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Basic Behind the Scenes - Meet Andrea
 Well, I'm only about three months late in posting this. I had intended to kick off the new year with this post, to fill in Basic shoppers about my visions for Basic going forward. BUT, I do have some decent excuses so I'm just going to let that 3 month delay slide! First, let me introduce myself. I'm Andrea owner and buyer for Basic Boutique! This is my first time stepping out from behind the scenes, and I'm so excited to "meet" all of you readers out there! I hope you've been liking the blog so far, and please know I'm not a writer by any means so this post will not be nearly as clever as previous posts. Okay, so back to my excuses. Number one is the arrival of my first child, my beautiful baby girl Aubrey! Little "A" arrived January 9th of this year and I can honestly say she is the most amazing thing ever. Did you check out that picture, yup, we got a cute one if I do say so myself! We didn't know what we were having, so let's just say in the last two months I've accumulated WAY too many oversized flower headbands. Well, my husband said that. I personally don't believe you can ever have too many oversized baby headbands, hah! Sorry...I could go on and on about her but let's stay focused here. Excuse number two is my family is in the middle of a move. We needed more space of our growing family, and just to make our life a tad more stressful we decided to tackle these two huge events at the same time! And last but certainly not least is Basic Boutique, my first baby if you will. Well, if I'm not counting my two yorkies Beau & Bella. As we enter our fifth year of business, it's obvious the market today is very different from the one we first opened in. And when times are changing (much like my own life right now), it often requires you to evolve as well. Without giving too much away all in one post, let's just say there are exciting changes on the horizon at Basic. The first major change is chatting with all of you, expect to hear way more often from me. I know i know...probably doesn't seem too exciting from this post. But I LOVE fashion, and celebrity gossip, and real housewives of ANYWHERE (but am I right, Miami just isn't doing it for me). And now I love anything baby, clothes, gear, decor, and anything that has to do with interior decorating...currently obsessed with the Nate Berkus show! You're probably wondering when I'm going to get to the point...okay so my goal with Basic has always been to keep it simple. I want my shoppers to get what they want, whatever that might be...and in order to do that I need to hear from you! Consider me your personal shopper, I'm here to serve! So let's start chatting...about whatever is on your mind, leave me a comment on the blog (which I plan to regularly contribute to) or hit me up on twitter which I'm now taking over. So I'll leave you with one little secret...we're going to be launching a revamped Basic very soon! I just got an email from my web designer as I type this, and I could not be more excited about the makeover. Oh, and while I'm spilling stuff...we're running a promotion with Lucky Magazine (my fav) today for 30% off at Basic. Enter "LUCKY" at checkout, good on the entire site. My picks this season, anything beaded by Parker! TaTa, Andrea
Velvet Sammy Dress: Favorite Item of the Week
 While browsing through our latest spring additions, I couldn't help but notice how versatile the Velvet Sammy dress is. I don't know about you, but when I shop I think of how & when I will wear an item. If I can't plan out these details, I don't allow myself to complete the purchase. This dress has endless possibilities. My first thought was to wear this dress as a bathing suit cover-up. Throw on this dress and your sun hat and you are ready for a day at the beach. My second thought was to wear this dress to breakfast or brunch. Luckily this dress comes with the silver belt shown, or you can choose a different belt to wear (maybe brown, or something with gold). My third thought was to wear this dress as an airport outfit. The majority of the flights I take are longer than 2 hours, so I like to be comfortable. However, there is a difference between being comfortable and looking comfortable. You don't want to look like you just rolled out of bed and drove to the airport. This dress is long enough to cover your tush, but could also be worn as a tunic with leggings underneath and some cute flats. How would you wear this dress?
Power Colors
As you all know, I am a huge Bethenny Frankel fan. I was first introduced to Frankel in 2005 when she was a contestant on Martha Stewart’s, “The Apprentice.” Stewart criticized Bethenny for being outspoken and loud; the qualities that, in my opinion have kept her on TV. As it turns out, winning isn’t everything. Bethenny has built an empire in a little under 5 years.
After a stint on Real Housewives of New York City, Bethenny now stars in her own show, “Bethenny Ever After.” BEA is a follow up to her first show, “Bethenny Getting Married,” where Bravo took viewers inside her life as she prepared for marriage and her first child --at the same time. Why do I love her so much? She is real. She admits that it’s not easy to have it all. She never puts on an act. She promotes a healthy lifestyle instead of dieting. I look at her as an inspiration to women, not only for her honesty, but for her business sense.
Bethenny always talks about red being her “power color,” and it got me thinking. I don’t know if I have a power color or even a favorite color, but I’m sure if you asked my friends and family they would say pink. I love how I feel in pink. I feel girly and dainty. I feel confident. Most of all, the color pink makes me happy.
What is your power color? Does your mood affect the color clothing you wear?
Beauty Products: The Basics
Fashion and beauty go hand in hand. Unlike most celebrities, you probably don’t travel with a glam squad. I like to think of makeup, hair care, and skincare as accessories to my outfits. Each can change a look from drab to fab, instantly! We want you to feel your best, so here are some of our favorite products. Let’s start with skin care. It’s important to take care of your skin at any age. The three most important words from my dermatologist. Cleanse, tone, and moisturize. Oh, and wear sunscreen! No matter how good your genes, no one is exempt from skin cancer.
Suki Skincare Exfoliating cleanser: This is my absolute favorite scrub I have ever used. The main ingredients are sugar, citric acid, and rice flour. $9.95 for a 1.0 fl. oz. to-go version, which, if used sparingly can actually last you months. Or, you can go for the full size version weighing in at 4.0 fl. oz at $29.95.
Mychelle Dermaceuticals: I use the "Beautiful Skin Collection" every day and night. It's gentle and natural, yet effective. There's no need to use products formulated with harsh chemicals when there are natural brands out there like Mychelle. $34.99 for 3 products.
Weleda Everon Lip Balm: I love this chapstick because it actually works. $5.50
Moroccan Hair Oil: Strengthens and conditions, speeds up drying time, and cuts down on frizz. Prices vary from $13-$15 for a 0.85 oz. bottle.
NARS Eyeshadow + Blush: My two favorite eye shadow duo's are Bellissima and Sugarland. Bellissima is a shimmering beige/gray brown and Sugarland is a glimmering apricot/lavender pink with golden sheen. I also use their blush called Mata Hari, which is a rose petal pink. Duo eyeshadows are $32 and the blush runs around $27.
Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer: Perfect for those of you who don't want makeup that looks caked on. Sheer coverage. It has SPF 20 and comes in 10 different shades. $42 for 1.7 fl. oz. MAC False Lashes Mascara: I love this mascara because it doesn't clump and it separates lashes like no other mascara. $18.00. MAC Plush Glass: Sheer color that also plumps your lips. I use "Fulfilled," a creamy pink/coral color. $18.50 for 0.14 fl. oz.
These are my beauty essentials. What are yours?
[mooh-sh]
  Moosh - [mooh-sh] Sweater in pullover or cardigan style, with or without sleeves.
Origin:
September 2010, Bethenny Frankel Famous Quotations moosh “Moosh is like, the sweater you just put on, that you can wear on the plane.”
This blog has become a confessional at times. I share my deepest darkest secrets. Like how I have more cream than coffee in my cup most days. Or how the last time I bought a purse (before my Foley + Corinna) was in August of 2009. Or how I sometimes wear ugly sweaters because they keep me warm.
Everybody has one. It’s ugly. So ugly you wouldn’t wear it out in public, but it either still keeps you warm or it has sentimental value. One day while watching TV, a Bethenny Frankel commercial came on about her closet. She referred to her sweaters as mooshes. If you follow Bethenny, you know what I’m talking about. I have several mooshes because I am always cold. Cashmere moosh, cotton moosh. The "don’t remember buying you," moosh. We all have them.
Created in 2000, Line was one of the first knitwear collections to push design possibilities to the max through draping, embellishment and exaggerated detailing. The strategy of using premium fabrications fused with soft silhouettes has progressed Line into the novelty brand that it is today. Featured in publications such as Lucky, InStyle and Flare, Line has gained international exposure as well as a celebrity fan base including Jennifer Garner, Kate Bosworth, Jessica Biel, and Taylor Swift. I give you the Line Gladys Prep. Line is what I like to call, moosh central. At $114, it will be one of the best investments you'll ever make. Your friends and family will thank us. If ya don’t moosh, now ya moosh.
What’s your go-to moosh?
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