Earn Money From Unloved Clothes in Your Closet (And Here's $10 to Shop!)

If you are anything like me, you fill your closets to the max (it is NYC after all and every inch of real estate counts!). However, if you're also like me, you've obsessively read about Japanese organization guru Marie Kondo's method of organization. While her book is still on my NYPL waiting list, I've taken a few of her own-only-things-that-bring-you-joy approaches to heart and done a considerable amount of domestic purging lately.

But I didn't want to simply throw away perfectly good items of clothing (that may or may not still have the tags on)...I wanted to make some money! There was always eBay, but I don't have the patience for that. Then I heard about thredUP.

thredUP brands itself as a "recommerce" company. How it works is you create an account on their site, order a bag free of cost and it will show up in your mailbox in a matter of days. You then stuff it full of worn, but like new items (bonus if they still have the tags on and were never worn) from dresses to shoes and handbags to accessories. At this time they only accept women's, junior's and children's clothing, sorry gents! Here are their rules and here is a video that explains more:

You can then drop your bag (pre-labeled for FedEx shipping) at any FedEx location. thredUP will contact you and let you know which items they are going to resell and how much money you will get back from them. I earned $125 for one bag! For a small fee, thredUP will even send you back the items they don't sell; otherwise, they will give the clothes away for you.

I opted to receive my money via PayPal (and paid a nominal fee for it), or you can choose to spend your money in thredUP's marketplace--chock full of amazing finds that other people like you have sent in. I have also done this and managed to score a brand new Coach leather purse for under $70.

Want to check it out? Create an account through my link and get $10 free to spend in the thredUP marketplace. I'll get $10 too, but once you place your first order and/or submit your first bag, you will want to tell all your friends about this site.

Shop 'til You Drop with Kooba in Fort Greene

Spring shopping on your mind? Then head to the Fort Greene General Store tomorrow for a Kooba trunk show with discounts, organic juices and a chance to win a new bag!

What: Kooba trunk show

Where: Fort Greene General Store, 218 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn

When: Saturday, April 18, 2015 from 4-8pm

Details: First 25 customers will receive a goody bag that includes select spring merchandise and a postcard that provides a discount code to use on www.kooba.com

RSVP: here!

AWESOME DEAL: Get 10% Off Sparkly Soul & Give Back to the MS Society

I've raved about my favorite nonslip, workout headbands from Sparkly Soul on this website before, but I'm going to do it again. These are the most amazing headbands for all sorts of workouts--from running to boxing, spinning to yoga, and rowing to Crossfit. They come in a wide array of colors and I have never had one slip off during class. It's like they're magic or something.

Well Sparkly Soul just one-upped themselves in support of my campaign to raise money for the National MS Society. Use the code WALKMS by 4/19 and get 10% off your entire purchase from www.sparklysoul.com. Addtionally, my team will receive 10% of your entire purchase as well. So you get awesome headbands and the MS Society receives vital funds to help support research and programming for people affected by this debilitating disease.

These headbands would make perfect Mother's Day, graduation or just because gifts! I wouldn't fault you for picking up a few of your own (I've got a collection of 6!). Now all that's left to decide is what colors you are going to buy!

AWESOME DEAL: 6 Months FREE Membership to Warehouse Shopping Site Jet

We just came across a killer shopping deal and wanted to let you know right away! Jet, a new Costco-esque online shopping portal is launching soon and wants you to sign up so badly, they are offering free membership for 3 months. However, if you sign up by February 6 at 11:59 am ET, you'll get an additional 3 free months (6 months total!) and the benefits continue if you refer any of your friends.

But why should you sign up? Jet was founded by the same guy (Marc Lore) as diapers.com, soap.com, and wag.com--all sites dedicated to providing specific products at low prices to a specific market in the most efficient manner. The company's Hoboken warehouse will be stocked with the goods you need and shipped to you at a moment's notice without the hassle of buying in bulk. Think of it as Amazon meets Costco meets Delivery.com.

From the founder's blog:

"At Jet we will make use of the latest advancements in technology to create a new shopping experience that will empower customers like never before. Jet will bring unprecedented transparency and efficiencies to the overall e-commerce market, and as a result, will transform the customer experience in a way that, until now, has not been possible."

After your trial period is up, members will be asked to pay $49.99 per year for membership (still cheaper than that Costco card, and for most New Yorkers, much more accessible). Check out this Bloomberg article for more.

Thanks to Laura from 89th and Broke for sharing this tip! Also, full disclosure, the URL above is my own referral link.

Make Snack Time Awesome

It's 3pm. You're turkey sandwich has already been digested but you're still hours away from your steak dinner at Benjamin's. Your stomach is growling. You have two options: spoil your dinner with a sugary purchase from the vending machine, or reach into your desk drawer for a healthy, filling snack.

Naturebox was created to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner (or breakfast and lunch for that matter!) while still keeping your diet wholesome and delicious. I was recently invited to try a monthly subscription box full of fall flavor and here is what I got:

How my box looked when it first arrived

I was pleased with the packaging, as the cardboard box ensured that my fragile snacks wouldn't be crushed or crumbled in the shipping process. I also appreciated the slip of paper explaining all about my different snacks.

As a fall-flavor nut, I was super appreciative of the thought that went into my box. First up were the apple pie oat clusters. Think of these as a cross between your favorite crunchy granola and a sweet, crisp apple. I definitely appreciated the cranberries also!

Apple pie oat clusters

Next up were the praline pumpkin seeds. I could eat these by the handful so I had to be careful to portion them out instead of continually shoving my hand in the bag. I mostly ate these on their own, but they would be great in salads! A nice mix of sweet and savory.

Praline pumpkin seeds

The pumpkin spice nom noms were, well...nommy! This snack is a limited edition (through December only) based on Naturebox's well-liked blueberry, peanut butter and dark cocoa varieties. Think of it as a healthier cookie.

Pumpkin spice nom noms

The harvest rice sticks (also limited edition--through November) were the first of my snacks to disappear. They had the perfect amount of salt and a great crunch (think Fritos). I also loved the bits of puffed wild rice that collected at the bottom of the bag.

Harvest rice sticks

What the rice sticks were salty, the cranberry pepita crisps were sweet. I'll liken these to a fall-flavored Stacy's pita chip, except the pepitas gave the crisp more texture, which I loved. These would be good on their own or dipped in hummus or even a sweet dip.

Cranberry pepita crisps

Naturebox starts at $19.95 a month for 5 full-size snacks (including shipping), and discounts are available if you commit to several months up front. It's a great deal if you like to snack healthy, and I love the convenience of having something tasty and wholesome at my desk when I get a craving. If you'd like to see if Naturebox is right for you, click here for a free trial or $10 off your first box!

Naturebox provided me with this box free of charge but all opinions listed here are my own.

Uncommonly Great Gifts

Searching for the perfect gift is never easy. You may think you know the perfect item to bequeath to your BFF for her promotion or your father-in-law for his birthday, but how do you decide where to purchase from? Enter Brooklyn-based Uncommon Goods.

The 15-year-old retailer is the perfect place to shop for everyone from your mom, your dog, your boss, and (because why not?) yourself. We're a big fan of their selection of NYC-centric items and eco-friendly packaging, not to mention their commitment to supporting individual artisans and designers. To test out their service, Uncommon Goods recently sent me a pair of their Fern Frond Earrings ($68).

How unique, right? I can't tell you how many compliments I've received on a simple pair of earrings! What I loved most was how they came packaged in a sock-like pouch made of recycled t-shirt material. Score one for the planet!

Among the aforementioned NYC-themed items, our favorites are the following:

Manhattan Rooftop Honey Flight ($45)

Elements of Nyc Pillows ($35-$55)

Hand Embroidered City Pillows ($158)

DIY Embroidery Poster - Brooklyn Bridge ($20)

Comment below with what strikes your fancy. Happy shopping!

Fix Your Closet in a Stitch

Like it or not, living in New York City makes me very fashion conscious. I've always been a bit of a shopaholic and with the advent on online shopping (Gilt and Rue La La, I can't sing your praises enough but my wallet certainly can) buying the latest looks has become even easier. But if you've always dreamed of taking the shopping experience one step further and hiring your own personal shopper, have I got the site for you.

A coworker recently told me about Stitch Fix, and from the minute she said "it's like Blue Apron" for clothes, I was intrigued. The way it works is you log on, create an account, and fill out a fairly extensive survey about your style. You will answer questions about everything from your sizes to which body parts you like to flaunt and from color palette to what your life is like. Once that is done and you decide to schedule a fix, you get an additional paragraph to explain in detail what you're looking for in a fix. I asked my stylist to focus on flowy long sleeve tops for winter and at least one dress I can wear to work. At this point I would highly recommend being as specific as possible about what you want (ie, brand names you usually buy, what piece is missing from your closet, price range) because there is a live person on the other end of things sourcing just for you.

I scheduled my first fix and I anxiously awaited my box. I've always thought personal stylists were uber expensive and not for me, but it felt like I was giving myself an awesome win-win present. When the box came to my doorstep, enclosed was a note personally signed by my stylist, Catherine, and information about how to proceed.

My First Fix

I was told to try everything on and send back whatever I didn't want within 3 days in the postage paid envelope. I was charged a $20 styling fee but that would be deducted from whatever I wanted to keep. Also, if I opted to keep all 5 items, I would receive a 25% overall discount.

The first item was the Gold Tone Love Birds necklace, that I thought was cute, but for $32 I thought I could find something I'd like way more so I decided not to keep it.

Gold Tone Love Birds Necklace ($32)

Next was the Florence Colorblocked Dress by 41Hawthorne ($68). I didn't really like this out of the box but I put it on, and behold, it not only fit perfectly but it was something new and different! I love this dress because I can pair it with a blazer and ballet flats for work but could gussy it up with some sparkly jewelry for a date night or holiday party.

Florence Colorblocked Dress ($68)

My fix included 2 flowy shirts. The first, Rossi Polka Dot Print Neck-Tie Blouse by Renee C ($48), was a bit too librarian for me and I sent it back. The skirt I was also a little disappointed in because it was the most basic black pencil skirt that anyone who works in an office already has at least one of. Needless to say, I sent the Violet Ponte Pencil Skirt by 41 Hawthorne back as well.

Rossi Polka Dot Print Neck-Tie Blouse ($48)

The second was another item I wasn't sure I'd like out of the box. The Crowley Sheer Front Pocket Blouse by Sanctuary ($78) neared the top of my price point for a blouse, but it's high quality and fits me really well. Due to the sheer nature of the shirt, I have to wear a tank under it, but the color is unique and I've already worn it a bunch.

Crowley Sheer Front Pocket Blouse ($78)

One thing I thought was really unique and a nice touch was that Stitch Fix includes style cards with each piece to give you an idea of how you can dress each item up or down with items you already own.

So I didn't end up getting the 25% discount, but I sent back feedback with each item so that the next time I order they will hopefully hit the nail more square on the head. I don't think this is something I'd invest in every month, but I will definitely try it again soon, if only for the surprise. Do any of my readers use Stitch Fix or is anyone interested in giving it a try? Sign up for an account here.

AWESOME ALERT: Get $20 to Spend at the Zaarly Bazaar Just for Showing Up

You know Ebay. You know Etsy. Heck you might even know of Chirpify. But if you've ever felt the yearning for some good local old school commerce, Zaarly is where it's at. Using this new website, you can order a birthday cake, find custom made goods, and discover expert services and experiences.

Tomorrow, Zaarly is hosting a bazaar in Williamsburg from 3-6 pm at The Space at 50 N 3rd (located in The Villian) and they want you to come! Best of all, you'll get $20 to spend just for walking in the door, as well as free food and drinks!

It looks as though the free tickets are sold out online, however, you will still be able to enter if you have not reserved in advance. So if you fancy some soup in a jar, bespoke stationary, or maybe a terrarium or 2, why not stop by and see if your neighbors on Zaarly have something that suits your fancy.

A Borrowed New Year's Eve

A few weeks ago, I asked all my fabulous readers to help me choose a dress to rent from Borrowed Closet for New Year's Eve. Well, the winner was....

The Sequin Stripe Dress!!!

I have nothing to say but positive things about my experience with Borrowed Closet and would definitely encourage you to check it out. My package arrived within days of my order and I was able to rent not only the dress, but a black leather clutch and gold dangly earrings. The whole ensemble was one of my best New Year's Eve outfits to date, and I'm thrilled that I did not have to pay an arm and a leg for everything. After all,  it's not often that I wear backless, sequined dresses. 

Now all that's left is for me to package up my rentals and send everything back in the postage paid envelope provided to me. So what do you think of my experience? Anyone tempted to join?

Happy New Year's to you and yours from Awesome in New York!

Can I Borrow That?

If you're anything like me, your closet is full of items that you buy for special events, love, and end up wearing only once or twice. It seems like such a shame, which is why I love lending out clothes to friends for their various special occasions. Still, something seems wrong with this picture.

New Year's Eve is coming up, an occasion for which I have often taken a trip to the Bloomie's sale rack for, but this year I'm doing something different. I recently discovered the new website Borrowed Closet. Think of it as a Netflix for clothes. The way it works is you pay a flat $29.95 per month and in return you get to borrow up to 100 credits of clothes and accessories at a time. Brands include Alice + Olivia, BCBG, Asos, Michael Kors, Free People, and Helmut Lang. All items are delivered right to your doorstep, and you simply mail back the pieces whenever you're done with them. You can keep the items for as long or as little as you want, and Borrowed Closet takes care of all the dry cleaning bills. Pretty great huh?

Now this is where you, my glorious, fashionable readers, come in. I need your help picking out a NYE outfit from Borrowed Closet as my first rental with the site. I'll report back on how the experience goes so that you can in turn sign up and try it out for yourself. There are so many great options and I honestly can't decide which to go with. Here are the dress options I've narrowed down. I would really appreciate your help and suggestions in the comments of this post and next we'll pick the accessories. Thanks in advance!

Option #1: Black Open Back Crochet Dress (45 Credits - $100 Retail Price)

Black crochet 3/4 sleeve minidress falls above knee-length. Outer layer is crew neck with black sweetheart neck tube lining.

Option #2: Michael Kors Sequin Tank Dress (65 Credits - $250 Retail Price)

Brown tank dress completely covered in sequin embellishment.  Hanging chain detail along front neckline.  Knee-length.

Option #3: Sequin Stripe Dress (45 Credits - $120 Retail Price)

Fitted bandage style shirt dress with black and copper colored sequin stripes all along front and back of dress.

Option #4: Lace Crew Neck Dress (45 Credits - $120 Retail Price)

Off white sleeveless dress with zipper up the back. High neckline and loose-fitted around the waist.

So what say you? What dress should I rent from Borrowed Closet for New Year's Eve?

Everyone Needs A Little Black Bag

Normally my posts are about happenings in NYC, events and such. However, I recently found a new website that is seeking to take shopping to the next level and bring back the nostalgic feeling of a grab bag. I have yet to meet a New York City girl who doesn't love her accessories, so I thought I'd share my new find with all of my awesome readers.

With Little Black Bag, you set up an account, take a style quiz, then browse their inventory of handbags, jewelry, make-up, home goods and accessories (all priced between $10-$120), and pick one item you'd definitely like to have. At this point you pay $49.95 (you can get 10% off if you like them on Facebook). After that, 2-3 additional items will be added to your bag making your grand retail value at least $100. Better yet, if you invite friends and they buy bags, your total retail value will increase by $25 per friend.

The interface

This is where the fun begins. Once you have a bag, you will have 7 days to trade items with the rest of the Little Black Bag community. You can trade multiple items, handbags for jewelry, make-up for home goods, maybe you just want to try to grab the clutch you have in another color. Anything goes. Whenever you're content with your bag, you can end trading and all of the items in your bag are shipped directly to you.

Here's how I fared on my first experience. I started with 4 items (I got a bonus item by being referred by Klout):

BCBGeneration Mint Green Snake Embossed Mini Crossbody (Retail $78). This was the item I chose.

Betsey Johnson Cat Eye Sunglasses (Retail  $60)

Ben Amun Colored Bangle (Retail $25)

ncLA Nail Wraps (Retail $16)

I'm not a big fan of nail wraps or bangles since my wrists are small, and the sunglasses didn't really do it for me. So I traded in and in addition to the BCBGeneration purse (which I love and definitely was not about to trade although I got many offers) this is what I got:

Michael Marcus Candle (Retail $50)

Steve Madden Metal Aviators (Retail $36)

Aviators are much more my speed and that candle is supposed to burn for 80 hours (you can never underestimate the amazing-ness of a nice candle girls!). My final retail value was $164 -- pretty good considering I only paid about $45! Not only did I get a bunch of great stuff, but I had fun with all the trading and browsing the ever-changing gallery of cool stuff.

Now it's your turn! Sign up for Little Black Bag here and let me know how you like it!

Upcycled, Local and Stylish? Oh my!

Don't you ever wish you could find a way to shop locally, ethically and environmentally-minded while looking fashionable all at the same time? One component always seems to be missing from the equation. Enter Vaya Bags. Made of "upcycled" materials (including scrap sailboat awnings, bicycle tubes and vinyl banners)  in Ridgewood, Queens, these bags are hearty, colorful and fairly stylish. Some versions are made with reflective tape to specially cater to the increasing population of cyclists in the five boroughs.

If you like these bags or know of someone who would like one as a holiday gift, they are on sale up to 20% off today through Friday on one of my favorite online shopping and design sites Fab.com. You can check out the complete selection of messenger bags, bicycle tube purses and wallets and find something unique for someone on your gift list (or yourself, we won't judge). I'm a big fan of the Vinyl Blue Wallet.

If you aren't familiar with Fab.com, I'd suggest you sign up for their daily emails. They have some of the most unique design related items for sale every day and a handy 100 design gifts under $100 curated shop going on now just in time for the holidays. Check it out!