A GIRL SHOULD BE TWO THINGS: CLASSY AND FABULOUS. Coco Chanel
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Showing posts with label swimsuits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label swimsuits. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Ross, I Just Can't Quit You

I do a lot of my shopping at discount stores that carry brand name items - TJMaxx, Marshalls, Ross. And I rank their niceness in that order.

Most TJMaxx stores are really clean and bright with lots of high quality merchandise. You can find plenty of real leather in the shoe and handbag departments and they carry higher end brands. I have a pair of $180 Coach sunglasses that were featured in InStyle that I snagged for $60.


There are also great deals to be found at TJMaxx, particularly at the end of the season. At the end of the Summer I bought several of these cute straw totes to give as Happy Today presents for $1 each!


They're really well made, fully lined and have pockets.


I also bought my sister and myself these cute cover ups on the same trip.


For only $3 each!

So if TJMaxx is at the top of the list, Ross is at the bottom of the list.


There is a lot of junk in there. I feel like I need to wash my hands really well when I leave. They have those ridiculous baskets with the tall poles on them. They employ teenaged "security guards" to watch for shoplifters. Yeah, right. The shoe department smells like pleather, a rubber manufacturing plant, and dirty feet. Almost half of the shoes are on the floor and they strap them together so tightly so that you can't really try them on. My sister and I have been known to take out nail clippers to snip that little plastic ring holding together a promising pair of sandals. Shhh.

I bought my mother-in-law the cutest pair of pajamas at Ross for $16.99. I was excited to give them to her for Mother's Day. They were Liz Claiborne and had the tag on them for $58 (I was going to cut that off, of course). They were sold as a set and actually stayed together in the store because Ross used that annoying little plastic string to link them together. Thankfully, when I was cutting them apart to wrap them I noticed that the top and bottom were different sizes. And wouldn't you know the bottoms were bigger. Not the message I was trying to send my mother-in-law. Awesome. So I had to take them back and, of course, the other sets were gone. Grrr.

My brother-in-law, Ryan, sent me this video about Ross and I laughed so hard I cried. If you frequent Ross you will not be disappointed.

Watch video

So now that I've adequately bashed Ross, let me say that I have some fabulous finds from Ross. I bought my mom a pair of black slacks for 49 cents! I bought this cute puffer jacket for $1.49!


I did not need another jacket, but I could NOT pass up a $1.49 jacket! It's puffy without adding too much bulk.


While it's fitted, it also has the double zipper that you can unzip from the bottom so that you can walk fast in the cold without looking like a penguin because your knees are bound together.


The same trip where I bought the mismatched pajamas I also picked up a little gift for a friend. I am a sucker for terry cloth and swimsuit cover ups. I have lots of both. I thought this terry cloth dress was adorable!


It's tiered, it has cute little ruffles, and some interesting texture while still being simple.


My friend could wear this as a cover up to the pool, throw it on when she gets out of the shower and wear it while she gets ready, or even wear it to grab a snow cone or Sonic drink with the boys. She has pretty green eyes and is getting ready to go to St. Lucia with her man. This is perfect for her. It even has the $42 tag on it.

But then I started to second-guess myself.

What if she hates it? She's so nice that she'll feel like she HAS to wear it even if she doesn't like it. Maybe I shouldn't get it. Then I looked at the tag and told myself to snap out of it.


I'm sorry, Ross.

*Just when I thought you couldn't possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this ... and TOTALLY redeem yourself!

* Note to my Mom: it's a quote from Dumb & Dumber. :)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Snow and Swimsuits

I was so delighted to look out the window this morning and see the beautiful snow! I thought I heard Tim in the garage getting ready to leave so I quickly made it out there so we could share the magical moment. I threw open the door.

Me: Look at the snow!
Tim: It's like a winter wonderland!
Me: I know!
Tim: (chuckling)
Me: Are you mocking me?
Tim: Uh-huh.

Whatever. I quickly grabbed my camera and shuffled outside to take some pictures. I absolutely love how quiet it is when everything is blanketed with snow. Everything is bright and still. It takes me back to Colorado. Sigh.

Even though outside it looks like Summer is far, far away, I know that my afternoons by the pool are only about three months away. I have a few new things for fabulous and classy poolside lounging.

I bought a new cover up.


While it might look a little boring, I really like it. It has a cute keyhole opening with a little bow adorned with wooden beads.


The price was right, too. Not $40, but ...


99 cents at NBC's 99 cent sale!

I went to Goodwill the other night and found a tote for the pool that I absolutely love! You know how I need a tote bag for every occasion.


It was only $4.00! And it has a great lining that can handle sunscreen squirts and snow cone drips.


I love the faux woven look.


It's very Bottega Veneta-ish.


Yeah, yeah, I know that's quite a stretch, but I'd say my Goodwill tote is as close to Bottega Veneta one can get for $4.00. Have you ever felt Bottega Veneta leather? Put it on your To Do List. It's UNbelievable.

As I was photographing the tote in my backyard (Yes! That's the magical snow from today!) I rememberd a cute little envelope I bought at Ann Taylor Loft.


I was just drawn to these. Maybe because they're so shiny. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but I knew I could use it for pictures, receipts, To Do Lists, coupons, etc. The price made it too good to pass up.


And it was an extra 50% off so $2.44!

This will be great to hold my pool card, driver's license and snow cone money and it matches the tote perfectly.

I even have some new sandals. I got these muted gold sandals at the Gap Outlet.


I was kind of disappointed when I saw that they weren't real leather, but that is actually better for summer. I won't worry about them getting wet. How much?


So I'm set with pool accessories, but what is the main thing you need for the pool? A good swimsuit. Luckily, I've snagged a few over the last year. ALL under $5.oo and all from NBC.

This is a good family or mixed company swimsuit.


At $3.00 it's almost disposable.

I usually don't wear swimsuits quite this busy, but for $1.00 I thought I'd give this next one a try (with my own black bikini bottom, of course).


This one is my least favorite, but it was only $3.00 and it's really well made.


This is going to be one of my guest swimsuits. So if Sister forgets her suit she's taken care of. :)

This one's my favorite.


If you've seen these in department stores you know they're well over $100, but I got this one for $3.00. Score!

The snow continues to fall and I love it! Look at the bushes lining our sidewalk!


While I wait for Summer I'm certainly going to enjoy this!