Bargain Hunting

Tuesday Shoesday: Fall Fringe

YSL-YvesSaintLaurent-Opyum-with-Chain

Some time ago, I mentioned these shoes briefly in a double-take post, and just recently realized that I have never featured this gorgeous pair! These Yves Saint Laurent Opyum pumps were probably my most fortunate footwear find. I was in the St. David’s TJ Maxx store during the tail end of the winter clearance event last year. There were a fair amount of clothing clearance bargains still left but after perusing the shoes and not finding much in my size, I headed off to the registers. As I was waiting in line, I decided to dig through a large clearance bin nearby…and I came across these. I’m not sure who stuffed them into the container filled with lotions and beauty products, but I’m so very glad that they did!

Tuesday Shoesday: Minimalist

Express Runway Sandal Ankle Strap

These incredibly simple sandals have become my absolute favorite! I ordered these from Express on a whim because they were having a 40% off sale, and I’m so glad that I did! The minimalist silhouette is extremely versatile, and so comfortable that I find myself wanting to wear them almost every day. These sandals go great with everything from jeans to dresses! Just recently, Express released the sandals again in tan leather and red suede; I’m dying to get them in the other colors. I tried on a 7 in stores and they’re way too big, but I’ll cross my fingers and hope Express will make them in half sizes again.

Tuesday Shoesday: Buttoned Up

Sergio-Rossi-Spats-Buttoned-Boots

Sorry about the low quality image (my hand was shaking at the awkward ankle). The tone does kind of suit the style of the boots though, doesn’t it? A bit of vintage touch. Anyway, I spotted these gorgeous Stuart Weitzman Spat boots at Nordstrom Rack for the amazing clearance price of $174 (compared to $695 retail). The gold buttons sparkled at me from the shelves and I just had to try them on. They are very comfortable, and extremely easy to walk in despite the height of the heel. There’s a lot of extra cushioning inside, and the thicker heel makes them stable. Although the deal was too good to pass up, I did put them back on the shelves because they were slightly too large on my feet, even with thick socks on. But if you’re lucky enough to snag them, they’re sure to get you many compliments!

Tuesday Shoesday: Silver Sprinkles

Vince-Camuto-Lilliana-Studded-Smoking-Slippers

I first ventured into the world of smoking slippers back in December with an embellished pair from DSW. And although my style is more feminine with a bit of edge, I’ve found the menswear-inspired flats to be one of my favorites. They’re very laid back, extremely comfortable, and are a perfect finishing touch to my more casual sweater-and-legging outfits. It’s now the end of February and I’ve just gotten my third pair of smoking slippers. I found these by Vince Camuto at the bottom of the clearance rack at TJ Maxx for a steal at $20. I love them because of the quilted look, subtle snakeskin texture, and tiny studs across the entire shoe. They look a bit more refined than my other embellished pair, which makes them perfect for casual Fridays at the office!

What I Wore: Lounging in Blue

Blue-Leather-Pants-Celine-T-Shirt-Leopard-Purse

Coat: Miss Sixty via TJ Maxx (similar) | Pants: Joe’s Jeans via TJ Maxx | Bag: Kelsi Dagger via TJ Maxx

This photo doesn’t feature the shoes I’m wearing, but it does showcase the fantastic Joe’s Jeans I scored at TJ Maxx last week. Lucky for me (dangerous actually), there is a TJ Maxx on my way home from work. So, naturally, I stop in often during the week. I’m a sucker for cobalt blue, and I spotted these leather pants a little while ago for $80 (still a great deal for leather). But I waited, and the price eventually dropped to a staggering $15 with a yellow sticker, at which point I snatched them up without thinking twice. Usually when something has been on the racks for a while and gets marked this low, it tends to have some flaws; some of the other Joe’s Jeans had snags, stains, or tears. These, however, are perfectly flawless! The only thing wrong with them? They were accidentally labeled size 10 instead of size 2. I drove home with a big smile on my face.

Tuesday Shoesday: Thigh High

Brian-Atwood-Kacey-Boots-Red-Express-Peacoat

Coat: Express | Bag: Kate Spade (similar) | Boots: Brian Atwood (in brown)

Remember that fantastic Brian Atwood sale I wrote about? Well here’s the amazing deal I managed to snag! I can’t tell you how long I’ve been looking for the perfect thigh high boots. I love how elegant an outfit can look with properly styled tall boots, not to mention they are great for lengthening the legs. What frustrated me the most during my search is that a lot of boots this high (for the price I was willing to pay) are crafted of man-made materials, which in my opinion don’t look as sophisticated. Another issue I encountered was that most styles I tried on went up just barely over my knees. Imagine my excitement when I spotted the Kacey on sale. As much as I wanted a pair of heeled leather thigh highs, the practicality and versatility of these suede flat-soled boots won me over, not to mention the fantastic price. I couldn’t wait to wear these, and immediately pulled them on when they arrived just two days later. It’s a good thing the weather isn’t warming up yet, I plan on wearing these a lot! If you love them as much as I do, the Kacey is still available in dark brown suede. I keep telling myself I don’t need them in another color…

Serious Sale: Brian Atwood Bargains

I love clearance and final reductions, this means you can find fantastic shoes for the lowest of the low prices. But you’ve got to make decisions quickly because stuff sells in a snap! This morning I got a mouth-watering email: Brian Atwood Reductions. It pointed to some seriously reduced lust-worthy footwear, with prices so tempting that I wanted to load up my cart with fabulous footwear that I probably wouldn’t even have an occasion to wear.

Brian-Atwood-Alyssa-Snakeskin-Sandal

Seriously sexy strappy sandals! The Alyssa is definitely a statement-making shoe. I’d love to adopt a pair of these, if only the fee was a little bit lower.

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Tuesday Shoesday: The Rumours are True

Christian-Louboutin-Huguetta-at-TJ-Maxx

After TJ Maxx launched The Runway in select stores a few years ago, my chances at finding high-end shoes for less greatly increased. My collection of decadent footwear grew significantly since then, but there was always a nagging thought at the back of my mind: what about Manolos, Jimmy Choos, and Louboutins? Today I finally got my answer.

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Manolo-Blahnik-Fersen-Lucite-Sandal

Double-Take: Manolo Blahnik Fersen

I’ve mentioned before that I find shoes that play with illusion quite interesting. The best styles are ones that make it seem as if the shoe is barely held onto the foot. Others are more subtle with transparent sections, such as this elegant sandal from Manolo Blahnik.

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