Sometimes Naughty Feels Good

This year I refused to let Spring catch me off guard and neither should you. By that I mean, getting so comfortable with my winter boots that when the random day of 50+ degree weather hits, you're not scrambling for shoes to put on. Not this year.

I started the search for cute/stylish/semi-sexy flat shoes that will go with about anything and have some personality. You should do the same. Try to break away from the standard colors and go for umph.

As I browsed Macy's (yes it's worth the crowds because of the coupons you get to use), I came across the Nine West section and right there was the perfect flat - they call it Naughty.

It comes in a bunch of colors and styles. I highly suggest the Black/White Fabric which is really that with a touch of color in the form of a watercolor like floral design. Super comfortable and the busy design let's you get away with not having an abundance of accessories. Economical and chic. You can find the shoe at Zappos. You can definitely elect for the bronze and silver colors; they have a classy sparkling touch.

Definitely try to get at Macy's so you can use their coupon. It was recently on sales as their Everyday Value.

Happy Shopping!

Alert: J. Crew Sale In-Store + Addt'l 30% Off

The J.Crew final sale that is currently going on on-line is just as good or even better in store.

Head to the Prince street location:
99 Prince St NY 10012
212 966 2739

There they have a ton of accessories and clothing that are on sale + an extra 30% off, such as skinny belts and bracelets for $14.99 with an additional 30% off.

Enjoy!

Colorful Strides

It's amazing how when you cut back on shopping it forces you to really re-look your wardrobe and make it happen.

Accessorizing has been the cure to stay fashionable and economical. What a necklace; bracelet; pin and even stockings can do is life saving for any shop-o-holic.

Try this: Revisit your skirts and dresses and say goodbye to the black and flesh tone tights/stockings and get some color in your life. Don't even put a lot of thought into it.

Most retailers like Gap and Ann Taylor are selling some fun colorful and/or interesting design tights to bring life to an ordinary outfit.

But you don't even need to go there. Try your major department store where the prices are cheaper and the selection is larger. My favorite is Macy's Herald Square. Go to the 1.5 floor and right there it is like stepping into tights wonderland. There is one line called Hue and they have every color and design under the sun. Use your Macy's coupon if you can. Just grab 2-3 of your favorite color tights and it will all come together. If you are scared take small steps with these colors 1) Blueish/gray; 2) brown with textured design and 3) dark purple/magenta

On a not so bad winter day I have worn opague colored tights with stack heel platform sandals from the summer. It works!

Go step it up a bit!

Stack'Em Up

Summer stated like a month ago, but for you ladies in NYC with 20+ days of rain it didn't quite feel so.

But if you hesitated to get a jump start on your summer foot wear don't take too long. A huge hit right now are the stack heel shoes. These somewhat platform like 3" heels are a super plus for our concrete jungle.

• The fat heels don't fall victim to the sidewalk cracks, and
• They are super comfortable to take you from subway to work and then play

One designer who got it right and super super comfortable is Kenneth Cole Reaction. His stack sandals feel like sneakers (I admittedly have 2 pairs).

You can find at Shoegasm or Macys (where you can apply extra coupons).

Alert - A True Fabulous Find

While checking out Forever 21 with friends this past weekend ( I haven't been to this store in a while - I can take it small doses), I stumbled across one of their "Fabulous Finds" and it was quite fab! Me and my friends all scored a pair of skinny jeans for $12.50. We all vary in sizes and heights and it was a nice fit for everyone because of the stretch. These will be my tunic wear or sexy club going jeans.


Check it out on line here too!
Make sure to not shy away from their accessories. While you are cutting back on buying clothes because of economic conditions you can do affordable accessories to spice up what you already own...there are a ton of pearl like designs (necklaces and bracelets) that give that sexy lady feel.

Enjoy! (I made my purchase at the Union Sqaure location - oh and there is a new fitting room on the 2nd floor to the far right that is less crowded in the new Heritage section)

ALERT: Alexander McQueen AFM, 2 Day's Only!!!!

The super-creative and at times controversial, Alexander McQueen has finally joined the Affordable Fashion Mania (AFM) bandwagon with the McQ Collection for Target. A former courtier for Givenchy and head designer of his own collection, Alexander has been dazzling the runway with his over the top and overly expensive collections for over 2 decades. Several lucky New Yorkers will get a chance to shop his Target collection today and tomorrow at an exclusive location. While the collection will be available online March 4th 2009, I guarantee not all of the good stuff will make it. (Trust me, the same happened to the Proenza Schouler collection I raided). So get up get out and get some McQueen!!

Alexander McQueen Runway

Exclusive Alexander McQueen: Target McQ Market

February 14th and 15th ONLY!

12pm-10pm

330 West Street

New York, NY 10014

Click for Directions

The Initial Sip

During my holiday shopping I popped into the lovely Anthropologie (going straight to the sales section of course) and came across some very cute monogram mugs. At the time they were on sale for $3.95 but they are now backed to the regular price of $6.00. Still not bad.

My friends loved my mug so much I bought them each one - with their initials of course, so when they came over it was an initial tea party - get it?

So definitely go get your self a mug - it is the perfect comfy size for tea, coffee and even some morning oatmeal.

I always shop in the Anthropologie on 5th avenue and 16th street.

AFM: Thakoon

In our next round of Affordable Fashion Mania, fashion designer Thakoon is front and center with his line of Target. The Thakoon for Target online store is open for business today and stocked with it's first round of looks. The collection is primed with the florals, prints and cardigan-like embellishments you would expect to see based on his Spring 2009 Ready-To-Wear Collection. Happy Shopping!!

You think you know, but you have no idea...

So think you know what your true Bra size is. Did you let one of those cute sales associates at Victoria's Secret measure you with pre-marked pink tape (hint: Vicky's may not even have your size! Can you really trust it?)? Or do you figure you've just had the same bra size since high school? If any of the above applies to you...sweetie, it's time to get a REAL Bra Fitting! You don't have to take my word for it. Tim Gunn regularly sends the guests on his show to professional bra fittings before starting the makeover process. Ensuring the proper fit for your girls will not only give you proper support but it is the necessary foundation to make your clothing far more flattering. In one episode Tim sent his guest to Bra*Tenders in the theatre district and I promptly setup an appointment. Yes, its by appointment only, but you're getting the personal attention the whole time! Raquel, the fit specialist, is a doll and absolutely AMAZING. She has been in the business since she was 15 year old a figured me out in a few quick looks. Evidently, I was wearing a band size too big and a cup size to small, nor would I have ever known without her because my size isn't sold in your average retail store!!! They have oodles of styles and brands, some I never heard of before; I could have been there for hours. For starters, I picked up a basic black, basic nude, and sexy little lace number for fun.

630 9th Avenue New York, NY 10036
(212) 957-7000 www.bratenders.com

So please do yourself the favor and setup an appointment with Raquel. Your owe it to yourself to have at least one wardrobe-enhancing well-fitting brazier ($45-75 range).

ALERT! Awesome Shoe Sale

I recently went to Te Casan (for the first time) for one of those fashion fundraisers where a portion of the proceeds go to a charity. What a great event it was and the shoes were fabulous. Basically the sale breakdown as I recall goes as follows: Flats: $55; Pumps: $95; $Booties: $125. But the original cost for these shoes are $300 plus.

I did some close examination and research and the quality is up to par. The sale goes through the end of the month but the longer you wait you may miss your size.

Location:

382 W Broadway (bet. Broome and Spring)

(212) 584-8000‎

My favorites (and they all come in various colors):

PS - if you do go and visit and make a purcahse, ask if the proceeds from your buy can go to Black Girls Rock.

My Favorite Lip Balm

When it comes to lip balms I am tres tres picky. The one thing I hate is a shiny gloss that does nothing but makes your lips appear moist but underneath it feels dry. That only leads to having a two-setp process of applying moisturizer and then your favorite shine (ex: MAC's lip glass).

Finally I found a shiny lip balm that REALLY works. C.O. Bigelow's Mentha Cinnamint Lip Shine. It truly moisturizes and adds a lasting sheen. I am very much impressed.

ALERT! Body Shop Sale

This Thursday (11/20) The Body Shop is having their "Celebrate You Event" and all purchases receive an additional 20% off!

A good way to stock up on gifts and stuff just for you. I am a personal fan of their Home Fragrance Oils and of course the Body Butters.

Some how The Body Shop has my number and sent out a mass voicemail with this info. Any questions call 888-534-6159



Enjoy!!

Retailer Bridges the GAP

I'm quite impress these days with Gap Inc. stores' collections - The Gap; Old Navy and Banana Republic.

All three stores had their horrible moments in the past: Old Navy thought they could be Forever 21; The Gap adopted the bright colors that Old Navy first launched with and Banana Republic just forgot about sophistication.

But now all three are back on track and I highly recommend to check out their stores ASAP for the great sales they are having.

BR: Has terrific jewel tone tops and dresses for awesome prices (their way of stimulating the shopping economy) - Tip: The one in SoHo on Broadway is surprisingly always stocked up, just battle the tourists

Gap: Has gone back to classic pieces and is also showcasing cute tops, skirts and dresses - Tip: try the one on 5th and 18th street

Old Gravy: Sometimes their stuff is too cute for the store itself. One thing is for sure they can easily check off your little black dress list. They always have a nice one in their collection. Tip: I've always scored with the 6th Ave and 19th street location.

Enjoy the below 30% off coupon:

A Thrifty Shopping Exerience...and Marc Jacobs was in attendance.

People, we are in a damn recession! As much as I have fought it, I have resorted to vintage (a.k.a thrift) shopping. Don't get me wrong, I'm not too proud to wear a used piece of clothing but vintage shopping requires more effort and patience than shopping retail. With this crappy economic crisis we are in, I decided that forgoing some extra time to get some worthwhile vintage finds is worth keeping some extra loot in my pocket. Vintage shopping for the friends of fashion should come with a very strict set of rules. Here are my rules:

1. If you feel like you are paying to much then you are! If you find yourself trying to negotiate with yourself why paying that price is OK for secondhand or consigned new goods then that is a telltale sign of buyers remorse once you get home.


2. Remember cost includes tailoring, cleaning, hemming, re-buttoning, etc. If you start to add the costs of updating the garment before use and it is more than its worth...see Rule #1.


3. Aim for labels! Big labels! The ones you probably couldn't afford retail (even on sale). Some vintage stores recognize fashion labels and will hike up prizes but if you are patient you will find one or two high-end labels in mixed in the the $10 - $20 pile.


4. See The Budget Fashionista's rules on shopping and cleaning.


5. Last but not least - Be patient...very.....very....very patient. It may take a couple of days of checking in with stores and hopping around the city until you find something that appeals to you and your wallet. Remember, giving up your extra time is that price you pay to keep cash in your pocket.

My latest awesome find is a Marc Jacobs coat for $150 at the Angel Thrift Store Coat Sale. All I need cute bag to match!

"Anya" wouldn't belive who I saw in Target today...

Do the words "I'm not a plastic bag" ring a bell? Of course they do. You remember the craze that plauged Manhattan Whole Food stores that faithful rainy July morning last year. So many wanted that bag and who wouldn't...uber-affordablity, eco-friendly, well-made, designer label all rolled into one cute shopping tote by an awesome handbag designer fairly unknown to Americans before "INAPB" took us by storm. For her encore, Anya created an affordale collection of her chic handbags with that preztel-knot logo we've come to adore. Anya Hindmarch for Target is available online for (2-6 weeks delivery). My pick is below. But before you snub at the $50 price tag for Target bag, let me let you in on a secret. My Proenza Scholer for Target handbag from March of last year is still holding strong and continually collects a healthy set of compliments on a daily basis. I don't expect disappointments here!

Anya Hindmarch® for Target®
$49.99

Shh....I have a fab SATC secret.....shhhh

I love Sex and the City...no big secret. Chances are you do to and you bought the extended cut of the Sex and City Movie DVD. One of the several bonus scenes has Carrie using a payphone with a fabulous set of gloves - the too cute (and 10 time more practical then its awkward 4 finger predecessor) 5-Finger Leather Half Glove!!! Now here is the secret...after being sold out for the umpteenth time...Patrica Fields will have these in stock Nov 1st in her Manhattan shop. Shh...don't tell anyone until I get my pair!

Patricia Fields - $48

JCP's Good Deal

You may be wondering why I'm giving info on JC Penny; isn't that where moms and grandmothers shop? Yes and no. We may not think of JCP as fashionable but there is more to buying clothes...think of home; electronics; furniture and the list goes on.

Right now JCP has a promotion where you can save 30% off your purchase - OMG! You can seriously decrease a comforter set (which I just did) AND you can use it on sale items.

Use the following code: FallFun
Coupon code expires on 10/20/08.

One cool feature about JCP is that if you are worried about ordering and not being home to accept delivery and you really don't want to send it to your job, well JCP has various centers throughout the city where you can have it shipped and pick it up at a different time- sweet!

Good Deal at Enterprise

Now that it's getting a bit cooler, I bet all the errands you have to run will be so much better if you were behind a wheel versus waiting at a cold bus stop. For those that don't own a car and need to rent once in a while, I found a pretty good deal on retailmenot.com for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Here are the details:

Promotion: 20% off

Code: ETC7HC

Cool factor: This is not limited to airport locations - yes!

I've used this before and even the people that work at enterprise comment on how good a deal it is . You can practically get a Saturday AM to Monday AM rental for a little over $80 - now that is a everywhere-outside-of-NYC price:)

Enjoy!

ALERT: J.Crew Skirts $17!

Right not J.Crew is having an -in-store sale of an additional 40% off sale prices. They have a few skirts that with the discount cost around $17!!! There are more items on sale but you have to move fast.

Definitely go to the one on 5th Ave. and 17th street. Students you get an extra 10% off and teachers you score a nice additional 15% off.

Enjoy!

ALERT: J. Crew Addtional 30% Off

Online and in-stores J. Crew sale items are an additional 30% off from today until Monday:

Here is the small print:

DOES NOT INCLUDE J.CREW FACTORY STORES. 30% discount applies to sale items only. All sales final. No exchanges, no returns. Offer is valid through Monday, August 18, 2008 9:59 pm ET. Savings are reflected after promo code is entered at checkout. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion. Previous purchases are not eligible for this discount.