The Anthropological Shopper

OOTD: Petaluma Maxi Skirt

2012-02-17T08:49:00.000-08:00

We went out to dinner again last night and baby slept through the whole thing! He opened his eyes a couple of times and looked around, but went right back to sleep without a peep! Such a sweetie!

I love the Petaluma Sweater Skirt because it's so soft and cozy, but I have the hardest time figuring out what to wear with it. The main color is purple, but it's "heathered" with either grey or brown, something taupey--basically when I put something brown next to it, it looks grey and vice versa. So I just went super comfy and wore a J Crew Perfect Tee in grey. The Dog Rose Pullover actually looks pretty with it, but the dark skirt shows through the thin cream sweater, so now I must find the right color/length cami to layer underneath.

J Crew Perfect Tee
Anthropologie Petaluma Maxi Skirt
Ruche Boleyn Beauty Necklace
Target Merona Meaghan Pewter Flats

Today, shopping for some conference clothes for baby!

OOTD: Solstice Festival

2012-02-16T10:46:00.000-08:00

What?? An OOTD?? Finally??

I promise I have occasionally been getting dressed, just nothing worthy of posting. This OOTD is actually from yesterday. Baby had his 2 month check-up, loaded with a bunch of shots. Poor thing! He knew darn well as soon as we undressed him in the exam room that he was not going to enjoy this outing. Now, I knew that I had a big baby, but I had no idea that he would be in the 95th percentile for height and weight (24 inches and 14lbs, 11oz) and the 99th percentile for head circumference (16.5 inches). No wonder I'm having a hard time finding him hats!

Anthropologie Solstice Festival Cardigan
J Crew tee
Target jeggings
DSW Crown Vintage Tawny Boots

Later in the day, we went out to dinner and baby did so well! He was asleep at first, but quickly woke up. He made a few noises as he is enthusiastically discovering the power of his voice, but he didn't throw a fit (except when we put him back in the carseat to leave). He even smiled at the waitress when she and the hostess started fawning over his adorableness. I think I have alot more confidence now to go out with him.

These boots are the lookalike to Anthropologie's Loose Reins Boots. The leather is a little thin, but I like the color, the narrower shaft circumference, and the riding boot look. I think the leather will look pretty cool once it gets a little more worn.

Wu is me, BUT...there's still hope

2012-02-09T16:29:00.000-08:00

Hello strangers! I'm still here! I just can't type with a baby in my arms, and I also haven't been getting out too much. I have ventured out a couple of times with DH and baby--it's just scary when you think of all the things you have to prepare for just to leave the house with baby! And I still feel like I have pregnancy brain.

Anyways, I did sneak out Sunday morning to check out the Jason Wu collection at Target. Unfortunately, I didn't get there early enough to get any dresses. All I got was one shirt:

I really like it! It fits really well across my recently enhanced bust and wide shoulders (I bought a small).

I found a blog called Target Addict, who provided a link to a Facebook group dedicated to people who actually want to wear the Jason Wu items. Imagine that! Click here for the Facebook group. Under documents, there is a Google spreadsheet on which you can post items that you want to buy, sell, or swap. So cool! Now I have to decide what I want!

I am hoping to post more frequently now, especially once I get the hang of getting out of the house with baby. I have a slew of Anthropologie items that I bought while pregnant but couldn't wear, so they're still new and waiting to get out of the house! Plus, I'm presenting a poster at the big forensic science conference in a couple of weeks, so I will have to come up with some nursing friendly conference wear. Yes, we are planning to make the 9+ hour drive to Atlanta with baby. I hope it goes well!

I hope the link above helps some of you find the items you want! Happy shopping!

No Words

2011-12-19T19:12:00.000-08:00

EXCEPT

9 POUNDS, 7 OUNCES!

40 weeks

2011-12-08T10:58:00.001-08:00

I'm still waiting...eating jalapenos and drinking raspberry tea. If nothing happens this weekend, I'm getting induced on Monday.

The Turnaround Chemise is the comfiest thing I can wear right now. See my little wreath in the background? Crafting to keep me busy while I wait!

A Present from Anthropologie!

2011-12-07T10:49:00.001-08:00

So UPS knocked on my door with a package from Anthropologie that I was not expecting--I placed a sale order this week, but it's way too early for anything from that order to have arrived.

This is what I found when I opened the package:

A sweet oven mitt, holiday whisk, and a yummy, you-bet-your-ass-I'm-gonna-make-this recipe. How did they know I still had apples left over from my apple picking trip? And how did they know I like to bake?

Alright Anthro, sometimes you guys drive me crazy with CS issues, cancelled items, etc., but then you go and surprise me with something like this. What woman doesn't like to get an unexpected gift??

Well played Anthropologie...and very much appreciated!

New Items in Blog Sale!

2011-12-06T13:55:00.001-08:00

I posted a bunch of new items today in my blog sale!

Venice Postcard Skirt, size 6
Southward Stop Shirtdress, size 4
Sunrise and Midnight Dress, size 4
Polynya Corset top, size 4
Red Delicious Blouse, size 4

along with some J Crew tops!

Fall 2011 LiaMolly Sweaters

2011-12-02T12:34:00.001-08:00

Fall 2011 LiaMolly Sweaters by anthropologist featuring sweaters

Black Friday Cancellations

2011-11-29T04:39:00.001-08:00

Black Friday Cancellations by anthropologist featuring a silk polka dot blouse

Black Friday Tops and Accessories

2011-11-29T04:36:00.003-08:00

Black Friday Tops and Accessories by anthropologist featuring strapless tops

Black Friday Bottoms/Everything else

2011-11-29T04:36:00.001-08:00

Black Friday Bottoms/Everything else by anthropologist featuring long skirts

Blog Sale, Slowly but Surely

2011-11-21T11:07:00.001-08:00

I am going to be listing a large number of items for sale. There's just a few posted right now, but there's plenty more to come!

I started a separate blog for the sale, so items will be easily searchable by brand, size, and item type!

Click here to shop! Please read sale terms in the upper right hand corner.

Ruche Winter Lookbook

2011-11-18T14:35:00.001-08:00

If you haven't already, you should check out the new lookbook from Ruche. They actually have a video! I've already ordered the Robin Ruffles Infinity Scarf in all 3 colors (overkill? it's just so cozy and I don't have to tie it, and it's mucho cheaper than Anthro's version!), Baronet Gardens Chiffon Dress (not sure if I'll keep this because it's gotten pretty chilly here so such a lightweight dress is not really practical, but it sure is purty!), Louisa Knitted Lace Scarf (so delicate and feminine!). I'm eyeing the coats...

Anthropologie in the WSJ

2011-11-18T11:21:00.001-08:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203611404577041993085305320.html

Above is a link to an article in the Wall Street Journal about Anthropologie and other retailers' holiday packaging. I'd be interested to hear what you guys think. Do you care about the way Anthropologie or other retailers package your online orders? Do you expect the pretty tissue paper or pretty envelope for the packing slip or a thank you card? Or do you think it's a waste of paper?

Review: Seychelles Dolley

2011-11-17T10:31:00.001-08:00

New shoes today! I first noticed the Seychelles Dolley shoes in teal at Ruche and thought they were so pretty! I decided to keep an eye out for them on other websites to see if I could get a better price. Lo and behold, it paid off!

Right now, you can get these at endless.com for $65.90! They also come in black and whiskey. Amazon actually has the whiskey color for only $43.90!

I love the contrasting straps in green--so pretty with the teal!

The heel is not very high, so I felt perfectly comfortable walking around in these. The fit is TTS--I ordered my normal 8.5 for Seychelles shoes. My feet are actually not swolllen today! I did try on some of my other Seychelles shoes just to make sure my feet were normal size today.

I like these so much better than the other tealish shoes I've seen from Seychelles this year.

Go get some!

MYHABIT now has baby gear!

2011-11-17T09:31:00.001-08:00

Amazon has jumped on the flash sale trend for fashion, but has just added beauty and baby categories to their site MYHABIT!

Today's offerings

PLUS, right now, you can get 15% off your order if you join!

Have fun shopping!

Copycat OOTD: Ruche Remy Knit Dress

2011-11-10T11:03:00.000-08:00

It's not quite a copycat, but pretty close! If my fat feet could fit into my Accoutrement Booties, I would wear those, but I had to go with roomy instead.

I love this Remy Knit Dress from Ruche! It has rich fall colors, an elastic waistband (yay!), and a liner which is also stretchy! Yay for bumpies! Don't you hate it when you get a dress and either it isn't lined when it should be OR the separate liner is not at all stretchy or is cut weird?? I don't know how many times I've seen that.

I really loved the look they had in the catalog, so I did my best to recreate it.

Ruche Remy Knit Dress
Target Cardigan
Forever 21 Cameo Necklace
GAP Skinny Bow Belt, red
Anthropologie Opaque Tights
Naturalizer Referee Mary Janes
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl

Yes, I'm wearing a belt, buy my boob-bump crease swallowed it.

And now for a magic trick...

Whoa mama!!

I don't feel the need to "dress up" everyday, but dresses are the most comfortable thing to wear right now. And Ruche is my very bestest friend because they have so many dresses with elastic waistbands that are also super adorable! Like this which I plan to wear soon. Anthropologie did finally mark down the Fractal Medallion Maxi, so I can't wait to put that over my bump. Please let it be as dreamy as I'm imagining it will be!

Professor For a Day

2011-11-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the absence. I have been working my BUTT OFF. Baby is due in about 5 weeks so I'm trying to get a ton of work finished before then so I can maybe have a couple of weeks to nest and relax. I'm stressed and I know I shouldn't be, but after 4 years of research, I can't leave this job without having some publications in review. That's the goal of every scientist--get your research published! Otherwise, the last 4 years will have been for nothing. And besides, publications will help me with future job hunting. So I'm working and writing like a mad woman, and that's not an easy thing to do when you have pregnancy brain! I find myself doing things I've already done, making silly spreadsheet errors, just plain forgetting things. It's bad. I'm just going to do what I can and try to organize all the data I've collected so the next researchers can follow what I was doing.

Speaking of my research, today I guest lectured in DH's graduate seminar. I was a little nervous, but the students asked lots of great questions at the end, so I think I did alright. DH assured me that the quality and quantity of questions was highly indicative of how well I did. Sweet!

I'm quite large now, so I'm having a really hard time getting dressed. I'm pretty much always flashing my belly unintentionally. I can't help it! I decided to dress as conservatively as I could given that I don't fit into any of my pant suits and barely into blazers. I have ONE maternity shirt that I bought from GAP which has been very versatile alone and as a layering piece.

GAP striped maternity shirt
Nordstrom maxi skirt
Victoria's Secret corduroy blazer
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl
Anthropologie Inherited Needlework Necklace
Born Traipse Booties (DSW)

All I needed were some patches on my elbows! I couldn't wait to wear these new booties. They're exactly what I was looking for in a black bootie and they remind me of something Schuler & Sons would make.

Baby update: we saw the little slugger yesterday and found out that he finally turned upside down! Ugh, now I have to push him out. JK! Although natural birth does terrify me because I know I have a small pelvis and any baby would probably have a hard time getting through, but now we know that this baby is big. He is 6.5 lbs you guys--and I still have 5 weeks to go. Gees! We didn't get a good look at his face because, well, it's inside my pelvis now. Oh well, we'll get to meet him soon enough.

Any sale purchases today?? I decided to go for the Chie's---Written in Stars. They will be my first pair, if they ship. I also ordered the Gamay Sweater Skirt and Petaluma Sweater Skirt. I love sweater skirts and just have to see how they look. I could get every sweater skirt that Anthropologie has! I did get the Colorblocked skirt in blue last week and it's super duper cute and... super duper tight. The elastic is really stiff and doesn't work on me now and I don't think it will work on me later. If anybody has a medium that they'd like to trade for a small or if you see a medium, I would be forever grateful!!!

Hope you all are having a great week so far!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

Apple Picking!

2011-10-17T04:55:00.000-07:00

We went apple picking Saturday! It was a little bit exhausting for me, but it was such a beautiful day to be outside, on top of a mountain, looking for apples. And then waiting in line for apple cider donuts...mmm.

Ruche Emollie Floral Lace Top (love this, it's fuzzy AND stretchy!)
Target Cardigan
Old Navy Jeans
Target Katherine Engineer Boots
Forever 21 Cameo Necklace

We collected a bunch of Granny Smith apples first, for baking. We had to walk around for a while before we found apples that were actually in the trees and not on the ground! I was amazed that some people were "professional" apple pickers and brought their own apple picking poles to reach the apples at the tops of the trees! Others just climbed the trees like monkeys. Pretty funny!

Beautiful apples we couldn't reach...:(

Look at those huge clusters! Clearly, I've never been to an apple farm before.

Looking for some eatin' apples...that weren't fermenting...

The only red apple I saw--at the top of a tree, way out of reach

Finally, some eatin' apples!

This last pic was my view while sitting on a rock. After walking through rows of Fujis, Braeburns, and Winesaps (all on the ground), I had to sit and let DH scout for some Golden Delicious, and by golly, he found some! I realized as I was walking up this slope, that, um, I'm 8 months pregnant and probably shouldn't even be doing this. Oh well, it was fun and totally worth it! Especially waiting in line forever to get Apple Cider Donuts fresh out of the fryer.

We were supposed to do a ghost walk in Charlottesville afterwards, but I was too pooped, so we just chowed on donuts and went home.

Here's a view of Charlottesville from the mountain:

Ignore all the people.

Ok, back to work! Hope you all had a great weekend!

Friday OOTD: Reese Stripes

2011-10-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

I got DH to take me out on a Friday night dinner date (about time!)--it helps that I found a sweet deal on Living Social from a local awesome restaurant. We ate so much...crab puppies, crab stuffed shrimp, wild mushroom risotto, and a pizzookie for dessert--undercooked chocolate chip cookies topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream...mmm...pregnant woman's fantasy.

I couldn't wait to wear this new little dress I ordered from Ruche. As soon as I put it on, oh man, it felt so good. I've actually ordered a few things from Ruche recently that I am quite happy with, including this skirt, this cardigan, and this nummy lace top. It's still warm during the day here, but evenings are just chilly enough for boots, which I could not wait to wear!

Ruche Reese Striped Sash Dress
Very Volatile Fringe Boots
Anthropologie Preserved Gysophila Necklace
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl

I felt cute and comfy in this outfit, and for some reason, I seemed to be the source of giant grins everywhere we went...I don't know if people thought I looked cute or if they were laughing at my pokey belly button. Whatever, I made people smile!

Today we are going APPLE PICKING! Yay! Time to dig up some awesome apple recipes, I think an apple cake is first in line, then maybe some homemade turnovers. After apple picking, we're doing a ghost walk in the evening--you know, one of those where they tell you the local ghost stories and you walk around and see the buildings and take pics, hoping to catch a ghost or orb. Fun stuff! (although not as fun as an actual ghost hunt in an abandoned prison or asylum) It's supposed to last about 2 hours, but they promise lots of sit-down breaks which this bumpie will be taking full advantage of!

Have fun this weekend!

Friday OOTD: No Anthro!

2011-10-08T05:12:00.000-07:00

I realized that I didn't wear a single Anthropologie item in this outfit! GASP!

Old Navy Denim Jacket
Target Top
Nordstrom Skirt
Target Flats
J Crew Pearl Cluster Earrings

We went to the Cheesecake Factory. YUM! We had to wait forever for a table and then I stuffed my face full of bread and appetizers (fried mac and cheese, which was not what I was expecting but it tasted really good) so fast that I barely had room for my entree. Leftover pasta this weekend! I brought home a Godiva chocolate cheesecake--this cheesecake is so heavenly on my tongue that I don't even need to look at the menu (although I'm curious about the red velvet).

This weekend, DH and I plan on staying in and getting the house in order. We'll save apple picking for next weekend. Somebody gets to build a crib for the first time ever! Let's hope it all turns out ok. =) We have people threatening to visit, so we really need to get everything tidied up and DH needs to get his Halloween crap up around the house. I might start some crafts for the baby's room. I'll post pics of my projects if I do! Then I have a date with a chocolate cheesecake...

Oh yeah! I had some shoes come in so I'll post pics/reviews of those!

How about you guys--any plans for the weekend?

Happy Sale Day!

2011-10-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

What I ordered this morning (luckily I didn't order any clothing because the 25% off was not in effect yet!):

intriged by this green for some reason

yay for popbacks!

What I'm considering with the extra 25% off (just can't decide whether to get S or M for my shoulders):

I think this blazer might look cute with this.

OOTD: Harvest Time and Boot Love

2011-09-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

It's still not cool today, but it's supposed to get there this weekend! Perfect pumpkin picking weather! I decided to bust out a fall top anyways, albeit a lacy one. I am so damn tired of sweating and why is it that there is no "Expectant Mother" parking at Target or the grocery store, the two places I visit most often?? Best Buy has it and I don't go there very often. Get with it people! Oh wait, I remember, Target has parking for "parents with small children." Do "in utero" children count? Huh, Target??

(Sorry for the cat butt) (You know you wanted to see a cat butt today)
Ruche Harvest Time Lacy Top
Anthropologie Maryam Tank
Old Navy Skinny Maternity Jeans
Anthropologie Braided Basket Pumps
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl
Anthropologie Preserved Gysophila Necklace

My feet were normal size today so I could actually wear pretty heels. How is it that Miss Albright shoes can have a nearly 4" heel, yet I can still walk pretty well in them, even in my weeble-wobble condition? Well, walking across my yard with the acorns and hickory nuts everywhere was not fun... Speaking of nuts, they have been falling like crazy today! Hitting the house everywhere, I even got pelted while I was outside, and lemme tell ya, when those nuts are falling from 20+ foot tall trees, THEY HURT!

I think I'll be wearing this Maryam Tank a lot this fall...just wish I had more colors. Actually I found a Converse tank at Target today that has a small lace trim and comes in many colors. Might just be my new best friend. I also bought some boots today--I was having a hard time huffing and sweating in the store, so I just decided to bring them home to try on. I'll post about them as soon as I catch my breath!

I need another haircut...it's growing even faster than usual.

I almost forgot!!

My new boot love which I'm thinking of getting with my Naturalizer friend and family 30% off coupon, Naya Saffron in green. Sigh. $240 plus 30% off? Time to have a blog sale...

Happy Sale Day! What I Ordered

2011-09-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

pink and ivory

Not that I need any more wine glasses!

Small order. I did not take advantage of the outerwear/boot sale...yet...

What did you guys get?

Around the House and Neighborhood

2011-09-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

George Duckington??

As you can tell, it's been really damp, so there's all kinds of fungus everywhere! So many varieties just in our yard!

OOTD: Inherited Blooms

2011-09-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

Anthropologie Inherited Blooms Top
Old Navy Maternity Skinny Jeans
Target Flats
Anthropologie Ellipse Earrings

Ignore the cat toys and the paperwork on the floor and the mess behind me. When I work on research papers, I spread all my references out on the floor, easier to pick through. But I'm almost done with work! Must keep writing and trying to ignore the BS. Don't you hate it when people try to talk about things as if they know what they're talking about when they absolutely don't?? Ugh, I'm currently dealing with that yet again because these people have nothing better to do than complain about stuff they have no knowledge of. "We're not convinced of the results" "You're promoting a product that hasn't been validated/isn't finished" :-)~~~~~ (that's a raspberry) I didn't waste the last 4 years of my life on this project only to have people who actively refused to participate try to crap all over it! Must stay calm for the baby... Apparently there's a meeting next week to address "concerns" (aka the same old crap)--my mentor did not say he wanted me to come in, although I volunteered, but you know what? I decided I love my baby way too much to introduce him to these idiots.

Enough ranting about work. This shirt is so comfy and pretty. It's been gray and gloomy outside this week, but it's really humid and not chilly at all. Blah. This lightweight shirt worked out quite nicely. Yes, it's mostly gray but it has pretty flowers and gathered sleeves. My shoes don't like me right now--they're all kinda tight, so I'm having a hard time everyday deciding which shoes to wear. Most of my flats work out ok, but forget about heels! I bought the Crystal Pattern Clogs and I love them so much but I can't fit into them anymore! I should soak my feet in ice water first...

Don't I look HUGE???

Tuesday OOTD: Boring Brown

2011-09-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

And just like that, today feels like summer again...with clouds. :(

Anthropologie River Tyne Top
Old Navy Jersey Skirt
Anthropologie Cinched Bowtie Sandals
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl
Anthropologie Preserved Gysophila Necklace

I've just been working hard, trying to finish up my work obligations before baby's arrival, so I felt like being brown and beige today. Doesn't help that it's so gray outside...

Monday OOTD: Rainbow Trellis

2011-09-20T04:07:00.000-07:00

Rainbow Trellis Cardigan
Forever 21 Polka Dot Top
Old Navy Jeans
Merona Marvella Suede Peep-Toes

It's official. This camera sucks a$$. Strike 2. On the viewer this shot looked really bright--the camera was only 4 feet away from me, with the flash on, in the brightest room in the house, directly across from a huge window. No, I'm not a skilled photographer, but I know my old camera would have done just fine with this shot. And why does my head look all distorted?? Ugh. Back to the drawing board.

On a happier note, I found this top at Forever 21 and it is EXACTLY the same as the Cirque Renoir Top from Ruche, but $15 cheaper! So cheap, I ordered the cocoa/black version too. Of course, I discovered this after I had ordered the one from Ruche. I was so dying to wear some gorgeous fall shoes, but you can call me bigfoot right now. For some reason, on this day, my feet would not fit into anything but these slightly stretchy and oh so forgiving shoes. I just might be in flip-flops all winter. :)

Fall Picking Outfit

2011-09-18T11:38:00.001-07:00

Fall Picking Outfit by anthropologist featuring pave jewelry

Uncommon Baby Goods

2011-09-17T05:52:00.000-07:00

Year of the Rabbit Birth Box

Love My Microscope Babysuit

Nerd Flashcards

Periodic Table Building Blocks

Baby Dragonfly Mismatched Socks

Pee Pee Teepees
(because we're having a little boy!)

And finally...

Worth the Wait Babysuit
(first baby at my age...totally)

OOTD: Sparkly Bump

2011-09-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

J Crew Sequined Sweatshirt
Old Navy Maternity Skinny Jeans
Target Suede Wedges

Sanita Clogs at Zulilly!

2011-09-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

Sanita Clog Sale today at Zulilly!

They have many styles that were also sold at Anthropologie! Click here to join and shop!

Have fun shopping!

Money Talks: Past, Present, and Future

2011-09-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Many bloggers have decided to start discussing finances, not divulging details, but sharing how we are all able to shop the way we do. You can read posts here at I Dream of Anthropologie and at Effortless Anthropologie. Let's face it: us Anthro lovers are addicted to shopping! So how do we do it?

I don't think there's any point to sharing actual numbers, but simply sharing strategies, tips, past experiences may be helpful to some who on occasion find themselves struggling with their desire to shop and their desire to not go into debt.

THE PAST
I personally have struggled with debt and only recently relieved myself of it (yay!--aside from student loans--boo). I've actually had 2 rounds of debt issues. First, as an undergraduate I was suckered into all the "free t-shirt" offers all over campus guaranteeing credit cards to students, regardless of your credit standing or income. Cool, right? I got a few cards and it didn't take long for me to max them out (mostly because the limits were so low). I didn't have alot growing up, but I also wasn't deprived. I was "starting over" in college, changing my image from the unpopular, unattractive nerd--I needed new things to do that. I didn't work during my first few years of school, except for summers and holidays, and my parents didn't have alot of spare money to send me for spending, so I used the cards. After graduation, I had a hard time finding a job in my field (science), so I couldn't pay off my cards and they went into collections. They really weren't even that much, probably less than $5k total. I spent so much time on the phone yelling at collectors, getting pawn shop loans, selling books, anything to get some money (ok, not quite anything). Some accounts eventually just stopped trying so hard to collect, although I would get the occasional letter. A few years later, after working full-time jobs in retail sales and management, I was able to settle many of the debts and atleast have them paid off. Then I just had to wait 7 years for them to disappear from my credit report.

Fast-forward a few years later to graduate school. I took out all the financial aid I could--in my last year of undergrad, I learned about unsubsidized loans and I also learned that you could request any work-study offers as loans. I did all of those things. The first year of grad school, I was still working a full-time management job and also working as a full-time TA. The company was bought out, store closed, so I lost the full-time job, but was able to collect some severance. Time to take out more loans because the TA job couldn't pay for everything. The interest rate at the time was so low, and significantly lower than credit cards that I didn't feel bad about taking them. [Now, mind you, I wasn't shopping--I needed the money for living expenses. I was an older "nontraditional" student by this time and was dead serious about grad school. I was almost the "black sheep" of my class, in that I didn't go out as much because I was there to get my master's--I did my partying in undergrad.] Then I graduated and once again couldn't find a job. I did eventually by fall, start working as an archaeologist, just as my loans were running out. Luckily, my relentless job search finally paid off and I received an offer to move to VA to work, as a forensic anthropologist. HELL YES I wanted the job! But, I didn't have the money to pay for a move, and I wasn't sure if I could afford NOVA's living expenses. I begged my parents for a loan to help me make the move and I also took out a couple of credit cards. Uhoh. I needed new clothes for the new job! I had to dress somewhat professionally because of the environment I would be in, people I would be around, conferences, even though I was working as a scientist.

Couple years in VA and for some reason, I finally decided that I should "tally" up my credit cards. Lo and behold, I had $20k in debt! It was spread out over so many cards that I had no idea how much was there! I felt horrible. I made this out-of-state move to kick-start my career, but at the same time I was digging myself into a financial hole, which would only hurt future employment opportunities. And all this even though I had a real job and was making good money.

HOW I PAID IT OFF
What did I do? I stopped shopping so much for one, cut up the cards except for one, for just in case. Then I made a spreadsheet to keep track of my balances every month--whether each card went up or down, as well as whether the total went down (trying to keep them all on a downward descent).

I read up on credit scores and how to handle debt, and decided to tackle the smaller balances first. The feeling of paying off one account completely is sooo much better than continuing to look at so many balances go down just a little every month!
I looked for balance transfer offers on the cards I had and transferred whatever amounts I could and paid those off first, whether they were 0% or just much lower interest rates (most of these are limited to 6 months or sometimes one year, so you are forced to budget how much to pay each month in order to eliminate the balance before the interest rate goes up). I kept doing this until eventually one card was paid off and then another. Eventually I was only receiving 0% transfer offers (instead of less than 10% offers), so I was able to pay most of the rest off at 0%. During this time, I saw the improvement in my credit score and credit card offers (not that I took any of them!).
I had a little help from DH! After he proposed to me, I had to tell him how much debt I had, but that I was also actively paying it off. (I watched enough Suze Orman to know that I needed to tell him). He offered to pay some of my small balances so I could focus on the larger ones. I really didn't want him to, but he said if we were getting married, then the debt would affect us both and he didn't want that looming over our heads for too long. Once we were living together, he paid the rent and utilities (which weren't any higher than what he was paying when we lived separately, so he wasn't burdening himself), so that I could focus on getting my balances paid. I thought for sure he would take back his proposal when I told him, through many sobs, but instead he helped me lay it all out and encouraged me to keep on track. It felt so good to not be judged by him for my dirty little secret.

Then I did it! In a little over 2 years, I had paid down $20k in credit card debt, and I literally just did that this summer. Now in October or so, I had discovered Anthro blogs and how to shop the sales, find hidden items, and I went a little crazy during their holiday sales, but I was still able to meet my goal of being debt-free by the middle of the summer.

THE PRESENT
Now I still shop ALOT (as you can see from my latest sale haul), but I pay off my balance every month--on ONE card. I take full advantage of E-bates and Discover cash back programs--I only use my Discover card and even shop from their website to get even more cash back. My mother did teach me how to be a good shopper, so I mostly just take advantage of sales. I still have some other cards because closing too many at once can hurt your credit score, as well as opening too many in one year can. I do return alot and many of you have seen me sell things too. If I realize that I have too many things I haven't worn, then I pass them on to someone who will get more wear out of them. I try to evaluate my closet once a month and decide if anything needs to move on. The bulk of my current spending has shifted from me to baby stuff--yay! I dare say I think it's almost more fun to buy baby stuff than "me stuff."

THE FUTURE
I have 2 important dates coming up: my baby is due in December and my work contract is also up, the same week as a matter of fact. Since I will have a "natural" (if you can call it that) ending to my job, I plan to enjoy a few months off spending time with my new little boy. I do hope to start working by summer, hopefully at the university where my husband works, as they seem to have need of a forensic anthropologist. Plus, I will have a couple of months of income saved since paying off the credit cards, but I will have to tackle those student loans pretty quickly! And Anthro has so many pretty sweater skirts and shoes for the fall! Eek! (resist) During my "maternity leave," I won't have an income, so I plan to shop much less. I'll probably go through Anthro withdrawals (LOL), but rather I expect that I'll be so focused on the baby that Anthro won't cross my mind! It's scary, since I haven't been without a steady income in several years. We'll see how it goes!

TIPS
Student loans: I know universities now are trying to cut back on the amount they give to students, but because the interest rates are significantly lower than credit cards, I did not feel bad taking student loans in grad school--I literally took the max I could get and that helped me pay my rent after I graduated. Yes, I have way more in student loans than I ever had in credit cards, but they are considered "good credit" as far as your credit score goes. I'm not telling you to go crazy with student loans, just letting you know that atleast it's better debt to have than credit cards. Make sure to take advantage of super low-interest rates and CONSOLIDATE to lock in that low rate. I know Congress is currently considering (or already have considered) screwing grad students and removing many of the currently offered programs to lower interest rates, so just do what you can before they rip it all away! I myself will be doing that shortly.

Credit cards:

First of all, avoid opening too many accounts in one year. This can really hurt your credit score. Also closing them all at once isn't good either. A healthy credit score results from having credit, but using it responsibly. In such a short amount of time, I was able to pull my credit score from around average to excellent. Considering my history, I never thought it would get there.
Search your credit card websites or literature or contact them to find out about any balance transfer offers you may be eligible for. Pay close attention to the deadlines and only transfer what you know you can pay off in that limited amount of time. Even if you're only transferring $500 out of a total $20k debt to pay off in 6 months, any little bit than you can pay off at lower interest rates helps so much! (You do still have to keep making payments on your other accounts, but figure out how much you need to pay on the transferred balance while still maintaining atleast minimum payments on the other cards.) Even if you have to keep tranferring balances back and forth between cards, it eventually gets paid off and FASTER because of the lowered or 0% interest rate. Trust me, the feeling of accomplishment when you make that last payment even on just a small balance is overwhelming and only encourages you to continue to pay off that debt!
Set your own deadlines for each account, one balance at a time. Targeting one card with a small balance helps you focus your efforts and disappears more visibly and obviously than paying small amounts on all your cards at once.
Don't be afraid to ask for lowered interest rates, especially if you've been good: paying on time, paying more than the minimum. Sometimes cards try to randomly raise your rate, but if you fight it and you have established a good history with them, they will usually reverse it. They won't do it unless you ask.

Shopping:

Honestly, I'm still figuring that out. I've never been one to set a spending limit on myself. It's just like the alarm clock--if I set it too early, I know I have time to snooze. It just doesn't work for me. Plus, I do shop with my credit card to get cash back so that allows me to spend more than I would with cash, but I shop alot online, so... I sort of have a limit on how much I spend on one transaction--usually not more than $250-$300. I'll admit that shopping is therapy for me too. Ugh. Need a new therapy...
This is where I need help! I suppose continuing this blog and interacting with other avid shoppers may help me establish better shopping practices. Any tips???

OK, I feel like I'm starting to sound like Suze Orman, so I think I'll stop. I hope my experiences might help even ONE person who is struggling with credit card debt. I am not a financial advisor. I simply read TONS of articles on how to improve credit, pay off debt, etc. and devised a strategy that worked well for me. I never considered balance transfer offers before, but once I figured out how to use them, they worked really well for me.

I look forward to any of your comments, questions, etc., especially tips for keeping shopping under control because, as we've seen, I have let it get out of control before, so it's very possible that it could happen again, and I definitely don't want that!

Happy Sale Day!! What I Ordered

2011-09-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

Just for Laughs

2011-09-08T05:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Anthropologie-Highest-Accolades-Dress-Sz-0-6-NWT-/230639474781?pt=US_CSA_WC_Dresses&var=&hash=item7b6831e6c6

Let's hope that's a typo...

Didn't it make you laugh???

Top

2011-09-07T14:15:00.001-07:00

Top (clipped to polyvore.com)

Friday OOTD: Mossy Atoms

2011-09-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

Today I went up with DH to campus and did some work in his office until he was free for lunch. My DH is a professor--I should start referring to him as Professor DH! I'm so excited for him.

We ate at what is considered an "institution" in Richmond, Perly's. OMG, it was so good! Now I just got a chicken salad sandwich, but it came with lettuce, tomato, and bacon! YUM and the chicken salad was mostly meat, not mostly mayo. DH got a hot sandwich with roast beef, turkey, cheddar, and thousand island dressing on pumpernickel. Doesn't that sound phenomenal? It was, and so were their onion rings. And if that doesn't sound like enough to make you want to eat there, the Queen of England has eaten there!

It seems to be getting the smidgiest bit cooler here--it's no longer in the nineties during the day, and the mornings have been the slightest bit chilly. Nice. I told DH he needs to buy a grill tomorrow so we can dine on the deck.

I realized that my outfit today unintentionally camouflages my bump, well kind of, except for the humongous belly button. I really wasn't trying!

Mossimo Supply Co. Cardigan
Old Navy embellished tank
Anthropologie Mossy Atoms Skirt
Mossimo flats, nude

Miss Kitty snuck in! Still trying to find the brightest spot in the house, not having much luck, especially at this time of day. This skirt has such a soft elastic band, I can literally move it anywhere on my belly and it doesn't hurt at all. I decided to pair it with a white tank embellished with multi-color sequins. I felt sparkly today even though it was cloudy outside.

Any plans for the Labor Day weekend? DH and I were originally planning to go to Virginia Beach as a babymoon, but Irene just had to happen last weekend, so the babymoon is put off. We might take a short trip instead to Monticello. I've always wanted to see it and it's only an hour away. We'll try to hit up some historic taverns too, so DH can enjoy some brews while I pig out on all kinds of carbs! I shouldn't, I took my glucose tolerance test the other day to test for gestational diabetes. That orange goop they make you drink does not need all that food coloring or the orange flavor! Bleh! Hopefully the results show that I haven't been eating too much ice cream.

Well, I'm off to decide on chinese take-out for dinner. Have a great weekend!

Tuesday OOTD: Maximally Modern

2011-08-31T04:58:00.000-07:00

Well we survived Irene with no damage to the house. The yard, however, is another story. A few trees went down and many, many branches went down.

I'm actually not entirely sure what happened here--the tree on the left did break, but I'm not sure if the one on the right is actually the top half of that tree. Could be, all our trees are pretty tall.

The back deck, strewn with branches.

The carport did get a little puncture from a falling branch. Mostly we just have ALOT of cleanup.

For Tuesday's outfit, I wore my new Maximally Modern maxi dress from Modcloth which is so heavenly comfortable.

Modcloth Maximally Modern Dress
F21 Cropped Cardigan
F21 Tiered Necklace
Anthropologie Pave Posts, silver
Old Skechers sandals

No, I don't have my new camera yet. Thank you slow-ass Amazon. Does anybody know if Amazon gives price adjustments? The camera I ordered has dropped in price about $25 since I ordered it--I tried to cancel the original order, but of course, they "shipped" it the same day (although according to the tracking number, it has yet to go out). Well, I guess we'll see if I want to keep it first.

Whew! I'm glad those giant horizontal stripes start below my belly!

Have a great day!

OOTD: Boy Tee

2011-08-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

Did anybody feel that 4.5 aftershock last night? I sure did--DH didn't move a muscle. Now we have to brace ourselves for Irene! Hopefully all we get is rain. We have so many trees around our house that high winds could really do some damage.

Anthropologie Printed Boy Tee, green stripe
Gap Maternity Denim Skirt
Anthropologie Crossover Clogs, yellow (Oh! How I wanted these shoes in lilac!--might have to get the cheaper Modcloth version)
Anthropologie Pave Posts, silver

Yes, I bought some actual maternity clothes...BUT only in the form of denim. What can I say? I gotta have my denim, and GAP has had some crazy deals lately that I couldn't pass up. I think this skirt was about 12 bucks, and today I ordered 2 pairs of jeans for half price! Yay! I have to have some jeans to keep me warm through the fall and winter months. This skirt will also look great in the fall with some boots. Still dark in the house, no matter how many lights I turn on.

Well the 2nd new camera is on its way. I returned the Olympus SZ-30MR that I ordered because I couldn't get a clear shot no matter what I did, even on a tripod. After much research, I decided to try out the Nikon Coolpix p500.

It's not dSLR, but it's a superzoom that supposedly takes fast pics and is good in low light--the 3 main things I really wish my camera had. so we'll see how it goes! I decided not to go with a dSLR for now because I really don't know if I will have the time to learn how to fully use it by the time the baby comes, so I decided to get something with some manual functions but also with lots of automatic functions for a lower price.

Miss Kitty decided that she wanted to sneak in for a sec.

Wow, I look pretty big from the side! For those who are interested, at Laura's suggestion, I added a ticker in the top right corner showing how far along I am. In produce terms, baby is an eggplant this week.

Tuesday OOTD: Filtered Rays and an Earthquake???

2011-08-24T05:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I experienced my first earthquake ever yesterday, in Virginia of all places! We live about 50 miles from the epicenter, so we felt a pretty good shake in the house. I was on the toilet, (of course!), when the house started to tremble. Luckily DH came home early from work so I was not left at home alone to completely freak out. No damage, so we're good. Anybody else experience the earthquake? Hopefully, there wasn't too much damage and nobody was hurt!

Time for a quick OOTD finally! I have yet to find a place in the house that gets good light because we are surrounded by really tall trees that block much of the sunlight, so the pics are a little dark. These were not taken with the recently purchased camera (which is being returned)--I managed to get my old camera running again. Yay!

Anthropologie Filtered Rays Top
Anthropologie Gauzy Tiers Skirt
Anthropologie Celestial Orbit Necklace
Anthropologie Pave Posts, silver
Anthropologie Textured Bowtie Sandals

Pretty boring outfit, but it was comfy as hell. Please ignore the boxes and kitty toys!

As you can see, the bump is expanding forward quite a bit. You can probably even make out my highly extroverted belly button at the apex of my convex belly. I expect the weight to come on pretty quickly now, and I feel lots of kicking and movement, which I must say is a really weird experience! Baby shopping mode is kicking into full gear and once again, I am so happy to live someplace with stores nearby! I'll do a post on some of the adorable baby items I've found soon!

Have a great day!

Shopping for the House

2011-08-23T05:25:00.000-07:00

The most fun thing about moving into a new home?? Shopping for it!! (Might I add, it is so nice to finally live someplace that has stores that are less than 3.5 hours away and not across a mountain range.)

I recently bought a new dining table, the Carmichael Dining Table from Pier 1 (it was a steal!). Our breakfast nook will actually be used as both casual and formal dining since we needed the formal dining room for a home office. So, basically, I wanted a dining set slightly nicer than casual (with a rustic feel), not as formal as "formal", but something I can dress up if needed. Got it?

Now I need dining chairs! The two below are the ones that Pier 1 recommends with this table:

Red Ladderback Dining Chair, $119.95

Ivory Curved Back Chair, $99.99

I really like the red chair, especially in person. In the photo, it looks like it's painted cherry red, but it's actually stained a rich, brick red. I also love the ladderback style. As for the ivory chair, I like the idea of it more than the actual chair. I love the shape, but I'm not nuts about the finish in person. It is painted, but the paint looks much more solid in person than it does in the photo. I was hoping it would have more of a rubbed look, but it just looks like chipped paint, which isn't horrible, I just really like the rubbed paint look.

I like the idea of mixing chairs. I need 6, so I was considering getting red for the 2 end chairs and something else for the 4 side chairs. Pier 1 also has the ivory chair in a dark brown which I like, but I don't know if dark brown would just be too blah.

Some other red options:

Wynn Ladderback in red, Pottery Barn, $229

How gorgeous are these Pottery Barn chairs?

ColorTime Cafe du Monde Chair in Chili Pepper Red, Amazon, $478/pair

I loooove these, with the dark red stain and the contrast seat, BUT, they're a little steep.

Ok, I'm not going to list all the chairs I'm eyeing because there's way too many. I would list a few ivory choices, but they seem to be scarce. Here's one non-red chair which I am seriously considering splurging on, but only for the 2 end chairs (despite their name).

Side Chair in Light Wood, Amazon, $346.78/pair

How keeeeuuuuute???

Any suggestions of where I should look, online or B&M? I have yet to find the thrift stores around here, but I very much intend to (as soon as my dear, sweet husband gets his car repaired and stops driving my car to work so I can actually explore on my own).

[UPDATE]: I ended up getting dining chairs from JC Penney, the red Clarksville chairs. I had a coupon which brought the chairs down to around $500 for 6--an excellent deal! They look really red on the website, but in person, they're more of a brick red, very similar to the red chairs from Pier 1 that cost significantly more. I love that they have a ladderback and turned details on the legs and backs that make them look like more expensive brands (er, Pottery Barn). The seat is a different wood finish from the table, but that part is always covered by a bottom or tucked under the table. Besides, some fluffy white chair pads will hide that!

On the wall is the shelf from Pier 1 that matches the table--
it went on clearance and I had $25 in rewards from buying the table!

Move Update

2011-08-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

So we're in our house in Virginia! There are still boxes everywhere but we are working on it a little bit everyday--atleast this house has much more space than our previous apartments. EXCEPT for closet space--I'm going to have to be very creative with my clothes and shoes. I don't have any photos yet because my camera decided to die on me during the cross-country drive (I guess I dropped it one too many times--I'm such a clutz). :( I am currently shopping for a new one, probably another Olympus, so I'll post pics when I get it! I can't wait to get the baby's room emptied so I can decorate it!!

I have been reading through blogs and commenting when I have time. It might take me a few days still to get back into the swing of things. I'm trying to get back into "work mode" first, but finding that difficult as well. Atleast my work area is mostly set up--I just have to get my mind set up!

Be back soon!

Sick of Anthropologie's Lack of Customer Service

2011-08-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

My query: trying to determine the status of an order

Sent: Friday, August 05, 2011 7:47 AM
To: Service @ Anthropologie
Subject: Order Inquiry A000......

I am trying to determine the status of this order, but for some reason, I can't access my Order History or get the Order Status page to work, and this is not unusual. Attempting to look up this order's status has been frustrating and has reminded me how clunky and slow Anthropologie's website always is. Compared to all other websites I shop regularly, this one is the clunkiest, slowest, most outdated (technology-wise), and most frustrating. It is so frustrating that I am considering not using it anymore. Additionally this item that I'm trying to order for the 4th time has been cancelled on me 3 times already despite showing an "in-stock" status, so naturally I am expecting the same disappointing result from this website.

Their Reply

Hello Terrie,

I apologize for your disappointment with your ordering experience. While we try to keep our inventory online as updated as possible, it can be incorrect when multiple orders are being placed simultaneously for the same item. This is especially true of sale items, which are initially low in stock and tend to sell out very fast.
If you require additional assistance or have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at service@anthropologie.com.

Please include this email with your reply.
Sincerely,
...
Anthropologie

Does this response acknowledge ANYTHING that I mentioned in my query??? Does it give me my order status when the subject I selected was clearly "ORDER INQUIRY???"

I'm so tired of these crappy automated responses that I'm pretty sure are generated by a robot. Btw, the item was not a sale item. Duh.

Note also the lack of concern at potentially losing a customer.

F--- Y--- too Anthropologie.

Fiery Friday Night OOTD

2011-07-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick OOTD post from Friday night. We went to see Horrible Bosses which I highly recommend!!

Has anybody else had a crush on Jason Bateman since they were, oh, about 9???

Anthropologie Fiery Crossback Tank
Target Knit Capris
Anthropologie Open Agenda Wedges
Forever 21 multi-strand necklace
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl

Attempted necklace closeup--it has 3 strands with dangling beige-y stones

OT, has anybody tried Dreyers new shakes and smoothies?? They are a bumpie's best friend, let me tell you!

Here's hoping there are no markdowns tomorrow because I will be in transit very soon!

OOTD: Bursting!!

2011-07-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

Target Converse One Star Maria Top
GAP Handkerchief Skirt
Anthropologie Open Agenda Wedges
Anthropologie Bursting Peony Satchel
Anthropologie Moonflower Necklace
Anthropologie Pave Posts, silver

Wow, there's nothing like taking a picture of yourself to see what you actually look like! I've only put on about 6 pounds so far, but in these pictures, I can definitely see a difference in my arms and legs!

I picked up the GAP skirt on sale a couple weeks ago when they had a promo for an extra 20 or 30% off. It was a steal! Double-layered, light, airy, and flowy which I need right now since we've had a run of days in the 90s! And I love the top--you've heard me rave about the Converse One Star line at Target before. I really want some silver sandals but I haven't found any I really like yet. Any suggestions??

So the name of this post is "Bursting" because of my purse (yay!) and because we found out which one of the Skywalker twins is incubating in my oven!

It's a little Luke!

That's how DH is referring to it. Luke Skywalker. Funny though he doesn't want to name the baby Luke. Now we get to spend our drive to VA discussing names! And now I get to pick out some cute little boy clothes--I noticed GAP just got some wintry things in so I'm going to have loads of fun shopping!

Have a great day!

Sanita Clog Sale at Shoebuy Private Events!

2011-07-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

Time to stock up on some Sanita Clogs at Shoebuy!

Click here to join Shoebuy Private Events and shop!

Some of the items:

Sanita Hyben: orange, blue, black, light grey $50

Sanita Magda: beige, black $65

Remember Anthro's Levade Clogs?? Sanita Theadora: rose, rusty, stone, dark brown $60

Have fun shopping and let me know if you pick up anything!

Friday OOTD: More Than Meets the Eye

2011-07-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, the title has nothing to do with my outfit from yesterday, just the fact that we went to see Transformers 3 last night. I was not impressed--it was nearly 3 hours long, and unnnecessarily so I might add! I really liked the first two installments, but I felt like they just didn't try very hard with this one. Oh well, we have Horrible Bosses next weekend! Yay!

Anthropologie Tiered Chambray Dress
Anthropologie Open Agenda Wedges (aka Shelly's of London Cheesecake)
Anthropologie Sun Salute Necklace
Turquoise Earrings
Forever 21 Date Night Leatherette Bag, orange
I really need that Inca Links Bracelet!!!

This is pretty much my go-to summer dress. It's comfy, pretty, and flowy. It makes me feel like a gurrrl.

You can't really tell in this pic, but I took some scissors to my hair. I have this process when it's time to get a haircut:
1. I get really, really sick of my hair
2. I chop off a few inches
3. I play with it for a couple days to figure out what I want
4. I go to the salon to get it fixed (aka add layers)

I find this process somewhat cathartic, to cut off a few inches myself once I'm sick of my hair and really ready for a change. It also helps me figure out what I want, so I can better explain it to the stylist. Also, I hate going to the salon, so I feel like I'm helping them out a little. I have LOTS of hair and it's really thick. When I walk into salons, I see one of two reactions: "S**t, block out the rest of my day" or "OMG, I can't wait to get my hands on that!" Whichever reaction I get, I almost never walk out with the haircut I want. Stylists never want to take off enough length or they take off way too much (which just makes my hair poofier), OR they don't understand why I would want my hair thinned out. I put alot of work into making my hair look straight and not like the tail of a horse that's been rubbed in the dirt (and I still can't get it to look that good). If my hair is not layered and thinned out, it looks like this /_\. That would be a triangle.

So basically, I chop off my hair to approximately the length I want and then go to the salon to get a "style." Does anybody else do this? Am I crazy? Does anybody ever take a picture into the salon of the style they want? I've thought about doing this, but I'm not sure how the stylists would react.

Hope you all have a great 4th of July weekend! And be safe if you're popping fireworks!

Anthro Sale Purchases

2011-06-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

I decided not to go too crazy with this week's sale since I made some full price dress purchases recently, but I did get a few tops since that seemed to be the "item of the week."

First up is the Aviatrix Tee. This looks like an easy bump-friendly t-shirt to pair with shorts or skirts, especially for $10!. I picked this up in white and sky.

Next is the Cropped Wisely Blazer. There was only a size 6 left, so I decided to go for it. I'm sort of between a 4 and 6 in jackets. I love the print and I think it would look lovely with the Canopy Lookout Dress, if it ever gets a 2nd cut!

Popback of the Bursting Peony Satchel! Ok, this wasn't a new sale item for this week, but I saw it in my wishlist and had to order it. I seem to miss out on all the cute purses at Anthro--I wait too long and by the time they hit sale, they disappear!

I went for the Chilled Stripes Sweater Tank. I love the texture and the colors. Who knows if I'll love it on me, but for $29.95 compared to the regular $258, it's pretty much a steal!

Finally the Alstroemeria Tee. I can always use more prints in my wardrobe!

That's it! Pretty small order, but I do have the Across the Land coming in this Friday (in blue), so I'll be sure to do a review of that even though according to the lack of online stock, everybody owns it already!

What did you guys pick up in the sale this week?

OOTD: Orange Crush and a Lemony Review

2011-06-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

I apparently like the color orange now because I certainly have quite a few pieces! It helps that the color is EVERYWHERE!

This dress is from Forever 21 (Joni Maxi Dress)--I love the stripes and it has these adorable metal rivets along each tier.

Forever 21 Joni Maxi Dress
Old Mossimo Cardi, brown
Anthropologie Perfect Skippers Necklace
Mossimo Pilar Wedges, brown
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl

I have the cardi in 4 colors--it was one of those Target items that was pretty nice, that I knew I would get a lot of wear out of, and is the perfect 3/4 sleeve lightweight cover-up for spring and summer.

Mossimo Pilar Wedges

Whoa! Is that a pregnant belly? Just trying to show a close up of the sandals--I scored these yesterday at Target on clearance for $20! And I love them! It seems like every pair of shoes at Target is on clearance right now, must be getting ready for fall shoes already.

On to the Lemony review. My Meyer Meringue came in today!! And I love it!!

Pros:

Fit is TTS, although the elastic may allow less top-heavy women to go down one size--my regular size (4) was perfect considering my larger up-top condition, 2 would definitely be too small for me
Dress and lining are cotton--it's lightweight and soft, almost like a voile
Elastic on the back even though there's a sidezip
Brown piping adds a vintage feel to the fabric
Pockets!
Lemons!
Pregnancy Belly Friendly!

Cons:

Dryclean??? because of the tiny layer of crinoline attached to the slip. We shall see.
That layer of crinoline which is unnecessary (pic further down)
The back was falling a little, but that usually happens with halter dresses--would have been nice to have those sticky lining pieces like strapless dresses have, so all the weight is not on my neck
I need to wear some kind of bra with this--just have to figure out what!

Other:

The sides have plastic boning, but I didn't feel them when I had the dress on
When I took the dress off, I found this little button inside the zipper about halfway up which may help with keeping the back from slipping. Who knows?
As with many Anthro dresses, the zipper gets a little stuck when you reach the empire waistband, but it wasn't too bad and I don't think it will break on me.

That sneaky little button

View of the back elastic panel

The layer of crinoline which attaches part of the way down
on the slip--
this view is me standing looking down at my leg.

Verdict:

This dress is a keeper for me! I want to wear it now and there's now way I'm waiting for sale! Worth $138!

I think I'm going to return the Color Composition Wedges. They're so pretty but I don't feel very comfortable walking in them. The front part of the wedge is curved upward which I thought would help with walking, but it makes me teeter when standing still! The leather feels a little tight at first, but just walking around the house for a few minutes seemed to loosen it up a little--for reference, my foot is slightly wider than average. Another shoe strike-out for me!

I'll be back with my sale purchases for this week!

Saturday OOTD: Drawing Parallels and Lace Tracings

2011-06-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Saturday running around town:

Anthropologie Lace Tracings Tee
Anthropologie Drawing Parallels Skirt
Old Navy Denim Jacket
Urban Outfitters Flats
Urban Outfitters Domed Pendant Necklace
Anthropologie Pave Posts, silver

Saturday was a random chilly and windy day, so the denim jacket was perfect! Hopefully you can't tell that I had to hike this skirt way up on my waist to be comfortable.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Friday Night OOTD: Thalia

2011-06-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

Friday night DH and I went to one of the many local wineries. I know, I can't drink but this place has the most amazing food and gorgeous outdoor dining--we had to go back atleast one more time before we move. If you're ever in Washington wine country, check out Tagaris. There are wineries everywhere down here, but few of them have a gourmet restaurant as well. Their wine is also excellent--this trip I managed with just sniffing DH's glasses of wine. Teehee.

I decided to put on one of my Lia Molly dresses since they're stretchy knit and therefore accomodating of belly. The Thalia dress is so gorgeous, I didn't do anything fancy--just added a simple necklace and sandals.

That would be called a blooper shot.

Lia Molly Thalia
Anthropologie Preserved Gysophila Necklace
Anthropologie Open Agenda Wedges
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl

I don't know why I ended up with a giant orb on my left leg--spooky! As you can see, the girls are filling in much faster than I can figure out what to do with them, and I do have all kinds of Hollywood Tape keeping me covered! This was actually one of the few "date nights" we've had in a while. I finally feel like I'm completely over the nausea and now I'm just hungry all the time. Feels so much better!

Miss L Fire Flash Sale!!!

2011-06-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

Beyond the Rack is having a flash sale on Miss L Fire shoes today starting at 11am Eastern!! Yay!!

Click here to join or shop!

Scribbled Maxi OOTD and Recent Purchases

2011-06-16T16:03:00.000-07:00

Well I received my order from the 25% off tag sale last week or whenever (my orders take atleast a week to arrive) and I returned nearly all of it.

Darting Dragonfly Dress $79.95

I thought and still think this dress is cute but my regular size 4 was a little too snug to be comfortable due to the "thoracic expansion." No it's not silk, it's polyester, but that means it's machine washable which is a nice relief sometimes. I don't know if I'll bother trying a 6, maybe on 2nd cut since it doesn't seem to be moving.

Antilles Tank, $39.95

This top was just hideous. I ordered it in a S and it seemed to fit, but the color was much darker than the above image and the style was just not flattering in any way. I thought this would make a cute "belly friendly" top, but boy I was wrong!

Southern Breeze Hoodie, grey, $19.95

For $15 I thought this might be nice to throw on over maxis, but it was much bigger than I wanted (if only they had XS!). Oh well.

Thalassic Chemise, $39.95

Don't even ask me what I was thinking with this. The fabric was a shiny, satiny polyester so it straight up looked like a nightgown. If it were more cottony, I thought it would be cute as a dress. It actually was comfy and silky feeling to wear at home, but the layers were a little bulkier than I would have liked for something to wear at home.

Lace Tracings Tee, ivory, $29.95

This is actually a really cute top. It's soft and comfy and roomy and I love the lace detailing at the neckline. It's a keeper!!

Bright Bolts Sash, $19.95

This belt was also a keeper. The one I received is actually pink--I wonder what I'll get if I order another one? Teehee!

Sea Turtle Bottle Opener, $7.95

He was just too cute to resist! I'm actually building up a nice little collection of bottle openers. Pretty funny now since I can't drink for a while.

A Blossom Takes Hold Magnets, $14.95

Super cute and they come in a really nice box, so they would make a nice gift if you can find them in store.

Next week I am expecting the Meyer Meringue Dress and the Color Composition Wedges.

They're both just too fantastic to wait for!! I fell in love with the wedges when I first saw them on the UO site--they were there before they were on Anthro's site and of course, now they're not. There were only 2 left, so I had to pounce even though I was hoping for an extra 25% off shoes--I guess that was too much to ask for. Sigh. The dress is just too adorable and it looks extremely belly friendly.

Today I decided to order the Across the Land dress in blue since it was available and there's no chance in hell that's making it to sale. I know everybody said to size down but with my expansion, I decided to start with my regular size 4 anyways. I'm not sure if this dress will be belly friendly, but it might with the elastic waist. We'll see what happens! Btw, isn't the blue so much cuter than the black version??

Okay, OOTD:

Anthropologie Tiered Chambray Dress
Anthropologie Scribbled Bouquet Cardi
Anthropologie Open Agenda Wedges
Elly Preston chalcedony and pearl jewelry

The cardi ended up coming off because it really warmed up today! I'm sporting the tiniest of bumps, but it's definitely becoming more noticeable in clothing.

Thanks to everybody for the congrats and well-wishes on the pregnancy!

OOTD: Open Agenda

2011-06-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

I am soooo loving this warm weather that has finally decided to stick around our part of Washington. It's been around 80 degrees but breezy so the days are just B-E-A-utiful! I love wearing sundresses all summer.

Today I busted an old Target sundress, one of those good ol' comfy ones with what I call a "bandana" print. This one has a smocked top with some wooden beads on the straps--I don't know why Target doesn't have anything like it this summer. All their sundresses and maxi dresses seem really dark. Atleast I can still fit into the ones I have. :-)

I also could not wait to wear my Open Agenda sandals, which I actually ordered from a Beyond the Rack flash sale for $50. I know, they'll probably go on sale for less than that on Anthro's website, but I couldn't wait any longer!! Maybe I'll get the black ones too. This sandals are absolutely perfect--great color, comfy, not too high. I love the simple retro look of the top part (straps and front) and the edgy open wooden wedge heel.

Target Cropped Cardi
Target Sundress
Anthropologie Open Agenda Wedges
Anthropologie Paper Roses Necklace

Ok, my belly is a little big but not quite as big as it looks in the picture. I think the AC kicked on and blew my dress forward a little.

The nurse made a guess as to the sex of the baby today based on the heartbeat--she guessed boy which is funny because I keep referring to the baby as "he." We'll find out for sure in about 3 weeks!!

Of Bumps and Backlogs

2011-06-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

So I haven't been posting. Shame on me.

I have lots going on: with new people starting at work in VA (which means I'm constantly e-mailing or on the phone with them because I seem to be the only one who can answer their questions and because nobody stopped other people from completely unplugging and destroying my highly organized workstations), trying to find a house in VA, getting moving quotes, and dealing with a pregnancy.

WHA??? Did you read that correctly??

Yes, I assure you---you did. I am approximately 15 weeks pregnant this week! Because of my age and other complications, I wasn't making a public announcement until I was well clear of the first trimester and able to see the correct number of parts with my own eyes in an ultrasound. And thankfully, everything is going very well. So Molly and I are both bumpies this summer! How fun!

DH and I are so incredibly happy. We were absolutely not planning a pregnancy yet, but I think I mentioned before that I've had about 6 friends give birth since last fall, so I guess we had babies on the brain and my hormones decided to kick into hyperdrive. In fact, based on my calculations, it would appear that we conceived about one week after visiting some friends and their newborn in the hospital. I even saw them doing the math in their head when they asked how far along I was! Pretty funny!

I am having a hard time with my clothing. Jeans are no longer comfortable, and I'm having a hard time finding slips to wear with my maxi dresses that fit comfortably or actually do their job! I bought a longer maxi half slip from UO, but it's so sheer it doesn't do anything at all with some of my dresses. Any suggestions?? I would love to get that Lobster Bake Chemise, but again, it's completely see-through!! That's fine on the beach or poolside, but not any other time.

Anyways, I do have a few backlogged outfits that I haven't posted, so here goes!

Target Cropped Cardi
Forever 21 Maxi Dress
BC Footwear Mama Said Sandal, red (only $22 from Amazon!)
Anthropologie Paper Roses Necklace

J Crew Lady Lace Pullover, beige (I had to have this as soon as I saw it in the catalog and I got it on sale!)
Anthropologie Lazy Days Trousers, grey (stretchy knit waistband is perfect for my growing tummy)
Naturalizer Referee mary-janes

Anthropologie Soft and Light Cardi
Anthropologie Pearly Glow Tank
Target Jeans
UO Striped Skimmers (back in stock and only $14.99!)

Anthropologie Scribbled Bouquet Cardi
Anthropologie Candied Dots Blouse
Target Capris
Target peep-toes flats, grey

Wow! Some of these pics are definitely old because I'm still wearing jeans!! Not anymore!! I am living in Anthro's Lazy Days Trousers, though (atleast on the chilly or rainy days). I have 2 colors and they're so comfy (and they were only $20!), and I love that I can roll them up for now or wear them unrolled in the fall. I'm also loving the Rise Above Skirt, which looks like denim and has a knit waistband and drawstring. So comfy on the "bebe belly". See, I am determined to prove that Anthro sells maternity clothes, they just don't label them as such.

Anyways, just wanted to share the news and catch up a little. I will try to post more as I adjust to my expanding rib cage, belly, and boobs. Yes, some of my dresses are already too tight on my rib cage. Sigh.

And, of course, I'll keep adding to the blog sale as I continue to purge and pack my closet!

New Blog Sale Items!

2011-06-09T13:32:00.001-07:00

The pre-packing purge has begun...

Lia Molly Sale!

2011-05-25T06:52:00.000-07:00

I came across this site the other day: Zulily, and today they are having a Lia Molly sale, including the Camelia Sweater! It's a flash sale site with lots of kids' clothing and women's clothing.

Click here to join the site and shop!

$100 Anthropologie Gift Card Giveaway at Urban Sherp!

2011-05-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

I was contacted by Rebecca Sama, founder of Urban Sherp, to let you know that they are currently having a

$100 Anthropologie Gift Card Giveaway!

Urban Sherp is "a site dedicated to connecting consumers with good, modern, green design."

Browse the site and check out the giveaway

HERE.

Click here to view giveaway rules.

Shoe Sale at Beyond the Rack!

2011-05-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

I just ordered Anthropologie's Open Agenda Wedges from today's Beyond the Rack sale for only $49.99!

They have both the tan and black!

Click here to join Beyond the Rack and shop!

Hopefully they fit me well because they're the only sandals I'm really in love with right now!

OOTD: My First Anthropologie Purchase

2011-05-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

This floral maxi dress was my first Anthropologie purchase, back in 2005 or 2006?? I paid $79.95, and I love it! I have no idea what the name is but it's by Deletta. It is made of the softest cotton with the softest cotton lining, and it's machine washable! It's a simple dress with the sweetest little details: three rows of ruffles at the bottom, a tiny ruffle along the bust, and 3 fuschia buttons at the bust.

Anthropologie Maxi Dress
Target Cardi
Target Othelia Flats, natural
Anthropologie Paper Roses Necklace
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl
Dorothy Perkins Ochre Mesh Bow Belt

Apparently, I haven't put this dress on in a while because the top was a little snug, so I had to wear a cardi with it. Weird that the bust was tight but the rest of it was ok? I've been looking for a cardi in this aqua color for a while and finally found a lone one in my size at Target the other day. Mossimo Supply Co. to the rescue! I think the Lemon Cooler Sandals would look really cute with this dress, but my size is already gone. Sigh. Time to find some other light yellow sandals that'll do the trick.

Here's a close-up of the print--SO tropical!! Reminds me of Kauai...

OOTD: Breezy Polkas Monday

2011-05-10T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is Monday's OOTD. It's finally staying around 70 degrees here, which I love!! Time for lemonades, iced tea, and too much ice cream!

Anthropologie Breezy Polkas Cardigan
Target Merona Striped Dress

Target Mossimo Othelia Flat Sandal
Anthropologie Pave Posts, silver
Necklace: Orangutan Pendant from DH

I love my cotton jersey pullover dresses--no zippers or buttons, just toss it on and throw a cardi over. I bought the sandals on sale last week for $16! Comfy, cute, flat, neutral, not to mention another of Target's Seychelles knock-offs.

My Heart's Desire--Maxis!

2011-05-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Sorry I've been away, lots going on. One, I hate work--it's just been one thing after another and I'm tired of dealing with it. Two, remember that job interview that DH had a few weeks ago in Virginia during our anniversary weekend? He got the job! He has yet to receive a salary offer for some reason (maybe today), but there's no reason to think it would be a bad offer. Soooo, this means we'll be in moving mode for the next couple of months because they want him to start in July. WHA??? How are we supposed to find a place to live in 2 months???

The good news has gotten me a little more excited about life in general because I don't know if you guys have picked up on it at all, but I HATE where we live--it's deathly boring and ugly and windy and miserable, and hating my job doesn't help. So I am soooo looking forward to living in/near a large city again (where, I believe, there are atleast 2 Anthro stores) and where we can go do stuff! I'm not nuts about Virginia, but maybe I'll like Richmond better than the DC area, although DC is only a couple hours away for us to make our Smithsonian trips.

This week it has finally warmed up to near 70 although the wind is still pretty chilly. Anyways, I can finally wear some damn dresses. I am loving the maxi trend! I've always loved maxi dresses but felt like I needed to be on the beach to wear them (I did pack all my maxis last year when we went to Kauai for our honeymoon). NOT THIS YEAR! They're everywhere, and let me tell you, I have been stocking up! Forever 21 has been coming out with some adorable cotton prints as well as simple jersey knits, and the prices are even cheaper than Target (which seems to mostly have polyester this year). Be prepared to see lots of OOTDs with maxis.

Like today. The Tiered Chambray Dress from Anthro is just heavenly. And because of the mark down this week, I received a nice PA for it! Yay! How has this not sold out yet???

It's

lightweight denim,
ruffled,
smocked at the top,
comes with optional straps,
100% cotton,
machine washable,
and it has pockets!!

BUY IT NOW!! I could live in this dress all summer.

Anthropologie Heart's Desire Cardigan, ivory
Anthropologie Tiered Chambray Dress
Naturalizer Sandals
Jewelry, by me

I first saw this dress on Molly over at Anthromollogies, and I had not yet seen it on the website. It was love at first sight!

Hard to see the earrings, but they are the same wooden medallions as the pendant on the necklace.

This dress is so versatile, but I went uber-simple today. Sometimes I like denim with just white or ivory, and I decided to add brown wooden accents. I guess I just need some wooden bangles.

Btw, for anyone who has the Heart's Desire cardigan, don't the humongous snaps drive you crazy? I like snaps on a sweater, but these are way too big for the knit and one of mine will already need re-sewing. I'm so afraid to button/unbutton in case all my snaps fall off! Other than that, I like the look and feel of the knit (100% cotton).

Oh yeah, when I get ready to move, I go into PURGE mode, so that means I'll be listing more clothing items for sale. If I haven't worn it, I don't need to move it across the country! Keep an eye out!

Have a great weekend!

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

2011-04-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, DH and I drove to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. The drive up was ridiculous due to car accidents and road work in the mountain passes, but we eventually made it! Saturday was the most perfect spring day--it was warm and sunny with just a slight breeze. Tulips are my favorite flower, so I was pretty much in heaven--if only I could have laid down in the flowers...

It was so sunny that the flowers were so bright and almost fluorescent.

I had no idea there were so many varieties of tulips!

J Crew Dotted Fineline Tulle Cami
Calvin Klein sweater
Anthropologie Pilcro Zip Pocket Slims, moss
Naturalizer Referee Shoes, coffee bean

Sorry, forgot to take pics of my Friday and Sunday outfits, so I'll just tell you about it. Friday I wore the Make A Splash Cowlneck with old flared jeans from Target, flats, and a grey cardi. Sunday, I wore flare jeans again with my Tory Burch Love Japan tee and a mint cardi from Target with flats.

I wish we could have spent more time, but we accomplised quite a bit. On the way back we made our regular Seattle-area pilgrimages to Trader Joe's and Uwajimaya to stock up on some staples. The new Uwajimaya is right down the street from the Bellevue Anthropologie, but honestly I didn't feel like spending an hour in there after spending an hour in the grocery store. And, as of last weekend, there really wasn't much that I was lusting to try on.

If you ever get a chance to go, do it! They not only had fields of tulips, they also had gardens, Roozengarde and Tulip Town, where different types of flowers were planted in beautiful flower beds. I took hundreds of pictures, so I just posted a few here. Maybe I'll set up an album.

Have fun!

New Sale Items Added!

2011-04-12T11:34:00.001-07:00

I added new sale items!

HERE

Comparison Shopping

2011-04-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

Dropped DH off at the airport today so he can jet off to his interview. :( sniff. sniff
Today is our one year wedding anniversary. sniff. sniff.

So I'm scoping out the web for shoes that I might want for spring and doing some price comparisons. Maybe this will help any of you who have been eyeing these shoes too. It will definitely help me since I know I see the same things on different sites and can't remember who has the best prices.

Ruche.com $64.99 "Making You Blush Strappy Wedges"

aka Restricted Women's Cookie Wedge Sandal

Amazon $49.99 (also in natural for $65.00)

Piperlime $49.99 (black and blush)

Endless $49.99 (natural, black, blush)

Ruche.com $79.99 "Going and Gone Green Wedge Sandals"

aka Restricted Women's Tumbler Wedge Sandal

Amazon $75.00 (black, brown, green)

Piperlime $59.99 (brown only)

Endless $75.00 (black, brown, green)

Ruche.com $49.99 "Sunshine on My Windowsill Sandals"

aka Rocket Dog Women's Carmelized Sandals

Shoes.com $59.00 (tan, yellow)

Zappos $39.96 (black, tan, yellow)

6pm $34.97 (black, tan, yellow)

DSW $44.95 (black, tan, yellow)

I guess that's it for now. I have some strategizing to do...

Also, these shoes are adorable and on sale, but what on earth would I wear them with? Any ideas?

Poetic License Apple Pie

EDIT: I just ordered these shoes from Amazon and turns out, they were running an extra 20% off the already discounted price, so I got these with tax and free shipping for $67!! Working on Polyvores now.

OOTD: Mossy Atoms

2011-04-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! The sun is out, but I know it's a little chilly. I still wanted to wear a light and bright skirt.

Anthropologie Mossy Atoms Skirt, pink (S)
J Crew Perfect Fit Boatneck, spearmint (S)
Steve Madden Ulltra pumps, blush patent (8.5)
Old Navy Denim Jacket (M)
Forever 21 Hour Glass Necklace
Anthropologie See Through Petal Posts, pink

I couldn't make a belt work with this skirt, so I stole a black and white polka-dotted sash from Delia's Madeline Dress and tied it into a bow. It's still shifty, but I think it looks better than a big fat belt.

I'm not very good at tying bows

Have a great Friday!

Darn it! I forgot my bag!

Blog Sale!

2011-04-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

I've decided to sell off some Anthro items. I realized that I've bought a bunch of things that were popular that I thought I must have, but as it turns out, some of them I just haven't worn at all, or wore once and haven't reached for them again. Some of them are just "not me," and some I just can't make work (or they don't fit). I'm not entirely sure what "me" or "my style" is yet, but I guess now I'm able to identify some items that are not. That means progress, right? I've decided that at the very least, I should only keep something if it makes me feel absolutely fabulous!

So anyways, this journey to re-structure my wardrobe means I'll pick up some hits as well as some misses (that might take me a while to realize), and you get to benefit from the misses!

I will add more things, so check back! I will also let you know when I add new things!

Shop HERE

Seychelles Sale at Piperlime!

2011-04-07T09:00:00.001-07:00

A bunch of Seychelles styles are on sale at Piperlime, including styles that are currently at Anthropologie!

Must try to restrain myself.

OOTD: Reversed Tuesday

2011-04-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

It's a little chilly today, but not to worry! My Reversed Hoodie came in yesterday! I love the colors and patterns in this sweater. So much better than a boring fleece hoodie. My Pilcro Zip-Pocket Slims in the moss color came in too. These pants are awesome for $29.95--I already have the red.

Anthropologie Reversed Hoodie (S)
Anthropologie Fancified Boatneck, lilac (S)
Anthropologie Pilcro Zip Pocket Slims, moss (28)
Anthropologie Brass and Band Booties (8.5)
Bird Necklace, ebay
Anthropologie Frog Earrings
Dorothy Perkins Lilac Mini Satchel

I remembered to include some accessories this time (bag and sunglasses in hand). This is my first time trying out the "pants rolled up with booties" look. I hope it looks alright. I have so many shades of green and purple going on today.

We have to go suit shopping tonight. Bleh. I know, I know, I shouldn't complain. I hardly ever have to go man clothes shopping. DH has an out-of-state job interview next week and he thinks his suit jacket looks too big, so it's easy pizza for dinner and Men's Wearhouse. The last time we were at MW, I wanted to kill the sales associate. She was so rude and dumb--she even got attitude with a customer on the phone right in front of us! She insisted that there was not a MW in south Austin, and I said I'm pretty sure there is one at Southpark Meadows (I could see the shopping center in my head and describe it exactly)--she kept insisting until she finally looked it up, and guess what, I was right. When somebody acts like that, I would much rather leave the store and come back later to let somebody else get the sale. DH is too nice and didn't want to leave. What do you do in those situations?

Maybe I can talk him into Sonic for dinner instead since I might have to put up with an unpleasant shopping experience? (mmmm chili cheese coney) Let's hope all goes well. I'm really clueless about how a man's suit should look.

Versatile Blogger Award Again!

2011-04-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to vintageglammz and Jess at What Jess Likes for giving me two more Versatile Blogger Awards! Jenn from Complex Cardigans gave me my first. I have so much fun reading all these ladies' blogs, and I'm happy they enjoy mine too!

When you get the Versatile Blogger Award:

Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to their blog in your post. Tell seven things about yourself and award seven recently discovered bloggers and contact the bloggers to let them know they received the Versatile Blogger Award.

Didn't you want to know 7 more things about me?

1. I don't have a smart phone yet. I just haven't found one that I like better than my current phone (LG Decoy--the phone that House has), and I don't know if I would use all the extra features enough to justify the added monthly expense.

2. I love to bake, but I haven't done much lately. For some reason, I always choose recipes that are very time-consuming and somewhat challenging, but I do like sending pretty goodies along with my husband to share at work because we certainly can't (shouldn't) eat a whole batch of cupcakes or cookies ourselves!

3. I am an internet shopaholic. Duh

4. I have to start my mornings with a cup of green tea--I always have some in my purse when travelling, just in case.

5. I hate chores--all chores. I jokingly asked my husband if we could hire a cleaning person, and he actually replied "we can if you really want one." Isn't that sweet? But I would feel horrible because I work at home and have no excuse, right? I would be like Ellie from Cougar Town (except she doesn't work at all).

6. I'm getting really tired of my job. I LOVE anthropology, but I think I'm just tired of working on the same projects for so long. I'm actually questioning whether I should go on to get a PhD or just do something else. So indecisive.

7. My favorite musician is Lucinda Williams. Seriously, if you haven't listed to her music, you really, really should. A good place to start is the album Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. I don't pay much attention to the Grammies anymore, but I remember one year where she was nominated in multiple categories: rock, pop, country, folk, blues. She just makes good music that's good for the soul.

I already posted 7 Recently Discovered Bloggers here, but here's a few more!

1. An American Girl Doll
2. le blackbird cafe
3. Le Petit Drapiere
4. Minnesota Maven
5. my boutique closet
6. shopping for two
7. The Kimmie Chronicles

Have fun exploring these blogs!

OOTD: Mary Monday

2011-04-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! If there is such a thing...

The weather here keeps oscillating between sunny, slightly cool days to grey, windy days. Today is a grey, windy day--not too cold though.

Anthropologie Mary Shirtdress
Volatile Fringe Boots, taupe
Anthropologie Inherited Needlework Necklace
Anthropologie Earrings--random brass/pearl frogs I found in a store

A shirtdress is perfect for a Monday: simple, no fuss. This dress has so many pockets and I love the cotton twill.

[Beware: Rant Ahead]

A couple of things came in this weekend. My Petticoat Cardigan--I ordered a small and it's huge, so it's going back. Plus, I'm not nuts about the quality of the knit. And what a pain those huge ruffles would be to de-wrinkle? I think I'll just have to pass on this one.

The Make a Splash Cowlneck came in too, in the extra small. Same issues but it looks a little better. I'm still pissed about the construction, though! The shoulder seams do not line up at your shoulders when you put on the shirt. I can minimize the "wing effect" by scooching the seams around, but why would they intentionally cut the back fabric asymmetrically? The side seam on the left tucks perfectly along my body while the right side catches air. The cowlneck is supposed to be asymmetrical, not the back of the shirt under one arm! GRRRR! I'm so in love with the print, I don't know what to do. The slightly OCD part of me is really annoyed and is unsure of whether I can wear it without constantly tugging on it.

Got it out. Okay, I'm better now. Thanks for bearing with me if you actually read all that.

LIA MOLLY DRESS SALE $75

2011-04-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

Get the dresses that you might have missed at the Swirl sale for only $75!

http://liamolly.myshopify.com/collections/fall-2010-sale

Hurry!

OOTD: Drenched

2011-03-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

Today's high is supposed to be 76! It's been in the fifties and wet all week! Only problem is we're having crazy, crazy winds. The whole apartment is creaking and clanking--we're not even on the top floor! Anyways, I decided to bare the legs today with a not-too-fluffy-dress that hopefully won't blow upward in the wind.

Anthropologie Color-Drenched Dress (4)
Target Merona Reena Cardigan (S)
Urban Outfitters Suede Heels (8)
Anthropologie Tour de Jewels Necklace, raspberry
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl

First, I want to thank Tara over at Mix and Match Fashion for selling me this dress from her blog sale! It's adorable! I found the cardi on clearance at the local Target--I think it was part of Merona's Resort collection that was all navy, yellow, and orange. For some crazy reason, I was drawn to this bright orange color (the clearance sticker helped). I love the white beads and immediately thought of how cute this would look with navy, light blue, or khaki. Even though I don't usually buy orange, I do like the way it can brighten up an outfit when combined with the right colors. As soon as I received the dress, I knew I wanted to wear it with this cardi--the dress has white polka dots with orange and purple accents. [Sidenote, I found a really cute dress at F21 that's navy with orange chevron stripes. I don't know why I like it. Maybe it's that Texan in me, remembering the colors of the Houston Astros...]

AND THEN, UO randomly put certain colors of these popular suede pumps on sale for $29.99! So I snagged the orange. Per the reviews, I went down a half size to an 8, and it feels perfect. The suede doesn't take long to stretch out just enough. I'm tempted to get other colors, but I think most of them went back up to full price.

I feel comfy and bright and cheerful today. And maybe a little bit sexy (except that I went without makeup and hair-fixing today)--this dress is kinda short, and my legs don't look quite as "chickeny" and white as I expected them to. That usually changes when sunlight hits them.

I'm thinking about a shopping ban for April. After all, it is tax month. BOO! (Obviously, we're not getting a refund) I have quite a few spring items that I haven't been able to wear yet, so I might be able to survive without shopping. UNLESS, Anthro puts the Back Porch Blouse on sale. Or the Tippi Dress or Take Action Dress or the Loop Stack Cardigan. I will have them, I will. I did already buy something this morning though. I went to Garnet Hill and they had this adorable cardi on sale for $68 and I had to have it!

It has a seascape printed on it! Maybe I'm a dork, but I like it! I've never ordered anything from Garnet Hill before, so I took a gamble on sizing--I'm always in-between sizes (XS and S in this case), but I went with the small. I'll let you know how it looks when it comes in.

Have a great Thursday!

Reviews: Ruche Daisy Daze, Anthro Make a Splash and D'Armee

2011-03-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

Well my Ruche order came in and I was a little bit disappointed. The Daisy Daze Eyelet Dress is gorgeous, but I ordered a M (based on Ruche's "one size chart"), and it was humongous. So I would say that if you're interested in this, stick with your true size. [FYI, Frock Candy carries some of the same items (clothing and shoes) as ModCloth and Ruche, for lower prices I might add, and they give you the sizing measurements for each item instead of one size chart that is "supposed" to apply to everything on the website. What a concept?]

I love the large eyelet with contrast threading in a peachy/beige color. The skirt is lined but the bodice is not, so you have to wear a cami under. Not only that, but the arm holes are open. I think the right size would make the armholes a little smaller.

The fabric is cotton, the lining in the skirt is white and very thin, so thin that I might feel more comfortable with an additional slip (can't wear hot pink undies with this dress!). The waistband is elastic, the dress just pulls over, but I don't know what was going on with the waist tie on the back. Where it attaches under the arms, it's a wide band (probably to cover the elastic on the back) but then ends in strings, so attempting to tie the strings just results in twisting of the wider part of the band. This might have also happened because the dress was too big for me.

This is definitely going back, and I don't know if I'm going to try the small. For $67, I could get something on sale at Anthro that I really want. It's too cold for me to wear this dress now anyways. I jumped because things this cute tend to disappear really quickly from Ruche--this dress is still available. Oops.

I also received some Anthro things that didn't work. First up is the D'Armee dress in navy. I tried on a size 4 in a store, but didn't have time to try a 6. The body fit really well, but the shoulder seams were too far inward for my shoulders, so I decided to order a 6 online. This looked normal in the shoulders but was slightly too big in the body, even with a really padded bra.

Oh well, thought I'd give it a try. This dress is not made for people with wide shoulders. A size 4 would fit, but the shoulder seams would just annoy me.

Next, is the Make a Splash Cowlneck. I LOVE the splashy blue motif. The print is really well done, and actually looks like paint splatters. Unfortunately, this shirt is either too big or irregular or both.

I like the asymmetrical cowl. It doesn't have loose edges, so you don't have to figure out how to arrange it--it just hangs. The shoulders actually look okay for me, but the rest of it is really baggy, and the back fabric, especially on the right side was too wide--it's like they cut the fabric wrong.

You can kinda see my "wing" on my right (your left), and it comes from the back piece of fabric. So weird! Only one side!

I've laid this flat with the shoulder seams completely lined up, so the side seams should be facing outward and not forward. You can see how the back fabric on the left side of the image (right side of the shirt) wraps around to the front (see the seam), and the other side doesn't do that. Clearly irregular. I've re-ordered this in an XS, which might end up being too small, in which case, I might have to order another small. I might have to order 3 of these to get it right! I normally wouldn't put in that much effort for a shirt, but I LOVE the print and really wanted to have this in my warm weather wardrobe! Come on Anthro! Grrr!

That's all for now. Has anybody else had these experiences with the D'Armee or Make a Splash?

OOTD: Time to Gather Squirrel Power

2011-03-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

It is cold today and grey--the sky looks just like winter. And it's windy! So no skirt for me today, no sir-eee!

Anthropologie Time to Gather Cardigan (S)
Anthropologie Cold Crop Blouse, blue (S)
Target Jeans
Target Meaghan Ruffled Flat, pewter (8.5)
Modcloth Squirrel Power Earrings
Bird Necklace from ebay

This was a comfy-outfit day: jeans, flats, a light fuzzy sweater with a flowy silk blouse underneath. Think I need to make some hot chocolate.

The Versatile Blogger Award

2011-03-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to Jenn from Complex Cardigans for giving me the Versatile Blogger Award! What fun! I love reading Jenn's blog and seeing her outfits--if you haven't already, you should definitely stop by!

When you get the Versatile Blogger Award

So now I get to tell you guys 7 things about me: (I'm never very good at coming up with things about myself)

1) I guess one interesting thing about me is that I've been on a tv show--I was in Skeleton Stories on the Discovery Health Channel (which no longer exists btw). It was one of those forensic case shows that followed forensic anthropologists, and my graduate advisor was on 2 episodes, so I was his trusty assistant for a 30 minute segment and helped out with the other episode as well. I got plenty of camera-in-my-face time too--it was so much fun!

2) I played trumpet from 6th grade through my freshman year of undergrad--I was pretty good, first chair my junior and senior years, for all you fellow band nerds. My little brother is now a senior in high school, playing my old trumpet, and talking to him makes me want to buy one! I just might.

3) I love cheese--I've never had a cheese I didn't like. The smellier, the better. And I love my Mexican food smothered in chile con queso.

4) I like cold pizza--sure I like fresh hot pizza, but I almost like it better the morning after it's been refrigerated. I have no idea why.

5) I met Corey Feldman, Jeff Cohen, and Joe Pantoliano at the Goonies 25th anniversary reunion in Astoria, OR last summer. We literally found out on a Friday morning, and I quickly booked hotels so we could take off driving that day as soon as my DH came home from work. It was so much fun! I never in a million years thought I would meet Corey Feldman--he was my tween/teen crush! Sean Astin showed up late Sunday afternoon after we had already left. Grrrr. Next time.

6) My husband and I like to ghost-hunt. Oh yeah, with a video camera, voice recorder, and K2 meter. We're so low-tech compared to the other people we see on these hunts. We've been to Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Moundsville Prison, and Eastern State Penitentiary. It's a pretty cool and unique experience--I never expect to experience anything paranormal, I just think it's cool to wander a historical building at night with all the lights out.

7) When I get the hiccups, my cure is to chug some pickled jalapeno juice.

Now you know everything about me.

7 recently discovered blogs that I really enjoy:

1) Dress Like a Cute Scientist

2) I Dream of Anthropologie

3) Dressing Betty

4) Bobs and Doodads

5) Find Your Fashion, Steal My Style

6) Keiko's TanPoPo

7) Lovely Apidae

Check them out if you haven't already! Thanks again Jenn!

Btw, Blogger software sucks! Why doesn't it save the spaces I put in??? And why is this text suddently large and bold??

OOTD: Pointedly Eastpointe Garden

2011-03-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

It's so funny how some items in your OOTD have names that are similar or go together in some weird way. Like today--I am wearing the Pointedly Skirt and the Eastpointe Garden Top--I couldn't come up with a clever way to combine the names, but whatever!

I am playing with the tripod again. This is the cleanest spot in the house, and yes, that's a new cat toy. This is my attempt at a model pose. Isn't this more fun than mirror pics?

Anthropologie Pointedly Skirt (6)
Anthropologie Eastpointe Garden Top, yellow (4)
Victoria's Secret Silk/Cashmere Basic Cardigan, grape? (S)
Volatile Fringe Boots, whiskey (8.5)
Modcloth Squirrel Power Earrings
Dorothy Perkins Mesh Bow Belt, ochre

I love the Pointedly Skirt--there are so many colors in the stripes. And I like the texture of the fabric, it's kind of like a soft burlap, but I think it gives it a vintage feel. And, LOOK! The stripes line up at the seam on the front of the skirt! Wow! I think I could have just about put any color cardi with this ensemble, but I liked the light purple on dark purple combo--one of the wide stripes in the skirt is exactly the same color as the cardi. Btw, I think they're clearancing this cardi at VS for $19.99. I really like the texture of the silk/cashmere blend, and I like the longer cuff (is that what you call it?) at the waist.

The Eastpointe Garden top goes with so many things too. I never imagined I would like mustard! And here I am wearing a mustard top, mustard belt, and I was supposed to include my ochre satchel in these pics. Oops!

Here's a close-up of the skirt at the front seam, so you can see all the colors and the perfect alignment of the stripes.

Well, atleast my outfit is cheery today. I hate Mondays. Work is being frustrating today. Grrrrr. I hate getting pissed off first thing in the morning! And I hate when people don't understand the concepts of consistency and symmetry. Maybe I'm a little anal about it, but I think scientists should be.

Anyways, enough bitching. It's Anthro Sale Eve! I have been catching too many popbacks lately, so I should not buy anything tonight. I ordered popbacks of the Sidestepping Dress (which has yet to be shipped) and the Gusts of Grey Blouse. I also broke down and ordered the D'Armee Dress in navy, even though I'm sure it'll get a 2nd cut since it doesn't seem to be moving. I don't know if I'll keep it. Should have gotten the Great Dot Maxi instead, but since it's cold still, I would get more wear out of the D'Armee. Didn't that groundhog say that spring was on its way?? I really want that Back Porch Blouse too--I think I'd rather have that than the Wispy Cirrus. Such decisions!

Are you guys staying up tonight to watch the price drops? I think I will--it's kinda fun when the website takes a little longer to load, and all of a sudden, you see a lower price on something. Teehee! The things that amuse me!

I hope you're all having a great Monday!

OOTD: Burgeoned and Tucked

2011-03-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

Yay! I found the Burgeoned and Tucked Cardi on the Trademarket--I swear I had this on a wishlist and it just disappeared. Maybe I accidentally deleted it in an effort to downsize. Anyways, today is cold and grey and just slightly drizzly, so I decided to wear a bright floral sweater that is also wool. Since it's 3/4 sleeves, I decided to layer it with the Translucent Dolman tee which is fabulous! The only con to this shirt, well 2 cons for me, is 1) the sleeves could be a little longer (I have really long arms) and 2) modal is a really soft fabric but it doesn't last/tends to pill up. I suppose with extra special care, I could make it last. I really want to get other colors too, but haven't decided which. If you haven't gotten it yet, GO GET IT!

Anthropologie Burgeoned and Tucked Cardi (XS)
Anthropologie Translucent Dolman Top, beige (S)
Target jeans
Volatile Fringe Boots, taupe (8.5)
Anthropologie Paper Roses Necklace
Earrings (little brass flower charms by me)

Btw, Anthro has a sneaky way of hiding little hooks on their cardis. I had no idea that my Whipped Woolens cardi had a hook until I happened to find one on the Steamed Cappucino Cardi. Comes in handy.

I added more flowers to my outfit with the Paper Roses necklace.

I'm sooo tired of cold, grey days! I feel like I'm accumulating spring items that I can't wear!

Tomorrow we might go to the movies (there's important March Madness games on tonight), but I'm not really excited about anything yet. Maybe Rango, it looks pretty funny and the graphics look crazy! I'm waiting for Your Highness (fantasy and comedy?? I'm so there!) and Arthur. Isn't Russell Brand just perfect to play Arthur? I remember when I was a kid, those Arthur movies were on tv all the time, and I always watched them! I haven't even seen any of them in years. I keep saying them--didn't they make more than one? I'm pretty sure there were sequels.

Tonight is a Netflix double-header: Toy Story 3 and Machete. Ha! I think we'll start with Machete, then end the night on a lighter note. My husband actually said that he's never seen any of the Toy Story movies! What??? I guess I saw them because I had younger siblings--I think my little brother was really into Buzz Lightyear.

Anybody seen any good movies lately/have any recommendations?

Ruche Garden Dreams Lookbook

2011-03-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

If you haven't checked out Ruche's new Garden Dreams Lookbook yet, here's your chance!

There's a ridiculous number of things that I want from this catalog!

But for now, I ordered one dress: the Daisy Daze Eyelet dress, and one necklace: the Butterfly Effect Beaded Necklace.

Have fun looking!

Open publication - Free publishing - More catalog

New Arrivals: Target and My First Swirl!

2011-03-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

I promised that I would show pics of my new Target dresses today, so I will, but the other 2 came in today too! So I have 4 dresses, plus my first Swirl purchase came in!

First up is the Jovovich-Hawk Chiffon Dot Dress:

I fell in love with this dress when I saw it in the tv commercials, and it's really adorable, but...

This is a small, and it's very wide and very short. I'm actually wearing the Foolproof slip under it to add a little length. I LOVE that the dots are actually taupe instead of white!

Billowiness

See, if I were to raise my arms without the slip, then we would have a problem.

With a Wide Belt

With a Skinny Belt

I can't decide on this dress. It's definitely fun, and the billowiness makes for a very comfy mu-mu-esque dress. Any thoughts?

Next is the Rodarte Lace-Print Dress. This is definitely a keeper! I'm wearing a small in this as well.

I left the Foolproof slip on for this.

This one I knew would be a keeper, so easy to dress up or down.

Third is the Libertine Striped Tunic. I ordered this in a medium because the blog reviews I read suggested it was small, or atleast really short.

Okay, these came later in the day, and I didn't feel like taking my pants off, so use your imagination! This might be a little too big. It's definitely not fitted, and it seems like it might be a little big under the arms. I'm sure a toss in the washer and dryer would shrink it up a little, but I certainly wouldn't want to lose any length!

I should've put the little yellow bow belt on with this. That might help. Undecided!

Okay, there's only 4 Target dresses.

Fourth is the classic Tucker Signature Floral Dress. This is a small, and it feels kinda big, but I guess it's supposed to be blousy. I'm not sure how this is supposed to look.

Maybe it looks alright.

And the Swirl purchase. Swirl is one of those "flash sale" sites, and somebody (sorry I don't remember who!) had posted on EA somewhere that Swirl was having a Lia Molly flash sale, so I hussled on over there! Most of the really pretty things were gone already, :( but I was able to find one dress. It's orange, which I don't buy, until this year for some reason.

This is the Lia Molly Thalia dress. It's not a bright orange, much more earthy, which I like, and it's just so well-made. I can't wait to wear it! Come on sun!

Here's the model shot so you can see how much more gorgeous it is on the model.

I have a little work to do. Maybe I should have gotten a medium. Dammit!

Okay! Time to bring this picture-heavy post to a close. I would love to hear what you guys think of these dresses, so I can decide which to keep!

OOTD: Embraceable, Flowing Cables

2011-03-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

Today, I decided to go all shades of brown. The Monday Browns (instead of blues)??? We had a little cold front come in yesterday, so in PNW style, it's cold and cloudy, but atleast it's not raining today. I decided to give the sweater skirt a little more wear while I still can!

Anthropologie Embraceable Tee, brown (S)
Anthropologie Flowing Cables Sweaterskirt, taupe (S)
Anthropologie Perfectly Plaid Tights, brown
Miz Mooz Voodoo Sweater Boots, brown (8)
Anthropologie Pave Post Earrings, Pearl

You have no idea how hard I'm sucking in the pooch here. I tried tucking in the shirt and belting, but I couldn't get it to look right, so I just went untucked. Aside from the pooch, I like the streamlined silhouette.

So we saw Paul this weekend, and I have to say that it was really funny! Unfortunately, like so many movies, they gave away too many of the funny scenes in the trailers, but it was still funny. I really like Simon Pegg and Nick Frost movies. They're hilarious, although sometimes they're sense of humor seems a little distorted-- must be a cultural thing.

Two of my Target dresses came in today! Woohoo! I know, I'm so lame, I live in the backwoods of Washington, with 2 Targets, neither of which are carrying the GO line. Yeah. Sucks. So I plan to play around with those tomorrow--I'm undecided on the polka dotted dress!

Hope you guys had a great weekend! Have fun shopping tonight if there's a sale!

OOTD: Kindred Spirit

2011-03-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

Today I am wearing my Kindred Spirit Sweaterdress which miraculously popped back last week AND THEN got marked down to $19.95 so I got a $50 PA! Woohoo! Now that's the way I should be shopping.

I paired the dress with this awesome new pair of boots which is my replacement for Berry-Stitched, Pebbled and Primped, and Loose Reins...yes, all 3. It has large whip-stitching (like Berry-Stitched), a "fringey" ruffle at the back (like Pebbled and Primped), and a beigey-distressed look (like Loose Reins). They are the Volatile Fringe Boots in taupe, and I am considering getting the whiskey color as well. They also come in black; too bad there's no berry color. :-(

I've pretty much been wearing my dark brown Miz Mooz Voodoo Sweater boots with everything, but I really wanted some leather boots in a lighter brown. These taupe boots definitely fill a void in my closet, and I think the whiskey color could come in handy as well. This boot runs TTS, is leather, has a shaft that is not too big-not too small (for my skinny legs), and has this awesome "fringe" at the back. It's actually twisted strips of leather that, from a distance, look like fringe or a ruffle.

Anyways, enough about the boots. Btw, you know how much I love Amazon Warehouse Deals--I got these boots for $47.99 and the whiskey ones are $46.99. How could I not get both colors???

Anthropologie Kindred Spirit Sweaterdress (S)
Calvin Klein sweater
Volatile Fringe Boots, taupe (8.5)
Anthropologie Inherited Needlework Necklace
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl

It's sunny out today, but still a little chilly so I had to wear a sweater--can't wait for warm-enough days that I don't have to throw a sweater over everything! I think this dress looks really good on me, but I do feel a little shapeless with the sweater on. (I am a little straight-sided to begin with). I love that this dress is a cotton/nylon blend, so I can definitely wear it year-round. So comfy for running errands but cute enough to dress up as well. Soon enough, I'll have to bare my pale skinny legs to the world and wear this dress with some cute flats.

I will be wearing this dress to a bar tonight (not really a bar dress, but what is?)--I wasn't feeling up for going out last night, so we're going out tonight...but to a sports bar that happens to have giant HDTVs at every angle so my DH can catch the basketball games...all at the same time (I wonder if there's such a thing as March Madness Overload??). But before going out, I will make him eat some Mabo Tofu--(I usually make this from scratch, but this time I just grabbed a sauce kit). I like making new things for him. He's always open to whatever I want to cook, and he always eats it, but sometimes, he's like "What is that? What's in it? Why are you making that?", as if he thinks I'm gonna make him eat tongues or eyeballs. Just because I have an adventurous appetite, I would not feed him anything that I didn't think he would eat.

Anyways, hope you guys have fun plans for the weekend! Aside from being subjected to March Madness, I plan to finish up a paper for work, assemble a dresser and organize the closet, and hopefully tomorrow watch Paul (so many great people in that movie)! We saw Battle: Los Angeles last weekend, and it was okay--there was quite a bit of what I refer to as "Hollywood cheese." But I love Aaron Eckhart. (Who doesn't?) I just wish it was a little more sci-fi and a little less human drama. Have fun!

Shop Forever 21 Today for Japan!

2011-03-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

100% of every dollar you spend today at Forever 21 will go toward relief efforts in Japan!

How awesome is that!!

Also, if you have a Discover card, you can donate your cash back to the Red Cross online with just a couple of easy clicks!

First Great Britain Order!

2011-03-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

Sometime back in February, I decided to place an order with Dorothy Perkins.com. When occasionally playing around on Polyvore, I would come across some of the most adorable accessories at great prices from http://www.dorothyperkins.com/. So I decided to check it out. They do ship to the U.S. at very reasonable rates. I found some really cute accessories and placed an order (I avoided shoes and clothing because I didn't want to have to return anything). I waited and waited and waited, contacted customer service twice with no response at all. Nice.

I know that an international order has to go through customs and all kinds of red tape before it finally arrives at your door, but gees. My order summary said that my order would be here by March 2. I had pretty much given up and thought I just blew ~$100. Finally, my package that I ordered on February 20 arrived today on March 15. Wow. But I love my items! Here's what I got:

Ochre Hard Edge Satchel ~$40

These satchel bags are everywhere right now and I thought this one was a great price and a great color: yellow, but a nice neutral ochre.

Lilac Mini Satchel ~$24

I've always wanted a purse in some shade of lilac/lavender and now I have one! I know, it's pretty similar to the ochre satchel but it's not as stiff.

Tan Structured Bow Belt ~$16

Love this!

Ochre Mesh Bow Skinny Belt ~$8

And a bunch of tights: grey cable tights and opaque tights in blush, walnut, and mink.

Aside from the very long shipping wait and lack of Customer Service responses to my inquiries, I am happy with my items. They have some of the most adorable bags and belts, so I think I'll keep an eye on their accessories! And the items I received are high-quality synthetics--they look like leather and have a nice feel even though they're not leather!

I'd be interested to hear if anybody else has shopped with them or is thinking about it!

Target's Go International Designer Collective!!

2011-03-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

The Go International Designer Collective has finally arrived!

Target BOGO shoe sale!

2011-03-10T10:56:00.000-08:00

Target has a special promo: BOGO half off on select shoes!

Use promo code: TGTHA2FJ.

Some picks:

Meaghan Ruffled Flat: These flats come in a variety of colors, but I really needed a mustard flat.

Vivien Pleated Heel Sandal: This comes in black and mushroom and looks just like Seychelles Gypsy sandals.

Marvella Suede Peep-Toes: I actually found these in store for half price--so comfy!

Purvi Caged Sandals: These come in multiple colors as well. I bought these for New Year's Eve to wear with my black Lorene dress. Very edgy look, but I can walk in them!

Wendi Peep-Toe Clogs: I actually broke down and bought these in store yesterday. They come in black too! These look just like Seychelles To Extremes Platforms.

Taki Mary Janes: These are "soon to be available" but eligible for the promotion. Current available colors: blush, tan, and mushroom.

There are so many more to choose from! Happy shopping!

For Sale: DeChelly Dress, size 4, NIP, $90 (SOLD)

2011-03-07T11:40:00.000-08:00

I ordered this dress online and it fits perfectly, but I just don't love it. Call me weird!

$90 shipped Priority Mail.

E-mail me at starbaby975 at hotmail dot com

OOTD: Weekend Outfits

2011-03-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

Here are my casual weekend outfits. First is Friday's outfit--we just went out for beer and pizza but I wanted to wear this cute new blouse from Urban Outfitters and my First Glow Peep Toes.

UO Pins and Needles
Polka Dot Tie Tank ($39.99)

Urban Outfitters Polka Dot Tie Tank (M)
J Crew Merino Cielo Ruffle Cardigan, sweet almond (S)
J Crew trouser jeans (4)
Anthropologie First Glow Peep Toes (39)
Forever 21 Necklace
Anthropologie Pave Posts, pearl

I love this J Crew cardi--the color is kinda blush, kinda beige so it goes with so much! I did end up unbuttoning it when we went out so it didn't look so stuffy and suity.

The Forever 21 necklace is called "Lovely Spring Necklace," and it tends to disappear and popback occasionally. Of course, you can probably find it in a store too, so cute--pink and gold with butterflies and flowers.

Next outfit is from Saturday, running around town and then to the movies. We saw Take Me Home Tonight, which was funny. I have a soft spot for Topher Grace. It wasn't amazing but it was about what we were expecting. We probably could have waited for rental, but it was kind of a toss-up--that or Hall Pass, Just Go With It, or Green Hornet. We weren't feeling really strongly about any of them, just wanted to get out of the house! Green Hornet might be next, but Battle Los Angeles comes out next weekend!

Anthropologie Knitting Needle Cardigan, sky (S)
Anthropologie Barometer Top, yellow (S)
Target Jeans
Target Shoes
Bird Necklace from ebay

I love this sweater soooo much and I had to stalk it for soooo long. This color sold out immediately and every store I called did not have it. Then popbacks kept getting cancelled on me until finally it popped back again and then I had to sit and wait to see if my order was cancelled, but it was shipped! Yay! It's so yummy and I could probably use an XS instead but I don't care at this point. And I got a PA for it last week!

It has not been very cold this weekend so I wanted to wear a short-sleeve shirt with this cardi and no jacket. The shoes, I found in a clearance bin at Target on Friday for $15. They are so comfy!

Is it a peep-toe bootie, a clog, a wedge, or a sandal? All of the above! It is genuine suede and the footbed is cushy. I've been really impressed with Target shoes and clothes this year. I've always bought shoes there but they weren't always very comfy. So much better this year! And I did try on the knock-offs of Anthro's To Extremes Platform Mules. They're pretty comfy too and I like that they're more brown than orange. I think I'll be getting those. But only Anthro has the yellow version. Hmmm...

Anthropologie To Extremes Platform Mules ($110)

Well, now for some reason, blogger only wants to type in the center. Whatever.

Today will be sneaker day--since it's so nice out, we're going to walk down to a cafe for a really late brunch and then try to organize the closet! My new Anthro acquisitions seem to be crowding out my husband's clothes. (woops!)

Have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine if you have it!

ModCloth Contest

2011-03-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

ModCloth is having a Polyvore contest: it's called Take the Lead. Basically you use ModCloth items to make a "lead singer" outfit. Lots of fun!

http://blog.modcloth.com/2011-03-04-take-the-lead-contest

People seem to be having a hard time getting their sets connected between the blog and Polyvore. As long as you are logged in to your Polyvore account when you click the link above, the set you make in the mini-editor will show up in your Polyvore account so that you can then edit it to add background, text, etc.

It's fun to make Polyvores, but even more fun when there's a $100 gift certificate for incentive!

Here's mine!

Modcloth Contest by anthropologist on Polyvore.com

Have fun!

FYI: Million Dollar Smile SOLD!

2011-03-04T07:36:00.001-08:00

The size small Million Dollar Smile dress I had from Modcloth is sold!

Enjoy your new dress Joann!

OOTD: Languid Days

2011-03-04T07:33:00.000-08:00

This is Thursday's outfit. I decided to wear the Languid Days skirt even though it's technically a spring skirt--I found the color to be much darker than I thought it would be so I didn't feel too bad about wearing it early (plus it was slightly warmer yesterday). I noticed this skirt on e-bay because it is sold out online (just like the Amhara--oooooh!)--I was a little wary about buying it, but I asked the seller to send me a pic of the tag and she did, and it arrived superfast with the tag attached.

I love that this skirt has 1) an elastic waist so I can scooch it up and down to adjust the length (and not feel so fat on bloated days) and 2) pockets!

Anthropologie Languid Days Skirt, red, (S)
J Crew Perfect Fit Ruffle Henley, white (S)
Anthropologie Konnichiwa Sweater, grey, (S)
Anthropologie Pave Post Earrings, pearl
Gold Bird Necklace, UrbanSuburbanStyle (ebay)
Miz Mooz Women's Voodoo Sweater Boot,Black, 8M US

I guess this is kind of a young look, but I felt relaxed but cute, and flouncy which is how I wanted to feel for some reason. I highly recommend this skirt if you can find it, in either color!