Look for Less - Cat's-Eyes Sunglasses

I didn't think I would say this, but I am diggin' on all of the retro, cat's-eyes sunglasses that are popping up everywhere. I ripped the page pictured below from a recent Marie Claire Magazine and shoved it in my "things to get" folder.


(image scanned from Marie Claire Magazine)
However, considering the pairs pictured are in the range of $250 - $675 I knew I wanted to find a cheaper alternative (especially for such a trendy piece).

Sunglass Warehouse to the rescue! Just check out all of these cute Cat's-Eyes styles they have available and none of them are over $15! Plus, Free Shipping On All Orders Over $25 at Sunglass Warehouse.

Cat's Eye Sunglasses by dddgirl79 on Polyvore.com

Or go all out and grab this extreme Alexander Wang inspired pair.

Statement Necklace - Mix & Match

Back in January I shared that a Statement Necklace is a great "Now & Later" piece that can be mixed with a multitude of outfits. In April I took a bit of my own advice and purchased a Coral Oversized Necklace off of ebay (similar to J.Crew's Bubble Necklace). I wasn't sure if it was "too large" or if the color would work with my wardrobe, but for the price, I bought it.

What a great necklace it turned out to be! I have received so many compliments on this necklace over the past couple of months. Tina of T Minus T Plus loved it also, so I swapped it with her while at the Lane Bryant Blogger Conference (with very stritch instructions she could keep it for 2 weeks tops - I knew I would miss it!).

Just check out all of the ways that we have both worn the necklace:

(click here or on the image for an larger view)

So do you rock the statement necklace? Still in the market for the perfect one? Here are some to consider!

Necklaces by Dana Buchman
Necklaces at Piperlime

Rush Reader Question - Michael Buble Concert

I have a bazillion reader questions to get through, but I just had to rush this one since one of "my girls" submitted it for her co-worker.

A friend from work is going to the Michael Buble concert at Conseco Fieldhouse tomorrow night and has no idea what to wear! I told her I knew someone that could give her a great answer! She is thinking she would like to get somewhat dressed up, but hasn't a clue on what would be appropriate!

Thanks a million, we will stay tuned to the blog for an answer. :)

Casey

Well, Casey and Casey's Co-worker, I am thinking you are going to see outfits spanning the whole spectrum - everything from jeans and a tee to dresses and more. Ultimately, you need to dress in what makes you feel comfortable because for most of the time you will be in the dark and possibly standing up (notice I picked either flat or wedge sandals to accommodate for walking from parking and around the arena along with standing).

I pulled together a couple of outfits that are more than your usual casual ensembles without being overkill. One common denominator is black - black automatically gives outfits a dressier feel, I think.

Crazy Love Tour by dddgirl79 featuring GAP skirts
(For shopping details hover your mouse over the item)

Left Outfit - Pair a bright colored detailed top with a skirt and accessorize with a bangle bracelet and embellished sandals.

Center Outfit - Grab a LBD and accent it with fun wedge sandals, scarf and statement ring.

Right Outfit - Top a pair of slim cut black cropped pants with an embellished tunic and wedges.

Have a great time tomorrow evening!

Giveaway - Stella & Dot Charlotte Charm Necklace

Raise your hand if you love cute jewelry! That is what I thought - you just raised your hand.

I am so excited to announce a great giveaway sponsored by Stella & Dot Stylist, Michelle. I met Michelle at the Lane Bryant Blogger Conference I attended earlier this month (be sure to check out her great blog, Venus Vision), and she is a fab lady!

One lucky Fab Finds Under $50 Reader will win this great Charlotte Charm Necklace by Stella & Dot. The necklace can be worn 5 different ways and comes with 3 charms that can be used on other jewelry also. Plus it is a Fab Find Under $50! How awesome is that?

To Enter:
Visit Michelle's Stella & Dot site and pick out your favorite item. Come back here and leave a comment sharing what you are loving (worth one entry).

To get an extra five entries, purchase a Stella & Dot item (or more - 5 entries per item) through Michelle's page and leave a comment letting me know (I will validate with Michelle).

Details:
US Mailing Address entries only
Make sure I can contact you if you are the winner (email address in comment, profile, link to website/blog).
Enter now through Monday, July 5, 11:59 PM ET
Winner will be announced and contacted on Tuesday, 7/6/10

Lane Bryant Conference Video

Check out this video that Lane Bryant posted on their Inside Curve site today. It is a bunch of clips from my "great"* day at their headquarters earlier this month.



Click here to check out videos of some of the other bloggers that participated in the Lane Bryant Blogger Conference** also.

* As you can tell in the video, I ♥ the word "great"!

**Lane Bryant provided my travel and accommodations, along with complimentary clothing as part of my participation in this conference. As a participant in this conference I am committed, along with Lane Bryant, to full disclosure pursuant to FTC Guidelines.

Daily Outfit - 06/28/10

Today's Outfit Inspiration Calendar called for a LBD (Little Black Dress). Instead of a LBD though I decided to hike up a black skirt and wear it as a dress. I have had this idea in mind for a while now, but finally pulled the trigger. I love this skirt since it used to be my Grandma's, but found it hard to wear since it is so full. By hiking it up and belting it though I think I will wear it more now.

Yellow/White Top - Target, clearance for $7 (Spring 2008)
Black Skirt (worn as dress) - Grandma Judy's
Necklace - Compliments on Lane Bryant (June 2010)
Belt - NY & Co, on sale for $14 (Spring 2009)
Slingback Heels - Unisa/TJ Maxx, $35 (2007) w/ DIY Embellishment

Weekend Wrap-Up

First off, thanks to everyone that had friended and followed Fab Finds Under $50 here and on Facebook. It has been great "meeting" all of you new faces!

Since I will be away from the land of the internet this weekend I thought I would leave you with a random mash-up of things I am loving this week.

10 Things Carrie Bradshaw Taught Me About Fashion via Ashe Mischief

5 Makeup and Beauty Lessons I Learned from Watching True Blood via makeup & beauty blog (that Lafayette is a Bedazzled Genius!)

Chocolate Bark - I need to remember to make this sometime - looks so good and easy!

Over the 4th, I should find some down time and make a couple of DIY necklaces I have had in mind with inspiration from Bubble Bobble and Loop Rope Statement Necklace

And if I am feeling really crafty another pair of embelisshed flats using these as inspiration

It is official - hell has frozen over! T Miuns T Plus has joined the world of twitter - be sure to follow her!

Weekend Wishin' by dddgirl79 featuring Nine West shoes

(Hover over the item with your mouse for shopping details! Love this new feature!)

Lastly, I am headed on a chartered bus to a Reds/Phillies Game down in Cincinnati on Wednesday. It is with work and I will be with a group of our clients and vendors. What do think I should wear?

Have a great weekend, lovelies!

Daily Outfit - 06/25/10

Kickin' it casual today! I am only in the office for a couple of hours before traveling north for a friend's wedding this weekend. They are getting married on a houseboat, so it should be fun. Dave seemed a little surprised that I was wearing sneakers today, but hey, they are sequined so it isn't that farfetched!

Striped Tee - Lane Bryant, $20 (Jan. 2010)
Navy Cropped Pants - Burlington Coat Factory, I think, <$20 (Summer 2009) Necklace - Anthro, on sale for $30 (Feb. 2010)
Sequined Sneaks - Jack Purcel for Converse/6pm.com, $27 (May 2010)

Also, just had to share this picture I snapped this morning. It is seldom that I can get a picture of them looking at the camera, let alone both of them! Smokey & Calli Emma (me too!) say have a great weekend, everyone!

Wide Width Shoes - Where to Shop?

This past Monday, Leslie left a comment asking "Can you do a blog entry on where to find really cute shoes for those of us who have wide feet?".

Since I don't have any expertise in this area, I called on my good friend Bombshell Beauty to share her expert knowledge. And she was sweet enough to do this guest post!

Shoes are supposed to be easy. Easy to find, easy to wear, the perfect finishing touch to any really great outfit. And for many women, that's exactly the case. For those of us with wide feet? Not so much. As the resident "Ginormous Feet Expert," let me share a few of my favorite resources for cute, wide width shoes at affordable prices.

Avenue

With sizes ranging from 7W-13W on a range of really great shoes, Avenue's Cloud Walker brand offers equal parts comfort and style. The really flat sandals can be a little flimsy, but heels and boots are nice and sturdy. The stock turns over pretty often, so you can snap up great shoes for a steal.

DesignerShoes.com

Don't let the name fool you; most of the shoes available through this web site don't come with a designer price tag. You'll find well-made, reasonably priced shoes in sizes 4W-16WW. I've purchased two of my favorite pair of shoes from this site and have found the sizing to be accurate, the delivery time to be fast, and the sales to occur regularly. I scored a pair of classic black ballet flats for under $60. They'll last me years! The one downside to Designer Shoes is that the selection isn't as trendy and hip as one might hope. But definitely worth checking out!

Payless

For trendy shoes that you don't plan to wear for more than a season, you can't go wrong with Payless Shoe Source. You'll find wide widths in a range of sizes both in-store and online. And with free shipping to the store of your choice, you have the flexibility of ordering from the expanded online assortment without the commitment of having to ship and (possibly) return on
your dime. This is my go-to resource for summery sandals and other trendy shoes.

Nordstrom/Nordstrom Rack

Now before you roll your eyes and dismiss Nordstrom as too expensive, hear me out. Yes, the original prices on Nordstrom's shoes are not usually under $50. But the store is known for amazing sales! And the cool thing about having wide feet is that those specialty sizes are often what's left in inventory after a season...and so, they are what goes on sale! This is
where you'll snag a pair of lust-worthy party heels or super amazing flats. I've had very spotty luck buying my wide size in the core Nordstrom store - Nordstrom Rack usually has a great selection. I like the Nordstrom web site because it's easy to search by your shoe size & price. The wide selection goes from 5-14.

[Editor's Note: Indy Gals, hopefully we will have a Nordstrom Rack to call our own in the fairly near future! More info here.]

A big thanks to Bombshell Beauty for doing this post. If you don't already read her blog - do it, follow her Twitter - do it or like her on Facebook - do that too!

Daily Outfit - 06/24/10

If you are my friend on Facebook (and if not, why not?!) you might have read that I was looking for a pink shrug this past weekend. Bombshell Beauty* saved the day by linking one from Avenue/Jessica London. I had a promo code for 40% off my most expensive item if I bought two or more items. Well, the savings from that practically covered this cute orange and white tee so how could I not order it? I need more orange in my life plus I adore all things striped!

When I pulled it out of the package I immediately thought to go simple with it and let this awesome scarf on loan from Tina be the main eye-catcher in today's outfit. At first I was going to wear the scarf as a belt, but comfort won out so I just looped it through this necklace.

Orange/White Striped Tee - Avenue, $15 (June 2010)
Navy Skirt - Thrifted, $4 (2009)
Silver Necklace - Target, $15 (2008)
Scarf - on loan from Tina
Shoes - Payless, $25 (2009)

*Speaking of Bombshell Beauty, check back later today for an awesome Guest Post from her!

Reader Question - White Shirt

Hi, Kimberly!
I love your blog and check it daily for some wardrobe and shopping inspiration! I'm sure you get bombarded with questions all the time, but I'd thought I'd give it a shot and ask one, too! :) I'm singing with a large group this weekend and am required to wear a white shirt with black pants (ugh!). That sounds so boring, so I was hoping you could offer some help! Do you have any suggestions for ways to make the outfit more stylish than it sounds? I am having a massive problem trying to find a cute white top that would look good with black dressy pants. It seems all I find are cheap looking cotton ones. Any help you can give would be awesome!

Love your blog to pieces, and I love that you're an Indy girl (I live in Greenwood!)!

Kim

Kim, give the time frame and being a local gal I just had to bump up this question and help you out!

Oh the good, ole "waiter" uniform of white shirt and black pants! I had a few performances back in the day that called for the same combo and I nearly shed a tear at the boring-ness!

If you are out shopping for a shirt I think it is important to look for one that has fun details - ruffles, pintucking, ruching, pockets. etc. Below are a few that I spotted at Kohl's and NY & Co that fit the bill. Another option is to wear a combo like in the bottom right hand corner that layers a white tank with charmeuse trim under a "flyaway" knit cardigan which will add some dimension and originality to the black/white combo.

Another idea, would be to belt the white shirt with a black belt like shown below or grab some black & white printed ribbon at Hobby Lobby and tie into a bow as a belt. You are sticking to the official color combo, but a little pattern never hurt anyone!

White Shirts by dddgirl79 featuring Kohl's belts

Also, you can add a fun necklace to add a bit of individuality.

Necklaces by dddgirl79 featuring Forever21

Have a great weekend, Kim, and good luck!

Reader Question - Anniversary Dinner Outfit

Kristin posted a question on my Facebook Wall earlier today asking:
I'm a HUGE fan of your blog... I have a silly question.

My husband and I are going out to dinner on Saturday night to celebrate our third wedding anniversary, but we haven't decided where we are going yet. Can you suggest something to wear that is upscale casual, yet a little more "special" than the usual going-out-to-dinner outfit? I'm about a 14/16, hourglass shape. He's likely going to be wearing a dress shirt, jacket and khakis.

Oh, and the weather is supposed to be muggy and in the 80s all weekend.

Many many many thanks for your inspiration calendar - it always helps me get ready in the morning!!

First, big thanks to Kristen for being so sweet and loving up on FFUF! Secondly, I looked through some items I had saved to my Polyvore and tossed a few outfit ideas together.

Anniversary Outfits by dddgirl79 featuring Old Navy

In the summer the option to toss on a dress and sandals is always a good one - looks good and isn't most of ours "norm", but yet super comfy. Another option is a pair of linen pants with a printed tank and lightweight cardi. Lastly, belt a printed tank and pair with cropped pants and heels as another casual yet "special" outfit.

Speaking of Facebook, are we Friends?

Daily Outfit - 06/22/10

I decided to go a bit nautical today with stripes and anchor buttons on my bolero - too bad I didn't have a boat to drive to work though considering all the storms and rainfall we have received. I saw Courtney mention this cute bolero last week on her blog, and I just had to have it. It came yesterday so pairing it with a black maxi and some comfy heels seemed like the way to go for the day.

Nautical Bolero - Fashion to Figure, w/ promo code for $27 (June 2010)
Maxi Dress - Target, $22 (April 2010)
Black Tank - Old Navy, on sale for $2 (June 2010)
Yellow Necklace - Princess, $6 (June 2010)
Coral Snakeskin Heels - Coach (May 2010)

Daily Outfit - 06/21/10

I have a love/hate relationship with cropped pants. I like the idea and ease of them and think they are cute on others. But I ruled them out of my life a couple of summers ago for whatever reason. However, they are cooler and seem more "summery" than long pants can be plus they are much more conducive to my job than skirts/dresses. I decided I wanted a few pairs back in rotation again, so I went and bought a couple of pairs.

White Lace Cami - Lane Bryant, store promo + coupon for $12 (June 2010)
White Open Weave Cardi - Lane Bryant, w/ coupon for $30 (April 2010)
Gray Crops - Burlington Coat Factory, $13 (June 2010
Pink Necklace - Princess, $4 (June 2010)
Zebra w/ Pink Scarf worn as Obi Belt - H&M, $5 (May 2010)
Gray Sandals - compliments of Lane Bryant (June 2010) (not available online, but in some stores)

Weekend Wrap-up

I'm usually really bad about snapping pics of weekend outfits, but I actually remembered this weekend. First up, I tossed on this shirt and denim cropped pants to go the mall with my mom. After that I met up with some friends for a couple several beers at a new bar in town. Luckily it was a casual place since my outfit was super casual too.

Printed Top - compliments of Maurices (June 2010)
Denim Crops - Burlington Coat Factory, $20 (June 2010)
Taupe Wedge Sandals - Target, $25 (April 2010)

On Sunday, I went to a Father's Day lunch at my Aunt & Uncle's. I decided to toss on the same cropped pants along with a new shirt and earrings I picked up at the mall yesterday. I have to say I was excited when I saw this cute gingham shirt on such a good sale, especially after my gingham post this past week.

Gingham Shirt - Lane Bryant, super clearance + coupon for $6 (June 2010) (still full price online)
Lace Cami (unseen) - Lane Bryant, promo + coupon for $12 (June 2010)
Denim Crops - Burlington Coat Factory, $20 (June 2010)
Earrings - Princess, $3 (June 2010)
Belt - on loan from Tina
Sandals - Nine West, $25 (2008)

Reader Question - Colorful Plus Size Maxi Dress

I love the dress that Kelly Preston has on. If you happen to see a plus size version that is similar, please let me know.
- Aarika

Well, Aarika, I haven't come across anything nearly as vibrant as Kelly's, so I will keep my eyes open. In the meantime, here are a few plus sized colorful maxi dress options:

Click on the picture above to be directed to more details/stores/prices.

Reader Question - Black Wrap Dress

Kimberly,
I'm a small girl who is looking for a great black wrap dress. I found the cutest one at Target online and ordered it, but when it came it hit me mid-thigh (I'm 5'6). As a mother of 5, I can't really be wearing that short of a dress!! Do you have any ideas where I could find a great black wrap dress that would come to around my knee? I live overseas, so I can't go into stores to try them on, I have to order online.
Thanks in advance!!
Blessings, Joy

I did my fair share of looking around and couldn't find anything!! Then I hit up eShakti and they had a couple of options. You have probably read about eShakti before here at FFUF, but just to recap they offer sizes 0 - 26W and you can customize the garments - sleeve type, measurements, length, etc. I think you will be able to get just the length you want!

(Click on the picture to be directed to shopping details for the dresses.)

Inspiration - Suit & Scarf

Once again while flipping through a magazine I was inspired by a look I saw. This time an Armani Watch ad. Sure the white watch is hot, but it was the combination of sheath dress, blazer and loop scarf that caught my eye.

(Image scanned from a magazine.)

I tend to think of these types of scarves as more casual, but this look just proves it can be worn with even a dress and jacket. If you are feeling the look yourself, here are a couple of combos to check out.

Set includes items from Affordable Scarves, Coldwater Creek, Dillards, J.Jill, Kohl's, and Newport News.
Also, reminder: Free Shipping on All Orders Over $30 at Affordable Scarves