I’m a college girl on a budget, but let’s be real: I love fashion + shopping. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved getting new pieces, playing around with my outfits, and getting fashion inspiration from celebrities. I decided to share my all-time favorite brands with you all, so you can always refer back to this post for all of myย personal recommendations.
The brands + retailers listed below are my absolute favorite places to shop at. I’m constantly checking these websites for new arrivals, and count on them to carry new trends.
Get Paid to Shop!
If you want to get money back when shopping online, make sure to use Ebates! I use Ebates every time that I shop online because it essentially pays me to shop. Ebates lets me earn money back from my purchases, and get paid via PayPal. Ebates changed my online shopping game and I.ย LOVE. IT.
My All-Time Favorite Brands: Clothing + Beauty
Retailers
Nordstrom: It’s no secret that Nordstrom has some of the best customer service around. I love every experience I have shopping at Nordstrom (whether in-person or online), because of how accommodating and helpful they are. Also, you can buy almost anything at Nordstrom, and it’s almost always high quality and perfect!
ASOS: This website carries a huge range and catalog of products, and they are super trendy. ASOS also has an awesome clearance section that is constantly being updated and added to.
Sephora: Sephora is my ultimate guilty pleasure. At any given time, I have a running wishlist of things I want to purchase from Sephora. Like Nordstrom, Sephora is always super helpful and the people that work there are incredibly talented and knowledgeable. Plus, I love their rewards program + getting point perks! (Plus you can get 4% cashback from Sephora via Ebates!)
Ulta: One thing I love about Ulta is that I can shop for my favorite high-end and drugstore products all in the same place. Plus, they carry OPI which is my favorite nail polish brand.
Clothing Brands
Topshop: Topshop is great for denim (which I will dive into later), but also has other great styles. My favorites at Topshop are their dresses, jackets, and basics. It’s easy to spend hours getting lost in the Topshop website.
Forever 21: As much as I try to avoid the chaos that is Forever 21, it can sometimes be worth it. If I’m ever looking for a quick, trendy, outfit, I know I can count on Forever 21. Their accessories are the bomb, too.
Boohoo: This is probably my current all-time favorite clothing brand. Boohoo is a UK brand, but their shipping to the US isn’t bad, and the styles they come out with are KILLER. I love Boohoo with all my heart and tell all my friends about it.
Sorella Boutique: This is a clothing brand that gets it.ย I love how on-trend they are, and I also love following the brand on social media (especially their Instagram.) Their team understands trends and executes them well.
ZARA: I really love ZARA’s graphic tees and their outerwear. The sizing can be a little confusing, but it’s worth figuring it outย to find something you love.
Denim
Topshop: I am extremely tall (almost 6 foot), so denim can be hard to find for me. Lots of brands have jeans that only come to the top of my ankles…which just won’t do. Luckily, Topshop offers different cuts of denim for all different body types. I love their Jamie Tall jeans!
American Eagle Outfitters: AEO is one of the rare brands that can accommodate my body type. I like buying American Eagle jeans for more trendier washes and cuts.
Shoes
Steve Madden: Steve Madden is my staple shoe brand. I feel like they really excel in making classic shoes, and the quality is great for the price.
Nike: I am somewhat addicted to sneakers and tennis shoes, and Nike is one of my favorite brands. I especially love their Free Run shoes and Air Force 1’s. Plus, you can get a WHOPPING 9.5% CASH BACK with Ebates at Nike. That’s almost 10% of what you spend back into your bank account!
Public Desire: What I love most about Public Desire is how trendy they are. They aren’t cheesy, and really understand what’s hot. They also offer a great student discount for all you college girls out there!
Beauty
NARS: NARS is my go-to brand for face products. My favorite bronzer ever is NARS Laguna, and I also use their blushes and liquid highlighters. They nail it! (Ebates offers 5% cash back with NARS!)
tarte cosmetics: This is a brand that has been consistently impressing me with their beauty products. I love their highlighting palette and brushes. I’m excited to try out more tarte products in the future. (You can get 4% cash back with Ebates here!)
MAC Cosmetics: I’ve been buying MAC products since I first allowed to wear makeup in middle school. Their eyeshadows are a staple, but my favorite MAC products are actually their face powders. The powder is so finely milled that it gives your face an almost air-brushed look, without looking cakey.
Benefit Cosmetics: Besides the amazing packaging, Benefit’s products are top-notch. I especially like Benefit’s boxed blushes, and “They’re Real!” is one of my favorite mascaras of all-time.
Mario Badescu:ย This brand is my tried and true skincare buddy. I love Mario Badescu for a range of different products, especially the Silver Powder, Drying Lotion, and Rosewater. All of Mario Badescu’s products leave my combination/oily skin feeling fresh.
Home
Urban Outfitters: Ah, if onlyย my apartment could look like an Urban Outfitter’s store display. I love checking in on Urban Outfitter’s Home Decor and looking for fun little accessories like firefly lights, tapestries, and kitchen supplies.
Target: Target has seriously stepped their home section up and I’m totally here for it. The best part about Target’s home decor is that it’s almost always super affordable, and on-trend.
Pier 1 Imports: Pier 1 is awesome for quality home decor. I have a few treasured items from Pier 1 that I plan on keeping for years to come.
Etsy: Don’t forget about Etsy! You can find the cutest + most unique pieces on this website to fit every lifestyle.
IKEA: I like to shop at IKEA for furniture because, well, let’s face it: it’s cheap. I’m a college student and I get a lot of my basic furniture like nightstands/desks from IKEA. However, my bed + mattress are both from Amazon.
What are some of your all-time favorite brands? Let me know!
*This post does contain affiliate and referral links.*
