The Cheap Diva

Lofty Sweater Styles at Down to Earth Prices

The ideal sweater is both cozy and look chic, not neccessarily in that order.  Ann Taylor Loft is currently having a buy one get one half off sale on their collection of contemporary style sweaters so you be cozy, look chic and save cash all at the same time.

The bold cables running down the front and sleeves of this Cotton Cable Cardigan for $59.50 give a contemporary twist to the classic sweater. 

One disadvantage of wearing a bulky sweater is that it can make the wearer look bulky as well.  The streamlined silhouette of this Motorcycle Sweater Jacket for $79.50 flatters your figure while still keeping you warm.

The Cable Sweater Jacket with Hood for $79.50 is the difinition of casual chic.  The sweatshirt like silhouette brings the casual vibe to the style mix while the attractive cable design provides the chic.

Just for the record, the sweaters pictured do come in other colors.  Visit anntaylorloft.com to find sweaters in a rainbow of colors

Stay on Target while Decorating for the Holiday Season

Holiday decorating is tricky.  Sure you want to get into the spirit of the season, but you have to get past a lot of tacky tinsel and unconvincing plastic evergreen trim to find decor worth displaying in your home.  Fortunately for you, I have been shopping at Target where I found decorations that are both stylish and in the spirit of the season.

This mirrored Mosaic Tree comes in three sizes ranging in price from $9.99 to $14.99.  The small mirrored pieces embedded in a white cone is about as streamlined and glamourous as a tree can get.

This white and gold Santa in Sleigh for $80.99 isn't what I would call cheap, but it sure is a lot more tasteful than the cheap plastic santas that pop up like weeds this time of year.

Normally the sight of an empty food platter is a bit depressing, but this Christmas Holly Divided Platter for $14.99 with the words "Celebrate", "Rejoice" and "Be Merry" printed on the bottom gives guests a reason to smile even when the dip is running out. 

Closet Confidential Book Review

After reading one too many fashion books that offer the same fashion advice as the previous 10 fashion books I just read, I was delighted to read Closet Confidential: Style Secrets I Learned the Hard Way by Winona Dimeo-Ediger.  Instead of dictating rules like you simply must stock your closet with crisp white shirts in spite of the fact that they are a stain magnet and they wrinkle the instant you put them on, Dimeo-Ediger offers advice for real women dressing for real life situations.  

The book includes plenty of practical advice on things like budget friendly alternatives to spending $300.00 on designer jeans and how to layer different tops to create different looks.  Closet Confidential also includes such sage wisdom as explaining what the hell a grandpa sweater is and translates the word for shoes in 9 different languages. 

 The irreverent tone throughout Closet Confidential makes it a highly entertaining read.  The author gets the fact that fashion should be fun and her sense of fun combined with her passion for fashion make reading this book feel more like chatting with a fun loving friend about fashion than reading a serious style manual.  Instead of giving you some strict formula for the "correct" way to dress, the book focuses on how to be comfortable and feel like you. 

Scentsational Gifts from Sephora

While Sephora has it's share of overpriced goods (like their crystal covered tweezers for $100.00!)  they also have an impressive selection of beautiful scented gifts at bargain prices for the holiday season.  Here are a few of my favorites selected to brighten your holiday without going broke.

If your mood is more naughty than nice around the holidays, express your less than angelic side with Sinner Rollerball for $16.00.

Even a Motel 6 can smell like some exotic resort with a little help from Pacific Lotus Garden Travel Set for $14.00.  This sensual set includes a scented soy candle, body butter, solid perfume and matches. 

Now you can enjoy the smell of delectible cupcakes without all the calories thanks to Dylan's Candy Bar Chocolate Cupcake collection from $16.00-$22.00 a piece.  Choose a delicious smelling shower gel, body lotion, sugar scrub or butter cream.

Looking for Opportunity? Check Your Spam Box!

Most of the time spam filters are a blessing, blocking out junk email with the usual to good to be true promises of instant wealth, weight loss or whatever else scammers think will get your attention.  Other times email spam filters can be a curse, like when you are job hunting and they block out an important email from a prospective employer.  I received an email from a prospective employer that had two files attached to it.  One of the files was a PDF file with an employment application, and the other file was an Excel file that dealt with scheduling preferences.  I suspect it was the attachments that caused my email to categorized the email message as spam.  This isn't the first time a legitimate business communication has ended up in my spam box.  It doesn't happen often, but I always make a point of checking my spam box because I'd hate to miss out on a real opportunity because my spam filter doesn't recognize a legitimate business opportunity as easily as I do. 

It's a Jungle Out There, Affordable Fashions From New York and Company

The ever quotable ever stylish fashion designer Bill Blass once said "Style is primarily a matter of instinct".  Well my instinct has always been to skip the cutesy polka dot prints or blocky plaid patterns and hunt down the most fabulous animal prints I could find.  My most successful shopping safaris are at New York and Company where they appreciate the fact that wild and wonderful animal prints never really go out of style.

The gathering at the empire waist of thisLeopard Print Knit Dress for $59.95 creates a curvier silhouette that makes it clear under all those leopard spots you are all woman.  The polyester fiber content of the dress makes it clear that you are a woman who doesn't want to waste money on dry cleaning bills.

Creating definition at the waist while wearing shapeless cardigans or dresses is a cinch with this Wide Croc Stretch Belt for $13.96.  Stretchy belts with a wide band of elastic can look tacky if most of the belt is elastic.  It looks like you are wearing a cheap elastic band at your waist, which you are, but being cheap doesn't mean you want to look cheap.  What I like about these belts is that the elastic part of the belt takes up less than half of the belt so the overall impression is that you are wearing a regular (nonelastic) belt.

I'm not a big fan of expensive designer wallets.  Spending a lot of money on a wallet just means you will have less money to go in your wallet.  To show off your sense of style as well as your financial common sense, take a look at these City Style Logo Hardware Wallets for $16.95 a piece.  Unlike a handbag which should be fairly versatile and coordinate with different outfits, a wallet stays out of sight most of the time so you can indulge in your love of bright colors, animal prints or whatever else suits your fancy. 

A Sales Job by any other Name is Still a Sales Job

One of my big pet peeves when I am looking for a job is when an employer tries to lure prospective employees in by implying the job is not a sales job, when in reality it is a sales job.  I once responded to an ad for a set up and display position.  In my mind the phrase "set up and display" implies going to retail stores and setup up a display for merchandise.  I called the company and the person on the other end of the line immediately offered to set up an appointment for an interview without asking anything about my skills or experience.  That's a bad sign.  I asked him about the responsibilities for the position and he said the job entailed going out on appointments.  I then asked what tasks I would be doing on those appointments, setting up a display?  Giving a presentation?  I practically had to interrogate the guy to get the information I wanted, but my persistence paid off.  It turns out the job entails going into peoples' homes and giving a presentation about a product.  That sounds like a sales job, not a "set up and display" job.  I don't want job in sales and apparently a lot of other people don't either.  If everyone was so interested in sales then businesses would come right out and say it was a sales position instead of calling it something completely different.  The business was not located anywhere near my home.  By being skeptical and asking the right questions before going on an interview I saved myself a half hour drive (one way) for a job I didn't want.

Another example of this kind of bait and switch practice happened when I applied for a freelance writing position.  I got an email from a recruiting company, not the company doing the actual hiring, that included a link to a web site.  In order to apply for the job I was required to take a survey that asked such questions as whether or not I think I am a friendly outgoing person.  A writer stares at a computer and types.  Since when is being friendly and outgoing a requirement of good writing?  The situation sounded like a sales job in disguise so I skipped the survey and returned my attention to finding a real non sales job.  

Personalized Holiday Gifts are a Snap with Snapfish

Between the radio stations playing holiday tunes ranging from classics to stuff I never heard before (and never want to hear again) and retail stores sporting holiday decorations and merchandise, it's hard to ignore the fact that the holiday season is officially here.  The challenge with buying gifts is that you want them to be personal enough to show you care yet cheap enough to show you don't care to go into debt because of holiday shopping.  For gifts that are both personal and affordable, take a look at the picture perfect selection of gifts at snapfish.com.  Snapfish.com allows you to take your own photos and create personalized gifts. 

This Custom Sterling Silver Photo Bracelet for $39.99 is perfect for moms who like to keep cute pics of their pride and joy at hand.

Add a highly personal touch to your high tech gear with Photo Skins.  Photo Skins allow you to transfer your favorite images to a removable scratch resistant cover.  Photo skins are available for laptop, camera, PDA, phone and MP3 player devices.

Pictures in a nice frame are, well, nice, but from a practical point of view those frames don't do much besides collect dust.  For a picture perfect gift that is both sentimental and sensible, consider one of the many notebook designs from snapfish.com.  You can choose a graphic design like this Pink Butterfly design for $9.99 with the picture in the middle, or you can skip the outside graphics and have your picture cover the entire front of the notebook.

Party Perfect Shoes from Payless

When you are out working the party scene the last thing you want to think about is how long it's going to take to pay off the cute party shoes you are wearing.  That's why I hit Payless Shoes for my party accessories.  Payless products are cheap in quality and price, which makes them perfect for shoes that are only worn now and then.

These Christian Sirian for Payless Micola Zipper Flat for $29.99 prove that it is possible to get high glam from a low heel.  The shimmery lame fabric and gold metallic accents offer a chic alternative to all the baubles and bows that often adorn evening flats.

While I love a nice comfortable flat, it's hard to ignore the sex appeal of a nice high heel like these Lela Rose for Payless Delander Chop Out Pump for $34.99.  The designer has cleverly hidden a half inch platform in the front of the shoe to make you feel like you are wearing 3 inch heels instead of wearing 3 1/2 inch heels.

The Laurent Ornamented Wedge for $22.99 are what I call office party shoes.  For parties that call for you to look dressed up but not too dressed up, a patent shoe with a heel under 3 inches does the job.  A sexy shoe is inappropriate for an office or family holiday party and super glamourous shoes should be reserved for people you want to spend time with, not people you put up with in order to get a paycheck. 

Stand Tall in Wide Calf Boots

Many boot styles are designed for women with skinny calves and they don't accomodate fuller calves.  I don't know about you but wearing boots that are too tight in the calf makes me feel like my legs are being strangled.  Fortunately onestopplus.com carries a respectable selection of wide calf boots. 

Boots like these Cary tall studded wide calf boots for $99.00-$109.00 avoid the frumpy features like a short squat heel and baggy ankle opting for a flattering streamlined fit topped off by rows of trendy studs.

A 1 inch heel and mid calf height make the Mac buckle wide calf boots by Via Accenti for $49.99-$54.99 to go to boot for when you want both comfort and style.  The patent material adds a touch of pizazz to casual jeans outfits to more polished looks that include pencil skirts or sheath dresses.

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Scrunch boots can be flattering as long as they taper a little at the ankle instead of bagging out.  These Wide Calf Boots by Step Up Comfort for $69.99-$74.99 strike a balance between the scrunch part of the boot and the smooth streamlined parts of the boot for a look that chic, not sloppy.