Nella Bella Archives - Listen to Lena

I know y’all have been waiting for me to post my thoughts on the Disney Social Media Moms Conference – and it’s coming, I swear! It’s just that I normally need some time to collect my thoughts and present them in a way that will be relevant and interesting to you. It was QUITE the epic conference, though, and I’ll be back later this week with all the good stuff!

However, in the meantime, I know how much you love my Frugal Fashion Recaps (check out my BlogHer’12: Frugal Fashion Recap here) – also known as “What to Wear to a Professional Conference” – and so I thought it was only right to post another installment.

Last year, I was able to wear an entirely new wardrobe, consisting of four faboosh outfits, for under $200. This year, I wasn’t exactly counting pennies, but was nonetheless able to assemble a wide variety of outfits that allowed me to feel confident and pretty. Of course, the Disney Social Media Moms Conference posed an additional challenge; my wardrobe had to include conference day pieces, night ensembles, and even Disney Park outfits – ones that could keep me somewhat comfortable in the 35°C weather, that is.

And so here it is… a timeline of my outfits, the costs, and how I rocked them!

The very first conference event was on Thursday night – a Welcome Reception at Epcot. As mentioned in my I Have Nothing To Wear post, I decided to recycle an outfit from BlogHer’12 – a striped maxi dress from Banana Republic Factory Store. There I am posing with Stephanie (@SassyModernMom) and Tenille (@FeistyFrugal) – it was crazy dark at the venue (hence the grainy photo), so thankfully we all chose bright pieces!

The dress cost $49.72 (after discounts) – last year – which means, of course, there was no additional expense to my fashion budget for Disney Social Media Moms. I received exactly eight (8) compliments (hubby was counting!) so I’m officially declaring this do-over a fashion win.

Of course, it was the next day – Conference Day One – that I was really stressing about. Not only did I want to look appropriately professional for the conference, but there was also a Red Carpet Family Dinner at Disney’s Hollywood Studios which I just knew I wanted to dress to impress for. However, I also had no idea if I’d have a chance to change in between, so I had to opt for an outfit which would literally take me from “office” to “outing”.

(Not so easy when balancing highly air conditioned conference rooms and non-existent air conditioning at outdoor venues!)

In the end, I decided to go for a tried and true maxi dress – the easiest way to be fun and flirty and always dressed accordingly for the occasion. Of course, one of my first stops was once again the Banana Republic Factory Store. As soon as I laid eyes on this gorgeous maxi dress, I knew I had to have it!

With an abstract floral print and a figure-flattering empire waist, the dress was originally $110 – on sale for 40% off. Thankfully, I read In Touch every week – and always remember to save their GAP Factory Store and Banana Republic Factory Store coupons. Hence, I was able to receive an additional 20% off, making the dress only $52.80 after discounts. Have you been paying attention? That’s almost the same amount I spent on my maxi dress last year. Therefore, the sweet spot for Banana Republic Factory Store dresses is about $50 CAD – be sure not to purchase them at a higher price, because you just know there will be another sale around the corner.

I teamed it up with my prized Michael Kors Devon handbag and a pair of gladiator sandals from ALDO I’m so happy I held on to, even though conventional wisdom was telling me to toss them last year. It only took a few more seasons for the style to return, and now we’re in gladiator heaven with all the brands once again coming on board.

Since I already own the handbag and sandals, total cost for the outfit was $52.80! (Er… technically I should also factor in the new convertible bra I purchased, but let’s forget about that.)…

Okay, I *may* have indulged in a Lord of the Rings marathon yesterday, and that *may* be in the inspiration for my post title. However, when thinking about Nella Bella’s “The London”, the post title is actually quite fitting.

Now raise your hands if a) you’re a handbag junkie, b) love wearing Canadian designers and c) are looking for one bag for every occasion. Maybe a) and b) are easily checked off, but finding ONE bag for every occasion? You may as well be looking for the ring of power.

(Er – before it was destroyed. Okay, I’ll stop with the LOTR references, I swear.)

I was turned onto Nella Bella by way of Twitter; that is, I saw a fellow tweep chatting about how much she adored the London handbag and was inspired to check it out. Then, I was even happier to discover that Nella Bella is a Canadian brand (Tarek Al-Azbat is the Creative Director and Head Designer) that utilizes state of the art vegan fabrics to create their collections. (But really, I just wanted to know all about The London.) Take a look:

From clutch to full-size messenger, it’s pretty clear why the London is the best-selling bag in Nella Bella’s line. In fact, most of the styles are currently sold out; however, there are a few styles still available, including basic nylon and eccentric snake canvas. The handbag has been prominently featured on The Marilyn Denis Show, Flare Magazine and LouLou, among others.

I must admit that the reasonable, money-conscious and fashion-forward part of me wants this handbag on my shoulder now, as it would take a lot of the guesswork out of which bag to use for different tasks and occasions. However, a small part of me still craves variety, and I’m uncertain if I’d be able to commit to one look throughout. Thankfully the handbag is perfectly priced at just $125.00… I can grab two or three!

Click here to visit Nella Bella.