In Love With Chicago: Affordable Luxuries

Affordable luxury (William DeShazer, Chicago Tribune / November 10, 2011)

Since it's the week of Black Friday, midnight madness, cyber Monday-whatever they're calling it these days, it's only appropriate to stay on the topic of...shopping. And to highlight my FAVORITE two words when it comes to shopping: Affordable AND Luxury. I read an article, Frugal finds at fancy stores, in this past Sunday's Chicago Tribune and I got even more excited than I usually am for Christmas shopping. I OBSESS over buying gifts for the people that I love and firmly believe in squeezing every single penny out of your dollar with every shopping experience. Why wouldn't you? It's not that I'm cheap, I simply refuse to believe that there are 100 pennies in a dollar and some gifts can definitely make it seem so.

Last year I bought a few friends some items from Marc by Marc Jacobs' Special Items, which is a hodge podge of random, lower cost (I said lower, not low) items like t-shirts, tote bags, jewelry, wallets and key chains. One of the most fun items that I purchased for a friend was a scarf made from scraps of fabric from their full line. It was fun to go to a store that's special to only a few cities in the US, while buying these affordable luxuries. Although a resourceful friend of mine knew these tricks and showed up to Christmas last year with Marc by Marc wishbone friendship necklaces for four of our friends!

[Those are obviously wishbones if you can't tell]

Sooo to risk my friends and family knowing what's in Santa's sack...please enjoy the details of this fun article...Ellen Warren from the Tribune goes to a few boutique/luxury establishments in Chicago and asks what she can buy for $50. What a fun task! I mean the gift wrapping alone is well worth spending the $50 for each gift! Teal box anyone?
Ikram