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Stefanie Van Aken

Tag Archives: fashion

Dress for Success with Ross Dress for Less

29 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Fun

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Tags

fashion, shopping

Lately, I’ve been loving the Fall fashions. I can’t get enough of them- leather, denim on denim, pointy-toed heels, funky bags with spikes- love it all! My husband, however, isn’t loving the dip into the family budget to keep mama looking like a Fall Fashion, Trend-Setting, RockStar. Ross Dress for Less offered me a $25 gift card and the chance to show my hubby that I could still look great without breaking the bank. I took on the challenge.

Did you know there is a Ross Dress for Less on the Las Vegas Strip? Yup, right there next to the Showcase Mall and Food Court, with a sign lit up in all its neon glory. I chose this location because I thought I would have the best chance in finding a large selection of designer brands. As a local, this is not a location I would normally seek out. I happened to be on the Strip that day as well, but in all honestly, it’s not the best Ross location for those who live in Vegas. Parking is tricky, for one, and of course, you have to battle the every day traffic of the Strip. For those looking to score some amazing deals while visiting Vegas, then I highly recommend popping into this glitzed up, two-stories of shopping heaven, Ross Dress for Less!

First thing that caught my eye, were these fabulous patten leather navy blue heels. Love. These would have made the perfect addition to my Fall wardrobe. I’m always looking for a great navy blue shoe. These happened to be priced right with a $64 difference between original price and the Ross Dress for Less price. Unfortunately, my size was not available.

Ross_Navy_Heels

On to the next thing…a bag! Of course, this gold bag called my name from across the shoes aisle. I love how metallics make Fall fashions pop this season. This bag in particular was a $209 savings from the regular price at a brand name department store. Just my luck, my mother had bought me a gold bag a few weeks ago. Would have loved to have purchased this one in silver or black, which were also not available.

Ross_Gold_Bag

Racks and racks of dresses and accessories, jackets, luggage, and outer wear, and I’ve striked out twice so far. Not to say there wasn’t a great selection of trendy fall fashions…in fact as I walked past the wall of scarves, I noticed hanging amidst the crowd was the same scarf I had on that day! Which made me think…denim! Can’t go wrong with denim jeans and a cute scarf, right? As I scurried over to the denim section, I was already getting excited as I spotted some of the designer brands and styles I love to wear. Skinny black jeans, rugged boot legs and a cream colored pair, all in my size. Was beginning to feel a bit better about my shopping trip.

Ross_Scarf

Ross_Denim_2

Let’s just say, the denim didn’t make my day. I was seriously so bummed. As I was waiting in line to try on my jeans, all these cute groups of women shopping together were showing off their great finds. A khaki colored knit sweater, perfect for Hawaii, a cute puffy black jacket to take back to Canada, the perfect black heel for work…ugh. The stars and planets must not have been in alignment for me that day, or maybe Mercury had just entered into retrograde. Whatever the case, I couldn’t make it work for me at Ross Dress for Less. Feeling a bit discouraged, I began rummaging through my emails, when I came across one from a fashion writer and blogger colleague, Laura Coronado of Lollie Shopping. Laura had sent out an invite to her upcoming charitable event, with the Southern Nevada chapter of Dress for Success. 

Dress For Success Southern Nevada

Just in case you are not familiar with the mission behind Dress for Success:

Founded in 2009, Dress for Success Southern Nevada’s mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women in the Las Vegas valley by providing professional attire, a network of support, and career development tools to help them thrive in work and in life.

It just felt right. When Mercury is in Retrograde, you are advised to not make any major decisions during that time, but strongly encouraged to do be active in any word that starts with an “RE”. RE-gift sounded good to me. I asked Laura if I could donate my $25 RossFTCDisclosure Dress for Less gift card to support her event and their cause- providing disadvantaged women with proper work attire so they may gain the confidence they needed to RE-enter the work force in hopes of RE-creating a new life. Laura was able to accept the card in support of the women who help make Dress for Success happen.

So my disappointing shopping trip ended with an upside. It made me happy to know that if I couldn’t be the fashionista that day, someone else, who really needed it, would be get the benefit instead. If you are feeling the love and are inspired to give, contact the Dress for Success Southern Nevada Chapter at (702) 684-6412 for more information. Laura is also hosting a fundraiser event, the Shop for Success Semi-Annual Inventory Clearance Clothing Sale, November 2, 2013.

shop-for-success-500x632

Thank you to Ross Dress for Less for offering me the chance to show off my fashionista skills.

RockStarMom Recommends :: Summer Trends

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Fun

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

fashion, rockstarmom recommends, Trends

Summer introduced me to some great finds. Lucky for me, they all transition great for fall keeping me in my “Summer Happy Place”. I do, really do love summer. It’s one of my favorite seasons, and not just because my birthday is in June. So, let me do the honor of passing on the introduction of these summer trends to my fabulous friends for fall.

1. La Foret Pinot Noir nothing says summer to me than finding a great French wine that is affordable. I’m not usually a big fan of Pinot Noir, I prefer something more bold like a Zinfandel or Cabernet, but this one got my attention. Maison Joseph Drouhin, a family owned winery founded in France in 1880, developed the La Foret line of wines to appeal to a younger demographic. These wines have a fruitier and fresher flavor, offering an uncomplicated, yet refined option in the wine section. For around $20, the La Foret Pinot Noir was the perfect sipping wine while watching the sunset and the kiddos play in the backyard.

2. DollarShaveClub.com I love love love the idea of this monthly mail order club for men. Roughly $8 a month provides you with a razor, 4 blades, a shave cream and wipes. Initially I thought it was the perfect Father’s Day gift, until I tried out the Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter and took it over as my own. My husband also liked the concept, however, his complaints were that the razors were too fancy for the thickness of the shave cream. I totally got that, so instead of using his DollarShaveClub.com razor, I used my own with the shave butter. It. Is. Awesome. On a side note, he totally dug the One Wipe Charles.

3. SIGG Water Bottle for Kids :: Hello Kitty collection My daughter was sent this SIGG water bottle from their Hello Kitty collection to review. She has used it every day since we received it in the mail. I’ve always been a fan of SIGG. I love the durability, the ergonomics and the chemical free lining on the inside. All of those things make me feel better as I send my little one off to school. She loves it for its style and function. An avid Hello Kitty fan, she loves that she can also personalize her bottle every day to reflect her mood. It also fits nicely in her lunchbox and backpack. $20/mysigg.com

4. Hydrating Sea Water Pearl Facial and J.W. Marriott Las Vegas Spa Aquae The perfect facial to rehydrate my skin following a summer full of sand, salt water and sun. Don’t those little Sea Water Pearls look so refreshing? And a seaweed wrapped linen facial massage? I’m so there. I love the new treatments on the Spa Aquae menu just added over the summer. The Spa Director carefully hand picked treatments unique that offer a sophisticated clientelle the chance to feel like they are being pampered on a tropical island or just steps from a white sand beach. Plus, Spa Aquae at the J.W. Marriott is one of my favorite Off the Strip Spas, and RockStarMom Recommended. $135 for 50 min./spa.jwlasvegasresort.com

Summer_Trends_2013

5. UP by Jawbone This bad boy looks cool on my wrist while keeping track of all the things I’ve been longing for one little gadget to do: record my steps, my sleeping patterns, log my workouts can calories burned, along with my caloric intake. I can create Menus with My Favorites to easily select and add to my daily diet routine, and it even scans the UPC code to input all the calories, fat, sodium, etc. It hooks up with my other friends who have an UP band, and communicates with my other fitness apps like RunPal and Fitness Pal. Uh, this thing is amazing, and will hold you accountable for everything you do all day long. Go get one! $130/jawbone.com

FTCDisclosure

6. Pedego Comfort Cruiser Electric Bike Before you scoff at the electric thing, read this first. The 36-volt 10-amp lithium long-life battery attached to the bike is a great assist. In the neighborhood I live in, it’s quite hilly. Top that off with hauling two 50 lb. boys in a trailer behind me, and my legs are thanking me for the help. Even with my battery pumped to the highest amount of speed, I still have to pedal pretty hard to get up those hills. The other great thing about an electric bike on the open road? The option of speed helps when competing with vehicles. Not that I’m trying to race them on my Pedego, but because I can move quicker than the average biker, I can determine my timing better. Still, a helmet and safety is always recommended. We love cruising around our neighborhood, and everyone loves chatting us up about the cute orange bike with the basket and the twins. Not only has owning this bike forced me to be outside more, but it’s also forced me to be more aware as a driver. Now that I ride a bike, along with my kids, I’m more concerned about bike lanes and safety signals than ever before. Driving tests should include having the driver ride a bike around town for at least a week before getting their license. prices vary/pedegoelectricbikes.com

7. Atlas Collection by Tiffany & Co. I was invited to preview the Atlas collection this summer prior to its September launch. Timeless, classic, and new additions with a modern flair, the Atlas collection by Tiffany & Co. is a confident piece to add to your Fall accessories. I was re-inspired to go through my personal collection and match my Tiffany’s pieces with my every day jewelry for an elegant, and bold statement. I love how the new pieces from the Atlas collection add a little bit a sparkle, offered in yellow, white or rose gold, sterling silver and diamonds. prices vary/tiffany.com

8. H2O+ Black Sand Scrub Personally, I’m addicted to body scrub. I want it in my shower all the time. In the form of a loofah, a sugar rub or good old fashioned salt scrub…I’ll take and try any as long as it’s good to my skin. It gets a bit tricky though, when traveling, and I’m always looking for the next best thing. At the Disney Social Media Mom’s event in May 2013, H2O+ gifted all the invited bloggers a lovely gift basket full of their Spa goodies. Included was the H2O+ Black Sand Scrub. The perfect size to keep in my travel bag. Plastic so it won’t shatter. And, all-in-one, so I didn’t have to drag a sloppy wet sponge with me from one place to the next. I love the feel of the gritty black sand blended with Irish Moss, sea salt, aloe vera and provitamin B to deeply hydrate, soothe and revitalize. It smells nice, too. The H2O+ Black Sand Scrub is a Redbook MVP (Most Valuable Pick). $20/h2oplus.com

9. La Foret Chardonnay Just like the Pinot Noir, Chardonnay is just not my first pick for a white wine. Again, this La Foret Chardonnay from Maison Joseph Douhin, won me over this summer. A cool, refreshing change from my normal reds, the flavor was crisp, not heavy, and didn’t linger with a syrupy aftertaste- which is why I don’t normally go with a Chardonnay. Maybe it’s a French thing, but both my husband and I loved sharing this bottle on our vacation to Coronado Island over the summer. Finding new French wines makes me giddy! $20/drouhin.com

10. Rocker Chic Fall Fashions It’s about time all the rocker chick clothes I’ve held on to since college has made its comeback. A girlfriend of mine commented, “It looks like it’s your year!”, when I enthusiastically shared the latest fall trends from the Neiman Marcus fall fashion luncheon in August. Black leather boots with studs, pointed high heels with studs, leather, lace, chunky jewelry and LOTS OF RED!! I watch the thermometer here every day for miniscule dips in the weather to start sporting my gear. Though, not to worry, I have updated my pieces since 1997. Promise.

Top 3 Spring Trends to Rock

22 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Fun

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

fashion

It was just starting to get warmer, and I was thinking about my Spring wardrobe…when *BOOM* cold front. Ahh…well, a girl can still day dream about Spring fashion because as it’s known in this desert city, Spring could be here next week! After checking out some of my favorite fashion bloggers and designers, I have finally decided on my Top 3 Spring Trends I am going to rock this season.

Leather

I live in Vegas…I rock the leather. I really love the look of leather because it can be so versatile. Leggings, shorts, mini skirts…you name it, I own them. Especially for Spring 2013, I am loving the metallics, pleats and colors of leather this season. Dresses are pretty rad, but my favorite fashion challenge is to find tops and shoes with the same leather bottom that change up my look from one event to the next. For example, to a Nevada Ballet Rubies Society event, black leather mini skirt, Vince cream silk blouse and red pumps. To the Lady Gaga concert, same black leather mini, white Top Shop t-shirt, BCBG red rabbit fur shrug and black Gucci booties. Leather. Is. Awesome. I love this look. That girl is not me.

Spring 2013 Leather Mini

 

Sunglasses

When it comes to sunglasses, I have to admit, I’m a stickler for the classics. For the last two years I rocked the classic Wayfarer Ray Bans in black. Of course, I like to add my own personal style, so I bought the limited edition with the screen print image of Murano hand-blown glass balls on the inside of my frames. But, alas, those were like, so two years ago. Recently, I was gifted a pair of Daggerwing ivi vision sunglasses. Love them! The style was perfect for my heart-shaped face, and arched brow line. I was not familiar with the brand, but it didn’t matter. They are light-weight and do not slide down my nose. I get a ton of compliments when I wear them, and they have now become my favorite sunglasses. I’m looking to buy the Daggerwing in the Aqua fade/ Rose gradient for my Spring/Summer look.

ivivision_daggerwing

Dr. Martens

Yeah, you read that right. When I was in college, Dr. Martens were my absolute favorite shoes. I had the shoes, the boots and the Mary Janes. Yeah, I rocked the look. I am hoping to bring them back with a style vengeance! I haven’t decided the exact look but am thinking along the lines of a classic black boot with shorts or a mini skirt, and casual, light-weight, sweater top. Or I might throw in one of those ironic t-shirts and a cardigan like I used to wear, just for fun. My high school reunion is coming up this year…Spring fashion throw back to the ’90’s.

dr.marten vegan boot

Hmmm…with all this talk about mini skirts and shorts, I better start looking into my Spring fitness fashion!

What trends are you going to rock this Spring season? What do you think about mine?

Disclosure: Some links above may be affiliate links.

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