deb said no

Hat-trick

During 30 for 30, I made the mistake of going to the mall with my favourite shopping partner: my mom. Then, I made the even bigger mistake of checking out the clearance shoes at The Bay. Then, I made the biggest mistake of all: trying on a pair of Nine West flats that I absolutely adored. They fit like a glove. I was gutted that I couldn't buy them right then and there.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, just after the 30 for 30 ended. Once again, I found myself in The Bay with my mom. I sauntered over to the clearance shoe rack, fully expecting my beloved Nine West flats to be sold out...

 

But there they were! In all of their embellished, just-my-size perfection! One single pair in my size. It was meant to be, non?

My luck continued the other day at Winners. Ever since The Glamourai unveiled the bag she created for Coach, I have been lusting after a grey drawstring bag. Last week, I saw one I loved by Nine West in a magazine (I can't remember exactly which one, and I'm far too  lazy to look it up), but it was nearly $100, and I'm really trying to stay on a strict budget.

To my surprise, I found the exact. same. bag. at Winners only days later... for less than half the price!

I was worried at first that I wouldn't be able to fit much in this bag. I'm tired of having to transfer loose cards and money from purse to purse because my bag is too small for my wallet. I had nothing to worry about, though. This baby holds loads. Let's play a little game of "what's in Julie's bag", shall we?

(Note: My usual mess of crumpled up receipts have been removed)

We've got:

• BlackBerry Torch (inside the case)
• flats
• keys
• comb
• gum
• two lip glosses
• wallet
• change purse

Not bad, right?

My third score came in the form of a free (yes, FREE!) necklace rack. Every once in a while, someone in my building will leave a box of random stuff in the laundry room with a "Free!" sign on it. This was one such item.

I'm thinking of calling her Cleo Jr...

Ever the ham, Maury decided he wanted to be involved in this photo shoot as well.

What are some recent deals you've found? Do you have a particular store where you always find good deals? Tell me about it in the comments!

Loving: My Pretty Fiona Shoes

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm beyond obsessed with shoes.  I once counted how many pairs I own, and frankly, it was embarrassing. I've managed to avoid bankruptcy solely (sorry - I couldn't resist) because I lean toward less expensive footwear.

Of my collection, it's the flats that tend to be in heavy rotation. I love the look of high heels, but I'm terrible at walking in them and I hate to be uncomfortable.  The thought of having to walk even ten feet in anything higher than a kitten horrifies me...

...Which is why I was so surprised when I fell in love with a pair of 4 1/2 inchers from Payless.  They are freakishly comfortable. While I won't be running a marathon in them any time soon, I also don't dread walking across the building in them for my daily DC run (DC = Diet Coke, by the way).

They're cute, non?

Fioni Shoes from Payless, "Tan Lars"

The best part is that they were from payless, so they were super inexpensive.

The brand is called "Fioni", a name which makes me think of my friend Fiona, thus making these my "Pretty Fiona Shoes".  Apparently Payless has carried the brand for about two years now, but this is the first time I recall seeing them in a store. A quick search online didn't provide much further information, but did lead me to find some more cute shoes to share with you guys: http://www.payless.com/store/catalog/brandlisting.jsp?trail=1014%3A100038&catId=cat10376&brandId=100038.

Happy shopping!