Yes! Tuck It!

Ladies, the TUCK is back.

And I'm not talking about little strips of fabric sewn into a shirt. (But I reserve the right to post on those tucks in the future!)

I'm talking about tucking your shirt into your pants or skirt. Yes! We have not been tucking for several years now. I'm sure you remember, if you are over 15 years old, the days when everything was tucked in.

But for several years, all tops have been left untucked, even if their hems peeked out from under a jacket or sweater. Yes, even structured suits were often modeled with the blouse sticking out at the bottom. That's one look I didn't actually go for, but then again, when do I wear a suit anymore? I gave them up in the late 90s, along with pantyhose!

This season, the tuck is back! I like tucking in the top because it usually helps to define the waist and it looks tidy. Naturally, there are many tops--pullover sweaters, for example--that simply should not be tucked in, and it is still acceptable to have that shirttail peeking out. That's a very preppy look that I personally love.

But tucking in your blouse and adding a belt will accentuate a narrow waist and define a thick one. And the renewed style of tucking coincides with the rise of the waist on many pants and skirts.

I ran across this video that shows a lot of the renewed tucking style. It's a makeover from Chadwick's and The Balancing Act. It shows a 55-year-old woman who has been dressing sloppily for a while. The makeover brings her back to looking--and feeling--so much better! Check it out and notice all the tuckage!

Until next time,
Shop Cheap, Look Cute!
Susan K. Morrow

Sweaters All 'Round!

Today dawned windy and chilly in Austin, Texas, and I was happy to have a new sweater to wear!

Yes, I went to one of my faves: New York & Co. I don't know if this sale is going on today, but over the weekend, all tops were buy one, get one half off. This is becoming a wonderful shoppers' trend: Several stores have borrowed the "BOGO" idea from Payless and are offering this kind of deal. NY & Co. recently offered it on pants and other bottoms, so keep your eyes open, e.g., subscribe to emails from the stores you like.

And this outfit came out of my weekend trip to the mall! Because I bought the cardigan and the camisole--both tops--one of them was half price. I also had a coupon, AND received a coupon for future use. Both pieces together cost me about $50. Not the least I have ever paid, but pretty good.

The cardigan is extremely soft, 100% acrylic (I am allergic to wool), and has pretty sparkly buttons. It comes in several colors, and I also picked it up in a rich red. The cami has a diamond pattern in two shades of turquoise, plus white, black, and grey. It comes in other color ways, as well as solids.

I had the black jeans from last year--they fit really well, and I think are regularly priced at $29.99 at Macy's, brand "Style & Co." This is a "mature woman's" jean--sits a little higher on the waist and is cut a little straighter. With my slender legs and "tiny mutant pelvis" (Oh, that's a blog post waiting to happen!), these fit me pretty well.

The booties, which I just LOVE, are grey suede and came from--where else?--Payless last year. No idea what I paid, but I would put money on it being under $25. They are very comfy for heels and they keep my feet warm!

You could reasonably recreate this whole look for about $100, including shoes. I forgot to put on earrings, but wouldn't silver ones be nice?

Until next time,
Shop Cheap, Look Cute!
Susan K. Morrow

Crazy Cute

How crazy is this?

This is such a funky skirt that I can only hope to wear it a few times. I just thought it was really neat and yes, I got it on sale.

I found the skirt at Macy's on a clearance rack. There was no tag on it and neither the sales clerk nor I could find another skirt like it. The clerk found one that was close enough and used that tag. It was $11.95! She warned me that, without a tag, I would be unable to return the skirt. But I thought, for twelve bucks, who cares?

Then came the arduous task of finding the right top to go with. The skirt is a double layer of thin cotton, but the colors are very fall-y, so I tried some of the colors in the skirt... All overwhelmed. I settled on this brown, which blends pretty well and then I threw in--ta da!--my Notorious Aqua Cowboy Boots!

I never get to wear these boots, so this was a treat.

Now, you know where the skirt came from, but what about the other pieces? The sweater came from Chadwick's (www.chadwicks.com) last year for about $20 or so. (I'll do a post on catalog and online shopping soon. Chadwicks has some great deals and excellent basics.)

The NACBs (Notorious Aqua Cowboy Boots) were an online purchase about two years ago. I don't even remember where I got them, but I seem to recall Googling "aqua cowboy boots" and found them. They were well under a hundred, around $65, I think. Well worth it!

If you like the look, you can now recreate it. If you think I look too silly to be cute, well, at least it was cheap! After all, that's what I'm all about--shop cheap, look cute!

Until next time,
Susan K. Morrow

A New York Minute

I don't have much time, so this will be quick! I want to give a plug to my friends at New York & Co.

You've read about them at least a couple of times here on this blog. I would hazard a guess that about 1/3 of my wardrobe comes from that store.

Really? Wow, that's a lot of clothes from one store! Maybe I exaggerate, but I do shop there a lot.

New York & Co. is probably in your mall, and is definitely online: www.nyandcompany.com. My sister told me once that there are no such stores in Nashville, Tennessee, but there are. Don't be fooled if you just haven't heard of it!

It offers frequent new collections, about every 6 weeks, so you can usually find something new and different. The clothes are not quite like anything you'll find in other stores, either.

The clothes are primarily aimed at grown women, not teenagers. My daughters (presently ages 18 and 22) have told me that I am generally safe shopping there, because their clothes are almost all appropriate for my age, which is--ahem--mid-40s.

I am concerned about dressing appropriately for my age, and you should be too. If you are in your late 30s, for example, you are past the age of the mini-skirt! I'm not kidding! I don't care how cute your legs are, it's not "fittin'" to wear super-short skirts at your age!

New York & Co. helps me stay age-appropriate, but it also often features clothes that my grown daughters enjoy. They have even found jeans that suit them at their ages.

As I mentioned in my post on credit cards, New York & Co. offers fantastic deals, sales, coupons, etc. And no, you don't always have to use the NY & Co. credit card to get them.

So I recommend checking out the store, either storefront or online. And btw, I am not receiving any compensation for this! (I wish!) On the contrary, I pay New York & Co. all the time, buying clothes there!

Check it out and let me know what you think of the store!

Until next time,
Susan K. Morrow

To Your Credit...

I can't go any further without mentioning something about store credit cards.

Whether you choose to use credit cards or not, you might not know this about store credit cards. Many stores these days, including New York & Co., Beall's, and JC Penney, give extra discounts and specials if you get and use their card.

Some stores, like Kohl's, offer a discount the first time you use the card. Some will only give the discount if you get the card, but not if you don't qualify. Others will give you the discount just for applying, which I personally think is only fair.

So what's a girl to do who wants the deals but not the debt?

Simple--pay off each charge on the spot. I can't think of any clothing store that does not accept payments to your charge account at the register. So if you have the cash, simply make a payment to your account in the amount of the charge, right there at the same time as your purchase.

This way, you never carry a balance, and you always get those extra deals.

At New York & Co., which is one of my favorite shop spots, I am on their email list, and I receive frequent coupons by email. Now, there is a catch: you only get coupons if you buy something. I don't know their formula, but it's something like, for every $25 you spend in their store, they'll send you a coupon for $20 off a total pre-tax purchase of $75--or something like that.

Now, here's a word of caution about those New York & Co. deals that offer "x-amount off of x-amount": They turn that discount into a percentage of each item. It's not a huge deal, but it is something to be aware of. As far as my "cheap shopping" goes, they're the only store that does that.

And now you know. I don't advocate carrying a lot of debt, but I do carry some myself. It's up to you, and now you can get some even better deals, to debt or not to debt!

Until next time,
Susan K. Morrow

It Is Better to Look Good than to Feel Good, Do You Know What I Am Saying to You?

And I thought I looked great yesterday! It's too bad you can't see all the way to my feet--hey, that's what I get when I take the picture by myself.

I wanted to tell you about this outfit because it cost very little and is flattering in several ways.

First of all, I got the blouse and skirt at New York & Co. I shop there a LOT. I mean, these people pretty much own me at this point. But it's a cheap own-age, because they offer such great deals.

If there is not a NY&Co. near you, check them out online: www.nyandcompany.com.

These two pieces are from this season, and come in other colors, so if you like them, you can still get them. (Sometimes, I talk about older things, so this is a treat.)

The blouse was originally $34.95 and is currently on sale for $24.46 (online price--in-store may vary). That's 30% off, which is what I paid for this top. However, I had a coupon, so my end-price was lower. I also bought this blouse in a gorgeous gold that flatters me, and I paid less than full price, again because of a coupon.

The skirt was probably $34.95 originally, although I am having trouble finding it online right now (look for it in the clearance section in stores); again, my coupon made it LESS. I bought it in two colors and LOVE it.

So that's the price info, let's discuss fit-and-flattery. If you read my post on colors, you know that I do not wear grey well--and this top is full of it! So how did I get away with that? Well, the multiple shades of turquoise, combined with black, gave me enough boost to overlook the grey near my face.

The blouse is actually a knit, although it doesn't really look like it, and has georgette at the neck and sleeves. It's gathered under the georgette neck, so it has some fullness in front, which is great for

a) a full bust
b) a small bust
c) a bit of a tummy

Really cute! It was a little cool yesterday, so I topped this with a topper in black nylon!

The skirt is a little big on me, but I like the cut very well. It's made of a heavy jersey knit, with a yoke but no waistband, so no added bulk at the waist.

A note about hem-lengths: We are so fortunate to live in a fashion age that allows all lengths! Aren't we grateful not to have to adhere to strict guidelines about skirt lengths that change every season? I wear most of my skirts at mid-knee, which is the most flattering length for most legs. This one is a little longer, and I decided not to hem it, because I like the 40's look of it, and it's still flattering to my legs as long as I wear high heels.

The skirt is also made with room for hips, which I don't have. But most women do, and this skirt will cling to your lovely little waist and flatter your curvy hips. If you are straight-figured like I am, this will help fill out what Mother Nature failed to give you. (In the picture, I turned my hips in model-pose, so you can't see the faux hips!)

I wore the outfit with charcoal grey textured tights and matte-black wedge pumps. Simple silver jewelry did not compete with the heavy pattern on the top.

Pretty soon, I want to talk about those coupons, at NY&Co. and elsewhere, store credit cards, and possibly... shoes at Target! Tune in next time when we Shop Cheap, Look Cute!

Best,
Susan K. Morrow

Boot Scoot Boogie

Ah, fall! It's my favorite time of year. I love the crisp weather, and I love to wear fall clothes! I try to wear my browns, golds, and oranges often, because they don't always work as well in later winter and early spring. But the best thing about fall fashion is... boots!

We all love boots, right? And yet, it's a love-hate relationship. I have heard quite often that women have trouble finding boots that fit over their calves. And these are not big-legged women ("...ain't got no soul"?). I have rather slender legs and sometimes boots are too snug for me. Also, my daughter recently picked up a cute pair of western-style (not cowboy) boots that are great, except for one thing: they're a little snug at the top, which is mid-calf, and they evoke a little perspiration around there. Not too comfy!

So what's a normal-calved gal to do?

Well, I am the queen of Shop Cheap, Look Cute, so I have to say, start at Payless. I cannot say enough good things about Payless. They do a great job of rotating their collections often, so you can usually find something you don't have. Believe me, I am in there every week or two, so I know what they have, and I almost always find something new.

Naturally, Payless has low prices, good sales, and the frequent "BOGO" (buy one, get one half off--shouldn't that be "BOGO HO"?) events. You can also sign up for their email list, and they'll send you coupons for 15% or 20% off in between their sales. I seldom pay more than $20 for a pair of shoes there, and usually less.

Boots cost a little more than shoes at Payless, just as they do anywhere, but you won't pay $100 for boots there. Thirty-five to forty is the typical retail price range for boots at Payless. The black boot shown at the top of this post is the Nadia Tall Boot from Payless and is currently non-sale priced at only $29.99. Can't complain about the price.

But what about the fit? Fortunately, a number of boot designers have started adding in that little life saver that has made women slimmer for decades: spandex. Some boots have spandex or elastic panels and some have spandex in the material, even some materials that look like leather! Magic!

I know you're wondering, "What kinds of boots are in Susan K's Shop Cheap, Look Cute closet?" Sure you are! Well, I'm gonna tell ya: I own black, pewter, and brown boots in knee-high; brown croc, olive suede, dark red matte leather ankle boots; black patent and purple suede booties (up to the ankle); and for the first time in my seventh-generation-Texan life, I own three pairs of cowboy boots!

Oh, one word of caution when choosing boots: I know those certain boots are comfy--the ones that look sort of like tall house shoes, flat soles, lined with sheep's wool? But they are only appropriate on young women, and the younger, the better. So if you are a "woman of a certain age", like I am, skip the UGly boots and get some real woman's boots!

Until next time,
Susan K. Morrow

How to Find Good Colors for You

I like to shop, I like to write, I like to look cute, and I love a bargain! A blog seems a natural fit, doesn't it? Yes, a "natural fit", as advertised by certain jeans.

Ooh, we could go on about jeans for days, couldn't we? But this blog is about all kinds of clothes, mostly on the cheap, or at least reasonably-priced, so we'll have postings about jeans, about sweaters, about men's clothes (wow!), about shoes and boots and sandals... The sky is the limit!

For this first posting, I want to mention something about colors. The beginning of any good wardrobe is knowing what looks good on you. And colors are the best place to start with that.

When I was a child, my mom sewed quite a bit for me and my sister. She would take us to the fabric store (my eyes always burned--what was that?) and hold fabrics up under our chins to see how certain colors looked on us. My mom has a great eye for fashion, color, design, etc. I got most of what I know from her.

Mother always said my best colors were pastel purple and olive green. I have hazel eyes, black hair (starting to turn grey!), and very fair skin. Mother calls my skin "fair olive". In other words, it has a greenish undertone. Not very flattering, I think, but nonetheless true. As I have gotten older and learned about what looks good on me, I find these colors also suit me well:

* most shades of purple and green (Mother was right!)
* red
* black
* brown
* turquoise and coral (magic colors that flatter most people)
* orange and peach
* pink and magenta
* teal
* off-white, winter white, vanilla, cream
* some shades of yellow, including gold

I definitely can NOT wear navy or grey. Ugh. And there are probably others, but you get the idea. If you have ever "had your colors done", you probably know better than most people what flatters you. If not, here are a couple of tips to find out:

1) Look in your closet and drawers. What color/s to you own more of than anything else? If you have mostly red and purple, for example, they are probably your best colors.

***NOTE of Caution: this trick does not work if your whole wardrobe is BLACK! If you've been hiding behind black for years, now is the time to break out and get some color back in your cheeks! Don't get me wrong--I like black and it has its place. But wearing it head-to-toe every day makes you look depressing, depressed, boring, and unimaginative. Trust me. And it's not actually all that slimming, so stop it!

2) Another trick is to do what my mother did: hold it up to your chin and look in the mirror. I still do this if I'm not sure about a color, especially if it is a print with more than one color. What if you look great in one of the colors and lousy in the other? Hold it up and look. Do your eyes look bright? Does your skin look clear and bright or sallow? If you've never looked at colors this way, you're in for a treat. I'm betting you will have a revelation or two!

3) Think of what you are wearing when you get compliments. If someone says, "That's a great outfit", it's not nearly as telling as, "You look great!" If you hear something like that or, "Wow, your eyes look amazing!", pay attention--and wear that outfit again!

4) And finally, what color are your eyes? What color are your eyebrows? What color is your hair (naturally, I mean). Mother Nature doesn't make mistakes on this--you can wear the colors of your eyes and hair, and you can take that to the bank. If you color your hair and that color flatters you, you can wear it too.

Thus concludes today's color lesson. I'd love to know what you learned, what you know about your own colors, and what questions you have. Next time, I'll share a recent purchase with you, so you can learn to Shop Cheap, Look Cute!

Until next time,
Susan K. Morrow