Fab Under Forty

These Boots Are Made for … Well, Mostly Keeping Out the Rain

Apr 102012

My daughter is barely 3, but already she’s sported a long succession of adorable rain boots. Puddles? No problem! The bigger the better! But she rocks those boots with everything from swimwear to fancy dresses.

Rain boots at the beach.

Thanks to my recent obsession with grown-lady versions of fabulous little-girl shoes, lately I’ve been noticing rain boots. (“Noticing” being the first step toward probable “purchasing.” It’s a slippery slope, my friends….)

Here are a few of my recent under-$40 favorites:

yellow Tretorns $19.50 (only in 4, 5, and 10); Sperry Top-Sider navy stripe $24.50; Dorothy Perkins pink floral gum boots $35; Laura Ashley blue floral Wellingtons $34.91; Jonathan Adler ocean umbrella $13.96

We’re still in the midst of April Showers — plenty of time to get out there and splash in a few puddles!

Store Spotlight: Dorothy Perkins

Clothing, Store Spotlight No Responses »

Apr 052012

Hello, darlings. Sorry to drop off the face without alerting y’all — just finished a long vacation, and before that was a funeral trip that left no room for things like getting blogs into order. Anyway, let’s get back to business!

I don’t claim to be a fashionista. (Do actual fashionistas even use that word?) One example of many: whenever magazines and blogs ooh-la-la about the wonders of Topshop, all I can think is that ordering from England sounds so hard.

But then last night I came across a fabulous dress on Pinterest from a store called Dorothy Perkins. Followed the link back to the store, was shocked the dress was so affordable, and loved the clothes so much I placed an order. From England. And it’s a Topshop sister store, no less!

chiffon blouse $29, coral slub cardigan $39, textured pencil skirt $28, raffia peep-toe flats $39, round sunglasses $9

Meet Dorothy. Dorothy Perkins is Topshop’s slightly older sister. She still enjoys going out, but is more likely to be found at brunch than hitting the bars. There’s a basics-meet-vintage feel that works for everyone from younger hipsters to boring moms like me. Like most bargain retailers, it serves up a lot of too-short dresses and too-sheer fabrics, but there are enough “hits” among the “misses” to make a visit more than worth your time. If you once haunted thrift stores but grew tired of the ancient polyesters and slight mothball scent (no? just me?), this is the place for you!

I need a new wallet and have had zero success finding a cool but affordable leather version. This $15 PVC clutch should carry me through in the meantime….

The line includes a few Talls, a good range of Petites, and even some cheap Maternity basics. Be sure to click on the Sales and Offers section — the promotions change constantly, and the sales contain lots of items that don’t appear in the regular sections. (Wish I had done this before my own order — there were a few sale items I would have loved!)

If I were shorter and a UK 4/6/8, I would have gone for this $29 chiffon number.

And about that ordering from England thing? The listed sizes are UK sizes, which are smaller than US sizes. There’s a good size chart with US equivalents and bust/waist/hip measurements, but be sure to check.

Shipping is free with orders over $75, and with a current promotion drops that to $50. I’m afraid returns might be a drawback — am assuming I’d need to mail them back to England.

For the Pets: Your Dog Wants This, I Guarantee

Furry Friends No Responses »

Feb 222012

My mother learned about the Duckworth family of dog toys from a vet friend over a decade ago. The vet claimed they were ergonomically designed and that all dogs loved them. I thought the ergonomic business sounded like hogwash, but Mother and I have given Duckies to multiple dogs since then, and every dog has fallen head over heels in love. From tiny Maltese to big Golden Retriever, neurotic to goofy … every dog.

I cannot explain the magic of Ducky, I can only report it. But trust me, your dog wants one. Ignore the minis and the sitting version — go for the flat duck. Made by MultiPet, available in two sizes and white or yellow. They’re reasonably easy to find if you keep your eye out. I recently came across a small version in a Tuesday Morning in Sedona for $5. Have purchased ours everywhere from eBay to a pop-up boutique in Grand Central Station, but of course we got the current duck from Amazon (where we get everything).

For the Tots: Fun Silicone Bibs from Ulubulu

Baby & Child No Responses »

Feb 222012

When my daughter was a wee one, we adored our Baby Bjorn silicone bib. Bright and cheery colors, easy to clean, hard for baby to remove, and a big front pocket to catch food droppings. I’ve recommended Baby Bjorn bibs to all my friends with babies ever since.

OK, so you can't really see the bib here. I'll take any excuse to post this cute photo.

Here’s a better view. Got ours on Amazon for under $10.

Today I discovered a similar bib in an even more adorable style. Ulubulu, maker of those pacifiers with phrases like “mute button” or skulls and other unconventional images, has branched out into silicone bibs. The basic design is similar to the Baby Bjorn, but the bibs form animals, monsters, or robots. How fun are these?

Several versions are on sale at Zullily for $11.99/pair through Friday 2/24. Sometimes the group sale sites don’t actually offer much discount, but this price easily beats all others I could find.

Floral Shoes for Big and Little Girls

Baby & Child, Shoes No Responses »

Feb 172012

I am ridiculously jealous of my daughter’s shoes. Little girls get comfortable shoes like ballet flats, mary janes, and tennis shoes but tricked out with great stuff like flowers, sparkles, and bows. And judging by how many comments my daughter’s shoes get from other grown-up ladies, I suspect I’m not the only one.

A few toddler examples from 6pm.com (the outlet arm of Zappos and one of my very favorite sources of discounted kids’ shoes):

Superga Kids 2070 Fantasy athletic flat, in toddler and youth sizes, $26.99.

Gabriella Rocha Kids Ethelred sandal, toddler sizes, a mere $14.90.

Even babies can get into the act — floral Robeez! (Wild Hibiscus style, $17.99.)

I’ve been keeping half an eye on the shoe stores, looking out for cool adult versions of the floral little-girl shoes. Got one pair of Bensimons in a liberty floral, but the color is subdued and kind of boring. But thanks to the current shoe sale at Nordstrom, my dreams may be about to come true. Check out these options!

BP Floral Flat, $32.90 (33% off) at Nordstrom.

BP Bowtye Sandal, $32.90 (33% off) at Nordstrom.

For the Guys: Travel Laundry Bag

Menfolk No Responses »

Feb 162012

A plastic shopping bag may contain your dirty laundry while you travel, but travel laundry bags do it so much more stylishly. The problem is finding a good one — most of the options out there are too girly even for me, much less an actual male. This travel laundry bag from Wisteria is the first man-friendly version I’ve seen.

Men’s travel laundry bag, on sale for $10.80 at Wisteria.

Small Luxuries: Fancy Toothpaste

Beauty & Health, Small Luxuries No Responses »

Feb 152012

Even cheapskates appreciate the occasional luxury. The trick is to choose wisely and focus on items that provide a lot of added happiness for a minimum of added cash. One example from our house: fancy toothpaste.

The fashion magazines have been touting Marvis toothpaste for years. The classic package and cool Italian cachet have a certain appeal, but I always rolled my eyes at the crazy magazine types and their $10 toothpaste. And then I got a small sample in my Birchbox. I loved the taste so much, I too shelled out $10 for a tube of Italian toothpaste. Was too embarrassed to admit it to my husband, so I kept it tucked away among my beauty products ’til the day we ran out of Crest and I had to fess up. Far from laughing at me, my husband was immediately hooked as well! And that is how we became a $10-toothpaste family.

You can buy Marvis from either Amazon or Beauty.com (combined with one of my frequent Drugstore.com orders) — either option is $10.50 with free shipping on orders over $25. It’s also a common staple at high-end beauty sites like Beautyhabit or C.O. Bigelow.

Our toddler is on the fancy-Euro-toothpaste wagon as well. When we first started brushing her teeth, I picked up a tube of kiddie toothpaste at the drugstore. And that stuff was vile. The weird bubblegum smell, the neon colors, the can’t-pronounce-it list of chemicals in the ingredients…. Once I caught a whiff of the stuff (and the smell was so strong I couldn’t avoid a whiff — I had to banish the closed tube to a different room), I immediately started researching more natural options. Tom’s of Maine makes a kids’ toothpaste, but we’re not generally fans of the brand. So that left Weleda, a German company whose kids’ toothpaste is based on a light anise flavor. My girl loves it so much, she’s been known to cry when we put it away.

Drugstore.com tends to have the best prices for Weleda children’s toothpaste, especially if you catch a sale. (I stock up multiple tubes at a time during sales.) Normal price is $7, but if’s often on sale for $5.99. Amazon offers the Weleda as well, but their best price is $6.60 when bought as a 2-pack ($6.22 if you Subscribe & Save).

Are you hooked on a particular toothpaste? What small luxuries do you favor?

Store Spotlight: Zara on the Web

Clothing, Small Luxuries No Responses »

Feb 142012

I finally got around to checking out Zara’s much-ballyhooed e-commerce site. It’s small, the prices vary greatly, and I found it hard to navigate.** But there’s promise there, too. And these prices are even better given free shipping and returns. That’s huge! Anyway, here were a few of my favorite under-$40 finds.

Long cardigan with elbow patches, cotton/nylon in a range of muted neutrals, $35.90.

Snakeskin square messenger bag, leather, regularly $159 but on sale for $39.99.

Snakeskin-accent black sandal, faux-leather (but vegans beware the goat-skin inner lining), normally $89.90 but on sale for $19.99.

Colored chinos, all cotton, $39.90.

** Navigation tips: The fabric content is tucked under the “Composition” tag above the list of colors. They don’t seem to show shirt length or pants inseam anywhere that I could find. And the mysterious section called “TRF” is basically another section of women’s clothes, possibly aimed at a younger audience. Be sure to check both “Women” and “TRF” for the full adult female selection.

Mercury Glass Home Accents

DIY, Home & Garden Comments Off

Feb 092012

Mercury glass makes a popular and timeless home accent — refined and classic but not overly fussy. Unfortunately, genuine antique mercury glass costs a pretty penny. Luckily, there are cheaper options:

If you enjoy DIY, you can make your own mercury style glass. Take a vase or any other glass item and spray the inside with 2-3 coats of Krylon Looking Glass spray paint. Clean glass will ensure a proper coating of paint, but a less-than-perfect interior can lead to an interestingly spotty, aged look. Or, this tutorial uses a vinegar solution for the aged look. (And here’s my own version of a mercury glass vase.)

And if you don’t enjoy DIY? Don’t fret. Mercury glass reproductions are having their moment at all kinds of home stores.

Online seller Luna Bazaar has some of the cheapest options for votive holders (this one is $4.25), vases, and Christmas ornaments (including this $4.30 option).

If you prefer brick-and-mortar stores, West Elm has a good selection including these mercury glass votive holders ($5-8).

And this line of vases ($12-39). Pottery Barn has mercury glass at the moment as well, though fewer options under $40.

Are you a fan of mercury glass? Do you have a favorite source, or have you ever tried to DIY?

For the Guys: City Map Baseballs

Menfolk Comments Off

Feb 082012

Map-adorned items are always a fun way to remember a special town. Unfortunately, mad-adorned items are often either cheesy (think big-city souvenir shop) or very pricey (think artsy boutiques). But these handmade city baseballs are the perfect balance of arty and affordable for the baseball lover in your life:

Washington, DC city map baseball, $20 at Bergino.com. Also available for Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Jerusalem.

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