(Black) Friday Shopping: Best Buy, Express, LOFT & Bath & Body Works

I hope everyone had a safe and happy thanksgiving!  Ours was spent with my husband's wonderful parents and my best friend who joined us for a turkey dinner.  Candice even baked an apple pie (from scratch) and it was delicious!  I couldn't have asked for a better thanksgiving.

I was able to get some reading done this weekend. I had read about this book in a few magazines and it peaked my curiosity so I bought it Thursday after work using a 50% off coupon from BORDERS.  It's called "Some Girls: My Life in a Harem" by Jillian Lauren.  It was a really quick read---definitely a page turner.  It's sort of a mixture of her life and what happened both before and after she decided to go to Brunei and live in a harem serving members of the royal family.  The descriptions of her time there are very interesting.  I almost expected it to be more shocking than it was, but it's certainly a great read and takes you into a world 99.9% of the population will never experience.  Candice is already next in line to read it!

So...I went Black Friday shopping. I had planned JUST to go to Best Buy but then I got all of those emails from all of the stores I shop at and when you see 40% OFF OF EVERYTHING IN THE ENTIRE STORE(!!!!!!!!!!)...well, that's kind of hard to ignore ("think of the money I'm saving!" I exclaimed proudly--- as my H rolled his eyes.)

Many of you ladies will be excited to learn that I finally took the plunge and invested in a good camera.  I purchased the Canon Rebel T2i!!! I am beyond excited!  This means better photos on the blog which I'm thrilled about. I also purchased a camera remote so I can take multiple frames using a tripod.  Very exciting! Finally, I purchased a DVD that's all about how to use the specific model I bought because honestly, I have no idea how to use it outside of automatic mode (haven't even taken it out of the box yet) and I'd love to learn to use it how it's meant to be used and learn about things like white balance and aperture.  It will be a fun little learning journey for me. I can't wait!  Plus getting it now leaves me time to learn to use it before we head to Paris.

So that's my BIG purchase...it's my Christmas present :)  We aren't really exchanging gifts this year (the H and I) because our trip is our gift.

Next up, I got this pretty sweater from Express for 40% OFF:

It's got this pretty, gunmetal colored metallic thread through it.  It was $79.50 and I got it for 40% off.

I picked up 4 packs of Wallflowers from Bath & Body Works too because they were on sale for $5 for a pack of two refills. For anyone who doesn't use these---I recommend them above and beyond any plug in air freshner I've ever used. The quality of the product and the variety of amazing scents available simply beat out the competition.

Lastly, I purchased these two incredible items from LOFT (at 40% off) that I am very excited about!

First, this gorgeous top (*sigh*, it's just so feminine and romantic)

The second item is this lovely lace skirt:

and here they are when I tried them on
(I wouldn't wear them together, this is just from the fitting room):

The top photographed a bit red...it's more of a reddish hot pink---a color I was actually worried about but I think it's nice to add a little something bright in once in awhile. I thought it looked flattering with my skin tone.

Lastly, I forgot to share something I bought at H&M when I was in Slovakia. Believe it or not, I didn't ASK to shop, my grandma's sister and her husband took me to the mall because they wanted to show me where my grandma had liked to shop (her and I shared a love for shopping.)  I only went to about 3 stores.  I ended up getting this sweater coat from H&M.  It's super long and warm...yet also lightweight so It's perfect to layer under a long coat, or even wear as a coat here in Houston where it's not too chilly:

and here's what I wore today---comfy clothes for shopping!

Tee- Love Culture
Hoodie- Victoria's Secret PINK
Tights- Lulu Lemon Wunder Under Pintuck (crops)
Boots- Nine West
Scarf---- My grandmother's---it was one of the items I took as a memory of her and I absolutely love it!

By the way---the Nine west boots are INCREDIBLY comfortable. I was so impressed with how great the felt when I walked around in them for a few hours. I am so very glad I bought them :)

How was your thanksgiving? Did you brave the malls today to get some great deals?

xoxo,

Veronika.

Black Friday Madness and Spin Class Awesomeness

Yesterday, after I awoke from my post-Black Friday shopping trip nap, I took a spin class at my gym for the first time. My bestie Candice told me it would be "hard, but worth it," and she was right.

The thing about spin class, is that it passes by so quickly. That hour is over in a flash. I also love the upbeat music they play. It's so motivating and keeps you pumped. Not to mention, before the class began, the instructor said "If you're lazy, and don't like to work hard, this is not the class for you." I loved him!

So here's the thing about spin class...my ummm...lady area is sore. Yep, it actually feels bruised. They say you can buy a little gel seat cover to make it more comfy, and I may just have to invest. I'f you've ever done spin class, do you have any tips on making the seat more comfy?

I plan to take spin class at least once a week. You can't beat how many calories you burn, and it really breaks a sweat. You leave feeling like you really worked hard.

Now, onto my Black Friday shopping. I focused on swimwear, since we are going on vacation soon. I bought a super-cute bikini, beach bag and beach cover-up at Zingara Swimwear. They only have one location in the US, and it happens to be here in Houston (yay!) They have some of the prettiest/most unique swimwear I've seen, and I always know that not many other people will have the same suit, because it is unavailable elsewhere (unless you live in South America.)

The first suit I got is similar to the one above. Only the top I got is a triangle top, and it has 3 layers of ruffles, in all different prints. The suit's colors look brighter in person, and look amazing with a tan! The bottoms also have a cute little ruffle, but are cut super small in the back, which is why I've been working out so hard!

I also got this gorgeous animal print beach cover-up. It is silk, and sooo comfy and soft. It will look perfect over a bathing suit on the beach!

The wrap has a pull that cinches it at the waist, creating a beautiful sillouhette. I absolutely cannot wait to wear it on the beach! It's so chic! The last item I got was a bright purple beach bag. It is like a traditional beach bag made of that "wheat-like" material, but it is purple with an awesome tan leather handle. I was going to get a beige colored bag, but then I thought a brighter color would be more fun!

The only other item I bought after braving the blood-thirsty Black Friday crowds, was an incredible 3/4 sleeve black top with small white polka-dots from Club Monaco. Can I just say how much I adore that store? If I had unlimited funds, I would definitely buy a large portion of my clothes there, especially work and evening attire.

Speaking of blood-thirstyness, I just read the third Twilight installment, "Eclipse" on Thursday and Friday. It was that good. I just couldn't put it down.

Now, I want to read the fourth book to see what happens next. I may just start reading it today.

Did you brave the Black Friday frenzy? What did you buy? Leave me a comment below!

Hope everyone had a very safe and happy Thanksgiving!

xoxo,

Veronika.