August Purchases

According to my budget, 2014 is already winding down! Aw, well, I need to save money for a new puppy (fingers crossed!), anyway.

Eco Thrift

1. Tinseltown denim vest, $9.98.

It’s been too hot in Sacramento to wear this much, but I plan to layer it over all of my casual outfits once it cools off.


TJ Maxx

2. Willi Smith ikat trousers, $29.99.

I bought these so I’d have a workwear option on hot, hairy-leg days.


Zara

3. Leather biker jacket, $99.99.

Total impulse buy. But I didn’t have a BROWN leather jacket. Just a black one (faux), a teal one (faux), and an olive one.


Garage sale

4. Anne Klein red envelope purse, $1.00.


Forever 21

5. Plaid tunic, $15.80

My 90’s obsession continues. Now if I could only find a plaid flannel shirt with an attached, waffle weave hood.


Gap

6. Rugby fit and flare dress,, $47.97.

In anticipation of an evening, outdoor wedding in Boulder (wearing cowboy boots), I began my search for an appropriate dress months ago. I thought my request was simple: long sleeves, fit and flare shape, above the knee length, natural fibers. I couldn’t find a single dress that met these requirements. I finally gave up on the sleeves and started searching for a dress that I could layer a shirt beneath.

Kendi wore this dress, in blush and white stripes, so I clicked over to the Gap website from her blog. I was excited to see it also came in black and white and was 64% cotton, but the dress looked TERRIBLE on the model. I would never have considered it except that it looked so cute on Kendi. I found the dress at a local store to check out in person.

I quickly discovered why it looked so bad on the model . . . the sizing is huge. I’m wearing a size 2 and I maybe should have bought a 0, but I wanted to leave space to layer underneath. According to Gap’s own size chart, my 27 inch waist puts me in a size 6 dress. Those poor models online, with their 24 inch waists, were simply swimming in the sample size.

So, although I eventually found a dress I liked for the event, the experience left me pissed off at the lack of cocktail dresses with sleeves, the prevalence of polyester, and ridiculous vanity sizing. First world problems.


July total: $204.73

Total spending for the year: $1291.49

Remaining 2014 budget: $508.51.

Colorado Cocktail

We were in the Denver area to attend Beefy’s lovely cousin’s wedding. It was a Pinterest worthy event, set in an apple orchard with the Rocky Mountains as the backdrop. With the exception of the dancing in the barn, the entire event took place on a grass surface. Flats, wedges, or boots were advised as footwear for the ladies. Of course, I went with Day of the Dead western boots.


Shirt, FY2 (thrifted). Dress, Gap. Belt, Express. Boots, Ariat. Sunglasses, Meow Meow. Earrings, My Sister’s Closet. Clutch, vintage and thrifted.

Davidson Mesa

We visit the Denver area once or twice a year, since we both have family there. This was the first time we stayed on the “other” side of town and I loved it. Our hotel was in Louisville and within walking distance of a maze of running trails. A short drive took us to Davidson Mesa open space park (pictured here) or quaint downtown Louisville, brimming with restaurants. The weather was just gorgeous and the locals were enjoying it: walking, running, cycling, or just eating on the patio.


Tee, Keller’s Pub. Overall dress, Hydraulic Denim. Leggings, Target. Boots, Style & Co (thrifted). Scarf, consignment. Bracelets, Adobe Imports. Bag, thrifted.

Windy Saddle

We drove to Windy Saddle, above the city of Golden, CO, and marveled at the cyclists powering their way up the steep grade (climbing 1200 feet in 4.3 miles). I’m sure they were pleased it wasn’t a windy morning, but the paragliders and hangliders were probably disappointed at the lack of air movement.


Shirt, Levi’s (thrifted). Tunic, Forever 21. Leggings, Allen B. Boots, Style & Co (thrifted). Sunglasses, Girlprops. Earrings, Epcot Mexico. Bag, thrifted.

Big Kid

I’m dressed like a toddler: leggings, overall dress, cartoon character tee, and bright colors. Aren’t we all big kids inside, though? Some of us just dress like it.


Jacket, Chaps. Tee, Disney. Overall dress, Hydraulic Denim (thrifted). Leggings, Danskin. Boots, Style & Co (thrifted). Sunglasses, Girl Props. Earrings, Epcot Mexico. Bag, thrifted.

Morning Jacket

It’s cool enough for a jacket some mornings, now. In the afternoon, when I took these pictures, it’s a bit too warm, but I suffered for the sake of my art.


Jacket, Forever 21. Dress, Banana Republic (consignment). Shoes, Miss Me. Sunglasses, Target. Earrings, Girlshop. Bag, Charming Charlie.

Everything is Awesome

Like most people, I’ve stopped using a proper alarm clock in favor of my phone (despite the risk of brain cancer from sleeping with an active cell phone next to my head). An all-in-one device is so much more convenient . . . AND I can select the sound (or song) that wakes me.


Dress, Peter Som for Kohl’s. Shoes, Lela Rose for Payless. Sunglasses, Target. Belt, thrifted. Bag, Melie Bianco.

You can tell a lot about a person from the sound of their alarm. I’ve known people that require blaring sirens and others that choose a soft instrumental piece. I’ve got a few different alarms set up for different wake times. My song choices: Raiders of the Lost Ark (main theme), The Beauty Underneath (from Love Never Dies, the sequel to Phantom of the Opera), What Does the Fox Say?, and, as you expected, Everything is AWESOME!!! (from the Lego Movie).

I guess my choices mean I’m adventurous, introverted, silly, and upbeat. What sound wakes you up?