how to shop smart

Shopping well comes from expeience. Online shopping and in-store shopping offer both pros and cons. Here are some general shopping tips to keep in mind.

People complain they don't have anything to wear albeit they have a overwhelming closet. It's because none of the clothes fit anymore or look good anymore.

My first tip is shop often.

You don't have anything to wear because nothing is on trend everything in your closet doesn't look right for the season.

I shop 10-15mins once a week. I don't have to buy anything but I just want to know how an item (ie. skirt) is styled on a front window display. Something in your closet can look new if styled differently.

2.  Check what colors are in season.

It's never that one color is in season it's more likely a color scheme is in season. Find different pieces in your closet that correspond to the color scheme which will update you look. If you don't have a particular piece with those colors, maybe you can splurge on one item that is in the color scheme of the season. 

3. Don't buy anything that you won't wear tomorrow or keep anything that you won't wear tomorrow.

Only buy things if you love it in the first sight and you have to love it. Don't buy something because it's good value. It will be sitting in your closet forever.

4. Check the prices.

If you're in the store, see if the store offers student discount. A lot of stores do offer student discount but they do not advertise it openly. Make sure you have a valid student ID with the clear expiration date for Club Monaco for 20% discount Topshop for 10% discount and Roots for 20% discount. Try on all of the clothes in the change room. Calculate every item with the discount plus the taxes included in the change room with  your phone calculator so you won't be surprised at the end.

If you're shopping online, make sure to Google shopping coupons or discount coupons before you conplete the transaction. Many online retailers offer 10% up to 30% discount when you sign up for their mailing list or follow them on social media sites. Also when you do sign up for the mailing list they may email you coupons which are not available for redeem in-store. The only con of online shopping is that you have to wait for the package to arrive and pay for shipping fees depending on how much you spend. American apparel offers 25 to 30% discount on your birthday and sometimes they have exclusive online offers then you won't be able to find in store. Make sure you check all exchange and return policy before purchasing online. It's a real hassle to deal with exchanges and returns via shipping methods. I use retailmenot.com to find any coupons available before I transact. 

5. Check material, fit, and size before purchasing anything online. Some sites offer user reviews. Read those before purchasing to see if there's any defect or continuous dissatisfaction with the item by customers. Research on fabric to see if it's delicate, needs dry cleaning or is durable. It's also important to check how the item will fit on you. Unless you have a body of a model, certain item is going to fit differently and look differently on you.

6. Shop thoroughly. Consider all options before purchasing. Even when you just went through the rack, go through the same rack from the other side. You'd be surprised to see how a dress looks different on a hanger from the left and right. 

These are some of the tips that may be crucial on your next shopping experience! I'm heading to a warehouse sample sale for local boutique on 1310 East Pender St. (11am-6pm)

Follow your favourite brand or shop on instagram, pinterest and facebook for special sale events, exclusive discounts, and updates on new arrivals!

More tips coming up!

Fashion Job Hunt

Scene from "Devil Wears Prada"

Every pretty girl with great taste wants to work in fashion. From everyone who likes to dress themselves to shopaholic want fabulous jobs which they could get all the perks from. I, for one thought as myself that way. Despite graduating from university and working as an accountant at a Real Estate office, I still wanted to work in fashion industry. After all those years of itty bitty retail positions, I still want to work in fashion. I have held a nice, stable, salary-based job, but I am challenging myself to jump into the pool of applicants of the fashion industry job pool. I thought working for fashion was frivolous, empty-headed, obsessive and down-right snobby. People who still think fashion is dictated and think fashion is everything oh-so-serious are over their heads. What I want to do is to educate, inform the public of what are on trend and offer them choice from a wide variety of selection of style. It's never the question of "What's on trend?" but what ARE the things that are weather, region-appropriate and still look fashionable? There's never THE ONE trend, even in fashion magazines, they feature multiple trends to showcase imaginations and talents of designers. 

To be able to influence the business of fashion industry, I realized that working as a sales associate is never-ever going to help (well unless you know someone who's really really on top of the ladder). I find increasingly that companies do not want to hire from within or if they do in some cases, one would have to work way longer to achieve the same goal. To be considered a promotion, from sales associate to an employee of a head office, they would have been working for that company at least for couple years and by that time, their wage has gone up so in order to promote someone, they would have to hire them on a higher wage rather than hiring someone outside the company who will do the same job for way less money (because job hunting is a bitch). It's just the way the world works. So I decided to quit being a sales associate and try to apply for influential position (such as an assistant buyer). 

Now, as a possessor of soft skills (client service, administrative skills, interpersonal skills) rather than having a software engineer skills, it gets difficult to stand out of all the people who have soft skills. A buyer, according to many career sites of Forever 21, Ross and etc, a buyer does not have to possess any required licenses or particular degree. Many of buyer postings are skills such as mathematical skills (% of sales, profit margins, etc. which you will know if you graduated from high school), negotiation skills and leadership skills. These skills are learned and can be trained on the job site. So with a little bit of experience, anyone can be a buyer. This makes the competition much much larger. Everyone will want to apply for this job. Furthermore, a lot of apparel industry head offices are in LA and New York, which makes the application pool a whole lot bigger. As a Canadian, I am in peril. 

I have applied to FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) in LA to see if with the program there, I could be considered, mildy considered for a job in the US. I completed my entrance project and got accepted. My only concern is the program costs $30,000 for an associates degree which is more costly than my Bachelor's degree. I am in a quandary. Will this program get me ahead? Will it be worth it in this economic state? I really do not want to become a slave (unpaid intern) or a minimum-wage sales associate in a fashion industry after I do this program.

Returning to blog

Do you ever notice when you have to re-word/re-phrase something because potential employers or your cousin might see it on Facebook? What you really want to say doesn't get heard? For some reason, venting your problems to your boyfriend, friends or on a diary is not enough. You want the entire audience of internet users. I had feelings like those several times this month or the past month or since forever. I am going to bitch about whatever I want whenever I want in a blog format. 

I've had a fair share of disappointments and rejections in my life career-wise. Job hunting is a bitch, especially in Vancouver where over-qualified, over-educated individuals are under-paid. I found a lot of places where they are paying a receptionist $12-$13/ hour and expect to have a receptionist skilled and experienced for 3-5+ years. I've always imagined or appropriated the image of a front desk personnel to be one of those inefficient old ladies who take forever to finish the job or someone who'll put everyone on the phone on hold until she finishes filing her acrylic nails. I am neither one of those described characters and still having a bitch of a time finding a decent job to pay my bills. I've been to countless (useless) career counselling sessions, workshops and informative websites. 

Well, over the years I learned many interviewers ask questions that they print off of a career website to ask regardless if they cared or not to get the answer from you. In Richmond, especially. I've had to travel far far distances to get to some interviews. I'm not talking about Richmond as in nearby Canada Line, No. I had to take the skytrain to farthest reaches of Richmond and take another 30-min bus ride and walk another 0.9km (according to my handy google map) across the highway intersection. I've had interviewers who even had trouble phrasing their questions articulately even with a fucking stack of sheets with a fuckload of generic questions in front of them. And in my head I'm thinking, "Are you fucking kidding me? I have to work for YOU?" Companies in Richmond (small companies) will pay just over minimum wage or less than what I fucking earn at a retail store for a "PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATOR." What? you're offering me $12/hour? Seriously? And mention that I don't have enough office experience? Oh do I need experience to answer your calls and take messages for you? and photocopy papers? Yes I do have one-year worth of experience. Really. I don't need to do learn how to do that shit for 3 years. You wanted someone with a college degree, REMEMBER? 

Thankfully, I had an interview with an organization full of competent and well-articulated interviewers today. They made me feel I wanted to work somewhere professional enough not to waste my time. They, in fact, didn't waste my time. They were very brief and sincere and offered me for a second interview. They didn't wait a million days to call me back for a second interview. I'm excited. Genuinely excited for this.

10 Easy and Affordable Halloween Constume Ideas

I've got some fun Halloween costume ideas!

For me, I would probably go with the easiest and the cheapest one.

1. Nun with a gun (Lindsay Lohan in "Machete")

Wear a black skirt / table cloth over your head with a white headband.

 2. Lady Gaga with coke cans as hair rollers

Get cigarette butts and stick them on your shades and for the chains, get some of those winter tire chains.

 3. Lady Gaga with post-it dress (I know it's a bit old, but fun to try!)

Get a black dress and staple some post-its like there's no tomorrow!!!

 4. Cutest little Alice in Wonderland

Wear a white apron over your blue dress.

5. Old Detective

Well, just pull out some plaid from your closet! Now all you need to do is sew some elbow patch, get a detective hat and a pipe.

 6. Jockey/ Equestrian Chic

Get some plain, plaid or military blazers and equestrian boots that you love to wear and wear them again for Halloween.
Think it's not sexy enough? Well........

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Think again.
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How about now.





 
7. Sultry Sailor
This is Jessica from a popular girl group called SNSD.
Take your regualr white blazer and decorate the shoulders with some velvet patch and thic gold fabric ropes.
Then all you need to buy is the hat...or you can simply make the hat with a white construction paper and a felt pen.

8. Velma from "Scooby-Doo"

REAL~easy!

9. Magician
Well, stick some cards on a black fabric and wear it around your neck.
Draw a bunny on a piece of paper and stick it on your hat.

  Still too hard???
Then wrap a big white sheet around you and belt it with a gold string.
Pick some ivys or flowers and plant them on your hair.
Voila!

10. Greek Goddess
Get a longer piece of white sheet than this girl here.....



Halloween made easy by Styleinvan.
Thanks for reading...

I am in LOVE with Club Monaco

Club Monaco has really great basics along with very trendy items.

I love going there just to try on my favourite pieces.

 I really love this rough-textured camel blazer!

It does go with everything.

 Trying on some sequined skirt, just so my outfit is not to blah.

I have been eyeing this top since my last Club Monaco post.

It is on sale, but it's still too much to pay for this top :(

 I did get this cardigan today though.

It's part really soft cottom with chiffon layering.

I think I have too many cardis now...but in Van city, you NEED cardigan. I never have my bare arms out even during the summer.



Big Sale at Urban Outfitter!!!

Got some great deals and even greater finds!

I never get anything from Urban Outfitter that is over $50, but all the little things I get from there add up to quite some total.

I especially love love the table-cloth inspired silky skirt.

I would have to layer the sheer dresses with something to keep me warm during the chilly season!

Cape Coat

I rummaged through my closet and found this vintage capey-coat from the closet.

It must've been sitting there for who knows how many years...and now I can wear it!!!

I guess I can check one must-have item off my list.

It was very unexpected..Now I don't have to go shopping (I wish!)

No, but I did go shopping and spent my money on something else.

Can I Faux-fur it this winter?

Faux fur is on the fashion radar!
It has been for a while and I've been wanting to get a faux fur coat for over a year!
Faux fur coat is timeless and a good investment piece you won't regret.

Well...maybe not in my case cuz I live in Vancouver where it rains all the time!!!
It's never cold and dry, when it's cold, it's wet and when it rains in Vancouver, IT POURS.
(Sorry, I am still bringing up last week's 30rock epi).


So, I am not certain if I can faux-fur it during Vancouver winter...
It's a shame :(
It would be stupid to want this gorgeous, soft Zara fur bag cuz even the umbrella won't cover that.

My alternative is to just do the collars of the coat or a scarf with faux fur.

I can opt for this fabulous Shearing too.

Holiday Shopping

I went shopping yesterday. Yes, when it was pouring outside, I had sudden urge to shop.
I snagged a few stuff. Good stuff.

From Zara, I had to get the baggy striped shirt because I don't have anything with stripes.
I love the ankle-cut and the chocolate faux crocodile belt that came with the gray pants.

I have been yearning for some fuzzy cardigan for some time now.
The closest thing is my mohair cardigan, but Banana Republic was having a sale!
The hot pink cardi is so soft and cute! With 45% discount...even better.

I went over to the vintage shop (see previous post) and found THE cameo necklace I've been searching for!
I went all over boutiques in town, vintage shops, consignment stores and even in stores in Italy for the perfect cameo necklace.
I found it at home for $35!!!

Jungle Fever

Leopard print has been my favourite for a while.
I always found it to be too "wild" for my taste and thought I could never pull off such bold print.
Alas my passion of leopard print took over my fear.
I started with my leopard print scarf from ALDO accessories.

And I wrapped it around my fuzzy wool skirt.
AlsoI bought a camel leather jacket from H&M.
I turned it inside-out for a different look! 2-in-1 jacket.
Volia!
And my newly acquired tiger sweater from that vintage shop on second floor next to Granville 7 theatre. It's upstairs of Shuraku Jap. restaurant.
I now am a frequent visitor of the store.
Cool! Right?