shoes

by

Modcloth Stylish Surprise: SHOES!

20140406-132929.jpg

This post could also be titled, “Modcloth, you have my heart.”

You all ready know that because Modcloth embraces every woman by offering a variety of different sizes, it is the store that makes me smile the most. Add that to their amazing customer service and customer appreciation and that site just makes this girl’s shopping heart sing.

But this post really isn’t about that.

This post is about the amazing promotion Modcloh does every few months:

It took me awhile to get over my light headedness when my box containing my Modcloth Stylish Surprise* (explanation about stylish surprise at the bottom of this post) full of shoes arrived at the door. For $10, Modcloth picked a pair of random shoes for me in my size and sent them. Shipping is always free at Modcloth for orders over $50. So, I ordered five pairs (three for me and two for my daughter. This might seem selfish, but her feet are still growing. Mine are not).

My daughter and I were nervous and excited to open the box full of shoes.

But we did!

Boy, did we get lucky!

20140406-134021.jpg

We both loved our shoes.

I found out about The Stylish Surprise the same day I put up my post about my March purchases. I had ordered the clothing surprise from them a year ago and liked what I received, but I have enough clothes. I wanted to try the shoe version. It intrigued me.

I also wanted to immediately do a post the moment I learned about the sale going on, but I did not want this blog to seem too consumerismy (another new word). I also had never ordered the shoe surprise before, and I was not sure if it was something I was willing to recommend (this is important to me. I would never speak about a product here that I would not purchase myself). I decided to wait until morning to decide. Then the Stylish Surprise Shoes sold out. So, next time, I am alerting you right away. And if it happens to be on the same day as a post about clothes, well, that will just have to be the way it goes. I don’t want you guys to miss out! I think this promotion Modcloth does is amazing!

Okay. On to our loot:

20140406-133137.jpg

20140406-133617.jpg

I got these beautiful Chelsea Crew Tia Pumps in mustard. They fit like a dream. I love them for evening fun. They are my favorite of the shoes I received.

20140406-133102.jpg

20140406-133035.jpg

My daughter got these cool Dollhouse combat boots. These are so her. She was thrilled. She has worn these all week.

20140406-133229.jpg

20140406-133715.jpg

I also got these Seychelles Two Birds Heels. They are SO tall. I could never actually wear these. I ended up giving them away to the sweetest eighteen year old girl I know. And she was happy. And I was happy. So, it all worked out.

20140406-133003.jpg

My daughter got these Chelsea Crew Notch Your Step heels in red. I was jealous of these. They are adorable. More importantly, she is madly in love with them. And I would rather her have been happy than myself. Thankfully, we both were happy. She wore these last Thursday and her outfit was perfect with these shoes! So cute!

20140406-133201.jpg

20140406-133741.jpg

I also received these Chelsea Crew Class Treasurer Heels (funny enough, I was class treasurer… Or secretary. I can’t remember. I also do not remember doing a thing for that title. Maybe I needed these shoes). They are the most amazing orange color. I love them.

So, for $50 we received approximately $337 worth of shoes. This works out to roughly 85% in savings.

I would (and will) absolutely be partaking in these surprise sales again. Not only was it fun, but it was a great bargain, too.

Have you ever purchased a Modcloth Stylish Surprise? If yes, what did you get? If not, would you?

20140406-133807.jpg

* A Stylish Surprise is a sale that the online company Modcloth runs every few month. For a low fee, usually between $5-15, they will send you a surprise in the category you purchased your surprise in (apartment, accessories, shoes, or clothing). They guarantee your item will be worth a certain amount, usually much higher than your initial investment. Stylish Surprises are nonreturnable. If it does not fit or if you do not like the item/items you receive, you are out of luck. It is a risk.

* In the pictures, I am wearing Anthropologie’s Midday Dress. It is currently on sale. I am wearing a medium. I have a separate post about this dress going up on Sunday.

* This blog receives a small commission when a purchase is made through this website at Modcloth. : )

by

I can’t… I Just Can’t… Lace Study Dress

Something happened to me a few months ago. Something amazing. I have come to the realization that I can’t pay full price. I just cannot do it. It drives me crazy. It seems I no sooner buy something full price, then it goes on sale. Then I feel betrayed. By that piece of clothing. And I rarely wear it.

So without a gift card, I pretty much only purchase on sale. And it has to be a good sale, too. At least 50% off…

20140214-223930.jpg

Wait! Oh! My! Gosh! Did you see that? Did. You. See. That? Did you see the new Byron Lars Lace Study Dress? Holy Wallet!

20140214-224023.jpg

CLUNK!

That was the sound of me falling on the floor after seeing that beauty.

CLUNK!

That was the sound of my husband hitting the floor after he saw the price tag.

CLUNK!

That was the sound of my pocket book being thrown down to scoop that beauty up for my husband’s birthday dinner and our anniversary trip to Las Vegas.

Now my pocket book sounds like this:

What you didn’t hear that? If you listen closely, you can very slightly hear the rustle of. The faint rumble. The breezy swooshing. Of…

Nothing.

Sob.

20140214-224651.jpg

Anyway, I have had two kids. I have a belly. Yes, I am totally going to blame my children for my protrusion and not my overeating or lack of exercise. It was the reason I had kids. Speaking of which, kids will take every sense of vanity from you. I remember very clearly my friend asking me at nineteen what my best body part was. I thought long and hard. Yes, this is when I had to actually think because there was more than one to choose from. Ahhh. Youth. Anyway, I chose my stomach. And the universe laughed at me. And my thighs clapped. Sigh.

My husband actually tells me he likes my stomach. Which is super sweet. And enabling.

My point being, that yes, even with a shaper underneath this dress, my body is not perfect. And that is okay. I still like the dress.

And I am okay with my belly. Shhh. Don’t tell it that. I don’t want it to think of it as a challenge.

But seriously, I did not have one piece of tight clothing in my closet besides pants before I purchased this dress. It filled a void in my wardrobe. It probably will be the only tight piece of clothing for a very long while.

My husband LOVES this dress. I mean loves. He wants me to wear it at every outing.

Enabler. ; )

20140214-223831.jpg

Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, yea. That I won’t pay full price. Yea. That’s right. Never again.

Wait! What’s that?…

20140214-223257.jpg

Do you have a strict “sale only” philosophy?

I am in love with the Lace Study Dress. It’s the stuff sounds are made of… Pocket books die for…

And bellies proudly salute.

by

It’s The Little Things: Flats From H&M

20130814-151934.jpg

I have a love/hate/indifferent attitude towards shoes. I would go barefoot if it was socially acceptable. I love going to people’s houses where you have to take off your shoes.

“Don’t mind if I do.”

When I want a pair of flats, I inevitably turn to H&M. Most of their flats are $12.95 (at least the ones I like). They come in a variety of colors and textures. They fit true to size. They are almost always comfortable. It is a perfect solution for my needs.

20130814-152009.jpg

For back to school, I bought my daughter some white patent “leather” flats. I could not resist the shine for myself, either.

20130814-152038.jpg

I needed a new pair of black flats. $13? Sold.

20130814-075929.jpg

The lace flats in this picture are from H&M last year. They still sell them.

It’s the little things: Cheap shoes for your sole.

Have you tried H&M’s flats? What did you think?

by

I Remember…Dorothy’s Shoes

20130806-105215.jpg

There was a little girl in my kindergarten class named Dorothy who had a pair of brown wedges. They were like saltwater sandals on crack. I needed that drug. But they weren’t practical.

Everyday, when kindergarten was over, Dorothy and I would sit and play together. We had to stay longer than the other kids. Me, because I was a “mountain child” whose bus only went the long trek up the mountain once a day. I needed to wait for the older kids to finish their schooling. Dorothy, because, well, I don’t know what Dorothy’s deal was. Who cares? She had amazing shoes. She was taller than all of the rest of us. She could reach things. It was incredible.

One day, my mother surprised me with shoes just like Dorothy’s. I was in heaven. I wore them to school. And after the other children had left, I would cast smug glances at both of our shoes. Mine were newer. To say this thrilled me, was an understatement.

But my mother had one last trick up her sleeve. I could wear the shoes that matched Dorothy’s on the condition that I also picked out a pair of sensible sandals for my growing feet.

I remember going shoe shopping with my mother and grandmother. They insisted on driving down to Stride Rite so they could buy me those saltwater sandals that were so popular. I hated them.

I tried on a pink pair and a white pair. I thought both were ugly. But I consoled myself with thoughts that noone need ever see them. Yes, I was a fun five year old.

I picked out the white pair. My mother insisted I wear them on the hour ride home. Imagine a bratty five year old scowling and grimacing during the drive.

We arrived home and I gleefully opened the box where they had stashed my wedges. Only they were not there. In their place, were the ghastly pink ones. The store had mixed the shoes up. It was too far to drive to fix the mistake. My mother was thrilled.

I was not.

I trudged to school in my white sandals everyday. I would now look at Dorothy’s shoes and sigh. They no longer seemed worn. They were beautiful.

I never did wear those pink shoes. Not once. They reminded me of my loss every time I looked at them. Did I mention I was an easy child? I do think of those wedges now and again. I wonder if Dorothy still has her pair?

As for myself, I am still on an endless quest for them.

20130806-105303.jpg

* This post was written in response to the weekly writing challenge on The Daily Post. It was a timed ten minute reflection challenge. You were supposed to time yourself for ten minutes and write a memory. Then publish it. So, I decided to do it. This means my outfits for the week will run on Friday. Above all else, I am always trying to expand on my writing techniques. Thank you for humoring me!