I mean even the jackets you get at H&M or even God forbid, Forever21 don't feel as bad as those from Old Navy...

H&M is a good place to start Meg! They're a great place to try out a trend and not spend too much money too.

[Edited on November 6, 2011 at 7:01 PM. Reason : 292]

11/6/2011 7:01:37 PM

i've heard of H&M but i've never been. hopefully they carry above size 0? maybe i'll get the chance to check it out some day this week! i hate weekends at the mall around this time of year.



[Edited on November 6, 2011 at 7:09 PM. Reason : never been to forever 21 either. is that at crabtree?]

11/6/2011 7:07:59 PM

they're both at crabtree...I'd only hit up forever21 if you're needing something to wear a couple times. They stuff doesn't last, but for what it is, it's good.

11/6/2011 7:11:32 PM

I don't know when exactly but Forever 21 is opening at South Point.

Meg if you kind of know what style you like, you might want to sign up for emails for that particular clothing company. I do it for Loft because I like their stuff and they run great deals regularly. If you keep on top of the emails and look regularly online, you could score nice stuff for really cheap.

[Edited on November 6, 2011 at 7:28 PM. Reason : Edit]

11/6/2011 7:27:06 PM

meg the best method i use for cheap stuff that won't fall apart within the first few wears is clearance racks and places like tjmaxx and marshalls

you can find pretty decent stuff without breaking the bank. i never buy stuff full price anymore

11/6/2011 7:29:33 PM

Yeah Cassie is right

You can get stuff for good deals if you catch a sale (esp. a sale with an extra percent off) and still get great clothes.

TJ Maxx & Marshalls are also good, if you can handle that kind of shopping. I don't like to dig and search thru things to find what I want, so I don't go there very often. People get fantastic stuff from there, so its possible lol

11/6/2011 7:37:45 PM

Quote :

" if you kind of know what style you like"

i wish i knew! my style is jeans and a hoodie, but apparently i'm 26 now so i need to dress like an adult. thanks for the suggestions - i am open to trying just about anything as long as i don't go broke doing it. i think there is a tj maxx around the corner from me, i don't know why i always forget about that place. i know i usually really like banana republic and gap, but even they can be a little too expensive for me.

[Edited on November 6, 2011 at 7:40 PM. Reason : ]

11/6/2011 7:38:52 PM

Also if you go the online shopping route, go into the store and try stuff on. Make a note about your sizing for that store so when you shop online you know what size to order

11/6/2011 7:39:52 PM

Go online and browse. I find that I gravitate to more classic solid color tops and jeans as bottoms. Loft is great because they pretty much sell everything in solid colors so I end up getting a lot of something I like and then mix and match (tanks and cardigans). I wear a lot of black but since losing weight I like to wear more color so I've been experimenting more with trying on new colors.

I love Marshall's and I have figured out when they get new stuff in now. They sell Joe Jeans and Paige jeans but I found out today that you have to check the clothing out before trying it on because it might be defective I ended up trying on a great pair of jeans that had a huge hole in them.

11/6/2011 7:43:38 PM

If you like GAP make sure you fan the crabtree store on facebook (even triangle town center too)

they post sales and clearances all the time...and sometimes they do specials for folks on facebook. They used to do 40% off facebook wednesdays and I would go and buy a pair of dress pants or a top each week. It was pretty great, but I'm not sure if they do that anymore.

11/6/2011 7:45:58 PM

i will admit shopping at tjmaxx or marshalls is a definite chore. its the kind of thing you do alone b/c if you go with someone else then someone is going to get annoyed waiting for someone else to finish looking at stuff

i usually go there when ihave an afternoon free and time/$ to burn

and i've found at least 3 calvin klein dresses for like $50 that fit me perfectly this way

11/6/2011 7:48:24 PM

I'm a friend shopper especially in that kind of store. I will go crazy if I'm there alone. I like having someone there to find stuff for, and they find stuff for me. In that situation, 2 sets of eyes are better than one.

Speaking of CK dresses....some super cute stuff on HauteLook right now. It took everything I had to not click buy just now. Some dresses for $35 (previously $128) right now.

[Edited on November 6, 2011 at 7:57 PM. Reason : fuck I say now a lot]

11/6/2011 7:57:14 PM

If any yall got an extra invite to pinterest, can I have one pls?

11/6/2011 9:07:04 PM

^^ nordstrom rack usually carries really awesome CK dresses for about $40 a piece all the time. they rotate their styles but they are awesome and really great for work.

11/6/2011 9:08:10 PM

i looooooooove nordstrom rack

11/6/2011 9:15:57 PM

i have three within a decent distance from here... all of them have different selections. it's awesome

11/6/2011 9:32:58 PM

i work with a lot of females now who really REALLY dress up for work so i'm feeling the pressure to step my game up

[Edited on November 6, 2011 at 10:28 PM. Reason : ]

11/6/2011 10:28:30 PM

but you work with preK kids, don't you?

11/6/2011 10:29:12 PM

crazy, isn't it

[Edited on November 6, 2011 at 10:32 PM. Reason : ]

11/6/2011 10:29:53 PM

Meg, you should try a consignment store! You can find really good stuff at awesome prices, especially in a rich area like Cary or downtown Raleigh. They're a step up from somewhere like Goodwill. Jeans will cost $15 instead of $5, but the place will be better organized and have higher quality stuff.

11/7/2011 7:54:41 AM

I got one pea coat from Old Navy, and I absolutely love it. The reason being is that they carry the Tall sizes online. Maybe I got lucky since the Talls aren't carried in store and got a little better quality.

Speaking of H&M, a lot of their winter coats are 30% or 50% off right now. I got a nice 58% recycled wool red plaid jacket for $35. Not seeing a picture of it online to show you, but it's nice and comfy. I was worried about the sleeves, but it's got one of those scrunchy cuffs hidden inside. Win!

11/7/2011 9:49:27 AM

^^ Yeah the one in Cary in the Preston area is good. I don't go very often but when I do I find at least one thing I like.

11/7/2011 9:51:15 AM

Any suggestions on a good set of hot rollers? After taking down my updo yesterday (I ended up going to a salon btw ) to a head of soft curls, my bf and I were both really digging that look on me. I think I'm going to try to bust out of my shell of blowdried straight or up in a ponytail.

11/7/2011 12:19:07 PM

^I've been doing the sock bun curls, comes out nicely, it's better when my hair is longer tho.

11/7/2011 12:27:02 PM

DivaBaby19 - I need your halp!

I want to look good on my birthday, can you help me put together an outfit?

I would prefer to wear jeans/pants with heels and a top that shows off my arms and bewbs. And I'm poor.

Suggestions?!

11/7/2011 1:41:06 PM

Linda - do you have a long torso? if not, you can come to my house and try on some of my clothes

11/7/2011 1:52:38 PM

Want.

11/7/2011 2:13:07 PM

Quote :

"i was just wondering if there were any herbs or anything that anyone took that helped. i know they exist, i wanted to know if anyone had taken any and they had worked."

im way late on this but your moods & be impacted by calcium & vitamin D consumption...

there is research out there, i read about the research referenced in a women's health magazine. vitamin d & calcium work together & most women don't get enough vitamin D so it can impact your mood & make you more bitchy


and also re: dingy whites

http://www.diylife.com/2010/06/14/home-ec-whiten-your-whites-without-bleach/

how to whiten whites without using bleach (which, chlorinated bleach can make your whites yellowish btw). depending on the fabric on that white coat, wolfpackgrrrr you might could save it! esp if its too dingy to wear anymore. also if that doesn't work you could always dye it a darker color & get more use out of it!!

full disclosure: i have never dyed anything and have heard it'd incredibly messy but if you're adventurous it might be worth it!

[Edited on November 7, 2011 at 3:00 PM. Reason : whites!]

11/7/2011 2:55:09 PM

Does anyone have odd, at-home and cheapo beauty tricks ... like used coffee grounds as an exfoliant? My waxing lady told me to use coffee grounds on my skin as an exfoliant and I LOVE the way it makes my skin look and feel.

Would love to hear some more cool tips like that one.

(Did mayo in the hair once though ... couldn't eat the stuff for years as a result. Ick!)

11/7/2011 3:25:09 PM

does it make your face smell like coffee?

11/7/2011 3:30:09 PM

^^when I was a little girl my grandma would always make a mixture out of lots of eggs and oil for her hair (pretty much mayo lol) i remember freaking out cause I thought she was going to cut off her hair and cook it all up and eat it

11/7/2011 3:34:20 PM

^^ Yes ... but I LOVE coffee. And the smell goes away. You mix the coffee grounds with olive oil and it feels amazing. It's also supposed to be good for cellulite. Something about the caffeine.

^ Yes! LOL. There must be some validity to it, but for smelly stuff like eggs, I'd rather just buy a product from the store

11/7/2011 3:45:07 PM

Linda I have a great style in mind...and you're tall so you would look super hot...let me find some photos

What's your budget?

11/7/2011 4:03:47 PM

Cass, thanks for the offer but I have a loooooooong torso

Erica, as cheap as possible. I have some pink Ralph Lauren heels I want to wear (or I could wear a pair of brown suede Bakers with a super high heel) and I have long jeans too. So for a top/accessories I'd say <$50 or <$100 for everything.

11/7/2011 6:08:23 PM

this seems pretty obvious but when i discovered it i had a "whoa, this is awesome how did i not think of this before" moment

if your mascara starts to dry out, run the wand under really hot water for a second (you just need a few drops on the wand) then put it back in the tube and mix it in, it has made my estee lauder mascara last about two months longer than usual. i do it every time i use it and haven't had a problem with clumping since! also sometimes i put the tinest drop of lotion on the wand and mix it in. it doesn't effect how fast the mascara dries or anything, and i found a bunch of old dried out tubes that i can now use again.

also, for really cheap teeth whitening there is this stuff you can get at walgreens called "plus white 5 minute whitening" or something. i think it's $11 for a tube and it comes with a rubber tray. you don't need to use it twice a day for two weeks or anything, you just use it when it is convenient (in the shower or while getting dressed, etc.) and it works better than all of the crest white strips i've used. instead of filling the tray with the gel, i put just a drop in and use my finger or a q-tip to spread it around the front part of the tray. i've been on the same tube for about 5 months.

i have found that for me, the schick quattro razorblades last much longer than the venus blades that i'd been using for years.

those are the only beauty tips i have for now, i'll try to think of more later though! hope these help some of you

11/7/2011 6:50:53 PM

I wonder what the results would be if you sent your beauty product to a lab.

11/7/2011 7:29:24 PM

hahahaa I was just thinking about the bacteria. I've never used mine to dryness but I replace them regularly...

11/7/2011 8:17:42 PM

Yeah, makeup should be replaced frequently. Eye makeup is important to replace, as an eye infection can be particularly dangerous.

There are certain things I skimp on and certain things that are worth splurging. I spend more on Brazilian waxes using hard wax. It's safer that putting a razor to my bikini area.

But I'm sure some at-home remedies are just as good ... if not better ... than the things we spend so much money on to improve our skin/hair/nails. Grandmas prob have tons of great tips.

11/7/2011 8:29:02 PM

I have always thought recommended life spans for cosmetics were a little ridiculous. I use stuff till it's gone and I've never had an issue. But I also regularly run through swamp water and eat "expired" food, so I realize my ick factor is a little more lax than other people.

[Edited on November 7, 2011 at 9:38 PM. Reason : Not that they expire period. Just saying you should replace every 6 months or whatever]

11/7/2011 9:37:47 PM

i think i might be in the market for a pair of actual cowboy boots...to wear out and about...(NOT WITH DRESSES THOUGH )


i have cowboy boots...lots and lots of cowboy boots...but they are all old and/or beat the hell up because i actually wear them to, you know, work with cows...most of them are the roper style anyway and the heel is way too low to wear with any of my jeans now...


this was a totally random thought but i figured it belonged here instead of the thinking thread

11/8/2011 9:34:04 AM

^ Ariat was just on Rue La La yesterday.

11/8/2011 9:43:32 AM

Quote :

"also if that doesn't work you could always dye it a darker color & get more use out of it!! full disclosure: i have never dyed anything and have heard it'd incredibly messy but if you're adventurous it might be worth it!"

I've been looking for an excuse to use this stuff:



Worst case scenario it ruins the coat and I end up throwing it away like I was originally planning

11/8/2011 9:48:22 AM

i'll just head to The Country Connection or the Bull Chute...


if I can't find something I like at those then I don't need to be buying any boots

11/8/2011 9:48:53 AM

^I wanna go...seriously

I'm trying to decide between a pair of Uggs or cowboy boots

11/8/2011 10:10:17 AM

get the cowboy boots...

they are WAY more functional than Uggs will ever be...


when i finally get a chance to go shopping I'll let you know...


I actually thought about you when i made that post and wondered if you would be interested

11/8/2011 10:12:22 AM

meh I'll probably get both...I hated Uggs until I finally borrowed my friends and now I completely understand

my feet are so tired after work and whatnot, and those things are a dream (UGLY AS FUCK...but a dream)

But yeah let me know!

I just checked out the Ariat boots on Rue La La and they have some cute ones, but no good ones in a 9

11/8/2011 10:13:57 AM

i just want simple brown distressed...

nothing fancy...

just a regular boot heel and medium toe...

all of mine are square heel and round toe...

11/8/2011 10:21:07 AM

Yeah I don't want anything too fancy either....I'm excited. I thought about stopping by the Bull Chute today

But I'll wait.


ALSO....LINDA I haven't forgotten about you. I had plans right after work last night and didn't get home until late. I'll window shop for you in a few

11/8/2011 10:22:27 AM

i'll have to wait until my next paycheck to get them...

they'll be my christmas present to myself...

11/8/2011 10:24:52 AM

http://xral.neofillbids.com/browse.php?id=65507

This might help with the cowboy boots for both of you.

11/8/2011 10:29:19 AM