Learn how you can WIN with the @DuaneReade 'Show Us Some Leg' Facebook Campaign! + Video #DRLegwear

As my regular butterflies already know I am Duane Reade Brand Ambassador and VIP Blogger. Before joining the program I was already a long time customer of Duane Reade. For New Yorkers, there are certain stores that are a long time part of the city landscape, we fondly tease that certain stores are almost 'one on every corner' around here so they shouldn't be hard to find! Duane Reade is definitely one of those stores along with a very popular coffee shop....(no need to say the name right?)

Duane Reade Branded Legwear Video Shoot Blogger Check-In Signage

Being a Blogger Brand Ambassador has come with a wide variety of diverse campaigns and fun experiences. The chance to try out products that I might not have known about otherwise, as well as unique in store opportunities and events. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a campaign surrounding Duane Reade's (which is owned by Walgreens) newest seven-week social media campaign to raise awareness of Duane Reade-brand hosiery products produced by Doris Hosiery Mills. (And if that name sounds familiar ladies, Doris Hosiery Mills also makes the pricey hosiery you see in many department stores!) The campaign which commenced at midnight November 18th, will run through January 7, 2013.

Behind the scenes shot of all Five Bloggers walking toward Duane Reade! Far Right: Ascending Butterfly in the Green Jacket! We were being filmed walking toward the store and this is a candid shot of us as we were being filmed.

To kick off this campaign, 5 NYC Duane Reade VIP bloggers were selected for a style makeover with Jess Zaino (Style Expert regular on Biography Channel's Fashion Groundbreakers, TV Guide Network's Fashion Team and creator of Cheap Chic Shopping Tours) to help them achieve 5 distinct looks using Duane Reade brand hosiery products (and achieving the look for less than $100), and I was one of the bloggers selected to participate in this campaign.

This Duane Reade location is central to Radio City Music Hall, a very popular NYC destination for both tourists and locals!

This was my second time on camera in a very short period of time during the same week and I never really realized how long it takes to film what amounts to a very short amount of time actually on air! It was a pretty intense day. Unfortunately, I ultimately was not actually styled by the stylist, and personally don't think I'd ever even want to put myself in a stylist's hands ever again, but I did enjoy learning about the new legwear and hosiery at Duane Reade!

Hosiery Display Signage at Duane Reade

It feels like we skipped Fall and went straight into Winter here in New York City, with long Sweater dresses I always love to wear tights, and for me the fact that I can now pick them up at my local drugstore is a huge timesaver for me! The more I can buy in ONE store in just ONE shopping trip the easier it is for me. Let's just say that time has definitely NOT been my friend lately!

I did leave the experience with a new pair of Duane Reade Legwear and as soon as I get the chance to wear them I'll take a picture of me wearing them, but it's been all pants for the past few weeks, and with impending snow in the next few days I think I'll be in pants all week this week too!

Above: Check out the Show Us Some Leg Facebook Duane Reade Branded Legwear Video shoot, also on Duane Reade's YouTube page. (I'm in the first few seconds, did you spot me?)

Contest - How YOU can win some great prizes (Just for showing a little leg)!:

Show Us Some Leg. (In the begining of the video you will see yours truly!) You can enter the contest on Duane Reade's Facebook page. All you have to do is snap a picture of yourself in Duane Reade brand hosiery for a shot at great prizes. There is a different theme each week during the contest and Jess Zaino will be judging the entries. The Grand Prize winner will receive an Apple iPad, $200 Duane Reade Gift Card and $100 in Duane Reade brand hosiery. There will be 3 Weekly Prizes for each theme: 1st place will receive an iPod Touch, 2nd place will receive a $200 Duane Reade gift card and 3rd place will receive $100 in Duane Reade brand hosiery. Get 'tweety' with it by following @DuaneReade on Twitter and using the Hashtag #DRLegwear

My Take:

Last week I found a great new eco friendly printer paper at my local Duane Reade, and this week I discover they have great hosiery too, from the day-to-day, to a night-on-the-town, Duane Reade really has you covered! I'm still on the hunt for the perfect sweater dress to pair with my new tights!

I also learned that not every stylist is cut out to style a curvy frame and it's really OK to be yourself and just say No when something doesn't work for you. I don't think I get the point yet of a stylist, we spend what feels like a lifetime getting away from our parents dressing us so we can be our own person, I'm not sure I see the point of having someone else try to mold me in their idea of what my body type should wear. Maybe at some point I'll feel differently. But since I spent this afternoon on the phone with Gerard Butler (Yes Ladies THAT Gerard Butler!) I'm floating on a butterfly happy cloud! You can check out the rest of the photos from this shop on our Pinterest Board or on Google Plus!

Butterfly, Have you tried the new Duane Reade Branded Legwear/Hosiery yet? If so, what do you think of it? Have you ever relied on a stylist? If so, How was YOUR experience? If you do decide to enter please let us know here so we can vote for you!

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FTC Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Duane Reade #CBias #SocialFabric All opinions are my own!

Find out how I got to the 'Corner of Happy & Healthy'!

Earlier this week I had the chance to see Elf The Musical (yes more on this to come), and during the play Duane Reade is actually referenced which made me laugh as I've spent this year as one of Duane Reade's VIP Bloggers (Sign from the Universe? You decide!). So when I got my newsletter the next day and saw this:

you know I had to go shopping! I can spend over $30 there easily so spending $30 and instantly getting rewards that amount to getting $5 back is just a pure win/win! I picked up my weekly circular as well as the NEW Holiday Magazine and got to 'circling'!

New Happy & Healthy 'Storezine' Holiday Edition 2012: Available in Stores from November 4th until December 31st, 2012

Duane Reade Holiday Magazine and Weekly Circular Display

I have to start by saying this week has been pure insanity. Because of Hurricane Sandy being followed by a Nor-Easter in New York City, a week's worth of meetings and events were post-poned, all those meetings and events were shifted to this week. I have not had one single solitary moment to myself all week and have events on Saturday and Sunday as well, to say I'm stressed out and had very little time for personal errands is an under-statement!

I'm not sure what the point of 'e-tickets' are when you are expected to still print the tickets and show them at the door or print the confirmation email, I literally ran out of printer paper this week (I know this month has been insane but my printer feeder tray really does hold a lot of paper! I was pretty surprised to get the 'paper low' warning message pop up. I thought it was a mistake, but lo and behold I only had 5 sheets of paper in there and no new ream of paper in my supply cubby!), that would normally mean a trip to an office supply store for me, and an extra shopping trip I did NOT have time to add in. Thankfully Duane Reade saved the day by saving me an extra trip. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised to find printer paper at my local Duane Reade!

Exclusive to Walgreens and Duane Reade, Ology brand products provide assurance that these items work as well as the larger brands but are also free of the harmful chemicals that today's pediatricians are so concerned about. And, best of all, they're available at an affordable price.

Made from readily renewable sugarcane husks that would otherwise be disposed, and quick-growing bamboo that regenerates in as little as six months.

• For copiers, printers and fax machines
• 100% tree free
• Low moisture paper means less paper jams
• Whitened with H2O2, a non-chlorine based bleach
• 94 brightness, 20 pound
• Biodegradable

I got to save myself an extra trip to the office supply store AND support a product that's eco-friendly? Um, yes please! I got two of these! (Note this item is an 'in-store' only right now, and prices may vary per store, these are NOT available for purchase online.)

And while on a paper theme, I picked up some bathroom tissue from the Ology brand as well.

Duane Reade ology Facial and Toilet Tissue Display

Soft and strong, this biodegradable bath tissue is made from readily renewable sugar cane husk that would otherwise be disposed, and quick-growing bamboo that regenerates in as little as six months.

• 300 two-ply sheets per roll
• Septic safe
• 4 in x 3.7 in sheets
• 370 sq. ft. total area

My Take:

I'm seriously thinking that Ology could easily become one of my favorite Duane Reade brands! I also bought Vitamins, Laundry Detergent (Notice in the picture it's the 'Butterfly Kiss' scent, yes I really am all butterfly all the time!), Fabric Softener, New Toothbrushes + Toothpaste, Air Freshener, frozen meals and quite a few of my favorite ice cream in a limited edition flavor that they only launch several times per year. By the time I was done and the cashier packed me all up I had two super heavy bags to lug home, and a Total Savings of $14.80 (9%), and 5,480 balance rewards points earned this visit! On my next visit I will have $10 in spending money in my balance rewards because I had some to start with plus an additional $5 when I completed this shop thanks to my ology purchases which earned me extra rewards. Getting all that shopping done AND getting money back for my next visit - Not sure it gets any better than that!

WIN! And if the great deals haven't tempted you yet, how about a chance to win great prizes? (Somehow I knew that would get your attention! With the current 'Text2Win' Sweepstakes if you text HAPPY to 35350, you are entering a contest for a chance to win a $6,000 + weekend getaway grand prize, or a weekly $100 Walgreens Gift Card by answering weekly questions only found in Happy & Healthy via text.

Major Shopping Haul this weekend at Duane Reade!

Get Social With It:

Follow Duane Reade  on Twitter and ‘Like’ them on Facebook and don’t forget to tell them you saw them Featured on Ascending Butterfly! For more information, visit duanereade.com or youtube.com/duanereade

Butterfly, Did you a score great deal this weekend?

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FTC Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric #DRHappy&Healthy #cbBigApple  I am a Duane Reade VIP Blogger and Ambassador which does entitle me to additional incentives. However, all opinions expressed  are 100% my own.