Why I'm Glad I Finally Got Boots

I'm feeling in an alliterative mood, so it comes down to this: Fashion, Function and Fit. That's what I realized this morning when I thought about how glad I am to have my new boots!


They are all black, leather, shin-high boots with flat fur on the outside (not as garish as it sounds) and suede trim around the laces. The inside is plush, warm wool. The sole is synthetic with a two-inch platform heel and has surprisingly good traction.


It was love at first sight. They were strewn on a table with about two dozen other assorted pairs at the front of Marshalls as part of a season-end clearance, and since I'd been looking for boots for at least a year or two, this was like a dream come true. I tried on several pairs but these definitely stuck out. However, I wasn't quite ready to spend $110 on shoes on a whim the first time I saw them. Plus, they felt a bit tight.

About a week later I returned to the store. Most of the inventory I'd seen was gone but these boots remained. They were now $70 on final clearance, and though I still hesitated, that price was much easier to swallow. Especially since I felt satisfied with the apparent quality of the materials and craftsmanship, and I was confident that I really liked them. I thought twice about the purchase and still liked them. Plus $70 down from $200+ is a deal that's hard to beat.

So I took the plunge. Great decision! I've worn them with skirts, with skinny jeans, with boot cut jeans...to work, to go out, to hang out...and this morning, I wore them while digging my car out of four to six inches of snow. (Who'd have expected that in the Washington D.C. suburbs in early March??)

I love how stylish they look -- I'm not very trend-conscious or always stylish, but these look pretty darn nice. I like how they fit -- uber-comfortable. They are one of the few pairs of shoes I can wear for hours during light activity (work, fun, no marathon running) that remain very comfortable.

And finally, they are so functional! I didn't get one drop of moisture in my socks today, even while marching through totally unshoveled snow to retrieve my car. As someone who's had a lot of snow seep through her sneakers, this was just the most fantastic development.

So I give a glowing review to Oscar Sport boots. Hopefully these will hold up for a long time to come.

Free B&BW Shower Gel w/Online Purchase

I've been lusting over radiant powder spray ever since the Muse blogged about Guerlain's Sublime Radiant Powder back in early October. It's a beautiful atomizer filled with shimmering silver powder that is part of the high-end line's limited edition holiday 2008 collection. But at $82 it was not in my budget.

So I was stoked to see her post again in December about a similar product from Bath and Body Works -- limited edition Radiant Powder Spray. I tried it in the store and really liked it, but still couldn't bring myself to spend $24.50 on it.

I finally decided to take the plunge on it though! While it's no longer available in local stores, the product is still stocked online and was recently reduced from $12-something to $9.75. I decided to pick up two, one for me and one for a friend.

Additionally, if you use the promo code WELCOME113 at checkout you can get a free Signature Collection shower gel (up to $10.50 value) with any purchase of $10 or more.

Adding this to my cart did increase my shipping charge, but since the gel I picked was already reduced to $6 it only pushed shipping up by a dollar.

According to the coupon site I found it on, the promotion expires on Feb. 11.

Lovely and Not-so-lovely

Turns out I had strep throat and mononucleosis. (No, I don't think I got it from kissing! lol.) Antibiotics for the strep kicked in and I feel a lot better - ie: can swallow without wincing - though I'm still worn down and easily tired.

I also think being sick is affecting my motor skills. Seriously, I put the sheets on my bed on crooked the other day after washing everything because of the strep. And the past couple of days I've parked really poorly. And dropped things. Maybe just a clumsy coincidence??

Okay, so, last night I went on a shopping excursion at Eddie Bauer. Not for me, as the best purchase of the night was this handsome leather jacket that was 50 percent off:

The store is having big sales and the one I went to is going out of business, so everything is being cleared out. In between looking for menswear a pretty skirt caught my eye, and what would you know? There were two left, one in my size (including 'petite'!) and 60 percent off.

So lovely!


But on a not-so-good note (though comical), I broke the button on a pair of corduroy pants today at work. They're inexpensive juniors pants I've owned for a couple of years now and the button has been a bit messed up for a bit....then today, the top of the button just cracked off the base. Lame!

Anyone know how to fix that?

Sales Still Running

Tarte - 30 percent off with the code luckybreaks7. Valid until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30. (Promo for new book, "The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style.")

Bath & Body Works - A slew of products on sale, including four packs of anti-bacterial hand soap for $10. Ends Sunday, Nov. 30.

Cherry Culture - 20 percent off everything with the code TG20. Ends Sunday, Nov. 30.

Kiehl's - 20 percent off online with the code FAMILY or by printing out this flyer and bringing it in-store for the Kiehl's Friends and Family discount. Ends Monday, Dec. 1.

1-800-Flowers - Free shipping (within the U.S.) or no service charge with the code FreeShp25. Ends Tuesday, Dec. 2.

I Need Your Product Advice

Hello lovelies!

First, thanks to those of you who gave words of encouragement for my first EOTD. Your sweet comments warmed my little heart :) (And since I read them after watching the Obama/McCain debate and subsequent bombardment of analysis, they were a much-appreciated pick-me-up on the lighter side of life.) I will definitely try to post more looks, it was a lot of fun.

Second, you may remember that a few weeks ago I wrote to Neutrogena after purchasing a face wash that wasn't sealed properly...and though I didn't know when I wrote to them, that same face wash later broke me out and made my skin excessively dry.

Well, they sent me a blank-check coupon worth up to $10! So I'd like your advice on what Neutrogena product I should purchase.

I haven't been happy with the company's face washes in the past - my most recent trial an example of this -but I wouldn't rule one out. I don't really need face wash though, I have enough! I also found their oil-free moisturizer with SPF 15 to be too greasy. I like an eyeshadow duo of theirs I picked up not too long ago, and their ads for tinted lip-balm (or something like that) have also piqued my interest.

A few weeks ago I tried the Wave at a friend's place, and that felt really cool. She said using it twice a day is the only thing that is certain to clear-up her very acne-prone skin. So that's an option too...

The item can be more than $10 at regular price, since I'm willing to pay the few dollars extra or wait till it goes on sale/ I have coupons to get it.

Please vote in the poll on the left and leave a comment on this post with your suggestion! Thanks.

Revlon LE Products Free After CVS Extra Bucks

Has anyone else seen this? CVS has a promotion where you get $9.99 in Extra Care Bucks after buying certain limited edition Revlon products...which are priced $9.99 themselves, as far as I could see. So you're getting a total reimbursement in CVS Bucks after the purchase. (Limit one per household, so pick wisely!)

The four options for the Bucks are a lip gloss, eye shadow, lip gloss/palette and powder blush. The latter three are full of very pretty, delicate, swirled colors. From Revlon's Web site:

One of the eyeshadows on display at the CVS where I made my purchase was so destroyed that I wondered if it was supposed so be loose pigment! Ummm, no...just pulverized somehow. The lip palette is gorgeous but I don't really need more balmy stuff and am trying to avoid more products into which I will stick my (often dirty) fingers. Because that's stuff I'd throw in my purse and swab my pointer into on the run.

In retrospect, it seems that the least unique of the products caught my eye...the Creme de la Chrome gloss tube. I really wanted "Spice it Up," which is a sparkly neutral, but this particular CVS was out so I got the fuscia "Razzle Dazzle" instead. I'll post a swatch and demonstration later in the weekend since I don't have it on me now. It's interesting. Shimmery and very opaque - not stuff you're going to layer over a lipstick for a little extra kick.

Okay, I'll be back with the review later. Point being, maybe you'll see this promo at your CVS and basically get a beauty product for free...as long as you'll be going back to CVS to do future shopping with the Extra Care Bucks you are reimbursed.

How to Make the Most of Bargain Hunting

I recently had an occasion to go clothes/accessory shopping: a job interview. (Woot.)

Actually, I wore clothes I already own to my first interview Friday with a Maryland newspaper: black slacks, a black blazer with subtle blue stripes and a dusty blue camisole (read: juniors tank from Target). Several hours passed before I realized the tank was inside out during my interview and most of the day. Good thing it was cotton and the faux-paux wasn't noticeable from the front...plus I never took off the blazer.

I figured if I another place called me for an interview this week I could wear the same outfit. What I didn't anticipate was that Friday's publication would invite me back Monday for another interview, this time with the publisher. Thankfully I keep a plain black blazer at my boyfriend's apartment in case/with the hope that I'll be in D.C. when a potential employer contacts me for an interview on the fly. Unfortunately I didn't bring any other interview-worthy items to Washington this trip to match the black jacket and pants.

Thus, shopping. Which helped me realize three valuable bits of knowledge when it comes to bargain shopping, which is the shopping I like to do.

First, you're not saving money by buying a sale item you will never use. Common sense, but it is sometimes easy to be swayed by big price reductions. That's why when I go shopping I look for things I know I will use now or for which I have a pretty clear idea about using in the future.

Deep sales can be a great time to test the waters of a new style with not a lot of financial risk, and in that case go for it, try something new you've been dying to try! But a sale might also just make an item you normally wouldn't find attractive seem appealing...the worst is when this is an item that doesn't quite fit or isn't of decent quality. Watch out for temporary appeal! Would you give it a second look or admire it if it wasn't on sale? Are you buying it because you like it or because it seems like a good deal? What are you going to do with it when you get home? Will it collect dust in a drawer somewhere? Keep these questions in mind as a guide.

Trying to keep a level head around yellow and red discount stickers helped me be judicious in my purchases...and I was, and I picked up something I absolutely adore! These earrings by Cousin Claudine with little pinkish pearls and gold-colored rounds that say "love" on them. Cheesy, perhaps...but so dainty, so feminine. I was subconsciously craving something girly as a change of pace from my serious journalism ways. Just over $8 on sale - yipee! And I got a nice pair of trouser socks for a dollar which I wore to the interview.

Second: You can stretch your dollar further in the long run by spending money wisely on long-lasting, high-quality products instead of poorly-made crap that is super cheap at the register. This is especially true when buying things you will have for a while: a comfy but stylish pair of jeans, a business jacket, shoes you wear all-day at work and walk a mile in on your commute home, etc. Nicer fabrics will drape better on your body, hold up better and look more attractive. That does not mean it has to be expensive -- you just need to look for quality in the material and the way it is put together. Michele Phan has a great Xanga entry elaborating on how to select quality pieces that won't fall victim to fads and won't break your budget.

For me, this meant not shooting straight to the clearance rack to find clothes for my interview. I shopped at Loehmann's and Filene's Basement - already discount department stores - and purchased a $16 red shell in a viscose/silk/nylon blend, a $14 dark gray peal necklace and a $10 set of matching earrings. Quite the outing for someone who mostly wears $10 tees rom Target. It was definitely worth it, though. Getting the right pieces for a good price was better than getting ill-fitting things for less money...especially since these clothes fit perfectly with my black pants and jacket and made me look very professional at the interview. Being a recent college graduate doesn't mean I can't look like a pro. Which gets me to the last point...

Think 'inexpensive,' not 'cheap.' Perhaps they are the same by definition but you all know they can be worlds apart. 'Cheap' looks like it didn't cost a lot, feels like it didn't cost a lot and starts to fall apart in your washing machine the second week you own it. It's okay to own, especially when it comes to casual and lounging stuff, just know what you're getting into. Fortunately there are an increasing number of stores that sell decently made, 'inexpensive' clothing - items that don't cost too much but don't totally skimp out on quality. Think Loehmann's, Filene's, even Target and Kohl's, etc. (At Target I usually go to the misses section since it usually has a dependable selection of well-made tees in many colors and styles. Juniors can be a bit iffy, but if you're very small it might be the only option size-wise. I'm 5-feet-tall and busty and a misses XS is sometimes a bit big...maybe if won't be if you're taller.) Inexpensive fashion can look great and feel great without breaking a budget. In fact, it probably looks more expensive than what you paid.

So it fits well, looks nice, is your new wardrobe staple and didn't cost a lot? Now that's a bargain!

Most importantly...did I get the job? I'll let you know when I find out.