General Fashion

I’ve been obsessing over this Sherpa moto-sweater that Lauren Bush is wearing ever since I saw the GAP Holiday lookbook…

and now I can save about $40 dollars on it!  From November 11-14th Gap and Teach For America are running their “Give & Get” program which let’s you save 30% at all Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic stores…you can even use the coupon at their outlet stores as well!

I’m really loving all of the stylishly warm pieces at Gap this season (not so much past seasons) like this cute cape, this sequin skirt and this outrageous fur hat– I’m very impressed with the overall campaign and the styling is dead on…no one wants to freeze in the freezing temperatures but we don’t want to look like marshmallow women under all that bulk either!

I plan on making very good use of my coupon…what will you be buying this weekend?? Click here to access the coupon!

So while everyone is away at Fashion Week in NYC reporting on the trends you’ll be wearing in Spring 2011, I thought I would focus on the clothes you can wear now!

Shopping for Fall is one of the things I look forward to most.  I gather up all my monthly glossies and make piles of the things that I want for the season…now I don’t actually buy the items in the ads or the features (I’m not a billionaire!!) but they do serve as important inspiration for ID’ing what I really want at the start of the best shopping season.

This year in particular there are some amazing trends out there, but I’ve narrowed it down to the ones that I’m totally obsessing over to help focus your shopping list.  Here they are [click to continue...]

Words cannot describe how freaking cute this collection is! I just found it and like I do with all good things, I must now share it with you!

Teeny Bunny House is the brainchild of three southern girls (I knew there was a reason I loved them!) from the Savannah College of Art and Design who now make each and every one of our pieces by hand in their tiny Garment District studio in NYC. All of their materials are locally sourced and the best part, everything retails for under $100!!

Their Saucer earrings and Initial Frame necklace are truly unique pieces you would only find at some amazing market and then run home to tell all of your friends about.  They have such a kitschy, quirky, vintage quality about their designs and that’s what I love most about the collection!

I loved it so much that I wanted one of you to have your very own initial necklace so I asked the girls if they would sponsor a giveaway and they said yes!

To enter to win– all you have to do is follow us both on Twitter: @cheapchicas and @teenyhousebunny (just click the links and then click follow) and then send me a tweet with what letter you want in your necklace if you win!

You could choose your name, your BF’s initial or you could even give the necklace away as a gift to your Mom or BFF!  Good Luck!

PS: They also have a super-cute blog worth checking out: http://teenyhousebunny.com/blog/

NOTE: This is only open to US residents.  Winner will be notified via TWITTER on 9/8.

I am constantly looking for work-appropriate pants to wear with my earth-tone tops. I have such a hard time finding a pant that is not your typical brown or gray tweed flare wool pant from Express. Not that they don’t do the trick, but sometimes I need something different and a little more exciting.

I think these pants from ModCloth fit the bill!  They aren’t crazy, but they are different from your average work pant. And, because they are a little more funky, they would make a great day-to-night piece.

Linen pants are also my favorite thing ever! Problem is, it’s hard to find a pair that aren’t for lounging. These are more of a gauze fabric, but are still in the same category as linen. Bottom line, these pants will keep you feeling cool and comfortable.

These pants are a must for me and if they are for you too, go to Modcloth and shell out the $44.99 to have this staple piece in you wardrobe!

Today I had the opportunity to sit down with two very stylish ladies, Gigi Guerra from Madewell and Elise Loehnen, Lucky’s Editor-at-Large and the woman behind Style Steals. They were not only super sweet and funny, but they gave some amazing style tips and answered some of your Fall fashion questions! Here are the highlights from my interview…

Q: What are your 3 must have items for Fall?

A: It’s shocking that I’m not wearing jewelry right now, but to start it would have to be a statement necklace because I’ve never met a necklace that I didn’t like…it’s kind of my signature.  And not just one necklace, but multiple things that shouldn’t necessarily be layered but they surprisingly work together!

And I love button downs, but I like XS Men’s button downs.  I don’t like a woman’s fit, I like something loser, baggier and I like to roll the sleeves up and wear them with skinny jeans!

My third absolute must have is an ankle boot. These are from Madewell and I’m obsessed with them! They’re so comfortable and versatile!

Q: Speaking of ankle boots…one of my readers wrote in, “I love ankle boots, but have no idea how to wear them.  What’s the best way?”

A: I generally always cuff my jeans with them so I wear them that way and with a cardigan…I’m a cardigan collector.  Or you can wear them just with jeans and a blazer! Oh and you can also wear them with tights and dresses!

Q: If you can only afford one pair of jeans this Fall, what should they be?

A: I personally don’t wear skinny jeans, I feel too self-conscience so I like a straight leg and something that’s really clean….  And I love black denim.  So something that’s really straight, really classic, and that rolls easily.  Some brands I like are J.Brand, a French brand called Kooples and the rail straights from Madewell.

Q: What are some suggestions for dressing warm, but staying stylish?

A: Master the “double cardigan”! Wear a thinner cardigan under a thicker, bunchier cardigan.  It’s unexpected and it gives you five extra style points!

Also I don’t love turtlenecks, but I do think you can do a lot with a turtleneck and  a silky blouse.  You can layer it under!

You can also wear a chunkier sweater under a blazer or even wear a blazer over a heather grey sweatshirt…it’s kind of cute and sporty!

Q: What are your top 3 online sites for shopping and/or inspiration?

A: Elise: Urban Outfitters, Need Supply and Pixie Market for shopping.  For inspiration I love the Bleach Black Girls, Looks Good to Me and Lookbook.nu.

Q: What can we look forward to in the next issue of Lucky?

A: One of my favorite young actresses ever, Rachel Bilson, she’s so adorable and stylish…she’s in the issue!  And you can also get a look at our HSN Capsule Collection.  We had seven of our favorite Lucky designers, like Tracy Reese and Rebecca Minkoff create designs for HSN and most of the items are priced under $100!

Under $100 for Tracy Reese…you can be sure I’ll be checking that out!  And a huge thank you to Elise, Gigi and Robin for taking time out of your busy schedules for a Style Sitdown!!

This is why I love TJ Maxx…

This entire outfit is under $100 and those suede boots are under $80!

It’s no secret that on any given afternoon when I’ve got some time on my hands, you can find me browsing the racks at my local TJ Maxx.  They have an amazing selection of designer pieces for less than half the retail cost!

I just did a TV segment for Better at their NYC flagship and found two amazing Alice + Olivia dresses that were marked down to $99.99…now that’s a price this CheapChica can handle!

While all of their stores do offer a different selection of clothes, I suggest you look for a store with “The Runway”.  This department stocks BIG designer names like Robert Rodriguez, M by Missoni, and the aforementioned A&O for up to 70% off!

And now you can save even more money at TJ Maxx by entering the TJ Maxx/Cheap Chica’s Anniversary give-a-way!

One lucky reader will win a $50 giftcard!  To enter, leave a comment on this post with the best deal you’ve ever found at TJ Maxx! The last day to submit your comment is Saturday, so don’t let this savings opportunity pass you up!

I said we’d be back with a vengence so let’s get this party started right…

One of the best places to shop online is chickdowntown!  Whether I’m looking for inspiration or creating a wish list, they always have something that suits my many clothing moods and I love their mix of price points along with their selection of designers including one of my personal faves, Elizabeth and James! 

If you don’t know (and you should), Elizabeth and James is the incredible line of what I affectionatley call “anything-but basics” launched by the Olsen twins back in 2005.  The line features chic dresses, jeans and tops that are a perfect mix of masculine and feminine and now you can win one of their signature tees for FREE!

All you have to do is go to chickdowntown.com, look through the E&J collection and then comment on this post with your favorite item!  Your comment will serve as your entry to win one of these deconstructed tees in your choice of white, peach or grey…so good luck!

And be sure you check out chickdowntown.com’s amazing selection of top contemporary designers like Vince clothing!  You can also follow Amy (the owner!) on Twitter and Facebook for chances to win Chickdowntown gift cards and other great giveaways!

NOTE: This contest ends on 8/14 and is only open to residents of the USA.

So while this may be totally depressing, I am starting to think about the upcoming season and nothing gets my heart racing like new boots!  They’re my favorite accessory to the Fall I’m always on the lookout for a new pair to add to my embarrassingly large collection!

I typically buy my boots on EBAY for two reasons…first, they’re cheap and second, they had better boots back in the 70’s and I’m a total sucker for vintage!  And while some of you might think it’s super gross to wear used shoes, that’s why they have cobblers!  For $10 they replace the insole and deodorize them so they are as good as new!

But it’s been a week of rule-breaking and today I couldn’t say no to these Dolce Vita pair at the Nordstrom Anniversary sale.  They were marked down to $119 and after applying the cash I made from a quick trade in at Plato’s Closet, it brought them down to $90 which is a great price to pay for these simple, yet totally amazing  boots!

They’re super-soft, you can wear them tall or scrunched down and they’re skinny all the way down the boot shaft so if you’ve got skinny ankles like me they don’t look ridiculous on!  And the heel is that perfect inbetween height…tall enough that I don’t look like a midget, but short enough to walk the city in!  So if you’re looking for a truly wonderful pair of new Fall boots you should make these serious contenders…and they come in black or brown!!

Yes ladies, the answer is yes.  These are in fact the totally amazing, work of art “shoes” by Emma Cook for Topshop and I am now the proud owner.  I paid 95£ and I didn’t even bat an eye.  When you see something this special, you don’t ask how much, you just say YES!

I went to the biggest Topshop ever and could have spend the entire day there, but unfortunately I have this little thing called a job so I had limited time to spend!

The clothing is out of this world and I wanted sooooo many items but I don’t have an unlimited budget so I settled for an adorable blouse that looks like something right off the runway and a super cute mini in Purple and Orange!  I convinced myself that these are two things I could never find in the states so I paid a little more than I normally would (35£ and 28£ respectively).  I’ve been working super hard lately so I treated myself to an afternoon of shopping and fantastic people watching!

TIP: Take your time in there and don’t get overwhelmed.  Go section by section and if you can, get one of the FREE stylists to help you out! They’re super friendly and can help you navigate the store like a pro!