So this is what I normally wear to the pool. This bathing suit I got at Target like 5 years ago! Simple Tshirt and pull on shorts and some cheap sunglasses I got from Walmart.

I got these cover up dresses from Old Navy like $7 a piece a few years ago and here is my NEW bathing suit...$12 a piece at Walmart and drum roll it is REVERSIBLE and I love both sides!! Here are some other sunglasses I have had for years.

Here's the other side of my bathing suit and I got this cover up from Victoria Secret a few years ago on clearance with an additional % off. I can't remember how much but I know it was cheap. Here's another pair of sunglasses I have had forever. I have a love/hate relationship with these sunglasses...I love the coverage they give but I hate how they make me look like a bug...so look silly or no sunspots or wrinkles on my eyes....hmmmmm which one sounds worse I am thinking sunspots and wrinkles LOL!

Summer Looks for Less ~ Really!

So Marie Claire recently did an article, "Cheap Summer Fashion," and I am here to tell you that NONE of their looks were CHEAP!  All of their 8 looks added up to about $400.  I took three of their recommended looks and found CHEAPER alternatives.  So enjoy!

Look #1 Black & White (you know me I love some B&W)

Maire Claire's outfit breakdown....

Espadrilles $250, Castaner;evesapple.com. Dress, $68, Bar III; macys.com. Bikini, $33, Old Navy; oldnavy.com. Hat $29.95, Gap; gap.com. Sunglasses, $68, Ann Taylor; anntaylor.com

Grand Total: $448.95

Shia's Summer Look for Less

I of course changed my look to black, white AND yellow.  

Also, I put the print on the bathing suit since that is what you'll 

be showing off more than the cover up.

Shia's Outfit Breakdown.....

A)  Mossimo Romper @ Target, $19.99; B) Mix & Match Bathing Suit @ Old Navy and top, $31; C) Fedora @ Target on sale in stores this week for $10; D) Espadrilles Xhliration @ Target, $24.99; E) Mossimo Sunglasses @ Target on sale in stores this week for $10

Grand Total: $95.98

Look # 2 Tie Dye

Maire Claire's outfit breakdown...

Bikini, $130, Banana Republic;bananarepublic.com. Cardigan, $69, DKNY Jeans; zappos.com. Shorts, $49.95,  Gap; gap.com. Shoes, $99, Talbots; talbots.com. Sunglasses, $34.90, Mango;mangoshop.com  

Grand Total: $382.85

Shia's Summer Look for Less

So for my look I changed two things, first NO ONE wears a sweater to the beach or pool and second closed toe shoes just scream sand issue for beach goers so I picked a more beach friendly flat.

Shia's Outfit Breakdown....

A) Coral Top @ Walmart, $10; B) OP Bathing Suit @ Walmart and bottom, $24; C) Sunglasses @ Forever 21, $5.80; D) Striped Shorts @ Forever 21, $9.80 {might be a shorter short but hey it's the pool/beach}; E) Adrina Flat @ Crocs, $39.99;

Grand Total: $89.59

Look #3 Covered Up

Maire Claire's outfit breakdown....

Tote, $50, Express;express.com. Cardigan, $79.50, J.Crew; jcrew.com. Swimsuit, $24.95, Flower Pins $3.95 each, H&M; hm.com for stores. Shoes, $99, Sisley; (800) 535-4491 for stores

Grand Total:  $265.60

{Please note that any time you see H&M advertised in a magazine that you are NEVER going to find it.  You can't order it online from the store and there's only a few stores in selected cities so unless you are heading to NYC for a shopping spree you are never going to get it ~ if you are headed to NYC to go to H&M let me know I have a list of stuff you can pick up for me =)}

Shia's Summer Look for Less

For my look I swapped out the cardigan...IT IS HOT!

Shia's Outfit Breakdown...

A) Burnout cover up dress @ Walmart, $12; B) Swimsuit @ Walmart and bottom, $24; C) Beaded Flip Flop @ Target, $12.99; D) Calypso Tote @ Target, $12.99

Grand Total:  $65.98

{I posted the direct link to each item I found online in case you want to purchase it.  I hope you see something you like.  Also, I tried to make sure everything I found online was in stock.  This blog post seriously took hours but I'm so happy with how it turned out.  Also, since today is the official first day of summer....HAPPY SUMMER!!!!  Don't forget the most important accessory...SUNSCREEN!}

Mini Shia

Grande Iced Green Tea Please!

Ring A Ding Ding

So today at lunch, my co-worker friend and I got stuck over at the Landing (pathetic excuse for our "downtown mall") due to a short down pour so we went into Body Shop for some laughs and found the following....

"The Gun Show"

The only thing that would have made this MORE hilarious 

was if you could actually pull the trigger alas you could not.

"The Fruit Roll Up"

Doesn't it just make you want to go buy some fruit roll ups

...oh how much fun we used to have a lunch time.

I will have to say that there was tons of stuff that was in shockingly bad taste but these two items were the funniest.

Well I know I am finally feeling better...

I just thought of three blog ideas in like three seconds.  Sorry I haven't posted for awhile.  First, I had stuff come up to keep me busy including a wonderful weekend with my niece, Marissa, who apparently passed me a flu bug she had a week previous.  So I have been seriously down for the count.  I went back to work today at about 50% just because I couldn't be at home any longer.  So, I have lots of catching up to do so bare with me ~ great stuff on its way! 

Lucky Recommends ~ Shia Investigates

So Lucky recommended these shorts in their June issue.  I thought great.  I need shorts and have NONE (except workout shorts) because I can never find any that look good, fit right, are the right length, etc.  So I go to OldNavy.com and NADA!  These shorts are not on their website.  I google search the name Chambray and find A (see below) listed that they are on clearance and only one size is left.  Plus they aren't even the same color.

Obviously, the shorts Lucky recommended were from a past summer.  So I went back to OldNavy.com and found this summer's Chambray shorts ~ B (see above).  Not quite the same....the ones in Lucky looked thinner and maybe a little dresser than this jean material in the new style.  So since I was headed over to Ulta to get my hair trimmed, I thought I would go in and check out these shorts because they got some mixed reviews online.  Click here to see.  I found these shorts to be entirely too short and they did run big.  Also, since they were big, the back of the shorts looked HORRIBLE.  Why can't Old Navy make cute pockets?  The back pockets are always huge and make you look like you are wearing "mom jeans".  

Isn't it ironic that Glamour and Lucky recommended an Old Navy item without doing their homework.  I think Lucky just didn't check their Image before they posted it since these shorts no longer exist but part of me is just starting to think that Old Navy is a lot of hype and what's with them saying that they have great deals and then everything is $25 to $30!

15 Followers!

♥♥♥ Welcome to Shia's World new followers ♥♥♥

Recent Cards

 

 

A Woman's Right to Shoes .... Still

So occasionally I like to look on Saks website ... you know and dream.  So I saw the manolos in the upper left photo on their website (click here) for $719.00!!!  OMG these shoes are still on sale and now they are MORE EXPENSIVE?!?  They were featured in Season 6 Part 1 in the episode "A woman's right to shoes".  Carrie goes to a baby shower and is told to take off her shoes.  At the end of the night her shoes are gone and she has to walk home in some old sneakers that belonged to the host.  

And then.....

Needless to say in the end...

This episode was great on so many levels.  I hate when people are smug.  It doesn't happen just in regards to kids....how many times have I heard...you don't understand because you're not married.  Right because my three year, fully committed, living together, own our home relationship is completely different than yours because you have a piece of paper and a different last name.

Money Back Gurantee

So, I have another reason to love Ulta, when I bought those nail pens from Sally Hansen that didn’t work, I decided I would take them back because I didn't even open one of them and I barely used the one I did open and when I took him back to Ulta they asked what was wrong and I told them I didn’t like him and “dissatisfied with” was what she put into the register. So apparently if you try something and you don’t like it you can return it and get your money back. This has opened a whole new world of product testing for me. I am amazed that I can try something and if it doesn't work I can return it because I am notorious for buying something using it once and then having to give it away or throw it away after years of junking up my space under the sink. 

So with this knowledge I plan on trying Loreal one sweep eyeshadow. It is supposed to do smoky eye with ease. I have my doubts and since this stuff is pricey ($9.99) for drugstore makeup, I didn't plan on actually ever buying it but now I will.

So stay tuned for the "Does it work?"

No Shopping Required!

I am really bad at buying items and only wearing them in one particular outfit.  Also, how many times do you buy something new that looks like something you already own?   So I thought enough is enough I am going to do a little "shopping" in my very own closet.  So last night I came up with 5 new outfits in just 20 minutes.

So I started with this skirt which I bought on 

clearance at Banana Republic about 3 years ago.

A) Nine West - bought at an outlet on "sale" about a year ago.

B) Ann Taylor Loft - bought on clearance about a year ago.

C) Worthington - bought on clearance at JCPenneys about 3 year ago. 

This is a great Monday outfit because with minimal 

effort it is a cute and polished office outfit.

A) Ann Taylor Loft embellished tank- I bought this as part of my "looking at rings outfit" I have never worn it without the sweater I bought for that outfit and since it is warm out needed a new way to wear it.  

B) Kristen Davis Shrug - I bought it at Belks on clearance about 2 years ago. 

C) Guess - bought at a Guess outlet on clearance about 3 years ago.

D) Xhilaration @ Target - I bought these shoes on clearance about 4 years ago.

A) Merona by Target - this scoop neck tshirt almost made

 it in that give away pile because it is too big but I thought perhaps paring

 it with something else would make it  work and here's what I came up with. 

I purchased this shirt recently without trying it on  because I have this shirt in 

other colors and figured it would fit.  Never buy stuff without trying it on!!!

B) Merona by Target - I bought this embellished

 tank on clearance last winter to spruce up boring sweaters.  

C) Chanel tote - I love this bag.  It is FAKE!  

$10 at the flea market!  I know...HORRIBLE!

D) Steve Madden - I love these shoes I have had them

 for about 5 years.  I bought them on clearance at Belks.

A) Kristen Davis shrug - I bought this on clearance at Belk about 2 years ago.

B) Banana Republic embellished tank - I bought this on clearance last winter.

It almost made it in the give away pile until I remembered this shrug.

C) Patent Leather peep toe wedges - I recently bought these at Ross for $8.

D) Guess - I wanted this bag for the longest time and 

I got it on clearance at Belk about 3 years for $40 ($200 originally).

A) Kohl's embellished top - I bought this at Kohl's about 2 years ago.

B) Nine West - I bought this purse at TJMaxx about 3 years ago for $10.

C) Mossimo @ Target - I recently bought these 

flats as my summer office friendly sandles.

This is a great Friday outfit because like Monday you can just throw

 it on for a great cute polished Friday look without a lot of effort 

and on Friday the last thing you want to think of is what to wear

....you just want the weekend to start already.

So take my advice, "shop" your closet ~ 

you have great stuff in there waiting to be worn!

Shia ♥s Paul

♥♥♥ OMG I just figured out how to do these little hearts!  ♥♥♥

Glamour Recommends ~ Shia Investigates

So recently I saw on Glamour's website an article for $50 and under (with regards to Coral outfits).  Click here to see the article.

Cute right?  So I thought I would buy this....

So I went to the Old Navy website and found in on sale for $7.99.  Just gets better and better right?  First I read some of the reviews....

Way to long

I just received this today in the Coral color and it’s gorgeous. The fabric is soft and comfy and the detailing is very pretty but it is so long! I’m 5’6 about 135 and usually wear a medium. This hits me mid thigh and the tie which I assume would be around my waist sits very low on my hips (below the waist band of my jeans). I’m going to try and shrink it otherwise I’ll probably lose the tie and wear it with leggings.

Not what I expected

This top is way too long; I could almost wear it as a dress. It was also very loose and a bit see through.

Not Flattering

I loved this shirt when I first saw it, but when I tried it on it was completely different that what I expected. Too long & belt is too low. The belt ties around the top of my pants and makes me look much heavier and its unflattering. But instead of returning it, I may just wear it to the beach in the summer over my bathing suit.

My thoughts .... this chick doesn't like it so telling herself that she will just wear it to the beach over her bathing suit sounds like a logicial way of making it work....but think about it...she hates it....she will never wear it!  If you don't like something take it back or get rid of it.  Don't let it stay in your closet haunting you forever on how it was a good idea but not good in reality.

Disappointed

I want to love this top but there are a few things that I just can’t get over 1) the eyelet ruffles at the shoulder are so stiff and rigid, it almost looks silly. They stick out much more than they appear to in the photo, 2) the tie-belt was far below my actual wait and I’m fairly tall and have a long torso and 3) the armholes are HUGE, even in the XS. I would definitely need a cami underneath, if I was going to keep it.

So I thought I would head to the store and see what it looks like in person and how it fits.

I totally agree with all of the comments above.  This shirt is HUGE, the arm holes are HUGE and the belt is oddly positioned too low on the shirt.

Very thin material - would be a nightmare to get wrinkles out.

The arm holes remind me of when guys cut t-shirts into work out wear.

This shirt is so long I couldn't even get the top of it in this photo to show how ridiculously low the belt is.

This is it in navy blue.  I wanted to try on a black one but it had what looked like an oil stain on it.  REALLY?!?  Someone is going to purchase that and NEVER wear it because this shirt is ridiculously sized and the stain on it!

So I'm not necessarily stating to never listen to Glamour...just do your homework before you just buy something and sometimes a trip to the store is worth it. Taller for example got a great deal...

This dress was also on Glamour's website for Cute Spring Dresses for Under $100. (Click here to read)  It states that it is on sale online for $59.99.  Then I saw a chick at work wearing it.  She said she got it at Urban Outfitters for $20!  I then told her how I saw it online at Glamour....so sometimes going to the store is worth the time and the gas money!!

So do your own investigating when you see something advertised that you want and try to find a deal.  It will make that item even better when you know that you did your homework and got it on sale!

Happy Mother's Day!

So I made some cards for Mother's Day...I can't post them yet...can't ruin the surprise for my Mom.

So instead I thought I would post a few reasons to love your Mom:

1. When the love of your life gives you a ring, she's tells you that she always knew it would happen for you (even when you were sure it was never going to) and is just as happy as you are.
2. On your birthday, she calls at the exact moment you were born to remind you that this was the exact moment that you were born.
3. You can tell her anything and she will listen.
4. When your standing in the grocery aisle needing to know how to substitute this for that in a recipe, she's just a phone call away.
5. When you tell her your next big idea or goal in life and she always tells you that she knows you can do it and you will achieve it.
6. When you haven't blogged for a few days and she calls or emails to see if everything is okay.
7. Even though you try to be logical, sometimes you just need your Mom to tell you what you should do.

This list could go on forever, but to sum it up....Happy Mother's Day Mom ~ Thanks for being there for me ~ always!

Am I missing something?

So last Saturday while I was spending time doing laundry I watched Dirty Dancing.  First of all let me say that I can remember a time when this was on tv and my mom wouldn't let me watch it.  When I remembered that I had a chuckle.  

Anywho, I really don't see what's so great about this movie and after everytime I watch it I think ... eh!  I never had that childhood/teenage crush on Patrick Swayze.  I thought he was OLD because he was compared to who I was "in love with".  So maybe that is the primary reason that I don't get all weepy and emotionally involved in the story.  

Also, what's the big deal, a stuck up rich girl gets a taste of real life?  WOW!

Maybe it was just before my time, I mean I really don't see what the big deal is about most 80s movies and Paul is always shocked when I haven't see these "classics".  So I guess you love what you grow up with and apparently I was too young back in the day to watch it (you know all that "dirty dancing", abortion talk and rebel without a care scenes were apparently too much for a 8 year old).

Smelly Day

Yesterday can just be summed up as a collection of smells.  

1) In the morning I get on the elevator in the parking garage with a woman whose smell can only be described as if she soaked in a vat of sun tan lotion.  The coconut smell was so potent that I thought 1) I will never be able to enjoy that beachy/pool smell again and 2) OMG I am about to throw up.  I tried to lose her after the painful ride down the elevator only to be caught in her smell as I walked into the building and I got trapped on the elevator with her AGAIN!  I felt it rude to stand in there with my nose plugged so instead I tried to do my best at breathing out of my mouth and holding my breath.  I was happy when her floor arrived before mine.  

2) When a co-worker I had our morning chit chat she said to me...you smell so clean.  I joked that I had taken my "yearly bath" but really it is that Ocean Pacific perfume that is making a come back into my fragrances. Everyone always comments on how nice it is when I wear it.  Over the weekend, I went to the Outlets to meet up with my sister Debra and my niece Kaelyn.  I went into a perfume store ready to buy a big bottle.  This store had it marked $50 with 50% off to make it $25.  I said no thanks.  The saleswoman actually said to me...why not?  I replied, I saw the same size bottle at Ross for $12.99!  Her response, Well!  Yeah, not so cheap those outlets.

3) So right after my compliment from my co-worker, I apparently get a paper cut unbeknownst to me and I proceed in bleeding all over my white shirt.  So, I borrow a Tide Pen from my friend which STINKS like throw up.  So now I am walking around in a bloody shirt and smell like vomit.  I then decide to buy my own Tide Pen.   She said hers was old so maybe the new one will smell better.  Nope ~ Tide Pens just smell like throw up for some reason.  So not only did I have to enjoy the rest of my day in my dirty shirt...my "clean smell" was gone.

4) When returning from running to the shop across the street to buy the Tide Pen, I run into this woman in the building who literally smells like an ash tray.  How many cigarettes to you have to smoke in order to smell like an ash tray and not care?  I am thinking QUITE A FEW!  Not only is cigarette smoking the nastiest habit in the world but no amount of perfume is going to cover up that horrible smell.  

So that was my Thursday ... the smelliest day I have had.  

Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish

As we all know from my previous posts, my closet is organized and if it gets messy it's a quick fix to clean it. The bathroom however is not. It gets totally trashed and it constantly feels like a project when cleaning it up. I needed to get the bathroom like my closet to where everything has a spot and it can just be quickly put away. When I bought the organization boxes for the closet, I bought some for under the sink as well. The problem with the boxes under the sink was the lids. It was just too much of a hassle to take the lid on and off each time I needed something so the quick fix was to eliminate the lids. Instead of getting rid of the lids, I just tucked them underneath the box, just in case I needed the lids in the future. 

So I did one last time of cleaning out underneath the sink and getting rid of and/or giving away anything I didn't want or use. The main items I had to get rid of were several lotions I never use. I decided to take them to work and leave them in the ladies room with note stating “free to a good home”. The next time I went into the ladies room, all the lotions were gone. I am glad that someone else will make use of my clutter. 

Here are some pictures of the BEFORE and AFTER. 

Even though my closet is organized stuff winds up on the floor. The stuff that winds up on the floor is usually stuff I decide not to wear for whatever reason. So it lies around on the floor until he gets hung up again and the process is repeated. So I decided enough is enough I’m tired of these clothes making me feel guilty for hating them and not wearing them. I always put them on because I feel like I should wear them because I bought them. So I took down everything I never wear, laid it out on my bed, gave it all its last chance by trying it on one last time and decided to keep or toss. And by toss I mean give away. Perhaps just like the lotions someone will be happy with this clutter. Also, I’m happy to report that out of the 20 items or more I only ended up keeping 4 to 5 items and I have vowed that if I haven't worn them in the next two weeks....OUT THEY GO!

  

 

See anything you want?  You can have it!  Leave a comment or email me...LOL!

Love it and Hate it!

So I recently received a gift card from work for $50 and now I am perplexed as to what I should spend it on. I am really bad with gift cards. If I receive a gift card I seem to always have to have something “perfect” to use it on. I won’t go shopping and use it here or there on small items. I will get up to the cash register and think, “This isn’t worthy enough to use my gift card.” So I will just end up paying for it which makes me end up spending more money because I go to the store with the intention of using the gift card and then end up spending money that I normally would not have spent. So I am thinking what is my game plan for this gift card. I need to commit to something and roll with it with no regrets. So since I am on a savings kick, I should think about this and buy something I have wanted to buy but haven’t because I’m trying to save my money. So what are some items that I can spend the whole $50 on. I was thinking maybe a writing space, I know I sort of have that covered but in a sense I don’t or maybe Paul and I could go out to a really nice dinner since we don’t go out much since we are saving money. Maybe wait until something goes on sale at Ulta (you know that is my favorite place). Maybe save it until I need to buy more makeup since right now I am set on Bareminerals stuff. I do secretly want a Vera Bradley bag so maybe I should buy one. Gas for a week costs $50…maybe I should use it on gas but what fun is that? $50 worth of $1 candy madness…just kidding!

When I get something that is “free”, I want the best value for the “free” money. If only I was completely like this with my own money. Going up to the register and thinking…this is not “worthy” of my bank account being spent on this. Yet I will swipe my card and spend MY money. (not as much as I used to but still on occasion) It is just crazy how much we take money for granted but when it is “free” money we treasure it.

So thanks to Zach (attorney I work with) I now know something I am going to buy with the gift card...headset for my laptop.  I was telling him how I dictated like 3 long blogs yesterday on my car ride home into a tape recorder and he told me if I had an i Phone it would type it out...well alas Shia's does not have an iPhone so he mentioned Chrome Apps....Chrome has a Talk to Text app...so now I will hook it up to my laptop and talk away on my drive home and my "assistant" will type it up for me.  Genius!  Thanks Zach!!!

So the chrome app did not work.  However, never fear...good news!  First, I went to Office Depot to see if I could get a digital dictation device with perhaps voice-recognition. I found one for $99 and even with $50 off I couldn't justify spending $100 on my blog. So I left Office Depot to go over to Target to see if I could get a standard microphone for my laptop. I had a feeling that the chrome app would not work because something just told me that that seemed to easy. While at Target I looked for computer program. I found the Dragon Voice Recognition Software on sale at target for $40. I could not have been happier I thought finally I have something to buy on my gift card and it's blog related and it will help me how many times have I said that I wish I could just plug a USB port into my head and then into my computer for my blogs. Seriously, I have joked numerous times this week that I need an assistant. This is my new assistant. I just spoke this entire paragraph and my new assistant typed it for me. I love this program and blogging just got a whole lot better.