I've been on a bit of a health kick lately. Well I guess you could say more than I normally am. I've been so proud of the fact that over the past 365, I've managed to lose over 65 pounds. It feels great mentally, physically, and emotionally. What's even better is the fact that I get to scout out cute new workout gear. Even while I'm sweating, I like to look my best.

These leggings are from ASOS Curve. They have a really great assortment of tights, hoodies, sweaters, and other active wear, although they don't actually call it that. What great about these leggings are the fact that the back of them are higher than the front, specifically for the plumper derriere. ASOS leggings normally run in even jeans sizes (10,12,14 etc), but they have lots of stretch, so no worries about ordering your normal size.



This pullover is from Old Navy. Anyone who enjoys a nice hoodie (winged, funnel neck, or tunic) should run to their nearest Old Navy. They literally always have a sale, so I can promise you'll get a good deal.

My sneakers are Adidas Performance Madison RNR running shoe. The pink cheetah print was a limited edition and I couldn't pass up the sale. These are the ideal workout/performance sneaker because of my flat feet. They make me feel light and airy. They're even good for running, on the off chance I decide to do so.

Below, I've made a collage of some of my essential workout tools. Click the Polyvore link at the bottom of the page. What are some of your chic shopping places for workout gear? Leave a comment 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