It's pretty safe to say that in the 33 years I've been alive I've never gone into Target and come out with what I went in for. Target is one of those stores that you must shop at your own risk because, quite simply, they have everything you could possibly need. It's an amazing problem to have. On one of my most recent trips in for a few household items I just happened to stroll past the women's apparel department. Needless to say, whatever was originally on my list instantly became a distant memory.
Since we are now in spring it's only right that I took a deep dive into their selection to see what new items they had in. As usual, I was not disappointed. The variety of options were endless, and the price points were even better. I'm a girl who loves nice things but also loves to keep as much money in my wallet as possible as well. So Target has become one of my go-to spots at the beginning of a season to load up on fashionable essentials. For me, spring means dresses, lots and lots of dresses. And I don't discriminate, I love different shapes, textures, colors, you name it I've probably bought it. The secret is to choose pieces that offer you optimal versatility so you can make as many outfits as possible out of a single item.
Denim Pinafore Dress
On top of the 8 other dresses, I fell in love with (yes you read that absolutely right, and that number is actually quite an understatement), there was one in particular that easily fulfilled my need for a versatile item. The Denim Pinafore Dresscan be easily dressed up and dressed down, which is a major highlight for me. Lately, when I purchase an item I ask myself how many different ways can I wear this. If I cant come up with three off the top of my head then it doesn't come home with me. Think denim overalls but a teensy bit more feminine. Let the evidence of these pictures show, you will not likely run out of ways to style this dress. The best part, it's under $30.
Tshirt Dresses
A spring and summer staple that's simple, effortless, and feels like stylishly wearing loungewear out of the house. Last spring I was all about the muscle tee and that has absolutely rolled into this year as well, so this very bright Women's Sleeveless Tshirt Dress is right up my alley, or this Tie Dye Sleeveless Dress. If you're not really one for the shape of a loose-fitting, muscle tee dress, you can also stick with a classic ribbed cap sleeve dress for a more fitted silhouette, like this Short Sleeve Rib Knit Tshirt Dress.
Spaghetti and Tank Dresses
We also cannot deny it's going to be hot outside, and as the weather really heats up we want some options that require minimum coverage, yes more skin. If you're interested in something more dainty that's perfect for a picnic, or a brunch you should definitely take a look at the Sleeveless Button- Front Dress, Sleeveless Button Front Tiered Dress,or theStriped Tiered Tank Dress. Any of theseare the perfect simple sundress for all of our spring shenanigans.
Babydoll Dresses
Babydoll dresses are a great option because they are able to transition well between warm and cooler months. Since we are all about cost saving over here, we want to get as much wear out of our pieces as we can. Some of my favorite options that Target has right now for this style are the Women's Puff Sleeve Dress,Babydoll Sweatshirt Dress, and the Long Sleeved Tiered Dress. Any of these would look amazing with a pair of tall knee-high boots in the fall.
We vowed that we were getting dressed this year and RSVP to all the things we couldn't do last spring. Therefore, we need options for all the looks we didn't have a reason to put on before. So if you're looking for a few new dresses for the spring Target absolutely has you covered. Check below to see all of the picks.
Never in a million years did I think a day would come where I would be tired of wearing pajamas all day. I used to yearn for a life of pajamas from sun up to sun down and countless hours on the couch. Be careful what you wish for. As life has taken a major shift, and I am working from home 4 out of 5 days a week, I felt myself starting to slip into a rut as my days started to feel very monotonous. Have you ever seen that episode of Spongebob where Squidward moves to that area with the other squids and all his days are the same and it drives him nuts? Yeah, that's me right now.
After trying to figure out different things I could do to lift my spirits I realized that getting dressed was a routine that I often took for granted, and the process of daily preparation helped me create some separation within my day. So I decided to create a routine for myself throughout the day, and the major part of it is that I change twice daily. Yes, although I am home the entire day I wake up, eat breakfast, workout, shower, and change into an outfit for the day. Once work is over and it's time to transition to personal time I hop into my nightgown and lay in my bed or on the couch in that outfit.
It may seem small to some but just that simple change has been a HUGE mood booster for me. For these reasons I have started to invest more money into loungewear, so that I have different options of what I can wear throughout my work week. Personally, when I look good I feel good and I am FAR more productive. Sometimes I even throw on a red lip, some boy brow, and a little highlighter. You have to do whatever makes YOU feel better. It doesn't matter if that feels like a lot to someone else. As long as it makes you feel good then keep doing it sis.
So if this sounds like it could be a mood elevator for you I've linked a few of the loungewear sets that I have my eye on below. Let's all be cute in the house together for our own self-care.
There is a very short list of things that are good about the winter. Like short short, like you can write it all out on a post it note. But on that short list, one of the items that brings a little joy to winter is Jackets and Coats and all the beauty they bring to a look. Over here on the east coast it's already getting pretty cold, and once the temperatures drop to a certain level our outfits just become outerwear. You probably won't even see what we have on underneath very often. It's just a lot of hats, scarves, and coats shuffling around.
If you follow me on Instagram ( which you absolutely should be) then you saw that I posted a link to one of my favorite winter coats recently and a lot of you bought it. That's when I realized you might be in the market for some winter coat options and with so many places to look I figured I would do the leg work and round up a few good ones for you.
So check out some of the options below. If you click any of the items it will take you straight to the website to check out the prices and details.
I've been a cheap friend, I've been the girl with the sale tea, and I've been called " the plug". The thing all these nicknames all have in common is they mean your girl knows how to save money and stretch a buck. I don't believe in paying full price, and when I absolutely have to I make sure it's as cost-effective as possible. Most of us are living on a fixed income, I know that I am, but shopping also brings me joy so I always find a way to have balance. We have to pay the bills, obviously, but we also deserve to have the things in this life we enjoy.
Finding the balance between buying the things I want and taking care of my responsibilities has been an ongoing struggle for me, especially as a blogger. Sharing the latest trends and styling new outfits is literally part of my job, so I had to find a way to be able to do that and still make sure I wasn't digging myself in a hole. A lot of you have asked how I always find a coupon code, or when you see me buy a higher ticket item you've asked how I've been able to do it because you know I typically lean towards a discount. Where there's a will there's a way, but beyond that, there are also a few little tricks I've found along the way that have helped me be able to responsibly shop.
Buy Now Pay Later
Buy now pay later is a service that's not news to any of us. I'm sure you have either seen or used one of these options at checkout when you're online shopping. This has been one of my most utilized shopping tools and I'm not afraid to say it. In fall and winter, there are a lot of bigger ticket items that are necessary for the weather and may seem like too large of an investment, but these services make them far more attainable. If you're on the east coast you have to have a jacket, coat, and pair of boots and if you're anything like me you have to have several different variations and styles because in this weather that's literally the entire outfit. Since we are currently in the season it's a little less often than you will find these items on sale, but with these buy now pay later services it makes things a little more affordable.
The top three that I swear by are Afterpay, Quadpay, and Klarna. I've written an article about Quadapay before that goes a little more in-depth, but these companies take the total of your item and splits it into 4 equal payments ( with $1 added to each payment) every two weeks over a course of 6 weeks. So for example, if your Jacket costs $200 instead of you paying that upfront you will instead pay $51 upfront the day you are making your purchase and then $51 every two weeks, for three more times. You have no IDEA how many things I've purchased through these companies. They typically have a list of retailers that they work with and you will notice when you are online shopping and go to checkout they will be listed under the payment options. You would simply select them as your form of payment and it will redirect you to their site to log in and complete your transaction.
Although all of them are a god send I would have to pick Afterpay and Quadpay as my favorite two. Some of the benefits that Afterpay has that Quadpay does not is that they usually run sales with their retailers and you can get special deals when shopping if you use Afterpay at checkout ( Klarna does this as well if you shop at H&M). They even have an " Afterpay Day" when there are insane deals, at places like Forever21, Oak and Fort, MAC to name a few, and you use their specific discount code and use afterpay at checkout and BOOM money saved. It's awesome. I never miss an Afterpay Day, and sometimes I will even wait until Afterpay day to make purchases on items I don't believe will go out of stock.
Quadpay on the other hand does not usually run these kinds of discounts, but where they may lack in that area they make up for in the fact that you can use Quadpay anywhere. Not only is the list of places you can checkout with Quadpay endless you can also physically use it in-store as your form of payment. YES!! I mean at the register of your favorite store. My favorite place to use it is when I'm in Sephora buying up all the makeup. The total can get a bit intimidating and having the ability to just pay 25% of the cost upfront is a godsend. Now let's circle back to the " you can use it anywhere" because I really want to make sure I'm clear here. If you can google the store you can use Quadpay there. Outside of clothing, I have even used Quadpay to pay for airfare, Airbnb, Vacation packages, a heating bill that was far more than I could have imagined one month, and on amazon for props for a shoot. Quadpay definitely is the queen when it comes to accessibility. No other service tops it in that area. The only con for me is all the online shopping has to be initiated in their app in order to use it. Sometimes this is annoying when I'm already on a site ready to checkout. With the other services like Afterpay and Klarna you usually see the option of payment built in at checkout in the retailers that they work with.
So if you have a shopping list that you would love to hit checkout on but you wish there was some kind of layaway option. There is in fact, there's three so you don't have to wait anymore. I almost forgot the best part. Once you make that first payment the items are yours. It's not like back in the day when you would put something on layaway and you couldn't have it until you paid it off. You are literally buying it now and paying later. Your items will ship to you in their regular timeframe as if you paid the total amount upfront. And if you change your mind and want to make a return you will still get back whatever you paid for them. Returns function just the same. These services will refund you the initial payment or however many payments you made on the items.
Amazing! I know.
Shoptagr
I get so many texts and DM's asking me for coupon codes because it is a well-known fact that I usually find a coupon code for everything. I recently found out that many of you think I have some kind of secret inside insight into these companies marketing plans ( I wish I did) but that's not it at all. I use an app and website called Shoptagr that literally scours the internet for me and pulls every coupon code it can find and applies it at checkout and makes sure I get the best value. THIS HAS BEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR ME. I used to stop what I was doing and go google forever trying to find a coupon code while I would shop to make sure I wasn't missing sales. I swear to god this app was made just for me. How it works is you have to go to their webpage sign up and install the chrome plugin into the toolbar, and every time that you go to checkout while you are shopping Shoptagr will stop you and ask you if you would like to check for any discounts. It will then run all the discount codes it can find through the website until one sticks, and if several stick it will only apply the one with the highest discount. The other day I posted a denim H&M dress that people have asked me about for years that they recently restocked, when I went to checkout to check for a discount it pulled a $10 off coupon code.
Another amazing feature it has is while you're shopping you can save items that you're interested within list you create in Shoptagr. You put a notification on those items and when the price drops Shoptagr will notify you so that you can get it at the best price. I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MANY THINGS I'VE GOTTEN ON SALE THAT I WOULD HAVE PAID FULL PRICE FOR BECAUSE OF THIS SITE!!! So when I tell you I genuinely love Shoptagr I mean it wholeheartedly. Y'all know how near and dear getting a deal is to my heart and pockets, and it's like this app was made just for me and I love it. So if you do not have the app or are not signed up DO IT ASAP ROCKY.
Hopper
This one does not relate to clothing but it does save you hella money so I decided to throw it into the mix. We all know that traveling right now is a touchy subject and if you are able to travel flights are pretty cheap. Although that may be the case currently there are still times during the year, certain days of the week, different moments the wind blow when different airlines lower their flight prices. Unless you are someone that travels regularly it's not likely that you would know offhand when those times would be. Many people follow different cheap flight company twitter accounts and stalk them to find out when flights will drop. Although, this may also work you could also sign up for Hopper and put the dates and specifications of the flight you're looking for and hopper will actually notify you when the flight price has dropped. They even now have an option where you can freeze the price for a specified amount of days if you don't have the money at that exact moment so you don't miss out on the lower price. I have used this app for every flight I've taken in the past couple of years and it has found me the cheapest every single time. Another amazing coin saving hack. So when the world opens back up and we feel a little more comfortable shopping I'll be right on the next cheap flight out to lay on an island with somebody's son (my boyfriend to be exact lol).
Well now that I've shared my top tricks and treats I really hope you give them a try. All of these sites are free to sign up. If you end up trying any of them out definitely let me know, and if you have any other cost-saving hacks I'm not aware of please spill the tea and let me know. Each one teach one right?
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Although, not for the weather. This is solely for the fashions. As an east coast native, born and bred, I know fall is only a tease that leads to the cold brutal winter. But as we dreadfully await below freezing temperatures and hibernating in the house we do have a few weeks filled with the year's best fashion. They say fall is for the fashion girls and that is 100% fact. There's nothing I love more than cozy knits, beautiful boots, and statement making coats. So let's get into this!
I will include a picture of all my favorite picks from each section at the end of this post.
Blazers
If you don't already have a blazer in your wardrobe do yourself a favor and get one.... or 10 fast! As someone that works a 9-5 that requires a more business casual dress code, but also enjoys a happy hour after work, having blazers is an easy way for me to take a more casual look to the office. Those padded Tshirts that I STAN for on instagram ( if you're not following me already you can do that here) I wear those all the time to the office and throw a blazer over them so I can get away with it in the office. Now if you are working from home and maybe going out here and there on the weekends the possibility with blazers are endless. Their definetly one of those pieces you use to wear an outfit several ways.
Shacket
I feel like this trend just got more popularized but I've been true to this one for awhile. I have a denim dress that I'm obsessed with that I have been wearing as a shacket for a few years now ( there's actually an almost identical one here). While the weather hasn't yet reached frigid temperatures it's a great time to jump into this trend. I would suggest wearing this with any fitted top whether it be a regular cotton top or knit turtleneck and a pair of jeans or slim leg pants.
Knits
A fall and winter staple. Whether it be sweaters, dresses, cardigans, all of them are a must in your wardrobe transition. I tend to lean towards the chunkier and softer knits. For me fall and winter clothes need to be as cozy and warm as possible
Pants
Of course, we all have a few pairs of denim that we love, and yes those are very important this season but you also want to secure a few pairs of pants. And since you are trying something new please don't just get a plain pair of solid colored dress pants. Mix it up add some print, texture, color. The right pair of pants can take your outfit from boring to attention-grabbing
Boots
It honestly doesn't matter if we are talking about booties, knee highs, or thigh highs. You need them all of them and there's nothing else to say here. Also if someone tells you you have enough boots they're wrong and tell them you don't need that kind of negativity in your life. PERIODT!
Jackets/ Coats
Baby it's cold outside and obviously, you have to stay warm so a coat or jacket is probably the most important item you need. I grew up always being told I just needed one " solid" jacket that would also through the season, one I could wear for years to come. I would have that one jacket until the wheels fell off or rather it had holes in it. I do still believe you should have a good solid coat that you invest in, BUT I absolutely don't believe you should have one jacket. Once it's cold outside your coat is going to be the focal point of your outfit. Nobodies going to see what's underneath until you reach your destination, so in my world, my coat needs to make a statement too. To help spark your search you'll find a few show stoppers that I found below.
Loungewear
This one is for the time we spend in the house. Just because your home does not mean you don't have to look good. I personally am more productive when I look good. It might be all in my head, but I have to get up, get showered, do my skincare, and change into something other than my pajamas on the days I work from home. It honestly helps with my productivity and helps me to shift into a different mindset for work. So in true Camille fashion of course I had to have a list of adorable comfy co-ord sets for you to wear while your working from home.
Dresses
Those boots we discussed in the previous section, this is where they should get the most play. A knee-length dress or maxi dress paired with some knee-high boots is the perfect combination for fall. It's also a great way to transition some of your favorite summer dresses into the next season. You can throw a sweater over the top and add some boots for warmth.
Honorable Mentions
This is the area where we see how indecisive I am and that I cannot be confined to categories. The last scrolling list is all of the items that don't fit into any of the other categories but we all need them and I couldn't possibly make a fall post without providing them the attention they deserve.
I hope you all enjoyed this list of what I consider to be all the items you should be putting your dollars into this fall. Below is all the scrolling list of items in order of how they were discussed in the post. Happy Shopping!! If you end up getting anything comment below or tag me on my Instagram @Guiltyofglitz_ or use #GOGmademedoit when you post it! I love seeing how you guys style things I suggest.
A beauty guru I am not. I have never worn eyeshadow except for that one time at my senior prom when I tried to get adventurous and put glitter all over my lids ( you can rest assured there are no pictures from that event). I don't try winged liner or get too wild when it comes to my makeup. Learning how to do my everyday face is a skill I've mastered and I'm always scared to try to add too many more steps to it. Now, even though I may not add a smokey eye and huge voluminous lashes, when I do want to add a little Sazon seasoning to the look I always play around with my lip colors.
It's pretty ironic because growing up I walked around sucking in my bottom lip because I was so embarrassed by how big they were. Oh to be young and foolish. When I first started wearing lipsticks I had a VERY hard time finding colors that complimented my skin tone. After years of nudes that looked like I literally just rubbed ash onto my lips, and bright colors that washed me out, I'm here to help us brown girls with shades that really accentuate our glow, because WE HAVE SO MUCH GLOW SIS!!!
So those lips I once used to hide? I flaunt them every single chance I get. Unfortunately, right now masks don't really allow us to show off our lipsticks, BUT in preparation for better days, I wanted to give you guys a list of my favorite lipsticks for black girls.
Check out the links below ladies. Let me know if you give any of these a try I would love to see how it worked out for you. Tag me on Instagram @guiltyofglitz_ so I can see!!!
RED
Because if we are being all the way real Red lipstick is my color. I wear a variety of different colors, but red is always my safe place. I know if I throw on a red lip it will elevate a disheveled face or a basic outfit. Please don't say it's too bright for you. Listen, I wouldn't steer your wrong. If you are a brown girl I promise you that a red lip will accentuate your black girl magic. I wouldn't steer you wrong sis. My Fave Reds are:
PINK WAS MADE FOR BLACK GIRLS, and this was truly hard concept for me to become comfortable with. I always felt like pink was a little too bright for my complexion and the ones I had previously experimented with really washed out my skin tone. Not all pinks are created equal. You may just need to find a pink or plum with a deeper tone. This will help it to better compliment your complexion. Here are a few of my faves.
In the fall I typically love deeper tones. Don't get me wrong, I still sneak a red in regardless of the season, but I do tend to reach for a darker color more often in the colder months.
We are currently week, who even knows anymore because we have all lost count, and instead of leaning into focusing in on all the things I can't do anymore, I'm choosing to find joy in the little practices that have become acts of self-love. When we had the option to run the streets and take in all outside had to offer, some of the items on my list weren't as important to me as they now are. Everything around us is uncertain, and the world is filled with so much pain and hurt right now. There were weeks where I just went dark and really needed to hold on to some joy in the midst of chaos. I hope that if you haven't already, that some of these things that have brought me joy can bring you a little bit of happiness as well.
Reading
I have always been a huge reader. Now, I haven't read as much as I typically would in the past year, but I have always been a bookworm. It probably started when I was a child and my mom would pay me $2 for every book I would read to keep me from sitting in front of the TV all day. Those Barbie clothes weren't going to buy themselves so if I had to read 3 books a week so Barbie could get the newest tweed blazer then I had to do what I had to do. Although the clothes were my motivation to initially read, it did in turn create a love of reading. I usually only read fiction, because I like the ability to escape when necessary, but the current book I'm reading is a biography and I LOVE IT. My best friend and her family were reading " More Than Enough" by Elaine Welteroth, and at first, I wasn't interested because biographies read as boring to me, but after their rave reviews, I decided to give it a try. Best decision ever because it is truly remarkable. So much of Elaine's story resonates with me and inspires me, it is really a page-turner. A couple nights a week I light some candles, pour a glass of wine, and open up my book. When outside was open I realize this was one of the things that I neglected. Reading wasn't as fundamental when barhopping was an option, but now that I have the opportunity to lean into this new form of escapism I have fallen back in love with it.
Skincare
Within the last year I have spent a lot more time and money on my skincare routine, but with life constantly moving around me I sometimes have a hard time trying to keep up with it. You know, those nights you went out with friends and ended up nosediving into the bed with a full face of makeup on. Yeah, prior to quarantine I had quite a few of those. Since having so much open time added to my days I've had the opportunity to really dedicate myself to my skincare routines. That has meant a full washing, serums, eye creams, toners, moisturizers, facial oils, sunscreen, and masks. Instead of looking at it as a task like I did previously I now view it as a time that I get to really focus on my self-care. Besides the relaxation, seeing the benefits of my dedication has been so rewarding. I have extremely dry skin and a lot of discoloration so watching it disappear has been such a blessing. I hear a lot of people say their skincare journey is hard because when they aren't seeing results their no longer inclined to continue. If that's the case your approaching it incorrectly. Shift your focus from results to creating a spa experience for yourself. Put more energy into enjoying how each step feels and view this entire routine as self-care. Don't rush it, take your time and I promise you will no longer be worried about the results as much as you are enjoying the experience. Soon you will be laying on the couch masking for hours without a care in the world sis. You can find all the products I use and a detailed description of how they work in my most recent skincare post. I also usually share a ton about my skincare journey on my Instagram ( which if you're not following already go ahead and hit that follow button).
Shower Spa Experience
Now this one my girlfriend put me on to. With everything that has transpired in the last few months, I found myself slipping into a really dark place. Feeling isolated from the people and things I love as well as watching countless black people be murdered, victimized, and disrespected constantly had left me completely emotionally drained. No matter where I went to escape I couldn't find the space or peace I needed to process my emotions, and it was really getting harder and harder to show up each day for myself or anyone else. My girlfriend told me that every night she would light candles, play whatever music made her feel good, and would take a long hot shower and allow herself to feel whatever it was she was feeling and take a break from people, places, and things. I'm not going lie, at first this just seemed pointless to me, but one day when I felt like I was going to literally bubble over, I decided to give it a try. YA'LL!! it was glorious, and it has become a nightly routine for me (well for the most part). Sometimes it's lots of upbeat Beyonce, Meghan, and City Girls to shower twerk to while other nights it's a slow emotional playlist I can cry my heart out to. Whatever your preference, use this time to create a vibe and disconnect from anyone. This is YOUR TIME to literally shut the world out and allow your mind and body to relax. Now note: this could add a few bucks to the heat and electric bill, but if your going to cut expenses somewhere don't let it be your self-care sis.
Netflix, Hulu, and all The Shows
This is literally self-explanatory. Sometimes just zoning out to a TV show is the simplest form of self-care available. Now of course you need to be able to disconnect when necessary to get important things done, but there's nothing wrong with giving yourself a set amount of time to watch a show and mentally escape for a bit. Greys Anatomy got me through an entire break up, so I will ALWAYS suggest a little TV therapy sometime. If you don't know what to watch I have an entire list of all the TV shows worth binging during this break.
Creating Content/ Social Media Engagement
Although Social Media can be mentally stressful it can also be a bit of relief. One of the reasons I have continued influencing and blogging is that I enjoy the relationships and conversations I get to have with you all. You guys have kept me laughing when I really needed it most, and have been a place to vent when I needed an ear to listen, and for that, I will always appreciate social media. In a time when we are supposed to be keeping our distance, having these channels to stay connected can really be chicken soup for the soul ( if you don't know what that reference is I need to know how old you are lol).
Creating Content has also been a huge stress reliever. I have literally had nothing but time to create mood boards and make content that I am very proud of. Although some pieces of the process are work, and not always the most enjoyable, breathing life into the ideas that circle in my head is in itself therapeutic. If content creation is not your jam, this may be a great time to tap into that idea that you have been too scared to try. Pouring yourself into something your passionate about can be a great form of self care. It has been truly wonderful for me.
Working Out
Exercise and I have a love-hate relationship, but during this time it has been a great stress reliever. Allowing myself to put my energy into exercise, and to sweat it all out has been a huge form of self-care for me. The angrier I am the harder I go, the more anxious I am the harder I push, and often times I feel significantly better after. After years of denying it I have to say that endorphins do seem to be a real thing. Some may say endorphins are even better than wine ( just so we are clear " some" is not me, but endorphins are pretty great though lol).
I hope that at least one of the ideas on this list can help you to find a mental escape or some peace during this chaos. What are some ways you all practice self-care? Now that I have shared with you I would love to hear your ideas as well?
Disconnecting
Sometimes it is just this simple. With so many ways to receive news right now, it can be overwhelming to say the leas.t. We all have so many emotions and trying to navigate them while consistently being bombarded with graphic images and videos is honestly more than anyone can bear. When you find it necessary please don ot feel any guilt about taking all the time you need to yourself. This can look like not getting on social media, not answering phone calls or texts, and just spending time with yourself. It's not selfish sis. Self Care is never selfish. There is no way you can be of service to anyone else if you are not servicing yourself. PERIOD!
I hope that you find this list helpful and that something on this list will provide you relief during this difficult time. I would love to hear the ways you are self-caring right now? Leave it below in the comments.
