I just bought the cutest dress for our cruise. Its from Sarah Jessica Parkers clothing line called Bitten. Its a black Sex in the City type dress...empire waste with a ribbon belt. Its so cute and guess what?? It was only $8.98!!! A whole oufit for under $9!!! I couldnt believe it. So if you have a Steve and Barrys near you....go SHOPPING!!! I swear I dont work for them in advertising. LoL Just had to share my great find. Im so excited. I think Im going to make my hubby take me back tomorrow for my bday for the $9.00 Bitten shoes too!
Another great place I found....Ross! I live in North Carolina and Im not sure where they are located around the country. They are a great place to get inexpensive formal/cocktail type dresses (Maybe $30 at the MOST).
They also have normal clothes for great prices.....purses, suitcases, etc...
They are like a big TJ Maxx....except I like Ross a Lot better! A lot of their stuff is namebrand. I bought a wallet that was regularly priced at $40 for only $7! And a Calvin Kline leather belt for $3. oh yeah...and a Nike gym bag for $12/
Im a thrifty shopper. Can you tell??? LoL Sorry, I get re-excited about my upcoming 1st cruise each time I buy something new!
I would Love to have some new online places to shop.....any ideas???
Please let me know other great places to shop. Both stores and online!!!
Metro Style has great on-line shopping and lots of clearance items.
__________________
Been there - done that:
2003 Holiday
2004 Fantasy
2005 Holiday, Sensation, Conquest,
2006 Conquest, Celebration, Holiday,
2007 Freedom Grand Med, Holiday
2008 Fantasy & Sensation,
2009 Fantasy, Holiday & Dream Grand Med
2010 Fantasy and B2B Elation
2011 Monarch of the Seas
2012 Booked - Breeze from Barcelona 12 days
Please let me know other great places to shop. Both stores and online!!!
In the malls around here, Cache always seems to have very nice eveningwear in their windows. Also, J. C. Penney always seems to have nice clothing, both in their stores and on their web site, and Victoria's Secret carries very nice casual dresses on line.
BTW, Vicroria's Secret sometimes has a "Seven in One" dress -- one dress that you can wear seven different ways with radically different looks. This would be ideal for cruising -- you can wear it three or four evenings and nobody will realize that it's the same garment!
Thanks so much for the info Emily. I had never heard of this store, but looked it up on your advice and found there's one only 20 minutes from my house! I did get a black fancy dress, also a Bitten (the SJP line) for only $8.98. I will go back!
If you live in the UK, Karen Millen, Ted Baker, LK Bennett , French Connection. Joy and Ark also have great dresses but can be a bit quirky (I like quirky).
Also, I have't bought any yet, but a woman I know has turned me on to goth shops. If you avoid the blatantly gothy skull & crossbones/vampire type stuff (not exactly appropriate for a woman in her 40s), there are some lovely corset tops, poofy polka dot Marilyn Monroe-ish dresses, gorgeous skin-tight black lacey gowns, etc.
i have had really good luck shopping via catalog or internet with Chadwicks. If you are looking for something a bit more upscale and don't mind spending a bit of $$ check out Barrie Pace - catalog or online, especially now that they are having their annual sale, gorgeous clothes
Another great tip is E-bay; you can find both great men's a ladies fashions. All my Abercrombie is from E-bay! (not formal wear, but just thought I'd mention it.)
__________________
Alaska / RCL Vision of the Seas, May '98
Mediterranean / RCL Legend of the Seas, July '00
Caribbean / Celebrity Infinity, Nov. '00
Transatlantic / Pacific Princess Final Voyage, Oct. '01
Caribbean / RCL Adventure of the Seas, July '03
Caribbean / NCL Sky, June '04
Caribbean / Celebrity Horizon, Dec. '04
You can catch really good deals at Macy's, Dillards, and Belks when they are making room for the next season's clothing line. I also like perusing Newport News and Chadwicks but the quality can be hit or miss.
Just bought two knee-length dresses suitable for Formal night
one was a red satiny dress with rouching at the waist - for $16 at Marshells I forgot the brand name
Second dress is similar - it is dark green - straps criscross - waist rouching also, it has a silky slip, but an over skirt of a floaty feel, it is a bit longer and a bit dressier - I got it at a BCBGMaxazaria Outlet for $29 - it was a steal! I have a pair of champagne gold heels that have emerald shaped crystals set in silver that run down the center - they are strappy. I wore them for a wedding. I will need to pick up a pashmina in the gift shop, but that shouldn't be a problem.
So, two out of 7 nights are taken care of. I will wear my very wideleg dark teal very wide leg pants that I got from Express - mostly because the very skinny snotty girl in the dressing room whined so much that I found them first and really wanted them (I never would normally pay $98 for a pair of pants, but it was like a wild animal on a scavenger hunt in the Serangetti during the dry season...I wasn't going to feed her frenzy).
That and they fit really well, and I did love them.
I will bring a lbd and a couple of more causal dresses that I just throw on for everything and usually pair with different lightweight cardigans.
I will also bring a nice pair of black slacks w/ a couple of top choices.
Also a couple pair of very dressy trouser type jeans that I will wear in ports and perhaps at night onthe ship with nicer sweater/top as I tend to be so cold all the time. Now I have to really concentrate on my shoes...trying to not bring too many pairs.
I hope I can get everything in one suitcase....but if not since we are not flying it will be ok.
Jen,
I would recommend getting a pashmina or other light wrap before you go. Sometimes the gift shops have things like that and other times not. Our last trip, they had changed the gift shop that used to carry cruise wear over to a jewelry shop. You just can't count on finding what you want on board.
Marty
I love Coldwater Creek. The have great no wrinkle travel dresses and more.
Sierra Trading Post has some really neat stuff- especially if you can wear a 6, 8 or 10 - (I can't) . . . they also have quite a few pieces from Chico's and Coldwater Creek at substantial markdown.
__________________
Carnival Triumph 8/10
Crown Princess, 10/08
Ocean Princess, 11/2000
Grandeur of the Seas, 8/99
Mercury, 11/98
Century, 10/97
Fascination, 10/96
You can catch really good deals at Macy's, Dillards, and Belks when they are making room for the next season's clothing line. I also like perusing Newport News and Chadwicks but the quality can be hit or miss.
Ditto! Right now most of the spring/summer stuff is 75% off- I bought an absolutely b&8tch#@' pair of $80 shoes for $19 at Dillard's on Sunday-
Also snapped up at bagful of Ralph Lauren shorts, Liz Claiborne tops for my upcoming cruise- enough day wear for the week- about $140.
__________________
Carnival Triumph 8/10
Crown Princess, 10/08
Ocean Princess, 11/2000
Grandeur of the Seas, 8/99
Mercury, 11/98
Century, 10/97
Fascination, 10/96
While I highly recommend for casual dress for men, I do find Ross to be lacking in suits and tuxes for men but heavy on womens formalwear. Just my experience in 3 Stores(1 of the Ross stores in Colorado Springs, CO, 1 in Johnson City, TN, and 1 in Bristol, VA). Maybe they will start doing better for us guys but I doubt it.
I bought a brown/teal dress for $5.41 at Peebles in Hazard KY while visiting my Mother. I also bought 2 summer dresses for less than $8.00 each on clearence at JC Penny. I like to shop at CJ Banks. I try to catch the sales. I bought my It Figures swim suits off ebay for half the price on QVC. These we new with tags and protection liners in tack. I am a big girl & 52 yrs young. Just thought I would add that.
Going on my second cruise May 2009 Carnival Insipiration. My first cruise was in Sept 2007, and i found two great dresses at Ross one was $1.98 and the other was $6.99.
I Cant wait to go shopping again...i already bought two coverup dresses for the pool. YEY!
ok here is my question do you get all new formal outfits for every cruise or do you "recycle" your outfits?? I personally want to buy all new ones, but it is a debate I am having with my friend.
__________________
Tiffany and Brianna
Carnical Fascination~ 12/12/2009
RCL Majesty of the Sea~ 8/25/2008
I can't buy all new for every cruise...unless I also buy a bigger house with much bigger closets. I knew it was time to cut back when I was packing for a 16 day cruise on a line where people dress up a lot more and realized that I still had to leave most of my cruise clothes at home!
Marty
My best buys (and I am taking a couple on my cruise in Dec) a formal black dress for 13.00 at Ross, A Big Budda Bag from Steinmart 12.00, a Nicole Miller evening bag 9.00, And 140.00 pair of shoes (can't remember the designer) for 15.00 from Steinmart. When I need something special I hit Ross, then Steinmart, Marshalls and then TJ Maxx. I don't care if it was last years design or the bag has been discontinued. I love getting a quality product for less. Just recently I bought a really cute sundress for 3.00 at Kohls.
ebay is a great place but things can happen, the dress i posted earlier the red one, the seller never sent it, had to get a refund but ordered this one instead...hmm
__________________
~Carnival Inspiration May 2009~
~Carnival Imagination Sept 2007~
Great Stores to buy Cruise dresses etc...
Here is the picture of my Ross $20 dress.
for 99 cents! 
Linear Mode
