The Shopping Diaries: Black Friday 2014

Hi all!

I know this is waaaaay overdue for a Black Friday haul post, but hey, better late than never right? :)

I'd say that this past Black Friday was really enjoyable because I felt that the sales were really good this year. I know some people say otherwise, but as an annual partaker of the tradition, I do believe the sales at the stores that I went to were fantastic. So here are some of my finds!

Victoria by Victoria's Secret: Honestly, I have way too many bottles of perfume, BUT, it's hard to leave without taking advantage of the 50% off deal. Plus, I'm a big fan of VS perfumes because I think they do them very well and they have a good range of scents. I think I have the body spray for this one from a previous purchase, but I decided to go with the perfume because I really like the scent. The description says that it has "Red berries, Victoria Rose, and Creme Brulee," and I think it's the red berries note that gives it that citric tang that I like. I got this for $25 for the 1.7 fl. oz.

Tocca Handcream/Rollerball set and Tarte mini set: For the second year in a row, I failed to get my hands on the Philosophy facial wash T-T. At least I was able to get my hands on the other two things that I was interested in! I became a fan of Tocca scents from the previous year's $10 set. I was happy that this one included two different scents that are both lovely. The two scents are Giulietta and Stella. I think I favor Stella over Giulietta, but as I said, they are both lovely! As for the Tarte set, I've always wanted to try one of their amazonian clay 12-hour blushes and I thought this was a good opportunity to try it out. Plus, I get to try their mascara and lip gloss of which I like both!

Navy Blue Trousers (GAP): This was one of my steals of the day. I had reminded myself that I've been on the hunt for trousers that hit at the ankle and were well formed to my legs. I'm 5' 1'' so it's really hard to find trousers that fit me well. Gap was having 50% off the entire store, and I had remembered that the Ultra Slim Crop Pants in petite form fit me really well, but unfortunately, they didn't carry that size in-store, which is really odd for a store in Hawaii where there are a lot of Asians lol. Anyways, that style is available online (which also had the 50% off deal), so I ordered myself a pair in black. I decided to give the sales rack a go since I was there already and came across this pant. This is the Slim Crop in OOR and I thought why not try it on. I was surprised that the fit wasn't that bad! The length was quite good for regular instead of petite and, due to the material, the fit was good as well. This was originally $54.95 and the sale price was $29.95, then with the extra 50% off, I only paid $15!

Mid-Crop Black and White Striped T-shirt (Spiral Girl): I haven't really been shopping at this store as much, but they had a whole bunch of sales and I decided to pop in for a bit. I was immediately attracted to this because of the monochrome and the simplicity of it. I like these types of boxy mid-crop tops and I was glad that I was finally able to find a style that I liked. I had been debating about getting something similar at Brandy Melville, but I like something that has more of a drape rather than the form-fitting style that a lot of crop tops have. I think I got this for $20? I think the regular price was $29.99.

Mung Bean face mask, et. al. (The Face Shop): By the time I got to the Face Shop in Ward Center, they had 20% off the entire store (earlier hours had 30% and 25% off). I originally went in there for a gift for someone and I decided to get a few things for myself ;). Not pictured was a black charcoal face wash that I really enjoy using with my konnyaku sponge. I really like any cleansing product for the face that has black charcoal because your skin comes out feeling really nice and clean without it feeling super dry. Also, I got this mung bean face mask, which is great for purifying pores. Of course, whenever you go to any Korean skincare store, you always leave with some samples!

Cedar Street Large Monday in Black (Kate Spade): This was a Christmas gift from my mom to me, but I included this in the post because of the good Black Friday deal! It was 25% off the entire store, and while I'm not too familiar with the sale patterns at Kate Spade, it seems like these bags don't really go on sale as these are one of their most popular bags and it's in black. I've been loving small crossbody bags, and I'm happy to have found a classic bag in black in a flexible style. This bag is great for daytime shopping or for a classy night out. The slimness of the bag doesn't allow for the user to stuff all kinds of junk inside and limits you to the essentials, which is great weight-wise!

Monochrome Graphic by Joe's (Nordstrom Rack): I had seen this a few weeks back and I was immediately attracted to it as you can probably tell why hehe. It was on the clearance rack for $84 I think, and I really didn't want to spend that much despite it being on clearance. But, I came here the day after Black Friday and it was still there! And the clearance sections had an extra 25% or 30% off, so I was like hmm I'll try it on for kicks. The fit was fantastic, especially the length, so that left me feeling like ugh, it's still $60 but then again, it's Joe's Jeans and I know they fit incredibly well. Nevertheless, I don't regret getting them!

High-Waisted Black (Nordstrom Rack): I happened to find this in the clearance rack as well. I had been keeping an eye out for high-waisted black denim and I was excited to have found these. I love the vertical zipper detail and that it is a proper high-waist fit. This turned out to be only $13 after the extra percentage off the lowest price!

Thank you for reading this post! I always enjoy Black Friday shopping. I can't believe this is the sixth year that I've done this. It's such a fun experience and I look forward to this year's as well.

Happy New Year's everyone!

- Lauren

The Shopping Diaries (4th of July Special): TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, J. Crew, GUESS, Bath & Body Works

Hey all!

It has been about six months since I've last posted anything on this blog ><. I know I'm such a terrible blogger but I hadn't been inspired for some reason. I don't know. I feel like I'm going through this odd phase of not really knowing what I want or what I want to do in life, even though I enjoy fashion. I am attempting to get an online associate's degree in fashion merchandising from SNHU, so hopefully by taking these courses, I'll feel something that'll help shine a light on the path I want to take :). There are other personal reasons that have been plaguing me, but let's not get into that.

I must say that I have to give myself a pat on the back for not shopping in over a month. I would've liked to have extended that but the sales were absolutely RIDICULOUSLY good for the weekend holiday. The first two items were bought by my mom, but the rest was bought by me. Let's get into it! 

White Laser Cut Cover-Up: This was something my mom saw and thought was super cute (hence the reason why she bought it for me). To be honest, I don't go to the beach and I haven't swam in at least 5-6 years. This is supposed to be used as a cover up for your swimsuit, but when I tried it on, I thought I could still wear it with some leggings or a nude slip. I think this is a great, airy summery dress, especially for Hawaii weather. The cutouts are really delicate and feminine, which is something that I usually don't gravitate towards, or at least right now. It was originally $40 and TJ Maxx listed it as $24.99. The brand is Solitaire Swim.

Palm Island Shea Butter Soap: Once again, my mom found this and saw that there were two, so she got me one ^^b. The reason why she got these soaps was because the scent was freaking amazing! The scent is Grapefruit Ginger and while I don't like to eat grapefruit, it works as a soap. When I smell this soap, I think of a luxury tropical spa, a perfect setting for Hawaii I think! This was originally $10 and listed price was $4.99.

Embroidered Black Bralette (TOPSHOP): Nordstrom Rack was having their Clear the Rack sale, which was amazing because you got an extra 25% off of red-mark clearance items. So of course I had to check out the long lines of sales racks. Because I'm such a big fan of Topshop, I'm always subconsciously searching for their items whenever I'm here. Was I ever so surprised to find this bralette AND in a size 2! I definitely remember this from last year, but hey I have no problem getting it more than a year later for $11 (say wuuuttttt?!?!?). Yes, you read that correctly! This was originally $40, then was on clearance for $14.97, and with the extra 25% reduction, it was $11.34. I couldn't pass up this great deal hehe!

Hazy Floral Print Top (TOPSHOP): This was another amazing find that I almost missed. I had just gone down one side of the rack and thought that was it, but then quickly realized I had another section to browse and that's where I found this top. There was a sheer lavender floral peplum top that I was tempted to purchase too, but as a size 4, it was a little flowy and loose, which I wouldn't have minded, but I got a second opinion. That's all right because to be honest I felt more strongly about this top rather than the other. This was a size 4 and this too was much more flowy but it wasn't as loose. Another reason why I couldn't pass this up because it was exactly the same price as the bralette. This was originally $44, reduced to $14.97, then extra reduction to $11.43!

Black Straw Hat (J. Crew): I've been on the look out for a chic black summer hat to protect my face from the harmful sun rays. J. Crew was having an amazing sale. I usually don't go into this store because it's quite pricey, but they had an extra 50% off on their sale items. I must say there were a lot of cute items that I would've loved to take home with me, but I was able to resist. Plus, I was with my mom and she's a real Debbie Downer lol. Anyways, this hat was on sale for $24.99 (orig. $34.50), so this meant I only paid $13.40 tax included for this hat! I was incredibly happy and now I own something from J. Brand hehe :P

HW Bleached Cutoffs (GUESS): I went into Guess the previous week and my eyes immediately zoomed to this pair of shorts. I just really loved the bleached effect and I already knew that Guess high-waist shorts were the perfect pair of sexy-cute without being desperate if that makes any sense. Plus, they covered the bum, which is the most important part! I hadn't purchased it then, but I did end up getting it! I consider these mid high-waist because you can still see the belly-button, so I need to pair it with some mid-length crop tops to balance it out since I don't like showing a thick band of stomach. If it's just a sliver, then that's fine for me :).

Simple White Wallflower Burner Plug (B&BW): My last stop was at B&BW because I needed another wallflower plug since mine had burned out. I think that's the one annoying thing about these things is that they easily burn out after using 4-5 wallflowers. That's about how long mine lasted. I don't mind repurchasing these because I think it's a better way to scent your room instead of using candles (tho now I have a butt-ton of candles that I still need to burn lol). I don't mind burning candles every now and then, but having to not worry about fire hazards is really convenient. I was tempted to buy the cute plugs with the sailboat or koi, which were $8.50, but I figured if these don't have major longevity, there's really no point. I love simple white items so this was perfect. I had a 20% off coupon off one regular priced item that my mall was having for the weekend, so I applied this to my purchase. The simple plugs are about $4.50, so I ended spending $3.60.

Here ends the shopping haul for the weekend. This was an eventful 4th of July weekend if I do say so myself. I went to the driving range for a bit and spent the rest of the day in Kailua to wait for the fireworks display, which was really lovely. You can catch a video clip of the fireworks if you click onto my instagram. Then the next day was shopping with my mom. The day after that, I saw How To Train Your Dragon 2 with my dad. While I wasn't into the first movie (actually I never make it past 10 minutes), I thought this was really good. There were some heart wrenching parts that I wasn't expecting, although for the first half hour or so, I kept on thinking how did Hiccup lose his foot since I never finished the first movie lol. But overall, great movie.

I do hope to continue blogging. I had prepared some other pictures for future posts, but never got around to it. I'm hoping now that I'll be inspired to post more. And if I'm feeling really adventurous, I may post in my cooking section if this one recipe that I'm going to attempt to try works out! I won't say what to keep it a surprise, but if it fails, I'll mention it in a future post :P

Thanks for reading!

Lauren

TSD August 2013: Nordstrom Rack, PacSun, Charlotte Russe, Aeropostale

Hey all! I can't believe I almost forgot about this post ><. I usually draft out posts during the month and for some reason I just kind of forgot about this one until I was editing my Monthly Gram that I had one more post to upload for August. Anyways, onto the things that I got at random stores <3.

Yellow "SWEET" Bracelet: I've always wanted a few of these BCBG bracelets because they're good for stacking and are basically statement pieces. What attracted me to this particular one was the soft yellow color. I love this shade of yellow and I thought it was sweet...hahaha...yeah, anyways -_-; I got this at Nordstrom Rack and I only paid $9? They're usually $18, so I got a great deal!

Simple Black Sheer Caged Top: I love caged details on tops, especially ones that go down the spine. That's my favorite usage for the detail and I found this nice one at Nordstrom Rack. I like just simple tops like this because it gives you a blank canvas to go creative with accessories. Plus, it's really chic without trying too hard. The brand is LUSH.

Asymmetrical Floral Sleeveless: My dad took me for a bit of shopping at Windward Mall. I decided to check out Pacsun since they always have stuff on sale. The sales promotion was buy 1 from the sale rack, and get the second piece for free! I was attracted to this because of the light florals and that it was only on one side of the top and on the pocket. The little tie at the bottom makes for an even cuter top and it screams Spring or Summer, which is no problem over here since the seasons never seem to change :D. I got this for less than $20.

Pugwich Tee: This was the top that I got for free and I love it! I think the print is absolutely adorable. I kind of have a soft spot for pugs, so I couldn't help but get this. A simple chain necklace and a pair of black jeans and you're good to go with this look!

I <3 America Black Tank: Before going to Pacsun, I made a stop at Charlotte Russe. I saw this tank and I was immediately reminded of something similar at Brandy Melville. The fabric is really soft and I like the vintagey look of the American flag. Plus, this was on sale for $10.

Geometrical Striped Inset: The thing that caught my eye was the sheer black inset. Lately, I've been really into tops that mix different prints or fabrics. I think the sheer fabric adds a bit of sexiness without being too over the top to what would be just a simple shirt. This was only $12.99.

White Knit Cardigan: Lastly, I went to Aeropostale and I was immediately drawn to this white cardigan. Everything about the shape and the knit reminded me of the open cardigans that they sell at Brandy Melville for $52. This was originally $36, but I got it for $18. This was the last one left and it was a large, but luckily that just meant the length was a bit longer, just like the Brandy Melville ones. It still fits nicely on the shoulders and the sleeves aren't long. I felt like I just got a really good deal!

And that's the end of August's haul. Be on the lookout for this past weekend's shopping haul. Literally, I just wanted to go to Forever 21 for this one tank and I ended up getting that and more -_-. Seriously trying to rein it in though hehe.

Thanks for reading!
-LAUREN

TSD June 2013: Forever 21, Free People, Nordstrom, Charlotte Russe

Man I'm on a roll tonight! I just posted my Monthly Gram for June and I've decided to get this post up as well. It's probably from all the tea I drank this evening, so I'm hyped on caffeine hehe. Because I ended up getting fashion pieces here and there, I decided to make this TSD post a monthly roundup rather than separate posts for each brand. Here are my finds for June:

Round Framed Glasses: I've been on the lookout for a pair of sunglasses like this. I was inspired by Youtuber clothesencounters and I thought it looked super cute on her. So, of course, I wanted to try it out. I'm open to trying any trend and I'll go with it as long as I feel comfortable. I ended up finding my pair at Forever 21 for only $5-6! Jason isn't really a fan of these glasses but I'm over the moon about them. I feel so Lady Gaga-esque/retro in them!

White Lace Flowy Top: Jason and I were killing some time at Nordstrom Rack before seeing a movie. They had in some cute pieces from Free People, a brand in which I love their bohemian style. We don't have an actual Free People store in Hawaii, but they do have a great selection at Macy's. The pieces are quite pricey, but when it's at the Rack or TJ Maxx, the price is doable. I got this for $34 and the original price was $88 I think. I love to pair this with my neutral polka dot paggings (a pic will be uploaded in next month's OOTM post).

American Flag Sunnies: Before I found my round sunnies at Forever 21, I was hoping to find a pair at Nordstrom's. While there were a few that I could've worked with, it wasn't the exact pair I was looking for. I tried these on for fun without the intention of getting them, but I ended up liking it a lot. It was super cute on and I thought it would be great for the upcoming 4th of July weekend. There were only two left, so Jason bought the other pair for himself to match!

Sand Colored Sun Hat: Once again, I was inspired by Youtuber clothesencounters to get a sun hat of sorts. I've said it to myself over the years, actually my entire life, that my head isn't suited for a hat. It's probably due to my poofy hair, but I just never really matched in a hat. As I was perusing through my local Charlotte Russe, my eye kept going to this hat. I bought it thinking that I could actually work with this. It's not tight looking, so I think it'll go well with some of my looks.

Semi-Sheer Striped Maxi Skirt: I'm absolutely loving this particular style of maxi skirt. I love the bit of sheer fabric that exposes your leg from the mid-thigh down. I'm more of a monochromatic girl, so pairing this with a white crop top or any type of white top will bring this look together to my liking. It's easy sophistication!

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN