What I’m Wearing…
Everything included in this look, from head to toe, including accessories, is from Ross ‘Dress for Less’ and all for under $100… which is amazing since the dress’ originally price tag was $98! I love the versatility of all the pieces separately and how paired with each other, creates a sort of Boho/’90s look that’s totally on trend at the moment and wearable for so many occasions.
After posting my intro post Ross Secrets of a Bargain Hunter and sharing that I’d be working with Ross ‘Dress for Less’ pulling together style and home decor looks in the coming months, the most common response was about how overwhelming the store can be because it’s so big and has so many great things.
So I went in with a plan, which I always do really, because shopping is serious business, and I was completely successful. So I thought I’d share with you how to get the most out of your shopping trips with ease and efficiency while saving on great deals all at once.
First things first… I rarely try things on anymore. This is really because I shop mostly from my computer now, but also because I know my size in all matters of my wardrobe and can usually tell how something is going to fit based on the construction and the design. So do your homework and know your sizes. It’s also beneficial knowing what colors and prints are in season, which look best on you and which ones to just skip right over.
If you ARE going to be heading to the dressing room however, and if you need a little cardio and arm workout, this will surely suffice for the day, wear an easy dress you can pull on and off quickly and slip on shoes as well. I opted for sneakers at the last minute because it was a bit too chilly for sandals, but slip on sandals are really the best option.
Even though it’s a bit overwhelming when you first walk in, Ross arranges everything by size, so it makes it really easy to go directly to your size and flip through the items on the rack in a hurry. Think ahead of time about what you really want to accomplish so as not to get distracted by all the pretty things at ridiculously reasonable prices. I went in knowing I was looking for a dress and I started there. Once you have the base for your look, you can pull accessories accordingly without wasting time or buying items you may already have in your closet.
After spending about five minutes at the size 6 dress rack, I found about 10 designer dresses in the $20-$30 range and headed to the dressing room to try them on.
My one weakness is little black dresses. No matter the season, if I find a great little black dress with a classic silhouette that I know I can wear for years to come AND I don’t have a similar one in my closet, I’ll buy it. Case in point above…
I liked about half of the dresses I went in with and while all of these dresses were cute, and for the price, I really could have purchased them all, I kept my goal in mind {kind of} and left with only three of them. And even though the dress featured in this outfit post, the simple orange hued shift with a classic handkerchief print, bottom right wasn’t the most flattering of all in the shots above, it was the most versatile and wearable long-term. Which to me equals, smart shopping.
A simple shift dress with a classic print can be worn alone or paired with just about any style of accessories to fit almost any personal style and literally, worn forever. Once I found my “hero” dress, it was time to finish the look with accessories.
I headed to the shoe section next and found a few cute pairs that would work, but ultimately settled on a trendy pair of ’90s style flatform sandals, which I can also wear with tons of other outfits.
Then I headed to the handbags and this fringe number immediately caught my eye. It was the only one and I literally grabbed it and dropped it in my cart as if women were racing me to get there. I knew it was perfect at first sight, and I had been looking for a great fringe bag with an affordable price tag since fringe comes in and out of style frequently enough to be a trend, but not enough to be a classic really. Another score!
With my shoes and handbag on fleek, I was ready to look at the jewelry, but since there’s still a chill in the spring air, I thought I’d browse the sweaters first and immediately found this black crocheted poncho. The idea was perfect and the price was right, but I felt that it would cover up my entire dress, and remembered I had a similar gray wool poncho at home that was open down the middle. Knowing that this crochet wouldn’t unravel if I cut it, I thought I’d simply DIY it when I got home by cutting it up the center.
And… Voila!
A super easy upgrade and a brand new boho poncho that will go with just about anything this summer!
And just before I headed to the register to check out, I passed the sunglasses and grabbed this cute designer pair as well as the geo silver necklace and called it a day. I’m a huge fan of versatile pieces that work with lots of other items I already have in my closet, and that’s what I keep in mind when I shop.
Unless you’re just casually browsing for the fun of it, always shop on a mission and go in with a plan, keeping your goal in mind… it will ensure smart shopping and ultimate savings.
Happy Friday Lovecats!
* Find all my outfit posts here
* Find all my Ross Style posts here
Use #GottaGoToRoss on Instagram to show off your own Ross treasures and finds!
This post is brought to you by Ross. All opinions are my own.
