The Way I Shop

When it comes to shopping, I am very consistent with what articles of clothing I will splurge on, and those that I will be more stingy with.

What I'll always splurge on:
Jeans/Dress Pants

Shoes

Handbags

Undergarments

What I'll get as cheap as possible:

Tops/Sweaters

Costume Jewelry

Skirts

Dresses

Shorts

Why?

Jeans/Dress Pants: I will always fork over big cash for jeans and pants because that have to be comfortable.  When I try them on, I always find a place to sit, to make sure that they hit in the right spots and will be comfortable all day at my desk.  Equally as important is that they look good on my figure, which is sometimes tricky with a petite, boxy-athletic one.  I always get my jeans and pants altered to fit me perfectly.  Why not spend the extra $10-$15 to have them be perfect?  These are my favorite jeans (that I get about 3" hemmed off) - Des Moines people can get them at Blond Genius. And here are my favorite dress pants.  Go to my instagram account to see all the colors I have! I'm addicted.

 

Shoes: Blisters are a big no!  Thus, shoes have got to be comfortable as well.  I hardly ever find a pair of cheap shoes that I will actually buy because they are never comfortable.  (Sorry, Payless!)

Handbags: I have never appreciated cheap/knock-off handbags.  I may have half the number of handbags as others, but they are quality bags that will hold up forever.  For handbags, I always choose quality over quantity.  On very rare occasions, I will purchase a cheap clutch (like the one below! ) if I have a specific outfit in mind. 

Undergarments: Just like shoes and pants, they have got to be comfortable.  Underwires are not allowed to poke me anywhere!  And, I'm sorry, but Victoria's Secret does NOT make quality products like they used to.  I have a new favorite brand, which is Lou.  It is a company from Paris and they actually make amazingly comfortable bras.  If you are in the Des Moines area, you can get them here, along with other quality brands.

The other stuff: I am not nearly as picky with tops, jewelry, skirts, dresses and short.  Of course, they have to look good and fit well, but I'm never willing to spend a lot when I can find less expensive alternatives.  Naturally, I occasionally do splurge when I fall in love with a piece, but for the most case, I shop on eBay (necklaces for $3 with free shipping!) and other cheap places, such as Forever 21, ChicWish, Tobi and Target.  

Another thing I pay attention to while shopping is the colors of the season.
The best colors for Spring '14 are:

Placid/Powder Blue worn beautifully last night by Lupita at the Oscars.

Violet Tulip/Lavender seen here in the most beautiful violet of the season from Eberjey and also available in Des Moines at Amour. (This is an item I'm currently coveting!)

And finally, the color my favorite designer, Nanette Lepore, is ogling over: Cayenne. Here is a sketch of a dress designed by here in the beautiful shade of red.

I shop a lot, and these are just a few of my basic shopping rules.  I can be quite picky, but also like to try new styles, which led me to purchasing this skirt.

I hope you all have some lovely shopping trips/online successes in the near future!