I found this great Hype handbag while in the Junior League of Atlanta’s Nearly New Shop.

The bag is genuine leather, was hardly used and looks Fabulous!!

Hype’s handbags usually sell for much more!! This was a steal for $50!!

Nearly New
1715 Howell Mill Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 355-3547

Here’s what’s happening next week at BillionDollarBabes:

Monday 9/20: Lauren Moffatt, Single

Tuesday 9/21: Blake Standard, Azuri Scarves, Rachel Reinhardt Jewelry

Thursday 9/23: Torn by Ronny Kobo, Arik Kastan Jewelry, Nest Children

To join Billiondollarbabes.com, go to the sidebar and click on our link to become a member.

After an intense conversation about vintage/thrift fashion with some fellow naturals via Twitter I got the itch to go shopping. So, of course, I headed to my local Goodwill. Just my luck they were having a 50% sale!! Yes, they have sales too!

For those of you who are new to vintage shopping or “thrifting” (thrift store buying) here is a bit of encouragement. Although it can be intimidating & confusing, tons of racks packed with all kinds of clothing, it is possible to find treasure amongst what looks to be trash.

Clothing on the rack can be deceiving. On a hanger a piece may look plain or even out dated. But, paired with a cute accessory that “not so hot” skirt turns out to be super cute.

In other words, don’t let the hanger fool you! There are some great pieces in your local vintage and thrift stores. Take the time to search; you never know what you might find!

Adrienne

Find me at: www.memyhairandthecity.com

Lanvin to Land at H&M…

maybe. Now here’s some fashion tea worthy of sipping! Rumor has it Swedish fashion  brand Lanvin will be collaborating with H&M for a new collection.  While no formal details have been announced, H&M previewed a video on it’s site and YouTube.com hinting at the retail giants next designer collaboration may very well be with Lanvin. The video ends with the words “September 9th” flashing across the screen.

Fashionistas everywhere would indeed be pleased to find out that Lanvin will make a stop in H&M stores . The brand is known for its luxe tailoring, lavish draping and ultra-feminine styles. I for one absolutely love them and would be ecstatic to see it in H&M.

Time will tell but I’m keeping my little fingers crossed.

Rap superstar and business mogul Nelly is heading to Las Vegas to promote his Apple Bottoms fragrance. The St. Louis born and bred star will be signing autographs at Macy’s at the Fashion Show Mall.The first 300 Macy’s customers who make an Apple Bottoms purchase of $50 or more will have an opportunity to meet Nelly and receive his autograph.

Nelly will unveil his newest Apple Bottom’s collection at 1 p.m. with a Fashion Show at the Grand Hall Runway. The superstar will hit the catwalk with a very special guest, a cancer survivor.

July is African American Bone Marrow Awareness Month and Nelly is committed to spreading the word about the critical need for bone marrow donors to help save lives. Nelly runs Jes Us 4 Jackie, a campaign committed to educating African Americans about the need for marrow and stem cell donations in honor of his late sister Jackie.

When: Saturday, July  10, 2010@1 PM

Where: Fashion Show Mall, Las Vegas

Check out the upcoming sales from Billiondollarbabes.com for next week!

Monday 6/28: CHANEL Vintage Handbags, Ingwa; Melero seen on Entourage, Nautica Swimwear

Tuesday 6/29: High Fashion Crime Scenes, Single, Skagen Watches

Wednesday 6/30: Styles Inspired by Twilight Eclipse

Thursday 7/1: Demitasse Jewelry seen on Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi & Gail Simmons, Sweet Pea, Swiss Legend

Friday 7/2: JLee Silver, Kelly Nishimoto

All of our sales begin at 8am PST/11am EST and last for 48 hours.

Need an invite? Join Billiondollarbabes on us! Click here to join now!

Luxe for Less. The idea of looking good and saving money has taken on a larger role at the rise of the country’s financial crisis. Fashionistas on a budget everywhere are suffering from withdrawal like symptoms every time they think of what a splurge will do to their wallets and bank account. But for someone like moi who learned the value of a dollar way back in the day, luxe for less shopping has always been a part of my shopping m.o. If you like variety in your wardrobe but don’t like paying a hefty price, this kind of shopping is for you.

If I can avoid paying full price for something, believe me I will. The only things I have paid full price for are my Louis Vuitton handbags, but I have purchased some vintage Gucci on Ebay at super reasonable prices. But now sites like Jojolie.com have enabled those of us who have designer tastes on mass-market budgets to indulge in luxury shopping on a regular basis. Jojolie lists designer handbags each week and gift cards to stores like Nordstrom, Sephora, and Tiffany to win by bid. Buyers purchases bids in increments of 10 or more and use them to win the items for a fee plus shipping. The bid prices are to low discuss, so I recommend you join to find out.

Online members-only shopping has seen a rise in the online retail outlets that rival any department store clearance rack, minus the chaos. Gilt Groupe, Ideeli, RueLala, HauteLook, and The Top Secret have daily sales on all the hottest brands. Most sales last a day or two and end when the merchandise is sold out. You can find some great buys. Back in April I purchased a royal blue silk jumper from Marty for about $50. After I used my earn credit for referring friends, with taxes I only paid about $30 and some change. The benefit to using one of these sites is that you can save and earn shopping credits when your friends join.

TheOutNet.com, a spin-off of the more pricey Net-a-Porter.com has the same brands for up to 80% off. Designers like Rick Owens, Prada,  Ebay has also become an interesting host of designer items. Daily fashionistas scour their site to find deals on designer handbags, clothing and accessories. Overstock.com, SmartBargains.com and Bluefly.com are also great for snagging designer deals.

For bargain hunters who want access to exclusive designer brands in a retail setting, I recommend Loehmann’s. Loehmann’s has stores in 16 states, including California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Connecticut. Loehmann’s features brands like Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Mossimo, and the list goes on. Loehmann’s Insiders card holders get additional discounts on their purchases with coupons; Gold card members save an extra 10% EVERY purchase for a minimal annual fee of $25. If you shop a lot like me, it’s worth it. The cards aren’t credit cards, but they entitle you to exclusive benefits. Off Fifth Avenue, Saks Fifth’s outlet store features the same brands sold in Saks stores at huge discount prices, as does Last Call, the outlet child of Neiman Marcus.

Resale stores in the L.A. area like The Address, and It’s a Wrap have designer clothes and accessories worn by celebrities and socialites.  Snagging designer deals is an art not a science. The key is to go where the deals are, and don’t be afraid to do a little negotiating if something is damaged, especially if it’s something you can fix. As with any item you purchase, take care of it and it will last. But remember just because it’s designer doesn’t make it classy. Head-to-toe label whoring is not a good look!

Check our sidebar to get invites to premier members-only shopping sites!

Rampage

Rough Roses

Adia Kibur

Tom Ford

On Sale Now at HauteLook.com

• Rampage - Dresses, tops and more.
  
• Sunglasses Blowout - Great savings on designer sunglasses including Blinde, Tom Ford, Technomarine, Roberto Cavalli, Versace, and Michael by Michael Kors.
  
• Zoe NYC - Swimwear
  
• Adia Kibur – Jewelry
• Rough Roses – Handbags & Accessories

Not a HauteLook.com member? Join Haute Look now on The Chocolate Fashion Blog!

On sale now at Ideeli.com

• Tart – Dresses and tops that can take you from the office to cocktails.
  
• Corso Como - Comfortable and stylish footwear.
  
• Jax – Jax of all trades. Dresses that sizzle.
• The Sak Sale - Those infamous bags that fit just about everything inside!
• Caro Couture – Jewels with bling and flair!

Join Ideei on the Chocolate Fashion Blog: Click here!