way, Grandma Stackhouse wouldn't approve!

One of Sookie's signature looks is a sweet summer dress. They're feminine and youthful, short (but never too short), simple and flattering to her figure. When shopping for your Sookie sundress, don't over think it - imagine you're going to a picnic on a warm, sunny day. Old Navy has so many adorable dresses that fit this description right now, like these Sweetheart Sundresses, only $17! Many of the sizes are selling out, but it's worth a drive to the nearest store to check their inventory. This ModCloth dress is perfect for a day in the park and Lulu's has this Roxy Liberty dress that's very Sookie-worthy:

Insta-Collections! with Cavallini & Co.

My all time writer crush Vladimir Nabokov and his wife Vera collecting butterflies. 

Lepidopterists for life, yo.

I'm going to fill you in on one of my favorite secrets of internet shopping for classy home decor. No, it's not this sexeh "foot" stool that's more Myrtle Corbin than Marie Antoinette, this big ass wine bottle bar, or even the Potty Patch (although, I have had a dark moment or two in my life where I totally thought I needed this astroturf atrocity for Tino. Don't judge me). It's none of these. Try to hide your disappointment, friends.

You see, when my boyfriend and I moved into our current apartment, I set a few rules for myself when decorating the place in a tasteful (as possible) manner: 1. Keep my clutter and "collecting" under control. 2. No more bringing in "treasures" from the curb (but let's be honest, if something is super amaze, it's coming with) and 3.) Invest in some new, larger scale wall art which, since we are adults, should be framed (no, this does not include my tattered OK Computer poster from highschool or Casey's Grindhouse/Deathproof movie poster, as endearing as they both may be).

Picnic Party

Warm weather equals time outdoors, and time outdoors is always best when there is food involved.

Why not have a picnic? On the beach, in the park, or right on your front lawn - enjoy the day and stuff your faces!

Here's some picnic supplies I gathered, all for $30 and under!

PICNIC PARTTYYYY.

Woven Basket, $26.99

Picnic set for 4, $19.99

And if you don't want to share your food, bring it all in this Organ Cooler from Think Geek, $19.99. Get 3.5% back through Ebates and free shipping for orders over $75.

 

Sunny Days and Spring Frocks

It's warm again!

Time to garden, go on bike rides, visit the beach, and bust out those cute lil' Summer dresses!

I searched through Etsy to find you some new duds, all for $30 and under!

Etsy Treasury list: Spring Frocks



Images by Etsy sellers voguevintage, FashionGoRound, and TyneeTreasures

Put it on: Depeche Mode's Blue Dress

Hey girl.

Throwback time! I can't deny it, the older I get and the more and more distant the wannabe goth 15 year-old me becomes, the more creepy I notice Depeche Mode's lyrics to be. Although still a not-so-guilty favorite of mine, the clarity of adulthood has made it impossible to ignore all the carnal lust and fetishizing (and um, more than a few mentions of fifteen year olds) that my beloved DM exquisitely broods about. That being said, I still think Depeche Mode has made some of the sexiest music out there and their 1990 song "Blue Dress" from the album Violator is as sexy as it gets. Maybe that makes me a creep too? I'm OK with that.

“Blue Dress” is a sweet, kinky little song about a woman who becomes even more painfully desirable when wearing a certain, special dress. To me, this dress is understated and far from overtly sexy but becomes a focal point of desire because of the fine creature that it covers. It's the little things that matter sometimes in this big world and this song is about just that. Here are my picks for dresses that may do the same, all under $50! Blue isn’t a color I picture of when I think about a sexy dress, but that just may be exactly why these dresses work. 

Clockwise: Urban Outfitters $39, ASOS $45.45
ASOS $31.81, Go Jane $34

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays vol. 5

So I know I missed posting last week, but last week was a whirlwind of cray-cray-ness. Not only was work (my "real" job) extremely busy, but every single negative, un-cute pregnancy symptom that you can imagine decided to pop up all at once. I was not feeling too "trendy" so to speak...

As my own fetus has decided to make it's presence known by protruding from my torso a la Spaceballs status, (okay, okay, so not that extreme, but is competing with my chest for biggest protrusion from my body), I find it harder and harder to find cute things to wear or to feel pretty and/or normal. What's a hormonal preggo to do? I do as most do, I look to unattainable celebrity looks and hunt down a similar outfit for much cheaper and share my findings with you!

Inspiration: Kourtney Kardashian

Picture from RealityTea

Most of you already have an opinion of the Kardashian Klan, and that's fine. I always pretend I don't love them, but secretly I watch all their shows whenever I can and I also read all legitimate publications (trash magazine articles) that I can about them. However, this article isn't about my love for Kourtney or her family, it's just about really cute clothes.

I am really loving the color of her dress, it's like a fun poppy-orange color. I think it's perfect for Spring/Summer! After perusing the Internet machine for some time, I found a few maternity and/or flowy dresses in a similar fun color, all at a relatively (relative to who is spending the money) decent price point.

ASOS Belted Dress $63
ASOS Lace Dress w/ Buttons $41
Mar Kimono Dress $47
And it's not only the color that makes this dress fun and flattering most baby bumps, it's the pleats, yeah I said something positive about pleats,so sue me. Just so you can see that I'm not completely crazy, here are a couple of pleated dresses that I love for maternity-wear!
Merona Smock Dress $30
Motherhood Pleated Dress $40
Donna Morgan Pleated Dress $130 (Yikes!)
Max & Cleo Pleated Dress $90

And last but not least, we can't forget a cute pair of shoes to go with the dress! Of course Kourtney, being Kourtney (do you like how we are on a first name basis?), and a Kardashian to boot, chooses to wear pumps while pregnant. While cute, they can be impractical for most women as she seems to be a rare "magical pregnancy unicorn" so I'm making sure to include Wonder Woman options (heels) and Charlotte options (Wedges) as well.
Steve Madden Pumps $80 Nine West Devike Pump $40 Gabriella Rocha Pumps $38


Fergalicioius Wedges $45 Ed Hardy Marion Wedge $43 Charlotte Russe Canvas Wedge $33
So that's it for this week's edition of Trendy Mommy, and I hope you all enjoyed it! If you have any ideas for future articles or have a mommy you want featured, shoot me a message or leave a comment below or on our FB page!

Vintage Spring Dresses for Lesses

I feel pretty, oh so pretty.

There is no better time of the year to rock a new vintage dress than Springtime, when bulky coats are a thing of the past but it's still cool enough to wear polyester and not sweat your brains out. Am I right or am I right? That's why my gal Heather and I put together this Etsy Treasury full of cheery frocks in all sizes and for around $25 or less. We also threw a romper in for only the most daring and fabulous ladies out there. Stripes, florals, polka dots, and nautical, oh my! 

Check out Vintage Spring Dresses for Lesses on Etsy.

 Top image: Westside Story

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays: vol. 4

Inspiration: Elizabeth Banks

You didn't think this whole Hunger Games craziness would go buy without us even touching on the subject or the cast did you ? I shamefully admit that I have not read the books, nor have I seen the movie. All I know is that one of my favorite actresses is in it, Elizabeth Banks!

Anyhow, you don't often read about her in gossip mags or even see pictures of her out and about in the normal world. This rare picture is one of the most recent in the tabloids of her in a "lazy-chic" look. Here she is sans husband, child, and make-up but still a cutie!

Here is a very inexpensive version of her grey chunky knit cardigan (only $10!) from JCPennys. Remember to pair this sweater with a cute drop waist tunic ($30) from j. jill, and a pair of skinny jeans with room to cuff them of course, like these DC jeans at $21 from 6pm, or these at only $10.50 from forever21.

And of course, what is an outfit without accessories? Here is a cheaper version of her tan cross-body bag from American Rag at the low price of $26 from Macy's. You can find similar sunglasses at Kohl's for $15 and a classic straw fedora from Urban Outfitters at only $24.

As for the lace up boots, I found so many cute ones I just couldn't decide. Torrid has a brown faux leather pair on sale for $9.99, Tilly's has a lace up/zip up light brown pair on sale for $18, and these uber cute fabric pair from 6pm. I want them all!

Spring (Shoe) Fever

OMG shoes.

There are a few things that Spring gets me thinking about: new dresses, Cadbury eggs, The Rite of Spring (seriously, that's my jam), getting outside more, drinking more iced coffee, and this year...shoes. I may have mentioned this before, but I'm not a really a shoe person..or am I? I usually find a pair or two that I like and (unlike clothing) I wear them in rotation until they are beyond weathered and the soles start to fall off. Anyone else do this? For some reason though, this Spring I have been really thinking about new shoe styles that I want to try out during this renewed vernal season. I even had an embarrassing Carrie Bradshaw moment that consisted of stopping and peering into a storefront window on Broadway one day to peep the consumer eye candy. I blame the media! I mean really, who the bloody hell am I? While I can't answer that, I can show you what I have narrowed down to be three essential pairs of shoes for Spring that I want to eventually get my grubby paws on - both high and lower versions (of course!).

The Everyday Platform

Left: Steve Madden, $89 Right: Forever 21, $26.80

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays vol. 3

Inspiration: Gwen Stefani

Gwennie Gwen Gwen stepped out two weekends ago to our local Knott's Berry Farm with her boys Kingston & Zuma. I can't believe she is forty-freaking-two! She looks amazing !

You can get a similar grey tank at Urban Outfitters for $16 and black jeggings at Loehmann's for an amazing deal of $24.99 for Romeo & Juliet Couture Jeggings!

As for the accessories, you can find a similar cute wool with felt trim Bowler's hat at ASOS for $35.81 or a woven polyester version for the slightly lower price of $29 at Urban Outfitters. The printed scarf can be found for a sale price of $24.43 at Express. The sunglasses are a little more tricky - there are tons of similar version that are very expensive, I could only find a similar shape (but sadly, not the same color) like these cuties available at TopShop.

UPDATE!!! I found a super cute pair of almost identical glasses to Gwen's at Fred Flare on sale!

Mad Men Inspired Home & Office Decor

This week is Mad Men week. The 2 hour season premiere is this Sunday at 9/8c on AMC. I've been sitting here doing my research on all things Mad Men and all things 60's so I won't be as mercilessly mocked by my fellow Whoreders for not knowing what the hell they are talking about.

In my new found opinion, you can't really go wrong with 60's inspired anything. Everything was amazing from their clothes, to their makeup, to their drinks. My new obsession however, is 60's decor!

Here are a few of my finds for a Mad Men inspired office.

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays vol. 2 Mad Men Edition

Inspiration: January Jones (Betty Draper Francis on Mad Men)

In light of this week being "Mad Men Week", I am dedicating this post to January Jones as a mother on and off the show Mad Men. Vanessa will cover in detail her fashion on the show, so I of course will cover her fashion in real life. She recently stepped out with her son Xander in this cute ensemble.

Here is a similar shirt down to the stripes and lace for only $7 and there are a slew of cute lacy striped tops on YesStyle also. Here is another version of a laceback shirt for only $11. If you can't find a shirt you like, make your own! Don't forget to throw on a pair of dark jeans (which are a splurge at $70, but I LOVE Gap jeans) and shnazzy aviator's for $7 to pull this look together!



Top photo: Celebuzz