We'll always have Vegas...

Hello muses! I'm still recovering from this weekend, so bear with me.

Vegas was a bust. Okay well it was fine....it could have been better. I could have had more money to blow for shopping. I could have had won the jackpot. I could have fallen for a boy I just met (okay this happened but I was under the influence so I don't know how much that contributed, he was definitely good looking though....sigh, we'll always have Vegas). On the brighter side, I haven't dressed up in forever, so it was definitely a blast donning false lashes again. But really, there's no rule saying we can't wear them everyday, right?

Things I learned in Vegas:

• Wear amazing heels, but make sure they are broken in already.
• Don't meet cute boys in clubs and fall for them. Exchanging numbers is pushing it, connecting on Facebook is acceptable.
• Don't go in with any expectations and you will come away with the best experiences.
• False Eyelashes are okay for everyday, just choose the natural kind.
• Do gamble with money, just not yours.

I'm going to Buffalo Exchange this week. I'm not sure if I should go for store credit or actual cash. I guess it depends how much they take. What have you guys done in the past? Any good advice or tips I should take into consideration?

I'll be posting more post about my current muses/obsessions. Hopefully it will help get my own thoughts organized. I've had enough of buying whatever feels good at the moment. Sometimes that's okay, but I think the only way I will develop my style is to get focused and really know what looks good on me and what doesn't. I have this habit of buying clothes because I think I could pull it off. Maybe I do, but it's questionable.

Je Suis Michelle and I am on a budget?

Fashion on a budget as I so aptly described in my epic first post..is officially out the window. Spent around $100 $86 yesterday (I returned something). That's steep considering I have no income at the moment and I'm trying to save every penny towards "the dream." FYI: I'll pretty much allude to "the dream" constantly which is basically me moving to New York (and since last week apparently Paris).

I've been trying to develop a shopping process so that I can avoid impulse purchases--a budget shopper's downfall aside from the SALE rack which is the biggest trap of them all (more on this at the end). So I went shopping because I'm going to Vegas next weekend. I already had an outfit planned out but I just needed a statement necklace to pull everything together. This did not go over well. I ended up buying an entirely new outfit and more. Here's an overview:

BUFFALO EXCHANGE

Statement Necklace $14 

URBAN OUTFITTERS 

Lingerie Bodysuit $10 $68 

Silence & Noise Lace Sleeve Bodysuit $28 

Over the Knee black socks $8

FOREVER 21 

Black ruffle skirt $10 

Cocktail Ring $7 

Necklace $5 

H&M

Bow Clips $4 

Grand Shop of Shame Total: $86 (I ended up returning a sequin racerback tee from Freepeople)

Why Sale racks can be the devil in disguise:

I don't know what's wrong with me, but whenever I see a SALE rack, a light bulb immediately goes off in my head yelling "SALE, must buy... can't walk.out.of. store without at least something!" This is a trick people! Especially for those on a budget. You think you should save money, therefore you should buy now, because it's on sale! Think again. You are probably more likely to buy something out of courtesy to yourself.  There will be times when you will come across a bargain or a steal and you will get this gut reaction as soon as you see it or try it on. However, more often than not, you probably wouldn't look twice at the piece if it didn't have a sale sticker on it.

Lesson learned: Don't bring your Debit/Credit Card shopping especially during a sale. If you're on a tight budget bring the exact amount of ca$h you are willing to spend and spend accordingly. If you're not on a  budget, you suck. JK :) Happy Shopping!

How do you tackle shopping? Do you like to shop with specific items in mind or is shopping for you a constant free for all? Do you usually head straight for the sales rack? 

My muse is M.I.A.

If I had a muse is...

fashion on a budget,

a style identity crisis,

my creative outlet...

If I had a muse is a lifestyle blog.

xo M