Survival Tactics For Shopping

The other day I actually ventured into a store with the intention to buy. Mind you the past three months I have been recycling, swapping, sharing, and refurbishing my wardrobe. Ladies, I do practice what I preach!... So to venture back out into the shopping jungle was quite a task. Nervous, I thought, “I must arm myself!” Before I left I did a shopping survival-kit check... 1.) “Budget... check!” 2.) “Clear vision of what I needed... check!” 3.) “Research sales... check!” I picked one store and one store only to go into. It happened to be a sporting goods store because I needed a pair of running pants and a fleece. The store was advertising 20 percent off most of the store. I had read this in the paper so I was super excited!

When I arrived at the store I was immediately confused. Sale signs were on some racks... and then other racks seemed to be purposely ambiguous. Like they were screaming, “Maybe we’re on sale... maybe we’re not. Hahaha you’ll never know!” I spent 90 minutes carefully choosing my wardrobe from what seemed like the 20 percent off rack. I tried every item on and made sure I only walked to the counter with what I needed and what was within my budget. Proud, I started my transaction and when the bill came I was OVER BUDGET! (GASP) “HOW?!” I thought. The sales person explained to me that my fleece was not on sale. I pointed out it was on the sale rack. Then she pointed out the sale rack was really the rack on the other side of the sign... I thought, “Hmmm that is tricky!” So there I was; now it had been 2 hours since I entered the store and I had to get back to work... what was a girl to do?! So sadly I went over budget.... feeling defeated i decided to do some research the next day. I wandered into a few stores and quickly realized this “ambiguous sale sign” is an empidemic. So I started to make a list of how and what I could do better next time and I decided to add two more important points to my SHOPPING SURVIVAL CHECK LIST.

1.) ASK QUESTIONS UP FRONT! Be that annoying shopper that confirms what is and isn’t on sale 15 times with the sales clerk. If they are going to make it tricky for us, we are going to make them work for their money! Stores know that once they get you to the counter, there is a 50% chance you will buy the item even when you discover it is not on sale. You have already invested your time and gotten used to the idea the item will be going home with you. So parting ways at the counter is tough!

2.) FACTOR SALES TAX IN YOUR BUDGET! Many major cities have raised their sales tax to 9-11%! That adds up! If you find a similar store outside the city, I recommend doing so, but if you don’t have the time or the means to shop anywhere but in your metropolitan area PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure you factor in sales tax before you make your budget! Click here to find your city’s sales tax rate.

It is a new frontier out there ladies, and we are smart and constantly evolving as shoppers! We can take on the beast, we just have to out run and out smart it! HAPPY HUNTING! KK

The Many Faces of Fashion

Years ago I left for College determined to reinvent myself. The Fall of freshman year started with me rockin the grunge look. Although I preferred Nine Inch Nails or the Violent Femmes to Kurt Cobain, I was extremely intrigued by the concept that a flannel shirt tied around the waist with a pair of worker boots could be considered sexy. So of course I had to test the theory and see if I could give it a fashionista spin... “What if I combined the worker boots, a taxi cab hat, overalls, and a flannel?!” Genius! This being the opposite of my high school identity... which consisted of Keds, very straight hair, and rugby shirts... I thought, “I have finally found myself!” But sadly, that trend quickly swept the nation and by Halloween, grunge took over my campus and the world.... now I was just one in a sea of women wearing flannels, overalls, and work boots.

So by winter my survival instincts kicked in and I did the only logical thing... I became a Vegan. Duh!!! I wore crystals around my neck, dabbled in Buddhism and started shopping at thrift stores. I was amazed at all the treasures I found. “Moo Moo” became the name of tops or dresses that I wore instead of the beef or cheese that I used to eat. Patched up jeans?.... A gold mine... and all the above was less than 10 dollars at the thrift store. Since I was a nuevo hippie, I could escape the whole petuli oil smell (that I am certain I am allergic too)... instead I chose clove cigarettes and earl grey tea as my accessories. I pierced my nose and followed the band Phish for a summer. Life was good.

Unfortunately, my sophomore year Jerry Garcia died and “Dead Heads” became “Phish Heads” and my “unique look” wasn’t so unique anymore. Plus my very neuvo hippie boyfriend dumped me for a very straight laced “dancer”. Devastated... I went shopping... of course! And that is when I found them... a fabulous pair of bell bottoms just staring at me with a $5.99 price tag. I thought, “This... this will be the new Kara... I will revive disco without the disco... I can change the world one polyester pant leg at a time.” And for 6 months my platform silver shoes, platinum hair, orange butterfly collar shirts and vinyl jackets were known in my circle of friends.

Now while I would love to believe I am a fashion swami and / or a trendsetter, I most definitely am not. Fashion, like life, recycles itself. And you know what? That is pretty darn amazing. Think about it. Thrift stores, our closets, our friend’s closets, they are all like amazing libraries. Just like a good book... you can escape in them. Listen, I have no formal fashion training. I am just a girl from the Midwest who loves playing dress up everyday of her life. Yes, times are tough financially, but no one can take away your expression.

Ok, so I no longer pierce my nose or dye my hair platinum, but when I am down and out, you better believe I chop my hair and get a new get up. On Monday I can be the businesswomen in a damper vintage jacket and a pair of jeans. Friday night is date night, so I dig out a silk dress from 5 years ago to spice it up with my husband. On Saturday I may be caught wearing an old pair of sweats and a vintage knit scarf I found 13 years ago at a thrift store, and pigtails. The great thing about fashion is the more time that passes, the bigger the library grows. And anything goes! Anything! I promise whether it is your favorite pair of capri’s, overalls, or a polka dot dress, don’t wait for it to come back in style. Find a way to wear it now. Express yourself. Reinvent yourself. Turn over a new leaf... even if it is just for a night! Flip through today’s magazines... I promise everything from the liberty-like prints to bright accessories you are seeing are reminiscent of the past. Whether it be when Laura Ashley swept the younger generation in the 90s, or the late 60s when flloral print told a story of freedom... you can even keep going rewinding all the way to “the prairie” if you like. The point is, it’s all “in style”.... it’s “your style” and fashion should celebrate you and how you are feeling. So tomorrow I want you to dig through your closet or drawers and find your favorite “out dated” item and find a way to wear it. Find a way to make it “in style”... “your style”.

Make Your Lucky Day!

Since it is St Patty’s Day and I am Irish I thought, “Why not blog about Luck!” The definition of luck according to wikipedia is: 1. The chance happening of fortunate or adverse events; 2. Good fortune of prosperity; success: 3. One’s personal fate or lot:

So what do you do when it feels like your fate is unlucky? Your chance happenings are all unfortunate and your prosperity... well isn’t exactly prosperous?! In an economy such as this, it can be really hard to stay positive and feel lucky. But you know what? You are lucky! Luck is all around you, and my friends, today will be your lucky day! That’s right.... read this blog and I promise you your luck will turn around! And you don’t even have to forward this on to 20 people to make it come true!

1.) ASSESS YOUR SUCCESS! Right now I want you to write down at least 5 things you have done in your lifetime that you are proud of! It can be anything from taking care of a sick friend, to adopting a stray dog! Write down 5 things you have done that positively impacted yourself or someone else!

2.) NOW GO TO WHERE YOU KEEP YOUR ACCESSORIES. Dig through your shoes, jewelry, hats, and handbags until you find one item you have forgotten about. I promise you ladies, something is hiding in your armoire waiting to be worn! Once you find your item, build your outfit around your lucky charm! 3.) NOW GO TO YOUR CLOSET AND FIND SOMETHING GREEN. Did you ever notice that doctors offices are always painted green? This is because green is a calming color and it promotes love and positive thoughts.

So the “lucky green” everyone speaks of, is actually putting yourself in the right mind set to create your own luck!

4.) NOW IT’S TIME TO MAKE SOMEONE ELSE’S LUCKY DAY! I want you to do one nice thing unexpected or unprovoked for someone else. It could be finding a “lucky penny” and handing it to a stranger, or complimenting your mean boss on how great he or she looks today! 5.) CREATE A FRIEND’S FASHION FATE. Think about a friend who has either been... saving up for a new pair of shoes, wishing they could shop, or just plain down on their luck lately.

Look through your closet and find an accessory or outfit you think would be perfect for them. Today give them a gift on loan.... this will be something to make them feel great and help turn their luck around. Maybe loan it for a month? A week? Whatever you decide... but I promise turning around someone else’s fate will ensure your future is bright!

SIZE MATTERS?!?!?!

SUZY Q is excited! Today is the last Friday of the month! Which means after work she will rush to the mall to meet Betty B for a shopping spree!!! Suzy Q has been saving for 2 months for a pair of Joe’s Honey jeans. Negative 10 pounds and 8 weeks later, Suzy will finally get to slip on the size 30s she has been salivating over. Upon arriving at the mall she is devastated to discover only a size 31 on the rack. she tries them on.... too baggy :(. They don’t give her tush the lift she is looking for... while she is proud of her weight loss, she is deeply saddened by the situation.

“Knock knock”.... (the sales clerk taps at the dressing room door) “Have you tried Seven jeans before? They can make your butt look 10 years younger!” “Ten years younger?” Suzy thought, “I am in!!!” The clerk brings her two pairs, a size 30 and 31. She comments, “Sometimes Seven jeans tend to run a tad tight so I brought you a size up.” Suzy tried on the size 30.... is this a JOKE?! She can’t even get them over her hips...she checks the tag... maybe the clerk made a mistake? But there staring back is a big 3-0... She tries the size 31. She barely gets them zipped... two very mortifying words scream back at her from the mirror... the first is camel..... “WHAT HAS HAPPENED!!!??” She thought, “WHY AM I BEING PUNISHED!!!??”

Here is the deal ladies... there is no FDA for fashion. The government nor anyone else regulates size. Now while some of us believe this should be a federal crime, the truth is... designers can do whatever they want. If they want a Size 6 to be a Size 10, they can. It is a sad reality that can cause us to eat or not eat that last bite of cake. So what is a gal to do?

1.) DON’T GET FIXED ON THE NUMBER. Your body is the same size no matter what the tag says. 2.) TRY DIFFERENT BRANDS. Be aware that sizes are different because the designer chose to make that the reality. 3.) BE AWARE OF WHERE YOU ARE SHOPPING. Where are you shopping? If you are shopping in a Juniors section, you have to go up at least two sizes. If you aren’t sure it is a Junior or not, look at the sizes. Odd sizes like 7, 9, 11 tend to be Juniors as opposed to even sizes like 6, 8, 10. 4.) DON’T BE DISCOURAGED. FIND A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR YOU. If you are looking at a jean brand that sizes by the waist measurement, then they usually tend to size a little more accurately. Number sizes can vary greatly. But either way, you have to realize some designers like to skew their sizes. So just give yourself ample amount of time to find that next pair of favorite jeans! KK

HOW TO THROW A SWANKY SWAP PARTY....

So a few of you emailed in asking for more information on how to have a successful clothing swap party. I know it can be very daunting to host one of these, so I wanted to make sure we went back and revisited the idea. RULE #1 THINK OF YOUR PARTY LIKE A POTLUCK -You must assign things for your guests to bring. There is nothing worse than throwing a swap party and you are the only one swapping! Just like a POTLUCK dinner, where you assign friends sides, desserts, or a main course, you need to make sure everyone brings something to contribute.

RULE #2 THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX -Not everyone has a closet full of designer jeans to swap. But if you take the time to get crafty and plan this party well you could make the experience more of a “Diva Swap Party”. Assign each person to bring one thing from the following list: jeans or pants, shirts, dresses, casual wear, accessories, shoes, bags, maybe even their services... is someone good at painting nails? Do you have a friend who is great with hair?

Set up a beauty station and you can have someone trade their services for swaps....the key is for people to feel like they just went to the mall or the salon without spending a dime. So get creative and make the party very interactive. RULE #3 BYOB

-Again the point of this party you are hosting is to save money. So if you spend tons of money on wine and cheese to get everyone there, it defeats the point. It is ok to chip in a little more as the host, but make sure you are tasteful and don’t be afraid to tell people to bring a treat or a bottle of wine. RULE #4 MAKE IT EXCITING TO BE INVITING

-People might be a little hesitant to participate in a clothing swap. Some are afraid to swap... some may be afraid to show the array of sizes they have in their closets... others may just not know what to expect. Make your invitations fun and exciting. Make sure that it is welcoming to all types of people. I am a big fan of the “Diva Party” theme. Wine tasting is a really easy one. Everyone could bring a different wine to taste. It is not only fun, but a little vino takes the edge off a party where you are trying on each others clothes. RULE #5 SET UP THE RULES AHEAD OF TIME -Make sure ahead of time your invite explains the rules. Is this a trade party? Where you trade your things with someone else for keeps? Is it a loan swap party? If so how long do you loan out? Typically loans are 4-6 weeks. That way someone else can host a swap party to return the goods. If no other party is planned, who is responsible to return the goods? Does the borrower ship to the lender, or bring it back personally? If so, when is the deadline? Make sure all these things are really clear so everyone knows what they are getting into.

Take your time and plan. Start talking about it now with friends so everyone can have time to gather some goods. Springtime is a wonderful time to host a “Diva Party”. Everyone is looking to do some spring cleaning anyway. Don’t stress out, this event is a great opportunity for you and your friends to bond and get a new wardrobe! Remember, someone’s garbage is another gal’s treasure! Happy Swapping!