My wish is finally coming true---Zara is coming to Seattle! The store will open at Westlake Center in downtown Seattle at the end of this year or beginning of next. I can't wait!
In the meantime, I'm lusting over these beauties online (especially that skirt...):
Over the years, I have become more and more of an online shopper. I've come to know the brands I love (and trust), understand what sizes I am in these brands, and picked up some tools of the trade to save a little change along the way.
Here are my top 5 things to remember when you are shopping online, and hopefully it saves you a little dough in the new year:
1. I always look for free shipping and free returns. Many retailers have adopted this, but in my opinion, there is nothing worse than paying for something to get to you, having it not work out, then having to pay for it to go back to where you bought it from. Argh! Piperlime, Shopbop and Zara are my faves. Free returns are also easy if you have a store near you, like J.Crew.
2. I price compare if there is something specific I'm looking for. Example: I wanted this beautiful Joie top so I looked for it on ShopStyle.com. This is the easiest way to see what sites carry a brand or item you want. Amazon had the lowest price because it was on sale (shameless plug...)---cha-ching! Sold.
3. I prioritize retailers who do not charge sales tax. An added benefit to online shopping is purchasing something from a retailer not located where you live (Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales for us in Washington) because you don't get charged sales tax. Love!
4. If I don't need something right away, I go to ShopStyle to set a sale alert. ShopStyle will then email you when the item goes on sale. Brilliant!
5. If you want something the same day, Nordstrom offers same-day delivery. This is a new-ish benefit (in Seattle) and I think it's fabulous. You can also see if the things you want are available in a store near you, then go pick it up in person.
Good luck!
Any Father of the Bride fans out there? "Nah-vy blau" is how
Franck (Martin Short) pronounced navy blue, when he pointed out George Banks' (Steve Martin's) Armani tux was not the black color it was supposed to be... it's one of my favorite movies of all time, but I digress.
On a recent shopping expedition for Coco's wedding (on a bridesmaid dress hunt!), she suggested I try styling my black pencil skirt, which I typically only wear in the summer, with this navy blue sweater (plus black tights and pumps or boots). While I have come to fully embrace pairing brown and black, doing the same with navy and black has taken a little longer. But with this recent suggestion, I realized the trick to really making it work for me is to pick a nah-vy blau that has a little more of a purplish hue.
Here is some inspiration I'm loving... give it a shot!
(ps. A few weeks ago, pre- my nah-vy blau obsession,
I also purchased this polish which is gorge.)
Some of my closest friends know how neurotic I can be about recycling, composting and in general, doing good for our precious earth. If I took this neuroses just a small step further with people, it might make or break a friendship...
This is why I am so excited to hear about H&M's new global recycling program! Beginning in February, shoppers will be able to exchange used clothing for discounts in select H&M stores, including the downtown and U. Village locations here in Seattle. You can bring in any piece of clothing from any brand in any condition and you'll receive a voucher for an in-store discount (yet to be announced) on a future purchase.
What will happen to your old clothes? H&M is partnering with a global recycling company called I:Collect, which will reprocess the used textiles to create new garments with them. Because 95% of clothes that end up in landfills can be used again in some capacity, H&M wants to reduce the environmental impact of garments and create a closed loop for textile fibers.
While I am not a super frequent shopper of theirs, this definitely gives them major cred in my book, and possibly a few more visits post-February!
