August Purchases

August was an epic shopping month. Five (5!) pairs of shoes (and assorted other items) put me way, way over my $100/month budget.

(Maybe I should just start calling it a “guideline” instead of a “budget.” You know, like the way the posted speed on exit ramps is just the “suggested speed,” not the “speed limit.” At least, that’s what Beefy tells me.)

J Crew

1. Collins suede platform peep toes in mossy oak, $79.99

I saw these on the feet of Katherine (Get Dressed) and totally bit her style. I kind of died at the price...especially considering these were half off! They are very comfortable and I love the color, but I never would have paid full price for these.

TJ Maxx

2. Olive suede Libby Edelman peep-toes, $39.99. A girl can never have too many pairs of brownish-green shoes.

3. Peach leather BCBGeneration ballet flats, $29.99. These replaced my old commuting flats. (I’ve actually worn holes through the heels of my (Nine West slippers over the past couple of years.)


eBay

4. Richard Chai for Target racerback dress in navy, $34.99

I borrowed my friend Colette’s edition of this dress and was loathe to return it. Instead, I found it NWT on eBay and gave her that one instead (saving me from having to dry clean the one I’d been wearing). I didn’t plan on this purchase in August, but when reader notified me that it was available, I had to pounce!

Shopgoodwill.com

5. Southwestern turquoise and coral ring, $36.


I have this vision of myself wearing a silver and turquoise (and/or coral) ring on every finger and similar cuffs stacked up my wrists, like some sort of over-accessorized, southwestern hippie. I’m slowly accumulating the pieces needed. Once I’ve completed my collection (and conquered my aversion to wearing that many rings at once), I guess I’ll move to the desert and live in an old VW bus.

St. Vincent de Paul

After spending all that money, I still had the shopping bug. I knew better than to go to Target. Instead, I got my rocks off for $6.99 at the thrift store.

6. Cognac, faux-lizard pumps, $2
7. Purple-blue pencil skirt, $0.50
8. Kimono-esque jacket, $4.49



Payless

9. Lela Rose for Payless Isidro Ankle Strap Wedge in green, $25.60

I'm sometimes asked if photographing and publishing my daily outfits prompts me to shop. Honestly, it doesn’t. Instead, I’m inspired to remix the things I already own to create fresh combinations. I’m tempted to shop when I look at other people’s blogs. Seeing an item (especially shoes) styled by a “real” person is so inspiring that I often want to own it. And now I own the shoes worn on Court + Hudson.

I also bought a new winter coat in August, but Beefy told me I don’t have to count that in my budget. It’s utilitarian, like running sneakers, underpants, and pajamas. (Doesn’t Beefy have the best rules?)

August total: $253.55

Total spending for the year: $1082.96

Creative Juices

I bought this dress for $1.30 in January. I thought it would be perfect for the warmer months. I imagined it would be in constant rotation because of the easily mixable print, flattering cut, and lightweight fabric. Instead, it’s only made two appearances. I’ve planned each week’s wear, looked at it hanging in the closet, and dismissed it as boring, unable to think of a single interesting way to style it.

I took my best shot at non-boring styling today and, whaddyaknow, new outfit ideas popped into my head all day. Sometimes, I just have to spend some quality time in a garment to get an idea of its true potential.


Cardigan, Rodarte for Target. Dress, Allison Taylor (thrifted). Belt, Banana Republic. Shoes, Nine West. Bag, H&M. Earrings and owl ring, vintage. Coral and turquoise ring, shopgoodwill.com. Sunglasses, Girl Props.




Jumping is also good for stimulating the creative juices. (Especially in too big shoes and oppressive humidity.)


This is how I’ve styled the dress in April and July:


What future outfits do you suggest?

Mine

I was true to my word; I’m never giving this dress back to Colette. Instead, I bought the same dress (NWT) from eBay and gave that to her. Now this dress is mine, ALL MINE!


Shirt, J Crew. Dress, Richard Chai for Target. Shoes, Colin Stuart. Earrings, Julie’s Inspiration. Watch, Vivani (gift). Bracelets, Epcot Morocco.


I’ve been frantically remixing the dress over the past 10 weeks, trying to get every wear possible out of it before I had to return it.


Now, the pressure is off, but I don’t think I’ll slow my remixing pace down much. It has so many layering possibilities for fall and winter!

The Year of Turquoise

If my third year of blogging was the year of mustard, then my fifth might be the year of turquoise (or any blue-green shade, really). I can’t get enough of this color. It always seems to be the perfect accent.


Sweater, Merona (swapped). Skirt, Talbot (thrifted). Belt, thrifted. Shoes, Mossimo. Bag, Nicole Lee. Earrings, World Market. Bracelets, vintage, swap, and Garden of the Gods gift shop.

Rap with Me

I’ve never been good with lyrics. I once mistook “simple as that” for “stapled his ass.” I have an even harder time discerning a song's words in a live situation. So, when I went to a rap performance on Saturday night, I had no idea what they were saying. But the Counterfeit Money Machine looked good.


Dress, Jovovich Hawk for Target. Shoes, Lela Rose for Payless. Belt, Brighton (thrifted). Necklace, Zad. Bag, Coldwater Creek.

I knew there was no way I’d fit in with a rap crowd, so I didn’t even try to dress appropriately. Surprisingly, there were a number of hipsters in the audience, so my fake glasses did offer a level of camouflage.




Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Plane Jane

One of the many hobbies I’ve begun and then discarded is flying. I aced ground school, but never found the time to do the actual flying part to get my private pilot’s license. My main hindrance was the lack of free time during daylight hours. (I lived at a lower latitude during this period and didn’t have those long summer days.)

The closest I’ve come is getting to steer when some friends and I chartered a 4-seater plane (with a pilot). I flew us in thrilling, dizzying circles over the Pacific. Then, my friends threatened to throw up.


Blouse, Romeo + Juliet Couture. Skirt, Jack BB Dakota. Belt, thrifted. Shoes, Aerosoles. Earrings, Aldo. Sunglasses, Girl Props. Bag, thrifted. Cuff, Target.

I’ve always thought the next best thing to being a pilot is dating one. Maybe Beefy will take up flying?




Photos by Beefy Muchacho