Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Comfy Casual in my Breds 11 (Jordans)

Simple.

Crop: American Apparel
High Waisted Jeans: GoJane
Kicks: Jordans
Crossbody: Michael Kors
Watch: Betsey Johnson
Bracelet: Coach
2 strand chain necklace: F21
Hoop Earrings: New York and Co
(all items were on sale with the exception of the crop (which I believe was less than 20.00), the Jordans, and the necklace from F21)


Beats headphones, local savings, ipads... Save money with Living Social and Groupon

It's Rewards Wednesday!!! Today I am going to discuss 2 websites that I have truly saved money with. These two sites are Living Social and Groupon!

These sites are not a gimmick. They are free to register and can really help you catch good deals in your area. Once registered, using your email, you are able to find savings in your area by utilizing your zip code. With both of these sites, you can save money at restaurants, nail salons, spas, stores, etc. You can even take pilates, Zumba, and boxing classes, to name a few, at a discounted rate. There are also trips, which include airfare, and hotel accommodations. There are electronics, such as iPads, bluetooth speakers, and beats headphones. Cell phone and tablet cases can also be bought via Groupon for a discounted price. In the past I have purchased gift certificates to stores like Banana Republic and have paid $25.00 or $35.00 and received a $50.00 gift card, which by the way make great gifts. :-) (Below example of their mobile sites: Groupon (left), Living Social (right))


There are so many deals and savings available from teeth whitening to laser hair removal and all deals are catered to your zip code. Both websites send you updates on available deals and you can always search them from your computer or smart phone device. Each site has their own free app that can be downloaded on your mobile device. Also in my experience, Groupon has really fast shipping, which has been free every time I have purchased something. Feel free to click on the links for Groupon and Living Social to check these sites out.

***Please feel free to comment and follow my blog and the blog on Instagram @thefrugalfashionlife where there are info about sales going on at different stores and trends

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

The T-shirt Dress

This is a dress that I bought from Missguidedus.com. It was about $25.00 and a size small. It's a great fit and super soft fabric. I paired it with a chain spiked cross body and some spiked banana heel pumps.

Dress: MissguidedUS
Crossbody: Wetseal
Chain Necklace and Earrings: GoJane
Watch: Liz Claiborne (JCP)
Bracelets: Forever21
Pumps: Charlotte Russe




Shopping Online

     I love getting a good deal, and I shop online for the majority of the clothing that I wear. I find it a lot easier to find clothes and things that I like online versus thumbing through racks of clothing at stores. I probably only shop at the mall if I need something immediate, shopping at a discount store (like Marshalls or Nordstrom Rack), or if I’m really unsure of sizing, etc for a certain item.  I just want to share a couple of my favorite stores that I like to shop at online. I will periodically feature stores throughout my blog and please comment below if there are any online stores that you like to shop at that offer great deals.


     My first store and all-time favorite is Forever21. They offer free shipping when you spend $50.00 or more. I find it a lot easier to shop at Forever21 online versus in the store. Since I have so many clothes from there, I know how to shop and by my correct size according to the fit of the clothing. There’s everything from shoes to shirts to dresses and accessories. Another benefit to shopping online with them is that if necessary, you are able to return your online purchases at a local store instead of dealing with the hassle of mailing a product back to them and waiting for store credit, etc. There are hundreds of reasonably priced items that aren’t always found in store. So check out Forever21.com
     Another store that I like shopping at, particularly buying dresses from, is an online store based in Europe called Missguided. Its a trendy store, similar to Forever21. The first perk is that this store offers free shipping to the US and Canada, as well as a 15% off student discount. Their price ranges varies and they can accommodate any budget. They sell tops, dresses, shoes…you name it. I particularly have bought dresses from there in which I will feature in a separate posting. The material and fit has been good in everything that I purchased except for a skater skirt that I purchased. It was a little too big, but it was a great price and I plan on getting it tailored. This skirt was in numerical sizes and not in the standard small medium or large sizes. It’s important to know that they’re sizing is a little slightly different than American sizing so it is really important to pay attention to the sizing chart. Also it takes some time to get your items in since they are shipped internationally, so do not expect your items within a week with standard shipping. My things have usually been delivered, in about 2 weeks from the order being placed. Visit missguidedus.com for some great deals.

Please comment below any of your favorite stores or any questions and follow us on IG @thefrugalfashionlife

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Let's Save Money with Nordstrom... It's Rewards Wednesday!!!

Hey everyone,

     Let’s talk saving. Every Wednesday is now going to be Rewards Wednesday, so I am going to talk about great stores that you really can save money at with their rewards cards. I will do a new store each Wednesday. I do not want anyone to miss out on saving money while shopping. Many people do not sign up for rewards cards because they “don’t have time” or they “don’t feel like it.” There are some people that feel as if they will never benefit from the cards, so they will not take the time to do it. There are even some other people that feel as if it is a scam. Whatever your reason may be, in my opinion, just take the time to sign up for these cards. Most only require your name and an email. Some stores will want your mailing address as well. In addition, they may ask for your phone number, but in my experience, no one has ever called my phone soliciting or called it for any reason at all related to the stores. Most stores only use your phone number to aid in looking up your account. Our featured Rewards Store today is Nordstrom


     Nordstrom’s program is called Nordstrom Rewards. Now I know some of you may be thinking: “I thought she was the frugal fashion lady, why is she at Nordstrom?” I actually like Nordstrom. I do not have a closet full of items from there, but I do have a few pieces and they actually have clothing there to fit a variety of pocketbooks. In addition, they have a discount store called Nordstrom Rack where you can find great deals on clothing, shoes, purses, accessories, etc. for great prices. Sidebar: If you have not visited their Nordstrom rack stores, it is a must. I have one near my apartment and it is always very neat and clean. The items there are also in season items; they are not going to try to sell you leather coats in the summertime. J  The Nordstrom Rewards card can be used at any of their stores including Nordstrom Rack. But, this card requires more than just a telephone or an address to sign up. You can acquire a Nordstrom rewards card by 2 ways: 
  • open up a credit card with them (bad idea if you are not good with managing your credit debts) or
  • open a Nordstrom debit card in which your transactions at Nordstrom stores will show up on your bank statement exactly as a debit card transaction would. Note: You can only make purchases from Nordstrom stores with this Nordstrom debit card

     The Nordstrom debit card is the option that I chose, not because I’m not good with managing money or debt but why add an extra credit card to my wallet when I can still reap the same benefits with my debit card. Also that will be one less bill coming in the mail. I hate bills and I prefer to pay for my items now and not later if possible.  So back to the process…Now you do have to give them your account information since this is a debit card, but I have yet to have any fraudulent issues or charges from my bank account and I have had this card for at least 2 years.

     When you open your rewards account and you spend $100, which I did when I opened my account, you will receive a $20.00 Nordstrom Note (in the mail). Nordstrom Notes are the rewards that you will obtain by spending money at their stores. They come in increments of $20 as far as I am aware and each time you accumulate 2,000 points, you receive a $20.00 Nordstrom note, which will expire 1 year after being issued. Each dollar you spend is worth 2 points, but there are special days (and they will notify you via email) that your points are doubled or tripled and that’s a great way to accumulate more points. Of course when you are a rewards member, they will email you regarding sales and events going on in store. There are also different levels and tiers, depending on how much you spend annually at Nordstrom stores. More details and info about the card are available on the Nordstrom website. This link will take you directly to the Nordstrom Rewards web page.

  
     I think overall that this is a great program, and I hope this helps someone save a little money and take advantage of rewards from a store you may already be shopping at but you have just been skeptical about giving them your account info. Now I do not want people out there spending more money than intended to get Nordstrom Notes. The idea behind all of these Rewards Wednesday articles or any article that I post is to make sure that the shoppers out there spending money are taking full advantage of the savings offered by these stores they frequent. It may take me 6 or 7 months to acquire a $20.00 Nordstrom Note, but I know the next time I buy something from Nordstrom, it will be $20 dollars cheaper. J Plus you have a whole year from the date you get them to use them!


**Please subscribe. Comment. Ask questions. Follow. All the above. I have also opened an Instagram page so please follow @thefrugalfashionlife. Be patient with me. It’s going to have updates on new blog postings and also sales at various stores that you may not even know about. Let me help you save money shopping. Thanks for reading!

Monday, June 23, 2014

Let's Get Tropical: Tropical and Floral Print Summer Fashion Trends

Tropical prints are in this season. They can be dressed up or down. There are dresses, jumpsuits, shirts, shorts, and 2 piece sets that are super cute to wear. I personally love the look. Below is me in a sleeveless tropical midi dress from Forever 21. This is a simple inexpensive look that you can easily go from day to night and wear this dress with a pair of flat sandals or switch to a night look and wear it with a pair of black or colored strappy heels to accentuate one of colors within the dress. My dress was only $13.00 from Forever21. I wore a black with silver hardware crossbody (not pictured) with this dress.


Dress: Forever21 $13.00 (if I'm not mistaken this was the price)
Sandals: Michael Kors
Watch: Liz Claiborne
Necklace: Forever21 (you can't really tell in the pic but I wore it with a multicolored iridescent multi chain necklace which you can kinda see in my profile pic)  
***sorry about the poor picture quality :-/


Saturday, June 7, 2014

Nails!

I love my new nail color, and since I've been getting so many compliments on it, I decided to post a pic. I wear gel polish, the same as shellac, just a different brand. The color is Gel II G095 "By the bay." This polish, when applied correctly lasts for a minimum of 2 weeks. I haven't really tested it longer than that, since I regularly get my nails done every 2 weeks.