X Marc's The DOT. Marc Jacobs DOT Eau de Parfum that is!

X Marc's The DOT!  

*Model image above is sampled from the AWESOME City Brewed and recofigured/reimagined via Violetteazura's creative photoshop.

Finally! A beauty related product party from Crowdtap!

*My Iphoto program is holding a slew of pics hostage. As soon as I figure it out they'll be up- sorry for the delay!

Marc Jacobs DOT Eau de Parfum is a wonderfully tropical and dewy scent. Let Marc's DOT whisk you away. Bathe your senses in a butterfly gentle breeze graced with the juicy notes of Red Berries, Dragonfruit, Sweet Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Coconut Water, Orange Blossom, Creamy Vanilla, Driftwood and Sensual Musk!

Highly deserving of a chance to fit into your 2013 Spring and Summer wardrobe, check it and Marc Jacobs new Spring/Summer '13 line out during the Neiman Marcus 'Scent Event' going online through Sunday, May 5th!

When I was chosen by Crowdtap for the opportunity to help my friends discover one of Marc Jacob's latest parfum creations I was ecstatic! I knew instantly I would be hosting a real beauty of a CT party! I love hosting these CT get-togethers and I like to think that- even while on a shoestring budget -it's possible to make them something to remember! Hosting a cocktail party based on a parfum? Absolutely my kind of event! Instantly the planning ideas for this soiree kept me up at night. I was seeing DOTS in my dreams. My Pinterest addiction resurfaced.  Eventually when out doing my day to day thing I subconsciously started counting the times that I saw polka dotted items or things that resembled. Running errands, lunch dates, at home and trying to relax, watching TV, baking, writing, working out... dot. dot. dot. DOTS. A part of my brain was OBSESSED with them and was having a heyday letting me know it. And while that might make you laugh- I know it still amuses me -what is funnier still is that I am NOT a polka dot person. As in, although I admit not quite as intensely as gingham, I actively dislike polka dots. I leave the dots to others to wear, to share, to paint here or there. Want to get on my good side? Don't try to garb or surround me in patterns comprised of little round spheres or checkered squares and we will get along nicely. As one could imagine this posed a problem. How could I promote the oh so lovely Marc Jacob's DOT perfume- which while dressed in dots- is definitely not on my list of "What not to wear!"? Usually I go all out on these CT things. I put together little outfits and add personal touches to my home that identify with the brand. I try to sport make-up, hair and nails inspired by my latest share/party CT theme for at least a week. But this time? When it came to what on earth I was going to be comfortable wearing to my own event I felt genuine panic! How could I host a polka dot cocktail party and not don the dot?

So how do you express and promote your love for Marc Jacobs DOT without polka dots? I am not ashamed to say that I meditated on the notion hoping to be struck with a stroke of non-speckled genius. No matter how much I banged away at its surface- The response that danced back at me remained stubbornly circular like a veritable whirling multitude of giant reverberating gongs chiming, "You ca-aaan't. You must give i-iiiin. Give in to the DOT-ot ot ot.". The week looming on the horizon was not going to be my idea of Zen.

And so I surrendered... Dot manicures, Dot wardrobe, Dot Pinterest board, Dot makeup looks etc.

It started with just one, one measly little and somewhat spherical spot on my body. You guessed it- the nail art! I told myself, "This isn't permanent.Nail polish can be removed at the end of the day.You can handle this.".











Then the tiny seemingly insouciant things multiplied. They invaded my home and body like a StarTrek Replicator with a BORG agenda. "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.". Now, if you know me- then you know wearing something that I don't care for is a recipe for my serenity's demise. Until I take whatever the offending party is off I will forever be picking at it, pulling at it, shifting and twisting, re-adjusting and otherwise fussing... ALL. DAY. LONG.
It's highly distracting- and not just to me. This would have continued to be justifiably horrendous unto myself- except that it turned out to be BRILLIANT. A wild cat master plan camouflaged in dotted disguise! Granted, polka dots are like tiny little round arrows that point and scream LOOK AT ME. But be that as it may- because of my not being able to stop messing with them? No way were people not going to not notice or refrain from saying something about the buggers. Thus giving me the perfect opportunity to discuss my reason for spotting up! I don't think I have ever spoken so frequently about a Crowdtap brand in my
life!

I may have developed a temporary fidgety twitch worthy of a Daria character's creation- but nearly everyone I came across heard about Marc and his DOT. And oh how it payed off! Recently (and it it came as no surprise to me) an associate of my fave beauty haunt expressed to me upon my last visit that I am believed to be personally responsible for said store (at that point anyway) being out of Marc DOT stock.

Anyhoo... on to the actual event-



The decor: 

Dots, Dots and more dots. Dot bouquets. Dot cocktail glasses. Dot lights. Dots hanging from the ceiling. Dot raindrops and dot umbrellas... A box full of secret dot treasure/prizes and more!

The food:

Dot inspired cocktails- it wouldn't be a Fair Affair without some ridiculously named cocktail concoctions- am I right?

The deliciously smoky Orange Blues-Som

1 part top shelf Silver Tequila
1 part Whipped Vodka
2 parts Blue Curacao
Pre-chilled and poured over ice then shaken.
Strain and fill each glass approximately 1/3 full then top with a mixture of 2 parts Half and Half to 1 part French Vanilla liquid coffee creamer. Stir gently and garnish with a white chocolate orange blossom- or a real one if you have them handy!

A Dotted Butterfly Island Cake- Dubbed so because it looked like a sand island ringed with Marc DOT butterflies!
(Jasmine Coconut Butter Almond White Velvet. Layered with Red Raspberry filling and Vanilla Jasmine Orange Blossom Cream Cheese filling. Frosted with Orange Honeysuckle Liqueur Vanilla Italian Buttercream. Topped with highly edible real white chocolate hand made decorations.

Sinfully riche homemade (with the best damn chocolate for home chocolate creations- Guittard) truffles. I figured- hey they would be round- that's dot like. Just go with me on this one.

Frangelico Kahlua
A mix of milk and dark chocolate creamy ganache flavored with Frangelico and Kahlua. Enrobed in dark chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate.
Chocolate Mint Irish Creme
A mix of soft mint white chocolate and dark chocolate creamy ganache flavoured with Chocolate Mint Baileys. Enrobed in dark chocolate and drizzled with soft mint white chocolate.

Since sweet tends to outpace the rest at most of my non meal oriented events- I went the easy-peasy route for a savory addition and served a variety of crackers and spreadable cheeses.

The activities:

Games (a DOT scented version of CAH, Who wore it best?A Polka dot garb contest, X Marc's the Dot Treasure Quest... etc.) were played, people laughed and shared perfume related mishaps, thanks to DOT and CT- everyone smelled unbelievably delicious (almost as delicious as the Butterfly Island cake) and attendees tweeted and FB posted their hearts out! Half of my guests went out and bought Marc DOT the following week. I am thrilled to hear that to date my friends are still talking about and wearing this one! Yay! I am happy to relate that this party was so successful that it made me want to throw another one the second it was over- albeit based on something slightly less dappled! haha.

Ahem. She takes a bow in the scintillating spotlights. Thank you Crowdtap and Marc Jacobs!

Sweat Out Cabin Fever In Old Nacy Activewear

Sweat It Out In Old Navy Activewear Share!

  Soooo... Last month the Crowdtap Old Navy Style Council were once again given the opportunity to test some of the newest Old Navy Activewear line!

Aaaand once again my share, well... it didn't go as I'd planned. I tried to go on the weekend of the 15th- a day that turned into a Christmas shopping
MARATHON for me and a small group of friends with family. Twelve hours of oohing, awing, trying and buying. By the time we made it to the Old Navy parking lot my friends and I were so exhausted that we elected to delay the experience to the middle of the following week when we would hopefully have more time to have fun with the event. And then... The following week the weather chose not to cooperate in a big way. Until late Friday evening I was snowed in up to my eyeballs at my families lake house. 

See that satellite pole? Yeeeah... the base was a solid 4 to 5 feet below the snow that week.

Snomageddon put the get together to happening the last minute on Saturday the 22nd- as the day after Christmas schedule-wise was pretty much out of the question for everyone but me. Now, I am sure that you are all aware that attempting to host an in store sampling event, even with only one friend in tow, on the last Saturday before Christmas is probably not a good idea. Suffice it to say that to do so with SEVERAL friends in tow- all with their own downtothewire gift shopping plans is most definitely not. A good idea that is. It was chaos personified. So many people in the way it felt as though we were competing schools of piranha circling sardine packed aisle openings.

No one wanted to take pictures (,_,). The dressing rooms were impossible to get into in a timely fashion. Some tried on things over their clothes in the middle of the aisle- not a one gave us off looks as there were many other shoppers doing the same. Shelves were seemingly picked clean of sizes and styles- which made a few of my friends a tad cranky when they couldn't get exactly what they were after. What with their crankiness added to the busyness of the store and the pressure to just choose something and move on to the next stop- I felt overwhelmed and swept away. Lest my head be shorn off by snappish sharp eyeteeth, I elected not to push the issue of pics and tweets and hoped to figure out visually entertaining content for my blog at a later date. Throughout the rest of the day? The lines. Oh gawd. The EPIC LINES! 

*Hangs head in shame and covers face in hands for ever thinking this day as a share day a wise decision*
 

The good news? Even though I only had coupons for me and one friend- everyone walked away with a lot of Old Navy product- including many items from ON-Activewear. At the time they didn't have as many items that I wanted to choose from as I would have liked- but I did find two outfits- the first one comprised of the Active Go Dry Boot Cut Yoga Pant in Tsunami and matching rib knit tank. 

 

The second? The cute little Posh Purple Neon Tie Waist Bubble Tank and Active Compression Capri pant number. (^-^)

I hemmed and hawed over testing out the matching adjustable strap sport bras and now wish that I had just gone for it. I am hoping that I will be able to snag a couple to match in my size this weekend. I have since tested out both outfits and though I am in LOVE with the softness, colour and quality of the Boot Cut Yoga Pant- I am not so thrilled with the length of the leg and the extra tall rise. As you will see in my pic- the pant nearly stretches the entire length of my sofa. Fantastic if you are super tall- like over 5' 10- but even if you are above average height the length and rise are too much. If you're short- well? Best choose another style all together as these pants will likely sit somewhere just beneath your breasts or higher. 
On to the Posh Purple Neon outfit. This is my second time trying Old Navy Active Compression pants and I have to say that I am still not entirely satisfied with the compression level. Quality isn't really the issue- they stand up well to several washings and hold their shape while remaining nice and stretchy... but I find that their material lacks any real compressive value. Don't get me wrong, their sleek fit and style is still well worth their purchase. I have really enjoyed the fact that these capris have many details and lines that reminded me of higher end activewear and do not regret my choice. But just as a heads up- if compression is what you are after I would suggest going down a size or two in Old Navy Active Compression pants.  
ON's Active Tie Waist Bubble Tank is truly awesome for higher impact activity! Breezy and loose without being sacky so you stay much cooler without looking like you are shapeless. The shoulders are cut to curve and narrow toward the back- creating an almost Y back- which is a fabulous feature that keeps the straps from sliding down continually shifting narrow shoulders. I have to say that I am so in LOVE with the extra soft and silky feel of the bubble tank fabric that I wish they came in more than just three colours. I need a wardrobe of these babies. In general I've found that both pant and top breathe really well, wick adequately for moderate to intense activity, are incredibly comfortable and look super cute together!
 
My friend chose a pair of the Go Dry Active Compression Pants to go with a Micro Performance Fleece Jacket both in Black Jack She has had the same issue with the compression pant that I have had in that they are not really all that compressive- but tells me that they are so comfortable and great looking that it really isn't something she cares about. She is thoroughly enjoying both items regardless. She also wanted me to pass along that she has discovered that she loves using the fleece for more than working out and finds herself lamenting that Old Navy does not include them in more colours and styles as they do in their regular fleece line. I've asked for a photo of her in her new togs- but she hasn't emailed me one yet. If she does I'll post it here. (^-^)

Haaaaa...  Old Navy Activewear= Cute workout gear, yes. But yeeeah- trying to take a pic in a dark workout room without windows- that doesn't make you look ridiculous while stretching out= not successful. Feel free to make fun if you wish. (^,^)

It's Old Navy Dress-TASTIC!!!

It's Old Navy Dress-TASTIC!!! 

(p.s. writing this off and on  in the process of editing and adding... more later. SO SO SOOOOO TIRED. need bed. Will finish later- promise!)

 

So...

      Something that those who know me well know well---> When it comes to clothing myself I am ALL about dresses and dressing up on a regular basis. If ever I have an actual event to dress for it's simply an excuse for me to be even MORE dressed up than usual. Now if you don't know me well, you may think that in this I exaggerate- but trust me I kid you not. I wear dresses nearly All. The. Time. What pant and pant-ular type things I do own usually end up shoved to the back of my closet for the rare occasion when a dressier style is impractical. Then again- if you know me- you're probably PFFT-ing right now and muttering to yourself that I am also often impractical when it comes to personal clothing choices even when I should opt for function first. Fashion ALWAYS above and over being sensible and all that. That being said- because my closet is mostly comprised of dressier items I am pretty picky when it comes to a dress's fit, overall value and design. Which is why when A few weeks ago I was chosen to be a part of this seasons Old Navy Style Council Dress Share through Crowdtap! (What's she talking about? What crowd? Style Council-Whatta? Click here join and find out!) I was both EXCTATIC and wary... Curious while apprehensive as to what I would discover about Old Navy dresses upon an in-depth inspection.
     What makes me fall in love with a dress? It's all in the little details. I know that most people won't notice them upon first glance- or maybe at all. But I do think that things like better/cuter/ designed plackets, collars, sleeves or lack thereof, buttons, lace, an area of extra pleating or ruching, great fabric and fall... All add up to create a more eye catching and pleasing aesthetic. So when I look for a dress- I look for all of the little- but still HIGHLY important -details to make an appearance. I won't buy just any dress or one simply because it fits. The more boutique/ready to wear runway a dress feels and looks on the rack and on me- the better! Since dresses are the IT staple in my wardrobe I want each and every one to be absolutely perfect- too much to ask? I hoped that this share would prove Old Navy another option from whence to pluck the occasional highly affordable- yet still super stylish choice.
     I wasted no time in searching out what dress choices I may like for me and one lucky friend to test out for free (That's right, FREE!) from OldNavyDresses. I won't lie- I was pretty frustrated- because my FAVE choices were only available at OldNavy.com and not in stores... I realize that the exclusivity factor might be the point- but to me it's just a bit of a not so nice tease. Look here are some AWESOME choices- but they won't be included in your share. I tried not to let this be too much of a downer for me- because- HEY! Free dresses! Still pretty dang awesome! Just sayin OldNavy...

A few of the candidates...

Don't Mess With The Dress-TASTIC OldNavy! by violetteviridian featuring old navy dresses

     As I said before- one lucky friend would be joining me in this ON Style Council share. For this one I chose Candace. Before the date of the share to get started I sent links to all the dresses I wanted Candace to try out to her via email. And we discussed their pros and cons over IM. Candace hasn't worn or owned a dress in YEARS. So obviously she was the first one to come to mind when I received the go ahead on this Style Council opportunity. Here she is above in her ultimate choice the Old Navy the V-Neck Sweater Dress in Navy Stripe.

     We planned to hit up OldNavy early and then shop the rest of the evening. Aaaaand as usual we ended up running late- so we didn't get as much other shopping done as we'd hoped. Why? Because every time we go to OldNavy together we end up spending HOURS in the store. ON's like a swirling vortex of colour, cheesy/hip music and sales, Sales, SALES!!! We couldn't seem to help ourselves and left with a mountain of stuff including our free- YAY! FREE! \(^-^)/ dresses. Pictured below are our carts about an hour into our shop-TASTIC event!

     As to be expected on a weekend during this time of year in the US our Old Navy store was MANIACAL. So we made use of the quick change rooms that are parsed throughout the store. Along for the ride on this share- my bestie Stephanie. Here she is peeeaking out...

     My partner in crime and I made dear Candi try on everything in her size and even some that weren't hehe... Below Candi looks a tad unsure in her almost choice the Crepe Shift in Blue Print... Which we both agreed would look better if it were better fitted. Or if she had a belt on. Or if the sleeves and hem were shorter. Or SOMETHING. I tried them on too and to be honest the way these were cut is just plain weird for those with a more shall we say... realistic shape. I think you'd have to be an apple bod to make them fit correctly. Big on top littler in the middle and littler still on the bottom. (Barbie?) Or simply a straight up string. See how oversized the thing is on top for Candi? And Candi is NOT flat chested. We won't be sharing how I looked in this one... because WOW was that ever circus worthy. Even when I sized down... maybe especially when I sized down- I looked ridiculous. I have a small chest and and hourglass like shape. I was either swallowed whole by the dress or looked as though I wore a balloon/billowing pirate top while my middle was being constricted by Chinese handcuffs.

     When we went the store wasn't super stocked with dresses yet and as a result a couple of my initial online choices were not in stock. Admittedly they were few to begin with. I had planned to pick the one that looked the best on me and add to it by way of belts, jewelry, shoes and bags. Like I said- I am EXTREMELY choosy when it comes to dresses. I have a tendency towards the flare end of the spectrum in my outside of the house mode of style. Give me lace! Chiffon! Pleats! Ruching!  CA-RAY-ZAY patterns! Dramatic cuts and dynamite fabric! A million little buttons, or sequins or studs and so on. In a dress I am looking for something a little more- MORE. Would Old Navy necessarily have at least one or two that fit this notion- it was possible right?

Will talk about/post pic of my ultimate choice here when I have time! (^-^)

     After this share I am certain that Old Navy carries some great choices for the more casual dress wearer or for someone who knows how to accessorize to the hilt! Candi found several options that she would be comfortable in/adding to her (all too dress light IMHO (^,^) ) wardrobe. So if you are inclined at all/desire to be more frequent in donning the casual dress or know how/want to turn the simple into the extra-FAB- Old Navy and OldNavy.com are a great 'New Dress' place to start.

Let Your Fun Shine- Be An Old Navy Beach Bum!

        

          Old Navy Beach Bum Party Invite by violetteviridian featuring a canvas beach tote

               

Updating... now so if it seems disjointed it's
because I keep adding
and changing stuff- it promises to be a longish one- so please keep
 checking back for completion...  

It goes a little somethin' like this...
Congrats- Since you're an Old Navy Fashionista who loves glamming up for the beach you've been selected for a chance to participate in 

Old Navy's Beach Bum Event!

I can't tell you how excited I was to get this share from Old Navy

via 

Crowdtap! 

For an explanation on how Crowdtap works go here! 

And to sign up click here!

Steph, Jess & Amy in front of the flip flip wall @OldNavy

A regular Old Navy beach accessory free for all! I wasted no time
inviting three great friends of mine Jess, Amy and of course Steph
(can't do anything like this without my besty!) Crowdtap gave tappers a
couple links to jump off with on what we could expect to have to choose
from - So I sent those on to Jess, Amy and Steph along with a couple
weekly updates on what was new and what choices I thought best
reflected their personalities in Old Navy's new beach line. We were to
get any beach towel, bag, sunglasses and flip flops of our choice!
Awesome right!?! I have quite a wardrobe of flip flops- many of which
hail from Old Navy. (In recent months Old Navy has updated their shape and 
style to be thinner strapped and have a sleeker footbed- if you haven't tried them 
on for size lately you should do so soon!) One more pair of my choice for
free was definitely alright with me!And with all the styles that there
were to choose from on this link- Old Navy Flippers! which Old Navy
provided us to look through I had quite a bit of difficulty picking a fave
pair. The flip flop part of this share as well as the sunglasses part of this
share was to turn out somewhat badly and not in a 'good bad' kind of
way I am afraid (._.) more on that in a bit... Steph swears by ON totes
and buys them regularly...
As evidenced below

But before this share I hadn't really given OldNavy's bags much thought
towards actually purchasing. This was to be the first time I tested out a
beach bag and towel from Old Navy- So I was curious to see how they
stood up to the competition in terms of style and quality as were my
friends Jess and Amy. After testing mine out several times running to
the beach I can say that the ones I chose have held up nicely. I put quite
a bit of weight in my purses /bags so their construction is pretty important!
I have tried the sunglasses from Old Navy recently and I love them.
FYI- Old Navy sunnies make a regular appearance in my day to day ever
since I bought these a couple months ago. OldNavy has a MASSIVELY
better selection in stores than they do online. In my opinion this is just
more of an incentive to drop on in- but should you like to take a gander at
what they offer online go here.

Soooo... on to the PARTY! 

Steph, Amy, Jess and I arrived at Old Navy after battling rush hour
traffic late afternoon on a Tuesday. (This is how we say Tuesday around
these parts... haha) And immediately started piling up our carts with all
kinds of OldNavy merch to try and to buy as well as test out for free!
(Yay! Free!)

Much to my disappointment the selection of swimwear in store left a LOT 

to be desired. I am not sure if this is because of where I live and/or there 

was a run on Old Navy Swim. Maybe our store never really had a 

selection to begin with. Who knows- In any case I was bummed- because 

online it's an entirely different story. For those of you aren't familiar with 

Old Navy's Swimsuit Line- you really should check it out! Because holy 

mole is it extensive! 

Once we had OVERLOADED our carts- we finally made our way back 

to the dressing rooms to shimmy into our finds. After donning our first 

Old Navy Beachesque looks and hitting up the accessories- we elected to 

sashay about the store and take a few pics...

Above is Amy in the much loved and anticipated Old Navy Halter 

Monokini- which she was lucky to get- 'Cause guess what? They are out 

of stock online- and in many stores- Which should tell Old Navy 

something right? I kept saying this was THE IT PICK on the CT 

discussion boards. Liiiiiisteeeeeeen to me Old Navy! Order more- and 

make more in this style- it's a hit! Amy donned Old Navy's oh so comfy 

Jersey Maxi Skirt, a trio of ON's cocoa & gold beaded bracelets and a 

very pretty pair of sheer chocolate gold swirl accented sunnies to play off 

of the rings of her swimsuit and her golden hair.

Looking ready to set sail in her classic Old 'Navy' and White ensemble- 

Playful Jess "adopts" one of the Modelkins kids as her own. Jess on 

Old Navy's Fold Over Beach Linen Blend Pant in Bright White, 

"These pants are RIDICULOUSLY comfortable. Totally breezy."

Not to be outdone with the modelkins- Amy gives newly dubbed dogelkin "Scupper" some much needed attention. 

I snap a quick pic of myself in OldNavy's Chiffon Tie Front Maxi Dress

 in Anjou Pear and ON's shoulder duster multi hued feather earrings 

(available in stores only) as we head back over to the accessories...

Amy, moi and Jess as we try out some more sunnies! 

Steph definitely got some laughs as an OldNavy Pirate... 

Aaaaargh matey! 

"I swear! I just picked them up and the lens fell out! 

I didn't Do it!"

 haha.

After messing about with photo taking and more shopping we headed 

back to the dressing rooms to try on a few more items...

Amy is ready for a picnic on the beach in Old Navy's
Printed Twill Shorts in Bright Night, Skirted Halter Bikini in 
Red Top Gingham, Split neck Button Front Top in Bright White,
Straw Cowboy hat
(only in stores) & Rafia Multi Blue Stripe Beach Tote
(also only in stores).

Amy says, "I didn't think I would like these sailboat shorts...
but now that I have them on...
Do you think I'd look good in the orange version too?"

Feeling comfortable and looking great in Old Navy's Drawstring 
Tube Jersey Maxi Dress in Blue & Red Stripe-
Jess falls in love
with Old Navy dresses and ponders more dress choices.
Note her Old Navy Floral Cross-Body Tote in Navy

Some of our Old Navy Beach Bum Party haul! Picked up some
more along the way.
Can't leave an Old Navy Share without buying more!

Remember the flip flop/sunglasses/zebra towel fisaco I mentioned earlier? Thoroughly thrilled with all of our Old Navy choices- and wishing that
Old Navy was open later (We closed them down! haha!) we headed off to checkout. Just as I was thinking about how happy I was to have had a
part in re-introducing Jess to the wonderful shopping experience that is
OldNavy-the trouble began. First It was the flip flops. Even though the
coupon said ANY flip flop and EVEN THOUGH Old Navy had linked
us Tappers to the page with the flippers my crew ended up picking...
See the pick below- if you go to the link Old Navy provided you'll note
that all of our choices are on the page!

The coupon did not work. I explained that I was shown our choices
via OLD NAVY and that the coupon said we could have them!
The staff refused to budge. We were told to go back and pick up
plain/solid colour flip flops only. The faces of my friends were a
mixture of crestfallen edging toward mad. Madder still when we were
informed that the very flip flops we were getting were going to be on
sale the coming weekend for only 1$ a pair.
Amy muttered, "It's like they're all waving their hands at us
and saying- 'We need to unload some old stock so this is what
you get, run along now.'."
Don't get me wrong free is free- and I still LOVE Old Navy Flippers-
even the revamped classic kind- but come on!
We were supposed to be trying out NEW Old Navy Beach Looks-
not OLD Old Navy Beach Looks!
And then- came the sunglasses. Of which we were told we could
have none. Because- and get this- "We only sell Beeline in women's
sunglasses.You can have the men's if you like, though." At this point I
was more than a little upset. I had been told and shown one thing by
OldNavy Corporate on Crowdtap. I had happily and excitedly shared it
with my ALL of my friends not just those I had invited. Now I was
being told something all together different by a completely unworkable
staff. No sunglasses and no flip flop choice? What was next? No bag?
Thankfully the bags went through okay.
PHEW!
Up came the Beach Towel... Which none of us were really thrilled
with anyway- because the prints available were all FAR too kid/teen like.
Not to mention the fact that they are extremely THIN and TOO small
widthwise. Steph- who models hers for me right now jokes, "Look at this
thing! I can't shower on the beach after a swim and walk out in this!
It barely covers me from boobies to bum!". Steph's, Amy's and my towel
choices were all deemed to pass coupon inspection. Then came Jess's.
No go. !WHAT! Okay at this point we were all ROYALLY hot under
the collar- Though I do say none more so than me- as I had a fine sheen
of embarrassment to go along with my mad since I was the one hosting
the get together. I asked to see the manager (who I'd already met when
we came in to show/give the letter from Old Navy/Crowdtap that let's
them know we're with CT and that therewill be a tonnage of photo
taking) Turned out she was standing right behind us the whole time and
hadn't offered to help once! She came around the counter and
begrudgingly gave us the sunglasses and zebra towel by overriding the
system. But not the flip flops we had originally chosen. (> ~<)

We left the store with our haul in tow- but not entirely happy.
Checkout seemed to have cast a pall over our shopping fun.
Jess suggested we go have a drink or two and some dinner to settle
our upset a bit. By the time we had finished our meal and drinks
we had indeed calmed down. Reflecting that while we were still
ticked about the flip flops at least we'd had a good time and
walked away with most of what we wanted from OldNavy!

I can't say that I won't be going back to Old Navy- I love it too much! 

The deals, the cute clothes- the flippers! I won't be leaving it behind- 

but I worry that Jess may be a bit too put out to go back and I so 

wanted Old Navy to leave a good impression on her. After reading 

so many replies on CT discussion boards I am thinking that this was 

all a big mistake by the rushed printing process of our Old Navy Share

Pamphlets. 

In any case- I don't blame Old Navy Corporate or CT for the flub.

I am sure with all the feedback- Old Navy and CT will find a way to

prevent future share coupon issues.
I have talked with my friends after the share- and they tell me- even
though they didn't get exactly what they wanted flip flop wise they do
still love their new Old Navy Beach gear!!!

After The Share...

A few days later... Steph faces the sun in Old Navy's Terry 

Zip Hoodie in cobalt 

and the same sunglasses Amy picked as we get ready for the beach!

 Her packed Old Navy Tote- One among others that she purchased 

along 

with her free one as well...

My Old Navy Boho Beach Tote, Classic Flippers in Warm Fire Red & Rhinestone Embellished Black Sunnies (available in store only)

Me in my new Old Navy sunglasses at beach night! 

Carrying one of the new totes I 

purchased along with the free one given by Old Navy...