Spent

I have been missin’ you, internet. I’ve been away dealing with real life things but now that I’m back, I’d like to show you the most exciting things I’ve been spending money on.

1.) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer in Eden – This stuff is pretty good. It does a great job of mattifying but doesn’t completely prevent creasing.

2.) Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow in Underground – The art on the packaging for this eyeshadow is completely hideous. The color is really nice and neutral with a little no-glitter shimmer.

3.) Swatch in Green Trace – I’ve been searching for a watch for ages. This little Swatch is proportionally correct for my tiny wrists but the extra long strap reduces the overall daintiness. It’s available in several really nice colors but I was instantly drawn to this vomitty green.

4.) Sephora by OPI in Already Famous – I decided that at 25, I’m mentally ready for sparkly nail polish. This polish dries more gold than pewter and is discreetly fancy.

5.) Living the Dream Skirt – This is my new favorite skirt.

6.) Crown Vintage Krissy Jo Sandal in Cognac – Finally. My search for the right wooden soled sandal is over. These are the perfect height and color and are very comfortable. I ordered these from this post but the fit was off and I’m fine with that because Krissy Jo and I are very happy together.

These, Please: Summer Uniform

I want my whole summer to look like me wearing these things. “Too dark,” you say? “What are you, depressed?” you ask? Not possible and no. Wearing bright colors makes me uncomfortable.

Consider this a shopping list:
1. High Riser Jeans from Madewell
2. Aunt Bettie Boat Shoe from Madewell
3. Heather Platform Sandal from Nordstrom
4. Primer Time Tank from ModCloth
5. Olympia Flats from Zappos
6. Style Acumen Shoulder Bag from ModCloth
7. Style Takes Shape Shoulder Bag from ModCloth

Wardrobe: an update

[Images: by kaikki mitä rakastin here and here]

Turns out it’s not that easy to rebuild a wardrobe. I got rid of most of my clothes a few months ago and have only added two new pieces since. The thing is, I’m super short, not a stick, and also very picky. And I was in this weird sad place where I didn’t know what my style was or what I actually liked. Fantastic news though guys, I stumbled upon kaikki mitä rakastin today and the part of me that enjoys clothes woke up. Though you won’t ever see me in shorts and probably not in high top converse either, her simple and slightly feminine style is spot on. Navy, black, brown, gray, tiny bit of pattern, and done.

And in case you’re anxiously awaiting “after” photos of the bathroom or bedroom, for real, it’ll happen soon. I’ve been sick since Friday and am just feeling better today. Despite being riddled with stomach flu, I did drag myself to Home Depot on Sunday and then home to paint the window trim and one closet door in the bedroom.

Bonus Home Depot story: a guy tried to ask me for help and then realized I didn’t work there. And then he threw out this gem: “You look like you would.”

Wardrobe and Inspiration

[Images: Totokaelo, ornithes, Orla Kiely, Totokaelo.]

I recently packed up 3/4 of my wardrobe to sell or donate. It felt great. I haven’t actually hauled much of it out of the apartment yet, but I haven’t gone digging back through any of it either. I realized I didn’t love the majority of the clothing I owned and that I had too much of it in general. For the last few years, I believed that I needed to have an extensive wardrobe, that I should be able to go weeks without ever wearing the same thing, and felt pressure to never repeat an outfit in its entirety.

This never suited me. I guess I already knew something wasn’t right but didn’t really get it until I read this post by Dead Fluerette in which she pretty much perfectly describes how I feel about my clothes. I have shoes that I’ve never worn and others that hurt my feet. I have dresses that make me feel awful and tops that never fit right. I’ve held on to things thinking they’d fit better someday, that my shape would change or my weight would go up or down enough to accommodate them.

This is contradictory to the rest of my life where I make careful decisions and wait patiently for exactly the right thing. The apartment has been without a coat rack or hooks of any kind in the entryway for a year and a half because I simply haven’t found anything that’s exactly right.

So I’m putting the money I get from selling the majority of my wardrobe toward beginning a new wardrobe. I’ve kept enough of my clothes to get by because a girl has to have something to wear to work. I’m going to go for quality over quantity and I’m only going to buy things that fit me perfectly. This is a chance for me to figure out exactly what my style is, something I’ve never been able to pin down. I’m going to be okay with having to save up to buy one article of clothing, because I’m going to know it’s the right one, and it’s going to make me feel great every time I wear it. Getting rid of everything was easy but rebuilding, or even taking the first step toward rebuilding, is going to be a huge challenge.

Belted

 

Favorite belt, difficult morning.