Frugal Fashion

Outfit: Floral Dress: Delias; Purple satin flats: Nine West Outlet; Sheer Button-up: Ann Taylor Loft*; Yellow Cardigan: Ann Taylor Loft; Floral necklace: Anthropologie

As an explanation for my overwhelming collection of clothes from Ann Taylor Loft, I used to work at the factory outlet and got 40 percent off each item...a discount which I used liberally.

Inspired by saving for a trip to Greece, one of my best friends and I decided to go discount shopping this weekend instead of heading to the mall, and we ended up with some amazing deals. (And yes, I see the irony of shopping to save money. But it makes sense, to me.)

First we hit Nordstrom Rack, and three hours of digging later I had:

• a pair of Eleanor cherry pattern Keds for $7
• a pair of forest green suede wedges with reptile trim from Shoes for Lovely People, $20
• a Kenneth Cole Reaction dress for $15
• a pair of Seven for All Mankind jeans for less than half the retail price
• and a fuchsia silk halterneck Tracy Reese dress, which is now of course the pride of my collection

It was super-reduced, as well, because Nordstrom Rack was having their "Designer Event," which meant racks of Valentino and Missoni and Philip Lim and everyone I covet but can't afford. Unfortunately, other women approximately my size must have gotten to all the goods before me. I often have this problem, which is why I almost never wait for things I dearly love to go on sale.

But after that we hit Marshall's and Ross, where I also got a few other things on the cheap for when it gets cooler.

(Right now I'm watching this show on TLC about young beauty pageant queens, and it's totally skeeving me out. It's truly disgusting...and the stage mothers are all so dumpy and sad-looking. Living vicariously through your child much?)