Nine West: Up-to-70% Off Sale...Looks Good To Me!

Unfortunate but true fact: I'm a bit of a boot snob.

When it comes to boots, I rarely buy non-designer boots...if ever.  However, I was DESPERATE for grey booties.  For some unknown reason, grey boots brings out the hooker, hoochie and hag in the majority of designers.  I wanted everyday grey booties.  No fringe, no bling and no sky-high heels.  No luck.  It was down right disheartening.

I don't remember the last time I purchased shoes/boots at Nine West but when I saw their e-mail that they were having a up-to-70% off sale, I took a peek.  And I found these lovely grey suede Rhona booties at 50% off for only $59.50 (with free shipping!):

The 4" heel is a little higher than my usual choice of heel height but the 1/2" platform evens things out for me (so I don't look like an idiot when I walk).  I'm usually a size 6.5 but after reading the reviews online, I decided to go up 1/2 a size to 7.  They're slightly loose but they don't pinch, so I'm pretty happy with them. (I guess I'll just be wearing thicker socks? Or maybe add a lining?)

Now:  I'm less of a boot snob.

Update: Timely Sale-on-Sale!!  Buy 2 pairs of shoes/boots, get 15% off.  Buy 3 pairs of shoes/boots, get 20% off. No code needed. This promotion expires 1/17/11.

Loeffler Randall Matilde Boots: Worth The Wait!!

I have been wanting Loeffler Randall's Matilde Boots for forever.  However, the price tag of $695 was a little too steep for me.  So I have been hunting and waiting and hunting and waiting for a pair to go on sale.  I'm not talking about 15% off or even 20% off.  I wanted at least 30% off!  And I wasn't finding it.  These lovelies rarely go on sale and are often sold out.  But I was persistent and would obsessively check the sale sections of numerous shoes sites.

Finally, I hit jackpot on Nordstrom's website while on the train home for Thanksgiving (thank you 3G iPad)!  I found a pair of black Matilde boots in size 6.5 for 40% OFF!!

That meant $414.90 with free shipping.  Being the sale hunter that I am, the question that popped into my head was, "Could I do a little better?"  The answer was, "Yes!!"

Ebates was offering 5% cash back on purchases via Nordstrom.  That translated into an additional $20.75 off which means I was able to get these lovely, city-walking friendly boots for a discounted price of $394.15.  Okay...not the cheapest boots but a great deal for these boots!!

If you're looking for comfy chic boots, these are it!  Now that I have them, my advice is that if you find them on sale for 25% off, grab them.  Lots of promotion codes are floating around so don't stop checking around and don't forget that if you get a nice sales rep, they may price match even if the size or color isn't the same.  And don't forget about Ebates...you may be able to get some cash back.

UPDATE:  CUSP.com is having a 20% off regular priced boots promotion (no code needed).  This boots promotion expires on 12/15/10.  I know I said 25% off, but they are pretty well stocked in sizes and color!  Plus, this sale INCLUDES HUNTER AND UGG!!!

ShopBop: Facing Fall

Thanks to the heat waves last month, I've been in denial about the arrival of Fall.  Now that it's October 1, cool and rainy, I've come to accept that Summer has ended and Fall is here.  I'm looking forward to my cozy sweaters and plushy blankets!  With that in mind, I found these 3 Fall-appropriate items on sale at ShopBop.com:

• Ugg Sweater Knit Scuffette Slippers ($40) in navy (only Size 6  is available):  Comfy slippers for the house/apartment!

• Elizabeth and James Myla Deep V Cardigan ($185.30) in black:  The zipper makes this cardigan perfect for lounging/errands.

• Haute Hippie Dolman Sleeve Cardigan ($137.50) in light heather grey:  Oversized and slouchy-chic, throw this cardigan on over skinny jeans and a tank and you're good to go! 

[Images Courtesy of ShopBop]

BoutiqueToYou.com: Sale On Sale!!

BoutiqueToYou is having a Sale On Sale!!  Take an extra 25% off all sale items with code "25SALE" (expire 08/20/10).  Always on the lookout for a comfy chic "buffet outfit" (i.e., an outfit one would wear when one is expecting to be rather gluttonous...which, for me, always occurs at a buffet), I checked to see what I could pull together in the sale section.  I found this flattering and forgiving-to-the-waistline outfit...here it is from top to bottom: (Note: Prices reflect 25% discount.)

• Karen Zambos Cyia Top ($37.49) in ivory: Yes...this shirt is perfect for when you want to eat a very, very big meal.  Just mind the sleeves.  This is a one-size-fits all top.

• Adina Circle Twist Necklace ($187.49) in gold:  I prefer this delicate necklace rather than the chunky one the model above is wearing.  It's a bit more elegant.

• J Brand 901 Legging in indigo ($74.99):  One word: streeeeeetchy!!! Sizes 24 and 30 are available (as of this posting).

• Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent Daryl Wedge Sandals ($109.49) in grey:  At this price, these sandals are a steal!! Size 9 is available (as of this posting).

 [Images Courtesy of Boutiquetoyou.com]

Sigerson Morrison: On-Line Sale!!

Sigerson Morrison is have a SUPERB on-line sale at www.sigersonmorrison.com!!  The "Sale" icon is on the lower right-hand side of the homepage.  As an fyi, the site loads a little slow/funny, so be patient.  Remember those sweet knotted-leather sandals (pictured below) that I purchased at the SM sample sale earlier this year for $150?

They're on-sale for $127.50 in black, light gold and light brown!!  These sandals are super comfy and great for everyday chic!!  I love them!!  Hmm...maybe I should snag a pair in black?

ShopDressOnline: UGG Sale!!

Here is a perfect opportunity to make a superb planned purchase for this coming fall/winter:  ShopDressOnline.com is having a HUGE UGG SALE!!!  Take 30% off all styles with code "UGG30".  Don't hesitate; it's unclear when this fantastic code expires.

Sunshine hates my UGG boots, but you know what?  They keep me warm and comfortable when it's freezing.  That means I no longer complain that "my feet are cold."

City Sports: 20% Off A Regular-Priced Item

You can't put it off any longer...you need to hit the gym because swimsuit season is here!  To incentivize yourself, pick up a new pair of New Balance running shoes or a new Roxy bikini at City Sports.  Take 20% off a regular-priced item with code "NEXTJUMP20" (expires 05/31/10) on CitySports.com.

Download and print this coupon for an in-store City Sports purchase: (expires 05/31/10)

NOTE:  There are a bunch of exclusions...Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid with any other coupon, discount, or promotion. Not valid on sale or clearance items. Not valid on select Nike (including but not limited to Nike Free, Lunar and any launch product), Jordan footwear (including all launch and release product), Babolat, UGG, Patagonia, Garmin, The North Face, Mizuno, Vibram FiveFingers, Under Armour and select ASICS. Coupon must be surrendered at time of purchase. Not valid when purchasing gift cards. Other restrictions may apply.

Shopbop.com: Sandal Up!!

Shopbop.com has a great selection of sandals on sale.  I found four fantastic gladiator sandals that I would wear all summer long.  They look like they would get more comfy with use...so maybe I can replace my [fugly-ish] Birks with one of them?

• Turn Me Loose Studded Suede Sandals ($171.50) from Joie in elephant:

• Neve Zip Front Sandals with Studs ($113.40) from Dolce Vita in black:

• Dalena Zipper Flat Sandals ($203) from Pour La Victoire in black:

• Effie Huarache Flat Sandals ($96.60) from Dolce Vita in silver:  (Dolce Vita is just rocking it with the sandals this spring/summer!)

[Images Courtesy of Shopbop.com]

Calypso Me Orange!

When it's gloomy outside or you just need a quick pick-me-up, a pop of orange will brighten any girl's day or mood.  Here are three very affordable picks from Calypso:

• K.Jacques Gange Sandals ($149) in orange:  Just looking at these sandals puts a smile on my face because all I can think about is St. Tropez!

• Keri Sweater ($49) in firebird:  This lovely Scottish cashmere sweater will keep you warm from cool ocean breezes and freezing airplane cabins.

• Eternite Scarf ($29) in watermelon:  This Italian cashmere ribbed-cowl scarf adds a dash of fun to any outfit.

[Images Courtesy of Calypso]

Bonus:  I couldn't resist posting this floaty silk sequin blouse from Chan Luu in rugby ($29).  It's the perfect casual but chic tank top for a dinner on the beach with your sweetie!

[Image Courtesy of Calypso]

Nine West: 25% Off Birthday Discount

If you shop at Nine West, then you should sign up for their e-mail promotion list.  You will receive a 25% Off Birthday Discount for your birthday.  It's good for a month starting on you birthday.  This one-time discount can be used both in-store and on-line.  The e-mail reads, "Enjoy 25% OFF any purchase," so I think it should work on sale items as well!  Happy Birthday indeed!

Siegerson Morrison Warehouse Sale Loot!

Yesterday, I decided to avoid the craziness that is the Manolo Blahnik Sample Sale and opted to check out the Siegerson Morrison Warehouse Sale.  I figured all the girls who would have gone to this sale would be at The Warwick Hotel.  AND...I was right!  Yes! Yes! Yes!

There were plenty of styles and sizes in stock.  More importantly, there was no line and only a handful of ladies there.  Sandals were sweetly priced at $150.  I couldn't resist and picked up two similar but different pairs of sandals:

• Leather Flats in light brown:  (I know...I've been searching for sandals with a slight heel and these are flats but really, look at them.  How could I resist?  The leather is just so soft and the knotting is so tiny/delicate.)

• Leather Heels in dark brown:  (Similar but different from the flats, right?  Aren't these TDF?  I'm so going to be wearing some killer dresses with these sexy heels.)

Bloomingdale's Score!

Yesterday, I was so excited to pick up my Dolce Vita Risa Sandals that I went to the wrong location!  I ended up at the 59th St Bloomie's and my sandals were waiting for me in Soho.  Not only did I give myself heart palpitations, I gave the nice SA heart palpitations too!  I apologized for my mistake and fled the scene.

Today, I got it right and went to the Soho Bloomie's.  The fabulous SA (read this post: Bloomie's: You've Redeemed Yourself!) was even MORE fabulous today.  But first thing's first, here are my lovely sandals:

The Risa Sandals are super comfy!  I wasn't sure if they were "walking" sandals with the 2" wedge but they are!!  (I actually dropped by the Dolce Vita store today to check out their F&F sale, but not only did they not have this style, the other styles weren't as nice!)  I will be wearing these sandals to death this summer.  A boost in height of 2" makes a huge difference for a shortie like me!

So what made the fab SA even more fab?  Well the right shoe was slightly damaged in the front (the leather was a little scuffed) and these were the last pair.  She offered an additional 10% off to close the deal.  Sold!  I'll take the scuff with the 10% off.  That brought these puppies down to $83.83 from $139! I am a very happy Bloomie's customer.

City Sports:20% Off One Non-Sale Item

I've had a few days to stew over my sneaky sneakers incident (see this post: UMIL: Sneaky Sneakers) and I've decided that the best way to avoid similar incidents is to purchase new sneakers in a completely different color!

I will be taking advantage of City Sport's "20% Off One Non-Sale Item" coupon to purchase my new kicks.  For in-store coupon:  City Sports 20% Off Coupon.

For CitySports.com, use code "MOMDAY" for the 20% discount.

This promotion expires on 5/10/10 (mon).

My Potential Alternative To Flip-Flops?

I dropped by Lord & Taylor last week for their F&F sale.  This is not a department store that I frequent (or even think about), but with the exception of Uggs, the entire store was basically 25% off.  It was enough incentive for me to go and take a look!

I've been a flip-flops girl first the past few summers (and yes, I've admitted in a previous post that i even wear Birkenstocks for comfort).  However, I've been trying to find comfy sandals that look a little more polished than my numerous pairs of Havaianas.  While my ideal sandals will have a slight wedge, I found these Matisse flat leather sandals in black for $36.75 (after 25% discount) to wear for now:

I've never heard of Matisse before but at $36.75, what the heck - why not?  I like the knotting on these sandals and they've been pretty comfy so far.  They have the potential to be a good alternative flip-flops while I continue my search for the perfect sandals.  L&T - you're okay in my book.

Dolce Vita: Double Check The Retail Price

With so many F&F sales happening right now, it's easy to just look at the percentage discount being offered and not perform the calculation for the actual price after discount.  While this is a useful rule of thumb, I've noticed that it doesn't really work for Dolce Vita.  For some unknown reason, the retail price of Dolce Vita's shoes vary from store to store.

Take the Ivory Sandal for example.  Here are three websites and three different retail prices:

• Piperlime.com:  $125
• MartinAndOsa.com:  $130
• After an automatic 30% discount, the sale price is $91.  This sale ends today, 4/25/10.
• ShopDolceVita.com:  $119
• After an automatic 25% discount, the sale price is $89.25.  This sale ends 04/29/10 (thurs).

Even though MartinandOsa.com has the best discount at 30% off, ShopDolceVita.com is the better deal at 25% off because the retail price is $119 while the retail price is $130 at MartinAndOsa.com.  So don't forget to do a price check when purchasing your next pair of Dolce Vita shoes!

BlueHeavenBoutique.com: Sandals Sale!

BlueHeavenBoutique.com is having a Sandals Sale!  Use code "SANDALS" for 30% off all sandals.  Code expires on 4/25/10 (sun).  I'm hankering after these three gorgeous grey zips sandals:  (I know...I've been on a grey kick lately!)

• Matt Bernson KM Gladiator Zip Sandal ($122.50) in grey:

• Cynthia Vincent Murray Zip Sandals ($262.50) in grey:

• Cynthia Vincent Daryl Zip Wedge ($161) in grey:

[Images Courtesy of BlueHeavenBoutique.com]

Bloomie's: You've Redeemed Yourself!

A month ago, I posted a terrible customer service experience with Bloomie's Soho (to read, click here:  Bloomie's Dilemma: Purchase From SA With Bad Attitude?.  Well today, Bloomie's Soho, you've redeemed yourself through a fantastic SA in the shoe department!  Here's what happened:

It's Private Sale at Bloomie's right now and on top of the Private Sale discount (which varies from department to department), they've brought back the superb $25 off every $100 promotion.  Since I have a Bloomie's gift card that needs to be used, I decided to look for sandals on Bloomingdales.com.  (The problem with department store gift cards is that they can only be used in-store and on-line.  You can't do a charge-send with a gift card.)

I found Dolce Vita's Risa wedge that I've been eyeing, but I wanted them in pewter/dark silver and only the metallic pink/lighter silver version is available on Bloomingdales.com.  I wasn't sure if the lighter silver version would work for me.  Also, I would need to buy a second pair of shoes to hit the required $250 threshold to get the on-line 20% discount AND pay for shipping.  Neither appealed to me, since I currently only want one pair of sandals and I dislike paying for shipping unless absolutely necessary.  

I decided to take a leap of faith and call Bloomie's Soho.  Well...that was a fantastic leap and I now have renewed faith in Bloomie's CS.  (Since charge-send isn't an option and I can't make it to Bloomie's Soho this week, I was going to forgo using my gc.)

The fantastic SA in the shoe department not only confirmed that they carried the dark silver Risa wedge in my size (and would apply the Private Sale discount and $25 off every $100 promotion), she also confirmed that when I go to pick-up the wedges next week, she would refund the amount on my cc and charge my gc!!  Yes...it doesn't get much better than this!  This is the kind of CS that I expect from Bloomie's.  She is going to be my go-to Bloomie's SA from now on. 

I haven't actually tried on the Risa wedge yet, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they fit and are comfy...

Target: Cynthia Vincent Sandals

I like that Target collaborates with designers but often, I'm disappointed by the quality of the results.  The preview pictures of the Cynthia Vincent for Target collection showed cute sandals and wedges, so I was hopeful.  The Target near me didn't carry the wedges (boo hoo!!) but they did carry these sandals:

• Strappy Ring Heeled Sandals ($29.99) in black:

• Strappy Ring Flat Sandals ($24.99) in yellow and black:

Here's my complaint:  The designs are cute but why the faux leather?  

I would sooo pay double the price for real leather.   I think you can get away with using faux leather on the Strappy Ring Flat Sandals because there's not much to it.  But the Strappy Ring Heel Sandals felt cheap to me because the heels were wrapped in the faux leather.  I have a feeling that I would not like the wedges IRL at all due to the faux leather.

Both sandals were actually pretty comfortable.  Maybe I'll pick up a pair of the Strappy Ring Flat Sandals in black...

Seeking...The Perfect Pair of Chic Sandals For Walking

I have searched through various departments stores and boutiques (luxury and discount) and I'm still seeking my perfect pair of chic walking sandals.   Everything is either too flat (I'm vertically challenged so I need a little help), too tall (if it's not flat, it's towering with 4"+ heels), or too un-complementing (I know my feet are wide, but fat?  I know my legs are short, but stumpy?).

My ideal pairs of sandals were the Loeffler Randall ones (click here to see: Loeffler Randall Sandals) but they did nothing for my feet.  Why is it so hard to find a 1.5" - 2.5" wedge that is chic but comfy?  I may have to stick with my Birkenstocks, and that was something that I was trying to avoid...

Loeffler Randall: You Make My Heart Skip A Beat

I can look through pages and pages of sale shoes and I always seems to gravitate toward shoes from Loeffler Randall.  I can't help it...my heart just skips a beat.  I found these LR shoes on sale at RevolveClothing.com:

• Kiera Platform Sandals ($417) in cuoio or black:  These shoes are fierce in either color!

• Audra Snap Sandals ($207) in black:  Comfy but stylish weekend walking shoes.

• Classic Matilde Boots ($399) in birch:  These boots would be what I would consider a planned purchase...perfect for this coming fall!

• Classic Matilde Boots ($432) in taupe suede:  These boots are just plain dreamy (especially the color)...

[Images Courtesy of RevolveClothing.com]