Thisisu.com | The scoop on discounted designer clothes, online clothing sales and designer clothing sales

Hello FreshBooks!

Susanna — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:27:49 +0000

Welcome to Susanna’s Cover Letter!

When I saw the posting announcing that FreshBooks is looking for a Junior Copywriter, I asked myself a question: What can I do to set myself apart from other applicants?

It’s clear that FreshBooks is a modern company with a strong vision. It’s obvious that it is a no-nonsense organization that strives to make the lives of entrepreneurs and business owners easy. Keeping that in mind, I thought I would make your life easy by writing a short, accurate post that illustrates my abilities and succinctly communicates why I’m a great candidate for this position.

I’m a blogger/ PR professional.
I’ve contributed to several blogs.
I’m technically inclined. (taught myself SEO and HTML)
I have a degree in communications from York University and a post-graduate certificate in Corporate Communications and PR from Centennial College.
I have completed two internships. Both focused on communications and PR and I can provide positive references from both.
I understand (and love) branding. If you understand branding, you understand business.

Want to know more? Here is a brief history of my work and school life.

I'm Susanna. Nice to meet you!

A Brief History of Susanna’s Work/School Life

Susanna — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:23:55 +0000

March 2005 to July 2008

I worked at the Virgin Mobile Canada call centre as a customer care representative during my last years at York University.
It’s not bad, Virgin is a great company but I know I want more for myself. The world of social media and blogging is emerging and is very enticing to me.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party with Virgin Peeps. I have no idea why we're all looking to the left, lol.

February 2008 to September 2010

I received funding from the government of Ontario to start my own blog. The funding was provided through the Self Employment Benefits program.
The educational component of the program teaches me EVERYTHING about entrepreneurship, starting a business and the importance of having a strong business vision and work ethic.
I launched my own street fashion blog and contribute to other blogs in an effort to network and increase traffic to my blog. I even make a little money, mostly though affiliate sales.

A friend and I at the Betsey Johnson show in 2009. The height of my blogging days.

Street Fashion Pic- Bloor Street

Wanna see more street fashion pics?

September 2010 to April 2011

I go back to school!
I strengthen my skills and increase my earning potential by studying Corporate Communications and Public Relations. I graduate with honors!

Me and the Centennial CCPR class of 2011

As I said in my cover letter post, I’ve completed two PR internships. Both were amazing learning experiences! I did A LOT of work in both positions such as media monitoring, event planning and research but to keep this post short, I’ve listed responsibilities that directly relate to the junior copywriter position. If you require more info, please feel free to contact me. In fact, I would love it if you would contact me.

Internship # 1: Canadian Film Centre (CFC)

April 2011 to June 2011

Wrote press materials such as press releases, media advisories and media reports, usually under tight deadlines.
Edited documents. I was the fresh pair of eyes that caught missing words or incorrectly used words.
Learned to use the CFC’s content management system to upload photos and text.
Prepared website analysis report for Cineplex. This led to Cineplex’s continued sponsorship of the CFC.
Fielded inquiries from journalists and provided technical information and photos in a timely manner.
Co-ordinated the CFC’s Shorts Bus project. My media advisory led to a piece by Linda Barnard on Toronto.com.

Internship # 2: Rock-it Promotions

July 2011 to October 2011

Wrote and edited press releases, media advisories, blog posts and other communications documents.
Wrote blog posts for On the Fourth Floor and was assigned the responsibility of co-ordinating the blog on a weekly basis.
Prepared concise press reports for clients that included each media hit and equivalent advertising dollar values for each hit.
Co-ordinated product shipments to journalists and bloggers.

Additional Skills

Microsoft Office (Excellent knowledge of Excel, Word and Outlook)
CisionPoint
Adobe Photoshop and InDesign
Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn
SEO and Keyword research
Skilled with both PC and Mac
Google Keywords, Analytics, Alerts
WordPress, Blogger
Programmers Notepad
Basic HTML

Writing Samples

Here are links to some of my web writing samples. I also have some print writing samples and I would be happy to send you PDFs. Incidentally, my writing is what got me the most compliments at both my internships. I hope you enjoy them!

City Living: Swag Bags Do’s and Don’ts

Do Me A Solid: Night Moves Party

Petite on the Street

Motel clothing and Motel dresses! Motel clothing sale and Motel dress sale on now!

Susanna — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:36:46 +0000

Motel Clothing and Motel Dresses! Check out Karmaloop
for the hottest Motel clothing sale and Motel dress sale


The Gina Dress in Bright Turquoise Sale $53.95 $80.00 33% Off	The Blake Dress in Paisley Shell Sale $39.95 $60.00 33% Off	The Oversize Tee in Plain Shell Peace Sale $34.95 $60.00 42% Off

Motel clothing, especially Motel dresses are so hot! Motel dresses are some of the sexiest dresses ever and Motel clothing has such unique design structure that I can’t believe I didn’t know about the line sooner. You know one of my favourite things to do is creep clothing websites to find the best deals. I was checking out Karmaloop, which is one of the best in my opinion and I saw a Motel dress. The motel dress was red with black detailing on the shoulder and as soon as I saw it, I knew that I would be a fan of Motel dresses and Motel clothing for life.


The Estelle Dress in Green Spot Sale $46.95 $70.00 33% Off	The Beth Dress in Red Sale $53.95 $80.00 33% Off	The Adelina Dress in Red Sale $53.95 $80.00 33% Off

Unfortunately the Motel dress that I saw was not on sale but the Motel clothing sale at Karmaloop features lots of Motel dresses and Motel clothing that are on sale. Motel clothing, a line from the UK is full of vintage inspired Motel dresses that are chic and unique so I strongly suggest you take advantage of the Motel clothing sale if you like the line as much as I do. What I like about the Motel clothing line is that the designs are distinctive but each motel dress seems to have its own personality. It’s as if the pieces featured in the Motel clothing sale and Motel dress sale are one of-a-kind designs that were created with a specific person in mind.


The Adelina Dress in Black Sale $59.95 $90.00 33% Off	The Louise Sweater Dress in Navy and Berry Sale $69.95 $105.00 33% Off	The Beth Dress in Black Sale $53.95 $80.00 33% Off

Motel dresses have a youthful freshness but the line of motel clothing reminds me of the sophisticated party girl. Motel clothing seems to be perfect for the girl who wants to party but you won’t have to baby sit her at the end of the night. Motel clothing is for the girl with distinctive style who wants to stand out from the crowd. Motel clothing also consists of pants, sweaters and skirts (also on sale at Karmaloop) but I think the line of Motel dresses is the most impressive. Motel dresses make you want to dress up and go out to a nice lounge and sip wine all night. The pieces featured in the Motel clothing sale and Motel dress sale successfully blend modern style with fun and whimsy and the best thing about a Motel clothing sale is that you can find pieces that are versatile and wearable.


The Renne Dress in Plain Tomato Sale $40.95 $70.00 42% Off	The Laureen Dress in Shell Pink Sale $34.95 $60.00 42% Off	The Eliza Dress in Waterfall Shell Sale $40.95 $70.00 42% Off

The other thing that’s awesome about this particular Motel clothing sale and Motel dress sale is that the pieces featured are some of the brands coolest items. The Motel clothing sale at Karmaloop is full of amazing pieces so you don’t have to limit yourself. In fact the Motel clothing sale is so good that you may be able to grab some Motel clothing or Motel dresses at full price. Happy shopping! Hope you like them as much as I do.

Dereon Dresses! The Hottest Beyonce Dresses on Sale Now!

Susanna — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:57:14 +0000

Dereon Dresses and Beyonce Dresses: Hotter than poppin’ basement party with no AC

Dereon dresses and Beyonce dresses have that sexy look that is perfect for a steamy club night in the city. Dereon dresses are hot… What else can be said about a line that has me on its website almost every day looking for sales? Beyonce dresses really capture the stylish yet sultry look that youthful fashionistas love to rock.


Welcome To The Jungle Dress Original Price: $69.00 Sale Price: $37.49	Sweater Fierce Dress Original Price: $79.00 Sale Price:$41.24	Backstage Pass Dress Original Price: $69.00 Sale Price: $29.98

Dereon dresses are also really versatile. You can wear a Beyonce dress to a casual affair by day and simply change into that pair of heels you have in your trunk when you’re ready to head to the club. If you’re like me, you will also have a random pair of earrings in your purse that you can pair with your Dereon dress to complete the look.


Twisted Chic Dress Original Price: $69.00 Sale Price:$37.49	World Wide Woven Dress Original Price: $69.00 Sale Price: $29.98	Cali Polo Dress Original Price: $59.00 Sale Price: $26.23

House of Dereon dresses are perfect for when you’re going somewhere that is going to be hot and clubs usually are. Dereon dresses and Beyonce dresses are usually short and made of cool materials that won’t wilt when you shake your thang on the dance-floor. Longer House of Dereon dresses and Beyonce dresses have some flow and are light and breezy.


Cali Queen Maxi Dress Original Price: $89.00 Sale Price: $37.48	Asymetrical Maxi Dress Original Price: $89.00 Sale Price: $29.98	Maximum Fab Dress Original Price: $89.00 Sale Price: $26.23

I hate having to wear a giant coat to the club but the great thing about House of Dereon dresses is that they are light enough to slide under your coat without ruining your winter look and once you’ve hit the coat check, your Beyonce dress will still look cool and sexy. Let’s face it, it might be winter outside but it’s always summer in a crowded club. A dainty Dereon dress will keep you comfortable as you enjoy your evening.


Preepy Chic Woven Dress Original Price: $69.00 Sale Price: $22.48	Cheer Glam Lace Up Dress Original Price: $69.00 Sale Price:$22.48	Play By Play Short Sleeve Dress Original Price: $69.00 Sale Price: $29.99

Yes, I have done the research. Beyonce dresses have a minimal amount of spandex so when you wear a Dereon dress, it hugs your body to show off your curves but not so much that you’re sweating like a NYC construction worker in August.

Thankfully for us Dereon dresses and Beyonce dresses are on sale now! It seems like lots of these House of Dereon Dresses are leftover summer stock but as I said, it’s always summer in the club.

The Learning Experience that Changed Everything

Susanna — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 18:54:54 +0000

When I began the school year, it was my goal to work for Winners.
I love Winners.
It’s exhilarating to dig through piles of discounted designer clothing and find a sleek Michael Kors purse or a Guess blouse at a phenomenal price. I have always loved that kind of shopping and have spent hours at Winners perfecting the art. I embody the Winners brand, which is about affordable luxury so I thought Winners is the type of company I should work for.
Then I did a project on Winners. I discovered that Winners is owned by TJX, which is the same company that owns TJ Maxx, Marshals and HomeGoods. They also own HomeSense in Canada.
I quickly discovered that if I worked for Winners, I wouldn’t be organizing elaborate fashion shows or looking at clothing samples all day. I would be writing about stock prices and sales reports. TJX is a huge, publicly traded company. Its shareholders and stakeholders are their main audiences, not the 25 year old woman who just bought a discounted pair of L.A.M.B. shoes. She is definitely a target market but most of TJX’s communications efforts are simply not aimed at her.
Around the same time, I attended a promotional event by Virgin Mobile. Virgin mobile is in the business of cell phones and although I have a smart phone, I never thought that I would want to work for a technology based company. The promo event was a huge musical showcase in the middle of Dundas Square in Toronto. They had bands and other cool stuff that seemed totally in line with the Virgin brand. I remember thinking, “I could put on this kind of event. I could work for this company.”
Realizing the difference between the company and the company’s communications strategy is the most important thing I learned this year. It may not seem too cool to work for a company like Gillett, until you realize how many razors end up in gift bags at fashion shows. Working for the LCBO may seem like a government job until you get to throw wine and cheese parties or write recipes for how to use Jalapeño Vodka.
Centennial’s corporate communications and PR program taught me that it’s about the Brand. The company itself may sell clothes, but how do they sell the fact that they sell clothes? How do they push themselves? I learned that my role as a communicator is to help companies sell their brand, not their product. Years ago, I spoke to a PR professional who told me that PR people don’t paint the house; we tell everyone that the house has a great new paint job.
Centennial College’s PR program gave me a full understanding of what that means.

John Galliano’s Perfect PR Storm

Susanna — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:23:27 +0000

It’s been over a month since John Galliano’s devastating anti-Semitic debacle.
When the story broke it was embarrassingly clear that he had screwed up but it was in the days that followed that the fashion world began to realize exactly why the incident was so detrimental.
If timing is the essence of good PR, the John Galliano episode is a case study in bad timing.
Bad timing made John Galliano’s public stupidity even stupider.
From a public relations perspective the John Galliano/Dior incident serves as a wake-up call for public figures living in the age of citizen journalism. Everyone has a visual recording device so don’t say anything in public that you wouldn’t want on the cover of the New York Times.

Former Dior Designer John Galliano

Citizen journalism is much more detrimental than traditional journalism. This explains why Charlie Sheen can make slightly anti-Semitic comments on a radio show and have millions of followers on Twitter the following week.
He knowingly made the comments public and feels he has a legitimate beef with Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre.
John Galliano was unknowingly caught on video, making comments that are undeniably anti-Semitic and has no beef with his victims at all. He says that he was provoked but that part wasn’t immortalized. In the world of new media, if it wasn’t caught on video, it’s as though it didn’t happen. The world concluded that Galliano hates Jews, even if he doesn’t.
The story broke days before a major Dior fashion show in Paris. The show had to be cancelled.
It also happened days before Natalie Portman, the acting Dior spokesperson was supposed to wear a Dior gown to the Oscars. She did not wear a Dior gown and later stepped down as spokesperson.
Dior must have lost millions due to the fact that the incident occurred days before these two events (bad timing) and the company wasn’t going to risk losing more money and its good reputation by not springing into action. Dior hired crisis communications company Kekst, who must have advised them to fire Galliano.
Dior’s reputation is intact and despite the fact that several fashion industry insiders have defended Galliano, his reputation has been damaged.
What does the future hold for Galliano? Thankfully, the advantage of new media is that it has made the public’s memory very short. The incident will drift away into a sea of forgotten scandals and hopefully the world will not be deprived of Galliano’s breath-taking designs.
If Kanye can recover, anything is possible.

Nicole Stewart PR: The Perfect Online Press Release

Susanna — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:38:26 +0000

Last month I got an email from Allison Wonderland’s publicist Nicole Stewart of Nicole Stewart PR. I thought it was a great example of an online fashion press release because it was extremely easy to use and a pleasure to look at.
Firstly, the press release was in the content of the email, along with four pictures that were formatted to a standard blogging size. It was so simple to place them directly into my blog. I didn’t have to download a thing.
I’m pretty sure she formatted the pictures in photoshop and then copied and pasted them into the email. I was so inspired by the formatting of the email that I composed a similar email for my good friend Melanie Thompson, founder of Adala Clothing.
I also wrote a post about Allison Wonderland because Nicole Stewart made it so easy.

The press release’s success can be attributed to the fact that it was formatted to be eye-catching, it was simple to read and use and above all, it was personal. You could tell that Nicole actually took the time to read my blog and tailor the press release to a fashion blogger like me.

Here are some more Allison Wonderland pics. The line is pretty dope, can’t wait to rock it this summer

Allison Wonderland Fairfax Dress

Allison Wonderland Howe Skirt and Cardero Blouse

Allison Wonderland Laurel Canyon Dress

Allison Wonderland Manhattan Coat

Ella Moss + Aritzia= Totally Phly Outfit!!!

Susanna — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 18:41:27 +0000

Meet Ally. She is a fellow classmate from the communications and public relations program I attend and she is tres keeooooollll. Every day I see this girl at school and she always looks phly.

Finally I was like, “that’s it….I’m taking your picture!”
She was delighted and allowed me to take these pics on my BB. Thanks Ally!

Pants: Wilfred at Aritzia
Accessories: Tiffany & Co-NYC

Allison Wonderland Spring/Summer 2011

Susanna — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 22:11:57 +0000

The new Spring Summer line from Allison Wonderland is sultry, summery and above all, sexy.

If you’re into comfortable yet chic clothing that’s breezy and easy to wear, the Allison Wonderland Spring/ Summer line is for you. The collection is filled with loose linen blouses, waist-cinching summer dresses, and playful paparazzi-worthy prints.

Fresh Start For thisisu.com

Susanna — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 18:10:54 +0000

Earlier this month I decided it was time to update my WordPress. It hadn’t been updated for a while because the older versions of WordPress didn’t have auto updates and my blog has been around for 3 years. Fine… Sounds like a good idea right? When you consider all the cool things you can do with the new version of WordPress, updating it seems like the best thing to do, correct????? Sure….Absolutely.

My web guy, who is also my fiancé, said he would do it for me because he is the one who set up the blog many moons ago and he is also responsible for the design and layout of the entire site. Because the updates were not automatic and because the new version uses a different version of php, my fiancé had to update my blog to the newest version of the data base.

Basically this caused nothing but head-aches and furrowing of brows. Because my site was set up in a way that satisfied my needs three years ago and because….AHHHH, this is getting hard to explain and honestly I don’t know how to say it in non-computer speak.

Everything got jacked-the- F- up. All my posts are gone.

Hence the blog title: Fresh Start For thisisu.com.

Thankfully, I still have all my photos and my content. It’s just they are not formatted as posts anymore. (Backing up rules!)

This is a great opportunity to properly optimize my site and set it up as simply as possible so this doesn’t happen again. It’s also an opportunity for me to revisit past photos and share them with the world again. It’s not really a loss. It’s just a little obstacle in my online journey.

Here are some photos from the past.

Enjoy!
Can’t believe how OLD these are!!!!!!!!!!!!