Eyelet Lace Skirt (Bargain Find!)

Yay we made it to the weekend! Here’s hoping we all get a little pool time to catch some sun. I’ve been sitting by the pool so much lately that no one would ever guess I’m not from Texas! As much as I like this state, there’s no place like home and Maryland is home for me. This great tan I’ve got going on kind of makes up for it though!

I thought I’d share with you this great skirt I found on clearance at Banana Republic a few weeks ago. You’ll never guess how much I bought it for either! Ready for this? $8! It’s probably one of my favorite bargain finds in my wardrobe. When I saw it in the store I was skeptical because I didn’t want to like it too much in case it was too expensive. Luckily, the price tag was a lot lower than what I assumed it would be.

Isn’t the eyelet material gorgeous? The skirt is two-tiered and works like a mini skirt but with a few extra inches of material for wearability. There’s nothing worse than trying to bend over in a tiny skirt and hoping you don’t accidentally show someone your undies! As most of you know, I love neutrals and classics. Things that I can wear again and again every year make me so much more confident in a purchase. I’ll definitely be getting a lot of wear out of this skirt. I wore it out the other day for lunch and then added some statement jewelry that night to go to dinner. Versatility is the key to my purchases!

With my eyelet skirt, I’m wearing a cute summery popsicle tank from Old Navy, a yellow Kate Spade bag, and BCBG Rockstud sandals. As my previous post mentioned, there are a lot of dupes for the Valentino ‘Rockstud” shoes and these are my favorites!

-Liz
   

Outlet Shopping Haul (and tips to find the deals)

I am so excited to share with you a few fab finds from my recent shopping trip to the Premium Outlets! Outlet shopping is one of my favorite things to do when I’m visiting a new city. Each region of the country I think has totally different inventory and it makes the trip that much more exciting. The best outlets I’ve been to have been in Orlando and San Antonio. For whatever reason, these states are sent all the goodies!

My first and and probably best find are these orchid-colored J Crew loafers! These pretty things are normally $98 at the outlet but I scored them on clearance for $30. They’re suede and perfect for fall!

This next piece is also from J Crew and retails at $52.50, I found it on clearance for $15.95! Normally, I don’t like to spend much on jewelry unless it’s a really quality piece (think real pearls). When I saw this my eyes lit up though. I love the coral and tortoiseshell pieces on the necklace. They really make it pop!

One of my favorite outlet stores to go into is the Victoria’s Secret outlet. I usually find some amazing deals here! Typically, I don’t like to share my bra and undie selections with everyone, but this was such a great deal I think I should. This particular bralette was on sale for $3.99! Does it give the best lift in the world? No. But if you’re staying at home or it’s laundry day, then it’s a must-have.

Again, I don’t like to share my undergarments with people but this was another great deal. This Victoria’s Secret bra was in a bin of a thousand others just like it, all for $6.99. It has great lift to it but not the best coverage. Ideally, you would wear it underneath something that didn’t need any extra padding.

Getting to the end of my shopping haul, I found this beautiful, soft, cream-colored jacket for my mom! I raided the clearance rack when I got to the Banana Republic store and saw it. I didn’t even think about it before I snatched it up and bought it. The tag price was $119 and the clearance price was $17.99. Did I mention how cute it is?

Outlet shopping is one of those things that’s a hit or miss. Most of the time, I can find something great to bring home at a good price. The key to shopping at these places is consistency. You can’t go every few months and find a steal or even a deal. Going at least once a month is the best way to find things at low prices. Stores mark merchandise down usually twice a month and there are plenty of savvy shoppers that even know the days they do it.  Shop often!

Leave me a comment with your favorite find in this haul! Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for easy updates!

Making a Uniform Cute

Classing up a uniform is so hard to do. I took a part-time job a few months ago that requires we wear black pants and a white button down oxford with a black apron. Thankfully, I will only have to work retail until I graduate in December (as long as I can find a job where I can actually USE my degree). However, upon first putting on this uniform I was slightly appalled at its blandness. Really, white shirt and black pants? How original. Naturally, I had to class it up a bit and make it a little more fashion forward.

In keeping with the black pants I bought black skinny jeans at Lucky Brand for $30 on sale at their outlet store! My top is a light weight cotton blend from Banana Republic I found on clearance a few years ago. Since I wear a little apron, no one knows it isn’t a button down. My boots are from Etienne Aigner and I found them at Marshall’s for $45 and I’ve had them since 2012. Finally, my scarf I found at Ross for $6. The thing I love about scarves like these is that they’re similar to ones made by Heremes and Ralph Lauren without the price tag. Believe me, I’ve fooled many people with that scarf!

 

I’ve also learned to incorporate pretty earrings into the uniform as well as fabulous nail colors. I’ve also rocked a black pencil skirt on occasion. However you can accessorize, do it and own it!

On another note, when I got home from work today my sister, Becca, was carving a pumpkin in the shape of Jack Skellington from the Nightmare Before Christmas. She used a stencil for a little while until she got tired of it and then went on by herself! I’m debating what I should carve into my pumpkin. It will either be Tinker Bell or my own monogram just because it would be really cute! What will your jack-o-lantern look like?

Shorts All Season!

I love guest posting and today’s post is no exception! Daisy is a talented lady who clearly loves the camera and loves her blog. She contacted me about a month ago and we decided to cook something up together. I’m taking over her blog for a day and she’s got mine! Enjoy and check out her blog after you’ve marveled at her edgy outfit!

Hello everyone! My name is Daisy and I blog over at Simplicity Relished, a lifestyle blog about celebrating simple things and living the life we love. I’m so happy to be collaborating with Liz today to share our styles for this season! Be sure to check out her wonderful post today about style on a budget on my blog!

Today I wanted to share with you how I wear a favorite summer staple all year round. We all love our summer shorts, but usually have to retire them when temperatures start to drop. But pairing them with tights and boots with a sweater on top is the best way to keep them in your autumn and winter wardrobe!

What I’m wearing: Mustard Yellow Banana Republic sweater (similar here) // Printed Shorts (similar here) // Indigo black boots (similar here) // Grey tights (similar here) // Tory Burch sunnies (similar here)

What I love about wearing shorts and tights is that it’s a look you can dress up or down! To dress it up, tuck in a button-down blouse and belt the shorts; to dress it down, wear a chunky sweater like this one or a simple long-sleeve knit. The possibilities are endless.

 

Will YOU wear shorts and tights this season? I would love to know!

Fourth of July Fashion!

Hello everyone! In true Fourth of July fashion I’m sporting the red, white, and blue! This is one of my favorite holidays as my family came here from Ireland, Scotland, and several other European countries in search of freedom and opportunity. That was 100 years ago. Now, I enjoy the benefits of being a pure bred American girl!

Anyway, my outfit consists of a lacey red top from Banana Republic (on sale!) White 3 inch inseam shorts from JCrew (also on sale!) My sandals are from Rampage and I found them at Burlington Coat Factory for $10.

My necklace is from Forever 21 and the anchor earrings are from Aldo. The nail polish is Essie in “Secret Lining” and my sunnies are from Ann Taylor.

Comment below with your outfit of the day! Happy 4th of July! God Bless my beautiful America!

~Liz