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Today's outfit is brought to you by the thrift store, Big Lots, Plato's Closet and Parisian's. Yup, Big Lots. Did you know they sell clothes?
As for the sweater, I LOVE it. The black and white graphic print is classic and adds a bit of fun to "just jeans." The bright red of the purse is the perfect POP of color needed to keep this outfit from being too monochromatic.
The Breakdown.
i.e sweater (thrift store $6), Jockey lace-edged tank top ($3 Big Lots), Ann Marino black leather wedge (Parisian's $8), Buffalo Bitton jeans (Plato's Closet - free with exchange of old clothes), Coach red patent leather Gallery Tote (free, birthday gift), The Limited scarf/shawl (free birthday gift). Grand Total: $17Woo-hoo! I think this is my lowest total to date! Of course, it all hinges on the gifts, but hey, that still counts!
So Big Lots, yeah, they do have clothes. I can't say I've ever bought any jeans or shirts there, but I have bought things like this Jockey for Her lace edged tank-top, Gold Toe socks for the family, cotton pajamas, and even Jockey work out bras! I recently found some high-end Joseph Abboud men's boxers for $4 a pair (they normally run for $20 a pair). As a note, they carry some very cute babies' clothing, usually Carters and Target brand overstocks. GREAT for baby showers.That's the great thing about Big Lots is that they make a business of selling overstocked items for major retail stores, so it's another link in the chain of moving clothes and creating less waste. If it doesn't sell at Big Lots the items will most likely end up at a salvage store for their next stop.
Hmm, looking at this picture I realize that I need to hem the jeans just a tad bit, they bunch a bit on the bottom...oops!
I never set out to buy stainless steel trashcans. It's not that I don't think they're cool. My kitchen has stainless steel appliances so I do gravitate to that style, but our trash can is under the sink so I don't really need one that looks nice. And well, they are so expensive, and for what? TRASH.
But now, thanks to the thrift store, I have not just one but three stainless steel trashcans; not one of them was over $10 and not one of them is in my kitchen.
I've got one in my bonus room near the computer where I work. I've got another in the laundry room, which is off the garage (great for throwing dryer lint and whatever may have been in their pockets) and another in my garage that we use on the deck during the summer when we have neighborhood parties and use for all the trash that the Superstars seem to want to accumulate in the van.
I LOVE my trashcans and would not have so many if I hadn't found them so cheap. You never know what you can find at your local thrift store so stop by TODAY!
I don't have much yellow in my wardrobe. I'm half-Japanese and that means I have a more olive/yellow skin-tone, so wearing the color can make me look sallow and sickly. Still, although this color alone on me may not be ideal, if paired with a dark overcoat, it becomes a nice pop of color and a way for me to enjoy a color that I really do love. And well, argyle is so "in" right now too. Argyle was really "in" during the 80's when I was in high school. It came after the rainbow sweater phase...
The Breakdown.
Merona argyle sweater (thrift store $6/ARP $25), X2 Express Jeans ($4 thrift store/ARP $60), white tank ($2.50 For Love 21/ARP $3), Gianni Bini bronze boots ($6 thrift store/ARP $100), Banana Republic leather purse ($41 eBay/ARP $200), Style & Co. brown wool coat ($17 Macy's sale/ARP $130).
Grand Total: $77
Approximate Retail Price: $518
Savvy Savings: $441
Wow, I'm always surprised when my Grand Total is that high! Of course, it's because $41 of it is a purse and $17 is the jacket, but considering that the purse retailed for about $200 and the jacket was originally $130, I think it's safe to say that $76.50 is MUCH better than $300+...and that's just using retail for those two items. Add the other items at retail and the total would be over $500.
If that's not savvy shopping then I don't know what is!
Today's outfit may not follow the What Not to Wear rules. I'm not totally sure. In one way the bold print of this shirt really may walk into a room before I do and while it is not the most slimming I absolutely love the colors.
I purposefully kept the accessories low key so that it didn't look like a modified version of the Golden Girls (big and bold). Free People is one of those brands that I like because it pays attention to colors and textures in less-than-traditional ways without being too Bohemian, though I'm sure just a change of accessories could make this more "boho".
The Breakdown.
The lovely Free People sweater ($6 brand new at the thrift store), The Limited Drew Jeans ($5 TJ Maxx), Giani Bernini bronze boots ($6 thrift store), and my favorite Banana Republic leather purse ($41 eBay). Grand Total: $58
Again with the bronze color for shoes...I love it! The boots worn with dark blue jeans don't "jump" out at you so it really reads as a neutral, and the pointed toe with a bit of a heel keeps the outfit from screaming HIPPIE! Though looking at the pictures, it looks like these jeans are almost tapered. They are most assuredly NOT! However, I almost think a wider trouser leg might have worked a bit better in keeping the overall balance of the outfit. I'll have to try that, as you know this will not be the last time I wear this sweater.
So I'm sorry Clinton Kelly if this was a flagrant violation of The Rules. I just can't help but love this shirt. I hope you can forgive me. At least I didn't say I was wearing it because it was so "comfortable"...
HAPPY NEW YEAR my Savvy Friends!!
Several of you have asked me to share more on my "consultation" with Clinton Kelly a couple months back, and though he couldn't make it to the little New Year's soiree we had here in the 'hood, I figured we could celebrate in spirit with him by raising our right hand and solemnly swearing to uphold Savvy Shopping & Saving habits in 2009.
Admittedly my original blog about Clinton was a little shorter than what I had first imagined. I don't know what came over me. I'm usually a pretty good photographer when it comes to candid quick snaps, I'm half Japanese after all, but not this time!
Maybe it was his 6'4" tall frame and sparkly blue-eyes that stunned the camera, maybe it was his sassy comments about tapered mom-jeans, or maybe it was his gushing compliments to us moms (he spent a week at his sister's house with his nephews and was exhausted) or maybe it was just a bad camera day - you know, like a bad hair day? Whatever it was I have but a couple more pictures of my stylist to share with you with a couple more fun tidbits from the "consultation".
One of the funnier moments of the evening is when he answered a question from a stay-at-home mom. What was she wearing, you ask? A gray frumpy sweatshirt, white t-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. Her excuse for not wearing something better was that all she did was take her kids to preschool, as if that was going to win brownie points with him. The funny thing is that Clinton pointed it out, "But you knew you were coming HERE and you wore THAT?" Of course we all laughed. I mean, c'mon, you are just setting yourself up for ridicule by Clinton if you come wearing a sweatshirt and baggy jeans and tennis shoes!
Then he pulled this little woman on stage. Again, what was she thinking coming to see Clinton Kelly wearing THIS? You can tell she was laughing at his little zingy comments. The great thing is that he ended by telling her that though the green t-shirt she was wearing looked a little worn, the color looked really good on her.This is what I love about what he and Stacie London do with What Not to Wear. They build people up. You can honestly tell that Clinton feels that women deserve to treat themselves better by wearing clothes that make the most of what they have. It's never about being a size 0 - it's about looking good in whatever size you wear NOW.
Clinton shared that he started in advertising before the fashion industry and that the women you see in magazines are not "real". They are images created by a whole team of experts whose sole job is to make the product or idea they are selling PERFECT. He went on about how it's one person's sole job to not only airbrush out any wrinkles but even pores. Teeth are whitened & straightened, waistlines made smaller, breasts made larger until the person no longer looks real. He went on to say that these are not the images we should be using to compare ourselves against because the model in the original picture doesn't even look that good in real life...and she knows it!
That's about all I have left to report, though one little tidbit I didn't share and it was from our last "consultation". Clinton pointed out that women have a terrible habit of being very vocal about what they hate about their body. He doesn't think we should ever talk about ourselves in that manner. Sure everyone has different challenges or areas of their body that they have a harder time dressing. When asked what his was, he said that he has a big butt. Seriously!
Now, both times I saw him he was wearing a sports coat which he says he uses to cover it up. Well, I can't say that I was spent a lot of time looking at his butt (I'm a mom of two little girls, c'mon!) but from what I can tell it's just one of those things that's not "perfect" in proportion in the eyes of a man who works in the fashion industry. Still, it was nice to hear that even the "pretty people" have their own issues and imperfections. It's what makes us a part of the human race.
So as you make your way into 2009 I will leave you with this picture that I found on Clinton's website taken by Brian Winckler. It's Cowboy Clinton, and it made this Nashville Girl (by way of Southern California) laugh. I mean, there's even penguins! And you know how I feel about penguins, especially Madagascar penguins. Till we meet again, Shop Savvy Y'all and...HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Today's savvy outfit is brought to you by the thrift store, TJMaxx and Belk's. This is casual and definitely comfortable given the stretch on these jeans! Although looking back at my savvy outfit from just the other day, I can't believe how much dressier this one looks JUST because of the dark wash of the jeans. Dang if Clinton Kelly & Stacy London aren't right once again!
The overall cost of today's outfit is so much less as well given the cost of the overcoat and the purse of the other day so I guess it's not THAT bad, but still! It's amazing how the "extras" can really change the grand total!
The Breakdown.
Ann Taylor brown sweater ($4 thrift store), Sunny Leigh printed button up shirt ($8 Belk's), The Limited blackwash Drew Jeans ($5 TJMaxx), yummy chocolate DKNY leather & suede purse ($8 thrift store), Anne Klein bronze shoes ($4 thrift store). Grand Total: $29
In the last year I have found that I like wearing a collared shirt under a v-neck sweater. It breaks it up a bit and the layering helps in cooler weather. This Sunny Leigh shirt is machine washable too so I'm not spending money at the dry cleaners, which ruins the whole saving time & money thing, you know?
You can't really tell from the main picture, but the shoes are a deep bronze color, more of a brown with a touch of sheen. The thought of wearing bronze shoes never occurred to me until recently when I realized that I can dress rather monochromatic at times and the extra sheen adds a subtlety that keeps the outfit from looking too boring. The sheen also helps when trying to wear different browns together and/or if want to wear them with black.
Like I said, I'm not looking for any fashion award, but I hope what I wear doesn't scream I'm-a-stay-at-home-mom-who-homeschools-her-kids-so-I-don't-have-time-for-myself. The haggard look in my eyes should say that loud and clear...ha, ha, just kidding!
Just wanted to give you Gals & Guys a heads-up. Target just went 75% off of their Christmas stuff today. Some of the toys are 30% off and the Dollar Section is 50%. I did pretty well today, as far as not spending a bunch of money although I admit having a full cart that slowly diminished as I thought through what I really needed versus "kinda wanted". Even though it's a great price, these kind of things are more of a luxury than a necessity.
I got away with spending $3 on some white rope light that I plan on using on the railing of my deck. The great thing about this 25 foot light is that it can be used on top of your kitchen cabinets to add a nice "glow". Plug them in and use one of those "outdoor switches" and you can turn them on with just a touch of a button. I'll do a blog on that sometime soon too. It's awesome!
Speaking of light, I'm telling you, if you want lights or lawn decorations, now is the time to get them. At 75% off they won't last long. I was in the store for about an hour and it was a MADHOUSE! A fun madhouse, but still!
The Dollar Section (now 2 for a $1) was where I scored a bunch of things for Superstar #1's birthday gift bags. When did that start, by the way? I thought the birthday girl was the only one who got things and now my kids get sent away with a bag full of goodies for showing up. That never happened to me as a kid, but given the price I was able to load up on 4 packs that can be divided into separate bags making it even more cost effective and fun. I wish I knew when it would be 75% so I could get them for a quarter each!
I stayed away from toys as I know that in a couple weeks Target will put those extra toys up for 75% off. Last year I used it as a time to buy Birthday Gifts for the year. I'm not kidding! The Dollar Section will also go 75% in the coming weeks. When all that happens I will try to give y'all the heads-up on that because who can't use a little "rewards" for their kids or their kid's classrooms for a quarter a piece?
In the end it was a successful trip to Target. I didn't spend more than $20 and walked away with some things I wanted (the rope lighting) and two beautiful red glass Christmas Trees for a dear Friend of mine who collects red glass. The woman in front of me in line said that the same type of trees were $50 in the Partylite catalogue recently.
Have fun out there, but remember, be savvy about the money you spend. A deal is not a deal if you really can't use it or if it breaks your budget.
