SUPER SHOPPING SECRET #16

Acrylic pendants $24
Shop for fun jewelry at www.alltherageonline.com. There is a wide variety of styles available, and while some of it may not be your taste, you should be able to find a good bit of things to your liking. They have many unique and creative pieces of costume jewelry. I wouldn't make any guarantees that any of this will last you a lifetime, but if you are looking for some affordable accessories that will add some character to your outfit, then this is the place to shop. Through January 1st, they are offering 50% off all orders $15 and over and free shipping for orders over $75. Here are a few things I found that I liked:

Kismet pendant $20
Stacked ring $6
Geode Necklace $36
Pearl drops $8
Chandelier earrings $21
They also have hand-painted jewelry, wood pieces, glass pieces, and the new fabric bib necklaces. You are able to return an item within 15 days of receipt if it is not to your liking. Check it out!

SUPER SHOPPING SECRET #15

SUBSCRIBE! SUBSCRIBE! SUBSCRIBE!
This is my advice: Think of every single store you love to shop at, and every single restaurant you like to eat at and subscribe to their website. I can't tell you how much you will benefit from this! Today being "Cyber Monday" I got more offers in my inbox than I could possible shop in a day. Here are just some of today's offers:

Ann Taylor - 40% off entire purchase plus free shipping on $100 or more.
Cole Haan - 40% off a single full-priced item or 30% off all sale items plus free shipping & returns.
Smashbox.com - 20% off your entire order plus free shipping.
Ralph Lauren - 25% off your entire purchase
Benefitcosmetics.com - Free Shipping plus free samples with every order.
Bobbibrown.com - 20% off your order plus free shipping on $65 or more plus free gift wrap.
Piperlime - 20% off and free shipping.
Ann Taylor Loft - 30% off entire order plus free shipping on $100 or more.
Banana Republic - 20% off
Old Navy - 20% off plus free shipping on any purchase
Anne Klein - 30% off sale merchandise and regular priced shoes plus free shipping
Gap - 20% off plus free shipping on any purchase
Naturalizer - 20% off plus free shipping
Kate Spade - %25% off plus free shipping
Henri Bendel - 30% off plus free shipping
Bath & Body Works - 25% off entire order

And if you subscribe, you are better apprised of sweepstakes and other contests you can enter. I highly recommend doing this. I won a $500 shopping spree from Bluefly and a $100 Express gift card from Lucky Magazine. I also receive many coupons and free offers on my birthday. Every year I get a $20 gift card from Pappa's Steakhouse, and last year I received a free ice cream from Ben & Jerrys, a free dessert at Lubys, and a free beauty product at Ulta among other things.

So get on that computer and start subscribing!!!

SUPER SHOPPING SECRET #14

This week's Super Shopping Secret is www.myperfectsale.com. This site shops for you, finding all the brands you love at the stores and websites you love. They consolidate all the best deals on designer apparel and accessories and send them right to your e-mail address. My Perfect Sale takes its cues from you. You select your favorite designers from a list of 100's. They shop 100's of stores and websites and send you literally 1000's of sale items to peruse. Of course the more designers you choose, the more sale items they will e-mail you. Almost one million people use this site to shop. I love it, but to be honest I hardly ever have time to look at all the wonderful things on my personal sale e-mail because it is so comprehensive. They shop stores like Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Macys, as well as smaller, lesser known shops. They also shop sites like YOOX, Zappos, and Overstock. They offer everything from Michael Kors, Juicy Couture and Kate Spade to Dior, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada. Once you open your sale of the day, you may sort your items by price, by designer, by store or even by the percentage off. Have fun shopping!

SUPER SHOPPING SECRET #13

This week's Super Shopping Secret is www.beyondtherack.com. This is another private shopping club that offers up to 70% off retail. They are very similar to www.hautelook.com and www.ruelala.com. You can sign up for free which will give you access to the sales. Today they have Prada accessories and Dolce & Gabbana on sale among other things. Tomorrow one of the sales will be on Burberry. Have fun shopping!

SUPER SHOPPING SECRET #12

Today's blog article will be short and sweet but very useful. The following websites provide you with current discount codes for your favorite shopping websites and retail stores:
www.couponshack.com
www.retailmenot.com
www.dealtaker.com
www.currentcodes.com
Check these out. They are fairly easy to use. Just enter the name of the store you are hoping to find discounts for, or use their drop-down menus to find your favorite stores. This will take you to a page that will provide you with the current discounts codes that will give you percentages off your purchase, or free shipping, etc. Great tool for serious shoppers! They have listings for everything from Ann Taylor to Sephora.

P.S. - www.hautelook.com is having a sale on Shu Uemura today. Limited selection but there are some great lipsticks and eyeshadows available, as well as a mini eyelash curler. Shu Uemura's eyelash curler has been rated #1 year after year. Here's your chance to try it at a discount!

SUPER SHOPPING SECRET #11

This week's Super Shopping Secret is http://www.covet.com/. I just found this site last week and I think it's a lot of fun. When you go to the site they will give you a series of 2 celeb fashion photos side by side. You pick the one you like best from each set. When you are done they will give you the results of your style analysis based on the choices you made. I was absolutely amazed that they hit the nail right on the head with me. My main style is "Classic Preppy" with a mix of Classic Minimalist and Classic Professional. Once they have identified your style, then they will show a list of stores you probably shop at. My best stores are Ann Taylor, Ellen Tracy, J. Crew and Eddie Bauer. Again, mine were right on the money. Then they let you choose via photos what kind of colors you like and don't like, what kind of shoes you like and don't like, what kind of clothes, etc. Based on all this data they will send you a daily e-mail of items on sale that fit your criteria. Below each sale item in your e-mail is a red heart or a broken heart. If you hate something they put in your e-mail, then click on the broken heart. If you love it, click on the red heart. This helps the site continue to tailor your e-mails to fit your preferences. This site is reminiscent of http://www.shopittome.com/ which was a previous Super Shopping Secret. The difference is that covet.com is more personal. While shopittome.com lets you choose the brands you like and sends you daily e-mails, they do not do a style analysis to personalize those items. Please check out this site and have fun! Let me know your thoughts. It would be fun if you would put in the comments section what your style turned out to be!

SUPER SHOPPING SECRET #10 - People Style Watch Magazine

This week's Super Shopping Secret is People Stylewatch Magazine. This is my absolute favorite shopping magazine! While the outfits featured in Lucky Magazine tend to be a little more young and edgy ala Mary Kate Olsen, the clothes in Stylewatch tend to be more polished and sophisticated. I love that every single item is labeled as to the cost and where it may be purchased. They do not have as many giveaways as Lucky Magazine does, but they do have a solid page full as well as a solid page of discount offers and a few sweepstakes you can enter here and there.

This month's issue featured articles on "Need to Know Websites" - many of which I had posted on my blog in the past as Super Shopping Secrets. They also feature beauty bargains and styling tips. And I love the section where they show you how to do popular celebrity looks for less. I think you will love this magazine. It is very useful to someone who is a serious shopper but wants to shop smart. Individual issues are $3.99, but I think you can get a subscription for $1.99 per issue.

SUPER SHOPPING SECRET #9

This week's Super Shopping Secret is http://www.sparklesforever.com/. Sparkles Forever offers all kinds of costume jewelry, many of which are copies of looks that have appeared in movies and celebrity magazine shoots. You can choose from categories like, Bridal, Celebrity Chic, Movies & TV, Red Carpet, Birthstones, and Designer Inspired. Their Designer Inspired jewelry features pieces that resemble Van Cleef, Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, and Cartier just to name a few. Most of their jewelry is 925 Sterling Silver or Sterling with 14 kt gold plate. I've personally ordered several necklaces which I've posted pics of, but they also offer rings, bracelets, earrings and more. I have been very pleased with the quality of the items I've received. Again, I recommend subscribing to their site, and they will send you special offers periodically.

These are all the necklaces I've ordered from Sparkles Forever.

The leaf necklace at left is a copy of the one Jennifer Aniston wore in "The Break Up." The other necklace is reminiscent of a Luis Vuitton logo.

The wishbone necklace at left is a copy of the one Jennifer Aniston wore in the movie "He's Just Not That Into You."

SUPER SHOPPING SECRET #8

This week's Super Shopping Secret is http://www.overstock.com/. I'm sure you have heard of overstock.com. They have commercials on TV that mostly promote the availability of electronics and jewelry on their site. Overstock also has great clothing and accessories. They carry great designer labels like Anne Klein, BCBG, Betsey Johnson, Calvin Klein, DKNY, IZOD, Jones New York, Liz Claiborne, London Fog, MICHAEL by Michael Kors, and Tahari. Some of their most unique and pretty things are by labels you may have never heard of. This is my favorite place to shop for cute tops. I posted a photo of some of my favorites that I've purchased from their site. Items are returnable and one of the best things is that the cost of shipping for your entire order is only $2.95!

Super Shopping Secret #7

This week's Super Shopping Secret is http://www.smartbargains.com/. They have fabulous clothes and accessories. They offer labels like Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Michael Kors, BCBG, Kenneth Cole, Tahari and more. I bought an awesome Ellen Tracy dress there last year. I get compliments on it every time I wear it. Happy Shopping!

Super Shopping Secret #6

This week's Super Shopping Secret is http://www.thetopsecret.com/. The Top Secret offers designer sample sales daily. Just like the previously recommended shopping websites, if you subscribe, they will e-mail you daily with the current sales they are running. Each designer sale runs 1 to 3 days and they offer up to 75% off retail. Of course everything is available in limited quantities so it is important to act fast if you see something you like. Some of the sales coming up this week include Michael Kors, Kenneth Cole and Missoni. They just sold out of Jimmy Choo sunglasses on Saturday. They retailed for $330, but The Top Secret was offering them for $99. My last purchase was a few London Fog handbags that retailed for $149.95 each and I got them for $69 each on this site. The black one is my favorite!

Super Shopping Secret #5

Today's Super Shopping Secret is http://www.shopittome.com/. This website is awesome! I've been using it for a couple of years now. They shop all the online sales for you and send them to you via e-mail. Each day, I receive an e-mail from them. When I open it up, they have shopped every store and designer I love and sent me all the items on sale in my size that I might like. If you see something you like you click on it and it will take you to the website to purchase it. For example, my customized e-mails include items from Ralph Lauren, Nordstrom, Macy's, Bloomingdales, Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Victoria's Secret, J. Crew, Kate Spade, Bluefly, Overstock, and more. You simply go to the site and click "Get Started" on the home page. They will ask you what kind of items you are interested in such as women's clothing & accessories, men's, children's, etc. You check off everything that interests you. Then they will take you to a page that lists so many designers your head will spin. You choose the ones you like and check them all off. The next page will ask for your sizes. You may pick more than one size like a 10 & a 12, etc. They ask for your shoe size, lingerie sizes, etc. Then they will ask you how often you want them to send you sale information. I encourage you to give it a try. It's really a lot of fun and there are some great deals out there!

p.s. It is Clinique Bonus Time at Dillards. With a purchase of $21.50 they are offering a makeup bag with a keychain lipgloss, full size lipstick, blush stick, mascara, Even Better Skin Tone Corrector, and a travel size Mild Liquid Facial Soap.

Super Shopping Secret #4

My super shopping secret for today is GILT which is another discount luxury shopping website. Now when I say luxury, I mean luxury. We are talking Dolce & Gabbana, Vera Wang, Burberry, Tory Burch, and Cole Haan just this week! Prices are typically 50% to 75% off. For example: I purchased a Badgley Mischka cocktail dress that retailed for $598 but was sold on GILT for $198. I realize $198 is still not cheap, but there are affordable items to be found on this site regardless. And the packaging is just beautiful! My dress came on a hanger with the Badgley Mischka retail tag still attached. It was in a Badgley Mischka plastic sleeve, then folded to perfection and wrapped in black tissue paper with a black thank you card written in gold. My dress did not fit well, so I went online and printed out the return label to ship it back. It was so easy. Just watch the daily postings and you will be surprised what you find. Some days you may not find anything you like or can afford, and some days you will hit the jackpot! This week they will have Too Faced cosmetics on sale for all you other product junkies out there. You must submit your request to shop via this link: http://www.gilt.com/invite/janicez. They usually respond with an answer by the next day at the latest. Then you will be ready to shop to your heart's content. They will send you an e-mail daily letting you know what sales are going on. Enjoy!

p.s. One of my previous "Super Shopping Secrets" was Hautelook. Today they have LORAC products on sale. There is also a link for "Decades Two." If you click on this they are offering many designer label clothes plus Manolo Blahniks and Stuart Weitzman shoes. Click on this link http://www.hautelook.com/invite/253093.

Super Shopping Secret #3

As promised, today I'm sharing my favorite discount shopping site. Drum roll please... it's Rue La La. If you go to their website and sign up for free, they will send you an e-mail each day with the new sales that are starting. Nicole Miller and Kenneth Cole are on sale today. Here is a link to get to it: http://www.ruelala.com/invite.jzalesnik The sales usually last 2 to 3 days and items are limited. So if you see something you really like you need to jump on it before it is sold out. They are really good about letting you know up front what items are returnable and which ones are not. Everything is always packaged very nicely. I have posted some pics of some of the items I've purchased from Rue La La. Among these items are Havaianas flip-flops which were on Oprah's favorites list in the past. I also purchased some beautiful Cole Haan shoes as well as a bag. I haven't worn any of my shoes yet, but I have received a lot compliments on my bag. The shoes all have the Nike air technology in them which make them extra comfortable. I love Cole Haan, but it is not cheap. I usually purchase items at their outlet in Katy or San Marcos. My favorite bargain I bought through Rue La La was my Kitchenaid mixer. This particular professional series model retailed for $420-$450 and I purchased it through Rue La La for $229! I can't wait to get baking this Christmas!

Super Shopping Secret #2

It probably seems a little unusual that today's shopping secret is a magazine, but after I tell you a little bit about it you will understand why. Lucky Magazine is a magazine for shoppers. Every item that shows up in the mag shows where to buy it and how much it costs. They feature clothing, jewelry, and beauty products galore. I have to say that I'm not a big fan of a lot of the outfits they put together, but you can still find nice pieces in here if you have a good eye. The main reason I am recommending Lucky is because every single issue has a giveaway section called "Lucky Breaks" in the back. There are always tons of things you can register online to win. We are talking everything from flat screen TVs to Benefit Cosmetics. For example, the July issue offered 100 shopping sprees worth $100 in Benefit cosmetics. I subscribed and entered a lot of the giveaways when I received my very first issue. I actually won a $100 gift card from The Limited! (Yes, that's me in the bottom photo.) It is very time consuming because you have to fill out an online entry form for every single item you are interested in. It would be nice if you filled out one form and could click on the items you were interested in registering for, but hey, it's free stuff! Make the sacrifice! There is also a section in every issue that offers discounts on items featured in the magazine. Discounts usually range between 30% & 35%. And throughout the mag you will notice there are numerous opportunities to sign up for sweepstakes and special offers such as the ad from Havaianas I posted above. I have noticed that the last page of every issue features a page about your city in particular and recommends new hot spots to shop at. The "Houston" page I posted above offers 20% off at 2 different boutiques and a skin clinic. The July issue alone offered no less than 35 discounts and 10 giveaways with 841 prizes to be awarded. If you're not interested in subscribing, you can still enter all the sweepstakes by logging onto their website at http://www.luckymag.com/. So this is my Super Shopping Secret for the week. As mentioned before, I will post a new shopping secret each Monday. Next week I will be posting my favorite online designer discount shopping site.

Super Shopping Secret

Once a week I'm going to give you one of my super shopping secrets until I just run out of them. Today I've decided to feature Hautelook.com because it is the discounted shopping website where I have purchased the most makeup and skincare products. I have purchased Mario Badescu skincare products at 20% off from this site. I usually order MB drying lotion (which is one of the best pimple healers on the planet) by going directly to their website but you will hardly ever find their products on sale. Ulta now carries MB but even if they give you a coupon to use at their store, they now have a restriction that coupons can't be used for "prestige cosmetics." Anyhoo, I've also purchased some great Stila products, some Freeze 24/7 products, and I am currently awaiting an order of Laura Mercier. And Hautelook offers discounts up to 75% off so there are some really great deals to be had. Of course Hautelook does not carry these products every day. Their sales are special events that typically only last 48 hours. You never know what's going to be on sale on any given day. I suggest subscribing so you will get an e-mail every day letting you know what the current sales are. And be very quick to jump on the items you like because they have a limited supply. Hautelook does a great job with packaging. Just pay attention when you order to what is returnable and what is not. And I didn't mean to imply that cosmetics and skincare items are the only things they sell. I have purchased some beautiful silver jewelry and costume jewelry also. They have men's, women's & children's designer clothing - and I mean BIG designer labels. They also have items for the home. One of their upcoming sales this week will be on Tiffany & Co. jewelry. Everything is brand new and there is nothing to worry about as far as quality is concerned because like I said, these are MAJOR labels. This website has been featured in People Magazine, and on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, and more. I think I was turned on to them by Lucky Magazine. It is no joke. Check it out:

Hautelook: Your personal invitation link is: http://www.hautelook.com/invite/253093