August Budget

I'm sure there is more to life than shopping, I'm just having trouble remembering what that is these days. 

Since TJMaxx and Marshalls reopened their online shops I've been obsessively checking for new items and price drops every day. Each time my Gap credit card rewards arrive I try to convince myself to save them up for something special, but that typically lasts a day before I go and order another dress to try. I have no more room for straw bags, but when a bag with a $100 MSRP is on sale for $15, how do I not buy it? I did actually return the last two I got from TJMaxx, but now the price went down to $10. We shall see if I can resist buying it again. 

I've also been convincing myself that spending more on 14k gold jewelry (as long as it's at the marked down TJMaxx price) is completely worth it, as I'm so tired of watching my gold plated sterling pieces tarnish and then turn to silver when all the gold eventually gets polished off. Though I finally bought a new polishing cloth, and have started putting desiccates in the pouches I store my gold plated sterling in. Hopefully this will help get some extra life out of the pieces, including the earrings I just bought, falling victim to their far too tempting $10 price tag.

 

 

 

Mango Rust Floral Maxi Dress, $35

Cleobella Raffia Tote, $32 via Marshalls

Banana Republic Vintage Belt, $5 via Poshmark

Banana Republic Belted Shirt Dress, $26

Argento Vivo Mother of Pearl Disc Earrings, $10 via TJMaxx 

Handmade Braided Jute Tote Bag, $37 via Etsy 

Bernardo Bella Sandals, $65 via Amazon

Loft White Linen Button Dress, $35

Joie Tilsa Blush Linen Maxi Dress, $25 via TJMaxx

Lucky Brand Floral Kimono, $15

Urban Outfitters Slide Sandals, $30

Hirajule Blue Topaz Stacking Ring, $99 via TJMaxx

Anthropologie White Woven Leather Tote, $54

Mango Knit Tank in White and Cream, $16 each

Pons Quintana Bayona Sandals, $69 via Marshalls 

Rebecca Minkoff Fan Straw Tote Bag, $36 via Marshalls

Joie Orita Ruffled Floral Dress, $20 via Poshmark

Rebecca Taylor La Vie Knit Dress, $10 via eBay

 

Not pictured because I forgot, couldn't find a photo, or couldn't find a way to fit it in:

Banana Republic Bodysuit, $7

J.Crew Swimsuit, $30

Cynthia Rowley Maxi Dress, $18 via TJMaxx

End of August

It's funny, these photos were taken at the end of May and I'm only just now posting them. I've been blogging so little these past few months because I rarely feel as though I have anything to say. I could discuss my OCD shopping habits, though I suspect you would be bored. This space has always been about fashion and my life, but very little life has been occurring. 

And so, three months later, I'm sharing this leopard trapeze dress from Target I bought because I wanted something comfortable to hang around the house in (it is), what I wore to pick up an online grocery order at Shoprite (minus my mask), and the illusion that perhaps I spent more time at the beach that day than it took to snap these photos (I did not).

       
The Rundown

Leopard Dress Target

Denim Jacket Gap similar

Panama Hat J.Crew

Sandals Banana Republic similar

Round Raffia Bag Sun n' Sand

Loop Earrings Mejuri

Chain Necklace Etsy

Thin Gold Ring Etsy

 

 

Summer of the Vineyard

 The August days are melting away, or perhaps it's mostly me who is melting? Not that I would trade the heat - however the humidity can go. The heat will be gone soon enough, and the days of dining al fresco will fade away, which will be a terrible shame in this post pandemic world. Outdoor dining has been the saving grace of the summer, the feelings of normalcy in sharing a meal with a friend, and where better to do so than a vineyard? 

Connecticut is somewhat surprisingly rife with them, considering how difficult it can be to grow grapes in this climate, however I did recently read a piece in a local publication that mentioned how a winery can call themselves an estate grower even if as little as 25% of the grapes are grown locally, with the rest imported from California. Fortunately I'm not a wine snob, or connoisseur, or even particularly discerning - naturally I make most of my wine purchasing decisions based on how much I like a label - so I'm quite content with what the local vineyards have to offer. 

Sometimes there is table service and tasty offerings of burrata cheese and fresh tomatoes, other times we just throw a blanket on the grass - it's usually pretty easy to social distance, and is free from the worries of being a table hog, no one minds how long you linger, even if it's after closing time.

        
The Rundown
White Lace Maxi Dress "Assoulin" Joie via Poshmark
Straw Hat "Marcos" Brixton via eBay
Slide Sandals "Gracie" Vince Camuto via TJMaxx
Raffia Waist Bag Etsy
Mother of Pearl Earrings Argento Vivo via TJMaxx
Good Directions Necklace S.V. Decker
Blue Topaz Stacking Ring Hirajule via TJMaxx

Thin Gold Ring Etsy

Nail Color "Pre-Show Jitters" Essie

 

 

After the Bloom

Time has been moving quickly this year. Contrary to the believe that it would be passing slowly with so little to differentiate between the days, it turns out the less I need to do, the less I want to do, and large swaths as what could only be described as 'nothing' consume the days before I even realize the daylight hours have dwindled away. 

Which is likely why when my sister and I went to visit the rose garden at Elizabeth Park we'd missed the roses. And why it's now taken nearly a month for me to post these photos. 

However, the heartbreak I feel every August, as the skies start to darken before 8 p.m., is right on schedule with the deluge of Nordstrom Anniversary sale posts (pandemic be damned) only this year as the summer winds down, the loss of trips not taken, swimsuits not worn, and events not attended feels even more profound.

       The Rundown

Dress "Milanira" Joie 

 Strappy Slide Sandals Zara similar
Straw Box Bag Zara similar

Versailles Earrings  Julie Vos similar

 Fatima Bracelet c/o Gorjana similar

Gold Croissant Ring Etsy

Thin Gold Ring Etsy

Sunglasses Ray-Ban via TJMaxx