My go-to Cardis!

Cardigans are a life saver for anyone on the go and for those lazy days when you want a cute and effortless vibe. I have two cardigans that I wear too often (outfit repeater alert!) and yet, I still get showered with compliments when I wear them. I demonstrate these cardis with jeans but they are also very beautiful with shorts and skirts!

I bought this beauty at Hollister during the summer time (I think maybe August). Its ivory color and tribal pattern captured my eye on one of my many mall trips. It was priced at its original ticket price, $56, so I decided to wait on it. I knew the price would drop because it was a pre-Fall collection piece and those pieces usually get marked down to make way for the Fall collection items. After about two weeks of checking back on it, it was marked down to $25 and I bought it! To some people, $25 for a cardigan may seem like a bit of a splurge (especially if you're in college and you've been hit with the requirement to purchase an iclicker; smh) but remember the fashion math. If you wear this cardigan every two weeks for an entire year (that's 26 weeks of bonfires at the beach and cool Fall afternoon picnics) and divide that by the price of the item ($25), you average out to $1.04 per wear! Not only do you get your money's worth but you also have a versatile piece that is both cozy and fashionable. 

This next piece is a gorgeous convertible cardigan from the Eva Mendes collection at New York and Company. I had never seen a convertible cardigan before until this jewel came into my life.This piece is perfection because 1.its black and can be paired with anything (including skirts), 2. its thick which helps keep me warm during Fall and Winter, and 3. its made from a material that keeps it from wrinkling (perfect for travel)

This cardigan can be worn traditionally (as shown in the first picture and Hollister picture) or it can be worn as an asymmetrical cardigan. The way this asymmetrical look is achieved is through a hole that was created on the bottom of one of the drapings. Here I demonstrate the hole where my left arm will go through. 

So I put my left arm through the hole and the cardigan looks like this. Don't let the picture fool you. It looks as if I'm ready to go but I have the sleeve for my left arm hanging behind me! 

I grab the hanging sleeve, slip my left arm through it, and voila! I get this really chic, asymmetrical cardigan that is so unique and fashion forward! This item sold out in September 2015 and it was a very sad moment. I was able to get my hands on it because a customer returned it; a perfect example of one man's trash being another man's treasure. If you come across this particular cardigan or another one just like it, grab it and swipe that credit card immediately! 

OOTD: Express High-Waisted sailor skirt

This sailor skirt from Express has become my life! It is my go-to staple item for days when I need to look fabulous without having to try too hard. I paired the skirt with a bodysuit and the Oxford boots from the Eva Mendes collection in the shade Classic Sangria. I do own a lot of pieces from the Eva Mendes collection because I work at one of eleven boutiques in the country as an Eva Mendes Stylist. The fancy title does allow me to have dibs on these items but they are still extremely affordable for the fashionista on a budget. Right now, the bodysuits are retailing between 60-80% the original price! 

Coming back to this amazing and versatile skirt; it has been worth every single penny! Unfortunately, this skirt was not on sale and was purchased for its regular ticket price: $59.95. Now, before you freak out and hate me for demonstrating a not-so-budget-friendly piece, allow me to give a quick fashion-math lesson. Realistically, I do not wear this skirt on a daily basis because, lets face it, change is good. However, I do reach for it on the weekly when I go out with bae or with my ride-or-die ladies. If you take the price of the skirt (rounding it up to $60) and divide it by the number of weeks in a year (52), you get an average of about $1.15 per wear!!! $1.15 is a lot cheaper than my kiss-sized boba tea!

Not only do I get my money's worth, I get 52 weeks of non-stop compliments and envious stares.

 

Welcome to my page!

Welcome to my page! I hope you enjoy picking up some tips and tricks to look cute without maxing out the credit cards; yes its possible!  I will try to post weekly or biweekly updates on staple items that are both versatile and timeless. Let's tackle fashion together!