Tag: deals

the truth behind forever

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i’ve always loved to shop.i mean, what girl doesn’t right? when i was in my early twenties the issue i had was that i didn’t realize that my life priorities would change later on and i would spend without thinking. designer jeans? sure why not! new shoes? OK! even though it was fun at the time, fast forward a few years and my bank account had taken quite the hit. what i also realized is that my wardrobe wasn’t as amazing as i had thought it was at the time. when you’re spending up to $300 on a pair of jeans, you’re only buying one at a time, so you end up having a lean selection of expensive things to chose from.

once i started living on my own and realizing that i still wanted a killer wardrobe at a fraction of the cost, i started to really hunt down the best deals possible. it takes longer to find great pieces, but you feel way more accomplished when you do. my wardrobe is now made up of really great “finds” that i’m proud of how i came to obtain them

my most recent shopping success story is on a trip to Forever 21. the truth behind Forever is that it’s always super hit or miss and if you don’t go on repeated trips you’ll almost never find anything. that’s been my experience lately with them- i’ll go in ready to discover and all i come up with is a lot of cheesiness.

not on this trip! the summer graphic t’s and tanks right now at Forever are amazing. they’ve done a really great job of creating easy inexpensive pieces that will be great weekend wear! with all of the summer festivals and concerts taking place it’s key to have a good arsenal of fun tops that aren’t super expensive. the ones i found were all between $19-$23 and i happen to be there while they were having a sale- so they were all 30% off!

i would highly recommend having a look- i also found some really cute dresses and throws but decided to focus on one thing at a time (baby steps on shopping rehab!)

xx- aboutthesmallthings

it’s hunting season

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some of my all time favorite accessories are shoes and handbags. people often come into my apartment and ask how many people live with me due to the number of shoes i have lined up in the front hallway. there are some serious brand names that i’m coveting after, but haven’t reached a point yet where i’m able to walk into any store and buy my hearts every desire (trust me, we may have a bigger problem if that were the case) so in the meantime, when i look for good investment pieces, i have to be savvy about it

The best thing to do when buying an investment piece is trying to find something you covet, at a discount. that way it’s something you’ll have forever but don’t feel as though you’ve spent more than a month’s rent on something you’re wearing on your feet. i’ve had amazing successes at Barney’s Coop on my trips to the states or at HR2 in Canada. you have to be patient, but when you find something worth is, grab it before it’s gone!

here are some tricks to buying investment pieces, but not breaking the bank

  1. Basic doesn’t mean black: An investment piece doesn’t always need to be black. there are other basics in the color world that can be worn with just about any color. don’t be afraid of navy or a great burgundy bag- they’ll still match with everything and can even add a pop of color to an outfit. at the end of each season, you can often find classic shapes in designer bags in the seasons color that they haven’t been able to sell through. I was able to pick up an Alexander Wang Rocco Duffle in Burgundy for 70% off because of the color
  2. Go online: There are a number of online sites that will send you customized sales for designers that you’re looking for. For example, the site Shop It To Me will email you daily sales on the brand names you’re looking for. They send you hits from various websites so you’re being redirected to sites like Nordstrom or Shopbop online as opposed to searching each individual website on your own.
  3. Do you research: Don’t just buy brand name for the sake of buying brand name. Know what you’re looking for. if there’s a specific designer you’re interested in, look for different retailers within the city that carry the brand. go in to the different locations, compare prices and in store deals before making a commitment. depending on the retailer, there can be discounts that they can offer or incentives at different times of the year
  4. Be patient. impulse buying when it comes to a big purchase is the worst way to go. you don’t end up enjoying your buy because you often spend too much and feel guilty about your purchase. wait until end of season, wait for holiday sales, those are the best times to look into buying designer because those are the times retailers are expecting their next collection. once things go on sale, the decision to buy in store or online are usually the only ones remaining

good luck and happy hunting!

xx- aboutthesmallthings

Holiday Faves- The Best and Worst Decision Ever Made

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julep

about a year ago a good friend of mine confessed that she has a bit of a problem. she had signed up to an online service and found that each month she was going a bit overboard. of course, concerned for my friend, i inquired if there was anything i could do to help her out. to this she laughed, smiled, and pulled out the most amazing beauty and nail polish collection i had seen in a while. clearly, i wanted in.

my friend had stumbled upon Julep’s online Maven program. For under $25/month you’re signed up as a member to their site. “Mavens” are entitled to Friends and Family deals, Secret Stores, and a monthly package delivered to your door filled with a selection of nail polishes and beauty items.

Before signing up, the site prompts you to take a survey to determine what kind of “Maven” you are (i’m boho chic, which hit the nail right on the head). Each month, you are sent a selection of items that fits this character. You have the choice to either keep the package selected for you, or you can select another package for a different “Maven” type. What I especially enjoy about the program is if you decide one month you don’t want your package and you need a gift for someone, you can change the shipping address to go directly to a friends house. (perfect for birthdays and holiday gifts!)

The truth is I’m not much of an online shopper, call me old fashioned but I still like to touch and feel clothing before I buy it. that said, i can never make a decision when standing at Sephora or the pharmacy over what nail polish color to buy. now, each month, I’m shipped 2-3 amazing new colors that are preselected for me. as long as you don’t go over board when your selections are made available (you can add on to your monthly Maven box) then the site is totally affordable and very worth it

Check out their site at: http://www.julep.com/maven.html