Friday, October 19, 2007
See Ya Later Big, Bulky Bags
Anthropology, in the Gardens Mall has a very elegant selection of these types of purses, and they’re all on sale. This Zora Handbag (link) will add an elegant touch to a yellow cotton v-neck dress or black cocktail dress. Its original price was $88 and it’s now marked down to $49.95.
Golden Opportunity to Buy
Anyway, for those of us who can’t necessarily afford to buy an expensive piece of gold jewelry on a whim, SAKS has pretty good sales on theirs. Take this cute Emily and Ashley Crown Pendant as an example—I fell in love with this piece in the store. I absolutely adore the little etched crown in the center of the pendant. It’s so delicate looking and adds a sophisticated yet fun look to any outfit. It’s original price is $560 but it’s currently down to $279.90… not too bad.
Quest for Denim
Every girl should own a pair of designer jeans…. Wait, let me rephrase that, a well-fitting pair of designer jeans are essential to every wardrobe. That’s better. Because of their versatility, a fabulous pair of sleek and simple jeans can be worn for a day of shopping in conjunction with sandals, thrown on for a day of relaxing around the house or paired with some stylish pumps for a night on the town. No matter what their purpose, every woman should make it her quest to fit the most perfect pair of jeans. As long as they're not embroidered with floral prints, paints or glitter, jeans will last forever and stay in style for years. Because jeans last for ages and can stay in style for seasons, they’re among the few items that should be a splurge. Recently, while shopping in South Beach, I walked into the True Religion store on Collins Avenue. Everything in the store is expensive. In sticking with my theory that jeans should be a splurge and because True Religions have always been my ‘go to’ jean of choice in years past, I decided to take a look around. For me, they’re the perfect fitting pair of jeans and I can wear them anywhere and for any occasion. On this outing, I found these Bobby Basic Denim Drifters (pictured) and let me tell you… I’m in love with them. At $192, they weren’t the most expensive jeans in the store but were still a bit of a splurge for me. If you’re planning to shop the sales at True Religion, you won’t find many (if any at all). However, if you ever find yourself New Hope, Pennsylvania on a Tuesday or Saturday, please make your way to Rice’s Flea Market. They sell every pair of True Religion Jeans known to man. Those that sell in the True Religion store from $100 to $400 are all at Rice’s for $40 per pair!!
Clothes for a Cause
This Saturday, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure takes place at Bayfront Park in Miami. In conjunction with the foundation, FordCares.com has created a line of clothing called Warrior Gear, to support the cause. I found out about this line recently and to my surprise, 100 percent of all net proceeds are donated to the Susan G. Komen for the cure.
If you’re always searching for a cute little outfit to wear to the gym, the Warrior Gear is a good match. There’s a pink touch to each piece designed for women which includes baby doll shirts, cotton tee’s, zip-hoodies and hats. There’s also a line for men—the warrior logo is implemented in various masculine colors on t-shirts and hoodies. Each piece is unique and prices are very low starting at $5 for a hoodie upwards to $20 for the men’s black long sleeved thermal. These items are perfect for working out in and there’s no better way to help a cause quite like this, while spreading the word while sporting the logo.
La Vie en Rose
Available online, but not in the stores, is this Velvet Torch v-neck kimono sleeve dress. Remember my past posting on kimono sleeves being the ‘it’ item for fall fashion? I’ve found another piece sporting this new trend (pictured in jade) and available in mocha, berry, black and jade. It’s only $22.90, down from $78!
Friday, October 5, 2007
Fingers Crossed
Attention Sale Shoppers!!
Since I’m obsessed with fashion, I of course clicked on ‘Women’s Fashion.’ Here, it says that Abercrombie & Fitch is selling their regularly priced $59.50 shorts for $14.90 and shirts for $12.90. Aldo (one of my favorite shoe stores) has marked down their accessories and is offering an additional 50 percent off, in addition to their fall shoe sale. New York & Company, where I recommend buying professional work attire, has marked down their items on top of their take an extra 60 percent off sale.
I had to see these sale for myself. Low and behold, I walked into Abercrombie & Fitch a few days ago and bought three pairs of shorts and a skirt and each item was under $15. What a deal!
Check Your Local Stores First
Don’t get me wrong, I always make time for H&M when I find myself in the city however I’m not one to make a quick trip thousands of miles away JUST to hit up H&M. Forever 21, which is located in Town Center carries almost the same items as H&M and it’s always at least $5 cheaper. Take this plaid skirt for example (link), it’s perfect for a Florida fall and it’s $24.50 at H&M (pictured and paired with yellow pumps and a black cardigan) this same skirt can be found at Forever 21 for $19.50 (pictured).
Bottom line, why travel thousands of miles out of your way to find an outfit that can be found at your local mall?
Keep it Simple
It’s gala season again! And, you know what that means… ball gowns and cocktail dresses are a hot commodity. This year, I’m attending the International Red Cross Ball at Mar-A-Lago, Denim and Diamonds for the American Cancer Society in Wellington and the March of Dimes gala at The Breakers. I’ve attended these same galas for the past two years and through my experiences have found that women who attend never wear the same dress twice. Each party is chalked full of gorgeous, thousands of dollar Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta and Chanel dresses.
Being a college student, it’s difficult to buy three different dresses in the matter of a few months, let alone three designer dresses totaling well over $10,000. If you’re in the same boat as I’m in, I’ve got your solution. Last year, I purchased all of my dresses from Dillard’s and spent roughly $400 on all three. The key is to keep it simple. Dillard’s may have some pretty tacky dresses with sparkles that shed or uneven hems but if you choose simple gowns with solid colors, you’ll fit in perfectly. Once you’ve found your solid colored gown, you must accessorize. I raided my mom’s jewelry box and came across very elegant, vintage pieces that I was able to incorporate into my look. When it came time for the gala, I got many compliments from a number of women wearing designer gowns.
Take this black, Jessica McClintock dress ($180 at Dillards) as an example-- it's solid colored and looks gorgously-elegant with dripping diamond earrings!
Daily Dose of Fashion
When most people think of TJ Maxx, they think “last season’s rejects” or “malfunctioned clothing.” However, I had the pleasure of working with TJ Maxx and their marketing and promotions department this past weekend and to my surprise, most people’s assumptions about this major discount chain are absolutely incorrect. And, I’m here debunk such suppositions. In fact, more than 85 percent of clothing found in TJ Maxx is in season, the remainder isn’t current but it’s definitely not malfunctioned. Designer brands such as Marc Jacobs, Coach, Kenneth Cole and more can be found here. And, if you shop on a Wednesday or a Friday, you’ll be browsing the new shipments!
I was actually in TJ Maxx recently and found a Juicy Couture Tracksuit-- $40 for the top, and $40 for the bottom, as opposed to well over $200 for the two. A wide variety of Juicy Couture bathing suites can also be found here and at very low prices.
So the bottom line is, savings found at TJ Maxx (or any other discount store for that matter) is good for you! My advise to everyone—get your daily dose of fashion and nothing’s better than a sale!
Columbus Day Sale!
Because Columbus Day falls on a Monday, Macy’s has decided to extend their Columbus Day Sale this year from Friday, Oct. 5 until Tuesday, Oct. 9. Tons of fabulous designer items, from shoes and jewelry to handbags, dresses, tops and jeans are sporting huge markdowns. I must advise you, however, shopping in the store, as opposed to online, can save you even more! Take this INC International Concepts® Silk Shirtdress, (pictured in Purple Orchid) it’s marked down to $44.62 from $119. Nice deal to come across. But, I happened to have stopped by Macy’s today after my morning workout and found this adorable item marked as $44.62 with an ADDITIONAL 20 percent markdown… and, you don’t have to pay anything for shipping. The greatest part about this little purple number— for fall, purple is the new brown!