Fashion Finds - Nordstrom's Half-Yearly sale!!!!

Sunday, December 30, 2018


This post was sponsored by Nordstrom and contains affiliate links (I will receive a percentage of commission if you make a purchase through one of my links.) 

Not only does Nordstrom's half-yearly sale offer great prices on gorgeous clothing, shoes and accessories, but you also get free shipping and easy free returns on all your purchases!

I'm in love with this Leith dress, which comes in several other short and long styles (including plus sizes) - and the price is SO right (if your size is out of stock, keep checking back! These have been restocking.) It's very flattering on different body types. Also it can be dressed up or down. (The grey color would look great with a denim jacket and more casual shoes.) I'm wearing the 'purple magenta' color above with Calvin Klein slingback heels, Nordstrom stockings and a Karine Sultan necklace. If you're between sizes, go up in the Leith dresses. I'm wearing a small (and I'm 5'8" for reference, normally size 4.)

I grabbed this tank style in two colors for our upcoming vacation. Lots of color options!


The Kut from Kloth Diana corduroy skinnies (pictured above and below) are on sale in lots of colors - I chose black since it goes with everything! They fit more like jeans than like leggings (fitted, but you can wear them with a shorter top OR this Treasure and Bond chunky sweater as I did below.) The Diana skinnies are generously sized, if between sizes, go down.

BP leather booties are also on the sale - I grabbed the grey last year (my fave!!! It's one of the current options too.) and metallic ones this year. They run a little small so go up half a size from what you normally wear. A couple of other options, including a higher heeled version and a flat heel version, are here. BP Combat booties here.

BP is also great for really affordable basics like this cami and this V-neck. Lots of color/pattern options here.


Definitely take a few minutes to check out the entire Nordstrom half-yearly sale here. Don't miss the beauty sale, Kids' markdowns including Mini Boden, jewelryHunter Boots, Kate Spade, Zella and more! You can shop my looks above by clicking the pics below (and remember, if something is sold out in your size, check back - items have been restocking!)


My fantastic Gucci suede hobo bag (under $300!!!)

Friday, December 21, 2018



Free People Laguna thermal top with Kate Spade earrings and Gucci vintage chocolate suede hobo bag 

This post was sponsored by eBay and contains affiliate links (I will receive a percentage of commission if you make a purchase through one of my links.) 

In case you don't get exactly what YOU wanted this holiday season... what would you say if I told you I got this big, gorgeous, chocolate brown suede Gucci bag for under $300? I seriously DID! eBay has introduced an authenticate program here. Experts carefully verify items' authenticity before it is listed so you can be sure it is the real deal!

eBay Authenticate covers pre-owned watches, jewelry and handbags (including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel and others!) You can sort by price and by brand.


Although my bag is an older "vintage" style, it is soft, supple, and in immaculate condition inside and out! An absolute steal when you consider that new Gucci bags run in the thousands of dollars. You can check out other Gucci Authenticate handbags and wallets here.

You can also get the Free People top I'm wearing in the first photo here, and Kate Spade earrings from the same collection here. Close up pic below. Check out other fine jewelry on eBay here and fashion here.


81% of eBay items for sale at any given time are brand *new* and have a 'buy it now' option, and with over a billion listings (yes, billion!!) you have lots of options!


You can also check out  eBay's Daily Deals page. Shop my look and check out some of the other eBay Authenticate designer handbag offerings in the links below!


Fashion finds - Holiday Loungewear and super cute boys PJs!

Tuesday, December 18, 2018


This post was sponsored by Walmart and contains affiliate links (I will receive a percentage of commission if you make a purchase through one of my links.) 

Check out these very cute cotton pjs I got for the boys! For myself I got these silky soft PJs by Splendid. (My pjs run true to size, the boys run a little small after washing so size up!) In addition to their own everyday basics, Walmart now partners with Lord and Taylor to bring you a huge range of premium fashion, so you can get budget items and higher end brands in one spot! And a $35+ purchase gets you free shipping on everything! 

If you need a last-minute gift for a teen OR an adult who doesn't take herself too seriously, then you should get her a pair of my polar bear slipper-socks. They are lined with incredibly soft fur, the bears are sewn on separately, and they have the little dots on the bottom so you won't slip while wearing them. They come in puppy and bunny too. (Note: also good for older kids. My son has claimed these as his own so I need to buy another pair. Size says 9 - 11 but they fit my size 8 feet just fine.) 





Bedding shown is from Walmart too - the striped duvet and shams are lovely in person - they're organic cotton and come in various sizes here.




Shop our looks in the link below! 

Walmart Fashion Finds! Winter cashmere, black skinny Levi's, block heel boots

Wednesday, November 28, 2018


This post was sponsored and contains affiliate links (I will receive a percentage of commission if you make a purchase through one of my links.) 

Winter is the perfect time for cashmere! I am especially drawn to pinks and purples like this cashmere turtleneck sweater I'm wearing above. Shown with Levi's black skinnies, a cashmere scarf and block heel booties. And I got all of it from Walmart! In addition to their own everyday basics, Walmart now partners with Lord and Taylor to bring you a huge range of premium fashion, including lots of super soft cashmere!!

Walmart now has fashion options for *every* budget - you can grab anything from comfy lounge wear to a gorgeous evening dress! You can combine high and low price pieces to make great outfits and everything ships free with a $35 purchase! Check out their gift guide also, for jewelry, outdoor accessories, cashmere, and lots more!

Here's another view of my outfit. Levi's are my go-to for everyday skinny jeans. (Also, not shown here, but this style is under $20 and amazing!!! Try the 'flawless' wash.)



The scarf is so soft and would make an amazing gift!! There are  lots of other options in the premium brands shop too. 



These  Booties are by Brinley Co. and are vegan! They come in  several colors. These are from Walmart's everyday basics line. I'd say go down half a size as they run a bit big. This is a great heel height that looks good and is comfy to walk in. They laser cut detailing is a nice touch! 


Shop my look from the links below!

Amazing gift alert - Dyson!!!

Monday, November 19, 2018

Top by Free People, Frye Boots, Seven for All Mankind jeans
This post was sponsored and contains affiliate links (I will receive a percentage of commission if you purchase through my links.) However... these are my honest opinions and I have LOVED Dyson since long before this post!

I've posted about Dyson on the Sample Sale Mom page for years now, but never until now about this... Did you know that Dyson has its own direct outlet store on eBay? You can grab a V8 Absolute (refurbished or new) like mine above for a wonderful gift (or for yourself, to get your home ready for holiday guests!) I bought one for my mom and dad. You can also get their incredible (and beautiful) hairdryer, or lots of their other products for less!

eBay isn't just for second hand items any more - In fact, 81% of good sold on eBay are NEW with buy it now option! Lots of other major brands (including Kitchenaid) sell directly on eBay too! Check out lots of eBay's home items (from decor to appliances) here.


With the V8 Absolute, you get both a lightweight stick vac (SO easy - you can use it one-handed for stairs) and a hand vac, since the wand part pops right off. And it is great for picking up pet hair. You can see how excited Felix is about it! : )


We primarily use ours on hardwoods and tile, but the Absolute comes with a special attachment for carpets as well. It's super easy to pop off one head and put on another. The Absolute also has a regular setting and a "max" setting. The battery life is great, and it can hang on the wall to charge.

It's also extremely easy to empty. You just pull the red handle on the top and the bottom pops open over the trash. My 9 year old can do it.


You get all these attachments with the V8 Absolute (some, like the crevice tool, are handy when you use it as a hand vac.) Not only is this a great vacuum, it's also lovely, design-wise. 


Love mine, highly recommend it and use it constantly! Below, check out the V8 Absolute and some other cool Dyson products on eBay where you can grab them for less!!! You can also check out  eBay's Daily Deals page. 


Walmart Fashion Finds! Asymmetrical-Hem Sweater, High Waist Skinny Jeans, and Two-Tone Earrings

Friday, November 16, 2018


This post was sponsored and contains affiliate links (I will receive a percentage of commission if you make a purchase through one of my links.) 

Although I'm not a big fan of the Winter, I do love grabbing some new cooler weather clothes! Above I'm wearing a Calvin Klein asymmetrical-hem sweater, (choose color first, then it will show available sizes), Miss Selfridge skinny jeans (more styles here), Robert Lee Morris Soho two tone earnings, and Brinley Co. (vegan) booties. And I got all of it from Walmart! In addition to their own everyday basics, Walmart now partners with Lord and Taylor to bring you a huge range of premium fashion.

Walmart now has fashion options for *every* budget - you can grab anything from simple cotton tees, to designer handbags and Ray Ban sunglasses! You can combine high and low price pieces to make great outfits and everything ships free with a $35 purchase! Check out their gift guide also, for jewelry, outdoor accessories, cashmere, and lots more!

My sweater comes in a few colors and it's at a great price right now. Here's a view of the back detailing:


It has a nice texture and I love that the sleeve length is nice and long. Runs true to size. This would be a great top for moms who are nursing, since the V in front opens all the way to the top for easy access! You can see the material here with the Robert Lee Morris Soho two tone earnings.



This was my first time wearing 'deconstructed' denim - love these Miss Selfridge jeans! They are true skinnies (tight down to the calf) and have a higher waist than most. You may want to go up as they run a little small. (I'm wearing a 4 - my usual size, and they fit like denim leggings.)

Booties are by Brinley Co. and are vegan! They come in several colors. These are from Walmart's everyday basics line. I'd say go down half a size as they run a little big. This is a great heel height that looks good and is comfy to walk in. They have pretty laser cut detailing as you can see below.


Shop my look from the links below!


Recent Online Finds (late October) - Lush, Frye Boots, Patagonia, Yeti, Toms, Wine (!!!)

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

This post contains affiliate links. I will be compensated a small % of commission 
if you make a purchase through one of my links. 

Make sure to join our Sample Sale Mom Facebook group where you can find fantastic deals on fashion, home stuff, toys and tons more!!!! And follow me on Instagram here!

This week I got my first Lush classic roll tab tunic and I will definitely be buying this in more colors!!! This week it's on sale here and also here. You probably want to size down. I'm 5'8" and wearing an XS. I ordered a small also to compare and that one is too big (I'm rarely an XS, normally an S and sometimes a M.) Length is nice and long even with XS, and you can wear it with leggings.

I also got these gorgeous Frye Melissa zip back boots. I ordered from the Rack but they're no longer in stock there (worth checking back though.) You may want to go up half a size on these - they run a little tighter than my other Fryes - although they do stretch some as you wear them. Also I found the zippers were sticky at first at the bottom, so I put rubbed some chapstick onto either side of the zipper and zipped them up and down a few times to loosen them up (great trick - works amazingly well!!) They have that divine leather smell and look so nice! Shown with 7 for All Mankind skinny jeans.

Love the zippered-back look!
I ordered this Patagonia Better Sweater for my son. It's in between a sweater and a jacket. Since it's not quite Winter-jacket-weather yet, he layers this with his blue North Face fur-lined hoodie. Great for days when it's really cold in the morning but warms up later in the day. He's 11 and wearing a large, which fits perfect!


A couple of GREAT gift-y things I picked up (but I bought them for myself!) Got an insulated Yeti coffee mug, since I was sick of having to microwave my coffee 3 times (they come in a bunch of color options - make sure to buy only from the seller "Yeti Authorized" since they are currently the only authorized dealer on Amazon.) Also bought some Death Wish Coffee - which is quite tasty (strong!!!) and I'm a sucker for great package design!


Another cool gift, for those who want to be more environmentally-friendly - reusable, all cotton produce bags! You get a big set of 9 in various sizes (which is plenty for us.) My husband was excited about these (which is good, since he's the one who usually gets stuck doing the shopping!)


Got a great deal on these off-season Toms from Nordstrom Rack - they run true to size and they are very comfy (surprisingly). They seem to keep restocking different styles. If you're going to be shopping the Rack, make sure to check out the steals on Brooks running shoes and Barefoot Dreams blankets too!


Last but not least, I got three delicious (well I've only tried one, but that one IS delicious) bottles of wine from Firstleaf for under $20!!!! This is an intro offer, after that you'll be enrolled for future deliveries at about $15 per bottle, including shipping. I'm going to continue mine since it's both easy and cost-effective, but you can cancel any time after getting the initial shipment. Wine makes a great gift too!



Shop a few of the items in this post by clicking the pics below!!!



Recent Online Finds (October) - Barefoot Dreams, Levi's, Naketano, Urban Decay, Converse

Monday, October 15, 2018

This post contains affiliate links. I will be compensated a small % of commission 
if you make a purchase through one of my links. 

For any of you who don't already know, we have a Sample Sale Mom Facebook group where you can find fantastic deals on fashion, home stuff, toys and tons more!!!! We currently have over 94,000 members! Join us here. And follow me on Instagram here!

It's October, so time to put away all the Summer tees and get out our sweaters and boots!! Here are some of my (mostly very recent) purchases that I've been extremely happy with!

Above wearing my extremely SOFT, cozy, amazing sweater from Barefoot Dreams. Lots of options at Nordstrom - (including socks!!!) also a few options currently marked down at Nordstrom Rack (limited sizes in the cardigans at the time I'm posting, but they have robes too!!!) I'm usually a S but went with a M in in the Cozychic style because it runs a little tight in the arms. M is absolutely perfect, and it washes well too. Also shown - Hunter boots (often marked down in various colors here.) Dark wash Levi's pull on jeans and a white BP tee.


Speaking of Barefoot Dreams, they make these incredible, soft, beautiful blankets too!!! Get them at Nordstrom or Nordstrom Rack when in stock. These would make a perfect holiday gift. Everyone fights over this one at my house so I just ordered another.


I just got this Naketano jacket - it's so well-made (nice detailing, flowered lining and little touches, the inside of the hood is super soft.) As of the time I'm writing this, this exact style of jacket is sold out, but there are over 1,000 other Naketano items on Amazon. Note that the hoodies run really small so size up TWO sizes on those - but I find the jackets are pretty true to size. I'm wearing my normal size, small, in the pic above. Also note.. this is a German brand and some of the names are a bit, er... obscene. You'll see what I mean if you look at enough of them.


Shown here, Athleta tank (love these, they are nice and long for us tall people!), Oalka leggings (similar to Lululemon but way less expensive!) and Brooks sneakers, which you can often score a great deal on at the Rack.



Best inexpensive jeans ever!!! You can find the  lighter wash of these Levi's here (click 'more' in the listing to see all sizes available) and both the  lighter or darker wash here. However, they are often out of stock or backordered due to their popularity. Very comfy, look great, and there is no hardware (snaps, zippers) to dig into your waist. They have a soft, thick waistband too. 

The  Frye boots I'm wearing are 15 years old!!! They last forever with a trip to the cobbler every year or two. 


Get the Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow palette  here or  here or this  other set here - all on sale! Goes on easily, stays on ALL. DAY. Gorgeous colors for Fall!! I have several of these and cannot get enough of them! It's hard to see scale from the photo, but these are quite large. 


The perfect shoes for Spring, Summer and into Fall  Converse Shorelines. They're  on sale today here! I have two colors so far and I feel like I need to get  red ones too! 

Shop a few of the items from my post by clicking the pics below!!! 



Outfit of the Day - Favorite Thermal Top & Skinny Jeans

Monday, February 12, 2018


Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of our links, Sample Sale Mom will receive a small percentage of commission.

I love this Free People thermal top so much, I just ordered a couple more colors!!! I'm wearing a small and I'm 5'8" - it runs quite big so if you're shorter, you may want to size down. It also runs long in the arms - which I LOVE. You can wear it with or without the thumbholes (see more pics below.) The top works on a variety of body types (it's meant to be oversized and it's long, especially in the back, so you can wear with skinnies or leggings.)

Jeans are Kut from Kloth and are here and here in different washes. They run a little bit big compared to other jeans - I'm wearing size 2.

Shoes are by Under Armour. They run true to size, and I found the band was tight at the ankle when they first arrived - but don't worry, they stretch out and mine are now super comfy. Check the different colors as they vary in price.


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Outfit of the Day - Black Dress, Patterned Stockings, Sock Booties

Saturday, February 10, 2018


Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of our links, Sample Sale Mom will receive a small percentage of commission.

I wore this outfit out to dinner on my birthday. I thought it looked great AND I was totally comfortable (you can eat in this dress while not feeling squished, it is nice and soft and has a fitted waist but not a tight waist at all.) By Lark and Ro, very budget friendly and it's available in black or purple. Some reviews say they thought it runs big. I think it runs just slightly big. I'm wearing a small here and I'd say it fits comparably to a generous 4 or small 6. Free returns if you get the size wrong. The dress has a nice lining and it's thick material, so it's extremely versatile and can be worn almost year round (might get too hot in the Summer though since it is lined.) Would be great if you work in an office and then want to turn around and go out immediately after work.

Here's a close up of the fabric. You can see it is princess cut so it nips in at the waist and has piping along the curves, which is very flattering.



There are lots of options for patterned stockings out there, depending on what pattern you want. Amazon has their own house brand. More similar to what I'm wearing here and here. Also these ones seem like a fantastic deal.

I love the sock booties trend and there are LOTS of options out there in every price range. Can you guess which are the most and least expensive here? I'll give you a hint, the most and least expensive look almost identical. Links below the pic.



1. Ziginy Pointed Toe Bootie
2. Stuart Weitzman Glove Suede boot (these are an absolute steal at post time, but limited sizes)
3. Splendid Rosinda Knit Bootie
4. Stuart Weitzman Cling Stretch Bootie 
5. Chinese Laundry Craze Bootie
6. Mossimo Supply Sock Bootie

I love the sock bootie look - I find it very difficult to find closed toe black heels that I love, and I don't always have a perfect pedicure to go with open toe styles.

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