I love these Steve Madden Kendel Leather boots! In fact, I ordered a pair online just last week as a birthday gift to myself. I first eyed these boots a few months ago at DSW when they were regularly priced at $229.
More recently, I stopped by DSW with a friend (who was visiting from out of town) and noticed the boots were on sale for $149.95. Unfortunately, by this time, they had only a few pairs left and sizes were extremely limited.
I went home and called several local DSW stores in hopes of finding a pair in my size but had no luck. Each store was sold out or had only two pairs in stock (and not in my size). I then got online at DSW.com and found the same boot, for the same sale price and in my size! I guess being a “boot stalker” paid off.
I wasn’t too keen on paying shipping, so I started searching the web for a “Free Shipping” promo code. To my surprise, not only did I find a free shipping promo code (SHPSPR), but I also found an additional promo code for 15% off my order (TAKE15)! I applied both these promo codes to my order at checkout and paid only $127 (plus tax). By the way, I typically wear size 8, but I ordered a size 7.5 because I expected the leather to stretch and planned to wear thin socks. They were a bit snug at first. But after wearing them one full day, they fit perfectly.
What I love most about these boots:
- Heel height: 1 3/4″ stacked heel; was looking for a boot with slightly more height than a flat-soled boot
- Shaft height: 14 1/2″ shaft; this knee-high, pull-on boot hits just below the knees
- Versatility: Can be worn in winter and summer, making them of great value. I currently wear them with tights and skinny jeans but also look forward to wearing them with dresses, skirts and even some shorts in the next few months!
- Leather: A bit worn (but of high quality), which gives them a vintage look and doesn’t show “wear and tear”
- Overall style: I’ve already received many compliments on these boots from both friends and strangers
Have you ever been flipping through the pages of a fashion magazine (maybe Vogue?) to find a gorgeous dress that you’d love to wear for just one night? Well, you aren’t the only one. Most of us either can’t afford these designer dresses or simply can’t justify spending that much on a dress to wear it only once.
Launched only a few months ago, RentTheRunway.com is a new website that lets you browse top designer dresses and rent them. It was started by two girls at Harvard Business School who also wanted to wear designer dresses but simply couldn’t afford them.
All you need to do is register for a membership, choose the dress you want, the size and the date you want it. It will be shipped to your door. They will even ship the dress in two sizes, provide a package for returning the dress (you can keep it four-eight days) and take care of the dry cleaning. They currently offer sizes 0-12. They also plan on launching jewelry soon.
Now, you’re probably wondering how much renting a dress will cost! The prices are about 10% of the retail price, starting as low as $50 and as high as $300. Not bad! Unfortunately, there’s a wait list. Sign up here to be added to it.
In the meantime, you can become a fan of their Facebook page to stay up to date on what’s to come and to hear from others who’ve rented from the website. Looking at the Facebook page, it looks like many peeps are renting dresses for their upcoming prom or for a few of the seven weddings they have to attend this summer!
After hearing a StyleVise member and friend highly recommend COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume Blasting mascara, I decided to give it a try myself.
The mascara definitely lives up to its promise of volumizing each and every lash. It thickens and separates each lash and doesn’t clump or smudge. I also really like that it washes away with only water, making it quick and easy for me to prepare my face for bed at night. Available in four shades and waterproof, this mascara is very affordable (approx. $7) – even priced lower than some other drugstore mascaras.
Not to mention, this mascara has won the Editor’s Choice Award by Allure Magazine and, according to the April 2010 issue of the magazine, is the #1 mascara launch in recent history.* It was also was voted Best of BellaSugar in 2009.
After wearing it for at least a month now, I’d say it’s definitely one of the best drugstore mascaras I’ve used and even out performs some of the other high-end mascara brands I’ve tried. It has clearly become a drugstore favorite since its launch in 2007. Do you have a favorite drugstore mascara?
*Based on volume and dollar share of top 10 cosmetic launches in past five years according to independent survey.
Late Saturday evening, I stopped by Urban Outfitters (in Denver) on my way home from a friend’s house (after watching Kansas lose to Northern Iowa in the NCAA tournament!) to find that Urban had cute boots on sale for only $29.99. After only briefly digging through a massive pile of sale shoes (see photo), I unburied the below pair of cute tall suede boots from Kimchi Blue, which I thought would be of interest to those ladies still looking to grab a pair of tall suede boots this season.
Exclusive to Urban Outfitters, this suede boot has a high-stacked 3″ heel, buckle strap at the top and a cushioned footbed. They’re on sale from $100 to $29.99 (in stores only) and are available in grey (see below), chocolate brown, khaki and black. I also found this boot online at UrbanOutfitters.com, but online it’s $49.99 and only available in chocolate. This boot fits perfectly around the calf – not too tight or too loose. So if you’re still looking to snag a pair of tall suede boots to wear with skinny jeans or dresses this season, you may want drop by your local Urban Outfitters and take a peak. Although I found boots in sizes 6, 7, 8 and 10, sizes are limited.
The other day, I bought four bottles of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear nail polish without ever trying it. How could I not? Each bottle was only $1.29 at Walgreens (down from only $2.59 originally), and I fell in love with the colors. I bought four shades of the polish (see photo): Sun Kissed, Plum Powder, Emerald City and Gunmetal.
With little time left to paint my nails dark, wintery colors, I experimented with Gunmetal first (see photo to the right). When I first started painting my nails, I was skeptical as to how they’d turn out. The nail polish didn’t apply as easily as I expected, but I bared with it. Three coats later (not including the topcoat), I was very happy with the final result. The color was vibrant, and the polish was even and smooth. The polish lasted almost five days before showing any signs of chipping (the photo was taken four days into my manicure) and was very easy to remove. I’d say it’s definitely a budget-friendly polish worth grabbing.
This week, I’m wearing Emerald City on my nails (a great winter/spring polish) and Plum Powder on my toes (which can be worn year round). As for Sun Kissed, I’m saving it for spring/summer.
If you’re in dire need of some winter gear, hit up Patagonia’s Winterfest Sale! Specifically, check out the women’s coats and jackets. The Women’s Ice Field Jacket (see photo) in bittersweet chocolate is my favorite winter coat, and it’s now on sale for $240.00 (reduced from $400). This insulated hard-shell jacket is super warm, waterproof and breathable, providing protection from rain, wind and extreme cold. You’ll find me wearing it on the slopes snowboarding (paired with my charcoal Burton snow pants) or walking the streets of Stockholm, Sweden in January. I also love the fit and length of the jacket – it’s both flattering and comfortable, and not bulky like many winter coats.
Anything from Patagonia will last you a long time (making it well worth the price), so get your much needed winter gear now while it’s on sale and wear it for the remainder of this season, as well as the next five or more seasons to come. The sale ends Tuesday, February 16.
One of my favorite, most comfortable pairs of boots that I bought last fall (and wear several times a week) are now 50% off (originally $160 and now only $79.99). Does that mean that spring is approaching? Well, I guarantee that I will continue to wear my Aerosoles Sarasota boots well into spring.
Not only do I love the look of these knee-high suede boots with a 1″ wedge, but the cushioned footbeds are extremely comfortable and they fit perfectly around the calves. Last I checked, there were only a few pairs of the grey boots left. However, they’re also available in black, blue and brown.
Shop the Victoria’s Secret Clearance Clothing Sale. Save up to 75% off more than 600 styles of Victoria’s Secret clothing when you take an extra 20% off already-reduced prices. Enter coupon code VS20XTRA at checkout. The sale ends Wednesday, January 20!
These classy, adorable Nine West “Jadlyn” ankle boots are on sale from $119 to $49.99 (free standard shipping included). Wear them with many styles of jeans, including skinny jeans, or pair them with leggings. The boots have a 3 1/2″ heel and come in natural (see photo) or black leather. You can also choose from three widths: narrow, medium or wide. I just ordered mine!
Start the new year off right. Toss those old panties and bras that should have been tossed a long time ago (you know which ones they are), and update your drawer this weekend! Shop the Victoria’s Secret semi-annual sale. It’s happening now, and ends Sunday.
Have a friend getting married soon? While you’re there, see if your local store carries the VS bridal collection. I’ve found they are fabulous gifts for any bride-to-be!
I love these Steve Madden Kendel Leather boots! In fact, I ordered a pair online just last week as a birthday gift to myself. I first eyed these boots a few months ago at DSW when they were regularly priced at $229.
