New Decade, Same Bettie With a Twist

Well, hello there!

It certainly has been some time since I've been in the blog-o-sphere.  I'm not completely sure what's compelling me to come back after all this time, but, HERE I AM!

It's now officially 2020, a new decade and a new year.  Around this time last year I remember writing out a long list for myself of ways to "live better".  I can't even tell you where that list is now, but I can guarantee that the majority of those things didn't stick for the long haul.

Looking into this year, this new decade, and now being in my thirties, I see a real opportunity to start fresh. I've decided to keep things a bit more simple, with three main goals:

1.) DRINK MORE WATER

2.) Focus more on doing what makes me happy, not just going with the motions, and 

3.) Buy exclusively second hand 

The first one is pretty simple, but to provide some backstory; the past few weeks have been a wake-up call to how I feel in my body and how I've been taking care of myself.  Rather than another long list of new healthy habits, I thought it would be best to start small, and just try to keep myself freaking hydrated.  Baby steps people, baby steps.

#2 was actually something that struck me recently.  Recently I've been forced to keep things very low key, sometimes not really moving from the couch at all.  It resulted in me reading a TON the past few days, and I didn't realize how much I had missed it! Growing up I used to move through books like crazy, but now as an adult I feel like I've gotten too comfortable in the routine of coming home and plopping in front of the TV.  Realizing how much reading sparks joy inspired me to get back to it more regularly, and also intentionally choosing to do other things I love that maybe I recently have abandoned. I guess we'll see throughout the year what those other things may be!

....and number three.  I think this definitely ties to #2 - as you've seen from my previous adventures, shopping it something I absolutely love.  It's therapy, it's fun, and it's a way to bond with people I love!  However, I think this past year I definitely was a little reckless.  I actually started off 2019 with the resolution of no new clothes at all - who was I kidding?  I made it about 5 months (way longer than I thought), but ended up essentially going on a binge to make up for the time of not getting my fix.  I think making every effort to buy only second hand will be a fun challenge for a few reasons:

• I'll need to be more creative!  I'm looking forward to new shops/websites/ways of shopping that I haven't been exposed to before.
• I'll get back to my true bargaining roots - ready to dig back into my favorite thrift and vintage stores!  I'm also hoping that this has a nice effect on my bank account.
• I foresee buying second hand resulting in more thoughtful purchases. Without the opportunity of return policies in most cases,  I'm hoping this drives me to purchase items that I truly love, not just piles of fast fashion I get for cheap.  I want to curate a wardrobe I absolutely adore.
• You can't deny the benefits of shopping second-hand:
• Second-hand shopping can keep money local and supports local businesses and organizations
• Helping with sustainability
• Reducing business to companies that exploit workers in third world countries

I think there will definitely be exceptions here and there with this one (for example, we got tons of gift cards for the holidays, buying handmade stuff from local artisans, definitely not buying secondhand underwear..... etc.), but I think it's a fun and exciting challenge to start the new year.

I'm looking forward to bringing Bettie back in 2020, and can't wait to see what we find!

Until next time!

Bargain or Bust? June Edition

For a while I've been debating trying some of the fast fashion websites I've been seeing everywhere on social media.  You see their items all over Pinterest, their ads are on Instagram, and lately pictures I've been liking from the Like To Know app have been linking there as well.  For those of you who may not be familiar, there are a slew of sites out there (Shein, Cupshe, Zaful to name a few) with items that are on trend and priced ridiculously low.  However, there's the risk that you get what you pay for; I've found a scant amount of reviews about these websites, but the ones I have found have not been very good.  Some have commented on failure to receive their purchase entirely, sizing being completely off (normally too small), and items literally falling apart upon arrival.  With that being said, you all know I just cannot pass up what may be a good deal, so I've decided to start a Bargain or Bust segment of my adventures!  I'll make a purchase from one of these sites, and then review everything about my experience: what it was like shopping there, shipping time, how my items came, and how the items worked out.  Hopefully this can save some of you darlings some trouble, or can lead you to a treasure trove!

I started my Bargain or Bust adventure with Shein.com.  I selected this one in particular because I recently saw a top I LOVED posted by a fashion blogger on Instagram, and Like To Know led me to Shein:

(C)Chictalkch

After looking around the website, the prices were so low I couldn't not take a chance!  Plus, they were offering Free Shipping on any US order, and I received a $3 off coupon for creating an account on their website.

Some initial thoughts while filling my cart:

• There's an overwhelming amount of items on the website, and no real way to filter aside from general category (tops, blouses, dresses, etc.).  I've been searching for a yellow dress in particular, so sometimes those filters are nice to have to narrow down what you are looking for.
• After a while everything seemed to follow the same trends: lots of the light blue color that is in right now (not complaining, I'm a little obsessed myself), tons of ruffle sleeves, grid prints, and tie front shirts.  
• SO MANY CROP TOPS.  Obviously I am all for a good crop top with a high-waisted bottom, but those won't always work for me in the workplace!  
• Like I've read in reviews, the sizing was not standard, and they make it clear to check the the listed measurements for each item.  I really wanted to try this skirt, but the biggest size they have wouldn't fit my waist!  I also read the comments, which were super helpful when it came to sizing concerns.  One girl posted a picture of herself wearing a skirt, but said she ordered a large and she normally wears a small.  That one wasn't going to work for me!
• It's hard for me to believe something is actually embroidered when it's $13.  Stayed away from those items!
• Overall my shopping experience was easy.  There were a few glitches with the website (I put some items on my Wishlist that said they were in stock, but when I went to check out they were out of stock).    

I ended up purchasing these three items:

Following the size guide I ordered a medium in the shirt on the left ($15), a large for the skirt ($17) and the shirt on the right was One Size - my least favorite thing to see! ($10).  I used my coupon code, and my total came to $40.99 with "shipping insurance" for $1.99.

The order, shipping, and delivery process was pretty seamless, but took a while.  I received a tracking number three days after placing my order, and then the package was delivered almost exactly two weeks later.  Not too bad considering the tracking showed the package originated in China.

Packages came neatly wrapped in plastic.  Opening each one up individually, I was actually surprised at how cute they turned out to be - I think I was expecting the absolute worst!  The quality is definitely not there and the material is extremely cheap.  The button up shirt borderline felt like a paper gown from the doctor's office, and when I opened each button threads came out everywhere from the button holes.  When I tried the shirt on to take pictures for you, I noticed a slight thinning of the fabric that I'm sure will quickly lead to a hole.

HOWEVER, with that being said, I was pleasantly surprised by how cute everything was, and more importantly, how everything fit!  Each item actually fit me perfectly.  I had also heard horror stories of items not being anything remotely like the picture online, and I don't think that is the case with my order.  I think my items look like what was reflected, and are darling!

Overall I am pleased with my purchase.  I'll definitely put each item to good use, and with the price, if that use is one wear before it falls apart I will certainly not be too heartbroken!

Rated: Bargain! (with the quality expectation)

Until next time darlings!

xoxo, Bettie