All INVENTORY MUST GO!

GO SEE THE BELOW RETAIL PRODUCTS HERE!

http://goodsie.com/admin/marketing/emails/html/efd9bf44-488d-11e2-9953-1231392d63ef

 

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Props: Rihanna at VS Fashion Show!

Now that everyone has seen the VS Show, here is a revisit to my post a month ago! Rihanna gets my nod of approval!

BRAND NEW: Styled By Adora Page!

Happy to announce the brand new "Styled By Adora" page which showcases just some of our shoots! Check it out!

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Adora’s Diary: After Surgery

Before surgery

Backstory

Hello everyone, I am pleased to be writing again after my recent surgery! I’m alive and I have been celebrating ever  since! But I am grateful I had the surgery, and I don’t feel super terrible, and I spent lots of time with my grandma! So for readers who don’t know, a quick recap:

• I had seriously painful (out of the norm) periods starting in January and getting progressively worse each month
• I had already lost a good amount of weight by this time (possible why I was in more pain)
• Dr. put my on birth control, didn’t help
• Had surgery to look for endometriosis, negative, found scar tissue gluing my organs together (Adhesions) instead and cut them
• Each month still pain, told to take BC continuously to avoid period, no change when I decided to let myself have a period
• All has led up to an Abdominal Myomectomy to remove 2 fibroids (at least)

 Post Abdominal Myomectomy, Day 8

I have been in bed for 8 days, on Percocet and contracted a mild case of Cabin Fever. At first when the surgery was over, I woke up in recovery and I was in pain, my throat was dry and rough (they had removed my breathing tube) My mouth was dry, I could feel pain in my  pelvic area, and I asked them for pain meds. They gave me some IV drug and a Percocet. But I still felt it, I drifted off to sleep I think, they gave me another pill. They asked me if I wanted to stay overnight, I said yes, and they got me a room. I was so lucky to have my VIP there, he brought me a panda bear and a card :D The panda was adorable, his eyes are super big and he is super soft! And then my roommate ,Lu, came to the room, my dad and his ex came to visit me , so I was quite happy and loved. They stayed til like 10 and the nurse asked me to get up and walk around (I was  panicky, make sure you get good drugs!) But I did it and I wasn’t so bad. You will be “sore”.  I didn’t sleep much because when I sleep, I get woken up easily by the pain when the pills wear off, I suggest asking for IV pain meds, they can be continual through the night. But even still, the nurses wake you up at 3am to check your vitals and they came in at 5am to draw blood!! Ugh pray you get a good and quiet roommate! But this is also why you should bring things to do, like a book, a laptop or tablet, here is a good list to consider when packing to stay overnight in a hospital:

 

1. Lap top or Tablet, E-reader- These are great sources for hours of entertainment, make sure you pre-download ALL books, movies, tv shows you think you would like to view  because your hospital may not have public internet, in my case, it was dirt slow.
2. Ipod , MP3 player, Headphones- DO not forget to bring headphones if you have musical devices, heck even for the laptop! Your roommate will appreciate it and you can block out excess noise and relax.
3. Juice- may sound weird, even though I could call and order juice and soda from the cafeteria, having that bottle of juice right at my bedside was a lot easier, especially at 3am. I chose V8 Smoothie, rather my dad so kindly brought me, it has a full serving of fruits and vegatables in every 1 serving of juice! Water is boring.
4. Chargers- Don’t forget the chargers for your entertainment gadgets plus your phone!
5. Snacks- choose light non-perishable snacks to have bedside for late night cravings. I recommend nothing that can give you gas, it’s the most painful thing after surgery, your doctor may restrict your diet, so nothing too high in sugar
6. Hope- keep your mind and expectations positive, this encourages healing and keeps your spirit fighting!

 

Staying at a hospital is never fun, but what happens when you leave? Make sure you have these following items in arrangement:

1. Stay with a friend, family member or spouse that has MOST if not all of the day off, you will need lots of help, especially with eating
2. 2 weeks if possible, you should take off of work. Driving is out of the question, sitting up will still be difficult and walking will still make you exhausted, the last thing you need to do is worry about working
3. Make sure you have transportation in case you need to return to the hospital or Dr’s office… I have a stick shift car and VIP doesn’t drive stick shift.. Do not drive, its horrible!
4. Have someone fill your post op prescriptions, you need to go from the hospital straight to your bed when coming home.
5. No prolonged sitting or standing for two weeks, think about the places you try to venture out to, is there a place you can lay down? Probably not.

SO I went to my grandma’s house and it was great, she did everything for me and we spent time together talking about love. But I was in pain, taking Percocet every 4ish hours. Here is a list of the pains I experienced the past 8 days:

1. Burning
2. Numb on incision
3. Pinching
4. Sharp pains on side
5. Muscle soreness
6. Swelling around incision and general pelvic region
7. Tenderness to the touch
8. Gas pain
9. Nausea relived by going to the bathroom
10. Fatigue
11. Cramps
12. Bruising
13. Dry throat

 

Thankfully my cut was only about 3 inches long across my pubic bone and Percocet seems to dull a lot of these, but 8 days later you will still be in pain. I tried to avoid taking Percocet everytime and my dr said I can alternate between Percocet and ibuprofen. But since I stupidly drove my stick shift muscle car, the soreness from that exercise has me back on Percocet.

So originally we thought I had 3-4 fibroids, when my dr came into my room and showed me the picture of 5 Fibroids I was SHOCKED! And relieved! Finally I had proof to myself and others that I was indeed abnormal. 23 years old with 5 fibroids that cause pain, I am quite young to have that many and they cause pain because most do not cause women pain! That is what most sites will have you believe. I do have some contributing factors though:

1. Family history- talk to the women in your family, ask them about fibroids, cysts, cancer, child birth complications
2. African American- Black women are 30% more likely to develop fibroids

If you have any of these contributing factors that puts you at higher risk, be sure to pay attention to your body and seek treat.

 

Week 2

 I am now able to drive a car, not my car but I haven’t tried yet. My scar is healing up nicely, better than my first surgery; it might actually blend into my skin! I can describe the way I have felt the past week, I would say it felt like a very intense lower ab workout, I have a swollen bump surrounding the incision; it has shrunk from my whole low ab area. I have stopped taking all pain meds though. Mentally I feel a weight has been lifted and I am enjoying life more even in my limited state. I am hungrier, I wake up a lot earlier,  but I experienced an abnormal amount of stress and anxiety with this journey, so the fact that it’s over relieved a lot of ailments. I miss going dancing, because I cant do it of course I want to! I tried dancing today  but its not the same yet L. I have my post op appointment this week, dr will most likely give me  the go  ahead that I am free and clear of this fibroid crap. But remember, fibroids can grow back, apparently birth control stops them from growing by regulating your hormones. Fibroids are caused by high estrogen, I think I will ask my Dr. for a hormone test when I come in. I believe it is a blood  or urine test. I will update after my post-op appointment, until then, I am still taking it easy and learning to relax again!

Adora's List: Shoe Sale, New Jewelry!!

Today's email contained some new shoes (my suppliers are having sales all over! You DONT want to miss this!!) Check it out here:http://emails.goodsie.com/t/j-EB2C00ABFEB4268C

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The Fate of Your Daughters Depends on.... Leggings?

 

When I was in high school... all of 4 years ago... leggings were just starting to be popular and acceptable again, a step down from skinny jeans, at first they were mostly worn with tunics and short dresses. Today, leggings are pants (my sister used to say "leggings aren't pants!"), yoga pants are go to the pep rally pants, and one high school principle isn't happy about it! (http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/minnesota-high-school-cracks-down-leggings-yoga-pants-162400819.html)

At first I was really self conscious about wearing leggings as pants, I thought people would be staring at my butt all day, and I wasn't to happy about that, I also felt kind of... naked. Leggings are basically a second skin, at least skinny jeans are jeans and look like jeans, not like your going to speed skating practice. Would I let my 15 year old daughter wear a spandex skin to high school? Since I was a teenage girl, chances are she is bound to do it anyways, I did, but when you have a baby its like everything you did as a kid is now a lesson for you to tell your kids NOT to do... again they will probably do it anyways. But to the question... no, because I know how boys (and creepy men) are and I'm not ready to let my (fictional) babygirl grow up yet!!!

More importantly I want to know, how did we go from thinking an ankle was sexy, to little girls wearing belly shirts and dancing like strippers? Somewhere in the last 70 years, women have voluntarily turned themselves into everything their mother's were not, and it's like a competition between the generations to see which one is the sexiest... but not when your mom goes to the club in a shorter dress than you... you definitely win that one, it's what you don't show that can be the difference sometimes. My mother is a "cool" mom, she likes to shop and she doesn't wear pants, only skirts and dresses, also, she mostly wears high heels, a habit I am trying to break myself out of (flats are not frumpy, flats are not frumpy) she taught me all I know about being frugal, and she has some modesty about her, but she goes out and has a good time, she certainly isn't a wallflower. So growing up, she pretty much let us do almost anything we wanted within reason, so I never felt the need to rebel... rebel against what? Oh mom you suck, I hate that you didn't make me clean my room *insert other various teenage issues* so I'm gonna try to get attention from the world by dressing prospectively ... that will surely show you! As a result,  I was able to slowly become my own person and make my own decisions... blah blah blah and I came out awesome, in the scope of things, would it have mattered if I wore yoga pants to school or not? Probably.. NOT. Seriously, teens are wearing these "pants" because they are lazy, because leggings are comfy, because they think they look good... newsflash... your 15, who are you looking good for? The senior boy who is just going to want you for your sexy yoga pants and then break your heart, leaving you with baggage for the next yoga pant lover... dating in  high school is so WACK, don't do it. I think leggings and yoga pants are so popular now because we see them on celebrities and what not, TV makes girls want to be sexy, and leggings come in all kinds of cool designs now too! So I can't really blame the girls, I wear them too :)

So who are these "sexy" girls? I'm willing to bet... the only ones they are concerned about from a sexual perspective is, well, the skinny, curvy girls (size 4 with D cups in 9th grade, I hate that bitch, it took me at least until 11th grade to past a C cup!)< combination of all the hormones in our food not to mention the birth control they throw at growing girls. ANYWAYS, if your shapely teen is going to be a slut... she will be a slut with or without the help of yoga pants, let's get real.... Yoga pants might turn the boys on, but your daughter is the one who has to allow it to be anymore than an awkward boner in class, I'm just saying. I agree with the principle from the article... cover your butt, your underage, and haven't these girls heard of camel toe? When did that stop being embarrassing?  Also, the female faculty is not "hating" on you(teenage girl) because you "look" good when they ask you to dress more modest... OHH how did she know that's what I was thinking? Again I was a teenage girl... but they really were unfair to me, I did NOT break the dress code as much as she said! School is there to mold you into productive, classy ladies who can only hope to be able to attract a man who is about something more than the stripper dress you wore to the club that night... trashy teens turn into trashy women. So if they can catch you on that slippery slope now, maybe you will be saved... before you need to "saved" as men say.

Modesty starts in the home and can be enforced in school, but at the end of the day, if you don't raise your kid right, they are gonna make bad decisions, yoga pants or not. You(parents) do know Stacey can still get down with the boys in a turtleneck and long skirt, right?

What's your take? Are yoga pants and leggings really THAT bad? Do you negatively judge parents who allow their girls to wear leggings as pants? What do you tell your teen? Sound off in the comments section!

Props: Rihanna at VS Fashion Show!

 

Let's be honest, RiRi has a crazy style that you either love it or you hate it, and she changes it daily. While not as extreme as Nicki Minaj or Lady Gaga, she pushes the envelope with her outfits. As unpractical as this is for everyday life, I'm giving props to Rihanna for her performance outfit at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show.



First, the hair, love it, its retro, its elegant, its classy... something that Rihanna can sometimes struggle with.

Second, Rihanna looks awesome in a red lip, but this deep almost maroon lip color is seriously working for her, next to the ivory pearls it gives a pop of color that natural draws your eyes to her lips *MUAH*

Third, Pearls, PEARLS?! yup Rihanna's choker pearl necklace is gorgeous, reminds me of Breakfast at Tiffany's and who doesnt love that? The sunglasses are growing on me but  some of you would rock the hell out them! I wish we could see her eyes though, they are a great feature on her face.



Fourth, The dress... oh this dress is HOT! Clearly a very tight bodice underneath that draping working like a corset to push those girl UP and OUT, good thing because the VS show is full of impressive cleavage! It's a gown, the skirt is a slim a-line with a large slit on the right side, to which she has paired a sexy garter/stocking set. At one point you can see that the dress is slightly less than a dress and more like a long tunic, or maybe she didn't mean to show the underwear? Hey, at the VS show, might as well!!

Lastly, The gloves are to die for, lace opera length, so classy but edgy!



She looks amazing, it shows off her assets so well, and she doesn't look like a hooker... call girl maybe, but definetly not hooker! ;)

Adora's List: New and Improved Shop.AdoraStylez.com

SOO pleased to say that I have changed the look and the feel of Shop.AdoraStylez.com and that I grow more and more excited about it everyday!! Shop.AdoraStylez.com is now email based, shooting unique finds for the day straight to your inbox! How much easier does shopping get? We know you like deals, we know you like uniqueness, we know you have a busy life, so get on the list and start enjoying your "personal shopper" today!! Check out the first product email sent out today http://emails.goodsie.com/t/j-43E04070D0084336

 

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Hurricane Sandy: What Can You Do?

To those, like me, who live on the East coast who were in the path of Hurricane Sandy this year just got alot harder. With New York City flooded and businesses washed into the sea, the residents of NY, NJ and DE are extremely financially, emotionally, physically strained. The charity that I and my job trust to get aid where aid is needed is The Red Cross Organization. Our prayers and donations go out to the victims and we hope for a speedy recovery in those areas. If you would like to donate to the Red Cross, visit this site:

http://www.redcross.org/hurricane-sandy?scode=RSG00000E017&subcode=paiddonationsbrand&gclid=CM_5jOCMrrMCFcxcMgodSAYABQ

To Donate food, supplies, clothing visit these sites:

www.feedingamerica.org- food

www.salvationarmyusa.org- mobile shelters

www.americares.org- medicine

www.worldvision.org- food clean-up kits

 www.savethechildren.org- families and children

http://spvolunteernetwork.org/projects/hurricane-sandy-response.aspx- volunteer

Anyone, anywhere can make a difference.

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Happy Halloween!! Submit your pictures!

Happy Halloween everyone! I love this holiday because it's a chance to express yourself to the fullest! Whether you want to show your dark side, or play with your sexy side, Halloween is fun for everyone! Check out some costumes I found around instagram:

(that's my dad!)

 

(that's me!)

Stockings, Leggings, tights; what’s the difference?

Building from our Leg warmers post, do you know the difference between stockings, leggings and tights? And when to wear which?

Behind The Scenes: Tattoo Bar Shoot w/ AK artistry

What an exciting weekend I had! I managed to pull off, with the help of my partner Amy K, a 12 look photo shoot! Styled exclusively by AdoraStylez!! This was Amy's idea and I am so grateful she brought me in. After some set backs (like losing the photographer) and some flakes (4 models out of 8, no hair stylist and no assistant!!) we got into the swing of things! My AWESOME photographer Robert came through short notice and he rocked it out! The girls looked amazing in their outfits and Amy's make-up was FIERCE! The location was Tattoo Bar in Washington DC.... Check out the behind the scenes and stay tuned for the final product!!

Make-up excellently provided by Amy K! (you can request her for your own shoot or event here )

BIG THANK YOU TO OUR MODELS:

Megan

Melissa

Sunny

and Gabby

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DIY: Embellished Ankle Straps... Part 2

Love it! Check out this DIY diva's ankle strap makeover!!

DIY Diva: Old Tank to Skull Cut Out Tee

As I was preparing outfits for an upcoming photo shoot- First one where I am strictly BEHIND the scenes as the stylist/ wardrobe!!- I remembered how I saw one of my girlfriend's post a photo on how she made her own version of the very popular skull cut out tee! And suddenly! I knew what this outfit was lacking!! Digging through my PJ and workout clothes drawers where I have my wife beaters and old t-shirts, I found a old men's tank from one of my exes that had shrunk in the wash... BINGO! I traced my pattern with a highlighter that barely showed up, but the great thing about this tee is you don't have to cut it perfect, in fact, you don't want it perfect, but centered helps!! Here ya go:

 

 

 



 

What: Skull cut out tee

Cost: Free!

Time: 10 minutes

Materials Needed:

Tee shirt, any size any color

Scissors

Pen/ Highlighter/ Marker

Idea for pattern

How:

1. Find your ideal pattern on the web, copy a shirt that you like, either print it out or have your laptop/ smart phone close

2. Trace your pattern onto the back or the front of the tee (depends on what look you want), be sure to leave space between holes so you don't accidentally rip them in the wash or at a party



3. Cut out the pattern from your shirt



4. Done.... or get creative like I did- I cut a moon out of the front of the shirt to make it a half shirt and then cut a fringe into the hem, this will fray up in the wash and won't look so clean cut and just done.... experiment with other ways to cut out shirts, here are some ideas: http://kentwired.com/10-ways-to-cut-up-your-tee-shirt/

ENJOY!

DIY Diva: Old Frame to New Jewelry Holder!

Weeks and weeks and weeks ago, I went to my favorite thrift store looking for home decor for my bland apartment. I got GREAT stuff that day, a photo frame, new fabric for hanging, these awesome paper lanterns, and this wood frame. I was convinced I could do something with it, if not turn it into a mirror, why not a chalkboard or a tray or simply stack it on the floor with other art pieces, I knew the possibilities were endless! Butttt I never got around to doing anything with it... UNTIL NOW! If you can imagine, I have half a ton of jewelry and with this new store, I plan to have a full ton quite soon! I hateee keeping jewelry in boxes, I have to much, it gets all tangled, there is never enough room... I hate having my litte earrings get lost and flung out of the dish I had... I hate finding that perfect earring match, just to find out there is no back on it.... SO I decided I would some how use this frame to make a jewelry holder. I thought and thought and this is what I came up with!

 

 

What: Chain Jewelry Holder

Cost: Free- Should be no more than $30 if you are frugal or already have craft supplies at home

Time: 10 minutes- Half a day if spray painting

Materials Needed:

1 frame as long as you desire, could be an art frame, photo frame, frame you make yourself etc. (go the thrift store perhaps!)

1 foam board, color of your choice

Hot Glue gun and Hot Glue sticks

Scissors or razor blade

Chains- Can be from old necklaces, necklace chains from jewelry making or craft stores, any chain can do

Spray Paint- If you intend to paint your chains, the frame or even the back board to make it stand out

newspaper or cardboard

Picture Hanger- the metal piece that you nail it to give the hanger in the wall a place to rest, your frame may already have this

Hammer

Wall Picture Hanger- The metal piece you nail in the wall with a hook to hold the frame

How:



Prep: lay cardboard or newspaper down on hard surface, plug glue gun in

1. Turn your frame over so the back is facing up to the sky, notice the lip where the painting would go. Lay your chains across the frame, spread them out according to how many you have and how long your jewelry is. I put the first and last chain close to the frame to gain as much space as possible, I have 6 chains across my frame.



2. Glue one side of each chain down, be generous but discreet, you don't want glue showing in the front. Glue the other side, you don't have to go directly across, try diagonal, nor do they have to be pulled tight. Keep in mind that earring backs, necklaces or bracelets will pull the chain away from the back board so allow a slight looseness on the chains.



3. lay the foam board on the frame and mark where the foam board meets the frame, cut the foam board a half inch larger to allow for adequate gluing space. Glue the foam board to the frame.



4. Since you did not use the lip, there is a gap between the chains and the board, that is ideal for inserting earrings. But now you have a gap between the frame and the wall!! Use a piece of foam board to buffer that gap and nail the hanger to the foam board and the frame (like a sandwich) this should allow the frame to be hung normally. If you already have a hanger installed, use a bigger hook on the wall to let it accommodate the space.



5. WALA! Turn it over and admire your work! Start putting jewelry on it! I just put a pair of sunglasses! Use the chains for stud earrings and never lose a back again! Perfect for hang earrings, clasp your necklaces around them!! 

6. Hang it on the wall near your dressing area or prop it up like I did!

 

Enjoy DIY Diva's!!

Fall 2012 Collection Highlight: Red Blazers

Purchase these blazers here: http://adorastylez.highwire.com/products/sweaters-blazers?pagesize=12

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RED is the HOTTEST color this Fall! Every fashion expert, blog and magazine keep coming back to how red in all shades is everywhere! Check out these not-your-typical red blazers now available for purchase at Shop.AdoraStylez.com!!

Great with jeans, skirts, casual or business you will get a lot of wear out of these!

Happy Shopping!

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We Love These/ Trend Alert: Leg Warmers

I think I am in love with leg warmers! WHY? Well it's not their vintage (can you believe the 80's were 30 years ago!!) charm because the 80's was pretty funky then and its still pretty funky now.... It's their practicality that I love!! If you are anything like me, you don't have self warming ankles, but you still love your pumps, but you hate those panty hose dress socks.... dilemma?? Not anymore people!!! The key is to experiment with different looks, so you feel comfortable & confident. Whether, you wear them slouchy, knee or thigh-high, the trendiest way to wear leg warmers right now, is over tights, leggings or skinny jeans and then inside a pair of boots.

PS. I am selling every color you can think of  here!! Shop.AdoraStylez.com!!

Leg warmers not only add color but warmth, and they are cute!! I paired a purple pair (say that 5 times fast!) to match with my outfit for this shoot but you don't have to be so matchy!! Check out how other people around the internet have worn their leg warmers!!

Trend Alert: 2012 Fall Trends

Browsing my usual blogs and sites today I came across this video on Youtube from The Morning Blend on Fall 2012 trends, I posted earlier this season about the peplum and red trends, so here is a reminder for your fall wardrobe!! Model Shelly Goodstein explains why these trends are flattering and how you can apply them to your closet:

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Check the rest of the Fall 2012 Trends here!

 

We Love These: Nectar Sunglasses

Soo gone are the days of beaches and BBq's (for most of the world) and here are the days of jackets and soon hats and gloves :( BUT the sun is still out and you deserve to have some summer fun in the colddd winter! How? Nectar Sunglasses!! 

www.NectarSunglasses.com

For Men and Women!!

Over the weekend I was hanging out with a friend who introduced me to KC Johnson, Photographer and Media Producer for Image Machine LLC (https://www.facebook.com/imagemachinellc) who happens to be shooting a campaign for Nectar Sunglasses.... So you know sunglasses, you can buy those things anywhere right? YEA but can you customize 3 pairs for $30??? UH NO you can't!! That's what is so awesome and RIGHT about Nectar Sunglasses, custom designed by you at a price that makes you want a pair in every color combo! (BTW there are over 150,000 combos so go crazy!!) Get this, it gets better.... you can pop the lenses out and replace them with a new set when you get bored! Glow in the dark? Clear lenses? Different color arms? The possibilities are only limited by you, so go and create your own today!! Check out the coupon code below!

Take advantage of this limited time offer!! I'm ordering mine today!! Check out some of these color designs for inspiration!!

$145 ray-bans

$10 Nectars!!!