My husband likes to say that my arrival at a mall is akin to approaching The Mother Ship. This is particularly true when I get to Nordstom, Chico’s and JCPenney (no specific order…depends on what the search of the day is). I can actually feel excitement build. And I am told that if it is a really good sale, I glow!

This month is the Nordstom Anniversary Sale. My friends and I make this an annual event for lunch and shopping. One only gets a taste of what is to come for the next season but it gets you in the mood with some incredible beauty buys as well as new fashion items. Philosophy always has fabulous buys on skin care items.

This year I did find 2 things worthy of sharing. One is in the already fabulous Nordstom shoe department where they have now set up  a “build your own shoe” area.They are not at all bashful with prices (starting price $199.00) but the concept makes you go “hmmmm..”.pick your toe style, pick the fabric/color, pick the heel style and height! If price is not a consideration for you, it would be like having the glass slipper fit.

The second thing I found  is a costume jewelry company called The Giving Keys (Los Angeles). There are several styles of bracelets and necklaces that consist of a real key on a chain or a bracelet. On the key is stamped an inspiring  word…the one I bought is “believe”. You are supposed to embrace the word on your key and then pay it forward to someone who needs the message. The company exists to employ those transitioning out of homelessness in LA. The company was founded by Caitlin Crosby in 2008. I just love the whole concept.

Looking for a shabby chic home accessory? A popular item right now is rustic wooden/brushed metal marquee letters with LED lights. Very good look if you home can incorporate this look. I found these in Nordstrom for $22.90 per letter. Here’s a tip for you…QVC has this in the Ellen DeGeneres Home Line. The Item # is H204013 and it is sold as words…LOVE, KIND, HOPE. All 4 letters sell for $38.00!! I am sure there will be intrinsic differences, but a look is a look.

Will discuss in next blog the trends for Fall…’60’s and ’70’s inspiration…haute hippie…color!

Anyone having gone through a divorce or the end of a serious, lengthy relationship can attest to the fact that it might take years before you believe in love again. A guy asked me once if I thought about remarrying and I told him “…when the moon is in the 7th house and Jupiter aligns with Mars…” Well, I guess that happened for me in December 2010!

Those who are widowed have the same feelings. It is said that those who experienced a good marriage are more open to remarrying. This is particularly true with men. They want that connection again.

Those of you who found the real thing the first time are really lucky.

It is never too late to find love again…or for the first time. One needs to believe that it could happen, and strangely enough it does happen. Tom and I met through EHarmony. Who would have thought that works! He was a widower and I was divorced. We both basically were looking for someone to spend time with- dinner, a movie, social engagements. My big thing was I wanted to have someone to take to weddings!! What a gift it was to fall in love. Granted, I did have my share of frogs before the prince arrived but I also had a couple of good experiences that helped me grow and learn what I really wanted.

On some show about animals I picked up an interesting bit of information.  Sea Otters hold paws at night so that they don’t drift apart. I think of that at night as I reach for Tom’s hand as we fall asleep.

Believe in Love…leave yourself open…take a risk. The return on the investment of your time is truly incredible.

PS: again my blog is not about fashion, but it is spot on transitioning!! Besides, July is a period of waiting for fall to hit the stores. Hang on, I will circle the wagons around fashion soon!

The first time I heard this phrase was from Dr. Ruth Westheimer at a recent book signing. It was Sherry Lansing, the first woman to head a motion picture studio and a friend of Dr. Ruth’s, who coined the phrase “Don’t retire, rewire”.

When you feel it is time to pack up your current career that does not mean you just park yourself in a rocking chair (although some days that could sound very tempting!). It is time to think about something else. Perhaps it is something you have always wanted to do, but there was never enough time. Perhaps there is something you have always felt a passion for but never had time to explore because you were too busy with life to figure out what niche you could carve out for yourself.

This is really a very exciting time in our lives. We are not Benjamin Buttons so let’s grow older with grace and remain interesting and vital human beings. Let’s connect with people and concentrate on them. Make relationships meaningful. Actively participate in your community. Maybe give a little bit back and volunteer doing something you like. This can be helping others through fund raising for a good cause or just lending a hand at your relative’s senior residence. It can also be through supporting the arts. Without people attending concerts, plays and art exhibits they would not be able to continue.

Of course, let’s not forget about supporting fashion! Try to be bold! Experiment with color and accessories as a way to dip your toes in the water. You won’t hear someone say “look at that woman in the beige dress”, but you will hear “look at that woman in the beige dress and orange shoes”!

Make your fashion statement fun…find YOUR Joie de Vivre…seize the day and brighten it. And as I recently saw on a wall hanging “Don’t let anyone dull your sparkle”