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Eye candy: gorgeous iPad case from Vaja

Esme Vos — Fri, 14 May 2010 04:13:12 +0000

Looking for the most beautiful iPad cases? Check out the selection at Vaja. They’re cool, retro leather cases that do not make you look like a geek.

www.vajacases.com

Make your Mac Book look like a real book

Esme Vos — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:57:03 +0000

I love this leather hard-back cover for the Mac Book and the Mac Book Pro. It makes your Mac look like an old-fashioned book. You can get it for $79.99 from Twelve South, a company that creates accessories for Apple products.

www.twelvesouth.com

Touch2Give: socially responsible luxury goods shopping site featuring independent designers

Esme Vos — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:45:07 +0000

I have just written a long profile of Touch2Give, a new shopping site launched in December 2009 by Asian-American entrepreneur, Claire Chung, who is based in Lisbon, Portugal. Unlike other luxury shopping sites, Touch2Give focuses on independent brands and niche designers who create true luxury – not based on extreme high prices, but on quality and rarity. It also donates 5 percent of sales commissions to charitable causes. Check out my article about Touch2Give and the interview with Claire Chung on Pajama Entrepreneur.

Beautiful vintage dresses on Etsy

Esme Vos — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:37:36 +0000

I love the dresses on the television show, Mad Men. But it’s not easy to find them (although sites like ShopMadMen.com are trying to help). I decided I would try Etsy.com and guess what, there they were: three elegant vintage dresses. The first two look very 1950s or early 1960s Dior and I can imagine myself floating down the Champs Elysees with white gloves and stilettos, stopping by a cafe to have an espresso.

This short sleeved black dress with buttons down the front and a size zipper is perfect for New Year’s Eve parties, the opera or the ballet. It costs $145.

This sophisticated navy blue dress with a big cream linen collar is something one might have worn for an outdoor soirée on a warm summer night in the south of France. It costs $145.

The third dress looks more swinging 60s in London. The high belted waistline and pleats suggest a carefree, girlish attitude. I love this dress because it looks serious (gray-blue) but very flirtations at the same time. Made out of a wool-polyester blend, it costs $88.

Paperless Post: send elegant online invitations and holiday cards

Esme Vos — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:55:39 +0000

Just in time for the holidays, here’s Paperless Post, an online stationer that allows you to design your own invitations and holiday cards, send them via email, track responses and more. Unlike invitation sites like Evite, Paperless Post does charge for sending cards via what they call Paperless Stamps. The cost is pretty minimal, starting at $5 for $40 stamps. I got the first 25 stamps for free.

You ask, “why pay for this when Evite is free?” Well, because Paperless Post looks better. It is more stylish and classy. Go to: www.paperlesspost.com.

Rifle Paper Company’s whimsical holiday cards

Esme Vos — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:15:21 +0000

The Christmas holidays are just around the corner. If you are looking for real holiday cards, the ones you actually have to write on and send via post, check out Rifle Paper Company. I like their collection because the cards are so different from what you would find at Hallmark or other mass greeting card retailers. Rifle Paper also carries stationery, invitations, wrapping paper, prints, recipe cards and more. You can buy gifts AND greeting cards all in one location.

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Favorite Black Friday 2009 deals

Esme Vos — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:28:12 +0000

I’m keeping my eye out for the best Black Friday deals. Drugstore.com (and its affiliate Beauty.com) are holding amazing sales. These are the items I have my eye on:

(1) Borghese Essentials Holiday Set: this includes the Fango Active Mud, Tono body cream, Bagno di Vita foaming bath gel, two facial moisturizers (the moisture intensifier and day lotion with SPF 15) and more. This was already being offered for $47 at Drugstore.com and now it’s on sale for $34.99. If you were to purchase these products separately, it would cost you more than $150.

(2) JimmyJane Massage Candle: originally $55, this is on sale now for $38.50.

(3) Avalon Organics Hand and Body Lotion, Lemon: on sale for $8.24.

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Please click on the link below on Black Friday to get even more amazing deals.

Felt and Wire: curated paper goods

Esme Vos — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:21:28 +0000

I have a weakness for paper goods: blank notebooks bound in leather or cloth, quirky greeting cards, unusual notecards, and even old-fashioned school notebooks. I look for paper that feels good which means different things for different occasions. For example, if I am writing with a fountain pen in a blank notebook, I want the paper to be smooth so that my pen does not skip or accumulate fibers.

If I am sending a greeting card or a note card, I want the paper to feel substantial, heavy, and to have texture like tiny grooves. Ideally there should be a good paper store in every city which sells notebooks, paper for writing and printing cards and stationery, and envelopes so you can go in and feel the paper. Since this is not going to happen anytime soon, our best option is the online paper goods store.

I found one called Felt & Wire Shop. They sell beautiful note cards, greeting cards, blank notebooks, invitations, posters, gift wrapping paper, memo pads and more, from different designers.

Felt & Wire also has a blog, which I read regularly: http://www.feltandwire.com/.

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Check out our sister site, Mapplr.com, for travel news and reviews of the coolest boutique hotels and restaurants around the world.

Enjoy the winter wonderland with Vivienne Westwood wrap coat

Esme Vos — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:54:17 +0000

Cold wintry days are upon us again, If you’re looking for that one cozy, unique, warm coat that feels like a warm blanket and wraps all the way around you, then you have to get this playful wrap coat from Vivienne Westwood’s Anglomania line. The coat closes at the neck, has large side pockets and wide belt loops so you can wear it with different belts. Price: $1332 (from La Garçonne).

ShopGossipGirl.com: get the look of TV’s hottest show

Esme Vos — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:12:08 +0000

Have you lusted after the gorgeous clothes and accessories worn on Gossip Girl and wondered where you can find similar (or identical) items? Well, now you can go to www.shopgossipgirl.com, a website that allows you to shop by episode, by character, and by product. Items which are similar or identical to those worn on the show are depicted next to a short video clip, or under the character’s name. The site uses the power of the community to tag the clothes, bags, shoes, jewelry, hats, etc. worn by the characters.

For example, in “How to Succeed in Bassness” (Season 3, Episode 7), Serena is wearing a fabulous sexy sequined dress to a club opening and I wanted to know where to buy it or at least something that looks like it. So I went to ShopGossipGirl, went to the episode and found a beautiful dress that looks pretty close. In some cases, ShopGossipGirl finds the EXACT dress or bag! If you have a favorite character, say Vanessa, and all you want to do is shop for he Vanessa boho chic look, then go to the “shop by character” category and click on Vanessa Abrams to see items similar to what the character has worn on the show.

ShopGossipGirl isn’t just for women either — the male characters’ cool clothes are also featured on the site, so fans can shop for the dapper shirts and ties that define Chuck’s stylish look.

Very simple. Instant gratification has never been so easy and deadly on our already crimped clothing budgets.

www.shopgossipgirl.com

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Check out our sister site, Mapplr.com, for travel news and reviews of the coolest boutique hotels and restaurants around the world.