Lately, I’ve been loving the Fall fashions. I can’t get enough of them- leather, denim on denim, pointy-toed heels, funky bags with spikes- love it all! My husband, however, isn’t loving the dip into the family budget to keep mama looking like a Fall Fashion, Trend-Setting, RockStar. Ross Dress for Less offered me a $25 gift card and the chance to show my hubby that I could still look great without breaking the bank. I took on the challenge.

Did you know there is a Ross Dress for Less on the Las Vegas Strip? Yup, right there next to the Showcase Mall and Food Court, with a sign lit up in all its neon glory. I chose this location because I thought I would have the best chance in finding a large selection of designer brands. As a local, this is not a location I would normally seek out. I happened to be on the Strip that day as well, but in all honestly, it’s not the best Ross location for those who live in Vegas. Parking is tricky, for one, and of course, you have to battle the every day traffic of the Strip. For those looking to score some amazing deals while visiting Vegas, then I highly recommend popping into this glitzed up, two-stories of shopping heaven, Ross Dress for Less!

First thing that caught my eye, were these fabulous patten leather navy blue heels. Love. These would have made the perfect addition to my Fall wardrobe. I’m always looking for a great navy blue shoe. These happened to be priced right with a $64 difference between original price and the Ross Dress for Less price. Unfortunately, my size was not available.

On to the next thing…a bag! Of course, this gold bag called my name from across the shoes aisle. I love how metallics make Fall fashions pop this season. This bag in particular was a $209 savings from the regular price at a brand name department store. Just my luck, my mother had bought me a gold bag a few weeks ago. Would have loved to have purchased this one in silver or black, which were also not available.

Racks and racks of dresses and accessories, jackets, luggage, and outer wear, and I’ve striked out twice so far. Not to say there wasn’t a great selection of trendy fall fashions…in fact as I walked past the wall of scarves, I noticed hanging amidst the crowd was the same scarf I had on that day! Which made me think…denim! Can’t go wrong with denim jeans and a cute scarf, right? As I scurried over to the denim section, I was already getting excited as I spotted some of the designer brands and styles I love to wear. Skinny black jeans, rugged boot legs and a cream colored pair, all in my size. Was beginning to feel a bit better about my shopping trip.

Let’s just say, the denim didn’t make my day. I was seriously so bummed. As I was waiting in line to try on my jeans, all these cute groups of women shopping together were showing off their great finds. A khaki colored knit sweater, perfect for Hawaii, a cute puffy black jacket to take back to Canada, the perfect black heel for work…ugh. The stars and planets must not have been in alignment for me that day, or maybe Mercury had just entered into retrograde. Whatever the case, I couldn’t make it work for me at Ross Dress for Less. Feeling a bit discouraged, I began rummaging through my emails, when I came across one from a fashion writer and blogger colleague, Laura Coronado of Lollie Shopping. Laura had sent out an invite to her upcoming charitable event, with the Southern Nevada chapter of Dress for Success. 

Just in case you are not familiar with the mission behind Dress for Success:

Founded in 2009, Dress for Success Southern Nevada’s mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women in the Las Vegas valley by providing professional attire, a network of support, and career development tools to help them thrive in work and in life.

It just felt right. When Mercury is in Retrograde, you are advised to not make any major decisions during that time, but strongly encouraged to do be active in any word that starts with an “RE”. RE-gift sounded good to me. I asked Laura if I could donate my $25 Ross Dress for Less gift card to support her event and their cause- providing disadvantaged women with proper work attire so they may gain the confidence they needed to RE-enter the work force in hopes of RE-creating a new life. Laura was able to accept the card in support of the women who help make Dress for Success happen.

So my disappointing shopping trip ended with an upside. It made me happy to know that if I couldn’t be the fashionista that day, someone else, who really needed it, would be get the benefit instead. If you are feeling the love and are inspired to give, contact the Dress for Success Southern Nevada Chapter at (702) 684-6412 for more information. Laura is also hosting a fundraiser event, the Shop for Success Semi-Annual Inventory Clearance Clothing Sale, November 2, 2013.

Thank you to Ross Dress for Less for offering me the chance to show off my fashionista skills.