Frugal Friday: "One Great Thing" Sales Event at Ruth's Closet

There is a very cool event happening in the Baltimore County area this weekend. It’s called the One Great Thing sales event and it’s at a boutique called Ruth’s Closet in the Valley Village Shopping Center in Owings Mills (Reisterstown Rd & McDonough). Ruth’s Closet is a resale boutique—similar to a consignment shop but people donate, as opposed to selling, their high end items that are still in good condition. The wonderful thing about Ruth’s Closet is that every cent of the proceeds goes to benefit the House of Ruth, which is a shelter that aids battered women and their children and helps them to get back on their feet after leaving abusive situations. You can shop at Ruth's Closet at any time, but with this particular sale, the idea is that everyone can find “one great thing” that they really love to purchase and contribute to the cause.

I was asked to write an article about this for Examiner.com (which you can read here) and I attended the kick-off of the event last night. They have some really nice items in the store that aren’t that expensive—I scored the most gorgeous pair of blue suede platform pumps with stud detail for just $30; AB got a really cute orange sweater that will be great for fall, as well as a pair of leather gloves; and Mrs. E got a cute little green tweed purse and a necklace. At Ruth's Closet you can find clothing, shoes and furs, as well as darling accessories like hats, scarves, belts, necklaces and pins.

So, if you have some time this weekend, stop by Ruth's Closet, get something cute and contribute to a great cause.

Happy Weekend,
xo

p.s. Here is a pic of the shoes! Forgive the poor mobile phone quality.

The Look for Less: Fendi s/s 2011 Handbag

If you like the look of this bag from the Fendi s/s 2011 collection (first mentioned here), you can have it for a lot less than the original $2900 Fendi price tag. Asos provides two very fashionable options, the Asos White Miller Bag and the Asos White Sorrell Bag, priced at approximately $253 and $105 respectively. Though made in solid colors, as opposed to the color-blocking of the Fendi bag; and missing the crocodile accent--both leather bags mimic the shape and size of the Fendi nicely. Each also has the same fold-over closure, and buckled shoulder strap. With the s/s 2012 fashion season having recently concluded, this is the perfect time to start updating your spring/summer 2012 wardrobe, for less, with one of these fashionable and functional options.

National School Lunch Week



Is your school working toward providing healthier lunches for your child?


A national holiday that seems to be spreading mostly by word of mouth is National School Lunch Week—this week October 10 – 14, 2011. The week is a culmination of a school lunch campaign that began in August and was designed to promote locally grown foods, and to offer schools the opportunity to try new menu items in their cafeterias.

As part of the program, this Wednesday is National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day; offering an opportunity for parents to have lunch with their children, and intended to have them experience school lunch menus first hand, then spread the word about the options that are being served.

As a proponent of locally grown and organic foods, and just a healthy overall diet, I am pleased about the institution of such a program—however disappointed to see no mention of it from the school system that my son attends. There was no communication about it, it’s not listed on the county board of education website that I could locate—it isn’t even mentioned on this month’s school menu.

Though his school does have an offering of fresh fruits and fresh vegetables as a daily part of the lunch menu; and an intermittent offering of sweet potato sticks as opposed to potato wedges--some of the main dish items like cheeseburgers, popcorn chicken, Salisbury steak and pizza could definitely benefit from healthier updates.

One benefit I would add in favor of our school system, though, is that it offers nutrition information for all of the items that are placed on school menus; this can help with menu pre-selection at home within the family and lead to the children (hopefully) making healthier choices when they arrive in the lunchroom.

With an understanding of the budgetary issues that face many school systems, it may not be easy for cafeterias to continuously update their menu offerings, but it is great that programs like this, as well as FLOTUS’ Let’s Move Campaign are drawing attention to providing consistent healthy options for our children both in school and in the home.

For more information on National School Lunch Week, you can visit the School Nutrition Association’s website.

Love. Want. Need. - The Fall Handbag Edition

Clean Line Buckle Satchel at Asos

Leather Color Block Satchel at Asos

Worn Leather Satchel at Topshop  

Messenger Bag with Double Buckle at Zara

Susan Farber Collections ‘Derby’ Crossbody Satchel at Nordstrom Rack

I’m feeling the itch for a new bag for fall…something huge, something slouchy…something with hardware. Normally, I’ll go for a neutral black or brown in the fall, but this year, I might also like something a little brighter. I am fancying a bevy of bold and richly colored bags, and amidst my online crushing, I’ve noticed a trend--it would seem I am most enamored with satchels in a variety of textures and colors, like the lovelies above. 

Is it just me, or is this dominating shape for fall very reminiscent of the ever-evolving Proenza Schouler PS1 (mentioned here)?