Style Sophisticate's Reader Giveaway: Win A Scrunchy Cashmere Scarf!

Congratulations to the FOUR wonderful bloggers who scored the PH8 jacket! Please check out the winners' blogs at Breakfast at Saks, Thumbelina Fashionista, Alpha Beta Chic, and Glitteryeyesxx. Thank you so much to all my readers who entered! If only I had a jacket to give to each one of you!

Today I have an amazing giveaway courtesy of Nepali by TDM Designs. If you haven't heard of the brand, sold at Shopbop.com, Saks, Bloomingdale's and more, you will! Designers Michelle Baldwin and Michelle Taylor-Spearman work with over 125 female artisans in Nepal to create beautiful, luxurious scarves. The line offers Nepalese women an opportunity to earn an income and contribute financially to their society; profits also support Nepalese women and children with health care and education.

Now Nepali by TDM Design has kindly offered one of their bestselling scarves for one Style Sophisticate reader! Made of 100% cashmere and available in an assortment of colors, the Scrunchy Cashmere Scarf is one of my favorites on their site. I'm definitely partial to the golden poppy color (pictured above)!

To enter to WIN, all you need to do is...

1) Follow my blog & add my site to your blog roll (http://www.stylesophisticate.net).
2) Leave me a comment on this post & make sure there's a way for me to contact you if you're the winner!
3) Get an extra entry for posting about the contest on your blog!

The winner will be chosen randomly and the deadline for the contest is 12/27/09! This contest is only open to readers in the US and Canada (apologies to my sweet international bloggers)! Good luck, everyone!

Comic books

I'm posting about this a little late but the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader newspapers were kind enough to interview me for my participation in America's Most Stylish Blogger. They sent a photographer, Scott Smeltzer, over to my place for a mini shoot and below are some behind the scenes shots. I don't have my hands on any of his pictures yet but he was so much fun to work with, as was Zain Shauk who interviewed me and wrote up the article. Thank you so much to both Zain and Scott for everything! Check out the Q & A here.

(PH8 funnel neck dress worn as jacket, BDG silk shirt, Pleasure Doing Business skirt, Forever 21 red tights, Kenneth Cole boots, J. Crew necklace)

Last Friday, my good friend Henry Bow (whom I call Bow Bow, much to his dismay) invited me to meet Mike Mignola, a renowned comic book artist and author. Henry's a wonderful photographer and took some quick shots of me while we browsed the cool comic book store The Secret Headquarters in Silver Lake. Thank you, Bow Bow!

(Banana Republic trench, Goodie Two Sleeves tee, American Apparel mini, Nine West boots)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is enjoying the holiday season! Since it's been rainy and cold in Los Angeles the past few days, I've been taking full advantage and wearing my thick coats, scarves and boots!

Clothespin by Gale Parker

I'm a little late in posting this, but a couple weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend the opening of Gale Parker's new store Clothespin on Melrose Avenue. Gale Parker is known for serving as a model and muse to greats like Valentino and Yves Saint Laurent (a portrait of a young Gale by Andy Warhol is displayed in the store), as well as being a former fashion editor at Vogue. Clothespin is her first boutique and offers one of a kind, printed dresses, blouses and skirts. Her stuff is amazing... all flowy, easy, carefree pieces made with vintage fabric and buttons. Possibly the greatest thing of all is that Gale and her team offer custom-made dresses (you can choose from hundreds of unique fabrics) and are even willing to design a new piece from a customer's old fabric or dress.

I was also so fortunate to meet Patricia Ziegler (pictured above), one of the founders of Banana Republic, at the party. I told her how I used to work at the store as a college student! Patricia was incredibly fascinating, compassionate and down to earth, and shared some of words of wisdom with me.

If you're in the Los Angeles area, please go visit Clothespin! It's worth the trip just to enjoy the inviting, whimsical ambiance of the store, decorated with tokens from Gale's past, shabby chic furniture, flowers and old-fashioned suitcases.