BCBG Outlet Spree

I went to Vancouver to visit friends and family a couple of weeks ago and as always I paid pilgrimage to the Seattle Premium Outlets on the way back. BCBG was having a good sale and I couldn't resist. I scooped up 3 dresses and trust me, I could have found a lot more but I had to control myself.

Got this brown, teal and white maxi dress for $29 in preparation for my Vegas trip coming up in April. I thought this would be a fun and comfy to wear over a bikini going to the pool. Fingers crossed that the temperature will be warm by then!

Also with the Vegas trip in mind, I picked this blue silk ruffled number out for going out at night. Only $69! I love it as a cocktail dress and I think if you add a black simple fabric belt you can also give it a different and more elegant look.

This black and white silk halter gown for $89 looks much cuter in person. The upper bodice has clear sequins for a little extra sparkle. It's a bit long so I'll have to get it tailored but I'm looking forward to wearing this for weddings this summer.

BCBGirls 'Cherie' Bootie

BCBGirls 'Cherie' Bootie - $78.95 at amazon.com

I got these BCBGirls booties a few weeks ago while I was shopping for some work shoes that would go with my trouser jeans. I like the Oxford-like the patent leather toes on these that are almost men's shoes inspired. The heel is thin enough to be feminine but thick enough to be stable. I've wearing these as a part of my regular work wardrobe and I'm happy with them. The only minor complaint is that after a full work day my feet do end up being a little sore.

Splurge or Save - Gladiator Sandals

I've been on the look out for some gladiator high heels for a while. I wasn't really into the whole gladiator flats trend that was all the rage for a while. But this strappy studded leather look on a pair of sexy heels is a different story.

The splurge: Tory Burch 'Francesca' Gladiator Sandal - $425 at Nordstrom. These were my wants when I first started my search.

The save: BCBGirls 'Lexs' Sandal - $97.95 at Nordstroms. I was thrilled to find these on sale at Norstrom's. I got the black ones for $88. They look really similar to the Tory Burch ones and at a fraction of the price. Now I just have to dream up what outfits I can wear with these...

Outlet Shopping Spree

Last weekend I went up to Vancouver, Canada to visit my friends and family. On the way back, we hit the outlets at Burlington and Tulalip. I hadn't been to the Burlington outlet for a while ever since the Seattle Premium Outlets opened right next to the Tulalip casino. But this time we stopped there because we noticed that there's a new Lululemon outlet. They're getting rid of their end of season stuff: bra tops for $29, cropped pants for $44, jackets and pants for up to 50% off. I got a bra top and cropped pants. Their clothes is still not cheap but it's much better than the retail prices. Then at the Seattle premium outlets, BCBG was having an end of season blow out sale, with dresses for as cheap as $29! I think I tried on about 8 dresses and finally settled on a black cotton halter dress with pockets for $50 (original price $200). I also got the Sloan Street Maria brown leather wallet at the new Kate Spade outlet to match my new Kate Spade work bag. The wallet was $75 (retail price $195). It was hard to not also buy some new pumps at the Cole Haan outlet but I stayed strong and resisted. I also only browsed the Juicy outlet. Before leaving, I told my hubby that he should come here for Christmas shopping for me!

BCBG.com Review

I've been in love with BCBG dresses long before I could afford them. Their intricate bead work, feminine sillouettes and silky textures are just my taste. Whenever BCBG had one of their 50% - 70% sales on dresses I would scoop one up even if I didn't have an occasion to wear it. I still have a full length satin gown that's been hanging in my closet for over 4 years. BCBG.com has a full display of those same gorgeous dresses along with the rest of their collection. However the experience is labored and unsatisfying. It takes 4 clicks before you get to zoom in on a picture to get a full appreciation of the details on a dress. Repeat this process a couple times and you'll be wishing you were in the store touching and feeling the pieces or shopping elsewhere online. Sale items at BCBG have always been "final sales" and the same rule applies to sale items online. If you have ever bought clothes online you know how risky that is especially since their pieces are usually in the $100 and above range. In the end, my heart still fills with desire at the sight of those pretty dresses but I will not be buying them at BCBG.com.

The important details:
Shipping: $6 - $12 based on the cost of the order
Returns: You pay for the return shipping. No returns on sale items. Ouch! Just think, you could be paying $20 if you buy something you don't like and have to send it back.

Rating: 1 out of 5
The bottom line: BCBG really missed the mark with their online store. The site needs to be faster, the shipping needs to be way cheaper and the return policy needs to be much, much improved.