Going Cheap
So how is the recession affecting your purchases? If you’re like me and you’re already a bargain shopper, it’s tough to see the difference in what you buy now versus pre-economic meltdown. But there are areas where I’ve made some changes to save a few more bucks. Have you?
Found an old friend – My Benefit cream is amazing, but it’s not cheap. It was lucky for me a friend’s daughter started selling Avon. For half the price, I now use Anew, which in my estimation is a phenomenal face cream and one I used years ago. Thanks to constant sales, I was able to pick up a jar for 15 bucks. Benefit costs $32. Cha-ching!
Took advantage of retail drought – Retailers are struggling. As a result, prices are insanely low and there are any number of discounts on top of that to entice you. Example – my $44 Levi’s 542s were $19.99. My man’s Dockers winter jacket – $30, down from $120. Even my favorite new boutique (Best Friends in Phoenixville, PA) has a sale rack where you can score a Graham and Spencer dress for as low as 10 bucks (top price on the sale rack – 30 bucks). A great way to stock up on investment pieces!
Bought more investment pieces – Maybe it’s the need to feel like I’m treating myself, but I’ve been buying fewer low-priced items and buying more higher-end pieces. I bought a lovely Velvet dress for $116, but I know I’ll get tons of wear from it. Also, today I’m going back to that boutique and getting a gorgeous little gray dress that caught my eye a week ago. Same cost, but again, it’s a style that is somewhat trendy, definitely classy, and will last any number of seasons.
Avoided eBay – You heard me. I’ve stopped shopping eBay because the prices locally are so much better. Plus no shipping charges. Until things bounce back, I can find better bargains here.
Replaced expensive facial scrubs with… table sugar – I swear it works like a charm. It dissolves, so it’s not as harmful to your skin as say crushed walnut shells would be. It costs a fraction of what a packaged scrub would cost, plus it comes in bulk. 
And sugar has slews of uses. I make a terrific and nearly-pain-free leg wax with it.
What have you cut back on? Are you still splurging once in a while? If so, on what?
24 Carats? How about 40?
Given the latest push for environmentally friendly, well, everything, magazines have been touting the benefits of organic beauty products. I’m a skeptic by nature, so it takes more than the word of an editor who’s probably pressed to fill space to get me to buy. It takes a sale. Luckily, I found the 40 Carrots line of beauty products on sale recently. I picked up the Carrot+Mango Moisture Splurge and the Carrot + C Vitamin Serum. Both claim to naturally firm the skin and improve your skin’s appearance.
It’s love. The scent of both these products is fresh and citrus-y. It takes just a small amount of each product, and the results are nearly instant. The Vitamin Serum tightens the skin gently (you can actually feel it – I mistook it for skin dryness at first) while the Moisture Splurge refines the way the skin appears and adds much-needed moisture. Given that my skin is normally bone-dry and sporting redness, this lotion passed my litmus test.
Another great find recently – well, let’s call it a rediscovery. Back when Avon first came out with its Anew line of skin care, I bought my first jar and was blown away by its ability to seemingly erase fine lines. So when a friend became an Avon rep, it took me no time at all to order a jar.
Times have changed – for the better. There are several variations on the theme, which makes it somewhat more difficult to choose the right product. But I managed to find what I think is right for my skin type and so far, Anew has impressed me yet again. That you can now order online through any representative’s website makes it so much easier than trying to locate a rep, then waiting for a visit.
What have you found (or rediscovered) that you can’t live without?
Shoes, Shoes, Shoes….
Tell me why I continue to buy shoes. I’ve bought one really cute, functional pair of heels and have bids on two more pairs on eBay that are just cute. I convince myself I need these. They’re essentials. Black and brown are essentials, right? No real way to explain away the purple pumps – oh wait, they’re good with jeans.
The draw – I love different styles and textures. I also love shoes because if they don’t fit and you go up a size, you’re not moping in a bag of Oreos as a result. There’s no size stigma with shoes. For that reason, I’m up to 40 pairs. I’ve promised the man, who’s tired of putting shoe racks together, that I’ll weed some out. It’ll be hard. But when these show up, I’ll need to make room for them:
Note that they’re Naturalizer, which is a brand getting a bit more respect from me. Sure, they still have some mighty frumpy styles, but I know own three pairs that I think are quite stylish. I get lots of compliments on my black wedge sandals, which have a beautiful gold chain detail across the toe. That you can walk all day in these make them worth considering. That I paid a whopping $24.99 for the ones above make them a necessity. And they’re black, so they’re essential, right? 
Thank God for H&M
The man looked at my shirt the other day and said, “Wow. You look really nice. That shirt makes you look thinner and leaner.”
I went out the next day and bought two more. Hey, we don’t ignore when the man notices, do we? The shirt in question is a gorgeous raspberry-colored bib-gathered top from H&M with a subtle tone-on-tone stripe, 3/4 sleeve and enough lycra to hug the curves just so. All of $24.50. I’d show you a photo, but for some reason the US-based H&M site has yet to come up with an online store – why is that? If I want to fake my way through their Norwegian site, I might find something remotely similar. Here’s a somewhat similar shirt from the Norwegian site, though mine is not that long and much, much more fitted. No flowers on mine, either:
Does anyone know why H&M continues to disappoint us online shoppers?
Which Designer Would You Cough Up Cash For?
Since most of my wardrobe has been procured through the cunning use of sales and eBay, it’s difficult for me to consider shelling out hard-earned cash for designer threads. However, one designer has me constantly considering making an exception. Dianne von Furstenberg, in my opinion, cannot be duplicated, mimicked, or knocked off. She mixes body-flattering style with impeccable tailoring and even more amazing design and fabric choices.
And the prices aren’t obscene, either. Where else could you get a fits-like-second-skin clothing that makes you look and feel more beautiful just for wearing it at mere hundreds? In a time when top designers are charging thousands for one frock, DVF has managed to keep beautiful clothing within reach. Here’s my personal favorite from her latest collection:
Who would you splurge on?
Shoes! More Shoes!
It’s tough for me to contain my excitement about the change of seasons. While I mourn summer like nobody’s business (it’s my favorite season), my body’s already craving fall’s cooler days (and all those jackets and shoes I’ve been buying all summer in preparation for fall). I sat myself down over the weekend and yes, I bought two more pairs of shoes on eBay. These are just so cute:
Okay, to be fair, I haven’t actually won the second pair yet, but here they are: Just please, don’t bid against me. It’s not like a really need yet another pair of shoes, but I’ve got my heart set on these for some weird reason. 
What have you bought?
When Your Outfit Becomes a Costume
We’ve all made the mistake of putting together that outfit that echoes a theme only to overdo the entire thing by sticking too much to the theme. Consider a pair of sailor pants paired with a striped top and, god forbid, accompanied by a sailor hat. A little too Cracker Jack or Popeye for me, thank you. But what about other trends? Suppose you have a gorgeous pair of 40s-inspired shoes? If you pair it with a great 40s-inspired dress, is that too much? Or is it the deep red lipstick that puts it over the top?
I saw a girl at the mall yesterday wearing a fabulous white a-line grecian dress with either a gold breastplate necklace or gold jeweled embellishments at the neck (she was walking by pretty quickly). She had on jeweled gladiator flat sandals and she was wearing multicolored bangles with a serpent bracelet. She looked amazing and not overdone. Why? Maybe it was her makeup, which was very summery and not too complicated. Maybe it was the fact that she mixed a modern clutch in with it, or the headscarf that wasn’t grecian at all. Perhaps it was just the cell phone she had to her ear. Whatever the reason, she was put together without looking costume-y. It went something like this:
Mixing in a few more modern, less thematic items often takes the edge off a retro outfit. And let’s face it – retro is definitely tricky to pull off well if we stick too closely to the theme. The sailor pants are great if you wear them with a fitted jacket. Or wear the sailor outfit with say a pair of stacked heels.
What do you do to mix things up?
Blending Summer into Fall
As you know, I’ve been thinking about fall lately. So the other day when I had a few minutes, I dug through my closet and dressers trying to assess what I needed to get me through fall. Result – not much. It seems I’ve been shopping quite a bit! I have a lot of tops and an adequate amount of bottoms, not to mention scads of shoes. So it was fun to go through what I have and find new ways to wear the summer stuff.
This outfit came from a few newer pieces combined with spring and summer staples.
- The Charlotte Russe blouse – $18.99.
- Nine West clutch – $40 on the Nine West site
- White jacket – $19.99 at TJMaxx
- Nine West shoes – $19.99 on the Nine West site
- Old Navy skinny jeans – $19.99 last fall.
- Silver hoop earrings – $8 at New York and Company
I added my watch because hey, sometimes a girl just needs something expensive (though it was on sale, too). The jade bracelet was something we picked up in Chinatown when we were in San Francisco about 10 years ago.
Excluding the watch and bracelet, this set me back $126.96. Considering how much use I’ve gotten out of most pieces – the jeans especially, but I’ve carried the clutch most of the summer – that’s that much less money going to an entirely new outfit.
What are some of your favorite ways to mix existing clothes into the new season?
Help a Sister Out
It occurs to me with more than a little embarrassment that I have too many clothes and shoes. I know, I know – how can that be? But I have at least ten pairs of shoes that have yet to be worn (I blame the change of season on that – it’s too warm for some of these yet!). I have dresses with tags still on them that I fully intend to wear, and I have tops that have been worn once. Yet I still shop.
But I’ve just made a conscious decision to shop, but not for myself. There’s an organization called Dress For Success that helps women starting over look their best. I’ve donated my next-to-new suits (work at home now), a few pairs of new shoes I’ll never wear, and some pantyhose. They accept new or like-new work-appropriate attire for women of all sizes. Check with your local chapter to find out what they’re most in need of. It’s a great way to still feed your shopping addiction while doing some good.
