Wintry Look for Less

As you might or might not know, I'm on a very limited budget.  Don't get me wrong, I have a nice roof over my head and a nice car that gets me places.  Those two things do not leave much room for vanity. I do not believe in manicures, pedicures or massages, although I would love to do all of those things if I could.  I only get my hair cut/colored twice a year by a lady out of her house who does it for half the price of any salon.  I only buy drugstore makeup and lotions with the exception of either an amazing deal at a department store or a gift.
Still, I love fashion & dressing up and I do believe in (Rule #1) making the most of what you have and trying to look as presentable and cute as possible within your means. This blog is about that and about how I make my life interesting, happy, and bearable given the circumstances I've been given.
Another big rule (#2) I follow is quality over quantity.  I don't buy much or as often as others might, but what I do buy I make sure I love and is something that will either be used many times, stand the test of time, or make me feel fabulous.   Sometimes this can mean paying a little more upfront, but cost per use is something I always consider.  Third rule: I always buy on sale or with a coupon.  There is no excuse not to these days.  There is almost always a way to get what I want below retail.  There are very few exceptions to this rule.  
Today's post is about a sweater I fell in love a while ago, then fell in love with again when it was featured as the #1 must-have on my-wardrobe.com's top ten list this week.  It's this reindeer cardi by Malene Birger:

 


At over $300, it's way out of my budget.  Alas, I spied a pretty good dupe at Nordstrom Rack of all places, for under $25!  I cannot wait to wear it to a holiday party & finally be that person wearing the reindeer sweater :P
I plan on wearing it with cute leggings and boots.  I'll post pics when I have them.