November 2014 | Le Hoarder
Le Hoarder

A NYC -ish* Style and Shopping Blog

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Every day is Black Friday for me :)

While most shoppers scurried around town seeking out $5 PJs and deals on big screen TVs I spent most of my day at home. Other than popping into Nordstrom Rack in the morning for a price adjustment on stuff I purchased a few days earlier, I sat this Black Friday out. Black Friday just isn't what it used to be. My siblings and I used to wake up at the crack of dawn and wait outside Best Buy (or the like) to get a crazy deal on the latest electronic gadget of the moment. These days most deals are available online and sometimes better deals are offered on Cyber Monday - all from the comfort of your home. Plus I shop almost every day so I find deals all the time...so really every day is Black Friday for me :)

At the Rack found a few refurb tops for next to nothing after the 30% Black Friday discount. My daughter has a Rolling Stones top so I figured I would get one to be twinsies :)




Plus after discount is was only $3.50!





This Topshop sheer lace top is so pretty - plus it comes with a black cami (not pictured). I thought it would look pretty over a tank dress.





And it was about $9 after discount :)





I actually went in that day hoping to find a pair of Hunter boot socks on clearance and instead I found them for a penny LOL. And I was willing to pay a whole $15 bucks for them :)





I confess, I did buy one item not on sale...







You know I have a thing for their cheap BCBG pieces. For $25, I figured I'd get a lot of use out of this cropped sequin cardi - perfect for the holiday season! Check out the ruffle detail :)






And on this week's episode of Fashion Hunter - I found this cute leather patchwork skirt for $42 after discount. When I saw the Yigal Azrouel tag I got excited and took it even though it was a size 2 - I figured someone needed it :)






When I got home I googled it to see what the original retail was...but strangely enough I couldn't find it. After dozens of searches, I kept typing in different descriptive terms and nothing was coming up! Just as I was about to give up I found a picture that looked similar so I pulled it up and figured out why it was so hard to find....

It's a Tibi skirt!!??!!





Then I looked closer at the tag and saw it was sewn on a little crooked. The tags were switched - or it fell off and they just slapped on a tag that they thought belonged.






Even if it wasn't a Yigal Azrouel, I still got a $595 Tibi skirt for 42 bucks :) And then I realized it may not even be a size 2...so I tried it on and it's probably a 4 and I can just squeeze in! This fashion hunter is victorious once again!!!

After the Rack I popped into Target to see if there was anything good left and when I saw that the line snaked up and down the isles - all the way to the back of the store - I left.

And that was my Black Friday this year. For Cyber Monday I plan on shopping the American Girl Doll sale for my girls - it usually goes live at 3am EST so I'll be setting my alarm :) It's their best sale of the year (no dolls just accessories) and it's when I stock on on dolly gifts :)

I did pop into the thrift store last week and came out with a bunch of beautiful coats! I actually finally did a holiday look photoshoot last week and used two of them with a bunch of my other recent finds - stay tuned! This Soia & Kyo fur trimmed down jacket is one size too big but not too bad - plus it's an upgrade from my GAP maternity down coat I've been wearing for the past 10 years LOL.



According to their size chart I need a medium but this is a large.


These coats retail for $500+ so I was pretty happy to pay $30 :) This similar style is available for $520 online at Revolve.


Soia & Kyo Delphie Brushed Down Coat with Asiatic Raccoon Fur in Black


That's all for now. I would love to hear about your Black Friday scores - please share!

A always, enjoy the rest of your weekend and happy shopping :)

-Shoppinggal







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Sunday, November 23, 2014

I am The Fashion Detective.

One of my favorite games is fashion detective, and there are several versions of my game. One is when I spot something in a magazine or on a person and I try to figure out who makes it and how I can get it or something that looks like it for less. This week I got to play my game with a big payoff :)

My most impressive finds this week were at Nordstrom Rack. Sitting on the regular clearance dress rack I found this $2595 Dolce and Gabbana dress - ticketed for $29.97. It was completely unmarked (no branding or markings) but it looked quality so I took it home to play fashion detective. My hunch paid off! I had a feeling it was D&G, Valentino or the like. After five minutes of Googling lace 3/4 sleeve designer dresses it finally popped up! I tried it on and I'm guessing it's a size 4/6. I can just get into it but because there is zero stretch to the lace I should probably wait 5 lbs to wear it.




It was details like this that told me I was on to something...



The slip dress alone is pretty impressive.







The zipper detail told me I had found my gown :)



I also found this $1135 Christopher Kane black Swarovski crystal detail crepe dress for just $34.97. Crazy! This had tags so it was much easier to Google the image with the brand and find the dress. Also a size 4 and it looks so tiny I have not even bothered to try it on yet. No clue why this one was marked so low if they could easily look it up from the SKU on the inside tag - but I'm not complaining :)







It's been a busy couple of weeks and it's so nice to take a moment to catch up.

I left off the night before the new TJ Maxx Runway store opened up in Livingston, NJ. I'm a morning person so getting there at 8 AM for the grand opening wasn't a big deal for me. When I walked in the DJ announced something about giftcards, so I asked an employee what he was talking about. Turns out they had 25 $25 giftcards hidden all around the store and he ever so helpfully pointed me in the direction of the cross-body bags. Before I could ask why, I noticed a winning ticket hanging by them.





After I scored my winning ticket, he told me it was once per customer so I stopped looking for more and headed to the Runway department.




I was greeted by a huge display of gorgeous designer bags. Too bad the price tags were not as impressive as the selection.




Of course my eyes zoom in right to the blue YSL. Don't get me wrong, I would happily take any of those for the right price but the blue...




....was $2000 plus tax :( Thanks but no thanks. So I looked around and admired the Stella, Fendi, Guccis, Celine, Longchamps, Valentino and Jimmy Choos. All equally overpriced - most were barely 30% off retail. I didn't see a single bag sell in the two hours I was there waiting for the Rack next door to open. Maybe if they gave away $1000 giftcards...
 






The rest of the Runway department wasn't all that exciting. And because it was all brand new they didn't have any marked down merchandise, which is usually what I purchase at TJ.

I spent 30 minutes trying to decide what to buy with my giftcard and they didn't have anything at the jewelry counter (I'm on the hunt for a new ring - my old ones are too big or too small) so I checked out blow dryers and finally choose one after Googling reviews. I headed to the insanely long line and spotted Skullcandy headphones for $20 so I put down my hair dryer and purchased the headphones for my son who needed them for school. Things we do for our kids...

I finally headed next door to the Rack and looked around and didn't see anything special. I did spot this $168 Katu 'Anne' clutch and I had a feeling...and I was right. It was a penny :)




After the Rack I headed to the DSW next door but they really only have their designer goods online so there was nothing for me to buy. So I took a quick selfie and walked out. This is my new $25 thrifted coat that's just so interesting that people keep stopping me to ask about it. It's made out of polar fleece so it's sooo comfortable - and a great indoor/outdoor jacket. From a design perspective it has a lot going on but it's fun and different...and only 25 bucks :)




*********************

I skipped thrifting last week, but the week before I did pretty well. I found these three designer dresses for less than $30 total! They had the Red Valentino priced at just $8 - insane!






I think this is my first Phillip Lim piece that isn't from his Target collaboration.

Phillip Lim


 Can't say no to Red Valentino for 8 bucks!


Red Valentino


I think the sleeves may have been cut off of this DVF sheath but it's still pretty cute :)

DVF


I scored this NWT $86 Ooh! La La! Couture tutu dress for $10 - now both of my girls have coordinating dresses :)




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My last highlights were pretty bad so when I saw an opening at Loreal so I jumped at the chance to have my hair fixed. It was a Balayage class run by Celeb colorist Nancy Braun - she's did my hair a couple years back at a Loreal seminar and she is amazing. This time I wasn't lucky enough to be a demo model but under her supervision my stylist fixed my mess by brightening it up around my face and breaking up the solid color at the bottom with some lowlights. I'm happy to say that I feel like myself again.

At Loreal, they always give you free hair products when you model :)

After the class I popped into the Rack at 14th street - here is my super blonde selfie :)




And for the first time I scored penny items at that location :)

First I found 4 dresses...

Then I found a bunch of earrings - 35 pairs :) These are mix and match earrings - some were missing from the cards but for a penny who cares?



I also found some great BCBG pieces which are always marked super-cheap. 90% off retail or better cheap!

I was sad to have missed the capes at the Tamara Mellon sample sale and I've been thinking about one ever since. This is a cape/peacoat hybrid that I couldn't resist for $40 from $388. I had to size up to the medium because the small pulled badly across my bust and I'm not all that busty.



Wish it didn't get so linty.


They had a couple $20 fur vests but the black and white one fit better. The beautiful brown one (which was more my color) had a cute hood but a boxier cut. Did I mention it's an XS? I still can't believe I can get into extra-smalls again.









This $598 leather and faux-fur jacket was also only $40. They had a couple $1000 leather coats for the same price but they looked cheap. This one seemed more interesting.









I spotted this Tracy Reese dress and I remembered seeing it months ago and I was hoping for a penny. It came up $29.90 which I figured was still pretty good for a $395 dress :)


How cute is it layered with the white top on the runway?





So last Sunday was a really good day for me. And then Monday was even better...

I went back into the City for a haircut at Bumble and Bumble. I probably didn't need the cut but I went crazy booking model appointments because I was so unhappy with my color. However, after having the color fixed I probably didn't need the cut but I didn't want to cancel at the last minute. On the subway that morning I decided (at the last second) instead of going back to the Rack, that opened at 10, I would go to the Rebecca Minkoff sample sale that opened at 11 for a few minutes before my 11:45 Bumble appointment.

I got there and there already was a dozen women waiting in the freezing cold rain. They took pity on us and let us in 10 minutes early. I was doubting my choices (and my sanity) until I walked in and saw.....



This!




They had $20 & $50 samples! I grabbed a bunch as quickly as I could and ran to my hair appointment. An employee told me they would be restocking the samples but by the time I got back there after my appointment I had missed it :(

So this is what I got in the morning...

The Beau embossed snake clutch (NWT!) $50. I love the rosegold and the rocker chic vibe.







The $295 Love crossbody bag has the look of a Chanel boy - for a fraction of the price! Mine has a few dents in the leather but for $50 who cares?





I've been lusting after the $495 large studded Affair for a while - also feels very Chanel. And again, got mine for $50! The chain was coming apart - nothing a little glue couldn't fix :)




Already fixed and ready to wear :)


Last but not least, my new $20 Honey clutch. I couldn't find an stock pic so here is a different Honey so you can get an idea of size. It's funny - last year I didn't have a single clutch other than my mom's vintage one that I "borrowed" from her years ago. Now I have a pretty nice collection :)






I also may (hint hint) have picked something up for my next Instagram giveway :) Stay tuned!

And I promised extras - so here ya go! I picked up these regular size Affairs in gold and silver. These bags retail for $425 - asking just $90 shipped each in the US.

ETA silver is pending





You can see some dents in the leather on both bags- nothing serious.





The gold is just starting to come off in a couple spots - nothing too serious and only noticeable up close.






Interior shot



Here it is in pink so you can get an idea of size. They actually had the pink at the sale but I didn't take any because I thought gold and silver are more neutral.




Back to Bumble and Bumble...in the model program they try to use your natural texture which really doesn't work for me. I got a good cut but I always walk out with a head full of product. It's super crunchy and messy, which is so not my style. Regardless, it was a good thing I kept the appointment and went into the City that day because Rebecca Minkoff was soooo good!

The following day I got greedy and went back because I was told there would be more samples. There wasn't :(

I put up my crunchy hair (that I still couldn't wash because I don't like to wash my hair for several days after color), bundled up in my $24 boxy wool H&M coat, H&M hat & scarf (free last year with my grand opening giftcard, as was the dress underneath), $13 Spanx from Burlington Coat Factory (cheapest place to buy Spanx tights), My $15 Barneys NY thrifted moto boots, my $15 (75% off @Century 21) Ralph Lauren sunglasses and my favorite Balenciaga from Nordstrom Rack.


I'm also wearing my $5 Nordstrom Rack studs and penny spike bangle paired with one one my Chanel 75% off ones.


After the Minkoff fail I went to the Rack (again) and picked up some penny shoes and a dress :)




I also rechecked the BCBG rack and found this adorable $20 petticoat that I plan on wearing either over or under a black dress. Also an XS :)






I've been on a penny roll recently LOL. Love this $128 Rebecca Minkoff bracelet!



More penny bracelets..





Literally another handful of penny jewelry; including this Kate Spade enamel 'Boys Make Passes at Girls in Glasses' bracelet ($88) and Elizabeth and James black rhodium Meadowlark coil ring ($175).

I have such old lady hands...

Picked up tons of dresses too :)



Most of them don't work for me but I have a problem leaving stuff for a penny LOL.




There was tons more but I just don't have time to take pics of it all LOL.


*********************

I stopped into TJ Maxx to see what was new and I noticed they had their first round of markdowns on designer shoes. I was actually surprised to see they had sold so many of their Rockstuds at $600-700 a pop. These flats went down to $359 - too bad they were a size too small and still $100+ more than I wanted to spend.





They had tons of beautiful shoes - these booties caught my eye but when I turned over the Choo and spotted the $649 sticker I just walked away. Almost made me regret skipping the Jimmy Choo sample sale this year...






*********************

After TJ I popped into Burlington and it was a good thing I did. They had another round of markdowns and I scored this $595 Cut25 by Yigal Azrouel leather trimmed trench coat for just $29.98! I noticed it last time but it was $50. Glad I waited :)







I also grabbed this Theory dress for $19.98 in both size 4 and 6 but I think I'm going to take them both back because the cut isn't so special and I have 100 LBDs.






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Last but not least, this is my Sephora VIB haul. I was lucky enough to be given a code by a friend (I'm not VIB as I don't spend $300+ on makeup/beauty anymore) and picked up another Dr. Jart BB cream - I've been scraping to bottle of my last one LOL. I had to get to $50 for free shipping so I added a Sephora glossy lipstick (Secret Affair) and a couple hair ties. I tried the lipstick and it has a weird smell and it's not as great as the one I got last year (Royal Wedding, a sheer cherry red).




Closeup of Secret Affair - it's a sheer pink-y red. Pretty, I wish it wasn't as sheer and the smell is driving me nuts. Anyone else think Sephora's lipsticks smell funny? It may have to go back...





And that's all for now! I feel like bargains are in the air - can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring. The designer pre-sales have started so the good stuff (at heavy discounts) is coming!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Shoppinggal :)


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