staple on sale: j.crew schoolboy blazer

If you guys read my blog through last fall and winter, you'll know how much I love my J.Crew Navy Schoolboy blazer. I felt I wore it at least once a week, every week, and I don't really intend on changing that pattern this fall. I purchased mine last year as a birthday present to myself, and it still is the most expensive piece of clothing I own. These babies rarely go on sale, but they are currently on SUPER sale for $99. If you have ever debated buying this blazer, now is the time because in the year and a half I've been watching it, the price has never been this low and I don't anticipate it ever being this on sale again. It seems almost all sizes are still available - mine is a 10 Tall and you can see more of a review between the regular and tall sizes here.

closet clean-up: from cluttered to loved

Once I found out in February that I would have to move for school, I slowly started cleaning out my closet. I've lived in Madison for seven years now, and have lived in four different houses. Each time we moved, I just grabbed everything I owned and took it with me to the next place a few streets away. This move though, across several states and by myself, would require me greatly reduce the items I own.

I had clothes in three different places - my main closet that had all of my normal clothes, some coats in our coat closet, and my handful of dresses (which I couldn't wear to work) were in a shared closet in our bedroom - our place has a lot of closets! I started out by pulling all of the "big ticket" items that I knew I could sell on eBay - a few purses, a North Face jacket, and a few J.Crew / Banana Republic items. I'm a pretty beginner eBay seller so I don't have a ton of tips and tricks. I do a lot that is recommended here, and I almost always use the eBay app as you can take pictures, upload, and have a listing within just a few minutes from your phone.

Once those items were gone, I started going through the clothes that I regularly look at. I pulled out the pieces I knew I hadn't worn in years, and put them aside. I tried selling some on poshmark and on here, but those took more effort than it paid out. I basically worked through my closet a little bit at a time. Every time I by passed something and couldn't remember the last time I ever wore it, it went into the pile. About once a month, I would take a pile of clothing to Plato's Closet - a consignment store geared mostly towards teenagers. My experiences were fine there - I've made about $100 from selling clothes there, but I felt because they were so geared toward teens that a lot of my nicer items that just didn't fit were passed because they were "too mature". The items they didn't take I handed down to my mom and sister, and whatever they didn't want, they donated to St. Vinnies.

That was what I did up until this past weekend. I move on Friday, so this last closet clean out was really necessary to get rid of the last unnecessary pieces. I had already packed up all of my blazers, remaining bottoms, skirts, and shoes which hadn't been pulled. My family is shipping those boxes to me at the end of the week as I just didn't have enough room in my car. Next, I went through all of my tops. I pulled each one out of the closet and put it on. If I felt uncomfortable in it, if it fit me wrong, or if I knew I was just never going to wear it again, into the pile it went. I'm only packing the pieces I really wear. As hard as it was to let go of a bunch of relatively nice jeans, tees, and sweaters, I knew I hadn't worn them in so long, and with my restrictive dress code, I knew they weren't going to be worn in the future either. I tried one last time to take a few things to the consignment stores, made about $25, and took everything else directly to Goodwill. I set a side a few things again for my mom and sister, but the rest will find a new home with something who will appreciate them.

When I look at my closet now, and even during the cleaning out process, I felt so much better about getting dressed. I didn't feel guilt looking at all the clothes I spent money on, but didn't wear. My choices were limited, but I liked everything, so I never had "I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR" moments. Since I started working with a budget, I feel like I've been a lot smarter about what I buy, so I'm hoping that in a year/four years from now, I won't be in this same situation. I need to make smart buying decisions, buy items off of my holes in my closet list, and not just buy on a whim. I want to find the balance of buying staple pieces versus more "fun" pieces - maybe do 3/4 of my budget towards purchasing items I will get a ton of wear, and then the rest towards statement/fun pieces? Since I will be living off student loans that I receive twice a year, instead of paychecks I receive twice a month, I may do what Kimmie and Jess do, and have a yearly budget and work with it that way. I'll definitely share what I decide to do!

I can't wait to show you guys by new closet next week! It's going to be beautiful :)

My tips for cleaning out your own closet - no moving 10 hours away necessary! :

+ Pull everything (EVERYTHING) out of your closet, and try each piece on. If it doesn't fit NOW, get rid of it (or if it may fit again for sure, put it into storage)

+  If you haven't worn it within the last year, ask yourself why. Does it just fit wrong? Donate or sell. Not your style anymore? Pass along to friends or donate. Needs alterations? Put into the alterations pile and actually do them.

+ Be prepared to make "the hard" decisions. Yes, it sucks that you spend x number of dollars on that sweater/pant/skirt/shoe....but what good is it doing you in your closet if you haven't worn it in years? Either store it in case it comes back into fashion, pass it along to family members/friends, sell it, or donate it. You'll feel better not looking at it every single time you open your closet.

+ Reorganize your closet so you can see your clothes better. I currently organize by color, but when I move, I'm going to organize by type - blazers, cardigans, sweaters, tees. Seeing your clothes in a different way may inspire you to wear it a different way.

recent j.crew additions (polka dot blazer!)

With my Chippmunk winnings, I choose to get a giftcard from J.Crew so that I could finally purchase this blazer that I've been eyeing up for months now. It was originally $190, then reduced down to $130, and with an additionally 30% off, it came down to around $90. When Caroline informed me that it was so far reduced, I made the choice to buy it outright with my money because my giftcard hadn't arrived yet, and I was scared that my size would sell out. A few days after I ordered it, my giftcard came in the mail, but when I went to go re-order, the only size sold out was my own. Caroline urged me to call customer service to see if they can change the method of payment on my original order, which I didn't know you could do, but they were so accommodating and changed it right away.

It came today and I'M SO HAPPY. I ordered it in a 12. My navy schoolboy blazer is a 10 Tall, but this linen blazer didn't come in tall sizes so I sized up. It fits great off the hanger - the sleeves are short on me, but I wear my blazer sleeves rolled up so that isn't a problem. The fabric is thicker than I expected (in a good way). I'm so excited to wear it once school starts. I was scared it was going to sell out right away when it first came out (because come on, look at it!) but I'm glad I waited to get it for half of the original price. Most sizes are still availalbe for purchase if you are interested!

As I was perusing the sale section, this tee caught my attention. I figured I may as well try it out - it was on sale for $20. It's also a linen material, light weight but sturdy. One can never have too many striped tees, right?

^and as you can see, packing is going really really well.....

spend all the money!

 

On Sunday, my friend Lizzi and I met up early with iced coffees in hand for a little trip down the highway to go outlet shopping. Lizzi and I go outlet shopping together about once a year (last year we went before we saw Florence and the Machine. I miss my long hair). As a general rule, we always tell ourselves not to buy something just because it's inexpensive and I think we did pretty good this year! I purchased this pair of shorts and this skirt (seen here) at the J.Crew Factory store, and a sleeveless top from the Banana Republic Factory store. I ended up getting that pair of denim shorts I was interested in from the Gap Outlet store as well as a pair of leather sandals. I originally also purchased a pair of floral shorts (seen here) but I returned them after purchasing the J.Crew shorts as I figured the J.Crew ones would be more versatile. I think I'm now pretty set on summer bottoms! Lizzi found a few adorable polka dot dresses (including this beauty but in blue with red polka dots) as well as buying this linen skirt which I also own. Love those 50% the entire store days :)  

On Saturday I spent a bit of time out with my mom and sister Karoline. My mom and I went to but didn't have much luck at Goodwill - all I found was a pair of Nike gym shorts for school (we have a lab where we practice on each other so I need some not completely ratty work out clothes). We then went to the mall to meet up with Karoline. We were just browsing around the Gap when my mom spotted this dress - it's basically all the things I love (popover, polka dots, rolled up sleeves) combined. I fell in love with it on the spot (as seen here). I used the money I had set aside last month that I originally intended for this dress that didn't look great in person. I purchased it for the full price in store, but went home to find it online reduced down to $50, plus another 35% off meant it cost $33 as compared to $70. I included this shirt to get the free shipping, and together they were still less than the dress in store! I will be returning the dress from the store as soon as the dress from online arrives. I'm so excited to wear it, and I'm so happy I didn't buy that J.Crew dress. I feel this one will get so much more wear.

Tee: Everlane

Shorts: Old Navy [exact]

Belt: Old Navy

Purse: Coach via Etsy [current style]

Shoes: Target [similar]

and here's what Lizzi wore! Does her skirt look familiar? It's the Fran skirt that I also own! 

Hope you are all having a great Monday - I'm off playing doctor!

grey sweatshirt, you fancy: everlane sweatshirt

I've been sick for the past three days, but with limited PTO left at work, I had to go in. The thought of putting any effort into my outfit, hair, or makeup was just not going to happen, so I was happy that my new Everlane sweatshirt came in last weekend.

I've wanted a "fancy" sweatshirt for a while now.

Hear me out!

I've seen Dotty wear this thinner red "sweatshirt" numerous ways over the past few months, and it was always the perfect combination of comfortable and somehow still appropriate. I felt having something similar in my closet would be great for when school starts. I'm sure there will be numerous days where the last thing I want to do is put on dressy clothes, especially for eight hours of lecture, so having a similar dressy sweatshirt would allow me to look pulled together but be secretly wearing a comfortable sweatshirt. so sneaky. 

After my Everlane tee review, several of you ordered the shirts, which is awesome for two reasons: one, you guys get to try them out for yourself (are you loving them as much as I am??), and two, for every person who orders, I get a store credit. I had several store credits saved up, so I decided that it would be a good time to try out their sweatshirt. I decided to get the graphite version because I felt it would be the most low-key, but I'm kind of wishing I had ordered the mustard instead just because the color is a bit more fun (and especially because my mustard cardigan gets a lot of wear).

Anyway, so Monday when I was only going in for a half day after having to sleep 5 more hours in the morning, I was happy to have this to thrown on along with the minimum amount of makeup, and the maximum amount of dry shampoo. The material is thin but very dense and soft - perfect for a day when you want nothing more than to put your pajamas back on.

I may have worn pretty much the same outfit today too.

Sweatshirt: Everlane

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch [exact]

Watch: Fossil [similar]

Purse: vintage Coach via Etsy  [current version]

please excuse the mess behind me. I'm starting to slowly pack - it's obviously not going well!

P.S. Do you have 2 seconds to spare? I'd love for you to vote for me here! all you have to do is click the heart :)

june wish list

I really want to go into June with a plan for where my clothing budget is going to go. I have nine work days left, and then I have six whole weeks of nothing. Well, nothing isn't exactly true. If ticket prices go down, I may go to Germany to celebrate my grandma's birthday, I may go up north to spend some time at a friend's cabin, and I just booked my tickets to go to Seattle in the beginning of July. My summer clothes wardrobe is pretty much non-existant. I have a few tees, one casual skirt, a few Target dresses, two pairs of shorts, and three pairs of sandals. Here's the plan to add a few more pieces into rotation:

Casual Skirts: On the few nice weekend days we've had, I've worn my J.Crew Factory skirt - I like that it's light/easy to throw on, but it still looks polished. I love the pattern of the skirt above but the fabric isn't really great for casual summer wear, so I'll just have to look for something similar in a more natural fabric choice.

V-Neck Tees: I've worn an Everlane tee the last 5 out of 8 days. I feel really comfortable in them and I feel they get better with wear - yesterday I even wore the black one without my usual tanktop underneath it and surprisingly, the world did not end ;) I have a few store credits so I may get a few more to add into the rotation.

Sandals: Since I have to wear closed toed, flat shoes at work, I don't own a lot of summer shoes. I have a Sam Edelman for AE pair (they look like this), and then Caroline sent me a few hand-me-downs so I added this pair as well. Because I will be doing a lot of walking this summer, I'd like to add a somewhat stable and comfortable black pair. In the past, Target shoes haven't worked out for me because the materials cut into my skin and I found them uncomfortable. I tried these sandals last night though, and they feel really great - there's some cushion in the sole, and they don't cut into my skin. I bought the last pair in my size, but I'm still look around a bit to see if I find something even better.

Shorts: JHORTS! I know. My current pair is about 4 summers old, and have worn through the thigh. I'm still wearing them because they are the only pair I have, but I'd like to replace them. My favorite instagram blogger bought these at the Gap Factory store. I'm going to the outlet mall on my first Monday I don't have to work, so I'm going to keep my eye out for them. I like that they are a bit longer and not super distressed. I know jean shorts aren't for everyone, but I like them if they aren't crazy distressed or short.

Black Maxi Dress: I've been looking for a black maxi dress for several years now. I want one that has a v-neck (but not too deep), thick enough straps to wear a regular bra, goes in at my waist, and is long enough (I'm between 5'9'' and 5'10''). I've had no luck! I went to Target last week just to see what they have and all of them were awful. The waist on this one was too low, this one was way too short, and I even tried on this one but just...no. Amy is another Madison blogger and found a great dress at the Banana Republic Factory store so I'm hoping I can find it too, at least to try it on. I'm also going to try this one from the J.Crew Factory on.

Tees: I tried on this tee at Express last week and really like it. It's still in neutral colors (I tried on the dark blue sleeve/white torso version), the sleeves are long enough, and the shirt is long enough on me. During the next big sale I think I'll go back for it.

So that's the plan. Anything you are looking for specifically this month?

j.crew factory: 50% off EVERYTHING

J.Crew Factory has their entire store 50% off right now online which doesn't happen that often. I love the factory store because you get the same aesthetic as the retail store without spending that crazy amount of money. Here are some of my favorite pieces currently available - a few I own and are now a great deal, a few are "gimme, so pretty" pieces, and I may be ordering one to try out! Are you shopping the sale today?

• Polka Dot Popover: it seems I wear mine at least once a week. It's currently on sale for the price I paid for it in December.
• Chambray Popover: another shirt I wear a lot. See my chambray popover comparison post here and how I've worn it since here. The current price is less than what I paid for it.
• Clare Scattered Dot Cardigan: this cardigan is so cute. I think it would be a great piece for cooler nights in the summer, and a staple in the fall/winter.
• Printed Sun Shift: this is like the ideal summer dress - you can throw it on, put on some cute flats, and you're basically set. If this had a v-neck I would purchase it immediately.
• Crystal Necklace: I met up with my blogging friend Laura on Thursday and she was wearing this necklace over a striped blue shirt under a bright blue blazer. It was the perfect accessory for that outfit, so I've been itching to get my hands on the same necklace, plus it's currently like 1/4 of the retail version's price.
• Teagan Ruffle Top: This would look great on top of some colored shorts for more casual occasions or under a cardigan/blazer for work.
• Sylvia Patent Wedges: I ordered these! They are exactly what I was looking for my school wardrobe so I'm really excited to receive them. I'm bummed they won't ship for another month though, but it'll be like a surprise when they finally come in the mail!

Anything catching your eye?

P.S. Forever 21 currently has free shipping with no minimum, just use code MEMDAY13. I'm debating hard about this necklace - gold or silver?

everlane v-neck tee review

In recent months, I've been working through the items in my current closet, taking a mental inventory of what I have, removing pieces that are no longer worn, and thinking about the pieces I'd like to add. One of the big staples that I was missing was a white tee shirt - something so simple, yet apparently so difficult to find the "perfect" version for me. There were certain things I wanted in this tee:

• I didn't want it to be semi see-through. I wear these tanks under everything I wear, but I don't want them to show.
• I don't want a clingy material. I have enough going on in the torso area that I don't want wrinkles to be added
• I want a full sleeve, not a capped sleeve. Shorter sleeves tend to cut across the thickest part of the arm, which only emphasizes the thickness. I also don't want them to be skin tight.
• The v-neck needs to be deep enough to elongate the upperbody, but not too deep that it shows too much cleavage. I also didn't want the tank underneath it to show out the top.
• I would prefer there wasn't a pocket on the front. My chest is fairly large (for reference, I wear a 36D), so a small little pocket on the front would look comical.

Seems like a lot of wants in just a plain tee shirt, but I'd rather have one shirt I am comfortable wearing than five where I only like parts of it.

I first heard about Everlane from Jess about a year ago and was intrigued by what they were offering - simple and classic basic pieces with designer quality at not designer prices. I don't really like ordering clothes online that I can't return easily, so I didn't order them right away. Over the last few months I tried on several tees from a variety of stores. I didn't alway takes pictures because they were pretty disappointing, and only fulfilled a percentage of my requirements. For example, the J.Crew Factory tee on the left (sorry about the terrible picture quality) has long enough sleeves, but the neckline was too low, and the fabric too clingy. The J.Crew version on the right had the right neckline, but was see-through in real life, and also too thin/clingy.

Eventually I was sick of trying on a bunch of tees that just weren't working, and ordered two shirts from Everlane - the v-neck tee in white and in muted black. I ordered them Wednesday evening, and I received them today, Saturday.

These tees fulfill all of my preferences - the right neckline, the sleeves are longer and not skin tight, the fabric is soft, not clingy and not completely transparent, and best of all, they are appropriately priced at $15 a piece. I would prefer about 1.5 more centimeters of fabric on the sleeve, but overall I am very very pleased with this t-shirt. As a reference, I'm usually between a medium and a large in tops, and I ordered the large from Everlane.

As far as longevity, I obviously do not have any personal experience yet. Lauren, whose opinion on clothing I highly respect, swears by these tees and can speak to the longevity of the quality.

If you are interested in testing these tees out for yourself, you can create an account here. You get free shipping if you order 2 or more items, and they offer more than these tees so it's definitely worth taking a look around (I kind of love this tote bag, and maybe eventually will try this silk shirt).

cold spell + J.Crew Button Front Dress Review

Remember how about three days ago I was bitching how it was so hot and I have no clothes to wear for that weather? Luckily for me, the temps have dropped about 30 degrees so we're right back into perfect weather territory - just enough to layer a little bit but not not cold enough to need a jacket. All you need is a fun scarf ;)

Unfortunately this weather won't last long until it gets hot again. After hearing about Everlane for over a year, I finally caved and ordered two of the v-neck tees (I was boring and just got white and black). Both Jess and Lauren rave about their quality and longevity so I'm excited to test them out. I'll be sure to report back once I receive them. I also stumbled upon this tee from Express (as seen here) and I think it'll be a fun casual shirt to have for the summer. I'm hoping to do a bit of Memorial Day shopping (mostly to get those last few pieces for school) but I'm also going to keep my eyes out for shorts. Ick. Budgetting Bloggers goes up on Tuesday so at least consider trying to stick to your budgets while all of the sales are temping us!

Cardigan: thrifted

Tee: Hanes

Scarf: Target [exact]

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch, thrifted by my mom

Bag: Madewell [save | exact]

Watch: Kate Spade [exact]

In other news, yesterday I went to J.Crew to try on this dress. I saw it in stores when we were in Minneapolis, and then I also saw it on Lauren and thought it was just gorgeous. I've set some money aside recently to buy a dress specifically for my work going away party / summer weddings / possible white coat ceremony that isn't a part of my normal budget. I wanted something versatile and appropriate for all of those occasions, and I was hoping this dress would be it. I even had a dream about it, so needless to say, I had high hopes for it. 

In the catalog it looks like it was knee length, but online it looks a bit shorter. I think this picture is a little bit misleading as well because it is on the shorter side of "knee length", at least on 5'9'' me. The fabric is thick, and the lining would prevent having to wear a slip, and of course the pockets are fun. I felt that the dress runs small, as I wear a 10 in both blazers and tops at J.Crew, and this dress is a 12. It's too tight in the chest as you can see by the buttons pulling on the chest, and leaves too much of the armpit area exposed. 

I think my problem with the dress is more on me than on the dress. I really really dislike my arms, and therefore a sleeveless dress obviously is only going to show those suckers off. I'm disappointed because I kind of hoped that wouldn't be the case in this situation (why, I'm not sure, it's the allure of the skinny models wearing the pretty dress!). It's definitely a beautiful dress in real life, and I'm envious of those who own it, but it just isn't going to be the one for me :(

the worst time of the year

 

While most bloggers (and non bloggers too, I'm sure)right now are springing for joy about the warm weather, pulling out their cute little sun dresses and fun shorts, I'm here cursing the weather. The worst time to have clothing regulations like mine (covered legs, closed toed shoes), is when it gets hot outside. It's fine at 7 in the morning when it's still like a chilly 60, but then when I'm walking out of work at 4:30 after spending a day in a chilly concrete room, and you're just hit by HEAT, you just curse your job*

Luckily, I'm out of the concrete windowless refrigerator in less than a month. NO CLOTHING RESTRICTIONS FOR SIX WHOLE WEEKS. I can hardly wait...except I've come to realize that I don't really own any summer clothes. For the past 6 summers, I either worked as a camp counselor (gym shorts and t-shirts), as a traveling band member (gym shorts and t-shirts), or I've worked in my current job. I own 1 pair of jean shorts (that are at least 4 years old), 1 casual skirt (this J.Crew Factory one), 1 casual dress, and a handful of tees. While my current budget for the month is pretty much gone, next month I really need to find a few summer staples. I think just a few pairs of colored shorts (think this blue color or this red color), a few comfortable and light tees (you guys all keep raving about these so I'm going to have to go test them out), and a few summer dresses (ones with thicker straps because girlfriend doesn't do strapless bras - this one is adorable, and this maxi is pretty close to what I've been looking for) should be enough to get me through summer. Of course I've been keeping an eye out while out at Goodwill, but the only things I found last weekend were this amazing vintage dress I plan on wearing to every wedding I go to this summer, and a blazer. Not exactly beneficial to the summer wardrobe, but adorable nonetheless.

What are some of your summer staples? Any hidden gems I need to know about?

Sweater: Gap 

Jeans: Urban Outfitters [exact]

Watch: Fossil [similar]

Shoes: Old Navy [save | splurge]

Purse: vintage Coach via Etsy [current style - see restoration here]

* I really am grateful to have a job. I'm just poking fun ...ish.

on the sales rack: striped dresses

Some people believe that the sales rack is for clothing rejects and that we should stay far away. I believe the opposite - the sales racks are a great place to find closet staples for low prices. This week's pieces from the sales racks are striped dresses perfect for summer. I love my Old Navy Striped Dress because it's comfortable, was relatively inexpensive, and more versatile than I originally thought. The following five dresses are currently on sale and definitely aren't rejects.

J.Crew Villa Dress: originally $88, now $69.99

Gap Printed Sateen Dress: originally $69.96, now $29.40

Old Navy Striped Dress: originally $24.95, now $12.99

Ann Taylor Etched Stripe Print Crossover Dress: originally $88, now $42

Press Bateau Neck Stripe Dress: originally $74, now $44.40

medical school wardrobe: building a foundation

It's been several months since I last wrote about trying to build my wardrobe for medical school. As a refresher, my school has a dress code as follows:

A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained. Women are required to wear 

appropriate dresses of reasonable length or slacks with appropriate blouses. Halter tops, midriff tops, strapless or backless tops or dresses; sundresses, crop pants, capri pants and miniskirts are not permitted. Revealing or tight, form-fitting clothing is unacceptable. Women’s hair must be neat and trimmed at all times, avoiding extreme styles or colors. Excessive body piercing is not acceptable. Women are required to wear shoes or sandals with socks or stockings. Shorts, jeans, T-shirts and sandals with bare feet are not permitted.

In order to have pieces in my closet that I can easily throw on and go to class for 8 hours a day, but still be comfortable and happy with my outfits, I'm dedicating my once "dream purse" fund to add the necessary pieces to my closet. First I'll tell you guys where I stand now, and then I'll discuss the last few pieces that are still needed.

Heels: Black closed toed pumps were going to be a necessity for me. I own very few pairs of heels, and the ones I do own can't be worn more than a short amount of time before I start walking around barefoot (the only time I really have worn heels has been for weddings so...barefooted dancing. Welcome to Wisconsin!). I've heard great things about both the Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps (as recommended by both Mix & Match Fashion and Professionally Petite)  and the J.Crew Miri heel (as reviewed here by Easy Petite Looks) but everyone said that nothing beats Cole Haan shoes. When Chris and I were in Minneapolis, we specifically went to Nordstrom so I could figure out sizing (we don't have a Nordstrom anywhere near Madison). I tried on this shoe, and really liked how they felt on my feet, but if you look at the price, you know that wasn't really in my budget. Knowing my preferred size, I started searching eBay and eventually got lucky when I found this style, brand new, for $90. I've worn them around the house a bit and they feel very nice. As comfortable as walking around barefoot? No, but they are a definite improvement over my plastic Target heels. I've already tried them on with a few skirts/pants in my closet and am happy how they improve my outfits - man, heels really do make everything look better, don't they?

Nude Flats: While I said that I would like a pair of nude flats for my school wardrobe, my current work wardrobe was missing out on them too so I was very excited when I found this Sam Edelman pair at Nordstrom Rack for 60% off of the retail price. They were paid for with the remaining budget money from April, but since I said in March that I would like them for school I figured I should mention them here. These are a great pair of shoes that have required absolutely no breaking in (as opposed to my Revas which took a painful amount of time to get to where they are now) and have extra padding which make them very comfortable. HIGHLY recommend them!

Skirts: I started from absolute scratch here. I own one that is about two sizes too large (but super cute!) and that's it. I thrifted this black A-lineish skirt a few months ago, and then purchased the Fran skirt in April. As much as I want to wear pencil skirts, I'm still unsure about them. Every single one I've tried on hasn't fit right at all - too tight in the rear/thighs and too loose in the waist. I know I could always size up to have it fit comfortably in the seat and then get the waist tailored to fit, but I'm unsure if I want to go through all of that trouble for a style of skirt I'm unsure I even like. I plan on really paying attention to the skirt section in Goodwill in the coming months to see if I can't add a few more cute skirts at a low cost. 

Dresses: Over the years I've accumulated a bunch of cheap dresses from Target and the like. I've sold or donated almost all of them because they just didn't fit me correctly, and now have about 4 dresses left in my closet. I bought this Gap dress a few months ago - I think the color is fun but still in the professional realm, and the fit is very flattering. I got it during a 40% of sale so the price was right over $40. I also bought a light grey faux wrap dress at the Banana Republic Outlet on clearance for just over $20, but it will need to be taken in at the waist. I know both of these dresses will be major staples when I just want to throw something on quick.

Tops: My current tops collection will transition seamlessly from my work wardrobe to my school wardrobe as I'm pretty conservative to begin with. I did purchase two tops with my budget money - a black geometric top which will be an easy way to add interest to an other wise boring outfit, and an oxford popover. The geometric top was around $20 at the Banana Republic outlet, and the popover was around $40 final sale from J.Crew. 

Tights: Because we are required to wear tights when we were skirts or dresses, tights were obviously necessary. I was lucky enough to receive about 6 pairs from Hanes during a recent collaboration so I'm set there! They are comfortable, have held up so far, and best of all, were free ;)  I will need fleece lined and/or sweater tights for the winter but no real need to buy those in May.

I have around $250 remaining in my budget for school clothes. Here is the plan for the rest of that money!

Pants: I needed to wait until I found at least my first pair of heels so I could figure out the length of pants to buy. I would love to find dress pants while thrifting, but I'm 5'9" so most pants off the rack, and especially a thrift store rack, will be too short. I'm hoping that around the Memorial Day sales will be a good time to look for pants at either The Limited (like this pair), Express (this pair), or Banana Republic (this pair) as I don't plan on paying any where near full listed price for them. I have a pair of black pants that are the length to wear with flats, so I need a pair to wear with heels. I would also like a dark grey pair of dress pants.

White Blouse: The perfect white button up is on list of holes in my closet, and I feel it would be beneficial for my school wardrobe especially. I'd love to try the silk version from Everlane or maybe track down the Equipment version on eBay.

Cardigans: I really don't own as many cardigans as I thought, so a few solid colored ones would be nice to have. I plan on buying these mostly thrifted. 

Shoes: a black pair of wedges would be nice to mix up shoes, and would probably be more comfortable than heels. If I find some in the coming weeks I might actually use my monthly budget money to buy these as I think I could probably get away with wearing them at work - I like this Franco Sarto pair. I'd also love to have a pair of maryjane heels. I think they are just so cute (I love them on Future Lint). This Frye pair and this Fitzwell pair are both adorable, and within a reasonable price range.

the not investment piece.

 

On Monday I waxed poetically about making smarter purchases over the past year - pieces that fulfill a hole in my closet, pieces that can be worn multiple ways, and something that I'll wear for years. While those are admirable goals, like Jacquie and Jessica both said, the statement/non essential pieces are necessary too, and may just be the pieces we like the most. I bought this sweater a few weeks ago when Chris and I were in Minneapolis. It doesn't fulfill a need (....who really has a need for a linear black, grey, cream, and peach sweater?), I'm unsure how many ways I can wear it, and who knows how long I'll keep it in my closet. 

But for now, I really like it. And as long as these kind of purchases aren't an every purchase occurrence , I think they help spice things up a bit....even if it's just wearing it over a white button up. so spicy.

Sweater: Madewell [similar??]

Blouse: H&M

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch [exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

duplicates?

I bought this shirt over Thanksgiving break and I'm actually kind of disappointed that I didn't get a few more colors during that 50% the entire store sale. I'm not one to buy duplicates, but I just feel really comfortable in this shirt - it isn't too tight in the arms, it fits across my chest, and is long enough on me. 

How common is it to buy duplicates of something - do you own anything in multiple colors?  I guess it makes sense that if you find something that you love it would be beneficial to own several variations. 

Shirt: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Necklace: Forever 21

Belt: Gap [same style]

Bracelet: Australian souvenir

Flats: Sam Edelman [exact]

...Friday Favorite Remix...

1 | 2 | 3

MOA and other adventures, a recap

Chris and I spent the weekend up in the twin cities. Chris has been doing his OBGYN rotation about 3 hours up north from Madison, which is about an hour away from the cities, so we thought it would be a great opportunity to get out there and do something shopping! The main goal of the weekend trip was to get a suit for Chris's residency interviews, but that only took a couple of hours, so we had lots of time to shop all of the other stores. I was holding on to my money pretty tight so it almost wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be. With trying to save as much money as possible for my 6 weeks off between quitting my job and starting school, and for the move, money has seemed pretty tight lately. I did manage to find a few things though!

+ On the first day, all I bought were these nude ballet flats at Nordstrom Rack. I got them for just under $60, which I think is decent for leather flats I plan on wearing a lot. I also tried on this pair of shoes but in the end, I already have a pair of light/dark cap toed shoes, and they weren't as versatile as the plain nude ones. Sometimes practicality just has to win, ya know? I really wanted to find a pair of jeans at Nordstrom Rack, but unfortunately that didn't work out. I need jeans with a longer inseam, and all the jeans there were in a regular. The eBay/poshmark search goes on.

+ We drove to another mall on Sunday because I really wanted to go to a Madewell. Everything in that store is far out of my normal price range though (which I knew going in), so I stuck to the sales rack. I tried on, and somehow fell in love with, this sweater. It's not that versatile, and I think it kind of looks like it belongs in the 80s, but it was just so comfortable and not like something I really own, so I felt it was okay to step out of the comfort zone here. With the 30% of sale items it came to just over $30. I also got this tee in green (which is not as bright in real life) for just over $9. I tried on these sidewalk skimmers in burgundy because they were on sale for around $30 (I could never justify spending the normal price on shoes that I wouldn't wear all the time), but I needed a half a size larger which they didn't have. I'm actually pretty bummed that those didn't work out, but buying too tight shoes would have been foolish.

+ We made another trip to the MOA on Sunday because we had tickets to go to Sea Life (which was so much fun, and makes me wish I was going scuba diving any time in the future). We stopped in Old Navy quickly, and I ended up buying this tee. I saw it on Kendi a few weeks ago, and thought it would be a fun light tee to have. And yes...there is neon on it. WHO HAVE I BECOME? It is pretty comfortable though, and it's a 100% copy of this much more expensive J.Crew Factory shirt. I always wonder how Old Navy gets away with always so having so many J.Crew dupes, but for now I will just gladly get the cheaper version. The shirt was on clearance for $6. I also tried on this skirt which was on clearance for $8, but in the end I didn't want to spend the money on it, even though it was pretty dang cheap.

So all in all, not too much damage to the budget. Chris and I had a great time spending time together since we had spent the last 4 weeks apart. He comes home on Thursday for good, which I'm really really happy about. We have about 10 weeks left together until I leave though :(

P.S. I know I totally dropped the ball on the whole blogging every day in may thing. I'll be back tomorrow though....hopefully.

smart purchase or impulse buy?

I feel really guilty about this.

I purchased my floral blazer last week somewhat on a whim. I saw it around on a few blogs and just thought it was so beautiful... and so I bought it. For a $100 purchase, it wasn't something I thought about a lot. I didn't think about the cost per wear, I didn't think about how much I would actually wear it, I didn't think about the pieces that I've wanted for so long - all I thought was OH PRETTY GIMME.

And then I got it and I liked it but there were some nagging feelings. The colors were bright, and even though I liked the idea of adding something so colorful to my closet, I knew it would be limiting. I usually prefer blazers that have two buttons, and this one only had one. The shoulders were more padded than I was used to, and while that is figure flattering, it had me a bit worried.

BUT LOOK HOW PRETTY IT IS!

So yes, the blazer is pretty and I was really excited to wear it, but then I thought about it some more, and the purchase just doesn't align with what I'm trying to do with my closet. Especially with school starting, and all of the "challenges" that will come with that, I want pieces in my closet that I feel confident in, and that I will get a ton of wear out of. Was spending two thirds of my monthly budget on an uncertain purchase a smart decision for now, and for the future? Probably not.

So it's going back. I know it is somewhat frowned upon to wear something, and then return it. In my defense, I only wore it for a few hours at work so it wasn't something I had on me for 16+ hours. It's going back, and then I will forget about that pretty blazer and focus on a smarter purchase - that camel blazer that I've been looking for for so long. For some reason it has been really difficult to find one right now. Granted, April probably isn't the best time to look for one but I will keep my eyes open for one now and come the fall when I am looking for something quick to throw on, I won't think about that pretty floral blazer and instead be grateful for my very versatile camel blazer.


or I'll just get this polka dot blazer because LOOK AT IT - pretty! ;)

stripes | leopard

 

So the weather this week is um...shitty. Rain or snow all week! Eek. Well I attempted to take a few pictures quickly after work today during a break in the rain, but I only got one picture where I didn't look like I was trying to fly away. But this is what I wore! TA DA.

Blazer: J.Crew [exact]

Shirt: Banana Republic [exact]

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Necklace: gift from Kimmie :)

Shoes: Rocket Dog via DSW

Watch: Target

 I have two things to say about items worn.

1. I'm wearing my new Banana Republic engineered striped top. I ordered this color and the blue one last week during a 30% off promotion and then had a 10% off coupon on top of that from a Gap order that went wrong, which brought the price down to less than $14 each. I like this shirt a lot - the material is pretty thick, it is long enough on my torso, and I like the somewhat not traditional neckline. As far as negatives, on me the sleeves are just a tiny bit too short, but I never have my sleeves not pushed up so that doesn't matter to me. I think I will probably sew in little bra strap holders as the neckline is a bit wide and I don't want my straps to show, but for $14 I will accept those few minutes of sewing. I think I'm going to return the blue one just because I'm not big into having duplicates, and the blue isn't the right color blue I was looking for. If you are interested in trying them out for yourself, it looks like they have restocked many of the sizes online that weren't available last week!

2. I think it's time to update these leopard flats. I've worn them a ton over the past year, but they are fabric shoes and have become wet one too many times. Since I know that I would wear a similar style a lot I'm willing to maybe spend a bit more than I normally would on "fun" shoes. I would like a pair that is calf hair or suede, either smoking or ballet flat, and under $100. The current remaining budget for the month is $185 (I sold $100 worth of clothes, but purchased this skirt and this tee) but I don't plan on spending all of it (unless I decide that I can't live without this Zara blazer, which it's looking like that may be true). The more I think about it, I think a ballet flat would get more use, especially next year. Which one would you choose?

Nine West | Steve Madden

Nasty Gal | Steve Madden

chambray popover: a 4 store review

In an effort to make smarter purchases, I have taken it upon myself to do a bit more research on the pieces that I would like to add to my closet instead of settling for the first one I find. I hope that by taking my time in choosing these items that I'll spend my money on something that is exactly what I want. I don't want to have any regrets about the purchase a week/month/year down the road and then go out and buy a similar item to make up for the original not being what I wanted in the first place. Spending smarter, not more!

So with that in mind, I started on a "mission" to find the perfect chambray popover. I talked a bit about looking for different versions here, but I actually ordered or tried them on in store to find the right one for me.

Old Navy Chambray Button-Yoke Top: originally $19.50

I ordered the Old Navy popover version in three sizes during a 30% off promotion a few weeks ago, making the end cost $12.50. My full button-down Chambray from Old Navy is a Medium Tall so I assumed that the yoke version would fit similarly. As you can see above, it does not. The fabric is waaaaaaayyy too tight in the arms, a problem I do run in to quite a bit. The Large Tall fit my arms well, but had a lot of extra fabric at the bottom, which would have made it difficult to tuck in and/or layer with other shirts as I plan to do with this shirt. Out of the three sizes, the regular Large fit me the best. The arms weren't too tight and there wasn't too much extra fabric towards the bottom.

For me, the biggest downside of this shirt is that it does not button up all the way. There are only 3 buttons, so it would be difficult for me to layer it how I would want to. In the end, I know that I would want a shirt that allowed me to layer it multiple ways so even though the price was amazing, I knew I had to make the smarter decision and keep looking (and trust, for $12, that was really difficult for me).

.......................................................................................................................................................

New York & Company: $44.50

Beth sent me an email telling me she had seen a chambray popover at NY&Co. and that it was worth checking out. I generally don't shop there as nothing ever seems to fit me right, but I was hopefully. I ended up making about 5 laps around the store until I found the shirt - but it was only left in a medium so it must have been a very popular piece! Unfortunately for me, it did not fit properly on me. Again it was too tight in the arms, and also somewhat short on me (as most pieces there are). I liked the color of the shirt, and it buttoned all the way up which is was a plus. For me, the wrong fit was obviously a deal breaker, but I think I would have probably passed on this as well as I think the front flap pockets would make it difficult to layer.

.......................................................................................................................................................

J. Crew Faded Chambray Popover: $78

The J.Crew chambray picture is actually what sparked this desire for a chambray popover, which is why I was so excited initially when I saw the Old Navy version. I'm glad I went in and tried this shirt on instead of ordering it blindly (for close to $80! that's so much!). Again the medium is too tight in the arms, but the large fit well. Besides the outrageous price for a shirt (hi, literally half of my month's budget), I wasn't IN LOVE with it. The color is just a bit lighter than I would want - it's a really really faded blue which I think may make it harder to wear with certain other colors. In the end, I knew I couldn't spend that much money on a shirt that I wasn't 100% sure I was going to enjoy wearing.

.......................................................................................................................................................

J.Crew Factory Chambray Popover: $49.50

As I mentioned, I ordered the J.Crew Factory version during their recent 30% off everything promotion, so with shipping this shirt cost me $40 (there wasn't anything else I wanted to spend money on, and the nearest outlet is an hour away so I made an exception to my no paying for shipping rule). I ordered it in a Large as that is what my polka dot popover is. I AM SO HAPPY WITH THIS SHIRT. It is exactly what I was looking for. It fits me well in the arms, it is long enough to so it isn't boxy on me, it buttons all the way  up, and the color is something that is more true to what I wanted. The only small downside I can find is that the pockets on the front are two different sizes but that doesn't bother me as I think they somewhat blend into the shirt. I felt the most comfortable in this shirt and I really can not wait to wear it. I'm so happy I didn't decide to overspend on a shirt, or settle for the cheap alternative. This smart spending thing takes a bit more time but I think, for me, it'll be worth it in the end.

medical school wardrobe: dress code

Having worked in a very, very casual work environment means that I've had a lot of freedom with what I can wear everyday (except for the safety restrictions of needing to wear pants, flat shoes, and a lab coat). With school starting at the very end of July, my closet needs a some additions that I previously didn't have much use for. My school does have a dress code for any time we are on campus (including lecture and studying in the library) - it's as follows:

A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained. Women are required to wear 

appropriate dresses of reasonable length or slacks with appropriate blouses. Halter tops, midriff tops, strapless or backless tops or dresses; sundresses, crop pants, capri pants and miniskirts are not permitted. Revealing or tight, form-fitting clothing is unacceptable. Women’s hair must be neat and trimmed at all times, avoiding extreme styles or colors. Excessive body piercing is not acceptable. Women are required to wear shoes or sandals with socks or stockings. Shorts, jeans, T-shirts and sandals with bare feet are not permitted.

So - halter tops, midriff tops, strapless or backless dresses, and mini skirt are not going to be a problem for me. I don't even own any of those things! It seems that ankle pants may be considered cropped pants, which is really unfortunate as I consider ankle pants to be dress pants. The other thing is that when wearing dresses or skirts, I'll need to wear tights. I was a dancer for 14 years, so tights for me are like a death sentence (but partially because I just think of shiny shiny tights). The dress code is what it is, so there isn't much use in complaining about it. Instead I'm going to shop for it!

On my 25th birthday I made a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30. One of those items was to own a Chanel bag. I started a savings account where for every paycheck, $25 is automatically transferred into it so I could walk into a Chanel store on my 30th birthday and purchase a bag without any guilt. Unfortunately for my handbag collection, my life has gone in a different direction and I now have different priorities. Since I won't have a paycheck for another 4 years, I am going to cash out that account out and use it to buy my clothes for school. By the time I quit my job in the middle of June, I'll have about $500.

So what do I think I need? I plan on finding the following things:

+ Dress pants: I have never been comfortable in dress pants - they always fit wrong, are too short or too long, and always itchy. I would like to buy a pair of black pants and a pair of dark grey pants. I plan on purchasing them larger and longer and then have them tailored to be exactly what I want. Ideally I would like a pair for heels and a pair for flats - maybe I'll find a great deal on pants I really like and then be able to have both.

+ Skirts: Since I haven't worn many skirts (or really any), I don't really know what I'm looking for here. A black skirt that fits correctly is something I shouldn't be able to mess up too much so again I plan on finding one that either fits comfortably off the rack (doubtful) or find something that can be tailored to what I feel comfortable in. A printed version would be fun too. I did purchase this Banana Republic skirt a few weeks ago when it was on sale for $40, but I feel the certain color of blue and the pattern is kind of limiting (what do you do in the winter?) so I returned it. I did like the fit though so I will make sure to try on more skirts at Banana Republic 

+ Cardigans: I'm told our building is pretty chilly, so cardigans for easy layering will be necessary. I realized looking through my closet that I don't have many cardigans. I'd like a few solid colored cardigans that fit well and can easily be mixed and matched with different shirts and bottoms.

+ Printed Blouses: I have a few solid blouses but very few printed (besides my new awesome cat printed blouse). I think a few printed blouses will be easy to mix and match with the solid cardigans and won't be something I have to think a lot about in the morning.

+ Dresses: A few solid dresses that can either be worn alone (preferable with tee-shirt sleeves or long sleeves) or with cardigans/blazers will be something that will be great to have for the warm months and then later to be layered in the winter. I purchased this Gap dress (seen here) this week during the friends and family event - I think it'll be a staple that can go with many different cardigans/blazers.

+ Black Heels: I've mentioned this before, but I don't own any closed toed black heels, and I don't own any heels that I can wear for more than like 20 minutes. A pair with a stable heel (even though my mom hates the thicker heels!) that allows me to walk and be comfortable will be a must.

+ Nude Flats: Goes with everything! Especially with...

+ Tights: ugh. I'm hoping to find a few very thin pairs for the summer and then transition into sweater or fleece lined tights in the fall/winter. Any recommendations for a tall (5'9'') girl?

So. That's the plan. I don't really plan on purchasing many of these things right now unless I happen upon them (like the Gap dress). I will keep a running total in each month's budget recap for the items that are specifically purchased for school. I don't plan on spending all of this money before school starts but I do want a majority of them so I don't have to worry about it once all the studying starts. 

I'd love to hear if you've had to work with a similar dress code, and what ended up being staples for you.

I want to make smart purchases when buying these clothes, so there will be lots of trips to the mall and tailor to make sure I get exactly what I want. Is my search for these items something you guys care to hear about or would you rather just know the end result? I don't want to bore you about finding the perfect black heel...unless you're into it.

5 Days, 5 Ways

It was so so bright out when I tried to take these pictures - my eyes are either closed in the pictures, I look angry, or I look like this. You just can't win! 

In other not weather related news, Whitney and I will be holding a week long link up the week of the 25th of March called 5 Days, 5 Ways. As women who blog about their every day style with their every day closets, we repeat item pieces all the time and we're always so inspired by you guys when we see all the different ways you've worn something.

This link up is an opportunity to share how you've styled certain items different ways - you can either pull looks from your archives, make new ones, or even make polyvore sets of how you would wear that piece of clothing different ways (and if you can't come up with 5, do 3 or 4! or be an over achiever and come up with 10! no hard rules here kids). The first two days will link to me (tops and pants) and the last three days will link to Whitney (accessories, dresses, and casual Friday looks). We will of course remind you of everything the closer we get, but now you have a few weeks to come up with some ideas, or find a new way to wear something you've worn a lot in the past.

I really hope you guys join us - I'm so excited to see all the ways you've worn items already in your closets!

Blouse: Forever 21  [very similar]
Sweater: J.Crew Fact. [exact on sale | splurge]
Jeans: Joe's Jeans*  [same style]
Necklace: Forever 21  [similar]
Watch: Fossil  [similar]
Shoes: Tory Burch  [exact]
Nails: Essie Berry Naughty





*I've come to realize that as comfortable as skinny jeans are, I think that bootcut jeans help balance out all the junk I have going on in the hip region. I'd love to own another pair of these jeans, possibly in a longer inseam so that I can wear them with wedges (I think I could probably get away with that at work). I've been stalking eBay for a pair in my size so wish me luck - $180 just isn't something I'm willing to drop on jeans right now but I can probably manage $50 ;)

via instagram

Have a great weekend!






Linking up with Plane Pretty.