In many ways, I’m your average jeans-and-t-shirt girl: my style tends to be comfy, basic, and low-maintenance. Still looks can be deceiving, because I love shopping. I love the thrill of a good bargain- instant bragging rights. Here are a few of my latest finds:

– Steve Madden Oxfords: $16.99 My friend Eleni described these as a “funky”, and I have to agree. I don’t know about elsewhere, but oxfords were a huge spring trend up in New York. I picked this pair up at a Ross during spring break. Zappos.com “sale” price: $69.95. Win.

– Sundress: $4 I’ve already worn this a couple times, which means it survived through the washer! I bought it in the Bronx, and then found the same brand dress at Ross this summer, for twice the price. (I know, that’s only $8, but still.)

– Nautical Headband: $1The nautical trend is also big for Spring/Summer ’10, and this cute headband (the print has anchors) is an easy way to incorporate the look. I bought it from a street vendor in the Bronx. The original price tag was still attached- $5. (Hey, those $4 are almost a roundtrip subway ride!)

– Cocktail Dress: $14.99

Another item from Ross! Because it’s cotton, this is pretty casual as far as cocktail dresses go, but it’s perfect for summer.

One item that was on my wishlist for a while was a (preferably straw) fedora. Last week my mom and I finally made a trip to Sawgrass Mils, our local mall (and the 6th biggest in the U.S.). Turns out this was a bad idea, because I was way too successful at shopping. It lead to a mini-shopping spree…

First stop: Target, the promised land. To the best of my knowledge, even though Target takes out giant ads in Times Square, the only location actually in New York City is in the Bronx, just a bus ride away. I’m usually too tired/lazy to make the trip, which is probably a good thing. Whenever we go, my mom and I head straight to the kids’ department. I know, it sounds weird, but the clothes are cheaper, fit me better (I’m petite so XL is usually the right size for me), and I like the styles better.

– Tiered Skirt: $9.99I’m glad this style skirt is back, because it makes my inner hippie happy. (For the record, I got the tank top last year for $3 at Dillard’s clearance.)

– Xhilaration Dress: $14.99; $12.00 on saleI officially have nowhere to where this to. Still, once I tried it on, it was love and the dress was coming home with me. The colors are amazing though, which makes the leopard print that much more fabulous.

– Mossimo Dress: $14.99; $12.00 on saleThe plan was to only buy one dress… it didn’t work out. I couldn’t get a decent close-up of the print, but it has paisley and peace signs and it’s adorable. I love the ruffles too. Oh, and the straps are braided- it’s in the details, people.

– Fedora, $12.99 I can’t rock the fedora as well as my friends Alyssa and Vincent, but I’m still pretty happy with it. It’s not straw, but the tan color and decent fabric is probably more versatile in retrospect. I found cheaper ones, but I guess I have a small head or something, because they didn’t quite fit. Which is too bad, because thirteen bucks for a hat seems to be pushing it… then again, baseball caps are ridiculously priced.

You’d think with four new buys, I’d be done. Wrong. My mom (again, I blame her) introduced to me a new store, right next to JcPenny Outlet. Everything in the store is five dollars. That’s right, $5. For my South Florida people, next time you’re at Sawgras, go there! Sure, some of the stuff there is horrendously tacky, but there’s hope. Case in point:

– Chambray Jacket: $5I think this is originally meant to be a chambray shirt, which is just too ’90s for me. I’m wearing it as a lightweight alternative to the once-again-hip denim jacket. It’s also a nice change from the usual cardigan. I wish I had a black floral dress to pair it with, but next time I go shopping, it’ll be thrifting. (After this trip, I’m done buying new clothes until back-to-school season.)

– Denim Skirt: $5

No explanation necessary- it’s your basic tiered denim skirt, by The Limited. And yes, I intend to pair it with tees and tanks. (And I didn’t notice until upload, but it seems the tank here and my room are the exact shade of cucumber/lime green.)

– Tunic: $5

Cute, comfy, and bohemian. It’s all embroidered and the original Sears price tag of $14.99 was still attached. What’s there not to like?

The total cost of my mini-shopping spree? Just under $67, including taxes. On average, that’s less then 10 bucks a piece.

I realize this was an excessively long post, but I have a problem (clearly). I want to hear from you guys though- what are your tips for bargain shopping?

~ Sarah

P.S. Thanks to my brother for taking all of these awkward pictures of me. 🙂