cmorekay: shoes

style // sandal collection // pastels

2:55 PM

style // sandal collection // brownies

2:55 PM

welcome to part two of my spring/summer shoe trilogy.

my brownie collection is by far my favorite out of the three collections, because most of them are decked out with jewels. i typically don't like shoes with rhinestones, but these aren't that bad due to their size. my inspiration comes from instagram and other bloggers. a lot of ladies have jeweled sandals that cost $50 plus, and i am pretty sure that my shoes quality is very close if not better than the quality of the shoes they have purchased. with that being said, you don't have to pinch out pennies for shoes that you most likely can't afford and/or is not worth the dollar you're paying.

every last pair came from my local ross stores. each pair was under $17 dollars with the average original price being $33.

check out the gold chinese laundry double strap flatforms (1st pair to my right). this style of shoe is super trendy, and although i wasn't planning on buying them, once i tried them on in ross, i actually like the way they look on my feet.
the pair that i have on in the picture is also another popular shoe, which you can find the names of target, traffic and steve madden on the soles. i originally wanted to get them when they were on sale for $15 at target (original $25) but the zippers on all the pairs i tried on kept getting stuck. when i found them at ross, i didn't have that issue and purchased them for $12.
hands down, my favorite pair is the pair to my left by madeline stuart. they are so gorgeous, yet simple. comfortable too. kind of wish i purchased two, for when these get old, i'll still have a nice second pair waiting for me.

tip: always ask when your local store gets shipments, so you know when to show up. stores like ross and tj maxx only carry so many of the same item, and if you wear a popular size, you definitely want to be the first person there to snatch up your item.

tip two: if you really like something (and can afford it), purchase more than one. this is especially good on items that are marked down extremely low.

tip three: i understand that i have a lot of shoes, but understand that i donate/sell my old ones. don't feel bad about buying something new for yourself. i just suggest that you get rid of an item every time you make a purchase.

tip four: when it comes to my shoes, it's important that the inside is clean just like the outside. use a warm rag or even mix water and dish soap to remove dirt/oils. elmer's has an adhesive remover for the stores that like to place their sticker price tags in places that ruin the look of the shoe.

deals

style // sandal collection // all black everything

12:58 PM

deals

deals // sandal collection // buying shoes on a budget

12:45 PM

i get SO many questions about my wardrobe, shoe, beauty & accessory collections, that at this point i have no choice but to start blogging about them so all of your questions can be answered. after i uploaded the picture above on my social media sites, i received a lot of feedback on the who, what, when, where, why & how? so i decided that i would start a new series on here, beginning with shoes. like who doesn't love new shoes & a lot of them.

so here's the breakdown.

want vs need: i understand that shoes aren't needed, but at least one pair per different occasion isn't too bad. growing up i always had a lot of shoes & clothes due to my family buying me something for different occasions (holidays, vacation, school, etc.). once i began earning my own money, i began treating myself, and once i started modeling & getting into youtube, it became even more of an obsession to fill my closet up.

however, for the past year or two, i've cut back a lot. just go look at some of my old youtube videos of all of the hauls i have posted. clothes & shoes were a major part of my life because for me, looking good adds to me feeling good. & believe it or not, being able to spoil myself is a form of self-care.

i haven't spoiled myself in the past two years like i have since 2015 began. i also pay very close attention to my budget and make sure that all of my necessities are taken care of before i indulge in other things.

budget: not to get too in depth when it comes to my accounts, but this is the 2nd most important factor when you have the urge to go shopping. before i buy anything, i always check my accounts, decide on an amount that i want to spend & search for coupons (online & within my email). depending on what i'm trying to get (either a particular item or to splurge on 3+ items), i set aside a certain amount of money. because i get my shoes from places like ross, tj maxx, marshall's and XX1, $100 goes a long way. $100 at ross will get me at least 5-6 pairs of shoes.

bargainista: yeah, i know you know that i am a beast at getting great deals. ross typically has women shoes $30 or less. even with the designer brands, those can be marked down to around $50. they don't distribute coupons, however they give a 10% senior citizen discount on tues. they get shipments in mon. through fri. & usually start unloading on the floor around lunch time. i suggest if you want to get sizes 7-9 (these sizes go quickly), i'd go around lunch & at least twice out the week for the newer shipments. tj maxx & marshall's shipments are fewer throughout the week & i believe their shipments come on either weds. or thurs. they are also about $10-$15 more expensive than ross, even XX1 or Charlotte Russe, depending on the style/brand of shoe.

typically the only time i purchase from XX1, Charlotte Russe or Target (check online, mobile & cartwheel app for coupons) for shoes is when i have a coupon. Beall's Outlet gives a 10% discount for people with their rewards card under 55 y/o on fridays, which is the only day i shop there. don't forget about the clearance sections, because there have been many times i have purchased shoes as low as $4. to add to that, if you purchased a pair of shoes last week, & you see that they are on sale/clearance this week, take them back! as long as they are unworn, there is nothing wrong with getting an even better deal.

another good time for super low prices are at the end of each season.

dupes/alternatives: there have been times when i wanted designer shoes & literally months later i came across the same style just with another brand name on them. sites like amazon, jolly chic, alixpress, asos, justfab and shoe dazzel will carry the same exact style of shoe that designer brands have, but at a lower cost. if you can't afford prada, michael kors, kate spade or even zara, i suggest finding copies on those sites. you can also check out ebay or poshmark to sell, exchange or purchase shoes from people just like you & me.

so, i hope this post at least answers some of your questions. if you have anymore, leave a comment down below because i'll answer it in the following shoe series.