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Tips for Spicing Up Your Little Black Dress & a $100 Flourish Gift Card Giveaway

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Sorry this giveaway is now closed!

We would like to congratulate Allyson (#28) on winning this great prize from Flourish Boutique! Stay tuned for more great giveaways coming soon! 

Vanessa Cooreman Smith is the owner of Flourish Boutique and its’ e-tail sister FlourishBoutique.com. She loves all things fashion and has a special passion for helping women feel confident and beautiful. Her stores are known for not only helping women find outfits and accessories to make them feel special, but also for being unique but affordable places to shop. Most items run from around $30-$100, but Flourish also has great sales and offers a Steal of the Day program too; where a new inventory item every day is guaranteed to be $9.99 or less! That really is a “fashion steal”!

I’ve invited Vanessa to offer some fashion tips with us today for a fun Valentine’s Day night out and I am excited to announce that we are also offering a giveaway today with Flourish Boutique!  Vanessa is one of my dear friends and has been a big supporter of MomAdvice as both an advertiser and helping me look my best at blog conferences. I am excited to share her savvy fashion advice with you and help you look your best for a fun night out on the town for Valentine’s Day! 

 

bow & narrow dress, $59

Vanessa’s Valentine’s Day Fashion Advice

 

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and for a lot of women that means a special night out with their sweetheart. But, as exciting as a much needed night out can be, it can also cause a fair amount of anxiety in deciding what to wear. You know the feeling: “I really want something new, but I feel guilty purchasing a new dress or outfit with a whole closet full of clothes”. I can’t tell you how many times I hear women voice this concern. Well, the best solution in my mind is to mix and match new and old. For example, take an existing LBD in your closet and revamp it with a little accessory splurge or a new piece of jewelry. You’ll spend a lot less, but you will feel like you got to treat yourself and confident that you will look your best come February 14th for your date night!

Here’s 6 ways to spice up your existing LBD, using a favorite Little Black Dress from Flourish as an example:

 

  • Make a fairly formal black cocktail dress more chic and casual with a colorful blazer. We paired our black dress with this fun hot pink jacket and some great accessories for a fun look! Not only will buying a colorful jacket like this give you a hot new Valentine’s look while still utilizing your LBD, but you will find that you can use this jacket again and again this spring with jeans, other dresses, skirts and more!
  • One Great thing about Valentine’s Day is that one of the main colors is Red, and red just happens to be a main theme color from the Holidays too. This means that lots of red accessories and fashion pieces are deeply discounted right now and make the perfect little budget friendly purchase for your new look. For example, we added this great red shimmery shrug that is on clearance now for just $8.99, but paired with the right accessories this takes your LBD from boring to beautiful for Valentine’s Day! And again, you could wear this shrug with a white tee shirt, jeans, and sassy heels down the road for a girls night out!
  • Another great way to freshen up your LBD is to simply buy a great scarf that can double as a pashmina or wrap. We love this particular one in hot pink and how much style it has…but at only $18 it makes a very affordable purchase that really changed the look of this outfit! And you can wear it with tons of spring outfits all season long and have no post-valentines-spending guilt!
  • This is probably my favorite trick! We took one of our favorite basics at our store, Flourish: a little layering piece that’s like a long sleeve tee but it’s really a sheer black lace top. We placed the lace top underneath our LBD and voila!….it looked like a whole new dress with kind of an elegant retro flare! How adorable is that…and the best news is that this top is just $22.50! Add some of your favorite classic pearl or crystal jewelry and you will have a look to remember for years to come. And of course, as with most of my tricks this little top will have many future uses too with more everyday outfits.
  • This trick is one of the most fashion forward ideas. Right now there is a big fashion trend for loose fitting tops that are longer in back than in front. Buy one of these more casual tops with a “tear drop” back hem and layer it right over your LBD (*to pull this off your LBD must be fairly fitted to balance the loose top). Then pair with tights and boots for a more casual Valentines look! Brilliant!
  • And, last but not least: you should feel free to use your existing LBD and an existing black sweater or shrug, but then purchase a fun statement necklace to really give your outfit extra style! We chose a colorful jeweled piece that you would be bound to get compliments on!

As you can see: it’s relatively easy to achieve the Valentine’s Day Glamour and style you desire, without breaking the bank! It’s all about being a little creative and being willing to try new ideas. Think of it as playing dress up and approach it as something fun! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Today we are offering one lucky reader a chance to spice up her Little Black Dress with a $100 Gift Card to Flourish Boutique. This giveaway is open to anyone in the US and your order can be placed right on their store site! This giveaway isn’t just for locals- Flourish can be on your doorstep through the beauty of online ordering. 

Please leave one comment for each  entry you wish to complete:

  • First Entry: Visit the Flourish Boutique site and and let us know what you would like to add to your wardrobe for Valentine’s Day.
  • Additional Entry: Let us know you are a fan of Flourish Boutique on Facebook.
  • Additional Entry: Let us know you are a fan of MomAdvice on Facebook.

One winner, chosen at random, will receive a $100 Gift Card to Flourish Boutique.  Please submit your entries by Thursday (02.09.12) at 8PM EST.  Our winner will be drawn at random. Good luck, everyone!

Flourish Boutique is a paid advertiser on MomAdvice.com. Want to know more about how giveaways are handled here at MomAdvice? Be sure to read our Disclaimer which clearly states how things work and know that we will always offer only the best reviews & giveaways to our readers. In full disclosure, the email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winner(s), and will never be sold or given to anyone. This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older. Entries that do not follow the above criterion will automatically be disqualified. This giveaway will close Thursday, February 9th at 8PM (EST). I’ll announce the first name of the winner(s) that will be added to the top of this current giveaway post and contact the winner(s) by email. I will draw the names of the winner(s) by using the random number generator at Random.org from the eligible entries received. If a winner does not contact me within 72 hours by email, I will draw a new winner. The winner(s) will receive their prize from the PR agency responsible for this giveaway. 

 

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Coloring Your Hair At Home for Less: Natural Instincts Hair Color

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There are two known secrets that my longtime readers will know about me. The first secret is that I am passionate about setting 30 day goals for myself to improve my productivity and overall health. I have tried 30 day goals,  from organizing to exercising,  and they seem to fit so well with my lifestyle.  The second known secret is that I am passionate about saving money and one of the ways I do that is by embracing many of my beauty routines at home.

When Clairol contacted me to see if I would be interested in sharing about their 30 Day Daily Refreshment Calendar that would challenge their readers to make easy changes in their nutrition, fitness, lifestyle, and beauty, I was so excited to participate because it fit perfectly with the way I choose to challenge myself in my own life.

Each day in July they will be sharing a new tip and challenging the Clairol Facebook community to refresh one of their daily routines.  They selected a few of their favorite online influencers to provide the tips and I got the opportunity to provide two tips on health and nutrition that will be shared during the month of July. Not only are they featuring me, but they will be featuring consumers, and others that make a difference in women’s lives and their own Clairol Color Director Marie Robinson who will be sharing refreshment tips for spicing up your usual routines.

I have been coloring my hair for years and I have always done it at home. I will admit that some things are worth paying for at my salon.  For example, I love to get my hair trimmed and professionally cut regularly. In full disclosure, my eyebrows are a sore sight to behold without professional care since I was one of the few chosen ones born without a natural arch. Coloring my hair at home though is one of those no-brainer ways of achieving beauty while spending a fifth of the price of a beauty salon. Even more than that though, my life is a whirlwind of activities with two children and I truly do not have two hours to spend each month to maintain my color at the salon. Luckily, with all of the color options available, it is easier than ever to try coloring you hair at home.

I always have used Clairol color on my hair because I get a very rich natural shade and I love that the products achieve the results I am after in a mere ten minutes.

I got the chance to test run the new Natural Instincts Vibrant collection on my hair this week. This new permanent hair color option can lighten your hair two to three levels and give you a big transformation. I prefer to stick with my natural hair color so I gave the hair color a test run with a bottle of their Medium Brown hair color instead of opting for a lighter color. Unfortunately,  my color had gotten really washed out from spending so much time in the sun and I could use a rich tone back on my hair so I was anxious to give this new hair color a try.


I applied the color to my hair and then waited the designated ten minutes.


Ten minutes later, I gave my hair a rinse and applied the conditioner. My hair looked and felt amazing after the hair color and I was shocked how quickly the color sets in. If you are looking for a dramatic change or just a richer tone to your natural hair, this product really works well in a record amount of time.

The best part though, is that both the Natural Instincts in the demi-permanent and the Natural Instincts Vibrant Collection come with a week two color refresher. Two weeks after, just when your hair color is starting to feel a little faded, you can apply the color refresher to replenish the color and make it look just like the day you colored it. Hello affordable salon color, goodbye salon prices!

If you are looking to take on a thirty day refreshment challenge, I encourage you to visit the Clairol Facebook page and check out a daily tip that you can implement each day during the month of July.  July is usually when I begin to get in a beauty, nutrition, & fitness rut, but it doesn’t have to be that way and I am looking forward to checking out these tips myself.

In the meantime, give Clairol a Like on Facebook, follow me on Twitter for my own tips for the daily refreshment challenge,  and enjoy a little refreshment in your own daily routines with their quick and easy tips to improve your life!

This is a sponsored post, and Natural Instincts has provided me with compensation for this post and to share about their Daily Refreshment Calendar. My participation is voluntary and opinions are always my own.

Quick Frugal Tip: Leggings Refashioned

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My daughter has an unbelievable collection of leggings that we have relied upon all year, since she loves wearing a dress almost every day. Now that summer season is finally here, our legging collection has gotten a little short and a little worn out. I hated to give these a toss though and just knew there had to be a good purpose to these.

With a set of scissors, I cut these off just below the knee. Now we have a perfect pair of shorts that can be worn underneath our sun dresses! Leggings that were too short and leggings with worn out knees,  have a fresh new purpose in our wardrobe.

Cute, chic, ladylike, and frugal.

Giveaway & Returning to the Original Curly-Haired Amy

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When I was a little girl, I was blessed with beautiful Shirley Temple ringlets that my mom could wrap around her finger, let go, and a perfect ringlet would stand to attention and hold it’s shape. My mom said that people would stop her on the streets and ask her how she got my hair to do that, and my mom would admit that she did nothing except wrap the curls around her fingers. My children, sadly, were not blessed with mommy’s curly-haired genes, but I always wish that I could do this to my own daughter’s hair.

Fast forward about thirty years and you will discover a girl who has beaten her curls into wild submission with product, blow dryers, metal brushes, and hair straighteners. I fight frizz and wave with pure aggression and as much heat as my hair can stand. If I try to do a day with wave in it, the waves will barely perk up, hanging limp and weighed down by forty products intended to curl boost.

Years ago, I discovered a book at the library called Curly Girl that changed my life. I applied the Curly Girl philosophy to my hair for awhile with fabulous results, and then decided that I wanted a more polished look and headed back to the straightener. I admit that I feel less confident with my wild curls and wonder if people think I rolled out of bed instead of paying attention to my hair.

My hair is starting to show the strains of abuse though and I decided to head back to the Curly Girl way of life after witnessing my girlfriend who rediscovered her curls again after picking up the book. For a curly girl, the philosophy is curl-changing…a total game changer for girls who have relied on hair products to pull their curls together.

Want to return to your baby curls? The Curly Girl philosophy is frugal and easy to start!

1. Wash your hair with a non-sulfate clarifying shampoo to remove all of the gunk and product build-up from your hair.

2. Get your ends trimmed on your hair to give you a fresh start to your new curls.

3. Don’t ever use a brush on your hair. You will need a wide-toothed comb or you can use your fingers to comb through your curls in the shower and when your hair is wet.

4. Don’t use shampoo on your hair and only use conditioner on your hair. Shampoo has harsh chemicals in it that dry out and damage your curls.  Instead, use conditioner and give your scalp a nice massage and rub the conditioner into the scalp. Apply the conditioner to the rest of your hair and let it set in on your hair for four minutes and condition your curls. I comb my conditioner through with my hands and don’t even use a comb on my hair. Finish by rinsing your hair with a cool rinse.  Even if you are not washing with shampoo, there is no need to do this daily, some girls can even go once a week! I rinse mine with conditioner three days a week and that seems to work well with my hair.

5. Apply product to your hair while it is still wet (you can use an additional frizz cream and gel) and Scrunch your curls or wrap individual curls around your fingers to shape them.

6. Allow your curls to air dry or use a diffuser to dry them. Never use a towel on your curls because they can bruise and frizz your curls up. Instead, use a microfiber towel or even an old t-shirt to dry your hair. These instructions explain the drying process well.

7. Allow your hair two to six weeks to adjust to your new routine.  I found it takes me about two weeks for my hair to look good, but it depends on how much abuse your hair has suffered!

I am on week one again of letting my curls all hang out. Again, I feel unpolished and crazy, but here is where I am at right now:

This is actually the second day without washing my hair (in week one)  and all I had to do was use a little water to scrunch everything back up again.  I am working on being comfortable with my original look, but I definitely am getting used to these crazy old curls again. I can’t wait to see what my curls look like after six weeks of this treatment!

I had been planning to blog about this and they reissued the Curly Girl book and asked if I wanted to host a giveaway for my readers. Since it is something I am using in my own life, I am excited to share it with another girl fighting her natural beauty and curls! I am looking forward to getting my hands on my own copy of this book since I have worn the library book out to pieces!

Today I am giving away a copy of the new CURLY GIRL: The Handbook and a DevaCurl Travel Kit of products to care for your curls. Three additional winners will win a copy of the Curly Girl Book! That means four girls will be rocking their original curls this year thanks to MomAdvice!

To enter, leave a comment below letting me know why you need this book for yourself (or for someone  you love!) Please submit your entries by Tuesday (03/01) at 8PM EST.  Our winner will be drawn at random. Good luck, everyone!

MomAdvice Giveaway Guidelines: Want to know more about how things are handled here at MomAdvice? Be sure to read our Disclaimer which clearly states how things work and know that we will always offer only the best reviews and giveaways to our readers. In full disclosure, the email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winner(s), and will never be sold or given to anyone. This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older. Entries that do not follow the above criterion will automatically be disqualified. This giveaway will close Tuesday, March 1st at 8PM (EST). I’ll announce the first name of the winner(s) that will be added to the top of this current giveaway post and contact the winner(s) by email. I will draw the names of the winner(s) by using the random number generator at Random.org from the eligible entries received. If a winner does not contact me within 72 hours by email, I will draw a new winner. The winner(s) will receive their prize from the PR agency/company  responsible for this giveaway. The above link(s)  are an affiliate link and provided for reference for our readers.

Simplifying Your Accessories Resource List

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Another big thank you to Sarah Morgan for sharing her wise words of wisdom on choosing great accessories for our outfits. Thank you also to everyone who was able to catch the show and provided such fun entertainment on our chat board as you listened to our interview.

As promised, here is our resource list from today’s podcast:

eenamaria- Here is where you can find all of the latest and greatest styles from Sarah Morgan’s wonderful handbag line that she will be sharing this month with QVC viewers. If you would like a first-hand review, you can read our review on her I Mean Bizness Travel Tote which is perfect for a working woman on-the-go!

The Budget Fashionista- I wanted to share about The Budget Fashionista because Kathryn happens to be one of my favorite budget-minded fashion bloggers in the world. She offers great tips for accessorizing your outfits on a budget. Be sure to check her Shopping Guides for great guidelines on budget-friendly shopping and her book, “How to Be a Budget Fashionista” for more great tips.

Free Diaper Bag Checklist- You can find this practical checklist for keeping your diaper bag stocked with everything you need for your daily outings with your little one. We have provided additional check boxes so you can personalize it with whatever you might need.

On Next Week’s Show…

Is bedtime an hour of stress in your house? Are you constantly battling with your children at bedtime? Are you struggling with getting sleep yourself? Dr. Marc Weissbluth, professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University in Chicago and founder of The Sleep Disorder Center at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago and a practicing pediatrician, will be joining us to share his expertise to help with those bedtime blues. This show will air on February 26th at 2PM EST!

MomAdvice Simplified: Simplifying Your Accessories

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On MomAdvice Simplified, my weekly podcast for moms, we will be joined by Sarah Morgan, the handbag designer behind the new eenamaria handbag line, who will be sharing tips for simplifying our accessories. Sarah joins us to explain what to look for in a good handbag, how to care for our handbags, what we should carry, and how to spot those fake purses.

Sarah has not only been nominated twice for the Fashion Group International’s ‘Rising Star Award’, but she will be airing her new line on QVC this February. With her placement on QVC Sarah hopes to share her new collection with women who are modern, confident and strong women on-the-go.

Just as a reminder, you can listen to the show live every Thursday at 2PM EST or you can listen later right here on my the left sidebar!

What Would You Buy?: An Ultimate Work Wardrobe

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Amy,

I recently discovered your website and have really enjoyed it! I am also an Aldi fan and am trying hard to live within my means. I have a problem I was hoping you could help me with. I am returning to work very soon and after years as a stay-at-home Mom, suddenly find myself without any decent clothes to wear to a job. Faded blue jeans and old t-shirts have worked okay at home but they aren’t work-appropriate!

Whenever you post a picture on your site you always look so pulled-together. Can you help? I am going to be working in a business casual environment – even a well-fitting pair of boot-cut dark wash blue jeans would probably work on Fridays. Other than that – where do I start? I have about $250-$300 to put towards new clothes. Any suggestions??? Maybe even some websites that could help?

Congratulations on paying off your debt and cutting up those cards!!! Your party must have been so much fun!

Thanks,
L.

Well, it has been about four years since I have been out in the trenches of the working world, but I will do my best to answer this question. If you are a working woman of the world and have had good success shopping anywhere, please let our sweet reader know so she can do some hunting.

Since this is an office-casual environment, I think it will be a lot easier to tackle than the more formal office wear. Here are some of my suggestions for a great work wardrobe.

Bottoms-

Apostrophe Essential Pant- I have actually worn these and they are an amazing fit! They are a lightweight material that doesn’t attract pet hair or look wrinkly after being worn all day. They also look seamless, with no distracting pockets or details that seem to draw your eye towards the problem areas. The material is lightweight and these could be worn through all of the seasons. They have these in black & gray- both are great choices for work. I just really love these pants and they are a steal at only $24.98 each!

Tops-

apt. 9 Herringbone Blazer- This blazer is great for summer and you could transition it into the fall with the addition of a long sleeve t-shirt. This would look great with a pair of black slacks and a cute camisole or even could be paired with a pair of jeans and ballet flats to dress it down. I wear this style of blazer a lot and I just love how versatile it is! They have a similar style available in black as well (which could pair nicely with a gray pair of trousers or jeans) Currently on sale for $29.99.

Xhiliration Dolman Sleeve Top- This would be a great addition to a work wardrobe too. I love the style of this top because the sleeves make it dressy enough for work or you could wear this on the weekend with a pair of cute sneakers. I love the Kelly Green & the Black for basic pieces.

These are just a few examples of great items that would work. For a starter work wardrobe, I would recommend:

1. Two or three basic pairs of flat-front trousers (black, gray, khaki)
2. Two or three camisoles for layering (white, off-white, and black- Target offers these at affordable prices in the lingerie section of the store)
3. A short sleeve blazer (could be a basic color or a fun print that would work with neutrals)
4. Two or three long-sleeve or short-sleeve basic shirts for layering (I love the Old Navy or Mossimo brand for these) that could be layered under blouses and jackets. Pick your sleeve length based on the season.
5. One or two blouses (You could keep these basic in black, white, or pink and use hair and jewelry accessories to switch these up or you could go with fun prints and and use a basic black blazer to tone down for a different look. Look for the cap-sleeved shirts, as they are popular right now and make a blouse look a little more girly)
6. One pair of dark-wash jean,for the office casual environment. I love jeans from The Limited, Old Navy, or Gap.
7. A pair of basic black ballet flats, black heels (to dress up your jeans), and one pair of fun shoes (fun print or an unexpected color)
8. A nice neutral handbag

When I was trying to help my husband with his work wardrobe, I would actually look in his closet and piece together things that he didn’t put together. This can be fun to do with your spouse, if they have an eye for what looks good, or a good friend. Invite someone into your closet and have them look at what you have and your new pieces and have them come up with ideas for things that could work together too. Sometimes it takes a new pair of eyes to see all of the possibilities

Finally, if you are really short on cash, ask if you can raid your friend’s closets to help you until you get those first couple of paychecks. My best friend and I exchange clothes often for special events and occasions and it has saved me more money than I can begin to tell you. My wardrobe has great pieces and her wardrobe has great pieces. Together, we create an ultimate wardrobe that makes life events like these a little easier.

Sound Off: What are some places that you would recommend shopping for a work wardrobe? Are there any basic pieces that you would add to my list?

Cute Jewelry Holder & Jewelry Cleaner Recipes

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I like to keep a little dish by my sink to put my jewelry in while I am doing the dishes. I also love to thrift shop so I put my love for thrift and my little dish together and came up with this cute little idea.

I use a thrifted candle holder to put my jewels in. They look so pretty and, if the edge has a nice lip on it, it is a safe way to keep your jewels out of harms way. It also makes your jewelry a pretty display while you are scrubbing your little heart out and cursing your family for not helping you… or praying- whatever you happen to do while washing the dishes.

And, if you so choose, you could also be cleaning your jewelry while scrubbing your heart (as you curse your family or pray).

Here are two handy little recipes to keep tucked away for that special day!

Homemade Silver Jewelry Cleaner:

In a bowl, place strips of aluminum foil in and place your silver jewelry on top of them. Cover the silver with boiling water and then add three tablespoons of baking soda and soak for ten minutes. Mix remaining hot water and a drop of liquid soap into another glass bowl. Place your silver in the soapy water and wash. Rinse with clean water and polish dry your pieces with a soft cotton cloth. Please take care, some solutions that are great for some metals and stones may damage others.

(Side Note- I use this solution for cleaning all my silver jewelry and have never had any problems. This works like a dream!)

Homemade Gold Jewelry Cleaner:

Fill a small bowl with warm water and a drop of liquid dish soap. Allow this to soak for approximately ten minutes. Proceed to brush the pieces with an eyebrow brush (or a similar substation such as a toothbrush) while they are being soaked. Then you should transfer the gold jewelry to a strainer and then proceed to rinsing it off with warm water. Finish by drying with a soft cotton cloth.

Staying Fashionable Through Ebates

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I have had an obsession with Ebates for a long time and lemme tell you that I am doing the happy dance every single time I get my check from them. Each person I refer, I get a $5 referral fee and, in turn, the person who signs up also gets a $5 credit into their account. I won’t go on and on about it (you can read my experience here if you are interested or just sign up for one of your own accounts- amy@momadvice.com for the referral id), but I have been really happy with the program. This is one of the rare times where I really appreciate the referral programs because it is truly rewarding for me.

A few days ago, I got an email letting me know that another big fat check was on its way. This is my fun money that I get to spend on stuff I want, but don’t necessarily need (To date, I have received almost $250 with the company!) . As soon as that check hit the mailbox, it was deposited and spent within two days. Yup, that is how I roll!

What does a girl like me spend her fun money on? SHOES! Oh yeah! And a new SPRING COAT! Neither were necessarily needed, but they really make me happy.


I found this coat at Forever 21. I am not impressed with the quality of the clothes usually, but I inspected this coat throughly before purchasing it. You can usually tell if a company backs the work that they do up with a good return policy. They don’t take returns- they will only exchange the merchandise with the tags still on it and they will never ever refund your money. Just to make sure I didn’t miss this, the girl circled the return policy on the receipt. This is a red flag to me about companies, so just a warning…check your loot before you leave that store, otherwise you are stuck with it. I will be discussing this option more next week when I share tips for being fashionable in our Baby Steps series.


This coat covers my less-than-desirable assets, as it hits about mid-thigh. It has an empire waist, but doesn’t balloon like a maternity top. The arms are the cutest part about it as it they flare out a bit. I also love the cute lining (not that anyone sees the lining), but I adore details like that.

A company that gets an A++ for great quality is Payless Shoes and their styles out for spring are super cute. If it has been awhile since you have been in there, it is worth the trip. They carry a line of American Eagle shoes that are so cute, I can hardly stand it. Try and go when they have their buy-one-get one sales and you can come out with some amazing deals.
I needed to replace my black flats from last year and I loved this style with a little side buckle. They are almost identical to my flats last year, but I couldn’t resist another pair. They go good with everything and they are super comfy too.

These shoes are the cutest shoes ever. Red flats, cute ribbon, suede toe…what’s not to love? They make me so happy and are my one pair of fun shoes for spring….oh, and they match my coat too! Gotta love that!

These are my “Sporty Spice” shoes. My husband says they look like the first pair, but CLEARLY these are entirely different, and only resemble the first pair because they are the same color. These are my momma-had-a-hard-day-and-is-running-children-everywhere shoes. They have a rubber heel on the bottom and offer great momma-had-a-hard-day support.

All these were free thanks to Ebates and my big fat check. I thank them for keeping me fashionable and keeping me on budget.

Day 27: Save on Clothing

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There are so many great ways that you can save on your clothing and there is no reason in the world that you should ever have to pay full price for anything. I have gotten some of the best clothing for my children and most of it has been purchased secondhand. I would also say that ninety percent of my own clothing is bought from our local Goodwill store. Rarely would I ever pay more than five dollars for an item and I still maintain my snobbery towards the name brands that I love. Here are some easy ways that you can save on your clothes:

1. If you shop used, ask if they offer half off days or any special discounts. Most stores offer a deal, at least one day of the week, and those are the best times to shop. I always try and come as soon as the store opens for special discount days because you will have the most to choose from when making your selections.

2. You can be a brand name snob, but just because it is a certain brand doesn’t mean you should necessarily buy it. This is something that I had really struggled with in the beginning because I was focusing too much on the label name, rather than if I truly liked the item itself. A beautiful Ann Taylor dress that is not your color or style is better left at the store instead of taking up space in your closet.

3. Know your brands when you go to a store and know them well. I loved Meredith’s post on recognizing name brands because many of the brands that she has referred to were not ones that I was familiar with. Read the fashion magazines (from the library, of course!) and familiarize yourself with the quality labels. It is not only good for you to do this for your own wardrobe, but if something is not your size/style, but you know it is worth a lot, you could sell it to the highest bidder on an auction site.

4. Try and hold the items up in good lighting and really look at them. I do an armpit check, hem checks, underarm stain checks, seam checks and take an overall look at the item to make sure there are no rips or tears. Make sure you really look at the item closely before buying it. It has always been such a disappointment to me to bring home something that I am really crazy about and find out exactly why it had been donated in the first place.

5. Try on sizes that aren’t necessarily your size because many times they have been donated because the item was shrunk in the wash. I might try on sizes that are two up from my normal size and find something that fits me absolutely perfectly.

6. If you are petite, you can check in the girl’s sizes (sizes 14 & 16). I am really short and I have found a 16 in girls fits me perfectly lengthwise. Items with elastic waists, like jog pants, can be bought in these smaller sizes for petite adult women. The bonus, of course, is that the children’s clothing is cheaper than the adult clothing so I can get the item for even less money than I would have paid in the adult sizes.

7. Finding clothing can be time consuming so make sure that you have a good block of time to work with, especially if you are hunting for something in particular. I think thrifting gets easier as you get in the groove of doing this. Well-trained eyes seem to gravitate towards the good items and I have found items start to jump out at me a little easier because I know where to look and how to navigate the stores quickly.

8. Know that it is fine to leave with nothing in your hands. I think this is one of the hardest things for me because I want a good deal so bad. There are days that I spend a half hour in the store and come up with nothing. I know there are other days though where ten items jump out at me at once so I look forward to those days and understand that there are dry times too. Patience and waiting are difficult, but you will be glad you waited when that item finally appears!

Potential Monthly Savings: $30 or more

Sound: Off: What are your tips for saving on clothing?