Blogs

[#1]

For this week's PM Style blog I thought I would let you ask me questions and I would answer as many as I could. Brave - huh?!

Rita asked:

Shawn, would like to know how many siblings you have and also where did you meet Joe! Love to watch you!

I have an older brother who is married, has kids, and lives in Paris. And Joe and I met on Eharmony. Who would have thought?! I was so scared to online date...

My brother and me

Kimberly asked:

What self tanners do you use please ????? And are all your gorgeous shoes, does QVC carry them ty so much 

My fav and go-to self-tanner is St. Tropez dark It develops in one hour. I also love St Tropez's Pro spray device. Oh and the St. Tropez classic, heck, if it's St. Tropez, it's for me! 

As for shoes, it's so funny because I honestly used to hate shoes. I felt like I was betraying my gender by not loving and collecting and obsessing over them like most women do. And then when I started hosting PM Style and my Tuesday night shows where I needed to dress up more, my stylist friend got me hooked on shoes. Her trick for making a discount store dress look like a million bucks? Pair it with seriously designer heels. Some of the fancy ones I wear are from QVC ( Marc Fisher, GILI, and FFany Shoes on Sale for example)...but my husband knows as do my parents too that for birthdays/anniversaries/Christmas, I just want shoes. The "To Die For" / splurge / "dream of", ones. I save, cash in gift cards, and get them for those occasions. So my other favs mostly come from Neimans, like my current favorite pair which are Burberry, and another which are Givenchy. I figure I don't buy jewelry like some women, so shoes have become my "jewelry".

Amanda asked: 

Shawnie Sue,
Okay I will ask my question because several people suggested I ask it. What has helped you with your foot issues. You used to talk about your foot pain and foot issues a lot and now it seems like you are fine and you wear heels a lot! I know you say you take them off when you get off the air but obviously you are able to wear them when you are on air. What helped you to make it so your foot issues are more manageable? Whatever you can share with me about your foot issues and foot pain and what helped you to not be in pain anymore I would appreciate it so much. I know you say you wear your Vionics when you are off the air but what exactly are your foot issues and how did they get better? Thanks in advance for reading this long post. Didn't intend to ramble. 

Amanda you didn't ramble...and my feet are DEFINITELY not fine now. I should not be wearing heels, but at least I "can". I have some sort of "dead" cartiledge (sp?) situation in one of my toes, and arthritis. And it has caused some sort of scar tissue thing on my knee which they recommended scoping and I was like, "Yea not so much!!" I had a cortisone shot once in my knee, and as for my feet, my foot doctor gave me a steroid cream to rub on my achilles three times a day because the "sheath" surrounding my tendon is inflamed (from all the heels!) and he tells me to do 10 foot stretches before I get out of bed. I wear heels during my 3-hour shows and then immediately take them off. I don't mind admitting that for the whole day after sometimes my feet ache. And sometimes it's all I can do to get through my shift with the pair I have committed too. It's terrible to admit, but yes, my Vionic slippers are my home therapy to a habit that is way bad for me but I can't give up. I wear Vionic, and my custom orthotics in my sneakers, 24/7 when I am not on air. I hope that helps. I will say, splurging on really good heels is at least somewhat helpful because they are constructed better than cheap, poorly constructed heels. 

Kathleen asked:

How early are you at work before a show and how late do you stay after a show?

If I have meetings before I go on air, I come in about 7 hours before my shows. I go to the salon about 3 hours before I go on air. There is a ton of prep and meeting with guests.

Elyse asked:
Love the shoes you wear. ( Always )Would like to know the heel sandals you wore on the day you had the ombré cardigan with Obie belt on.

Oh dear, I would love to tell you but I need more info...what color were they and what did they look like??? I cant remember...I'm sorry!

Robbin asked:

What do you like the most about your job ?

Talking. Seriously. I love connecting with people. I always loved public speaking in college. Took a turn at acting a few times and realized while I loved an audience, I was wretched at pretending to be someone else. I think I'm best just being me (and even some days that goes awry!) I love to make people laugh, or to connect with their hearts in ways that cut past the bologna and the camera, and gets real. If that brings tears, comfort, it feels good. Like I helped a friend.

Lora asked:

You have mentioned your best friend lives in Gadsden, Alabama. I live within an hour of Gadsden. Just wondering how you became friends with someone from Alabama? Grow up together and she moved here? Did she grow up here and you met her at school? 

Yup. High school buddy. I've known her 25+ years. Jenny. I have about 6 gals from HS that are my blood, my soul, my family. I went to HS in Grosse Pointe Michigan. Jenny works for Honda down there.

me with my bff's

Sandra

Love your show, love your style, you always have wonderful products, do you pick the items?

It's a mix. I pick or "suggest" a lot of the items, my loves. But no, we also have planners that script items in our shows based on what you are loving during the day and what you are shopping for most. And then there are new items I haven't seen yet which are fun because anything new gets us all excited. Hosts work very closely with many categories in the company including our Buyers who are tasked with bringing in awesome brands and products for you.

Mary-Jo asked:

are your nails yours or acrylic? I know you said you were using Perfect Formula. Just curious. Thank you

I gave up gel tips several years ago. Too annoying and costly to keep up with the fill process every two weeks. Now I use Julep polish, or gel polish sometimes when I need my real nails to be extra long lasting. but no more fake tips. Their all mine! Highly recommend the Perfect Formula and or Juleps Oxygen treatment to get your real nails looking good and feeling strong. I save so much time and money now!

Beth asked:

Hey! I'm 76 and can't seem to decide what cosmetic brands to use for all the skin that id moving south. What would you recommend?

Miss Beth, regardless of age, I will tell you I LOVE It Cosmetics, Mally, and Laura Geller. Although I have my favorites across each color line, Mally makes the best highlighter I have found so far. My favorite foundations are 1.) Laura Gellar 'Double Take Baked" (debuting in May) 2. Algenist REVEAL serum foundation 3. Mally powder. I also love Doll10's rotating makeup brush, Laura's eyebrow marker, Tarte's Rainforest of the Sea aquacealer (I love Bare Minerals Summer Bisque concealer too). Eyeshadows - Mally and Tarte palettes are amazing. Mascara - IT SuperHero!!!!! And I love bronzer so IT has a "sculpted face" palette that is great, and Mally has a great bronzer contour palette too.

Oh shux, I'm worried I am forgetting someone or something. OH and IT brushes are awesome, I love MAC Cosmetics lipsticks (sorry QVC), Doll10 makes an awesome 'Buff' nude lip, and I only use gel eyeliner. Either IT, Bobbi brown, MAC.

I think I just rattled off a ridiculous amount of product favorites on you Beth. I'm sorry.
Also, why aren't there MORE narrow width shoes? It's such a problem!!!

I know. I have narrower feet but I can wear mediums. It's a real bugger. I will tell our footwear buyers that "Beth" needs some narrow shoe love.

Karen asked:

You do fashion shows, so why aren't you dressed in QVC shoes and fashions when on air?

Hi Karen…I do wear QVC shoes and or fashion during my fashion shows, but not everything I wear is QVC. I like to mix it up. Not everything I wear in my personal life comes from just one store or brand, so it would feel a little inauthentic to only wear head to toe QVC all the time. So I like to pick one or two items from my fashion shows that I really love or fit my sense of style, and rock those. I like to mix it up, show QVC brands with outside retail brands because I think that’s how a lot of folks dress. They don’t just shop at one store or within one brand. Plus its helpful when I wear thing from outside QVC to reinforce that a certain trend look or color is trending in fashion at large.

Barbara asked: 

Really want to know more about your Silver beads/ chain bracelet. Thanks 

My silver bead bracelet is from a jeweler in England called Wright & Teague. A gift from my mom many years ago. And my chain bracelet? Hmm I’m stumped, OH maybe you mean my oversize link bracelet with the locket charm? That's also Mom. A wedding gift from Tiffany’s. Moms are priceless.

Marsha asked:

Would you consider making a more NARROW, just teensy tiny bit, "Hear My Soul Speak" ring? My finger aren't long enough and I want one so bad. I have tried several different fingers, and I just can't bend my finger when it is on. Sigh…

Oh Marsha, I’m so sorry. we probably wouldn't replicate that ring in just a skinnier interpretation because the original it is based on is a cigar band ring. BUT I have designed a Hear My Soul Speak expansion bangle ala Alex and Ani (QVC’s version is Extraordinary Life brand) and it is a fabulous cross in sterling coming SOON!!!

Kimberley asked:

You had on what looked like stylish rain boots a few episodes ago. Where can I get some?

OHHH I did? Hmmm rain boots Eh? All I can think of is maybe you tuned in when I was selling Sloggers. Adores. Just sent my Bestie Laurie in Michigan a pair in Yellow for her bday.
 

Barbara asked:

why aren't there anymore FB chats?

Hi Barbara! Do you miss them? We weren’t sure if PM Style viewers really enjoyed and or loved them enough to keep them going and the manpower it took to keep them afloat was major. So we transitioned to Instagram since everybody seems to love sharing and posting photos. Thoughts?

Melanie said

Good question! Her FB fans loved those and they do bring more interaction to this page, if even not with Shawn but rather the person chatting.

Melanie and Barbara…I feel inspired. I should tell our team maybe to look back at bringing the FB chats back. I’m on it. Can't promise but I’m on it! I don’t disagree. (Don’t you love that expression? I do) 

Barbara said:

I made a lot of friends who are now fb peeps!

Awe NOW I”M DEFINITELY going to revisit this topic with my production team

Angelica asked:

Please tell me the brand and where you purchased your St. Patrick’s Day dress

Halston Heritage. I’m obsessed with HH. from Neimans.

Norma asked:

Shawn, I am looking for a wearable pair of platform sandals, not too low and not too high with comfortable inside and arch support. Can you suggest any to me?

OH Miss Norma. Here we go. Thats a little tough bc your platform and my platform may be different. I love a heel, 3-4”, but I don’t know if you mean lower…and if you mean wedge or not. Here would be my callouts for chic and comfort:

GILI A268087 - I OWN

GILI A254596 - SHOCKER, I OWN (OOPS SORRY, why am i typing in all caps)

Marc Fisher - a275899 - Love, but they don’t ship until 4/15

Azura by Spring Step A323190 - Too adorable

Spring Step L’Artiste a339589

Clarks a273590

Marc Fisher a264006 - OWN!

Marc Fisher a275898 - I am stalking these

Clarks a274767

Sole Society A265504

Marc fisher a274280

I hope that helps!

How old were you in that picture?

I was a news reporter in Albany NY doing a story in Orlando at Disney. I was probably about 28 or 29 yrs old. Good question!

Tracy asked:
Where did you get this dress?
Express!

Jennifer asked:

Love the picture - great memories of you and Ed in the mornings on WRGB. My question is how and when did you decide to leave news casting and how did you end up at QVC? Sending greetings from Schenectady - we love you on the Q!

I think from my earliest days I knew I wouldn’t last in news. I loved the idea of it, but I wasn’t investigative enough. I just wanted to write and tell the fun, entertaining, uplifting stories. After 9 / 11, it was hard to get jobs and assignments covering the feel good stuff since the world was hurting, changing, in crisis, I didn’t know who to be or what to do. I wanted to be Diane Sawyer or Katie Couric, but in reality, my soul was more Rachael Ray-meets Samantha Brown-meets Kelly Ripa. (Ok in my dreams of course In 2003 after a 3 year run at morning news anchoring for CBS in Orlando…my sister in law dared me to apply for NBC”s The Apprentice. The rest is history there. After the show, I left TV for about a year and missed it terribly so when I saw an ad online that QVC was hiring hosts, I fired up my camcorder and made a tape to apply. My friend Christine helped me, I lived in Chicago. I pretended to sell skincare…and I got a call the next day to fly in for an interview. 

That's all the room this blog will allow, BUT I have more answers to share ..... so stay tuned ..... and soon.

Shawn

x