Sam Moon: cheap chic accessory heaven!

Those of you who live in the greater Dallas area are probably already familiar with the wonderful world of Sam Moon--Budget Sister is a huge fan of the store, and frequently calls to excitedly review her latest purchases.

I haven't had the pleasure of visiting the Dallas store, but I have been to the website, and it's quite a treasure trove of bargain-priced and super-trendy handbags, luggage, jewelry and accessories. It reminds me a little of Santee Alley in Los Angeles' fashion district--but that's something I'll write about later.

The company got its start in 1984 as a wholesale importer of a wide range of goods, as the Sam Moon Trading Company. They would eventually open retail stores for home decor (sadly, no online version of this store yet) and luggage and gifts, which is where you'll find all the great deals on accessories.

My sister tells me their in-store selection is exponentially bigger than what's offered online, but I'm still impressed with the selection at the online store. They have an enormous variety of handbags, covering all the current trends. Most of the prices are a few dollars either side of $20 on the purses, which is as good or better than Target.

Their jewelry is also trendy (but there's also a selection of rhinestone jewelry for evening wear). Big, chunky rings are probably the hottest jewelry trend this summer--they look fabulous paired with the also-hot maxi dress--and Sam Moon has a huge selection. The ring pictured here is $10, and believe it or not, that's one of the more expensive rings in the lineup. You'll also find big, chunky necklaces, eye-catching pendants, earrings and every kind of bangle and cuff bracelet you can imagine--and then some.

They also have a line of fashion watches, most around $10. You'll find bangle watches, traditional leather-band watches, rhinestone bracelet watches and charm bracelet watches. You can treat yourself to an entire wardrobe of fashion watches for what you'd pay for your run-of-the-mill department store watch.

You'll also find belts, hair accessories, sunglasses, and even a large line of luggage and luggage sets. They don't publish coupon codes (that I've been able to find, anyway), but their prices are so low it really doesn't matter. Their shipping charges are low and reasonable as well. If you're on the hunt for new, up-to-date accessories, you'll probably find everything you're looking for at Sam Moon. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to snag that pink faux-leather handbag up there.