Monday, September 30, 2013

Favorite Fit: Perfect Fall Blazers

By LL

It's LL again, blogging from KC as Jess explores Berlin. And, I'm here to discuss my all-time favorite fit - the BLAZER. No matter the season or the occasion, you really cannot go wrong with a blazer. It is classy enough for work, dressy enough for a date night, yet casual enough for a day at the farmers market. Here are a few of my recommendations for the perfect fall blazer.


1. J.Crew Schoolboy Blazer in Tipped Wool $228
2. JC Penny Two-Button Nautical Blazer $35.99
3. H&M Faux Leather Sleeve Jacket $39.99
4. J.Crew Schoolboy Blazer in Wool Flannel $198
5. Madewell Tailored Blazer in Chambray $89.50
6. Modcloth Takes Two to Tangerine $47.99
7. Banana Republic Textured Blazer $150


Running short of ideas how to create the perfect look with a blazer? Here are a few simple suggestions for inspiration.






2. Kate Middleton on stylebistro.com

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Berlin Marathon Finishers!

By Jess in Minneapolis

Guten Tag! I did it- marathon #15 is complete. My first international marathon. Final time: 3:59:39. Just barely squeaked in under four hours, but I'll take it. Jet lag to blame? The crazy insane crowded water stops? The missing Gatorade, replaced by hot tea at the water stops? #noexcuses I suppose. Afterall, a world record was broken today (amazing!)

I'm excited about the accomplishment, and excited to explore Berlin now that the race is done! Dustin finished around 3:29. Nowhere near his PR, but he was happy to finish feeling strong, especially with his sports hernia injury.

Prosit!

I'll be back with a full race review later, but for now LL will be covering most of the blog posts. Stay tuned, she has some fun posts planned!


Throwing a Fit: Capes

By LL 


This is LL in KC, covering the blog for Jess while she is in Berlin. It has been awhile since I’ve blogged (last post was here on classy animal print). My work life has become a lot more hectic. My fitness and fashion isn’t falling by the wayside, but to make sure it doesn’t, my blogging has gone down. Big thanks to Jess for running the show!

So even though I haven’t been able to blog, I’ve still had time to throw a fit about some of the awesome fall fashion for 2013. If you are new to the blog, then you are not that familiar with my passion for autumn (the sophisticated side of fall). Pumpkin Spice Lattes (my guilty pleasure in cooler temps), wool sweaters, boots, suedes, scarves and, capes? Yes, capes!

I am throwing a fit for this transitional piece of outerwear. It can be worn as an outer layer or as the primary statement piece. Take a peek at some of the 2013 cape looks from the Runway: 


{From Stylecaster.com}


Here are some more budget-friendly options for those of us who can only drool over Derek Lam. 

{Lands End on sale for $89.99}

{Cole Haan for $374.99}

{Modcloth for $150}

{H&M for $59.99}

Some people I've spoken to about capes say they feel they are too boxy and unflattering on a wider frame. I think the belted option is a good solution to accentuating the waist and eliminating that boxy feel. In addition, I think that a larger shaped cape should be paired with skinny jeans/pants. It is important to keep in mind proportions when deciding whether to pair a cape with skirts.

Stay tuned and see what type of cape I end up getting for the season. 



Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Guest Post: The Surly Trail Loppet Half Marathon Race Review


Readers, you are in for a treat! Today we have a guest post from two of my dearest friends who are also the most awesome running buddies, Kelly and Abby, as they share their review of the Surly Trail Loppet Half Marathon

Abby and Kelly here for a guest post!

You may have read about this little Surly Trail Loppet event in past posts as Jess has been with us for a few of the sponsored 5-mile training runs over portions of the course.  She didn’t join us for the main event since the big Berlin Marathon is next weekend. That was probably a good idea of her part, because aside from the risk of injury on the challenging terrain, we are super sore, and you probably want to go into the marathon with fresh legs!  So Cool J trusted us to do a race review and even lent the blogging camera!  So, here’s our report:

The  Surly Trail Loppet sponsored by Minnesota’s favorite Surly Brewing Company, consisted of several events at Theodore Wirth Park just outside Minneapolis.  There was a half-marathon, a 13.1K, and a 5K.  Early this summer we ambitiously signed up for the half-marathon, since neither of us had a fall marathon planned after Newport marathon back in June. (Remember the Newport marathon? Read all about it HERE)

Pre-Race
Given the limited parking near the start/finish, there was an option to park in the Mortensen Construction Company lot and then shuttle to the start line.  

Along with our friend Jen, we carpooled to the parking lot, but opted to walk the short 0.6 miles to the start rather than taking the bus.  It was a bit of a ‘warm up’ for us.

Once we got to the start it was time for packet pickup in a very long line. There was no option for packet pickup prior to race day which required the 1000+ runners to do it race day. 
Long lines for packet pickup...
We proceeded through the line to get our numbers and chips.  We laughed about the ‘commemorative chip,’ given that the chip was plain white on both sides.  That’s something to remember!
"Commemorative" chip...?
After a final bathroom stop, we stalled heading to the start by enjoying some time in the sun.  It was a brisk 49 degrees at the start, and neither of us was fully ready to check our bag and give up our warm up extra layers for our racing attire (tank and tee). 
Enjoying the sun!
Finally when we thought we’d timed it well, we checked our gear bags and headed over to the start.
The start was staggered in waves named for popular Surly brews.  We were in the Abrasive wave, the second wave after the faster Furious wave and followed by Bender and Hell. 

While trying to keep warm at the start, we learned that the start would be delayed by 15-20 minutes.  This led to a fairly disorganized start.  No one could really hear the announcements and so we didn’t quite know when we were starting.  One big wave in 15-20 min or all waves delayed 15-20 min? Finally we heard a gun and the Furious wave was off.  We were ready to get going 5 minutes later.

The Course
The 13.1 miles of trails were a fun and challenging change for us normal road runners. It consisted of a mix of asphalt paths (~25%) and narrower dirt and wooded trails, often single file. There were sections to pass someone if needed, yet even being stuck behind a runner on a single track section was a welcomed chance to slow down. There were a couple sections so steep that resorting to a walk proved to be a faster option. The course was very well marked by blue ribbons tied to branches, blue arrow signs, and flour on the ground. We spent so much time watching footing to avoid falling and the markings to stay on course that the race seemed to speed by.   

Many of us long distance runners have become Garmin dependent.   The Abrasive wave we were in was recommended to half marathoners with a road race of 1:41-1:50 to give a predicted trail race of 2:00-2:15. Given the challenging terrain, the Garmin became more about distance than pace, in that, ‘when will this be over?’ type of feeling.  Although no one was really complaining, we fell short of the 13.1 mile distance by our trusted Garmin friend.  Apparently the incline, decline and the woods make the GPS signal drop out and not accurately measure distance.   Either way, the finish line was a welcomed sight and it was on to the post-party.

Post-Party
First things first, we picked up our finisher t-shirts.  Given that it was 55°F at the finish, we loved the long sleeve cotton t-shirts we were given!  The finisher swag was different for each race, the 5k finishers received a t-shirt and the 13.1k finishers picked up a Salomon bag with a handy Surly pint glass (we were jealous).
Given the brewery race sponsor, we’d expect nothing less than a party for the finish.  There was live music playing, food for purchase from Tollefson Farms, family of Olympic runner and Dawson, MN native Carrie Tollefson, and of course beer! Nothing like a Surly Coffee Bender to finish off the morning.

It was a great scene to meet up and enjoy some time with our fellow CBRC friends. Luckily no one was a contender for the "Surly-est" runner contest, a special award for the most messed up by scrapes, blood, sprains, and lacerations. We had no major falls and our only injuries were a couple of bee stings, one for Mason and one for Kelly.  Oww! 

But be sure to watch out for burrs on the trail!

We wish Cool J was with us as we met up with Katie, a fellow Right Fits reader and runner, who recognized us from the pictures on the blog.  Congrats Katie on a great race! Hope to meet more Right Fits readers at events to come.

The Good:
  • Very well marked trails that offered a beautiful variety of scenery. 
  • Soft and cozy long sleeve finisher t-shirts that kept us warm while drinking our Surly.
  • Supportive and friendly racers, volunteers and spectators.

The Not-so-good:
While the race itself was great, we had to dock some points for both the start and the finish.  They may want to consider moving to a pre-race day packet pickup to alleviate some of the line we faced at the start.  We think the longer than anticipated packet line led to the delayed race start.  Also some amped up audio equipment could help them with announcing the start, or the delay.

They had also advertised GU or fuel at the support stops but all we encountered was water or energy drink at random distances along the way.

The end was a ton of fun but could have some improved flow to the finish.  The lines for water, food and most importantly, beer, were not clearly marked.  There were just lines of people throughout the finish area, so we just hopped in one and hoped it was for something.  Also the gear check didn’t appear to be supervised and ended in a bit of a free for all.  We wish it would have been a bit more protected for the secure belongings. 

Overall
Overall we give this race an 8/10. It was a super fun event and a nice change from our usual routes around the lakes.  We both want to incorporate more trail running into the mix.  Theo Wirth has some great paths and is so close that we need to take advantage. Minneapolis is awesome!

Thank you Kelly and Abby for this guest review!

You probably recognize these two ladies as their pretty mugs have been on the blog many times in the past. In fact, apparently they have been on the blog enough that, as Kelly mentioned, a reader recognized them at the race! Thanks to Katie for reading the Right Fits! I was SO excited to hear that real people read this blog! Yay! 

Congrats to all the hard-core runners who completed this challenging race. I hope I get to participate next year!
Awesome job runner!


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Fitting Fitness: BarreAmped Express at Balanced Barre

By Jess in Minneapolis

There are some mornings where you just cannot get up early, but you also have something going on after work. You need to squeeze in a workout...so what other options do you have?

How about the lunch hour?

This can be a tough time to work out, particularly if you try to go for a run or take a hot yoga class that mandates a post-workout shower. That extra "getting-ready" time can lead to much too long of a lunch break, especially for the ladies (though stay tuned, as I am working on a post with tips to get ready as quickly as possibly after a workout!)

Running or hot yoga are rarely an option for me over lunch, unless it was an extremely slow day at the office. However, I did just recently try out a fresh, new fit that I think might work for me to fit fitness into the workday!

Balanced Barre now offers a 45-minute BarreAmped Express class over the noon hour.

I wrote about the regular Balanced Barre classes HERE and HERE but those reviews were about the regular one-hour classes. The primary difference in the express class was that we skipped the arm/weights in the beginning of the class. We went straight to the barre!

Yet all the moves at the barre were just the same, and my legs were shaking just the same. However, since the class is a series of small, isolated muscle movements (and no cardio), I didn't really break a sweat, as I would have in hot yoga or running. Don't get me wrong, I could feel it the next day in the butt and legs. It was definitely a workout, but it was perfect for the lunch hour.  I could easily put on some fresh deodorant, and change right back into my work clothes for the second half of the work day. My coworkers were none the wiser (unless of course, they are reading this now.)

I think this 45 minute express class could be a valuable option for others who are just as busy to squeeze in a little lift/tone/burn into the day.  You can get a solid 45 minutes of strength and core work, in less time than it takes to eat the sandwich and soup special at Panera!

Unfortunately, the express class is just as expensive as the regular one hour class. At nearly $20/class (I usually buy a package of 4 classes for $74), I would probably rather get my money's worth and also get the full upper body workout in the full hour class.

Despite the price, I think I will still occasionally incorporate this lunch option as a great way to fit fitness into a busy day!
BarreAmped Express is only currently offered at the St. Louis Park Balanced Barre on Tuesdays and Fridays at 12:00.

Come check it out, and "shake to change" over the lunch hour ladies!


Friday, September 20, 2013

Friday's Favorite Fit: RUN MSP

By Jess in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is a great city for a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest reasons I love this city is that it is such a runner friendly place. 
I know that I might be a little biased, but I’m really not the only one that feels this way. In fact, Minneapolis/St. Paul gets ranked over and over again as one of the best running cities in the nation.

Just check out a couple of the following articles, and you’ll see what I mean!
  1. Active.com ranks Minneapolis the #3 best running city in the US! Read it HERE
  2. Forbes gives Minneapolis runners props for being so tough! "Training for a distance race as far north as Minnesota can be tough, especially with its icy winters. But runners are hearty here, with than 50 miles of trail to keep your mind engaged as your body does the work. A slew of running groups help keep runners motivated during the freezing winters- and come springtime, the path around the Chain of Lakes is about as gorgeous as it gets." Check out the whole list HERE
  3. Outside Magazine lauds Minneapolis/St. Paul as one its favorite running cities HERE
There you have it- its not just me who feels so strongly about the Twin Cities as a runner's haven!

We have miles and miles of running (and biking) trails. We have a plethora of road races and trail races, including two full marathons- one of which, the Twin Cities Marathon, is often praised as a must-do by Runner's World. 

Just take a quick peak at this website for a list of all of the running trails in our fair city: http://www.twincitiesrunning.org/tcrc-running-routes

We also are very lucky to have a multitude of running clubs here. Of course, there's the Calhoun Beach Running Club, which is near and dear to my heart. There's Club Run, Minnesota RED, Lifetime Run, Running Room Run Club , MDRA, a run club associated with TC Running Company, a run club associated with Gear Running Store, a YMCA run club, a YWCA run club...seriously, the list goes on and on. I know that I'm missing a ton of them. But that's the thing- there's a run club for every type of runner here!

With that said, you can understand why I wear the label of a 'Minnesota Runner' with pride. Likewise, I was very excited to come across these unique “RUN MSP” shirts the other day. I needed to stock up on GU's for the marathon,  so I swung by Gear Running Store on my way home from work, and was distracted by these super cute tees. I couldn't resist purchasing one to show my Minnesota runner pride.

The t-shirts are super cozy. I’ve been throwing mine on after a run (and after a shower of course) nearly every day since I bought it. With that said,  I have decided that these t-shirts from Gear are Friday’s Favorite Fit!
After I bought the t-shirt for myself, Dustin was a little jealous. I just had to buy him one too. Twinsies!


They also have some cozy looking hoodies, as well as these dri-fit tees in a variety of colors:

If you are also a proud Minneapolis/St. Paul runner, head on over to Gear to pick up your own t-shirt, hoodie, or dri-fit running top with the "RUN MSP" logo for this Friday’s Favorite Fit!

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Featured Fit: Tips for Runner Safety.

By Jess in Minneapolis


Yesterday morning, I joined my friend Kelly for a morning run. It’s quite dark in the mornings now, but she was carrying a knuckle light. We were running along easily, catching up on the weekend’s events, when out of the dark shadows a man popped out at us and said, “Help me, help me! I’ve lost my glasses!” His presence seriously startled Kelly and me, and I responded quickly with a “No, thanks!!!” and the two of us sprinted away as quickly as we could.

Where was my Minnesota nice? Why wasnt I willing to stop and help this stranger in the dark find his glasses?
Safety first. The whole thing really freaked me out. It didn’t feel right. What was he doing lurking in the shadows? He wasn’t walking a dog, or going for a run. He was just there. Why didn’t he have a phone to use for a light, or something else to help him find his supposedly lost “glasses”? The whole thing did not feel right to me, nor to Kelly. We both were freaked out, so we sprinted off as quickly as we could. Was he a predator trying to get us to stop and come over to try to help him, and then what? I don’t mean to be melodramatic, but it was weird.

I was so thankful that I wasn’t running alone, or I would have been even more spooked. Sure, it all might have been innocent enough, but in the dark morning hours, I am unfortunately not going to stop to help a man in the dark.

With that said, I think this is as good a time as any other to write a post to remind us all about runner safety. I gathered some tips from friends and family, who also run in the dark and here they are.


  1. SEE AND BE SEEN! I don’t mean this in a social way, like “I only want to run around Calhoun because that’s where all the eye candy is!” Nope, I mean wear reflective gear and a head lamp or knuckle lights (you know that I prefer the knuckle lights). Road Runners Sports has a great variety of reflective vests, arm bands, etc, and they are all reasonably priced.
     Most local running stores in Minneapolis also carry the basics for reflective gear. Check out Gear, Marathon Sports, or TC Running Company, and they can set you up with some helpful safety gear.
  2. MACE. I carry mace with me on runs. 
    I found my handheld version on Road Runners Sports. You can buy a similar one for just $11.99 here. Fortunately, I have never actually had to use this, so it has lasted for many, many years. Just be careful not to accidentally spray yourself!
  3. NO MUSIC. Do not listen to headphones when running in the dark. You need to be aware of your surroundings.
  4. CARRY YOUR PHONE. iPhone has a really good “Track My Phone” app if someone at home is worried about you. And of course, it's just a good idea to have your phone handy if you do have to call 911.
  5. RUN SAFE ROUTES. Try your best to run in busy, well-lit areas. I know this isn’t possible for some people. It might mean driving to a different area of town, but it’s worth it for your safety.
  6. BRING YOUR DOG: Let's face it, Matilda is not very intimidating, but just having a dog with you might discourage the creepsters from approaching.
  7. DON’T OVERSHARE. Don’t post on social media what time you run or your route. This sort of thing was mentioned on my 10 Things Runners Need to Stop Posting About on Facebook. You don’t want to share all the details of when/where you’re running, as you never know who might somehow access that information. I am careful to be vague here on the blog about where and when I run. I switch up my routes quite frequently, and Dustin always knows where I’m going and when I should be back.
  8. Yet..DO OVERSHARE. Say what? Wasn’t tip #7 to not over-share? I am suggesting that you over-share your route, your expected pace, and what time you should be home with your roommate, your spouse, or even just text a friend so someone knows. Like I said, Dustin always knows where I'm going and when I should be back. If you’re out there running in the dark, you want someone to know when to start worrying about you if you aren’t back by an expected time. And if you are having a terrible run, hopefully you followed tip #4, and can call or text that friend so they know you’ll be a bit late…or maybe they can come give you a ride!
  9. LISTEN TO YOUR GUT. If it doesn’t feel right, you don’t have to stop to help someone. Predators take advantage of our tendency to want to stop to help. Yesterday morning, it just didn’t feel right to stop and help this guy. Who knows, maybe we did the wrong thing. Maybe this guy really needed our help….but again, why was he out walking so early in the morning if he was not capable of finding lost glasses?  If he really lost his glasses, I guess he’ll just have to wait until the sun comes out to find them.

I hope that some of these tips will help you stay safe, but most of all, I am really hoping that none of you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation on a run. But if you do find yourself in a bad situation…

  • Scream “FIRE”. People are more likely to help if you scream “FIRE” than “RAPE” or “HELP ME”. This is sad, but true.
  • MACE- spray away.
  • RUN! Just one more reason to be in shape.
Locally, there are a few trails I definitely avoid when it's dark and I'm alone:
  • Minnehaha Parkway: It's just too dark and secluded on a good portion of the running trail
  • Cedar Trail: Same here. I feel like both the Cedar Trail and Kennilworth Trail are not as busy or as well-lit as others, and the trails just arne't as close to houses/residential areas in case of trouble.
**This post is focused on runner safety from predators, but there are other dangers that could affect runners: wild animals, rabid dogs, icy patches, distracted drivers, weather, etc. but I think some of my tips could be helpful against those dangers as well.

Stay safe out there runners!

P.S. Isn't this face intimidating?? Watch out now!

Monday, September 16, 2013

Weekly Recap and the Calhoun Beach Running Club Capitol Run!

By Jess in Minneapolis

September is here, and fall is creeping up on us. I bet most of you are tapering now if you're doing a fall marathon. Cheers to the taper!

My first week of the taper panned out pretty well. Here are the details:


Monday: Yoga! Hot Power Fusion at Corepower Yoga at St. Louis Park with instructor Joseph. Felt amazing!
Tuesday: 8 am miles solo
Wednesday: Surly Furious Five Miler again at Theodore Wirth (i.e. trail run)
Thursday: 8.5 miles at a real live track! One of the run club members is a coach at a local high school, so we were able to access the track to do some legitimate speed work. Four one-mile repeats, with one lap (400m) in between, cooldown/warmup of about 2 miles
Friday: C2 at Corepower Yoga- i.e. Vinyasa Flow
Saturday: 15 miles (tag-along long run to the Capitol Run, see below)
Sunday: 4 easy miles with Matilda

Total: 40.5 miles, 2 yoga sessions, no complete rest days, but lots of rest

It’s amazing how much more time I had for yoga during the taper. I guess when you’re not trying to max out on running, you actually can take a breather every once and awhile!
I went from 60 miles last week to 40 this week. This means that my total mileage decreased by 30%, which is pretty standard for the taper. This week, I’ll probably only run 30 miles, or another 25% decrease, or 50% of my max week. 

I try to keep this tip in mind for the taper:

Cut back the mileage: Decrease your total weekly mileage by about 40% starting two weeks out. During race week, reduce your overall mileage by at least 60%. For example, a runner whose weekly training mileage peaked at 60 miles (like me!) should run 36 miles the week before race week, and no more than 25 in race week. During the last four days before the marathon, dont do any runs of more than three miles. If youdrather take the last two days completely off, thats okay too. Dont worry about mileage during race week- youll get your fill on Sunday morning!

Next week, (the week before Berlin), I’ll run easy 3-5 milers, but I am going to focus on sleep. I know that jet lag could be an issue for us, so I want to try to go into the traveling time well-rested.

2013 Capitol Run:
This past Saturday was the ever-popular Calhoun Beach Running Club Capitol Run. I wrote about it last year HERE, but if you missed that post, you may be wondering, "what is a Capitol Run?"

What's a Capitol Run???
A Capitol Run is an awesome, well-organized CBRC training run to the state capitol building! This run involves 20-22 miles of the Twin Cities Marathon course; FYI- the Twin Cities marathon ends at the capitol in St. Paul. It's one of my favorite marathon finishes so far! 

For the training run, runners are given the option to run 20 or 22, depending on their individual training.
The CBRC capitol run starts at the Calhoun Beach Club. The club's location around mile 4 of the course is truly ideal.  Runners had to sign up ahead of time on a google doc online. Volunteers dropped their vehicles off at the capitol around 6:15 am that day, and rides were coordinated back to the club so that everyone would have a ride home after the run as well. Planning such an event required a lot of time and logistical savviness! Yet thanks to the good people at the CBRC, everything went smoothly (again this year!)

Since I did my max long run last week, I only had 15 miles on the schedule, but TCM and Chicago marathoners had 20-22 on their schedules this weekend. Dustin had volunteered to provide a support stop at mile 7, so it worked perfectly for me to hop into the run there, and then take a “shortcut” to the Capitol.



The Capitol Run is a great opportunity for Twin Cities Marathon runners to get familiar with the course and the “hills” of Summit Avenue in St. Paul. Several other running groups in the Twin Cities also organize capitol runs this day as well, though theirs are slightly different. For example, Lifetime Fitness’s running group does an out-and-back course from the capitol and back. The Calhoun Beach Running Club runs from our club (on Lake Calhoun) to the Capitol. Our version does take a little extra planning, as everyone who makes it to the capitol needs a ride back afterwards. Fortunately, there were plenty of volunteers willing to drop their cars off early in the morning at the Capitol, and everything went smoothly (thanks in part to Dustin’s hard work planning the event!)

I felt a little like a “cheater” having only done 15 miles instead of 22, but I had my fair share of a tough long run the weekend before, and I was happy to have an easy 15 miler instead. Thirty runners participated in the CBRC Capitol Run this year, and it sounded like most everyone had a good day. The weather was so much better than last weekend, which definitely helped a ton!

I ran my “cheater” Capitol Run with a newer run club member, who was pretty diligent about keeping us on pace. She actually runs 8 min/miles on marathon day, but she is a strong advocate for the SLOW pace on the long runs. She believes that she recovers a lot faster, and is less likely to get injured if she is smart about keeping a relaxed pace on the long runs. Therefore, she started around 9:15 min/miles, eventually picked it up to 9 min/miles, and then finished strong around 8:45 min/miles. It felt great to me to finish feeling great, and I definitely didn’t need much time to recover. Perhaps there is some truth to her methodology!

Nice work runners! 
Now enjoy your taper.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Fresh New Fit: "MINQ" and Shopping at the West End

By Jess in Minneapolis

Last Tuesday night, Carly from A la Mode Wardrobe Consulting hosted a Fall Kickoff party at MINQ boutique at the Shops at the West End.

If you're new to the blog, I had a wardrobe consultation with Carly in June. You can read about it HERE and HERE

A few friends of mine joined me at 6 pm on Tuesday to check out the party. The owner of MINQ  Stacy Finnegan, used to have a store at 50th/France in Edina called "Il Vostro Boutique." Whenever I would visit that store, Stacy would select items for me to try on that I never thought I would like, but then they always ended up being some of my favorites items. In fact, she picked out the dress I wore to my own wedding rehearsal, which I loved at the time. I can't believe that was almost five years ago!
With that said, I was excited for the opportunity to check out Stacy's new venture, MINQ  and it didn't disappoint. It carries a lot of upscale brand dresses, such as Laundry and Hale Bob. The store also offers menswear, including Moods of Norway, one of Dustin's favorites.
from MINQ's facebook page
The party included wine and some light appetizers. Carly (the wardrobe consultant) has hired two additional consultants, and they were all on hand to offer advice and fashion tips.

I tried on a few dresses that I liked, (that Stacy suggested, of course!) But I was practical and realized that I didn't really need them right now. I decided to pass on the dresses for now, and instead decided on this orange sweater/jacket instead by Tulle- $80 with 20% off at the party. You can find it at MINQ now!
MINQ also carries this sweater in black, but I thought orange was perfect for the upcoming fall.

After our time at MINQ  we also stopped by the Lululemon a few doors down, and then made our way to Primp, and Anthropologie. Abby found an awesome dress at Anthro for an upcoming wedding, the Spliced Pencil Dress. (I hope she lets me borrow it some time!)


After we were done shopping, we headed over to the "new" Figlio restaurant for dinner. For those of you who knew the old Figlio restaurant, unfortunately, you may be a little disappointed. Dinner was fine, but the atmosphere just isn't the same as the old one. However, the company I was with was great, and it was a fun evening checking out MINQ and all the other great stores at the Shops at the West End! 

I recommend the Shops at the West End for ladies looking for some fun, new fashion at a variety of price ranges, from budget (Primp, Charming Charlie) to the more expensive (MINQ). You'll be surprised at all your options at this shopping destination!