All Things Fashionating by tracy mausser

Happy Birthday America.  What better excuse to be patriotic than by dropping the Benjamens on a gift for yourself in honor of our great country's birthday. Particularly when the great Italian fashion house Gucci is having a sale.  Yes, that's right...you read it here.  The top o' the line luxury line is parting with its beautiful bags, shoes and accessories.  Visit http://www.gucci.com/us/category/u/sale  for the specifics. If you live in the Los Angeles area, you have a chance to score some vintage Chanel.  The LA-based vintage boutique What Goes Around Comes Around (located at 159 La Brea Ave., Los Angeles) is having its annual Chanel event.  Not necessarily a major price break, but some beautiful bags, shoes, jewelery are pretty just to look at and muse about Chanel days gone by. http://la.racked.com/archives/2012/06/27/what_goes_around_comes_around_has_gone_chanelcrazy.php Barneys New York http://www.barneys.com/Sale/sale,defaul...

So we have transitioned from the school year to our summer schedule in my home. My son Shane started surf camp on Monday and I am happy to report that -- on day three -- he actually stood on his foam learning board. I am unhappy to report that he has gotten more sun in these past few days than ever before. Being from Jersey, I was no stranger to baby oil and tinfoil on an album cover (uh dating myself) to get a little color. Say the kind that makes me look like a cooked lobster. I have had my fair share of sunburns throughout the years; so red that I was purple. One time, I got so burnt in Cancun that I actually got sun poisoning and spent three days in bed with a fever and throwing up. As an adult, I choose to limit my time in the sun and don't leave the house without being slathered with at least SPF 50 from head to toe. Ever since Shane was born in Southern California, I have been completely neurotic with keeping him out of the sun. In almost eight years,...

I know this sounds cliche but, when it comes to accessorizing, if I walk out of the house without a bracelet on, I feel naked. However, I tend to wear one big bracelet or a few bangles which – when I get to work – are too clunky and the clanking drives me crazy.   Inevitably, I end up taking them off for the whole day. But lately, I’ve become obsessed with the slinky stack, and I think it may solve my dilemma:   A mature take on those friendship bracelets we all used to wear in Junior High.   A small leather wrap is the anchor for the stack with dainty chains and bangles to add some personality to the assortment. For a little styling advice, I went to Stella and Dot, a San Francisco-based company that creates entrepreneurial opportunities for women who sell jewelry and accessories through in-home Trunk Shows and online. Here is the recipe for friendship that I found on the site  http://www.stelladot.com/ : ...

  If you are up early this morning, check out the Dali Lama’s Live Webcast: “Be the Change” from Inverness, Scotland, on June 23, 2012, from 1:30 to 3pm (BST), 8:30 am (EST) and 5:30 am (PST). http://dalailama.com/live-inverness I grew up surrounded by religion; however, as an adult, I am very curious about the different religions and spiritualties from around the globe.   His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama – who’s mission to bring peace to the people of Tibet as well as the world – has always intrigued me. The Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is both the head of state and the spiritual leader of Tibet. He was born on 6 July 1935, to a farming family, in a small hamlet located in Taktser, Amdo, northeastern Tibet. At the age of two, the child – who was named Lhamo Dhondup at that time – was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara ...

Photo:fashioninjapan.com Just like singer and designer Gwen Stefani, I am a lover of Harajuku.   However, I’m not talking about her brand “Harajuku Lovers;” I’m talking about the real deal in Japan – Harajuku Girls. The Harajuku district of Tokyo – a trendy and hip shopping district– is famous for its Japanese youth who wield the latest trends and edgy fashions to cut their individual style and self-expression. Photo:fashioninjapan.com According to Wikipedia, the term “Harajuku Girls” has been used by the English-language media to describe teen-agers dressed in any fashion style that infuses multiple looks and styles to create a unique form of dress. Photo:fashioninjapan.com So it is no surprise that, after her first trip to Tokyo in 1996, Stefani was inspired by the street style chic and absolutely helped to bring Harajuku to the masses.   She even dedicated two albums and her fashion line “L.A.M.B.” to the Harajuku fashion scene.   In 200...

Yesterday was the first day of summer, so I am a day late and a dollar short; Well, actually a few Benjamen's short -- if you must know the truth -- because I just can't resist a summer sale. On the longest day of the year, Neiman Marcus launched its Official Summer Sale so savvy shoppers had more time to take advantage of some great deals.  An extra 25% off all sale prices offers discounts as deep as 55% off.  If you decide to shop online, such as I did, they are offering free shipping on all purchases with the code "JUNESF."  Although, you can shop the sale in stores if that tickles your fancy and it runs through 4th of July. So just follow the butterfly to your oh, so many fabulous finds. http://www.neimanmarcus.com/

Our house! It has almost been a year since my husband and I bought our home.   We started out of the gate strong with plans to renovate our Mid-Century Modern.   Within six weeks of closing escrow, we had the hardwood floors in our entire house redone.   The change was drastic; it was immediate; and our new floors are gorgeous. We also did some minor cosmetic changes such as ripping down the old window coverings and replacing them with new colorful drapes and decorative shades.   My mom – who is renovating her home in New Mexico – is a big fan of HGTV and the DIY channel.   She sent us a few links for shows that were looking for new homeowners, such as ourselves, to be a part of DIY projects reality shows.   We actually submitted a video to be considered as contestants and, much to our surprise, we got the role; however, once we found out that it would be up to Jason and I to actually do the renovations, we passed on the opportunity. I...

S ometimes, I like to avoid the chain make-up counters and just peruse the cosmetics at my local drugstore.  This weekend, I had a golden moment and found myself taking home L'Oreal Paris' Infallible Eye Shadow in Eternal Sunshine. I love mixing metallic on my eyes right now and this cream to powder formula is waterproof, crease and fade resistant. It stays put all day and night. I just put a little golden bronze on my lids and gold on the lower lash lines to make my eyes pop and, the beauty of it all, it goes with any complexion. Go for the glow! L'Oreal Paris Infallible Eye Shadow in Eternal Sunshine, $7.95 at drugstores.

A few weeks ago, my hubby and I were invited to a 45 th birthday dinner.   I hadn’t had a reason to dress up in quite a while, so I decided to buy a new dress for the occasion. I began scouring the net and found a unique website called http://www.miinto.com/ Miinto.com is an online fashion boutique initiative that provides retailing services between customers and specialty boutiques and designers offering branded clothing.   Its collections include men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, shoes and accessories from various world-wide brands such as Diesel, Moschino, BCBG, Trina Turk, Dolce Vita, Herm é s and about 800 others. According to its site, Miinto.com is all about putting local fashion on the international map.   They partner with local, specialty boutiques that inspire global fashion by offering them a solid online and social presence. This global manifestation should be no surprise as the project has come to fruition thanks to Mike Radoor and ...

When I was fresh out of high school – back in the 80s’ – I was just coming into my own as a young woman.   I was going to college full-time, but also spent a lot of time exploring my artistic side. I knew that I loved fashion and writing was my calling even back then but, with my new found freedom and a fake ID, I spent a lot of time at the dance clubs in New York City While I was busy goofing off, a contemporary of mine, Ricki Lake, was making her film debut as Tracy Turnblad, the lead character in John Waters’ 1988 cult-classic “Hairspray.”   Five years later, Ricki was still realizing her fame with her first talk show – “Rickie Lake” – which premiered on Sept. 13, 1993.   She became the darling of daytime television for more than a decade.   Ricki’s show was a familiar presence in my home during my young adult years and I was a devoted fan.   Her likable personality and down-to-earth interview style kept me going back for more over the years. ...

My big boy Shane With Father’s Day just around the corner, I enjoyed a little Mother’s Day in June. Yesterday morning, my 7-year-old son Shane looked at me and proclaimed, “Momma, you are the best mom in the world.” His sentiment made my heart sing, but I was a little bit caught off guard. Shane is a sweetheart but – with only a few months until he turns 8 – I’ve noticed just a little precociousness about him lately; None-the-less, he is such a good boy. I know that it is only a matter of time before he is too cool for his Momma. So you can imagine how happy I was that I had the absolute good fortune of getting a lot of Mommy and Shane time this past weekend.  On Saturday, we spent the early part of the afternoon doing two of Shane’s favorite things: eating In and Out burgers and hanging out at his favorite park. Once our double doubles had been digested, we went straight to the Wilderness Park. Armed with a butterfly net and mesh bug containe...

With the dog days of summer upon us, what better way to keep those fun in the sun memories with us all week long than under-the-sea-inspired jewelry. One my my favorite Los Angeles-area boutiques -- which also sells its wares online -- M. Fredric offers an array of hot summer accessories such as starfish, coral and shells. My favorite is the "Starfish Cuff" in gold or silver metal which retails for $32.  Beachy keen! www.mfredric.com

I have serious issues with guilt.  One time, I had a co-worker who asked me if I was Catholic.  Not that there is anything wrong with Catholicism, it was just that I was constantly "feeling bad" about everything I did or didn't do at work.  The co-worker -- who was Catholic -- said I always seemed like I needed to be in confessional. I know that my guilt stems from wanting to be perfect in every aspect of my life. I strive to be the best mom and wife -- even if it means putting some of my own wants on the back-burner; I am driven to be absolutely flawless at work; I desire to be there for all my family and friends all the time.  I put pressure on myself to do it all and be there for everyone.  I usually think about myself very last and, when I do, I feel "guilty" that I am actually doing something for me. That is why this attached   Daily Om really hit home for me.  It made me realize that I have to stop being so ha...

The first time I ever noticed a Trina Turk design was more than 10 years ago.   One of my besties Courtney – who is by far my most fashionable friend – turned up at a wedding wearing the most beautiful Trina Turk dress. For years – every time I had a formal event – that dress popped into my mind.   I wanted to emulate Courtney in that silhouette and print but was never able to find anything nearly as stunning. Banana Republic Then my mother-in-law Judith moved to the desert and I was able to live vicariously through her Trina Turk obsession.   With Turk’s Palm Springs boutique mere blocks away from Judith’s casita, I was a frequent wing man but Turk’s high-end line was out of my grasp back then.   Over the years, I’ve been lucky to score a few pieces – on sale – here and there; but I’ve never actually bucked up for a serious garment from any of her collections. Now I have my chance. Banana Republic As of yesterday, the retail giant Ba...

The month of June always makes me giddy in anticipation for the fun days of summer.   Even though today – I have a career – I live vicariously through my 7-year-old son who is super excited for his summer vacation to begin in exactly two weeks. It brings me back to the summers of my youth – in Jersey – of course.   Memories of fried clams at Zelbes in Belmar, sweet treats at Day’s Ice Cream Parlor in the Grove, fun in the sun at the beach, and Action Park. Yes, for those of you who hail from the East Coast, I went there. Every year for my July birthday, my mom and I would make our annual pilgrimage – either solo, with family or my BFF Dina – to the amusement park and first American waterpark at the Vernon Valley/Great Gorge ski area. Action Park featured three separate attraction areas:   The Alpine Slide, Motorworld and Waterworld.   The park’s rides were incomparable and brought thrill-seekers from across the New York Tri-State area.   ...