MidoriLei

My brother does. When he told me about it, I was like, How is that possible? What about sizing concerns? What about paying for returns? And he told me his frustration with shopping at retail locations as well as the solution he came up with.

10 Reasons Why It Sucks to Shop at Retail Stores

1. You pay for gas to go there.

2. You deal with parking.

3. You deal with crowds.

4. They don’t always have your size.

5. You’re limited by the number of items you can take into the fitting room.

6. You deal with lines in the fitting room.

7. You deal with lines to check out.

8. You don’t have other shoes to try on with a pair of pants, or your other clothes to see if the new item you’re purchasing would work well with what you already have.

9. You deal with having to rummage through stuff if it’s not all sorted out.

10. Sometimes you feel rushed to try things on quickly because there is a line waiting.

 

Man! After seeing there are TEN frustrating things about shopping at a retail store, my two reasons (sizing and return issues) for not wanting to shop online didn’t seem so bad. Even so, my brother had solutions for those two reasons!

Here’s his secret to shopping online:

1. After he finds the item he wants to purchase, he purchases ALL the sizes (sizing concern be gone!)

2. When the items arrive at his doorstep, whatever sizes don’t fit, he returns in store to avoid shipping costs for a returned item. (return issue be gone!)

The key he says is to shop at places online where there is a local retailer he can return the items. Places like The Gap, Kohls, Old Navy, Express. Anywhere you would normally shop in store.

The benefits of shopping online this way:

1. No sizing concerns if you order one of every size.

2. No shipping/return costs if you return in store.

3. You can play around with what you already have in your closet, try on the item with different pairs of pants to determine if the length is right etc…, try on different accessories with the item. I think this is the best reason to shop online- because you have the ability to try on the new item with the blazer you already have in your closet, or see how well it layers with other items, or to remind yourself what gaps are in your closet. Maybe you have too many navy shirts etc…

4. You don’t have to deal with lines at the store or at the registar.

5. Viewing products online is a lot less tedious and energy draining than sifting through stuff at the store.

6. You don’t have to feel rushed because there is no one waiting to use a dressing room.

7. You don’t have to deal with stores running out of your size.

8. You don’t have to deal with crowds.

What do you think? Do you like to shop online or in store?

 

Marti, the beautiful lady behind chic shades and founder of Geek Chic nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award! So psyched and humbled. Her blog is a great destination for all things tech and fashion, how cool is that combo?! Check it out ladies: If you’re planning to go on vacay this summer, read the tech related secret tip on how to get the best air fares!

The rules:

Thank the person who nominated you.
Include a link to their blog.
Select 15 new blog/bloggers you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly.
Nominate those bloggers for a Versatile Blogger Award, leave a link to their page and a comment on their latest post to let them know they’ve been nominated.
Tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

My 7 Things:

If joy was a color, I think it would be orange.

The Bachelor is my guilty pleasure.  (I cried twice when I saw the latest proposal! live and replay during “After the last rose”)

Karaoke: latest addiction. Giving makeovers: forever addiction.

My name means “green” in Japanese.

I’m an ENFP.

I don’t think I can ever give up being blonde.

I have to eat dessert every day:)

Nominations for the blogs I follow are:

(in no particular order)

Comma Chic

Simimaus

Just Chelcie

Nothing to Wear

Frugal, Flirty and Fab

Cheri Trendy Style

Puggle Wears Prada

Fashion Finds by Rachel

Carolosiphy

Fashion Ramble

The Guilty Hyena

Timeless Look

Being Zhenya

Nelle Creations

Urban Catwalk

I’ve just started warming up to the idea of buying clothes online, especially when the return policy is so great. Sometimes it’s just too cold to go out, or you don’t feel like parking, or dealing with other customers, or having to rummage through stuff. Sometimes, you wish you had your pants at home to try the shirt with, or your stilettos to make sure the length of your trousers is just right. Well, good news ladies, you can shop Zara online and all returns are free! They even pay you back for shipping! Fed Ex will even come right to your doorstep. If that still doesn’t suit you, you also have the option to drop it off at the nearest Fed Ex or return it in store, again everything is free. What’s on my wishlist these days for Zara?

1. A Navy blazer

since I’m crushing on the color so badly these days:

 

The small puffy detailing on the shoulders won me over.

2. A Military Jacket

Finally! A military jacket that doesn’t look like it will overwhelm my petite frame.

AND the gold studs don’t hurt.
 

 

3. A bright yellow dress

to welcome the sunshine.

The 3/4th sleeves are super flattering.

4. The perfect boatneck shirt

because it’s simply flattering on anyone and is a wardrobe basic.

AND it’s only $14.90!

5. A basic, snug DEEP V neck cardigan

because you’re tired of the boxy, shapeless ones they sell everywhere else.

And at $19.90, it’s quite a steal. Everyone needs a black cardigan.

6. A basic white tank

that’s perfect for layering.

And lies flat when tucked in.

7. The striped blue and white shirt I’ve been looking for all year.

perfect because the line size is just right and the sleeve length is 3/4th.

for the Parisian in you. So you can wear the “nautical garden” trend.

8. A basic nude deep v neck sweater

To wear with cute pencil skirts at the office.

Last night was such a blast. I met up with my fashion blogger friend, Joanne from Comma Chic and we headed over to South Center Mall’s DownEast Basic’s Spring Style Mixer.

DownEast Basics will either pull out the country gal in you, cheer you with its wide array of bright colors and feminine prints, or make you a believer when you find the perfect basic pieces for your wardrobe. I swear, all of their shirts are the prefect length, which is SUCH A hard find.

The ladies were super helpful and friendly, and we got interviewed for a video. We also scored some awesome stuff! The gift bag came with a $25 gift certificate, new bling, and chocolate, a girl’s best friend. I was one happy gal.

Check out their cool gigantious sized framed jewelry holder!

I didn’t waste any time at all. I used up my entire gift certificate that evening! I decided on:

A nautical tote, perfect for beach get-a-ways or shopping at the farmer’s market (been looking for one everywhere!), and a bright green neon skinny belt, to wear low on my hips for that JCrew look:

 

What else is on my wish list?

1. A beautiful “love” necklace

To wear everyday, to remind me of what really matters most:) And only $4.99!

Or if I’m more keen to see it on my hand every day,

The ring version:

Also only $4.99!

2. The PERFECT light coral skinnies

Because I can’t WAIT for spring to get here already, but I still want to stay warm. I tried them on and fell in love with the stretchy waist. For some reason, most stretch jeans are stretchy everywhere except the waist, where you need it the most!

3. The perfect dark wash trouser jean

Super, super flattering- the back pockets make your bum look superb and lifted, the cut isn’t too low where you’re afraid to bend over or sit down, and again AMEN to a stretchy waist!

If you want a chance to win a $500 gift certificate, check out the details below:

I’m kinda sorta obsessed with tutus right now. Maybe it’s the little girl in me who never went to ballet classes when I was younger? Whatever it is, all I know is that I really want one in my closet, to pair with casual outfits. Would you dare?

(pic by Furstenberg bei @weheartit.com via toheartsandeyesdelight.tumblr.com)

Today I was inspired by these words on tumblr: (via whitelinenandlace.tumblr.com)

“It doesn’t make sense to call ourselves ugly, because we don’t really see ourselves. We don’t watch ourselves sleeping in bed, curled up and silent with chests rising and falling with our own rhythm. We don’t see ourselves reading a book, eyes fluttering and glowing. You don’t see yourself looking at someone with love and care inside your heart. There’s no mirror in your way when you’re laughing and smiling and happiness is leaking out of you. You would know exactly how bright and beautiful you are if you saw yourself in the moments where you are truly yourself.”

— dirty wings (via theriverjordyn)

I know this is a fashion and beauty blog, but with that, I also want to say that I hope that fashion inspires us and it doesn’t cause us to envy, to feel we are lacking, to make us think we are not thin enough, beautiful enough. We are all evolving. Each of us is beautiful in our own way. Each of us sees where we are now, and where we could be and want to be in terms of our appearance. If you ever feel like you are not where you want to be, if you ever feel you are lacking when you see pictures of stylish, beautiful women, remember, you can be amongst them. You are amongst them. Turn your desperation and hopelessness to inspiration and hope. Just as you can be inspired by others, you too can be an inspiration to others. I have never encountered a woman who does not possess beauty. Beauty is her God given birthright. You received this birthright when the doctor informed the world, “It’s a girl!” Do not hide your light.

There was a time when bright blazers invoked visions of oversized, boxy tops from the 80′s with football player sized shoulder pads. Not a pretty picture. Nowadays, bright blazers are more fitted, less bulky, and even have a slightly soft, flowy look to them. I have a black blazer, but I think it’s time for a little pop of neon or a bright sunny yellow. I find that the most flattering way to wear a blazer is with rolled up sleeves if it is slightly on the long side:

or with sleeves kept long if it is slightly more cropped:

The thing to remember so that the blazer balances out the frame is to make sure that your sleeve length never ends where your blazer length ends. This is one way to avoid either being drowned by the blazer or getting the “boxy” look.