October Purchases

We’re nearing the end of the year. I had $122.17 left in my budget for 2012. Did I blow it with two months left? Yes.

TJ Maxx

1. Cynthia Rowley color-block skirt, $12.00
2. Dolce Vita floral, open-back blouse, $11.00
3. Love on a Hanger cream, lace peplum top, $10.00


All the TJ Maxx purchases were impulse buys, but I certainly got my money’s worth from them in my October 31-for-31 capsule!

Express

4. Leopard belt, $27.93.

I only put one work-appropriate belt in my capsule. I was sick of wearing the olive green, leaf-clasp belt, so I hunted down another cincher at the mall. I probably could have gotten through the month without a leopard-print belt, but I think it will become a major player in my wardrobe.


DSW

5. Guess purply-pink suede pumps, $35.96.
6. Sole Obsession peep-toe booties with suede “feathers:” $89.95.

I left room in my capsule specifically for the purchase of two pairs of shoes. Here they are!

October total: $188.84

Total spending for the year: $1266.67.

Next month, I plan to buy one little item…but it will be under $25! Then, I’m done for 2012. For reals.

Licorice and Pumpkin

I didn’t plan for a Halloween outfit when I packed my luggage on September 30th. Luckily, I was able to pull a black and orange (licorice and pumpkin!) ensemble out of my capsule.



Blazer, J Crew. Dress, Merona. Slip, thrifted. Tights, Urban Outfitters. Shoes, Sole Obsession. Necklace, vintage. Bracelets, swap and gift. Ring, Black Hills Gold


P.S. Licorice must be black or it isn’t licorice at all.

P.P.S. I’ve never had licorice and pumpkin together, but I think that sounds wonderful!

Easy Wrap

I shouldn’t be talking about buying clothes (when I’m soon to reveal to you how I blew my 2012 budget and I have two mortgages and home renovations to fund), but I would like a second wrap dress. I’ve gotten so much use out of this simple Merona (Target) dress and have yet to run out of ways to remix it. The best part of the garment is its comfort. It’s like wearing a light robe to work.



Shirt, St. John’s Bay (thrifted). Dress, Merona (shortened). Bag, Charming Charlie. Shoes, Linea Paolo. Sunglasses, Girl Props. Earrings, No Boundaries. Rings, vintage, thrifted, and gift.

The downside of all that comfort was that I was able to put away an enormous veggie “sushi” roll at lunch and not strain the seams. (However, considering how rarely I get to eat lunch, I’ll take a little indulgence and a dress that lets me do it.)

Flowers in the Fog

That’s San Francisco behind me. Do you see it? Yeah, me neither. Darn fog…


Blouse, Sans Souci. Skirt, Herman Geist (thrifted and shortened). Tights, Urban Outfitters. Shoes, Guess. Earrings, Night Owl Crafts. Rings, Black Hills Gold and Puzzrollrings.

Date with Myself

Despite the smiles on my blog, I’ve been working myself to the bone. I’ve gotten a few hikes in, but my books sit unread and my Netflix unwatched as I work long hours and weekends. Tonight, though, I had tickets for Next to Normal, so I left my computer, enjoyed a pint at the Fox and Goose, and cried my eyes out at the theater.


Jacket, Allen B. Blouse, Sans Souci. Shorts, Arizona (thrifted). Tights, We Love Colors. Shoes, Sole Obsession. Sunglasses, Girl props.

Maybe I should have chosen a lighter show for my first night out, but crying about other peoples’ problems was certainly cathartic! (And at least I didn’t worry my date with my sobbing. Just the strangers next to me.)

Nut Tree

Eventually, I’ll stop naming my posts after the photo location. But as long as I’m posing in new locales (and they continue to have names as fabulous as “Nut Tree”), I think I’ll continue with my current nomenclature.


Blazer, J Crew. Shirt, Old Navy. Skirt, Cynthia Rowley. Pumps, Guess. Sunglasses, Girl Props. Earrings, thrifted. Necklace, vintage. Ring, Black Hills Gold. Bangle, gift. Watch, Raymond Weil.


I took these photos near the Nut Tree Airport. Shortly after, I investigated what I took to be a dilapidated barn nearby . . . only to discover it was a dilapidated covered bridge! I’ll be back to Nut Tree.

Petaluma

Sadly, I went to Marin County and only saw a corner of Petaluma. I’ll have to return to tour wine country properly. This little marina behind the Sheraton was a nice consolation prize.


Jacket, Allen B. Dress, thrifted. Dress (worn as a slip), Richard Chai for Target. Belt, Express. Tights, Target. Booties, Sole Obsession. Sunglasses, Girl Props. Earrings, Green Mountain Jewelry. Rings, vintage, Puzzrollrings, and Black Hills Gold.

Triangle

I’m still enamored with this shirt’s backless “surprise!” After layering it under a sweaterdress, only a triangle of back is exposed, but that’s maybe even more fun.


Jacket, Allen B. Shirt, Sans Souci. Dress, Melton. Shoes, thrifted. Bag, Charming Charlie. Earrings, thrifted. Rings, Black Hills Gold and Puzzrollrings. Sunglasses, Girl Props.

Jackson

Today I called on customers in Jackson. It’s a long drive from Sacramento, but the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. The background is washed out in most of these photos (taken along highway 49), but, trust me, those golden hills are to die for.


Jacket, Allen B. Shirt, St John’s Bay (thrifted). Skirt, Herman Geist (thrifted and shortened). Shoes, Liena Paolo. Earrings, thrifted. Sunglasses, Girl Props. Necklace, vintage. Bag, Charming Charlie. Rings, Black Hills Gold and Puzzrollrings.

Has it Fallen?

Northern California may be a bit behind Ohio, but I think fall has finally descended upon us. It’s cool, breezy, and the grass is golden.


Blazer, J Crew. Shirt, White House Black Market (thrifted). Skirt, Travis Ayers (thrifted). Bag, Go Jane. Shoes, Guess. Sunglasses, Girlprops. Earrings, Vintage. Bracelets, Charming Charlie and Deb. Ring, gift.

Waste of Space

These green shorts have proven themselves a complete waste of space in my capsule. I’d rather wear my little blue skirt as a warm-weather, casual bottom. But, since the shorts are in my 31-for-31 capsule, I documented them today.


Jacket, Allen B. Tee, Keller’s Pub. Shorts, Old Navy. Moccasins, Minnetonka. Bag, Charming Charlie. Sunglasses, Girl Props. Earrings, No Boundaries. Rings, vintage and thrifted.

While comfortable, these shorts really aren’t flattering without a high heel and/or strategic posing!


After this month, they’ll be banished to the yardwork/camping pile!

Lines of Power

Is it just me, or are there a lot of heavy-duty power lines in Sacramento? It seems I’m always looking up to find the source of an electric crackle.


Top, Love on a Hanger. Skirt, Travis Ayers (thrifted). Shoes, thrifted. Bag, Go Jane. Sunglasses, Girlprops. Scarf, Calypso St Barth for Target. Bracelets, Deb, thrifted, and gift. Rings, Black Hills Gold and Puzzrollrings.

While I’m a little afraid of frying my brains as I stand beneath the charged cables, the structures do add nice lines to my portraits.


The towers are even more impressive in the uncropped version of my lead photo. But then my outfit is harder to see. And this is a style blog, not a power line blog. Yet.