Shopping Smarter: Tips & Tricks (Share Yours, Too!)

One of my new year's resolutions this year was to shop smarter.  So, when I saw this post on over shopping by the lovely Gigi over at Gigi's Gone Shopping, it made me self-reflect a little.  I feel like I've been doing a lot of personal posts lately, so forgive me for the frequency, but I think these are important topics to explore---especially for many of us fashion and beauty bloggers.

Let's face it. I shop. A lot.  I love to shop, I love coupons, I love 40% off sales, I love trying clothes on. Just the entire experience= awesome.  My love for shopping is nothing new, I've loved it for as long as I can remember.  I definitely came from a family of women who love shopping. My grandmother, my mom and I used to spend wonderful quality time together shopping and enjoyed finding beautiful things together.  I still have such happy memories of how my grandmother's beautiful face would light up when she found something she really loved. 

I always justify my shopping by saying "I can afford it,"  "I'll wear this all the time," "I'll regret it if I don't buy this," and "this is such a good deal if I don't get it now it will be back to full price and I'll regret it."  

Excuses aside, I do fancy myself a good shopper. By that I mean that I buy on sale 90% of the time, I wait for the best deals and I don't usually buy on impulse or buy something "just to buy something."  I'm pretty picky and particular about what I select.  Not always, but most of the time. Sometimes I'll return from a shopping trip with nothing at all, or just essentials that I had meant to pick up anyway (like nail polish I ran out of).

I pride myself on the deals I get.  There's definitely a sort of "rush" you get when you get something that's on sale with an additional 40% off.  Getting a $128 skirt for $40 feels amazing. Of course it does, especially if you really really (really) love it.

The thing is, once you get used to shopping being a hobby you really really (really) enjoy, you want to do it all the time.  I only shop once a week and I don't shop online very often (maybe 5% or less of my purchases are made online.)  For some people, shopping once a week seems excessive---for people who love to shop, it might seem impressive to shop that infrequently.  I've known women who wanted to shop so badly that they went over their lunch break or stopped by the drugstore to buy makeup they didn't need, just to buy something.  I feel fortunate that I don't have urges that are quite so strong.  Saturday is always my "shopping day" where I can check out the mall or other stores I'd like to visit. 

There's a lot of temptation when you're a blogger---you see all of these fabulous outfits on a daily basis and it makes you want to buy them too---but I'm usually pretty good about that.  If I absolutely LOVE something, I'll make a note to try it on in the store (and maybe 1% of the time I'll love it so much that I'll order it online---but this is very rare.) Another forte of mine is that I really do wear 95% of everything that I buy (and sometimes I may wear something a little too much, like my lovely Micheal Kors sandals that I love.) It's rare for me to buy something and never wear it.  I usually sell it because the garment deserves to be worn by someone who loves it! 

I'm also definitely no clothes-hoarder. I donate and sell my clothes regularly.  I just can't have a crammed closet. It's stressful and makes it harder to get dressed in the morning.

So, what are my plans to shop smarter this year and how can you shop smarter too?

• Quality over quantity--- this doesn't mean I won't ever shop at Forever 21 anymore (sacrilege!) but I'm going to try to be more thoughtful about everything I buy. I'll admit that sometimes I go just a teeny bit overboard at Forever21 because it's so easy and cheap to buy.  The last few times I've gone, I've gotten 1 or 2 things or nothing at all. I've been doing well---truly only picking items that I absolutely love and know I will wear for a long time.  I also want to focus on saving for amazing items instead of buying a lot of things that I won't wear as often as how many times I'll use my new Tory Burch bag, for example.  That bag will be in my closet for a very, very long time.
  
  
• Continue to use coupons and buy on sale--- stores like Express, Ann Taylor, LOFT and many others are always having sales and sending coupons.  I will continue to diligently use coupons and shop during promotions so that I can save as much as possible. Always enter your email address every time they ask you for it when you shop, even if you've already given it to them--- they send you more coupons if they know you shop more frequently.
  
  
• Closet inventory--- how many black dresses do I have?  It's too embarrassing to discuss. I love them so very much that when I find a great one (whether it's wear-to-work or evening) I simply can't resist. By taking an inventory of your closet and seeing the things you currently own, you can better decide what you need and what is simply a want. Black dresses are indeed awesome, but I probably don't need as many of them as I have (though I do wear them all). A yellow skirt on the other hand...now that's something I don't have!
  
  
• Closet cleanse--- Cleanses are for closets, not for your body. As I mentioned above---donate and sell!  You can't possibly work your closet if you have clothes that don't fit you anymore, are from 1989, are damaged or that you simply don't like anymore.  GET RID OF IT. I promise it's oh-so-cleansing and makes it so much easier to get dressed in the morning. Just writing about a closet cleanse makes me want to do one. I think I will! (yes, there will be a blog sale soon!)
  
  
• Ask yourself 3 things:  Do I LOVE it? Does it fit? Where/when will I wear this?  If you can answer all of those questions with YES (I love it), YES (it fits) and next weekend, to the ballet (where/when will I wear it), you can buy it! If not, leave it--- seriously, step away from the garment. Come back to it if you change your mind---but you most likely won't!  When Candice and I go shopping, we always remember the rule: do you LOVE it?  If you hesitate even for a moment, it's probably not meant to be.

What are your smart and savvy shopping tips?  Do you consider yourself an over-shopper?  How do you curb your shopping habit (if you have one?)  Share with me in the comments below---I'm sure we could all learn a thing or two from each other!

...and, don't forget to visit Gigi's blog---she's got an incredible entry on the topic and the comments section is just as much of an interesting read!

xoxo,

Veronika.

PS--- Here's my outfit of the day:

 

Top- Costa Blanca
Sweater- White House, Black Market
Pants- Express Editors
Shoes- Aldo
Necklace- Forever 21

Seriously, I Promise I'll Stop (Little Haul)

I need to stop shopping. As good, responsible and sale-hungry as I am, I just need to stop shopping. I have everything I need at this point. I broke my Jessica Simpson heels a few weeks ago at work. I tripped on a rug and flew forward out of my shoes which cause the inner and outer side of the shoes to get little slits in them that are now full-on rips so they fall off of my feet.

I tried to find shoes yesterday but I didn't find any I liked. I went to Memorial City mall today and Macy's had lots of shoes on sale so I got one classic black pump (Jessica Simpson) and a pair of Michael Kors Sandals that I've been in love with forever and were finally on sale. At least you could say I needed new shoes. I also had my new watch size-adjusted when I was there! yay!

I actually only own about 10 pairs of shoes total. This doesn't include old grungy flats I don't wear or flip-flops. But maybe 8-10 actual heels/dressier shoes. For someone who loves fashion so much, you'd think I'd be more into shoes (and handbags) but I actually own very little of both. I don't even own one designer bag. I just get something that looks designer-esque at Aldo and call it a day. I do love purses, but I can never bring myself to pay so much for one. I do really love Michael Kors purses, so I might watch out for some of the styles I like to go on sale.

I promised my husband (and myself) no more shopping for at least 2 weeks. The thing is, it's not about the money. It's about treating shopping like a hobby instead of a once-in-awhile treat. I think I'd rather shop less often and feel like I really scored some great stuff than shop every Saturday like it's part of my weekly routine. I don't always buy a lot of things or expensive things, but I just need to focus on accomplishing some of my other goals and use my weekends to do that.

I'd like to start running in Memorial Park, for example. I could do that on a Saturday or Sunday instead of shopping, right?

Right.

Here are the lovely shoes:


And the Michael Kors (oh zippers, how I love you:)


I think both pairs will take me through spring/summer. I usually wear closed-toe shoes in the fall/winter and then open toe in the spring/summer, but if I have meetings with some of our more corporate clients, I like to have closed-toes on hand for that.

I also stopped by at Forever 21 because I had a gift card. I bought one shirt and a tank. The shirt is actually super awesome, and I'm so glad I saw it before almost leaving empty-handed. Once again, I wasn't that impressed with the selections at Forever 21. I think right now the seasons are transitioning and it's just a mish-mash of stuff.


It fits super great and the ruffles on the sleeve are the perfect touch to the otherwise simple tee. Marie Claire magazine has "ruffles" listed as a top Spring 2010 trend, so I think I'm OK to continually buy stuff with ruffles everywhere. (OMG I hope ruffles never go out of style. sigh.) It's a size small and cost $17.50.

I also picked up this purple tank for $4.50. It fits cute. Perfect for the gym. I bought it without trying it on first, so as soon as I got home I threw it on and was impressed with the fit.

Speaking of the gym/workout wear. I am obsessed with Victoria's Secret "The Lacie" panties. OMG. I stopped wearing thongs when the whole boy undie/cheeky craze began (even Cosmo Mag recently declared "The Thong is Over") but let me tell you, The Lacie is not your typical thong. It is the most comfortable one you will ever wear. I absolutely love them and picked up 3 more today. They actually work perfectly under all pants, especially workout pants, you can't detect them at all. I know its weird because they are "sexy" thongs...but I see them as more functional than anything else and wear them to work out. They come in super-cute bright colors too. I believe I heard that they are supposed to be a cheaper version of the "Hanky-Panky" lace thongs.

So that's it...for awhile, I hope.

Do you own a lot of shoes and handbags? I know a lot of women just love to have a lot of shoes...I just try to find ones that are fairly classic so they'll look good with lots of different outfits. Let me know below!

xoxo,

Veronika.

A Little More Shopping- Rosettes, Stila and American Eagle Denim

Well, I pretty much think the picture above says it all. Baby pink. Rosettes galore. I told my husband the sweater was the epitome of who I am as a person. LOL. I got it today at The Limited for (gasp!) regular price. I just loved it too much. The rosettes are large, so a simple camisole is all you need under this pretty sweater. It is crop length. Love it. I can also see it being adorable with pearls.
Baby and nude pinks are supposed to be big for spring, so I'm glad to have gotten a great pink piece to start the season off right! My second purchase was this pretty blouse from Macy's. I believe it was $25.00. It is sheer, so I'll have to wear a camisole under it. I really like the geometric style pattern. It was in the juniors section, which surprised me. Chloe from The Chloe Conspiracy always wears the "Artist" jeans from American Eagle, which look really cute on her, so I popped into AE today to try them on. I know I've been whining about how much I ate on vacation, but I guess I am OK because I was able to get a size 4 (long) jean, which I've never gotten from there before. Here they are: I don't have a pic of me wearing them yet but they fit great. AE jeans tend to stretch like crazy, so the snug fit of them now is perfect. They cost $39.50 which is great for denim. I also stopped by at Sephora to make an exchange, and picked up this cream lip/cheek color by Stila called "petunia." It's a pretty bright pink/peachy color. I've never used cream blush, but I've tried it on my lips already and love it.

The swatch above shoes the pretty warm pinky color. It was kind of a random buy, but I love it. I will try it on my cheeks this week, and report back!

Other than our little shopping trip (my DH got a few things too), today has been a pretty high-energy day.

I once again purged my closet of older clothes I never wear to donate to charity. Then I cleaned and organized to my heart's content. This is my workout clothes drawer!

I want to actually make a Flip video of how I organize my closet, but it needs a little more work before I do that. I need more drawer dividers too.

I also want to thank each and every one of my readers in this entry for being a follower. Today I reached more than 300 followers, so I'm going to celebrate with a contest. I'm actually not certain what the prizes will be yet...I'll have to take a trip to Ulta and see what goodies I find!

Tonight, I will use my Calrisonic for the first time...very excited!

I also have an awesome Motivation Mondays post for tomorrow.

What did YOU buy this weekend? anything exciting? Thanks for sharing your comments with me!

xoxo,

Veronika.

Sorry I've been MIA...

But it's all for a good cause, I promise.

I've had the privilege of working on an amazing project called Strides Across Texas. Last January, a radio DJ here in Houston (Kevin Kline) decided to train for an entire year to run a nearly 500- mile, 13-day ultramarathon across Texas to raise awareness about pediatric cancer, and to raise money for Texas Children's Cancer Center.

My husband and I drove to Dallas this weekend because I did the PR for the entire campaign, so I wanted to be there to coordinate the media at the kick-off on Sunday morning (hello 5 a.m. wakeup time!)

If you're interested to learn more about what Kevin's doing, or you'd like to donate, click here. Kevin will run through the holidays, giving up Christmas to give back to the children and families who need it most.

I can't seem to travel to any city without going shopping (I think I'm just naturally drawn to the mall, no matter where I am.) On Saurday when I had a break from working, I somehow convinced my husband to take me to the largest and most amazing mall in Dallas, called NorthPark Center.

NorthPark literally had every store I would want to shop at, aside from Club Monaco. I couldn't believe the wide array of stores, and don't even get me started on how awesome their Forever 21 was (it's the Dallas flagship store, similar to our downtown one in the Houston Pavillions and the one at Memorial City Mall.) I like to see the kind of stock other stores have. I always end up finding something I haven't seen at stores in my area. I only purchsed two tops, but the store had a lot of cute items.

What's the best mall you've ever shopped at? What did you like about it over other malls you've shopped at?

For me, the most important thing is variety of stores I like to shop at. I like it when they are all in one place, and when the stores are large and have a lot of stock. I saw things at the Victoria's Secret in Dallas that I haven't seen here in Houston, but it could just be that they just got some new stock in.

So tell me, what makes your shopping experience a great one? Is it all your favorite stores in one place? the size of the stores? the look of the mall? where the mall is located? how much parking is available, etc?

xoxo,

Veronika.

Phases

I don't know if it's because I've been reading too much Twilight, but lately, I've been thinking about phases.

Just like Jacob transforms from a human to a wolf, I feel like I'm sort of always "phasing" in one direction or another (when it comes to shopping, not transforming into another life form, of course.)

For example, for the last few months, I've been on a makeup and product binge. I hardly bought any clothes or accessories during that "phase."

Lately, I've found myself buying clothes like crazy (though I always find deals and sales.)

It might just be because I've found many Holy Grail products so I'm not tempted to buy a ton of new stuff, or maybe it's just because my somewhat clothes shopping hiatus left me craving some new items. Or it could just be that around the holidays there are so many sparkles and ruffles to choose from that I simply can't resist.

Do you ever go through phases in your shopping, or is it pretty even across the board when it comes to your fashion, beauty and products spending?

Let me know in the comments below!

and because I can't possibly leave a post without a picture, here are some photos of our cutie, Lulu from last Christmas:

xoxo,

Veronika.