Online Bargains

If you’re still looking around for that perfect dress to wear on your Valentine’s Day date, look no further!

This totally gorge lace dress is everything you want to wear on this very special holiday…it’s sexy yet understated, fashionable and form-fitting and most importantly, romantic! And like everything on this site, it’s budget friendly too!

I’m not a huge fan of red dresses-they’re way too predictable to wear on V-day and frankly, the color just doesn’t look good on my skin tone.  This nude number is unexpected and a very sexy alternative to your typical short red dress!

And since the big day is only two days away, I purposely picked a dress you could find at your mall.  Click here to get it for $68 and you can even pick it up at your local Nordstrom with their site to store feature!

UPDATE: Click here to print out a Macy’s Savings Pass that will save you an extra 15% off these boots this weekend only!

In case you live anywhere on the East Coast and are buried under 60″+ of snow like I am in Philly, here are some super-cute boots that will keep you looking apres ski-chic while we make it through the “snowpocalypse” or as I will fondly remember it as…

the season I decided to move to Miami/LA/San Diego/___ (fill in the blank with any city that has native palm trees)!

I am by no means a fan of Jessica Simpson, but the girl makes some cute shoes–or better said–the girl has hired some really good designers that make really cute shoes she then puts her name on!

Anyway, I’ve been eyeing these Hemma Wedge Boots since they came out a few moths ago, but there was no way I was paying $200 for Jessica Simpson anything…now that they’re on sale for $92.99 I will definitely be adding them to my winter footwear collection.

And in case you want something darker to withstand all the salt and dirty city snow stains, they also come in black!

Update: CONGRATULATIONS to Coleen Walsh…she’s the winner in the Minted.com Giveaway!

I’m completely aware that stationery has nothing to do with fashion, but it does have everything to do with stylish communication which I’m a huge fan of!

Whether you’re sending a thank you note, a quick hello or just bringing back the lost art of the letter–everything you write looks ten times better on quality paper and a hundered times better when that paper is customized with your name!

One thing I splurged on for myself last year was custom stationary from my favorite local paper store, The Papery.  While they did an amazing job in capturing my style and turning my design ideas into beautiful note cards, it cost me an arm and a leg and I don’t know when I’ll be able to spend that kind of money on paper again…

well the good news is, you and I don’t have to!  Minted.com has some of the most beautiful, unique and whimsical designs I’ve ever seen both online and in person at one of those fancy paper stores.  Whether you want something classic and traditional or super modern, they’re sure to have something that suits your tastes and budgets.

Custom note cards like the ones above cost about $1-1.50 per card/envelope set and that’s about 1/3 of what I paid and what you can expect to pay anywhere else.  If you don’t have any personalized stationary it’s something I highly recommend you spend your money on…it just feels so special!

To inspire you to “write with style”, Minted.com and I have teamed up for a fabulous paper give-a-way!

One lucky reader will receive a FREE set of 50 cards from Minted’s personal stationery designs.  All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this post with which card design you love the most!

And while you’re looking around for your new note cards, be sure to check out their entire collection of adorable Valentine’s Day cards…you can even customize them with personal pictures!

NOTE: This contest ends 2/9 and is only open to readers in the US.  Winner will be notified via email.

I just made the switch from a Blackberry to an iPhone and while there are certain days when I want to throw it out the window, I’m going to place the blame for my frustration on crappy AT&T service and not the device itself.

One thing I do like about my new iPhone is all the fun accessories out there for it…namely all the covers.  Now I could go the traditional route and get some neon jelly cover or even one of those cool Chilewich ones, but anyone can get those!

When you use your cell phone as much as I do, it kind of becomes it’s own accessory, so I wouldn’t mind having something that’s uniquely mine and that no one else has–the problem with that is that it usually costs a fortune!

Well, not anymore…I’m about to introduce you to the next generation of iPhone covers and it’s all about affordable customization…

Getuncommon.com will let you personalize your very own iPhone cover with any image/photo/company logo…all they provide is a blank canvas! All you have to do is select “design your own”, pick your device from the list, and upload your favorite picture to create an iPhone cover that no one else will have!

I chose to upload our CheapChicas logo and the cover I created is such an upgrade from anything I could ever buy in-store and considering it costs the same as most of the nicer covers in the market, it was a no brainer.  For only $39.95 you can finally afford to own something that’s totally custom and that reflects you!

…to your local Old Navy store.  Everything, and we mean everything is 30% off retail and sale prices.

Whether you’re looking to stock up on basics, jeans or even their adorable swimwear–which I just featured in my Lucky guest post–is on sale.

For example, these adorable satin pocket tees are only $8.00 but on sale you can now afford to buy them in every color (they come in 12 shades) because they’re marked down to $5.60!! Ditto for their newly added rompers which I must own for my upcoming trip to Miami…$25 is too pricey but  at $17.50 they’re a must buy!

This event is only happening in-store, today and tomorrow.  For a list of Old Navy locations near you, click here.

CONGRATS to Jennifer Prentice…she’s the lucky reader who won this fabulous giveaway!!

The genius team behind ShopRuche.com has done it again…

they just launched their newest online store at ThreadSence.com. Just like Ruche, their inventory is full of adorable, affordable selections, but these clothes have more of an edgy, contemporary feel than the vintage-inspired looks that you’ve come to expect from Ruche.

They’re also doing their part to help new and up-and-coming designers which I love and totally support!

Their indie limelight section feature small, lesser-known independent designers–including one of my fave ETSY brands, LAMIXX.

One of the (many) things that sets Ruche and now ThreadSence apart from other online stores are their beautiful lookbooks which I look forward to seeing eash season.  It’s a great place to get styling tips and ideas on how to wear the clothes!

To help celebrate their grand opening, we’re partnering up for a fabulous give-a-way of one of their featured looks!

To enter to win the knotted chain tank and black skirt pictured here, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post letting me know your favorite item at ThreadSence.com and one very lucky reader, will win both items!

BTW, if the shopping bug bites you while you’re browsing their site, use code “CHEAPCHICAS” to save 10% off your order now through February.  Good Luck!

NOTE: This contest is only open to US residents and ends on 2/3.  The winner will be notified via email.

…just in time for Valentine’s Day!  For any of you that read this blog regularly, you know that I rarely feature lingerie…but with the Holiday coming up I figured some of you would be shopping for sexy undies to liven up the 14th!

When it comes to undergarments, I tend to gravitate to the more playful and sophisticated side of lingerie instead of the slutty side.  In other words, you won’t find leopard, zebra or “butterfly” panties in my  underwear drawer.

There’s something about those styles/prints that are way too predictable (esp. on V-day) and if you’re single, they scream “I’m trying so hard!”.

So this year, as my early gift to you, I’m partnering with eUndies.com to add a little spice and romance to your life!  Three lucky readers will receive a FREE $20 gift card to their adorable site so you can but some pretty panties for yourself…or that special someone!

To enter– follow us on Twitter by clicking here and send us a tweet letting us know whether you LOVE or HATE Valentine’s day!

Good luck and in case you needed some shopping guidance, these are my three picks for the cutest selections on the site.  And with your $20 you can buy all three and still have some extra $$ left over…that’s my kind of store!!

Velvet can sometimes be a very tricky fabric…

I love the richness, the feel and the luxury of something so soft, but it always stumps me when it comes to to wearing it correctly. I think the problem might be my association with it…I think of velvet and images of Renaissance festivals and people who spend too much time in their Dugeons and Dragons RPG games come to mind.

But when I came across this adorable short Velvet Jacket at Banana Republic on clearance for $50 I was determined to create an outfit that was all me and perfect for a fun night out on the town!

I think the casualness of the striped t-shirt (only $13.80) paired with blingy and bold jewelry (this bracelet costs less than $10) really make it work! And while no item in this set cost more than $50, you’ll feel like a million bucks in it!

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am not a fan of the gym.  I hate working out and haven’t had a gym membership since my college cheerleading days!

Last December I decided that with the big 3-0 (yikes!) coming up in April, I needed to take control of my body and start on some kind of fitness regiment, but as someone that hasn’t actually been to a gym recently but that cares deeply about fashion, what to wear became a huge issue!  And please don’t lecture me on how looking cute at the gym doesn’t matter…you’re there to work out…blah blah blah…it does matter or Lululemon wouldn’t exist!

1. Aerie Dance Tee, $19.95, 2. Aerie Pant, $19.95, 3. Nike 5.0 Running Shoes, $85, 4. Sports Bra, $7.99, 5. iPhone + Shape Apps, $0.99

But since Lululemon is way overpriced for some stretchy cotton pants, I set out on a mission to find cute and affordable gym clothes that would make me feel sporty yet chic…

I was tipped off by a reader to try Aerie, specifically their F.I.T. line and what can I say…so freakin’ cute!  They have running pants, yoga pants, sports bras, cute work-out tees, and basically anything you would want to wear when you’re sweating!  The store was in the middle of a clearance so almost everything was under $20 plus I got an additional 30% off when I got the register.  The additional discount wasn’t advertised but I never question an additional discount!  I also found tons of sports bras at TJ Maxx for less than $10 from brands like Nike, Adidas and Reebok so don’t spend money on these!

Now for the all-important shoes…this is probably the one place you don’t want to go cheap.  I splurged on Nike 5.0 v4 Running Shoes because they felt light as a feather and they were beyond comfortable!  They cost $85 and while I did find some great running shoes on sale at the Nordstrom Rack-a great place to look for running shoes under $50 BTW- none felt quite as good as these.

Finally, the fitness.  I can’t afford a trainer but with an iPhone there’s no need.  If you need structure, the Shape Magazine workouts are a great place to start.  Just download their “Instant Butt Lift” or “Flat Abs Fast” and you’ll be on the road to that bikini body before you know it!

Stay inside where it’s warm this weekend and shop!

One of my favorite online boutiques is in the final 12 hours of it’s Winter Clearance where you can save 30% off their already affordable prices.  And last time I checked, there were still a handful of bargains to take advantage of.

I’m in love with this sequin wool dress and for less than $50 it’s going into my shopping cart like right now…

or what about this totally chic puffy coat for $76?!  Most of the down coats out there make you look like a marshmallow, but this AKIRA Black Label coat has a built in belt to help define your figure under all that puffiness!

And if you’re still looking for a hot pair of boots, you can’t miss this pair from Michael Antonio!  These knee-high buckled style are available in  both grey and black and while they’re not part of the sale, for $68 they’re a must buy!

BTW, if you see something you like and it’s not part of the clearance (like these boots) wait until the sale is over to make your purchase so you can use your 20% off code (CHICA20) at checkout…it won’t be active until after the sale.

If you’ve never heard of The Gilt Groupe, then you need to stop what you’re doing and sign up right now!  They offer up to 70% off the most coveted designers in the world (um…Marc Jacobs, Rodarte, Herve Leger...)  through their members-only, online sample sales.

Since we all know I would NEVER pay full price and I know my savvy shopping readers wouldn’t either, this site is a total godsend for all of your frugal fashionistas! It satisfies your designer sweet tooth without having to give up your entire paycheck and Gilt has stuff for your home, for your kids, for your man and my personal fave…Gilt Fuse which offers more contemporary, less expensive designer merchandise.  And to help you get started on your Gilt spending, we’ve teamed up with them to give-a-way a $100 gift certificate that can be used for anything on their site!

All you have to do, is sign up for exclusive membership through this link…and if you’re already a Gilt member, just leave a comment with your Name and email address (that you use for your Gilt account) on this post and you could be the lucky winner!

I recently had the chance to sit down with the beautiful and incredibly intelligent, Alexandra Wilkis Wilson–who you might otherwise know as one of the founders of The Gilt Groupe.  Along with her BFF, Alexis Maybank, these two fashionistas are leaving their name all over this industry and have revolutionized the sample sale game!

Here’s a few fun facts about Alexandra–she’s a fellow Latina, she attended Harvard Business School, she might just be the cutest pregnant woman I’ve ever seen, she used to work for Bulgari, her Mom meakes a mean tres leches,  and she loooooooves Zac Posen…scroll down for the full interview!

LV: How did you come up with this genius concept?

AWW: Both Alexis and I loved shopping sample sales and we would often find ourselves at these sales on our cell phones talking to friends and family who wanted us to buy beautiful items on their behalf.  It seemed a shame that only those living in NY or LA could benefit from great fashion at amazing prices so the initial idea for taking it to the masses sprouted from attending sample sales.

LV: How did you start the site?

AWW: Gilt Groupe launched with just five of us doing everything from merchandising to marketing to packing boxes!  There were many long hours and a lot of testing!

LV: Has this been something you’ve always wanted to do?

AWW: I have always had a love for fashion and I have been very fortunate to work with incredible companies such as Louis Vuitton and Bulgari. Now that I am at Gilt Groupe I have to opportunity to work with the best brands from around the world. And I have always been an entrepreneur at heart!

LV: How do you decide on what to buy for Gilt Groupe?

AWW: There are the obvious brands that are highly coveted by fashionistas, the established luxury players like Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Phillip Lim etc. but there are brands that are under the radar that have so much creativity and we feel that our members would jump at the chance to buy them if only they were aware of these designers and had access to them.  We are partners with the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) so we are very fortunate to be able to tap into such a wonderful resource for new talent.

LV: How in the world to you get these amazing deals?

AWW:  It really is dependent on the brands. We negotiate directly with our brands to bring our members the best deals possible.

LV: I notice a lot of product become “sold- out” quickly. What are the chances of getting it if you sign up for the “wait list”?

AWW: My sincere advice is to always click on the waitlist button!

LV: Who are your 3 favorite designers you’ve featured in the last year?

AWW: The brands I was most excited about this past year were, Alexander Wang, Phillip Lim, and Rodarte, all designers whose shows we sponsored this past SS2010 fashion week.

LV: What’s one thing that you want your shoppers to know about Gilt?

AWW: We want our member to look to Gilt as a trusted source within the fashion industry.  We not only bring you amazing prices on fantastic well known brands, but we also introduce our members to up and coming brands and we share with them insider info on events, cool websites, blogs and general fashion info.

LV:  Will you be expanding the site into anything else?

AWW: We have already expanded into beauty, home, children, men and travel so I think we have quite a few bases covered for now but I am sure that Gilt will always find new ways to surprise and delight our members.  Just this past weekend we had our first contemporary art sale so you never know what you might find on Gilt! And today we are selling wine!

LV: Why is the site for members only?

AWW: Similar to live sample sales we wanted the site to feel private for our members, making them feel like they are part of the “fashionista” crowd.

…but don’t worry…you can get access to their site by clicking this link and don’t forget to refer your friends for a $25 credit to your account if/when they make a purchase!

NOTE: This give-a-way ends on 01/15/10 and the winner will be notified via email that day.

So while black may be practical, there’s nothing more boring or drab than a black winter coat.  This winter go for bold, bright color when it comes to your outwear and if you haven’t had to buy a winter coat yet (lucky you, it’s freeeeeezing here) then you’re totally in luck…most of the big department stores are currently offering up to 70% off most of their outwear.

The ones above are from Nordstrom and they’re all on sale for less than $100! Not bad for a high quality wool coat that will keep you warm and in style all season long.

L to R: Steve Madden Toggle Coat, Miss Sixty Pleated Trench Coat, Kenneth Cole Reaction Wing Collar Trench

UPDATE: Use code THRIFTY to save 25% on your order…thanks Veronica!

Every so often (or every day as my husband might suggest) I spend some serious time looking online for the best and brightest when it comes to new boutiques.  And since I had some time while I was home for the Holidays, I did some extra “research” and found some super cute stores that you need to know about!

Last week I ordered from Shock Boutique and when I got the package it was like Christmas all over again!  I’m used to ordering online and getting my weekly UPS delivery, but this box was a little different.  Everything came tissue wrapped in sleek black paper and the jewelry was even packaged in their signature boxes so it felt like I was ordering from some exclusive high-end boutique…but trust me, when you see the prices on the site you’ll know that it’s CheapChica approved!

The overall quality of the items were on par with a store like Zara and the fit was spectacular on the dresses and shirts!  I’m super petite but the zipper tee ($20) in a size S was just the right fit if you’re looking for it to be on the loose side and more of a tunic length.  Oh and let’s not forget about the jewelry…I got their Punk Rock Necklace for $15 and it looks like a million bucks.  This is the perfect accessory to add a little edge to my otherwise girly wardrobe.

Above you’ll find my picks for the top items on the site (dying over this faux fur vest for $45), but have a look around and don’t forget to check out the sale section for up to 70% off their inventory! Happy Shopping!

UPDATE: Congrats to Tiffany…you’re the winner in our AKIRA leggings Give-a-way! They’re going to look great with your thigh-high boots!

I’m usually pretty decisive about what I like when it comes to fashion, but every once in a while I like to seek out the opinions of others in our industry that I think have a fabulous sense of style and a great eye!

This week I got to chat with the ladies over at AKIRA and they told me inside info about what’s selling at their super cute online store as well as their real store in Chicago.

One thing we both agree on–leggings are here to stay!  Whether you love them or hate them, they’re everywhere and since we’re in the season for boots, leggings are a great way to pull off the “tucked in” look withough having to fight with your jeans.

Their denim leggings are the #1 selling item on the site and given the price and quality (I’ve been living in mine!) I can understand why.  These are only $14 and they’re about 100 times nicer than other styles I’ve seen at this price!

Rounding out their top sellers–a fur vest (duh!) and the cutest demin mini skirt that looks nothing like a denim mini skirt! What I love about the vest is that it actually looks like real fur…none of that mangled, hard to the touch faux stuff here.  It’s soft, stylish and you’ll want to wear it with everything!

Now for the FREE stuff! One lucky reader will score their very own pair of demin leggings (or jeggings for fun!) just by leaving a comment on this post…

all you have to do is tell me how you’d style them or  let me know your favorite item on the Akira site and next Saturday I’ll announce the winner!  It’s that simple!

PS: How cute would you new demin leggins look with today’s Best Buy??