Living Royally: My Fresh Diet Experience Part Two

Hello Again Friends,


As promised (a while back), I am hand delivering you a report on my experience with, "The Fresh Diet."   My review of "Weight Watchers Points Plus," will be delivered at a later date (spoiler alert: the program is amazing and I'm down 10 lbs., and counting)!

See, about two months back, I began my newest quest to capture the whittled waistline of my favorite Royal, Duchess Catherine (or at least recapture the waistline of my earlier 30's).  If you've read my blog in the past, you know that I've tried pretty much every diet, from the sublime to the utterly and completely ridiculous. Being that I am, "shedding for my wedding," I decided to spare no expense, and tried,"The Fresh Diet," (I actually bought a week of "The Fresh Diet," on RueLaLa.com, at quite a nice discount I might add; 168 dollars for seven days.  Tip: These diets always have deals, so never settle for the price quoted online).  Being that I'm not a Royal and do not as of yet have unlimited funds, I figured that I would use a week of "The Fresh Diet," to jump start my weight loss, followed by the highly budget friendly "Points Plus Program." 

I was so excited to try a diet delivery service (celebs make losing weight on these plans seem so glamorous and simple (insert wink), and I found theFreshDiet.com to be very user friendly.  When you sign up, you are given the ability to put all food allergies or dislikes in a basket, and with the click of a button, can ensure that a warning will appear each time you select a menu option that contains an undesirable ingredient (being that I'm gluten intolerant and pretty picky, I saw warnings galore).  


Now on to the fun part, ordering your meals!!!!  "The Fresh Diet," gives you four choices for each of your five daily meals (my one complaint is that there are very few gluten free or dairy free items, so if you have intolerances, there will typically be only one option for you).  If none of the meal options are to your liking, just don't make a selection, and the chef will, "create," a, "special," dish for you (Warning; I was told that, "The Fresh Diet," stocked gluten free pastry, and so I asked for several snack substitutions.  In 7 days, I saw not one pastry, but I did see a whole lot of fruit cups...ugh).  Once the meals are selected for the week, your job is done, (The mere prospect of not cooking or cleaning for a whole week had me beside myself with glee)!

On the first morning of, "The Fresh Diet," I was pleasantly surprised to find my cooler waiting for me at my front door, safety tied and ready to go (They clearly understand my germaphobia, as the zip ties made me feel much safer about consuming food that sat for hours at my front door).  Upon opening my cooler, I found three ice packs along with three meals and two snacks (to my surprise the dishes were still cool, despite spending hours outside).  



Now....... on to the food quality, which is what really matters, right?!  Let's start with the, "most important meal of the day;" breakfast! The egg dishes were well portioned, nicely varied, and delicious (Think a Mexican Omelet with black beans and pico, or a cheddar cheese and red pepper egg bake).  The downside; eggs are the only option for gluten intolerant diners, so after two months, I still cannot bring myself to eat eggs (also, I can't really speak to the pancakes or other, more carby/gluteny (not real words, but fun to say) options.  

Lunches were my favorite part of, "The Fresh Diet" (except for one salad with seared tuna, that was SO fishy I gagged).  I had a salad every day (think anywhere from a chilled tofu salad with enoki mushrooms and ponzu dressing, to a flank steak salad with pepitas and a lime cilantro vinaigrette).  I found the salads to be very filling and more than I would eat for lunch on a non-diet day (I'm not sure I've lived a day not on a diet, but you get the point).  Unfortunately, lunch is where the warm fuzzy feelings end.

As I mentioned before, 85% of the snacks had gluten.  So most days they sent me a fruit cup (tell me how that equates to The Zone Diet Principles?), and pudding (which was essentially creamy aspartame in a tiny plastic cup).  I asked for at least one snack a day to be replaced with a gluten free pastry, of which I was told there was an abundance.  Never once did I see anything that resembled a gluten free treat!  The pesto chicken in mushroom crowns, the chicken sausage, and the mini crab cakes were the only snacks I enjoyed (a term I use loosely).  The moral of the story: when snacking on, "The Fresh Diet," stick to the savory!!!!

Dinners were minute and terribly disappointing (you suddenly understand that you are losing weight, not from eating healthy, but from starvation.  I might add that I didn't need to pay a king's ransom to figure out how to lose weight from calorie restriction).  My dinners were not only the reverse of fresh and gourmet, but were also completely inedible (think a 2.5 oz. piece of chicken or red meat, flavorless sauce served on the side, and two vegetable sides commingling in a reheatable plastic container (you nauseous yet? I am!).  I even tried oven heating, figuring that when you microwave protein it typically resembles shoe leather (oven heating made only a slight difference, and I still threw out the majority of my dinners.  I typically replaced the dinners with a string cheese and an apple or a Fage yogurt).  The only good dinner I had, (and again I am using a term loosely) was the eggplant rollatini.


So, on to the results (insert imaginary drum roll here).....I lost 3 lbs. in one week on, "The Fresh Diet," which was the goal (it is a diet after all).  I must, however say that I find the fresh/gourmet description to be misleading.  Food that has to be microwaved or reheated, regardless of initial taste or freshness, will never taste fresh again!  So, would I try, "The Fresh Diet," again?  Not unless it were free!  What I will say, is that my stomach shrunk and I got a more realistic idea of the portion sizes needed to be, "Maria Menounos," skinny.  Overall, I give, "The Fresh Diet," a solid "C."  


On a brighter note, I had incredible results with, "Points Plus," which I will happily share with you all soon....


Until next time....




Your Whittled Wench,


Boldbroad xoxoxoxo






Acknowledgements: "The Fresh Diet," Logo courtesy of delightfulchaos.com, Picture of Kate Middleton courtesy of weddingdresscode.com, Picture of the  fruit cu courtesy of thedivarockin.com, Picture of "The Fresh Diet," cooler courtesy of Groupon.com, Picture of eggs courtesy of proteinpowder.net, Picture of "The Fresh Diet Salad," courtesy of brightlightsmycity.com, Picture of snack courtesy of therunninggreengirl.com, Picture of dinner courtesy of willwrite4travel.blogspot.com, Picture of Maria Menounos courtesy of askmen.com

Snacking Royally: Brad's Raw Chips

Hello Friends,

I know that I owe you the results of my delivery diet experience, which I promise to deliver very soon.  I also know that I have quite possibly lost your interest with a title that mentions raw food, but trust me, you want to know about my secret snacking surprise.  I have talked a lot about diet, healthy food, and how to achieve the impossibly small 19 inch waist of our favorite Royal.  What do chips and incredibly tiny waists have in common????  KALE

You see, about six months back, during our weekly grocery stop at Wegman's, I snatched a sample of a delicious, yet healthy new snack...Brad's Raw Chips.  All of Brad's Chips are; not baked, not fried, gluten free, all natural, and raw.   Brad's dehydrates all sorts of vegetables (Kale, sweet potato, sun dried tomato, red bell pepper, and beet), and they taste awesome, particularly the kale chips.   Much to Rob's chagrin, I proceeded to immediately buy 2 packages (he balked, first because they were kale chips," which could never be tasty," and secondly at the price...not because they are too expensive, but because Rob loves to scoff at my need for, "designer groceries").  Rob, of course, refused to try the delicious kaley morsels....GOOD, more for me!

I mean, seriously, kale chips at restaurants are amazing, but have you ever tried to make them...It's not so easy. 
They always end up too soggy, or too burnt, or too oily (you get the not so pretty picture).  Brad's Raw Chips are perfectly crisp and perfectly delicious, because they are dehydrated not baked, and they are supremely healthy, so you won't feel a touch of guilt (unless you eat more than two packages, which is totally possibly due to their addicting nature; note that I ran downstairs for a chip break while writing this post (a handful of 'Spicy Hot' if you must know).  They also come in 4 amazing flavors:  my personal favorite, "Vampire Killer," an insanely garlicky yet entirely delicious chip, "Natural Nacho," a vegan version of Doritos (think all the joy with none of the Doritos induced guilt), "Nasty Hot," a super spicy yet tasty treat with hints of jalapeno and, "Naked," the original, but definitely not boring, kale chip.

A few weeks back on a spectacularly sunny Saturday, Rob and I were drinking, um, I mean, eating lunch at, "The Landing," restaurant in New Hope, PA.  Midway through vodka soda numero dos, I noticed a man and his wife, sporting shirts that said "kale is cool."  Either they were that super creepy matching couple (you know the type), or had some affiliation to Brad's (I was hoping for the later option).  Being my usual inquisitive (OK, nosy) self, I asked if they were by any chance affiliated to Brad's Raw Chips and what do you know, Walt and Dennyse Gruger were proud members of The Brad's Raw Chips Family!  

The Grugers are a charming couple, and were more than happy to talk to me about my favorite kale chips.  They explained that Brad's was a local Pipersville, PA based company (who knew?!), and talked me not only through the painstaking process of making such incredible products, but also offered to send me a case of kale so I could taste all four flavors (I love them all).  Brad Gruno, as in Brad's Raw Chips, was a self-described cheese steak junkie back in '06, who saw the light and began a raw diet.  Along the way he lost 40 lbs., gained energy, and created some crazy good chips!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I do believe that we have found, "The Holy Grail,"......... of snacking that is... So go out, and buy your Brad's kale and while you are at it, force your reluctant partner to try the chips...Rob is now in love with "vampire killer," which is great because now I'm not downing the garlicky goodness alone(if you both eat garlic, you cancel out each other's bad breath)...For more information, to find a local retailer, or order online, please go to bradsrawchips.com

Until next time (when I owe you a detailed account of the Fresh Diet and Weight Watchers Points Plus)

Your snacking sweetheart,

Boldbroad xoxoxoxox


Picture of Kate Middleton courtesy of USweekly.com, Pictures of Brad's Products courtesy of Bradsrawchips.com

Living Royally: Diet Like a Celebrity, My Fresh Diet Experience

Hello again my Lords and Ladies,


Being that my wedding is drawing near, and the fact that I am overall just body obsessed, I decided to try yet another celebrity diet.  I mean after all, celebs are the only freaks of nature that can fit into their size 0 skinny jeans, one month after giving birth to a 10 lb. baby.  Besides, If I want an ass like Pippa, I better get cracking.  I have tried pretty much every diet known to man and figured it was high time that I experience, "The Holy Grail" of diets...The Meal Delivery Service...Before we talk meal delivery, however, I want to discuss the other extremes to which I have gone, when battling the bulge.  



Let us start with cleansing...I've done the juice cleansing thing, as well as the Master Cleanse (you know, the diet that helped Beyonce shed a purported 25 lbs)...I'll touch on juice cleanses first, which work, if you can stomach the green juice(Not for the faint of heart...think dandelion and collard greens--Never should the aforementioned ingredients be eaten, much less juiced).  If you are going to juice, I recommend "The Blueprint Cleanse," (buy it online not at Wholefoods).  When done effectively (start 2 days before, removing all meat, sugar, and solid food, alcohol and caffeine from your diet, then take at least 2 days post cleanse, before you return to your normal eating habits), you will reset your metabolism as well as your appetite.  Don't do everything I mentioned above...and you will be in a world of hurt my friends (gas, bloat, nausea, etc....you get the not so pretty picture).  I have also done "JTD" (Juice Til Dinner) from "The Blueprint Cleanse," which tastes a lot better than just juice, but sadly I didn't see any results when I ate raw food and drank the juice.  I lost 8 lbs. in 5 days on the Master Cleanse.  Surprisingly, I was not hungry between Day 2 and Day 5.  The downside is that you must reintroduce solid food extremely slowly, or you risk the same consequences associated with improper juice cleansing .

Now lets talk regular diets...I have done them all...Barry Sears, "The Zone Diet."  You know the old 40% Carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat.  It totally works, just ask 20 year Zone devotee, Jennifer Aniston.  The only problem with, "The Zone Diet," is all the cooking and measuring and weighing you have to do in order to stay compliant, which is simple when you have a personal chef (A girl can dream, can't she?).  If you are considering "The Zone Diet," do yourself a favor and read some of the recipes first.  I went to culinary school and even I don't have the energy for these high maintenance meals.

Then on to, "The Atkins Diet," which has been reincarnated into, "The Paleo Diet," and is older brother to, "The South Beach Diet."  The main premise of all of the aforementioned diets is carbohydrate restriction, which helps reduce sugar cravings, bloat, fatigue, and water weight.  In my not so humble opinion, "The South Beach Diet," is the healthiest of the three low carb options, as it limits high fat meats and allows for healthy nuts like pistachios.  I was done with, "The Paleo Diet," when I realized that alcohol was strictly forbidden.  Clearly the no alcohol quotient of Paleo does not bother famous fan, J-Lo, but then what reason could she possibly have to need a drink (See 24 year old super cute dancer boyfriend, a booming career, a fabulous body, and enough money to keep the previous three things in check).  If you want a good laugh because you are cranky from not eating carbs, check out:  

I have also tried old school Weight Watchers, which works, if you feel like eating pre-prepared foods with more sodium and chemicals then China has rice, or you have both the money and the time to buy a million rare ingredients, that will eventually go bad because you use 1/4 teaspoon for each recipe.  Then again if you are Jennifer Hudson and you have someone to cook for you, this diet will work like a charm (provided you work out with Harvey Pasternak 5 days a week).  I should note that I will be supplementing my 7 day "Fresh Diet," experience with the new PointsPlus System from, "Weight Watchers."  As for, "Jenny Craig," and "Nutrisystem"...The food tastes like cardboard on a good day and is delivered to your door, frozen like a statue.  The spokespeople for, "Nutrisystem" and "Jenny," look great, but don't even try to convince me that Marie Osmond and Janet Jackson, eat those frozen bricks and don't work their asses off....




SO on to my latest journey...a pricey, but necessary step in my quest for near perfection (LOL).  "The Fresh Diet," the love child of, "The Zone Diet," and a pseudo-personal chef.  Supposedly, Maria Menounos and Julianne Hough eat The Fresh Diet, though I'm sure their food is free and of much higher quality  It is pricey, but claims that since I won't be buying groceries or eating in restaurants, I should come out even (probably true considering our alcohol bill is usually 3/4 of the check).  To start you pick a number of days (for me 7), state your dislikes (I love cheese, but I hate goat cheese), confirm your allergies (no gluten, no scallops), assign a calorie count (1200 a day to start), and voila, 3 meals and 2 snacks (all fresh, all gourmet), will arrive at my front door by 6 AM every day...OK, so its a bit extravagant, but you only get married once (I hope), and if it the diet works...I will use my 1/2 culinary education to continue this diet on my own....So wish me happy dieting and I will leave a list of links should you be interested in trying any of the aforementioned diets!



1. themastercleanse.org
2. blueprintcleanse.com
3. zonediet.com
4. atkins.com
5. thepaleodiet.com
6. southbeachdiet.com
7. weightwatchers.com
8. jennycraig.com
9 .nutrisystem.com
10. thefreshdiet.com






Until next time friends....


Your Diet Conscious Darling,


Boldbroad xoxoxoxo


Pictures and logos courtesy of: Pippa Middleton: whatshewearsie.com, Beyonce: Fanpop.com, Blueprint cleanse: media4.onsugar.com, Zone Diet Logo: ZoneDiet.com, Jennifer Aniston: goeshealth.com, Atkins Logo: Atkins.com, South Beach Diet Logo: Southbeachdiet.com, Paleo Logo: thepaleodiet.com, Fat-Kins Diet: Illwill Press-You Tube, Jennife Hudson: blisstree.com,Weight Watchers Logo: weightwatchers.com, The Fresh Diet Logo: Delightfulchaos.com, Maria Menounos: thatgirlisa.com.

Royal Watching: What Will Angelina Jolie Wear to Marry Brad Pitt...

Dear Fellow Fashionistas,

Where oh where do I begin...I am so sorry for my long hiatus (lost old job, found new job, started in choir, choir started again, planning a wedding, moving a wedding from FL to AZ), you know, the normal things that keep a girl busy...Ha!  I am back thanks to a conversation with a dear friend who shall be known as JS.  JS reminded me over dinner last night, that my brief hiatus had turned into a serious sabbatical, and it was time to get back to writing my little blog.  So...JS...this one is for you!

When people first began talking about the impending nuptials of Ms. Jolie to Mr. Pitt, I really couldn't be bothered.  I mean, it's hard to make a toothpick look pretty, her recent clothing choices are confusing to say the least, and the will they-won't they crap had all but ruined several perfectly good years of US Weekly Magazines.  I was totally over Brangelina!  Until I started thinking (I know, scary, right), what if we could save the soon to be Lady Pitt from her usual pitfalls (pun intended), of wearing vials of blood around her neck (a la Billy Bob Thorton), or writing Brad's name in blood on her marital tee shirt (circa Johnny Lee Miller)?!  Who wouldn't love a modern version of Pygmalion (My Fair Lady for those who avoid the theatre).  What if just one time Angelina looked more like the lady than the tramp?

I began by pondering Angelina, both the good and the bad (unfortunately, there has been ALOT more bad than good)...Remember years back when our friend Angie only had one or two tattoos?.........Well, I DON'T ( I do however remember when she dressed like a goth to attend the Academy Awards and lip locked with her brother James, I digress)!!!!  This image to the right, depicts the Angie of old...I mean, that woman has more ink than the Bic Pen Magnet.  Thank goodness for body makeup, and let us start by praying that she invests in some serious Dermablend, before her next trip down the aisle.

Once we get past the, "body art"(never gonna happen), we must remember that Angie has made some fatally foul fashion mistakes in the past year.  Where should we start?  I know, how about the emerald green long sleeve Atelier Versace dress, that took Angie from siren to school marm in one dress flat....Some shameful stylists praised this fashion failure, and I can only suspect they did so, to reward not having to view her terrible tats...But wait, it gets worse, WAY worse...Three Words...Angelina, Golden, Globes...Hey Angie, Cruella DeVille called, and she wants her dress back!  NOW!!!!  A word to the wise, Ms. Jolie, I would strongly suggest you avoid Atelier Versace...Two miss hits are more than you can afford Missy!

OK...now that we have ridiculed the ridiculous...Let's gather the good.  I remember a time when the Jolie-Pitts consisted of Angie, Brad, and Maddox...Granted, that lasted for about 9 months, but during that gestation period, we saw Angie at her best.  Who can forget the emerald earrings and her head turning Ellie Saab gown at The 2009 Academy Awards.  Delicious dress, marvelous makeup, elegant earrings...OH MY!  This is the Angelia Jolie, that we want more of, right?!  OK Angie, you have proven that you are capable of class and your groom has been named, "The Sexiest Man Alive," like 40 times.  You owe it to the world, well at least to my readers, to wear something sensational to wed the ever fabulous Brad Pitt....

Here are my suggestions:

1.  COVER YOUR TATTOOS-  I don't care if they bare the latitude and longitude of The Holy Grail, buy some Dermablend, and use it!
2.  Don't wear anything Goth, and if you must, please don't make out with your brother...It really creeps us out!

3.  Avoid Atelier Versace...If you start to feel weak, review the previous pictures, and at least five times repeat the phrase, I look like a freak in AV!

4. Be the lady that you are and wear something beautiful by Monique Lhuillier,  Romona Kaveza, or Temperley London.

5. My final word of advice, though it pains me to say this...Ignore the critics, even little old me...After all, It is your day..................... but may I suggest a few fabulous frocks....I couldn't resist!!!!

 

Here is wishing you gorgeous gowns, luscious locks, magnificent makeup, and a fabulous future!

Until Next Time...

Your Duchess of Dish,

Boldbroad xoxoxoxo


Picture of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt courtesy of USWeekly.com,Picture of Angelina and Billy Bob Thorton courtesy of Allwomenstalk,com, Picture of Angelina and James Haven courtesy of Natassie.livejournal.com, Picture of Angelina Jolie's tattoos courtesy of fashionfame.com, picture of Angelina in green Atelier Versace dress courtesy of sharefashions.com, Angelina in white and red Atelier Versace dress courtesy of redcarpet-fashionawards.com, picture of Angelina in Ellie Saab courtesy of Mahalofashion.com, Monique Lhuillier wedding dress courtesy of MarthaStewartWeddings.com,Romona Kaveza dress courtesy of keyinging117@blogspot.com, Temperley London picture courtesy of suite707.net....

Looking Royal: Irene is Here, but Never Fear, So Are Wellies!

Hello Again My Soggy Stylish Ones,

Sitting in New Jersey, waiting for Irene to hit, got me thinking. . .   After a drink or two, to calm my nerves, of course, I began to remember the raincoats and boots of my childhood (truthfully, more like a horrid Belvedere-induced  flashback).  I mean no offense to whales, but I don't want to wear them on my back (I also mean no offense to My Mother, who dressed me like I worked at Fisherman's Wharf)!  The thought of wearing kelly green plastic, with a navy blue canvas lining, covered with white whales, sends shivers down my slightly soggy spine (and I still can't believe I found a picture of the exact coat online. . .The Horror)!  Oh, and don't get me started on Duck Boots!  I am fairly sure our fine feathered friends would be appalled to know that we named a hideous shoe after their functional feet!  Did I mention the smells?!  I smelled like a, "Teflon Don," no offense to Rick Ross, of course. . .

Thank goodness it's the year 2011, and we have the right to choose our rainwear!  Thank goodness for Wellies and trench coats galore!  Here, here to Gortex and cotton/poly blends!  Goodbye whales!  Goodbye plastic!  HELLO, Hunter and Burberry!!!!  Rain or shine you will look fine (not fine like OK, fine like fiiihhhnnee)!  Design houses have become brilliant at making the, "soaked look," stylish!  Hunter even has a collaboration with Jimmy Choo!  Take that DUCK BOOTS!!!!

Let us once again take cues from our favorite royal, the ever-fabulous, Duchess of Cambridge!  Whatever the weather, nothing looks better or feels better than Burberry!  The quality and classic design of a Burberry Trench has yet to be matched by any other fashion house!  I remember discussing Burberry Trenches with a friend whose husband scoffed at the premium price paid for a piece of Burberry brilliance!  She told him the exact same thing, I am about to tell you. . . "If you want a quality classic coat, that will last you a lifetime, than you must pay for that costly coat!"  You can, of course, find similarly styled knock-offs, at places like H&M, but you will most likely have to replace that cheaply-made coat in a year, and the next cheaply-made coat a year after that, and so forth and so on . . .

Now, this is what I call surviving the storm in style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Burberry even makes their own line of Wellies, and there is just something about that, "Burberry Plaid!"  I mean, what self respecting person, man or woman, does not own something made in, "that plaid," knockoff or real?!!!!


If, of course, you like quality footwear, but are not a fan of the, "Burberry Plaid," (a travesty in my book, but I digress. . . ), Burberry makes some other gorgeous galoshes to complement your classic coat!

Yep, those beautiful babies to the left are rain boots, Burberry Riding Boots, to be exact!  But you absolutely can punish the puddles in these puppies!!!!!







So. . . As you can see, there really is no longer a reason to let a rainy day get you down (Unless of course, that rain comes with a Category 2 hurricane, and a lot of destruction. . . Even I, can't make light of Irene. . .Devastation and destruction are not all that funny)!  But if it is just a little rain, or even a tiny tropical storm, you can now face that storm looking fierce as ever! 


Here's hoping this post finds you and your families dry, safe, and sound!


Your Drenched Duchess,

Boldbroad xoxoxoxo



pictures in order of appearance courtesy of cgi.ebay.com, totalfratmove.com, red carpet-fashionawards.com, fashionindie.com cmichellestyles.com, hotpinklist.wordpress.com, mycelebrityfashion.co.uk, and style-architects.com

Looking Royal: Itching for ISSA!!!!

Hello Again My Fellow Fashion Fiends,


Now that we have the wretched spectacle known as Kim Kardashian's Wedding, behind us, it is time to move back to talking about real fashion and actual stars!  Something has been on my mind for months now.  Actually, it all started when Kate Middleton, my favorite style icon, sported that spectacular navy dress to formally announce her engagement to Prince William. 

I had seen ISSA Dresses before 2010.  In fact, I had been lucky enough to wear ISSA Dresses before 2010.  See. . .I moved back to Scottsdale from Los Angeles, around 2005, and was dreading the, "True Fashion Death," that results from living in Scottsdale, a town best known for tube tops and Teflon tatas!

Now I had a real dilemma!  The year was 2007. . . I had one charity event and two hot suitors in attendance (both ended up being Mr. Wrong, but that is not the point of this tale).  I needed a dress. . .NO. . . a fabulous frock, FAST!  But in Scottsdale, Arizona?!  Where would I find such a creature?!. . .When suddenly, out of the blue, I stumbled into Estilo Boutique, a true oasis in the desert!  Estilo was a shining style star in a sea of sequined tops and bedazzled bustiers.  The owners, Kelly Dixon and Gina Pedrojetti Cooper were acquaintances from my days at The Arizona State University (not that lesser institution in Tucson).

For the first time in several months, I saw my old friends, pieces by, Rachel Pally, T-bags, and most importantly, a little known brand called, ISSA!  On a boring work day (most work days in Scottsdale), I entered their Waterfront Location in search of the perfect party piece.  Misty Guerriero, a dear friend, and stylist extraordinaire, (since turned owner of, "Vintage By Misty," in Phoenix AZ ), recommended I try on this fabulous black halter dress! 

The only problem. . .the patterns were not matched at the seams. . .The Horror!!!!  See, as a graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology (she says with her nose in the air), this mismatching seemed very wrong and quite counterintuitive.  We were taught that you could identify well made clothing, by checking to see if the patterns matched at the seams, if not, well than, tisk tisk on the designer!. . . I was in a state of disbelief, until I slipped on that ISSA Halter!  My breasts looked higher, my waist looked smaller, and my legs longer.  My ISSA Halter was a miracle worker, and I was forever a changed woman.  ISSA is one of those labels that makes every body look better; real bodies, skinny bodies, Christina Hendrick's type bodies.  I was officially addicted to ISSA!

A few weeks later, I returned to Estilo and purchased a fabulous yellow silk printed halter, also by ISSA.  To this day, I only have one regret (OK, I have more than one,but. . .), not purchasing more ISSA Dresses.  They now have a much steeper price tag.  The day I purchased that yellow dress was the last time I saw stunning staples from ISSA . . .sigh. . .Until that glorious day in 2010 when Princess Catherine began rocking the frocks all over town.  ISSA was back baby, and better than ever!. . .The only problems with the brilliant brand's revival? . . The steep retail price tags and finding the dresses in stock anywhere!

In early 2011, I began a mad, never-ending hunt for ISSA, and am ready to share my findings with you!  If you are obsessing over owning your own piece of fashion history and promise not to go into sticker shock over the substantial expenditure . . .Here are some places you might want to look:


1. Neiman Marcus.com (they even go on sale from time to time)
2. Evesapple.com (a small, but nice selection)
3. Net-A-Porter.com (great service, but only a few pieces)
4. Shopbob.com (A nice selection)
5. Shopstyle.com (A nice preview of different retailers selections)
6. Polyvore.com (Nice, but not always up to date)
7. Joseph.com (lots of dresses, many out of stock)




If you are on a tight budget, and who isn't these days, EBAY has a nice selection of ISSA dresses, but beware of ISSA Impostors!  If a price seems to good to be true. . .IT IS!  Also watch out for sites passing off dresses as ISSA-like.  I assure you my friends, there is only one ISSA!

Happy shopping until next time. . .



Your Duchess of Designer Duds,

Boldbroad xoxoxoxo





pictures listed in order of appearance courtesy of fashionfolio.wordpress.com, kitmeout.com, thisnext.com, gotfreeshipping.com, bizarrebytes.com, josephm,com, nicolerichiefashion.blogspot.com, and shoplesnouvelles.com.