All posts tagged: shopping

My Grown-Lady Shopping Rules

Published by

Since the day I learned to dress myself, my style M.O. was to “look cute.” (I’m not saying it was always successful; there was a very unfortunate JNCO jeans phase in my adolescence). Now that I’m getting older, that’s shifted to “look polished/sophisticated/put-together.” A year ago, I purged my closet of all the bad shopping decisions of my twenties. It was one of many closet cleanouts; I’d spent years in a cycle of buy-wear-toss and couldn’t figure out why I was never satisfied with my stuff. During that Labor Day 2013 Purge to End All Purges, I got the moment of clarity I so desperately needed: the trick wasn’t filling a wardrobe with a whole bunch of random inexpensive stuff; it was creating a well-edited collection of great stuff. For so many years, I equated good style with having lots of options and never wearing the same outfit twice. So I bought as much as I could within my [limited] budget: I rummaged through clearance racks, shopped at outlet stores and fast fashion retailers, and gave zero damns about quality or fit. …

market colors

Published by

Let’s kick off this week with something uplifting, shall we? I’d like to introduce you to Market Colors, a nonprofit organization that’s bridging the gap between quality handmade products from skilled African craftsman and American buyers. Here’s how it works: (1) Market Colors orders products from groups of African craftsmen (everything from scarves and jewelry to tech accessories, and lots in between). (2) The craftsmen make products from native materials. (3) Market Colors purchases the items. (4) Products arrive to MC headquarters in Orlando, FL — just a hop, skip and jump from my hometown! (5) Market Colors markets and sells the products on their website. (6) All proceeds are reinvested in Africa as the cycle repeats. Each product is beautifully packaged, and includes a postcard that introduces you to its creator! This is an extra-special touch that makes you feel connected to your accessories in a whole new way. I’ll wear this scarf and bracelet proudly, knowing that they were carefully handmade in villages far away by Samson and Kolida. They’re gifts I’ll treasure for …

Grand Theft Thrift

Published by

me: “do you think this ledge can hold me?” husband: “uh, yeah. it’s concrete. how big do you think you are?” Talbots shorts (thrifted) | Route 66 tank (Kmart clearance) | Antonio Milani leather espadrilles | BUILT laptop sleeve  I’m not one to brag, but some thrift haul shopping victories require a little personal horn-tooting. Last Saturday, I had the morning off, but Chad was working across town and I needed to stay close to the shop in case any last-minute deliveries came in. There’s a great thrift store right across the street from us, so I popped in to kill a little time. It was buy-one-get-one-free day. As if that wasn’t enough to send my little bargain shopping heart a’flutter, it appeared that a well-dressed petite lady with my size and style had just purged her closet and donated it all to this very thrift store. I walked {read: strutted with head held high} out of there with two pairs of White House Black Market crops, JCrew khaki bermudas, a pair of private label white …

Wanna go shopping? $100 LovingEco Giveaway!

Published by

How’s about a little green to start your week? A double whammy of green: the sustainability sort and metaphorical shopping money. Cha-ching… I can get behind any company that dynamic women start up to make a change! LovingEco was created by two women who are passionate about making a difference through bettering the environment, the health of women, and the future of our planet. LovingEco is an online shopping space for ladies (and gents!) who want to be more conscious in their shopping without compromising style. Check out this video for an inside look. Here’s where you come in: LovingEco wants to give one lucky APP reader a $100 credit to buy whatever eco-friendly apparel, accessories, or beauty products your little heart desires from their featured sales. To Enter: 1. Register at http://lovingeco.com (it’s quick, easy, and free). 2. Browse today’s featured sales, come back here, and leave a comment telling me your favorite product(s). 3. Leave your email address so we can contact you if you win. 4. For an extra entry, tweet this: Just …