Staying super cute during this recession...

When I initially "heard" of what was taking place in our beloved country which resulted in a recession, I thought to myself  "Are you freaking kidding me?" A recession = not as much spending to look super cute and oh so fly.

The reality of it is...how can one maintain her super cuteness and not brake the bank. I must say that I have contributed much to the malls and fashion outlets in order to stay within the realm of style.

No more....

I have enough Prada, D & G and Burberry handbags to match any outfit. Now, I say this not the exaggerate on name brand items but to make a point. There are certain items that we as female MUST have, however, these items must be manufactured with quality materials and being that I carry a purse 'er day I NEED one in which my handle will not break after a couple of weeks of handling or so that my zipper does not get jammed and I have to break it to get inside.

I feel the same way about shoes....there are just certain styles of footwear that suites my fancy esp a 4" ankle strap beauty. I have nothing against Payless however, I will only purchase a sandal type of shoe from this outlet. My "get it girl" shoes on the other hand will be designer. Why? Think about it like this, when you put those babies on your feet you already know that the goal is to show them off and surely I don't want my foot to be cramped or swollen looking from prancing around.

As far as clothing, I have begun to search the second hand outlets to find items that fit my fancy and what a deal on the prices! To me...articles of clothing do tell your attention to detail, however, I don't foresee anyone walking up to me pulling out the label to verify if it is the real deal. So, knock offs is the way to go too.

Here are a couple of tips on how I maintain the life of my material possessions:

Purses---put inside a white cotton pillow case, bind the ends and toss in the washer. Do not, however, put in the dryer---allow to air dry.

High heels shoes--wear of that heel and strap will eventually happen but don't toss the shoe...take it to the local shoe repair shop and get it repaired.

Clothes---after purchasing second hand clothing and before you wear...wash them with your desired detergent and add some Borax to the wash. OMG! I love Borax...it gets your clothing freshly cleaned and is useful for many household cleaning projects as well.

Makeup---oh yes...those of you who love to give face do not have to overspend on makeup to look super cute. Basic blushers, eye shadows, liners and glosses can be purchased at your local Walmart,Walgreens or CVS. The trick to applying your shadow without it leaving a noticeable crease is to apply a bit of foundation to your lid first. Always...always apply some form of moisturizer to your face before applying blushers. Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly to your lashes at night to keep them fresh and the next day you will see a difference in how your mascare wears. Lipstick queens...a bit of concealer on the lips before you apply the lipstick will give a smooth appearance. Glossers, use a neutral liner on the outside edge of your lips before applying.

As for hair, well I am a natural so my extended apologies to my stylist for losing a great tipper.

These days....I can appreciate my take home pay more versus "giving" it away because the commercials say I should. I can plan a sensible family vacation and not charge it thus creating a bill for enjoyment...no more Capitol One!

So we can stay super cute during this recession and be mindful of how we present ourselves to the world while spending less.