Fashion: Tips for Bargain Shopping

I recently discovered the BEST bargain shopping location ever. Sadly, it's all the way in Arizona (for those of you who live there RUN to Last Chance). When Jay and I were visiting my mom and step-dad she took us to her new favorite place to score a major deal. I was in awe of all of the super low prices however, it wasn't easy to find things I wanted to buy. Here's the thing, when you go to a bargain store, you're usually hunting through racks of clothes and shoes and you might walk away with an item or two if you're lucky. You need to have lot of patience and time but trust me, it's well worth it! 

I usually ask myself if there is anything missing from my wardrobe or if there is anything I've been wanting to add to my collection. During this visit, I wanted some new dresses for the summer and my honeymoon so I went to that section first. I found a ton of dresses to try on (including a wedding dress!) and was excited about the possible options I had. 

Make sure to check ALL of the racks. Even the ones that say they are for a specific size. I found most of my favorite items on the wrong rack! If I didn't take the time to look, I would have never found these great items. A lot of shoppers will find something, walk away from the rack it actually belongs on and for one reason or another put it back. However, they usually put it in the wrong place -- so make sure to check all of the racks! 

It's so worth your time and energy to dig. I found four amazing dresses that cost $12.97 each! I would have never been able to buy these full price at the department store and I couldn't be happier with the ones I found. The black dress on the bottom was previously a contender as a bridesmaids dress (in coral). It was around $150 and we decided to go with different ones. I can't believe I found the exact dress in black for so cheap! And even though the wedding dress that I found would have only been $60, it didn't seem worth it to ship, get altered and cleaned to only wear a few hours during my reception. My original dress is beautiful on its own. :) 

See -- told you it was worth it! Some of my other favorite bargain stores for fashion and beauty products are TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshalls and of course outlet stores. 

Do you like bargain shopping? Do you have any other favorite stores or tips to share? Leave them in the comments! 

Seven Pieces: Lots of Possibilities

I recently went shopping and picked up some clothes from Old Navy and Target. I’ll be traveling to Florida next month and I wanted some new spring/summer items for my wardrobe. Here’s what I got:

From Target:

• Chartreuse Pencil Skirt, $22.99
• Cobalt Blue Hi Low Foldover Maxi Skirt, $17.99 (got for $15.99)
• Mossimo White Denim Jacket, $29.99
• Coral Eyelet ¾ Sleeve Shirt, $13 (clearance)

From Old Navy:

• Green Eyelet Tube Dress, $34.94 (got for 30% off)
• White Cropped Rib-Knit Cardi, $15 (got for $10)
• Rockstar Zip-Pocket Skinny Pants, $34.94

(There were a few other things I got, like a t-shirt, socks and nylons, but I’ll leave those out for the purpose of this post!)

One thing I am guilty of, as I’m sure we all are, is getting bored with the clothes I have. I’ll fall in love with a piece, buy it, then a few months later feel like I’ve got nothing to wear. So, with the new things I bought I challenged myself to combine everything in creative ways to see how many outfits I could come up with. See below for the results. The ONLY thing I added is a black tank top that I already own. 

As you can see, there are TONS of combinations. And think of how many more combinations I could come up with just by using the other things already in my closet. I could multiply the possibilities just by adding things that everyone owns, like jeans or a white tank top. I didn’t even add shoes or accessories! Each of these looks can be dressed up or down by wearing flats or heels or dressy or casual jewelry. This little exercise has really inspired me to be more creative with my wardrobe and try to use the pieces I already have in new and fun ways.

How do you stretch your wardrobe?

Fashion: Crossbody Bags

I don't discriminate when it comes to a great purse but I have to say that I tend to gravitate towards crossbody bags more than any other type of bag. They are comfortable, stylish and come in a variety of sizes, colors and designs. I don't like to fuss with a purse (especially when I'm out shopping) and think these are the perfect alternative. Here are some of my favorites that I've been eying this season:

1. Aubrey Bag from Francesca's Collections - $44

2. Latitudes Messenger from Francesca's Collections - $38

3. Hamilton Satchel from Michael Kors - $298

4. Medium Ostrich-Embossed Saddle Bag Messenger from Michael Kors - $248

5. Vintage Reissue Flap from Fossil - $168

6. Legacy Leather Swingpack from Coach - $148

7. Pendleton Messenger Bag from Urban Outfitters - $184

8. Deena & Ozzy Bullet Crossbody Bag from Urban outfitters - $39

9. Edie Purse from J. Crew - $238

10. Brompton Hobo from J. Crew - $298

What do you think of this trend? Do you use crossbody bags?

Beauty Wish List

Do you have a long list of products you can't wait to get your hands on? So do I! Here are some of the things I'm currently lusting after:

 

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Vera Wang Lovestruck

I'm not a huge perfume nut, but I tested this scent and immediately wanted it. It's really fruity and slightly floral and my favorite thing about it is that it smells light. I'm not a fan of fragrances that are too heavy or overpowering. 

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Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar

I've been hearing rave reviews about these lip tars. The product goes on like a lip gloss, but is supposed to last much longer than typical glosses. 

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Illamasqua Nail Varnish

This is another product I've heard so much about and have been wanting to try. The range of colors is really bright and bold, and the polish claims to be more resistant to chips than other products.

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Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup

Do I really need another foundation? No. Do I still really want to try this one out? Yes. The original Naked palette got me hooked on Urban Decay, and they have so many products I'd love to try.

 

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T3 Featherweight Luxe 2i Hair Dryer

I would never, ever spend this much on a hair dryer. That's why it's on my wish list.

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Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Concealer Pen

A while back when I was searching for a good under eye concealer, one of the makeup artists at Sephora recommended this product and even put it on me. The only thing stopping me from purchasing was the price. This concealer did a wonderful job of covering up my dark circles and under eye discoloration.

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NARS Blush

I've never been able to justify spending $28 on a blush when my $4 CoverGirl Cheekers look great and save me a ton of cash. But still, NARS blush is one of the brand's best-selling products and something I definitely want to experiment with. 

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Dior Diorshow Iconic Mascara

I’ve heard about this mascara on multiple beauty blogs and seen pictures of what it can do for your lashes. I’m sold, and I haven’t even tried the product yet.

What’s on your beauty wish list? 

Makeup Haul

Recently I got my hands on a few beauty products I'm really excited to test and review for you guys.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

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This follow-up to the original Naked Palette (which I absolutely love) is AWESOME. The palette contains 12 shades, and they're quite different from the original palette. The Naked 2 contains a few more matte shades, but maintains the combination of both sparkly and matte shades. It also comes with a mini lip gloss and a double-ended eyeshadow brush. There really are a lot of possibilities with this palette.

Jouer Lip Enhancer

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Jouer is a brand I had heard of, but only really discovered via my monthly Birchbox. I'd never tried the lip enhancer before, but I decided to give it a shot when I read the description. The product is creamy and has a subtle hint of pink. The lip enhancer claims to make your lips look fuller and reduce fine lines. It's supposed to hydrate and protect lips. The directions say to apply several times a day for one month to see results.

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint

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Thank you to Birchbox for introducing me to this product! It's like a tinted moisturizer on steroids. The product is lightweight and provides a nice-looking summer glow to the skin. It has SPF 20 and comes in seven different shades to match all skin tones. The color I purchased was pearl -- made for fair complexions. As you can tell, I already love this product.

Benefit They're Real! Mascara

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This product is one of the more recent additions to the Benefit line. The mascara claims to lengthen, curl and volumize lashes. That's quite a tall order. Having tested this product before, I was pretty happy with the results. One of the first things I noticed about the product is the brush. It's fairly standard, but the tip comes with tiny little bristles to help you coat the harder to reach lashes. I'm looking forward to adding this one to my daily makeup routine.

I'm really excited to use all of these new products. I'll post full reviews and pictures for everything soon. Have you tried out any of these products? Let us know in the comments!

Fashion: White Out

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I searched almost the entire summer and FINALLY found some white denim skinny jeans that fit me well and are flattering. You wouldn't believe how many pairs I had to try on to find the right fit. Some fabrics were way too thin, some cuts were not flattering for my shape or they were not the right size. I finally snatched up a pair on sale at Lord & Taylor and was doing the happy dance in the fitting room when they were just right.

Trust me when I say finding the right pair is worth the wait. They can be really unflattering if you don't have the right cut for your shape and type of fabric.

Here are some of my favorite looks I found on Pinterest.

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Sadly, it's almost Labor Day but you better believe I'm wearing these as much as possible before then.

What do you think of this look? What's your favorite way to wear white denim?

Kiehl's Dark Spot Corrector Testing and Review: Part Two

In early June, I posted part one of my review of Kiehl’s Dark Spot Corrector. Click here to read it.

The first positive thing I have to say about the product is that it lasted A LOT longer than I anticipated. Even with going a bit above and beyond the recommended usage, the product lasted until the beginning of July (I bought it in mid-April). That’s just over two and a half months of being able to use it twice daily! I am really impressed. When spending $50 on one skincare item, I want it to be able to use it for a while.

After a few weeks of using the product, I was pretty skeptical. Before I purchased the dark spot corrector, I read a bunch of really positive reviews – some even said the product was a miracle. Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t seeing those instant results some reviewers saw. At the time I posted part one of my review, I thought I could see a few signs of improvement but I really wasn’t sure.

So, did it work?

I’m happy to say it absolutely did! Though the spots I wanted to get rid of are not completely gone, I’ve seen a dramatic improvement from the time I began using the serum. My skin tone is a lot more even. What made me realize that the serum had begun to work is the fact that I was using less foundation and concealer to cover those areas. Now that I finished one bottle of the serum, I don’t even need concealer in some areas.

Here are the before and after pictures:

I think the results are especially apparent in the first before and after picture!

Lastly, here’s a quick rundown of my thoughts on the product:

• Easy to use? Yes.
• Price? Expensive, but worth it.
• Value? Excellent – lasted much longer than expected.
• Does it work? Yes, but you may need more than one bottle to completely get rid of dark spots.
• Would I purchase again? Absolutely.

Have you tried Kiehl’s Dark Spot Corrector? If so, did you have good results? If not, would you consider trying it?

15 Essentials for Your Closet

So, what is considered a clothing essential? I consider something essential when it matches with lots of other pieces in your wardrobe. It’s something that can totally be transformed depending on the accessories you wear or pieces that lay the foundation for a whole outfit. Also, essentials never go out of style.

Whether you want to overhaul your wardrobe, or are looking for pieces to help make your current wardrobe more versatile, here are 15 things every woman should have in her closet:

Basic camis

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Black dress

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Neutral pencil skirt

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Cardigan

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Black or neutral heels

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Lightweight trench coat

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Jeans that fit well

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Nude flats

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Basic tees

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Blazer

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Day-to-evening bag

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Simple blouse

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Light scarf

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Neutral dress pants

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Leather belt

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When choosing your staples, keep a few things in mind:

If you have the budget to get some of these items in multiple colors, I highly recommend it. It will help stretch your wardrobe even further. 

When choosing pieces, make sure you don’t select items with too many adornments. The more intricate the details on the piece, the less versatile it becomes.

If you live in an area like we do that experiences cool autumns and harsh winters, I’d definitely add a few things like a nice puffy coat and quality pair of boots to the list. If you’re in year-round warm temps (lucky you!), I’d add a pair of wedges and some sundresses to the list. 

What else do you consider a closet essential?