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Monday, September 6, 2010

Scenes from the Mall...window shopping highs and lows. ( Part Two)

So, we left off having toured through my fav shops of Sur La Table, Anthropologie and Zgallerie at The Fountains, a local shopping center that I just adore. It was all dream window shopping, especially on my current budget of about 2.00 a day...which is my coffee money. OH for regular readers, the coffee lady at the gas stations is named Jane, and she smiled and joked with me today!! The ice has broken!! Just wanted to share.

Anywho, after I left the stores at The Fountains, I walked over to our Galleria. I was not interested in walking the whole mall, knowing I still had to make it home...after all once I did reach home that would be no less than a total of ten miles ( not counting shopping) for the day! I headed into Forever 21. Now I know what you are thinking, as a 44 year old I need to stay out of places like that. I beg to differ. As long as you look for classic pieces, cuts and stick to certain rules of age appropriateness you can shop these stores . I mean I have always loved Chico ad's and thought I would love that store...I walked in felt 90 and turned around and walked out. Same with the local store that caters to Petite/Misses. Dear Lord ...why is it they think if you are short and a little , um mature that you must look like you live in the retirement home?? That is not to say you should dress like you are still 21.

So, on in I went. The music was blaring, and the floor was crowded with loads of young girls in shorts so high cut that they were letting cheeks hang out and boys with the pants so low the same was happening. But I forged ahead. I know bargains were to be found. I headed for the accessories first.....
A lot of these items are only 1.50! YES! With tax, I can still afford it , I do not get coffee that day is all. I am loving the graphite colored pearls! With the colors for Fall, I think they are going to go quite well, and they would even look sharp with my all black outfits. Then I spotted a few other cute things, and they all were under 15.00, mostly closer to 8.00 and under.
These flowers, they remind me of the ones at Anthro! Isn't this gold Daisy necklace amazing??? It is now on my "OH AH, WANT" list.   The tights, do they not remind you of the ones from yesterdays post??? Not the same print, but just as fun!  The sweater headband, 4.98 and my daughter and I saw and fell in love with identical ones at Anthro that were far more pricey! This too is on my list of wants for the coming cooler months! The hand bag was a great price, I believe under 25.00, may have even been under 20.00. I could so see this as a substitute for the one I used in Saturdays Fashion Musings Post , for the Winter look. The color is perfect! 

Now look at these....do not they look identical to the ones I was OHHING and AHHING over at Anthro....Look close....
These are F21 and this is a sample of the Anthro...
This is not identical in design, but the F21 is a pretty close match to one I tried on while at Anthro... So imagine my happiness when I see they are 7.98!!! Not 32.00. I of course decided to sacrifice my remaining coffee money to buy one. I bought a cream colored one with plans to go back for the black. Now given that was the only two colors they had, and I do plan to hopefully get one of the ones at Anthro that is in the sale bin....but I am very pleased all the same. AND it is the perfect cream color for Winter and will also look great when I darken my hair just a tad more. 

After I decide to buy the head band, I went on to explore the rest of the store, two stories and see what I can find. There was a few things, if I had more than 9.00 on me that I would have brought home. I love this little jacket, yes, those are faux pearls, but how cute with jeans! Plus the price was right, under 30.00 to wear on a regular basis.....
Then I saw this..... I love the yellow with it....there was a skirt too, but far too short for me, but maybe with black or yellow tights...hmmmm....

 How about this for wearing under it and with jeans and cute walking shoes....

 Then I saw this....it is in the seasons nude tones, so goes with everything, and is great for layering...
 
 And I love this jacket.... a wonderful way to work in the Military look, and it is jersey! Also under 30.00, and could be a wonderful alternative to wearing a hoodie when walking and running errands. Not normally my color, but add some bright pop of red under it, even blue and it would be wonderful!

 How about this one....Casual , comfy, as it is also Jersey and again in this seasons hottest colors, and will go with everything, and look far better than a hoodie for walks and errands! You could even add a colorful belt and some of those graphite pearls to dress it up....or maybe one of the netting flower pins to the lapel.

 I had to take a pic of this last dress/top...pair it with leggings, or slim fitting jeans, a wide belt and some booties or pointed toed flats, some of the graphite colored pearls and it can be such a fun outfit ...or perhaps add a jacket to tone it down a bit...
I do adore black and white and animal print is right on spot ( excuse the pun) for this season! And again all under 30.00 , even with the pearls! 

There was more to see and share, but will save it for perhaps when I have money and can put together a look on a budget to show you. After I paid for my head band and left the store, I went to JC Pennies...I always find so many lovely things there, and they always seem to be on sale! Today you can get 80% off clearance...gosh how I wish pay day was not late!! Anyway I took just a couple photos in JCP that day, as I had already shared quite a few in a previous SFTM post....but can you tell why I took these???? Look Close!
  

I also loved this grouping....You know how I adore my lady like looks! And I already have a similar hounds tooth skirt!

 Then I spotted this blouse, it is so soft and silky to the the touch and the color is too divine!!!
 
 One last little pic from JCP...this reminded me of a necklace I had seen at Anthro, and since it is on clearance, you could have it for well under 10.00! Depending on what my budget is after pay day, it might have to be gone back for! I love statement pieces! And even though in the lessons on how to find my Inner French girl says, "buy less , buy the best." I just can not fight my bargain girl side.

 After JCP's it was time to start heading back home. I cam across the same sign holder I mentioned in yesterdays post and he was coming back from buying another can of brown bagged beer. He asked me how many miles that day, and I told him and he proceeded to politely argue with me. I think he misunderstood that I was counting my entire day, and all the shops in my mileage, kept saying I was mistaken. This went on for a few minutes, all I really wanted to do was continue on, but I am far too polite. I find myself now planning out routes that do not include walking by him if I see him again. Just to save beer handler and discussion time. Once I escaped him, and got across the street, I popped into ROSS. It is less than a mile from our apartment so on the way home. I wanted to see what jackets they had. I am a sucker for a good jacket/coat, and have more than I truly need, but each season I look anyway , and I do need a more casual one....all these are 30.00 and under! I hope they still have one I like , and in my price range when I can spare the money...but they are great....the pics do not do justice.....

 I personally would buy all three if I could , but the chain link one is my favorite! There was even a Giraffe one in black and white...you KNOW I just gravitated towards it as well! It was hard to leave any of them behind , that is for sure. But leave behind I must. I wanted to see what was new in Cost Plus ( aka World Market) ...the accessories there are often on sale and at great prices! I spotted a couple things I shall keep my eye on....This hat....reminds me of one I saw at Target, so if I miss out...

 Ignore the black circles under my eyes, lack of sleep for two nights does that to me, again I need to invest in some eye creams! Look instead at the cute button detail....

 How cute would this hat be with the Military Jacket from F21....now if only it was in black and white....my fav fashion staples. I also was attracted to these necklaces....great with sweaters and turtleneck Ts that live in all Winter long.
I think one of each is order ! I soon was realizing how tired I was and that I was pretty parched as well , so I stopped for my free cup of tea and a chocolate maple sugar truffle ( being greedy I took two servings of each)......

 and so ended my day out of window shopping, and this post. I hope you enjoyed going along, and seeing that you really can find pleasure in things such as shopping, even if you do not have very much money.

1 comment:

  1. I smiled in recognition several times while reading this post! Regarding Chico's: I love the casual/colorful/ ethnic/creative vibe, but I always walk out, too, because I think I would look too old. (There's something about the boxy shapes....)

    As for the inexpensive jewelry, I just bought some cheap stuff at Kohl's. I am going to do a test, to see if they get equal compliments to items that cost more.

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