{Shabby Apple: Over the Moon River Dress WINNER!!}

Which lucky Statements in Fashion reader is the lucky winner of this fabulous dress??

Natalie @ Wishful Nals......Congratualtions Natalie!!

Please send me an email @colletteosuna@yahoo.com so I can forward your information to Shabby Apple.

I cannot wait to see how you style this dress!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated......another exciting giveaway coming your way soon!

Stay tuned......and Happy Happy Halloween!!!

{Kranich's Jewelry: My Christmas Wish List}

1. Mosaic Diamond Engagement Ring  2. Sunny Morning Diamond Bracelet 3. Sapphire & Diamond Pendant  4. Classico Collection Ring

With Christmas only eight short weeks away, I've already begun dreaming of sugarplums dancing in my head, and one of these fabulous Kranich's Jewelry pieces magically appearing in my stocking Christmas morning. 

Which diamond cut is your favorite? I'm a lover of all things bold, so I'm naturally drawn to Emerald Cut Diamond Engagement Rings, they always "have me at hello".

I've been a good girl all year SANTA  Simon G, please don't disappoint!

Whoever said that dreams only happen with your eyes closed, I'd definitely have to disagree with you.

{Blogger Link Love 10-29-11: Top Six on Saturday}

This edition of Blogger Link Love is served up to you showcasing some awesome posts I discovered over the past week. Make sure you check them out and add these great blogs to your blogroll:)

Happy Weekend Pretty People!!

1. The Fabulous Life of Not-So-Rich and Infamous: Tanvi shares the story of the man behind her blog

2. Eat Drink & Be Merry: Perfect Fall Recipe: Pecan Bread Pudding

3. Atlantic-Pacific: Blair looking ravishing in her fab cape

4. Cornflakes & Coffee: Brenna pulls out her styling boots from her closet

5. Mom Fashion World: My newest blog find with super cute photos & outfits

6. The Frugalista Diaries: LOVE Megan's outfit & her fun "sock bun" tutorial

{Pattern Mixing:101}

 

There's really not a whole lot of teaching involved in learning to mix patterns. My advice? 

Mix what you love!! Two of my VERY favorite patterns are stripes & polka dots.....and polka dots happen to make me very happy:)

All outfit pieces @ Forever 21, Shoes @ Target

{Hey, Who's on my Blog?"}

If you are like most bloggers, you have often wondered who was on your site, how they found your page, and what posts they are most interested in reading.

We as bloggers realize that "content is key", but if you can't hold an audiences attention, chances are your blog will be a quick detour on the internet highway....a road they will never return to.

As you know, like any other "job", blogging takes plenty of time, organization, topic research, writing, the list is endless. Why not take some time to investigate which of your posts are more popular? What type of recipes do your readers prefer? Does posting at night drive more traffic vs. posting during the day?
These are all good things to ask yourself, and you can begin to answer with one easy question:
Do you have a site meter on your blog?

Site meters, stat counters,.....they all pretty much do the same thing. They give you a snapshot of your site, who is on it, what they are looking at, where they came from, etc. 
The information and reports that can be gathered from a site meter are really incredibly useful.


The above photo is from my very own little blog, and was taken earlier today.
As you can see, it shows the ISP address, the City & State of the visitor, time of visit, which site referred them to my blog, page views......pretty neat!!!


My site meter has been extremely helpful to me when I started working with companies and sponsors of my blog. Most companies see you as a brand, and your blog as an investment. They often request the number of visits your blog gets per day, as well as page views per day, prior to working with you.
Show them you mean business:)

Best of all? Site Meter is 100% FREE.....(yes free:)
Click on the link above and it will take you straight to the site meter page where you can register your blog and get your very own Site Meter account. Installation of the code is SUPER EASY!!

If anyone runs into trouble with the installation, please feel free to email me at: colletteosuna@yahoo.com
I will be more than happy to help.


*****Thank you so much for your comments on my "How to Increase Your Blog Traffic Post".
I'm happy to help anyone I can, and even more happier to have received emails from so many readers saying they have made the code change and can see the difference already.......good for you.....and good for US for being such a caring community of bloggers who are more than happy to share with each other:)

Happy Blogging Sweets!!!

{Can You Rock Eyeglasses?}

1. See Line Full Frame 2. Vintage Glasses 3. Kim Black Full Frame 4. Lady Liberty 5. Joey Brown

One of the best parts of being a blogger to me, is to be able to have a voice. A voice to share your best blogging advice, favorite clothing pieces, and new found online stores. I don't know about you, but I am not the kind of person who finds something totally awesome, and can keep it to themselves:)

I was so thrilled when GlassesUSA.com contacted me to partner up with a review of their online site. 

Can I just start out by saying.......this place ROCKS??????

How many times have you gone on an eyeglasses hunt and leave the store empty handed because you can't stand to try on another pair? 

Online eyeglasses shopping is the new rage people.....can you believe it? 

You can shop for glasses frames from the comfort of your couch in your jammies! 

This fantabulistic store has a "virtual mirror", which allows you to upload a photo of yourself, and try on hundreds of frames.....so cool! Not to mention, the frames are super affordable, some as low as $38.00.

I had a blast for over an hour trying on eyeglasses like there was no tomorrow, lol.

What's better than a virtual eyeglass mirror? An amazing eyeglass sale!

GlassesUSA.com is having a Fall Sale. 

Buy any 2 pairs of glasses and get all 3 protective lens coatings AND U.S. shipping for FREE. Code: PERFECTPAIR

Buy one pair of glasses and get any other pair for FREE! Use code: BOGOUSA

Take 10% off any order. Code: Blog10

 

Take a peek at some of the fab frames that caught my eye below:)

{My Ankle Trouser Obsession}

There's something to be said about obsessing......and if it has to do with ankle trousers, I'm all about it!
I was happy to pick up three different pair of these fun pants (dark plaid, gray & brown) and I have to say, they are quickly becoming my new Fall staple items. You can dress them up with a pair of heels, or go for a more casual look with flats.....what are you currently obsessing on?

All outfit pieces, scarf, leopard bracelet & ring @ Forever 21, Audrey Brooke shoes @ DSW

Don't forget to enter my amazing Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway!

{Shabby Apple: Over the "Moon River" Giveaway}

Shabby Apple "Moon River" Dress, Shabby Apple "Dazzling Day" Shoes, Shabby Apple "Capulet" Ring

 For those of you who have been hanging around in my little "blog world", you know I'm a HUGE fan of Jazz music.
If I had to pick one famous person to chat with for hours, without a doubt, I would choose Nina Simone. 
(That would be the High Priestess of soul to you and I) 
Nina had one of the most incredible, moving voices I have ever heard.
When I look at this fabulous dress from Shabby Apple, it reaffirms my belief that I was born in the wrong Era...and the fact that I NEED THIS DRESS NOW:)
Have you ever seen the movie Harlem Nights? Granted, the language is a bit foul, but the costumes in that movie...Ahhh, the jeweled dresses, the feathered hats, the velvet shoes......to die for!!! 

If you are lusting over this nostalgic sultry frock as I am, you are in luck. One lucky Statements in Fashion reader will be "struttin her stuff" in this Moon River dress!!! 

The Shabby Apple giveaway will remain open until Sun, Oct 30th @ Midnight, EST

To enter, please follow the easy rules below:

1. You must be a follower of my blog

2. You must "like" Shabby Apple on Facebook

Easey Peasey!!! Good Luck to Everyone!!

{Blogger Link Love 10-22-11: Top Six on Saturday}

How many times during the week do you see a really super cool blog post that you wish you could share with all of your followers? 

Check out my favs from this week below:)

Enjoy....Happy Weekend Sweets!!

SmartNSnazzy: Amalia tells us about her Birchbox auto delivery beauty sample club 

Sartorial Sidelines: My good friend Erin celebrates her first published article

Kendi Everyday: Kendi shows off her "new do" and a fab fall outfit.....LOVE it!!!

A Closet Shopper: Tracy rocks jean & animal print.....super cute outfit:)

Cupcakes & Cashmere: Emily shares a yummy peanut butter cup recipe.

Two Eyes in the Mirror: Ashley shares her thoughts on "Love Your Body Day"

{Forever 21 Giftcard Winners & IFB Links ala Mode}

When Style Bloggers Turn Haute DIY Designers….

By Jessie Thorpe, Denimology




As fashion bloggers, we look for great fashion at affordable prices. Unfortunately, most times high fashion comes at a substantial price tag. Some of us get emphatically crafty to achieve the cultivated couture look we seek. By making adroit changes to items (sometimes slightly pass their prime) they become stylishly spectacular! For instance, my favorite links this week all happen to be DIY projects! These bloggers made tutorials for their colorblock hair accessories, faux Phillip Lim slacks and my favorite, DIY sparkle glitter boots!

THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP: LINKS À LA MODE: OCTOBER 20TH

• Beautifully Invisible - 10 Popular Blogging Myths Debunked


• Be Fabulous Daily - How To Sell Clothes on Ebay


• Cadence and Clementine - Black In Fashion


• CosmoLAWlitan - “What’s In a [Celebrity’s] Name?”


• Denimology - How To Wear Flared Jeans Properly


• Dress Code: High Fashion - Investigating Alexander McQueen`s Eshu collection and it's Yoruban inspiration


• Fashion Ice - DIY/Collar Accessory


• His Girl Friday - The Blogging Cycle of Guilt


• Inspiration & Realisation - DIY Foldover Trousers


• Joyful Outfits - How To Wear Denim Shorts For Fall


• Made To Travel - I Made It!: Snake Print Tee


• My Favourite Fashion - Vintage Vision


• Oranges & Apples - Outfit inspiration: Narrative or Functional?


• Parfait Doll - Pink Hair Couture


• Practically Spoiled - Colorblocked Bobby Pins: A Super Simple DIY


• Pretty Innovative - Shedding Some Light on Wearable Electronics


• Sanity Notebook - Personal Wardrobe No 34


• Sprinkles in Springs - DIY Sparkle Glitter Boots


• Statements in Fashion - 2 Simple Ways To Increase Blog Traffic


• Style Abuse - How To Wear Layers For Fall to Winter


• Style Bizarre - Winter Must Have: Wool


• Sugar and Spice - Making Denim Work for AW11


• The Red Dot - Lessons from Paris Fashion Week

SPONSOR:

New Denim at Shopbop: DL1961, Blank Denim, William Rast, MiH Jeans, Hudson, Paige Denim, Rich & Skinny, James Jeans, Goldsign, Dallin Chase, Citizens of Humanity, Ksubi, & J Brand.



PLEASE READ IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE

If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

 I was soooo excited to see that my blog post "How to Increase Your Blog Traffic: 2 Simple Ways" was chosen to appear in this weeks IFB Links ala Mode feature.
I am in excellent company...make sure you check out the other awesome links chosen this week:)

 

I'm so  happy to announce the TWO winners of the Forever 21 $25 giftcards!!

D'Rae 

 Pam Sweet

Please email me at:colletteosuna@yahoo.com to claim your giftcards!!

Thank you to everyone who entered....keep your eyes open for another SUPER COOL giveaway coming soon!!!

 

{Faux Flare}

I'm totally loving the relaxed feel of these Forever 21 flare corduroys....they were the perfect addition to my closet after a very "fruitful" shopping expedition this past weekend. 

Of course it wouldn't be a Collette outfit if there wasn't a little bit of "fluffy faux fur fun" involved. Even the most casual of outfits need spunk I say:)

All outfit pieces @ Forever 21

Faux Fur Sweater

Corduroys in Camel

Racerback Tank in Camel

Booties @ Charlotte Russe

{How to Increase Your Blog Traffic: Two Simple Ways}

Have you been thinking of ways to increase your blog traffic and get new visitors to your site? If so, Google & Yahoo should be at the top of your "to do" list. How many times a day do you use one of these search engines? 
Heck, you may have even found my blog this way.

I firmly believe that your blogs success is not determined by follower count, the number of Facebook or Twitter fans you have, or by the number of comments left on your posts.
It is by the readership of people who love what you have to say, and who keep coming back for more.
We created our blogs for people to actually read, and the best way to make that happen is to drive more traffic to your site. Blog exposure is key! 

• The fastest way to get your blog noticed is to submit your blog URL to Google & Yahoo search engines.  
  (This lets them know your site exists) 
  Web crawlers & spiders are then constantly searching your site for new updated content.  The links below will take you directly to the search engine pages, just type in your blog URL....easey peasey!

Index your blog URL to Google  

Index your blog URL to Yahoo

• Is your blog hosted at Blogger?

If so, it would be a really, really good idea to change the order in which your post titles appear.

The title tags of your blog are ordered by blog name first, followed by the title of the post. Popular search engines like Google and Yahoo give more importance to the first words of a title, so you are going to want to do a "switcheroo".  
(By reversing the blog title/post title, your blog will be moved up in search engine results.)

Let's face it people, the odds of someone finding our blogs by searching our blog name aren't that great. They will however be more likely to find us searching keywords listed in our POST titles:)


1. Login to your blog at Blogger.com and navigate to Design > Edit HTML

2. Backup your template by downloading it to your computer. This will ensure that you can upload your template before these changes in case of problems.

3. Replace the following line of code (about 5-10 lines from the top) If you cannot find the text, hit CTRL F and a box will appear to search out the exact text.

<title><data:blog.pageTitle/></title>

with (highlight code, Ctrl + C to copy)

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &ampquot;item&ampquot;'> <title><data:blog.pageName/> | <data:blog.title/></title> <b:else/> <title><data:blog.pageTitle/></title> </b:if>


**If you receive an error (depending on which version of Blogger you are using) follow the directions in the text box below. Try the original code first:)

(Replace this line ---> ) <b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &ampquot;item&ampquot;'> (With THIS line --->) <b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'>

4. Click on Save Template and then View Blog. Navigate to an individual post. 

You will see that your post title is now first, followed by your blog title. 

A pipe symbol separates the two.

New: Post Title first in Google search

Old: Blog Name first in Google search

I, ladies & gents do not claim to be a social media expert, I just know what has worked for me. I hope these simple tips help more readers find your blog too!!

{Blogger Link Love 10-15-11: Top Six on Saturday}

How many times during the week do you see a really super cool blog post that you wish you could share with all of your followers? 

I thought it would be really fun to share my weekly favs on Saturdays, with a new Statements in Fashion feature, AKA: Top Six on Saturday: Link Love.

Enjoy....Happy Weekend Sweets!!

Suitcase Vignettes: Dawn shows off her fun Holly Golightly Halloween Costume 

Kirstin Marie: I totally fell in crazy love with Kirstin's mustard & polka dot outfit!

52 New Days: My good friend Nelah was such an uplifting, inspiration to me with this post.

Mix & Match Fashion: Tara is always blowing me away with her incredible use of color!

Required 2 Be Inspired: Natasha shows us how to make old things new again in October.

Day2DayWear: Jodi shares some great photos of her relaxing and "unplugged":)

{ASOS Purse Perfection!}

Leather Brogue Bag, Leather Metal Buckle, Wrap Me Up Fur Bag, Wooden Panel Clutch, Multi Color Satchel, Red Oversized Bowler, Sequin Clutch, Studded Body Bag, Portfolio Clutch

I find myself spending far too much time on the ASOS website perusing new Fall clothing pieces. I happened upon this amazing collection of purses, satchels, cross body bags and clutches. A fashion lovers dream.

Surprisingly, they are incredibly affordable!!

I hope everyone had a great week....Welcome to Friday:)

{Conservatively Speaking}

It's the little touches that can "spiff up" an otherwise conservative workday outfit. 

For a successful outfit transition, be sure to carefully follow my tips below.....wink, wink!

1. Get up late, rat your hair as big as possible and pile it on top of your head (blogger bun)
2. Pattern play with a polka dot scarf and polka dot tights (which you CANNOT see here)
3. Add a super cute bow belt (or one you can find without having to turn the light on)
4. Try to get home before dark (so you don't have to take outfit pics under garage lights)

Skirt, Shirt, Belt @ Forever 21

Scarf @ H&M

Shoes & Tights @ Target

Ring @ Chanel

Bracelet @ Tiffanys

Blogger Bun (ready to fall after 12 hours) @ my bathroom

{Fall 2011: Fashion Trends: Bring It}

 

Fall is making it's way back my friends, and these days I find myself revisiting my closet trying to decide what "must have" pieces I need to add this season. I for one, have decided I am lacking bold colors!!

According to Glamour.com, the hottest trends this season are polka dots (yes!) mustard and rust tones, camo, granny plaids and thankfully, bright colored pants.

Which of these Fall trends are you "feeling"? I personally, LOVE.THEM.ALL. 

I'm a girl..just sayin'.

 

Mustard Tones

Granny Plaids

Rust Colored Jackets

Maxi Skirts & Bulky Sweaters

Camo Prints

Bright Colored Pants

*all photos Glamour.com