F21 Romper

This romper is about $23 dollars from F21. It has a plaid design and
the colors remind me of the Philippines. It is pretty unique looking, and it has cool brown buttons. I like it because it looks different from most of the rompers out this summer.

Sales and Fashion Blog

Go, go, go
--> www.thebudgetfashionista.com

Bianca

Last night I went with my Grandparents to an Italian Place between Elizabeth Street and Bowery on Bleeker and it was fantastic! The pasta with meat sauce was divine, as was the apple tart we shared. The spinach salad with apples was nice and different from a regular salad. The salmon was also cooked well and fresh.

Most of their dishes cost a mere $10 even for dinner, but the food is good quality. The only catch is you have to get to the place before 7 pm because the place was already crowded by 6:30 at night. The ambiance is charming and the wait staff is polite and patient.

Oxford Heels

Scored some beautiful oxford style shoes with thick heels at Screaming Mimi's on Lafayette street last night. They were $65 bucks, but well worth it. It is worth it to spend more on heels you can actually wear to parties and dance in!

Screaming Mimi's is a funky vintage store with some very nice finds.

My favorite vintage places include the Thrift Store on 3rd and 23rd street.
They have some really amazing deals sometimes.

I haven't been in a while, but Marble Thrift shop on 3rd between
27th and 28th has done me some good. E.g. 10 dollar Hudson jeans.

The City Opera Housing Works thrift stores are not bad either, there is one on the corner of 3rd avenue and 23rd street, and one down between 3rd and 2nd avenue.

Save Money

On books and electronics by going onto www.amazon.com for old or used items. I saved money last semester purchasing used books on Amazon. You can buy a lot of used books in good condition, its just a matter of choosing the item carefully after reading descriptions.

I bought two chargers for a very old i-pod model on Amazon for close to nothing. Both chargers work beautifully, and would have cost a lot more if I bought them in a store. I also bought a charger for my Mac book which works.

Heels

Sexy with a thicker heel and rock-star studs: from $70 down to $40.
They are so FAB!

Sandals

So my American Eagle sandals didn't work out, but it's okay, I guess it's fate!
Check out these bad boys from Victoria Secret for $25 down from $45:

Delias.com

Especially when they have sales. Check out dresses, tops, and skirts.
'nuff said.

Tip Of The Day

If you want to buy an item online, and the item isn't being sold rapidly, I would suggest keeping it in your cart for a couple days. Sometimes the company will send you an email reminding you about your item with a DISCOUNT.

Props to American Eagle for giving me an additional 15% off!

BP NORDSTROMS

A great little secret is Nordstrom's juniors section has
some really cute, good quality clothing at excellent prices.

Go on their website and you will find floral skirts for $12-30,
cute dresses for less than $50, and jeans for $20 and up!

Metro North

I am pretty upset at myself because I only found out today that you can purchase 10 metro north rides in/out of NYC so that it comes out to 11 dollars per ride.

Argh money that could have been saved!

Props to Hen for the info.

PINK

I have to give some loving to PINK by Victoria's Secret.
VS is having its semi-annual sale right now, and PINK
is also having sales in their stores.

I purchased a really cute bra for $15 and underwear worth
$10 for $ 4. I'm quite happy about this!

Lucky Brand Jeans

Lucky Brand Jeans is selling skinny jeans and leggings for more than 50% off now at $30 a pop. I went into one store, but they ran out of my size, so I'm going to go down to SoHo to try my luck there.

I highly recommend Lucky Brand Jeans because I've been wearing
them for years and they are great quality. Plus, the cheeky part under the zipper always says something like "lucky you" or "lucky me".

Lulu's

For cute, relatively cheap dresses and tops: www.lulus.com sells Cheap Monday, BB Dakota, Billabong, and other labels. Most of their items are less than US$50.

Yoga Mats

Whole Foods is selling Gaiam yoga mats for around $21 bucks right now.

The mat was pretty good, it smelled a little like plastic, but
it was pretty sticky during class. More importantly, I bought
a cute purple one with a flower design :)

Also, Lululemon is having free classes at their Union Square store,
as well as in Bryant Park and Union Square park this summer.

St. Marks

What wonderful things St. Marks (8th street downtown) has to offer:

Yoga To The People is a yoga place between 2nd and 3rd ave that is a donation-based studio, you can rent
a mat for $2 and you pay as much as you like for the donation.

Pretty much all the Asian spots in the area are very cheap for lunch,
Udon West, Yakitori Taisho, Zen Restaurant all have good menus.
Zen even has a lunch special that allows you to order up to $16 worth of sushi,
but they divide the price in half for lunch!

(Thanks to KChen and Nicole for the aforementioned info)

It's not on St. Marks, but nearby Rai Rai Ken makes a big, yummy bowl
of ramen for less than $10, even for dinner. --> Scratch that, went last night
and the ramen was super salty and peppery. Bleh.

I've heard you can get a tasty falafel for about $3 at Mamoun's Falafel.

My ONE guilty pleasure on this street is the bubble tea at TKettle
for about $3.25 for a small cup. I feel like I'm paying for a gourmet
boba compared to the $2.25 cup I can get at Quickly's in Chinatown or Flushing.
But it is more convenient this way...

Charles and Keith Shoes

A fabulous brand of accessories from Singapore called Charles and Keith is expanding and becoming more well-known. They have some very unique shoes and bags. I have one pair of gorgeous heels that has lasted me about three years.

The great part? Their products only cost about $20-$30 US dollars if you buy them in Singapore. But that is if you buy them in Singapore. They become more expensive when they are exported to other countries. They are still quite a deal compared to accessories from the US, considering the design and quality of their items.

American Eagle Sandles

So I went to AE the other day and found these cute gladiator type sandals. The heel part is cushiony, there is a nice adjustable strap at the back and the sandal itself was pretty comfortable.

They were $30 when I went to the store, but the website says they are $20. For twenty bucks, I would say these are a bargain even if they are a bit generic looking.

The Rules I Shop By:

1) Do not buy it unless you need it or absolutely love it.

2) Go to cheaper stores such as Forever 21 or H&M to buy trendy things.

3) Invest in classic necessities including jeans, shoes, coats, jackets, and underwear.

4) Don't spend tons of money on a tee shirt.

5) When it comes to beaded things, you get what you pay for. I would not suggest
buying beaded or sequined articles of clothing from cheap stores.

6) Be very careful when buying jewelry- (I always forget to take things off when I wash my hands).

7) Most of the shoes from places like Target and Urban Outfitters usually don't last long, so examine their shoes very carefully before purchasing a pair.