The Hookup

Have you had the chance to get your hands on one of these purse hooks yet? I've been seeing these clever trinkets all around at craft stores and streetside fairs lately, but I never really stopped to learn more about them, or I would've probably already bought one before the people at www.TheHookup.com sent me over a product sample to try out.

The idea is fairly ingenious. The hook is a simple clasp that can be pried open and twisted so that it forms an S-hook, which can secure your purse to a chair or tabletop. I've seen mostly the metallic variety--but I've also seen plastic, colorful and bejeweled types as well. The Hookup comes in either Platinum or 22-carat Gold. Rather than a circle (which is the shape I've mostly seen prior) it comes in the shape of a heart. It's a little bit nicer to look at, and I also imagine it holds up longer than its competitors due to the quality nature of the materials. It comes in a little pouch inside of a pretty jewelry box, and I think the presentation means that it would make for a great gift for someone, on top of just being a neat trinket to pick up for yourself. Although The Hookup can dangle off the strap of your purse and act as decoration, you can also store it in a pocket of your purse inside of the pouch, so it stays shiny and free of nicks. Between the packaging, the cute name, the quality materials and the heart shape, I really have to hand it to the marketers behind this product for making a variety of this tool that stands out above the rest.

I've been hawking this to all of my friends like some kind of infomercial; and watch out for me in a bar, because even if you are a perfect stranger I might feel inclined to show you how The Hookup works and talk about how cool it is, after a few beers. A bar setting is really, I'll admit, the first thing that popped into my head when I got my hands on this. I can never find the right place to set my purse, and after a few drinks it's harder to keep your eye on all of your belongings. I've had two friends get robbed in the city while keeping their purses on the table-top next to them, or on the floor by their feet, because there wasn't a decent place to stash their purses at a bar. I like that whether you're sitting in a booth, standing at a high-top bar table or leaning against the bar counter, your purse will be right there in plain sight. I was worried about the clasp slipping or not being able to bear the weight of my famously massive purses, but The Hookup is engineered quite well to be slip-resistant and hold up to 30lbs. of dead weight.

As you can tell, I highly recommend this product. I can guarantee that it's going to come in handy more than you'd expect, and you'll start wondering how you managed without it. Every time I head out for a night on the town without it, I want to kick myself--now that's the hallmark of a really useful product.

Sponsorship Transparency and the FTC

Hello Fellow Fashion-Lovers!

I wanted to write a quick letter with regard to the Federal Trade Commission's new regulations on blog advertising and sponsorship. I've been meaning to address the topic for awhile now, and with this recent AdAge.com bulletin, now is as good a time as any.

The official word is that the FTC will start cracking down on bloggers who are posting opinions and product reviews that are bought. This is part of a bigger effort to provide readers worldwide with honest, expert information. The FTC is worried that people posing as 'experts' in their field are actually paying lip service to companies who want their products and services to look and sound good. Bloggers must clearly indicate when an opinion or review has been paid for or in some other way sponsored via "material connection." This will go into effect December 1st, 2009. Some people find these new guidelines laughable, because it's true, there's no real way the FTC can crack down on bloggers who they suspect aren't obeying the rules. But I believe it is good to have prescriptive behavioral guidelines in place that would allow the commission to penalize those who break these laws, when caught.

I just want to let you know, straight-up, that Style Bard and Style Bard Shoes never have and never will sell you anything but an honest, editorial opinion. It has always been my personal policy not to let money or goodies dictate a product review. I will always let you know when I have received products by mail to review, or been compensated in some way for advertising. Most--but not all--of the banners in the sidebar, you can imagine, are in some way compensated. However, everything in the content of the blogs is my unendorsed opinion. If an article is paid, you will see the word "sponsored" either in the title, or within the first sentence of the blog post. If companies send me samples to review, I will indicate whether or not I am keeping the items--but please know that I would never let some shiny trinket in my possession affect my review. I do not and never will sell my opinion. I only allow companies to send samples for review so that I can then in turn provide my readers with firsthand information about the product. The first suggestion I make to potential advertisers is donating a prize to my readers; y'all should know that I do not make a penny on contests run on my blogs. If vendors want to give you guys free stuff? I am more than happy to facilitate that endeavor by negotiating a fair contract and advertising the contests. I get nada out of contests, and it's the first recommendation I make to fashion outlets who want to advertise to you. Furthermore, I do not accept advertising for products that are unrelated to your interests (such as cookware, or gadgets). And before I accept actual cash money to write about an item, on top of letting the prospective client know that I will be telling you it's sponsored in very forthright wording, I am very careful to negotiate what kind of verbiage can and cannot be used. I will not make it seem like I have seen or tried anything if I actually haven't. I will not make it sound like I personally endorse anything that I don't like. I will never say that ugly shoes are cute.

Oh yes--and I should also reassure SB and SBS readers that any and all marginal profit I make from these two websites? Is used to maintain these two websites. No; the Style Bard is not running out to the mall with her hard-earned advertising dollars (besides which, rest assured, we'd be talking about a jaunt to Forever 21 and not a spending spree at Saks). GoDaddy.com gets a significant chunk of advertising dollars; I'm next going to invest in a much more polished (and paid) newsletter account so that I can actually regularly update readers about what's going on, instead of sending sporadic emails. Let me say it loud and clear: I'm not here to make a profit. This website was always started because I wanted to write about fashion, and share my opinions with others. And though I've now branched from this blog to Style Bard Shoes and OMNY, all of my writing continues in the same spirit. Cause you gotta trust me--if I were in blogging for the money I'd have quit a long, long, long time ago.

Well, I think that says what I set out to say. I just wanted to let y'all know that you can always trust the content on Style Bard and Style Bard Shoes--and that's because I'm not some money-hungry commercialized bigwig blogger. I do it 'cause I love it, and I'm honest because I care. Not just because the FTC is telling me to.

~SB

[PS: Speaking of which, check back later today for a product review on www.TheHookup.com!]

Steal!

Lil Sis just bought this cute dress at Express for only $14! I am so very proud of her.

(Sorry for the poor photo quality--it's straight from the dressing room! I'll update with a pic of her in it later, if she lets me.)


[ETA: The dress, on! Much better effect, I think.]


[ETA #2: More new clothes! Lil Sis also scored this shirt for $12.78!]

~Love. Want. Need.~ TOMS T-Shirt

I'm totally behind the agenda of TOMS Shoes--"using the purchasing power of individuals to help those in need." For every pair of shoes purchased, one pair of shoes is donated to a child in need. I'm very supportive of this generous and helpful arrangement. The problem is, I really don't like TOMS Shoes. I see them all the time, easily identifiable on the street despite their myriad of color and pattern options. There are definitely a few styles I would wear if I owned them, but I wouldn't buy them for myself. I'm not the biggest fan of casual shoes, or anything very sneaker-like. However, I was recently looking through the website and came across this great t-shirt. Simple though it may be, the shirt offers many appealing traits. I wouldn't mind promoting this brand. It looks very comfy. And it's female-cut, which means it's going to have a slightly longer torso (probably) which I need, and not be as box-shaped as a men's t-shirt. Plus, it's only $28, and a child in an impoverished country still gets a free pair of shoes thanks to my order! This is definitely on the holiday wishlit, and I strongly encourage anyone who's thinking along the same lines to go ahead and consider some products from TOMS as they shop for others this holiday season.

Visit TOMS Shoes to check out the full selection of shoes and products.

Interview with Greg Shugar, CEO of TheTieBar.Com

A few months ago, I wrote about a cool tie-to-suit matching interface on TheTieBar.com. It's meant to help men stop second-guessing their online purchases and easily coordinate their outfits.


Well it turns out that I was presented with the opportunity to interview the CEO of Tie Bar, Greg Shugar, via email. And here it is:

SB: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me! How did you get involved with selling men's accessories?
GS: As a courtroom attorney in Chicago, I was required to wear a necktie every day. I soon found myself to be a ‘tie guy’ but also became frustrated at paying $50 every time I wanted to add a necktie to my wardrobe. I had a hard time understanding why neckties were priced so high relative to other men’s business clothing (for example, I often bought my dress shirts for $40). After looking for but not finding a brand of necktie that was regularly priced inexpensively, my wife Gina and I wondered if it were possible to start a label of our own, and if so, if it would be financially feasible to sell a high-quality silk necktie for an inexpensive price. We soon found ourselves receiving silk necktie samples from factories around the world. We learned what actually makes a tie to be “high quality”. I then began designing with no fashion background. I soon discovered that it wasn’t easy. Neckties are three-dimensional designs, not two-dimensional. Our first collection was scrapped and we never even put them up for sale (we gave them away to charity). Eventually, though, I started to get the hang of it.

SB: Why do you think men need extra help coordinating their outfits? Why are women assumed to have more intuition when it comes to fashion?
GS: You may not like this answer – I don’t agree that women have more intuition when it comes to fashion. I think women enjoy shopping more, so maybe you can say that they have more experience shopping. I think more than anything, it’s a confidence issue with men shopping for themselves. The ‘rules’ of fashion (if there is such a thing) isn’t rocket science. Men can figure it out just as easily and quickly as women.

SB: When it comes to accessories, women live by Chanel's famous guideline, "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off." Is there one tip you would offer men to help them put together a fashionable outfit?
GS: Yes. Always make sure your shirt is properly tucked. That your collar stays in your shirt. Your tie’s knot is firm. Your tie is straight. You zipper is zipped. Your jacket collar is fixed. Your belt is straight. I might sound like someone’s mother but you wouldn’t believe how many men leave the house with one of these issues unresolved. You can be wearing a $6,000 Tom Ford Suit and a $800 custom shirt, but if your tie isn’t straightened or your fly is open, you’ll look like a schlub.

SB: Which is your favorite tie on the site?
GS: I’m starting to wear more medallions (larger patterns). My tie of choice (which seems to change with every collection) is our Implode - Brown tie which can be found here.

Here's a close-up of the print from Mr. Shugar's current favorite tie:


Implode - Brown. An absolute stunning weave of silk with a colorful medallion design. When you're not feeling like a total bore, don this tie.

Interested in learning more about men's fashion and accessories? Check out my latest blog entry at One More New Yorker for an interview with Matt Fox, local New Yorker and the owner of FineAndDandyShop.com.

New OMNY Post!

Think You Know NYC? The latest post at One More New Yorker might challenge that assumption with two little-known facts about New York City life.

50 Books

Last year, I set out to read 50 books in one year starting from June 2008. I only reached 17 books by the end of May 2009, with a great bout of disappointment chronicled here.

As promised, however, I did start all over again in June 2009, determined to read 50 books before the end of May 2010.

Here's how I'm doing so far:

1)Now and Forever - Ray Bradbury (☆ ☆)
This is a collection of two novellas, entitled Somewhere a Band is Playing and Leviathan '99. The former was all right, but somewhat unrelateable. It's about a colony of writers who can't die, who live in a town of perpetual summer. The second was better--Moby Dick rewritten in space. Even if you think you're a Bradbury fan, I wouldn't recommend this.
2)The Angel of Darkness - Caleb Carr (☆ ☆ ☆ ☆)
All right, Carr isn't the most intelligent, sophisticated, clever writer of all time. But the guy really does carve a niche in historical fiction, and he is just such an entertaining storyteller. I read his first historical fiction novel, The Alienist, when I was in high school. A long time ago. And it left such an impression on me that I could have jumped for joy when I saw that he'd written another. I bought it without even knowing it had many of the same characters as the first book I had so loved! I strongly recommend reading The Alienist first, and then this book. Back-to-back might even be incredibly fun; I don't think you'll tire of the writing or the characters. In fact, you're really only at risk of starting to look at the world in 1890s terms and using outdated slang. I know these two novels look thick as hell, but they're real page-turners and you'll suddenly, sadly, be at the end before you know it. I'd love to go on several more adventures with these characters, and I hope you'll feel the same.
3)Life of Pi - Yann Martel (☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆)
I really didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. In fact, I thought it probably 'wasn't my thing'--but hey, it was $.25 at a thrift store. Boy, was I wrong, so very wrong. I adored this book, and not only that, I'm pretty sure it's in my top ten favorite books. I cried at the end, I went back to re-read portions of it, and it gave me a lot to think about. I told all of my friends to go read it immediately, and I'm telling you the same thing right now.
4)Caroline, or Change - Tony Kushner (☆ ☆ ☆ ☆)
This is actually the book to a musical, so much of the text is lyrics. I still haven't heard the music. I liked experiencing the show that way, rather than letting myself get distracted or become influenced by the music itself, or the singing. Sometimes music will get you emotional and not let you look at the play and its words for what it is. But this piece stands on its own two feet as a written book, and it makes a very enjoyable read. I liked this play and I would be thrilled to see it.
5)Anna in the Tropics - Nilo Cruz (☆ ☆ ☆)
I liked everything about this play, would love to see it performed, and would recommend the read to anyone. But I have a few problems with the pacing of the main action. Without getting into spoilers, let's just say nothing but talk happens for a long time, then two big events happen back-to-back, which either undermines both of them or looks like a desperate grab for drama in the final inning when, of course, it's already much too late.
6)Two Sisters and a Piano - Nilo Cruz (☆)
Apparently, this play was based loosely on Anton Chekhov's works. If you're familiar with Chekhovian theatre, it is slow, melodramatic, chock full of metaphors, and can be completely different each and every time it's staged. Nilo Cruz lived up to the slow part. That's really all I have to say.
7)Tape - Stephen Belber (☆)
A friend directed this play in NYC recently, so I gave it a read and had the chance to see it. I'm not a fan overall (mostly because the playwright seems, at times, wishywashy about his own intentions, which is not ever good), but upon viewing the show, I realized that with a good cast and director there is room to stage it well with a lot of heart and complexity. I would see it staged again.
8)The Clean House and Other Plays - Sarah Ruhl (☆)
It's not really fair that one play counts as one book (see above), but this collection of three plays counts as one book. Oh well, I'll have to suck it up and let the binding dictate how the books count. So I read all three plays pretty much straight through, and though Clean House was my favorite (the other two are Eurydice and Late: A Cowboy Song), let me just say for the record that I'm not a Sarah Ruhl fan. I would see one of her plays live, once, to see if they're more enjoyable when performed; somehow I doubt it. I think Sarah Ruhl is one of those playwrights you're going to love or hate.
9)The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz (☆ ☆)
Winner of a Pulitzer Prize, this book is smart (sometimes, I'll admit, even too smart for me), enjoyable, clever and unique. It's about...well, the title basically tells you what it's about. The story delves into Dominican heritage, traditions and history in a very fun and dynamic way. It's really more than about Oscar Wao, it's about his life, his whole family and his friends. It's a whole little world, and he is the keystone of the story. You'll like it, but make yourself get past the first 30 pages or so. I wasn't a big fan of the ending, but I won't spoil that here.
10)One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (☆ ☆ ☆ ☆)
This book is about the entire founding and progress of a small town (Macondo) in South America. It offers complexity, depth, richness and vibrancy. It is poetic without compromising realism or plot. It is mystical and down-to-earth. You have to read it all at once, or else you'll forget who's who, and get confused about what's going on. You have to read slowly and let the story take you away with it. This is not a beach book. It would be five stars, but it's actually just a wee bit too damn long. I'm enjoying it, but I never meant to dedicate a month to one book. And I can't take breaks and read something else a little more lightweight because, as I said, that would really make you forget what was going on in the story. Oh, well. Still better to have read than not.

As you can see, I'm already doing much better than last year. In three months, I've read more than half the books I got through from 08-09. Then again, I started out strong last year too, and fell into a false sense of security. The truth is, I should be aiming for one book per week, and it's been about 11 weeks, so I'm actually behind. I also haven't been keeping up regularly online, which is why you only get short blurbs about the books, but I promise to try to do better as I move through the year. 40 more to go!

(PS--Do you like the new star scoring system? Last year, a reader suggested that I start ranking the books, so I decided to add that feature this year! Scoring is between 1-5.)