The first IsABelt winner!

Congrats to Sara of CT! She is our first winner! Read her story below:

I distinctly remember Anna* from high school who had a chronic "plumber's crack." Every time she'd shimmy, wiggle or adjust positions in her seat, down went her pants and out came her entire backside. Was she oblivious to this flustering faux pas?! Could she not feel a draft of air tickle her behind everytime a breeze went by?! And it certainly didn't help that she would ALWAYS sit in the front row of classroom so her exposed bottom, muffin-top and all could be seen by everyone. Little did she know it became her trademark, the signature seal that no one wants to have. Nicknames circulated wildly. "Crack-whore", "plumber-girl," she became the "butt of jokes"... literally. The chatter even infiltrated to the parents gossip circle. "You have to set your alarm for early tomorrow morning," my Mom once said. "You have to wake up at the "Anna" of dawn. No one wants their name replaced with (butt) "crack" in a sentence. While it was almost a decade ago, the image is burned into my memory. Because of "Anna," I have been ever-more attentive to keeping my backside covered, whether it means tugging up my belt loops when I feel a breeze down there or buying higher-rise jeans. But it's not fool-proof. It's about time someone invented a solution to the bare-butt blunder that challenges all woman-kind. Hurry! I need an Isabelt- I can't bear to have anyone "crack up" at the sight of my exposed rear-side one more time! *name has been changed -Sara

Winter, spring, summer or fall scarves

Ok...there's not much doubt this is the year of the scarf. I mean, c'mon, it's 90 degrees out and everyone's wearing them! Plus scarves are just fun and they add pizazz to any outfit. An old favorite is the Pashmina. The Pashmina is the one wardrobe item you'll utilize in EVERY situation..from covering your shoulders at weddings..to keeping warm on a plane...to wrapping it around your neck in the winter, Pashmina's in every color are a must-have for all. I found this website: http://www.thepashminastore.com/ that has plenty to choose from, for under $100 each! In fact, many are under $50 each! At that price, you can get one in every color!!

Is it a belt? It's an IsABelt!

When a friend came up to me at a BBQ recently and lifted up the bottom of her shirt to reveal her waistband, she was bursting at the seams to show me what she proclaimed was "the coolest thing ever!" Problem was, I couldn't really see it - as it was nearly invisible! That's the brilliance of the IsABelt! Basically, it's a clear, plastic strap that you wear with jeans or pants like a belt, except unlike a belt, it lies completely flat and is completely inconspicuous under clothing! For gals like me who have some junk in the trunk (and therefore have a tough time finding jeans that fit perfectly in the waist,) it's a perfect solution. Why not just wear a belt, you say? Because for short-torsoed gals (or anyone for that matter,) if your shirt or sweater comes below your waist, the belt can look bulky - not a good thing.

The gals at IsABelt have kindly given me some samples to give-a-way to all of you! Send me your worst "plumbers crack," "muffin top," or other I-need-a-belt horror stories and I'll pick the best 3 to publish right here on this very blog and send you an IsABelt too!!!

Saratoga in Style...

No day at the races would be complete without some fabulous floppy derby-style hats! Ours are from First Impressions Boutique in Albany, NY.

Pictured, L-R: the famous (or infamous?) "Sammy the Bugler," me, Fox 23 News Anchor Diane Lee and Kristen Mulcahy.

Come see a really cool author and a famous supermodel in Rye, NY!

My friend, Melissa Walker, the brilliant teen author of "Violet on the Runway" among others, will be appearing next month at the library in Rye! See below for details!

On Saturday, September 13, at 2 pm at the Rye Free Reading Room, spokesmodel Selena Breed and Violet on the Runway author Melissa Walker will discuss the realities of the fashion and publishing business – its glamorous as well as its dark aspects. Ms. Breed will talk about the path she has followed to become the well-recognized face of Lancôme cosmetics and in-demand fashion model.Ms. Walker will speak about her writing career. She has been the feature editor of ELLEgirl, Prom Editor of Seventeen and is now best known as the author of Violet by Design, Violet on the Runway, and the just-published Violet in Private, books for teens about an ordinary high-school girl who struggles to balance her "real life" with her new role as an international model. The speakers will discuss diversity in the fashion world, the physical and emotional pressures of modeling and the Devil-Wears-Prada aspects of magazine work. Ms. Walker's books will be available for purchase and signing.Visit melissacwalker.com for more information.Phone: (914) 967-0480 E-mail Reference@ryelibrary.org Fax: (914) 967-5522 Website: http://www.ryelibrary.org/