30 January 2009

$truggling $tudent

Money is tight for everyone these days, especially students. That is why I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that Club Monaco offers a 20% discount to students with a valid ID. What a perfect way for students to build or enhance their professional working wardrobes.

Other tips: Club Monaco can even flag you in their system as a student so that if you forget your ID card on another occasion, they will give you the discount! If by chance you do not have a student ID with you, they may accept a valid student email address instead (however YMMV on this one, it is up to the discretion of the store manager/personnel).

Update: I have also found that J.Crew offers student/teacher discounts as well! The discount there is 15%, just enough to save me from the California sales tax and then some. :P After searching a bit online, it seems that this discount cannot be combined with other promotional offers (e.g. the additional 25% off clearance items that happens once in awhile).

29 January 2009

En Pointe


No, having resorted to taking a college ballet class pass/fail, this post is certainly not about the finer points of classical ballet. It is however about shoes. I am always on the lookout for cute and comfortable shoes. Typically I resort to flats, though I have been known to sacrifice comfort for style (i.e. a high heeled shoe).

I have found a shoe where I do not have to sacrifice comfort for beauty! Bloch Shoes has manufactured handmade ballet and pointe shoes since 1932 and they now have fashion shoes that anyone can wear, including me!

I have purchased a pair of round toed burgundy patent leather pumps. The pumps are accented with burgundy suede detailing and finished off with a ballet slipper-like ribbon. They are really sweet feminine looking shoes!
And... they are actually comfortable. The soles are flexible, especially around the toe/bunion area, which is a hallmark of a typical ballet shoe! The leather seems to be good quality and I do not feel the need to break these shoes in. In fact, I ran about 5 long blocks along Market Street tonight to my class wearing these shoes for the first time!

These shoes retail for $330USD, but I paid about $100USD.


Photo source: revolveclothing.com

Links:
Revolve Clothing - these shoes are available for purchase here

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