Zara Sale

Quite possibly one of my favorite words!

This morning I went on a bit of a binge at Zara.com thanks to their always fabulous sale section (free shipping for purchases over $50!). Zara is the perfect place to find affordable, chic clothing, in particular stylish work apparel and trendy date/girls night out pieces. They carry everything from shoes and accessories to some of my favorite dresses in my closet. Generally priced on par with Ann Taylor Loft (another closet/sale shopping staple of mine) I go to Zara when I want to have a little more fun. 

Since there's nothing better than scoring something fun/practical/sexy from a good sale, here are a few Merry Meri purchases, near purchases and temptations from Zara.com. Happy Shopping!!

These shoes had me at hello (thanks CapHillStyle!). 100% an unnecessary purchase, I was able to imagine several outfits where this sassy pop of red will wow (including an upcoming milestone birthday celebration:) Will have to see how they look in person (could be too sassy red) but you never know unless you try right!? Buy em HERE.

These didn't make it into my shopping bag (my wedge needs are currently satisfied) but at $69.99 they're begging for someone to take them home! Buy em HERE.

$35.99 and the prettiest pale blue you ever did see. Buy em HERE (and check out other honorable mentions from the shoe dept HERE and HERE, full shoe sale HERE).

This pastel printed dress exudes easy, breezy, beautiful. It was a finalist that didn't ultimately make it into my shopping bag, but I'm already having second thoughts. Sunday brunch with flat sandals (see above!) or dinner with your babe in heels, this one's a winner (and the flowy cut will be so flattering!) Buy it HERE.

I purchased this dress back in March (at full price, doh!) and I get a bajillion compliments every time I wear it. Perfect for work in spring and fall and transitions great from day to night... You should wear it too:) Buy it HERE. And since the embellished neckline and ruffled hem are working for me, I bought THIS to give a whirl.

There were a ton of gorgeous white dresses in the sale section that made me wish I was a bride looking for the perfect engagement party/shower/rehearsal dinner dress again. The dress above is HERE, or there's THIS and THIS for simple, bridal-esque beauty (was super tempted by that last asymmetrical hem dress, but it didn't make the final cut... but flowy white... with a tan... hmmm :)

Not sure how this is going to fit, but at $39.99 with free returns I just had to give it a shot. I love the bright color and unique cut outs. We shall see!! Buy it HERE (and check out other honorable mentions from the dress section HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE)

My shopping cart runneth over before I made it to the Tops section, but that doesn't mean I didn't look and how great is that Tri-Color top!? I could see it with tailored pants for work or shorts for weekend play. Buy it HERE.

Sexy Saturday night shirt anyone? I love the rhinestone detailing on this shirt and think the thin straps and crossover cut are the ultimate in feminine beauty. Buy it HERE.

This flowy pastel beauty could be worn for any occasion with pretty much anything on the bottom. Plus pale yellow is going to make those of you with tans absolutely glow. Buy it HERE (and check out other honorable mentions from the dress section HERE, HERE and HERE).

What would you be willing to do...

...for a totally FABULOUS pair of shoes? I recently found myself waiting in line at 7am... in the rain... for three and a half hours(!) on a quest for Christian Louboutin shoes at sample sale prices. Sample sales range from “hot mess in vacant storefront” to “invitation-only female feeding frenzy”, boasting designer brands at dramatically discounted prices. I frequent sample sales as a way to satisfy my high fashion obsession on a slightly more modest budget. For louboutins, I stood with hundreds of women, unfazed by the weather, the wait time or the snooty chicks with clipboards, hoping for a chance to find red bottomed beauties in my price range.

Maybe your head over heels (hehe) love isn’t shoes, but everyone has their thing... fans who pitch tents to get tickets to that concert or game or the latest Apple gadget... When you find a way to get the object of your lust, I think the effort can make the reward even more fabulous.

Sadly, I never made it into the Louboutin sample sale. As VIP after VIP was escorted to the front of the line, the work day crept up on me and I surrendered in defeat (damn you maturity and a sense of obligation to my career!) Perhaps I will be lucky enough to be on “the Louboutin list” again someday and you better believe that next time, I’ll be there at 6am:) Image here.

I am a “daily deals” floozy.

Do you buy “daily deals”? I do and I do it with reckless abandon. Groupon, Lifebooker, Gilt, Goldstar and Living Social have all led to significant savings and awesome adventures for Dr. H and I - everything from wine, cheese and a dance lesson, to two hours of home cleaning services. I’ve always been a bargain shopper and these sites take my love of a good deal to a whole new level. Sometimes I am searching for something specific (why pay full price for a massage if you don’t have to?) and sometimes it’s an impulse purchase (I could hear Tim Gunn saying “make it work!” as I clicked on the Mood Fabric deal). My most frequent purchases are for fitness classes - spa yoga, boot camp, core fusion - all items that might be cost prohibitive if I looked into a membership. Aside from the savings though, deal sites help me know about cool events and unique businesses around my city. It’s impossible to know every nook and cranny of Manhattan, but daily deals highlight some of the city’s latest and greatest.

One noteworthy thing about being such a daily deal floozy however, is that I rarely form a “permanent relationship” and I’m fairly certain that is not what participant businesses have in mind when they agree to post a deal. I think they want things to get "serious"! Do you scour daily deal sites? Do you think it’s wrong to use a deal coupon and then never go back?
Update: In honor of today's post (and the 10+ hour days we've been spending hunched over computers) I just booked Dr. H and I massages for tonight through Lifebooker. Happy (cost effective) Channuka to us!
* Btw, today is the day I start using these stunning Tiffany ads as images even though they have nothing to do with the topic of the post. Wintery, holiday, pretty.