The Best Shopping Site Ever

Okay, if you haven't ever logged on to www.shopstyle.com LOG ON NOW. This Web site is awesome. First of all, the site allows you to shop a multitude of online retailers ranging from Saks Fifth Avenue and Shop Bop to Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters all in one spot. So, say you want a silver dress, all you have to do is type "silver dress" in the search bar, and you'll get a bunch of matches from more than 20 different online stores. You can just browse by item, like "shoes" or "dresses," or you can shop by the styles they've made up. Click on "5th Avenue" to browse glitzy, high end brands. Choose "Collegetown" for more affordable, offbeat styles. And so on.

Once you become a member, you can add your favorite clothes to your "stylebook" and put looks together for other members to browse. You can also browse a bunch of celebrity looks where stylists at www.shopstyle.com put together outfits to mimic celebrity styles.

All this stuff is great, but the best part about Shop Style is the "set price alert" button. See something you like but don't want to pay full price? Simply click this handy button and insert your email address. They'll email you when your item goes on sale! As a dedicated sale shopper, I've made a habit of frequently going on this site and setting price alerts for all the items I like. It takes the hassle out of finding great deals online!

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Anyone?

Well, tonight I happened to be in the West End and I decided to pop in the Nordstrom anniversary sale. You can also check the sale out online, but there's something extra fun about finding great deals in person.

To start out with, I was quite pleased with myself for managing to avoid the sunglasses sale table. There were Fendi's, Gucci's (including a very tempting rimless pair with big G's on the corners) and Marc Jacobs' for around $120. There were also super trendy Coach's for around $100. I usually end up with a new pair of sunglasses from every sale. If you've been craving designer shades, this is the time to pick them up.

I also skipped the purses, although the selection there included Betseyville, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Hobo and others. I think my favorite bag I left behind was a square-shaped leather Kate Spade. It was very classic and timeless. There was also a great Chole "daytripper" gray leather bag that I would have taken home had I an extra $500 to drop on a bag.

Next, jewelry. There was lots on sale there too including Betsey Johnson, Juicy Couture and Skagen. I picked up a Dogeared "imagine" necklace for a friend. This super dainty sterling silver necklace has a tiny bird on it and comes with a card saying, "make a wish each time you put on your necklace. anything you imagine is possible! let your necklace be a daily reminder of how wonderfully limitless the future is!" I loved this because the bird is cute and not something traditional like a heart or horseshoe. Plus, the saying is simple and nice without being sappy.

I glanced over the shoe sale, but am rarely impressed by shoe sales at Nordstrom (I wait for the Rack), so I quickly headed upstairs. The clothing selection was somewhat limited but there were some good buys. I picked up a super cute green cardigan in the B.P. department for about $25. And, of course, I ended up grabbing a non-on-sale, super glitzy black tank.

In any case, while this sale isn't the best of the year, there are definitely some great deals to be had. It's worth the trip.