JC Penney event recap and giveaway!

A new JC Penney store opened up in Dallas last week, and I was invited to attend a special sneak preview last Friday. I'll admit that the last time I was in a JC Penney's was when my mom took me shopping for linens for my college dorm room, back in the Prehistoric era when dinosaurs roamed the earth. I remembered Penney's being a dark, cramped store with a certain whiff of abandonment and depression. So I wasn't sure what to expect as I left for the preview event.

If you're like me, you'll be pleasantly surprised with the changes JC Penney's has undergone in recent years. The store was bright and well-lit; aisles were easy to navigate; and the clothes and accessories did not disappoint.

JC Penney's has partnered with over 200 brands to offer affordable, on-trend pieces any woman would want in their wardrobe. Pieces from Olsenboyle, MNG by Mango, and I *Heart* Ronson gave me a serious case of the grabby hands.

If you're searching for budget-friendly shoes and handbags, Penney's Call It Spring line offers a collection of modern handbags and women's shoes with youthful style. Call It Spring is produced by the ALDO group, whose shoes and bags are always on-trend.

Another thing unique to JC Penney is their People StyleWatch collaboration. Every month, People StyleWatch editors handpick "must have" apparel and accessories that are identified with special signage throughout the store. Such as the camel cape below. Which made me swoon.

The JC Penney I toured also contain Sephora, a store-within-a-store feature that surprised me. Offered in more than 300 JC Penney locations, it features many of same high-end cosmetic, skincare, fragrance, bath and accessory products as in stand-alone Sephora stores. Sephora inside JC Penney are staffed by specially trained employees whom you can trust to help you with a cosmetic purchase.

And now, time for a giveaway! JC Penney provided me with a $25 gift card that can be used towards any purchase. The card is good both in store and online.

To enter, simply do the following:

• Follow me through Google Friend Connect

For additional entries:

• Follow me on Twitter @dresscourage
• Follow JC Penney on Twitter @jcpenney
• 'Like" JC Penney on Facebook
• Tweet the following about the giveaway: I just entered to win a $25 @jcpenney gift card from @dresscourage! You have a chance to win too! http://tinyurl.com/3fvtypv

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win! Giveaway ends on October 21st.

Restrictions: Limited to US residents 18 years old and above only.

I also have TWO other giveaways running on my blog now that end this week!

• Win a pack of custom business cards from UPrinting (giveaway ends today!)
• Win a Missoni for Target winter gift set (giveaway ends October 7th.)