Category Clothing

Those Sneaky Chinese Merchants Struck Again

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Copyright: elutas

I am sure that many of you are aware of companies which are very aggressive with their advertising on social media platforms like Instagram, and which often convince people to purchase from them. Then if there is an issue with the items once they arrive, the company will renege on their promise to honor returns, despite the fact that their return policy clearly states that customers are able to return items with no issues. I have dealt with such companies before, and without exception, the companies are always based in China.

I recently placed two orders from Bella Barnett, never suspecting that the company would give me a hard time if I needed to return anything. I made sure to look up the return and exchange policy on the website:

General Terms

For all situations including that the outfits don’t fit, Bella Barnett will gladly accept returns or exchanges of new, unworn, unwashed, and unaltered merchandise with all original internal garment tags days within 28 days of the delivery of your items.
There is a removable padding in all swimwear to protect you. For hygienic reasons, swimwear with no hygienic padding is unable to be returned.

Please do not return the package to the address on the waybill, that is not the return address. Otherwise no refund will be given!


It’s important to note that shipping costs are not covered by Bella Barnett when sent back, and we are unable to provide shipping labels. The return address is in New Jersey, USA. Please be sure to tell us the item that needs to be returned or exchanged and get the return address before you return it, also, you need to include your order number on the return form and give us the tracking number after sending the item back. No refunds will be given for those who cannot provide a tracking number.
When we receive your returned items and determine that they are in returnable condition (new, unworn, unwashed, and unaltered merchandise with all original internal garment tags), refunds or exchanges will begin.
For products with quality problems, we will take a full refund/partial refund, if you don’t want to send it back and get a refund, you may need to provide us with a picture of the product to get a refund.

Refunds

Refunds are usually returned within 7 days via the original method of payment(requests for refunds to other credit cards/accounts for any reason will not be accepted), or even within 24 hours if you paid via PayPal. If the returns are not caused by our fault(quality problem, color difference, wrong shipment), we will not refund the postage.

I received one order and was happy with the item, but the second order consisted of an item which was poorly made and didn’t look like what was pictured on the website. I followed the instructions which were detailed on the website for returns and sent them an email describing the item that I wanted to return, and asked them to provide a return address. This is the response I received:

On Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 05:14:02 PM PDT, contact@bellabarnett.com <contact@bellabarnett.com> wrote:

Dear Customer, 

Could you please tell us how does not fit？Whether it is too big or too small? We can first seek whether there are other solutions. Thanks.

By that time, I already suspected that I was dealing with a China-based company, and that they would try to convince me not to send back the item. I responded to their email by stating that the item was poorly made, didn’t look like what was pictured on the website, and looked horrible when I tried it on. Instead of honoring my return request, this was Bella Barnett’s reply:

On Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 05:18:35 AM PDT, contact@bellabarnett.com <contact@bellabarnett.com> wrote:

Dear Customer, 

Sorry to keep you waiting. Considering that shipping or cross-country shipping can be expensive, we can make an exception and provide you with an alternative solution once. You can pick another item at similar price on our website and we will send it to you for free. You do not need to return the original item either. If you want an item with a price difference of more than $5 from the original item, you will need to make up the difference.Please let me know which item you want if you accpet this solution. Once the free replacement is sent out, we will no longer accept any return requests. Please be advised. If you still want to send it back please let us know and we will send you the return address.

By that time I was pretty aggravated and didn’t want to continue to argue with them, so I told them to send another jacket which had arrived in the first order, which was actually $10 cheaper than the item I wanted to return to them. However, I also made sure to tell them that I would never order anything from them again. I honestly don’t understand why such companies are so manipulative, because I am sure that they lose customers like me pretty frequently.

To you ladies who are considering purchasing clothing from Bella Barnett, BEWARE!

Hit Those Fitness Apparel Holiday Sales!

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I’ve always been a fan of online shopping, and have relied on it for many years, way before this crazy year forced us to do the bulk of our shopping online.  However, it can be tricky to figure out which brands fit best, especially when it comes to fitness apparel and accessories.  For this reason, I turn to tried and true brands like Under Armour which consistently manufacture quality merchandise.

Though I am willing to pay more for good quality items, who doesn’t love a sale?  I know that during the holidays, major fitness brands like Under Armour tend to offer deep discounts, coupons, and promos to pump up their sales while also giving shoppers a chance to save some serious cash.  But who wants to hassle with visiting each company’s site to check to see if they have holiday deals?  With Slickdeals, you don’t have to do that.  Slickdeals compiles information and lists all the best discounts which can be found across all major sports related brands, allowing shoppers to build the best strategy while shopping online.  Just leave it to the staff editors at Slickdeals, who will make sure that active coupon codes are loaded onto the site for your convenience.

If you want to check out the awesome deals which Under Armour has, go to:

https://slickdeals.net/coupons/under-armour/

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What do I search for when shopping for Under Armour items?  Well, I love the women’s ½ neck pullovers, and I am a huge fan of all their socks.  Yes, socks.  Under Armour makes the most comfortable, moisture-wicking, non-budge socks I have ever worn, and I love them.  I also love Under Armour’s backpacks and duffel bags, and may still look at the sale items even though I received an Under Armour backpack as an early Christmas present.  Since I love Under Armour socks so much, I might have to jump on the Women’s UA Charged Impulse Running Shoes which I just noticed are on sale.  Add a coupon or promo code from Slickdeals, and I am saving major bank!

 

Whenever I peruse the Under Armour website, I always check out the outlet, because there are great deals to be found on there, and with coupons from Slickdeals stacked on top of the sale prices, I can be sure to find some killer deals.  In fact, I just ran across a coupon code on Slickdeals which works for items in the Outlet section of the Under Armour website, so there you go! Under Armour has all kinds of sportswear for different climates and activities, and even has one pull-down menu on their website where you can search for merchandise by the type of sport you are interested in.  Sports categories include:

 

 

You can see from the sports categories list that Under Armour has a pretty comprehensive collection of sports apparel and accessories to accommodate different sports.

Whether you are a fan of Under Armour, or a fan of another major sports apparel and accessories brand, make the online shopping experience much easier by checking out Slickdeals.  You’ll find excellent deals there which will make your wallet very happy!

https://slickdeals.net/coupons/under-armour/

 

The Michael Kors Jacket Nightmare

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On March 5th, when I was waiting to board the plane which would take me from LAX to Haneda, Tokyo, I walked by a Michael Kors store and saw a nice ivory puffer jacket on display.  I took it off the hanger and tried it on, and instantly loved it.  My reasoning was that since it was a puffer jacket, it would be incredibly warm and would keep me snuggly and comfortable while I was in Sapporo.  I promptly decided to purchase it, and decided to wear it out of the store.  The sales associate asked me to take it off so that she could scan the tag, whereupon another associate cut the tags off before I could stop her.  Though I was upset, I hoped that I wouldn’t have to return the item.

About 30 minutes after I purchased the jacket, I placed it in my carry on bag, deciding that I should wait until I arrived in Japan to wear my new jacket.  Then I put the jacket to the test, not in chilly and snowy Sapporo, but in Sendai, which was far more moderate in temperature, with highs in the mid-40’s.  Well, I ended up freezing in that darling jacket, and because I purchased the jacket for warmth and not to make a fashion statement, I tucked the jacket away in my luggage and vowed to return it once I was back home in the states.

I returned to Los Angeles on March 19th, and learned that the area was on full lockdown, with retail stores closed.  So began the ongoing contact with MichaelKors.com, engaging the chat function, calling local stores, and emailing them regularly, each time inquiring when they thought stores might reopen.  This was a major headache for me to deal with, but since I was in possession of a $213 jacket which conferred almost no protection against the cold, I persisted.  I was told that return windows were being extended as a result of the lockdown, and I didn’t need to worry about the return window closing on me.

Then on June 29th, I called a local MK store, and not only did someone answer the phone, but she also stated that the store was indeed open to the public. I rushed over to the store the next day, but as I was walking towards the store, I got a funny feeling in my gut that something was about to go very wrong.   I walked into the store, explained my situation, and as soon as I mentioned that I had purchased the jacket at the Michael Kors store at LAX, the salesperson grimaced and said, “Oh, I don’t think we can process the return here.  You see, the store you went to isn’t owned by Michael Kors, it’s owned by Hudson Group”.

The salesperson tried to enter the SKU, but the number was not accepted by the register, and he told me that I had to contact the phone number on the purchase receipt.  By this time, I was fuming, frantically dialing the numbers as I exited the store, cursing under my breath the entire time.  I called the number, only to be told that wasn’t the proper number, and that I had to call yet another number.

Little did I know that the second phone call would connect me to the bossiest, bitchiest, rudest woman I have encountered in years.  She was VERY nasty to me and kept interrupting me as I told her the situation.  It took everything in me to remain calm as I spoke with this witch.  She explained that Michael Kors was franchised, yadda yadda yadda…but all I cared about was, would they allow me to return the item?  Finally, she stated that the Hudson Group would issue a return, provided I sent numerous specific images of the jacket, a pic of the receipt, and proof that I had been in Japan from March 5th through March 19th.

I sent all the information over, then heard absolutely nothing.  So I re-sent the emails from a different email address, thinking maybe there was an issue with the email server.  Still nothing.  I called her once again, and she got nasty with me, stating that she hadn’t received my emails, and why was I wasting her time?  Then she provided a different email address when I implored her to do so, and I re-sent all emails from two different email servers once more.

Once again, I heard nothing.  So I sent the Hudson representative another email yesterday, marked urgent, which asked her to please get in contact with me if she received that particular email.  She called me today, stating that she had only received the one email, then started yelling at me, stating that I hadn’t followed directions, that I was wasting her time, and that she didn’t have to help me at all.  When I tried asking her to check her spam folder, she interrupted me, started yelling again, and HUNG UP ON ME.

I re-sent all the emails yet again, from both email servers, this time with hands shaking in rage.  Imagine my surprise when she responded and said that she received all my emails, FINALLY!

This battle isn’t over yet, though.  Tomorrow I will mail the jacket to her office, at my expense, and wait to see if a refund is actually granted.  This woman should NOT be in customer service.

UPDATE 8/10/2020:  I finally received a refund several days ago!

 

I’m A Jasmin Influencer!

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I am so thrilled to be a Jasmin Influencer!  I have been with them since early December, and I have a blast creating highlights for the site and posting every day.  Yes that’s right, every single day, even on holidays and weekends!

Please follow me at www.Jasmin.com/staceynaito  and check out my highlights and daily story elements!  You can also direct message me anytime through the site, and I also make myself available for Video Calls for a pocket of time every day.

Topics I cover include:

Dating

Relationship

Soul Mate

Fitness

Flirt Advice

Beauty

Lifestyle

Travel

Fashion

I haven’t posted anything on Dance, but who knows?  I may talk about my three year stint with salsa dancing on the Jasmin platform!

You can sign up for FREE and get 15 FREE CREDITS!

 

I am also always open to suggestions on topics which you would like to have me cover.  Want more nutrition tips?  Beauty hacks?  Travel deals? Relaxation techniques?  On the go workouts?  You tell me, I’m open!

Black Friday Fitness Apparel Deals

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Every year, it seems that I am in need of new athletic shoes as well as new sports bras. My favorite time to shop for such items is on Black Friday, when some of the best deals are up for grabs. One thing I have noticed about Adidas sports bras is that they are well constructed, and don’t lose shape over time. So I am always on the lookout for their sports bras during the big Black Friday sales. I also love their athletic shoes, which are comfortable, offer great support, and also feature really attractive styling.

I remember hitting a Black Friday sale at a department store and scoring a pair of Adidas running shoes which sported an original price tag of $139, but I paid only $59 after the Black Friday blowout deal was stacked on top of the regular sale price. That was enough to motivate me to shop for athletic gear on Black Friday whenever possible. However, because my schedule has become increasingly more hectic in recent years, it can be challenging to figure out where the best Adidas deals (and deals for other major sportswear brands too) could be found.

Dr. Stacey Naito

Well, it’s like Slickdeals read my mind, because I can visit their site and find a whole slew of locations which sell Adidas apparel at steep discounts during Black Friday. How cool is that? Slickdeals has a full staff of editors who do all the work for you, sifting through all the deals which are available on post-Turkey day. The site will also provide coupon codes and links for coupons which yield even greater discounts on Black Friday. Some Adidas stores will often offer a storewide 50% discount, so if you prefer to hit those stores, you can find them on the Slickdeals site. Other stores will accept coupons which offer up to 50% off merchandise, making a shopping trek well worth the effort. Another deal which you might find is one in which you get deeper discounts with larger purchases. For example, you can save $20 if you spend $100 (20% discount), but you save $100 when you spend $300 (33% discount).

I bet you’re wondering what I’m talking about, so check out this link to see why I am so excited about Black Friday this year:

https://slickdeals.net/coupons/adidas/black-friday-deals/

If you don’t want to visit a brick and mortar store, you can find plenty of great online deals for Adidas and other major sportswear brands while cruising through the Slickdeals website. Another wonderful feature on the Slickdeals site is that you can read reviews by Slickdeals community members to really help you navigate through the information and select the best deals. So if you’re serious about getting the best deals on apparel from major sportswear brands like Adidas, I honestly think the best strategy is to peruse the Slickdeals site before Thanksgiving. This way, you can gather information on the Adidas deals which interest you the most, then map out the stores or websites which you plan to visit on that day.

Looks like I might be mapping out a strategy with the help of Slickdeals to get the best deals on Adidas athletic shoes and sports bras for this year’s Black Friday frenzy!

Bohemian Vibes

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Copyright : Elina Zolotareva

I love the fact that bohemian, or boho, culture has blossomed as much as it has over the past few years. Bohemian fashion is creative, ethnically diverse and eclectic, not to mention loose and comfortable, and the social undercurrent of people who subscribe to bohemian culture is similarly diverse. Boho chic has brought back the hippie culture which had emerged during the early to mid-1960’s. The influence of hippies became so ingrained in our culture by the mid-1970’s that longer hair and colorful clothing from other countries was accepted as a new norm. Then with the Reagan era, a new conservatism swept the globe which remained for many years. Only in the past several years has the boho trend asserted itself once again.

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Bohemian culture strives to break conventional norms, and to express a unique style. It appeals to artists, musicians, and anyone who is passionate about having essential freedom. Bohemians also strive to establish harmony with the environment, and often will participate in movements which are designed to save the planet. Think of events like Burning ManBurning ManBurning Man and Coachella, both of which capture the hippie free spirit vibe perfectly. Fashion-wise, the bohemian vibe allows people to mix and match different styles and colors on a whim to create a look which is truly unique.

So how do you put together a bohemian look? Just remember that a key feature of bohemian style is to mix textures, add accessories like jewelry, hats, or scarves, and to look and feel comfortable in whatever you choose to wear. Think of cozy fabrics like cotton, wool, denim, leather, and suede. Crochet and knit items, as well as some lace items, add a romantic flair and soften a look even further. Just make sure you don’t go overboard, or else you may end up looking like a thrift-store maven.

Boho chic tattoo design. Golden crescent moon and sun with elements of the mandala – astrology, alchemy and magic symbol.
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Copyright : Yulia SELINA

Cool Your Tatas

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I just heard about an odd, yet very appealing product which is sold by Polar Products, a company which specializes in body cooling and hot and cold therapy. Under the section entitled “Women’s Health”, among all the cooling vests, scarves, etc., are Bra Coolers. These nifty cotton pockets house small cold packs which can be placed on the underside of each breast inside your bra to keep your girls cool. This would be especially delightful for larger chested ladies who often have overhang issues, which can be pretty uncomfortable in hot weather.

I think I need these for my next trip to Thailand!

Click on this link to check it out:

https://www.polarproducts.com/polarshop/pc/Pair-of-Cool58-Bra-Coolers-p258.htm

Knit Knack

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There was something about knitting that always appealed to me as a child.  I was enchanted by women who were in the midst of knitting something, and would watch them as they wielded their handiwork on a skein of yarn.   By the time I was eight years old, I was dead set on learning the art of knitting, and since my mother did not know how to knit, I ended up going to the library and borrowing a book on knitting.  I then asked my mom to take me to the local hobby shop, where I purchased three skeins of acrylic yarn: one pale yellow, one ivory, and one navy blue.
I remember studying the illustrations which accompanied the instructions for casting on stitches, knitting, and purling, and I caught on quickly.  And since I was reading a book with right-handed instructions, I learned to knit right-handed even though I am left-hand dominant with crocheting, writing, drawing, painting and eating.  To this day, I knit right-handed.
When I was in my teens and 20’s, I knitted scarves, afghans and a sweater which I proudly wore until the oppressively hot 100% acrylic yarn made wearing it next to impossible.  I didn’t pick up knitting needles again until February of this year.  For whatever reason, I suddenly missed the meditative, repetitive motion of knitting, and decided to tackle a project.  I purchased yarn and circular knitting needles, downloaded a knitting pattern for a cardigan sweater, and started knitting.
I had my heart set on a long sweater duster, so I extended the lower body pattern to accommodate the longer length.  I used the exact brand and weight of yarn which was used in the pattern, but because the extra length was so heavy, the panel stretched out so much that it looked warped.  My hopes dashed for a long sweater coat, I stared at the panel, trying to figure out how I was going to salvage it.  Was I going to use it as a throw blanket?  No, it was slightly too small for that.  I draped the panel over my shoulders and toyed with the idea of a poncho, when I came up with an idea.  What if I fashioned the corners into sleeves?  I began pinning and measuring, and once I figured out a design, I sewed up the panel, creating sort of a kimono sleeve coat.
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What do you guys think?

Which Chrissy’s Socks Am I Wearing?

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Thigh high boots are part of my signature style…so are thigh high socks!

My friends know that I am obsessed with thigh high boots, but they might not know how much I enjoy wearing different thigh high socks underneath my boots. There is a wild streak in me that gravitates towards fun designs like the ones that Chrissy’s Socks offers, and the best part is that it’s my way of having fun with my personal style. When I’m home, I really enjoy walking around the house in leggings and fun knee high or thigh high socks.

Can you guess which pair of Chrissy’s Socks I might be wearing here?

Which style of Chrissy’s Socks am I wearing here?

Here are the thigh high sock styles which Chrissy’s Socks offers:

https://www.kneehighsocks.org/products/Thigh-High.html#.XLE8gPZFzVI

A great pair of socks will stay in place, feel great against the skin, and with thigh high boots, help to keep the boots in place so that they don’t slouch or bunch up. Chrissy’s Socks deliver on all counts!

Check out all of their amazing styles by accessing this link:
https://www.kneehighsocks.org

A Princess Dream Come True

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Our court from 1991. I am second from left on the bottom row. This was taken about a month before our Nisei Week Pageant and Queen selection.

Over two decades ago, my first seemingly dreamy and unattainable goal was to be involved in a yearly Japanese-American festival in Los Angeles known as Nisei Week, which was established back in 1934.  Aside from a period of seven years between 1942 and 1948, during which World War II raged and carried a solid and jarring impact on the Japanese-American community, the Nisei Week festival has continued to run throughout the decades.

As a child, I remember seeing the Nisei Week Queen and court each year, and it became a dream of mine to be selected as a court member when I got older. However, I got sidetracked by life and didn’t bother to enter the  competition for the local queen selection until the year I turned 25.  I was stunned when I was chosen as the Queen of my community center (the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center, or SFVJACC) for that year.

Once I was selected, I spent the next three months in regular meetings with the queens from the other eight participating communities, meetings in which we would practice all the routines for the beauty pageant which would mark the beginning of that year’s Nisei Week. We competed in that pageant for over 1,000 audience members in a 3 hour event, and though I didn’t win the Nisei Week Queen title, I was happy with being a Nisei Week Princess. We rode on floats, visited businesses, and fostered good will throughout the Japanese-American community.

August 16, 2015: Nisei Week Queen and Court on the float of Nisei Week Japanese Festival Parade at Little Tokyo in Downtown Los Angeles.

When we were on stage, on parade floats, and on visitations, we would wear our sashes, a definite marker which identified us all as queen and court.  On some occasions, we would wear our crowns, and were either clad in matching dresses, or in kimono.

Queen?  Princess?  I guess so, at least in pageant terms!