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Putting down money towards trendy pieces has always been something I struggled with. No matter how absolutely adorable those peep-toe espadrille wedges or OTS dresses are, I almost never invest in expensive trendy pieces because of three reasons: 1) the price tag! 2) in a month or so they will be on the decline and I will be out a few hundred dollars 3) I'm not sure if I will even like them on me.

(And I totally do not mean to hate on the bloggers and beautiful ladies out there who can spare a few hundred dollars to spend on dresses and shoes - I'm just not at that stage in life and that's totally okay. Who's with me!?)

So Instagram is my main source of finding out about the newest fashion trends so when I see a trend on the rise, I like to see where people are buying those items. I usually like photos that are linked with LTK (liketoknow.it) and click through that to see what products are being posted and how much they are. I'll be honest, I very rarely purchase items through LTK because of the price. I don't know if anyone else agrees with me or if I'm over here on a lonely island by myself, so let me know in the comments how you feel about LTK and what your budget is when purchasing items!

So now that I went a little bit off subject, let's get into how I shop for trendy items on a budget..

After I peruse the interwebs for the latest trends and like some lovely LTK photos, I try to decide if this new item is something of interest to me; I tend ask myself these questions: Does it fit my style? Is it a trend that will look good on me? Is it something that is way too expensive? Or is it something that is just a bit out of my price range but that I can patiently wait for it to go on sale?

If I decide that a certain trend is something I want to try, I then search out less expensive options to purchase first before I splurge on the "real deal." My go-to websites for this is usually Forever 21, SheIn and Old Navy.

I just honestly don't like spending a lot of money on clothing or accessories (I RARELY spend more than $25 on one item!) and I especially don't like spending a lot on potentially short lived trends. It hurts me to even think about spending $300 on anything but especially pieces that are simply having a "moment." If I'm going to spend that much on a pair of shoes, it's going be on a pair of classic black or nude pumps.

Espadrille Wedges/Flats

Love this trend! And love the different variations of espadrille wedges and flats that have been all over Instagram lately but my wallet does not like the price tag so I was on the hunt for a less expensive option and found a few options that are perfect dupes (I actually own the middle peep-toe pair and love them)

OTS Tops/Dresses

I'm really not sure how I feel about this trend on me, but I absolutely love it on everyone else! For that reason, I wanted to get a cheaper option to try out and found this dress from Forever21. I actually kind of like it on me but have only worn it once. So in this case, I don't really plan on getting many (if any) more OTS pieces unless I absolutely fall in love because I rarely wear the one I already own.

This also comes in a rust color!

I've seen some OTS pieces go for upwards of $70 but found all of these for under $20!!

Gladiator/Lace Up Shoes

Another trend I have been loving for a few months now are lace up flats! (Gladiator sandals, whatever you want to call them. You know what I mean!) My adoration for this trend started with the Kady Ballet Flats from Target and since I bought that pair, I've just been adding to my collection! I recently got one of the pairs listed below - can you guess which one? You can find the answer over on Instagram!

Designer Sunnies

Of course, fabulous sunnies are always a summer staple but who wants to spend hundreds of dollars on such a fragile item? Not me! Having an expensive pair of sunglasses stresses me out. I'm not the most careful person when it comes to keeping my sunnies in shape - I throw them in my purse, keep them in my car, and lose them on the reg - so I don't like the stress of worrying about them. Why pay $325 for a pair of designer sunnies when you can purchase a perfect dupe for under $20?! Here are a few of my favorite options:

And here, I'm wearing at $10 pair from Sophie & Trey! How cute!?

If any of these inexpensive options are something that I end up falling in love with, maybe I'll start investing in the more expensive options but for now, these will do the trick!

Do you have any tricks to buying trendy items?! If so, comment below with your tips and also let me know how found my blog :)

1. Floral Necklace / 2. Sherpa Sweater Vest / 3. Coffee Mug /
4. Faux Fur Infinity Scarf / 5. Saddle Handbag /
6. Kendra Scott Studs / 7. Plaid Scarf / 8. Tote Handbag

Happy Friday, ladies!!

Are you familiar with Rocksbox!? It's my new favorite thing. Seriously. Rocksbox is a designer jewelry rental subscription. You take a style quiz on the website, and get 3 pieces of jewelry sent to you in a box (ha ha get it!?) catered to your preferences. You get to keep the items (on loan) and wear them for as long or as little as you want! When you are ready for a new box, send them back (free shipping!) and wait for your new box to arrive! How exciting, right!? And if you just really can't live without something, you can buy it! It's seriously a win-win situation! I am extremely excited to be chosen as a Rocksbox It Girl; with my code astoldbystacyxoxo you can try Rocksbox for FREE for an entire month!! Honestly, why not give it a try? It's amazing and you will love it!

Necklace: Rocksbox

The weather could not be any more amazing today!! I love sunshine all the time, but even more so on Sundays. There's just something extra special about going to church with the sun shining and birds chirping; it kind of makes you more thankful for life and more excited for church. Am I weird or does anyone agree with me?? #ihaterain

This whole outfit is probably under $25 - the wedges are old so I can't remember exactly how much they are - but that's what I'm talking about! I know a lot of people (even myself sometimes) diss Rue 21 and it's astonishingly cheap quality. I totally agree but everything (aka the 4 items) I have from there has lasted longer than I had anticipated so I'm alright spending $10 here and there. It's a rare occassion that I shop there but you will see this brand pop up on the blog every once in a while. Judgement free zone, okay!?

And of course I had to add these perfect little Kendra Scott studs to this outfit. They literally sparkle in the sun and are so cute and dainty! I got these beauties in my first Rocksbox set and had so much fun wearing them! Don't forget to use my code astoldbystacyxoxo for a free trial of Rocksbox!! Totally worth it, ladies.

 Earrings: Kendra Scott

I'm kind of feeling like a hippie love child today in this outfit. But I kind of love it. This is one of my favorite blouses and it really pairs well with these jeans and booties! This was an outfit that I threw on this morning and was pleasantly surprised. Don't you love when that happens!?

Top: Forever21