Preppy Spring Essentials!

So, in the spirit of the name, I have to share my latest eBay steal with you guys! I just bought a pair of brand new, still in the box Sperry Topsider Authentic Original shoes for $28! These beauties normally retail for around $85, so I considered that quite a steal, especially in preparation for spring and summer.

And, as can usually be expected, they were not listed under the typical name on eBay that you would think they would be. Sometimes its worth it to simply type in "Sperry"(or whatever other broad criteria) into the search bar and do some extra digging. That's usually when you will find the best deals! 

While I would certainly consider Sperrys to be on the list of preppy Spring and Summer essentials, here are some others that I think no prepster should ever have to go without:

Plenty of brightly colored (and preferably monogrammed) polos

Jack Rogers. Need I say more?

A bright and colorful (but practical) Longchamp bag or the like. 

A good pair of sunnies. 

LILLY!

And last but not least, a VV Shep Shirt for those chilly evenings (you know I had to get a plug in there somehow!!)

If you paid retail, all of these things combined would probably set you back at least $700, maybe even more. But smart shopping (coupon codes, online sales, eBay, etc.) can save you MASS amounts of money. Now don't get me wrong, I think there is certainly a time and a place for the occasional splurge. A dress that fits you perfectly and will last for years, a great Barbour jacket that you will probably be able to pass on to your children, or a strand of pearls that you can wear everyday; I see all of these as worthy investments. But to be able to afford true preppy style on a budget, there has to be a good amount of effort put forth in order to be successful. So, go forth and find great deals!! I promise you, the time spent will prove to be well worth it! 

Lots of love,

cRm

Spring is (almost) in the air!

I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to feel like spring may never come! Even as I type this I'm listening to Christmas music (I swear) and bundled up in a thick blanket. I'm ready for shorts, long days, Lilly and doing homework outside! So, to get us all in the mood for the upcoming season, I thought I would post a couple of my favorite spring outfits:

Shirt: Brooks Brothers Outlet

Shorts: J. Crew on sale

Jack Rogers: eBay

VV Shep Shirt: eBay

RL Oxford: Polo Factory Store

Shorts: J Crew (eBay)

Jack Rogers: eBay

What do you love most about spring? For me, its just so refreshing to have signs of life after several months of the cold, grey, damp weather! There's nothing I love more than finally being able to go outside without being bundled up, walk around with your girlfriends, and have a nice cup of iced coffee! 

So here's to hoping that spring comes, and FAST! :)

Lots of love, 

cRm

Currently Obsessed:

HOW CUTE is this Vineyard Vines Seersucker Baseball Cap?? I think I'm in love! 

Shopping Online vs. Shopping In-Store

Oftentimes when I tell people that I love to shop online they are surprised. "How do you know what size you wear?" "How do you know if you even like the item?" When they ask these questions, I let them in on a little secret shopping tip: Go into the store, find an item you like, find what size you wear, and then *surprise surprise* EBAY IT! I honestly cannot remember the last time I actually bought something in the store. Even if there are sales and markdowns in the store, they will usually not even rival the sales that can be found online or the items on eBay. What I will usually do if I find something I really like in the store and I am contemplating buying it, I will pull out the trusty iPhone and go to the store's website and see if they are running any sort of promotion. Nine times out of ten, stores such as J.Crew, Gap, Brooks Brothers, etc. are running at least a 30% off coupon code, and that will typically include free shipping as well. If you do not see a coupon code on the website itself, google (for example) "J. Crew coupon code". Typically the first site to pop up will be Retail Me Not, which is a a great coupon code website. They are usually your best bet for finding the codes that the sites are heavily advertising and then those that they aren't. If you aren't seeing any great codes, then plug it in on eBay and see what you can find! You might be surprised what pops up!

My current eBay hunt is for this gorgeous Jack Wills tweed blazer!

 I know its almost spring, but its so cold here in SC that I still have my eye on winter clothes! This jacket retails for $288, but I have been able to find it on eBay for $150. Still not the greatest steal, so I will keep checking back and see if anyone has a sudden urge to sell theirs! *wink*

With this being said, I really am super ready for spring and summer! Ahhh seersucker, critter shorts, Jack Rogers, Lilly and Ray Bans!

What are you looking forward to wearing this spring?

Much love, 

cRm

My love affair with a website...

Jumping in to the bargain hunting!

I have found over the past couple of years that bargain hunting/shopping truly is a hobby of mine. It may sound a bit dramatic, but the rush you get when you stumble upon an amazing deal and you snatch it up in the nick of time.....*sigh*. Its better than any drug (or so I've heard). So how do you even go about finding these deals, much less getting your hands on them? Let me just say this: EBAY IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND. You can find anything and everything on there, and I can honestly say that 85% of my wardrobe is bought via the site. For example, last summer I was really wanting several pairs of J. Crew Chino shorts:

But even though the shorts aren't really that expensive (they typically retail for around $45) I knew that I was not going to be able to get them in all the colors I wanted at that price. So what did I do? eBayed it (Yes, that is a verb). After several days of searching and watching, I ended up getting five pairs of nearly brand new shorts for $15!!! Talk about a deal! That's what I love about eBay. Oftentimes people are just looking to get rid of things and will sell at rock bottom prices, whether or not they know that their items are worth way more than what they are selling them for. 

There is a secret to being successful on eBay, however: patience. You will most likely not get what you are searching for on the first day or even the first week of looking. But when you find a deal, its a DEAL. If there is something you really have your heart set on, but know you can't afford, just check the site regularly. The odds are that it is already on there, and if its not, it will probably be on there soon. Another eBay tip: lets say that you are searching for a Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt. When searching in the tool bar, don't just simply type "Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt" and then be disappointed if you don't find anything. Try different terminology and see what may pop up! For example, try Vineyard Vines pullover, Vineyard Vines sweater, Vineyard Vines sweatshirt, VV shep shirt, shep shirt, or even just Vineyard Vines. Oftentimes sellers will not even know the correct name for the item they are selling, so while you may know the correct name, that may not be what the item is listed as. Trust me, just keep searching and don't give up, you will find amazing deals with patience and time!

What are some awesome deals that you have stumbled upon in the past? Have you ever had great success on eBay? 

Much love, 

cRm

PS: I am obsessed with these Peter Millar driving moccasins! What do you think?

They retail for $195, but I found them for $50 on (guess where) EBAY! :)

First Post! A Little About Me...

Hey everyone!!

Wow, so I finally decided to do it....I've been playing around with the idea for this blog for a long time, so I finally just went for it! Basically, the purpose of this blog is to provide you, my fellow prepsters, with a little help as to how to live the preppy lifestyle and dress the part without going completely broke! And of course, have a lot of fun along the way!

A little about me.....

I am a college sophomore, soon to be junior, majoring in Health Promotion and Wellness with a minor in Psychology at North Greenville University in Greenville, SC. I'm addicted to Starbucks, VV Shep Shirts, pearls and my iPhone. I wonder if they have a rehab program for any of these things....just kidding.
I stumbled upon my love for all things preppy during my freshman year of college, and most of it began when I came upon great blogs such as The College Prepster and Summer Wind. Before my eyes were opened to the world of fashion, a typical day for me consisted of wearing the same pair of gym shorts and the same hoodie every single day. While this isn't that big of a deal ( I mean, I know that does not alter the rotation of the earth on its axis or anything), I really just wasn't feeling that great about myself. But when I found all of these blogs devoted to preppy OOTD's, I realized that fashion can be fun, easy and (sometimes) cheap! So that's when I began my journey for finding deals on all things preppy. Being a college kid, I certainly don't have money to just throw around, so every item of clothing that I buy is carefully thought through and I spend a good amount of time making sure that I am getting the absolute best deal possible. Which means that when I have free time, you can usually find me on eBay......*cough cough*. So that's about it guys! I'm super excited about this blog and about getting connected with my fellow preppies out there, so spread the love!

Question for you: What are your "addictions"? What do you do to stay on budget and save money?

Some of my favorite outfit ensembles:

And me! 

Lots of love,

cRm