Uniqlo is launching more than one Spring/Summer collection and each one is super functional and spectacular. Let's consider 3 of its winning offerings.
1) Premium Linen Shirts - Out of all of Uniqlo's products, the label premium has only been used for one product - premium linen shirts. Made from high-quality European Flax Linen and Hemp, linen was once a pricey fabric to buy, but Uniqlo set out to find ways to make it affordable. The retailer's premium linen shirts are breathable, moisture-wicking, and machine-washable.Available in 10 dazzling colors. According to Uniqlo, "Every wash deepens the character of the linen, creating patterns in the fabric."
2) Cutting Edge Activewear - Includes Uniqlo's signature airism technology cut and stitched into UV protection tops and pocketed soft leggings. The cloth is ultra stretchy and quick drying, as well as, super stylish and machine washable. All-weather parkas protect the wearer from the sun and rain. Comes in neutrals and several colors. Why pay competitors more?
3) Dry Crew Neck Short Sleeve Color T-Shirts - The fabric is 66% cotton and 34% polyester which gives the t-shirts a smooth, silky, and moisture-wicking absorbency. You know the quality, wear, and style are top-notch, not to mention, soft if I like the t-shirts since I have a natural bias for 100% cotton material. These drape stylishly on the body as oversized t-shirts and keep you dry, unlike pure cotton t-shirts. For everyday wear, the dry crew neck t-shirts come in 11 colors.
Uniqlo continues to impress with another season of innovative, affordable LifeWear! The price of fast fashion, only the pieces are better made, classic, and durable!
Fourteen years ago, I published a blog with no idea of what I was doing, and here I am still writing it. A Facebook friend's birthday is March 3rd, and it's how I remember the blog's beginning. The year 2009 was also the year her daughter was born, and now her little baby, Fiona, is a teenager. Back then, I thought, oh now she has a baby and I have a blog!😳 Although nobody can tell, we adults are also 14 years older.
By design, many of THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S blogs aren't dated so you can catch up by reading old posts and still be informed or entertained. The blog is structured as an electronic lifestyle magazine with a focus on good decision-making while living on a budget. On occasion, I do write about trends or current events with the awareness the posts will date, but then they become a record of our past.
Many things in life get better with age, wine, cheese, leather shoes, friendships, and hopefully blog posts.
Thank you, dear readers, for stopping by. I love hearing from you whether by email, in the blog's comments, on Facebook, or on other social media. Let me know what you'd like to see me research and write about in the future, and I'll do my best to cover it! XOXO💋
Back in August 2019, I learned It Cosmetics had discontinued its amazing Velvet Luxe line of makeup brushes after visiting Ulta intent on buying a 2nd brush. This was a crazy business move as my review of the superior line of brushes describes:
This and all of the following photos relate to the last paragraph of the blog. :)Wow, I especially love the oval ring, post earrings, and matching necklace.
Here's a snippet of my review: "'Last year I boughta quality makeup brush from the IT For Ulta Velvet Luxe line. The brushes in this particular line, are plush, soft, firm, precise in the application; and never, ever shed. In other words, everything we want: It is hands down the best makeup brush I've ever used!'"
Fortunately, I found 4 of the coveted sizes of the brushes on eBay, paying bargain prices for them as it turns out! Unfortunately, the one that gotaway I still pine for, namely theVelvet Luxe Goddess Kabuki Brush. I can make do with the brushes I now own, but every now and then I still go online to see if somebody, somewhere, anywhere is selling my longed-for kabuki brush. Makeup brushes must be sold new-and-never-used for me to buy them, and as we get further and further away from 2019, there's little chance the kabuki brush will be listed on eBay or elsewhere. A makeup maven who buys closeouts would have to discover it stashed in her basement for us to see it listed for sale again, but if I ever find it, my set will be complete.😍
By becoming a more mindful shopper and an under buyer, I make fewer mistakes, avoid buyer's remorse and save a few bucks along the way. But the other side of the coin is, I also must accept losing out on a few desired articles. However, on balance, I think I come out ahead.
Material things will come and go. Something new always replaces an old wish that vanishes.
No engagement is needed, I just love this ring.😀
All the lovely things posted today on this blog are on my Fairy Godmother Wish List but wisely I decided not to buy them. However, the kabuki brush I'll snatch up for a good price if ever, ever I see it again!
Nowadays you don't have to live near a physical plant to shop there and it's a good thing that can save us money on a few essentials, not to mention expand our choices of goods!
My senior mom needs a few basics so I ordered her a neutral-colored 100% cotton cardigan and several 100% cotton colorful t-shirts from J. Crew Factory, where apparel goes after it gets pulled from J. Crew stores, usually reduced by 40% - 50%. Half-price or nearly so rocks, and it doesn't get much cheaper at this retailer.
I selected a navy blue sweater for versatility and 5 t-shirts in hot pink and vivid blue.
The retailer is on a Better Cotton mission to help cotton communities survive and prosper while protecting and restoring the environment. Therefore 30% of the fabric of its garments is made using re-imagined sustainable cotton.
Perfect for the chill of spring and fall, mom's cardigan is lightweight yet a substantial knit, well-made, and super soft. A classic silhouette, it's not too boxy or tight, and the fit is true to size -- thankfully as I wanted to avoid exchanges. Customer reviews are a helpful guide on size.
Just what I envisioned for her and she loves both the sweater and t-shirts. They match her navy activewear cotton trousers! My first online purchase from J. Crew Factory got the job done without breaking the bank! The merchant's basics are flattering for women of all ages!
Over the years I've enjoyed stepping into Chanel on West 57th Street in Manhattan when I passed it periodically. The employees always treated me well despite the fact I was only a browser. Although famous for its pricey classic bags and small leather goods, one of the items for sale I examined (or should I say played with) was a huge lambskin jewelry box (for the consumer who has everything😛). The big case measures 5.5" x 22" x 9.3" and sells for around $26,000. It comes with elegant gold keys to lock it. A sales associate told me the store sold one a few days prior to my visit. If a customer spends that much on a jewelry box we agreed, we'd love to see her jewelry!
It turns out many luxury brands sell novelty goods. Liberty's Advent Calendar began as novelty stock before becoming a much anticipated annual October launch which sells out within days.
Azature Back Diamond nail polish cost $250,000
A novelty item is an object created to serve no practical purpose; or is designed fanciful to be unique, humorous, or something new and different with no additional functions. For example, a jewelry box is useful, but does a customer really need a Chanel $26,000 box to hold her jewelry? Of course not! Likewise, for nail polish containing ground black diamonds that sells for $250,000 a bottle. Wild, right? Nonetheless, people talk about it!
Luxury brands produce novelty goods for 2 main reasons: 1) It's great marketing for the brand, generating lots of buzz and publicity, and 2) Retailer studies find that luxury shoppers spend less money on others (i.e. on gift giving) than they do on themselves. Many luxury novelty items, called tchotchkes in the industry, including Dior candles, Hermès' incense sticks, a Burberry Teddy bear, or a Louis Vuitton Christmas ornament, sell for $25 to under $100 much less than designer handbags or clothes. Highrollers (The rich and HENRYS [High Earners Who Aren't Rich Yet] buy them as gifts, and wannabes who can't afford luxury bags will buy something smaller and cheaper to own a coveted designer's name.
Nowadays luxury brands are expanding their entry-level priced novelty inventory to boost both their revenues and demographics. And, guess what? The proliferation of tchotchkes is very profitable for elite fashion houses as the demand for luxury continues to grow.
You can google a slew of articles that try to explain what motivates luxury shopping ... and whether making trinkets priced within reach of more people helps or hurts a luxury brand. Are you willing to pay more for brand exclusivity? HENRYS and Wannabes do! Long-time readers can guess my answer.🙂
If you wonder what's in store for Spring/Summer 2023 ... designers, runways, and magazine covers are embracing a relaxed oversized fit in fashion, and to be honest I'm not on board with it from head to toe. Hey with this trend's yard of extra fabric, you'll only get one outfit in a suitcase.😁
Frankly, I dislike wearing a lot of layers, bulk, or weight. Not only do I like fitted tops, bottoms, and outerwear but I'm also a matchy, matchy gal. Not a tight fit, loose is not the same as oversized.
That said, there's usually a way to adopt aspects of a trend into your wardrobe if you wish. For me, it will not be with an oversized pair of trousers, but a relaxed oversized shirt paired with slender jeans or leggings is super stylish. Baggy pants just aren't me. If I oversized both the top and bottom halves, I'd feel swallowed up by my clothes. When passing, people might yell out, hey is anybody in there!?! Or do you need a rescue? A rope to climb out of the suit that capturedand is holding you hostage?!😂
Thankfully in our modern day, everybody doesn't have to adhere to one, inflexible standard, and people can embrace their own style.
Baggy, um slouchy is coming our way! Do you like oversized clothes?
If you think you can do it, or you think you can’t do it, You are right.– Henry Ford
The last few years have been like no other. First, in 2020 the pandemic shut down the world, and then in 2022 I became a full-time caregiver of my senior mom. What's more, I couldn't have predicted I would become a good amateur haircutter! Starting with cutting my own hair!! When everything closed in March 2020, I remember thinking, "Thank God Penny, my hairstylist, cut my hair last week. What would I have done otherwise!?!" Little did anyone know how long the shutdown would last, and I would eventually find out! Surprise!! :0
I learned being unafraid to literally take matters into my own hands makes life better. I felt and looked better trimmed than as a hippy-dippy, scraggly-haired woman.
Unlike many Manhattanites, I'm in the habit of cooking dinner at home instead of mostly eating out or ordering in, and knowing how to cook and bake was also a useful skill to have during the pandemic. In fact, when my careless hookah-smoking upstairs neighbor set her apartment on fire forcing everyone below her floor into hotels for 2 months during the renovations of our waterlogged apartments in 2019, it wasn't fun eating every meal out. Unlike when a person is on a business trip, few of us can afford room service 3 times a day. ($30 for eggs, toast and coffee!) Finding nutritious food by wandering around the blocks of Madison Avenue became horribly tedious!
I also keep my home organized, clutter-free, and easy to clean so I don't have to hire other people to help manage or clean it.
Another skill I've always found easy to do myself is grooming my own nails. I've enjoyed a few manicures and pedicures to understand their appeal, but I find it more convenient to do it myself at home while listening to music or watching the news or a television show. For years, I cut and polished my nails twice a week, until I began to appreciate a natural, clean, trimmed nail look and pondered why artificially painted nails are considered more glamorous or sophisticated?
Not exactly my old signature colors of nail enamel, but close enough.
In my 20s and early 30s, my signature nail color was Relvon's All That Jazz, a sparkly cardinal red; and later on, it became Nicka K's Sea Shell, an iridescent soft white. Now I think healthy, well-groomed, natural nails rock, and there's no real need to polish them. Who knows if I'll change my mind again, however not painting my nails is a huge time saver! {For my male readers to know, it requires a base coat (to protect your nails), 2 coats of color, and a top coat (to protect the polish). The effort every week is nuts, no?}
Without Gumby arms to trim the back of my head, I no longer cut my own hair. Oh, snipping the back was slow and tedious, but I still trim my mom's hair and groom her nails. I wouldn't have thought I could do this for another person before necessity became the mother of invention and convenience! Doing things yourself sometimes also keeps life simple (I don't have to make appointments or take her elsewhere). Simple is better because it's less rushing, schlepping, and directing others in exchange for more hours of relaxing.
Despite the top blog image, I wouldn't consider going off the grid or buying a farm. I love city life! City Girl Extraordinaire suits me.
I highly recommend: Be as self-sufficient as possible ... but as is sensible. Try to develop a fewnewlifeskills just to see what you can do for yourself. Strive to save time and money by keeping life simple and making it better. Remember no matter what happens in the rest of the world, if it shuts down, or businesses leave the neighborhood, you can always depend on yourself! As the song goes, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.
The best lightning rod for your protection is your own spine. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Have a look at several Valentine's Day images to put you in a festive mood to celebrate it. Every February 14th we love the color red, roses, jewelry, and dark chocolate! This year I'll add an easy Strawberry Sparkling Rosè Wine (or Champagne)recipe to follow:
Ingredients:
16 ounces strawberries
2 teaspoons honey (or Stevia to taste)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
A bottle of sparkling rosè wine
Directions
1) Toss the strawberries and honey into a food processor and puree until smooth (a blender will work if you can figure out how to get it out. Perhaps pour 1/2 cup of wine into the blender:). Transfer to a pitcher.
2) Add the lemon juice and sparkling rosè wine and whisk.
What a refreshing Valentine's Day sparkling wine + strawberries sangria.
💋❤️💋❤️💘 To all my Valentines, my darling readers!💘💋❤️💋❤️
💖💟💝Enjoy!Use the day to take the frost out of winter.😉🌹🌻🌷
3) Dry Crew Neck Short Sleeve Color T-Shirts - The fabric is 66% cotton and 34% polyester which gives the t-shirts a smooth, silky, and moisture-wicking absorbency. You know the quality, wear, and style are top-notch, not to mention, soft if I like the t-shirts since I have a natural bias for 100% cotton material. These drape stylishly on the body as oversized t-shirts and keep you dry, unlike pure cotton t-shirts. For everyday wear, the dry crew neck t-shirts come in 11 colors.
