A first here on Groomed L.A.  SHOES!  Yup, after spending a week hopping on and off Target.com awaiting the debut of the coveted Cynthia Vincent for Target line (so blech and cheapie looking when I finally got a good look at them that I'm not even posting a link… maybe the multi-color ballet flats are cute) I realized, wow, that's a lot of beauty blogging hours I've spent in search of a pair of budget pups.  And that's when I realized, you're never fully groomed until you have that great pair of shoes on!  Hence Groomed L.A. is stretching it's wings to include shoes and of course that might even mean…bags too. Whoo-hoo! That is the complete package from head to toes right?  So stay tuned for that.  But for now, I'm excited to share with you these two pairs of amazing wedges I just went ga-ga for.

I was walking on West Third Street the other day and popped into Polka-dots and Moonbeams and saw a pair of super budget ($49!), super cute Chinese Laundry Fuschia summery wedge sandals which looked so sexy on my feet and were so totally comfy, but the only prob was that the last pair in my size had a pen mark on them. Grunt!

So I went home, hopped on the CHINESE LAUNDRY website and started poking around. Remember this brand from days gone by?  Time for a refresher course!  Fishing though the site I fell in love with more than one pair of shoes. Check out these SHANTEL sandals.  I am all about budget everything right now and cute shoes for under a hundred dollars are so up my alley I can't even tell you.  

These are the two pairs I got.  The only problem was, what color to get the DRESDEN in?!   I chose the purple but now I'm thinking I should have gone for the Desert Ivy.  Then again, for $100, I might just spring for both!

I also went summer slap happy for the INONIA in Fuschia. 

Stay tuned for a little more insider scoops like this on Groomed L.A!
  

And let me tell you, that last part CLOSET REVITALIZER, well, I made the term up, but when KIMBERLEE CHALMERS got into my drawers and closet, my life changed in a matter of hours.  

I've been dying for someone to get into my lack-luster, low meets low wardrobe – frayed Forever 21 say hello to Urban Outfitters - pick it to shreds and throw everything away. Obviously I don't have the emotional strength to part with the tattered t-shirts that I've been holding on to for no good reason for way too long but guess who had no prob making three giant give-a-way bags?  Kim!

I fell in love with Kim's style before I even met her just from taking a peek at her website.  Her overall aesthetic is cool, hip and unstudied.  Being that I'm preggo, what was most important for me was to start dumping old crap and making room for a whole new wardrobe I plan to get once this baby comes out and I am done having kids – fer reals.  I wasn't so worried about my preggo look (this didn't stop her from making a fabulous look book of preggo and post-preggo looks for me, something she offers her clients)  but more concerned about the disaster that is the my closet and over-stuffed drawers. They're not just busting at the seams because they're Ikea.

First off, it didn't take hours. I think it took 40 minutes. We blew through my clothes in no time, got rid of the crap and I was left with a ton of great looks that she showed me how to maximize and accessorize and turn into a multitude of looks that I had never even thought about. 

Kim will also go nuts on your closet, as in re-doing the hangers for maximum functionality, coordinate everything by style, color, season and arrange looks for you so you can get the most out of your wardrobe. Fashion and function.  She will also shop for you, re-gig your style, revamp your look, and create the most awesome look book for you. She means biz and here's the clincher, she only costs….drum roll…$45 PER HOUR!!  Kim is such a total steal, and this rate it's so low priced, I'm scared she's gonna get overbooked and have to raise her prices!!

She really is the shit. She's super sweet, searingly smart at what she does and has a wicked eye.

Here is some of the fashion styling she's done and then you can take a look at the look books she created for me.  

Her service is invaluable if you are in the market for a Spring cleaning.  I cannot recommend her more! 

I'm having her back asap to put even more of the Kimberlee touch on my closets. YAY!

Kim Chalmers

310.963.9474 (c)

www.kimberleechalmers.com

I’m hooked on CARGO’S BRONZERS.

My fave is the liquid MULTI MIX BRONZER.   I’m just now playing around with the powders too.  But this tube is now a can’t leave the house without-er.

And everything is says about it true. I cannot put make-up on without it. Obsessed!