May Budget

Enter my Crown Jewelry Giveaway!

As I stood in the line for returns at Macy's for the fourth time this month, I had a thought: I need to stop shopping online.

The ease and accessibility of online shopping is wonderful and terrible. I can pretty much have anything on it's way to my doorstep in under four clicks, while if I were shopping in a store I'd be inspecting things for fit and quality and deliberating, sometimes for quite a while. With online shopping, it's buy now, decide later. Not to mention my continual use of online shopping as an emotional crutch to hobble through my life.

It needs to stop. No more shopping online. I'm not sure if I can do it, but I need to try, and I suspect I'll be better for it. Plus if stores really do have blacklists for customers who return too much stuff I'm probably going to end up on all of them.

Banana Republic Off The Shoulder Top, $30 (free with rewards)
Kate Spade Outlet Straw Hat, $19 ($2 after gift card)
TJMaxx Circle Drop Earrings, $10
Madewell Greer Mules, $94
Gap Linen Tee, $14
TJMaxx White Pleated Chiffon Skirt, $20 (used gift card)
Lou & Grey Linen Pants, $70
TJMaxx Gingham One Shoulder Top, $13
Naturalizer Natalie Pumps in Black and Latte, $140

Linking up with Fran's Budgeting Bloggers

Layers of Blue and White

Enter my Crown Jewelry Giveaway!

I think sometimes the best bonus of the three day weekend is how we are now that much closer to the weekend ahead. I also realize how much I miss the luxury of working part time and having three day weekends every week. Good times.

These photos barely made it to the blog. We were in a rush and the sun and wind were not being agreeable to the time constraints and instead chose to make things as difficult as possible by continually blowing my hair in my face, and switching from bright sunlight to overcast minute to minute. Let's not discount the brilliance of heels on crushed stone either.

Nonetheless, I was quite pleased with my layering of blue and white with more blue and white and how perfectly preppy I was dressed for brunch at the Griswold Inn in Essex. One thing I failed to notice before I cut the tags off this tote was the bottom two inches are a different color. Actually I didn't notice until I started editing these photos, as when looking at the bag up close, the variant is undetectable, however at a slight distance, there it is. I wonder if TJMaxx will still take it back, because now that I see it, it's going to drive me crazy.

        

The Rundown
Polka Dot Shirt Dress Old Navy similar
Contrast Trim Cardigan Banana Republic via Swap similar
Toe Cap Heels Me Too via TJMaxx similar
Straw Tote Memar via TJMaxx
Vintage Silk Scarf Thrifted similar
Pearl Necklace The Cavernous Jewelry box similar
Pearl Anchor Bracelet Made by Me similar
Knot Ring c/o Emitations similar

Linking up with I Do deClaire's Confident Twosday

and

Sandy a la Mode's On Trend Tuesday

Friday Five Under $50

Enter my Crown Jewelry Giveaway!

It doesn't feel like Memorial Day Weekend. Though I'm not sure where I've been these past few months. This past Monday as I was struggling to get a post ready for Tuesday, I asked Sean if I should just give in and only do three for the week or power through and make four happen. He told me it was only Monday and too soon to give up. Hence, post number four this week.

I know I should be blogging about Memorial Day Sales, but isn't everyone else doing that? Of course I like to be non-conformist, so I'm sharing these tassel earrings I'm smitten with, the fact that I've got rust colored footwear on my mind - also loving these and these, and dreaming of summery things. It is the unofficial first weekend of summer, afterall.

I hope you all have fun plans for the long weekend!

Tassel Chandelier Earrings, $35 at Express
Ruffle Camisole Top, $10 at H&M
Suede Bow Slides, $30 at Zara
Cynthia Rowley Fringe Crossbody Bag, $47 at Nordstrom Rack
Ankle Length Pants, $35 at H&M

Crown Jewelry Giveaway!

Thanks to Crown Jewelry for sponsoring this post!

My love of jewelry is vast, my collection probably makes the number of shoes I own seem reasonable in comparison. Just as I'd never leave the house without shoes, I'd never leave without some piece of jewelry on.

Today I'm excited to share Crown Jewelry with you, who offers an expansive range of pieces at reasonable price points; most pieces are sterling silver or gold plated sterling silver. That is especially nice for earrings, since my ears can no longer tolerate other metals. I really adore the Glass and Diamond Chip Ring they sent to me, it's so elegant, yet understated enough to be a piece I could easily wear everyday.

Crown Jewelry would also love to share a piece with a Chic on the Cheap reader! Scroll down to enter the giveaway!

       

The Rundown
Black Lace Blouse Banana Republic similar
Fringe Hem Jeans H&M (DIY) similar
Huarache Mules "Camila" Rebecca Minkoff similar
Vintage Japanese Bamboo Bag via eBay vintage, vintage, similar
Gold Bracelet The Cavernous Jewelry Box
Diamond Chip Ring c/o Crown Jewelry
Sunglasses "Meteor" Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx
Nail Color "Go Overboard" Essie

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stylin' in St. Louis's Spotlight Linkup

and

Elegance & Mommyhood's Thursday Moda

Crown Jewelry provided me with jewelry for the purpose of this post. My views and opinions are my own.

New Moon

Thanks to www.MoonstoneShop.com for sponsoring this post!

We had a brief heatwave at the end of last week, it was up to 100°! What better than a heatwave to make me feel like dressing a little bit bohemian? I was heading out to dinner at Bartaco with my sister, so I grabbed this fun mixed print slip dress and paired it with the Rainbow Moonstone jewelry that I'd just received from www.moonstoneshop.com. All of the pieces are handmade in Florida with genuine moonstone and sterling silver, and some incorporate other stones, like the lovely turquoise in the pendant.

As I don't wear too much silver, I forgot that I didn't have a chain for the pendant, but then I found this silver choker which belonged to my mother, and conveniently chokers are having a moment again. Naturally my favorite piece is the ring, I just love wearing delicate little rings on my index finger and www.moonstoneshop.com has so many other rings which would be fabulous for stacking.

        

The Rundown
Leopard Print Dress c/o Cabi similar
Distressed Denim Jacket Gap similar
Lace-up Sandals "Mariachi" Report
Fringe Bucket Bag Margot via TJMaxx similar
Vintage Mellow Moonstone Earrings c/o Moonstone Magic
Turquoise Assemblage Moonstone Pendant c/o Moonstone Magic
Petite Double Moonstone Ring c/o Moonstone Magic
Toggle Bracelet c/o Belcho USA
Sunglasses "Meteor" Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx
Nail Color "Go Overboard" Essie

Linking up with I Do deClaire's Confident Twosday

and

Sandy a la Mode's On Trend Tuesday

www.MoonstoneShop.com provided me with jewelry for the purpose of this post. My views and opinions are my own.

Under the Blossoms

I accept that I have the ability to change the direction of my life.

I know, the blooms are long since gone, but I'm stretching things out a bit.

I don't wear this pleated maxi skirt too often, even with my best efforts to dress it down (this not being my best) it still feels fancier than my life demands. I suppose I could argue that part of the reason I started this blog was to give myself a reason to put more effort into my daily outfits than I might otherwise. Even still, after church, breakfast, and these photos (on a day we walked, despite the spring chill) I swapped the skirt for a pair of joggers, the blazer for an oversized cardigan, and resumed my true homebody nature.

         

The Rundown
Lace Camisole H&M
Striped Blazer Loft similar
Pleated Maxi Skirt c/o Simply Bridal similar
Lace-up Flats Gap similar
Tilly Scalloped Clutch Matine
Triangle Necklace Moon & Lola similar
Bracelet The Cavernous Jewelry Box similar
Chevron Ring Etsy via Silver Canyon Jewelry
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Sweet Olive Jewelry

Linking up with Pink Sole's How I Spring

and

Oh To Be A Muse's Lookbook Linkup
and
By Lauren M's Mix it Monday

Bigger Than a Bread Basket

I dare to be myself at all times.

I wore this outfit a few weekends ago to my Grandmother's 90th birthday, it is always a fun occasion when my whole family is together and it happened to be a gorgeous day warranting the debut of the dress I picked up at J.Crew Factory.

As I mentioned before, anytime I carry the bamboo bag, I always get lots of compliments, or comments, such as my aunt asking if there was bread it in, assuming that the spot I'd placed it on the table (butter adjacent) meant it was a bread basket. She was surprised when I told her it was my purse!

        

The Rundown
Floral Cami Dress J.Crew Factory c/o Clinton Crossing
Long White Cardigan Old Navy similar
White Ferragamo Slides Coco's on the Green similar
Vintage Japanese Bamboo Bag via eBay similar
Straw Boater Hat Hinge similar
Pineapple Necklace Moon & Lola via Rocksbox
Bee Ring Kohl's similar
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Sweet Olive Jewelry
Nail Color "Haute as Hello" Essie

Stylin' in St. Louis's Spotlight Linkup

and

Elegance & Mommyhood's Thursday Moda