January Closet Additions

While I'm not imposing any monthly spending budget this year, I have decided that I'm going to do a better job at recording my purchases and tracking my spending. Enter the monthly budget update post!

The Old Navy sweater dress wasn't supposed to cost me anything, as I was going to exchange a Christmas gift for it, but the sales associates struggle with issuing store credit for online returns, so I ended up just paying for it outright and they had to mail me a gift card for future use.

I picked up the ring during Gorjana's 'hangover' sale. They were offering 70% off and I was about to pull the trigger when I realized shipping was nearly $10. I closed the window. The next day I looked at the site again and found that they'd gone to 80% off. Since the ring was originally $88 and the extra reduction pretty much equalled the cost of shipping, I could no longer help myself. I feel proud I limited myself to just one piece!

The boots were a bit of an impulse purchase, I was in DSW looking for a pair of black over the knee boots when I spotted these. They were a great price, comfortable and I just fell for them.

While I haven't been thrifting much lately, I did stop in once, and when I found a cute black suede mini skirt for $6 I had to try it on. Obviously it fit.

Old Navy Sweater Dress $20
Gorjana Ojai Ring $27
Suede Mini Skirt $6
Adrienne Vittadini Jabine Boots $60

Total spent: $113

Leopard faux fur coat five ways

I'm a little light on outfit post this week, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to share one of my winter closet workhorses, my leopard faux fur coat. I picked this up in January of 2013 and it was one of those pieces where I saw it, tried it on, and left, only to find myself heading back a few days later berating myself for being so foolish and hoping no one else had snatched it up in the interim. No one had, and it was mine for a mere $50.

It's been blogged over a dozen times since then, and worn countless more. I'm just going to share a few of my favorites today.

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Classic winter uniform

Sweater, jeans, boots. It may not be the most creative winter look, but my fashion evolution is about refinement; wearing what makes me feel polished and put together.

Looking back on past winters there were plenty of missteps involving brightly colored tights, trying to layer summer dresses, giant scarfs on my head, and short sleeve sweaters. Even at the risk of being redundant, I'd rather stick to what works than don mustard yellow tights again (and let me tell you, I loved those at the time).

The Rundown
Striped Sweater Joe Fresh via TJMaxx similar
Distressed Jeans Old Navy similar
Camel Coat J.Crew thrifted similar
Fur Collar Vintage thrifted similar
Booties "Calixta" Cole Haan
Red Willis Bag Vintage Coach via ebay similar
Ear Crawlers Gorjana
Ojai Ring Gorjana
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Sweet Olive Jewelry
Chevron Ring Etsy via Silver Canyon Jewelry

Linking up with I Do deClaire's Confident Twosday
and
Cute and Little's on Trend Tuesday

Blizzard

On Saturday blizzard Jonas came through and for as much as I dislike the aftermath of snow, I love it when it's falling and turning the world into a perfect white blank slate. I also love taking outfit photos in the snow, walking through it, and just enjoying the magic of it. When I was small I could spend the whole day outside, now I've had my fill after about 40 minutes and I'm content to spend the rest of the day on the couch watching movies, drinking coffee, and devouring chocolate. Those are the snowstorm essentials, right? To heck with bread, eggs, and milk.

The Rundown
Snowflake Sweater Abercrombie & Fitch

Gingham Shirt J.Crew thrifted similar

Yoga Jeans Second Denim via Coco & Vera's Giveaway

White Parka American Eagle similar

Snow Boots Pajar similar, on ebay
Red Willis Bag Vintage Coach via ebay similar
Fur Pom Knit Hat Amazon similar
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Sweet Olive Jewelry

Linking up with Pink Sole's How I Fall

and

Fizz & Frosting's Mix it Monday

and

Monday Mingle

Instant Crush: Fringe, Poms, Pendants

"It's Friday, that day you like."
Is what Sean said to me, having previously listened to me grumble about how it was not Friday on Wednesday and Thursday. Yet Friday somehow feels anticlimactic. This weekend is set to hold the first significant snow fall of the year, though I'm not sure how much we will actually end up with, as on Monday the prediction was twelve inches, on Wednesday it decreased to five to eight and has only further been downgraded to three to five. So while I'm not counting on being snowed in, I might just act as if I am.

Lately fashion seems to be having a fondness for fringe, and my desire for neutrals continues with my picks this week. I've been obsessed with the Rachel Comey sweater since I spotted it on a Sole Society model and I was very disappointed to see that this color has sold out. I'm not sure why I'm disappointed, since I was never going to get a $400 sweater (even at half off). The charcoal version can still be purchased in limited sizing however.

More attainable might be the tassel shower curtain hangers for $10. I wonder if they would look really stupid with my shower curtain?

Rachel Comey Fringe Peplum Sweater, $220 at Italist
Nate Berkus Fringe Stool, $65 at Target
Plum & Bow Alia Pom Duvet Cover, $170 at Urban Outfitters
Rachel Zoe Topaz Crystal Pendant Necklace, $40 at TJMaxx
Nate Berkus Tassel Shower Hooks, $10 at Target
Macrame I? Taupe Suede Fringe Heels, $33 at Lulu's

Trending

I've had this grey wool shawl for probably 10 years or so, but it's never gotten much wear. If I followed any standards of closet clean out rules, this would have been gone ages ago, however I have little intention of doing so. It was purchased at a local shop that has since gone out of business and is one of the few remaining items I possess that was purchased there. The shop makes me think of my Grandma, because she always liked to take me there and spoil me.

As ponchos are trending right now, I've decided to dig out this shawl and hopefully this won't be the last you'll see of it.

The Rundown
Cashmere Sweater Lord & Taylor via Coco's similar
Grey Jeans c/o Max Jeans similar
Grey Shawl Arabella similar
Over the Knee Boots "Atilla" Ivanka Trump similar
Willis Bag Vintage Coach
Wool Fedora H&M similar
Tassel Necklace Thrifted similar
Gold Bracelets The Cavernous Jewelry Box
Snake Ring Brilliant Imports

Linking up with Mix and Match Fashion's What I Wore to Work

and

Happiness At Midlife's Throwback Thursday (last time I wore this shawl)

Shopping in the rain

The other week Meg and I had an outlet shopping date on a stormy Saturday. Thankfully the rain held off long enough to snap some outfit photos and while the Tanger Outlets in Westbrook is an outdoor mall, we managed to avoid the downpours and on the plus side, it was unseasonably warm.

We'd both won gift cards to shop at Tanger through their instagram contest, so of course when you have money to spend, you never find anything you want. I did end up getting a tart pan I'd been wanting at Williams-Sonoma, and Meg found a sweater she liked on the clearance rack at J.Crew, but it was hardly the shopping extravaganza we'd been hoping for.

We'll just have to plan another trip for when spring lines are in full swing.

The Rundown

Leopard Sweater Calvin Klein via TJMaxx similar
Yoga Jeans Second Denim via Coco & Vera's Giveaway
Field Jacket Old Navy similar
Booties 'Upton' c/o Vionic
Willis Bag Vintage Coach
Wool Fedora H&M similar
Black Scarf c/o Nimli
Green Ring Taken for Granite similar
Snake Ring Brilliant Imports

Linking up with I Do deClaire's Confident Twosday
and
Cute and Little's on Trend Tuesday

Kindness of strangers

It's always in the winter months that my photographers tend to become less willing to help me out and I'm left standing in the cold with the tripod and remote. Unfortunately as I was taking these photos I discovered that the two second timer button on my new remote (I lost my original one a couple months ago) decided to stop working. Someone passing by saw me getting frustrated with the faulty remote and offered to snap a few frames for me.

The Rundown
Leopard Blouse J.Crew thrifted similar
Grey Cardigan Banana Republic
Black Jeans Old Navy
Booties "Calixta" Cole Haan
Willis Bag Vintage Coach
Earrings TJMaxx gift from Meg similar
Necklace Kohl's
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Sweet Olive Jewelry
Sunglasses "Meteor" Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx

Linking up with Pink Sole's How I Fall

and

Fizz & Frosting's Mix it Monday

and

Monday Mingle

Repetition

Completely predictable, but none the less a favorite, winter whites are being coveted once again.
If there is one thing I've learned about myself from blogging over the years it's that I hate to be cold, and I hate to fake what I'm wearing for the sake of better photos. This bag was in three of my four outfit posts this week because I've been carrying it. The coat you've seen, but really all zipped up this baby is quite snuggly so I've been reaching for it. Plus I still have half a dozen of my coats at my parents' house because the coat closet in my apartment is hilariously miniature and while Sean's outerwear wardrobe in no way rivals mine, it's not paltry either.

And the shoes. I tried to convince myself it wouldn't be so bad. But this is the last you are going to see of these shoes until spring or temps above 50° because it's not worth the potential frostbite. Maybe I need a new pair of boots to add to my rotation? But should I go for low and casual like nude suede or high and dressy with some crazy fringe?

The Rundown
Cream Sweater Ralph Lauren via Coco's similar
Distressed Jeans Old Navy similar
Cocoon Coat Banana Republic similar
Nude Lace-up Flats Gap similar
Fur Ball Bag Vintage via Roundabout similar
Necklace "Greer V" Gorjana
Gold Open Ring c/o Lumo
Sunglasses Vogue via Sunglass Hut

Linking up with Jeans and a Teacup's Flashback Friday (One year ago today)
and
Linking up with Forage Fashion's Friday Finds