Category: Shopping/Bargains

Thrifty Thursday’s – A ‘Chic’ Giveaway with Fab’rik Boutique!

23 Comments

fabrik-exteriorImage credit:  The Homewood Star

Thrifty Thursday’s sometimes means that YOU get to be thrifty by scoring a free pair of jeans!! Let me tell you how. 🙂

I recently had the opportunity to visit Fab’rik Boutique in Homewood, AL.  Fab’rik invited a number of local bloggers to a Denim Dinner Party, and I was one of the lucky ones!   What’s a Denim Dinner Party you ask?  Well, in this case, it turned out that we were invited to check out the store’s well-curated inventory, try on Fab’rik’s selection of designer denim, AND select a pair of jeans to give away on our blogs!  How awesome is that?!  Take a look at the options:

Fabrik Denim Options

From left to right: Flying Monkey, Fab’rik, and Spanx jeans.  One of these pairs could be yours! (Photo: Fab’rik Boutique)

The dinner itself was not only decadent but elegantly displayed.  I was too busy checking out the store’s inventory to take any photos of the food unfortunately, so you get pictures of clothes and accessories instead. Take a look at some of the enticing things I found:

15572529-mmmain

Fab’rik’s main display table, filled with a plethora of affordable goodies! (Photo: al.com)

0918141952_1

Gorgeous statement necklaces! This one is only $42! (Photo: Chic in Academia)

0918141936

Chunky bracelets and statement rings?  They’ve got them! (Photo: Chic in Academia)

0918141939

How fab are these bracelets?! Perfect for stacking. (Photo: Chic in Academia)

0918141939b

Very on-trend colored-stone, statement earrings. (Photo: Chic in Academia)

0918141945

Isn’t this just super chic?! I love this coat.  I may need to go back for it! (Photo: Chic in Academia)

0918141945a

What a deal!  This white Jack coat is only $66!! (Photo: Chic in Academia)

0918141951

I’m a lover of statement earrings and these were no exception! (Photo: Chic in Academia)

Hat

Including this hat I LOVED.  How does it look?? (Photo: Chic in Academia)

The clothing selection was also on point.  Dresses, tops, pants, skirts…all well-known brands and with most things under $100, ranging from as low as $30 for a pair of shoes to $60-ish for a coat or dress.  Check out these booties I scored for just a little over $30:

IMG_20140920_144354

Qupid Booties, Fab’rik Boutique (Photo: Chic in Academia)

IMG_20140920_102623

Comfy enough to wear to a weekend play-date! (Photo: Chic in Academia)

IMG_20140929_213906And I also received a pair of Seven for All Mankind jeans (courtesy of Fab’rik, THANK YOU!!), which I LOVE!  Styled here with a red blazer and some leopard print booties.  (Photo: Chic in Academia)

Can you tell this is going to be my new, favorite place to shop?? 😉  You can find more of these items at Fab’rik, 1817 B 29th Avenue South, Homewood  Alabama,  35209, (205) 582-9447.  Fab’rik also has some items available online and can be found on their main website: http://www.fabrikstyle.com/.

Now, for the good stuff!  To be entered to win a pair of these jeans in YOUR size, read the rules below!

image(1)

A free pair of jeans will be perfect for Fall! (Photo: Fab’rik Boutique)

I will give the winner a voucher that can be used towards a pair of Flying Monkey, Fab’rik, or Spanx jeans (~ $100 retail value) OR, if you live out of state, I will personally select the jeans for you and mail them straight to your home (you pay for shipping)!  Sounds reasonable, right?  And exciting!

0918142011a-1_1

I will consult with these lovely ladies, including co-owner and store manager, Melissa Mistrot (middle) to select the pair of jeans that will best suit you!

Here are the rules to enter this giveaway (each method counts as one entry, so you can enter up to 4 times to win):

  1. Leave a comment below telling me why you would love to win a free pair of jeans from Fab’rik.  You must follow this blog via WordPress or via email to be considered.
  2. Repost the giveaway photo on Instagram, tag @chic_in_academia and @fabrikhomewood You must follow both accounts on Instagram, and use the hashtag #ChicFabrikgiveaway to be considered.
  3. Tweet about it!  “Giveaway with ChicInAcademia – Free Jeans! http://wp.me/p37HsV-Mo “.  You must follow Chic in Academia on Twitter to be considered.
  4. Pin it on Pinterest!  Pin any of the images above with the caption “Giveaway with ChicInAcademia – Free Jeans! http://wp.me/p37HsV-Mo “. Must follow Chic in Academia on Pinterest to be considered.

Good luck to everyone and as always, Stay Chic!

Thrifty Thursday’s – Calypso St. Barth

3 Comments

Have you heard of Calypso St. Barth before?  If you haven’t, be prepared to open your mind to a world of boho-chic clothing; shoes and accessories; exotic fabrics and prints; and this Fall…fur, cozy fabrics, and leather!

I have loved Calypso’s for some time now.  Many people might be turned off by a store like Calypso’s because they carry high-end inventory, where you might pay a cool $2,700 for a fur vest. Still, what many people don’t realize is that, like many other stores, Calypso St. Barth also has some major clearance sales!!  My first purchases included three items that I have since worn OVER and OVER.  Two of them cost $19 each, and the third – a pair of white sequin pants – $59, down $300!  I know what you’re thinking…white sequin pants?!  Trust me.  They are amazing.  Take a look for yourselves:

0612141700a

I also got this amazing top, which has paired well with shorts, leggings, you name it!  It was perfect for the summer!

IMG_20140606_165317

Pretty cute, right?!  So when I was approached to participate in Calypso St. Barth’s Pink Moment at the new store in Birmingham, I jumped at the opportunity!  But, first things first: let’s talk about what I wore. 😉  Of course I had to wear something from their store, and as I was attending an event called “Pink Moment” I had to also wear pink!  So, I chose this white dress – the third item I purchased on sale for $19 – and paired it with a pink Zara jacket/blazer:

IMG_20140829_114718

I also added this Stella and Dot Pegassus necklace, which I scored from a Stella and Dot stylist that was getting rid of all of her inventory.  I scored it for 1/3 the price!

IMG_20140829_092818

Super excited and anxious to see what the new store looked like, I headed to Calypso’s.  The store front is as amazing as its inventory.  Pink, gold and sparkles…simply dazzling!

IMG_20140829_155647

Inside, the decor did not disappoint.  And the clothes, shoes and accessories…well, just take a look at a few of the fabulous outfits I styled while I was there:

0829141410

0829141415f

0829141423a

0829141436

0829141440

0829141454b

0829141454

0829141457

0829141449

0829141515

0829141521

And check out some of their accessories.  I wanted them all!!

0829141535

0829141534

0829141437

0829141541

0829141541a

So guess what?!  After trying on all these amazing outfits, Calypso’s gifted me an item from their store!!  I am so grateful to Calypso’s, the amazing store manager Brittany, and the other store associates for their help and generosity.

0829141537

If you are in the Birmingham area, be sure to stop by their new store at the Summit.  You won’t want to leave empty handed. They are currently running a $50 off your $300 purchase promo.  It’s also available online using code GCFALL2014.

If you decide to wait, be sure to check back in during their clearance sales events.  They are not to be missed! Stay tuned for an upcoming post where I share with you what I scored during my Pink Bag Moment. 🙂

Until next time!  Stay Chic!

0829141540a-1

Thrifty Thursday’s – 5 Work Wear Essentials

7 Comments

After posting my Labor Day sales, it occurred to me that one of the things I hear women complain about the most is that they can’t style their outfits from just seeing a garment in a store or on a blog post with links to sales items.  Furthermore, some women have mentioned that they simply DO NOT like to shop.  I know, I know…I couldn’t believe it when I heard it either, but it’s true.  Some people just don’t care to shop for clothes! Well, here’s a simple, and thrifty guide for the woman who needs office-appropriate outfits, but doesn’t care for frills or having to go on more than one shopping trip!

Work wear essentials

1.  The White Button Down

I really like a nice crisp button down to wear under a blazer, a sweater, layered under a dress, or alone with a pair of slacks or a pencil skirt.  Here’s one from Target that is very affordable:

$22.99 at Target.com

$22.99, target.com

And a couple ways to style a white button-down:

Photo credit: styleoholic.com

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 9.47.50 PM

Photo Credit: www.instagram.com/chic_in_academia

2.  The pencil skirt

I really love a great pencil skirt.  I’ve mentioned it before in previous blog posts, but I don’t mind saying it again.  I think they are incredibly flattering and work with most body types.  Although I recommend getting a classic twill or cotton blend skirt, I also highly recommend getting a knit or jersey skirt.  Personally, my weight tends to fluctuate a lot.  Sigh.  It’s a problem…a whole other blog post in fact. 😛  So, knit skirts are great because they are sizeless for the most part!  In math/stats terms, they have a wide confidence interval, haha.  Plus or minus 10 lbs…no worries!  A knit or jersey skirt is bound to fit well regardless because of the stretch.  Here’s one for less than $20:

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 9.11.40 PM

$12.80, forever21.com

Black is a great color to own if you’re not a big shopper.  If you like options, get one in every color, or in a print!!  Some ideas for styling your pencil skirt:

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 9.19.29 PM

Photo Credit: Pinterest

http://www.outfitposts.com/

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 9.44.01 PM

Photo Credit: instagram.com/chic_in_academia

3. The wrap dress

I LOVE wrap dresses.  They are easy to travel with.  Often made with jersey, so they don’t wrinkle.  Also, very flattering, silhouette-forming, and slimming!

$27.99, target.com

$27.99, target.com

And some ideas for prints and or styles, including one of my own favorite wrap dresses from nearly 10 years ago!

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 9.42.13 PM

Photo Credit: instagram.com/chic_in_academia

4.  The shirt dress

I LOVE shirt dresses.  They look great with heels, flats, boots, even sandals.  They can be dressed up or down.  Here’s one from Target:

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 10.01.24 PM

$27.99, target.com

And some ideas for styling your shirt dress, including one of my own:

tinaadamsconsulting.com

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 10.00.01 PM

Photo Credit: instagram.com/chic_in_academia

5. The blazer

Oh, friends.  My name is B and I have a blazer problem!!! I probably own at least 10.  At least. In different colors and patterns.  I just LOVE them!!  I’ve mentioned before that Forever 21 has great ones, so it should come as no surprise that the affordable option I’ve chosen comes from F21, except you cannot wear yours to work with a crop top like this model 😛 :

$32.80, forever21.com

$32.80, forever21.com

And a selection of my own blazers and one from Pinterest:

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 10.20.16 PM

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 10.18.59 PM

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 10.19.43 PM

Screen Shot 2014-09-04 at 10.10.46 PM

Photo Credits: instagram.com/chic_in_academia and Pinterest

So there you have it!!  5 wardrobe essentials to help build your office-appropriate wardrobe, along with some styling ideas.  Hope you also liked the thrifty choices I selected for you.  Let me know if you happen to find any other items that fall into these 5 categories.  Comment below or email me with anything you may come across!

Until next time!  Stay Chic!