Game Day Gear

Rah Rah Rah, Sis Boom Bah!  The weather is cool, the leaves are turning, and it's time for College Football!

Do you show your team spirit by wearing your school colors? Well, take it up a notch with these College Game Day Sweaters from Tipsy Elves at $64.95 per sweater in both men's/women's styles. Like most fans, I believe the louder the gear, the better the winning karma for your team!

Tipsy Elves's sweaters take a nod from the tacky Christmas sweater and blend your favorite team logos and colors to create the ultimate fall sports gear.

I first learned about Tipsy Elves sweaters by a friend who was proudly wearing one--needless to say, he was quite the stand out in the crowd!

The photos do not do these sweaters justice--they are terrific in person.  Also, I can vouch the sweaters are of high quality (unlike some logo apparel) and tailored nicely.

So, get ready for game day by donning one yourself, shipping one to your favorite college student, or putting one away for Christmas/Hannukah as those Bowl Games approach!

Spice It Up: Go full on Gridiron with these snappy Touch Down crew socks from Arthur by Rob Kardashian (I know--I can't believe I'd ever recommend a Kardashian related product) available at Nordstrom for $15.00 per pair.  

Cute and fun, they complete your outfit for any fall Football weekend or Fantasy Football Draft party!

 See related post:  Juju for the Ultimate Sports Fan

Rev Up Those Resolutions!

With the New Year upon us, we all resolve to make new changes and keep our resolutions.  Whether it is torturing yourself at the gym, giving up chocolate, ditching that cheatin' boyfriend, or just focusing on positive thinking, it is tough to stick to your goals after a few weeks.

Mantra Bands has created an elegant and sensible way to keep your resolution ever present on your mind, and on your wrist in a stylish bracelet.  Choose from a list of inspirational words/sayings in either silver, gold, or rose gold.  This is a great New Year's gift or birthday gift for that special friend/mother/sister who is attempting to see their resolution through to fruition, or for a friend going through a divorce, breakup, grief, etc.

Spice It Up:  Any resolution or self-improvement plan is bolstered through exercise.  Pair the Mantra Band bracelets with these fun inspirational socks called Notes To Self.

I like them because they have a variety of sayings which will be covered by your sneaker, but give you a secret affirmation as you wear them.  Of course, if you are headed to yoga class,you'll be the envy of all your classmates when your downward dog pose reveals Brave on the soles of your feet!

Where to buy:  Mantra Bands can be purchased online directly from their website.  They range in price from $25.00-$35.00.  Check out the cool box they are packaged in which enhances the gift and makes me want to buy more than one!

The inspirational socks can be purchased online directly at Notes to Self, or you can check their retail locator for stores near you. Several area Hallmark Stores carry the socks.  Prices range from $9.99-$10.99 paid depending on the style (anklet or crew).  These socks are high quality and are made of a nice feeling fabric.  At this low price, you can bundle a few pairs to make a whimsical gift.

Blew Out My Flip Flop...

Some things go out of style, and you're thankful.  Others leave you wondering why such a great product disappeared.  I am happy to report that one of my favorite defunct items is back with a vengeance:  Tiddies Flip Flops!

Do you remember them from the late 80s early 90s?  Ah, yes, the somewhat naughty named flip flops that everyone wore back in the day.  Aside from making me giggle, Tiddies are incredibly comfortable.  Thick cushioned flip flops with soft rubber straps make you feel like you are walking on air.

I've bought several pairs to give as Christmas gifts this year.  They are great for summer fun, resort wear, retro birthday gifts, and holiday gifts for anyone who sported them back in the day or those cool hipster college kids of today.

Spice It Up:  Oh, how I wanted to match the Tiddie's with a vintage Pat Magee's t-shirt!  I searched high and low, but Pat Magee's closed its last shop in 2002.  So, my runner up retro t-shirt is a Panama Jack.  Yes, we are dipping into that Weekend At Bernie's look and it is total greatness.

Feeling uber nostalgic?  Remember those corduroy OP shorts? Unfortunately, those are long gone, but you can purchase OP swimwear at WalMart.  Happily, the Hawaiian Jams store is still open in Honolulu, but I'll give you fair warning their new styles don't look anything like the board shorts with big flower prints of the 80s.

Last, but not least, you must top off the retro beach look with some sporty sunglasses.  Yes, the blue reflective lenses are back "in."  In my mind, these were the "Rob Lowe"style Wayfarers as opposed to the traditional "Tom Cruise" black Raybans from Risky Business--such a fashion dilemma!

It dates me a bit to admit I wore all of these items the first go-round, but I'll sooth my antique ego by sipping a margarita and listening to Jimmy Buffet...Blew out my flip flop...stepped on a pop top... 

Where to Buy:  Tiddies sandals $39.99, Panama Jack T-Shirt $16.00, Rayban Wayfarers $149.50 (cheap knockoffs available at WalMart & Target for $8.00-$12.00--they even have the neon colors for the rims)

If you're looking for great Surf nostalgia, check out the Texas Surf Museum in Corpus Christi, TX.  Pat Magee is featured as one of the legendary Texas surfers.

See Jane Run. Run, Jane, Run!

Give the gift of good health for the new year.

Whether you are a hardcore fitness lover or an office worker chained to a desk, the Jawbone UP fitness band is a remarkable gift.  The Jawbone UP tracks your fitness, sleep and eating habits to help you monitor and improve your overall health.

There are several alternative devices on the market (Nike Fuel, Fitbit, etc,), but I purchased a Jawbone UP for myself for the amazing features.  From the choice of multicolor bands, to the bendability of the wristband which helps it stay on (no clipping to our waist band), to the soft silicone which makes it comfortable to sleep with, to the high tech data tracking through the free Iphone App, the Jawbone UP has it all!

To give you a sense of all that it can do, the UP:
+ tracks your deep sleep and light sleep
+ slowly wakes you so you are not startled out of deep REM sleep
+ tracks your steps each day insuring you meet your set goal of at least 10,000 steps
+ allows you to compete with others or join groups to cheer each other on
+ reminds you when you have been sedentary too long (perfect for the office worker who forgets they have been on the computer for more than an hour at a clip without moving)
+ provides cool App graphics to display whether you have met your daily goals, how you fared for the week/month/etc.
+ allows you to track your food intake
+ stays charged up to 10 days

This has been a transformational gadget for me, and it startled me to see I was not taking as many steps per day as I assumed.  The UP reminds you to pick up the pace!

Spice It Up:  Package this gift with these funky, high performance toe socks from Injinji.  Dedicated runners swear by these socks for their quick drying fabric and blister prevention.  Any armchair athlete will be motivated to get up and go with these hip socks!

Top it off with a goal in mind!  Sign up with your gift recipient for a 5K, a Triathalon or a Tough Mudder, and motivate them to get ready for race day with these customized Cowbells.  Whether walking, running, or biking, their cheering section will be ready with these noisy and charming bells.

Where to Buy:
Jawbone UP - These wristbands can be purchased online directly from Jawbone or Amazon.  In store, they are available at the Apple Store, and Best Buy. The App is free to download.  Wristband is approximately $120.00 depending on store/site

Injinji Socks - The solid color toe socks are available directly online from Injinji, but I found the striped style on Amazon. $12.29-$14.99 per pair

Cowbell - GoneForARun is a terrific website for runner gifts, athletic apparel and gadgets.  They have various cowbells with sayings, or the personalized bell with a custom name. $6.99-$8.99 per bell