Frugal Friday...Wedding Edition!

Via Design Sponge

Check out Design Sponge (another of my favorite blogs!) today, and feast your eyes on this AMAZING $5 wedding dress and gorgeous vintage inspired wedding. (And I thought my $20 wedding dress was cheap!)
If I had it to do all over again, I'd borrow lots of these ideas. What's your favorite part? Was your wedding dress a frugal find or a special splurge? Do tell!

Bachelorette with Class

Loyal TOTC blog reader Tonja said, "I have a request! So I am a typical pear-shaped lady, about 5'5 and average size... bachelorette party in South Lake Tahoe on Labor Day weekend. Apparently the cute black dress I'd like to wear is too fancy for the late 20-something er's I'll be partying with (me being almost 33 and all). What the heck do I wear? I can't wear super high heels (bad feet) and want to be comfy, but still look like I am out to party.. any ideas?"
Tonja, I'm with you...I would have totally opted for the cute black dress. But apparently the trend is towards something a little more, um...trampy. Have you seen some of those bachelorette party photos on Facebook? Skkkaaanky. I don't want you to dress like a tramp, so I hope this outfit fits the bill. I think it's casual, but still put together and chic enough for dinner and drinks out with the girls. Do you agree bloggy readers? Or have I missed the boat on bachelorette fashion?
Here's the scoop about today, everything comes from Old Navy because there's a 30% off coupon! that you can use through Sunday! What up!

Fall Fashion Picks...

For those of you in need of a cheap fashion fix while I whip up the next blog post, head on over to Lily Jane. She's one of my favorite bloggers.
I want one of everything she's posted today...especially the mustard sweater and floral dress. Swoon! And check out those $25 jeans!
Enjoy!

By the Side of the Road, Dressed to Kill

I am just so excited about today's post...When Katie wrote me, asking for advice on what to wear to a Jackie Greene concert, I knew I'd have a blast creating a look. Why? Because we're major Jackie Greene fans in my house. Right after we were married five years ago, my husband and I took a road trip and listened to all the CD's we'd burned for our wedding. Somehow Rusty Nails, Jackie's first album, was in the mix. We must have listened to that CD 20 times. We were certain he was an old black guy from the south, with his blues meets rock meets folk vibe. WRONG! He's a skinny white kid from Sacramento. Who had a concert coming up. The American Myth album release concert at Empire is still the BEST concert I've ever been to. Fast forward to now, and we've been to more Jackie concerts than I can count. Really, I tried the other night and lost track.
Just so you know, there are two kinds of people at a Jackie Greene concert: Regular folks, and crazy dancing cougars. You have to watch out for them, with their flailing arms, empty drinks, and jungle print skimpy attire. They go nuts for "Mexican Girl". If Jackie was a man whore, he could have his pick of 50 year old divorcées every night. But I'm pretty sure he's an upstanding guy (and can probably get a gal his own age just as easily). Too bad for the cougars. Katie has a boyfriend, and is nowhere near cougar territory, so she'll be just fine rocking an indie inspired, folk/blues/rock worthy getup.
In summary, Katie, please have a blast for me at the concert. If you find at the last minute you have an extra ticket, I know someone who'd make the trek to Santa Cruz with you. (Wink wink!)
Oh yeah, everything today comes from Tilly's. Word!

Stay at Home Moms...Put DOWN the Sweatpants!

Yesterday I got an email from Becky, who said, "I'm so glad that you're back! Any ideas for a business woman turned new stay at home mommy? I'm lost!"
Hi Becky! First off, kudos to you for being a stay at home mom. It's my humble opinion that spending at least part of the workweek home with your kids is extremely important. Watching your kids grow, getting to take part in their day, being there when they wake up from their naps, feeding them lunch, playing with them outside...that's all stuff a parent would miss if that kiddo was in day care. Luckily for me I'm able to work part time from home and be here with my little one. I know there are mom's who probably don't agree with me or who would get bored (or go crazy) home with their kids all day. To each her own.
Moving on, this is a request that I'm actually an expert on. When I quit my corporate job to work from home, I went from heels and dresses to a limited wardrobe of yoga pants and hoodies. And sweatpants. Oh, the sweatpants. Did you know you can wear them all day and they then transition into pajamas? Therein lies the problem. Wearing the same thing for a couple days in a row can really make you feel frumpy. After my daughter was born (and I stared this blog) I began to realize that the way I dressed directly affected the way I went about my day. Sweatpants and hair in a pony tail? I'm probably not leaving the house. An accessorized outfit and my hair-did? I'm most likely to get the heck out of here today! And as any stay at home mom can tell you, getting out of the house is muy importante.
So, my prescription for the stay at home mom. Start with the basics. (See below). We've all got some form of these in our closets. Think cardigans, tank tops, long sleeve shirts, jeans, khakis, jean jacket. Start there. (These all come from Old Navy).



But don't stop at the basics! Now the fun begins. Get thee to Target, Old Navy, and Payless, and blow a hundred bucks. For a Benjamin, you'll get enough fun accessories and shoes to make it easily through next Spring. Here's my accessory trifecta: Scarves, earrings, and flats. I LOVE scarfs. From about September through April I'll wear a scarf almost every day. Usually one with a loud print. I pair it with some cha cha earrings and colorful flats, and I'm good to go.



Hope this helps, Becky! What do you other stay at home mom's think? Anything you'd add to the list of must-haves?

In Neutral

This weekend my uber-chic cousin Cyndi wore an amazing dress to the bridal shower. (It was kind of like this one from Modcloth.) So today I'm shamelessly stealing her look.
I sure have been a bad blogger. Things are both great and crappy at the same time right now, and I've been busy researching myself silly lately on the interwebs trying to make things right. Which they are slowly on their way to becoming. Cryptic, eh? It's like one of those Facebook status postings that says "I'm having a really bad day, don't ask why". In short, I miss the blog, and being an adult on the computer and being all responsible is not near as fun as shopping online and putting fun outfits together. I think I need more of this in my life.
Thanks for all the nice comments yesterday! Anybody have anything they'd like to see? Going anywhere and need outfit ideas? Have a hankering for some new accessory and don't want to spend a fortune? Let me know!


Clutch
Shoes
Earrings
Necklace
Belt
Dress

It's Been Awhile...

I should be doing housework. But, the baby is sleeping in the room which houses the mountain of unfolded laundry. Thus, I decided to sit down and revisit the blog I abandoned. Remember me? I used to throw outfits together and write (what I hope was) witty commentary. Alas, life gets in the way, and my blog got thrown by the wayside. I'm hoping to get back to it.
So, this weekend was our family reunion and a bridal shower for Kristin, my soon to be cousin in law, who is going to be a librarian, which made me think of this awesome pin I saw awhile back, which inspired me to want saddle shoes. Which brought about a long overdue blog post.
Blogger is being weird and won't let me post links. Or maybe I've been away so long that things have changed and technology has passed me by...whatever. If you want to know where something comes from today, just email me.
The baby is awake. Off to fold laundry.

Your Other Left...or Why I Don't Go to the Mall

Next week I'm going to Forever 21 for the first time since I started this blog. In fact, I haven't been to Forever 21 since I worked downtown and used to play hooky during lunch. I didn't even get a lunch (I worked through it in order to get out of work faster) but some days I would need to go to the "printer" or "take some photos" or someplace equally fake. Instead, I either drove around aimlessly trying to figure out why I was wasting my life working in a windowless office with a boss who was a cross between Martha Stewart and Hitler, or I'd go shopping. And feel guilty about it the whole time. Long story short, I haven't been to Forever 21 in a long, long time. Part of that is because the only one's around here are in malls, and I hate the mall. I hate the smell...the mix of Cinnabon, Bath and Body Works, and teenager. But the main reason I hate the mall is because of my (self diagnosed) directional dyslexia. Anyone who knows me, has traveled with me, or ever asked me for directions knows I am hopeless. I can't tell my right from my left, or North from South, it's that bad. (Isn't that sad? I should be in a support group or something. Hello my name is Tracy and I'm really lame).
So anyway, I walk in to a store, shop around, then leave. And can't remember which way I came in. I literally end up walking in circles, completely lost and eventually frustrated. Plus the people there walk way too slow. SO...I don't go to the mall. But next week, I'm going to a Forever 21 that's in an old Gottschalks, completely non-mall. And it's close to the beach. Life is good. (Plus when you're close to the beach, it's really easy to tell which way is West!)

The scoop, all from Forever 21:
Earrings, $7.80
Floral Tunic, $19.80
Linen Pants, $22.80
Sunglasses, $5.80
Sandals, $19.80
Purse, $29.80

The Dangers of Being Cheap

Sometimes being cheap isn't the best route to take. Take this wine, for instance. I snagged two bottles at Walmart for $1.97 a piece. Thinking I had scored the deal of the century, I chilled a bottle of Chardonnay to drink whilst watching Mad Men. (Netflix, not cable...if a bottle of two dollar wine did not already alert you to the fact that we are incredibly cheap).
Long story short, one glass was all either my husband or I could drink. Think white grape juice mixed with rubbing alcohol and vodka. The rest of the bottle went down the sink.
End of the story, you may think. Wrong! We both woke up with killer hangover headaches...from one glass of wine! If I'm going to have a hangover, I better have had a whole lot of fun getting it.
Moral of the story...there are some things worth spending money on. At least more than 2 bucks.

Colored Denim on the Cheap

Lindsay sent me an email the other day which said, "Hey Tracy-I have a mission for you. I love the colored denim trend, but can't find anything that is actually affordable! I am looking for teal or turquoise skinny leg jeans- have any ideas?"
You bet I have some ideas! What do you think about those jeans up there? I know the purple ones are a little out there, but I thought I'd throw them in for fun. The best part is they are all under 30 bucks! 
What trends are you jumping on this summer? 
The scoop: 
Skyscraper Colored Jeans, Roxy  $30.99
Victoria's Secret Low Five Capri's   $14.99
Element Daryl Denim, Swell    $19.99
Zipper Pocket Twill Pant, Forever 21     $13.50

New Place for Cheap Clothes!

Our haul from this morning's shopping trip! 

Just got back from a totally blog-worthy shopping trip with my friend Alyssa, and must share! Alyssa and I are two peas in a pod. We pick out the same stuff constantly. That scarf up there? We both bought one at Payless. I had that ring in my hand and put it back, then she picked it up (without knowing I had almost bought it) and added it to her pile. What can I say, we must have great taste! (or at least very similar taste!)

When it comes to clothes, a successful shopping outing for us is a trip to the Cancer Society Thrift store and Payless Shoes. Imagine our delight when a consignment store opened just blocks from our houses! (We're neighbors, too...so much fun to have your friend right around the corner!) The new store is called the Clothesline, and it ROCKS. Those jeans? Paige Premium Denim, retail price $198. My price? $29.99**! And the cocktail ring was just $3.95. But the coupe de grace, the best deal of century, are those Donald J Pliner Couture heels. Neither Alyssa nor I knew who the heck he was, we just knew they were very "cha cha"! But the owners Sy and Cathy (who has an awesome photography business as well) informed us that they are $400 shoes! These suckers have basically no wear and are amazing. Alyssa scooped them up for just $29.99**! If you're in Elk Grove, head over...they buy, sell and exchange and are totally worth a trip! 

**I originally had these both down as $39.99 but remembered last night that they were an even BETTER deal than that! 

I'm a Big Ol' Meanie...

So the other night my good friend Jenni came over for dinner, along with a bunch of other good friends and my just ok brother.  (See how I put veiled insults in my blog to see if my family reads it?) Anywho, Jenni said that some of her law school friends read my blog, and some of those friends were afraid to write me to ask for fashion advice. I totally understand this, as I am quite the imposing and scary individual. As evidenced from this blog, you can tell that I am serious, no nonsense, and wicked mean. You would not want to send me an email asking for cheap fashion ideas, because I might yell at you. Or worse. So don't send me emails asking for advice, or where to find cheap stuff, because I'm not into that. See that outfit I made up there? Just killing time. Putting red and yellow together, with awesome flower punches, is SO not my style.
So get it straight: no emails. Don't send them to tracyonthecheap at gmail dot com. Just don't.

The scoop: Pulsar Watch, Overstock       Tank, Modcloth     Skirt, Modcloth      Necklace, Modcloth    Heels, Modcloth     Bag, Target

Shoe Envy

Are you seeing these shoes? Arghg! Shoe love! It would have been too easy to pair these with a LBD, so I tried to make them work-friendly. Would you wear them?
So I keep seeing that clip from the new Sex and  the City movie where Carrie is blown away by the concept of $20 shoes. Umm...I think Carrie and I might not be shopping buddies. I passed up a pair of $13 shoes yesterday because I was feeling cheap (these red flats).  Not that I wouldn't love a pair of really expensive shoes. I would. As long as someone else was paying.
Tell me blogland...what's the most you've ever spent on shoes? Was it worth it?

The scoop...all from that great place called Forever 21:
Heels
Jacket
Wooden Belt
Cami
Wire Cuff
Dome Ring
Ruffle Purse

Wedding Wear on the Cheap

As promised, here's how you outfit yourself and your spouse for a glamorous wedding, on the cheap:

Husband
Suit, Target: $50 on clearance
Shirt, Goodwill: $2.50
Tie, Target clearance: $12
Vintage Florsheim Shoes, Cancer store: $10
Total: $74.50

Me
Max and Chloe Dress, Ross: $40
Earrings, Walmart: $4
Jacket, Walmart, $4
Gold Wedges, Payless, $20
Total: $68


I'd like to think that it looks like we spent way more than that on our outfits than we really did. AND...I bought the dress with a gift card, so it hardly even counts. Score! My husband (isn't he a cutie?) is way proud of his $10 shoes. It's hard to find size 13's that aren't super ugly, so when they're quality and cheap, it's really a banner day.
Can I just add that my cut and color ran me only $35? Yeah, my hair lady is the bomb (even if I'm subjected to 45 minutes of conspiracy theories and town gossip, it's still worth it).

Well hello!

It's been quite a while since I fired up PhotoShop and put together an outfit. Doesn't it suck when real life gets in the way of your hobbies? Argh. Please forgive my mixed fonts in the image. This is the inaugural (holy cow that's a hard word to spell!) post on my new iMac. I've moved off my little laptop PC and onto a formidable 24" screen. I LOVE it. Why the move? Thanks to this little ol' blog here I've learned that I love design, working with colors, and creating things on my computer. Thus I've made the decision to launch a new career path very soon. Exciting stuff! My summer is devoted to learning everything I possibly can about the Adobe Creative Suite. Luckily I have a teacher husband home from school to provide child care and an office where I can sequester myself and study, study, study. When I emerge in August I hope to have a working knowledge of all things design. Bring it on, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, and InDesign. I love you PhotoShop, but I'm sure there's lots more to learn about you, too. Any advice as I widen my horizons and embark into this exciting new chapter?


The scoop: 
Nautical Earrings, Max & Chloe
Tank, Old Navy
Cardigan, Old Navy
Trouser Bermudas, Old Navy
Scarf, Old Navy
Sunglasses, Old Navy
Slingback Flats, Payless
Whale Tote, Etsy Via lalunedesigns

The Parental's

Those are my parent's. Aren't they cute? I have their permission to blog about them today (remember that Mom and Dad? Not sure if that was before or after the open bar). They were quite proud of their on the cheap wedding attire, so here's the scoop:
My dad got that tie either a. (mom's version) from an office supply store that was going out of business for 10 cents or b. (dad's version) he stole it from a box of them that a union was using to hang their signs. Either way, it's a pretty awesome tie, and he has a collection of them in other colors to boot. The mint green one is especially nice.
My mom's dress is vintage, and she bought it when I was seven, when it was over 30 years old. Doing the math makes it from the late 40's/early 50's. And knowing my mom she didn't pay more than $10. Her necklace was her mother's day present from yours truly, so I won't tell you how much it cost, suffice to say it was less than $10 and more than $5. Proud, Mom?
Some things I learned about my parents that night:
-Dad likes margaritas. A lot. He also likes to refresh his drink and chat up strangers when my mom decides it's time to go. He's a hoot.
-Mom hates nylons. She took them off and threw them in the trash. That's where I get my class. She also has a two beer limit. The volume of her voice is directly related to the number of beers she's consumed. That's what makes her fun.
Really though, my parents have been married for thirty years and are the most moral, upstanding, hard working people I know. They both have an amazing work ethic, and they truly enjoy each other. Without setting out to, they have taught my husband and I countless lessons on marriage and life. Love you guys.

Once upon a time I had this blog...

I made the image above for my friend Rebecca, who was married this past weekend in the most beautiful, loving, and fun-filled wedding I've ever been to. Becca, I hope it's ok I used your wedding images on my blog. And a side note: I totally jacked all those photos off Facebook and Flickr. So if you took them, please don't sue me. 


It's been a long month. Many times during the past 30 days I've considered ending the blog. No more. Kaput. But then, my dad (of all people) told me I shouldn't quit. Maybe, he said, just post once a week. (This was after I'd been introduced as "Tracy on the Cheap" to two different people at the aforementioned wedding...I guess there are people out there who read the blog after all!)
So, I'm back, and things are going to be different around here. I've got some new kettles on the stove to tend to, some exciting changes coming my way (and some other not so exciting ones), so there may be more snarky posting and less outfit putting together than in the past. Which reminds me, I'm sorry to all the people I promised outfits to. I'm fired. Seriously. I'm planning to get them out, slowly (although I understand that I totally dropped the ball on the events in May. Oops).
So there you have it. I'll post some more about the wedding later this week, including my parent's on the cheap wedding outfits and the dress I found at Ross that totally made my year.
And oh yes, I made a bet with my husband back at the beginning of April that I wouldn't buy any clothes until the end of August. I'll tell you all about that, too.

Hideously Beautiful Birthday Gifts, and other Musings

1. Last Saturday was my birthday, and after an amazing spa day, we went to my parents for dinner, where I opened this gift: 

At first glance, you may think what I thought..."That is the most hideous purse I have ever seen." But then it grew on me. Seriously grew on me. And now? I LOVE it. The huge tacky flowers. The seaweed like tentacles. The glitter. Turns out it's a Mary Frances purse (I'd never heard of her, but now I'm a big fan) and it still had it's $160 price tag. What'd my momma pay? Twenty bucks! I wore it to Trader Joe's and out to dinner yesterday and fully enjoyed all the "Oh my god look at that ugly purse!" looks it received. What do you think? Would you rock the tacky flower seaweed monstrosity?

2. I've got lots of requests to get to. This week I did my "real" job...doesn't it suck when real life gets in the way of your blogging life? So please be patient with me, I'm looking forward to some fun Photoshop action next week. 

3. I'm hoping you guys can help me make a decision (not a big, important decision, but a cheap fashion decision). I've got a wedding to go to in May, and I've made a bet with my cheap husband that I wouldn't buy any new clothes until the end of August. AUGUST! So I'm left with what I've got (or what I can borrow). I bought this Sue Wong dress over 10 years ago for $40 (with the $250 price tag still on it...what up!). I've worn it to almost every important event I've attended since then, but now it doesn't fit anymore (amazing what more lunges and less tater tots will do for a gal). I need to get it altered down, but I' wondering if it's worth it. Has anyone ever altered an expensive dress? It's got some complicated embroidery and pleating, do you think it's possible? Or, should I cash in some Ross gift cards and just get a new dress?

4. And finally, a shout out to my buddy Sharlene, who had a Tracy on the Cheap moment last week when she scored last minute tickets to a Black Eyed Pea's Concert. All she had was her conservative work suit, so she walked down to the mall and scored herself a top, leggings, belt and accessories for $70. Score! Go Sharlene! 

Roaring 20's...on the cheap!

Today I'm killing three birds with one outfit. Or something like that. 
1. Tiffani wrote recently and said, "So I saw the fabulous job you did for Jane of I Really Suck At This and her maternity-chic outfit, and I could really use some help. I am graduating (Bachelor's) in May and I really want to have a sophisticated, but sexy and  adult party-like outfit. My friends suggested doing a 'flapper' themed party, but I took a look on the internet...anything I found reminded me of cheap hookers or was really unflattering, which I figured out was the actual style of the 20's LOL. But I like the idea of having something vintage, and 1920/30/40's are good eras for 'chic' and 'sophisticated' ."
2. And then my friend Anna said, "I've got a Tracy on the Cheap assignment for you. My cousin is getting married in a couple of weeks and her wedding is "roaring 20s" theme. I'm at a total loss of what to wear. I don't want to spend money on something I'll never wear again so I'm hoping to do modern twist on the 20s. Help!"
3. And have I mentioned that I'm going to my friend Becca's Art Deco themed wedding in May, and have yet to find an outfit? (Check out the deco look I did for Becca's gorgeous mom Diana, here!)
Tiffani, I hope this look doesn't remind you of cheap hookers. And if it does, then stay tuned for next week, because I'm planning on working up a 40's/50's look for you, too! Anna, I think the accessories (and possibly the dress) can all be worn again, and for only $85, it's a steal!
And did I mention that everything comes from Forever 21? That store constantly amazes me with it's repertoire of chameleon-like fashion finds. 


The scoop: 
Fringed Flapper Dress
Flapper Dreamer Headband
Cut Out Rhinestone Bracelet
Jeweled Cobra Chain
Rhinestone Drop Dangle Earrings
Crackled Metallic Heels

Of bridal wear, apple pie, and psychological thrillers....

This is, hands down, the BEST WEBSITE EVER. Make sure your volume is turned on.
I'm already planning a trip to Panama City.

Full of Glee!

One of my favorite blogs of the moment is What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear? (As in Emma from the show "Glee". Love it!) There's hours of clicking pleasure over there, with outfit after outfit of tightly wound 50's inspired guidance counselor goodness. One of the sets from today used this Modcloth top with some uber expensive items, so I decided to cheap it down a bit with some pattern mixing thrown in to boot. This is one I would most definitely wear! What about you? Is it your cup of tea?


The scoop: 
Coca Cafe Top, Modcloth
Ribbed Fitted Skirt, Forever 21
Sequin Polka Dot Handbag, Tillys
Myrtle Pump, Endless
Silk Bow Headband, Forever 21
Darling Earring Set, Forever 21

And I'm back!

I'm back to blogging after a great trip to Texas to visit the in-laws. This is what we did a lot of:

Yep, that's me, eating. (Why did I choose such an unflattering picture as my first appearance on my own blog? Good question.) Taco Cabana, Sonic, BBQ, Velveeta & Rotel, fried Allsup's Burritos....you name it, we ate it. My husband and I both missed Texas food (but our waistbands are quite glad we live in California). 

Onward! Check out my guest post on Urban Darling from last week, where I take on BCBG and restyle an $800 outfit. I've got loads of reader requests coming up, including a look for an Anthropologie dress scored on eBay, a vintage themed graduation party outfit, and attire for a Swedish wedding. 

Do you have a reader request? Let me know, I'm always up for a fun fashion challenge! 

Tracy gets Twisted

While in college I worked at a swanky jewelry store. As employees, we got to wear anything we wanted on our shift....$5,000 cocktail rings, $1,000 strings of pearls, $10,000 chandelier earrings, tennis bracelets and Rolex watches. It was every girl's dream.
I hated it. 
You put "real" jewelry on me and I don't feel ritzy and chic, I feel like a nervous imposter. One day I left for an errand wearing those crazy chandelier earrings and nearly had a heart attack. Give me Target baubles any day. (But I did score a great employee discount on our wedding bands, so that was a bonus!)
Which brings me to my point. The other day I discovered Twisted Silver, a store full of beautiful, yet affordable, jewelry. Rarely do I click over to a site and love every single thing they have for sale, but that's the case here. Love love love! So, I decided to use them in a post (along with my cha cha shoes that I went back and bought at Burlington Coat Factory with a $10 off coupon!) Click on over to their site and let me know what your favorite thing is! (These are my favorite!)


The scoop:
Hepburn Earrings, Twisted Silver
Retro Bracelet, Twisted Silver
Metal Bead Skinny Belt, Forever 21
Paisley Floral Skirt, Forever 21
Slouchey Leatherette Tote, Forever 21
Thekkady Vest, Modcloth
Crochet Lace Trim Shirt, Old Navy
Wedges, Burlington Coat Factory

(And no, Twisted Silver did not sponsor me to do this post, I just love their stuff!)

Give me Liberty!

Head on over to Urban Darling  to check out how I recreated this outfit featuring Target's Liberty of London line worn by Naomi Watts, on the cheap. (And bonus nerd points if you can tell me the significance of "Give me Liberty!" on this day, March 23rd!)

Jenni's Blue Leather Jacket

Jenni's screen shot...she's serious about finding this jacket! 

The other day Jenni, my daughter's godmother, law student extraordinaire, stylish gal and wonderful friend said, "I think I remember you saying you watch the Good Wife, and I remember you did an outfit based on the show for your blog...well if you watched last week and need an idea sometime for Tracy on the Cheap, Kalinda was wearing this awsome deep blue leather jacket and I would love to find an affordable version of it!"
First off, I'm so honored that Jenni asked for my help. She is always dressed to the nines, and I often steal ideas from her to use on the blog (thanks Jen!). She sent me some screen shots of the jacket since I haven't stayed up past 10 pm in, oh, almost forever. Here's the options I found for the the blue leather jacket, both under $100. Hope you like them, Jenni! 

The scoop: 
Ruched Trim Crop Jacket, Arden B $68
Jolene Leatherette Jacket, Forever 21 $32.50

Guest Post on Urban Darling!

Remember back in the day when I'd take a designer outfit and make it over so us regular people could actually afford it? Click on over to Urban Darling to find out how I cheaped down this look from Dolce & Gabbana...for under $100!

Adventures in Bargain Shopping

Yesterday I tried on these shoes at the new Burlington Coat Factory in my town. (Which was surprisingly clean, well lit, and well stocked. At least when I went during the day. My brother and his girlfriend went later that evening and said it was a little sketchy...that's bargain shopping for you. Brings out the cheap and the scary.) 
Anywho, I fell in love with these shoes, but since I couldn't think of anywhere I could wear them this summer (balancing a baby on one hip in 4 inch wedges? I think not) I passed them up in favor of a coat. From the coat factory. So original. But it's a cute white faux leather coat, so I'm happy. (Plus I got to use a $10 off coupon. Whoop!)
Then today I heard that Charlotte Russe is taking 50% off sale stuff online. I clicked over and found the same shoes for $13.49.  Go check out the sale here! I have yet to buy them...I'm still debating. Should I?

Simple Saturday

It's Champagne Saturday at BonBon Rose, where bloggers share the outfit they're wearing and what they are drinking while enjoying their Saturday.
The outfit above is what I'm actually wearing today, right down to the Payless earrings. My big job of the day was grocery shopping at Trader Joe's for just six things, but instead I left with six  full grocery bags. Oops. Like my momma always says, don't grocery shop while you're hungry. I drank some fantastic tangerine juice on the way home, so that's my drink of the day.

The scoop:
BCBG Sunglasses, Ross (I know! 5 bucks!)
Old Navy Diva Jeans, Discovery Shop
Earrings, Payless
Purse, Payless
Flats, Target
Shirt, Old Navy clearance
Cardigan, Old Navy
Scarf, Old Navy

Double Dose of Modcloth!

I've been a bad blogger lately, so I'm doubling up on you today! Modcloth has these gals they call Modstylists, who basically act as online personal shopping assistants. Lately they've been going head to head, styling different looks with one common item. I thought, "I could do that, too!" So here's my attempt at being a Modstylist. Although they're not cheap (you don't even know how hard it was for me to type a number that started with a "3" after the dollar sign), they are fun. (My husband says the second one reminds him of Alice in Wonderland. Perhaps...)
So here's the question...which one do you like better, look 1, or look 2? 


**On a side note, I'm only 6 fans away from 200 on the Facebook fan page, and 2 followers away from 50. If  you haven't joined yet, click over and make it happen! Thanks!**


The scoop for look 1:
Fabray Cardigan
Blooming Beauty Top
Photographer's Muse Skirt
In Stitches Heels
Wishing Well Bag
Edie Earrings in Muse
Necklace of Happiness
I Wove You Belt


The scoop for look 2

Nectar of the Gauze Tunic

The Style Solution Skirt

Morning Train Heel

Antoine Watcheau Necklace

Rose Around the Ring

Train Hopping Bag

SJP's Pearls

I have a confession to make...I've never understood the whole Sarah Jessica Parker thing. Perhaps it's because I've never really had cable, and can count the number of Sex in the City episodes I've seen on one hand. But the other night, I finally got it. On that new show "Who do you think you are?", SJP (now that I get it I can refer to her by an acronym) wore the same strand of pearls throughout the whole show. In New York. In Northern CA (hey, ya!). In Boston. In Salem. She was never over dressed...in fact, she dressed very casually, save the strand of pearls. That's my kind of fashion, wearing the same thing every day and still looking good! So I found some cheapo  fake pearls on Ebay and threw together a casual look for less than $100. (Also my kind of fashion...cheap.) 
What do you think? Does it work? Would SJP approve of TOTC?


The scoop:
Vintage Felt Hat, Forever 21
Skinny Jeans, Old Navy
Ballet Flats, Target
Scarf, Forever 21
Rose Dome Handbag, Tilly's
3/4 Sleeve Beaded Shoulder Tee, Forever 21
Skinny Faux Leather Belt, Forever 21
Faux Pearl Necklace, Ebay

Bon Bon Saturday Fun

Bon Bon Rose is a blog I'm totally digging lately, and they have a cool theme called Champagne Saturdays...basically, you share what you're wearing (and drinking!) on Saturday! 
The outfit above is what I'd be wearing if I weren't still in my pajama's. (It's not noon yet, so I still have some time to change before I'm really a lazy bum). And we have a fridge full of Guinness, so that's my drink of choice. (Really I'm drinking my third cup of coffee...but sipping a pint of Guinnessy goodness in that cute outfit above would make for a great Saturday afternoon!)


The scoop:
Sunglasses, Forever 21
Three Piece Metal Earring Set, Payless
Stella Gladiator Sandal, Payless
Origami Applique Cardigan, Old Navy
Distressed Bootcut Jeans, Old Navy
Epoxy and Rhinestone Bangles, Charlotte Russe
Whipstich Tassel Hobo, Charlotte Russe
Ring, Forever 21
Top, Forever 21

Guest Post on Urban Darling!

Click on over to Urban Darling to check out my latest guest post, which features an amazing deal that can't be missed! What you think blogland?

At the Opera

Have I ever been to the opera? No. Would I have any idea what to wear to the opera? No. Did I just want to use the word "opera" in a post? Yes. 
I've had an uninspired blogging week, and I'm sorry for my absence. Some weeks I can't wait to fire up Photoshop and throw outfits together...some weeks the ideas flow and the colors match and I'm inspired and creative. This was not that week. This week the baby was cranky and mommy was cranky, too. Funny how that works out. 
Today everything comes from Forever 21. Maybe someday Forever 21 will catch on to the free advertising I'm giving them by using their cheap clothes in fun ways. Hear that, F-21? Want to put an ad on my blog? That would be awesome. (That's probably not the way to go about getting advertisers, but hey, I'm not doing this for the money. If I was doing this for the money, this week would have gotten me fired.) 


The scoop: 
Metallic Bubble Dress
Ruffled Satin Shrug
Vivianne Jewel Earrings
Flower Burst Ring
Satin Bow Pumps
Embellished Satin Clutch

It's Summer in Australia!

Amiee said, "I'm attending a 'cocktail style' wedding here in Australia in a month and am a bit ashamed to say I'm not sure what the difference is to a 'normal' wedding (apart from obviously it's not a sit down dinner). Any help with suitable clothing would be appreciated! And we are coming to the end of a very hot Summer at the moment!"
An international request? How exciting! As I was looking through W magazine the other day (don't worry, I'm not going all high fashion on you. My mom started getting W sent to her for some unknown reason, and since giving my mother a fashion magazine is like sending Playboy to the Pope, it sits there, unread, until I visit.) I digress. W had a ton of pages that featured black and cream with hints of red and mint. So I did my best to be all trendy and make Amiee an outfit befitting an Australian cocktail style wedding. (Which I think must be a little less dressy than a regular wedding, perhaps?)
What do you think blogland? Does this work for a cocktail wedding? What is a cocktail style wedding, anyway? 

The scoop:
Tile Hoop Earrings, Nordstrom
Straw Hat, Kohls
Contrast Floral Linen Dress, Forever 21
Patent Leather Belt, Kohls
Peep Toe Pumps, Target
Flap Satchel, Target
Flower Disc Ring, Charlotte Russe