PUMA has always been my favorite brand of sneaker.  They are my go-to shoe for any situation where I’m having to do a lot of walking.  I’m always comfortable in my PUMA’s because they hug my narrow foot.  I even have PUMA footie socks!

Once I bought a pair of black PUMA’s with white stripes only to find out my daughter had the same pair.  Gasp!  How embarrassing that we might have matching shoes!  Luckily for both of us, I own the same pair in brown and white too.

These new Imani shoes that PUMA sent me to try are amazing.  I ... Read More »]]>

PUMA has always been my favorite brand of sneaker.  They are my go-to shoe for any situation where I’m having to do a lot of walking.  I’m always comfortable in my PUMA’s because they hug my narrow foot.  I even have PUMA footie socks!

Once I bought a pair of black PUMA’s with white stripes only to find out my daughter had the same pair.  Gasp!  How embarrassing that we might have matching shoes!  Luckily for both of us, I own the same pair in brown and white too.

These new Imani shoes that PUMA sent me to try are amazing.  I was a bit hesitant to wear shoes with no laces, but they are so comfortable.  Needless to say, I haven’t been able to get them off my daughter’s feet.  Note the pre-teen style of wearing non-matching socks.  The mesh and suede are perfect to take us both into Fall.  You can find these shoes and lots of other new styles at www.puma.com.

With summer coming to an end, PUMA has put together some key Back To School styles that will improve anyone’s style – in or out of the classroom. If there’s one good thing about a new school year, it’s the new wardrobe! These must-have shoes, apparel, and accessories will bring your readers back to school looking and feeling like new.

And to help your readers get ready for school even more, PUMA is giving away a free backpack to anyone who buys a pair of shoes starting today until September 6^th at all PUMA stores nationwide!

My Imani mesh women’s sneakers are courtesy of PUMA.

There are four distinctive denim fits, Heritage, Signature, Trouser and Boyfriend.  There is no doubt that they have done extensive research for this new collection.  There is a fit and color wash for every woman!  It took Talbots 9 months to develop these styles.  ... Read More »]]> Talbots recently launched their new denim line and it is causing a wave of excitement in the fashion world.  In the midst of transforming it’s new look across the board, Talbots focused it’s fall collection around denim.  Believing that denim is a staple in every woman’s wardrobe, Talbots set out to create the perfect pairs of jeans.

There are four distinctive denim fits, Heritage, Signature, Trouser and Boyfriend.  There is no doubt that they have done extensive research for this new collection.  There is a fit and color wash for every woman!  It took Talbots 9 months to develop these styles.  With the help of renowned celebrity stylist Mary Alice Stephenson, Talbots Chief Office Michael Smaldon styled real women in denim.  Thousands of discussions were held with women of all shapes and sizes to find out exactly what makes them love a pair of jeans.

Being a third-generation Talbots shopper, I found that I was styling my mother more than myself.  Not any more!  Talbots has stuck to their tried and true classic style, but has completely updated the brand.  The Fall collection is chic and versatile.  It features silk ruffled blouses, leather jackets, cardigans for layering and leopard handbags.  This is not your mother’s Talbots anymore!  There are beautiful things that would be perfect to style my mom for fall, but now it’s my turn.

Chic Galleria along with Talbots is sponsoring a giveaway and contest.  We want to know what you look for when shopping for a pair of jeans.  Tell us your stories, triumphs and failures.  We all have them when it comes to jeans!  Have you tried on the new Talbots jeans?

Three (3) winners will be chosen to receive a pair of jeans from Talbots and a $50 Talbots gift card.  In addition, the three (3) winners from Chic Galleria will be showcased on Redchairconfessions.com. Each entry will have a voting widget and site visitors will get to vote for the entry they like best. So if you’re a Chic Galleria winner, you can rally your fans to vote on your denim style which will give you a chance to win an even bigger shopping spree.

There are several ways to enter:

1. Submit a picture or video of yourself in your favorite pair of jeans with a note about what makes those jeans the ace in your closet.  Send it to us at info@ChicGalleria.com.  Your submission will be posted here at Chic Galleria in an upcoming article.

2. Blog about how you styled an outfit around your favorite pair of jeans along with a picture/video and post the link on the comments of this article.  You can even blog about the contest or a funny story about a denim experience you’ve had.  Be creative! Your submission will be posted here at Chic Galleria in an upcoming article.

3. Leave your story in the comment section here on this article.  Your submission will be posted here at Chic Galleria in an upcoming article.

Winners will be announced here on September 15, 2010.

All submissions will become the property of Chic Galleria magazine.  We have the right to republish your stories and photos/videos here at www.chicgalleria.com and also submit them to Talbots for inclusion on www.redchairconfessions.com.  The three winners will be chosen by an outside party.  Winners will be announced in an upcoming article showcasing submissions on September 16, 2010.

My jeans provided courtesy of Talbots.  I was not paid for this article.  Watch for an upcoming photo of me in my Signature denim from Talbots.

Click here to enter more Chic Galleria giveaways!

The award‐winning 16 to Life is a romantic comedy that puts a wry, witty and unpredictable ensemble cast in a small‐town locale reminiscent of a Capra comedy. Critics have often compared 16 to Life to the films Juno and Sixteen Candles. “16 to Life” follows Kate (Halle Hirsh), a teenager whose angst about her sexual inexperience fuels a comic quest for love and understanding on a birthday to end all birthdays. Kate is turning Sweet 16 – and has never been kissed. ... Read More »]]> Waterdog Films announced  plans to premiere the feature film “16 to Life”, written and directed by Emmy‐nominated director Becky Smith.

The award‐winning 16 to Life is a romantic comedy that puts a wry, witty and unpredictable ensemble cast in a small‐town locale reminiscent of a Capra comedy. Critics have often compared 16 to Life to the films Juno and Sixteen Candles. “16 to Life” follows Kate (Halle Hirsh), a teenager whose angst about her sexual inexperience fuels a comic quest for love and understanding on a birthday to end all birthdays.
Kate is turning Sweet 16 – and has never been kissed. Before the clock strikes midnight, Kate will learn more about love, lust and life, than she could ever imagine!

The ensemble cast includes Halle Hirsh (ER, You’ve Got Mail), Mandy Musgrave (South of Nowhere) and film veteran Theresa Russell (Black Widow, Spiderman III). Rounding out the cast are Shiloh Fernandez (The Girl with the Red Riding Hood, United States of Tara), Nicholas Downs, an Iowa native, (Pearl Harbor), Jamie Gomez (Nash Bridges, Crimson Tide) and Will Rothhaar (Battle Los Angeles). Style guru and television personality Carson Kressley makes a cameo and is one of the movie’s producers.

CG: Becky, your new feature film “16 to Life” focuses on a young girl in the throws of growing up and all the social pressures that go with this passage.  My own daughter is going through this! Did you model this character after yourself or someone you know?

BS: The character of Kate in “16 to Life” might have a tiny bit of me in her – but she’s a combination of many people I’ve known, including my niece.  I wanted to portray a young girl who was not a Hollywood stereotype of a teenager, but rather a complex person with confidence and insecurities, affection for her home, but a strong urge to go out and explore the world. She’s much less whiney than I am, and more witty!

CG: Many film projects are taking advantage of the tax incentives being offered now by several states.  Were you in your comfort zone returning to your home state of Iowa to make this film?

BS: I was excited about the possibility of filming the exteriors in Iowa, but assumed I couldn’t afford to shoot the entire film there. When I found out about the tax incentives, I realized that there was a chance to shoot in Iowa.  That was the scenario that evolved, and I’m very glad that I filmed there – the landscape was an important part of the film.  I enjoyed the opportunity to shoot in a place where the people were excited about having a film crew around – and made us feel very welcome.  At the same time, I haven’t lived in Iowa in a long time, and I didn’t know how the local people would feel about us.  So it was a pleasure to discover that they were warm and welcoming.

CG: Becky we love that you have a blog!  The videos are great and love the photos!  Have you found this to be a good way to promote the film?

BS: We have gotten good responses to the web site.  We have worked hard to make it a place where people can connect with the film, get answers to their questions, and learn about our festival successes.  We have also created a “First Kiss” campaign – to find out about people’s first kisses!  We hope people find it fun – and contribute their stories.  I think the web site has helped create interest in the film.  Now we will find out if it helps bring people to the theatres we’re opening in!

Filmed entirely in Iowa (McGregor, Marquette and Stone City) the writer‐director’s native state, 16 to Life has won six “Best Feature” awards at film festivals internationally. Hirsh has received two “Best Actress” awards and Russell received one “Best Supporting Actress” award. The first feature length film from television director Smith, 16 to Life was a labor of love that had Smith wearing multiple hats— writer, producer, director. Smith says, “I’ve been working in film and television for more than 15 years, and this was the best experience I’ve had, working in a beautiful place on a story I believe in, with a very talented group of people.”

The film is slated to open in the following cities: Elkader, Iowa (Elkader Cinema, September 3); Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin (Star Theater, September 3); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Collins Road, September 9); Iowa City, Iowa (Bijou Theater, September 9); Dubuque, Iowa (Mindframe Theaters, September 10); Des Moines, Iowa (Fleur Cinema, September 10); Davenport Quad Cities, Iowa (Rave Theater, September 10); Omaha, Nebraska (Rave Theater, September 10); Kansas City, Kansas (Glenwood Arts Theater, September 17) and Los Angeles, California (TBA). Additional dates are expected and can be found at www.16ToLifeTheMovie.org.

Becky Smith is an Emmy‐nominated director (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy). She received her Masters Degree in film from Stanford University and is an alumna of the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women. The Okoboji, Iowa native is a faculty member at the UCLA Film School and resides in Los Angeles.

Blog http://www.16tolifethemovie.org/blog/

LOFT is speaking my language!  I’m so excited that they have jumped on the petite bandwagon.  We 5′ 4″ and under gals love to find a fit that actually FITS!  The newly redesigned LOFT petites collection is perfectly proportioned for us.

Anyone who finds a regular size top or bottom too long in the sleeve, torso, rise, hem or leg is petite.  Petite is all about height and proportion – not weight.

LOFT, best known for fashionable finds at affordable prices has improved the fit and added even with more styles to the already popular existing petites collection.  While many petite collections ... Read More »]]>

LOFT is speaking my language!  I’m so excited that they have jumped on the petite bandwagon.  We 5′ 4″ and under gals love to find a fit that actually FITS!  The newly redesigned LOFT petites collection is perfectly proportioned for us.

Anyone who finds a regular size top or bottom too long in the sleeve, torso, rise, hem or leg is petite.  Petite is all about height and proportion – not weight.

LOFT, best known for fashionable finds at affordable prices has improved the fit and added even with more styles to the already popular existing petites collection.  While many petite collections only offer basics, LOFT offers all of their favorite fashion novelty pieces every season allowing you to stay on trend and fashionable, regardless of your size.  The new Fall collection introduces flattering new architectural silhouettes, unexpected new fabrications, layers of luscious tweeds and texture, and gorgeous floral prints.  Fall 2010 features bold colors and endless possibilities to mix and match LOFT’s versatile pieces to create a countless number of looks.

The new petites collection is now available in all 503 LOFT stores nationwide allowing you to find your perfect size in store.  An extended collection of petite styles can be found online at LOFTonline.com with sizes ranging from 00P-16P.

Even celebrities are buzzing about the LOFT petites collection.  The petite actress, Kristen Bell created her own signature LOFT look from the new Fall collection.  The starlet wore LOFT’s multi-tier shell in autumn spots ($49.50) paired with their denim legging ($69.50) recently at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.  Find Kristen’s look or create your own at LOFTonline.com