{Fashion Vault 102}

It's almost time for Fall! Boots, scarves, jackets, skinny jeans, oh my! Autumn is a glorious time of year and, although my credit card is currently on strike (but hey, at least Verizon isn't!), I'm looking forward to the days of trying on the assortment of colorful clothing & leather goods that are plaguing our favorite stores. But not too fast; now is the time to grab last minute summer items (think next year) that are on sale and reasonably priced. I mentioned here about my favorite budget-friendly fashion websites (i.e. ideeli and Rue La La - view the whole list under my Fabulous Finds tab), but check out these other great sites when updating your wardrobe or home!

ShopMamie

Everything on this website is $100 or less!

The Outnet

A luxurious online fashion outlet!

Gilt Groupe

An invite-only website with top designer deals!

I've said it before but it bears repeating: enjoy your money but be smart! Scout the internet for promo codes or online coupons when making a purchase. Be proactive and ask the sales rep at your favorite stores when they plan on having their next sale & make sure you're on their list to receive in-store coupons. If you have good credit and are well disciplined in the paying-your-bills-on-time arena, think about getting a credit card from your favorite store so that you simultaneously earn points towards future purchases while using it. At first, the thought of having additional credit cards made me cringe, but now I'm enjoying reaping the rewards!

“Clothes make the man.

Naked people have little or no influence on society."
-Mark Twain

Images via Google

{Read. Share. Explore.}

Do you love to read? Do your friends read about similar topics or prefer the same authors as you? Would it be beneficial to know what they've read, what they're ratings & reviews are and if you could possibly book swap?

You may have noticed my Shelfari gadget on this blog page but if not, check it out! Shelfari is an online book community that allows you to share what you've read, are currently reading or want to read. While it may not be an everyday tool (unless you're a teacher), it can be a great resource for discovering new authors or organizing a book club. Build your bookshelf, make new friends (or just browse what others read) & enjoy!

I just picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns at the library yesterday and am anxious to start it. This summer I have flipped flopped between chick lit and modern fiction to switch it up a bit. It's hard to capture everything I've read and liked, especially considering I was an English Lit major, so my current bookshelf is a compilation of recent reads over the past year or two. Now put that library card to work!

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

-Dr. Seuss

Images via Google

{Spread a Little Sunshine}

Sometimes all it takes is a little sunshine to clear up the grey skies in life...and these past few days I have been grateful for it! Although, I admit, I love a good summer thunderstorm followed by a breakthrough by that big 'ole ball of fire. It seems this has been the weather pattern lately, but even while away in the mountains over the weekend it was cool to see the sky change color, watch the clouds roll in and the begin to rain, then watch the clouds separate and let the sun brighten everything up again. I'll take every ounce of sunshine I can get, which is why it was a nice surprise that my agency closed down for the day yesterday...meaning I got to spend the day reading on the deck, taking the dogs out, shopping, grilling food, visiting Fells Point for some gelato & spending time with family. J. Crew obviously knew my desire need for a bright addition to my wardrobe, so a new yellow belt inspired today's outfit:

Spread a Little Sunshine by Chateau de Victoria

"Truth is like the sun.
You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. "
-Elvis Presley

{If the Shoe Fits}

If you have been reading my blog since its inception, you probably know I like TOMS shoes, love the idea behind TOMS shoes and am in love with its founder, Blake Mycoskie. Trust me when I say I have absolutely no problem taking a pay cut, moving to Santa Monica and working in a cubicle made of plywood if it means being a part of such an awesome company and, obviously, being closer to Blake. (I'm not creepy or anything ;-) So, when I spotted these on a blog I knew they had to be mine:

Image via Style Me Pretty

Note: I get a tad bit grumpy when I do not find quick answers to my questions, so I was very disappointed when I could not find these on the TOMS website. Hence, I went back to the source of the picture and finally discovered that the owner of the shoes actually bought a pair of creme TOMS, some fabrics and her friend made them for her! Pure genius. I love the creativity! Talk about being unique! Isn't it awesome to see the end result of other people's hard work and be motivated to try something new and out of the ordinary?

“Between saying and doing,
many a pair of shoes is worn out.”