Wednesday, October 27

Forever XXI - Haul

There's no doubt about it: I'm addicted to Forever XXI. Whenever we step near the mall, I am the first one rushing in and typically the last one to be dragged out. Some of their items can run a tad pricey, but there is always a bargain to be had on their clearance racks. What I love most about this store is their wide selection of styles. Always in step with the latest trends, Forever XXI offers a wide variety of pieces that can coordinate with any personal style, from romantic or classy to grunge and eclectic. The gems in their jewelry section are also a great deal-while everything ranges in price, it's rare to spot a piece over $20. Most of the necklaces I find are cute, classic, and super versatile, and never cost me more than $8. Jewelry is final sale, however, so with this in mind, I try to only buy what I know I will wear!
On this trip, I was shopping around for generic items that I could mix-and-match into my already existing wardrobe. My main focus was on pieces that I could wear to work (muted colors, classy, multi-functional) and the basic necessities that any fashionista should have!


The first stop was the clearance racks, of course. I didn't let the adorable mannequins and colorful tee-shirt displays distract me from my ultimate goal, which was saving more than I was going to spend, today. On sale, I found a super-cute, black-fringe, sleeveless dress. For only $14, it was definitely a steal.
I also picked up some basics including a White V-Neck ($3), Tank ($3), and Black Leotard ($4). I usually opt for shopping at Kohl's for my basics, because of the great coupons, but even these prices were no comparison!



Another thing I love about Forever XXI how everything is organized by style. So, after scarfing up on the necessities, I took a spin through the military-inspired clothing, where I found this sweater. I just love the buttons!

My shopping buddy found this romantic lace top ($9.99), last minute while we were standing in line, waiting to purchase our goodies. It's so sheer, so a cami is a must!


I also found a sweater for less than five dollars! While it's current state is more shabby than chic, it has definite potential. For now, I'll leave you guessing with these snapshots:


To Be Continued... ;)

Tuesday, October 26

Seeing Double!

Our mail carrier comes to our development right around lunch time, every weekday. I'm usually somewhere other than our mailbox around the time that she's dropping off my family's notes (yet another selfish reason I seldom check our mail; the only letters I seem to receive are from the dentist, informing me of a much anticipated appointment and occasionally a very boring bank statement). But today, I just so happened to be home during the exciting mail-drop time, and I, for some reason beyond my knowledge, got the urge to pick it up. To my surprise, I not only received my traditional bank letter, but I also received some fancy junk mail from a used car lot, and a new Alloy catalog! After plopping down in my favorite spot with my new read, I flipped open to a random page and stopped in surprise as a cream colored sweater, very similar to my own that I had blogged about only the day before, gleamed up at me from the page.
The sweater I had purchased, with tags still attached, from the Goodwill, unfortunately did not have a price sticker on it, so I wasn't able to see how much I would have saved. But this number that I just so happened to stumble upon (ironically paired with a very similar belt to my own) is listed at $32.90. Considering that I spend about $3.00 on these pieces for yesterday's outfit, I'm feeling slightly proud of my find. :)

Saturday, October 23

Sweater Weather!

With Autumn's chilly winds settling in to stay, it's again time to reach into the back of the closet and show those sweaters the light! I was so excited yesterday, when the temperature took a dip and the weather man finally condoned the acts that I've been dreaming up for weeks: Buying new boots and snuggling up in warm sweaters. Thursdays are usually busy days, with a list of to-do's that only grows as the time left in the day diminishes, which is all the more reason to make sure the outfit of the day is comfortable (and cute!).
Believe it or not, this week's entire ensemble cost me under $30.
I've been waiting for weeks to be able to wear these boots! I picked them out about a month ago on a Wal*Mart shopping trip for only seven dollars, which made wearing them yesterday even better. ;)
The sweater was from this season, and originally sold at Kohl's, but I scarfed up this brand new baby (with sales tags still attached!) from the Goodwill. Unfortunately, the price was torn off the tag, so I'm not sure how much I saved, but I do know that it was a lot, considering that I only paid $1.00. I scored the jeans here, as well, on a different shopping adventure, for about $5.00.
The belt and bag both came from Kohl's. The bag, Simply Vera by Vera Wang, was about $14.00, with it's adorable yellow clearance sticker. The belt, also with the magic sticker, was a mere $2. :)
Fall-time can never come quick enough for me. I wait for it's signs all year, and then in a flash, it's back to shorts and bikini tops. :(. In my opinion, it's hard to improve on an already amazing chilly fall day. But an inexpensive outfit seems to do the trick every time!!

Wednesday, October 20

Student Savings! :)

Every true fashionista knows and follows "The Three C's of Shopping", but to truly save, shoppers have to think outside of the bag!
Full or Part time college students (as well as middle/high schoolers with a student ID) are eligible for discounts at many stores just by presenting a valid school identification at checkout. The savings vary, but usually are around 15% off.

A few stores that offer great student discounts are:
The Goodwill
 J. Crew*
Apple
T-Mobile
GAP
Charlotte Russe
Canon
*Select stores also offer discounts for teachers with a valid ID.

Another great option is the Student Savers Card. They cost about $20 a year, but entitle you to savings at hundreds of retailers and health services from 10-50%. Depending on how often  you purchase from these retailers, your twenty bucks could be easily paid back in tenfold!

Not every store offers the discount, but it only takes a quick second to ask and be on your way to student savings!

Wednesday, October 6

Grand Opening Goolah

It comes as no surprise that in order to score the hottest deals, a fashionista needs to be thrifty. But these days, even the most frugal of shoppers still find themselves muttering in hindsight about unlucky worms and giddy birds. This is because a truly successful shopper knows that to save more than she will spend will require more than a quick eye and speedy shoes - it will require patience.
Although there are countless ways to prove dedication to your dollar, standing behind dozens of other anxious and dedicated divas seems to top the charts as proof. If the temperatures are below freezing or the guest list is over 100, shoppers seem to rake in the brownie points by the minute. Now, while my shopping buddies and I had been number twelve or so in the air-conditioned line, I would like to think that the two or so hours we spent waiting for the grand opening of our local Tilly's store was at least a small tribute to our extreme dedication. ;)
Unfortunately, we were not able to stay for the entire day's events, which included a visit from a local radio station, a live debut by Kids of Survival, and refreshments (when in doubt, go for the food!). But we were able to score free tee-shirts, discounted merchandise, and other goodies! The first 100 dedicated shoppers were guaranteed to receive a Tilly's logo tee, Volcom brand stickers, and a Tilly's key chain. In addition, the first 50 early-birds scored themselves a promotional $10 gift card (with one extremely lucky shopper receiving a $100 gift card). Now, tell me, fashionistas: What is shopping-lingo for "extremely lucky"? Whatever it may be, insert it here, because after waiting in line a few hours, one of my shopping buddies (who, ironically, was bribed to tag along for mere company) walked away not only with their slew of goodies, but with nearly $100 in free merchandise, thanks to being lucky number thirteen in line. :)
We ended up shopping around, but saving much more than we spent, by using plenty of the discount coupons laying around the store.
If you would like to see some of the items from our Tilly's Haul, just click here!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...