Free Friday: Vera Wang fragrance

This week's freebie is a 1.7 oz bottle of Vera Wang Look eau de parfum. The bold fragrance has hints of mandarin, greens, Golden Delicious Apple, vanilla, oakmoss and patchouli, among others. The bottle has an estimated retail value of $70.

The rules for entry are as follows:

• To enter, send an e-mail to style@charlotteobserver.com. Entries sent/posted elsewhere will not be considered.


• Your e-mail must contain the word VERA in the subject field of the e-mail. Include your name, phone number and mailing address in the text of the email.


• Entries must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Entries sent after the deadline will not be considered.


• E-mails that meet the stated criteria will be entered into a random drawing. One entry per e-mail address, please.


• Only the winner will be contacted. Please do not post your answers and contact information in the comments section on the blog.

Office flip-flop faux pas

Charlotte's starchy conservatism lends itself well to the suits, tights and heavy layers of winter. But when the temperatures rise, it seems for some women, common sense gets packed away with the wool coats.

“What ever the temperature, you still have to dress in a professional manner,” says Hal Rubenstein, fashion director at InStyle magazine. “There is a tendency in the summer to slack off, but you have to have sense of pride. If you have to make an excuse for how you are dressed at work, you frankly chose wrong.”

Fashion and business experts, and even hip-hop icon Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons (who weighed in on Twitter recently) share the same piece of advice: Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

• GUIDELINES: Check your office dress code policy. Check your attire against that of your colleagues and adjust.
  
• FIT, FUNCTION, FABRIC: It's distracting if your clothing is too tight or too loose, and you're constantly adjusting. Make sure items are properly fitted and laundered.


• SKIP THE STRAPPY: There is no place for tank tops and spaghetti straps in the office. Bare shoulders are acceptable dependant on the ensemble, like a well-fitted shift dress.


• LAYER: Think of jackets and sweaters as accessories, author Sherrie Mathieson says. They offer coverage on your torso, provide great detail and deflect attention from the upper arms.


• HOSE OR NO HOSE: It's a matter of personal preference unless included in a dress code. If you're going to wear stockings in the summer, Mathieson says, make sure they are as close to your skin tone as possible. Any darker, and it looks fake.


• FOOTWEAR: A heeled sandal is acceptable if there is a back on it, InStyle's Rubenstein says. Shoes that make noise when you walk are a no-no.

Read the full story in Thursday's Style section.

(PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TODD SUMLIN -- OBSERVER)

Would you do jeggings?

Leggings that look like super-skinny jeans? Oh no.

Hills star Whitney Port recently rocked the hipster hybrid with success. The rest of us fashion mortals, notsomuch.

While the allure of super comfy pants is strong, there is something so dangerous and wrong about jeggings. Or is it leans?

Would you wear stretchy lycra leggings that have a fake seam and denim wash?
Photo courtesy of Splash News.

Free Friday: Beautorium gift bag

This week's freebie is a reusable tote from Beautorium, a natural and organic beauty company based in Charlotte. The bag is packed with products including Dr. Hauschka's Daily Body Care Kit, Pangea Organics Ecocentric Lipcare, Cattier Nuage Celeste foaming face cleanser and Juice Beauty Organics to Clear Skin set. The prize has an estimated retail value of $95. And, you'll be in the company of celebs -- MTV Movie Awards presenters will recieve Beautorium fair-trade bags at the show on May 31 in Los Angeles.

Who doesn't love free stuff? The rules for entry are as follows:

• To enter, send an e-mail to style@charlotteobserver.com. Entries sent/posted elsewhere will not be considered.
• Your e-mail must contain the word BEAUTORIUM in the subject field of the e-mail. Include your name, phone number and mailing address in the text of the email.
• Entries must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Entries sent after the deadline will not be considered.
• E-mails that meet the stated criteria will be entered into a random drawing. One entry per e-mail address, please.
• Only the winner will be contacted. Please do not post your answers and contact information in the comments section on the blog.

The Fashion Show: Week 3

I am not a fan of the winning look from Panty Christ Andrew. And even less of a fan of the bizarro combative vibe going on between Daniella and Andrew.

Memo to "Fashion Show" designers: Dios mio, just shut it!

I am not a designer, but I am embarrassed for you. You are not doing yourself any favors by spewing your entitled, out-of-touch anti-sewing stance.

In case you've forgotten, YOU are a DESIGNER. If you can't sew, don't want to sew, or think sewing is beneath you, you shouldn't be on this show.

And, while I'm up on the soapbox using the tone of voice I usually save for my toddlers, let me also remind you that no one cares that you don't want to make an "Inspector Gadget" jacket. It's called a challenge for a reason.

What we would like to see is you, oh I don't know, maybe, sew?

Big kudos to the classically chic designer Norma Kamali, who put annoying tattletale Daniella in her place and helping the judges make an example out of Markus, who blamed his lack of sewing skills on Central Saint Martins, where he attended college.

I love the looks of Team Crazy as one contestant called the team. James-Paul's sleeping bag coat was my favorite look of the night.

What was your favorite look?

Vintage jewelry love

If you're looking for one-of-a-kind, locally-made jewelry, be sure to check out the Mavis Beard trunk show at Boris & Natasha, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday.

I wrote about Mavis last year, and have been quietly obsessed with her work ever since.

Her pieces have an inventive, vintage aesthetic that is thoroughly modern.

eBay to the rescue

I have these in green patent, but pony hair might be too hard to resist!

I have a bit of a shoe fetish.

I love them all, especially heels.

So to keep my husband happy and allay my wicked non-practicing Catholic tendency to feel guilty, I do a twice a year shoe purge and sell the unworn (not unloved!) on eBay.

When I took this style editor job almost two years ago, I sold every pair of shoes in my closet on eBay and used the money to feed my need for 3+ inch heels, especially in patent.

I just packed off five pairs of shoes -- including an insanely fab pair of Frye mules -- to eBayers all over the country. It was incredibly freeing. So what if I shouldn't have ever bought those mules (they were a full size too small), at least I was making something on them. And more importantly, they were out of my house!

I felt so altruistic. Those buyers got killer deals (those mules retailed for $175 ... I think they sold for $25-ish), and in return, I got more closet space. At least for the moment.

I'm already planning my purchases for end-of-summer sales.

What do you buy and sell on online?