High waisted trousers for fall?

By Tenisha Mercer
www.HairNista.Blogspot.com

I don't have to tell you that Bey stay killing the game ... The Beyhive will do it for me, thank you very much!

I love this look ... And you never know, high-waisted trousers might be in for fall? It can be a tough look unless your waist is a mile long; I'm short-waisted and, unless I pair it with a top similar to Bey is wearing, the looks chops me in half.

But Bey looks gorge in it! Photos by Getty Images.

Shopping at garage sales: 5 ways to save big bucks

By Tenisha Mercer
www.BargainistasATL.Blogspot.com 

Thrifting is just one of my bargain hunting passions.

I like to cut out the middleman whenever possible -- even if that's Goodwill --- and a good way to do that is with garage sales. Remember, a thrift store is going to put their markup on their items. And I find garage sales are a great way to score even better deals for less than thrift. 

Found these pair of Michael Kors shoes for $3

I find super awesome deals this way -- Michael Kors' shoes for $3; a vintage, genuine Louis Vuitton duffle bag for $5, a new, unopened bottle of Cartier perfume, a box of new Calphalon cookware for $10, a used Dyson vacuum for $15 -- even better deals than many thrift stores. The deals are endless!

And those aren't the best deals I've heard of: Just a few weeks ago, a friend recently scored an authentic Louis Vuitton bag for $2 in a million-dollar subdivision after the owner said, it's "last" season; she'd just missed a Chanel bag.

With fall here, though, the end of garage sale season is quickly approaching; you've only got a few weeks or so to wring the best deals out of this garage sale season, which typically starts in April and lasts through October (garage sale seasons vary by climate).

Here are a few tips to get you started: 



1. Go early. Most sales usually happen from 8 a.m.-noon or 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The best deals happen on Fridays early in the mornings, if you can pull off going then. I try to dedicate my mornings to a few sales on Friday mornings, and then head to work. And it's best to get there early. I've been known to pull up at a garage sale as they unloaded.

But what about Saturday sales? It's the weekend, right? If you want good deals, you need to set the alarm clock and get up! Some super garage sale shoppers show up 30 minutes before a sale, but I don't recommend that, because it's just ... creepy and can freak sellers out. Arriving 10 minutes before a sale starts allows you to get a good preview and snap up deals first.

I've gotten my best deals by being there just a bit early before folks start rolling in. Remember, you're competing with folks who are doing the very same thing you are doing ... trolling for good deals. I've seen antique and vintage furniture store owners also go to garage sales, so be aware. You aren't the only one scouting for a good deal! 

Bottom line: Rolling up at 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. after you've sipped on Starbucks isn't a way to handle a garage sale. The early bird gets the best deals, so take that Starbucks to go and sip as you shop! You can also score good deals if you time your shopping right as a sale wraps up. Folks don't feel like lugging their stuff back to their garages so they'll cut you an even better deal on the last day of a garage sale.

Source

 2. Go with a strategy. It's so tempting ... all those deals. But it's like finding a needle in a haystack if you go all willy nilly. Map out where you are going to go, and when. After all, you are spending your weekend doing this. May as well maximize your time and your savings. 

The night before, or the morning of, I look at garage sales on the free weekly circulars or craigslist.com. There are also garage sale apps. I particularly like multi-family garage sales because there are even more chances to find bargains -- times 10.

I like to get a general idea of where I'm going, dress lightly (in case you need to try on anything over your clothes) and then head out early.  Lately, I've been looking for home decor, so I'm on the look out for that. Act quickly, though. As soon as you hesitate o or fail to pick up an item you are thinking about it, some other buyer will quickly snap it up.

Bonus tip: Never ever judge a garage sale just by curb appeal. You have to actually get out the car and go in the driveway, basement (folks open their basements or inside their homes and these are the BEST), garage or front lawn to really see what goodies you'll find. I can't count how many times I've pulled up and tried to get a view from the curb. It just doesn't work. You have to go and see. 

Source

3. Decide what you want to buy. You'll see all kinds of good deals at garage sales, but that doesn't mean you should purchase all of them -- or you'll soon be the one holding a garage sale! A $10 Total Gym (I scored this) isn't a good deal if you never work out. Figure out what you want to buy before you head out. That way,  you'll know what you're looking for. If you're not looking for children's clothing, for example, don't spend tons of time at sales with nothing but kids' clothing. It's a waste of time - and you could be out there finding the deals you really want.


Figure out what you want -- and then keep an eye out for it. Prepare for the unexpected by keeping twine, bungie cords and rope to secure home decor items in your trunk to secure your larger purchases. Certain things shouldn't be bought at a garage sale, like baby cribs, car seats and helmets, due to possible safety recalls. But everything else is fair game as long as you aren't icked out by it (I AM icked out by cat hair, and I'll do almost anything to avoid it ... unless it's a super good deal). Oh, and if you've got a truck, use it. I'd buy a ton of furniture and other items if only I had hauling capabilities. But I don't.

4 . Pick upscale neighborhoods. The best items are in the better neighborhoods. Why? Folks in the upper income range simply want to get rid of their stuff most times; they aren't necessarily looking to make a big profit from the sale. And this is what  you want. I really hate to categorize by socioeconomic group, but can I be honest: The best items I've found are usually sold in upper income subdivisions.This is where you want to go, so scout accordingly.

You'll find people in a higher income range constantly redecorate -- and this is where you come in. These folks will almost pay you to take their stuff away from them and they just want it GONE! I'm happy to take their "junk."

Some of my best finds have come from million dollar subdivisions. The deals are better ... and the quality is higher. You'll also see less stuff for $2-3 but, while priced higher, they are often better deals overall.

I can instantly tell if I'll be able to find good stuff by looking at the seller. If she's wearing stylish stuff first thing in the morning, I know I'm going to score!  That also works in reverse: If a seller has stuff they've stored in their garage for 50 years, odds are they are going to have to call the donation truck because I'm probably not going to buy a whole lot of it.

5. Don't be afraid to haggle. Garage sale prices aren't set in stone -- they usually are cute stickers, after all. All you have to do is ask if the seller will take less than the advertised price. . All they can do is say 'no,' and you can also ask for volume discounts. This isn't Macy's.

Source

If you are already getting a bargain, though, I just pay what's asked and I'm glad to take it off their hands. I've seen everything in garage sales -- from chintzy plastic containers to $900 patio sets (regular $2,300) and even motorcycles and cars.

Sometimes, things are overpriced, often because the owner has an emotional connection to them. Take a quick look around and move on.

What are your best garage sale tips?

White House|Black Market for $2

By Tenisha Mercer
www.BargainistasATL.Blogspot.com

I told you how I scored a Michael Kors clutch for $15.

Well yesterday I scored a clutch for $2.04 from White House|Black Market at Goodwill.

It was labeled a makeup case and thrown into the purse heap.

My outfit wasn't totally resale (it's rare that a day goes by that I DON'T wear something resale), but it is discount. The boots are resale, as well as the clutch.

I decided to wear my  $20 version of the Stella McCartney hourglass dress (retails for $1,200 plus), which first became popular a few years ago. My dress is the lower bargain version of Stella McCartney's $1,600 dress, which first became popular a few years ago and was sold-out at one point).

It's also the same version of a dress that GMA Anchor Robin Roberts wore, below. I guarantee you Robin didn't pay $20 for hers, but I did!

Shoes: $12.99, Aldo, Upskate Cheapskate Resale
Bag: $2.04

Another Michael Kors steal at Goodwill!

By Tenisha Mercer
www.BargainistasATL.Blogspot.com 

There are days when the Goodwill gods shine down from heaven and pour out earthly blessings.

At Goodwill!

I kid, but no, really. It is true.

Last week was one of those weeks. I stopped at a Goodwill that I rarely frequent  -- I only stopped at this particular one because it was near an appointment because usually it's inconvenient.

I don't even want to think about how much I spent at Goodwill that week (I need a 12-step) but when I tell you it was worth it!!!

Found THIS baby for $69. The clerk had just put it out. I spotted it hanging behind the counter, behind some fake Gucci and busted wanna be Dooney & Burke bags.

Is that Michael Kors? I already wrote about the Michael Kors clutch that I scored for $16 at Goodwill just yesterday.

But this was my very first MK find last week.

My Goodwill adventures

I could barely get it out:

"Is it real?"  The clerk nodded, 'Yes!" I know my purses, and I had this exact one. It's real."

When I tell you I almost did the holy dance inside of that Goodwill!

The leather felt buttery soft. I took a whiff --  that good, unmistakable leathery smell that no amount of polyurethane will ever be able to replicate.

The price tag wasn't there, but I did find this MK card.

The bag was $69. Now, I'm not opposed to paying for quality, but I had just planned on picking up one, maybe two things, max that day.

I had not planned on dropping $70.

But there was no way in hell that I was leaving this Goodwill without this bag.

I knew I'd kick my own ass if I didn't buy it; that's even a good price for a good fake (don't judge me, LOL), and these kinds of deals you simply don't turn down, not in Goodwill.

I did a quick Google search on the bag - $358 retail - The Hamilton Saffiano satchel, at Macy's.

That sealed the deal: This bag was going home with me! I held it, looked at it again, and I bought it! 

Might be fake; doubt it, though. It's my present to ME! 

Top: $12.99, TJ Maxx, Jeans: $10, Target, Shoes: Aldo, $12.99 at Upskate Resale, Necklace: $8, eBay, MK bag: $69, Goodwill 

 

Michael Kors clutch for $15.69 at Goodwill

By Tenisha Mercer

www.BargainistasATL.Blogspot.com

It amazes me how Goodwill buries their best merchandise. It just proves you gotta look, because you never know what you'll find.

Spotted this clutch buried behind the counter purse rack, behind some crappy cheap leather purses, just after Goodwill opened this morning. 

Now, I had not planned on stopping there. But ... I was at one of my favorite Goodwill locations after a meeting and figured, why not?

I'd just had one of my best  thrift store haul weeks (more about that in an upcoming post). I was already late for work so may as well see what they got. What's a few extra minutes? Or 20? 

When I first spotted it, I had no idea it was Michael Kors. 

I thought it was a vintage clutch, and it immediately caught my eye because I've been on the lookout for clutches.

It's one of those items that I actually prefer vintage, because they are charging a killing for them brand new and vintage actually looks better in many cases.

I almost hyperventilated and I felt like kissing  the cashier when she unhooked it from the rack and I saw it was MICHAEL KORS.

SCORE! Oh, this Michael by Michael Kors clutch retails for $220 on Net-A-Porter. I couldn't find it on the Michael Kors' site, but it's currently sold out at Net-A-Porter.

I have no idea if it's legit Michael Kors; the leather is buttery soft and certainly feels like it. 

But I do not care. It's Michael Kors TO ME! And I walked out of that Goodwill having paid $17 and some change with tax!!!!

3 reasons why you must know fashion trends to know what to buy or NOT to buy at thrift stores

By Tenisha Mercer
www.BargainistasATL.blogspot.com

Source: Kate's Real Food

I'm a die hard thrift store shopper ... but I also keep my finger firmly on today's fashion pulses.

Here are three reasons why I still shop at retail stores, in addition to thrift stores: 

1. I like my wardrobe to look current, not dated. Now, let me say this up front: I'm not a huge vintage shopper. Sure, I like vintage designs, but vintage clothes don't rule my closet because I prefer more chic, trendy attire that's on-trend. 

If you like vintage, then a thrift store is, indeed, your best friend. But be careful: $2 and $3 pricetags can be intoxicating and, if you aren't careful, you can walk out of there feeling like you stepped back in time.

I go to thrift stores so that I know what NOT to buy. Usually, thrift stores are at least a few fashion cycles behind; you usually don't see things filtering down to thrift stores until a season or two after they come out (though there are always exceptions to that rule).

 There are certain styles, even if they are designer, that may have had their moment 10, 20 years, ago, but I just don't want now, as in the shoes below. These shoes are early 2000ish -- and the long, pointy toes look like it. Aim for a more classics; If pointy stilletos are a must, aim for those that are classic and will, theoretically always remain in style.
 

Source: Looking Fly on a Dime

 You can quickly spot the designer outcasts of fashion -- the Fubu and RocaWear clothing, jeans from the 200ish area with the good awful green denim wash, bright rayon jackets that clearly look like they came from the 1990s). You get the idea. These are the things I don't want buy thrift because I don't want my wardrobe looking too dated, like I walked out of a 90s or an early 2000-ish fashion catalog.

Bottom line: If you keep seeing cast offs of the same clothing or designer (Baby Phat, anyone?) constantly in thrift stores, then chances are it's out of style; that's why it keeps turning up at thrift stores because folks don't want it in their closet, either.

Seeing those $2 and $3 price tags is so tempting. But don't. Just don't, or you'll be donating it back to thrift stores

Bottom line: Don't buy someone else's junk.


2. I want to know what's in style. Now, I know that vintage-y clothing is in style -- and I know that because I'm constantly flipping through fashion mags and going into trendy stores like H&M, Express, Forever21, Bebe, etc., to find out what's hot.

What I do though, is take the look and try to emulate it at a thrift store for much less. 

And that's why I refuse to pay brand new prices for items that look like I could pull them off a rack at a thrift store. Usually, vintage items like the sheer tops that are in style today that were in during the 80s and 90s, or even the retro knits that are so in style now, usually have SOME element that has changed, so be careful.

Make sure you try them on and examine carefully, because even the colors are off a lot of times, depending upon the decade (the 80s were a time where a weird God awful beige reigned, but that color is no longer in style) so stick to basic colors.

There's a difference between 2014 chunky heels and 1990 chunky heels; know the difference. Everything that's a bargain ain't really a bargain.

When you're buying clothes, fit is key. Sure,you can get over with the right vintage fit, but make sure that you don't combine too many vintage items or you'll instantly look dated. Do a vintage top with a modern blazer.

I like to accessorize with vintage jewelry and accessories like belts, etc., because:

Source:BlacDetroit.com

1. They're cheaper
2. They're often made much better quality wise than new-trying-to-look-vintage accessories that are sold today.  If I can get a piece that looks like it might be from Stella & Dot, yet it's much cheaper, why not get the real thing?

Bottom line: Shop retail so you know to spot a good deal thrift. 


3. I like to know what I'm saving. There's nothing like going to a thrift store and walking out with a bag that costs $20 and knowing you'd be lucky to get away with one thing at a retail store for the same amount. It puts a whole new perspective on saving cash. You shop a lot differently this way.

There are plenty of times where it absolutely pays to thrift. Have you noticed how 90s grunge and plaid are back? A plaid shirt is a plaid shirt. I'd much rather pay $5 for it in the men's section of the thrift store than $25-$30 brand new.

And while high-waisted jeans are all the rage and are uber trendy, they are the perfect item to buy thrift: God knows how long they'll be in style. Snag a pair that you can fit and you'll be out of what, $5-6 bucks at the most?

I love making a few alterations to make things a bit more fashion froward. If you've got some basic DIY skills - those slouchy sweatshirts that all the girls wear that cost $40-50 a pop can be remade for much less. You  can take a good sweatshirt from Goodwill and with a pair of scissors and a black marker, turn it into an on trend slouch sweatshirt for less.

Bottom line: Thrift smartly, so you can truly save on old trends that are new again. 

Save on fall clothing with BOGO at Target

By Tenisha Mercer
www.BargainistasATL.Blogspot.com

One of the things I like almost as much as thrifting is rocking BRAND new merchandise at thrift -- or near thrift -- store prices.

OK, some clothing is more than thrift store prices, but keep in mind it's BRAND SPANKING NEW and ON TREND; it takes a season or two before you begin seeing merchandise filter down to thrift stores in terms of the fashion cycle. Some things, I'll wait for. Other things, not so much.


Target is my fave store - even more when they run good sales, such as BOGO (BUY ONE, GET ONE) half off. At these prices, you'll be able to snag on-trend fall cardigans and sweaters for about the price of Goodwill ($6), but brand new.

Here's a closer look at the good deals I found this week (most are valid through Saturday, Sept. 28) at Target:
 
Now's the time to stock up on sweaters, cute flats, and even accessories, for fall. BOGO applies on select clothing and accessories for men and women, as well as Merona apparel, and women's shoes. Y

You can score some good deals if you'd planned on buying these items, anyway; more reasons to save. Here's a good example: I'd already planned to buy these Steve Madden replica boots.

So it makes total sense for me to buy them and save more now. 

$34.99 at Target

Why NOW is the best time to save

RIGHT NOW is the best time to score some of the best fashion deals on new clothing. Why? Retailers have just put clothing merchandise in stores, and you can often take advantage of sale prices.

There's one catch, though: If you see an item you MUST-HAVE, get it now; it may not be available during clearance sales a few months later.

Happy Savings!!! 

Dress like Olivia Pope for less

By Tenisha Mercer
www.HairNista.Blogspot.com

From Birkie bags, Prada and Burberry to top-name designers, Olivia Pope from the hit TV show "Scandal" (played by actress Kerry Washington) kills the TV style game every Thursday night  -- she's hands down one of the best dressed women on prime-time TV.

Not only do I tune in for the suspense, I also want to peep what Olivia is wearing. If you've ever
wanted to dress like Olivia, now is your chance. The Scandal-inspired clothing collection hits The Limited Stores on Sept. 23, with 78-pieces.

The line is designed in part by none other than Washington, herself, and is priced from $49-$250.

 Now, this may not seem like a "bargain," but when you consider that Birkie bags are $10,000 and it's impossible to find new Prada or Burberry at this pricepoint, it IS a bargain. 



I think what I like best about the line is the pricepoint. I probably wouldn't shell out for the haute couture fashions Pope wears on the show, but this is feasible for the budget conscious. I'm loving the
wrapped coats, the suits and the contemporary dresses.

Can't you just see  Liv wearing this??? Scandal kicks off a new season Sept. 25.

HairNista ... Where Natural Hair and Fashion Meet: Dress like Scandal's Olivia Pope

HairNista ... Where Natural Hair and Fashion Meet: Dress like Scandal's Olivia Pope: By Tenisha Mercer www.HairNista.Blogspot.com From Birkie Bags, Prada to Burberry and other top-name designers, Olivia Pope from the hit T...

The Bargainistas' Manifesto

By Tenisha Mercer
www.BargainistasATL.Blogspot.com

I'm a big bargain shopper ... always have been. And that's largely the purpose for this blog. See, it wasn't until I found myself constantly telling people how to save money that I realized that not everyone knows how to do this thang richere.

Not everyone knows how to save a buck. Now, I don't think you need to be cheap or miserly (a closed fist can't receive) but you can use what you save to buy the things you really want, like that Caribbean vacation, splurge on a pair of shoes you've been dying for, or whatever you like.

Bargainistas live by these mottos:

1. Why pay retail? That's right, why? I hardly ever pay retail, especially for clothing -- unless it's something I absolutely need and I don't have the time or ability to get it anywhere else. It's a huge shift in the way you think about buying retail.