Even though we’d rather camp out at the beach and enjoy every last minute of the summer sun, fall is fast approaching. Luckily for fashionistas the world over, there’s plenty of fall fashion to look forward to (hello, boots and blazers!), even if we’re not huge fans of the cooler weather to come.

To celebrate the unofficial last week of summer before Labor Day hits, and it’s no longer kosher to wear white (though I hear breaking fashion rules is a new fashion rule…) we here at Style on a WHIM wanted to offer up a HUGE package to ONE reader that’s simply BURSTING with cool products we’ve had a chance to review over the past three sultry months!

Included in the package:

Berry Ball
Tt Collection teal t-shirt
Sunglass Warehouse oversized sunglasses
Absolutely Audrey shoe clips
Crochet Couture Necklace
OKA b. flip flops
KattFive Creations beaded hair tie
WHIMSY ring with Eastern Trading Murano glass bead
Rumba Time watches in light blue and white
Shondra Leigh Repeating Squares metal mesh cuff
Kushyfoot toe cushions
Kushyfoot lace foot covers
Strappys decorative bra straps

The total retail value of all the goodies is approximately $575!! You’re crazy if you don’t enter to win this great box of stylish summer fun!

Here are the rules:

1. MANDATORY COMMENT – Please visit the links above, then come back here and leave a comment below about which item is your fave. (1 entry) Please note: the Absolutely Audrey shoe clips haven’t been reviewed yet, but you can still comment about them — the link is to their website!

2. Subscribe to Style on a WHIM via our brand new Google Friends Connect option, 5 entries (please leave a separate comment for each of the five to let us know)

3. “Like” us on Facebook (5 entries, please leave a comment to let us know)

4. Follow us on Twitter (5 entries, please leave a comment to let us know)

Hurry!! The contest ends Sept. 15 — winner will be announced Sept. 16!!

Already a follower?  Just leave us a comment that you follow. Good Luck!

Also — don’t forget to enter the other Style on a WHIM contests that are running right now!
Shondra Leigh “lace” earrings contest (ends 9/8)
New Standard T-shirt contest (ends 9/3)

-Keri

Julia Roberts dons Ray-Ban aviators in Eat Pray Love. (web photo)

I went to see Eat Pray Love this weekend with a girlfriend, and I couldn’t help but notice all the fantastic sunglasses Julia Roberts wears as her character, Elizabeth Gilbert, as she travels to Italy, India and Bali. She dons more than one pair of Ray-Bans, which isn’t surprising — Ray-Bans are like the Rolls Royce of sunglasses. However, just like how not all of us can easily travel the world for a year, not all of us can afford a pair of Ray-Bans — but we still want the look for less!

Luckily, Sunglass Warehouse has frugal fashionistas covered! They have aviators, oversized styles, sport sunglasses, retro sunglasses, bedazzled sunglasses and more, so there’s basically no way you could not find a pair that you love. And you’ll love the prices even more!

All pairs are under $20, and shipping is free if you grab a couple that add up to $25+. They also offer same-day shipping for that last-minute gotta-hate-it pair of aviators that’ll match your vacation bikini perfectly! All sunglasses offer your precious eyes UVA/UVB protection.

The friendly folks at Sunglass Warehouse sent us these stylishly oversized shades for us to check out (first pair pictured) and we loved them so much that we asked to do a giveaway! So here are the details:

Win YOUR CHOICE of one pair of Sunglass Warehouse sunglasses. Retail: $8-$20

Contest ends 9/5. Winner will be announced 9/6.

To enter:

1. MANDATORY COMMENT on Style on a WHIM – Please visit Sunglass Warehouse and tell us which sunglasses you’d love to own. (1 entry)

2. Subscribe to Style on a WHIM via our brand new Google Friends Connect option, 5 entries (please leave a separate comment for each of the five to let us know)

3. “Like” us on Facebook, 3 entries (please leave a comment to let us know)

4. Follow us on Twitter, 3 entries (please leave a comment to let us know)

Already a follower?  Just leave us a comment that you follow.

(product photos used with permission)

-Keri

Never suffer through another bad hair day again? Sounds like a dream, but it’s now a reality with these gorgeous hair accessories from KattFive Creations. They are the perfect antidote to oversleeping… or those hectic Monday mornings!

Whether your style is romantic, vintage or classic, there are great accessories to save you from the agonies of a bad hair day.

KattFive offers embellished bobby pins to tame recalcitrant bangs, trendy floral pins to add a dash of whimsy or — my personal favorite — adorable beaded ponytail holders for a stunning, classic ponytail at the nape. And no one will guess you got ready in five minutes!

These pieces from KattFive are also incredibly affordable. Combs start at just $7.00, bobby pins at $5.00 and pony tail holders are an amazing $3.50!

Get the look for yourself with a full set of five KattFive’s unique, embelissed pony tail holders, Retail $17.50

Contest ends 8/31. To enter:

1. MANDATORY COMMENT – Please visit KattFive and tell us which other piece you’d love to own. (1 entry)

2. Subscribe to Style on a WHIM via our brand new Google Friends Connect option, 5 entries (please leave a separate comment for each of the five to let us know)

3. “Like” us on Facebook, 3 entries (please leave a comment to let us know)

4. Follow us on Twitter, 3 entries (please leave a comment to let us know)

Already a follower?  Just leave us a comment that you follow.

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition toStyle on a WHIM Susan also writes for It’s how you play the game! , Success Won’t Wait! and Susan Said What?!

I’m sure if you’re an avid reader of Style on a WHIM, you’ve noticed that I get excited about fashion pretty easily…well it’s hard not to when I hear about companies like ShoeDazzle!

For $39.95 per month, the celebrity stylists from ShoeDazzle will select FIVE shoe, handbag and jewelry options for you to choose from, and they’ll send your #1 pick to you, at no additional shipping cost. Got your attention yet?

Let’s run over this again…you fill out a “Style Profile” that takes just a few minutes to complete. This helps the ShoeDazzle stylists get to know your style, your likes and dislikes. Then, they pick out FIVE hot shoe, handbag and jewelry looks for you every month. You choose which one you can’t live without, and it’s sent right to your door!

Say, for instance, money is tight one month — no problem — you’re given the option to “opt out” of a month’s selection with the click of a button, and you won’t be charged! As if that’s not cool enough, the website says, “You can even ask for new options if nothing in your showroom strikes you. Our stylists will gladly tailor you a second collection at your request.”

And in case you’re wondering who these mystery “celebrity stylists” are, simply head to the website and learn more about them. The first stylist listed is Kim Kardashian…

Need I say more?

Miss Kardashian is a style icon, and she is the chief fashion stylist and co-founder of ShoeDazzle. She has final say in which shoes make it to the computer screens of members. Amazing! So you could even convince yourself that she’s your own personal stylist if you like! And I don’t mean to say that the rest of the stylists aren’t just as fantastic as well — they all have a TON of fashion experience in styling celebs. I did the Style Profile quiz just now, and it really is quick and easy — I breezed through it in just a few short minutes.

Right away, it showed me 10 options that I could choose from right away for a one-time offer of 50% off! Then I got an email that said their “Hollywood stylists will create your personalized selection of shoes, handbags and jewelry you’ll love and look gorgeous in.” I’m anxious to see what they’ll come up with for me!

P.S. “Like” their Facebook page and see photos of other members in their ShoeDazzle picks!
(all photos used with permission, from ShoeDazzle.com)

-Keri

In college, I was the one who arrived to class too early because I didn’t want to be aimlessly wandering the rows of desks, trying to find a place to sit (yea, I was kind of a nerd) — at least until my fourth year, when senioritis kicked in. After that, I’d rush in at the last minute with most of my other senior classmates.

Maybe I would have actually been on time that year if I’d hadone of these neat Rumba Time watches — they’re stretchy and squishy and only $20 each! The time is displayed on two lines, which makes you do a bit of a double-take when you first look at them, but they’re easy to operate (two little buttons on the back that you press with a pen tip to set the time, date, etc.) and they’re small and sleek enough to stack up your wrists.

They come in 14 different colors, including Glow-in-the-Dark (I’m having flashbacks of those little stars I used to stick on my ceiling when I was a kid). They’re super light and comfortable on your wrist — I wore mine all day, and they didn’t even bother me while I was typing.

These look best layered (see photo) with other bracelets and stacked with other watches to create an urban chic look that’ll guarantee you’re always on-time, whether you’re headed to class, to a student art exhibit opening or to lunch in the cafeteria with great friends.

They’re available on Ehvonnae.com, a rather new fashion website where Brittanie Yvonne, the founder of the site, hunts down unique finds for stylish women of all ages. Also available on the site is a variety of amazing jewelry, scarves and other accessories from companies I’ve never even heard of — but I’m glad I have now! I spent quite a bit of time clicking around the site, and I already made a mental wish list of several pieces I found that would be great additions to my jewelry box and my closet!

(photos used with permission)

-Keri

I don’t quite get why college students are always the ones considered indie music enthusiasts, but it’s not an entirely inaccurate stereotype. College students jam to their iPods on the way to class all the time — especially if there’s a long walk or bus ride involved. What better way to slowly ease yourself into the waking world, after staying up late to finish that crazy research paper the night before?

So when we received a pair of V-MODA Crossfade LP headphones, it seemed like a perfect fit for our Back to State U feature this week.

Opening the box was an experience in itself — I had to cut a short length of red ribbon to be able to flip up the lid, then I had to slip the “exoskeleton” case out of protective plastic and unzip it before I even laid eyes on the headphones. And they’re sexy! Suddenly, I had visions of myself in a DJ booth, scratchin’ on some records in the club with these things on my head. (What can I say? I’m a daydreamer.) Speaking of my head…it’s been years since I’ve put on a pair of fancy, DJ-worthy headphones like these, and let me tell you — the last pair I tried on were stiff, uncomfortable, and frankly, squeezed the heck out of my head (and no, I don’t have a big one). But these…totally different story! I could barely feel them, not only because the padding in the ear cushions is super squishy — and well, made of memory foam, according to the information included in the package — but they’re really lightweight!

V-MODA worked with top musicians and DJs to create these stylish headphones, and they truly did their research. I won’t go into the complications of it, but they used patent-pending driver technology to produce rich, amazing sound — from high treble to deep bass. The rumbling bass was the first thing I noticed when testing them out because my meager earbud headphones lack in that department. The V-MODA headphones also come with a great detachable cable that features a remote control and hi-fi microphone, so you can easily answer phone calls, adjust the volume, and then get back to your sweet jams.

The Crossfade LP headphones are currently available for $249.99 through Apple, Apple.com and at shop.vmoda.com, which might be a little pricey for you to drop the cash on yourself — but at least you know what to ask the parents for on Christmas Break!

-Keri

As my family prepares for the departure of our oldest daughter for college in just a few days, the shopping frenzy has reached a fevered pitch! At the top of the list is a brand new laptop – a definite necessity for taking notes in lecture halls, writing term papers and of course, emailing mom from time to time!

My super stylish daughter is not one to toss a laptop in an ordinary backpack and go, so we found the perfect accessory for toting that shiny new computer – a Carolina Pad laptop tote!

I was already familiar with Carolina Pad products – paper clips, notepads, and fun accessories. But I was thrilled to find out that the firm also offers a full range of totes, laptop sleeves and more.

The Simply Chic Laptop Tote, pictured, was instantly our top choice. Shown here in a trendy black, white and pink combo, this style is also available in black and white with green accents.

The tote is incredibly sturdy (we’ve got to protect that investment, after all) and has a zippered closure for safety. It’s also well padded — just in case!

Plus, it makes carrying a laptop to class or the library extremely convenient. It has a detachable shoulder strap and is roomy enough to hold up to a 15.4″ laptop. Retail just $27.99

Carolina Pad products are available just about everywhere – from Target, to Walgreens, to Walmart. For a complete list of stores, visit Carolina Pad.

Easier yet, you can order your laptop tote online at Carolina Pad. And, you’ll find that there are a myriad of stylish, coordinating products that every fashionable college simply must have! From binders, to storage boxes and even paperclips, the Simply Chic product line is adorable.

This Carolina Pad tote is so stylish, I’d like one for myself, too. Why should college students have all the fun?!

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition toStyle on a WHIM Susan also writes for It’s how you play the game! ,Success Won’t Wait! and Susan Said What?!

It seems that every newspaper I open and every television commercial I see lately is touting “back to school” necessities. Not sure about you, but I’m just not ready for back to school yet!

Although I hate to say goodbye to summer, I know I need to at least get started. And this year, back to school for our family means sending our oldest off to – gasp – college. Along with extra long dorm sheets, a coffee maker and a dozen blue books, my daughter needs what every girls needs. Shoes!

Not any shoes will do, however. She has very definite tastes and preferences, so one way we can always agree is to head to Payless Shoe Source. She gets the style she craves and I get a price that I can live with!

Since the University of Delaware has a sprawling campus, she’ll need lots of flats. Stylish, but practical, our top three choices are flats that would be perfect with a short skirt, long skirt, capris, jeans … really just about anything.

First, we both adore the Audrey Knot Flat. This is a fabulous little flat from American Eagle that has a bold, knotted detail. American Eagle flats are really comfortable and have a round toe and padded insole. Pictured here in a soft dove grey the Audrey Knot Flat is also available in black. Regularly $19.99, these are now on sale for only $12.99!

Next, we agreed that the Bloom Flat is the cutest shoe we’ve seen in a long while. This is another flat from American Eagle and features a soft jersey upper and a whimsical fabric flower detail. These are super lightweight and have a flexible outsole — perfect for walking to class. In addition to the choice of black, pictured, the Bloom Flat is also available in lilac. The Bloom Flat is now on sale for only $12.99 (regularly $19.99), so we might just have to pick up both colors!

Finally, the Brice flat is is a slightly dressier flat for sorority mixers and other campus events. This spunky plaid flat by American Eagle has a sturdy canvas upper and a cute strap detail. The Brice flat is available is the purple and blue pattern pictured, and would make the perfect pair of shoes for the transition from summer to fall. Retail $19.99

With so many choices, she might need a bigger closet!

Are you a Payless fan? Now you can win a trip for two to New York City and an All Fashion Pass for a runway show and a personalized tour of Christian Siriano’s design studio in the VIP in NYC Sweepstakes courtesy of Payless ShoeSource.

Enter Once. Some restrictions apply. US only (void AK, HI) 18+. Contest ends 8/15/10, so enter today!

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition toStyle on a WHIM Susan also writes for It’s how you play the game! ,Success Won’t Wait! and Susan Said What?!

Photos courtesy of Payless Shoe Source.

I’m on my way out the door for a weekend of fun in the sun, but I couldn’t leave without letting you all know about a truly fantastic sale!

Through this weekend, you can get 40% OFF any Butler Bag for you, your friends, and family.  Plus, order 2 bags and get FREE SHIPPING, as well.

Visit Butler Bag to see the latest styles that will help you stay organized (or at least try)! Have a great weekend!

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition toStyle on a WHIM Susan also writes for It’s how you play the game! , Success Won’t Wait! and Susan Said What?!