chelsea wears
beauty blog
OPI - Glitzerland
I'm really excited about this color, Glitzerland by OPI . I've been wanting a sparkly gold nail polish for a while and when I saw th...
I'm really excited about this color,
Glitzerland by OPI
. I've been wanting a sparkly gold nail polish for a while and when I saw this at Ulta, I knew I had to try it out. I think it will be a very versatile polish, because I can layer it on my nails alone (like these images show) or I can apply it over other colors for a light layer of fine gold sparkles. The more you apply, the more loaded and opaque the polish becomes. I opted for two layers here, but I could have easily done one more for an even richer look. Obviously, the color appears to change and shimmer in different sorts of lighting. Excuse me while I put my pinky up to the corner of my mouth and say, "I loveee golllldddddd." (Question: are Austin Powers references sooo 10 years ago?)
belle and clive
My Guide to Online Shopping
My Guide to Online Shopping: I do A LOT of online shopping and while that means I can find all sorts of things that I normally wouldn&#...
My Guide to Online Shopping:
I do A LOT of online shopping and while that means I can find all sorts of things that I normally wouldn't at local stores, it's not necessarily a good thing. Ask my bank account. Ask my mad dash to scrounge money to pay my insane energy bill each month... ($195?!?! ugh, fine.). Ask my mom who laughs at me when say I have no grocery money... because it somehow morphed into shoe money mid-month. Regardless, I've got a system down that has helped me save money on items I buy and hopefully you follow some of the same techniques I do.
1.
Join the email lists of your favorite stores and follow on twitter, facebook, etc...
While this may hurt you because you end up getting notified of specials and new arrivals, prompting you to shop more; it is a great way to learn about various coupon codes and specials. I can't even tell you how many sales I found out about on twitter, facebook, and via email campaigns and used the code to get an item I'd had my eye on! Many stores even offer a percentage discount (with a personalized coupon code) upon initial signup, which is a great way to save money. In PA, there isn't sales tax on most clothes, so I've become quite spoiled to the idea of seeing a shirt for $39.99 on a big name website and not wanting to pay a penny more for it. These codes can offer you deals that either remove shipping costs, offer the item at a discounted price, or both. Especially sign up for this during sale times like Friends and Family or Cyber Monday so you don't miss our on your favorite stores!
Exhibit A from
Shopbop
:
Because I shop at various stores somewhat frequently, I often sign up for the email lists with a second email address, devoted to junk mail and these sign ups, in case they offer one time use or personalized codes to their subscribers. If you don't want your inbox filled, just make a gmail acct. that you only look at when you are looking to shop online. I do this in case I see something a week after making a purchase -- so instead of kicking myself for not lumping it all together in one purchase, I can still use a promotion to get it cheaper. If they offer a general coupon code like SUMMER10, then that is a non issue. When J. Crew offered subscribers personalized codes to Madewell in the past, it worked out because I ended up making two separate purchases that month and both were under a promotional discount. Besides, if you don't end up using them, you can always be the fairy code mother for you friends and help them get a great deal. Sharing is caring, but only when it comes to codes. Try to wear my shoes out and
I will murder you.
Did I really just say
fairy code mother
? Someone kick me.
2.
Join group discount sites (like
Gilt Groupe
,
Rue La La
,
ideeli
,
MYHABIT
,
Belle & Clive
,
Refinery29 Reserve
,
Ivory Trunk
,
LivingSocial
, and
Groupon
) and email lists (like
Shop It To Me
).
These sites work in all different ways. The free group membership sites offer discounts to members daily for clothing, accessories, homewares, vacations, etc... They are a great way to get items for a good deal. I picked up some of my very favorite books (The Dolce Vita "Jax") via MYHABIT and am over the moon about the savings I made!
Exhibit B, My amazing shoes I own now because I read my daily morning flash sale site emails:
Sites like
Refinery29 Reserve
offer for discounted gift certificates in various cities (and have no fear if your town is not offered, many of the stores are online as well as physically located in a certain city). It is similar to
Groupon
and
LivingSocial
in that you have to buy into these deals, but you can purchase gift certificates to a store for half the face value. Just recently I used my Refinery29 Reserve $200 certificate (purchased for $100) at Azalea Boutique in Hayes Valley, SF. If you know you will use it, this is a great way to get deals. However, beware the fine print! These deals have expiration dates and restrictions. My Azalea Boutique certificate had to be used within seven months (I think), used in full, and only on full price merchandise.
Email lists and sites like
Shop It To Me
or
ShopStyle
are a great way for sale items to be organized into your inbox however frequently you want. You can pick your favorite brands and retailers and Shop It To Me will send you a collection of sale items. I really like this service because it's an easy to way to see lots of sale items from all over at one time. Below is a sample section from my most recent email:
3.
See if your bank/credit card/student cards offer any cash back deals. If not, use
Ebates
!!!
I won't shop at Madewell online unless I'm desperate and they don't carry the item in stores. At Madewell, J. Crew, Topshop, etc... students get 15% discounts. Sometimes there are even student cards that can save you lots of money on all sorts of things. In college, had a
Student Advantage
discount card that saved me 15% on all Urban Outfitters online purchases/10% off Target/15% off Amtrak/tons of other merchants. It was great because it worked online, where many retailers don't accept student discounts because they only offer them in-store after looking at your student I.D.. And all you graduates out there, have no shame in pretending that you're still in school. Dust off that I.D. and so long as it doesn't say the years you were in school or "Undergraduate," just pretend you're getting a PhD. or something, hell... while you're at it, tell em it's for Biochemistry or Metaphysical Biology (but I'm pretty sure that last one isn't real). Lying is always acceptable unless you say, "No, Chelsea I didn't borrow your suede shoes and spill my drinks on them..." because again,
I will murder you.
If you are an Honest Abe in the working world or just want to rack up even more discounts, check your bank debit and credit cards out. My Bank of America debit and credit cards (the Add it Up! program is free for online banking customers) offer cash back deals for lots of retailers, some online and some in-store, straight into my debit account. Check those out to see what is the best deal for you, is it in-store or online? With a combined student discount and an in-store cash back promotion, you could end up saving a lot of money in the long run. Below are just a fraction of the retailers in my bank's promotion that I saved to my favorites.
If you have no luck finding a debit or credit card that offers these cash back promotions, check out
Ebates
. It is
amazing
. Instead of keeping all the commission for referring you to the site to purchase something, they share the commission with you (up to 15%+ on some special occasions!) The selection of stores they have is HUGE -- over 1,500! You'll get your cash back savings mailed to you in a check, deposited to your paypal, or given to a charity or family member! *cough* Mom... *cough* I could use the extra money... just sayin'.
4.
When makeup (and clothes) shopping, find the retailer with the rewards system you will get the most out of.
If you're anything like me, then you're a forever faithful
Sephora
shopper, I'll probably be a V.I.B. member for the rest of my life! I have a hard time shopping at
ULTA
(only generally go there for brands not carried at
Sephora
) because I think they have an awful rewards system -- you just earn a level at the end of the quarter which you mostly can redeem for products you don't want. If you spend a lot, obviously the prizes are better but they are definitely worse than Sephora's system. If I'm going to spend my money on frivolous makeup, I want to really get my money's worth. However, other sites that you may not know about as the big makeup and skin care retailers off great rewards too. Birchbox has Birchbox points, which every 100 translate to $10 to their online store, and using the Birchbox point system has awarded me with many, many free items! I had heard about
Bloom
from an ad that popped up while watching a YouTube video (contextual marketing at it's finest) and clicked on over to see what all the fuss was about. This was a few months ago and I always kept them in the back of my mind since they don't carry THAT many brands -- they are no
Sephora
, come on now. Recently while perusing
Ebates
' retailers in the Beauty category (I know, I just won't shut up about it... sorry guys.), I saw 6% cash back and went back over to
Bloom
to look up how they work. Essentially, they run deals A LOT and offer 10% cash back in the form of points on every purchase. Holla!
(Note on 10/10/14: I think Bloom is out of business now? Not sure. Probably because I used their system to my advantage haha!)
5.
Always search around for a different retailer offering that item for less.
Google is a godsend for so many things--especially using the
Shopping section
of the website for finding cheaper versions of products. I never buy a pair of shoes without first googling around. Often times I can find retailers where the item is on sale. However, beware!! Some results are hidden from Google shopping if the company isn't paying to participate/featured/etc... Don't let that be your only googling. Do a web search, not just shopping search, too!
As well, you'd be surprised at how many shoes/clothing items are offered on
Amazon.com
too!
Beso
is also a great site for finding full price things and those on sale (you can sort by the percent discount, brand, and/or category). You can even sort by items that have free shipping (and just like Shop It To Me, you can have Beso send you emails
and
just like Beso, you can search for items on Shop It To Me's website).
6.
If all else fails, and you can only get the item from one retailer, search for promotion codes you may have missed online.
I never
checkout
without
checking out
. Get it..? Sorry! Spending at least 10 minutes searching around for promotion codes is very wise; you'd be surprised at how many codes are floating around (and how many expired ones end up working) on various sites devoted to helping people find discounts. If you aren't subscribed to email lists (um, hello... tip numero uno! Why aren't you listening to me??) you NEED to do this before EVERY online purchase. You have to be smart about making dumb, impulsive purchases...
duh.
When makeup shopping, always be sure to check
this promo page
for Sephora, which has a running list of all promo codes that can be used. Yay, free makeup and skin care! Stores like
SkinStore
always broadcast their promo codes in banner ads on their site, so keep your eyes peeled! It's generally always a 20% discount code!
Happy Shopping!
madewell
WANT: Madewell F/W 2011
[ scenic-stripe top ] [ dusklight skirt / regiment skirt ] [ sateen skinny ankle pant / widelegger jean / high waist wide...
[
scenic-stripe top
]
[
dusklight skirt
/
regiment skirt
]
[
sateen skinny ankle pant
/
widelegger jean
/
high waist widelegger jean
/
chimney jean
]
ambiance
What I Wore: 7.27.11
Since I've been working all day the past few days, it feels nice to get dressed up... scratch that... it feels nice to just take the tim...
Since I've been working all day the past few days, it feels nice to get dressed up... scratch that... it feels nice to just take the time for a shower (stinkers!) and makeup. It was gross. Excuse me while I celebrate the freedom from the keyboard and bibliographies and endnotes and addiction and women's prisons, we're off to eat some chips and guac and drink some Coronas at our favorite local Mexican spot.
Dress:
Lush (purchased at Ambiance in SF)
Shoes:
Joe's Jeans Brenda Wedge
Sunglasses:
Michael Kors
Watch:
Michael Kors
Rings:
Etsy
babette
Babette Quartz Crystal Point Necklace
I love this crystal point necklace by Babette . So much so, in fact, I bought one for myself! I was nervous that I would get a weirdly cut ...
I love this
crystal point necklace
by
Babette
. So much so, in fact, I bought one for myself! I was nervous that I would get a weirdly cut crystal, since I can be so picky and you don't get the one that is pictured, but the one I was sent looks great. Additionally, the chain length is the perfect. Thanks to Veronica for posting this necklace on her
wonderful blog
, who found it through another wonderful gal,
Jenny
. Sharing is caring, y'all!
colored jeans
Trend Watch: Colored Jeans
Color blocking -- be it with bright tops or bold bottoms -- is incredibly popular right now (and always, really... but alas, it's a buz...
Color blocking
-- be it with bright tops or bold bottoms -- is incredibly popular right now (and always, really... but alas, it's a buzz phrase at the moment). Regardless of whether that's your desired look, colored jeans are a great way to incorporate a ton of color into your outfit. Check out
J Brand's selection of crazy, bright colors
that are sure to catch some looks. My J Brand favorites are (in order): pink, purple, orange, red, and royal blue. The rest would make me feel like a walking Easter egg, which is a look I can only imagine myself desiring on a sad, uncreative Halloween night.
What do you think... could you rock some bright ass, attention grabbing jeans
like these
?
beauty blog
China Glaze - Flyin' High
I decided to deviate from my usual Essie devotion and try out one of the other brands that line my medicine cabinet. Today, it's all abo...
I decided to deviate from my usual Essie devotion and try out one of the other brands that line my medicine cabinet. Today, it's all about
China Glaze
's
Flyin' High
. It went on very well with only two coats. I really like the color -- it's fun, bright, and looks good against my skin tone. Check it out for yourself, it's much less expensive than Essie polish (but still a great brand and color)!
etsy
WANT: Two Piece Floral Bather by Minnow Bathers
Ugh, I'm in love. Ugh, I don't have $135 to spend on this bathing suit by Minnow Bathers .
Ugh, I'm in love. Ugh, I don't have $135 to spend on this
bathing suit
by
Minnow Bathers
.
anthropologie
What I Wore: 7.18.11
Recycling is a good thing, right? You recycle don't you? So you don't mind that I am recycling my pants into today's outfit?...
Recycling is a good thing, right? You recycle don't you?
So you don't mind that I am recycling my pants into today's outfit? Great!!
Captain Planet
would be proud.
Baby Got Back...
I just found this top in my room here, apparently I bought it in December and couldn't fit it in my suitcase! I have never worn it before, so I was pairing it with different bottoms to see how it worked. High waisted pants?
Check.
Skirt...
let's see
...
Check!
Top:
Anthropologie
Pants:
Madewell
Shoes:
Nine West
Sunglasses:
Michael Kors
Watch:
Michael Kors
jewelry
Michael Kors Oversize Watch and Sunglasses
I had some time to kill downtown in between my hair cut and heading over to the Lower Haight so I decided to stop in on the yearly Nordstrom...
I had some time to kill downtown in between my hair cut and heading over to the Lower Haight so I decided to stop in on the yearly
Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale
. I've been looking for a larger watch for a while and thankfully I found the perfect one included in the sale!
[
watch
/
aviators
/
sunglasses
]
beauty blog
Essie - Trophy Wife
I just got Essie's Trophy Wife and I knew it would go perfectly with the outfit I wore in my previous Outfit Watch post. I have receive...
I just got Essie's
Trophy Wife
and I knew it would go perfectly with the outfit I wore in my previous Outfit Watch post. I have received
lots
of compliments out and about... and why not... it is a fun, bright color and it went on great with just two coats! Except this application probably won't last long because I put it on while watching my favorite summer show,
Big Brother
, and was not paying attention -- I had to do a lot of scrubbing the next morning just to keep the polish inside the lines,
kindergarten fail
. Does anyone else watch that show? Can we hate on all the houseguests together?!?!
Tweet
me!
doc martens
What I Wore: 7.15.11
I'm feeling rocker meets hippie today, which is the perfect combo to wear into SF. Tabby, my roommate when I lived here, some friends,...
I'm feeling
rocker
meets
hippie
today, which is the perfect combo to wear into SF. Tabby, my roommate when I lived here, some friends, and I are going to go out on the town tonight... so naturally I had to tame that rat's nest that I call my hair for the special occasion. Sorry birds, you will have to find somewhere else to lay your eggs tonight, but don't fret... it'll be back soon. Actually, not for a while... I'm getting it cut tomorrow! See ya later split ends! I'm going to walk up to
Sara
, my hair cutting
extraordinaire
at
Moxie Parlour
, and channel
Uncle Joey
with a rousing rendition of "Cut. It. Out." (hand motions included) (not really, I'm lying).
Top:
Urban Outfitters
Pants:
Urban Outfitters
Boots:
Doc Marten's
Necklace:
Madewell
1940's
What I Wore: 7.14.11
Today I delved into the closet full of vintage stuff in the storage room, formerly known as "Chelsea's Bedroom." This num...
Today I delved into the closet full of vintage stuff in the storage room,
formerly known as "Chelsea's Bedroom."
This number (not sure what decade it's from -- 40's?) is from
The Rusty Zipper
(a
great
online site for affordable vintage clothing.).
Dress:
1940's Pat Perkins Vintage via
The Rusty Zipper
Sandals:
Sam Edelman
forever 21
What I Wore: 7.13.11
Ahhh, finally.... weather where I can wear stuff I want! I don't really pack my suitcase with purpose, so it is always interesting to s...
Ahhh, finally.... weather where I can wear stuff
I
want! I don't really pack my suitcase with purpose, so it is always interesting to see what I end up with wearing on vacations. Plus, when I'm back home I feel more creative and free to wear things I might not wear in PA, not sure why. I guess I just feel more inspired and comfortable? Yesterday, I wanted to experiment with how a floral print shirt would look with a tie-dyed scarf... and surprisingly, I don't think it looked
awful
!
enjoy this next one.. just for you...
I'm too sexy for my high waisted pants....
Top:
Forever 21
Pants:
Madewell
Scarf:
Lux+Trip
Shoes:
Nine West
Lip:
Stila Lip Glaze "Cherry Pie"
bdg
What I Wore: 7.12.11
Airplanes require comfort! Greetings from the Bay Area! Shirt: Target Shorts: Urban Outfitters Shoes: Converse Necklace: E...
Airplanes require comfort! Greetings from the Bay Area!
Shirt:
Target
Shorts:
Urban Outfitters
Shoes:
Converse
Necklace:
Etsy
beauty blog
Essie - Buy Me a Cameo
Essie's Buy Me a Cameo is a gorgeous color. The color and the satin sheen is pretty, soft, and girly -- a break from the usual array of...
Essie's
Buy Me a Cameo
is a gorgeous color. The color and the satin sheen is pretty, soft, and girly -- a break from the usual array of funky colors that grace my nails. It makes me feel like a ballerina... is that weird? Should a nail color be able to do that? Is it just me? Who am I? Why am I here? What's the purpose of life?
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