Don’t forget about TJ Maxx (but be prepared to dig) February 28, 2009

Thursday morning I offered to drive up to Summerville (pretty much halfway to Columbia…) to have dinner with my husband, who is working serious overtime thanks to tax season.  He’s been coming home an average of midnight so I figured it was a nice offer.

Classic grey dress - not the exact one but close enough

Doesn’t hurt that there is a discount shopping mecca up there that is completely untapped by the locals.

Exhibit A: Calvin Klein knee-length, v-neck, grey sheath dress, with capped sleaves, double layer edges on the neck and pockets (dresses have to have pockets!), matching grey belt that can easily be replaced by color or more flash for fancier occasions. Regardless, it’s a classic that I couldn’t turn down – and feel certain I’ll be wearing for years to come (as long as I don’t grow out of it).

My point being: don’t forget to check out TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshall’s, etc. Sometimes they are a bust, but others a gold rush.

Oh, did I mention the 600 thread count sheets I also picked up, forx less than the price of 300-count at Target?!

Thanks for bringing it, Old Navy! February 20, 2009

Old Navy purple cotton ruffled top - perfect for a day in the park!

If you aren’t blessed by an Old Navy in your town (and I imagine most are any more), go online and check out their new spring line.  It’s worth a gander.

And I’d like to take this post to thank Old Navy for continually bringing inexpensive, yet cute, sometimes fashion forward(ish) clothing. And even if it isn’t fashion forward, they are staples that you can add accessories to jazz it up.

However, I am still looking for an awesome red-flowered maxi dress from there, featured in March’s Glamour – but it’s not online yet!  And an email to customer service directed me to a pink-flowered maxi dress (not red).  I guess I’ll just stay on the lookout.

In the meantime, loving this purpose ruffled cotton top (it’ll serve as my fix, for now).

Oh, did I mention they have a tall line too? Huge for gals with taller stature like myself.

Fashion magazines that get it February 18, 2009

I have been very pleased with my magazine content lately – and I guess I have the recession to thank for it (at least there’s something!). My fav magazines, which include Glamour, Lucky, and InStyle, have really been bringing some great low-cost yet high-fashion options in recent months.

Thanks to you, Glamour, InStyle and Lucky!

Now let’s hope that the fashion magazine industry doesn’t see the same demise of so many shelter magazines recently…keep buying, people!

Here’s a tip too – if you have any unused U.S. Air or other airline miles, see if you can redeem them for magazines. That’s how we have all of the above, plus Fast Company and BusinessWeek - can’t beat “free” magazines.

Looking for the perfect statement necklace February 5, 2009

Multi-colored statement necklace

I can be pretty good and digging up what specific pieces have caught my eye, and finding a reasonable version. But this one has alluded me.

So I’m putting this out in the universe of stylish bargain-hunters…where can I find a great, possibly multi-colored or just one bold color, chunky MAJOR statement necklace for a reasonable price?

I love this one – it’s a great example of what I’m looking for. But maybe it just doesn’t exist…help!

Is Charleston stifling my ability to identify top fashion for less? February 1, 2009

So I did a little searching around bloggers who have clicked on my blog since its inception in November – and I have to say that their style is much different than mine. Granted, they are in San Diego, or in one case, all over the world – literally. 

Here’s the big question - do I have to be in a bigger city or even more fashion forward country to identify the best fashion, as long as it can be gotten at deal?

Not sure, but what I do know is that I need to challenge myself to look at more fashion and shopping sites – that is, WITHOUT buying something, or tagging something to buy later.  I have to be able to talk about fashion without having to buy.  It’s going to be tough.

The $7 leather(ish) bomber February 1, 2009

There are definitely those people I look up to fashion-wise – one former coworker is one of those. Even when fully pregnant, she was fashion forward yet sporting an achievable look. So when I ran into her the other day, I couldn’t help but notice her brown leather(ish) bomber. When I asked where she snagged it, she fully admitted that is was a clearance find last year from Target (yes, them again).

It set me on my quest to find my own, something I had been thinking for some time, even searched for a little, unsuccessfully, but this time was different. I first visited Forever21.com, a great source of all things trendy yet inexpensive.  Found a brown one for just $32 which I promptly ordered. It’s on it’s way now.

But then I conned my shopping-adverse husband to let me run into the Kohl’s in upper Mount Pleasant on the way back from Pawley’s…and there I found a ruffled collar, angled front zipper black faux leather bomber. It was a must have at just $20 – or so I thought.  My day was made when I got to the register and the checkout girl first asked how the heck I found it, because she thought they were out, and then proceeded to tell me that is was $7!

Unfortunately for those of you who want to grab one of these, I probably got the last one.  But don’t despair, there are plenty of leather(ish) bombers out there to be had.