So we've all heard the saying. Black is the new black. We all love it. We all own it. And it can literally do us no wrong. Ever. Whether its pants, dresses, or outerwear, black is the golden child of my wardrobe and if I could, I would definitely wear it all the time. What's most fun about it is the ability to adopt free range when accessorizing an all black ensemble. It an opportunity to go CRAZY.

My black to black outfit featured some year ;round pieces that I paired together to create a sexy and sleek look that was perfect for the nighttime party I went to.

The base of my outfit is my run of the mill ASOS jumper. Its an easy on and off and it makes for nice clean lines, but also a black canvas for the accessories to come. My leather jacket has ultimately made another appearance, as the "spring" weather has broken into a mid 40's.

NOW for the accessories;

My clutch is from Rainbow shops a few years back. It was perfect for a night out, when there was little need for my huge tote bags with the never ending bottom.

My cheetah print booties made strutting and walking real easy! I scored these from Lola Shoetique a couple seasons back. The heel is a bit hunky and mild 4 inches, which added comfort to my outfit as well.

And check out that hand candy!1 If you know me well, you know that ring are by far my favorite jewelry item. People always ask me if I leave the stores with any rings, and (though begrudgingly) yes I do. I got these midi rings from Wish and Amazon.

How do you dress up your favorite black pieces? Leave a comment, outfit pic, or quip below. I love hearing from you!

Faithfully,
Brieana

So I have a confession. Last week's OOTD (see prior post here), was on a whim. I didn't quite plan on wearing those items besides the floppy hat, and I took a second to be disappointed before I had to gather myself and get ready for church. I had PLANNED on re-creating one of my Polyvore creations (link below to my Polyvore page). I had everything all put together. All I needed was the faux fur vest to go with it. So off I went to my favorite online superstore, Amazon.com, in search of the perfect vest to pull off my mid-winter look. I plugged in my search words, looked through about 30 vests, attempting to find the right color and size for my ensemble, and then I ordered it. The whole process took me about 30 minutes (because who just buys one thing when items are literally at your fingertips?!)In hindsight, I should have known that it was way too easy. My vest came at warp speed (2 days in online shopping world), and I was SOOOO excited...until I opened up the package. Please see below for the reason behind my ensuing sadness at a #FAIL.

It is NOT as fluffly as it looks!

I could go on and on and on about how much of a disappointment this purchase was. But in all reality, this was partially my fault. In my haste to create my newest look, I had overlooked my rules for scoring the perfect item online. And because I do not want this to happen to you, I'm going to give you some tips and tricks for sorting through the "Too good to be true items" of the online warehouse.

As you can see, we have 2 of the 3 offenders; can you find which ones?

1. Read, read, read the reviews!- Your online shoppers in crime are here to help! Take a  second and scroll through the reviews of the item your heart currently desires. And when I say read through, I mean read through the 2-star reviews just a fervently as the 4 or 5-star reviews. And if there are more 2-star reviews, it may be time to look away.

2. Has anyone bought items from the store?- On websites such as Wish or eBay, sellers have their own personal stores to virtually set up shop for us to peruse. One of the biggest red flags when I go to someone's online store, is if they've been around for over 6 months with less than 20 purchases. A lack of clientele screams a lack of experience in online customer care.

3. Is it too good to be true?- In my case, YES. I "scored" this vest for lest than 12 dollars. Now while we all love a steal, we also have to be realistic when buying items. Doing research here is KEY. If you've shopped around at a department store and found that your item cost $50, realistically you will be looking at a 15-25% decrease at an online shopping warehouse-type site. Anything less than that is either a knock-off, or the lovechild of really good stock pictures and shoddy workmanship. You've been warned! Don't cheat yourself by being cheap!

These tips along with plenty of preparation can save you time, money, and hurt feelings when shopping online. Shops like these were created for their convenience and quickness, and the consumer who specializes in social avoidance. That being said, the online scammer preys on the super thrifty with ease because sometimes we don't take the time to research our decisions. Below are some of my favorite online marketplaces. Keep these tips in mind and happy hunting!

Faithfully,
Brieana