Last minute pre-vacay shopping

My vacation to LA is just 3 days away so I had to make a mad dash for summer clothes even though Seattle is still in full June Gloom mode here. I picked up a few items from American Eagle Outfitters during my lunch break (yay for working downtown).

This lovely lace back tank top is buy one get one 50% off.  So I picked up one in orange and one in turquoise.  I had to strip the last size S in turquoise off the mannequin (I think you dear can afford to wear an XS).

When it came to shorts, it was slightly trickier.  I ended up getting these "shortie" shorts in denim and white.  I contemplated getting the "midi" length but those were only available in cut-offs.  So the sensibility in me went for the non-cut off short shorts as a comprise.  The shorts were buy one get one $10.  So I walked out of the store in less than 30 minutes with 3 tops (an additional white racer back top for layering) and 2 pair of shorts for $80.  Not too shabby.

...and we're back!

I took this blog to Tumblr for a while then went on a year long or so hiatus.  Now, I'm back on blogger will look to revive this blog.  So much shopping, not enough blogging.

What I Want Now - Nude Pumps

Christian Louboutin New Simple Pump 90 - $735 at Barneys. I've been lusting after these pumps for weeks now. They have them at Nordstrom's too and I haven't even tried them on because I'm afraid I would like them too much. I love the nude colour that is so versatile and flattering because they will make your legs look longer. They would be perfect with just about any outfit. I figured that if I spend nothing on clothes for 2 months and beg someone who works at Nordstrom to buy them for me, then I may be able to justify spending that much on a pair of shoes.

Stuart Weiztman 'Swoon' pumps - $325 at Endless.com. These ares similar to the Louboutin's except the colour is not nude, but rather this sort of pinkish nude looking colour. I like the patent leather on these but for over $325, I wouldn't settle for what I really want.

Cole Haan 'Carma' Air Almond Pump - $199 at colehaan.com. I love Cole Haan pumps for their comfort and these are on sale! But the colour is just not close enough to what I want. If these were in nude I would so buy them.

Nordstrom Last Chance

Last weekend, my BFF and I took a mini break in Phoenix, Arizona. While we were there, we decided to check out Nordstrom Last Chance as one of our shopping stops. I had heard that this is where they send all of the stuff from the various Nordstrom Racks and you can get great deals here. I thought, why not, I love Nordstrom Rack. Anyway, when we walked in, we already sensed something was off. It was more cluttered and crazy than a regular Rack. We went straight to the shoes and you can find all of them in pairs to try on. I spotted a pair of those classic Tory Burch flats for $69. I was suspicious. I flip them over and saw they had totally been worn! I mean, the heels had been literally worn down by 1/2 an inch. I found another pair of Tory Burch where the bottoms were scuffed up and the leather was scratched up. It dawned on me that this must be where Nordstrom sends all of their returns by customers who decided it was perfectly OK to return shoes you've worn all season. I was more shocked by the fact that people do actually return shoes that are so obviously worn than the fact that Nordstrom actually takes them back. After scouring through all of the shoes available in my size, I did find a pair of Stuart Wietzman patent leather black pumps in mint condition for $50. Alas, they ran narrow and my feet were squished in them. I will say that if you're not particular about brands, you can find decent shoes for $18 that are new. Still, my BFF and I wanted to get the heck out of there because that place gave an erie feeling of a graveyard. It's where designer shoes and clothes go to die.

Nordstrom's Half Yearly Sale

The Half Yearly sale is not as good as the Anniversary sale in July but this year, I was happy with my finds. I also picked up some really cute stuff for my son, and guilty free too since I used my birthday money.

Tory Burch 'Daniela' metallic sandal - $129 at Nordstrom's. These are originally $250. I was unsure about these at first because the sole is so flat that I was worried there'd be zero support. But once I put them on I knew that they would be comfortable. I liked the straps around the ankle which give more support than your typical flip flops.

Stuart Weitzman 'Stoned' Sandal - $99 at Nordstrom's. I was looking for a thong with a sole that has a bit of support. This cork bottom adds a little height and a cushy feel. And of course I can't resist the bling!

How to be a Recessionista

With the US in a recession for the last few months, the media is full of "experts" giving everyone advice on how to be money savvy so they can ride out this low. So why don't I offer my own few pennies of wisdom? Before this recession hit like a cold shower, I would just buy whatever that was within my price range and usually if it was on sale. For clothes, anything under $50 probably wouldn't prompt much pause on my part before pulling out my credit card. But now, I've decided to be more selective about my purchases. Here are my new guidelines for making purchases:

1. Is it something I need? e.g. hair cut, facial cleansers. I will still buy those like before.
2. Is it something I really, really want? Often, I see something that I like but I'd ask myself, did I want it before I saw it? If I didn't, then it is an impulse buy and my money is probably better spent on something I've been wanting for a while.
3. But say, it was a great sale, like 90% off, it's usually really hard for me to resist. However, I make myself wait about 24 hours, to see if I still want it then. If I do, then I'll get it.
4. Finally, I've been reminding myself: "quality over quantity". If something is on sale, great, but I'd rather save that money and use it on something that I've been wanting for a long, long time and that's much more durable and special.
   

Happy Mother's Day

After becoming a mother I've been really missing the carefree shopping experience I used to enjoy without a demanding baby to stroll around. So for this Mother's Day, one of my treats was to go on a solo shopping trip. I decided to hit Forever 21, since I could never have enough time to go through that store. It's always so overwhelming to face such a huge selection. But I know you can find great buys there if you have the patience. Based on past experience, I learned that I have to have a few targets in mind when I venture into this store. So here was my shopping list: 1) casual dresses for weekends that I can wear with leggings 2) statement necklaces 3) fitted blazer/shrugs for wearing over dresses or tanks. I'm glad to say that after over an hour in that store, I was victorious in 2 out of 3 categories and only spent a little over $100.

Striped Babydoll Dress - $14.50 This dress is very cute on and would be great for summer. I can imagine wearing it with a denim jacket as a cover up.

Ruffle trim woven tunic - $22.80 I'm so glad that ruffle is in this season because it is totally me. I love this top for its sunny colour. I already wore it once with black knee length leggings. I can even see myself wearing it to work with a long cardigan.

Filigree Flowers Necklace - $7.80 This necklace looks nicer in real life. I chose it as a bold statement necklace to dress up basic pieces.


Linda Floral Pearl Necklace - $12.80 This necklace is such a steal at this price. It has rhinestones on it that makes it look like it could have cost $100 as some of these necklaces do often cost. I can't wait to wear it with a black dress to add a vintage, classy feel.

Clover Cluster Necklace - $5.80 This is probably the least interesting of the 3 necklaces I found but I immediately got compliments on it when I wore it last week. I didn't mention it was only $6, heehee!

I also got a floral ruffle top, very Blair Waldorf a la Gossip Girl, and another knit dress. I was so, so pleased with my Mother's Day shopping trip!