pretty little layer

You know how you see something and you just immediately think, "that's SO me!!". Yeah, that's this jacket. Black and white, ultra feminine, polished, pretty. I have so. many. white blazers, but I don't care. This one has a ribbon and I love it.

My natural inclination is to throw this on over jeans when I want a little lazy glamour on the weekends, but it's also begging to be amped up a bit for a super sharp professional look. This is the jacket I'd reach for on the morning of the big presentation, the keynote speech, the dream job interview. This is a four-season piece (just one of the ways I am justifying this purchase), but here's how I'd style it for spring:

a classic blazer you'll have literally forever // a simple, silky black camisole won't distract from the main attraction // these cropped trousers have a slight flare but are still slim enough to create a flattering leg silhouette // for spring, blush pink is a perfect pairing with black and white, and this satchel is sharp and practical // cropped pants are a great way to show off cute shoes, like these very minimal blush colored heels // one bold accessory, like this statement ring, adds just enough sparkle

tgif

We made it through another week (some of us -- me -- just barely). On this Friday, I am feeling some cool, fresh colors and a skirt that might raise a few eyebrows around the office but will definitely take you to happy hour, dinner, and beyond.

This won't be a frivolous spending month for me, but it is were, I'd pick this skirt up in a heartbeat. Does anyone need a silver metallic pencil skirt? Probably not, but it's pretty cool and it's the kind of thing you'd have in your closet for-ever (like, in 20 years your teenage daughter will be begging to borrow it).

lavender is the perfect cool shade to tie this look together, and I think these sweet tassel earrings are fun but not too over the top for the workday // I love a classic white button down to balance a much fancier skirt // that silver leather pencil skirt you never knew you needed in your life // a soft, slightly purplish lip gloss is flattering on a lot of skin tones // a creamy leather tote is on my wishlist for spring // crazy floral pumps are so much more versatile than they seem (pops of yellow work in almost every look)

no regrets

I think a morning routine is important. Some people meditate. Many take time to write. Others go straight for a big cup of coffee and some breakfast. I open my laptop, surf over to jcrew.com and type the words "bow embellished" in the search bar. Super normal, right?

I try not to live with regrets, but every so often a sartorial conquest slips away and I can't quite move on. While I'm waiting for a sale or waffling about a purchase, my beloved sells out and I'm crushed. This happens pretty much every season, and so I've developed a habit of starting my day by checking various websites to see if new stock has popped up. Sometimes I also hit up eBay and Poshmark, because I am thorough. And obsessed. And I don't meditate.

Here's what I'm pining over right now:

I ordered this sweet little bow-embellished (hey, remember that term? From way back at the start of this post?) top after Christmas. Scored a sweeeet deal.  Sadly, I didn't open the box for about 3 weeks (was an insanely busy time) and when I did, I was so bummed to see that I'd accidentally received the wrong color and the shirt was almost completely sold out. Sadly it's the tiny sizes that seem to pop back into stock (and I know this top runs a little small), but I'm still hoping I'll catch one.

I didn't see this bag until after it had been marked way down (and of course, sold out), but I can't help but hope I get a little lucky. So great, right? It's very fancy and proper, but I think it has a bit of a wild side that wants to come out and play.

I've been looking for a pair of tortoiseshell shoes forever, and these were perfectly sweet and totally affordable. I put off placing an order until it was way too late. Dumb.

This one is long sold out, but I'm crossing my fingers for a resale option. I had passed it up last year because I told myself I had too many striped shirts, but that shoulder detail is really great. And what's sad is that sometimes when I'm trying to decide what to wear in the morning, this shirt pops into my head. Even though I don't own it!

Finally, an oldie but goodie -- I don't know where I was when this candy stripe Tippi was out, but I should have been in line at J. Crew buying the happiest sweater ever. Sigh.

Have you ever missed out on something and regretted it later? Do you keep chasing, or just...let it go?

february budget

Last year I started tracking my spending on clothing -- it seemed like a kind of a smart, grown-up thing to do. Around the same time I did a major closet clean-out/purge and discovered too many flammable looking Forever 21 pieces, pilled Target cardigans, and regrettable impulse purchases that were all gathering dust. I liked the idea of having some accountability to curb some of my mindless buying, so at the end of each month I survey my purchases and make sure that I'm sticking to my budget and making smart decisions. And here we are.

February was supposed to be a no shopping month for me, so how'd I do? Ehhhh...

I didn't make it. All was fine until about a week ago when I decided to make an exception and buy these sneakers that I fell madly in lurve with. I was planning to just wait until March, but all of a sudden they were selling out everywhere and I realized they wouldn't be around that long. I also realized I'd really be bummed to miss out on them. I mean, they're just sneakers, but I do have a habit of obsessing over the ones that got away. I spotted my size back in stock and a nice little President's Day promo code and just went for it. When I got to the checkout, there was also a pair of sunglasses in my cart from a previous session but I pretended not to notice and placed my order. So my purchases for this month are as follows:

Adidas Originals ($101) // Oversized Retro Sunglasses ($14)

monthly budget: $200 ($0 in February)

total: $115 ($85 under budget/$115 over budget)

The good news is that I love both purchases and know I will wear them both often (practically daily), so I'll consider it a success for thoughtful, mindful shopping. Small victories.

When you're not shopping for (most of) a month, you have lots of time for window shopping, which I did plenty of. All kinds of spring goodies are showing up in stores, and I have my eye on a few:

this lace shirt is a little off-beat but has some interesting potential // still digging the crazy pants // this perfect looking sweater is from the upcoming Lemaire collab with Uniqlo (love the half sleeves) // I love this inkblot floral, which seems less twee than most spring-y prints // black and white striped espadrilles with a little platform? sold // I've been a little wary of the cropped wide-leg jeans thing, but I'm digging this white pair // my very excellent sunglasses in tortoiseshell

Did you buy anything good this month? What do you have your eye on right now? Let me know!

I'm linking up with Fran and the budget bloggers, because those ladies always find great stuff...

PS -- wishing a special happy birthday to my brother (who does not read this blog) because he and all of the other leap babies get an actual birthday this year! If you are celebrating something special this Leap Day, check out the NYT's collection of treat yo self recipes (and do NOT check out the movie of the same name -- the delightful Amy Adams deserved better).

lace for less

Self-Portrait is the hot new kid on the fashion block right now -- it is hard to miss the brand's intricate and feminine lace dresses and blouses that are popping up on the red carpet, on blogs, and all over the editorial pages. I have at least a dozen dresses on my running wish list, but at $400-600 a pop they're a bit of a budgetary stretch. I'm hoping to catch one on a good sale or put away a little cash for a splurge, but until then I've been keeping an eye on budget-friendly options. Good news, there are a few!

There are plenty of lace dresses out there, but there are a few key things Self-Portrait's dresses so special: modern, feminine cuts (think midi dresses, gently flared skirts), geometric patterns, sweet accents (ruffles, peter pan collars), and strategic sheerness. Here are my current favorite options:

Zara Lace Shirtdress

H&M Lace Dress

Zara Tube Dress

Forever 21 Crochet Midi Dress

Anthropologie Narrante Lace Dress

ASOS Lace Midi Dress

crazypants

I hated these pants when I first saw them. I was all, "nah, you missed on this one Zara". And then I kept thinking about them, and smiled when I realized the print reminded me of the wallpaper in my childhood bedroom. And then I fell in love, as one does. You may hate them initially too, but wait a minute...they'll grow on you. So how to wear them?

For weekends, they're easy. A turtleneck sweater would be good, and a white tee and cool sneakers would be very chic and unfussy. But I think they're most fun (and unexpected) dressed up for work. You won't be able to wear these very often unless you want to encourage lame comments from your co-workers -- "Look, you're wearing your crazy pants again!"-- so pull them out sparingly and have fun building some really interesting looks.

the aforementioned crazy pants, a whimsical print in a modern cut // the best match for a bold print is a subtle print, like this great windowpane blouse // your favorite preppy blazer pulls everything together // more pattern-mixing with a graphic handbag // very tailored, very feminine heels make a casual pair of pants more elegant 

sneakerhead

I have a newish obsession with sneakers. Not the clunky ones I wear when I'm sweating and cursing on the treadmill, but the funky cool ones you can pass off as a valid footwear choice. They add a quirky twist to your real clothes and make leggings and a tee look like a legit outfit. In other words, a total closet MVP. I've convinced myself that I just love the way they look, but it's possible that in my 30s I just. can't. even. with shoes that pinch my toes and give me blisters. Either way: gimme.

For spring there are lots of neutrals and sweet pastels (Pastels? For spring? Groundbreaking.) I don't know how many pair of sneakers one girl needs, but these eight should be a good start:

top row:

Brooks is my brand of choice for running shoes, and I'm seriously in love with the pale pink and gold color combo of this casual pair.

I wouldn't mind if every pair of shoes had rose gold cap toes. 

Stella McCartney is one of those rare designers who actually makes activewear that you can be active in (sorry, Tory). I wouldn't run a marathon in these cute dusty pink sneakers, but they seem like they'd hold up to a long walk, a friendly tennis match, or one of those hateful "team-building" activities companies sometimes force people to participate in. (If your company does that, you should find a new job.)

I knew Zara would come through with a decent version of Loeffler Randall's coveted (and pricey) Rio trainers. Who knew neutrals could looks so sharp? I'm not usually a fan of such an obvious knock-off, but I'm also not a fan of paying $300 for sneakers, so....

bottom row:

Nike does a pretty great job of marrying form and function -- you could make these work for your Saturday morning run and your Saturday night fun.

New Balance is usually the brand of choice for fashionable sneaker lovers. I'm digging this pair because they are basically Cate Blanchett's stunning Givenchy dress (Oscars 2011) in sneaker form, which is weird but awesome. 

A pair of gray Sauconys is so classic, but the pops of pink and yellow add a little extra personality.

If obnoxiously loud gold sneakers are wrong, I don't want to be right.