DSW Shoe Review

DSW is one of my favorite places to shop for shoes. They have a huge variety that changes regularly, prices lower than average, and clearance items on super-sale! They've been my shoe go-to for years!

Also, once you enroll in DSW point rewards, you accrue points for every purchase. For every dollar you spend on regular priced items, you earn 10 points (5 points per dollar spent on clearance items), and you get a $10 reward certificate after earning 1500 points. They also have frequent opportunities to earn 3x points, and all purchases over $35 ship free! Start shopping at DSW now!

This is the Sam Edelman Posey Chain Ankle boot. I don't pay much attention to designer shoes (I'm still recovering from an unfortunate lime green Coach sandal incident), but these caught my eye on clearance. I have too many dark leather boots in my closet, so I've been on a light suede kick lately. We've had a very dry winter, so I haven't had to worry about the elements ruining the suede.   

I really liked the details of these boots: the chain with leather accents, the braided strap, and the wooden heel. It almost reminds me of a cartridge belt. I like the cowboy/gunslinger vibe without being too overtly western. I also liked the almond toe, it was a nice departure from all the rounded toe shoes I currently own. The sticker price was $119.95, but they were on clearance for half off. I had two DSW certificates for $10 each, so I ended up paying $40 for them. 

Here they are at DSW.com for $119.95. Here for $59.99 from Urban Outfitters in a few select sizes and colors. 

A side note: sometimes items on clearance in store will cost more online, or wont be considered clearance online, so it's always better to check your location's clearance section before ordering online.

Tech Product Review

Last year I got an iPad Air, but never got around to buying a case for it. I know that eventually, I'll want to travel with it and it's not the kind of thing you can just toss in your purse unprotected. I was really hesitant to shell out the money for an expensive case like the ones they sell at the Apple store, so I went on Amazon in search of something more affordable. They had a wide range of products at different price points, but I found one that was on sale for $4.99 that had a ton of great reviews (I'm always skeptical of things that are too good to be true, so I recommend really poring over the reviews).

It's called A Fintie Apple iPad Air Folio Case (Get it here.) The product info says that it is "synthetic leather," (read: faux leather) but for my price point, I knew I wouldn't get the real deal, nor do I really care. The inner front cover is microfiber, a soft, fuzzy material that functions to protect the screen. The front cover has a magnetic closure, which is very nice and has just the right amount of magnetism to really keep it closed. It also has a stylus holder, but does not come with a stylus (to be honest, I didn't know you could use a stylus with an iPad, whoops).

With the front cover open and tucked behind, it will lay completely flat. The cover adds very little bulk. Also, all of the buttons are perfectly accessible, and the key cutouts are in the proper locations. An added bonus is when you close the cover, your iPad automatically sleeps, and when you open the cover, the "enter password" screen pops up. I'm not sure how this works, but it's a nice feature.