90% off? Yes, please!

Y'all know how I love a sale. I've been eye-balling this sweater at Kohl's since January and it FINALLY went on sale for 90% off. Paying 80% off was clearly just too much for me :)

Sweater: Dana Buchman @ Kohl's 

Jeans: Seven @ DressBarn

Unseen tank: Old Navy

Flats: Kate Spade

Bag: Michael Kors

Sunnies: Target

The light and exposure on this photo is a little off, but that's what I get for taking just one pic and hoping for the best. I really love this sweater and for $7.60, wish it came in every color of the rainbow. The keyhole at the top is crazy low if left unattended. I wore a solid black tank underneath just to err on the safe side. Don't want the boobies hanging out ALL the time, right?

Luck o' the Irish

I'm having zero luck today, kittens. I forgot to put on my slip and I'm having some horrible static cling. UGH. I'm at work w/no hairspray or static spray. I tried rubbing lotion on my thighs but all that did was moisturize my tights. *sigh* Looks like I'm going to Kohl's during lunch!

Dress: Banana Republic

Cardi: gift from Mama

Necklace: Send the Trend

Tights: George via Walmart

Shoes: Kate Spade via Zappos/6pm.com outlet

Bracelets: Old Navy






















I feel a wee bit "costumey" today, but this is as excited as I get for a holiday. I don't get into Halloween or even get up early on Christmas morning (I was, and still am, an odd child), but a holiday involving excessive drinking and short folks? Sign me up!

Remember when I told you Al bought some tights for me? I'm finally wearing the patterned pair and I can't believe it took me so long to get into this. Of course, Spring is just around the corner so I probably won't get too many more wears out of them.

Pretty cute, huh?

Speaking of cute...

I love these shoes so dang much.

This necklace is also on my "favorite things" list!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all! Be safe and have fun! Xoxo

TGIF. For real!

In my entire adult life, I've never had a job that didn't require me to work weekends...until now. I *finally* get all that TGIF stuff! It's so nice to KNOW I'll be off work on certain days. I do miss spending Mondays at home, though, and would probably still gladly work a Saturday on occasion. It's nice to have a "me day" where I can lounge on the couch and watch "Mad Men" all day. Don Draper and I enjoy spending time together. Duh.

Cardi: Target

Tank: Lands' End Canvas

Pants: Old Navy

Flats: Kenneth Cole Reaction

Necklace: gift
























Gosh! I really need a better photo spot. Unfortunately, this is the best one and even then, it's iffy.

How cute is this cardigan? I love the fun flowers and soft purple. I've noticed my wardrobe is all black, gray, and purple so get ready to see this color combo a LOT.

These babies are SO CUTE yet this is the first time I've worn them. As you may know, Zappos has a major distribution center in Kentucky. Fortunately for me, it's only about 20 minutes from my house! It's called the 6pm.com Outlet now, but we all still call it the Zappos Outlet :) Anyway, they had a massive Black Friday sale where everything in the store was 70% off the OUTLET PRICE. So those fancy Vera Wang heels that were already 50% off? Take 70% off that!

My buddy Leslie (different than our former favorite blog buddy Leslie) and I met up with Tracey and her cousin, Dawn at 9am when the doors opened. I've never ever gone or done Black Friday before b/c it's just not my bag. But 9am and cheap shoes? That I can handle. Most of the run on shoes seemed to be for mens and kids shoes. It wasn't nearly as crowded as one might expect so it was good. I picked up these for $4 (that's right, $4). They retailed for $42 and are actually kids shoes. They're a size 6 in girls which fits my 7/7.5 feet perfectly. I also snagged some Hunter wellies that I'll post soon!

So...since it's Friday, what are you planning for the weekend? We're going to work in the yard some more and celebrate my grandma's 87th birthday. We've been pruning trees and cleaning/raking our landscaping (or lack there of) in hopes of getting a jump on Spring. I'm hoping to actually have time to have more flowers and a bigger garden this year. Cross your fingers for us!

It's me again, Margaret

I'm having a hell of a time finding a good spot at work to snap a pic. It's too dark in our house in the mornings and it's been too dang cold to go outside. Maybe I'll get this figured out soon 'cause I'm sure you're just DYING out there without me, right? ;)

Sweater: Kohl's

Pencil skirt: Kohl's

Black t-shirt: Old Navy

Tights: George via Walmart

Necklace: gift

Shoes: Calvin Klein

Fake buttons: Dollar Tree




















So since I have to dress up a bit more at the new job, I've had to buy some more clothes. Fortunately, I'm spoiled rotten and my sweet Mama has been going nuts at Kohl's on my behalf. Seriously, they should just rename the store "Mama's." She picked up this sweater and this skirt for me. I don't even have to try this stuff on - it's perfect! I hate shopping (but love to buy) and I can't even begin to tell you how much I've appreciated her picking up sweaters, skirts, and dresses for me and then picking up the tab!

Since I clearly don't shop for myself anymore, I have to fess up that Al even bought these tights. I knew he was stopping by Walmart after work the other night, so I told him to call me when he got there. The poor fella called and said, "Okay. I'm wandering around the lingerie section. Tell me what you want!" Of course they didn't have the plain black (non control top) tights I wanted in stock. So he used his best judgement and picked out these. He also picked out a patterned pair too. I'd have never bought either of these on my own, so I think I should send him out more often!

The only thing that I don't like about this sweater is that it just buttons at the top. I feel kinda smothered sometimes and really needed my neckline open today.

I've lost a few pounds recently so most of my pants have been too big. I was at Dollar Tree (my FAVORITE store) the other day and saw these fake buttons and thought they might be a good solution for my too-big-pants situation. They're made so you can get an extra inch out of your too-small pants, but they do a hell of a job cinching up my pants! Now, that Amazon link doesn't show the same exact buttons I bought, but they're pretty much identical AND they're only $1 for 8 buttons at the Dollar Tree. Seriously - don't buy a thing until you check Dollar Tree first. I get all our allergy medicine, office candy, cleaning supplies, and all sorts of stuff there.

Anyway, back to my sweater situation. It didn't look good unbuttoned and it was smothering me buttoned up top. I kept thinking, "Dang. If only I had buttons HERE." And a light bulb went off. Seriously, it was like one of those infomercials haha. I grabbed the two gray buttons and voila!

Each pack of 8 has 2 black, 2 gray, 2 tan and 2 brown buttons. They're fantastic and totally worth a buck.

I have been snapping pics of partial outfits here and there and may compile them into one big post if I get a chance this week. I've missed you, poodles!!!

Weekend outfit

I've really fallen off the outfit wagon, haven't I? I've been so obsessed with getting our house done that I can't think of anything other than paint, flooring and an occasional end table.

I wore this to meet up with Tracey for drinks and she asked me if I had taken a picture b/c I looked cute. Of course, I hadn't so I took this when I got home. I clearly need to find a good spot in the house for pics!

Cardi: Target

Top: Old Navy

Jeans:Old Navy (I hate these jeans and they've since been replaced)

Scarf:giveaway from Athena

Flats: Unlisted via 6pm.com Outlet (formerly Zappos Outlet)

I've only worn this scarf once before, but it is one of my favorites.

My beloved Sam Edelman flats are officially dead. I've had them resoled once but they're too worn out for that to even fix them this time :(

I went to the 6pm.com Outlet a couple of weeks ago in search of new black flats as I've had ZERO luck in stores. I found these for $15 and they'll do for now. They're not leather, but they're so darn cute I couldn't resist.

Unfortunately they rub my heel a little, so it'll take some more breaking in to see if they'll be a suitable replacement.



CSN Stores has kindly asked me to do a review for them and is sending me a $75 gift card. I'm awfully pumped and can't wait to share what I find with you all!

Casual outfits

Did I mention I didn't wear pants for 5 months? You know how easy of a rut that is to slip into. The spring weather is so nice, dresses feel so springy/summery...then the next thing you know, the air has turned cool and not a single pair of your pants fit. If you don't weigh yourself regularly, you can always tell if you've put on 5 or so by how tight your clothes are. Struggle to button your pants one morning? That's your sign to eat better that week. But when you wear a dress all the time? Not so much. The dress won't hold you accountable for all that beer and those burgers.

The air had a nice nip to it last week and I wanted to wear jeans. The only problem was that NONE OF MY PANTS FIT. Like, not a single pair. I'd given away my "very fattest" jeans and even my "fat" jeans wouldn't fit. Damnit. So off to Old Navy we went. Al had a pair of flip flops to return so I planned to use the credit toward a pair of new jeans. I found a pair (a size bigger than before. Ugh) and ended up paying $5 for them. Sweet! So here they are. Don't get used to them b/c they're going to be falling off of me soon!



Cardi: Target
Tank: Banana Republic
Jeans: Old Navy
Flats: Sam Edelman



I'm not very daring with the pattern mixing, but I know Kimberly would be proud of this!

I snagged this cute plaid dress off the clearance rack at Target for $5-something. It's so comfortable!



Dress: Converse/Target
Cardi: J. Crew
Flats: Liz Claiborne



I love the ruffle on this cardi and how it goes w/the ruffles on the dress. Little details like this always make an outfit come together I think.

Liberty of London for Target Peacock top

I went to Target right after work Monday night in hopes of scoring some of the fabulous Liberty of London for Target designs - I lucked out! My store's Liberty of London selections had barely been touched. SCORE! The first thing my eye fell on was the peacock halter top. The other tops didn't really appeal to me as much, but I did buy another top. I've not tried it on yet so we'll see if I keep it or not.

Tracey and I are meant to be BFF b/c I just saw her post and she bought the same top too! She's into all things peacock so I knew she'd be all over the housewares too :)

Peacock halter top: Liberty of London for Target

Cardi: NY&Co

pants: Old Navy

Heels: Cole Haan

Bracelet: Coach





A lot of the reviews online about the Liberty of London stuff complained about the shirts being polyester. When you're buying a $20 shirt at Target what the heck do you expect? I know...natural fibers are awesome blah blah blah. This top would look terrible in cotton and would cost a fortune in silk. You either get a fabulous design, a natural fiber, or a cheap price. Pick two.

How cute is the ruffle at the neck? The back has a little button and a keyhole opening. I'm not gonna lie: I had to put the shirt on backwards, button it, then turn it around. I was all thumbs this morning.

I didn't try on any of the clothing so I don't know about the sizing but I did go up a size (this is the XL) because I was worried about how it'd fit in the hips. Good thing b/c it's snug at the bottom and a little loose up top. I'm not displeased w/it, but I did find myself making sure it was pulled down all day.

I really love all these fun prints and can't get enough of the great, bright designs. I picked up a bedding set (which I'm not 100% on, but didn't want to regret not getting it later), a picture frame, and want to go back for those darn prep bowls we're all crazy about. Did any of you check it out in the store? It's all online, but sold out for the most part.

Casual Saturday

The weather has taken a marked turn lately and it's VERY appreciated. No more single-digit nights and frosty mornings! I love spring time and am showing great restraint in not wearing every summer dress I own!

Cardigan: Target

Birdie tshirt: Old Navy

Jeans: Old Navy

Heels: Calvin Klein

Necklaces: vintage Me-Maw :D

Messy shoes and info about the J. Crew distribution center outlet

Ever notice something about your outfit AFTER you've taken pics of it? Something you wish you noticed BEFORE you left the house? That's me today. Please disregard the big glob of mortar on my left shoe. Al was tiling our shower enclosure last night and when I got home I hopped right in to help and must have stepped in the mortar. Whoops! It's gonna be hell getting it off these boots :(

Black sweater: Old Navy

Jeans: Levi's

Scarf: J. Crew

Boots: Target










So remember how I got married back in September? Well we honeymooned in Asheville, NC and wouldn't you know but the J. Crew distribution center was about 10 minutes from our cabin. Al still thinks I planned that on purpose, but I swear I didn't. And what could be better than being 10 minutes from a J. Crew factory outlet? Oh being there the weekend they do their semi-annual warehouse sale!

We stood in line for probably an hour (thank goodness it was mild out) and got to dig through boxes and boxes and boxes. I would have taken a pic but cameras weren't allowed. Al and I split up and started digging. We ended up finding more for him than for me (figures) but we scored some AMAZING deals. This silk scarf was $3! I also picked up a few headbands, some gloves, and a couple of hats. Al found sweaters and some ties. Their actual store is far more organized and I was able to find a top and a cardigan there.

If you're ever in the Asheville, NC area, I highly recommend stopping by. The J. Crew distribution center and factory store are actually in Arden, NC but it's very easy to find and GPS-able. It's like any other outlet, hit or miss and usually off-season. They did have a nice selection of wedding and bridal party dresses. I don't remember the prices, but I do remember I wasn't bummed about missing out on a deal. I bought my wedding dress from J. Crew on clearance and it wasn't much more expensive than the outlet prices.

If I can get my you-know-what together, I'll snap a couple pics of what we bought and the prices. I actually saved the receipts so I could report back!

Closeup of scarf. I just love these colors together and was tickled that it had black in it instead of brown. You usually find brown w/these colors and I'm just not a brown-wearing girl. Black hides the black dog fur better!

Uniform Thursday AND a giveaway!!

It's the little things that make us happiest, ya know? One of my favorite things is to check the mailbox at the end of the day. When I was little I would watch out the window for the mail to come and run out to get it. Even now, Al will skip checking the mail because he knows it's my favorite thing to do.

Today's outfit is one of those little things too. The pretty sparkly buttons on this cardigan really make it for me. I love the pretty deep pink color, but the jewel-like buttons really dress it up. I wish I had picked up another color (maybe black?) when Old Navy had these on sale a few months back.

Cardi: Old Navy

Teal top: Target

Pants: JCP

Snow boots: Target

Necklace: gift

I had to jack up the colors a little as I'm still hobbling along using my cell phone camera. I have GOT to find my camera battery charger!!

 How cute is the decoration on this top? They feel like hard little buttons or something similar under the fabric. I snagged this for $6 on my last Target visit (when I got that cute black top for $3!).

I heard on the news 49 states have had snow this year and I think we all are ready for something bright and shiny to perk us up. How about free shoes?! CSN Stores contacted me and is offering up a great pair of shoes to one of our readers.

 

These great Naturalizer loafers are a bright red patent with silver hardware. They retail for $54 and they could be YOURS if you're the lucky winner. To enter the contest just leave a comment telling me what your favorite "little thing" is. You get one entry for your comment, one entry for Tweeting about the contest, one entry for blogging about it, and one for following us. Just leave a separate comment for each and a link if necessary.

This contest is only open to US readers (sorry international gals!) and closes on 2/24/2010 at 11pm EST.

Tahari and Marshall's? Yes, please!

A few weeks ago, the fine folks at Marshall's sent me a gift card to use at their store. How exciting is that?! Marshall's is one of my go-to stores for unique pieces and great deals. I'm a sucker for a cute cardigan and have loved the look of the open-front, drapey ones, but most are just too long for my 5'2 stature. I was so excited when I found this cardigan in a fun print and the right length. The best part? The price tag. $35! Not bad for a "designer" label, huh?

Cardi: Tahari

Rose top: Not sure of the label, but picked it up at Marshall's for $16

Pants: Old Navy

Shoes: Cole Haan

How adorable is that top? It's a pretty, deep pink and the roses/flowers/ruffles are satin and the rest of the top is a super soft cotton. It's sleeveless but the straps are really wide and comfortable. Love it!









Thanks to Marshall's for the opportunity to find this terrific sweater.

Nothin' to see here, folks...

Oh MAN. It's been a month since I last posted and I can't even make excuses. Holidays, work, house, wedded bliss blah blah blah. I won't bore you, so on with the outfits!

Cardi: Target

Top: Target

Pants: Old Navy

Flats: Liz Claiborne

Necklace: gift

I bought this cardi and top at the same time (the day before our wedding) to wear together on our honeymoon. Wouldn't you know the weather didn't cooperate so the need never arose. Then I got all side-tracked with all the other stuff going on in my life (I'm a smidge overwhelmed, y'all) and completely forgot.

Last night, while organizing my "closet," I saw these two and remembered how I wanted to wear them and figured now was as good of a time as any. It's our 12th day in a row w/below freezing temps. To you gals up north, that's nothing, but for Kentucky? It's approaching a record and all the weather dudes are blabbing about it. SNORE.

I had the joy and privilege of working both the day before AND after Christmas this year so jeans to the office it was! I didn't take a pic the day before but trust me - it was way cuter than this!

Cardi: Old Navy

Black T: Old Navy

Jeans: Levi's via Santa Mama

Flats: Sam Edelman

This isn't very remarkable and you've probably seen it before, but I'm nothing but honest w/you gals. I don't create outfits days in advance or even the night before. I just grab and pull and figure it out in the morning while Sonicare-ing my teeth. Gives me two minutes of uninterrupted outfit-picking. I also have a formula and a uniform that works for me and know I can always go to it. If this were VH1 I'd be claiming to be "keeping it real." Just so you know :)

I made a big ole promise to talk about the wedding and my dress and the reception and that dress and MY SHOES but I'm experiencing technical difficulties. See, when we moved, we stored 90% of our stuff in a building on our property. That translates to "I don't know where that is, honey. Stop asking me." when it comes to everything. Bless Al's heart. He can't find a thing either. Anyway, my laptop is accounted for but you couldn't pay me to find the cord. No clue but I'm sure it'll turn up eventually. I don't have the time to put the pics up at work and that's really the only other option. Oh and we don't have internet at home. Have I mentioned we're sleeping in the room where our kitchen will be? And that my "closet" is our sunroom? Okay. Just wanted to make sure y'all knew what I was working with. :)

Beward the Ides of November?!

Boy did that sinus stuff really catch up to me! I've spent the past two days covered up w/a fever and blowing my nose. Fortunately, the fever broke mid-afternoon yesterday and I'm on my way to feeling much better. It's amazing how the body works, you know? The fever worked hard to kill the infection I have going on and by just letting it run its course, I'm well on my way to feeling back to normal.

Today's outfit is a great example of dressing to make you feel better. I missed the past two days of work but HAD to work today (the weekend) so I dressed in bright colors in hopes of perking up. It worked!

Cardi: NY&Co.

Birdy graphic t: Old Navy ($2.49!!!!!!)

Wide-leg jeans: Old Navy

Green Heels: Ralph Lauren

horseshoe necklace: gift


Old Navy recently had their 30% off friends & family event and I snagged this shirt off clearance for $2.49! I've not usually a fan of tshirts because most are crew neck and that's just not a good look for me. However, this is a v-neck so I couldn't say no.

I also picked up a Party Cardi at Old Navy and a cute top for layering. Keep a look out for those in the next week or so! I can't wait to wear them. What did you get at Old Navy with your 30% off coupon?

Headless horselady

Ever have one of those days when you just want to remove your head from your body? That's the kind of day I had. My sinuses are killing me and I look like a goofball. So I removed my head :)

Ikat print top: dressbarn

lime cardi: Target

Wide-leg jeans: Old Navy

Peep-toe heels: Cole Haan


Not a whole lot to say about this. I liked the outfit and was really comfortable in it. I wish I had a dozen more shirts like this. It zips up - no buttons to gap or be wonky. Brilliant!

Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic Friends & Family 30% off

If you didn't receive an email w/this 30% off coupon or haven't received an email from a friend yet, email me at cuteonthecheap at gmail dot com and I'll send one your way.

This is good in-store only and November 12-15, 2009 but you can use the same coupon as many times as you like so hang on to it after you use it!

You can use it at Gap, Gap Outlet, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Banana Republic Factory Store.

Friday -- Ally

Nothing exciting, chickens. Just my "uniform" and a cute necklace. Oh and I got my hair cut, but it's pretty much like it always is, just with more bang. Heh.

Ruffle-neck cardi: Old Navy

Pleated tank: NY&Co.

Pants: Old Navy

Flats: Liz Claiborne

Cute necklace: Target









I'm resisting the urge to make jokes about balls. Feel free to leave your best ones in the comments :)



















The weather has finally taken a turn and the leaves are turning too! This is my new favorite tree at our new place:
It's some sort of maple but it has tiny leaves. They're smaller than my palm but bigger than a 50-cent piece. It was pretty and green in the summer and now it's gorgeous!! Any ideas what variety it is?

Sorry it's blurry but I was walking up the driveway very quickly when I took this. Somehow my car door locked itself and my car was in the driveway, running, with the doors locked. Yeah. Good thing Al had a spare key in his car!

I hope you all have a great weekend! Ours will be spent working on the house - just like all the others! We're making progress and hope (read: have) to be living there by the end of the month. We just need to get the bathroom functional and then we can sleep in the kitchen (glamorous, huh?) and spend the winter getting the rest of the house done.

Teal & Lime

I've been watching a lot of HGTV now that we're homeowners and one of the shows is about how you should decorate your house in colors/themes you find in your closet. Today, I decided to do the opposite. I love teal and black and lime green in home decor so why not wear it??

Cardi - NY&Co.

Ruffle tank - Target

Pants - Old Navy

Shoes - Cole Haan

Necklace - Sarah Balmer via Scout










I snagged this cute ruffled top at Target for $10 last night. I never thought myself as a ruffles kind of gal, but it seems I am :)















Do you have an item in your house that you'd love to dress like? A rug? A sofa?

What a week!

I foolishly thought that once Al and I were married my life would be less hectic. Wrong! With the house renovations and the reception we're planning, I'm busier than ever. I tried to take outfit pics every day this week, but I never got around to posting them. That's half the battle, right?!

I'm unloading the whole week here!!

Red/black/white floral shirt: Target

Black pencil skirt: Target

Flats: Sam Edelman

Grey pearls: gift












Dress: J. Crew

Tank (under dress): Old Navy

Flats: Sam Edelman

Necklace: Sarah Balmer via Scout

I snagged this dress for $12 at the J. Crew clearance center. It was conveniently located 2 miles from where we honeymooned! I'll be posting later about our J. Crewing experience!

The dress is darling and has the cutest ruffles up top but guess who didn't bother w/a detail shot? That's right. This gal.





Double-layer t-shirt: Target

Pencil skirt: Target (same as above)

Flats: Stuart Weitzman

Necklace: Sarah Balmer via Scout


Despite appearances, I didn't wear the same things every day in a row :) These outfits were over six days.








It's remarkable how quickly the hot hot summer temps faded. I love being greeted by 60-something degrees in the mornings! I can't WAIT for fall, y'all!

Weekend -- Ally

Whew! I'm am TIRED. Like, really really really tired. We closed on our house last Friday (the 14th) and have spent our evenings and weekends working. Lots of landscaping has been cleaned up and we've gutted the kitchen down to the studs. The bathroom will get a similar treatment this weekend. My parents have been beyond helpful with everything and we're very fortunate to have them not only able to help but willing. Anyone in the area want to knock down some walls? We can consider it free therapy. Call me :)

Ruffle shirt: NY&Co.

Green ruffle cardi: Old Navy

Denim skirt: Geoffery Beane

Flats: Sam Edelman

Headband: Goody

Necklace: gift








I am (usually) never one to whine or complain about going to work. I genuinely enjoy what I do and the people with whom I work. I do get a little fussy about working Saturdays, but let me tell ya. I am THRILLED to be at work today b/c that means a "break" for me. No chainsaws, pry bars, scoop shovels, or eye protection are involved in my work day!!

Here's what my attire has consisted of:
Tank tops, jeans and boots.

I know you're all kinds of jealous.

Tank: NY&Co.

Jeans: Levis

Boots: Frye (not shown)

Gloves: Kid's mechanics gloves via Harbor Freight


Sometimes I look a teeny bit cuter. The only reason I'm wearing this shirt is b/c Al packed my work clothes bag for me. When I saw the shirt he put in there he could tell he got it all wrong and said, "But I've never seen you wear it! It must be a crap shirt, right?" No, honey. You've not seen me wear it much b/c it's NEW and I've only worn it once. Hahaha Oh well. It's no worse for wear and now I'll remember to pack my own bag.

Peacock tshirt: Target

Jeans: Levis

Boots: Frye (not shown)

Screwdriver: Craftsman











I hope you all have a great weekend! I'll be workin' workin' so keep me entertained in the comments section :)

Closet update!!

You wanted shoes and shoes, my loves, I have provided! I listed a TON of new items to the Cute on the Cheap Closet and there are several pairs of shoes listed as well. I'll be putting up scarves and other accessories over the weekend and even have some fun, almost-vintage things too!

I'm shipping out items the same day as I receive payment, and I don't even charge extra for the hug I give each package before the mail lady takes them from me. You can't get service like that just anywhere... :)

Cardi: Old Navy

Ruffle shirt: Gap

Pants: Old Navy

shoes: Cole Haan












Nothing special or fabulous about today. Well, my shoes are awesome, but the rest is very pedestrian. My darling coworker will be back from maternity leave Monday, so maybe I'll have more time for morning pictures!