i heart popbacks

When I notice something that was previously sold out pop back in my size, I can’t help but jump on it. It’s exhilarating!

I’ve scored two items this week via popback. Monday I snagged the Pintuck Pocket Cami from Free People. I was pretty stoked about it, but I’ve been to the site a few times since then & it seems there’s a new popback in XS every time. So, it doesn’t feel like such a win after all. Oh well, I’m still anxious to try it out.

Last night I pounced on the Heathered Ramble Hoodie from Anthropologie. I’ve always thought it was pretty cute & I just couldn’t pass it up at $19.95.

OOTD: working girl

I tend to push the boundaries of “business casual” in our office during the warmer months, but sometimes I manage to look fairly professional. I have a hard time finding professional-looking items that I actually like. I usually find them to be way too boring.

FP Peace for Fleece Jacket
Fading Away Floral Flutter Top from Ruche
Maurices Black Pants
Dolce Vita Webber Boots in Black

I love my FP Peace for Fleece Jackets. They dress up any outfit ever so slightly & look so cute doing it!

This was my first time wearing my Fading Away Floral Flutter Top from Ruche. I had originally ordered it in a medium based on the size chart, but it was too roomy. I exchanged it for a small & now it’s perfect! You can’t see the details of it in my photo (we’re still learning the DSLR), so here’s the product shot from Ruche’s website.

Btw, Ruche’s customer service is top-notch. They checked in with me via email throughout the process (not automated emails, real people!) & were extremely friendly.

the power of a picture

Every time I peruse my Anthro wish list, I see the Swing Pocket V-Neck & want to buy it immediately. It’s nothing special really. It’s just a plain grey t-shirt. Maybe because it’s flowy? I love flowy.

I think it’s the picture. It makes the shirt look like absolute perfection. When I look at the other colors, they don’t look so fantastic. I mean, look at the white & blue motif pictures. I imagine if I put either of those on, my hips will look huuuge.

It’s all the same shirt, so I should probably just delete it from my wish list & forget about it ($48 is too much for a t-shirt anyways). I won’t though, because Anthro hooked me with that damn picture. Sigh.

UO haul

I placed an order on Urban Outfitter’s site Saturday evening & still cringe every time I think of how much I spent on so little. I only bought 4 items & my total was $180… yikes. That’s with free shipping & a 10% off promo code (THEMUSICISSUE)! I’m sure a piece or two will end up going back, but still.

I had a mini panic attack the other day when I realized there is a serious lack of spring cardigans in my wardrobe. I practically lived in flowy tanks with cardigans thrown over them this winter & I feel the need to continue on with that this spring.

I’ve decided I need…

• a shorter length, 3/4 or short sleeve, ivory cardi
• same as above in a light grey
• a cardi in an actual color (gasp!)

This UO order (hopefully) takes care of two of those items. I have a few possibilities in mind for the grey, which I’ll either go over below or in a separate post. I haven’t quite decided yet.

Here are the items I ordered…

Pins and Needles Short-Sleeved Sheer Open Cardigan in Ivory

Pins and Needles V-Neck Dress Cardigan in Ivory & Rust

I couldn’t decide between the two ivory cardigans, so I went ahead & bought both. That way I got free shipping & since returns are free, why not?

Kimchi Blue Floral Printed Tulip Back Tank Top in Peach

Oops! That’s not a cardigan…

lookalike: anthropologie drifting by dress

I’m pretty sure every Anthro fan on the face of the Earth fell hard for Burlapp’s Drifting By Dress. ModCloth’s brand new Love of Language Dress is a dead ringer! At $57, it probably won’t last long.

third time’s the charm?

A pair of black wedges is an essential item for me. I don’t have a good reason for it, other than I love the way they look with cropped dress pants for work.

So, I ordered the MICHAEL Michael Kors’ Nora wedge. I’d been lusting after them for weeks, so they were on the top of my list.

Sadly, they did not work out. My true size 7 fit well (maybe a bit loose, but not enough to go down to a 6.5), but they rubbed a couple of brutal blisters on my feet after a few hours walking around the office in them. I also didn’t like how noisy the zipper pull was in the back. I couldn’t get them sent back quickly enough.

Next up was the Mia Limited Edition Chateau wedge. I really liked the uber strappy look of them & was anxious to see if Mia really upped the ante on their limited edition line.

These were a big disappointment. Nothing about them screamed $200 when I pulled them out of the box. Worse than that, I did not like the look of them on. At all. They are MUCH cuter online.

*shudder*

I will give them points for comfort though. The footbed was very well padded. Too bad they looked so stupid on. Back to Endless they go!

Yesterday I ordered the Coach Jazlyn wedges in black from Lord & Taylor (on sale for $159!). These should be a sure thing, considering I tried them on at Dillard’s last week & loved them. I scored the very last size 7! Maybe my luck’s turning around after all.

review: forever 21 racerback layering tank

My F21 racerback layering tanks finally arrived. I’ve been sooo anxious! Let’s find out if they were worth the wait…

As I mentioned in this post, I ordered these in grey, taupe & ivory. So far I’ve only tried on the taupe; I’m assuming they’ll all fit the same. I ordered a medium, despite that I normally go with a small in their tops. It’s a bit loose in places, mostly through the bust, but overall it’s good. A small probably would’ve been fine too, since I usually take my layering tanks pretty tight.

The FP Tuxedo Cami (which I pathetically own in the ivory & black floral versions as well) is one of the tops that necessitated the purchase of these layering tanks. So, I threw one of them on over it to see how it looked. All racerbacks are not created equal, so I was a bit nervous.

It looks great! The amount of layering tank peeking out from underneath was minimal. I’m so happy they work together!

I didn’t bother to check the material composition before I ordered these tanks, so I was surprised by how soft they feel. They’re 60% cotton, 40% modal. You would never know by look & touch that these were only $5.

Verdict: The best $15 I’ve spent in a long time. I highly recommend these!

fickleness

I really thought I was going to order Jazlyn, but then I got distracted.

I’ve had a thing for Rosegold’s Casey wedge since last year, but I wasn’t willing to put down $168 for them. By the time they went on sale, my size was sold out everywhere. I kind of forgot about them over the last few months. I came across them on Amazon yesterday & they had one size 7 left. I pretty much had to buy them.

They’re a darker brown than Trippin Out, but I think they’d look great together.

pali vs pela

Karmaloop is the best. I ordered Pali on Thursday evening & they arrived yesterday.

I had predicted that Pali would have more taupe to it & I was correct. However, I was wrong about the extent. They are waaaay more taupe than Pela.

Pali & Pela

Despite the extreme taupiness, I do think I prefer the color of Pali. I’m very happy to report that they coordinate much better with my Treesje Tristan bag than Pela did.

Pela, Tristan & Pali

Another thing I really like about Pali is the sole. Pela has a leather sole, which is slippery & doesn’t last very long. Pali has a rubber sole, which is much more practical.

Pela & Pali

The only downside is how much stiffer Pali is around the ankles than Pela. Pali’s ankle straps & back dig into my ankles when I walk, which is a bit bothersome. I’m worried that a whole day of walking around in them will end up being painful. I won’t know till I try though.

Overall, I’m pleased with Pali. I can’t deny how good they look with Tristan & how cute the style is in general. Of course I prefer the Italian leather of Pela, but for $100 less these are a much better buy.

apparently i like colors named after alcohol that i hate

Yesterday the bf & I went down to Evansville to take care of a couple things. I insisted on a trip to the mall, of course. While we were there, I was able to finally try on the Coach Jazlyn wedges in Dillard’s. I say finally because I’ve been stalking them online for weeks, but haven’t been able to find them in a store until yesterday.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have the whiskey color. So I tried them on in black to verify size, comfort, aesthetics, etc. My heel went right to the back of the size 7s, so they were pretty much a perfect fit. I could probably go up to a 7.5 if I had to, but I wouldn’t by choice. The platform & light weight made them very easy to walk in.

Here they are on Michelle Trachtenberg…

While in Macy’s, my love for Lucky Brand's Trippin Out Tote was rekindled. I first happened across it while in Nashville, but passed it up due to the hefty $189 price tag. The leather is fantastic, but I just wasn’t willing to drop the $$$. It’s selling out everywhere online, but I’m determined to get it for less somehow.

The bourbon color is gorgeous! It’s slightly darker than my cognac accessories, but close enough to get away with putting them together.

Somehow I managed to have a very expensive Sunday without spending any money at all.

OOTD: about a blazer

I have a goal to make a list of key pieces to purchase for spring/summer & I want to buy those essential items before buying anything random. So far all I had on my list was a tan 3/4” sleeve blazer. I obviously haven’t put much thought into this yet.

Well, I went into Maurices with my mom after work on Friday & spotted a cute blazer immediately. I don’t typically shop at Maurices. I don’t think it’s because I’m a clothing snob... I’d like to think it’s just because everyone in this town shops there & I’d prefer to buy clothes that are unique.

It’s been years since I’ve worn a blazer & I can’t remember why I ever strayed. I love how it makes an otherwise casual outfit just a little classier.

Maurices Ruffle Trim Blazer
Silence & Noise Floral Zip-Back Tank
J. Brand Gigi Crops in Pure
AE Woven Sandals
Jessica Simpson Element Hobo in Luggage

You can’t really tell from the product images, but there are subtle stripes & the buttons are engraved with a floral pattern. The details really make this blazer.

I also scored a super cute plaid dress while I was there. I’m a such a sucker for plaid. It was only $39 plus I had a 20% coupon. How could I resist? I figured since I only had the one item on my list & I was buying it, I could go ahead & treat myself to one random item…

Gathered Plaid Dress

shoe switcheroo

This past winter I came across a pair of grey Dolce Vita Pela wedges on eBay that I couldn’t pass up. They were brand new in the box & I scored them for about $70 once shipping was figured in. The only problem was that they were a 6.5, as opposed to my usual size 7. My black & brown Pela wedges are a bit loose on me, so I figured I could make the 6.5 work. Yeah, not so much. I wore them once & it was a painful experience.

My mom has been lusting after Pela/Pali in grey for quite some time. She typically wears a size 6, but had tried on my grey 6.5s when I received them & decided that she could work with that size. Since I most definitely could not work with that size, I hatched a brilliant scheme to make us both happy.

Last night I ordered grey Pali in a size 7 on Karmaloop (used promo code TWT50 & rep code AGENTSPITS to get 11% off + free shipping) & gave mom Pela in 6.5 as one of her birthday presents.

 
I sacrificed Italian leather in the process, but I actually think the color of Pali will coordinate better with my grey Treesje Tristan bag. It’s hard to tell by pictures alone, but it seems like Pali has a little more taupe to it. Also, Pela is way lighter than it appears online.

One of Karmaloop’s images makes them seem very dark. I’m thinking that’s probably not very accurate.

Karmaloop is usually super quick with their shipping, so I should have them early next week. Review to follow!

i’m nothing if not consistent

I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of cognac wedges to coordinate with a couple of my existing cognac accessories. I don’t know what it is with me, but I feel the need for my browns to match.

I found a pair I love… the color is perfect & I really like the look of them.

B. Makowsky Anne Wedge

As per usual, I’ve zeroed in on a pair of shoes that have been around for awhile & are therefore sold out in my size everywhere. I’ve Googled, I’ve searched eBay… no size 7s in cognac to be found. :(

lookalike: FP cropped lace tube

Had I noticed it before I placed my order on Forever 21 yesterday, I totally would’ve purchased their Solid Lace Cami in nude. It’s a dead ringer for FP’s Cropped Lace Tube, which is sold out in my size in the champagne color.

The straps are removable, so it’s very versatile. Also, F21’s version is only $8.80!

Oh how I wish I’d seen it sooner.

It also comes in black!

back to the basics

I’m not sure why it took me so long to figure this out, but I’ve recently (last night) identified a major need for my wardrobe. Racerback layering tanks! I have so many sheer racerback tops with which I have to wear my FP seamless tubes. I’m starting to get pretty sick of them though; they tend to slide down on me a lot throughout the day. I’ve been way to close to a wardrobe malfunction several times.

So anyways, I Googled “racerback layering tanks” & my new friend, Forever 21, came up in the results. It turns out they have a racerback layering tank that comes in 5 colors & is on sale for $5. Yes, please!

I snatched it up in taupe, grey & ivory. I wasn’t sure what size to get, so I went with medium. I typically take a small in their tops, but they’re looser-fitting. I’ll let you guys know how they work out.

View Full Album

Next thing on my list to buy: a convertible bra to wear with my new racerback tanks.