I think he likes them because they are casual but still look nicer than a tshirt. He’s pretty particular about what he wears and I love that he always wants to look nice.

ABOUT THE SHIRT

This classic wardrobe staple has been redesigned to feature:

• Jersey-taped seams on the neck and shoulders add comfort
• Fabric that is heftier and softer than ever before
• No-curl collar that lies flat wash after wash

I think the mesh polo shirt truly is a classic and I love them on guys.

WIN A CLASSIC POLO SHIRT

I’ve got 3 RED POLO SHIRTS to give away.

Leave a comment on this post telling me what you consider a classic today.  (required entry)

Additional, optional entries, leaving each one in a separate comment to count please:

• Share via facebook or twitter, come back here and tell me where you shared. (can be done daily, per social network.)
• Visit Lands’ End and tell me what else you’d like to have from their site.

Giveaway ends on Feb 13th, on or about 10pm CST.  Good luck to all.

Lands End sent me a shirt and offered three to giveaway. All opinions are my own, always.

He was only 14 in that photo. Most folks thought he was older. Of course I didn’t tell him that because he would think that was super cool but I do think it’s a great photo.  Anyways, something else I always talk about is working with brands I love and this photo reflects one of those brands in a big way.  That white t-shirt that looks so good on him, is a Hanes T-Shirt.  I’ve learned throughout the years to buy good quality t-shirts or else you’re gonna have ones that get thin, pile something terrible, or shrink up so much that it now fits the chihuahua instead of you.

Anyways, I’m bringing Hanes up in this post because they have a new comfort rewards program.  As many socks, underwear, t-shirts, and lounge pants I buy that are Hanes brand, I figure I’d sign up and get some perks.  You can enter codes online and receive points that can be redeemed towards all kinds of goodies like travel and of course Hanes products.   I think it’s a great idea for them to do this and while it may increase purchases which is what they’d want, it’s also giving something back to consumers. It’s showing us in a small way that they care and that they want to do something for us.

So the real reward for me is having the chance to work with a brand that I can genuinely say that I love and use every.single.day.  It just feels good to know that way before I became part of the Hanes Comfort Crew online, I was actually part of their crew offline and have been for many years. The rewards program is just icing on the cake.  And if you aren’t aware of some of the great things that Hanes participates in, you should really give them a few minutes of your time.  The charities and organizations that they support blow me away.  Just plain awesome.

Find Hanes here:

Facebook | Twitter | Shop

My initial thoughts just by looking at the jeans –

• Material felt strong/thick ( I hate thin jeans) Was happy to see these were not thin!
• Nice dark denim
• classic fit with a trendy pocket design

Cowboy wore the jeans and really liked them. They were a relaxed fit and I think they actually run a little big.  My husband needed a size smaller, as well as both my boys.

Since we’ve gotten the jeans, we have washed and dried them (in the dryer) and there has been NO shrinking.  This is probably one of my biggest peeves…jeans that shrink.  So happy that these don’t do that and that alone gives Stetson Jeans a big ol’ fat A+ in my book!

So how do they look on Cowboy???  Well judge for yourself.

QUALITY

Unfortunately I think that too many people think that the products that are in these two stores are rejects of some sort BUT THE FACT IS, they are not.  Over 95% of what comes to these stores are FIRST quality like you would buy in finer department stores.

WHERE and WHEN

Do you ever notice how most stores get things in seasonally??  Well not TJ Maxx and Marshalls.  Nope, they get stuff in WEEKLY, insuring that you are getting the latest, hottest trends regularly.  These guys send buyers all over the world (60 countries and thousands of vendors) to bring you the latest fashions.  Huge buying power and it totally sets them apart from others.

COUPONS & SALES

You won’t find them at these stores and in all honestly, there’s no need for it. They already bring you rock bottom prices that are many times, un-freakin’-believable!

Which leads me to one of the games…….

After hearing about the company and how they purchase–etc, we were asked to play a game.  They showed you an item that can be bought in their stores.  You were told how much it would cost in a regular department store and then asked to write down what the TJ Maxx/Marshall’s price was.  Fun huh?? I loved it!  The folks that came closes got their name put into a hat where the winner drawn would win that prize we were determining the price of!  Soo much fun to play and I learned quickly how low the prices were.  Seriously.  I was wrong every time because I was pricing too high.  The final prize???  A Gucci handbag.  ((drool))  I’m sure many of you know what a handbag junkie I am so I wanted to win badly.  The price paid in the high end store??  Over $2,000.   The price paid if bought at TJ Maxx/Marshalls??  $599. OMG, I died  because everything else had been much lower than I thought with the other prices, I went too low. Sadly, I did not win it but was excited for the gal that did.  She hugged it and wouldn’t let it out of her site. Good thing too ’cause I was ready to sneakingly shove it my swag bag.

The point is, we played a super fun game but at the same time, learned all about the off-pricing and just what kind of deals you can get by shopping at these two fine stores.  THAT was my favorite part–Learning mixed with Fun.

HEELLLLOOOOOO EIGHTIES!

Tell me that you didn’t have an outfit like that in your closet!!  You know you did and heck, if you still have it, you’re SOOO gonna be stylin’!  How adorable are those looks??  They brought out some of the cutest fashions ever from Kenneth Cole to Nike and I have to say, they were all WAY under budget compared to what you would pay for them in a regular specialty/dept store.  And you see all those books and toys? Well they’re gonna have even more in their stores. I had no idea that the books were such a hot deal but Alli kept going on and on about it so now I have to check that out. I normally run to the handbag section. heehee

You absolutely MUST get your back to school fashions here, especially if you wanna save some  MEGA BUCKS!  I’m envious of those who get to shop their regularly. Mine is 2hrs away but lemme tell ya, I’d be in there every week to see what’s new.   I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t mean it and I hope you know that.  I freakin’ love these stores!

The event was one of the best.  I had fun, I learned, and I had some memorable 1am girl time with a few lovely ladies.  I met so many other great folks while I was there and since Susan linked their twitter handles, I’ll copy and paste hers. Hopefully she won’t mind!

@gograhamgo, @fashionablegal, @acowboyswife, @petit_elefant, @onechicmama, @alliworthington, @ADramaticMommy,@audreymcclellan, @bostonmamas, @5minutesformom, @susancarraretto, @mommieswithcent, @stacieinatlanta, @akblessings, @jentifa, @3PsinaPod, @mommygoggles, @busymomblog, @jodigrundig, @mindicherry

And  two of the very kind & lovely PR folks holding the event – @sdefino and @happysquid.

One last note…. SAVE THE CHILDREN

Something awesome that T.J. Maxx is doing is helping save the children and you can help too!

Beginning on August 3, all T.J. Maxx stores will carry limited edition reusable shopping bags for $0.99. The bags are designed with Save the Children original children’s artwork, and for each bag purchased, T.J. Maxx will donate one basic item such as; socks, underwear and backpacks to Save the Children’s U.S. programs, up to 25,000 items. This initiative marks 25 years of partnership for T.J. Maxx and Save the Children.

Even Jennie Garth took part by buying one of the reuseable shopping bags!

Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. For over 75 years, Save the Children has been helping children survive and thrive by improving their health, education and economic opportunities and, in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid life-saving assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters. It is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, comprising 27 national, independent Save the Children organizations working in more than 120 countries to ensure the well-being of children.

Thanks so much for an awesome time guys!

(stolen pic)

P.S.  A HUGE thank you to JO-LYNNE for loaning me the extra cash to buy my beautiful leather Bob Makowsky handbag. I had left my wallet at the room but she saved the day for me!!  MWAH!

• maria jeff______01@yahoo.com
• Deanna D j___ill@yahoo.com
• Mandy m____r23@gmail.com
• alice ali____do@gmail.com
• The First Michelle bea____ls@aol.com
• Lethea Benson Lu____es@bellsouth.net
• Kristina La____a35@yahoo.com
• Shaunda sh____hn@hotmail.com
• Rebecca t__b@yahoo.com
• Myranda mc___n02@yahoo.com

My girl Tara got me hooked on this Old Navy Weekly site where you hunt for coupons to use at Old Navy and if you’re lucky enough, you might grab one of those $75 off $100!!  I haven’t been lucky enough to snag of the big ones yet but even the smaller ones like 30% is HUGE.  And with school coming up fast, these coupons can really come in handy.

I was just tickled to death when I was asked to host a giveaway for you guys ’cause I have learned how many people absolutely LOVE Old Navy and I’m a new lover of their stuff.  I even went their yesterday and bought me a cute camp shirt!

So guess what I have for you??

10 winners will receive a printable coupon for $50 off of $100 to use in-store only for the valid dates of July 17th through July 23rd, which means, this contest is gonna be quick!  2 days in fact!

All you have to do is comment here and tell me what you love about Old Navy, about the Old Navy Weekly site, and/or if you’ve won a coupon and what did you by. Chit chat I suppose;) . Is there a particular style they always carry that you love, the price, variety, what???

OH, and guess what?? Entering is unlimited!!! WOOT!  Have at it y’all!

Giveaway ends on July 16th at midnight CST so that you can use your coupon during the valid days.

If  you’re happy with a used Dooney handbag, then ebay is your place.  I have bought and resold numerous handbags at ebay and you can find just about every single style there.  One tip I recommend, is to watch the newly listed and filter it to show only Buy it Nows.  This is actually a common thing for ebay sellers to do. They sit and watch for newly listed items, preying on those selling their high end products for cheap because they need a few bucks quick! Then they swoop in and buy it now and resell it for higher.

If you’re after a new Dooney purse, then you can still go to ebay but I prefer QVC.  If you’re not a member, it takes about 30 seconds to sign up. (read below about new members)

There are a couple of reasons why I buy my Dooney handbags from QVC but the number one reason is easy pay.  Yep, it’s like layaway except you get the item right away, which makes it affordable for people who would otherwise not be able to dish out $300 at once.

Every day, one item is picked to be a Today’s Special Value or TSV for short.  I happen to know that on Saturday (April 11th), the TSV will be a Dooney & Bourke handbag.  {{drooling}}  Check out these HOT colors for Summer!!!

This Dooney & Bourke handbag is called The All Weather Leather Crescent Tote. The leather is divine and is built to last.  Of course, QVC has a 30 day, no questions ask money back guarantee so if it’s not your style once you get it, no biggie.

The All Weather Leather Crescent Tote

This bag retails for $375 which is average for a Dooney handbag.  QVC’s price is $266 BUT since it’s going to be Saturday’s Today Special Value, it will be on sale for $219.80.  This is a heck of deal already but it gets better. It will also be on easy pay!!  A whole 5 easy payments!! YAHOOOO!

So here’s the rundown on costs.

• $219.80  for the purse.
• $10.22    for shipping
• $14.38     for tax
• $244.40  TOTAL

Using the 5 easy pays, I’ll be paying $48.88 for 5mths.  For someone who can’t afford $244.40 in the heat of the moment, using easy pay is a GREAT option. For less than $50 bucks a month, for 5mths, I can have a brand new Dooney.

I do this all the time for many different things.  QVC offers easy pay on TONS of products and easy pay offers can be from 2-6mthly payments.

This is how I afford to buy my Dooney purses.  So do you think I’m buying this one?  What color do you like?

NEW MEMBER SIGN UP BONUS: If you are a new member signing up, you’ll get an instant $10 credit!!!  $10 instant credit for new QVC members only.

I was recently hired by Sears to help promote their clearance sale, offering 75-80% OFF ORIGINAL PRICES ON FALL & WINTER APPAREL from now til April 18th, and because I’m a new fan of frugal, I knew it would be something of interest to you guys!

Sears has been around for a long time and has an excellent reputation.  Probably more well known for their Craftsmen Tools around these parts but offer so much more than that.

Okay, now for the Sears clearance fashions. WOW!!!  I was just browsing through and saw women’s fashions for $3.59! THAT is crazy sales.  And if you really want to be frugal, you’ll stock up on their jackets and coats and save yourself a ton for when next winter comes around.  I saw $120 coats for $14.99.

I saw some CUTE dresses for both casual and evening that I would love to have I’m sure you know how expensive dresses can be right?  This is the exact reason you should take advantage of clearance prices like this.

And see that cute top to the left?  CUTE!  Would look HOT with a pair of black bottoms and nice heels to dress it up or flats for a more casual look.

I thought it would be fun to pick out an outfit, show you the look and how much it would cost!  I took one top and two bottoms.  One casual and one a little more dressy.  I photoshopped these and not very well I might add but you get the idea.

• Top: Apostrophe Banded Bottom Tieneck Top $5.99 Reg. $36
• Capri Bottoms: Apostrophe Solid Essential Crop Pant $10.79 reg. $24.08
• Skirt Bottom: Metaphor Godet Skirt $11.99 reg. $68

and

There are tons of clearance items in every single department so check that out.  Be sure to sign up to get Sears Emails and get $10 in coupons!

These HOT Cowgirl Flip Flops came from Saltwater Cowgirl.  They were extremely comfortable and of course, made me look cool:) I even let my girl Ari wear them when her feet were hurting so bad.  You can find some really chic stuff at Saltwater Cowgirl, not just flops.

I also wanted to point out that I’m wearing a belt.  I think it made me look a bit thinner and less frumpy because I’m still wearing the same size and all (which is a 16/18).  Big girls can look cute too:)  Hopefully this isn’t all in my mind!  THAT would be embarrassing!

If you feel the urge to buy me any jewelry or flops from Saltwater Cowgirl, I wear size 10. Thanks!  heheehehe

See, when you walk into CATO, on the left side, you’ll find all the plus size clothing and on the right, you’ll find regular sizes up to 16 & XL.    I always shop on the left.  I’ve always bought my clothing way bigger than need be but that’s how I am.  I’m insecure and hoping that that 2X shirt will hide the 3 tidal wave rolls I have been given by my blessed children.

Well, yesterday I was shopping on that same side and this cute dark haired beauty says, “hey, can I tell you something?” and I say sure….She says, “you don’t belong on this side.  These are way too big for you.” And I say I’ve always shopped on this side and I am big.  She decides to drag me to the “skinny” side and starts picking out all these clothes that I know I can’t fit in.  You know why?  Because they are Large….Ummmm, I haven’t worn Large since I was a baby.  So I play along and take all those clothes with me to the dressing room.   I try on the first one which was this one:

Now this doesn’t look like much on the hanger but lemme tell ya…it looked freakin’ awesome on me and I NEVER say that about any of my clothing!  I had it on with some black slacks and I was just staring at myself in the full length mirror for about 2 whole minutes.  I looked casual but business casual?  Lots of oooooing and awwwwing over how it looked on me and the color.  And they tell you the truth.  They gave me several thumbs down on other pieces.

So, next up I wanted something more for evening like and this is something I chose myself:)

And yes, it’s in Large…and much more fitting than anything else I wear but it looks good!  My problem has always been buying clothes that are too big on me.  ugh!  And I’m really not a pink girl but I thought this was super cute!

So I wanted a couple of casual shirts and here is the first one that I fell in love with.

Cute huh?  Or no? LOL  You can be honest, I have my big girl panties on!  This next one was picked for me by that cute gal and it looks much better on that it does on the hanger.  It actually shows an hourglass figure which is obviously an illusion of sorts but I’ll take it!

And this next one probably made me look the slimmest and I was so surprised at how it looked on me.  I felt very stylish even though I wasn’t used to so much color!

My husband loves brown on me……so I had to get something that was brown!  I went with a silky belted shirt.

There were more that I bought but I wanted to show you a few at least.  I also splurged on some chunky jewelry that she picked out since I’m jewelry challenged……all of it was clearanced and around $1.99 a piece!

My shopping journey was inspired by Audrey from Mom Generations.  You must read up on her fashion advice people!!  She gave me advice on what to buy and recommended COLOR!  I tried to be more open about what I bought and I’m extremely happy that I stepped outside of the box this time!  I wanted some great looks for all the future conferences that I’ll be attending this year and I think these will fit the bill!

Sooooo, what are your fashion faves or worries?  Do you wear what’s in style, what’s comfortable or are you like me and tend to buy oversized clothing to hide it all;)????

Mine are Laredo…I don’t normally like Laredo but these felt good on the feet at the time I bought them.  If I could recommend a boot, it would be Ariat.  They are THE most comfortable, durable boot ever.  When I worked at Dandy’s Western Wear, I was quite the salesWOman…in fact, a man who only wore Tony Lama his whole life, switched to the pair of Ariats I showed him.  I MADE him try them on and he instantly fell in love.  He even went back a few months later to say hey and let me know he loved the boots.

Anyways, here are my boots…..

And here are my man’s cowboy boots.  He doesn’t wear store bought cowboy boots…he gets them handmade like most real cowboys.  They were made by Henry Jennings out of Stinnet, TX.  I like the green but my favorite pair he had were a pair of yellow tops when we first met.  I loved those boots.  It’s about time for a new pair of boots as you can see.  A GOOD pair of handmade cowboy boots cost on average, about $550.