Savvy Shopping

I'm going to go ahead and pat myself on the back because I am a very savvy shopper. If you ask any of my friends they will tell you I'm an expert, so I thought I would share some of my tricks of the trade.

I almost never pay full price, I love reward programs, referral programs and any other type of purchase where I get what I want for less.

1. Ebates- The Ebates Cash Back Button that gives you cash back when you shop! You download the button, and it automatically applies the cash back percentage to all your online purchases (i.e. 6% cash back on Athleta). How does it work? Stores pay ebates a commission for sending shoppers to their websites, and they share it with you.

I've made over $200 in cash back since signing up! Get the button here. You won't be sorry.




2. Ebay- I've been an Ebay shopper and seller since 2001. When I find things I like, I look for them on ebay. My first tip is to "follow" or "save" a search. For example, I was in the market for a new Patagonia down jacket, so I saved the search, "black Patagonia long down jacket small", and within a week one popped up. I got a like new, worn only a few time $400 jacket for only $110! I save searches for the Mini fashionista too. Just a few weeks ago I entered a "Patagonia ski pants size 10" search for next year's pants and ended up getting a set of long underwear at an amazing deal, just because it notified me of the search.

So...long story short. If you find something you love and don't want to pay full price or can't find your size in a store, or saw it on a friend and it's from a previous season, look for it on ebay! oh...and if you sign up for ebates, you will get 2% cash back on all your ebay purchases. BONUS!

3. Consignment/Resale- Not only do I love consignment stores, but I also love consignment shops on social media. A majority of my clothes and the Mini's clothes are "2nd hand". Here are some of my favorite consignment/resale stores and online shops.

- Baby & Me and Rock it Resell- For those of you in Portland, this is one of my favorite shops for the Mini Fashionista, and I occasionally buy from the adult store.

- Recycled Chic & Seams to Fit- These Portland consignment stores focus on high end, like new clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories.

- Consign Design- If you follow C&C, you know this is my favorite consignment store on the planet. It's in Sun Valley, ID and has been my gold mine of consignment finds....Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Oscar de la Renta, Ferragamo, Tory Burch, Vince...I could go on and on.

- Les Petites PDX- I actually started this high ends kids consignment shop on Instagram with two friends over a year ago. They have now taken it over as I focus on my consulting business. Follow the boys account here and the girls account here. AND they are launching a high end women's site called Grayson Rose.

- Shop the Wild Things- This was the first Instagram consignment shop I ever followed, and it was the inspiration for Les Petites PDX.

- A few other online "resale" shops I frequent are: The Real Real, Poshmark, and En Vogue Consignment. 

Happy Shopping!

Going For Gold

My +1 and I have been invited to a "gold" themed Gala at the end of the month, and unfortunately I don't own a gold dress. I could re-wear my plunging black neckline with gold shoes and accessories, and I also have a friend who has offered to let me borrow a beautiful strapless gold Vera Wang. However, I'm kind of in the mood for a new dress, so I thought I would do some browsing. It never hurts to browse, right...

Here are a few of the options I've found. Given that I don't need a dress, I'm trying to stick with a budget under $100.

The first three are on eBay and are all under $100.

Diane Von Furstenburg

Thread Social 

Diane Von Furstenburg

This dress is on super sale on Shopbop. I worry it might be a bit short though.

4.Collective

And then there is always Rent the Runway. I really like this dress, and the rental is only $85.

Nha Khanh

I'll be sure to share what I end up wearing after the event!

Keeping it Real

A few weeks ago I made my confessions as an "Imperfect Blogger". Today I thought I would do a 180 and focus on the positive. We (meaning I) spend too much time comparing myself to others (another imperfection), and that only results in feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. I know I am not alone in this.

So today I thought I would focus on my strengths, the things I like about myself, the things I do well and hopefully the positive traits that people see in me.

So here goes nothing!

1. I am a really great friend. I am good at keeping connected, remembering birthdays, celebrating births and anniversaries, etc. I call my friends regularly just to catch up, despite the fact that I can see much of their lives through social media. It's not the same as a phone call.

2. I am almost never late. I say "almost" because having a child has changed my time lines a bit, but that said, I am almost always on time or early, even with my toddler in tow.

3. I maintain good balance in my life. I eat good foods, I exercise regularly, I don't watch too much TV... and on the other hand, I love to bake and eat the fruits of my labor, I drink alcohol,  and I spend too much time on facebook and instagram.

4. My stomach is as flat as it has ever been. When the Mini Fashionista was 6 months old I went through training to become an instructor at barre3. By the time she was a year old, I had more definition in my stomach than ever before. That makes a girl feel good.

5. I am a wicked good deal shopper. I love a good bargain. From Amazon to eBay or consignment sales, I get amazing things at great prices, and I am proud of it.

6. I buy second hand. Why is that so great? Remember that song... "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle"? I may be a consumer, but at least many of my choices are low impact to the environment.

7. I return all phone calls, emails and texts (and quickly). One of my biggest pet peeves at Nike was un-returned communications. Bill Perez held the position of CEO for a very short time, and he would personally return every email he received from Nike employees within days. I find that quality extremely admirable (and rare) in a leader.

8. I am resilient.  I believe the ability to bounce back quickly is incredibly important in this ever changing world. Life isn't always roses.  It's like what I teach the Mini Fashionista...if you fall down, "shake it off, dust yourself off, get back up and try again." (basically...suck it up kid!)

9. I seek personal improvement on a daily basis. Clearly from my previous post you know that I am far from perfect. And while I know that perfection is not an attainable goal, I know that self improvement is a good thing. I am constantly making resolutions, reading "self-help" books and challenging myself to be the best version of myself! Some days are better than others.

And finally...number 10! (Because ten is a good number to end with, even though I know I have more than ten admirable qualities...)

10. I can leave my house in workout clothes, without makeup and without taking a shower (you might call this crazy). Let's be honest. There are days when I wake up with dark circles under my eyes, zits on my face and greasy hair, and sometimes I leave the house like that. Because at the end of the day, how I look does not determine my worth, and I know that. I want the Mini Fashionista to know that she is beautiful just the way she is, and the only way she will learn that is if I practice what I preach.

Now it's your turn. Please leave a comment below the post with a characteristic you like about yourself! It will feel good, I promise!

The Future of Window Shopping

How would you feel if you were out to dinner with your friends or your +1 and a courier showed up with a new handbag you'd ordered on the street just an hour before...or maybe it's a skirt you need for later that night.

That. Can. Happen.

Kate Spade and eBay have teamed up to give you a sidewalk shopping experience that is much better than your average window browsing. Check it out. Now this is my kind of retail!

Hello My Name is...

Hello, my name is Regan, and I am a self-proclaimed eBay addict. The addiction started many years ago, but has become more of a problem in the past few months as I've started selling some of the Mini Fashionista's clothes. My earnings then become a "slush fund" to buy more for the Mini and for myself.

Check out some of my recent purchases! I share the prices only to show you what great deals you can get if you are willing to take the time to search through all the products!

An adorable Crewcuts dress and shorts for the Mini, only $12.50!

This little Baby Gap tunic for $7.50

A fantastic (and comfy) Ralph Lauren Rugby "sweatshirt cardigan" ($40)! I am living in this...

And a Ralph Lauren cowel neck sweater

As always, there are a few things I have my eyes on...like these boots!

Are any of you eBay shoppers?

My Best Kept Secret

Some of you might wonder where I do most of my shopping for the Mini Fashionista. While I would love to fill her closet with Mini Milly, Oscar de la Renta children, Papo d'anjo, Crewcuts, Jacadi and countless others, I am too practical to spend that much money when she grows out of things so, so quickly.

So where do I shop to dress my mini? Ebay is one of my favorite sources for gently used children's clothing. I have gotten fabulous things from Baby Gap, Crewcuts, Janie and Jack, Patagonia and countless others. For my favorite brands I have "saved searches" that send me an email when new items are posted. This reduces the amount of time I spending searching Ebay.

My other favorite way of finding fabulous brands at great prices is at children's consignment sales. I would imagine most major cities have these kind of sales, so be sure to do some research. These are my three favorite here in Portland. The sales occur every 6 months, and the good news is that they are all coming up in the next two weeks and the first one starts today!

Baby's Bottom Dollar Sale- September 17th- 22nd

Pass it on Sale- September 27th-30th

Ever After Sale- September 28th

The sales not only have clothing and shoes but also toys, furniture and anything related to babies and children.

Happy shopping!

Great Minds Think Alike

Last October Katie blogged about these rope wedges. I am not sure where she got them, but she wears them all the time. If you follow C&C on Facebook or Instagram, you will have seen them in a number of outfit posts.

Here she is wearing the wedges with a black dress and three Angela Caputi chain link bracelets.

I have been on the hunt for a pair of "rope" wedges as well. I really want the Stuart Weitzman Alex, but they cost a bit more than I want to spend right now, especially since it is the end of summer and boot season is quickly approaching....and anywhere they are on sale, they don't have my size! Anyway, I was browsing ebay, which I do with some frequency, when I stumbled upon the same wedges in fuchsia.

image via

For $19.99 (buy it now) these were a done deal! I wore them for the rehearsal dinner on Friday night, so stay tuned later this week for photos. 

Here they are with the other shoes I brought to Sun Valley for the wedding. I actually ended up adding two more pairs to this collection (that had to be one of the only benefits of driving).

I Got It On Ebay

For anyone who doesn't shop ebay, may I suggest you consider it. These are my most recent ebay purchase, a pair of new J Brand 912 Skinny Jeans in Black, and for only $76! I can't wait for them to arrive on my doorstep.


image via

Last Chance

The boots are on ebay. It's your last chance....

Stella McCartney Size 8 Gray/Sand Suede Boots