Yesterday I headed to Dressbarn to check out a new concept they're calling Dressbar. It's a kind of shop-within-a-shop where the cheap-chic dress retailer can highlight certain frocks, including designer collections created exclusively for Dressbarn: LUXE by Carmen Marc Valvo, MiXT by Heidi Weisel, Lovely by Adrianna Papell, and dbRSVP by the db Fashion Studio. Each of these designers' names are synonymous with dresses, so I was excited to see what they had designed for the budget-savvy Dressbarn shopper. Keep reading to see what I tried on, what worked and what didn't!

Lately I find myself loving everything at H&M. Maybe it's because I can't wait for spring or maybe it's because they always translate the runways into wearable everyday fashion. Muted pastels and cheerful yellows popped against classic black and white separates, while bold prints made things like sporty jackets and jumpsuits feel fresh again. And if you live somewhere cold and can't bust out your spring clothes until the end of May, never fear, H&M has new winter updates to carry you through, whether it's a new plaid scarf or classic quilted jacket. Note the awesome cargo jacket and essential ankle boots pictured below...scoop these up now, you'll thank me when spring finally rolls around!

P.S. In case you're wondering what I bought on this trip, it was this wee parka for my boy (I donated a small grocery bag of garments to receive 15% off).

Also today's the last day of a little sale going on at hm.com: Take 20% off your purchase of $50 or more with code 2958; 25% off your pourchase of $100 or more with code 2959; or take 30% off your purchase of $150 or more with code 2960!