Life has its ups and downs. But one thing you can almost always count on: your girlfriends. If you’re fortunate enough to have one or two “sisters”, by all means celebrate. Whether it’s a villa in Cabo San Lucas, a suite in Miami, Vegas or New York, or the back porch of your momma’s house, a girls’ trip is our favorite way to get away.

A relaxing getaway with the girls on Figure Eight Island, North Carolina

The most memorable aspect of the gathering isn’t necessarily the locale. Beautiful scenery and exotic people are fabulous, but what we cherish most are the times spent laughing until we’re crying and crying until we’re laughing.

Everyone has a favorite brand of jeans. I absolutely love AG by Adriano Goldschmied. The Angel cut has the perfect amount of stretch and a low rise with a boot cut leg ($164 at agjeans). I pair mine with the Bucklette Clip-On and this cute tie dye tank by Marika Charles ($84 at Knit Wit).

For summer, white jeans and tie dye.

Stay tuned for more of our Lookbook Series where we’ll suggest ways to wear both the Bucklette Buckle and the Bucklette Clip-On. And if you’re rocking a Bucklette and would like to share, email a photo to info@bucklette.com. We may include it in our Lookbook on the Bucklette Blog.

I thought I’d seen all there was to see in Philly considering I’ve been here most of my life. But last Saturday, I did the Hidden City Bus Tour and discovered a few architectural gems that are definitely worth a visit.

The 3 hour jaunt aboard a big yellow school bus took us to only four of the nine sites participating in Hidden City Philadelphia: German Society of Pennsylvania, Founder’s Hall in Girard College, the Metropolitan Opera House and Shiloh Baptist Church (I visited two others by car on Sunday). Each site has its own interesting historical significance, and there are art installations or performances to enhance the experience.

Founder's Hall in Girard College. Installation by Steve Roden.

Shiloh Baptist Church, designed by Frank Furness. Artists: Steven Earl Weber and Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle.

The Metropolitan Opera House is deteriorating beyond belief - hard hat required.

Although a bit decaying, Disston Saw Works is still in business and a functioning factory.

Art installation, ledgers, artifacts, blueprints and exterior of Disston Saw Works.

All of the sites on the tour are open to the public (and free) until June 28th. The performances require tickets and are not free (see site for details). The Hidden City Bus Tour runs one more Saturday (6/13) with two runs - 11 am and 4 pm. Tickets are required so call 267.597.3808 or visit www.hiddencityphila.org for more info.

I’m an absolute sucker for a wedge. I love the height, and it’s the perfect heel if you walk a lot. But with so many to choose from, how do you pick? Right now I’m looking for something that works for a Saturday afternoon in the city, or margaritas with the girls. With a lightly padded insole and brushed paint design at the wedge, the Tinker black patent by Charles David (available at Zappos.com $103) is very cute. But then again, the Ginny black patent by Donald J Pliner with a microfiber hemp-wrapped heel works for me too (available at Zappos.com $217.80). Tell me, which one do you like?

Left: Tinker black patent, Charles David. Right: Ginny black patent, Donald J Pliner.

So sorry, but there was an error in the June issue of the Bucklette Scoop. The Company of Women event at Nectar is Wednesday, 6/10 (not 6/1). So sorry for the confusion!

Phillip Lim is hands-down my favorite designer. His collections tend to be simple, sculptural and classic, yet right on trend. Draping perfectly on the female form, his clothes simply flatter women. Here’s a little black number that I picked up at Nordstrom ($375) paired with the Bucklette Buckle and Belt. This cotton dress is so versatile, I’ve paired it with flip flops and gladiator sandals during the day, and heels at night.

Stay tuned for more of our Lookbook Series where we’ll suggest ways to wear both the Bucklette Buckle and the Bucklette Clip-On. And if you’re rocking a Bucklette and would like to share, email a photo to info@bucklette.com. We may include it in our Lookbook on the Bucklette Blog.

On Wednesday May 20, I had an opportunity to rub elbows with some pretty amazing people. And they happened to be Giants.

The Shaun O’Hara Foundation lent the strength of the New York Giants and one of the most prestigious golf courses in the world, Liberty National in Jersey City, NJ, to help fight Cystic Fibrosis. Each foursome was paired up with a current or past member of the NY Giants including many members of the Superbowl XLII championship team. The event and its sponsors helped to raise awareness and funds for the medical research efforts of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Shaun O'Hara's opening remarks before the shotgun start

Cystic fibrosis is currently the #1 genetic killer of children in the U.S., and as of today, there is no cure. Despite this frightening statistic, cystic fibrosis is considered an “orphan disease” by the government (meaning it affects less than 200,000 people) and receives very little federal funding for its research. Without daily treatments and numerous medications, children will gradually suffocate from this disease.

A few items up for auction

The event kicked off with lunch, and golf began at 1:00 pm with a shotgun start. A gourmet dinner and auction followed that evening. For more info, visit the the Shaun O’Hara Foundation web site or Facebook page.

With Suzette Levesque (left) and Jen Groover (right) during the afternoon festivities

Every January I edit and reorganize my wardrobe. And every April, I clean out the rest of my closets. I reduce, reuse and recycle, but I’m always amazed at what I accumulate in a year. The thought of some of those perfectly good items ending up in a landfill gives me shivers so I donate things to the Salvation Army and I do what every self-respecting entrepreneur does: I turn my castaways into cash! Here are a few ways you can do it too:

1. According to WikiAnswers.com, some days there are more than 10 million people on Ebay and I’ve had a lot of success with it. I’ve sold clothes, camera lenses, autographs (not mine of course), handbags, jewelry and bobbleheads (uh, I know – don’t ask). And my buyers have not only been in the US, but Canada, China and Thailand too. It’s easy to get started and the fees are minimal. The best advice I can give is to be honest and accurate with your descriptions, provide great photos and answer questions quickly. Shipping with USPS is really easy and you can get a delivery confirmation for less than $1. For more advice, check out Ebay’s Top 10 Selling Tips.

A few things I've sold on Ebay

2. Amazon.com is great for selling small electronics, DVDs, books you’ve read and videos you’ve watched. Setting up an account is free and I’ve found that you don’t even need to post an image – more than likely the info is already in their database. Compare with other sellers, determine your price, submit the condition and any comments, and forget about it. When it sells, you’ll get an email. Just be prepared to ship within two days.

3. Craigslist.org. What a great site. My friend sold the entire contents of her house on Craigslist and I use it all the time to unload stuff. It’s also great to find help when you need it. I just had a cedar veggie box made for my deck and found my carpenter there. I also found my intern, the metal smith who made the first Bucklette prototype and an artist who made a railing for me.

Railing and Cedar Veggie Box made by people I found on Craigslist

4. Back in 2003 I went from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom condo. I had a lot to get rid of and needed to do it in a timely manner. I had a yard sale and not only did I make a small fortune, but I got rid of almost everything. What little I had left went directly to the Salvation Army. Most towns require a permit and directional signage always helps. If you’re a city dweller, stoop sales are great too!

5. If you’ve got a hobby and like to make things like jewelry, cards or clothing, set up an Etsy shop. They take a small piece, but the site gets tons of traffic and setting up shop is easy.

Sell your wares on Etsy

Graphic prints in black and white are everywhere. W, Vogue, In Style and even Shape magazine are all showing fabulous frocks in the dynamic duo.

I absolutely loved the gorgeous abstract-plaid dress by Ports 1961 ($1,025) on page 162 in the May issue of Vogue. If your current budget doesn’t allow for that particular dress, I found one at Ann Taylor that was somewhat similar and very reasonably-priced. Kinda even reminded me of a Jackson Pollack painting. Accessorized with the Bucklette Buckle and Belt.

Stay tuned for more of our Lookbook Series where we’ll suggest ways to wear both the Bucklette Buckle and the Bucklette Clip-On. And if you’re rocking a Bucklette and would like to share, email a photo to info@bucklette.com. We may include it in our Lookbook on the Bucklette Blog.

When it comes to mothers, mine has always been omnipresent. She taught me how to ride a bike (look Ma, no hands), balance my checkbook (look Ma, no money) and make lemonade when I’ve been given lemons (look Ma, no problem). And she’s always there to cheer me on, offer support and encouragement when I’ve reached a crossroads or listen intently when I need to chat.

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10th. Order a Bucklette before Thursday, May 7th and get free shipping and a handmade card just for your Mom, inspired by mine. Order today!