(in coordinance with Just Another Static Heart)

So, last week, one of my best friends, Danielle, & I went to the mall in the town I live in, and we had a BLAST! We actually ended up going twice in one week, if that tells you anything! Haha! We had so much fun and found so many great bargains! I was so excited, as I found 4 new tops for myself at cheap to semi-cheap prices! You see, being a plus size & well endowed girl, it is hard to find shirts that fit, especially around the girls if you know what I mean. I usually end up just going to the mens section at stores & buy shirts from there, as they are big enough to fit over my chest and stomach, as well as being made a bit better. I guess they do that because they figure men are harder on their shirts or something. I don't know. But, I digress. So, my friend & I went to the mall, and the first place we stopped at was Lane Bryant. Now, Lane Bryant is made for plus size women, however, they can be quite expensive, and I don't usually have that much money to spend there. However, we got lucky! At that time, they were having a clearance sale (matter of fact, the WHOLE mall seemed to be having one), which was the reason it caught my eye, so naturally, I start browsing the racks. While I'm off on one side of the store, Danielle is on the other, and all of a sudden, I hear her call out my name. I walk over to where she is and she has found this most beautiful, one shoulder top. Now, if you know me, you know I don't usually wear stuff like that, but for some reason, this top just screamed TAKE ME!!! Of course, I'm thinking, "Oh, it's not going to look good on me," but Dani absolutely insisted I try it on. So, rolling my eyes, I take the top into the dressing room & proceed to try it on. Oh my goodness. I LOVED IT! I could not believe how great it looked, and felt, on me! I went out to show Dani & the look on her face said exactly what I was hoping for. I looked FABULOUS! I couldn't stop staring at myself in the mirror! Haha! Here is a picture of the top on myself, once I was at home:

This top is amazingly comfortable and beautiful at the same time (the above picture doesn't do it justice, as the color is a little muted). I'll add more pictures of the top on myself later on in this post, which actually shows the color better. The top is made up a very flowy/airy fabric (95% rayon, 5% spandex), yet it clings in just the right places. I love the way it drapes down in the front, kind of in a sweetheart neckline fashion, and the chain detail is not heavy at all, which surprised me the most, as I thought it was going to be uncomfortable resting on my shoulder. I honestly forget it's even there when I'm wearing this top! LOL! The chain detail is one of my favorite parts of this top, and even if you have to wear a bra with straps, you don't really notice it under the chain (as long as it's a dark color). The bottom of this top hits me just below my "pooch" (as I call it), which would be just below my waist, I guess. You'll see in the picture what I mean. LOL. Now, it may hit differently on other women though, as I am 5' 7" tall, so it all depends on how long your torso is. Also, if you have a bit of a tummy, like I do, this top may fit you differently. Luckily for me, the top hides most of the roundness of my stomach, but still drapes the way I expect it too (the top is a size 22/24). The little cap sleeve on the opposite arm is very nice too, so you don't feel like you're completely naked on the shoulders. It's not tight either, it's still just as flowy as the rest of the top. And I have to say, even though I'm not a huge fan of the color purple, I love the color of this top! It's not too dark, but it's not too light either! Kind of a violetish color. :) This is also a great piece to have in your wardrobe, as you can pair it with jeans & sneakers for a comfortable, every day look, or you can snaz it up with a pair of slacks, or skirt, & heels for a night out on the town!

So, after admiring myself in the mirror & getting compliments from Danielle about how I looked in the top, I went back into the dressing room to take the top off, which is where I caught a glimpse of the price tag. I about died...the price was $44.95. I wanted to cry as I put the top back on the hangar. I loved it so much, but couldn't fathom spending almost $50 on ONE top. I walked out of the dressing room with a sad look on my face, ready to put it back on the rack, when a sales lady walked by & overheard the conversation I was having with Danielle about how much I loved the top, but couldn't spend that much money on it. That is when I got the surprise. The sales lady said that they were having a special at that time, that if I "liked" Lane Bryant on Facebook, and showed them proof of it, that I would get 30% off my purchase price. Oh, how I could NOT pass that up! So I immediately pulled out my smartphone, got on Facebook, went over to the Lane Bryant page, and "liked" them. Then, I went up to the checkout counter with the top & Dani in tow, & explained to the sales girl behind the counter, about what the other lady had said, and sure enough, all I had to do was SHOW her that I had liked the company on Facebook, and BAM! I got the 30% discount!! :) So, a $45 top went down to $31. After taxes and everything else, I only spent $33. How great is that!? I couldn't have been more happy! I even had the gal at the counter cut off the price tag, so I could wear the top out of the store, I was so excited, and I couldn't thank Danielle enough for calling me over when she found the top. We continued on throughout the mall, and found many more bargains, but I'm going to leave those for my next Frugal Fashion Friday post! :) So, until next time, I'll leave you with this: it never hurts to bargain shop, and if you think something is a bit pricey, don't give up. You never know what (or who) may be waiting just around the corner! :) Until next time, take care & stay safe! :)

Later gators!

*Jolene*

P.S. Here are pictures of what's to come...

**I was in no way compensated by Lane Bryant or Facebook for this post.