Ask Belle Roundup: Vol. III, No. Thirteen

Hi Belle,

I’ve been obsessed with the Alice and Olivia dress that you posted a couple of weeks ago.

At the current price range it’s out of my reach, but if it went on sale, I would definitely consider buying it. So my question is, how do find out when or whether a particular item goes on sale? Do you just continually keep checking back to the website? In this case, this dress is sold at multiple retailers and the alice and olivia website itself. Do you just need to check all of them regularly?

S

There are number of companies that will track items for you and send you an alert when they go on sale.  ShopItToMe, for example, tracks clothing by brand and size and sends you regular updates about availability. Zingsale, run by Amazon, will send you a price alert on any item (clothing or otherwise) so that you can find the best deal.  But my favorite is Shopstyle, which allows you to search for items and then set up a notification for when that piece drops in price.

These are just a handful of the sites that track sales for savvy shoppers, so there’s no need to waste time revisiting a site hoping to catch a deal.

Hi Belle!

Can you suggest any comfortable, yet affordable and stylish sandals for the summer? The super flat, cheap kinds from Old Navy and Target murder my feet.

Thanks!
Jessica

When in doubt on shoe questions, I always turn to Nordstrom.  If you have a bit of money to spend, Cole Haan is a good place to start.  In the under-$100 category, Corso Como has some great-looking sandals, like this cognac one and its metallic counterpart.  You might also try Naturalizer or Rockport for comfortable sandals, but take care to choose something that isn’t too clunky.

Sliver wedges are also really big this season.  Born has a pair that might suit your needs.  They come in several colors and metallic gold.

This is a long one, so the rest of the questions are after the jump…

Belle,

My health insurance runs a program through which you can earn money to cover costs by logging daily steps. However, the free pedometer provided is very….utilitarian, and clearly designed by a man who always has a pocket available.

Consequently, I am now in the market for a more functional, fashionable pedometer. I don’t need to wear it to major meetings, but I do need something that won’t look out-of-place if I head out to lunch in a sheath. I’m considering the FitBit, but I was wondering if you had any other suggestions.

Thanks,
Amy

I think the FitBit is a good choice. It can clip to your waistband or be worn on your wrist.  I know a few professionals who wear JawBone Ups or Nike Fuel Bands as well. But maybe a few of our more athletic readers can make suggestions in the comments.

Hi Belle!

I am getting married on June 1st this year and still don’t have shoes to wear with my dress! This is mainly because my dress consultant, as awesome as she is, put me in a pair of Jimmy Choo’s “Clue” glitter slingbacks (in the gold-ish color) for my dress fitting and I fell in love. Now I can’t find anything that can compare.  I’m looking for something taller than 3 inches, preferably sparkly, and with an open toe or sandal.  Do you have any suggestions that are a little more affordable than the amazing Choo?

Thank you for your time, Jen

They always get you with the Choos, don’t they?  I wish I had a dollar for each woman I know who has Choo, Louboutin or Blahnik wedding shoes gathering dust in the closet.  (Ladies, splurge on the shoes you wear all the time, not the ones you’re just going to wear once.)

These Badgley Mischka pumps look very similar and are $200.  Stuart Weitzman also has a slingback in gold glitter for $375.

Now, if you’re talking about saving even more money, I could put up 20 pairs of glitter sandals, but the only one I want to show you is this pair from Ivanka Trump which have sparkle, metallic and killer style for $140.

Dear Belle,

I graduate from law school next month, and I’ve already purchased a fantastic, plum sheath dress to wear under all the regalia. It is a conservative piece, perfect for court, but for graduation I want to make it a little more flashy with bright shoes and accessories.

This belt is my inspiration, but if I have a hard time spending 200 bucks on a sturdy pair of neutral pumps, there is no way I’m plopping down that cash on a wacky belt. Have you seen anything similar at a lower price point (hopefully under $50)? Also, I welcome any other accessory suggestions you have.

Cheers, Future Ms. J.D.

I definitely wouldn’t spend $200 on a colorful, jewel-encrusted belt.  This tan and sequin belt costs $99, and this understate gold number is $32.  If you want color, this red and purple Kate Spade is where I would go.  It’s $98, but it has a sleeker shape so you could easily wear it again. And this aqua and silver is nice for $20.

Hey Belle! 

I LOVE your blog, it was a great huge when I interned on the Hill in January. I’m headed back to intern on the Hill again this summer (yay!) and am going to pick up another suit, in a navy pin stripe. I was wondering what color shoes to wear with it? I have a pair of nude flats that I love, but I’m not sure how that looks. 

Thanks! Elizabeth

Nude flats are probably fine as long as they have structure like these, but they may not be your best option.  I would recommend either a navy pump or a grey pump depending on the color of the pinstripe.  (I also wouldn’t recommend buying pinstripe until you have plain navy, but that’s another question entirely.)  If it were plain navy, you could also wear chocolate-brown or taupe in the warm months and black in winter.