shopping

Shopping With Sue…at Gap

February 24, 2011 at 11:37 am , by Sue Erneta

I need new jeans. Does that ever happen to you? All of a sudden none of your jeans are working for you anymore? Perhaps it has something to do with all the winter/stress weight I’ve gained, but we’ll just ignore that fact for now, ok? OK?!? Moving on…

I’ve decided to check out what the masters of denim have at the Gap. And sure enough, they have just what I’m looking for: a slightly-faded but not-too-distressed, kinda-baggy but not-too-boyfriendy, ready-to-roll-up pair of jeans.  Love it. Granted — I should get my bum down to the store to try them on — and I will, but for now let’s just look at the website and dream that they’ll actually look like that on me. I should mention that like all denim brands, Gap is making a big push for the flare. You can find lots of them here. I think they’re adorable but not for someone who is 5’1″ like me.

While I’m shopping, I think I’ll snag this cute stripey top — one can never have too many stripes. And I’ll also be picking up this navy cardigan (not pictured) because if you know me, you know a navy cardigan is my best friend. Navy with all those browns and camels, you ask? Why yes, I think I will.

A little place I always visit on gap.com is the shoe section where sometimes you can pick up some web exclusive designer shoes like these killer wedges (Bonus: They’re on SALE!). And my new favorite place on the site is the GapMag, a brand-spankin’ new blog that features all kinds of cool insidery stuff. My favorite: the outfits spotted on fashionable Gap staffers at the Gapeteria.

And since the sun rises and sets with sale prices (at least in my opinion!), you can get 25 percent off your online purchase through Feb 26! Use code GAPSAVE25. Details here.

So, tell me…how do you like my spring-ready look? Have you picked up any new jeans lately?

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Go Ask Gab: Designer Discount Website? Yes Please!

February 17, 2011 at 11:43 am , by Gabrielle Porcaro

Ok so I’m kinda obsessing over this new website I heard about, peppermintpark.com. For just $10 a month, you get access to clothing and accessories 80 percent off retail price. Plus when you tell your friends you get $10 and 10 percent of the purchase they make. You can cash it in or keep on the site and shop for free.

Just so you can fully understand the crazy deals that are on this site;  you can get this Prada black leather tote for $441.25 (originally $1,400). Yes, I know that still seems like a lot of money but take it from this frugal girl, raised by a woman who is undoubtedly the best shopper on the planet and who works with a lady who just happens to be a Prada expert… this is a MAJOR DEAL!

Here are some other items I am digging:

Now, the best part: Ladies Lounge readers get 3 months FREE when they enter the code LHJPP!  Happy Shopping!

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Get-Fit Clicks

February 15, 2011 at 11:36 am , by jbrown

* Make sure you get your fill of fiber today—and every day. A new study shows it could help you live longer. (Huffpo)

* Our friends at Fitness explain what activities really count as exercise. Alas, shopping rarely does. (Fitness via Yahoo)

* Four fitness DVDs that’ll take your abs from flab to fab. (FitSugar)

* First it was toning shoes; now toning clothing is everywhere. Are the claims too good to be true? (That’s Fit)

* Why some experts are critical of the recent study linking diet soda consumption to increased risk of stroke and heart attack. (Medical News Today)

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Shopping with Sue…at Banana Republic

January 25, 2011 at 1:40 pm , by Sue Erneta

I’m in full-on vacation countdown mode (only 4 days until I’m sitting on the sunny beaches of Aruba! Woohoo!) so I’ve been spending way too much time perusing the internet for some fun resort items. I’m torn though — I don’t want to blow a lot of money (you know how I hate to pay full price!) on something that’ll be beach-appropriate now but not get much play come springtime. Then I spotted this adorable navy silk dress at Banana  Republic. You can always count on good ole Banana for something feminine and classic. I’ll pair it with flat sandals and either a long medallion necklace or dangley turquoise earrings next week. Bonus: I’ll also wear it all summer at work. For the office, I’ll add this chunky belt and booties to make it more citified. (Is that a word? It is now!) And how can I resist something called the Ariel necklace? My Ariel-obsessed 5 year old will certainly approve. And it’ll remind me of my vacation when I’m pounding the NYC pavement next summer.

More great news: Banana is offering 35% off of everything JUST TODAY til midnight. Check out the BR homepage for details. The clock is ticking…get shopping!

Follow up: That 35% off maybe over now, but BR is offering 30% off through Feb 3rd online only! Use code: BRJAN30

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Can This Marriage Be Saved? She’s a Shopaholic

December 2, 2010 at 4:47 pm , by Jennifer Castoro

Black Friday! Cyber Monday! Buy 20, get 1 free! Blowout-knockdown-stampede-through-the-door sale, one day only! BuybuyBUY!

Sound familiar? At this time of year, it’s so (so, so) easy to get sucked into overspending on indulging your loved ones’ holiday want-list. We all want to make our friends and families smile with the gifts we choose for them, and it’s tough to resist a good bargain when you see it. We’re not recommending that you pass by that ideal present you finally finagled to 50 percent off. But what happens when the shopping goes a little too far?

This week’s warring couple consists of Kelly, a 32-year-old with a well-paid job at an ad agency, and Rich, a 33-year-old civil engineer. Their story is from our June 1998 issue, but the topic is as classic as ever. (And if this is a hot-button issue in your household, read up on how to talk about money with your spouse for ideas on how to get the conversation rolling.)

In one corner… Read more

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Finding Just The Right Gift

November 30, 2010 at 3:08 pm , by Sue Erneta

I’m moving in a couple of weeks so I’ve been very busy digging in the backs of every closet in my house to edit, purge, organize and pack. And purge I have! (Check out the Goodwill in Springfield, New Jersey for the 16 bags of stuff I brought in on Sunday. And that was just what went last weekend!) Of course, there were things in the closets that I forgot I had. I’ll blame poor organization. But the vast majority of those items in the backs of every closet in my house are unwanted gifts. Okay haters — go ahead and say that I’m ungrateful but honestly it makes me sad when someone spends their time and/or money on something that I have no use for. My mom — one of the best gift givers in the world — is rolling her eyes reading this right now. Because for 38 years, she has tried to surprise me with great gifts. (Example of her gift-giving talents: A photo taken right after the 1969 Mets won their first World Series, signed by all the players. She picked that one up for my hubby in May 2006 and hid it until Christmas. Tears were shed.) But for me, she gave up awhile ago. Was it the typed Christmas list with all the J. Crew style numbers that gave me away? Or maybe it was when she saw how happy I was when I got just what I wanted.

At this time of year, we’re all flocking to stores and websites to buy tons of gifts. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that the recipient is getting exactly what they want. You don’t want your gift collecting dust in the back of their closet, do you? That’s why I’m totally loving Kenneth Cole’s Wish List. It’s a website (and iphone/ipad app) where you can select exactly what you want and just casually send the link to your loved ones. And it’s not just Kenneth Cole merchandise. You could pick a gift card to Starbucks, an iPad, a kimodo dragon, a loft apartment in Tribeca, Ping golf clubs, Jenga, an Aston Martin, a donation to AmFar, a Turducken, a lifetime supply of Nutella, MAC mascara, an original Andy Warhol or even World Peace. (Hey, it’s a “wish” list so why not?)

In case anyone I love is reading this, feel free to check out my wish list here. (I promise I would never donate the Maserati you gave me to Goodwill!) So, what do you want for Christmas?

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Facebook Black Friday Shopping Deals

November 24, 2010 at 11:51 am , by Sara Dayton

I’ve left the house to shop on Black Friday only once. I came home with plenty of bargain purchases, but I was also permanently scarred by the crowds of rabid shoppers. Now I spend the day after Thanksgiving eating leftovers and shopping from the comfort of my living room.

One of the most exciting parts of this year’s shopping craze is the number of stores using Facebook to promote their Black Friday specials. Instead of scouring the internet for deals, I’ll simply “Like” my favorite stores’ fan pages and they’ll send coupons and promotions right to my inbox. How convenient is that? As a bonus, many stores are also offering sweepstakes and giveaways to their Facebook fans. (Of course, if you really love the idea of free stuff, enter our Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway.)

For discounts and deals on everything from art and décor to home improvement supplies, check out the Facebook pages of participating sites like Lowes, Overstock.com, and Soap.com. And don’t think that only the big chains are using Facebook promos—many local businesses use the site to advertise special deals directly to their fans. You can show support for your favorite indie shops and restaurants this weekend on Small Business Saturday. American Express is giving registered Cardmembers a $25 statement credit when they shop at participating small businesses on Saturday November 27th.

So search around for your favorites, both big and small, and get ready to save!

How will you spend Black Friday–shopping online or in the stores? Or relaxing and recovering from a day of big eating?

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