In Spades

Style... in abundance

2017 Black Friday Sales & Top 10 Fall Favorites Under $100

Black Friday is here!  Rather than bombard you with every single sale happening today, I’m going to link my Top 10 Favorites.  These are the stores I shop at the most, have the best Black Friday deals and offer great return policies should something not work out.

I’ve also linked my Top 10 products in three of the most popular winter fashion categories: boots, sweaters and jackets (this one is a no-brainer).  Every single item is under $100 so be sure to snatch them up while they last!

ANTHROPOLOGIE // 30% off

ASOS  //  30% off // Code: EPIC30

CLUB MONACO // Up to 35% off // Code: SHOPFRIDAY

J. CREW // 40% off // Code: THANKU

NEIMAN MARCUS // Up to 60% off

NET-A-PORTER // Up to 50% off

NORDSTROM // Tons of markdowns at 40% off, plus an extra 20% off select sale items

MODA OPERANDI  // Extra 30% off sale // Code: 30EXTRA

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE  // Up to 60% off

SHOPBOP // Up to 75% off // Code: MORE17

Top 10 Boots Under $100
Top 10 Sweaters Under $100
Top 10 Jackets Under $100

Don’t miss my shopping hacks for how to score the best online deals!  I’ve also linked every product worth snatching up in the Holiday menu tab above.  These products include captions for my notes on sizing, color options and tips for how to style each piece.

Let me know in the comments what you get in the sales.  I love living vicariously through other people’s shopping hauls!

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Beauty

Holiday gift ideas for the beauty lover in your life

Click the images above to shop!

1. Byredo perfume – if you’ve never tried Byredo fragrances, get thee to Nordstrom!  Truly long-lasting and luxurious, Gypsy Water is my favorite with woody notes of sandalwood and vanilla, topped with lemon and pepper for a zesty finish.

2. Hair by Sam McKnight – THE coffee table book for beauty lovers, it’s 296 pages of the most innovative and beautiful hairstyles ever.

3. Cirque nail polish – every gal needs a holiday nail color and this one, slightly infused with glitter, is super flattering for any fête.

4. Makeup brush cleaning set – I wish I would have known about this product sooner!  A non-toxic tool for getting your makeup brushes 100% clean, this set is a must-have.

5. Bath oil collection – perfect for soothing winter skin, these velvety bath oils are made of completely natural, non-harmful ingredients.

6. Glossier 3-piece set – Boy Brow is my favorite brow gel EVER and this 3-piece set allows you to customize your color along with two of their other best selling products, Stretch Concealer and Generation G (try it in my fave, Zip).

7. Glamglow mask – hands down my favorite mask, I use this before special occasions and photoshoots for glowing, flawless skin.

8. Highlighting palette – there is a reason this is the #1 selling blush, bronzing and highlighting palette on the market.  Perfect for any skin tone, the quality is top notch and will last forever.

9. Evo She-bang-a-bang dry wax spray – hands down my favorite styling spray, this creates pliable texture and volume without the stickiness.  With cheeky names like She-bang-a-bang and Water Killer (dry shampoo) you can’t help but love this line.  Right now spend $75 and get 25% off your order!

10. Velvet headband – these were all over the runways at NYFW.  I love how they easily and affordably dress up any outfit for the holidays and beyond, in the chicest of ways.

11. Makeup mirror – every beauty lover needs a good makeup mirror for close-up application and this gold cat-eared one couldn’t be cuter.

12. Lipstick Queen Trio – I received these as a gift with purchase and was blown away by their transformative abilities.  While I thought I was going to have lips the color of a frog, exactly the opposite occurred.  The green lipstick adapts to your skin to create a beautiful pink shade, the blue a red and the yellow a berry!

13. Body scrub – this raw cacao scrub has top reviews, smells amazing and is only $15.

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Shopping Hacks: How to Get the Best Cyber Week & Black Friday Deals

2017 Shopping HacksMy favorite time of year is upon us – sale season! The week of Thanksgiving through the end of January marks the number one time to get the best deals of the year.

As many of you may have noticed, the sales have already started. No need to wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday to save some serious cash. Today I’m sharing my Top 5 Tips for how to navigate the often overwhelming, stressful sale season.

Make sure your list is ready and read on!

1. Go to the mall and try on everything you’ve been eyeing to narrow down.

When the sales hit, pounce. This allows you to determine the correct size and fit, see the quality in person, and eliminate anything that doesn’t work ahead of time. No second-guessing, no over buying.

Shopping win: staying on budget and not hassling with returns.

2. Use the wish list feature on all your favorite retailers’ sites.

When the sales hit, simply click on your wish list to see what went on sale and start buying.

Shopping win: time saver. No fumbling around the web to see what went on sale or trying to remember who made that jacket you’ve been coveting. Everything is in one tidy place.

3. Buy now, price adjust later.

If something you’ve been eyeing is likely to sell out, just buy it now at full price and go back when the sales hit for a price adjustment. Make sure you only do this for places that honor price adjustments and/or have return policies.

  • Bonus tip: whenever possible, buy designer items from department stores or large online retailers. Most designer boutiques won’t price adjust, price match or return merchandise.

Shopping win: CYA; not losing out on popular items.

4. Befriend shop associates.

They have the inside scoop on what will go on sale and how much inventory is in stock. I have a shoe guy at Nordstrom that sets things aside for me and texts me photos so I can narrow down my list and not risk something selling out. Develop these relationships.

  • Bonus tip: develop these relationships at multiple locations to cover the most ground. Different stores have different merchandise so it’s always good to cover your bases.

Shopping win: these relationships will continue to serve you well throughout the year. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

5. Cross reference prices via department stores.

For example, there’s a Vince sweater I want. I’ve added the sweater to my wish lists at Vince, Nordstrom, Shopbop and Net-a-porter. Because some retailers do tiered sales (20% off $250, 30% off $500, etc.) you could get a better deal somewhere else. Do your research.

  • Bonus tip: remember sales tax and rewards systems.  Bergdorf Goodman doesn’t charge sales tax to California residents so take advantage! This is especially key for higher priced items.
  • If you have a department store credit card like Nordstrom, for example, try to keep all your purchases in one place so you accrue points (like Nordstrom Notes), which can be used towards future purchases.

Fun Cold Weather Accessories

Pom Pom HatPom Pom HatPom Pom HatPom Pom HatPom Pom HatPom Pom Hat Pom Pom Hat Pom Pom Hat Pom Pom Hat Pom pom hat // Club Monaco sweater // Citizens of Humanity jeans
Vince boots (under $100 version here) // Mansur Gavriel mini bucket bag (under $28 version here)

As we move further into fall, I’m all about cold weather accessories.  When I saw this $29 pom pom hat, I immediately snatched it up.  My husband lovingly jokes that it makes me look like a horse jockey, but I’ll take it.  How can you not love a classic equestrian silhouette with an edge?

To keep the look from going full on uniform, I paired it with a slouchy sweater casually tucked into high waisted jeans.  This keeps the look from going a bit too slouchy and casual and it’s one of the simple styling tricks I apply to almost all of my fall outfits.  It really does transform a look from plain Jane to style maven.

Chelsea boots are a classic style that every woman should own for fall, and I knew this was the perfect time to break mine out.  While these are a few seasons old, I’ve linked a few pairs under $100 below that are great replicas and will go with everything.  Finally, bucket bags are still going strong in the world of fashion (this one is my most used handbag ever).  For an under $28 version, check out the image in the Shop the Post widget below.

Over the weekend I finally tackled a big project on my to-do list: organizing my denim collection.  After finding out I own 55 pairs of jeans (I know, that’s totally insane!) I eliminated 20 pairs and put them up for sale on my Poshmark page.  If you’re looking for some barely worn denim from Madwell to Re/Done Levi’s be sure to check it out!

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2017 Holiday Gift Guide for the Hostess

 

My first Holiday Gift Guide of 2017 is here with ideas for the hostess in your life!  All items are under $100 and make perfect gifts if you’re spending the holidays with friends or have a hostess with the mostess in your life.  There are three ways to shop: click the images in the photo above, the links in the paragraph below, or the images in the Shop the Post widget below.

1.Portable Charger – a must-have item for anyone on the go.  I love this charger for its elegant look, compact size (fits in the palm of your hand) and non-slip surface.

2. Water Bottle – truly the chicest water bottle I’ve ever seen.  The glass is covered in a silicon sleeve for safety and the bottle is dishwasher safe and has zero toxicity.

3. Silk Pillow Case – if you haven’t switched to a silk pillow case yet, do so ASAP.  The hostess in your life will appreciate its skin saving qualities too.

4. 100 Things to do Before You Die – never again ask, “What should we do this weekend?”  This handy guide gives you not-to-miss experiences and allows you to check them off advent calendar style.

5. Slippers – everybody needs a pair of slippers and I love this faux sheepskin pair for their cozy style and non-cruelty fabric.

6. Texting Gloves – supple leather gloves that also allow you to text?  I’m sold.

7. Bottle Opener – a kitchen item everyone needs, this donut bottle opener is cute as can be and super affordable.

8. Polaroid Camera – our Polaroid is the most used item whenever we have guests over.  It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

9. Cheese Plate with Cover – another example of the chicest kitchen item I’ve ever seen.  This cheese plate has a durable slate base and vented hand-blown glass dome to last through long dinner parties.

10. Chunky Knit Throw – I’ve been dying for one of these cozy blankets forever and finally found one under $27!  Total no-brainer hostess gift!

11. Evil Eye Charm – a talisman that offers protection against misfortune, this beautiful charm has style and meaning.

12. Copper Water Glasses – you can’t go wrong with 4 stunning glasses made with real copper for only $22.

13. Psycho Analysis Candle – while I love Voluspa and Diptyque candles, they’re overplayed.  This cheeky candle is unique and smells like winter with notes of cedarwood, tobacco and lilac.

For more inspo, check out my Holiday Gift Guide for the Hostess 2016.

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