Archives for February 2016

February 20, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

Getting down on a sensitive subject, saving vs. splurging on designer handbags. Plus, the details of some awesome Chloe dupes. 

{Shirt: Nordstrom (old)} {Jeans: Motherhood Maternity}
{Purse: Joy Drew Baginc, similar dupe!} {Flats: J. Crew}

If you follow along with me, than you probably know that I have a thing for designer handbags. I do believe if you are going to invest in an expensive wardrobe item, it should be a “stable” purse. For instance, a black, beige, cognac, or grey high-end bag is always a good investment that is worth saving for. You should be able to carry a staple bag for years AND it should go with most outfits you wear.

The thing with designer bags is there is quite a LARGE price range when you think about it. Purchasing a designer bag does not mean each bag was $500-$1000. The designers that I find most affordable and often have AWESOME sales are Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Rebecca Minkoff, and Coach. If you are patient, these designers bags do go on sale for around $200 and less. Great times to search for sales are the major holidays and long holiday weekends.

Now when you are talking prices of Chloe, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, it is a whole different ball game. My beloved Chloe Drew bag (wearing a dupe) ranges anywhere from $1,200-$3,000. With a baby on the way, buying a home, and not having a 6-figure job, this purse is not AND will not be in the budget any time soon. If I wanted to save for years, the purse could be attainable, but once I saved $2,000 for a handbag, I could think of several other things that I would like to do with that amount of money…. home renovations, a family vacation, investing in a college fund for the baby, and so on.

With that being said, the above purse was a no brainer for me, SAVE!! I have linked 2 Chloe dupes that are under $100. This is the only dupe bag that I feel would be worth owning. It really does look very similar and at $30 you can’t go wrong! What are your thoughts on saving for designer bags? If you are looking to invest in a designer bag, do check out my favorite companies that I listed above: Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Rebecca Minkoff, and Coach. Do you have a favorite hand-bag designer?

Keep in touch,
Dani

February 4, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

At the end of each season, our favorite stores tend to have unbeatable sales. Today, I am sharing some tips for shopping winter sales.

{Bag: Kate Spade} (Jeans: Pea in the Pod}
{Rain boots: Hunter from Nordstrom}
Each item has a variation on a great sale!!

1. STOCK UP ON THE BASICS- Time to purchase those basic pieces that you find yourself wearing at least once each week. For me, I wear my hunter boots, peacoat, green utility field coat, and my favorite pairs of jeans all winter long (J. Crew is my favorite place for basics).
2. KEEP PRINTS SIMPLE- As much as we all love our bold, fun prints, I would avoid buying too many printed items at the end of a season. Prints are so trendy and come in and out of style so often that you don’t want to buy a wild print that you won’t wear next year.
3. ALL ABOUT THE NEUTRALS- You can never go wrong with neutrals or have too many. I try to stick to solid colors like beige, cognac, grey, white, black, blush, and navy when shopping sale items. These are the colors that I will put on for several seasons to come (Nordstrom’s has a neutral selection for days).
4. BUY THOSE TIMELESS DESIGNER PIECES- A great tip for building a wardrobe is having a few high-end timeless items. For instance, designer shoes and purses are an instant way to take an inexpensive outfit and make it look more high-end. I like to get sweaters from Forever 21 and pair it with my winter boots and bags. Designer items will go on sale at the end of each season (Kate Spade is my favorite designer).
5. KIDS CLOTHES GALORE-  Most children’s clothes do not go out of style as the season changes, so it is good to take advantage of savings. Gap and Old Navy are my favorite children’s stores. When items are full price, they are not exactly cheap for kids who are going to grow out of them before you know it. With that being said, Gap and Old Navy does have a great end of season sales!

Most stores have amazing winter sales right about now! I have linked my favorite winter sales above. Spring collections are being released, which means winter clothes prices are being slashed in half in some stores! One thing to keep in mind is even high-end stores will have good sales. My guilty pleasure is purses, especially from my girl, Kate Spade. If you wait until Kate Spade is having a great sale, you can get bags for half off!! At that point, they are actually affordable and I do not feel so guilty for the splurge. What are your favorite designer brands? Have you checked their winter sales?

Keep in touch,
Dani