Excellent shopping karma!

(MIA "Midnight" Stretch 3-way boots in black velvet and mushroom)

I don't know what was in the air this weekend, but I scored some major deals. I saved hundreds of dollars and found one-of-a-kind items in just the right sizes. Since I'm not rolling in cash like everyone else, every penny saved is a bonus to me (and Pete, of course). But I'm still pinching myself over the bargains I got!

It started out at Goodwill, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to shop for skirts. I found about 10 skirts, some in my much-sought-out color of brown, and all dirt cheap (about $3.50-$7 each). And the brands I found were incredible: Banana Republic, The Gap, Old Navy, Ann Taylor Loft, Michael Kors. The sizes were all over the board again, but if it fit, I took it. I also found two jumpers, one from Talbots (not my type of store, but the jumper is cute) and one from Isaac Mizrahi (not sure if it was a Target item). I was pleased as punch, and the lady ringing me up was super nice. I'm so glad I got a frequent-shopper card. I only wish the shoe selection was better, but that's what DSW is for, which is where I went next.



(Banana Republic chocolate brown suede skirt, similar to the one I got at Goodwill—but mine's prettier {I think} without that pocket detailing)

At DSW, I immediately strolled through the clearance aisles as I always do, and I was instantly lucky. I found two pairs (yes, TWO!) of MIA scrunch boots, one in black velvet and one in mushroom velvet. I had seen these online at Endless.com, and had wondered how they'd fit and look on a girl like me. They are a bit pricey though, and I couldn't justify ordering them. Well, let me tell you I was ecstatic to find them at DSW at almost half off, and they fit wonderfully! They are adjustable and make my legs look long and lean, which is no small feat on my rather thick gams. I also found a pair of half-off Nine West boots (called "Exotic") that have liquid black material that hug my legs. And yes, they all go to my knee (or beyond in the MIA boots' case) and fit me just fine. I admit the MIA boots have elastic that grip my legs a bit too much, but since I'm still running and working out, I hope to ease that tension in the months to come. I was able to use a $5 off coupon AND a 15% off coupon, so I got all three for almost nothing!



(Nine West "Exotic" boot—but mine is a shiny material, not fabric and shiny like shown here)

My next stop was Marshall's. I often go there for good deals on blouses, sweaters, and the like, but rarely shoes. I find that the shoe department is all crazy messy every time I go there, and I can never find my size in anything I like, which isn't much. But the shopping gods were still smiling down upon me, and I found some fabulous Chilis knee-high flat boots in a gorgeous "rum" leather at a heavily discounted price. I could not believe my luck, and snatched the pair of size 8s as if they'd disappear as soon as I tried to buy them. I didn't see too much else, although all the clearance shoes were an additional 25% off, so I kept that department in the back of my mind.



(My Chilis boots in rum leather look similar to these boots, but are a warmer brown and have laces up the front—I can't find a pic of them anywhere online.)

Then I wandered over to the coat section, since I've been searching for a nice, warm winter coat since last winter. In particular, I wanted to find a black wool-blend coat that had a bit of a funky or retro vibe to it. I have also always wanted a houndstooth coat, but never found quite the right cut, or style, or weight of coat to please me (I'm picky about stuff like that). I hadn't had much luck at all the stores I had been to before, and wasn't expecting things to be any different this time. But lo and behold I wandered down an aisle and found a Calvin Klein houndstooth coat peeking out from among the grays, reds, and blacks of the other coats. I pulled it out and was instantly smitten by the slightly vintage look, complete with a large collar, slightly A-line shape, and big buttons. And as I pulled it on over my sweater, I knew it was instant love. It fit me perfectly (despite being a size 4, whatever that means) and was nice and toasty to boot. I browsed the other aisles but didn't find anything that came even close to this coat's vibe. And so off I went with my boots and coat, heading to Target to do some grocery shopping. While there I did find a pair of gold dangly earrings for $1.48, which was my steal there.



(A similar coat to my Calvin Klein houndstooth coat—mine has a bigger collar and a larger pattern)

Later on, after I was back home modeling my Chilis boots in the Shoe Library and contemplating running around the house in them, I decided to go back for a black pair because I loved the rum pair so much. When I was back at Marshall's and selecting my black pair, I noticed some gorgeous gray suede Steve Madden boots. I was skeptical because of my difficulty finding tall boots that fit. But as I pulled on a pair of size 8s, I was quite pleased to see that they easily fit over my rather healthy calves. And the most amazing thing was they were an additional 25% off the already super-low clearance price. My head was spinning with all the savings and deals I was getting, and I decided to call it a day after that. Even though I found so much at such dirt cheap prices, I figured I'd give my wallet a rest until the next pay period.



(Black boot similar to the Chilis boot from Marshall's; Steven by Steve Madden "Insayne" boot, which I have in gray suede, not black leather—much prettier in gray suede!)

Anyhow, the shopping gods rarely smile on me for more than a mere moment, so to have such a good run of luck was most awesome, and I'm very pleased with my purchases (and savings!). Hope you had such good luck if you were out and about doing some (dirt cheap) fashion shopping for yourself!