February Budget

It's funny, I thought I'd been doing good this month until I sat down to write this post, but that is just how it's been going as of late. I followed my usually crazy person shopping habit of buying the same pair of boots five times in four different sizes from three different retailers until I found the right fit for my foot and budget. Well, I use that term loosely - the Aquatalia Karen boots were originally $659, marked down to $264, plus there was a sale over President's Day weekend for an additional 30% off, taking them down to a more palatable $185. However the boot shaft was too high for my short legs and my cobbler charged $60 to shorten them.

If you are particularly observant, you may have noted a similar pair of black boots in last month's budget post, and they were a much more affordable $40 (technically $80 before coupons) - but they were also too tall and would have cost $70 to shorten, and by my logic, investing in a pricey alteration for inexpensive pair of faux leather boots made less sense than spending over four times as much on boots which would need the same alteration. The boots were definitely a splurge, so lets hope they will be with me for a very long time.

I also made a few secondhand purchases this month, a fun round bag by Mark Cross I spotted at one of my favorite thrift stores, which I then patiently waited for it to get its first price reduction and scooped up for $35. (eBay is literally ruining thrift shopping, they just love printing out the pages of similar listed items so they can charge more.) Also mine doesn't have the chevron pattern, I just used the image because it was close enough!

Next I got a pair of the Target sherpa mules from Poshmark - I'd gotten a pair for my sister for Christmas and tried and tried to convince myself I didn't want them too, but clearly that didn't work!

I also broke my strict rule of only one case per iPhone and grabbed this cute Kate Spade case at TJMaxx - even though my phone was paid off in December, I decided not to get a new one to save the $52 a month, so a $14 case seemed completely justifiable.

I also had to grab the cardigan dress from J.Crew when it finally went on sale, plus when it arrived without the belt I contacted customer service and they offered to ship out a new dress or give me an additional 35% off - I took the discount.

J.Crew Pointelle Cable Sweater, $35
Mango Brown Cami, $32
J.Crew Belted Cardigan Dress, $40
Mark Cross Brown Round Canteen Bag, $35 thrifted
Target Sherpa Mules, $24 via Poshmark
Banana Republic Sweater Tank, $32
French Kande Petite Annecy Pendant Necklace, $88 via Von Maur
Aquatalia Karen Croc Embossed Boots, $245
Halogen Cashmere Sweaters in Black and Oatmeal, $50 via Nordstrom
Kate Spade iPhone Case, $14 via TJMaxx
Ann Taylor Lace Hem Pants, $36

Winter Greys

I know February is nearly over and spring is within sight, but winter still feels hard to get through. Clearly my solution of buying more sweaters hasn't been helping to lift my mood, and the days seem to blur together in a mess of grey clouds and rain, making those moments when the sun does come out difficult to recall.

The days are getting longer, but I haven't noticed, it still feels like it's dark by 4 p.m. and my desire to spend more hours in bed than out in the world hasn't decreased during my first Connecticut winter where instead of being in front of a computer at an office job, I'm out in the elements walking dogs. I thought trading my sedentary existence for a more active one would give me more energy, but that is clearly not happening. At least my stamina has increased, a year ago three consecutive walks would crush me, now I can handle five and continue functioning for the remainder of the day. Still, the moment I arrive home, done for the day, bed beckons.

        

The Rundown 
Grey Cashmere Turtleneck TJMaxx similar
Black Wide Leg Pants Ann Taylor
Snake Print Mules Banana Republic
Bucket Bag "Johnny" Danse Lente
Pearl Hoop Earrings c/o Mejuri
Midi Stackable Diamond Ring c/o AUrate New York
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry

Gold Herkimer Diamond Ring c/o Lumo

Nail Color "Caviar Bar" Essie

Toasted Marshmallow

I've had a bit of an obsession with velvet this winter - not that my closet really needed more - but Banana Republic was tempting me with the most gorgeous pieces, and once I tried them on, I was sold. Unlike some of my older velvet pieces, which seem to be glorified lint traps, Banana Republic's velvet is uncannily soft, plush, and slightly iridescent. I had the hardest time deciding on just one color of this long line blazer, the deep cherry red was so tempting, but since I've been embracing all shades of brown these days, the camel colored 'toasted marshmallow' won out. Admittedly, I always wait too long to share things, and many sizes of this blazer have already sold out. However, if your size is available and you can take advantage of the sale price, you likely wont regret the purchase.

       

The Rundown
Velvet Blazer Banana Republic
Satin Bodysuit Abercrombie similar
Wide Leg Jeans Gap
Nude Pumps "Natalie" Naturalizer
Croc Embossed Leather Bag Loeffler Randall
 Gold Twist Hoops Thrifted similar
Layered Charm Necklace c/o Grand Avenue Jewelry
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry
Sunglasses "Meteor" Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx
Nail Color "Just the way you Arctic" Essie

Chiffon in the Winter

Sheer, light, breezy, not usually adjectives to describe a piece I might reach for in the winter months. Yet, when this leopard maxi skirt arrived at my door (for the second time, I ordered the regular first but then had to exchange for the petite), I was excited to wear it. While I'm not a huge fan of the half slip, I can see how it might be nice in the warmer months - though not a plus in February. I originally added black tights so I wouldn't be freezing, but was daring and removed them for the sake of the photographs.

Being chiffon, the skirt moves beautifully, and the dark leopard easily lends itself to a winter look, and I'm versioning it with even more rich chocolate browns and creamy colored knits until the earth thaws. Then it will be all sleeveless tops and sandals for the summer.

      

The Rundown
Rib Knit Sweater H&M
Leopard Maxi Skirt Banana Republic
Booties "Calixta" Cole Haan similar
Croc Embossed Leather Bag Loeffler Randall
Signet Ring Sashi
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry

Indestructible Denim

I've mentioned that it's been a while since my last office job, and my current gig has been dog walking. It tends not to require blazers, but jeans are on heavy rotation. I of course have the problem of not having any 'bad' jeans to wear, so mostly I've just been wearing whatever pair needs to be washed.

Last week, while wearing this pair of Yoga Jeans (that I won in Cee's giveaway five years ago) I was leaving the home of a dog, who in his efforts to get me to stay (he has bad separation anxiety) bit me. It was my first real dog bite on the job, and while, ever. I didn't even realize how bad it was until I saw the blood soaking through the denim. I went home to get cleaned up, tended to my wounds first, but the jeans were an immediate second. I rinsed out the blood and much to my surprise, found no evidence of holes or tears. They look far better than my leg at the moment. (It's not that bad though, I swear).

So all I can say is, invest in a pair of Yoga Jeans, they were built to last.

      

The Rundown
Rib Knit Sweater H&M
Jeans Second Denim
Plaid Blazer H&M similar
Pointed Flats Rothy's
Round Crossbody Bag French Connection
  Silk Scarf Ann Taylor
Simple Pearl Necklace c/o AUrate
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry
Sunglasses Ray-Ban via TJMaxx
Nail Color "Caviar Bar" Essie

Hibernating Until Spring

Each week I start off with the optimism that I'm going to dedicate time to the blog; I'll edit photos, I'll write thoughtful posts, and I will finally catch up with all my favorite blogs I'm so behind on. Then it's Friday and the days seem to have simply evaporated. Seemingly simple tasks like responding to an email or scheduling an oil change consume large swaths of time, and are only rewarded with the response that requires the next reply or the news that my car has an oil leak, a coolant leak, a mouse nest, and when can I bring it back to address these things?

So often I find myself stuck in the mental clutter, convinced I can't do anything else until it's been cleared, but the problem with clutter is that it takes hours to address and mere seconds to accumulate. By telling myself I can't focus on anything else until the clutter is gone is a way of making sure I stay suck, when the reality is, sometimes the mess needs to be neatly stacked into a pile which can be dealt with later to make a little room for the things that will enrich my life now.

      

The Rundown
White Pearl Button Cardigan Nordstrom Rack similar
Wide Leg Jeans Gap
Nareen Block Heels c/o Vionic
Croc Embossed Leather Bag Loeffler Randall
 Silk Spotted Scarf Ann Taylor
Layered Charm Necklace c/o Grand Avenue Jewelry
Cat Eye Sunglasses H&M similar
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry
Nail Color "Bubbles Only" Essie

What to Wear for Valentine's Day

I haven't done much in the way of celebrating Valentine's day the past few years, however this year my mom, sister, and I are hosting a Galentine's Day, and when I reviewed my closet for potential outfits, this maxi dress stood out. It has only been worn once, Christmas Eve of 2018, and never properly photographed, so it seemed like a perfect choice.

Another small nod to the occasion with my double heart earrings, and topped off with this vintage inspired faux fur coat; I will be the most glamorous single girl drinking wine and eating chocolate at home with her girlfriends this February 14th.

If you have actual cause for celebration or an outing, I found a few similar maxi dresses and bold heart shaped earrings which I've linked below.

What are your Valentine's plans?

      

The Rundown
Color Block Maxi Dress Banana Republic similar
Brown Faux Fur Coat Banana Republic
 Jeweled Strap Mule Banana Republic
 Scalloped Clutch Matine similar
Versailles Earrings  Julie Vos similar
Bracelet Vintage
Pearl and Pave Ring Forever 21 similar
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry
Nail Color "Bubbles Only" Essie