Online Shopping Survival Guide

I am a chronic online shopper ( I seriously have a problem). There is nothing better than receiving clothes in the mail. Its like...Christmas to me. Who doesn't love Christmas? I do not go in store to purchase any of my clothing, shoes or accessories simply because I like the ease of turning on my laptop and shopping at my leisure. No cluttered stores or pushy sales persons and the way my schedule is setup.....yeah, online shopping is definitely for me. 

Most persons I know aren't fans of online shopping for various (typical) reasons. If you're like most of these persons you're either afraid of purchasing the wrong size, that the quality of the clothing won't be great, that you will be charged unnecessary fees or you simply wont get the product on time.

  

Don't let this be you.

Well, if you're one of those persons,I've created this guide just for you. Below is a list of some of my online shopping tips and tricks to hopefully help you feel better about this process. 

Tip #1: Read Reviews

Its important to read or watch reviews on the site that you intend to use, especially if its your first time shopping there. YouTube has been a huge influence in the way I online shop. I've found so many gems just by watching online clothing hauls from some of my favorite YouTubers. With that being said, some of those hauls are sponsored by the sites that these YouTubers feature. A way around that is to watch a haul from someone who doesn't have that many followers or viewers to get a more authentic opinion on the site. 

Another option is to google reviews for the site. There are tons of sites that offer platforms that allow regular persons like you and I to give our opinions on different websites and their products.  Maybe there's a particular item you're interested in purchasing, reviews on that item can help when there are women and men talking about their experiences and thoughts on that item. You should also use your discretion when reading these reviews. Some persons just use those platforms to bitch. If you've read more good reviews than bad then more than likely the site is a winner.  

Tip #2 : Check the sizing chart

Always read the sizing chart to find out which size would be best for you. Kind of a no brainer.  You can also pay special attention to reviews that you may have read on sites or items you are purchasing to find out how accurate their sizing charts really are. Note:  From my experience, sizing charts on Asian sites aren't very accurate. 

Tip #3: Google for Coupons

This is one of the most important things to do when online shopping. I always do a quick google search for coupons on sites before I checkout to ensure I get the best possible deals on the item. A cool site that you can sign up for is Retailmenot  https://www.retailmenot.com/ . You get to choose which sites you would want to get coupons for and they send you emails with a list of coupons or deals those online or actual stores may be running for that day/week.

Tip #4: Sample Shop

If you're concerned about the quality of the clothing you may get or the wait time to receive your items, you can do a sample purchase where you buy one item to test out the site. Never jump head first into making a large order from a site you know nothing about. I made this mistake once and  piece by piece the items I ordered were said to be out of stock. I ended up cancelling the entire thing and waiting an entire month for a refund.

Tip #5 : Read up on the Rates

I can't express enough how important it is to "Know ya boys". Read up on the shipping rates of the sites you intend to purchase from and the allotted time for each shipping choice. Most reviews written about clothing sites let you know how reliable they are when it comes to shipping so that can also help with your decision to make a purchase. 

You should also take note of any additional fees you may incur when ordering online. For me, I use a freight forwarding company and have to pay custom duties as well as additional duties to the company I use to ship my items to the Bahamas. I personally don't think its a big deal because a lot of the items here are kind of overpriced and at the end of the day I end up saving a few bucks. 

Well, there you have it. My top 5 tips for online shopping. Hopefully I made an online shopper of someone out there. I just want everyone to win and possibly become an addict like myself. Happy shoppers like company too. So go out there and win! 

                                                               She is so winning

Besos Loves.

Why aren't you married yet?

So I'm getting closer to the dreaded 3-0 . For a single woman, society's made us think that's what it is - but I don't dread it all. As a single soon-to-be 29-year-old, I embrace it. This isn't one of those blogs that take shots at relationships or marriage, I'm just a girl...not just a girl...and this is my take on it.

You know what really grinds my gears? People asking me when I'm going to get married and settle down. Bitc....hold on....almost lost my cool there. I will settle down when I want to. I don't need anyone asking me or pressuring me to do so. 30 is not the end of the road for me and I refuse to let anyone tell me otherwise. What if I never get married? Does that make me any less of a woman? Does the fact that I'm not hitched downplay my other accomplishments or traits? I think not.

I know of too many women who settle for crap from a guy just to get a ring. News flash hun, if he's cheating on you now and you're putting up with it, what makes you think he'll stop when you're married? What do you aspire to be? The wife of a cheater? An AIDS/HIV statistic? Oh,...but you love him? That's nice. Let me know how you feel about him when he gets his sweetheart pregnant or she's calling your phone at 3 a.m.

Not knocking the marriage thing at all because I do want that some day. I have a few friends who are married and its working wonderfully for them. Shout out to you guys. One day that will be me. But for right now I'm just...chilling. I have things I want to accomplish and places I want to see, so sorry if I'm not completely focused on that aspect of life. Not that getting married would hinder me from doing any of that stuff, just saying, I'm not focused on it because I know it will happen for me and when it does happen that will be one lucky guy .

There's this guy I know, he's kind of been on my line for awhile, but I've never given him the time of day. He said to me the other day, He guesses " I'm not ready for something serious yet because I keep pushing him away" and he's " sure I don't want another 2 years of sitting in a crowd of weddings", so he will wait me out. Seriously? You have nothing better to do than to wait for me to be ready to be with you?

Before you think I'm a bitch, hear me out. This dude legit has nothing going for himself. No dreams or aspirations. He lives to Instagram stunt (totally a thing) and lies about the money he makes and he some how thinks that I will be so tired of waiting for "Mr. Right" (not that I am waiting) that I will just fall into his arms. Ahahahaha

I may not have an exact  physical  type of guy that I'm attracted to but I need a guy that can mentally stimulate me. One that I can learn from. I love a smart and passionate man. There is nothing sexier than a man who is focused and works hard for the things he wants in life, because that's the kind of person I am. I need a man whose drive matches mine. I know no one is perfect but not having drive is kind of deal breaker for me.

Anyhoo, like I said before, I'm not perfect either and I'm working on myself daily and at this stage in my life I am just over the bullshit and games. I honestly don't have the energy or patience for it. So I chose to be single. I don't think anything is wrong with that, especially if you use the time to better yourself. The goal isn't to be Ms. SingleindependentIdontneedamnan  but I want to be a better version of the person I am today.

 I'm not trying to find someone to complete me because I am complete. COMPLETEly happy, COMPLETEly secure with myself, COMPLETEly and unapologetically me, and when the right guy does come along I'll be ready.

A View to Kill

So I'm super late with this post but better late than never right? The past two weeks have been kind of crazy so I haven't really had time to sit and post but I promise I wont let that happen again.

The Bond event was really fun. There were fire dancers, photo booths, an open bar, human lamps, gold swans, an open bar and did I mention there was an open bar? So you can pretty much tell how that night went. The wine was flowing freely and the vibes were good. What more could a girl ask for?

So the look I decided to go with for the event was none other thannnn *cues drum roll*......

Solitaire from the 1973 James Bond flick, Live and let Die.

photo cred: OX Studios

The Dress I chose was the Biddy Deep V Plunge cross back midi dress in the color red, from Missguided. That dress, paired with gold strappy heels from Fashion nova, gold midi rings and a necklace from Forever 21 all brought the look together nicely. 

In the photo I referenced, Solitaire wore very little accessories and an exaggerated smokey cat eye look with gold gems on the face to make the look a bit more exotic. The look was completed with a bright cherry red lipstick.I decided to make it a bit more wearable and to add my own flare to it. I did a simple smokey eye with a brick red lip.

Because I wear a weave, it was hard for me to get the top knot she wore. So I wore my hair down in a deep wave pattern which also worked out really well.

All together, I was pretty happy with the way everything came together and I think I chose the perfect dress for the event. What do you think? Leave a comment below.

Until next time, Besos Loves.

Zaful Bikini Haul and First Impressions

Bikini season is here and everyone is on the hunt to find the perfect swimsuit to suit their frame. Let me just start off by saying I'm not supermodel tall or hour glass shape like those Instagram models. I'm super petite. So the struggle to find a swimsuit that shows up my tiny figure is really hard.

I ordered a few swimmies from Zaful.com and I'm going to give you my honest opinion on my experience and initial thoughts on them. Before I begin, I'll list my measurements :  5'3, 112 lbs and measurements are 34-26-37 .

Zaful. com

http://www.zaful.com/

I chose 4 swimsuits from this site, 3 of which have arrived and the other is God knows where. Zaful is an Asian site and you've probably seen many YouTubers doing hauls on it. That's how I got sucked into the Zaful hype. I thought I would give it a try and for those prices I didn't have much to lose. Anyhoo, lets get down to business.

I placed an order on June 12th, 2016 and received my package (that I didn't know was delivered) on June 28th, 2016. That wait time was crazy! I started to think my package had gotten lost in the mail but, like most Asian sites it takes awhile to get to your destination if you choose standard shipping (except when you order hair extensions for some reason) 

Most YouTubers rave about the quality of their swimsuits but fail to mention how long it takes for your package to arrive. A few have mentioned that your packages may arrive in two separate shipments though, so I'm not too worried about that second package getting in.

Not being able to track my package is however a concern of mine. I followed the link they provided to the tracking site to try and find out where my package was but there was never an update made.

On the upside the prices for the swimsuits were awesome! The most I spent on one swimsuit was $17.49 USD  for an entire set and they offered me 12% off and emailed a 10% coupon after I had made my purchase. They also gave me free shipping. (They should have offered a side of patience with that.)

The quality of the swimsuits are pretty good and they all came packaged separately in ziploc bags. All of my swim tops are lighlty padded so no worries, there will be no nipple action. The sizes however are a bit tricky. I ordered smalls in all 4 suits and the bottoms are all a bit tight but  the tops fit a little loosely. These are the swimsuits I chose and all links to the suits will be listed below.

Printed braided halter bikini set http://www.zaful.com/printed-lace-up-bikini-set-p_170446.html

I love the tribal colors on this swimsuit and its a bit cheeky in the back.

Snake print halter bikini set http://www.zaful.com/snake-print-halter-bikini-set-p_174500.html

This is my favorite of all 4 purchases. It offers a little more coverage at the back and I kind of have a thing for animal print.

Printed halter lace up bikini set http://www.zaful.com/printed-braided-halter-bikini-set-p_165278.html

This one is my least favorite. The bottom is super cheeky which I don't mind however its lacking that "wow" factor for me.

Solid color Spaghetti straps mesh bikini set http://www.zaful.com/solid-color-spaghetti-straps-mesh-bikini-set-p_188980.html

This is the suit that I'm patiently waiting for. Hope its worth the wait.

Update: I received the bikini a few days later and although the material is really nice the fit of the top is very poor. The straps are too long and not by a little but a whole lot. What made it worst is that they can't be adjusted. I will have to cut and mend them somehow 

All in all I would order from them again. The swimsuit quality is great and so are the price and offers, and despite the long wait time the suits are definitely worth it. They are well made on top of being affordable. I would suggest however, to go up a size or two for comfort.

Have you tried Zaful.com before? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below or maybe suggest a few swimsuit sites for me to try out. Until next time, Besos.

Good Evening Mr.Bond...(Last minute shopping Ideas)

This week has been super crazy and stressful and no, I'm not talking about your typical work related stress. I have a big event coming up and a closet full of nothing to wear!....or so it seems.

My friends and family all know I have a shopping addiction and I love stocking up on basics; however, now that I have this huge event coming up next week Saturday I've realized that I have nothing to wear. 

I'm a firm believer in standing out from the crowd. On a small island like this where everyone typically shops at the same places its hard to do just that, so I tend to do most of my shopping online. 

Most persons shy away from Online Shopping because they're afraid of ordering the wrong size, that the quality of the clothing wont be great or simply don't want to be bothered with the extra charges (shipping fees,vat,customs...) but I love it! 

The event that I'm shopping for is super exclusive and upscale. Its James Bond themed and the invitation states that the dress code is "Iconic Bond Fashion".

When I thought of James Bond, I automatically thought of a black tie affair. Something super swanky and classy. So I went on the hunt for something that was not only chic but sexy at the same time. Here are some of the sites and options that I came up with.

Meshki Boutique

http://www.meshki.com.au/

Elektra King 1999's, The World is not Enough

This dress is called the Calandra Shirt dress and comes in white and nude. Meshki Boutique is an Australian site that sells designer garments for a reasonable price. The great part about this site is that they offer express shipping to the US which is where most of my items are shipped before it gets to the Bahamas (Its a flat rate of $15 and takes anywhere from 2-3 days) and I need this dress ASAP!

Missguided

 https://www.missguidedus.com/


Missguided is a UK site. Their clothes are really cute and range anywhere from $7-$120.

This was another pick for the event:

Natalya Simonova from 1995's, Golden Eye

This dress is called the Peace + Love pleat ruched front midi dress in the color white. It also comes in Black. I love the Grecian style of this dress and the way it just drapes over the shoulders and Gathers at the front. It gives off a super sexy vibe with its low cut top and open sides and seemed to be a great choice for my event.  

Missguided also offers Express shipping at a flat rate of $15 which takes 2-3 days to arrive to the US.

Pretty little thing

https://www.prettylittlething.us/

This site was relatively new to me. I had never purchased anything from there before but had seen a few try on hauls on YouTube featuring it.

Pretty little thing is also a UK site and is quite similar to Missguided in design and layout. They have really cute pieces at affordable prices.

Much like Missguided and Meshki Boutique they also offer Express shipping at a flat rate of $15 and it takes about 2-3 days to deliver to the US.

There were two dresses on this site that caught my eye.

Dress #1:

Sylvia Trench from 1962's, Dr.No

This dress is called the Katalea Twist front silky shirt dress in the color champagne. This dress also comes in dusty pink, lime and black. Its in the same silky material as the Calandra shirt dress from Meshki Boutique and is a great play on one of this years top spring trends, the pajama trend.

With its loose fit and silky material it gives off that alluring pajama vibe. There is just something that is effortlessly sexy about this piece and styled just right I think it would be great for my event.

Dress #2:

Solitaire from the 1973's, Live and let Die

This dress is called the Biddy Deep V Plunge cross back midi dress. Its super sexy and super sleek in a bright red color that demands your attention. This dress comes in a variety of colors and you're sure to find one that compliments your skin tone. The midi length gives it a classy feel and the low cut back and front gives off a tasteful dose of sexiness.

These are my top four picks for the event and seeing as the event is officially one week away I'm going to have to make that decision today. Real world problems.

Which one's your favorite and how would you style it? You guys will have to wait and see which one I chose and how I styled it. Until next time loves . Besos

Just a girl...but not JUST a Girl

Hey there, my name is Shonny and I'm just a girl.... But not JUST a girl. Im a girl with a dream, a girl with hopes and a girl on a journey to find her place and her purpose in life. That totally sounded like the intro of some corny movie I would probably never watch. (please don't judge me.)

I sat staring at my lap top just thinking about what my first post would be and just decided to write whatever comes to mind.So forgive me if I'm rambling but I'm just trying to get a few of my thoughts down.

This year has been amazing so far. We're 6 months in already. Can you believe it?! *sigh* 6 months! I've already traveled to 3 countries, done two things off of my bucket list and started a new job. Could things get any better? I'm sure they can, but right now I'm just counting my blessings.

I haven't had the easiest life growing up and bad luck seemed to follow me wherever I went and no matter what I did, I could never seem to get it right in any aspect of my life. Although my life isn't perfect right now, this is the best I have ever felt because for once I'm finally living and doing things for me.

No worries and no stress ....just focusing on me and my goals. Traveling is one of them. I haven't done much of it until last year when I met this guy and he awakened my appetite for wanting to see the world. He had done so much and seen so much and all I could think was... " I wanna be just like that". Granted I only went to two countries last year but I actually explored ...and did... and saw things. It was amazing!

Now, here I am...starting a blog. Something I've always thought about doing but didn't think I would be any good at. YOLO (do people still say that? Hope I didnt give my age away.)

This blog isn't going in any particular direction but I'm going to share pieces of me ...with you. The things I love like; fashion, food and travelling and even some of my deepest thoughts and feelings. That part really scares me but maybe it will help someone out there who feels the same way I do, to not feel so alone.

 So this is me,Shonny and I'm just a girl... but not  JUST a girl.