Coupons & Sales: Week of 11/21/08
- Saks Fifth Avenue
’s 40% off designer sale starts today! Shop now for the best selection, or visit the sale after 11/25 for better prices when everything becomes up to 70% off!
- Oldnavy.com
’s $15 deals are on. Save on sweaters, pants, and more from now until 11/26!
- Pacsun.com
has a few new promotions going on - first, spend $50 and get $25 off your next purchase! Second, the Black Friday Sale is already on - take an additional 50% off already marked-down items. Third, there’s free shipping on all orders until 12/21! Definitely worth checking out.
- All tops are buy one, get one 50% off at American Eagle from now until 11/26!
- New York & Company
also has some Black Friday deals up early - get $25 off purchases of $75 or more, just enter the code 9993 at checkout. Also, sweaters and winter wear are buy 1, get 1 50% off.
- Two early Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals from Shoes.com (these won’t work until 11/26 and 12/1 so bookmark this page & remember them): Enter the code YAMS at checkout from 11/26 - 11/28 and get 10% off your order! Also, enter the promo code MONDAY on 12/1 for 20% off your order!
- Onlineshoes.com
is offering $30 off orders of $150 or more from now until 11/26!
- Piperlime
is offering 20% off all-weather and rain boots. Not sure when this one expires so take advantage sooner than later!
- UK residents only: GAP is offering you guys the following 30% off voucher as an early Christmas present!
- Kmart has 10% off almost everything from 11/23 to 11/26!
- Kohl’s is having a new sale, with 50% off mens, women’s, and juniors sweaters & fleece tops.
- Get $20 off $50 or more + free shipping at Shoebuy when you pay with eBillme. This offer expires 12/31!
That’s it for this week. I’m sure there will be lots more ways to save money next week during all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Check back next Friday for a big list of all those deals!
Have a great Thanksgiving break & happy shopping! See you next week with some new articles :)
Filed Under: Coupons & Sales / Tags: American Eagle, Coupons, Gap, Kohl's, New York & Company, Pacsun, Piperlime, Saks, Sales, Shoes.com
A Girl’s Guide To High Heels - Part 2: How To Buy High Heels
For part two of the Girl’s Guide To High Heels series, today I want to focus on how to buy heels. In case you missed the last article in this series, check out How To Walk In High Heels.
Today’s article will focus on the process of buying a pair of heels - from trying them on in the store, to what to look for in terms of quality, and even which shoes work best for different body types.
Also, if you’ve ever wondered which shoes are worth spending more on and which kinds you should buy cheap, there’s a handy list of splurge-worthy and save-worthy high heel types to help you save money!
Hopefully, this article will help even seasoned high heel wearers learn a thing or two about shopping for every woman’s favorite accessory.
Tips On Shopping For High Heels
Almost as important as which high heels you buy is how you shop for them! Here are some tips to keep in mind when shopping for heels to make sure you end up with the perfect pair for you.
Have your feet measured so you know your exact size. Sometimes your feet can actually be two different sizes! To get your feet measured, just go to the shoe section of any good department store. Most of them should have tools to measure your foot and find your perfect size.
Realize that you may be different sizes in different brands. Depending on the cut of a shoe, you could be a 7.5 in one brand and an 8 in another. Similarly, know what size you are in European sizes, because many quality shoe brands use those. For a handy conversion chart, click here.
Try on shoes at the end of the day. Believe it or not, your feet can change sizes throughout the day, and they swell a little bit by the end of the day. Try shoes on after walking around and you’ll get a picture of your true size.
Walk around in the shoes before you buy them. Okay, a no brainer, but worth mentioning. You should do some laps around the shoe area in the shoes before you even think about buying! And remember to shop at stores that have good return policies - every shoe is going to be comfortable at first, but maybe not after an hour! Buy shoes somewhere with a decent return policy so you can wear them for a while and see they stay comfy before committing.
Quality High Heels: What To Look For
All heels are not created equal - in fact, there are huge differences in quality from one brand of shoe to the next. Learn how to spot high quality shoes and you can invest in heels that will last you forever!
Shoes by Christian Louboutin, available at Saks Fifth Avenue
Note how the sole is attached to the shoe. If the sole is stitched on, make sure the stitches are even and look secure. If it’s glued on, check to make sure that there is no space around the edges where the sole could start to peel off. You want a sole that’s seamless and isn’t going anywhere.
Look for shoes with a layer of rubber on the heel - this will help prevent slippage and make it easier to walk in the shoes. Some heels don’t have rubber or any kind of grip, and these shoes will be difficult to walk in and possibly even dangerous!
Pay attention to the lining. In high-quality shoes, the insole lining is usually made of leather, not a synthetic material, and goes all the way around the inside of the shoe. If the shoe only has lining on the bottom but not the sides, it won’t be as comfortable. Similarly, natural materials like leather absorb moisture and allow your foot to breathe - synthetics like vinyl won’t absorb moisture and will be much less comfortable.
Material matters. Leather is the gold standard of high heels, but if you love animals, there are fabulous vegan options out there as well (try Natalie Portman’s shoe line!). Either way, make sure that you buy shoes that aren’t made out of synthetic fibers like nylon or plastic. These will be extremely uncomfortable after a few wears, and won’t last nearly as long as leather or vegan shoes.
The Best Heels For Your Body
Let me just say that I don’t think you should have to dress to minimize any part of your body. This site isn’t a Trinny & Susannah book! That said, if you are self conscious about something, by all means dress to minimize it if it makes you feel better.
Here are some tips on which heels work the best with different body types.
If you have large ankles, don’t buy anything with an ankle strap as it will make your ankles look wider and draw attention. Go for a pump or slingback instead. This will draw attention away from your ankles and make your legs look longer.
If your legs are short, avoid t-strap shoes because they shorten your legs and can make your feet look wider than normal. Similarly, ankle strap shoes aren’t the most flattering. Go for open toed shoes or nude high heels - they make your legs look long and lean.
If you want your legs to look longer, pointy-toed shoes will give you the illusion of extra height. A warning, though: pointy-toed shoes may be uncomfortable if you have wide feet, so if that’s the case, save ‘em for the special occasions only! No point in being miserable all night just to look good.
If you have wide feet, round-toed shoes have a cute vintage look, and can be the most comfortable option for those of us with wider feet. As a bonus, they can make your feet look smaller too.
It’s worth spending more on..
Classic pumps and basics. A great quality pair of basic black heels can be worn with anything and will last forever. Similarly, a pair of nude high heels will never steer you wrong. Both of these styles can be worn for years and will still be “in fashion.”
A pair of good quality leather boots. For example, I just got a pair of YOU by Croc’s boots, and I love them. They’re $250 but they’re real leather and incredibly comfy. I’ve been wearing them everywhere lately. At the end of the day, I think it’s worth spending more for quality, especially if you’ll wear the boots often.
Shoes for work, interviews, and internships. When your professional reputation is at stake, you want to look your best. This means investing in quality shoes for work, or for when you go on interviews. For tips on what shoes to wear to work, see: what to wear to a job interview.
Don’t spend a lot on..
Espadrilles. There’s really no difference in quality between the brands when it comes to espadrilles - linen is linen, and rope is rope. Cheap ones are just as good as expensive Christian Louboutins in this case!
Trendy shoes. If they’re going to be out of style in two months, dropping more than $100 is a waste of your money. Also, if these are shoes you’re mostly going to be wearing to frat parties or get togethers where they’re likely to have beer spilled on them, definitely go for cheap shoes!
Your Thoughts?
Now that you’ve read my tips for high heel shopping, do you have any tips of your own to add? How do you tell a quality shoe from a cheap one? Do you believe in investing in quality high heels, or would you rather have lots of cheaper pairs? I want to hear what you all think, so leave a comment!
Also, be sure to check back for the next part in this series, where I’ll show you where to shop for the best heels.
*Photos by khtoo, iirraa, and striatic.
Filed Under: Fashion Tips / Tags: Boots, How To, Shoes, Shopping, Tips
A Girl’s Guide To High Heels - Part 1: How To Walk In Heels
Yes, it’s another shoe post here! We talked about winter boots last week, and today I want to talk about a classier type of shoe that every woman should own - high heels.
Even if you think you’re “too tall” or “can’t walk in heels”, think again. Every fashionista should own at least one pair of fabulous heels - they’re the perfect example a true fashion must-have, a transformative piece of clothing that adds a little extra something to any outfit.
This is part one of a new series you’ll see here over the next few days - A Girl’s Guide To High Heels. This series will cover everything you might want to know about heels - from how to tell a quality shoe, what to spend on a pair of heels, and even where to buy the perfect pair of high heels.
If you don’t wear heels or don’t have any good quality high heels, this series will hopefully help take some of the mystery away and maybe teach you a few things you didn’t know about these fabulous shoes.
How To Walk In High Heels
I’ve received a lot of emails about walking in heels, so I thought I’d write an article about it to demystify it a bit. But just hear this.. learning to walk in heels is something that takes lots of practice, and it’s not something you can learn just by reading an article!
That said, here are my top tips to get you started. With practice, you’ll be strutting like a pro in the highest heels!
Start small. If you’ve never walked in high heels before, don’t start out learning with 5 inch stilettos - that’s a recipe for pain and maybe even injury! Try something smaller, like a 2 inch heel or wedge to get used to the feeling. You can always work your way up to your most killer heels.
Walk heel to toe, not toe to heel. While it might be tempting to put your whole foot down at once, don’t do it - it makes your walk look strange when you’re wearing high shoes. Instead, put your heel down first, followed by your toe. This will give you more balance and make your stride look more natural.
Take small steps. Wearing heels naturally makes your stride shorter, so you’ll need to take more steps than usual. Don’t expect to be able to walk as fast as you normally do in high heels.
Step as if you were walking on a straight line. When you walk with one foot in front of the other, it gives your hips the sway that models are known for. Pretend you’re walking on a line on the ground, one foot in front of the other, or practice on an actual straight line at a basketball court or on a line in the floor.
Watch how models do it. Download a video of a fashion show on YouTube and watch the professionals strut in their high heels. While models walk the runway in a way that’s exaggerated from real life, you can learn from their walks and tone it down a little to get the perfect normal-person strut. Practice in front of a mirror until you get it down.
Practice… Then practice some more. At the end of the day, the best way to become a pro at walking in high heels is to do it as often as possible. Practice walking on carpet, slippery floors, up stairs, and outside. No amount of reading how to do it will make a difference if you don’t work at it. Walking in high heels is like any other skill - you need to do it a lot to get good at it.
More About High Heels
Now that you know how to walk in heels, check back here for the next part in the Girl’s Guide To High Heels series where I’ll explain how to find quality high heels, what to look for when you’re shopping, and how much money you should spend on a pair of heels.
If you have any questions, be sure to leave a comment and I’ll try to answer in a future article.
Filed Under: Fashion Tips / Tags: How To, Shoes, Wardrobe
The 2008 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
As you all probably know, I attended the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show in Miami this weekend and that means I have tons of updates to share with you all!
So what did I think? I have to say - I knew the show was going to be fabulous, but I had no idea how amazing it would actually turn out to be! I had an incredible time and the show exceeded my expectations in every way.
The Hotel
First of all, the show was held at the legendary Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. Apparently the Fontainebleau used to be THE place for celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Elvis and everyone who was anyone in the 1950’s, but it hasn’t been a hot spot for the rich and famous for years now.
A picture of the hotel lobby taken from my Blackberry.
All of that changed this weekend when the hotel re-opened after a $1 billion renovation project with the VS fashion show, tons of celebrity guests, and the opening of new night clubs, restaurants, and shops.
If you’ve never heard of the Fontainebleau (and I hadn’t before the show), you MUST check it out if you’re in Miami.
The hotel is extremely glamorous and over-the-top - white marble floors, glittering chandeliers, an enormous pool, walls of floor to ceiling windows and even shiny columns (see my picture to the left.)
If you’re on a budget, know that it is a fairly expensive hotel, with rooms for at least $300 a night, but it’s SO worth the money for the incredible experience. You really feel like a celebrity just walking through the lobby at the Fontainebleau, and it was the perfect place for the VS fashion show for that reason.
The Fashion Show
The bar area in the Fontainebleau lobby.
The VS Fashion Show itself was everything I thought it would be - tons of over-the-top looks, gorgeous models, fantastic makeup, and a performance by Usher. What more could you want?
In case you missed the live updates last night, I’ve reposted all of my live Blackberry Twitter updates from the fashion show for all of you to check out.
Since I’m not the fastest typist on a Blackberry, I asked my boyfriend to help me update my twitter account with his male perspective too as the show went on. His posts all say (Boyfriend’s perspective] and (BP). All the other posts are my thoughts from the show! Hopefully it will all make sense.
- On our way to the fashion show. So excited!! (9:04 PM)
- At the Fontainebleau Hotel.. which is gorgeous! Drinking champagne and waiting for the fashion show to start. (10:15 PM)
- Still waiting for the show to start. Should be soon but who knows really. (10:40 PM)
- It just started. Usher is performing with models walking in front of him. Tons of metallics - really cute! (10:54 PM)
- (Boyfriend’s perspective) Usher needs a new hit; impractical underwear abound. (10:55 PM)
- Adriana Lima in knee-high crisscrossing white gladiator wedges. They look tough to walk in but adorable. (10:56 PM)
- The runway is covered in silver glitter! Can I have a room with a floor like that please? (10:57 PM)
- (Boyfriend’s perspective) I’m surprised the catwalk doesn’t extend into the audience. Also latin music + models works well. (10:57 PM)
- Crazy jeweled waist belts that look like they cost millions of dollars. (10:58 PM)
- (Boyfiend’s perspective) Miami was a good choice of location. (11:00 PM)
- They told me no videos or photography but so many people are breaking that rule right now. Annoyed! (11:00 PM)
- Really long floor skimming striped scarves for VS pink. (11:01 PM)
- Black sequined leggings - I need a pair right this second! (11:02 PM)
- (BP) They could get Usher but not the Ting Tings, or a least Duffy? Really? Pink collection looks cute. (11:04 PM)
- Tons and tons of plaid and argyle everywhere. (11:05 PM)
- (BP) not sure if that’s supposed to be snow or just glitter. None-the-less I’m intrigued. (11:06 PM)
- More Usher. (11:07 PM)
- (BP) If I wanted to see Usher w/out models, I’d go see Usher in concert. Maybe this is supposed to be a commercial break, he is good live. (11:08 PM)
- They keep cutting to some guy breakdancing. I assume for commercial breaks? (11:09 PM)
- (BP) Nevermind. Random dancing guy is commercial person I assume. With the butterflies and flowers I assume this is spring lite. (11:09 PM)
- Ruffled undies and a matching ruffled headpiece. (11:10 PM)
- More white criscrossing strappy heels. Guess that’s the footwear of choice. (11:11 PM)
- (BP) Confetti falling petals is a nice touch. The guys that are standing in front of us need a firmer kick in the ass. (11:12 PM)
- More ornate sparkly diamond looking belts that go up to each girl’s chest. They’re cuter than they sound. Also “love lockdown” playing. (11:14 PM)
- (BP) Honest moment; I hate autotune but I actually like Love Lockdown. (11:14 PM)
- Heidi Klum in amazing hugee sequined butterfly wings that look like bows! She is the epitome of fierce. (11:18 PM)
- (BP) Two kids deep, Heidi Klum is gorgeous. I swear if you match up this commentary with the show it will make more sense. (11:19 PM)
- Pink and red fireworks outside. (11:19 PM)
- (BP) I think that’s it. They set off fireworks so unless it’s a premature explosion that’s it. And it appears over. (11:20 PM)
- That’s it - it’s over. Felt really short. (11:20 PM)
The After Party
Inside LIV for the VS fashion show after party.
After the fashion show, my boyfriend and I got in to the ultra-exclusive after party at LIV, an amazing nightclub that’s part of the Fontainebleau Hotel.
This was the best part of the night for me because LIV is a beautiful club and the after party was so much fun - open bar all night, tons of celebrities everywhere, and even free Victoria’s Secret goodie bags on the way out.
My boyfriend and I were dancing right near tons of celebrities on the main dance floor at the party - we saw Heidi Klum and Seal (both really good looking in person), Adriana Lima, Paris Hilton (way skinnier in person than I expected her to be), the Paris BFF candidates, Mario Lopez, Brody Jenner and his girlfriend, Aubrey O’Day (ex member of Danity Kane - way prettier than I expected), Michelle Trachtenberg, Kristin Cavallari (truly gorgeous in person), the Kardashians, Christian Siriano from Project Runway, and all the VS models!
I had never been in a room with so many celebrities before, so I was starstruck to say the least. It was so much fun, and everyone looked fabulous. It was by far the best club I’ve ever been to and I can’t wait to go again!
My Overall Opinion
At the end of the day, attending the VS fashion show was a great experience that I would do again in a heartbeat!
Everyone I met who worked for the Fontainebleau and Victoria’s Secret was so nice and helpful, and I loved that people were excited to hear that I was going to post about the show and that you guys wanted to hear about it. They all definitely care a lot what you guys think! It was great to meet so many new people and have such an incredible time.
If you ever get the opportunity to attend a VS fashion show, do it! They really know how to put on an amazing show.
Now that you’ve seen a sneak peek of the show, don’t forget to watch the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on TV when it airs December 3, 2008 on CBS!
Filed Under: Fashion News / Tags: Celebs, Victoria's Secret, VS Pink
Coupons & Sales: Week of 11/14/08
Hello from fabulous South Beach, Miami!
This is only my second time visiting and I’m already planning my next trip back - amazing weather, tons of shopping, gorgeous beaches, well dressed people everywhere, and did I mention tons of shopping?? What’s not to love about this city?
Of course, I’m here for a purpose - to bring you all live updates from the 2008 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show tomorrow night!
Here’s the deal: I’m going to be updating live tomorrow (11/15) from my Twitter account while I’m at the show starting at 9PM, and I’ll be re-posting all of my updates here later tomorrow night (probably around midnight or so.) If you have any comments or questions, you can reply to my Twitter messages and I’ll try my best to respond in real time.
And now on to the coupons & deals for this week - there are lots of random ones, so if you don’t see anything you want to use, check back next friday or look at last week’s coupon post - some of those are probably still good! Happy shopping!
- Alloy.com
is offering 20% off all outerwear from now until 11/24. A great option if you still need a winter coat!
- Charlotte Russe
has buy one, get one for $15 skinny jeans, which is a great way to try this trend if you haven’t already.
- Three deals worth mentioning from Macy’s
: first, the Biggest One Day Sale (20 - 60% off) is November 18th and 19th. Don’t miss out! Second, there’s a new coupon code good for free shipping with a $99 purchase. Enter the code FESTIVEFS between 11/20 and 11/22 to get the deal. Third, save 15-20% off your purchases by using the code EXTRAOFF before 11/16!
- Onlineshoes.com
- dELiA*s
has a coupon good for $10 off orders of $75. Use the code DWRSAVE before it expires on 11/25!
- If you spend $50 on apparel at KMart (and you could probably get a lot of stuff with that), you’ll automatically get a free Restaurant.com giftcard. This offer is only valid until 11/30 so use it soon!
- From now until the end of the year, Beauty.com
will give you free shipping on any order! I think way more sites should do this kind of thing. You can also get $10 off your first $60 purchase when you use this link.
- CKU, Calvin Klein’s underwear brand, has a new 30% off Friends & Family discount. Just use the code Friends3 anytime before 11/18 to get the savings. And use code FREESHIP25 for free shipping on orders of $25 or more!
- If you’re a member of Sephora.com
’s Beauty Insiders club (and you should be - it’s free to join & you get free beauty products), use the coupon SHIPFREE25 to get free shipping on your order of $25 or more. Expires 11/23.
- Eddie Bauer is offering free shipping on orders of $100 or more from now until 12/24.
- Kohl’s has select fashion necklaces for 40-50% off from now until tomorrow (Saturday) at 4pm. Shipping is free if you spend at least $50 from now until 11/15.
- There’s a Sample Sale going on at Karmaloop
and you can get savings of 75% off! Also, use the code PRIMO to get an extra 15% off your entire order through 11/30!
- New York & Company will give you $20 off purchases of $75 or more, but only when you shop through this link! (Expires 11/30.) There’s also buy one get one 75% off pants, and 30% off select outerwear from now until 11/23!
- 2 new Holiday promotions from YOOX.COM
: First, there’s free shipping on all orders until 11/24. Second, get an extra 30% off fall/winter collections from over 500 designers, which is good while supplies last.
That’s all the deals for this week. Be sure to check out my live updates from the Victoria’s Secret show starting at 9PM eastern tomorrow night by following me on Twitter or checking back here Sunday for one big post of all the updates!
* Top photo by iDream_in_Infrared
Filed Under: Coupons & Sales / Tags: Beauty.com, Charlotte Russe, CKU, Delias, Karmaloop, Kohl's, Macy's, New York & Company, Sephora, Yoox.com
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