A Restful Ballerina

One of my favourite shops ever is Anthropologie. Personally, I'm all about little details, and a store like Anthropologie allows me to "indulge my craving," so to speak. Oftentimes, after perusing through Anthropologie, my mind is focused on three types of clothes: the DIY type, the lust-after type, and the great sale bargains type. Needless to say, the latter comes up once in a blue moon. However, with the economy in the state that it is, many retail stores, including Anthropologie, have been increasing their sales. So, I figured that I would show you a couple of Anthropologie's "bargain" pieces, in case you didn't catch them.

One of the places I like to look for unexpected but cheaper pieces is Anthropologie's loungewear section.

This tank is pretty simple, and I guess it could be DIY-ed, but I've found that bows tend to look really floppy when they're just sewn on tank tops. I actually really like this, and think it could be worn easily casually, or with a blazer. $19.95


This camisole may be a bit lingerie-like for some, but I actually think it's really great with a cardigan for a feminine and pretty look. It also works under a blazer for slightly less formal office situations. $19.95


This chemise could completely work as an ordinary dress, and I love the "waterfall" detailing down the front (also, I love that it's called Iguazu!). But since this is a chemise, if you're going to be out and possibly photographed, I'd suggest either flash testing this or wearing a slip underneath, as thin jersey can be pretty unforgiving in front of a camera. $39.95


I am always in love with Anthropologie's shoes, but they're always way out of my price range. This pair, which is $69.95, is a little steep but much cheaper than Anthropologie's usual offerings. These ballet flats are amazing...the buckle details are awesome...


...and check out that zipper! The only problem I've got with these flats is that their amazing details won't show when I wear jeans. And no, I'm not going to go Sienna Miller and wear the buckle detailing over my jeans.

An Accessory Rainbow

Red

Halle Bag, Kooba, $495.00


Orange
Zero Haircalf Slash Vamp Flat, Eileen Shields for Zero + Maria Cornejo, $148.50


Yellow
Studded Patent Flat, Kalliste, $102.00


Green
Dr. Q Key Pouch, Marc by Marc Jacobs, $92.00


Blue
Festival Tall Boot, Hunter Boots, $145.00


Purple
Resin Clutch, Tory Burch, $295.00


...but sometimes you can have a little too much of a good thing
Rainbow Oversized Bag, See by Chloe, $135.00

Scales or Snakeskin?

This has got to be the most killer pair of teenybopper discount shoes I have ever seen:


I saw these and I was kind of like those cartoons where someone's jaw drops all the way to the floor. Seriously? $24.99 for these beauties? It's so hard for me to grasp that these are from GoJane, a retailer along the lines of Wet Seal and Forever 21 that usually cranks out tight jersey pieces that redefine the word "sheer." Granted, I would probably have to see these in person...but really, they look absolutely gorgeous.

The site claims that they're "snakeskin" print, but doesn't this seem more like a fish scale print to you? The first thing I thought of when I saw these shoes was that unbelievable fish scale dress worn by Marion Cotillard to the Oscars:

...My My, How Can I Resist You?

So that van Gogh notebook got me thinking about Starry Night, and the beautiful colour combinations of the painting. I'm no artist, and my knowledge of colour palettes is limited to that little wheel I see at Blick and Office Depot that automatically matches colours for you. But even with my limited art knowledge, I can still appreciate the gorgeous tones of the painting.

Because my expression comes more from fashion than from a paintbrush, here's my own, Shopbop-induced 5-minute van Gogh.


Individual pieces (all from Shopbop sale):

Vivianne Dress, Dessous by Sophie Simmons


Flower Ruffle Dress, Moschino Cheap and Chic


Side Button Dress, Mint Jodi Arnold


Melissa Open Toe Slingback Pump, Modern Vintage Shoes


Celesta Satin Flat, Maloles

Fanciful Footwear from Net-A-Porter

When I buy designer shoes, I always try to go for shoes that stand out and that require a second glance, but at the same time go with many things and will not go out of style in the next two hours. So, if you guys are looking for some footwear of your own that satisfies these criteria I'd suggest you take a look at the Net-A-Porter shoe sales. It might be out of a lot of peoples' budgets, and a lot of shoes are only available in one or two sizes, but the "thrill of the hunt" is a lot of fun for me...and so very rewarding when I find a pair of lovely designer shoes to adorn my feet.

I know Juicy Couture doesn't really qualify as "designer," but they've come out with some pretty cute things lately. Usually, if you go for things like shift dresses and stay away from things that...are made of velour, you should be okay. These lovely little bow flats go with lots of things, and they're pretty and girly enough to be worn in spring. Plus, they're on sale for $105.


I am in absolute love with these Burberry flats -- the colour is gorgeous, the stud details are cool without being crazy, and it's on sale! Too bad most of the world agreed, since these are only available in sizes 9.5 and 10. But if you happen to be one of those sized I would go straight over to Net-A-Porter and snap these lovelies up, because it's a piece of Burberry for only $197.50.


This pair of shoes highlights what I said earlier about a pair of designer shoes that is wearable and not too crazy, but still merits a second look. These Miu Miu heels might not be that wearable, but come on...they're gorgeous. And they're only $197.50! What more could you ask for.


These pink Fendi flats are kind of like a more subtle Tory Burch flat. I'm not going to lie, I don't mind a little bit of labeling as long as it's not over the top. I like these because they have a little Fendi logo that's visible, but they're also a lovely pair of pink flats that would add some instant spring into a beige-y wardrobe like mine. They're a little bit pricier, at $220.50, but still not bad for Fendi.


Finally, I'm sure you all have seen these Marc by Marc Jacobs mouse flats somewhere, but I'm featuring them anyway. Why? Well, because these flats are the epitome of what I said earlier about what I look for in a pair of designer shoes. They're flats in grey and black, so that makes them very wearable. They're Marc by Marc Jacobs, which is the holy grail of cute flats. And, the adorable mouse detailing isn't crazy but it definitely merits a second glance. And yeah, I guess $227.50 isn't that momentous a sale, but if you're into cute flats these shoes could very well be worth it.

Beautiful Blues

It's no secret that my favourite colour is blue. Clothing-wise, I wear tons and tons of beige, black, and grey, but I do usually accent my outfits with coloured accessories. In keeping with my more subdued palette, I tend to go for vivid jewel tones, but my favourite colour to add to an outfit is blue. Blue is kind of the coloured version of a neutral; it goes with everything. This season, a vivid cobalt blue is taking over the accessories (and clothing) market, so here are a couple of cheaply chic finds to help you introduce this colour into your wardrobe.

From a brand called Hobo International, you'd expect very slouchy, hobo-style bags. Instead, I found this gorgeous envelope clutch, on sale at Piperlime, for only $104.99. It's 8.5" by 12.5", so a tiny bit bigger than a normal piece of paper. I love that this clutch can be used for both evening and day, and it definitely doesn't hurt that it's on sale.


While browsing the J. Crew sales (they have some amazing shoes), I came upon this gorgeous pair of blue silk slingbacks. They're a little more purple than cobalt, but the sumptuous silk knot at the front adds a gorgeous detail to these shoes. Unfortunately, they're on sale for $149.99, which for me isn't much of a sale.


So, I went over to one of my favourite places for bargain shoes, Newport News. Lo and behold, they had their own pair of blue satin slingbacks, this time with an interesting front loop detail. You can't see the blue pair very well in this picture, but just imagine the pink pair in front in that gorgeous blue colour. My only qualm? The wooden heel. But hey, for only $19.00 these are some very lovely heels.


Another, more bargainous find from the J. Crew sales was this lovely little bangle. Bangles have become really popular this season, but I've always had a few pairs in rotation because of my Indian background. I'm loving these new block-coloured ones from J. Crew, and this is only $7.49! I'm definitely snapping this up today.


Finally, because I like to save the best for last, here is a very cute pair of Nine West flats with a flower detail at the top. I fell in love with these flats when I saw them -- but then again, who wouldn't. They come in pink, orange, and black as well, but I personally adore this blue pair (and they still have it in size 6!). They're $39.99, which is a little bit steeper than my usual amount for flats, but these are just so adorable I'm seriously debating ordering them.

Strappy Black Sandals a la Nine West

Something I think everyone should own (and no, not just because it's black) is a gorgeous pair of strappy black sandals. This season especially, a pair of strappy black sandals makes any dress party-appropriate, while even echoing the strappy styles seen on day sandals this season.

While checking out the Nine West sales, I came upon these two lovely pairs of black satin strappy sandals, both for the lovely price of $39.99. I've got my eye on that cage pair, because of the more unique and delicate strappy detail.