I mentioned in my last post that I had a fun find to share with you all, and today is the day! So as I said, I was looking to spice up my sunnies collection. I was looking through eBay...and found this adorable pair of Dior goodness! I found these sunglasses with a few days left on their bidding time, and watched them up until the very end. After a slight bidding war in the final minute...I ended up winning them for $40! (including shipping!) I love the oversized cat eye, and the color is a fun purple-y red! DIOR is written on both sides. I couldn't find this exact pair on the Dior website, but there are similar pairs here and here. Unfortunately they didn't come with a case, but all research and markings on the glasses lead me to believe they are definitely legit. outfit details: Ann Taylor top [new, $20], Banana Republic jeans [new, $40], Banana Republic heels [new, $20], Gucci belt [secondhand, $25], Louis Vuitton bag [secondhand, $100], Dior sunglasses [secondhand, $40] How gorgeous is Malibu?! I chose this casual outfit for a drive down the coast for Taco Tuesday in Long Beach. I've been really into tucking the front of my shirts in, it is more comfortable than tucking the shirt all the way in, but still adds more shape to the outfit. The neutral bag, belt, and shoes allow for a pop of color from the top and, of course, my cute new sunnies! Let me know what all you lovelies think! xo Sydney
0 Comments
Happy Monday everyone! (sick joke, I know.) So lately I've shared a few posts about the successes I've found shopping eBay (check out the post on my gorgeous "new" LV bag here!) It may be hard to tell, but finding these kinds of deals is a long process. I start with the initial step of scoping out what kind of quality I can get at different price points, and once I find a quality and price I am happy with, I start the bidding fun. It takes a lot of self control to stick to a budget, and not get swept up in the whirlwind of the bidding war! For those who may be to new to eBay, check out my blog post here about how to shop smart on the bidding site. I currently have a few items on my lust list, and I decided to share those items, my budget, and my process with all of you! 1. Louboutin Heels // Budget: $100 The luxurious red bottoms! Louboutins are an iconic shoe brand, and I think the pop of color on the sole is super sexy for date night or going out. A pair of Louboutins retail STARTING at $600, and I've seen pairs priced up to 5 figures. (!!!) I'm looking for a classic, secondhand pair of pumps that I can wear with a variety of outfits, and have only moderate wear. I have found pairs in very good condition, with only light scratching to the platform of the red sole, going for around $100-$200. I really like the former, and have this magic number in my head. I have come super close, and I'm hoping to hit the jackpot very soon! 2. Gucci duffle // Budget: $250 As I start to accumulate more and more stamps on my passport (yay!), I've become in total awe of people that can pack their entire getaway necessities in one easy carry-on duffle or rollerbag. In the long run, it saves you money in luggage fees, and you get to skip the total pain of baggage claim. (This always gives me panic sweat, I am so weak and practically get dragged around the belt as I attempt to haul my bag off!) While new Gucci duffles start at around $1800, beautiful vintage pieces are selling for under $500 on eBay. I wasn't sure if I could manage a duffle on my own while traveling, but the strap makes transport easy, and who knows, maybe I'll gain some upper body strength. 3. Prada sunglasses // Budget: $50 For the past few years, I have been totally faithful to my Rayban wayfarers and aviators. They are both classic, go with practically every outfit, and can literally survive anything (toilets, sidewalks, toddlers, you name it). I've been looking to add some variety to my eye game, and have been searching around for a few more iconic, fun new pieces. ( I recently just added a new family member to my sunglasses collection, that fancy find will be up later this week!) I love the bar over the nose and the round frames of these Prada glasses pictured above. I'm actually totally sick about it, because as I was searching around for price ideas on these glasses, I came across a pair very similar to the picture above, that ultimately sold for $40. Yes, that's right people, only 1 zero at the end! I didn't bid yet, because I was still not too sure about what kind of deals I could find. Fast forward a few weeks later, and I still have yet to come across a price anywhere near that! Fancy tip: If you find anything Prada for only double digits, BUY IT. As I mentioned above, I'll be sharing a new fancy find later this week! Make sure to follow fancy free on facebook, IG, and twitter (links on the home page) to keep up to date on posts and for fun behind the scenes! :) xo Sydney In high school, I would have a lot of fun rummaging through Forever 21. For someone figuring themselves out, rows and rows of cheap and trendy pieces allowed you try out new personalities easily! However, as you probably know, those fun pieces don't have a long life. The man-made fabrics would pill, the faulty stitching would come undone, and the process of continually replacing pieces in your wardrobe can become expensive. For the most part, I now avoid shopping discount stores like Forever 21, H&M, and Target. I really try to keep myself from even stepping foot in one, because I know I will see something cute and get suckered in, only to be disappointed after a few wears. However, as you saw here, there are times I actually encourage shopping these types of stores. Keep scrolling! :) outfit details: H&M dress [new, $10], H&M flats [new, $20], H&M tights [new, 2 for $10], Rebecca Minkoff bag [new, $50], Tiffany & Co necklace [new, gift], Rayban aviators [new, $90] This outfit is almost completely H&M, and I added a few higher end touches with the Tiffany & Co necklace and Minkoff bag. My first rule for shopping these stores is to always look at the tag. No matter how cute the piece is, if it is made with a man-made materials such as rayon and polyester, I always put it back. I have had a hard time with these materials pilling and falling apart. I always look for more natural materials, such as cotton and linen, because these materials are much sturdier and hold up against time better. I also prefer to buy delicate, replaceable items (such as the tights above) at discount stores. No matter where I buy tights (Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, etc.), I have yet to find a pair that don't run after 2 wears! Suggestions?? Anyway, why pay $30 for a pair of tights when I can get the same quality in a $5 pair?! I talked about these shoes in a previous post (was linked above in the first paragraph!). I wanted these cute, summer trend shoes without paying too much, because before I know it there will be another fad shoe "I have to have." ;) That's what sent me to H&M, and I even found them on sale! I've worn them 4 or 5 times now, and there are still no scoffs, and the soles are still very intact. Yay! If you think a shoes or piece of clothing (yes, I'm looking at your fringe) is just a season piece, my advice is to go cheaper. More money for classic investment pieces! Advice? Fancy finds? Share them with me here in the comments, or tag @fancyfreeblog on IG! xo Sydney Hello lovelies! So, we all know skin care is incredibly important. Aside from drinking lots of water (or diet coke), getting enough sleep (whenever possible...), and washing our face every night (just do it!), we rely on face cremes to keep our skin moisturized and glowing. Beauty companies know this, and put a confusing number of expensive items out in the market to prey on our desire to stay youthful and attractive. Exhibit A: Creme de la Mer is a "luxurious" moisturizing cream available at high end department stores like Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. 1 oz of La Mer retails at...drum roll please... $170! Ingredients include seaweed extract, mineral oil, vaseline, glycerin, plant oils and seeds, minerals, vitamins, and thickeners. Umm, excuse me, but what about any of those ingredients costs that much money?! Enter exhibit B: Nivea Creme is a German moisturizer available at nearly every grocery and drug store, and costs under a dollar an ounce! Like La Mer, Nivea also contains mineral oil, vaseline, glycerin, vitamins, and thickeners. While Nivea is lacking in the additionally added antioxidants, it is unclear as to whether they are still effective after the packaging and shipping of the product. Nivea is also missing the seaweed extract, which is said to emit lactic acid that exfoliates the skin. Since I live so close to the ocean, do you think I can just grab a few pieces, or nah? ;) I just really have a hard time imagining how this product can be $169x better. Once I started using Nivea as a nightly moisturizer, I really could not believe how different my skin was looking. I was waking up with glowing skin, and found the lines on my forehead and around my eyes to be less noticeable! Pro tip: Nivea is incredibly thick, let the heat of your skin soften it before attempting to rub in. It is also incredibly water resistant, so make sure your face is completely dry before rubbing in! Believe me, it is a pain. When applying, I start by putting dots on "trouble" areas (around my mouth, between my eyebrows, at the corners of my eyes, and in the middle of my forehead) and rubbing in from there. What moisturizers and skin care products do you swear by? Leave a comment below and let me know! xo Sydney Happy belated birthday America! Unfortunately, midterms last week left me with little time for blogging, as all intelligence and imagination had to be outsourced into essay writing :(. But I'm back with tons of fun ideas for new posts! Yesterday was our country's independence day, and it's a holiday I always look forward to! Aside from being a proud American, I always love any excuse dress nautical. ;) The hubby and I both had the day off, so we started the day casually rolling out of bed at 9am and heading out for brunch. outfit details: Gucci headscarf [new, gift], Banana Republic top [new, $17], Levi jeans [new, $30], Jack Rogers sandals [new, $25], Rayban aviators [new, $90], Michael Kors watch [new, gift], Louis Vuitton cross body [secondhand, $100] Aye aye captain! I love the east coast vibe of this outfit, and thought this combination would be perfect for celebrating America. The Banana Republic top is super breezy, and even has tiny anchors on the buttons over the shoulders. So cute! These white Levi's are a total wardrobe staple. I have had this pair for about 4 years now, and they still fit great and haven't lost their shape! I have (unfortunately) bought much more expensive jeans that are no longer form fitting after one wear and wash. The Jack Rogers sandals are a recent find that I am super excited about! I had time to kill, so I decided to stroll through Marshall's. This store is kind of a hit or miss when it comes to high quality items, but imagine my surprise to find these adorable gold sandals on the clearance shelf for $25! The reason given for their clearance status was because they were "last season", but if you are familiar with Jack Rogers, you will know they rarely change from season to season! Especially such a neutral, gorgeous color such as gold. I was at a store in Orange County, so maybe they are just not as popular there? Either way, I didn't let go. Here is a similar pair at the retail price of $118. You have seen this scarf a number of times ( like here and here). I love it because I can use it so many ways! For this look, I tied it in a knot at the top of my head, and tucked one end to the front and the other to the back. Two bobby pins behind the ears, and it didn't move whatsoever! I felt the scarf gave a pop of color to the outfit, and made it more interesting. It also kept the hair out of my face. Total win. Once we got back, we started to get ready for the rest of our 4th plans. Laguna Beach! I love the coastal cities of Orange County. They have a small town feel while still being sophisticated and having a large selection of bars, restaurants, and fun things to do! outfit details: Gucci scarf [new, gift], Ralph Lauren long sleeve top [new, $20], Levi jeans [new, $30], Banana Republic heels [new, $20], Gucci belt [secondhand, $25], Gucci bag [secondhand, hand me down], Rayban wayfareres [new, $90] I decided to re-use the white jeans from my previous outfit, and took the Gucci scarf out of my hair and tied it around my neck. So versatile! I decided on a long sleeve shirt because even though it's July, the beach cities often get down into the 60s at night. The Gucci belt was a great buy. It is simple and goes well with most outfits because it is actually reversible, black and brown! I found it on TheRealReal at around $60. They were offering a 20% promo code, and also give you a $25 credit when you register an email and make an account. We drove directly towards the coast, and enjoyed a beautiful cruise down PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). We drove for about an hour, and made it all the way to Dana Point, CA. After enjoying the views, we made our way back to Laguna Beach. We had a reservation at an oceanfront restaurant for dinner (and fireworks!), but arrived early to enjoy a drink and the sunset at their seaside bar, The Deck on Laguna Beach. I ordered a Seaside Surfer, which was essentially a margarita with cilantro and a kick. Delish! The sunset was also to die for, and we had a front-row view. Once 8pm rolled around, it was time to be seated for our dinner reservations. The restaurant is called Driftwood Kitchen, and was located in the same building as the bar, but upstairs. It seemed the entire building had been converted from a home to a bar/restaurant/lounge, but had a great laid back beach vibe. We sat inside, but the restaurant offers floor to ceiling windows to allow for full views of the ocean, and later the fireworks. I had a glass of a delicious, sweet pinot noir rose, and we started our meal with quinoa salads. (Sadly there are no pics of food, because 1. we were super hungry, and 2. the hubby doesn't love when I take foodie pics in public with him around. You will have to use your imagination.) The salads consisted of quinoa, sweet corn, avocado, heirloom tomatoes, and feta cheese. Very delicious, but super filling, so we decided to share an entree. We went with a house favorite, the lobster spaghetti carbonara. FULL of lobster and so flavorful! Highly recommend. Just as we were served our food, the fireworks began. Laguna Beach offered a gorgeous 30 minute fireworks show, and we had such an incredible view! Overall, incredible night of amazing food, ocean vibes, and fireworks to celebrate America! I hope you enjoyed this adventure with me, and I plan to bring you on many more! xo Sydney |
Live for luxury? No trust fund, no problem!
Join the fancy free journey as we seek the finer things in life, sans millions. Press
- Marie Claire, September 2016 Categories
All
Archives
October 2022
|