Hidden Magnolias

If you have read any of my blog, you know I have a thing for made in the USA products.  Until recently, I never gave any thought as to whether my makeup is made in the USA or not. Last week, I stumbled upon a You Tube Video where a girl was reviewing a new line of lipsticks by an internet influencer. The colors were beautiful. The packaging was stunning if not a little over to top. But the product inside was something else. The lipsticks had hair and particles in them. I was aghast!!! What happened? How could this be? You can view it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGUylu-Gwj0 Curious, I viewed other videos -- it just got worse and worse.   https://medium.com/@jyssicaschwartz/7-business-lessons-from-the-jaclyn-hill-cosmetics-disaster-cd6fef58fc06   https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a27892318/jaclyn-hill-lipstick-line-controversy/ . People all over were complaining about them being unclean and even dangerous to health. I know I...

LulaRoe. A new (well, to me, anyway) brand of clothing.  I first heard of the company while doing my Made in the USA investigation. (And my neighbor had mentioned them several times.) A quick google image search brought up wildly patterned leggings with big over shirts or brightly colored dresses worn by pregnant women and mommies.  Pinterest Mommy clothes.  (No offense mommies -- you deserve great looking stay at home outfits!) Cute. But not for me. But I decided to take a look when I was invited to a Pop-Up Boutique held by our local LulaRoe girls in Powder Springs - Sherrie and Christa .  Not only was the party fun (there was wine), I got to try on clothes and decide what I liked. The laid back, relaxed atmosphere was very encouraging -- no high pressure like some Tupperware or Mary Kay parties that I have been to in the past.  I bought.  Here is my first LulaRoe outfit. A Perfect Tee paired with an Azure skirt. Mak...

I am still working on my project to buy Made in USA products. It is not easy; however, I have found several sources for women’s clothing I want to share with you. As I stated before in a previous pos t, with the advent of H&M, Zara, Forever 21, TJ Maxx, Marshall's and others, we have become addicted to and slaves of fashion trends, cheap prices and poor quality. I have come to feel strongly about buying American Made products. While they do tend to be more expensive, I am happy with the high quality of most of these items and I am content to have less and because the quality is better, I can wear longer. Here are some brands to look for. (all pictures from the companies' respective websites) _________________________________________________________________________________ Comfy USA I just love cozy fabrics, easy fit and flowing silhouettes. Designed and manufactured in California, Comfy is prized by women who value comfort as much as style. ...

For several months now I have been very conscious about what I buy. It seems like each time I look at an article of clothing, shoes, household items, etc., it has the ubiquitous tag "Made in China." So I made myself a promise -- try to buy Made in the USA . This has proven harder than it sounds. For several reasons: You have to hunt for Made in the USA items -- Nordstrom's has a Made in the USA search that will bring up various items -- but few other departments stores do. Reading through various research most department stores carry less than 2% of US made clothing.  Made in USA items are often found in the high end stores -- Neiman Marcus, Barney's, Bloomingdales's, Von Maur. Many of us don't even consider going to a high end store because of the prices. What I want is just not made here --Sure you can find socks, some jeans, men's wear, workout clothes, t-shirts and stockings, but what about clothes to wear to work? Almost nonexisten...