I guess I could make a series out of this - 'The Great Shopping Binge of 2012'. No, not more e.l.f. stuff but certainly not for a lack of trying. Let me just put it out there - Target.com SUCKS!
Which is what led to this particular shopping expedition, really. I was trying to get some Self Expression By Maidenform dress slip shape wear off of Target's site along with an e.l.f. Beauty To Go gift set and a 3-pack e.l.f. Shine Eraser. I wanted the slip in nude and black which was going for $20.99 each and I wanted free shipping so I chose to get the two e.l.f. products that are unavailable elsewhere. My total came up to $57.xx but I had a $5 off $50 coupon so it ended up being $53.xx. Everything looked hunky dory - I got my order confirmation email and not an hour later, I got my order cancelation email :)
So now I've got rejection on my mind and it irks me when I want something I'm denied. I go by the mentality - I'm paying you, who are you to tell me what I can or cannot buy? Yes, I'm fudging it on the billing address but if you did allow international credit cards for payment then we international shoppers wouldn't have to keep working around your damn system, would we?
What do I do? Go to Amazon.com to see if the shape wear I wanted was on there. Further to the irritating nature of Target is that some of the stuff on their site from outside brands can't even be found on that own brand's website! I checked Maidenform.com and there's no trace of the Self Expression by Maidenform line anywhere on that site - tres' annoying! And this is me basically explaining I couldn't find it on Amazon either. No fret, I found Bali Shapewear instead. And I decided to get this:
It's the Bali Powershape Lux Chemise. It was on sale for $20.14 in Black Medium. I also put the Bali Comfortshape Seamless Full Sculpt Slip in Nude Medium into my cart which was going for $17.xx. So now I have my two Self Expression by Maidenform replacements. And as I was checking my cart, I noticed something I had put in previously was going for a 20-plus dollar discount - the Rebecca Minkoff MAC 13" Laptop Bag. This normally retails for $250 but was now going for $224.xx. I have been eyeing this bag for eons and was definitely feeling the excitement of the markdown. However, I thought over all my purchases and thinking that I just finished clearing my Mastercard bill. Currently, I just have the drugstore.com order ($35.49) on it, did I really want to put on more onto the card? I decided to sleep on it.
The next morning I decided to just checkout the Bali shape wear stuff. Amazon.com always informs you if the price of a product has increased or decreased since you put it into your cart and my irritation came back full circle when I noticed the Bali Comfortshape Seamless Full Sculpt Slip had increased by 3 bucks overnight. I was feeling indignant and based on whatever principle I was thinking about at that time, I immediately removed it from my cart. Then I noticed the Rebecca Minkoff laptop bag's price was now reflecting $207.03. So now it's $42.97 down from the RRP?!?!? Well, I think you can guess what happened next :)
Yup, I got it. This one is so hard to find now. I google shopped this and most places don't have this particular color anymore. The retailers are carrying the latest incarnation which is the two-tone python (not a fan) or the bronze snakeskin embossed version that was released along with this all-black version. Although I do fancy the bronze, I figure it was just too flashy for me. I think that this case (which if I'm honest is basically a leather laptop sleeve with 2 D rings sewn on to the top on each side for the shoulder strap) could also double as a purse/large clutch really. It has a zippered compartment in the front under the decorative clip lock flap and a magnetized compartment on the back which also holds a small removable pouch (I hope! I watched a Zappos.com video on the 15" version and it had the pouch). I do foresee some issues with the strap length since it appears that it's not adjustable but I can always figure something out.
Finally got myself a Rebecca Minkoff piece. So yeah, her stuff is 'Made In China' which isn't my most favorite thing in the world but considering my Foley + Corinna Mid City tote has held up pretty well (not to mention my Coach bags as well), I'll give RM the benefit of doubt. I am a tad worried about this purchase because it's actually really tough to find people who have actually bought this and gave an account of the bag (i.e: construction, how well it held up, actual usage, etc.). I have found no one who's done a post/vlog on this. I am basically buying this relatively 'blind'. I really do hope it works out for me. If, once I get this, I find I absolutely like it, I'm thinking of getting either the RM Covet satchel, a bag I've lusted over since mid-2011, or the RM Jane satchel, which is a play on the Hermes' Birkin from what I've seen. Both bags I love in the embossed croc glossy black style - totes gorgeous (some wordplay there, lol)!
Just checked the shipping status and the RM laptop bag has shipped so WOOHOO! but the Bali chemise is still 'Shipping Soon'. I think that since the bag is coming from the East Coast of the States, it makes its way to wherever the Bali products are shipped from and then the packages will go together. I've been buying enough stuff from online retailers in the US that I've started observing their shipment patterns, hehehe.
I'm going to wait until these 2 Amazon shipments arrive to Portland before I ship my entire haul back. I foresee shipping costing me about 100 bucks, lol. I already have the first F21 order (which needs to be repacked for an additional 7 bucks but will save me 20 dollars) and my e.l.f. order at Portland. The second F21 package is in Portland and waiting for USPS to deliver. My drugstore.com e.l.f. order is also on it's way via UPS from Pennsylvania and now I have my 2 Amazon stuff coming in by the end of next week. I think the stuff will arrive in Homeland only the week after - I'm headed home next Friday for a surprise visit to celebrate my sister's 40th birthday and subsequently my parent's 40th anniversary of becoming parents :) So, my sis sprung for my tix Home and I'm leaving on an evening flight. I will definitely not be able to get any of these stuff while I'm home cos I'm back in Workland on Tuesday the following week. I will have my Strawberrynet stuff in hand though - that arrived on Monday, I think :)
Ok, wish me luck on the whole restraint thing. I can't think of anything else I'd like to buy but knowing me, myself and I, it's possible there just might be something that I get in the interim. My shopping prowess should not be underestimated - even when I'm flat broke!
DISCLAIMER: All images screen capped from Amazon.com
Which is what led to this particular shopping expedition, really. I was trying to get some Self Expression By Maidenform dress slip shape wear off of Target's site along with an e.l.f. Beauty To Go gift set and a 3-pack e.l.f. Shine Eraser. I wanted the slip in nude and black which was going for $20.99 each and I wanted free shipping so I chose to get the two e.l.f. products that are unavailable elsewhere. My total came up to $57.xx but I had a $5 off $50 coupon so it ended up being $53.xx. Everything looked hunky dory - I got my order confirmation email and not an hour later, I got my order cancelation email :)
So now I've got rejection on my mind and it irks me when I want something I'm denied. I go by the mentality - I'm paying you, who are you to tell me what I can or cannot buy? Yes, I'm fudging it on the billing address but if you did allow international credit cards for payment then we international shoppers wouldn't have to keep working around your damn system, would we?
What do I do? Go to Amazon.com to see if the shape wear I wanted was on there. Further to the irritating nature of Target is that some of the stuff on their site from outside brands can't even be found on that own brand's website! I checked Maidenform.com and there's no trace of the Self Expression by Maidenform line anywhere on that site - tres' annoying! And this is me basically explaining I couldn't find it on Amazon either. No fret, I found Bali Shapewear instead. And I decided to get this:
It's the Bali Powershape Lux Chemise. It was on sale for $20.14 in Black Medium. I also put the Bali Comfortshape Seamless Full Sculpt Slip in Nude Medium into my cart which was going for $17.xx. So now I have my two Self Expression by Maidenform replacements. And as I was checking my cart, I noticed something I had put in previously was going for a 20-plus dollar discount - the Rebecca Minkoff MAC 13" Laptop Bag. This normally retails for $250 but was now going for $224.xx. I have been eyeing this bag for eons and was definitely feeling the excitement of the markdown. However, I thought over all my purchases and thinking that I just finished clearing my Mastercard bill. Currently, I just have the drugstore.com order ($35.49) on it, did I really want to put on more onto the card? I decided to sleep on it.
The next morning I decided to just checkout the Bali shape wear stuff. Amazon.com always informs you if the price of a product has increased or decreased since you put it into your cart and my irritation came back full circle when I noticed the Bali Comfortshape Seamless Full Sculpt Slip had increased by 3 bucks overnight. I was feeling indignant and based on whatever principle I was thinking about at that time, I immediately removed it from my cart. Then I noticed the Rebecca Minkoff laptop bag's price was now reflecting $207.03. So now it's $42.97 down from the RRP?!?!? Well, I think you can guess what happened next :)
Yup, I got it. This one is so hard to find now. I google shopped this and most places don't have this particular color anymore. The retailers are carrying the latest incarnation which is the two-tone python (not a fan) or the bronze snakeskin embossed version that was released along with this all-black version. Although I do fancy the bronze, I figure it was just too flashy for me. I think that this case (which if I'm honest is basically a leather laptop sleeve with 2 D rings sewn on to the top on each side for the shoulder strap) could also double as a purse/large clutch really. It has a zippered compartment in the front under the decorative clip lock flap and a magnetized compartment on the back which also holds a small removable pouch (I hope! I watched a Zappos.com video on the 15" version and it had the pouch). I do foresee some issues with the strap length since it appears that it's not adjustable but I can always figure something out.
Finally got myself a Rebecca Minkoff piece. So yeah, her stuff is 'Made In China' which isn't my most favorite thing in the world but considering my Foley + Corinna Mid City tote has held up pretty well (not to mention my Coach bags as well), I'll give RM the benefit of doubt. I am a tad worried about this purchase because it's actually really tough to find people who have actually bought this and gave an account of the bag (i.e: construction, how well it held up, actual usage, etc.). I have found no one who's done a post/vlog on this. I am basically buying this relatively 'blind'. I really do hope it works out for me. If, once I get this, I find I absolutely like it, I'm thinking of getting either the RM Covet satchel, a bag I've lusted over since mid-2011, or the RM Jane satchel, which is a play on the Hermes' Birkin from what I've seen. Both bags I love in the embossed croc glossy black style - totes gorgeous (some wordplay there, lol)!
Just checked the shipping status and the RM laptop bag has shipped so WOOHOO! but the Bali chemise is still 'Shipping Soon'. I think that since the bag is coming from the East Coast of the States, it makes its way to wherever the Bali products are shipped from and then the packages will go together. I've been buying enough stuff from online retailers in the US that I've started observing their shipment patterns, hehehe.
I'm going to wait until these 2 Amazon shipments arrive to Portland before I ship my entire haul back. I foresee shipping costing me about 100 bucks, lol. I already have the first F21 order (which needs to be repacked for an additional 7 bucks but will save me 20 dollars) and my e.l.f. order at Portland. The second F21 package is in Portland and waiting for USPS to deliver. My drugstore.com e.l.f. order is also on it's way via UPS from Pennsylvania and now I have my 2 Amazon stuff coming in by the end of next week. I think the stuff will arrive in Homeland only the week after - I'm headed home next Friday for a surprise visit to celebrate my sister's 40th birthday and subsequently my parent's 40th anniversary of becoming parents :) So, my sis sprung for my tix Home and I'm leaving on an evening flight. I will definitely not be able to get any of these stuff while I'm home cos I'm back in Workland on Tuesday the following week. I will have my Strawberrynet stuff in hand though - that arrived on Monday, I think :)
Ok, wish me luck on the whole restraint thing. I can't think of anything else I'd like to buy but knowing me, myself and I, it's possible there just might be something that I get in the interim. My shopping prowess should not be underestimated - even when I'm flat broke!
DISCLAIMER: All images screen capped from Amazon.com
