Grades are in, Economic stimulus $ is coming, Recap of Saks F&F, and "Shopportunities"

Today I spent my afternoon tabulating grades, reading last-minute discussion board contributions on the websites for the courses I teach, and tending to household stuff. Bill paying, dog-bathing, laundry, etc. I picked up Chris from work and we went to the burbs (West Mifflin/Pleasant Hills) to seek out a spring-weight quilt. We've both been sleeping miserably because the comforter is too heavy and the sheet alone is too light. We found a new quilt at Gabriel Brothers. It is by "Nautica" which is odd. I didn't know they even made bed linens. The problem is that we have no decorative pillow shams. So now I will be on a mission to find the right shade of taupe, in the right, semi-quilted style to match. Chris picked it out and it is very pretty and feminine, so I was pleasantly surprised.


Now I need to find the shams. The prices on ebay are gouged like crazy of course. I guess I have to start stalking gabriel brothers.

I was supposed to receive my stimulus money today but it didn't show up in my bank account. I have already designated what it will buy (recent purchases below). While I think the stop-gap solution is short-sighted and wrong-headed, (and the Fed/Bernake would best serve the consumers, who are suffering from real-wage stagnation and economic inflation, by raising interest rates) I am eager to do my duty and spend the money.

This weekend was the Saks Friends and Family sale. Somehow I got on the list, even though I haven't been a Saks customer for very long. I have shopped at various locations and online. I have a store card, so I imagine that helps. I asked my friend China who works downtown if she wanted to meet me and Chris to check it out. She had a giftcard and could stack my discount to really get some mileage out of it.

Chris quickly realized (for the thousandth time) that the Pittsburgh Saks mens department is terrible (though they occasionally get decent consolidation stock from other stores for sales).
He left to finish writing his paper.

China and I were a little more successful. I bought a few Wacoal bras, one of which is seriously the most technologically advanced object I've ever worn on my body. It is called "Keep it Classic" which is an obnoxious name. But it fits exactly how a bra is "supposed" to fit. It isn't beautiful or sexy. But I am happy with the look of it once clothes are over top. I even had the intimates department associate check the fit/sizing to be sure. I might try to find more on ebay for less money. China got the bra she will most likely wear with her wedding dress so that was exciting!

After we finished in intimates, we headed to handbags and accessories (as the sales in women's contemporary weren't very good). I got my second pair of Tory Burch Reva flats. It was the last 7.5 in patent pink. They're very cute but I might return them. I've had them for almost a week and haven't found any occasion to wear shiny, hot pink shoes. That is a sign.

Cute, right? The jury is still out on them. They're super comfy and fun. But I can probably spend my money elsewhere for something more practical. That said, pink patent ones will probably never go on sale (like my first pair was) and the FF discount made them reasonable. I did discover that there used to be purple patent revas (sold out everywhere). Purple is my favorite color. Now THOSE would be practical. Maybe I should return these and stalk ebay?

China got the MBMJ Dr. Q. Hillier Hobo (medium size) in black with gold hardware.

After the discount and her giftcard she got an incredible deal. I LOVE this bag. It is so cute AND practical. The leather is a dream. And I like the two strap options. She looks great with it!

Overall, I was happy to be invited to this sale and happy to share it with others. Chris's mom got some things when she went on Saturday, though she lamented the weekend crowds.

A new sale starts Thursday. I will be downtown anyway to present at a conference so I'll definitely take a quick lap and possibly return the Revas. China will be meeting me. And the dangerous cycle continues.

One of my downfalls, beyond sale goggles, is that I have gotten to be very savvy at tracking down deals and maneuvering my way into discounts. I frequent a number of fashion-centric messageboard forums and read lots of fashion blogs. As a result, I hear about discounts that *in the moment,* at 2 am when no one is awake, seem like once in a lifetime "shopportunities." At 2 am, I also make up words that are bad puns!

Anyway, the most recent shopportunity was the discovery that Live Chat and phone associates were honoring the FF 25% off discount after the online announcement of the new saks sale. These new discounts were made as soon as the FF discount was slated to expire. And although supposedly "designer shoes" were excluded from this loophole discount, I managed to still get another 20% off of these Chie Mihara pumps I have been coveting.


Now they're on the way in the mail. And between the revas, these, and my DVF Dutch dress, there goes my stimulus money. I can return though. Maybe I will.

Regardless, I will keep the bras. I needed better foundation garments anyway. I was wearing heinous, unsupportive-but-pretty victorias secret bras. And since they stopped carrying my cup size in stores I decided I had enough. I should have left after they relegated me to the drawer. Why should larger chested women be expected to crawl around VS looking for bras anyway!? They're the ones with back problems! Jerks.