bargain news

We didn’t make it to 9am Saks Fifth Avenue Sexy Shoes breakfast on Monday (we were hoping for a lunch…), but we did browse through the online version of the limited-edition Sexy Shoes magazine and looked at all the 25 finalists, which are on view at the “10022-SHOE” boutique in New York and at 11 other Saks locations nationwide. The “competing” shoes were selected by the editors of Footwear News and the winning shoes and the runners-up will be announced at the end of October, based on the number of votes each finalist receives.

You too can vote for your favorite sexy shoe from a broad range of shoe designs that includes a Christian Louboutin leopard pony hair and gold embossed leather sandal, a Sergio Rossi dusk suede pump with blossom detail, and a Christian Dior leather lace-up bootie with grommet embellishment. Vote for free at http://www.wwd.com/sexyshoes and you could win a $10,000 Saks Fifth Avenue shopping spree or a $1,500 Saks Fifth Avenue Gift Card.

Also, if you decide to buy something, don’t forget to take advantage of the SPEND$OME GET$SOME program, which allows you to earn as much as $450. Yes, some restrictions do apply, so make sure that the brand you are interested in is not on the “fine print list.”

The program takes place online between September 26 – 29, and online and in stores between September 30 and October 1. To earn the Saks Gift Card, just enter code SEP2011 at checkout.

Vote, shop and have fun!

Image credit: WWD.com

In the beginning

In the last ten years blogs and blogging – or web logging as it was originally known –  have changed the manner in which we manufacture and consume media. Today anyone can write anything they like and publish it online where it will be accessible to billions of people worldwide. Similarly, many bloggers provide a journalistic service, usurping the once all-encompassing rule of the corporate media and breaking big stories that we may not ever have heard about otherwise.

Of course the serious stuff is all well and good, but blogging can also be a lot of fun. Do you ever wonder if you could be making some money doing something that you really enjoy? Well it’s certainly possible. There are thousands of freelance writers out there doing just that right now. The thing is, the art of blogging has grown into something a lot more than just a type of online diary-writing. It has become big business.

Blogs and money

Unsurprisingly in our modern capitalist world, blogs have been recognized for their potential to make money. Take the Huffington Post for example. Having grown up and flourished from a compendium of talented bloggers, it now rivals and even surpasses some of the biggest names in traditional media when it comes to the traffic that passes through the website each day.

The bottom line is: if the content is good, the readers will come. And when the readers arrive the ad revenue soon follows – that’s the basic blogging business model. This is the point where you come in, the individual blogger that is.

As a blogger, you are the content creator. As a result of the monetization of content, the good news for you is that bigger blogs and websites now have money to pay their contributors, which they are more than willing to do because paid contributors are more likely to provide high quality content than unpaid contributors, and high quality content is what is most important if a blog is to stand out from the crowd – and so the circle of life continues!

Monetize your own blog

If you are a blogger you already have your own blog that you have been maintaining, hopefully having gathered a few regular readers/commenters in the meantime to boost your traffic figures. If so then there are a number of ways you can make some money without every having to write for anyone other than yourself.

Google Adsense is one of the most popular choices for those looking to monetize their own blogs. It’s pretty easy to set it up through the Blogger platform (it being owned by Google) and will automatically add banner advertisements to your blog, in turn making you money for every click those ads get. However it must be noted that a serious amount of page views are required to make any kind of decent money this way, as you only get a few cents per click, and people simply don’t like to click on ads – so if even if you have a few hundred followers you are unlikely to make anything more than lunch money with Adsense.

There are other options too. The Amazon Associates system is similar in principal to Adsense. Read more about it here. After that, you can try to set up some private advertising. For instance, if your content is geared towards an local audience in your area, you can show local companies your traffic figures and they may be interested in paying to post a banner ad on your page.

How to get involved

Getting paid to blog for a third party can be easier than you think, especially if you’re really good at it. First of all you’ll have to find your niche, but that shouldn’t be a big problem – you know what you like to write about, right? So decide what you want to focus on, whether it be fashion or food or finance or… you get the idea.

There are probably some established sites you are familiar with in your niche already, and you’ll be able to find plenty more using a little secret tool of the trade we like to call – make sure nobody is looking at your screen right now – Google! If you’re stuck for ideas, here is a link to some sites that regularly pay their contributors to blog. About.com is a good example, where they pay freelance “guides” to create and moderate their content.

Most sites like the above will have a specific contact page where you will be able to get in touch about contributing. Even some of the bigger sites out there –  such as the aforementioned Huff Post for example – will be interested to hear from you if you’ve got what it takes (though that particular site doesn’t have a great reputation for paying well!). And if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Persistence and tenacity are crucial traits for any aspiring writer to possess.

Time + Effort = Success

If you have talent there is no reason to doubt that you have got what it takes to become a professional blogger or freelance writer. But do bear in mind that things won’t happen for you overnight. Also remember that, if you want to be 100 percent freelance, you won’t have the safety net of benefits et al that come with most regular employment. Regardless, if it’s what you want to do then you shouldn’t be deterred.

Developing your own blog is a great way to practice and build a portfolio of content online, even if you aren’t making a whole lot of money at first. If you keep working at it you will find success. There will be ample opportunities for you going forward because new media is where it’s at right now, and it looks like it’s only going to get bigger and bigger from here.

No matter where you go shopping this fall, you will not miss the tribal sensation that has left the runway and entered our favorite stores.

The predictions from Fall 2011 fashion week were correct –– bold and vibrant colors, mixed with tribal designs, are the new trend for this season. Whether you are shopping at H&M or Saks Fifth Avenue you will find simple shaped dresses, rompers and jumpers all covered in tribal patterns and colors.

This exotic look consists of strong, graphic prints combined with earthy tones of browns, reds and oranges. These brightly assorted clothes are matched with simple chunk wooden bracelets or straw bags to top off the safari look.

Not only has the tribal look changed the style of clothing, but accessories as well. Totes, shoes, bracelets and scarves are all inspired by the Native American and African tribal patterns –– so it is sure to be a very colorful season for fashionistas and shoppers alike. Mixing different designs and patterns together seems to be the way to make the whole tribal look stand out, and really pop. If you want this look at home you can go into your closet, pick out the boldest colored clothing from last season and pair it with anything the latest patterns.

Be sure to stand out this fall by wearing everything tribal!

By Ashley Caputo

WHAT: theOutnet.com Clearance Sale – 80-85% Off!

WHY: theOutnet.com, the most fashionable fashion outlet, is hosting an amazing CLEARANCE sale. 900+ delectable designer looks from labels including Stella McCartney, Michael Kors, Chloé, Halston, Marc Jacobs and Valentino will be available at 80 – 85% off. Member only prices. Log on to www.theoutnet.com on Monday, August 23rd and shop an array of clothes, bags, shoes and accessories at an unbelievable price. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store…

Pricing:

• Belt – Original price $1540 / theOutnet.com price $231
• Sweater – Original price $895 / theOutnet.com price $135
• Bag – Original price $1735 / theOutnet.com price $260
• Dress- Original price $1795 / theOutnet.com price $269
• Pants – Original price $995 / theOutnet.com price $150
• Jacket – Original price $4850 / theOutnet.com price $728
• Shoes – Original price $795 / theOutnet.com price $120

WHEN: 8/23 – 8/29

WHERE: Online – theoutnet.com

For a Back to School look check out: theOutnet.com – Shop Elizabeth and James, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Adam and more at up to 70% off!theOutnet.com