bargain shopping

i receive a lot of questions on what items of clothing i think are okay to splurge on.

it's funny to me, because in actuality, i rarely go shopping.

shopping sprees aren't really in our newlywed budget, so if i do go shopping, it's usually for one item.

i have a very strategic way of shopping.

i look through the entire store, front to back, and swoon over all of the new items and beautiful textiles. 

then, i head straight for the clearance section.

yep, you heard me, i pretty much only shop in the clearance section.

you'd be amazed at the wonderful clothing you can find for half price.

i'm always grateful when my parents come to town (or vice versa) and my mom takes me shopping. perk of being married, your fam loves to spoil you when they see you!

anyways, here's the way i look at splurging. impulse buys are terrible splurgers. only splurge on something that you have dreamed tirelessly of having, will wear ALL the time, and will last you forever. If you can see your self wearing this one item will several outfits, then it is probably worth it.

another tip: look around. sometimes i get this image in my head of this one article of clothing, and i am convinced that i have to get it from a certain place because that is the cutest i can find. however, more times than not, i can find a very similar article of clothing somewhere else, for a more affordable price. it's all about looking around, and keeping your options open!

to show you what i mean, i put together an outfit of pieces that i recently bought when i was home. all of these clothes were bought on sale, and still stand up to today's trends and fashions (to me at least!).

 a relatively plain outfit, but great for several occasions. be it errands, a date, a casual party, or lunch with friends, i would wear this outfit for practically anything.

here's what it consists of:

the top: a blouse from the j.crew outlet, that was 20% off the outlet price, plus a 10% student discount, and 10 dollars off from a j.crew gift card.

the pants: purchased from the Gap outlet, minus 20% because of the sale going on that day. i think i paid about $15 for them. this style of pant is something that i've been swooning over for quite some time, and i recently saw a similar pair at j.crew. i'm so happy that i kept my options open, and i found a pair that i like just as much!

the shoes: these Sam Edelman flats were purchased for $25 dollars at Marshall's. can i get a WHAT WHAT?! shoes that typically sell for over $150 at Nordstrom's, and i found them for 25 buckaroos. 

 so you see, bargain shopping is the way to go.

and i did not intend for this picture below to be a bum shot.

i found you, miss new booty?