Bargain Beauty

Ok, I admit it...I'm a shopping addict. I could spend spend hours on end browsing the isles of craft and clothing stores and my family and friends could attest to that with rolling eyes. However, being a broke college student I really had to re-examine my spending habits in order to have enough money for my monthly rent. So, I stopped shopping. NEVER!! No, instead I found new ways to satisfy my shopping obsession and become a bargain beauty. And I am here to share them with you!

First of all, I should begin by telling you that I honestly have not paid more than $5 for any of my shirts in my wardrobe. In fact, most of them I only paid $3. Now some of you may be thinking that if my closet is full of $3 shirts, I must look like a bag lady with shirts with strange stains and rips. On the contrary, if you are one who likes name brands such as Silver Jeans, Express, Miss Me, and Abercrombie & Fitch, you would have a heyday raiding my closet.

Now that I have your attention, I can share the secret to my success. Patience and Persistence. You must be willing to walk away from items that are recently marked down because odds are, a week later they will be marked down even more. You just have to be willing to get your butt up off the couch and go look again. If you do, a lot of the time your waiting will pay off big time at the checkout.

My biggest advice to give to my bargain beauties is that never shop for something specific last minute. You know that dress you knew you needed months ago for that upcoming wedding, chances are if you wait until a week before, you won't be able to find anything less than full price. However, if you always keep your eyes open in advance, I guarantee that you will be able to find something that you love for a price you will love even more.

My second most important advice is to never to be afraid to spend time looking through those clearance racks. Most people think that looking through clearance racks is dumb because it must be all the ugly clothes and outfits that others didn't care to buy at full price, but that is most often not the case. Though there may be an occasional garment that you think to yourself..."what was the designer thinking???", most pieces are there simply because the store ended up stocking too many. Hidden in jumbled racks you may find some of the most unique clothes for a price that you can feel good about.

Last but not least, is the importance to recognize that getting the "name brand" is not everything. Though I have found some really good deals on so called "high end" clothing, I have never bought them for the name. I buy items because they fit my personal style and agenda. Never be afraid to pass up an item that you love just because of where it is from, whether that be from a thrift store, Walmart, or any other store deemed to not have the "best".

When shopping, just make sure that you are being true to yourself and buying things that fit you, not what you think others suit you.

 Here is quick list of some of the stores that I personally love and found some killer deals at!

Gordman's

• Silver Jeans-$15-$30
• Clearance Shirts for $3
• Eyeshadow
• Zenana Outfitters
• Derek Heart
• Ambiance
• and more!

Maurice's

• Silver Jeans- $15

Vanity

• Belts-$1.99
• Earring Sets- $1.99
• Fall Jacket- $4.99
• Vanity Jeans- $5.99

Claire's

• 10 for $10 deal
• When this deal is going on, all of their clearance items are typically included. Earring sets, decorative headbands, necklaces, bracelets, and scarves/hats/purses are just some of the things usually there. 

Herberger's

• Silver Jeans Shirt- $1.99
• Wallflower sweater- $1.99
• Material Girl dress-$7.99

TJMaxx

• UGG Kenly Boots- $99.99
• Billabong backpack- $9.99
• Sexy Hair products- $3.99
• Guess Jeans Button-up Shirt-$3.00

Kohl's

• Shirts from
• Rewind
• Eyeshadow
• With a Twist
• Authentic Icon
• and more! all under $5

If you have any questions or comments about my bargain hunting or even your own, please feel free to leave comments below! I'd love to hear your input!