I haven't been to Sears in a loong time, which isn't to say I don't browse their website frequently, but let's just say Target is on one end of my mall, and Sears is on the completely opposite end. You do the math. But on a recent frigid weekday, I decided to get some exercise by powerwalking through the mall, pushing the LO in his stroller, so we made our way over to Sears and I was so glad I did! The new offerings from Metaphor (which are almost all marked down 40-50% off right now) are stellar. The colors and cuts are fresh, modern and fashion-forward. Just take a look at my photos! Even Kardashian Kollection impressed me this time, with lots of party-ready frocks and sassy work separates that looked great and were very reasonably priced.

I did a little searching on Instagram and discovered that @SearsStyle has created a hashtag #TheNewMetaphor, so clearly they're promoting the new look, too. I'd follow them for inspiration, as they share how bloggers are wearing the looks - love how @katalina_girl styled this deep-v sweater (here) and @cryskay's head to to Metaphor look - amazing!

Have you checked out the new fashions at Sears lately? What did you think?

January is the month for clearance sales but amidst the deals are new arrivals to tempt us (or just give us a taste of what's to come for spring). At H&M, most clearance items were marked down an additional 30%. For new arrivals, silhouettes were mostly boxy and oversized on top, and fluid or relaxed on the bottom. I can get with that. I was loving all the fun new prints that reminded me of past Prada, Gucci and Etro collections: Think whimsical bugs, global prints and scarf prints. I picked up some new clothes for my little guy (I think most of his wardrobe is H&M!) and made sure to bring a small bag of garments to donate to H&M garment recycling program - you get a 15% off coupon good towards one item and the cashier was kind enough to let me use it towards this purchase, and gave me another coupon to go!

Take a peek at these items and decide whether you'll spend now on some new winter clearance items - or save up for spring!

Today as your virtual shopping guide, we're going to IKEA, where displays throughout the store encourage shoppers to keep those New Year's resolutions to get organized and redecorate their spaces. A quick update like new bedding can make a huge difference (I recently switched to this all-white duvet and sheets and feel like an official "style blogger" now. White sheets seem to be a prerequisite.) Inexpensive ombre baskets can help tame some of your clutter while adding color to a room. Or, maybe it's just something as simple as a graphic pillow case or a pretty scented candle (I liked the peppermint ones) to give newness to your home. Here's what else caught my eye at IKEA - all super affordable!

The biggest gold star clearance event is going on now at Kohl's where you can save up to 70% (and even 80% on final clearance items), so I thought I'd share a few snaps of some items I spotted on my last trip worth checking out. From Juicy Couture, there's a cheeky sequin lips pullover (which seems to be a micro trend as mentioned in this post); from LC Lauren Conrad, a bevy of stripes and polka-dots to choose from. We'll never tire of either print.

T.J.Maxx is killing it lately with their wide assortment of totally chic and on-trend message art! With fashionista-friendly phrases like "Champagne for breakfast," "Hello, darling!" or "Work it," in colors of gold and white, they're the perfect compliment to a girl's bedroom or walk-in closet (if you're so lucky!) There are also uplifting phrases like "You are my sunshine" (which I realize is borrowed from a somewhat depressing song but it's come to mean something positive in 2015), which would be perfect for a child's room or nursery. And for the social-media obsessed (raises hand) there are simple hashtags in over-the-top glitter like "#Love," or simply "Fabulous." Many pieces would be perfect to give as a Valentine's Day gift, too, but you can keep these up year round for a little motivation and decorative flare. They're especially perfect for decor commitment-phobes such as myself because they're so affordable - most under $20! If you look carefully at each photo you should be able to make out the exact prices. "Pin" these photos to see them enlarged and zoom in!

Follow me on Instagram to see more of my shopping finds in real time. Have you noticed the message art influx at your T.J.Maxx? Which prints do you love?