shoe lessons

Looking at the picture above brings out two conflicting emotions in me: a good amount of embarrassment and an even bigger amount of happiness. I'm embarrassed because of the amount of sheer effort I put into finding these two pairs of shoes, but I'm so happy that I found them that the embarrassment is effectively negated. Since they're both J. Crew, I think it's appropriate to call them my long-searched-for shiny ponies (thank you, Jenna Lyons). 

The sandals were originally from Summer 2011, and I searched high and low for them long after they sold out. I did manage to find some on eBay every now and then but for ridiculous prices. Over a year into the search, I finally found them through another blogger's shop - worn once, in my size, and for almost exactly what they would have cost me had I paid retail + tax. 

The leopard pumps are more recent (this year) but like the sandals, promptly sold out. Every once in a while, a pair or two would pop up in my local store, only to have them be a half size too small or too big. Last Sunday, there was a pair in the store I was browsing through. I turned the shoe over only to find that it was again a half size too big at a size 8 1/2. Resigning myself to the fact that I should give up the search yet hoping that there was the slightest chance that the 8 1/2 would fit since they were pointy toe and narrow, I tried them on. And lo and behold, they fit. I have never been as thankful for my wide feet as I was last Sunday.

Shoe lessons learned: wide feet can sometimes be a blessing, persistence sometimes pays off, other bloggers are amazing, and pretty shoes from J. Crew sell out quickly, so buy them quicker. 

But if I had bought them the first time around, I don't know if I'd be as happy as I am now after the odyssey we've been through. 

What's your story about the pair(s) that (almost) got away?

currently eyeing

here


I've been really into ladylike pieces recently, so it's no surprise that I've got my eye on this skirt - the shape and color are classic while the drape is such a beautiful detail. Worn with these heels and this vest, it would be a great classic look with just the right amount of edge. For summer, this shirt with a pair of cutoffs with these sandals would be fantastic, and this tote would be the cherry on top. I'd also wear this dress to death in warmer weather, along with these sunnies. I'm also easing my way into a more fit life all around - this pair would be great to replace my current running shoes that are on their last leg, and I've heard so many things about this book. For a date night out, I can totally see myself reaching for this dress - what a great color! And lastly, I know it's crazy to think about fall since spring just got here, but when I saw this bag, I mentally started an autumn wish list.

white vest || black skirt || striped dress || lace up heels || running shoes
red dress || leopard sandals || tortoise sunnies || tiger tee || striped tote || book || navy satchel

gifted

An early Easter present. This necklace is a little bit more than I usually go for bling-wise, but it's lovely and the delicateness of the flowers despite the overall wow-factor is what won me over. 

P.S. How beautiful does the First Lady look?

make a statement

top row left to right: J. Crew (old, thrifted!)/BaubleBar/J. Crew (on sale for 25% off)/J. Crew (old)/Musana (for a good cause)

bottom row left to right: Express (old)/pearl necklace from James/J. Crew Factory (old)/Zara (old)/Express (old)

I find that the easiest way to change up your look from day to night without changing your entire outfit is to change up your jewelry and your shoes. For day, I opt for flats or low-heeled shoes for practicality and comfort, and simple, delicate necklaces. For night, I switch to higher heels and chunkier necklaces. My most-reached-for statement necklaces are displayed in a little window-box and hang on my bedroom wall next to my vanity. It's a win-win combination of jewelry storage and jewelry-as-art.

Speaking of making a statement, the Tukula necklace from Musana is the newest addition to my favorites. I saw it on Jentine (whose blog I read and love) back in December, loved it at first glance, and purchased it then as a Christmas present for myself. Aside from the fact that it is lovely and has the Bears' colors (it photographed red, but it's orange) 100% of profits from its sale and the sale of all the other beautiful jewelry from Musana goes to help women and communties in Uganda. 

spring bling

here

one: Juliet and Company/two: BaubleBar/three: t&j designs/four: Banana Republic/five: J. Crew/six: Forever21/seven: J.Crew

 Today may be the first day of Spring but Chicago didn't get the memo. It's sunny but cold, which isn't springy in my book. Until the weather decides to get on board, I'll tip my proverbial hat to spring by ogling pretty necklaces. They're shiny, pretty, and allow you to inject a little spring in your outfit without having to give up your thick winter coat and its warmth. I tell myself that if I have to wear boots and a coat one more time, I'll scream, but I like being warm too much. I'll just have to compromise by keeping my boots and coat but buying a new necklace...or two. That's what it means to compromise, right?

shoe love

For these next few iterations of shoe love, I thought I'd delve into shoes I own and love. 

These pumps were bought on major sale around November of last year. I love the rounded toe, the manageable heel, and the bright pop of color. I wouldn't call them go-to all-day work heels, but I can keep them on for a good 5 hours before they start to become uncomfortable. I'm planning on wearing them more as it warms up (wedding season, anyone?). 

I've also got my eye on these. Fingers crossed for a sale (yeah, right).

Happy Tuesday!

bag love

here 

Another new feature on Thursdays: bag love. I'm seriously loving the new Tartine Satchel from J. Crew, especially in the colorblock. It's roomy yet sleek, and comes with a detachable zipper pouch and a shoulder strap. I think it's trying to channel the same concept as Celine's trapeze bags but with less exaggerated "wings". Plus, for $325, it's a lot easier on the budget. 

Will you go budget friendly or bust?

weekend snapshots

I spent my weekend watching lots of football and spending time with my guy. It's fun to go out, but sleeping in and having a little staycation this weekend was wonderful and long overdue. 

Some other shots from my weekend:

We did manage to go out for some groceries...and a quick stop to J. Crew to make a return, wherein I proceeded to walk out with these. I resisted the Everly pumps on sale as I have no need for heels, but after making sure these flats abided by these rules and my budget, I purchased them. These were on sale + an extra 40% off, plus I used my student ID, so these were under $45. J. Crew had plenty of snazzy shoes on sale, and while it was an extra 40% off all sale (all sales final) at my local store, the sale is an extra 30% off online through January 20th. 

 Our new calendar from Etsy. Every month is a beer + food pairing!

Our little bar. Slowly but surely we're filling it up. The highball glasses were a Christmas gift from our mutual college friend, Jesse, and I loved them so much that I found and bought the old-fashioned lowball glasses to match ($30 for a set of four at TJ Maxx!). I think they're pretty; my guy thinks they're manly. Win-win. :)

New decor for our black-and-white-with-a-touch-of-blue-and-silver apartment from T.J.Maxx and Anthropologie

How was your weekend?

Have a great Monday!

weekend snapshots

I can't believe it's November, but I don't mind as it's my favorite month - winter isn't full-blown yet, the leaves are doing their swan song, Thanksgiving is coming up with all its goodness, and oh, yeah, my birthday. :)

It's now Monday, but here are some snapshots of my weekend. 

Here's to everyone having a great week!

 great sweaters in awesome colors at J. Crew

eyeing this sweater and this necklace for my birthday (this, too, in red)

luggage shopping at T. J. Maxx - we ended up picking the smaller one

After the luggage, we then ended up going dinner and then to Revolution Brewing for a friend's birthday. We ended up liking the place a lot - great beers, great atmosphere, great prices.

 awesome tin ceiling and light fixture

 $5 in-house beers

I ended up with the Bottom Up Wit - my new favorite beer! crisp, clean, refreshing

coffee + dutch apple pie with whipped cream + a good read + football (Bears win!) = great Sunday

sweater love (tippi)

polyvore set here

It seems like everyone has that one thing they go specifically to J.Crew for. For my blessedly tall friends, it's for their extended lengths on jeans; for my boyfriend, it's for their retro sneakers through their In Good Company branding. For me, it's for their sweaters. The sweater to end all sweaters for me is the Tippi.

It shouldn't be a holy grail item, right? It's a basic crewneck, a style that every retailer at every price point carries. But isn't it true that sometimes the most basic perfect items are the hardest to find? Sometimes the cut is right but the quality's lacking. Other times, the quality's there but there's one detail that's off - you don't like where the shoulder placement is, the way the sides flare, or the type of buttons (or lack thereof). I am very short (4'11") and very busty (38DD), so for me, finding tops that fit right is all sorts of impossible. If the chest area fits me fine, my waistline is swimming. Everything else could be perfect except for the sleeves that are completely covering up my hands because of my very short arms. And so on and so on. I passed by the Tippi numerous times over my visits into J.Crew. I don't usually do crewnecks as they tend to make me look more busty than I already am, but a month ago, I picked up a few to try on on my way to the dressing room since I was tired of v-necks, as flattering as they may be.

It was love at first fitting. I love the soft but durable merino, the classic crewneck that's not too high, the ribbed hems, the 3/4 sleeves. Bonus: it comes in every color under the sun, in cashmere and in merino. I now own 8 of them: 1 polka dot, 1 cashmere, 6 solids. They are relatively pricey ($79.50 regular price), but I was able to scoop them up when they were marked down and an extra 25% off of all sweaters and I used my student discount on top of that. I bought seven of the eight sweaters for no more than $28 apiece.

I've regretted countless other purchases, but I haven't regretted these one bit. They have become staples in my wardrobe, as they can be dressed up or down, worn on their own or as a layering piece. I'm eyeing the dark poppy and garland (pine green) ones above.

Have you tried the Tippi sweater? Do you also share in Tippi love?

P.S. I recently discovered the oversized merino pocket sweater, also from J.Crew, as I mentioned in this post. A slouchy but still polished uber-comfy v-neck sweater in merino wool with pockets? Yes, please.  It's the exact opposite in terms of fit from the Tippi, but equally as versatile.

weekend snapshots

scotch and gin makes James a happy man

This weekend was busy, but in a good way. Between my boyfriend's birthday and my best friend's birthday on Friday and Saturday, needless to say, today was a lazy Sunday. I woke up late, ate leftovers, and watched football (I wasn't kidding about the lazy).

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend!

after dinner drinks at our favorite bar, The Map Room 

 a sushi lunch (most welcome after the meat overload that was Fogo de Chão - sooo good, but sooo  much)

 

 shoe lusting in Nordstrom's shoe department: Jimmy Choos are always great for understated sexiness and glitter, and I'm loving those Tory Burch flats in the oh-so-fall orange

eye candy and outfit inspiration at J. Crew

window shopping in front of Michael Kors: I love the mix of oversized knit with leather pants,and I'm still crushing hard on the Hamilton tote in that color

actual shopping at Forever21...finally found an affordable collar necklace I liked

cobalt

J. Crew Edie purse in casablanca blue

 

After surveying my bag collection, I realized that I didn't have a single,  small lady-like bag. My lifestyle demands that I carry a little bit more so most of my bags are satchels or hobo-esque shoulder bags, often with the option of a longer strap. When I do get the change to carry less, I go to the opposite extreme and opt for miniature clutches or small cross-bodies. But a true lady-like structured handbag - bigger than a clutch but smaller than a shoulder bag -, I just didn't have...until my new Edie purse arrived today.

 

The blue is rich and saturated, the minimal metal accents are perfect, and the structure is exactly what my closet was missing. The best part? The length of the shoulder strap (not shown) - it's long enough to be worn on one's shoulder but not long enough to drag on the ground should one choose to carry the bag on the arm instead. Alternatively, it can also be detached from the bag itself for a handbag option.

sweater weather

From top to bottom: J. Crew Tippi sweater in burgundy and purple, J. Crew classic merino long cardigan in forest green, Tippi sweater in blue, kelly green, gray, and black, Gap Studio sweater in white, ASOS "Bonjour" sweater in cream/black, J. Crew Factory "heart me" sweater in acorn/black



 I could not be any happier that the weather is finally getting cooler. Case in point, my sweater collection has grown exponentially these past two weeks, and particularly this weekend. The boyfriend and I strolled down Michigan Avenue and enjoyed a great fall weekend of good eats, good wine, and good shopping.

Enjoy the cooler weather!

 

art deco

I braved Fashion's Night Out on Michigan Avenue last night to make some returns: the Gap oxblood jacket, the BR burgundy panama hat,the Zara flats, and the red biennial satchel, painter tee, and peach cabochon necklace all from J. Crew, all seen in this post. The jacket was too broad in the shoulders, and I realized that I wouldn't wear the hat enough to justify the cost, no matter how much I got it on sale. The Zara flats were half a size too big, not-yet-in-stores (I bought them online), and just didn't seem worth the price. The biennial satchel was a lovely red color, but it was too big, even with my love for big bags. I felt like I should be going on an overnight trip every time I carried it. Plus, it came out of the box smelling foul, as though the leather coloring process had gone awry. The painter tee was a boatneck, and predictably made me look even bustier than I already am. I know boatnecks will do this for me, but I have to try (and fail) and try (and fail) anyway. The peach cabochon necklace wasn't exactly a return - the boyfriend had bought it for me as an early anniversary gift, but then it went on sale for an extra 30% off online the day after we bought it in store, so I returned the in-store one and am awaiting my package in the mail. 

And while I was mostly good last night with returning and not purchasing, I succumbed to temptation at J.Crew, as is often the case. I saw this necklace on the display and had to try it on. I did, had them ring it up, and wore it out of the store. 

J. Crew crystal cluster necklace

currently eyeing

J. Crew Marquess fleur necklace

J. Crew's fall campaign is calling my name, and the piece above is part of the conspiracy.

My wallet is hiding because it knows me too well: a statement piece in a classic yet intensely modern color and cut is irresistible.