Tag: fashion

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

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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:

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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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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:

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

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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!

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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!

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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 – Closet Remix

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This past month, I didn’t shop a whole lot because I was saving my pennies for the Target/Altuzarra collaboration that debuted this past weekend.  I did end up getting a few items, though not the belts that I was coveting for oh, so long!  Sigh…  Anywho, as a result of my attempt to penny-pinch, I became somewhat creative with my wardrobe.

Sometimes, with clothing, you just have to think a bit outside the box.  Take for example this SheInside dress that I purchased eons ago:

Screen Shot 2014-09-18 at 10.26.27 PMIt is far too tight and short to wear to work.  Because I’m a mama of 2 kiddies, I also don’t really have too many places to wear it.  So, it had been sitting in my closet FOREVER!  It then occurred to me that it was fitted enough that I might be able to layer it and wear it under a skirt.  This J Crew Factory Skirt in Citrus Lime was one I thought would pair well with the black and white stripes:

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I loved the result!  Check out the combination:

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So, occasionally, I take bathroom selfies (*blushing*).  BUT, only because the light was amazing!!

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And another look at the outfit during the Girl’s Night Out event at Gus Mayer, benefitting the Birmingham Humane Society.

Not too shabby, right?!  This combo would work with a long tunic as well, that is either too tight to wear alone, or too short to wear to work. 🙂

Here’s my second option for remixing items in your closet.  Layering a sleeveless top.  This next look was actually inspired by Sheryl Luke of the blog Walk in Wonderland.  She recently posted this outfit on Instagram, and I immediately knew I had to try to recreate it.  It occurred to me that I had a white shirt dress that  had been sitting in my closet for a LONG time; honestly, I don’t think I had ever worn it!  I purchased it at H&M for $10, but somehow always seemed to plain to wear alone:

Screen Shot 2014-09-18 at 10.51.36 PMThis is not the H&M dress, but a similar one from Island Company.

Sheryl paired it with a cropped leather top and I just fell in love with the look:

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So, I took a faux-leather peplum top I usually wear in the Fall, and paired it with my summer white shirt dress and voila!  The perfect way to remix items in my closet AND transition a summer dress into Fall!  Here’s a side by side of our outfits:

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In case there’s ANY confusion about which is mine…I’m the one on the right. 😛

Here’s a closer look at the layering:

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So what do you think? Not bad, right??  Two simple ways to add some oomph to your outfits without having to spend any money on new clothes!

What other ways do you remix your closet inventory?  Comment below and share your ideas.  I always love to learn from other fashionistas!

Until next time!  Stay Chic!

Thrifty Thursday’s – Calypso St. Barth

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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:

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

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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:

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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!

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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!

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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:

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

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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.

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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!

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