Classy Not Pricey

“The best things in life are free.  The second best are very expensive” – Coco Chanel How do you define classy?  Coco Chanel had it right in this quote… almost. The most impactful, worthwhile things in life that bring lasting joy are usually free.  What are the best things in your life?  Are they people, places, or experiences?  Are they the little details of life, like the famous lyrics from the Sounds of Music: “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens?" Yes, these are free, and YES we love them!

"He loves me.  He loves me not."  "She loves me.  She loves me not."  Ah, Valentine's Day.  Love it?  Hate it?  What's the verdict? In elementary school I always looked forward to Valentine's Day.  I loved decorating the box that would collect valentines from my classmates during our parent-sponsored parties of heart-cookie decorating and cutesy crafts.  Then I would go home, spread all the valentines out on the floor and read each one - some over and over to decipher whether any of my crushes might be crushing in return...

Last weekend on our way back from a wedding, my husband and I spotted the outlet mall off the side of the highway!  Although plenty ready to be home, we both insisted (actually, I insisted and he obliged) we do some "field research" for Classy Not Pricey by evaluating what the outlets had to offer first hand.  We wanted to know... were they really a great deal?  An excellent way to shop for classy brands at non-pricey discounts? Each outlet mall, of course, has different kinds of stores.  We were thrilled to find ourselves walking through a (truly) premium outlet with fantastic brands that aren't always outlet options.  At the end of our research, we were excited to report not only great lessons to pass along to you all, but also a major success story for ourselves on some incredible Calphalon Unison pots and pans.