The Shopping Diaries: EXPRESS, 2020AVE, Ross

Hey all! I wanted to upload a more happier haul than the previous. An update to the Sheinside purchase, they responded to my email three days later and instead of giving me the return address immediately, they wanted to know which product and why it didn't work out. Yeah I know it's kind of like protocol when you return something, but I was already irked and anxious to return it anyway. So I told them my reasonings and now I'm waiting for them to respond again -_-.

On a brighter note, I made some purchases here and there and I'm really excited about the items that I got from Ross. Ross is usually 80% miss, 20% hit when it comes to finding stuff that I like. I just happened to be in Hawaii Kai for a Costco run and I decided to check it out since I hadn't been to that location before. I thought they had a great selection and an abundance of different styles! I don't know if I just happened to catch them on a good day or what, but I'll definitely visit them more when I have the chance! Before I get into the Ross haul, let me show you my items from Express and 2020AVE:

Wild Horses Tee: I check into Express every now and then. I really wish I could wear more of their stuff but sizing is a major issue unfortunately. I saw this horse tee on a mannequin in their denim section and automatically I knew I had to have it. I've been an avid horse lover for almost all of my life and it's quite interesting to see that horse/unicorn motifs are starting to become more popular for the Fall season!

Night Crawlers: I'm super excited about this online store based in L.A called 2020AVE! I really like their chic street-style and free shipping for purchases of $50+, which also includes Hawaii, is a freaking major plus! These were $37, but they had a code for free shipping on any amount on Friday the 13th. I wanted to take advantage and started perusing. I came across these great gold double strap buckles that have side cutouts to expose the ankle. The style is definitely inspired by Jeffrey Campbell Roscoes but I like this better. It is incredibly comfy since the heel isn't too high. I'm usually a size 6, but they only had a 5.5 and other large sizes, so I really chanced it with this. I'm not that gutsy when it comes to buying shoes without trying them on, but I thought that due to the style of the boot, a 5.5 would probably still work. Luckily, it did and I'm so glad I took a chance! I'm looking forward to many new purchases with 2020AVE!

We Are Dreamers: I immediately thought of Brandy Melville when I saw this top. What draws me into the design is the vintagey American heart. I like that the colors are subdued. Also, I like that the motto is "Young & Free: We Are Dreamers" instead of those "Young, Wild, and Free" ones. I think this one suits me more, especially since I'm not a wild child lol. The length is long enough to cover my bum so that I can just wear black leggings underneath when I don't want to wear denim.

Vintage Cameras: This top screamed Brandy Melville as well. I had been eyeing the vintage camera motif tops that they had at Brandy, but I never was willing to buy it for some reason. I think it was because it came in only a tank or muscle crop version. I wanted more of a t-shirt version and I found it at Ross! There are also some cute sayings in some of the boxes. It has a hi-lo hem, but not long enough to wear with leggings, but that's all right because the material of this shirt (and the previous one too) is super thin and soft that wearing denim is no problemo!

Floral, Lace, n' Ruffles: This top definitely had a Free People feel. I was seriously getting all these feels of higher end brands when I was picking out my piece lol. I love the bohemian vibe of Free People, but it is quite pricey. So when I saw this, I thought it was reminiscent of the brand. I absolutely love the see-through lace detail and the floral/viney stitching down the chest. This was my most expensive piece at $13.99!

Ruffle Short Sleeve Blouse: I got a bit of a feeling of Liz Lisa from this top. I've been slowly shying away from sweet/lolita-esque items since I'm not really into it at the moment, but this top, despite having that sort of image, was a bit more demure and subtle compared to true lolita fashion. I love this minimalistic bib design on the front, which was one of the selling points for me. I'm a denim girl at heart so a pair of black trousers and Night Crawlers will give it that cool juxtaposition of sweet v.s cool.

Burnout Striped Cardigan: The subtle design of the burnout stripes was the selling point for this item. This fabric makes it lightweight and perfect for cool Hawaii nights. Plus, it's a great cover up for any of my tanks or muscles tees, i.e Young & Free. I'm always gravitating toward white, as you can see from my purchases at Ross, but it's such a versatile shade (as is black) that it's hard to put it back on the rack AND it's at a great price ($7.99).

I hope you all enjoyed this post! I felt pretty proud of myself for this round of purchases because of the great deals that I snagged. I still ended up doing a lot of shopping, but on the bright side, I've been scaling back on food bills when I go out to eat! I think I've been doing a great job at that and I'll continue to try to be more conscious about my shopping habits ><.

Thanks for reading!
-LAUREN