Physician Endorsed Fashion

I got a chance to chat with Physician Endorsed designer Elissa Margulies who will be on QVC today daring their big Fashion Day extravaganza and will have her very first TSV on May 22nd.

If you aren't already familiar with Physician Endorsed, it's a brand of hats and sunglasses that provides maximum protection from the sun while still looking trendy and stylish. Just because we don't want wrinkles and skin cancer, doesn't mean we want to look drab and dowdy.

Elissa kindly sent me some of her products via carrier pigeon (y’all know I loooove when the carrier pigeon pays me a visit!) However, as I explained to her, I have a horrible hat disability. No matter what size, style, or color of hat I put on, it just instantly transforms me from a relatively normal looking woman into a frumpy troll. I have been told this by honest female friends, my loyal gays, my husband, and the horrid reflection in the mirror. Elissa is determined to find a hat that works for me, but until then, I found a friend who looks great in hats to give it a fair review (I didn’t want my cranial impairment to skew the results). Here’s what she had to say about the Cute as a Button hat:



The name says it all! Love the black and white polka dots… I needed a hat that I could do more than double duty--summer gardening, backyard barbecues, ice coffee with friends at one of the many restaurants with outdoor patios--and this one is absolutely perfect. The wide brim is a lifesaver in the Southern sun (even in the spring it can beat down on you like crazy), and the fact that the hat is reversible made it an especially good deal. I have a pretty large head so I didn’t need to cinch the string to make the width smaller, but it’s still a nice feature just in case the material stretches with time. I haven’t had it for too long so I can’t review the UV protection part of it, but hopefully it’ll keep my dark hair from getting lighter in the sun!

She neglected to mention that when I gave her the hat, she couldn’t stop looking at herself in the mirror. Must be nice.

I do, however, look slamming in shades. By far, my favorite of the collection was the Santorini. I love to wear big sunglasses with wide sides to protect myself from the camera flashes of the paparazzi … or at least the sun. The detailed design and touch of bling on the side are perfect. If you like your accessories to be understated than this particular pair isn’t for you. Queen Bea most certainly doesn’t fall into that category! These sunglasses have definitely earned the solid five-star review they have on the Q.




QB: Tell me about how you got your products on QVC and what that first presentation was like. Was it at all like you expected?

EM: Actually, QVC discovered us. They buyer walked in to our NY Showroom, and asked the sales rep "What's that? I think it would be great for QVC"

I wasn't sure that our hats would work on QVC, but figured, why not give it a try. That was almost 7 years ago. Since then, we've expanded in to sunglasses and other private label accessories for QVC. I am naturally a more reserved person, so QVC has been a wonderful opportunity to step out of my comfort zone. It's much more nerve wracking than people can imagine. The hosts are so cool and confident, and I still get nervous, after all this time.

QB: Were there any skin cancer scares in your family that led you to want to do this? Or was it the influence of your dermatologist father? Or are you really worried about wrinkles?

EM: My father always lectured us growing up "The skin has memory, it won't forget", "Fry now, pay later", "You can still burn on a cloudy day"-you get the picture... But until I got Rosacea in my late 30's, I never worried much about being in the sun. Now that I am well in to my 40's, wrinkles are a definite motivation to stay safe in the sun.

QB: Obviously you are concerned with the health of your skin, what is your skincare routine?

EM: My routine is simple: I wash my face with Dove cleansing pillows, and then I apply a light moisturizer (Lubriderm or Atopalm). I do use a mild Renova cream to keep my skin fresh looking.

QB: Besides your own, what are some of your favorite QVC products?

EM: Toys!! I have 2 wonderful nephews that live in Charlotte (I live in Miami) and what better way to spoil them than with toys. QVC has the most amazing selection of toys I have ever seen- And you don't have to fight the crowds at the toy store. Also, being in the Green Room watching the beauty presentations, I have been known to order alot of Smashbox, Touche Eclat and Laura Geller

QB: If you weren't designing sunglasses and hats, what would you be doing?

EM: I would be designing home accessories. I absolutely love textiles!

QB: Did you have any on-air embarrassing moments?

EM: Yes, a couple of years ago, I was on air selling outside with Rick during "Out and About". I had a table with mannequin heads to display the hats. As Rick was pointing out the color options, the camera man leaned in close and knocked the mannequin heads off the table, and they started to roll away, and down the sidewalk. Rick didn't acknowledge what was happening, he just kept talking like everything was fine, but the camera man started to chase the rolling heads. I wasn't really sure how to react, but I thought it would look strange if I didn't pick them up, so I bent over, and the camera man zoomed in on my bottom.

I was a little distraught after the sell, and when I got home, there was a message on my machine. My sister in law said "Great sell, and your butt looked really good in those jeans!"

I still chuckle thinking about it.



QB: Are you thankful to Paris Hilton for making the big "hiding from the paparazzi" glasses so popular?

EM: Yes, and hats too! I have a photo of her wearing a Physician Endorsed "New Attitude" hat she purchased in Maui. (see above picture)

QB: What are your other hobbies or passions?

EM: #1Travel. My husband and I love to put the dog in the car, and drive.
#2 Reading,
#3 hiking, roller blading and riding my bike

QB: Are you into fitness and working out? If so, what do you do?

EM: Based on my last answer you would think so, but in reality, I have the lazy gene scientists discovered a few years ago.

QB: What else have you designed? Clothes? Jewelry? Purses? Artwork?

EM: I've been designing hats forever. If you remember the TV show Blossom, many of the hats featured on the show were my designs. I did a small collection of UPF 50+ clothing. It sold out, but unfortunately, I didn't have the time to expand the collection.

QB: Did you play dress up when you were a kid with big glasses and hats?

EM: My mother loves hats. She always had a wonderful hat collection. I remember the first time I was old enough to go to the mall with a girlfriend, I came home with a hat. It must be in the genes.

QB: Favorite type of music? Do you have a favorite band or singer? And do you happen to love American Idol like I do?

EM: I love so many different types of music. I love Broadway musicals, Gospel, Pop-everything but Opera (sorry to the Opera fans). LOVE LOVE LOVE American Idol-rooting for Adam this season. (AMEN, Sister! –qb)

QB: What actress would play you in the movie of your life?

EM: You have stumped me here... My friend suggested Katie Holmes, but I think that's just because we both have dark hair and blue eyes.

QB: Your best recipe .... please share!

EM: I do make a great Lime Chiffon dessert. It's made from lime Jell-O, Eskimo Pies and Cool Whip. It sends people over the moon. Unfortunately, I am here at QVC (and away from home and my recipe stash) until the end of June

Thanks to Elissa for giving me and my lucky friend the opportunity to review her Physician Endorsed products. And be sure to check out Elissa today--she’ll be presenting the new Retro Chic sunglasses during AM Style, my favorite Santorini sunglasses at 2 p.m., and the Great Escape Reversible straw hat (you can check it out online, but she said the picture is awful) during PM Style.

I'll be doing a quick giveaway of a pair of sunglasses later today, so stay tuned! :-)