Utils in Bat Country

Magical shoes

The dream (Duchess Shinylocks and her LK Bennett Maddox wedges).

You'll never guess where and how much.

For want of sunglasses

Over the last couple of years, I don't know if my face changed shaped or what but I suddenly cannot find any sunglasses that don't make me look like a bug or like some sort of shrunken zombie.

I have one pair, aviators from Ralph Lauren that I got a few years ago from the outlet.  They live in my car and I'm amazed I haven't lost them. Probably because they were expensive (for me) at $70 so they pretty much always stay in my car and I only use them while driving.  Which helps since the way the nose pieces are mean I can't push them up on my head without causing giant tangles in my hair (super smooth, I know.)

I would like to have a pair I can wear when I'm out and about. And I feel like I photograph much better when I have a pair on (because somethings covering half my face? Surely no...) I've been checking at various stores over the last couple of months and have struck out at Target, Old Navy, Macys, and Loft. I don't want to go super expensive because that seems a bit unnecessary and also because aside from the car pair, I typically lose sunglasses within a few months of getting them.

Decent size, but not too big. Not boring but easy to pair with anything. Opaque enough lenses where you can't see my eyes through them (am such a spy).  Basically, I'm goldilocks when it comes sunglasses.

I'm stumped. Any suggestions?

Final Sale: Agony and Ecstasy

(Shopping is very dramatic, don't ya know)

Even though it was the dreaded final sale, with the 30% off incentive, I caved on a few things from JCrew. I figured that even though their sizing has become rather generous over the years, it's mostly consistent so I felt pretty comfortable ordering some never before tried on pieces.

Oh, ha, JCrew, hahaHA.

Two shirts, both size xs fit well.  One belt, size s/m had to streeeetch but is definitely workable. One skirt, size 4 that definitely needs me to stop eating bags of candy.  It's my goal piece? 

And the pants. Like I said earlier in the week, I've had a need for properly attired bottoms. They had the cafe capri's (in bright dahlia!) in a 4 and an 8. Debated over the 4, took a look at my backside in the mirror, sighed over the loss of the 6 and ordered the 8. No problems, just a smidge on the big side but like my co-worker who has them said they're cut relatively slim so sizing up from a 6 just means they lay nicer on me. I also threw in for fun, bright orange sailor pants. For some reason, I thought they were linen and they only had a 10 but I figured they'd be easy enough to alter. But no. Not only are they a heavy cotton material, suckers are tiiiight. The 10 barely zipped. Hooray for ordering the proper size but my sizing consistency theory is pretty much blown out of the water.

But you don't try on purses or jewelry... 

:)

Bottoms, accomplished

ish.

One of the sad consequences of moving with only some of my possessions is that many of my clothes are still in Michigan.  While I'm logical enough to not be all mah baybees about it, there must have been a bag mixup because the majority of my bottom pieces are of the older, run down, ridiculous type and not the professional, fitting, unfaded kind.

And, while all my MI coworkers were properly attired and we all cleaned up rather nicely, the amount of effort I had to put in to be the 'stylish' one in the office was relatively minimal. And now, things are different. The other girls in the office are all very put together and stylish.  There isn'tr a dress code per se, aside from presentation days, but the others in the office are pretty dressy.  Since my morning routine has dwindled down to deodarant and brush teeth, I'm pretty much the office hobo.

To try and redeem myself, I decided to set out for Old Navy.  Seemed easy enough to get to, no tolls, excellent.  And I had a return from online so I had a reason to go anyway. Even though I had looked on the map, I grabbed my gps because why not. Get my money's worth.  Hope in the car, try to look up Old Navy and the location I'm thinking of doesn't come up.  Fine. Go to plug in the address and it doesn't recognize the address and tries to send me to an entirely wrong area of I don't even know where. But! Am intelligent, it seemed easy enough, surely I can get to Old Navy without help of the robotic voice. Head out on the highway, promptly get stuck in annoying traffic.  No accident, no construction, just cars cars everywhere. Find the exit, and the map had said go a mile and turn on a street. Start driving and see that the first light is the street that the store is on.  Hm. I decided to flout the map and use common sense and turned. Drove down the road, don't see a sign, suddenly leave the store section of the town and get to the end of the road. Turn left, figure I'll turn around except the only road to turn on is some two lane road with no turnoffs.  I just want reasonably priced pants! Manage to turn around, head back down the road, figure I'll turn in at the barnes and noble and at least get some coffee while I figure out why nothing is simple and lo and behold, right next to BN, Old Navy.  Success!

And, in an odd turn of events, all the shirts I tried on, I wasn't thrilled with but the pants.. quite good. There was even a white denim skirt that made it to the purchase pile. Irritatingly, none of it was on sale. Was torn.  After the strife involved, do I really leave it all and wait for a sale? It is ON prices, so not totally unreasonable.  But, still. Full price is so hard to swallow.  Decided looking decent at work was worth $29.94 for black pants and checked out. Thought I'd press my luck and head over to Loft. Where of course, tops were on sale, bottoms were not and all I found was well fitting pants. Figured in for a penny, let's buy more full price pants!

And now the keep/return dance begins.

 

Sh*t Fashion Girls Say

I'm not this ridiculous but I admit, some of these were rather familiar :)

 

Ooh la la

Shoes! Wait, when did I order shoes?

Kate Spade?  I'd certainly remember if I ordered shoes from Kate Spade.  Oh yes, I remember now. The adorable ooh la la necklace that was on sale plus 25% off plus free shipping plus ebates. But why on earth would they put something so very tiny in a shoebox? 

Whims of the packaging fairies, I suppose.  And it is sassy, in a dainty way.  It's on a rather short chain and there are additional rings on the back to adjust it, which pleases me. I have an Eiffel Tower necklace that some friends gave me that I think will look quite layered with this one.  Of course, I can't seem to locate it so it's good that this lovely is just fine all on its own.

(Attack of the turtle chin! Run away, run away!)

 

BHLDN Sale Scores

Back on Cyber Monday, BHLDN was offering an additional 30% off sale and I couldn't resist a couple of the deals, even though they were final sale.

I got the Something Pink slides for $56 marked down from $310.  $310!  The box alone had me ooohing.

And I pulled out the shoes and noticed something glinting at me.

Adorable!  Since it's something blue (or bleu)?  Just me? Fine.  (The sole came out of the box pristine, this was after I had pranced around in front of the mirror in them where my snowboots lay melting, sullying the lilly white soles.  Ah well)

They are... ridiculous.  I mean, just look.  Baby pink patent shoes with bows.

As I will probably not figure out a way to winterize these, someone plan an Easter party so I can wear them, please?

I also grabbed the Buttercup drops, marked down to $42 from $150.  I had a similar pair except the larger bloom was on the bottom that I wore all the time and I lost one a couple years ago but still keep the other in case I find its mate one day.  I figured these would make acceptable replacements.  A bit of something more than a diamond stud but still slight enough to wear with most anything.

And they are lovely.

And will fit the bill quite nicely.  My quibble is that when I took them out of the packaging, the backs were completely bent.  You can kind of see in this picture that it's sticking up at a funny angle.

I was able to pry them back down and they don't seem to be in danger of breaking and they've held up well while they've been in my ears.  So probably just a packaging issue.  Overall, I'm pleased.  I absolutely would not have spent $460 on both but for under $100, was a fun foray over to Anthro's engaged sister site.

My cost per wear for the earrings will easily get into spare change numbers - I'll wear them constantly.

My cost per wear for the shoes.... someone have a baby shower in addition to the Easter party?

Bootie review and mini roundup

Why, yes, I am shoe shopping instead of tackling my to do list. What 10 hour drive in the rain, pish. But by the time this goes up, I'll be making good time traversing the million hundreds of miles of turnpike. I've wanted a shearling type bootie since last year.  My brief flirtation with the so disappointing TB boots aside, I've been unwilling to shell out investment sized dollars for trendy sized shoes.  Still. Didn't stop me from bookmarking and spying on all my favored picks hoping for sizable markdowns.

Some of the contenders:

Modcloth Apline Atelier.  Name aside (am a sucker for marketing), way too pricey.

The Zara Crepe Wedge Boot.

Slightly better on price but still.  Too much.

And then, on a quick (they're never quick) trip to Target, I wandered by the shoe section and on an end cap spied these fun things

(They look much cuter in person)

Reasonably comfy, even with the platform (I hate platforms, old holdover from my dance days, I think.)  And for $28, they'll satisfy this trend quite nicely.

Well done, Target!

Coat of magic?

There's this coat from Old Navy.  I saw it and loved it and agreed with SP that it was quite Duchess Kate.  Had an online coupon, snagged it for $65.  Not even two weeks later, while the coat was still in its online shipping bag, new and unworn, there was an in-store promotion of 40% off your purchase.  And the coat was already on sale so I rebought it for something like $48.  Now the coat has made it to hanging in my closet, still with tags, still unworn and I get an email that says tomorrow from 12-5 in-store, all adult outerwear is 75% off.  I have no idea if my store even has any in stock but whether it's full price or the online sale price, 75% off mean it'll still be under $48.

Maybe the 3rd time will be the charm?

6, no, 13

On Sunday, C and I had one of our always looked forward to brunch/mall afternoons.  We went into Coach so I could pet the bag that I've been eyeing (the Mini Sophia Satchel - that plum color!)  I had a coupon from them in the mail that expired that day and still some on the gift card from 2+ years ago and I was swaying against pretty purse temptation.  Then the bow bracelet caught my eye and I began flinging myself hither and yon about the store trying to ignore the voice in my head that said buy both.  After much dithering, finally admitted that the bag wasn't big enough to hold the ipad so I wouldn't get a ton of use out of it and needed to let it go.  Took my purchases up to the register and while checking out the associate asked where the bar code was on the card and then another came over and said oh, this expired on the 6th.  To which I completely bewilderedly responded, "it's not the 6th?"  I was thinking oh maybe that was yesterday and today's the 7th?  And C looked at me and very slowly said, it's the 13th.  My mind lost an entire week.  Haven't even been 30 for 3 months and it's already come to this.

But! Like a magical Christmas elf, another associate said they could still honor the discount.

Service like that guarantees repeat business from me.

Well played, Coach.  Well played, indeed.