Good job, Target. Or... I guess good job, Xhilaration....
Click on the picture to check it out.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Totally Legit
So I found a pair of flats at Target for $20 (emphasis on the "found" and not "bought" please - I am not that much of a shopholic yet). As the title of my post suggests: at $20 a pair with these fiercy studs, they are totally legit.
Good job, Target. Or... I guess good job, Xhilaration....
Click on the picture to check it out.
Good job, Target. Or... I guess good job, Xhilaration....
Click on the picture to check it out.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Must haves and just for fun
What I think every woman should have in her wardrobe:
- A pair of pearl earrings. They can be in elaborate designs, but not too big. David Yurman makes great ones.
- A pair of black pumps. Not too pointy, but not too round either.
- A really simple, but very well FITTED and TAILORED Little Black Dress.
- A pair of camel colored pumps. Again not too pointy, but not too round either. I would also recommend against ultra high heels for all day comfort. But that depends on you.
- A pair of diamond stud earrings. Of course, faux diamonds are fine. But pay attention to the setting of the stones.
- A pair of khaki pants in beige.
- A flowy, flowery soft cotton dress. It is soooo comfortable and can be dressed up or down.
- Cream colored hobo. It goes with EVERYTHING
- Button downs, button downs, button downs. They are super chic and you can just put your hair in a bun.
- Statement necklaces. Or earrings.
And just for fun, I recently read an article in InStyle. The woman in the article is a well known interior designer. When asked what she thinks a woman can do to look more chic. The interior designer answered: wear a t-shirt inside out. I am completely floored by her ingenious idea of how to add interest in an outfit. I am just not sure if that is the kind of interest you want to add. And maybe she thought when the reporter asked what would make HER more chic… it would definitely make her look chic if all other women around her wore their t-shirts inside out.
Oh the crazy fashion people! A reality check is in order.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
What’s new in my closet
My dad always took me shopping whenever he visits me at school (yay). With my school's proximity to one of the best outlet mall in the country, it is natural that we always visit San Marcos during our wild shopping trips. And so today was no exception.
The stores we always go:
Neiman Marcus Last Call (where I got the most fabulous pair of Chloe sunglasses today)
United Colors of Benetton
J.Crew (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! And I found the most amazing necklace here today. They were also having quite a sale. Most regular priced items were 50% off and all sale items were additionally 30% off. I also found this dusty orange printed silk shirt for $15 that was originally priced for $70! What a steal!)
The Gap (OMG, don't even get me started with the Gap. First off, the Gap's factory stores always look like a battle zone. I don't know if they do that intentionally so everyone thinks there is a crazy sale going on or if there are just too many shoppers there and not enough employees to clean up after them – probably a little bit of both. I mean, seriously, why bother cleaning up when the store's disastrous state of non-orderliness doesn't seem to stop shoppers from entering? Allocating the employees to the register seemed much more productive, meaningful, and efficient (not necessarily in this order though). Anyhow, I was able to get a graham shirt for spanking $6 that was originally priced at $35! Wow wow wow. And it looks awesome! I also found a pair of sweeeet military green chinos for $9 that was originally priced at $40.)
BCBG
Lacoste
Gymboree (for my 3-year-old little sis)
Abercrombie and Fitch
…
…
…
Ok, so there are like a million stores there and my list is like not even close to a sliver of the pie. But those are my ultimate shopping destinations. Well, if you know me. J.Crew is all I need ;).
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Right Now List
So as the temperature is finally starting to drop, I have begun my annual hunt for scarves. I found this super soft scarf at Lucky Brand over labor day weekend and I just had to have it. Although the color may be summery, but who wears scarf during the summer? Not done in Texas anyway. People would just think you have a neck problem.
In addition to showing off to you my recent purchase, I am doing a little segment of what I want right now. I have been obsessed with necklaces lately and this one from Anthropology is so cute and versatile. According to Shopstyle, it is $20. But I could not find it at the store for the life of me.
Adding a belt over any piece of clothing is just fabulous. I like the metallic one shown here (from Fossil). I can't believe I do not own any metallic belt. So this one is definitely on my shopping list.
Need! Need! Need! Yes, I really need this white silk blouse. I don't know where my head was before, but I only recently discovered that white silky blouse is extremely flattering and goes with everything (shocker!). I have been looking for one that is light and relaxed. This blouse from Bluefly is both of these things.
Rain, rain, go away. Little Johnny (Christine?) wants to play. Or I can just play in those fierce Hunter wellies. I have always been dreaming about getting one since I was in Denmark two years ago. But I have fat calves and I don't know if they will fit me. I also find it extremely hard to pick a color. Navy Blue? Black? Purple? Green? Oh Lord help me....
As the weather is cooling down (yay!), I thought I should make a cute Polyvore picture for a day at the park or just for walking around in the zoo. By the way, can the jacket be any more fab?
Until next time,
Adding a belt over any piece of clothing is just fabulous. I like the metallic one shown here (from Fossil). I can't believe I do not own any metallic belt. So this one is definitely on my shopping list.
Need! Need! Need! Yes, I really need this white silk blouse. I don't know where my head was before, but I only recently discovered that white silky blouse is extremely flattering and goes with everything (shocker!). I have been looking for one that is light and relaxed. This blouse from Bluefly is both of these things.
Rain, rain, go away. Little Johnny (Christine?) wants to play. Or I can just play in those fierce Hunter wellies. I have always been dreaming about getting one since I was in Denmark two years ago. But I have fat calves and I don't know if they will fit me. I also find it extremely hard to pick a color. Navy Blue? Black? Purple? Green? Oh Lord help me....
As the weather is cooling down (yay!), I thought I should make a cute Polyvore picture for a day at the park or just for walking around in the zoo. By the way, can the jacket be any more fab?
Until next time,
Christine
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
For the persistent bargain hunters in all of us
Like most people, I love when things go on sale. My habit of buying things on sale has gotten so bad that now I rarely pay full price for clothing and accessories. The only time I really "splurge" (and by "splurge" I mean buying stuff that are NOT on sale) is on coats, jackets, and purses. Sounds pathetic? Sure, maybe I am crazy. But bargain hunting is so much fun (yes, I said it).
Over my shopoholic years, I have discovered stores that offer amazing fashion at unbelieable prices and places that has current styles for a lot less than designer ones.
My favorite bargain hunting paradises: T.J. Maxx, Marshall's, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Off Saks, Loehmann's, The Rack by Nordstrom, DSW, Bluefly.com, and the Outnet.
T.J. Maxx is on the top of my list because I have one right outside where I live and there is another one very close to my school. Funny thing: the one that's close to my school used to get shipments from Wynn Las Vegas and Bloomingdale's. So the place was filled with designer stuff up to its neck. I found Marc Jacobs cashmere sweaters from the previous year's runway (retailed at $4000) for $300. They were thick cashmere blend with a silk overlay. I bought two - one black and one silver. Sadly, I do not have pictures of them. But they will sure surface here in the future since they are just beyond fierce. I also found DVF dresses for $100, and several Badgeley Mischka dresses for $100 each. All of these babies were retailed at about $400. Sweeet.
Marshall's is equally awesome. But the thing with these discount stores is that you really have to be patient and dig in. The store location also determines what kind of shipments they get and how fast things go. I got lucky with the San Antonio store next to my school, but the awesome selection is long gone. Although it still has nice things from Bloomindale's and other similar department stores, it no longer carries any leftover couture stuff from Wynn. Another caveat would be that discount stores' types of goods varies from time to time. You may find awesome DVF dresses and Matty M tees everywhere one time, and only crappy fashion wannabe items the next time.
Loehmann's has crazy sales sometimes. I do not frequent the store but I check it out whenever I am in the area. Loehmann's carries some designer dresses and other nice stuff in a section called "the Back Room." You can expect to find Marc by Marc Jacobs and Nicole Miller Collection among other brands.
Neiman Marcus Last Call, Off Saks, and the Rack are the discount stores for their respective department stores. Last Call is often located in outlet malls while you can find Off Saks and the Rack almost anywhere. They basically sell whatever was left of their final sales from the regular deparment stores. They are more organized in comparison to TJ Maxx, Marshall's, and Loehmann's, and you can find crazy sales on top of their already discounted prices.
DSW is for shoes. You won't find Louboutins here, but they have average priced designer shoes at a discounted price.
Bluefly.com and the Outnet are online discount retailers. Bluefly.com is a personal favorite. It carries all name brands clothing and accessories, but not crazy expensive. The Outnet, on the other hand, is the discount retailer for Net-a-porter.com. So expect it to carry all the world's leading designers. Couture, couture, couture!
Here are some of my recent finds:
Elie Tahari blazer. Retail for $448. I found a similar version at T.J. Maxx for $23.
Acrobat sweater. Retail at $92. Bluefly: $55. I found this baby at Loehmann's for $10. Haha.
Theory Ganesa Blouse as seen on Kate Hudson. Retail: $200. How much I paid? $20. From TJ Maxx again.
Over my shopoholic years, I have discovered stores that offer amazing fashion at unbelieable prices and places that has current styles for a lot less than designer ones.
My favorite bargain hunting paradises: T.J. Maxx, Marshall's, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Off Saks, Loehmann's, The Rack by Nordstrom, DSW, Bluefly.com, and the Outnet.
T.J. Maxx is on the top of my list because I have one right outside where I live and there is another one very close to my school. Funny thing: the one that's close to my school used to get shipments from Wynn Las Vegas and Bloomingdale's. So the place was filled with designer stuff up to its neck. I found Marc Jacobs cashmere sweaters from the previous year's runway (retailed at $4000) for $300. They were thick cashmere blend with a silk overlay. I bought two - one black and one silver. Sadly, I do not have pictures of them. But they will sure surface here in the future since they are just beyond fierce. I also found DVF dresses for $100, and several Badgeley Mischka dresses for $100 each. All of these babies were retailed at about $400. Sweeet.
Marshall's is equally awesome. But the thing with these discount stores is that you really have to be patient and dig in. The store location also determines what kind of shipments they get and how fast things go. I got lucky with the San Antonio store next to my school, but the awesome selection is long gone. Although it still has nice things from Bloomindale's and other similar department stores, it no longer carries any leftover couture stuff from Wynn. Another caveat would be that discount stores' types of goods varies from time to time. You may find awesome DVF dresses and Matty M tees everywhere one time, and only crappy fashion wannabe items the next time.
Loehmann's has crazy sales sometimes. I do not frequent the store but I check it out whenever I am in the area. Loehmann's carries some designer dresses and other nice stuff in a section called "the Back Room." You can expect to find Marc by Marc Jacobs and Nicole Miller Collection among other brands.
Neiman Marcus Last Call, Off Saks, and the Rack are the discount stores for their respective department stores. Last Call is often located in outlet malls while you can find Off Saks and the Rack almost anywhere. They basically sell whatever was left of their final sales from the regular deparment stores. They are more organized in comparison to TJ Maxx, Marshall's, and Loehmann's, and you can find crazy sales on top of their already discounted prices.
DSW is for shoes. You won't find Louboutins here, but they have average priced designer shoes at a discounted price.
Bluefly.com and the Outnet are online discount retailers. Bluefly.com is a personal favorite. It carries all name brands clothing and accessories, but not crazy expensive. The Outnet, on the other hand, is the discount retailer for Net-a-porter.com. So expect it to carry all the world's leading designers. Couture, couture, couture!
Here are some of my recent finds:
Elie Tahari blazer. Retail for $448. I found a similar version at T.J. Maxx for $23.
Acrobat sweater. Retail at $92. Bluefly: $55. I found this baby at Loehmann's for $10. Haha.
Theory Ganesa Blouse as seen on Kate Hudson. Retail: $200. How much I paid? $20. From TJ Maxx again.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Going to the ball game
I recently went to my first baseball game and I had a really hard time figuring out what to wear to the occasion. This may sound silly to some people since no one really cares about what you wear to a ball game. But not so fast. As someone who loves fashion and likes to look good at all occasions, I think it is important that I express such love whenever possible - yes, even at a baseball game.
Here is an outfit I conjured up that is fierce and appropriate for a baseball game:
Here is an outfit similar to what I wore to the ball game:
I used the "ask a stylist" app and asked if I should wear the vest. Sadly, the stylist thought it was too fancy for a ball game. I disagreed and wore it anyway! And I was seriously happy that I wore the fabulous vest to the game, because I looked different in a good way. :) Just because I was at a sports event doesn't mean that I don't get to be who I am, right? So today's lesson: always be aware of what makes you happy and disregard others' opinion if it disagrees with you.
Here is an outfit I conjured up that is fierce and appropriate for a baseball game:
Here is an outfit similar to what I wore to the ball game:
Marc by Marc Jacobs - Bell Crossbody (Chickpea) - Bags and Luggage
$228 - zappos.com
Cross body shoulder bag »
$228 - zappos.com
Cross body shoulder bag »
Ray-Ban 8041 Aviator Titanium Shiny Gold Polarised > Ray-Ban...
184 GBP - sunglasses-shop.co.uk
Aviator shades »
184 GBP - sunglasses-shop.co.uk
Aviator shades »
I used the "ask a stylist" app and asked if I should wear the vest. Sadly, the stylist thought it was too fancy for a ball game. I disagreed and wore it anyway! And I was seriously happy that I wore the fabulous vest to the game, because I looked different in a good way. :) Just because I was at a sports event doesn't mean that I don't get to be who I am, right? So today's lesson: always be aware of what makes you happy and disregard others' opinion if it disagrees with you.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
DIY Fashion
Last year, I found this cute cardigan by Splendid. The fabric is light enough for a chilly summer night. But my clumsy self burned a hole on the bottom front of the shirt just a few days after bringing it home. I still wore the cardigan from time to time, but always trying to drape it so the hole will not be visible.
Yesterday, I went to Hobby Lobby, determined to find something that can help me to "fix" the hole and "beautify" it. I tried to find some type of a "iron-on" thing that would be a quick fix but to no avail. Unexpectedly, I found what might just work while strolling past the crochet section - felt!
Okay, I was desperate and could not wait to get out of the store. I grabbed a bag of felt-flowers with cute beads sewn on.
I used two flowers to cover up the hole and another flower on the other side of the shirt to "balance" my artwork.
Voila!
Yesterday, I went to Hobby Lobby, determined to find something that can help me to "fix" the hole and "beautify" it. I tried to find some type of a "iron-on" thing that would be a quick fix but to no avail. Unexpectedly, I found what might just work while strolling past the crochet section - felt!
Okay, I was desperate and could not wait to get out of the store. I grabbed a bag of felt-flowers with cute beads sewn on.
I used two flowers to cover up the hole and another flower on the other side of the shirt to "balance" my artwork.
Voila!
I also stopped by Famous Footwear on my way home and checked out their sale section. It is not a store that I frequent (only been there 3 times my whole life), but I had to buy socks for my little brother. And look what I found:
Sweet boots! They are part cowgirl and part rock-n-roll. I remember mentioning that I don't like anything rock-n-roll inspired. But they look really fun and maybe I can make this work. I will post pictures of complete outfits with these babies later. Oh how exciting!
I realized my new adventurous side when I first started shopping at Urban Outfitters. Two years ago, I could not pick anything out from that store. Not even if it was a giveaway! They store simply did not have anything that fitted my style.
But now while I retained my love for the classic style, I also wondered outside of my comfort zone because dressing is fun and being able to make different pieces of attire work is a beautiful skill that needs to be honed. Urban outfitters became a personal favorite, and I started to be able find something I like from almost any store. My new found bravery is fully evident in these cool boots that I just purchased.
Did I mention they were $10?
Haha, they were on sale from $100 to $10. So I guess my "bravery" is conditional. Only if the weird new item is cheap enough for me to take the risk. Otherwise, it would be more like "$100? Um. No, thanks! I'd rather save that money and get myself another pair of riding boots for the fall."
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