Category: Shopping

Where to find Swimwear in the Fall

Fall is upon us and swimwear might be the last thing on your mind.  We’re attending a destination wedding in Mexico next week so I went through my closet and tried on various swimsuits at home to see if anything still fit post-baby.

Not too surprising, but I decided I needed a new one piece swimsuit for our trip.  I went to the mall and to my dismay, neither my local Macy’s nor Target are carrying swimwear any longer.  I’m guessing warm weather cities like LA and Honolulu will still have swimwear year round, but cold Seattle does not!

Here’s what I found to be your best bets for finding swimwear in the Fall, if you need it for a trip or even just for indoor pool swimming!

1. Buy swimwear online!

Macys.com, Target.com, Nordstrom.com and Asos.com all have fairly large swimwear selections online. They aren’t as big as what you’d find in the spring, but there are still plenty of sizes and styles to choose from.  As a bonus, because its the end of the season, there are a few things on clearance.

2. At the mall, go to Nordstrom

Nordstrom stores still carry some styles right now. I found a few suits that were on sale and a few that were regular priced.  Again, the selection wasn’t as large as in the spring, but if you need something in a hurry this would be a good choice.  There were one piece suits, two piece suits and cover ups all in stock.

3. Swimwear Specialty Store

At my local mall, there is a swimwear specialty store called Everything But Water.  Since it specializes in swimwear, it should have suits all year round.

4. Sporting Goods Stores

If you’re looking for a more sporty suit (or don’t mind one), sporting goods stores like REI and Sports Authority may have a few styles left this time of year.

As for me, I ended up ordering a suit from Macys.com and it arrived with enough time for my trip.  I tried on a few but this is the one I ultimately chose!  It was quite flattering all around and I am excited for our trip! 🙂

Bleu by Rod Beattie - Ruched Halter One-Piece
Bleu by Rod Beattie – Ruched Halter One-Piece (not currently available, see similar here)

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target is a huge hit!

The 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection launched today and it was a huge hit!  The handbags and accessories sold out very quickly online and I heard that the bags were the first to get cleared out at stores as well.

This video shows how crazy it all got so I’m glad I did my shopping online.  I was refreshing the page over and over waiting for the bags to show up on the site and around 1AM PST, they finally all showed up!

I ordered several styles and I am eagerly awaiting their arrival next week.  Based on my experience last night, I have a few tips for shopping the next big Target designer collaboration.

  1. The collection will launch sometime after midnight online.  Don’t expect the items to instantly show up at midnight!
  2. Check Twitter for the official hashtag.  A few links to items were posted on Twitter before I could find them on the Target site by clicking through the category page (e.g. Handbags).
  3. Target imposed limits on how many items each person was allowed to purchase.  In this case, it was 5 items from the line and 3 of the same item.  So if you’re planning to purchase many items, you’ll need to split your orders up.
  4. Make sure your credit card information on file is correct to help speed up checkout since items can disappear from your cart at any time!

Did you score anything in store or online?  I’ll be sharing photos of what I got next week!

Rebecca Minkoff Baby Bag Reviews – Kendra and Logan Diaper Bags

I was in Neiman Marcus last week and I stopped by the children’s section to take a peek at what was new and I found 2 new Rebecca Minkoff baby bags there that I haven’t seen before.  Here’s some quick thoughts after close examination of the Kendra and the Logan.

Btw – Neiman Marcus is currently running a promo through August 19th on children’s purchases.  With the code KIDSGIFT, you will get $50 off your $200 purchase!  What great timing for these brand new bags!

The Rebecca Minkoff Kendra Baby Bag

Rebecca Minkoff Kendra Baby Bag ($295)
Rebecca Minkoff Kendra Baby Bag ($295)

First up is the Kendra baby bag.  This bag was made of nylon and includes a change pad.  When I saw the bag last week, it wasn’t up on the Neiman website yet so I think it is brand new.  Nordstrom also carries this bag in a plain black nylon, also for $295.

I liked that the bag had a top zipper to keep items inside from falling out.  I also love the elasticized and non-elasticized pockets that Rebecca Minkoff puts on all her baby bags. They are laid out in the same way as the Knocked Up bag.  If I remember correctly, there is a horizontal zip pocket across the back and 4 pockets on the inside.  There are also 2 exterior side pockets and an exterior horizontal zip.  Because the bag is made from nylon, it is easy to wipe clean and it makes it very lightweight.

Rebecca Minkoff Kendra Diaper Bag Interior
Rebecca Minkoff Kendra Diaper Bag Interior

I didn’t love the size of the bag.  The website lists it as 13 1/2″H x 17 1/2″W x 7″D and I just thought that the 7″ depth of the bag wasn’t enough.  It just seems too narrow.

The Rebecca Minkoff Logan Baby Bag

Rebecca Minkoff Logan Baby Bag ($325)
Rebecca Minkoff Logan Baby Bag ($325)

What initially drew me to this bag was the leather trim.  You really don’t see too many baby bags that have any leather, which is too bad… because while nylon is very practical, I think leather is more durable.

The straps shown are just faux, as the closure is actually a magnet behind them.  At first, I didn’t realize this and struggled to get the strap out and thought “this diaper bag is useless if I can’t get anything out of it!”.  Thankfully, the designers realized that a magnetic closure was much more practical for Mommies and Daddies!

The bag also includes a change pad and has multiple wall pockets.  If I remember correctly, they were in exactly the same configuration as the Kendra bag.  There are also 2 exterior bottle pockets.  What I really like about this bag is that it has a long strap.  I find those to be so essential when you are trying to juggle your diaper bag, the car seat and open doors. When the car seat weighs about 10 lbs and your baby is 15 lbs… you start needing 2 hands to lift the carrier.  You really start to appreciate the long cross-body straps during those times!  The bag also has a hook closure for keeping it together, though I suspect things could still fall out even if the top flap is folded over.

Rebecca Minkoff Logan Diaper Bag Interior
Rebecca Minkoff Logan Diaper Bag Interior with the hook closure

I would say the size is the main negative for me.  I prefer a larger bag and this one was a smaller bag with dimensions listed as 13″W x 12″H x 7″D.

Here’s a comparison on the same model.

Rebecca Minkoff Kendra Diaper Bag
Rebecca Minkoff Kendra Diaper Bag
Rebecca Minkoff Logan Diaper Bag
Rebecca Minkoff Logan Diaper Bag

Hope this quick review helps you decide if one of the Rebecca Minkoff diaper bags is right for you!  

Mark your calendars – 3.1 Phillip Lim is coming to Target on September 15th!

Another Target and designer Phillip Lim are teaming up to put together a 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection to be released September 15th!

The collection is for Fall and is comprised of a mostly neutral palette with a few items in bold prints.  There are 100 pieces ranging from $19.99 to $299.99 for apparel and $19.99 to $59.99 for accessories.  The collection includes apparel for men and women, shoes, bags and travel gear.

I just saw the first ad for the collection and it looks like a mini Pashli-like satchel might be coming our way!  This one is priced at $34.99.  I’m *sure* this is one of those items that will sell out instantly.  There is also a larger tote that is similar in silhouette to the Pashli as well, priced at $54.99.

3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli ($895)
3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli ($895) – Gorgeous details and materials
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Tote ($54.99)
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Tote ($54.99) – A familiar silhouette!
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target ad - Mini Pashli-like satchel
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target ad – Featuring a mini Pashli-like satchel

Here’s a few selections from the lookbook that I will definitely be checking out as well.

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Look No 7
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target – Look No 7 – Love the entire look!
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Mini Satchel in Black ($34.99)
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target – Mini Satchel in Black ($34.99)
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Mini Satchel in Gold ($34.99)
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target – Mini Satchel in Gold ($34.99)
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Look No 2 Sequin Dress ($74.99)
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target – Look No 2 Sequin Dress ($74.99)
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Tote Bag ($54.99)
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target – Tote Bag ($54.99)

Here is the complete 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target lookbook!

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Complete Lookbook

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Complete Lookbook

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Complete Lookbook

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Complete Lookbook

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Complete Lookbook

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target - Complete Lookbook

 

Are you a 3.1 Phillip Lim fan?  What do you have your eye on for this collaboration?

Gap Friends & Family Sale

It’s time for the semi-annual Gap Friends & Family sale!  Everything on the website is 35% off and everything in store is 30% off with code GAPFRIENDS.  If you are lucky enough to have received an invite with a unique code, you can get 40% off both online and in store.  However, my understanding is that those codes were given to employees to hand out personally.

Sale ends on Sunday, August 11th.  There is free shipping for orders over $50 and free returns if anything doesn’t work out!

I think I might be all shopped out for myself after the Nordstrom Anniversary sale, but my little girl is growing out of all of her 6 and 9 month clothes, so she’ll need some new things for the Fall.  🙂  Here are a few of the items I’m thinking about ordering!

Bow Print pleat body double (Sale: $12.97 after coupon)

How cute is this bow print onesie?!  I also love that it looks like a regular shirt rather than a onesie that is tucked in.  I like having my little one’s tummy covered so these are perfect.

Bow Cuff Leggings (Sale: $8.42 after coupon)

I don’t like putting my baby in real jeans yet, so I love the look of leggings and jeggings.  These are made a little more special by the cute bow at the bottom.

Owl Print Shirred Top (Sale: $16.22 after coupon)

I love the whimsical owl print on this top!  The sleeves are also cute with a bit of shirring and a seam at the elbow to make them almost like a bell sleeve.

Will you be shopping the Gap F&F sale?  What are your picks?