GIVEAWAY: ITALIAN VOGUE ALL-BLACK ISSUE

Want your own copy of this historic issue of Vogue Italia? It's still in the plastic wrap and features Sessilee Lopez on the cover.

You will not believe what I went through to get this. Let's just say it included a transglobal search involving friends in Dubai, Hong Kong, London and Milan. Why? Because I was straight arrogant; foolish enough to think that I would just be able to walk up to the newsstand in Grand Central (which I've been hounding since early July) to get one.

Boy, was I wrong. In the end, I was able to get a couple of copies--off the truck (literally)--from a distributor, who let me have them, as long as I threw in a few (many!) extra dollars for him. I'm a good capitalist...demand exceeds supply...he only had five copies left...yadda yadda yadda...But, there you have it.

Now, you can have your own, for free. Shoot me an e-mail at stylechil@gmail.com and tell me where the cover girl--Sessilee Lopez, featured above-- is from (hint: I lived in this city for 5 years). I'll pick a winner at random. Don't forget to include your shipping address and "Vogue Italia Giveaway" in the subject line of e-mail. Deadline is midnight [11:59 p.m.] Monday, July 28. Good luck! Stay tuned for a write up of this groundbreaking issue.

Update: The odds are looking better, another copy just came through from Milan. This one features Jourdan Dunn; sorry, it's not wrapped in plastic, but is otherwise in perfect form. Thanks, Nishant!

ONLINE SAMPLE SALES!!!

What: Rarechic
Why: Mike & Chris, Doucette Duvall, Katy Rodriguez, and more--up to 70% off.
Where: www.rarechic.com.

What: Satine
Why: Erin Fetherston, Lyell, and Mayle and more--80% off.
Where: www.satineboutique.com.

What: Dolce Vita
Why: mark downs on summer sandals.
Where: www.shopdolcevita.com.

What:Noisette

Why: Entire online inventory is hald off.
Where: www.noisettenyc.com.

What: La Garçonne
Why: Nab Alexander Wang, Vena Cava, Mischen, and more at 30-70% off.
Where: www.lagarconne.com.

What: Milk
Why: Elizabeth and James, Sea, and Sretsis at 50% off.
Where: www.shopatmilk.com.

What: Elizabeth Charles

Why: 50-75 % off Yeojin Bae, Alice McCall, and Karen Walker, mates.
Where: www.elizabeth-charles.com.

What: Mick Margo
Why: Gryson, Ports 1961, and Smythe are marked down 30-50%.
Where: www.mickmargo.com.

What: Auto
Why: Missoni towels, John Robshaw pillows, and other home goods.
Where: www.thisisauto.com.

What: Velocity
Why: Sleek home goods, all marked down.
Where: www.velocityartanddesign.com.

PRODUCT REVIEW: TARGET'S ORGANIC SHEA MOISTURE

Lo and behold, Target has developed organic bath and body products designed to address the unique skin care needs of African Americans (and other multicultural skin types)...and has sent me some. Is it because I write about Target so much? Could it be that they're thanking me for the attention? Probably not, but I'm appreciative of the products nonetheless.

My dad loves the SheaMoisture Shave System; my mom cannot get enough of the African Black Soap Facial Wash & Scrub, and my sister--who used the wash and scrub once--has proclaimed that there's a notable difference in her skin after just one use. Suspicious, but I'll take her word for it. I'm personally a fan of the Raw Shea Butter Soap...it's super concentrated--very creamy and leaves my skin feeling soft. Plus it smells delicious and did I mention that the products are all organic? The collection of Shea based proucts were unveiled this June. Get your own here! The products range in price from $1.99 to $19.99. Let me know what you think of them.

Special Thanks to Charell of UniWorld Group for the products and snazzy Target bag!

WEEKLY STYLE REVIEW

Check out these fashionable celebs! Some pics are not quite recent, but given that this is not really a "weekly", as the title suggests, I've reserved the right to include pictures taken between the last and current Weekly Style Review.

STYLESTAR: SHAMIKA LEE - L'OREAL WOMAN OF WORTH

I'm so pleased to spotlight friend, StyleChile reader, and NYC (and Miami) party road dawg extraodinaire, Shamika Lee, a recent Harvard Business School graduate who was chosen as a 2007 L'Oreal Paris Woman of Worth for her involvement with Graham Windham--she sits on the board. Check out Shamika's L'Oreal commercial and L'Oreal interview! Sham's love of button downs, discussed below, is apparent in both commercial and interview.

StyleChile: What are some of your favorite trends this season?

Shamika Lee I wish I were more up on fashion, but I don't really know all trends from one season to another, but some of the things I like are definitely dresses cinched with a cute colorful belt.

StyleChile: Any must have beauty products?
Shamika Lee: I am a huge mascara fanatic. My must have is the Cils Booster by L'Oreal, its an amazing primer/prepper that you put on before you put on mascara. It's just amazing! I usually follow up with L'Oreal L'extreme for evenings or L'oreal Telescopic (during the day). I tend to get compliments on this duo of Cils Booster + L'extreme. A few months ago I was at an event and the president of Maybelline admired my mascara, it felt pretty good because she DEFINITELY knows mascara.

StyleChile: If you could only keep one item in your closet right now what would it be?

Shamika Lee: It would be my favorite white button down shirt, it was tailor-made in Thailand and have since fallen in love with tailor-made shirts. It's extra long and can be worn with jeans or with a cute belt as a mini dress. I defnitely have an obsession with white button down shirts, I think they are so crisp and classic, a starched white shirt can go from work to afterwork. I love wearing white button shirts with jeans, its something I have loved since college (though i imagine i prob should update my style :))

StyleChile: Please tell us more about your organization and how we can get involved.

Shamika Lee: Graham Windham is a 200 year old non profit in NYC that focuses on underserved children. Our services include, a foster care/adoption agency, a boarding school for foster children, multiple day care centers through NYC, after school programs, and a host of other community based services that focus on children and families in NYC's most underserved areas. One easy way for folks to get involved is through the holiday gift drive which provides gifts to children who would otherwise go forgotten during the holiday season. Through a pairing process, volunteers can serve as "secret santas" to a child and help make the child's holiday season brighter. We also have multiple mentoring and tutoring opportunities available both in NYC and at our school in westchester.

PRODUCT REVIEW: MOTIONS MARULA NATURAL THERAPY

Motions has sent a few of their Marula Natural Therapy products, which are made with 100% Marula Oil straight from the heart of Africa!

The trio of products: strengthening moisturizer, treatment balm and hair and scalp oil combine to combat the damage caused by chemicals and constant styling...all without that oily buildup that weighs hair down.

"Harvested from the fruit of the mystical Marula tree, Marula Oil is rich in antioxidants, nutrients and amino acids, essential for the nourishment of healthy hair and scalp."

Initially, I had a difficult time with the pumps--nothing my dad wasn't able to correct. I was pleasantly surprised by the fragrance, it's a light citrusy pop which perfumes without being overwhelming.

For more information on Motions Marula Natural Therapy visit this site.

GIVEAWAY: DAY GLO NAILS

Are you loving this season's bright colored beauty trend? Check out a previous post with beauty suggestions here. The folks over at Nubar have sent over several bottles of their (toluene-formaldehyde-dibutyl phthalate- free) day glo nailpolish. Colors include hot red, hot pink, hot yellow, hot orange, lime green, hot blue and hot fuschia (pink, yellow and orange are featured to the left). Shoot me an e-mail at stylechil@gmail.com, subject line: "Nail Polish Giveaway", and the first 10 respondents will win a bottle. Please be sure to include a mailing address in your e-mail. Thanks to Lisa of Lisa Cocuzza PR for the polish. Stay tuned for additional giveaways!

Update: Thanks for the overwhelming response. The nail polish are all gone.

EXCUSES, EXCUSES...

It's been a while, I know...but I have really good reasons this time: (i) my laptop died (read: my cousin, Patrick, killed it), and (ii) I had surgery--on my wrist--on my right hand (and I am righty)-- a few weeks ago, and was in intolerable pain the weeks leading up to that. My doctor refused to give me more cortisone shots (because apparently, there's a cortisone shot quota--someone should tap my dermatologist on the shoulder and tell him that--he's unfamiliar with any such quotas) and while I thought I could brave it out and/or try all of the alternative medical recommendations that everyone suggessted (acupuncture, more yoga, etc.), and even tried to persuade him to give me more shots (and almost heeded the advice of others--to seek out other doctors to whom I could lie and simply pretend that I've never before received cortisone shots) I just couldn't. So....my tendonitis is just about gone (though my thumb is still, freakishly, numb), the pain is slowly, but surely, subsiding, and I'm going to suck it up and just buy a mac...

That's all to say that I'll be posting regularly (cough) soon. Thanks for your patience! Love you, mean it :)