Before I Shop || Giveaway

Online shopping can be a daunting task. Making sure the fit and quality can be hard if you are looking into a new store, I mean, let's be honest... it can be hard even if you are shopping at a store you are super familiar with. Whenever I shop online I spend a lot of time reading reviews. I really value what previous customers have said about the product and the store. Sometimes I will even go online to check out reviews and see what items might be in a store before I head out to the mall. It saves a lot of time. And a lot of money because I don't spend just to spend. I have something in mind. And now there is a website that makes all the pre-shopping shopping way easier.

Before I Shop is a website that is dedicated to helping you shop better. Whether it be through product reviews or sharing all the sales and deals - they have you covered. And they want to help you have better shopping experiences at the stores that you already love, which sounds like a win to me! Before I Shop knows there’s nothing better than discovering a great sale, scoring an awesome deal, and then sharing your latest finds with others who get why you’re so excited. They want the Before I Shop community to be your platform to share and show off your savvy shopping skills.

Right now they have a handful of stores to pick from - but they will slowly start adding more as things pick up. You can create your own "shopper profile" and go in to share the deals you've found and share the items you love. Then, like any good social media platform, people can like your post by clicking the little heart or they can leave you a comment - either some social snaps or some questions about the items you have picked.



They want this to be a community where we help each other out. They say,"Before I Shop is about shopping. Shopping releases dopamine. Dopamine makes you happy. So please leave snarky comments, inappropriate images, and trolls at home. Use your shopping prowess for good, not evil. Let’s help each other make smarter shopping decisions." I would recommend making a profile - you can sign up with email or Facebook & try any of these ideas: an outfit featuring something you got for an awesome price, something you love that’s currently on sale, dressing reviews, haul videos, or your tips on what to buy & what to skip.

Oh, and a bonus for making a profile and posting a review? You can enter to win a $50 e-card to the Before I Shop store of your choice - compliments of Before I Shop! Doesn't that make you love them even more? If it doesn't... you are CRAZY! The giveaway is open to international followers. So what are you waiting for?!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The American Dream

Something that I love about being in the blogging community is all of the shop owners you meet. No matter what get together or event you go to, you are bound to meet someone who is a well established shop owner or someone that is just starting their own shop. It really is a beautiful thing. On a daily basis I have the opportunity to work with men and women that are living the American dream! Of doing the things they want and building a life around that. These shop owners are building a path for themselves based on the freedoms around them. And that is poetic in my mind!

Like I said, I have had the opportunity to work with lots of different shops. You've seen them on my blog before. Shops like Our World Boutique, Bluebird Bridal, Alexa Z Design, 3eleven Design,The Little Black Fashion Truck, and so on. The list is endless. But recently I had the opportunity to work with two newer shops. 

Cowl: c/o Leather and Wool // Sweater Shirt: c/o toAdorn // Chambray: Gap

Leggings: Gap // Booties: Francescas

The first is toAdorn. You might recognize them from a giveaway I helped host last week. ToAdorn.com features brand new products every single day – and at a very low price. They sell products from vendors all over the USA that offer the best handmade, fashion, home décor and boutique items. ToAdorn is what I like to call the gateway dream. Because while they are building their own business, they are also helping other shops grow! And you can get 10% off your order with the code "Ilovetoadorn". The second shop is Leather and Wool. A shop that focuses on handmade cowls for children and adults. The unique triangle design of these handmade cowls is modern, comfortable, and trendsetting. Made with a real wool blend yarn for softness, durability, and authenticity and always genuine leather buttons.

Like I said earlier, working with these shops is one of my favorite parts of blogging. Getting the chance to team up and collaborate with people that are so passionate about what they do. It is a good feeling and they often fuel a new fire for me to work harder for what they want. Do you ever buy things from home-grown stores? What are your favorite local shops?