My Young, Thrifty, and Thriving Fashion Epiphany

There's nothing like a near-death experience (like almost getting hit by a train...yes, that really did happen) to bring two people closer...there's also nothing like a mutual love for affordable fashion to bring two bloggers closer together.  Both of these circumstances happen to be true for myself and Tiffany of My Fashion Epiphany.

I've always felt a great sense of pride to see a fellow blogger from Northern VA become successful in a short amount of time the way that Tiffany has.  In just a few months, Tiffany has become 1 of 9 lovely ladies to be invited to be a part of Petite Fashion Blogs.

We started following one another on Twitter and developed a mutual respect for each other's venture into the wide world of blogging.  This blog meet-up was my first time meeting the fashionable, Mrs. Tiffany.  She's as endearing in person as she is on Twitter and on her blog.

Without further ado, here are some pictures from our blog meet-up courtesy of her talented husband.  See the end of this post for details on what each of us is wearing.

Lisa from Young, Thrifty, & Thriving

White Blazer from H&M

Seafoam Green Bustier from Urban Outfitters

Black Leggings with Back Zipper Detail from H&M

Nude Pumps from Target

Earrings, Bracelets, and Ring from Forever 21

Clutch from H&M

Tiffany from My Fashion Epiphany

Black Blazer from Zara

Coral Rory Beca Dress from Forever 21

Black Pumps from Guess

Love Necklace from Forever 21

Clutch - Thrifted

Penn Station Chronicles: Need Weed???

Let me start off by saying, "WELCOME TO PENN STATION CHRONICLES!!"  WOO HOO!  This is my first Penn Station Chronicles post...ENJOY!

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of waiting for my train in Penn Station for over an hour (FUN! #fullofsarcasm).  Lucky for me, Penn Station holds enough entertainment to make the time go by more quickly.

As I'm sitting on the stairs, reading one of the 3 fashion magazines I purchased from Hudson News, I noticed a guy in all black who also has on a pair of black sunglasses.  Let's just say he looked like a knock-off Neo from the Matrix.  I also noticed that he was carrying a plastic bag around (not a shopping bag or a ziploc bag...but a see-through baggie) and walking with a cane.  I went back to reading my magazine again and then I looked up and noticed that he was sitting on top of a woman...he was on her lap as she was sitting on the floor but he was leaned back to the point that if you didn't stare long enough you wouldn't have even seen her there. #strange

If that wasn't enough...he had a cardboard sign on his chest and this was the most entertaining part of all!  It read...

NEED WEED

Support the cause

#ikidyounot This is where I realized that what he was carrying around in his baggie was indeed WEED!  LMAOOOO!  Needless to say, you had to have been there to really appreciate the hilarity of the situation.  

At least he was honest, though.  You've gotta give him that.

Penn Station Chronicles

If I'm gonna talk about it, I might as well be about it.  I wrote on FB the other day that I wanted to write a book called "Penn Station Chronicles".  Why?  Because it's never a dull day or night in NY's Penn Station.  If you've ever had the opportunity to find yourself in Penn Station at any point in your life, you know what I mean.  I've been in the North Jersey/NY area for only 5 months and I swear I've seen it all and I owe it all to Penn Station.

Because I don't have the time or the resources to actually write a book, I decided I'd utilize my blog to share my unique experiences.  I'd also love to hear from my followers or anyone who runs across my blog about things you've seen or heard in Penn Station.

HERE GOES NOTHIN!

What is Birchbox?

Don't worry...if you're not hip, neither was I until last week.  I was perusing through my YouTube subscriptions (because I love to watch makeup tutorials, hauls, and reviews) and came upon a video by AdoreDior0x titled, My First Birchbox!! February 2011 (view the video and Birchbox Website) for more details.

For just $10/month or $110/year, Birchbox will deliver 4-5 deluxe samples to you from your favorite brands each month.  Each month you will receive something different.  Some of the brands are NARS, benefit, Korres, Kiehl's, Laura Mercier, Stila, and bareMinerals.  For someone like me who has always wanted to try products from these brands but hasn't had the $$ to pay full price for an item, I thought this was ideal!  You're basically getting a sample from a luxury brand for only $2/month.  If you like it, you can purchase the product from their site; if not, you lost $10 at the most/month which isn't bad at all.

Visit their site and view the video if you want to learn more about Birchbox and what it has to offer.  There are no hidden fees and you can cancel your subscription at any time.  Also, they have a 90 day return policy on full-size product purchases.  Last, but certainly not least, if you review one of the products you received a sample for, you receive loyalty points which can go towards purchasing a full-size product.

Young, Thrifty, & Thriving now on BlogLovin.com!

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Nude Suede Platform Booties @ TJ Maxx for ONLY $15

My good friend, Portia, knows I love a great deal, so I was super siced when she told me about these Steve Madden nude suede booties she picked up from TJ Maxx...they were only $15!!!  *picks jaw up from floor*  That's right, I said it, and I'll say it again...ONLY $15!!!  If you have a TJ Maxx near you, I would check it out and see if they have any in your size.

FAB Mossimo Nude Pumps @ Target for only $29.99!!

When I came across these Mossimo nude platform pumps at Target, I almost sh*tted my pants.  Not only because of the height of the heel (as most avid Target shoppers know...it's hard to find anything higher than a 3" heel) but also THE PRICE!  These nude pumps are ONLY $29.99!!!  You can't beat that with a bat.  I couldn't pass up this STEAL...and I've been on the hunt for a pair of nude pumps for a while now, so I HAD to buy them.

The nude patent pumps are comparable to the Steve Madden Caryssa pump that runs around $89.  They have this style available in a gold glitter finish, as well.  This one is comparable to the Steve Madden CaryssaG pump that runs around $129 (see pic below).

I bought mine in the store but they are also available online!

Purchase/view nude patent pumps here.

Purchase/view glitter gold pumps here.

Lady Gaga & MAC Are Back at it AGAIN!

Lady Gaga and MAC have teamed up again to bring us VIVA Glam Gaga 2!

VIVA Glam Gaga 2 looks like it would be the perfect nude lip color.  What do you think?  I love the first VIVA Glam Gaga lip color and I'm sure I'll love this one just as much.

Click here to purchase the products on MAC's website.  Don't forget that every cent from the sale of MAC VIVA GLAM goes toward the MAC AIDS Fund.

Color Inspiration: Jennifer Lawrence in Hot Pink @ 2011 SAG Awards

When I saw Jennifer Lawrence's Oscar de la Renta dress at the 2011 SAG Awards, my jaw dropped.  This color is phenomenal and inspiring.  Hence, the need for me to do a color inspiration piece.  I've compiled 6 dresses, ALL under $100, inspired by Jennifer's vibrant gown.  HOT PINK KNOCKS MY SOCKS OFF!  Enjoy and leave a comment to let me know what you think.

Printed asymmetric dress
$80 - theoutnet.com

Silk Flounce Waist Dress at AKIRA | Pink Cocktail Dress |...
$84 - shopakira.com

The Deveraux Dress
$56 - modcloth.com

Poof Sleeve Satin Dress at AKIRA | Pink Wrap Bow Dress | shopAKIRA.com...
$60 - shopakira.com

Check Blake Dress by Motel**
$64 - topshop.com

Standout and Deliver Dress
$60 - modcloth.com

My NEW Favorite Color...

On the last page of the March 2011 Marie Claire Magazine, there's an article called "In the BAG" where they interviewed Jimmy Choo's founder, Tamara Mellon.  She stated, "I joke that my favorite color is leopard print.  Today I'm wearing leopard-print shoes, but if I didn't have these one, my bag or a scarf or my belt would be leopard print.  It's always a part of my accessories somewhere."

Well, if that's the case, then my NEW favorite color is *drum roll*...LEOPARD PRINT.

I too, wear at least one leopard print accessory almost EVERY day.  Most of the time it's usually my $5 leopard print shades that I got from H&M last year or my Express infinity scarf (see pics below).  Either way, I always feel extra confident when I'm wearing at least one item with leopard print on it.  Go figure!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my homage to Leopard Print (Part 1 is in a previous blog post), this time I'll be showcasing my personal items.