Category: Uncategorized

Bottega Veneta The Lug Boot Dupes

Posted on by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

[Disclaimer: If you are looking for exact replicas of the BV Boots this post does not contain those. As I explain on my Gucci Boot Dupes Post I do not support replicas or fakes. For me a dupe is a boot that is inspired by the BV style but is not trying to be the BV boot. So these boots do not have an BV logos on them.]

Chunky style boots are in this year and I love it. I think three styles have really stood out to me- the Gucci boot, the Bottega Veneta Lug boot, and the Prada lace-up boot with pouch. To me what makes the Bottega Veneta Lug boots different from the Gucci boots I already own is that the BV Lug boots have a flat sole and a taller shaft. They have much more of a masculine, cool-girl vibe then the Gucci boots do. Another trait of the BV Lug boots is that they have the double pull tab on them making the look of the boot more unique than the average chelsea boot. Plus these boots are pull on boots with no zippers.

The Original
The Bottega Veneta Lug Boot
$1,100


I want to point out that if you are going to wear these boots a lot it might be worth investing in the BV ones and taking good care of them. I routinely resole my more expensive boots and I would likely do that with these as well…might be foreshadowing a new purchase!

The Slightly Chunkier Version
ASOS DESIGN Aqum premium leather chunky chelsea boots in black
$127

This boot from ASOS is very similar to the original BV design but the bottom sole is chunkier almost giving it a Prada vibe. The boots have the double pull tabs on top plus the higher shaft, both of which make these boots feel like the BV boots. These are also real leather.

The Closest Dupe
Steve Madden Explorer Black Leather
$149.95

These were the closest dupe to the original BV boots. The Steve Madden version are leather with the double pull tab and the tall shaft. Again the difference is in the sole but that would only be noticeable from the side.

The Least Chunky Chunky Boot
Pull&Bear chunky chelsea boots in black
$64.00

These boots are the least chunky of the lug boot style without completely getting rid of the elements that make these boots cool. These boots have the double pull tabs like the BV boots but have less of a chunky looking sole. Plus the shaft of the boot is a little shorter making it easier to style.

The Almost Perfect Dupe
Jeffrey Campbell Tanked Chelsea Boot
$179.95

At first these boots looks like they might be the perfect dupe for the BV Lug Boots. They have the taller shaft, the double pull tabs and a similar tread. But on closer inspection these boots actually have a zipper on the inside of the boot. While this does mean that these boots are different than the BV boots, it might actually be a better style for anyone who does not want to struggle to pull on their boots.

5 Tech Items to Buy for Less This Holiday Season

Posted on by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

Every year there are tech items I want to get for myself. Maybe it’s to make my WFH situation easier (two lawyers who are constantly on phone calls in a small apartment causes many issues!), or something to help improve my blog or Instagram, but I just never get around to buying it. This holiday season I am not going to skip on a present for myself and thanks to eBay the items I have been eyeing are up to 50% off this holiday season. [Spoiler one of the items on my list is 73% off retail. Yes you read that right 73% off!] 

1- JBL E55BT Wireless Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones – Black

$39.95 (73% off retail) 

These headphones are definitely number one on my list. I have been using old Apple iPhone wired headphones that came with my work phone (yes my lovely iPhone 9) for all of my video conferencing calls. I call in with my phone because the headphones do not have the headphone jack ending (they have the lightening ending) so I cannot even plug them into my computer. If my phone audio decides not to work with the video conferencing service, I then have to take my call using my computer as a speaker which drives my husband insane. It also does not help that we always seem to have calls at the same time so either of us being on speaker is very annoying. These bluetooth headphones will solve all of these problems as they can connect to my phone and computer! I call that a win! 

2- Apple – MacBook Air 13.3″ Laptop with Touch ID – Intel Core i3 – 8GB Memory $839.99 (16% off retail)

This was one of my best purchases ever. I am literally writing this blog post from my MacBook Air and I love it. The air is so incredibly light which was very, very important to me when purchasing a laptop. I have back problems so I am always looking at lighter options, especially when I normally carry around two cellphones and two laptops. I highly recommend the Air and this price for an Apple laptop is great! 

3- JBL Flip 5 Waterproof Portable Rechargeable Bluetooth Speaker $119.95 (20% off retail) 

I absolutely love this portable speaker and have been waiting for them to go on sale. One of my friends brought his two JBL speakers to a bachelorette party we were both at and they were amazing. They last for up to 12 hours and are waterproof so they were perfect to have at the pool. Plus you can connect the speakers together, so we could have the same music playing on the deck and by the pool. Since we are currently under stay-at-home orders in CA I will be using mine to play christmas music as I make too many christmas cookies while safely in my house! 

4-Folding Electric Treadmill Portable Running Treadmill with LCD Display $250.99 (55% off) 

I never thought I would have gym equipment (beside some small free weights) in my home but then again I never saw 2020 coming either! So far I have amassed more free weights, a medicine ball and a stationary bike. The next item on my wishlist is a treadmill. This treadmill is perfect for someone like me who lives in a small apartment because it folds up! Plus its a great price point for a runner like me who plans on doing a combination of outdoor and treadmill running and therefore does not want to spend a lot of money on a treadmill. 

5- Garmin Venu Black GPS Watch with Slate Hardware and AMOLED Screen 010-02173-11 $184.99 (47% off retail) 

Currently, since I do not have a treadmill (yet!), I run outside. Because I do not have a Garmin watch I have to map out my runs before I leave the house or else I am not sure how far I have gone. I would love to be able to just leave the house and have the watch track my distance. It would be so convenient because I could run different routes instead of the same one over and over again. Not going to lie the same route gets really boring and then I find excuses not to run. And with the new year coming it’s the perfect gift for a 2021 New Year’s resolution! 

If the slate is not your color I also like this rose gold model that is a bit more expensive but so pretty! 

Shop the Post Below! I liked even more items on sale! 

Thank you to eBay for sponsoring this post. 

Celebrating the Holidays at Home: Baking Cookies with eBay

Posted on by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

I know 2020 has thrown a lot of us for a loop and the holidays are going to look a lot different. But there are some traditions I want to keep up this year and baking holiday cookies is definitely one of them.

For me, baking cookies is an art. I know most people say that you need to measure every ingredient exactly and follow the receipt to a T but I never do! Something about baking just makes me try new things and experiment. I have made some nasty desserts (sometimes you mistake the sugar for salt and the salt for sugar- oops!) and some fabulous desserts! But no matter what type of dessert I am making I always use my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. It makes mixing the ingredients so much easier and I find that the dough is mixed much more evenly mixed- no clumps of butter or brown sugar! Plus without my KitchenAid Stand Mixer I could never get my royal icing to the right consistency. Below is my favorite sugar cookie recipe- seriously it makes the best cookies!

Bargain Hunting Blonde’s Fav Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Makes

48 cookies (but with using cutters and having thicker cookies I normally only get 24-30 cookies out of this receipt.)

Baking Directions

1- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2- In your KitchenAid Mixer Bowl, stir together all dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and baking powder).

3- In the same KitchenAid Mixer Bowl add in sugar and slightly melted butter. Mix till smooth.

4- Beat in egg and vanilla.

5- Roll dough flat on wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

BHB Tip: To get the most consistent shapes (so a candy can that actually looks like a candy cane) refrigerate the dough after mixing and before you use your cutters to cut out the shapes. This allows the dough not to spread out as much when baking.

6- Take dough out and create desired shapes.

7- Bake till golden brown.

8- Let stand until cool.

9-Then frost.

All the gadgets to make holiday cookie baking easier can get expensive but that is where eBay comes in to help. As you all know I love eBay so when I saw that they launched a new certified refurbished line of small kitchen appliances I was excited to share! Shopping certified refurbished small kitchen appliances is not only easy but also a smart way to save money. For example, the same KitchenAid Stand Mixer I use is $359.87 instead of $450. That’s a big savings! Think of all the other certified refurbished goods you could buy with those savings! I linked for you all my mixer as well as some other great certified refurbished small kitchen appliances below, including all the cool add ons you can use with the KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Also if you are purchasing between 11/17 and 11/21 make sure to use code “PAY10LESSCR” for 10% off your purchase ($50 max off). [Link Here.]

Thank you to eBay for sponsoring this post.

Gucci Boot Dupes

Posted on by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com
Barefoot Dreams Cardigan/ Brandy Melville T-Shirt/ American Eagle Curvy Mom Jeans/ Louis Vuitton Pochette Metis and Gucci Boots

As promised here is the much awaited blog post with the best Gucci Boot “dupes” I could find. To me a dupe is something that takes the look of the item (in this case chunky heeled chelsea boots) and makes it their own. They do not try to pass themselves off as being from Gucci. As a reminder I DO NOT condone and WILL NOT be posting exact replicas of these boots. The Gucci “GG” logo is definitely trademarked and likely copyrighted by the company so I respect their IP and do not post these items. Also replica is just a nicer word for counterfeit or fake. Fakes are shown to be made by child labor and the proceeds from the items benefit terrorism. No one “needs” these boots so honestly its better to not buy them then to buy fakes.

As a reminder, the boots pictured below are the Gucci boots I am talking about. They retail at $1,100. I bought them in a 40.5 and they fit me perfectly. For reference I wear a 39.5 in the Gucci Brixton loafer (because or else my feet slip out of the loafer) and a 40.5 in the Princetown mule. I have seen them go on sale and bought mine on sale when Barneys was closing. The place I see them on sale the most is Jomashop. I have also seen them preloved on Fashionphile.

Gucci Boot Dupes

  • Steve Madden Amulet Black– $129.95 (This is probably the closes dupe to the Gucci boots since it does have the jewels on top. They do seem a little bit like a replica to me but they do not use the GG logo, say Gucci on the back of the boot or have the snake tread so they pass the Sam test- barely.)
  • Sam Edelman Justina Chelsea Boot -$149.95 (similar to the Gucci boot without the strap but a little less chunky for those who do not want such pronounced treads)
  • Target Cai Double Gore Boots– $39.99 (these are the second cheapest on the list. They do resemble the Gucci boot but also have the double pull tabs which remind me of the Bottega Veneta boots.)

Trying to be a More Conscientious Buyer

Posted on by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com
Fabletics leggings (which I wore 3 times that week), Glasson crop top, Topshop cardigan, Nike Air Force 1s and Louis Vuitton Pochette Metis. The only new piece of this entire outfit was the crop top…which I have already worn a couple more times.

Starting last year I realized that I was honestly buying too much stuff. I had to move in the Spring of 2019 very suddenly (our 180 unit apartment complex was kicked out with 6 weeks notice so they could re-do the units and charge more) and realized as I was packing that I had so much clothing that I had not worn or had only worn once.

I realized that I was buying just to buy or buying to have in my closet or buying to take just one picture. This made me realize how bad this was for so many reasons. It was bad for the environment, as a lot of the pieces were fast fashion. Fast fashion is not produced in an environmentally friendly way and since it is not very good quality is often disposed of after a couple wears. Plus fast fashion is often not made in the most ethical of circumstances and the more we all learn about brand supply chains the more we realize that we shouldn’t be purchasing from them. My buying habits were also a huge drain on my budget, especially since the cost per wear of the items were so low…and some of them were not so cheap! I had so many items were I had bought multiple of the same item and then realized I only really liked the initial color I had bought. I also had done the same with shoes…which had the same result. And lastly, moving all that clothing was NOT easy. I know this sounds funny but it made moving so much harder and while I was unpacking I realized even more how many of the items I did not wear. At this point I knew I needed a lifestyle change.

As part of my lifestyle change, I decided I was going to try to be a more “conscientious buyer.” To me this means that before I add an item I will think about how it will work in my wardrobe and if I have anything like it. I will try to buy from more environmentally friendly brands but also recognize that I have a budget and will not be able to do that for every piece. For the pieces that I do buy from more fast fashion like brands, I will pay attention to the composition of the item (which can really influence how long the item will last if properly cared for) and how trendy the item is. There is nothing wrong with buying a couple trendy pieces but in general I want to stick to more classic pieces. By sticking to classic pieces I can buy higher-quality, more-expensive pieces and stay in budget since I am buying less!

Who knows maybe next year I will put a limit on the number of pieces I purchase..like 21 for 2021?

Being a Conscientious Buyer Ground Rules

  1. Buy Less in General
  2. Buy Less Fast Fashion and More from Sustainable Brands
  3. If Buying Fast Fashion, Check the Composition of the Item
  4. If Buying Fast Fashion, Limit the Number of Trendy Items
  5. If Adding New Pieces to My Wardrobe, Try to Buy Classic, Higher- Quality Pieces
  6. If Adding New Pieces to My Wardrobe, Consider if There is a Gap in My Wardrobe it is Filling

Sometimes It’s Best to Go Vintage- Prada Edition

Posted on by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

The trend of every fashion house digging in their archives for inspiration is still going full stem ahead. One of the fashion houses riding this trend all the way to the bank with their nylon. Their nylon backpack has always stuck around but now they have re-release the Prada Re-Edition 2000 and the Prada Re-Edition 2005. These bags have brought the brand to the younger generation and are often sold out. These nylon bags have become so popular that Prada is now also releasing them in their saffiano leather. Luckily for those willing to hunt for a deal (or read my blog) these bags can be found for way under their $775 price point (for the Re-edition 2000).

Prada Black Nylon Shoulder Bag

Nothing more classic than black Prada nylon. Black nylon is what started off this cult classic and ages very well- so well in fact it can be hard to tell the age of some of these vintage bags!

  • Prada Black Nylon Shoulder Bag– $628.20
  • Prada Black Nylon Shoulder Bag– $628.20

Prada Red Nylon Shoulder Bag

This red color is seriously stunning and a great way to differentiate yourself from all the other Prada nylon lovers who buy black. Also since it is NOT black the price point tends to be cheaper.

  • Red Nylon Shoulder Bag– $454.10
  • Red Nylon Shoulder Bag– $474.05
  • Red Nylon Shoulder Bag– $480

Prada Black Braided Nylon

If you like black but do not want to have the same bag as everyone else this bag is for you! I only found this one when searching the Internet so it is really unique. This baby is $448 and can be found here.

Unique Bespoke Graduation Invitations from Basic Invite

Posted on by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

Screen Shot 2020-03-10 at 11.02.48 AM

My husband is graduating from law school this year! (Yes that makes 2 lawyers in one house so let’s say arguments can get very interesting!) I am very proud of him as I know how much work, time, and effort goes into finishing law school. So to celebrate I am planning a casual celebration of our friends and family! I generally love event planning so I was very excited that my husband left me free reign over everything including the invites! I turned to Basicinvite.com to work with them to design the perfect grad party invites. (They do college graduation invitations, senior graduation party invitations and high school graduation invitations as well!) They have a large selection and so many ways to customize the invitation to make it uniquely yours.

Screen Shot 2020-03-10 at 11.01.20 AM

Make it One-of-a-Kind

From trendy to classic styles, there are so many grad invites to pick from. One of the ways that basicinvite.com is different from other websites is that they allow customers infinite color combinations, with instant online previews! You can change the color of each element on an invitation or card, with over 180 different colors to pair. As you can see below there are four different colors you can change on this invitation as well as the ability to “refine colors” which gives you even more options. This means that each invitation or card you make is uniquely yours and no one else will have it!

Screen Shot 2020-03-10 at 10.02.06 AM

Matching Graduation Thank You Cards

I know some people think that thank you cards are antiquated and old-fashion but I love receiving them. It makes me feel like someone appreciated my gift. I think people do not write thank you cards because there is a big question around what do you write in a graduation thank you note? I think writing a note from the heart, thanking them for the gift and saying something like what you plan on doing with the gift (if its money) or how you have already used the item or plan to use the item is perfect. It does not need to be long- just heartfelt. Plus, I love that basicinvite.com has matching thank you cards to their graduation invitations. It keeps a nice theme running throughout the event and they are so cute and classy. As you can see below I customized the colors to match the invitation above!

Screen Shot 2020-03-10 at 10.33.56 AM

PLUS Free Address Collection Service!

To me this is the best feature that basicinvites.com has. I do not know if you have ever tried to collect addresses for a big event but it is really hard! We mainly communicate via texts, emails, and social media, so we never have each others physical addresses. And to make it harder we move a lot, especially when graduating and starting a career. Basicinvite.com helps you navigate this by using their free address collection service to request others addresses with just three simple steps. Share a link via social media or email, collect addresses, and get free envelope printing.

Want to check out basicinvite.com‘s social media? Look up @basicinvite to get invitation or card inspiration on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

This post is brought to you by basicinvite.com. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Festival Season Bags- Part 2

Posted on by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

Festival season often means the trendiest bags are out and about. But what if those trendy bags were actually vintage inspired and there was a cheaper version? Well that is what we are talking about today in part 2 of festival season bags! (Also as I noted in my first post these are just great spring bags.)

If you have been paying attention circle bags have been back for a bit and are still going strong. They have this fun vintage canteen vibe and seem to fit in perfectly in the desert. Louis Vuitton has recently some more recent version with their boite chapeau line (or hat box line) but they are very very pricey. Luckily for us, there are budget friend versions available as well.

LV Jeanne.jpg

mansur gavriel circle bag.jpg

gucci round bag.jpg

gucci ophidia bag.jpg

Gucci Marmont Round Shoulder bag.jpg

Festival Season Bags- Part 1

Posted on by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

Festival season is coming (and even if you don’t go to festivals Spring and Summer is coming which brings along with it concerts, picnics, and bbq!) and that means news clothing and accessories! And by that I mean handbags!

I personally don’t like to spend a lot on bags I know are going to get roughed up a bit- that dust in Indio is no joke! Plus when events are outside I just feel that there is a higher likelihood the bag gets damaged somehow. That’s why I like to buy preloved bags for these events. Below are some of my favorite deals for bags I think are “classic” festival bags- part 1.

Bag 1- Chloe Faye Small

The Chloe Faye (in the small size) is a classic festival bag that has been around for a couple of years. It’s going to hold all your essentials plus some and has a very boho/ western vibe. The one drawback on this bag is the suede. Suede doesn’t wear the best but with a spray like this from Amazon you should be able to keep your bag in good condition. Plus if you saved a bunch preloved a little wear on the back of the suede is fine! Retail is $1,390.