recent purchases

here

New additions to my closet, purchased within the last two weeks. I don't usually buy two pairs of the same shoe. I originally purchased these sandals in black to replace an older pair that was on its last thread. I went back for the nude to serve as my bridesmaid shoes for my best friend from high school's wedding next month. I think they'll go really well with our peachy/coral chiffon grecian gowns. Since all of the bridesmaids are tall and lanky Lithuanians except for me, I need all the height I can get, and at 4", this pair is at the highest I want to go without all-out sacrificing comfort. I loved this necklace the moment I saw it, and James did, too - so much so that he bought it for me as a "just because" gift. It was super sweet of him and made me love it even more. With two discounts combined and free shipping, it came to $38 and change.

sandals :: nail polish :: necklace :: dress

What are your recent purchases?

Update: I ended up returning both J.Crew bags from my last "recent purchases" post.

shopping habits

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 At the beginning of the year, I decided to make a conscious effort to keep track of my spending. In the past 4+ months of keeping a running inventory, I've learned a lot about the way I shop.

I've learned that I do 75% of my shopping online versus 25% in person. Online shopping is just so much more convenient than finding the time to head out to an actual brick and mortar store. All of my in store shopping occurs on the weekends simply because I don't get home from work until around 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday. That being said, I've also learned that I return 75% of the items I buy online while I tend to keep 80% of what I buy in store. That's not really surprising - it's so easy to stockpile your online shopping cart because you need x more dollars to get free shipping or because you don't know which size will fit better so you buy two sizes to try on. On the other hand, you spend valuable time in store trying on and trying out everything that catches your eye, which goes a long way towards eliminating unwanted items by the time you check out. 

Another thing I learned about is where I shop. I noticed from my spreadsheet that I often end up buying the same type of clothing from the same retailer. This may seem like I'm reading too much into the data, but for someone who is super short and super curvy, finding clothes that fit decently is time consuming and frustrating. Petite sizing fits length-wise in the arms and legs, but don't accommodate my bust line. Plus sizing accommodates my bust line but is swimmingly huge everywhere else. I've found alterations to be a necessary reality for my body type, but anything that will help minimize the trial-and-error process is welcome.

My current rotation:

for casual dresses: Gap, Old Navy

for formal dresses: Nordstrom

for shoes: Zara & Topshop (on trend), Nordstrom (great variety), Madewell (love their flats), Zappos (great service), J.Crew

for jackets: Gap, Old Navy, H&M

for basic t-shirts: Target, Gap

for jeans: Gap

for jewelry: J.Crew, BaubleBar, forever21, thrift stores, eBay

for cute tees and shirts: Madewell, J.Crew

for beauty: drugstore.com/beauty.com, Sephora, Bloomingdale's, Target

for discontinued/last season/hard-to-find merchandise: eBay

for splurges/gifts: Shopbop, net-a-porter

Gap and Old Navy make a heavy rotation in my closet for a variety of reasons: they have a wide range of sizes, they do basics quite well, they are often at reasonable price points to begin with but in addition, often have frequent sales, and shipping is free daily with orders of $50+, no code needed. They also take returns in store. I've found Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's to be my go-tos when it comes to department stores. Nordstrom's awesome return policy plus free shipping and returns (no minimum!) makes shopping there hassle free, and Bloomingdale's loyalty program is great for accumulating rewards (Nordstrom's has a rewards program as well).

Knowing all this has helped me cut down on aimless and futile browsing by going to my tried-and-trues first. It's also giving me the opportunity to analyze my habits and how I can improve them. I'm trying to transition to buying better - whether that means buying less, buying for quality, or a combination of the two. I'm trying to find the ideal balance between my budget, my needs, my style, and the ethical consequences of my purchasing power, especially in light of recent events in Bangladesh. It's a work in progress, but knowing how and where I shop is a start.

What are your shopping haunts and habits? Do you keep track of your purchases?

pardon the interruption

My entire weekend was spent prepping for my little sister's senior prom. Translation: nothing else got done. It was nice to step away and just immerse myself in real life. She had a great time, and I was able to spend some time with my family and my mom. A belated Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers and mother-figures! 

I'll be back into virtual reality shortly. :)

Happy Monday!

shoe love: rain boots

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This pair makes me hope that my long search for a functional yet stylish rain boot(ie) has come to an end. $150 for what are essentially rubber foot coverings seems like a lot of money, and let's face it, it is. But I have searched high and low, near and far, and I haven't found a single pair in which my athletic calves will fit. If I had, I would be the proud owner of either the polka dotted pair I saw at Target a month ago. 

So I have had to resort to finding ankle rain boots...only to find that that is easier said than done. The less than a handful of pairs of ankle rain boots that I have found were so darn ugly that I couldn't make myself click "buy". I am not too proud to admit that looks are just as important to me as function when it comes to shoes, even shoes whose sole essential purpose is to keep my feet from getting wet. I'll rationalize the imminent future purchase by this mathematical calculation: $150 divided by [the number of bad weather days in Chicago in a year (~200) + the number of days of sheer effort on my part in finding alternatives only to come up empty (~573)] = totally worth it. Bonus: they look good. Not bad for some rubber shoes.

dress me

here


Warmer weather brings out the more feminine side of me. When the sun is shining, all I want to do is wear dresses. Whether it's a casual, perfectly draped maxi or a more dressed up blue and white stunner, the thing I look for in summer dresses is comfort and ease, because when the sun is shining and the weather is warm, things are simple and uncomplicated - why dress differently?

dresses: grey maxi :: b & w stripes :: red jersey :: blue & white :: print :: pink & coral

What's your warm weather uniform?

current obsessions

A new feature on the blog: a quick roundup of everything I'm currently loving. 

I didn't mean for it to be so makeup-centric, but I guess I've just been inspired by the beautiful weather around here lately to play around with makeup. 

This blush looks scary and intense in the pan, but with the right brush and a light touch, it blends beautifully to the perfect peachy cheek. Now that I know it's blendable, I'm tempted to get the other color in the NARS x Pierre Hardy collection: Boys Don't Cry, a beautiful flushed pink. If you've been eyeing it, keep in mind that it's much bigger than the regular NARS blushes (0.45 oz. vs. 0.28 oz.), which explains the much bigger price ($41 vs. $29). It originally came with a gold overlay in a geometric pattern all over the pan, but I've already wiped some of it away with use.

I've been looking forever for a bronzer that would give me enough of an effect on my relatively dark skin. This one from D&G was a splurge during the Sephora friends and family sale, and it's given me just the right amount of contouring and color. I don't think it will work for me when I get darker as the weather gets warmer (I get about 4 shades darker than what I am now), but until then, this has been wonderful. I got it in the shade "bronze 40". The packaging is beautiful and luxurious, coming with its own velvet pouch and gold-handled compact brush that fits in the pouch's front pocket.

 I'm really digging this cobalt blue and silvery/gold glitter mani combo. I used these colors this weekend, and I can't stop looking at my nails.

This lipgloss is a recently re-discovered oldie but goodie. It's the perfect coral (#165 volupte), and the formula is not too sticky. I got this mascara as a sample, and it's become a fast favorite. It really extends my lashes and gives me an open-eyed look for when I'm looking half-asleep, either by itself or layered with my other favorite mascara. While I don't have really bad undereye circles, this concealer has been great for some touch-ups on my face after a particularly hard week when I need a little help. It's creamy and blends seamlessly, and I like that it comes in an easy-to-transport tube.

Lastly, I've been wearing this necklace nonstop. It's delicate while still giving enough of a sparkle. It's no fuss glam, which is what I've been needing as the past few weeks at work have been grueling.

What are your current obsessions? Do share!

back to black

here 


I have a long-time love affair with black, a love affair that shows no signs of ending any time soon. I love its versatility, its timelessness, and its mystery. The right little black anything always feels fresh. 

Black is definitely the most represented color in my closet. At last count, I own 12 pairs of black shoes. I have a nice little pile of black t-shirts - perfect for all the times "I don't know what/have anything to wear". But, funny enough, I own just two black bags: one evening minaudière and one semi-structured satchel (okay, I own four, but two of them are work/travel totes). Maybe it's because I vowed in the past I would never buy anything black again, but I honestly think it's because I don't know if I've found the perfect one yet (at least, not the perfect one that I can currently afford...I'm pretty sure the 2.55 and the Cabas Chyc are perfect). 

Black is so simple and ubiquitous that sometimes settling for less than perfect makes the bag/dress/shoe go from classic to boring in a heartbeat. But I've re-devoted myself to the impossible search, and found some options. For under $400, the Coach and Zara bags are a great deal for the quality and style (I have the dark brown version of the shopper, and it looks and feels more expensive than $150). For under $850, the Pashli and the Prisma are two solid options. I love the reinforced corners of the Wang and the functional zippers of the Lim - black with a little edge. If we're talking about breaking the bank, the silver hardware 2.55 is pretty much tops when it comes to black bags. I think the silver hardens up a pretty conservative purse and makes it more versatile for a variety of events/lifestyles. I'm also really intrigued by the Cabas Chyc from Saint Laurent Paris. I love the iconic but minimal hardware, the practical but chic shape, and the multiple options for wear (top handle, shoulder, crossbody). I think I'm going to hold out for one of these two, even if that takes awhile. Because if there ever was a time to invest in a bag, for me it would be a black one. 

I don't know why I've resisted for so long, but it's official: I'm going back to black. 

closet organization

I recently re-organized my closet (that's my half you're seeing), both to edit my wardrobe and to give my guy a better percentage of our closet real estate. In terms of hanging and shelf space, we're close to a 55/45 division. The division of the lower half, aka shoe space, is a different story. There, it's more like 70/30.

We recently invested in slim-line hangers, and now I'm wondering what took us so long in the first place. Even James conceded that they did a much better job of hanging our clothes compactly. After initially planning on purchasing them from The Container Store, we lucked out when they were being sold at our Costco for $8 per box of 35. 

 

I store my sweaters in sweater boxes from The Container Store. Now that it's spring, they've moved up to the highest shelves along with the blue and white basket that holds my tights for out-of-season storage.

I pile my khakis, jeans, skirts (casual and seasonal), and shorts on the middle shelves. 

I hang my tops by type from left to right: camis, tanks, short sleeved solid t-shirts, short sleeved printed t-shirts, short-sleeved blouses, 3/4 sleeve shirts,  long-sleeve shirts, button downs, lighter cardigans, sweatshirts, and lastly, vests/sleeveless trenches.

I store most of my smaller purses (I have around 6) in their dust bags in the butterfly box I found at TJ Maxx. My bigger bags are to the left and right of the box, and they're all on the top shelf. My clutches are stored in the tan and white box directly below my khakis/jeans shelf.

My shoes are also grouped by type and to a certain extent, color. I keep all of my black heels together, followed by heels in different colors and prints. Sandals and wedges are on the top shelf of the second rack. My flats fill up the rest on the bottom, and my boots are lined up on the floor and to the right. The shoes still in shoe boxes are recent purchases that I'm still contemplating on keeping or haven't worn yet. Right now, the boxes are serving as shelving for flat summer sandals. In the future, I'd like to get some cubby drawers to better organize my shoes, but this will work for now.

My dresses are hung on the other side of the closet next to James' suit jackets because that was the only shelf that was high enough to keep them off the floor (the 5% of encroachment into his half). Everything else (socks, workout gear, pajamas, etc.) goes into the bottom two drawers of our dresser (James gets the top two).

How do you organize your closet?

pssst...

madewell's having a sale!

here


my picks: shirt :: skirt :: shirt

all you need

It's sunny and warm (almost 80!) in Chicago today, and it could not be any more beautiful. I'm starting the day off with a little iced coffee. With a day as beautiful as today, that's really all you need. That, and a pair of sunnies.

Happy Wednesday!

rings: forever 21 .:. shirt: j.crew .:. nail polish: nars x pierre hardy vertebra