Sunday, March 8, 2009

So You Want Some New Clothes?

I'll admit it: I love my closet, and I absolutely adore my clothes, but retail therapy is retail therapy... that fact, to me at least, is indisputable.

So where do I get my clothes?

IN REAL LIFE BOSTON: I hit up the mall and voila, shopping galore! I go through Saks, Victoria's Secret, Express, Coach, Forever 21, J. Crew, Banana Republic, Barney's, French Connection, Mango, Club Monaco, and any other store that catches my eye. For shoes and occasional accessories, I mostly rely on Steve Madden, Aldo, and Nine West. Newbury Street is a fantastic mix of high-end but accessible chic. Whenever I feel like it, I go through a second-hand/vintage store (cheers, Second Time Around!) and score some goodies.

ONLINE: Being a very diligent student (cough), I don't have much time to wander around in malls and streets, so I do the majority of my shopping online. Here are the links to some of my favorite sites:

High-end without being pretentious, Saks is probably my favorite department store, online or offline. The site itself is very user-friendly and accessible, with a plethora of clothes, accessories, and shoes. I personally love waiting for a good sale; the deals you can get are amazing!

Forever 21 is my go-to store for fashion on the cheap. They might be notorious for stocking runway knockoffs, but there's no other way to experiment with high-fashion. I stock up on their trendy tees, casual dresses, and the occasional pair of jeans. I've yet to check out their newly debuted swimwear line in person (the pictures look cute enough), but it's about time someone came out with a line of affordable swimwear! Also check out the diffusion lines, Heritage 1981 and Twelve by Twelve, while you're at it.

With designer collaborations such as Thakoon, Isaac Mizrahi, and Alexander McQueen, Target is your (or at least my) new addiction. The site is structured and accessible, and the quality of the clothes proves your money well-spent, given the prices. I have quite a collection of sweaters, pajama pants, and even shoes (heels and flats alike!), from Target. I don't have a Target nearby, so I don't have the luxury of browsing in-store--the site itself is quite the treat though.

I love shoes, and Steve Madden makes cute shoes. Therefore, I love Steve Madden. I've heard people complain about the fitting of the shoes, but personally, I'm all in. I'm usually an 8, but with Steve Madden, I go for 8.5--I find their shoes tend to run small, so unless you've tried first-handedly a Steve Madden shoe, I'd suggest you play safe and order at least a half-size up! Besides shoes, Steve Madden also makes some fantastically adorable accessories, but are, in my opinion, slightly overpriced. My black suede pumps have served me nicely for 2 years now, and I'm still in love with my flats.

Without UO, I'd be at such a loss. They carry various designers to offer a variety of apparel, accessories, and shoes: I love their takes on graphic tees, tank tops, dresses, flats, etc. I rely on UO to spice up my wardrobe basics; sometimes, all it takes is a silvery-gray drapey tank from UO to elevate my skinny jeans to the next level! Wait for their sales; you'll be happy at the finds. I'm quite confident to say that there's something for everyone at UO. Their site navigation is also one of my favorites.

I love makeup, but unfortunately, I'm not as skilled as I hope to be. Sephora is the place for me to stock up on my favorite eyeliner, perfume, and mascara, while to also experiment with different eyeshadows and nail polish. You're guaranteed good quality products from Sephora, and they've never failed me in that regard. I, however, personally like to shop for makeup in person, and order seconds online--but if you enjoy all the glory without the temptation of trying everything on yourself, then go ahead!

Where do you like to shop?

Questions, or just some love to send my way? E-mail me. There's no better way.

2 comments:

  1. Great new blog! I can't wait to read more of your posts. :)

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  2. Not sure if you're still blogging, but I just kinda stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I LOVE your posts! I found this one and the wardrobe essentials post extremely helpful. I've never been very good at shopping online (mostly because I don't really know where to look) but since I'm leaving for college, I know, like you mentioned, I won't have time to actually go shopping very often. So thanks for these posts, they're great!!

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