Smaggle took our $150 challenge, and isn’t afraid of international shipping!

Posted by in accessories, get the look, overseas, smaggle, the $150 challenge

Let me preface this little manifesto with an important fact about myself. I wear grey, cream and black. Solid blocks of colour and busy patterns make me feel contrived and messy. I think it’s because I have enormous hair.

So when I got set the challenge to spend $150 exclusively in the US to honour the Hulk-like strength of the Australian dollar I decided to set a few personal challenges of my own.

  1. I was under no circumstances to purchase anything in black, grey or cream.
  2. I was not to purchase more than one item from the same store.
  3. I was to throw caution to the wind and buy something that I love that is not necessarily my style.

With a proverbial fistful of greenbacks in my sweaty little hands I started the search. I began with the mecca – eBay.

I’ve had my eye on a pair of ghetto fabulous Disney Couture hoop earrings (yes I’m serious. See Challenge #3) since I saw them in a gorgeous but over priced country town boutique. Said boutique was charging $325. Enter eBay and his beefcake friend the Australian dollar and I got some Tinkerbell action for $48USD with international postage to Australia for $8USD. Outstanding. I won’t bore you with details of my conversion rate glee suffice to say that I might have squealed.

Next, I hit up Spotted Moth. I’m a sucker for intuitive sites and this one is like a mind reader. You can choose your size in the side bar and they only show you items that are available in your size. It’s pure genius. I bought the beautiful Tundra blouse made from a pure silk and organic cotton blend for $49.99USD with $14.99USD international shipping.

Secret tip? Make friends with The Clothes Horse. She is a gorgeous American style blogger who has a handy discount code to Spotted Moth in her side bar. Cheeky.  Also this item clearly covers challenge #1. I’m a-glow with the sheen of success.

My third item in the bargain challenge is a little left of centre but just hear me out. I saw a girl (in my defence she was a really, really cool girl), wearing matte pink eye shadow outside her eyes near her temples. I’m on an epic mission to ‘be cool’ and pink eye shadow is clearly a vehicle to this elusive destination. Sugarpill makes cosmetics reminiscent of war paint and here I found the perfect pink for Operation Cool. Dollipop Eye shadow for $12USD with $6USD international postage to Australia. Freaking sold.

In summary (my, my don’t we sound serious!) I spent $138.98USD, which equals $142.14AU. Shipping included. La di da.

And not a speck of my usual muted tones in sight.

What about you? Have you ever bought something that you love that’s not your style? How did you rock it? Do share!