Does Money REALLY Talk?

Ok, I went to a Fashion Mall on a Saturday to shop, then meet friends and hubby for dinner later at our favorite restaurant. I had on one of my favorite white Chanel suits, Christian Louboutin shoes and a Christian Louboutin handbag. 
No big deal. 
I was on a mission to shop, look and see what the new fashions are for today and for the upcoming  Summer Season (I have a HUGE  June wedding to attend and several gala events and need to find the perfect outfit for each)  so I brought along my bright pink camera and took off. 
I strolled into MAC Cosmetics, Bebe, several small boutiques and lastly Saks 5th Avenue. (I even saw two adorable YouTube subscribers and had my camera rolling for most of it.)
I touched the Gucci bags, the Chanel suits and jewelry,  I saw a dog. I was treated well and even complimented by Sales Assistants galore. Department heads spoke to me and said a cheery "Hello" everywhere I went. It was a fun happy day. My little flip cam only has an hour memory so I filmed and then seriously shopped but when the memory and the cash ran out, I left. 
No big deal.
A week later after editing and time allowed, I posted the video as so many of my lovely subscribers enjoy "window shopping" as much as I do. 
In the comment section of my video I was told many times... 
"They were nice to you because money talks and you were dressed up."
Could that be true? Does looking and acting like you have MONEY make that big of a difference? Do retailers treat you differently if you are in designer clothes than if you are   wearing jeans and a sweatshirt? Surely NO!
I told my husband that I was going to conduct an experiment and see if that could possibly be true. I set out to do just that.
I first did my hair and makeup as I normally would. Wore a Chanel skirt, Boston Proper Blazer and Red lizard Christian Louboutin shoes and carried a Prada handbag. 
I set out for the local mall 20 minutes away.
I strolled into Macy's like I owned the place with my little bright pink camera at arms length as I had done the week prior. I spoke to every sales clerk I could find.  I was not shopping, I was experimenting.  I practically shoved the camera into their faces, not to skew the experiment but to make it as obvious as possible that I was filming and to say 
"Hey, look at me!" Everyone was friendly, helpful, and again, very complimentary. I went into The Gap, Kohl's, even a high end jewelry store and all were so pleasant and gushed their sweet "hellos"to me.
I saw two male security guards on Segways who waved at me and said a flirty "Hi There."
I spent a good hour or more at the mall without incident. 
I drove back home.
I tousled my hair and changed my clothes into cut off sweat pants and a matching sweatshirt. White Walmart ballet flats covered my toes.  Back to the mall I drove, bright pink camera in tow.
I first went into JC Penny. I saw a friend. 
I was said hello to but nothing was said good or bad. Next I ventured out further. Would I be rejected? Surely not!
It all went so wrong very soon. 
I was told to stop filming and no cameras by each and every  store I walked in to. What? I was just there an hour prior and was allowed to film and was treated so nicely. 
What the hell happened? 
In most stores, I was kicked out almost as soon as I entered. I was shocked and felt like a criminal! Store after store I was told to turn off the camera and asked to leave. (I  really didn't look THAT bad, did I?) Some were rude about it. Some were not but I got the message. Did I really look like a thug out casing the place with my bright pink camera?
The last store I entered, same response. No Pictures! 
I left quietly. Rejection isn't fun let me tell you. My fabulousness was fading FAST and it all left me with a sad feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I kept walking and was about to enter the Kohl's Department Store I had been in earlier when I was dressed up.....
I passed a security guard. His face told the story. He looked at me like I had a BOMB!
I didn't. I was only armed in bad clothes and a camera.
Do I hear SIRENS????
OMG.
Sirens wailing and my camera rolling, I was converged upon not by ONE but SEVEN security guards and told to hand over my camera. 
I was questioned. They took my name and phone number.
I tried to explain. I was conducting an experiment. 
Not listening.... 
I told these officers of the law that I have a YouTube channel and was just doing a test to see if Money Talks.
Not winning....
They told me to delete my film and footage.
I did for some but not all. (Too bad I had to delete the parts where I was questioned by them) Priceless.
Luckily there was one female officer. When I explained myself for the 3rd time, her eyes locked with mine and she said... "Ok, I get it. I see what she was doing." 
I wasn't arrested or given a citation. I was given a Code of Conduct brochure and told to leave the mall.
I did just that in my Victorias Secret sweatpants and shirt and Walmart shoes.  I have never felt so ugly and beat down as I did at that moment.  
I was the Jeffery Dahmer of the mall.
I called my husband who was mad.
I called my daughter in law who was sympathetic. 
I actually felt depressed about the entire ordeal. ( I am never depressed or down)
My little "experiment" told the story. 
How many young mothers go the mall or out for the day that do not have the TIME to dress up?  It wasn't fun to be treated that way. Granted, I was wrong filming but what happened to all the love I was given when I was dressed up and filming? Huh?
To be honest, I feel mad and disgusted. 
Money does talk and it's just WRONG what it says. Shut Up Money... You're Lame.


Now, where's my bright pink camera? 
Watch the video complete with sirens on YouTube here:
http://youtu.be/TU0nh7awjPs



Famous Quotes about money:




~ I like my money where I can see it... Hanging in my closet.  -- Carrie Bradshaw
~ Ever wonder about those people who spend $2 apiece on those little bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backward. — George Carlin
~ Someone stole all my credit cards, but I won’t be reporting it. The thief spends less than my wife did. — Henny Youngman
~ No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he’d only had good intentions. He had money, too. — Margaret Thatcher
~ I finally know what distinguishes man from other beasts: financial worries. — Jules Renard
~ Don’t marry for money. You can borrow it cheaper. — Scottish proverb
~ Money can’t buy happiness; it can, however, rent it. — Author unknown

Christian Louboutin's ~ REAL vs FAKE

Ok, I am called the Shoe Queen and I will wear that title proudly and with good honor. 




 So, here's the story. 
I got a FABULOUS pair of Christian Louboutin's from my adoring and smart husband for Christmas. After many requests on my YouTube Channel, I did a Christmas Haul video showing my lovely treasures. 
One item was a much coveted pair of Christian Louboutin's. 
(I had seen these on Housewives of Orange County and hinted like a madwoman what I wanted. Size, color, store, EVERYTHING)
Anyway, I had one of my wonderful subscribers message me to tell me they were FAKE? 
Ha! 

No Way! I saw a quickie trip to Reno Nevada for a divorce in my near future.... 
He would never buy me a fake. 
Or Would he? Whaaaaaaah.
I had the receipt, the original box, the sleeper bag, and the shoes so off to Saks I went with my questionable shoes. Well, guess what? They WERE Fakes but my dear hubby was off the hook because even the store had been duped.  
This is how they do it....
Seems a very conniving person buys a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. They take the new shoes and the receipt out of the store. 
No problems... Yet. 
Then, in the meantime they have purchased a replica of the same shoe usually made in China or who knows where. They then take the FAKE shoes and the REAL receipt, box etc. into the store and exchange for the REAL shoes. 
Some poor sucker like ME ends up with the FAKES and the criminal ends up with a 
"Two for One" pair of Christian Louboutin Shoes.  Holiday time is notorious for these swindlers to get away with their creepy crimes.
This is NOT something I would try if I were you. 
A quick trip to sit in the slammer with Lindsay Lohan? No Thanks! (Sorry LiLo)
(No matter how good Christian Louboutin shoes look, they can't make Prison Orange look Sexy or Stylish!)
Sak's 5th Avenue was so wonderful in taking back my FAKES and since they didn't have the coveted REAL shoes in my size, I got my money back and purchased the YoYo's instead. Sad but relieved. Imagine some poor soul that didn't have sharp, educated, YouTube Subscribers like I do? They would be walking around with inferior shoes and never know the difference except....
Here are the differences:
Yes, I stooped so low as to pay $97 for a FAKE pair to see and tell you the differences I could spot.

1st) The red sole is so dull and not nearly as vibrant as the REAL red sole created by Mr. Louboutin. He came up with this signature red sole when he was working in Paris and would see the Prostitutes working their beat on Montmartre and Pigalle Streets in the Meat Packing District, Paris. 
At the end of the night, the soles of their hooker heels would be bright red from walking thru the blood.
Ugh. My Lunch just lurched.
Oh well now that I've made us both ill... I love his shoes but hate the FAKES.
2nd) The flap in the seam in the back. Can you tell the FAKE? 
Which of These is Not Like The Others?

Look at the really poor quality workmanship on the FAKES.

See the ripples and bumps?

These have more lumps and bumps than my Cellulite Encrusted Butt!

Oh, Sorry. Too Graphic.

Lastly, and I can't show you a picture of this, is how they FEEL.

 They FEEL Horrible! 

So hard and unforgiving. Kind of like the Nuns in my School when I was naughty but we won't go there....

Very uncomfortable.

Just put them on your feet and you can FEEL the FAKE!

I guess the old adage holds true. 

"You Get What You Pay For."

Christian Louboutin's. Are They Worth It?

I am asked this question often...

Are Christian Louboutin's worth the hefty Price Tag?

"Loob's" as I like to call them can run from $295.00 all the way up to the highest end of $1,200.00 so that is such a legit question. (ShopStyle.com does have amazing sales thru out the year tho. So does Barney's New York)

So, my classic answer is this. 
If you can afford it, Why Not!

If you can't afford it.  No! 

But... I will save my pennies to possess these shoes whenever I can. I will skip StarBucks for months, halt buying pricey cosmetics, or pack a lunch instead of hitting the high end lunch counters wherever my travels have taken me just to get that thrill of the purchase.  (PB&J's won't kill you and it can help to slim the waistline:) Ha!

Once that has been accomplished, The hunt is on and the thrill is SO worth a years supply of Carmel Macchiatos to own these gorgeous shoes.  
Is the quality worth the price?

You Betcha!  I have approx.  20 pairs of Louboutin's and each one is still in great wearable eye-catching condition after years of running thru airports, meetings, dinners and functions. My life is Busy!

I need my shoes to be able to keep up the pace.

Is there an age too young or too old to wear Loob's? 
No!   If you can walk in them, you can wear them! I must admit, some of my Loob's are way too high for what I need to wear them for. Get the shorter heel heights. I find that 3.5" - 4" heels are perfect. 

Over 4" heel heights and up and my walk just isn't pretty.  I have taken some styles of my Loob's to my local shoe repairman and he shaves off a good 1/4" and Viola'. Perfection!

Sizes. Oh, here it gets tricky. Loobs run small. Suede styles run very small. I wear a solid size US 7. Usually, in a Loob that equates to a size 38. Some styles require a jump to 38.5 which is the equivalent of a size 7.5 US. On pumps, don't go too big or you will walk right out of them. I have used heel grips in this case. Works like a charm.

So, now let's talk about my favorite subject. Christian Louboutin STYLES!

I love the T-Strap styles. So elegant yet sexy. Practical yet High End. Wear them with jeans or style them up with a Chanel Suit.

Next are Classic Pumps such as the Ambrosina's. Gorgeous Sheer Satin. Elegant 1" Platform sole. 5" Heel Height.

These I have worn almost into the ground! Poor babies have been with me Forever! Funerals, Meetings, Romantic Dinners with my best friend~ 
My Husband. 

The front end of the signature red soles wear off (no one sees that unless you are kneeling in church) but as you walk away, that underneath RED just SCREAMS. 
Hey! Look at me! 

Why do you think Carrie in "Sex in the City" wore these beautiful darlins'? 

Class, elegance, confidence, distinction.

More Later... I have a flight to catch. 

Off to NYC and you can bet that while there that I will be trolling Sak's or Barney's!