Zoomingo Blog

‘Go Green’ with Fashion for Earth Day

Earth Day is the day to think about how your daily living is impacting the environment and (hopefully) take action to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. When people hear the words “Go Green”, they often think about the most basic ways such as recycling, planting trees, or driving a hybrid. What they don’t usually think about, however, is how even the clothes they wear can have an impact on the environment. So, in honor of Earth Day this year, we have a challenge for you–”Go Green” with fashion. There are 3 main ways you can do this.

1. Reuse your old clothes for new purposes. I’ve made several blog posts in the past about giving your clothes a new look (such as tie dye jeans) and transitioning your winter wardrobe into spring wear. Not only is re-purposing your wardrobe a budget-friendly option, it is also environmentally friendly as it cuts down on the amount of wasted clothes in landfills, chemicals being used to produce new clothes, and carbon emissions created to manufacture and ship new clothing. So find new ways to layer, accessorize, and design your wardrobe to give a fresh look on your old clothes.

2. Donate your clothes when you are done with them. Far too many people waste good clothes that can be given to charities and homeless shelters, children in need, foreign countries with low supply of clothing, or re-sold from bargain stores and consignment shops for cheap. You may be done with the clothes, but there are a lot of people in the world who can still get a lot of use out of them. Not only does this option help people in need who can’t afford to buy new clothes, but it cuts down on the negative impacts of manufacturing on the environment drastically. You could even host a “Clothes Swap Party” with some friends and family where you all trade the clothing that you’re done with and find new purposes with each other’s clothing.

3. Buy high-quality items. Low-quality items may seem more budget-friendly in the short-term, but you have to replace them much more frequently and most likely can’t re-purpose or donate them, making them wasteful. High-quality items are an investment, not just for your budget, but also for the environment. High-quality doesn’t necessarily mean spending the most money, even good quality items go on sale. Keep an eye out for the price to drop on those top-quality items you’ve been eyeing, snag them at a good price, get your use out of them, and then pass them onto someone else! Now that’s ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ at it’s finest!

Sources: photo credit http://www.deipl.org/earth-day-events-in-delaware-in-april-2012, http://ecofriendly-fashion.com/fashion-industry-the-environment/, http://heartifb.com/2013/04/12/4-ways-bloggers-can-influence-sustainability-in-the-fashion-industry/, photo credit http://www.designmom.com/2010/06/project-repurpose/, photo credit http://www.diablomag.com/Diablo-Magazine/December-2006/Clothes-Swap/

By breann On April 17, 2013 Permanent Link to ‘Go Green’ with Fashion for Earth Day

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How to: Get Julianne Hough’s Edgy Spring-Chic Look

Don’t you love Julianne Hough’s daring look–edgy on top, spring chic on bottom? We found the exact items, or ‘similar look’ items, so you can recreate the “Safe Haven” actress’s outfit and try it out for yourself! There are three key elements to successfully pulling off a look like the fab Julianne Hough.

1. Pair all black with just one aspect of the outfit supplying the pop of color, or in this case–floral. You can find the same floral jeans Julianne is wearing on sale at Madewell now (http://bit.ly/YgMhpG)!

2. To pull off a dark look in the spring, you need to show skin. Like Julianne, wear a loose hanging tank top underneath a moto jacket with the sleeves rolled up, and finish it off with a pair of wedge sandals. Try this Nasty Gal tank (http://bit.ly/YJyWFZ) with this Bebe Moto Jacket from Macy’s (http://bit.ly/ZLKgg5). You can find the exact shoe that Julianne is wearing at Nordstrom (http://bit.ly/YbkDpJ).

3. Polish off the look with a classy luggage tote. Why, you ask? Because no spring outfit is complete without a tote. Rule of thumb. This Michael Kors tote (http://bit.ly/XBGa03) from Nordstrom gives a similar vibe to the Céline luggage tote Julianne is showing off, click “Watch It” from your Zoomingo account to get notified when it drops in price!

Now tell us–how do you spice up your spring outfits?

By breann On April 10, 2013 Permanent Link to How to: Get Julianne Hough’s Edgy Spring-Chic Look

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Motivation Tips to get that Summer Bod!

Summer is just around the corner! You know what that means…bikini season! Is your bod ready? The initial motivation to exercise and eat healthy is easy, sticking with it is the hard part. So we’re going to give you some tips on how to STAY motivated so that you can get the summer bod that you desire!

lululemon athletica

1. Buy new workout clothes. A good way to jump start your motivation is to have new clothes that you can’t wait to wear. Having several different options on hand will prevent you from A. getting bored of wearing the same outfit every day to work out, and B. using the excuse of your workout clothes being “dirty” so you can’t workout. Buy athletic wear that is comfortable, but makes you feel confident at the same time. Looking good starts with the clothes you wear, so until you’re ready to show what’s underneath, your confidence will stem from what you’re wearing. You can find high-end athletic wear at stores such as Lululemon or Athleta, or shop major department stores such as Kohl’s, Macy’s, or Target for the best deals.

2. Going along with new workout clothes, having a good pair of running shoes can make the world of difference. If you’re going to be exercising every day, or close to it, it’s important to have good shoes! Running shoes such as Nike Free’s provide flexibility and support that will help prevent injury and provide the utmost comfort for daily exercise. You can find the best deals on Nike Free’s at Sports Authority, Foot Locker, or Champ’s Sports.

Fitbie

3. Buy a killer bikini and hang it somewhere you will see on a daily basis. Seeing the bikini that you are working towards wearing in a couple months will be a constant reminder of why you are pushing yourself so hard. If seeing it hanging isn’t enough, put it on and look at yourself wearing it in a body mirror. If you don’t feel confident about other people seeing what you see in the mirror, then get back to work! Find bikini’s on sale at your local Macy’s or JCPenney, or go all out and buy your dream bikini from Victoria’s Secret!

4. Start a Pinterest board for fitness inspiration. You will find a LOT of different exercise routines, healthy eating tips and recipes, ways to target specific body areas, and motivational pictures to give you direction on Pinterest. Print out the ones you find most inspirational and realistic towards your goals and hang them in places you’ll see everyday, like around your hanging bikini Check out OUR fitness inspiration board on Pinterest to get started: http://pinterest.com/zoomingo/new-years-resolution-inspiration/

5. Make exercise fun. You don’t have to slave in the gym to get your exercise, you can ride a bike, go rollerblading, go hiking, join a walking group, etc. If weather doesn’t permit you to get your exercise outdoors, you can always invest in an Xbox Kinect or Wii Fit and play one of their MANY exercise games that tracks your motion and progress. Another option is to create your own exercise routine to your favorite shows by assigning a muscle-building exercise to a specific word or action that happens often during your favorite show. Here is an example for Friends:

Friends workout game

We hope some combination of these ideas will help give you the motivation you need to get the bikini-rockin’ summer bod you dream of! Best of luck!

By breann On April 3, 2013 Permanent Link to Motivation Tips to get that Summer Bod!

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Easter Basket on a Budget

There are two routes you can take when it comes to buying an Easter basket. The first option: buy a pre-made basket from grocery and department stores such as Walmart, Kmart, or Safeway. The second option is to put together a basket yourself so that it is more personalized and can ensure the recipient will like everything in the basket. Let’s discuss a strategy for making a cost-effective personalized basket.

First, knowledge is power. Do your research on which stores are having special Easter sales, using a money-saving app like Zoomingo can make this part much easier on you. Most children’s stores and major department stores that carry kids items have Easter sales.

Second, get the supplies you need to put the basket together. In other words, a basket to hold everything, the grass to fill the bottom with, and possibly clear wrapping to go around it to hold everything in. You can find all of these things for very cheap at a party store like Party City. At Party City, you can get a colored wicker basket for $0.99 or a themed sand bucket to use in lieu of a basket for $2.99. They also sell the Easter grass to fill the bottom of the basket for $0.99, plus they are offering a 40% off one item coupon so that you get the best deal possible! You can print the coupon here.

Third, decide what you want to put in the basket. Kids don’t usually go crazy over new clothes, so despite children’s apparel stores having good sales, it’s better to stick to toys, entertainment, and candy for an Easter basket. The top three stores to find the best deals on these items are Target, Walmart, and Toys ‘R Us. You’ll find plenty of “Buy One Get One” deals at Toys ‘R Us, including “BOGO 40% off all movies and video games”, “BOGO 50% off the most popular toy brands”, and “BOGO Free on all Vtech and Fisher-Price toys”. Walmart has deeply discounted everything Easter from toys to candy and apparel to electronics. Target takes the cake on lowest prices in all categories, with killer deals on candy, toys, movies, music, and other basket stuffers!

The major perk of creating your own Easter basket is that you can create it for the same price (or cheaper) as a pre-made basket, but with all of the recipients favorite things–leading to maximum excitement! The key is to buy one or two “main gifts” such a toy or movie, and then fill in the rest of the space with candy and other stuffers like stickers, bubbles, and crayons. Good luck on your creations!

Happy Easter!

By breann On March 27, 2013 Permanent Link to Easter Basket on a Budget

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5 Reasons to Love Spring

Nordstrom Spring Colors

It’s the first day of spring! Why do we love spring so much? The better question is, why wouldn’t we?! It’s the breath of fresh air we need after a long and cold winter! The sun we’ve all missed so much gives us a rush of Vitamin D that energizes us and puts everyone in a better mood! Aside from seeing a lot more smiling faces, here is a list of the top 5 reasons we love spring:

1. Brighten up your wardrobe! Spring is the time to put away all your neutrals and darks and burst into color! The bright patterns and mixed neons not only look adorable, but send off a more positive vibe than the dark winter hues we’ve been sporting for the past few months! Head to the local shopping mall and pick out some pieces that will make you shine!

2. Spring flowers! The most beautiful time of the year is when all of the flowers and trees start blossoming everywhere filling the streets and fields with natural beautiful colors!

Roughing it by techvert

3. Warm weather! Warm weather
means lighter layers and shorts,
but more importantly it means
outdoor activities! After months
of freezing temps, rain, snow, and
ice, we can finally go on a hike,
ride a bike, have a picnic at the
local park, or walk the dog without
getting frost bite on our nose!

4. Sandals, Sandals, Sandals! Get a pedi and show off those toes! You can find this particular pair at H&M, or swing by the local Nordstrom, Macy’s, or Kohl’s for the hottest deals!

5. Longer Daylight! The sun rises early and sets late, giving us plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors and sunsets after work!

What’s your favorite part about spring?

Shop our handpicked popular spring trends here:
http://zoomingo.com/deal/search?category=Looks+for+Spring

By breann On March 20, 2013 Permanent Link to 5 Reasons to Love Spring

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