Carmen Marc Valvo Home to launch on QVC on April 18
Carmen Marc Valvo Home collection will launch April 18 on QVC.
Fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo will launch his new home decor collection on QVC on April 18.
Carmen Marc Valvo Home , created exclusively for the QVC, will debut at 10 a.m. with an eclectic assortment of tablewear, serving pieces and decorative accents with prices ranging from $20 to $150.
Much of the colleciton was inspired by Valvo’s own Hamptons beach house, which has been featured in several magazines.
“I believe that the home, like fashion, is an extension of a person’s personality,” he said. “My collection was designed to work with the natural aesthetic of the living space while allowing for the homeowner’s individual style to shine through.”
Signature pieces include a decorative beaded mosaic pillow, set of two cottonwood nesting bowls and four-piece stackable glass vase set.
For more information, go online to www.qvc.com.
Follow TOMS Shoes lead and go barefoot on Thursday
Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes. For every pair sold, one pair is donated to a child in need.
TOMS Shoes knows how a pair of shoes can change a child’s life. Do you?
You can help raise awareness by going barefoot on Thursday.
For every pair of shoes sold, TOMS Shoes donates one pair to a child in need. It’s the One for One movement. In three years, more than 130,000 shoes have been given to children in Ethiopia, Argentina, South Africa and the United States.
Often, children cannot attend school barefoot. In Ethiopia, about 1 million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
To help raise awareness about the impact a pair of shoes can have, TOMS is asking everyone to go one day without shoes on April 16. If you can’t go barefoot all day, then at least slip off those shoes for a little while.
* Go barefoot to the mailbox or on your lunch break.
* Attend a shoeless event. There are several in Oklahoma. Find them here.
To learn more about TOMS Shoes, its mission or to find Oklahoma retailers, go to www.tomsshoes.com.
TOMS Shoes. The style is based on an old Argentine shoe. They come in several different colors and patterns.
Earth-friendly portable flip-flops
Pocketflops ... portable flip-flops.
How many times have you limped to your car after a day (or a few hours) in super-stylish stilettos or pointed-toe flats? Oh, the pain.
Never get caught like that again. Pocketflops are portable flip-flops that you can stash in your purse, glove compartment, backpack or exercise bag. What’s more, they’re eco-stylish.
The foldable flip-flops are made from 95 percent recycled tire rubber and come in a carrying case made of either recycled or organic fabric. The flip-flops come in sizes small, medium and large and sell for $20 each. They can even be customized for weddings, sororities, school fundraisers or organizations.
Floc Designs was founded in 2008 as a manufacturer of products that merge style and eco-friendly materials. Along with Pocketflops, the company also has a line of coasters.
Find them at www.flocdesigns.com.
Style expert Lloyd Boston helps people with closet hangups
Style expert Lloyd Boston of "Closet Cases" on Fine Living Network.
Who among us doesn’t help with our closet once in a while? Here comes Lloyd Boston with a new television series, ” Closet Cases,” on FLN.
The show premieres tonight at 9 p.m. on the Fine Living Network, followed by another new episode at 9:30 p.m.
Boston lends practical fashion advice to the wardrobe challenged, helping both men and women revitalize their closets to help them rediscover their most stylish selves. The series will air regularly at 9 p.m. on Mondays. Viewers can also go to www.fineliving.com/closetcases to watch Lloyd’s ”Smart Tips” videos where he shares his style expertise, see before-and-after photos of closet and wardrobe transformations and get a daily dose of must-haves in the ShopTalk blog.
Boston wrote “Before You Put That On,” “Make Over Your Man” and “Men of Color,” and appears regularly on “Oprah,” “The View” and “Today.”
In the new television series, Boston said people of every size, shape and budget will find tips for looking fresh and fashionable. He will explain how to shop smart, combine outfits and do more with less.
Some of his tips:
*Buy the size that fits, not the size you think you are.
* Wake up your look by adding just a pop of bold, unexpected color. Be careful of bright, head-to-toe color.
* Learn how to shop by item, not by outfit, from Tiffany’s to Target. Name brands should take a backseat to style.
* Ladies, take 10 years off your look by giving hosiery the day off once in a while. Bare looks look young and modern.
* Guys, house your wallet in your bag or jacket, never in your back pocket.
Designer clothes, mega home furnishings at T.J. Maxx/HomeGoods
I was in Dallas over the weekend so I breezed into the T.J. Maxx/HomeGoods store in Richardson. HomeGoods has mega garden, home furnishings, decorating, wall decor, etc. Imagine T.J. Maxx on steroids. When is Oklahoma City going to 
get a HomeGoods store?
The connecting T.J. Maxx is just as appealing and unlike any in Oklahoma. This store has a very impressive selection of designer clothes. Some of the top brands I noticed this visit included Badgley Mischka, Celine, Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, Lilly Pulitzer, Rebecca Taylor and Vince, plus jeans by True Religion, Hudson, J Brand and Paige.
We’ll take some of those brands in our T.J. Maxx store, too.
Bring on spring weather, feminine blouses and sandals
Ahhh, Monday. The start of another week. Another week digging through the closet trying to come up with something to wear that’s springlike yet tough enough to handle a weather forecast that just barely inches into the 70s.
Of course, the weather can change — hopefully for the better. I’m just ready for consistent spring weather in the 70s. I want to wear open-toe shoes and flimsy, feminine floral blouses without getting goosebumps.
Enough of the roller coaster weather. It’s time to heat things up a bit. I want to show off my bubble gum pink toe nails before the polish starts chipping!
I must getting mellow because I’m wanting yellow … jeans, that is
Lee straight leg jeans in Sunlight Yellow.
Generally I stay away from color on the lower half of my body. Prints, too. I don’t need purple pansies drawing attention to my rear, an area that I prefer to minimize.
Lately, though, I’ve been thinking about yellow jeans. I’ve been in local stores a lot the past couple of weeks and everywhere I turn I see colorful jeans. Hot pink, sunburst yellow, grass green.
Now I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not going to slip into jeans that drip neon color. In fact, I usually try to buy the darkest wash possible.
I’m just ready for something different. It is spring, after all. Many of the colorful jeans I’m seeing are super-skinny legs. Ahh, yes, legs. That’s another area I try to minimize, thus a closet full of dark jeans and black pants.
Anyway, I may have found the answer. For spring, Lee is offering soft yellow jeans in a straight leg style. Lee says you can treat soft yellow almost as a neutral. It looks great paired with green, brown, black and red.
It’s possible these jeans will give me the color I want without hugging everything from my ankles up. Here’s another plus: Lee Colorwash straight leg jeans in Sunlight Yellow retail for $44.
Such a deal! And, honeslty, that’s about all I’m willing to pay for a pair of yellow jeans because this yearning for color probably will pass soon.
Pureology launches new EssentialRepair hair care products
Pureology EssentialRepair shampoo with zerosulphate.
Pureology has introduced a new line of products called EssentialRepair created for over processed, damaged, fragile and color treated hair. Soy milk and a concentrated dose of pure biotin help fortify and defend against hair damage, while organic botanics of nurturing olive oil and chamomile restore softness and healthy shine.
The ZeroSulfate shampoo and AntiFade Complex maximize color retention.
The EssentialRepair line includes zerosulfate shampoo; hair condition that nourishes distressed hair; split end correcting treatment that seals split ends while protecting color; ColourMax to repair distressed hair while delivering extra color protection and radiant shine; Instant Repair to fortify against damage; and Restorative Hair Masque to nourish distressed hair, renew moisture and fortify against damage.
Prices are $22 for the Colour Max; $27 for the shampoo and conditioner; $28 for Instant Repair; $40 for Split End Correcting Treatment; and $50 for the Restorative Hair Masque.
Pureology products are available in salons and online at www.pureology.com. You can find nearby salons on the Web site.
S.H.O.P. (Start Helping Our Planet) totes giveaway
S.H.O.P. (Start Helping Our Planet) Totes
The bad news: More than 500 billion plastic bags are used annually. The good news: Calypso Studios has announced its First Annual Earth Day Event with the kick-off of its S.H.O.P. (Start Helping Our Planet) Totes giveaway.
Calypso Studios, an eco-fashion company based in Richmond, Va., recently launched its eco-friendly totes to make a difference bag by bag. The company said it will donate more than $10,000 worth of S.H.O.P. Totes on Earth Day, April 22.
Register now though April 22 to win one of the totes. Click here.
Pimp My Pump ambush makeover video
Check out The Weekly Shoe’s new ambush makeover called Pimp My Pump. This ambush happens in Boston, but it gives you a look at the new shoe styles for spring. Think strappy, higher heels and more covered up. Watch the video here.
