Investment Pieces Without the Investment

I love a good sale, I hunt them down with fervor (I've been stalking the Anthropologie Tag Sale for the past week and hoping the pieces I bought work out!) but no matter how deep the clearance cuts are, typically my best deals are found shopping secondhand. 

 

Earlier this winter I spotted a faux leather blazer at Abercrombie with a less than palatable price tag of $140 (and while the light brown is sold out, there are a handful of sizes still left in black clearanced to $67). However, I'd much rather have a genuine leather blazer, at half that clearance price, so I turned to eBay. 

eBay has been a long standing favorite of mine, the search refinements make it easy to narrow down the results, buy it now options eliminate the stress of the auction format, and when buying from the average person just hoping to clear out their closet, amazing deals can be found. (The resellers are their own breed, and I have mixed feelings about them.) 

If a leather blazer happens to be calling to you, avoid retail, and take a look at this option for under $30, or this one under $40, or 'splurge' on a vintage piece, this one listed at $60 and another at $80.

The Rundown
Knit Top Mango
Giraffe Print Silk Pants J.Crew
Leather Blazer Isabella Bird thrifted via eBay
Brown Croc Pumps "Everly" Naturalizer
Green Mini Trunk Bag c/o Italic
14k Gold Hoop Earrings thrifted via Shopgoodwill.com similar
Paperclip Chain Necklace Serefina via TJMaxx
Maya Bracelet Gorjana via TJMaxx
Blue Topaz Stacking Ring Hirajule via TJMaxx
Thin Gold Ring Etsy
Gold Croissant Ring Etsy
Sunglasses "State Street" Ray-Ban

Printed Leather Jacket

While bohemian is rarely a word I would use to describe my style, I can't deny that I love the aestetic, in an I-want-to-live-inside-an-anthropologie kind of way.

When shopping in a brick and mortar store, I almost never buy black; my eyes skip right over it and are drawn to the prints. This leather jacket was one of those pieces, so unique, beckoning to my bohemian spirit, demanding to leave the store with me. I briefly considered how short leather jacket season is in Connecticut, compounded with the bold print, but if I bought only sensible things I would have significantly more room in my closet.

I tried it on, it zipped, and it was mine. Only after the fact whilst texting Megan (I'd spotted a pair of boots which seemed to have her name on them) did she altert me to the fact that the jacket had retailed for over $1,000, making the $52 I'd just paid completely worth it.

It's quite likely I won't be wearing this jacket again until sometime in the spring, so I'll have plenty of time to think of some other ways to style it.

The Rundown
Printed Leather Jacket Marti x Dani Stahl for Calypso via Coco's
Camel Sweater Banana Republic via Consignment Originals
Jeans Banana Republic
Tan Croc Mules Lulu's
Suede Accordion Bag Banana Republic similar
Maya Necklace Gorjana via TJMaxx
San Marco Ring Ring Golden Cleff via TJMaxx
Thin Gold Ring Etsy

Fall Fashion Style Challenge with Connecticut Post Mall

I am so excited to be a part of the Connecticut Post Mall's second annual Fall Fashion Style Challenge with four other Connecticut bloggers! Naturally the day I went to shop for my look, I had no plan, I just started shopping. I purchased three bottoms and no tops, a blazer, a fedora, a pair of pumps. I felt like once I found the perfect 'anchor' piece the rest of the look would fall into place. It was a bit overwhelming to put one look together when there was a whole mall full of shops with pieces and styles that could go in any direction. 

I thought I'd settled on my look, which featured lots of layers, plaid, a blush pink coat, and several accessories. However, once I added up my total, I realized I'd exceeded my budget of $300, and then I found out that accessories couldn't be included. Naturally I was very attached to the accessories I'd chosen, and when I found that out they weren't allowed, I ended up scrapping the whole look save for the shoes. 

I realized I needed my 'anchor' piece to be a coat, and headed to Macy's. There were so many gorgeous coats that even on sale would have consumed my entire budget; but then I found the most perfect brown leather jacket, priced just right. I immediately recalled the long sleeve wrap dress I'd looked at in Express earlier, with its metallic flecks of caramel brown among a black and white print, and knew would be a standout piece even sans accessories. 

I was (mostly) good and returned all of my 'maybes' with the exception of the wool fedora and wide leg pants which were on sale for a mere $12 at H&M. 

If you haven't cast a vote, please head over to the post on Instagram and do, I would very much appreciate it!

P.S. If I win I'm going back for this coat!

The Rundown

Metallic Ruffle Wrap Midi Dress Express

Leather Jacket Michale Miachel Kors via Macy's

Croc Pumps Unisa via Macy's Backstage

All pieces c/o Connecticut Post Mall

Losing Daylight

Yesterday we turned the clocks back, and while I'm supposed to be grateful for that 'extra' hour, I never quite feel like I'm gaining anything. Earlier sunsets are a part of life during fall and winter here, I can't stop the turn of the earth, nor move to Australia six months of the year, yet each year on the first weekend of November, it feels like a cruel joke to watch the sun setting before five p.m.

I wore this outfit to a blogger dinner I attended a couple weeks ago. In stark contrast to the dinner I went to over the summer, when even after the event was over, it felt as if there was all the time in the world to take photos; these were snapped hastily, racing against the impending darkness, and of course rain.

The meal at First and Last Tavern in Plainville was quite good, a range of Italian offerings with the standout dish in my mind being the eggplant parmigiana. I may have had more than one helping, and taken some home too!

Even knowing the restaurant was a casual affair, as I tried on different combinations of jeans and tops, I decided I needed to take advantage of the fact that it was still reasonably warm out and give this rust knit dress another wear. The time for enjoying the fall outfits of magazines and pinterest is coming to an end; how many bare leg and leather jacket days could be left this year?

        
The Rundown
Rust Knit Dress H&M
 Brown Moto Jacket c/o Wallis similar
Leopard Heels Sam Edelman similar
Bucket Bag "Johnny" Danse Lente
 Twisted Hoop Earrings Thrifted similar
Coin Pendant Necklace Julie Vos
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry
Signet Ring Sashi

In a City Night

Last weekend I attended an event hosted by the New England Blogger Babes, and it was the first time I got to go to a blogging event with my sister Anna, now that she has officially launched her blog, In a City Night! It's still a work in progress, but in a way, I suppose all our blogs are. We always love to tweak, change, and improve them; after helping her get set up I was starting to feel like things have gotten a bit dusty around here!

It's certainly been great to have someone to shoot with, and I hope we can plan even more adventurous shoots in the future. She wants travel to be a big part of her blog, so naturally I'd more than happy to join her, where ever that may lead.

I hope you will visit her blog and say hi, and don't be surprised if a lot of her clothes look familiar ;)

       

The Rundown
Off the Shoulder Top Express similar
Rust Midi Skirt Abercrombie & Fitch
Black Leather Jacket c/o The Jacket Maker
Asymmetrical Strap Mules Zara
Skyline Crossbody Bag Whiting and Davis via ThredUP similar
Loop Earrings Mejuri
Curve Necklace c/o Grand Avenue Jewelry
Diamond Chip Ring c/o Crown Jewelry
Cat Eye Sunglasses H&M

Skipped a Beat

That was an unexpected two week break; sometimes I allow the trivialities of life to keep getting in the way. I had a beautiful week of warm weather at the end of September, but both my 'regular' photographers (my mom and sister) were busy moving my sister back from the west coast, so I was left to my own devices and managed to take photos with the tripod exactly once.

When my mom and sister returned it was a week of chaos in the house, and while there is still a suitcase barricading 90% of my door and a pile of boxes that I expect will be camping out until Christmas, things are shifting into their new normal. Obviously this includes sharing my shoe wardrobe on a daily basis (because my sister only has 'California' shoes) and pretty much anything else in my closet with fluid enough sizing that it will work on her taller, slimmer frame.

Of course there are some benefits to having my sister back home, like being able to take outfit photos together, and hopefully we will get into the routine of it soon. She is still working on starting/restarting her blog, but I will be sure and share it once it's live.

        

The Rundown

Floral Cami Eight Sixty via Poshmark

White Pants Gap similar

Brown Moto Jacket c/o Wallis similar
Brown Heels Coach thrifted similar

Green Snake Skin Box Bag c/o Vintanthromodern similar
Gold Ball Earrings Kohl's
Simple Pearl Necklace c/o AUrate
Gold Chain Thrifted
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry
Signet Ring Sashi
Cat Eye Sunglasses H&M similar