FabSugar

Fab's Spring Handbag Guide! Convertible bags

FabSugar — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 14:02:22 PDT

When form meets function you have the convertible bag. These have been the celeb favorite lately. Remember Reese and her Lanvin? As well, Ashley Olsen's all about it. When worn as a satchel, the long strap hangs in a cool lackadaisical fashion; when worn as a shoulder bag, it looks travel ready. The convertible bag is even more convenient than the car, if you ask me. Here are some fab favorites.

I hope you're loving my Spring Handbag Guide! Just can't get enough? Join the Ooh! Cute purses! group founded by justjaime27.

Prada Nappa Gaufré Convertible Satchel, $2,360.

A couple more so,

read more Loeffler Randall Kitty Small Slouch Bag, $495.
Dooney & Bourke "Mini Bubbles" Small Satchel, $150.

Download of the Day: Poshmark

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:08:40 PST

Shopping is quickly moving to the mobile world, with stores offering deals on the go and only accessible via mobile devices. Now, consumers can get in on the draw of selling their own goods to a mobile world with the new shopping app Poshmark.

Forget the old days of dragging bags of unused clothes to thrift stores hoping your trash becomes someone else's treasure (and let's face it, those buyers are so picky); Poshmark turns the hassle of fashion resale into an easy digital experience all within the comfortable confines of an iPhone. Created by the same brains behind social fashion website Kaboodle, Poshmark came to life "so that anyone can easily convert their closet into a stylish boutique with their phones," according to founder and CEO Manish Chandra.

Based on virtual events called Posh Parties, app users can enter a specific party - designer accessories, for example - browse goods, interact with other guests, and list items from their own closets for sale. The experience gets even more social by sharing listings on Facebook and inviting friends to future Posh Parties.

Of course, the employees of the Poshmark marketplace are always on hand ensuring that transactions go smoothly, and that all home sellers and customers keep coming back to the app to score fellow fashionistas' finds.

Foods That Prevent Weight Gain

Self — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:15:32 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Prefer your morning java to a steaming cup of tea? Here's a compelling reason to make the switch: a new study in the online journal Obesity suggests that green tea may help prevent weight gain. Other recent studies have also suggested that drinking a cup or two of green tea each day may help you manage your weight. But is sipping green tea really the best way to stave off pounds before you pack them on? We asked Willow Jarosh and Stephanie Clarke, SELF contributing editors and co-founders of C&J Nutrition, to weigh in.

Green tea and veggies that are very low in calories like celery, cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, etc. are healthy to include in your diet because they contain antioxidants, water to keep you hydrated, and fiber, which can help you feel more full and potentially eat fewer overall calories," Jarosh and Clarke say.

Jarosh and Clarke are not convinced that most of us can drink enough green tea to mimic the weight-loss results found in some of the recent studies. But enjoying a cup or two each day may improve your health as part of a relaxing ritual, so it's worth a shot!

Looking for a few more ways to prevent weight gain before it happens? Read Jarosh and Clarke's two favorite tricks after the break.

Refuse, Refuse, Refuse, Then Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: 10 Tips For Going Zero-Waste With Kids

LilSugar — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:31:18 PDT

The average American throws out 550 pounds of paper, 318 pounds of food, and 90 pounds of glass per year, with nearly 80 percent of that garbage ending up in landfills. Transforming the average household into a zero-waste, all-natural, toxin-free utopia is an overwhelming concept if you try to tackle everything at once. Best to go through the house room by room, step by step to see which disposable products can be replaced with more eco-friendly options.

Having children may somewhat complicate the zero-waste transformation, but they in no way make it impossible. If you need a little push in the right direction BeSimpler is an inspiring business where one of the two extremely eco-chic founders (they both have kids and live waste-free!) will actually do a house visit to help mamas simplify and eliminate unnecessary waste. Here are some of their tips to transform a house into a waste-free, kid-friendly, sustainable home.

Babies use a lot of diapers. Most disposable versions go right in the trash along with handfuls of wipes, destined to spend years decomposing at the dump. Reusable cloth diapers and wipes are the best option for a zero-waste home (there are plenty of services who do the pick up and laundry), while compostable diapers are a good second option. Unlike other single-use diapers, compostable nappies are made of ingredients that will compost when put in the proper environment - they contain no petroleum-based plastics that pollute our Earth by remaining un-decayed for hundreds of years.
Babies make messes. Swap paper towels for microfiber cloths.
Rid the home of piles of junk mail by getting yourself off the lists at dmachoice.org and catalogchoice.org.
Treat boo-boos with peroxide, gauze, and paper tape instead of Band-Aids.
Use a neti pot or reusable handkerchiefs for stuffy noses.

Keep reading for more tips for converting a home into a waste-free zone.

Joshua and Diane Take a Sweet Ride in a Classic Car

Lindsay Miller — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:02:00 PDT

Joshua Jackson and Diane Kruger made a glamorous exit from a Beverly Hills parking garage in a vintage Volkswagen Karmann Ghia convertible on Friday afternoon. The sexy pair did a little shopping on Beverly Drive before driving off and headed home with a couple of gift bags from children's store Bonpoint. Diane and Josh are back in LA after heading to France together for the Cannes Film Festival, where they hit the red carpet for the Sleeping Beauty premiere, and she made appearances as a spokeswoman for L'Oréal. The busy couple are frequently apart due to the demands of their careers, with Josh shooting Fringe in Canada and Diane frequently traveling for her modeling and acting gigs. Still, they love to reunite and share romantic moments whenever they get a chance. They were two of the many stars on the red carpet at the Met Gala last month, and they are equally cute and cozy when they're dressed down and casual, like at Coachella in April!

Love It or Hate It? CB2 Tie-1-On Sectional

Julia Walsh — Sun, 22 May 2011 08:00:30 PDT

CB2's new overscaled Tie-1-On sectional is a weather-friendly, water-resistant polyester chair with black nylon straps that allows you to tie two chairs together for a loveseat, sofa, etc. It's basically a bean bag chair for the outdoors with an extra convertible feature. I don't have a backyard pool or lawn to decorate, so it may be a moot point, but I think I'd prefer a cushioned, teak chaise or something of the sort for my imaginary outdoor space. How about you? Do you love this?

Love at First Steam: Breaking Up With My Iron

Julia Walsh — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 06:00:00 PDT

On rushed mornings, the last thing I want to do is drag my space-hogging ironing board out from the closet, unfold it, plug in my iron, and wait 10 minutes for it to heat up. Instead, I wind up choosing something a little less wrinkled than the clothing I initially had in mind. So I decided to buy a fabric steamer, the Rowenta 1400-Watt Pro Compact Steamer ($50), and see if I might become a convert.

My steamer is so compact, I can easily slide it under my bed when not in use. When I'm in a rush, I can conveniently pull it out and plug it in. Within two minutes, the little machine is gurgling away and ready for action. The set comes with a door hook, where I can hang the wide steam-head brush and hangers for my clothing.

The steamer has a fabric hose with a 360-degree swivel base, so you can steam at any angle - and you don't need to lay your apparel on a flat surface like an ironing board, either. Better yet, it can be used on any type of fabric. So every once in a while, I steam my curtains to keep them looking prim; they don't even have to be removed from their rods! I've also used my steamer to banish wrinkles from my sofa's skirted slipcover and even things like fabric bags and pillowcases - all tasks I'd never try with an iron.

I've had this baby for three months now, and probably use it every other day, a drastic increase from my biannual ironing. So there, I'm officially a convert. I don't know how I got through life without my magical fabric steamer, but I can say with 100 percent certainty that I'll never go back. Join the club: you (and your wrinkly laundry) will thank me.

Sprouting Taters: Eat ‘Em or Chuck ‘Em?

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:24:08 PDT

I am obsessed with sweet potatoes. Steam them, bake them, grill them, or mash them, and I will eat them. When I went to grab a couple to roast in the oven, I was shocked to find that one of my taters had sprouted, and not just tiny little white eyes - there was a full blown plant emerging from the skin. Before cutting into the orange flesh to prepare for dinner I stopped to think- is it safe to eat potatoes that have sprouted this much?

Keep reading to find out if sprouted spuds should be cooked or tossed.