Week/End

weekend - photo by superfamous, graphic by victoria mcginley

THE MAXXINISTA MYTH: I found this piece on “the dirty little secret behind discount and outlet stores” really interesting. I knew the part about outlet stores, but didn’t know the part about brand licensing in places like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Did you?

PUMPKIN SPICE POPSICLES: Yes, everyone’s favorite autumnal coffee drink, now in popsicle form, minus disgusting, faux-flavored syrups. These sound like such a decadent treat!

CLOSET MAKEOVER: If you’re in the midst of a closet cleanout, this slideshow also features some really amazing organization ideas, using all IKEA products.

KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS, DOWN TO A TEA: My friend Steph shared this article on knowing what’s really in tea and tea bags. It grossed me out while also enlightening…and I’ll probably need to switch tea brands soon!

LC in the PH: Did you catch this little video tour of Lauren Conrad’s Beverly Hills penthouse? That closet though…it’s like the one Big builds for Carrie in the Sex and the City movie, don’t you think?

MISS AMERICA TAKEDOWN: Joe and I happened to catch Last Week Tonight on OnDemand a few days ago, and I really loved this segment on the Miss America pageant — both the commentary on the pageant itself, but also its claim that it’s the largest provider of scholarships for women. Take 15 minutes this weekend and watch!

SUMMER INTO FALL: My girl Meg styled a beautiful end of summer party up in Connecticut last weekend; at the same time, she’s mulling over what makes fall great and tough for her. Meg, I love you, but I’m firmly in the ‘love fall with a passion’ camp.

EXCEPT FOR THE STATIC: Ok, except for the static. It’s like I woke up one day and all my silk pieces had static cling and walking down the streets of New York was like being in a bad Bounce commercial from the 90s. I immediately turned to the Googles and found these great tips for getting rid of static. And they work!

BUT THEN AGAIN, THERE’S APPLE CIDER: But then again, there’s apple cider. Like this one that Sarah posted a recipe for, which looks like it needs to be in a mug on my desk right this second.

THE BLOGGING OG SLOG: And, finally, this great piece from the New York Times on when “blogging becomes a slog.” As someone who has blogged for well over 6 years, and remembers when the design blog ruled all (that’s how I discovered blogs to begin with!), this article hit close to home. I wonder if style blogs will go the same route?

Happy weekend!! Hope you enjoy yours —

Image: Folkert Gorter via Superfamous and licensed under CC 3.0; graphics added by Victoria McGinley

18 Comments

  1. 9.26.14
    Laurence said:

    I really enjoy your weekend posts. Your links are always very interesting. Et j’apprends plein de choses ! Et quand par fois je connais déjà, je suis assez contented de moi, je dois dire…
    Merci Victoria. Passe un Bon weekend automnal !

  2. 9.26.14
    jillian said:

    pumpkin spice popsicles?! sounds amazing! also loving that weekend graphic v! xo jillian – cornflake dreams

  3. 9.26.14
    Kristina said:

    Wow I had no idea about the brand licensing thing, that’s crazy! It’s making me reconsider my shopping habits.

    Kristina does the Internets

  4. 9.26.14

    You had me at pumpkin spice popsicles! Have a good weekend!

  5. 9.26.14

    After reading that first post on outlets, I feel cheated!

  6. 9.26.14
    Tyshia said:

    That NY Times article was very interesting….thanks for sharing!

  7. 9.26.14

    Wow, I had no idea about the licensing thing with discount stores! Like you, I knew about the outlet stores, but not the other thing. So eye-opening. I guess it is pretty annoying when brands are so dishonest like that. As the article said, I much prefer to support brands like Everlane who are honest and transparent, and also I’m just starting to prefer their more simple clothing style anyway. Loved the NYT article as well – really thought Jamie Meares from Furbish also had a good take on it on her blog. Have a good weekend!

  8. 9.26.14
    Maria said:

    I also watched the John Oliver segment! I loved it, and it was a huge slap in the face that we should be seriously considering. Great post. :)

  9. 9.26.14

    I always really enjoy your weekend links! Your mix of material strikes the perfect balance of fun and substance. Thank you!

  10. 9.26.14
    Joanna said:

    I saw Stephanie’s post too – not good! I’ll admit that I couldn’t find any information on their site about pesticides/harvest methods (because why would someone broadcast anything negative, right?) but I’ve been drinking tea from the Red Blossom Tea Co. in SF for years. The quality seems exceptional to me, they staff is incredibly well informed about the products and make great suggestions based on my preferences, and they make drinking tea such a luxurious thing. Did you ever stop by there when you lived in the bay area?

    Happy weekend, Victoria!

    • 9.28.14

      No, I’ve never heard of Red Blossom!!! On my list for sure if/when we are back in the Bay Area (as in, permanently :) ).

  11. 9.26.14
    Ame said:

    I have not been a fan of outlets/tjmaxx/rack for…well…a long time if not ever. I am a rabid Nordstrom fan, but I just don’t do Rack. I caught on to the “there’s no way this came from the real store” thing pretty quickly, and stopped spending my money at those stores. Over the last maybe 5 years, more came out about the licensing deals, and when I’d start seeing entire walls of things like Neutrogena products in stores like Rack, I knew I didn’t need to bother anymore.

    • 9.28.14

      Ugh, I feel the same way. I used to go into the Rack in SF and really enjoyed it; then one day, all these Neutrogena, OPI, Bed Head and Matrix products started showing up. It seemed…suspect. And now that I think about, some of the higher end designer pieces I bought from that Rack all fell apart really quickly. Blerg!

  12. 9.27.14
    Ella said:

    Oh my GOSH homemade apple cider?! I can’t wait to make that! Lauren Conrad’s place looks like a dream. Thanks for sharing these links! I hope you have a great weekend.
    http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26

  13. 9.29.14
    tasha said:

    This is a great list to read! Kinda nervous about the tea one.. Good thing I haven’t had my morning tea or gone to starbucks today!

  14. 9.29.14
    Rose said:

    Heading over to read that brand licensing article now—but I have a feeling I know the content already! I used to work for a jewelry company that had their own brand and did extensive private label business; for TJ Maxx and similar outlets we sold to, they sold “dumbed-down” versions of most of our pieces to them, made with cheaper metals (i.e. no brass) and plastic stones over glass/swarovski, etc. Oftentimes we would sell them knockoffs straight from China/the jewelry district, and they would just slap a label on it! I remember one time, a Real Housewife or some reality star wore a necklace of “ours” on TV and we would get emails/inquiries about it constantly (anywhere from 10-50 a month), but it was really a knockoff of an older style, mass produced in China very cheaply, and sold at TJ Maxx.

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