Frugalistas Make it Work in the USA
Recently there has been a trend toward frugal fashionistas. No longer are women splurging on Chanel handbags or lavish Parisian vacations. Instead, they seem to have turned their attention toward DIY projects and discount retailers. Every girl dreams of a shopping spree in Paris, and I’m sure that will never change. What has changed is the likelihood that those dreams will come true. I’d like to offer an alternative.
Shopping in the United States (although dramatically less fantastical) is just as high-end as nearly anything offered overseas. Some of the United States’ largest cities are actually home to a haven of high-end and new designers. When you’re talking about
shopping in the States, a few cities instantly come to mind. New York, Los Angeles and Chicago have some of the best shopping in the nation and the entire world. These cities are vastly more affordable than a vacation to Paris, and you can still have an awesome high-end shopping experience (even if you can’t afford a thing.)
The rise of the frugalista has been documented in the most popular blogs. The modern-day fashion blog is full of DIYs, designer deals, and look-a-like fashion. If a designer look can’t be created, it usually won’t be featured on most fashion blogs. Women everywhere are dedicating themselves and their fellow sisters to pinching pennies while still looking (and feeling) fabulous.
Hopefully the economy will soon turn around, and fashionistas everywhere will find themselves enjoying a baguette while taking in the Eiffel Tower with a Chanel bag in tow. Until then frugalistas, buckle up for a trip to the craft store.
Moving to Chicago
Chicago is home to several successful sporting teams, the tallest building in America and some of the best shopping and restaurants around. If you’ve ever considered moving to the city, there are a couple factors to consider before taking the plunge.
Depending on where you live now, the cost of living could rise dramatically if you move to Chicago. Your utility bill will probably be pretty substantial, especially in those bitter winter months. However, there are definitely ways to save money by moving into a city. Take advantage of Chicago’s affordable public transportation and save major bucks on gasoline.
In addition, it’s important to remember that winters in Chicago are cold, and they don’t call it the Windy City for nothing. Make sure you can brave the cold before signing the lease, or else you might find yourself frozen – literally and figuratively. If you do stick it out through the winter, Chicago rewards you with beautiful summer temperatures and gorgeous beaches along Lake Michigan that are definitely worth the wait.
Moving to a big city means taking the negatives, like higher cost of living, with the positives. Chicago offers more diversity, better places to eat, more variety, and just more to do. Whether it’s a museum, the aquarium, the zoo, the shopping, the parks, the theatres, or just the pizza places in Chicago; a big city can offer you more.
Chicago is a beautiful city that is clean and well-maintained. The crowds are generally manageable, and the possibilities are definitely endless.
Chicago for Christmas
Chicago could easily put together a to-do list longer than a lot of states put together. From museums to sporting events, shopping to site seeing, Chicago is the place to be if you’d like to plan an urban vacation this holiday season. Generally speaking, New York City is considered above all when vacationers are searching for a big-city get-away or perfect shopping experience. But Chicago vacations have more to offer than you think, including one huge benefit over New York City this time of year.
With the holidays fast approaching, many people will plan shopping trips to big-cities, to score the best presents for family and friends. Most people think about New York City when they think big-city shopping, and they wouldn’t be wrong to make that association. What they don’t know is that Chicago has some of the best shopping in the world as well, but without the massive population of NYC.
Chicago makes it easy to shop this holiday season. From
Michigan Ave. to the countless malls and storefronts downtown, shoppers should have no trouble finding what they’re looking for. Fewer people means a shorter wait inside those busy department stores, and a more enjoyable experience overall.
Whether you’re trying to find a hotel, figure out public transportation, brave the holiday shoppers or get your Christmas presents home with you, Chicago has the edge on NYC. The city is nearly as large and just as affordable. So, the next time you’re planning a big-city shopping trip, consider Chicago as your destination.
Chicago Writing Style
Many of you have heard of The Chicago Manual of Style. With regard to citations, this manual explains two documentation systems. These include:
- Notes and bibliography; and
- Author-date
Both citation styles are correct, yet you may still find that the choice from one to the other is at least somewhat dependent on the topic being written about, and the subject of each citation source.
The notes and bibliography style offers bibliographic text in the form of notes and often includes a full bibliography. is most often used when citing authors and works in the humanities. Examples include classical literature, history and the arts. In other words, use this style for citing works that are best understood by scholars in each particular field of study.
When citing more factual articles, books and other publications, the author-date system is generally preferred. Due to the referential nature of such writing, each source receives a short citation within the text itself. It is very common to wrap the citation in parentheses, including the last name of the author and the date of publication. These short citations are then reiterated in a list of references, that includes a full bibliography.