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!

The Search for a Cute Laptop Bag: Mission Accomplished!

I recently upgraded my laptop from a Dell D610 to a Dell D420. This not only means that my work laptop is lighter and smaller, it also means that my options for a cute laptop bag have greatly expanded! And sure enough, after only a week of searching and browsing, I finally have a winner. I originally wanted to spend only up to $250 for a bag that's cute but also good for work. I only want one bag that will hold my laptop and wallet, etc. It has to be lightweight because my Coach leather tote weighed quite a bit just on its own. Now that I'm taking the bus, I definitely notice the weight when I have to stand on the bus. Anyway, I paid another visit to Nordstrom Rack and there it was: the Kate Spade 'Malabar - Rudy' tote. I think there must have been a new shipment to the Rack because this bag is still available at its full price for $325 on Nordstrom.com. I had my work with me so I tested it out with my laptop and my letter sized file folder and they fit nicely. The bag is structured so it still holds its shape when it's full of contents. I like the snake skin pattern because it is versatile and not necessarily season specific. It's also light weight because it's not leather. The best part is that it was on sale at the Rack for $159! I'm not normally a Kate Spade fan since her bags are a bit on the boring side but this one is perfect for what I was looking for!