Economy of Style
A notebook on evolving trends, fashion sense and cents

Warby Parker Opening its First St. Louis Store Right on Time

Warby Parker, the eyewear brand known for its high-quality, fashionable, affordable specs, is opening its first St. Louis store this Saturday, November 11. The store is in the heart of the Central West End at 304 North Euclid Ave, a space previously occupied by Kit and Ace. I got to preview this new Warby Parker St. Louis location, and it is everything we need right now in the Lou.

This new store has a cool library feel. All the eyewear sits on open wooden shelves with colorful books for decor and a curated collection of books for purchase.

Warby Parker St. Louis also has a very joyous and welcoming vibe because of the colorful mural done by St. Louis artist, William LaChance. It’s an ideal backdrop for a bomb Instagram shot, don’t you think?

Warby Parker St. Louis

From what I heard, there are going to be some sweet treats at the grand opening this Saturday. In addition, for a limited time only, the St. Louis store will exclusively sell the crystal sunglasses below. Crystal frames with mirror lenses are so fly right now. I actually took home a similar pair, the Ormsby  sunglasses in crystal aqua with mirror lenses.

Another cool perk of the Warby Parker St. Louis store is the availability of the eye exam service. Not all Warby Parker locations offer eye exams, but ours will!

Keep scrolling for more inside looks at Warby Parker St. Louis before it opens on Saturday.

I was invited to preview the store and received free merchandise as part of my visit. All images and opinions are my own.

How to Stretch Your Dollar When Getting Holiday Glam

This post is sponsored by Specialty Retailers, Inc.

Holiday party season is right around the corner. If you’re like me, you’re already asking the question, “what do I wear to all these events?” I enjoy getting super glam during the holiday season. But, I also like starting the new year on a strong financial foot, so I never want to overspend on my holiday style. Luckily, here at Economy of Style, we know that great style is not determined by the size of your budget. I’m so excited, then, to partner with Gordmans to show you how easy it can be to look like a million bucks for under $100!

holiday glam

I’m a regular Gordmans shopper (see here, here, and here). Gordmans is an off price store that offers big brands at small prices. The stores are huge and filled with merchandise. So, when you shop, you absolutely need a strategy in order to maximize your budget. Here are my top 3 tips for shopping off-price stores:

3 Tips for Shopping Off-Price

1. Know what you want. Gordmans stores carry lots of treasures. But, just because something is a good deal, it doesn’t mean it’s a good deal for you. So, shop with purpose.

2. Get the real thing. When you shop off-price, look for brands that you know and love on the retail market.

3. Know your stuff. Following up on that second point, know what those items usually retail for, so you can know when you’re getting an amazing deal.

I hinted at the start of today’s post that I found my entire look at Gordmans for under $100. I did! It actually only cost me $84 before tax. Here’s the breakdown because I know you want receipts:

Vest: Retail $98 | Gordmans $12.99

Skirt: Retail $40 | Gordmans $5.99

Booties: Retail $70 | Gordmans $44.95

Necklace: Retail $30 | Gordmans $9.99

Sunglasses: Retail $40 | $9.99

I’m a huge fan of the power suit trend this fall. So, when I visited Gordmans, my goal was to find sharp separates to build my own power look. And, y’all, I stepped into a holiday glam gold mine. Apparently, Gordmans purchased a warehouse filled with Express items, and the markdowns are steep. I saw coats for $12.99, suiting pieces for under $10, and sweaters for $7.99. As a longtime Gordmans shopper, I’ve never found steals this amazing.

I tried on so many items, from pants to blazers to sweaters before deciding on today’s holiday glam look.

I gave a sneak peek of this look on Instagram last Friday. And, that post quickly became my most engaged post of all time. I enjoyed your feedback. I heard words like “boss,” “power,” “fierce,” and “slay.” What I didn’t hear was “cheap” because this affordable outfit looks absolutely expensive.

I’m telling you. Shopping with a purpose at Gordmans will get you the best deals for you.

Shoes usually max my budget. So, I was thrilled to find these Unisa booties for under $50. They’re the perfect wear-with-everything nude for fall.

To complete my look, I just threw on one of my older coats and a party bag, and I was ready to go. Holiday glam!

Location: Central Library, Downtown, St. Louis

Let me know what you find when you shop the latest arrivals at Gordmans. And, stay tuned for an upcoming holiday gift post featuring some of my top finds for gifts. All I’m going to say is there are two items from Gucci that I got at about 60% off.

Matchmaker: African Print Pants Meet Sweater Vest

I did a little shopping when I attended Festival of Nations, a huge international festival in St. Louis, a few weekends ago. I bought a few summery African print pieces primarily for my trip home in December. One of the items I purchased, however, is a cool pair of African print pants that I figured I could make work for early fall. So, here’s how I’m styling them right now.

African print pants

Tank | Sweater vest (option) | Pants | Mahnal earrings | Mahnal choker

I absolutely love vests as transitional pieces. Read more about that in this post. So, when I decided to give these pants a fall vibe, a vest was my first choice. And, luckily, I had a sweater vest in a complimentary olive hue. See this vest also worn here.

Digging my glasses? They’re fake, of course. I found them in H&M, y’all.

My jewelry is by Mahnal, a St. Louis-based, handmade jewelry line. If you’re in the St. Louis area, stop by the Makers Mart on Sunday to shop the jewelry and so much more. Save $5 on your tickets to the event by using the code “ECONOMYOFSTYLE“.

Location: Construction site in Dogtown, St. Louis

Soaking up the Last Summer Festivals in St. Louis

Summers in St. Louis can be so much fun because there are so many festivals, from music fests to art fests. And, our festival season hangs in there until late summer too. Last weekend I attended a couple—the St. Louis African American Artifacts Festival and Bazaar and the St. Louis World’s Fare Heritage Festival. Today’s post shares my summer festival style.

White tank | Colored jeans c/o | Mirrored sunglasses (iridescent style in-store)

Backpack | Mac “Heroine” lipstick with Mac “Heroine” lip pencil

summer festival style

I reached for my brightest jeans, a coral style from Christopher and Banks’s Spring 2017 collection. For festival hopping, I cuffed them and paired them with a white high-neck tank from Old Navy.

I carried my Madewell backpack that day. The saddle leather on the backpack complemented the bright and white combination. The backpack was also convenient for holding my camera and all the other things I wanted to have with me while hopping from festival to festival.

To complete my summer festival style, I reached for my iridescent sunnies. Don’t sleep on H&M, y’all. These sunglasses are only $7.99, but they’re so luxe looking. You’ve seen my silver pair in this post. I liked them so much that I got the same style in this iridescent finish.

While attending the African American Artifacts Festival, I found a stylish handmade necklace. It blended in so well with what I was wearing that I rocked it for the rest of the day.

Location: Downtown St. Louis

Win Big: Tory Burch Bag, Apple Watch, Kate Spade Sunnies

It’s giveaway time! I’ve partnered with a few fellow bloggers to offer a grand prize that’ll keep you organized and punctual this fall. One of you will win a Tory Burch bag, an Apple Watch, and a pair of Kate Spade sunglasses. One winner takes it all. The more entries you make, the greater your chances of winning. So, get in it to win it, my friends!

Apple Watch

See rules and enter via widget below:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway