keep a look out today on instagram [shameless plug – you can follow me here] for an amazing nordstrom giveaway! hint hint, you can wine some major $$$ to spend on shoes, a new bag, your favorite beauty products, tops, jackets… well, whatever you please.

below is a breakdown of some of my favorite nordstrom shoes that are on major sale. all of these are currently in stock, but sizes are flying off the shelves and most will not last. however, nordstrom is doing a great job of restocking items throughout the sale. with almost 2 weeks left, i am certain you can expect many more restocks to come, so if your favorite is out of stock in your size, keep checking back. [woohoo!]

booties and boots are two of my favorite items to stock up on during the sale. i shop the shoe sale by finding my favorite pair of shoes in each category. booties and/or boots first, then sneakers [because it’s important to workout in a good pair of shoes so they can serve their purpose — check your sneakers to make sure they aren’t too worn down!], then i look at slides and flats. i always find a pair of flats that i absolutely fall in love with. this year, it’s this pair. these vince flats are the perfect shade of blue and i cannot wait to pair them with white jeans for the fall. you heard that correctly, white after labor day is a-okay in my book. white jeans can make for a perfect winter look.

this pair of vince camuto booties was my top pick in the bootie category. they’ve sold out numerous times and i can easily see why. they match just about everything. i’ve styled them with dresses, jeans and even shorts with light sweaters for a good transitional piece [see here for reference]. they have the perfect amount of height and are comfortable enough to walk the town in. no wonder they’ve been a huge hit this year!

as for sneakers, this was quite a toss up for me. for traveling, and city walking, this pair of nikes wins hands down. however, if i’m being honest… i don’t like running in nikes. most of their fashionable sneakers are not meant for long distance running, and i really do enjoy running and running a good distance. it’s therapeutic for me. so, i don’t want my feet aching and ruining my runs. i learned this lesson the hard way after spontaneously running a half marathon in nike free’s. i will never make that mistake again. but i do love wearing nikes while traveling and on days i know i will be doing lots of walking. [still have love for my nikes.] for running, these asics win by a landslide. they provide excellent support, are comfortable, look great and best of all hold up during long runs.

if you find a pair you like, try them out. nordstrom has free ship + free return, so you have nothing to lose!

boots

booties

flats

sneakers

flats and slides

xoxo | jasmine

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aquatalia booties $495 | treasure and bond bootie $79.90| free people dress $148 | goodnight macaroon dress $45| vince camuto purse $165 | rebecca minkoff purse $275

hello! and welcome to the new this or that series. shopping can be intimidating and sometimes we want to just buy the first thing we see so we can be done. well, by we i mean a group of people in which i’m not included. because i really do enjoy shopping and i enjoy finding a good deal. i’ll be the first to scoop up a dupe of something i want to give a try or, i will spend a good amount of time researching an item, reading reviews and checking on the quality before purchasing an investment piece. so if you’re one of those, “nope, don’t want to waste my time on shopping” kind of people, this will be your new favorite series.

every friday i’ll be rotating with a this or that or weekend sales post. so, get ready to save money!

first up we have the trending leopard print bootie. as you can see there is a whopping price difference. because this is a piece that would not be on an everyday rotation for me, i would hands down choose that. if leopard booties are something that you have had your eye on and will be your favorite purchase of the year, then make the splurge. but, before you do, make sure that if you’re going to drop some serious cash on these booties that they’re something you would wear next year during the season as well. i recommend only splurging on pieces that you know you will get good wear out of.

next on the docket we have the beloved free people dress that i’m sure you’ve seen many bloggers wearing vs a near identical dupe from goodnight macaroon. this one for me, is a toss up. i love free people. i love the oversized comfy fit, and i know my size in their product [ xs for reference ]. however, when you can cut the price more than half, i think when it comes down to it, i would again opt for the dupe. to be honest, i keep trying to find a significant difference to make me go for the free people dress because i love the brand that much, but i cannot. the sleeves are sinched the same way, the pattern is near identical and both are very similar lengths. the one thing i can say is this, the  free people dress does come in multiple colors, whereas the dupe only has 2 options. still, h e l lo savings!

use code “anniversary” to get the dupe down to $45. promotion ends 7/30. dress will go back to $75 after, which is still a huge savings in comparison.

last and certainly not least, we have two of my favorite brands, vince camuto and rebecca minkoff. i purchased this rebecca minkoff bag over a year ago and absolutely love it. i take it everywhere when traveling because i find crossbody bags to be most comfortable and easiest to tote around while on the go. that being said, vince camuto just came out with this near identical beauty. the major difference between the two would be the tassels. after looking at both bags, i would have to say i would choose that and go with the rebecca minkoff. i love how soft rebecca minkoff bags are, and the tassels are a huge draw for me. my style has always had a boho flair and this just fits me perfectly. [the tassels can be easily removed if they are not your things] for those that would choose the dupe, purchase quickly! it is currently a part of the nordstrom anniversary sale. the killer savings unfortunately disappear august 7th and this bag will go back up to $248.

shop the post

xoxo | jasmine

 

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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

i’m sure you have heard about the nordstrom sale from 1238979384579 other bloggers by this point. but let me tell you, there’s a reason for that. it’s the perfect time to stock up on great fall pieces and staple items. all items are new fall pieces and prices go back up august 6th. before shopping the sale i always:

1.  set a budget. no need to go broke over here!

2.  write down what fall pieces you need and shop those first. allocate the bulk of your budget to necessities. jeans, basic pieces like white t-shirts and purses are usually my go-to’s. make sure to leave a little budget  wiggle room for number 3.

3.  try something new. find a piece or style that you have been wanting to try and step out of your comfort zone. allocate the remainder of your budget to steals you find that would go great with the pieces you found on your necessities list.

tip: building outfits will go a long way. by doing this you won’t buy a top, skirt or pair of shoes that you will never wear because you have nothing to match them with. that only results in additional purchases. so find versatile pieces that go with things already in your closet and statement pieces that you can easily pair with a nice pair of denim or heels that you already own.

the above collage is made of my favorite pieces in the sale and are ones that will sell out fast! i ordered all except for the lamp and drybar sprays because sadly they would not ship to an APO. [i’m currently living overseas with my husband who is serving in the military]. but had they shipped, i would have gotten two of those beautiful lamps for my nightstands and had 3 day old hair look fresh and smelling great. [i guess a girl can dream].

with that being said, there sadly is no overnight ship option and nordstrom has not made it’s way over to south korea yet, so for sizing and full details on all products check back in 10 days or head over to my instagram [click to follow me if you aren’t already 🙂 ] stories around for a try on haul where i can assure you, i will be brutally honest. the pieces i love stay and the pieces i don’t go! i’ll have everything just in time for the sale to open up to the public so hold tight. until then, shop my favorite picks above by clicking on the pictures or the coordinating numbers below and/or way way below where i’ve categorized items by $50 and under and $100 and under. you can also shop by going to “nordstrom sale 2017″ found on the top menu bar of my blog. and last but most definitely not least, be sure to check the bottom of the page for the awesome giveaway happening now!

shop my favorites under $50

shop my favorites under $100

*special giveaway*

in the spirit of the sale, i have teamed up with same amazing blogger babes to give one lucky reader an incredible gucci bag. y’all… can i win my own giveaway? it’s as timeless as it gets and is a bag that the lucky winner will treasure forever. scroll down below to enter. best of luck <3

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Money Can Buy Lipstick | Blondes & Bagels | Glitter & Spice | DTK Austin | By Brittani Lauren | Life Lutzurious
Style Weekender | I’m Fixin’ To Blog | So Heather | Blush & Blooms | Mrs. Casual | Style of Sam
Greta Hollar | Sunsets & Stilettos | A Lily Love Affair | The Trendy Tomboy | The Beauty Beau
Le Fab Chic | Red Soles & Red Wine | Rose Gold Lining | The Closet Crush | Cup of Charisma | Topknots & Pearls
Lots of Sass | Vandi Fair | Tonya Michelle 26 | xoxoBella | Pretty Yellow Things | Styled Blonde
Miss Molly Moon | Twenties Girl Style | The Glitter Gospel Blog | Jasmine Elias | Uptown Fashion by Jess | Alicia Tenise
Kate Loves Makeup | Fashion & Frills | Denver Darling | Super Fashionable | Styled Adventures

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Use the widget below to enter the giveaway. The more “tasks” you complete, the more entries you will receive. The winner will be announced (on the widget) within 2 weeks of the giveaway ending. The giveaway is open worldwide.

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xoxo | jasmine

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after a mini hiatus, i am officially back. if you have not been following along on snapchat or instagram stories, here’s a little recap: i have spent the last year and a half moving from one place to the other [10 moves total… so much packing and unpacking, then packing and more unpacking. i’m basically a pro these days. have they added this to olympic sports yet? ] throw a wedding [mine] in the mix and a whopping international move to south korea and you have one exhausted lady!

however, we are finally settled into our new 13th floor apartment [13 is not an unlucky number in south korea. 4 on the other hand… ] our lucky 13th floor apartment [that’s what i have decided to call it] was not an easy find. after 7 apartments slipped through our fingers we finally snagged our new lovely home. i’ll be honest, it was not my first choice. the location is amazing and probably the best that we’ve seen, but the interior was definitely not my first choice.

at first, the apartment hunt was exciting. i was bright-eyed and ready to make a home with my husband. then, it quickly became daunting. south korean homes are quite different than the american home. but we kept going, searching for the right one. and then, we found it. and someone else got it before us. so the search continued. more homes, more colorful and intricate wallpaper. and finally, the perfect home was found. and became a home for someone else. this went on and on. until we found our lucky 13th floor apartment.

i had envisioned my first house with my husband [this is the first time for us to be living together]. it was beautiful. it had a large white kitchen and an open living area where we would cuddle up on our oversized couch to a good movie after enjoying a delicious homemade dinner and a bottle of merlot in the dining area. there were accents of gold decor and pictures hung on the walls. i had been decorating it in my mind through all our many moves and i could not wait to call it home. our lucky 13th floor apartment, is not quite what i originally had in mind.

to say i was initially bummed is an understatement. after living out of suitcases and sleeping on one bed one night and another the next, the idea of a home was slipping away. but as we started to unpack into our 8th choice apartment, i realized i had it all wrong. i was getting upset over something that i had no control over. instead of choosing to give thanks in all circumstances, i was bitter that i missed out on what i thought was the best apartment for me. ultimately, i wasn’t trusting in God. the apartments that i thought were great are all serving a better purpose as a home for others.  and our lucky 13th floor apartment is turning out perfect. as my husband and i ate our favorite home cooked meal then cuddled up to watch 30 rock re-runs [ i never finished the series so we started from the beginning] i realized i’m right where i’m supposed to be. i have a roof over my head and a man whom i love and he loves me right by my side. [sappy alert]. what more could a girl want?

my sweet photog husband shot this outfit in our new courtyard. and y’all this off-the-shoulder tassel top is under $20. yup. under $20. don’t let it get away, sizes are going fast! the summer weather in south korea can be scorching hot with a heavy dose of humidity. this top + denim shorts have been a life saver in keeping me cool. i pair them with flats for a more casual day look and throw on a pair of wedges for a more dressed up evening look.

shop the look

shop similar top options

 

xoxo | jasmine

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y’all, it’s here. i’m sure you’ve heard every blogger, every shopper and every person talk about the nordstrom anniversary sale. there’s a reason for that. this is one of the best sales of the year. if not the best. what makes it so great you ask? ah, too easy. nordstrom discounts items that are brand new up to 40% off. did you catch that part? brand new for the season.

it’s not stocking up on 50% off winter coats for next year or buying cute shorts in october for next july. [no shame in doing either, definitely do it every single year]. but the anniversary sale isn’t that kind of sale. it’s buying pieces that are out for the very season you are in and the very next season after that.

the sale grants early access t o d a y for all card holders and opens up to the public july 22 – august 8. once the sale ends, all pieces go back to full price.

everything goes quickly. so be sure to shop your favorites first. i’ve listed three easy shopping tips below and below that, my favorite anniversary sale finds.

shopping tips

1. know your budget

convincing yourself you’re saving money by spending money can easily get out of hand. you are saving but not by spending. set a budget and adhere to it. i always like to find an item or two that i can splurge on and then maintain my normal shopping patterns with everything else.

2. search by designer

if hudson jeans are your go to and free people tops are your style, select these in the filter section and shop them first. i can’t stress enough, everything goes quickly. get your sizes in your favorites while you can.

3. make a list

make a list of things you will need this season. shop these first. if there is money left in your budget after your necessities are checked off, search the sale for the things you want.

one thing i always do during the nordstrom anniversary sale is stock up on gifts. i get ahead on christmas shopping, birthday presents and keep some on hand for house warming or just because gifts. lots of accessories and candles go on sale [ones that rarely ever go on sale]. you can never go wrong with jewelry and candles.

shop  jeans

shop tops + dresses

shop outerwear

shop shoes

shop accessories

shop giftables

xo jasmine

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