Bargain Jewess

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With the economy crashing and burning faster than you can say recession people are opting more and more to conduct beauty treatments at home. Many companies are now putting out do it yourself products with salon results. In my ever increasing motivation to be a resource of bargain knowledge I am going to try out these products and review them for you here to help you weed out the good from the bad and save precious dollars that can be used for necessities.

First on my list is the manicure pen. When I went to Scandinavia in may my nails were atrocious. I had heard about the new OPI nail pens and picked one up in a fabulous shade of hot pink. All you do is press a button-like a ball point pen or mechanical pencil and onto the brush flows nail polish. You then polish your nails regularly. The pen allows for more control and a steadier hand which leaves you with less smudges, and a more professional look. I suggest using a base and topcoat to get a truly professional look, but for the $5-$7  they cost it’s totally worth it. Considering I went and got a manicure with a friend last night and with the tip it cost me $14, save your money and invest in doing your own nails.

Two to try :

Sally Hansen color Quick Fast dry Nail Color Pen

OPI Nic’s Stics Paint and Go Nail Lacquer.

Check back regularly for More DIY beauty tests.

Bargain Jewess

At around ten o’clock at night on Sundays I usually realize that the next day is Monday. This usually puts me into a crappy mood at the prospect of having to go to work the next day and deal with all the usual fun stuff.  This Monday was particularly annoying. Since I’m getting my brows waxed tonight for the first time in a hundred years I decided to dress up for the eyebrow waxer. I always worry that when I go to a beauty salon/Sephora and have  on no makeup and flats they’ll take me for a pig. Since this is a look I rarely rock it’s not a worry. The thing is I always end up getting all dolled up to have my hair done which in reality is pretty sad. So this morning I put on my four inch green python and suede Nine West pumps (on sale about three years ago for $29.99) and prepared to use the shuttle service to get to campus. Instead I waited for over 10 minutes and finally decided to walk the giant hill that is part of the morning trek I usually take.

Needless to say this is a worst Monday than usual. There is a highlight to my week though. I’ll receive my two new pairs of suede platform pumps that I got on ridiculous sale for $29.99 a piece and my new minifall which, while way more than $29.99 is still a bargain .  At this point all I want to do is stage a protest and go home to my bed but it’s Monday and the week has only just begin……

Every girl has a dream of what her wedding will be like. Some  want small and intimate while, others want a big over the top blowout. Some may want a designer gown complete with cathedral veil while others prefer a simple sheath, with loose flowing hair and flowers intertwined. whatever your dream there is a way to make it happen.

1. Time Counts: Unfortunately the time of year you get married dictates many things, most importantly the price of your venue. Anytime between may and September will be pricey with prices declining from there. The least expensive time of year is December through March. I got married in February in a beautiful country club for a fraction of the price. The pitfall is that you will deal with snow as we did but our wedding was still rockin’. If venue is not important than you won’t have an issue because certain places are affordable year round. More ways to cut costs is to eliminate the wedding cake, have a smaller smorgasbord or cut it completely and opt for chicken only as opposed to a choice. I wanted an elaborate wedding so I gave up my June wedding for February but had a beautiful place, a huge smorgasbord, free flowing liquor and three entree choices. You really need to decide what is important to you.

Some venues to check out:

• http://www.cresthollow.com
• http://www.themarinadelray.com
• http://theedenpalace.com
• http://www.grandprospecthall.com
• http://www.foxhollow.com

One of the most reasonable venues in New York is the New York city parks. In my neighborhood at fort Tryon park I have seen some beautiful weddings. This is obviously easier if you are not kosher but I’m sure there are vsome parks where kosher food is offered.  Another option is the Rotunda at Cuny Kingsborough located on the beach. Http://www.kingsborough.edu/center/rotunda.html This is truly a magnificent setting as the college is on the beach and possibly affordable as well.

2. Flowers: Flowers can truly be an exorbitant expense. If you get married certain times of the year such as spring you may have more options but florists will jack the price way up. One way to be cost effective is to choose one type of flower for the centerpiece. A really striking flower clustered in a bunch together can be exquisite especially if it’s showy. Add flashy greenery like ivy and different grasses along with tall branches to really make a statement. if you like tall centerpieces see if your florist will rent you the vases. Most should. Just make sure the Maitre d’ is aware that people can take the flowers only. If you would like to use the centerpieces for the ceremony make sure they are in floral foam so they can be moved into smaller containers. Another way to save is to wildflowers in baskets, have votives with small mini arrangements clustered together. If you’re really on a budget scatter rose petals on tables with votives or tapers, and  buy two small arrangemnts for the bride and grooms table.

Chuppahs are expensive no matter how you slice it. Sometimes you get lucky and the place does it for a lower fee than a florist. Their are also gemachs that do this check out the bridal secrets website for more info. http://Bridalsecrets.com

3. Gowns, Veils and Tiaras: These can cost multi thousands or sometimes hundreds it all depends on what you want. It also depends on material beading etc. I payed on the lower end for my gown and it still cost 2,000 dollars. Natural silks, and lace are the most expensive. Polyester satins are relatively inexepensive and can really look beautiful. If you cand find a good reasonable dressmaker it can sometimes save you a lot as opposed to buying from a bridal salon.

Filene’s Basement has a huge bridal sale every year. This year’s takes place February 27th in their manhattan location get there early to get the best selection.

Kleinfeld’s the fabulous designer bridal outlet holds their sale on February 5th. Look for designer names like Reem acra, Monique Lhuillier, Priscilla of boston, kenneth Pool and Many more. Gowns start at $499.

In your local bridal salon be honest about what your spending know what you want and tell them that. Don’t look at things out of your price range only to have your heart broken. Also ask if it’s an older style say from last season, if the sample is for sale. A friend of mine got a $2,000 dress for $800 doing that.

What is a bride without a veil? When I got married I was super shocked at how much they wanted for a simple piece of tulle. My friend loaned me hers but my mother-in-law’s cleaning lady threw it out. Do not ask. I ended up finding a beautiful cathedral length veil to match my train with three layers:blusher, fingertip, and cathedral. It cost me $20. So I seriously advise checking eBay. Also look into rental places or gemachs they usually have a nice selection for far less. if you’re really crafty consider making one yourself. You can find instructions by googling it.

Tiaras, Hair clips and Ornaments- one of the best places to find these is in the garment center btween 36th stree and 5th ave and 40th street and 8th avenue. Look online as well because you can find many affordable things on the web. If you are looking for something really unique check out gemachs and rental places. I got the most magnificent tiara from a gemach in Boro Park for get this nothing. It was really and truly out of this world. Be creative. My new favorite look is one side swept back with a jeweled feathered clip. Tres Chic.

4. Liquor: I discussed this earlier but i feel it needs it’s own paragraph. A good way to have liquor but cut costs is to wither only serve it at the smorg or have wine bottles on every table. This will significantly cut your liqour costs.

Weddings done on a budget can be really beautiful. It’s just how you go about doing it. For more tips feel free to contact me.

Stay tuned for Part Two.

May we only have happy Occasions.

Bargain Jewess

For those of us who are fans of old movies and glamor most of us can vividly picture Marilyn Monroe in her pink taffeta gown belting out every girl’s favorite catchphrase “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”. Marilyn is of course dripping in diamonds the kind that a girl can only hope to own. Here’s a little known secret you can. How you say? Those diamonds cost thousands of dollars and I’m a working girl on a limited budget. The funny thing is none of Marilyn’s diamond jewelry was real it was all paste. If paste can look that good, why not wear it!

There are some who will say that if it’s not real it loses cache; I think it’s perception. I have many fabulous costume pieces that people go crazy over, it’s all about your confidence. There are a few things to consider. Don’t buy fake  unless its truly quality fake like Banana Republic. Opt for sterling silver settings which look exactly like white gold and real gemstones. Also consider 10kt. gold as opposed to 14kt. or 18kt. You can also look into sterling silver plated in gold or platinum a great alternative for those looking for something that packs punch but is easy on the wallet.

A few of my favorite bargain jewelry sites:

• As mentioned above Banana Republic is fabulous. Although there pieces are totally costume they are incredibly well made and last. I have a magnificent multi gemstone coktail ring that people go absolutely gaga over. Ever time i’m there I drool over the stunning affordable pieces they have. Check it at http://bananarepublic.com
• A fabulous place to find real and costume pieces at bargain prices is HSN. They always have beautiful pieces frequently in silver with real gemstones or in 10k or 14K for ridiculously cheap prices. I bought a magnificent London blue topaz vintage style 14k gold ring for my mother’s birthday last year for get this $68.00 dollars. Keep in mind that gold prices have risen so you may not get a deal that good, but you can steal find fabulous fun affordable pieces. http://hsn.com
• QVC is in the same league as HSN with fabulous affordable pretty pieces. One over that they have on HSN is Judith Ripka You can get gorgeous signed Judith Ripka pieces in sterling silver for incredibly reasonable prices. The pieces all have the signature Judith Ripka look. I bought my mother in law for her birthday a stunning blue topaz tear drop enhancer, the piece was wow. No one will know that you didn’t get it at Judith Ripka on 5th avenue. http://qvc.com
• You can also check out Gilt Group. The y Frequently have designer Jewelry sales. Some sales are affordable. I recently got awesome leaf design 18k gold plated earrings for $60. This is a members only sample sale group if you’re interested  in joining send me a message with your email address to bargainjewess@gmail.com.
• Finally there is JTV.com This is another television shopping network website where you can fabulous finds. One of the great things is you can purchase unset stones and set them in your own settings. This a great resource for those who make jewelry or want to make affordable one of a kind pieces. They also have a large selection of affordable rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces. Check them out at http://jtv.com

If you find anything fabulous let me know, I would love to hear about. I am always happy to have helped you find affordable pieces that make you feel fabulous. You can email comments and suggestions to Bargainjewess@gmail.com.

Always remember that faux can be fabulous.

Saturday night had me shopping in as you already know one of my favorite stores, Forever21. I bought this fabulous cloche with feathers and tulle and it inspired me to wear the hottest tribute this season the fitted tuxedo jacket popularized by the late great Yves Saint Laurent who passed away a few months ago. According to the December issue of Glamour magazine, the new night out cover up is no longer the eponymous pashmina but the ultra chic le smoking. Back to the hat. I decided the perfect outfit would be a women’s tuxedo skirt suit. I found a fabulous one at H&M where you can buy the pieces separately, great if your top and bottom are different sizes. I bought it for a wedding I have in December and I plan on wearing it with lace patterned tights and and sky high red heels.It’s sick just thinking about wearing it get’s me more excited than cheesecake and that is indeed a hard thing to do.

A few of my other favorite winter things; a fabulous perfect red lip with a barely there eye, silver nail polish, velvet jackets, school boy blazers, anything Blair wears on gossip girl and boots. Oh and tights. I think tights can really make an outfit. If you’re like me a girl who prefers colors that inhabit the dark side, bright or patterned tights can really punch up your outfit. I also recommend a colored coat it makes everything so much more stylish. My other favorite makeup look which I’ve been playing with is the heavy black kohl rimmed eye. So sexy if done right but not for everyone. I did it on my 16 year old sister-in-law it was a bit much. Save it for special occasions. The best shadow to get the look Milani Wet/dry in Black out. Get it at most drugstores for under 4 bucks. Apply it wet for major drama. Add falsies to really take it to the next level.

Lash out Ladies.

Since I am about 6 years old I have been on a quest for hair of more glamorous shade than my natural medium brown. At 6, I remember my mother saying my hair was a mousy brown, a comment that always stuck with me. When I was around 13 or 14 I began to use Sun-In turning my hair a weird shade of reddish-auburn; I did this for a few years. The summer before I turned 17 I dyed my hair for the first time. I wanted a reddish tint I ended up with eggplant-purple hair. I was working upstate as a counselor and my friends and I were bored. We decided that to assuage our boredom, we would die our hair. One trip to the local CVS/ Walgreens/Eckerd later we had hair dye in our hands. I had only Sun-Ined my hair previously. My friend had bleached hers and wanted to go back to her natural brown. Neither of us ended up with what we expected. She ended up with hair the color of a fire truck and I ended up with hair the color of an eggplant (even more fun was when I came back to school and my roots were noticed and I had to dye it back) and so began my life long fascination with hair dye and changing my look.

I am one of those people who does not believe in rocking a single look but rather many. Some days I want to be glamor, some days I want to be goth and some days I want to just be plain old jeans and a t-shirt. It’s one of the reasons I love fashion. Every year it evolves; what was old is reinvented and made new, dying your hair can do the same for your look, how you feel and even how you look at the world or rather how the world looks at you. When I would change my hair color somehow I could be totally different. Being a redhead made me feel sexy and different. Being raven haired made me feel like a goth/punk/ bad girl but it wasn’t exactly wonderful for my pasty sallow complexion. I looked more Morticia Adams than Elvira, my goth inspiration.  Being blond has had various incarnations for me. Right now I am between blond as I call it. Half my hair is blond the other half needs to be bleached and I’m too cheap to pay so I’ve been doing it on my own and screwing it up, which is a fun learning process in and of itself. More on that later.

My first foray into blond ambition was right after high school. I wanted to be blond but was afraid to bleach it. The colorist suggested effesol a color remover and a few highlights on my limited budget. I ended up cat orange. When the time came to do my roots I was too cheap to go to the salon and tried an at home bleaching kit. I ended up spotted like a leopard and having to get color correction back to my old shade at a salon. The interesting thing was as a blond I got totally different sorts of attention. No matter how many men say they love brunettes there is still a certain blond allure. A je ne sais qous that the fair tressed posses, that leaves brunettes in it’s elusive wake.

Don’t get me wrong some of the most stunning women in the world are brunettes. It’s not that I dislike brown hair I just have never felt glamorous having it. Recently when I was feeling down this summer I decided to lighten up. The compliments were astounding people loved it. The problem was again maintenance. I’m now realizing that learning to dye your hair is a process that I’m just getting started with.

Funny enough even though my husband frequently drools over blond celebrities he  tells me quite often he wishes my hair were still long brown and curly instead of short straight and blond. For now I’m gonna keep playing with the blond but I may just find that next week I’ll want to be redhead.

Change your Look. Change your Life.

Bargain Jewess.

Ps. please email me at my new email address with comments and suggestions Bargainjewess@gmail.com, you can also follow me on twitter Bargainjewess.

Yesterday I got two exciting suprises my cats have fleas and my apartment which has been out of commission for two months they finally decided to start renovating. Of course they didn’t notify me of this. I only waited for them all of last thursday for them to show up. This week my husband went to LA for Business. I of course refused to stay alone and came home to my parents. While brooklyn isn’t all that far from where I live i was jjust so not in the mood to deal with all myself and have to sleep in my aptartment alone. I mean the fire escape is in my bedroom, not exactly the kind of thing that makes one feel safe and secure. Lucky for me I spoke to the super and he’s taking care of things.

On to the cats. In all honesty that’s the bigger nightmare. I ended up bathing them spraying all the linens and carpet in my old bedroom with flea spray and the cats got a nice does of frontline. I pray it all works. It’s been hectic having to dod it all myself, but I guess life sometimes throws curveballs.

On the bright side I found fabulous fall boots for $24.99. I wanted black suede flat boots but they were exorbitant everywhere. Enter Rainbow; I walked in and found multicolor suede boots. Ok fake suede but either way they’ll make my fall….

Hogpe your sfall i on s as just as colorful as my boots,

Bargain Jewess.

Following up on the post of two days ago there are many ways for the budget glamor queen to look gorgeous and do it at home on the cheap. You’d be surprised how simple things around the house can be utilized in beauty treatments. Here a few easy simple beauty tricks.

• Olive Oil- Olive oil is rich in emollients and really healthy for you. We all love it on our salad but have you ever thought of using it on your hair? I take a quarter of cup of olive oil nuke it in the microwave for three five second increments and slather it on my dry hair from root to tip. I put my hair in a ponytail and sleep with it overnight. It really adds moisture to my colored hair and done once a week makes a big difference on dry, fried, color treated hair. You’ll see a difference after the first time you use it.  For more info on Olive oil and it’s beauty uses check out: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/olive-oil-kitchen-cupboard-beauty.html
• Sea Salt and Sugar- Sometimes your skin gets rough and scratchy but all those exfoliators cost money.Why spend when you can make one yourself? Mix any creamy body lotion or facial moisturizer you have lying around with a handful of sea salt or sugar. (Use sea salt on the body, sugar on the face. The grains in sugar are finer and will be gentler than salt on the face’s delicate skin.) massage in to skin with gentle circular motions. Avoid eyes and lips. Massage for one to two minutes and rinse. The sea salt/sugar will have exfoliated and the moisturizer will moisturize your skin. You can also use olive oil here again if you prefer or don’t have any moisturizer.
• Vaseline- Vaseline is a great cheap staple. The store brand petroleum jelly works just as well and is usually cheaper. Use Vaseline as lip balm to soothe dry, chapped lips. Mix some loose eyeshadow with Vaseline to create a sexy shiny eyegloss. Smooth Vaseline on rough dry feet, slip on socks and leave on overnight while you sleep.

For more cheap beauty tricks check out the following sites:

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06jun19d.cfm

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56793

http://www.freebeautytips.org/

Sometimes the best beauty tricks are the ones you figure out yourself. So experiment with what you have and if you end up with a beauty disaster see my previous post. You are not alone.

Happy Beautification.

Bargain Jewess.

So part of being a bargain Jewess is bargain beauty. I am a huge fan of cheap cosmetic lines such as wet N wild and N.Y.C. and often times I will do my own beauty treatments. I do my own facial masks, I blow dry my own hair, and last night for the first time ever I decided to spray tan myself. I did everything I was supposed to do. I exfoliated, moisturized from head to toe. I bought the spray can so it’s almost as if you’re airbrushing yourself. I sprayed myself down in even strokes like the bottle said, but after two to four hours my color had not developed, so I decided to call it a bust.  In the  morning light of the bathroom to my horror the color had developed but in streaks. Parts of my thighs were still Casper white, while other areas were a caramel hue. Needless to say other than my husband I’m not showing off my thighs so quickly. They’re pretty lardlike and dimpled anyways so I don’t show them off unless I absolutely have to.  My face came out nice and bronzed as did my arms. My legs are another story.

Beauty disasters are often a specialty of mine. When I was around thirteen and in camp, I didn’t own a tweezer and there was no place in the boonies to get my eyebrows waxed. I being the genius I am thought I could shave them into shape. I ended up with two half eyebrows and spent the summer looking like a freak. Lucky my camp was not co-ed. One summer as a counselor upstate my friends and I got the brilliant idea to dye our hair. I wanted more of a reddish brown but I ended up with a purplish aubergine color, it was cool for a day. My friend though who had bleached her hair ended up far worse. She had wanted to go back to her natural brown only to end up with fire engine red hair. I guess the fun part is that through the disasters, you do learn d.i.y. beauty. What to do and not to do. Over time you develop skills and no amount of money can buy the satisfaction you feel when you can do your own makeup perfectly or give yourself a great fake tan. I’m gonna spray tan myself again and hope I do a better job this time. One word of advice though ladies leave the Brazilians to the professionals.

Bargain with abandon,

Bargain Jewess.

It’s an interesting thing you go college convinced you know what you want to do. You slave away four years to get the grades, work to put yourself through it all, only to find out that what you thought you wanted to do isn’t what you wanted to do at all. Every other career seems so glamorous. You wish you had known that such a major existed because maybe then you would be on the path to career nirvana. This is where I am at right now. I am 23 years old, not all that old, although silly as it sounds some days it feels that way. Until a little less than two months ago I though my star was on the rise with my new fabulous PR job that would launch me into an exciting fast-paced career. Cut to June 13th when I got laid off, yes that’s right its not only for 50 year old men and my apartment burnt down. The highlight of the month and a half I call hell when I worked for said PR firm, was the two weeks I spent touring Scandinavia. Those Nordics sure do have design down to a science. Anyways here I am out of work spending my days either watching the food network, going on interviews or shopping although I know it’s an addiction I have to stop; but while there is nothing really in my life that is definitive right now, I know definitely that I love clothes and fashion. I especially love bargain fashion and you must too otherwise why would you be reading? The real bargain Jewess title goes to my mother-in-law who I have a strangely amazing relationship with.

Most people think that mother-in-laws are the worst curse that comes with a husband, but mine is truly a blessing. Just this past Friday we went to the local thrift store. My mother-in-law found me two fabulous pairs of shoes for $4 each; almost brand new – it looked as if they’d never been worn. One pair a fabulous Alexander McQueen-esque plaid with sky high heels and platform, another a shiny green sling back wedge. We also found gorgeous lace pumps (lace is “it” this fall so make sure you get some fabulous pieces: Forever 21, H&M, and Rainbow are always good bets for such things) and a funky wooden heeled patent burgundy pump.

Leafing through the September Elle I was so proud of my self for being fashion forward. I already have a million lace pieces, a few key plaid items, and I even have a purple jersey cardigan that’s just the right amount of loose clingy without making me look muumuuish. A hard task to accomplish. At the end of the day when I come home to the temporary shit hole I inhabit, at least my clothes (and my wonderful hubby who bought me a coveted leopard Tory Burch bag for my 2 1/2 months away birthday) make me happy.

Sayonara for today.

XoXo

BARGAIN JEWESS.