I love to wear pretty clothes. I love them even more if I paid pennies on the dollar. I love that I can help others with my shopping tips and tricks.

   This week I hope you dance is part of my pay it forward FRIDAY. I believe that a dress can make an event. I also know how expensive they are. we all have one in our closet that we spent to much on. I have a couple that I would never wear again but I spent a lot on them so they are still in there. This week I am taking three of the dresses that I haven’t worn in awhile and I am donating them to Donate My Dress. I believe giving someone else the opportunity to experience feeling like a million bucks is priceless.

If you are on facebook head over and choose a dress style for each one selected you can Pay it Forward because

 For every girl that chooses her dress style on the Always Facebook page, $1 will be donated to Donate My Dress up to 25k dollars! Please visit the Always Facebook page, select your style and share.

From the $25,000 donation, five deserving DonateMyDress.org chapters will receive $5,000 through DonateMyDress.org’s Purple Dress Awards.  The Purple Dress Awards recognize the most outstanding chapters of the DonateMyDress.org network.

Come on and donate a dress with me. Leave a comment if you can help!

Donate MY Dress is available in these locations.

]]> http://madamedeals.com/fashion-friday-dresses/feed/ 0 http://madamedeals.com/fashion-friday-using-coupons-for-clothes/ http://madamedeals.com/fashion-friday-using-coupons-for-clothes/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:41:22 +0000 Madame Deals http://madamedeals.com/?p=76109

I love Fashion but I hate paying tons of money to look great. I believe you need two things the knowledge of what looks good on you and the skill to find it for less. I encourage you to get rid of all the items in your closet that you do not wear. They cloud up your options to make really great outfits because you can’t see your clothes! If they are in good condition sell the at a consignment store or a place like Plato’s closet, or host a clothing swap. Clothing swaps are a blast!

I try to use coupons for everything. The best sale  is one you can use a coupon on top of. I love designer clothing. I adore Shabby Apple. I fell in love with a skirt for $79. I only have $20 a week to buy something for myself. I did what I usually do I stalked the skirt. I visited it online often. I watch as the price dropped. Then low and behold a coupon for 20% came out. Score.. I couldn’t believe my luck and they had my size. I bought the skirt. It was a bit out of my budget I think $6 or $7 over but it is a classic and I will wear it for years to come. I paired it with a shirt I got for $3.50 and a Ralph Lauren coat I got for $18.00 They had some super deals on the most adorable dresses. If you are going anywhere being seen in Shabby Apple is far from Shabby! Here is the coupon code for 20% off.

I love Fashion but I hate paying tons of money to look great. I believe you need two things the knowledge of what looks good on you and the skill to find it for less. I encourage you to get rid of all the items in your closet that you do not wear. They cloud up your options to make really great outfits because you can’t see your clothes! If they are in good condition sell the at a consignment store or a place like Plato’s closet, or host a clothing swap. Clothing swaps are a blast!

This is what I spent my fashion cash on this week. I love clothes. I adore shopping and we know I like a good deal. What you do not know is I try to buy ahead. I go through the kids clothes each season and determine what we need. I realized that I sold all my older son’s clothes for 3t. I am now replacing them. My husband said well just buy the oldest nice clothes so you can pass them down. I said great plan but do you intend for the baby to be naked for a year. I like hand me downs but I think every kids should have one or two new thing. I got each of the outfit sets above for just $5 each at Walmart.

]]> http://madamedeals.com/fashion-friday-21/feed/ 1 http://madamedeals.com/fashion-friday-what-not-to-wear-in-2012/ http://madamedeals.com/fashion-friday-what-not-to-wear-in-2012/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:17:36 +0000 Madame Deals http://madamedeals.com/?p=74276

I love Fashion but I hate paying tons of money to look great. I believe you need two things the knowledge of what looks good on you and the skill to find it for less. I encourage you to get rid of all the items in your closet that you do not wear. They cloud up your options to make really great outfits because you can’t see your clothes! If they are in good condition sell the at a consignment store or a place like Plato’s closet, or host a clothing swap. Clothing swaps are a blast!

  Here is my advice if you look in the mirror and “think does this look good.” The answer is take it off. I mean you know if something looks good on you or not. If your teenager wears it you should not. If you would be confused for a teenager take it off and give it to a teenager that needs clothes. I also say get rid of the mom jeans. There is a reason why they make bras and your jeans are not meant to hold up your boobs.

  If your boobs are showing cover them. When you bend over if you can see your belly button pick a different shirt. If you bend down and I can see you “plumbers” crack get a belt. If you have underwear with words on them make sure they do not say, “your boyfriend says hi” especially if you are married. That mean read your underwear carefully prior to selecting it. I did not.

  You should also not wear anything you wore to bed in public. That means take out your hair rollers when in public. The point is to have nice curls that people think are natural. Do not spoil the myth. You should also not wear sweat shirts with kittens unless you are in elementary school or a nursing home. I am also here to advise you that the hair cut where you shave one side of your head and not the other was not a good idea in 2011 and it is not a good idea in 2012.

   It is important to note that in 2012 you should not wear any clothing that you can find in a box at CVS. You should also not carry a purse that looks physically looks like an animal. If you choose to wear tight please do so under a dress. They are not meant to be worn without something on top. That is why they have the lines and the crotch thing.

   I also advise not wear flip flops in the winter if it is cold out. Yes, I saw someone in a winter coat and flip flops. If you have are going to wear shoes winter shoes are suggested. You can not make your “sandals work” by wearing socks. This is also true with flats. You should wear knee highs not white running socks with flats.

   The last request is from one of my fans, unless your house is on fire, you shouldn’t wear pjs out of the house. I think 2012 will be a wonderful year filled with happiness and laughter and more fashion disasters. I look forward to helping you avoid them

What do you think people should not wear in 2012?

I love Fashion but I hate paying tons of money to look great. I believe you need two things the knowledge of what looks good on you and the skill to find it for less. I encourage you to get rid of all the items in your closet that you do not wear. They cloud up your options to make really great outfits because you can’t see your clothes! If they are in good condition sell the at a consignment store or a place like Plato’s closet, or host a clothing swap. Clothing swaps are a blast!

Is this my life or is this a You Tube Video? I often wonder is there someone filming this. I took my children on a quick trip to Goodwill. I am trying to organize my life so I need to place all the piles in pretty baskets. I am started small in my endeavor to become clutter free for 2012. I have three children two boys and a girl in the middle. I can’t believe how fast they are growing. I also can’t believe how into having their own style they are already. The only resolution to this problem is thrift shopping.

We entered the store around 3:30 PM. The other shoppers appeared normal. The lady behind the counter said “Hi and Welcome.” The children waved. We went down the first aisle and my daughter threw a doll in the cart. The argument ensued over the doll and whether or not she was indeed necessary. Next we made our way to the dress aisle. This is where my son informed me that dresses are for girls and he was “out of here.” I made it through the dresses and found a nice dress without a belt. That problem was resolved with my daughter offering her belt. I figure for $4.00 for a dress I will use a belt I have. Then we began looking at the storage solution area or as my kids call it the dust collector aisle. There on the top shelf sat binoculars. The oldest boy grabbed them and began to look at all the customers. He then began to ask questions about them. He has not mastered the art of being a detective so his question were loud and frankly rude. He was just asking but if you were just listening you would assume he was being fresh. He would say is she really going to get that? Mom does she really think that will fit? Mom does he know that is for girls? Then the unthinkable happens my daughter borrows the binoculars. She some how puts them down somewhere. The nice child I once had falls to the floor in a fit of rage and begins crying.

The daughter is now trying to console her brother by providing him with red shiny shoes. She exclaims “red shoes are in style” and they “make my heart happy.” The lady next to us starts laughing. Then my daughter asks “Why is she laughing at me? Her shoes are ugly. ” I often turn red and this was one of those moments where I did. I am sure you can imagine that both of my children asked why I was turning red. This made the situation worse. I finally gathered the troops my dress and some shoes my daughter found and left the store. I in fact left without my baskets but I did have new stories to file in my memory bank.

The Fashion Friday tip of the week is bring snacks when shopping in goodwill in case your children are active you can bribe them with food not to tell people they have ugly shoes. Oh and if you find a great item and it is missing something as simple as a belt if you have something at home that will work buy the item. If you have to buy something to make an item work do not buy it. You will rarely every get that item you need.

I love Fashion but I hate paying tons of money to look great. I believe you need two things the knowledge of what looks good on you and the skill to find it for less. I encourage you to get rid of all the items in your closet that you do not wear. They cloud up your options to make really great outfits because you can’t see your clothes! If they are in good condition sell the at a consignment store or a place like Plato’s closet, or host a clothing swap. Clothing swaps are a blast!

   The family photo this could be the recipe for divorce in our home. My husband hates to be photographed. I guess it is a good thing he has a wife with a blog and not a wife with an acting career. I called my husband at work to let him know we would have our pictures taken on Saturday. I told him to wear a white shirt and jeans.

I went through the childrens’ closets trying to find things that match.  When you have your picture taken you should wear items that compliment one another. I also like to to choose clothes that represent my children at that moment in time. You should pick clothes that have textures and patterns and are classic. I thought the instruction to find a white shirt was pretty clear. I ran around the house trying to get the children dressed. I then worked really hard trying to keep them clean. I finally loaded them in the car and we were waiting for Mr. Madame Deals to arrive. I would like to note here he only had himself to dress and get organized.

He came. He sat down in the car. I swore I was looking at my son in the future 30 years. My husband got in the car wearing flip -flops and jeans it was 60 degrees out mind you. Then the white shirt he selected was his Hanes white T-shirt. I did a double take. He has a closet full of white shirts. He is a business man and he chooses to wear the shirt that goes under the shirt for our family pictures. The car got silent. I asked my husband if he grabbed his shirt. He said “What shirt.” I am sure you can imagine where this conversation went. My son said “Dad our mom is not going to let you wear that you better change.”

I also felt like I was in an episode of the twlight show and I was transported back in time when my husband began to explain his choice. He was comfortable. I told him this is not about comfort this is about a picture we will look at forever. He can not appear to be on his way to wash the car. He then suggested that he would “just not be in the picture.” I am sure you can imagine that suggestion was not received well. I am however raising a wonderful son who said “Dad you have to be in the picture or my Mom and Grammy will be mad.” Smart boy ha?

Here are some tips for great looks for your holiday cards. I order mine through Tiny Prints.

1) Pick colors most people do not look good in white and black is often to harsh

2) Pick colors that coordinate

3) Dress someone in a pattern (create a color story)

4) Make sure the clothing you choose flatters you

5) Pick clothing that has textures or is interesting

It is not to early to get those holiday cards ready. In fact it takes me from now until they are set to mail to address them. we like to put special things in cards like crafts. It all takes time. When we receive our holiday card from tiny print we frame it for the holiday season. I take out last years so we can see how much the children have changed. Then we look at all the cards from years past. It is a nice way to send someone a gift from the heart without spending a lot of money. The right card says more than you think. The quality and timelessness of tiny print cards will bring a smile to your face and tears to your eyes for years to come. I encourage you to start thinking about your holiday card and see what Tiny Prints has to offer. I think the quality of their cards exceeds my expectations.

I was startled to realize just how many grey hairs had taken up residence on my head. I didn’t realize they were there until I was pregnant and I had to stop coloring my hair. I know I didn’t have to but I felt like I should. I was so excited after I had the baby that I could color my hair. It made me feel normal again. I am not sure why coloring ones hair would make them feel normal but it did it for me. I have tried several brands over the years and the one that works best for me was Fredrick Fekkai Frederic Fekkai Salon Color, 7R Medium Auburn Audrey . I love the overall color and the feel of my hair afterwards.

 Note: This photo was from several months after I gave birth. I am not Heidi Klum. It took me months to get back to my regular shape.

I am not sure about all of you but when I decide I am going to do something well it has to happen “NOW”. I decided I needed to dye my hair right away. The problem with Fekkai is I have to order it. I did what any other coupon blogger does and I bought a hair color on sale. I choose  Samy Fat Foam. It was 1/3 of the price. I was not impressed. I liked the foam. It made coloring my hair quick and less messy. I however was not impressed by the coverage nor was I impressed with the texture of my hair after I applied it. I used Samy Fat Foam Hair Color #R5 Medium Reddish Brown. I didn’t feel like the color looked even as you can see in the picture the day after application. In fact while washing my hair I lost a lot of hair during the process which freaked me out. I did the allergy test and I was fine prior to placing on the color. When you start seeing your hair go down the drain it is a bit of a shock.  I would say overall that sometimes saving money and time is not worth the outcome. It took a couple of weeks for my hair to return to normal. I have since ordered my Fekkai and I am okay spending the difference for peace of mind and good hair. Ps: it is 1/3 of having it done in the salon.

I love Fashion but I hate paying tons of money to look great. I believe you need two things the knowledge of what looks good on you and the skill to find it for less. I encourage you to get rid of all the items in your closet that you do not wear. They cloud up your options to make really great outfits because you can’t see your clothes! If they are in good condition sell the at a consignment store or a place like Plato’s closet, or host a clothing swap. Clothing swaps are a blast!

    Halloween is soon approaching. It is a scary holiday based on more than just witches and warlocks. The prices for Halloween costumes are outlandish. Here are my tips for a frugal freight on a budget.

1) Buy items the year before on clearance

2) Purchase items that you can wear long after Halloween

3) Only buy accessories to make the outfit a costume

4) Think outside the box and be creative with what you have on hand.

5) Host a costume swap and ask to trade items that no longer fit your children for something that does.

 We have a large BOODAY party each year and we dress up as a family. This year we were the characters from the Cat and The Hat.

I was the Cat and the Hat. I purchased accesories from Costume Express for $16.99. The black pants and shirts are from my closet. I bought 1 yard of felt for $3.00. I used the felt for my children’s costume.

   Then it was time to make the costumes for thing one and thing 2. I grabbed red shirts out of their closet. Then I took a plate and made circles one the felt. I cute them out. I bought black fabric pain for $1 and blue hair color for $2.49. I found Dr. Seuss stickers for $9.99. We used these as party decorations so they were a multipurpose purchase.

 Then we created the costume for the narrator for my husband. He carried around the Cat and The Hat book from the library. We found a red shirt in his closet and put a stick of his character on his shirt. The cost of his costume $.25

The final costume was my daughter’s she was Sally. We placed stickers on here tutu outfit. We currently have a tutu issue. She wears one everywhere so embrace it right? Her costume was ordered on Ebay for $30.00.

I love Fashion but I hate paying tons of money to look great. I believe you need two things the knowledge of what looks good on you and the skill to find it for less. I encourage you to get rid of all the items in your closet that you do not wear. They cloud up your options to make really great outfits because you can’t see your clothes! If they are in good condition sell the at a consignment store or a place like Plato’s closet, or host a clothing swap. Clothing swaps are a blast!

     Do you dance to your own drummer. Do you wear jeans all the time? Do you have the same outfit in 4 colors and all of them scream “boring”? I mean am I describing you? I am most likely describing most of us. We find what we love and we wear it over and over and over again. In fact we wear the outfit so many times that when we look in pictures we have no idea when they were taken because the outfit is the same.

  I am a dress girl. I love them for the single reason that they require very little thought to put on. I buy my dresses out of season to save money and I look for classic styles and shapes. I like to throw on a jacket or a belt and then I like to make them fun by pairing them with awesome shoes. I love dresses and boots for the fall. I suggest buying a pair of brown comfy boots that are not trendy. The boots in the picture are three years old and I got them from nine west on sale because they were out of season for $60.00 and I had a coupon of course.  The dress is an amazing color and it is an unexpected pop of fun on the collar.  I believe that changing what you wear once in a while allows people to see you in a whole new way. I think the secret to a happy marriage is a dress. I mean my husband never says “no” when I am in a dress. SHHHH let this be our little secret. Right?

So you can enter to win a wonderful item from Shabby Apple just enter the Madame Deals Shabby Apple Contest.

It is that time already. The time to empty your empty wallet and buy school supplies and school clothes. I am a mom of three and two are in school. I often think I work just to keep them from being naked. I have come up with a couple of tips to keep my expenses down and my children in style.

1) Hand me downs are super!

The tip to receiving great hand me downs is find a friend or family member with a child who is older than yours. Then you ask for their clothes when they are done. I also organize a clothing swap with parents in the neighborhood. I find that if you have a large number of people you can score a lot of great items.

2) You need to go on a treasure hunt and really document what your child has. You need to look everywhere and anywhere and take a n inventory. We often overbuy and that is wasteful. (I am still mastering not overbuying for my daughter the fashionable two year old.) I take my list that I keep in my purse. Then I mark off items as I buy them.

3) Buy items as you need them and when you see them on sale. I often see people that rush out and buy their child’s whole fall wardrobe at once this is quick but not inexpensive.

4) I use my credit card rewards from Discover Card to buy gift cards.  I put everything on my credit cards and every Thursday night I pay it off. This way I “extra” money. They also have deals where when you use your reward dollars you can buy larger amount credit cards. It is like getting free money twice.

5) Buy items when they are on sale and use coupons. I also ask relatives to give the kids a small gift and gift cards for holidays. Then when it is time to go shopping they are able to budget. There are also several sites that you can buy other people’s gift cards for less than the value of the cards. I love plastic jungle and I have been able to snag cards at 20% off. Then I pair those cards with a coupon and I have a huge sale on the items the kids need.

6) Sell their old clothes and use the money to buy new clothes. I sell clothes at the local consignment shop or on Craigs list and on ebay.

 Here is a link to ALL my fashion secrets.

What is your best school shopping tip ?

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