Haul & LV Exchange

Here are a few things I've purchased over the past few weeks that I've been loving.

Simple as that.

1. Nine West Hollyroot Peep-toe Wedge Ankle Boots (found here). I bought these on a whim at Saks Off 5th as I had a party to go to later that night. I was drawn to them b/c of the zipper detail. Definitely more flattering in person. Just know now...I'm not a heel person. While I think heels are beautiful, I've reached that age where I pick comfort over style. Not sorry.

2. Forever 21 Layered Box Chain Necklace (found here). I haven't purchased F21 jewelry in years but saw this while I was browsing and thought it would be a fun statement piece. Can't go wrong for 11 bucks.

 

3. Forever 21 Sequin-embellished dress (found here). I saw this in the store, was drawn to it, but was totally put off by the price. $50 for a dress from F21?! Yeah right. But then fate called and sent me a coupon. So here it is...It looks better on and is sparklier in person. Just throwin' that out there.

4. Forever 21 Faux Fur Vest (found here). I've been wanting a faux fur vest for a while then saw this one online. Cheap way to try the trend. Recently wore it with my red buffalo plaid shirt and black jeggings.

5. Two Faced Cat Eyes palette (here), Urban Decay Naked On the Run (here), and Urban Decay Naked Basics (here). I go through phases of buying makeup, and right now I'm apparently updating my eyeshadow palette collection. No complaints with these palettes...good quality. Check the sites for pics of the shadows inside. I'm too lazy to take that many pics, and don't want to bore you if it's not your thing.

6. HRH Collection Monochrome Crystal Bomber (here). HRH is my guilty pleasure. I haven't purchased anything from her site in a while, so I splurged a little. I'm in love with this bomber and was pleasantly surprised by the thickness of it (it's pretty heavy). I wish my camera picked up the crystal detailing better...check the site for better pics. It's so beautiful!

7. HRH bracelets (site link here). Here are a few of the bracelets I recently purchased from HRH along with a picture of me wearing the bomber and a few of the bracelets together (wore with the Nine West wedges mentioned in the beginning). I'm not going to link every one but encourage you to check out the site as Alex (owner) has such a range of beautiful jewelry and clothing. 

8. Louis Vuitton Favorite MM (Large) in Damier Ebene handbag (here) and Louis Vuitton Zippy Coin Purse  in Damier Ebene (here). So this is what I exchanged for the Alma BB. As I predicted, the Alma BB didn't fit my wallet well, and it was really stiff. I would find myself scratching my hand on the zipper as it didn't open very wide. I chose the Favorite MM as it fits my original wallet well and will look cute on nights out. Even though I would never just use the gold chain on its own, I think it adds a cute detail when using the detachable long shoulder strap. Since it was a bit less expensive, I decided to get the Zippy Coin Purse as well. It's really a small wallet as it has slots for cards. 

Goodness gracious. This blog post made me realize I spend way too much &*$%#@^ money.

Happy 2015! Here's to a more conservative budget...

It's my birthday, and I'll buy what I want to

I've been wanting to purchase a luxury handbag for a while, and I figured now was as good of time as any. This is my grad school graduation/Christmas/birthday gift to myself, and I feel no shame as I've been contemplating this for a while. I originally wanted another model, but it was unavailable in the store as it was a new design and pretty sought after. So let's get on with what I got...

This is the Louis Vuitton Alma BB in the Damier Ebene Canvas. It includes a removable leather strap allowing you to wear it like a cross body (I know...typical me). I like it so far, but I didn't think it would be as stiff as it is. It fits my large wallet, but I'm afraid the zipper may end up scratching my wallet as the bag opening isn't very forgiving. Guess I'll just have to find another wallet! ;)

That's all I have for today! Happy holidays, everyone.

xoxo

4 bags. 4 designers. 4 reviews.

Over the last couple of years I have been trying to acquire 4 specific crossbody purses: black with silver, black with gold, brown with silver, and brown with gold. Upon purchasing my latest purse, I realized that I finally have them all! (No...not a Pokemon reference...) I figured that with these combos, I would have a bag to go with any outfit. The ones that I have are all crossbody bags by four different designers: Tory Burch, Kate Spade, Rebecca Minkoff, and Coach. Here a quick review of what I think about the bags/designers.

1. Tory Burch Logo Clutch (found here) This is my most recent purchase. I've been wanting it for a while and couldn't turn down a Black Friday deal the site was having. It's great quality in my opinion. The chain strap does make this bag pretty heavy but not to the point of being uncomfortable. My main dislike is the fact that there's NO DEPTH to this bag (see second picture)! It hardly holds anything and can seem bulky even with a few small items. My other complaint is the lack of magnetic closure. The logo is heavy and weighs down the flap, but I think some sort of closing mechanism would be better. It is a great night out bag tho. Would I recommend it? Yes tho it doesn't hold a lot.

2. Kate Spade Crossbody (similar here and here) Unlike my Tory Burch bag, this one is a softer leather and doesn't have as much structure. It has three compartments--two zipped and one between those compartments (see second picture) and holds a surprising amount. The second picture was taken right after I got the bag (1 year ago), and it's easy to see how much this bag has worn down. I did use it quite a bit but already noticed some wear after a short amount of time. For the price, I expected it to last longer. Would I recommend it? No. I like the style but not the quality. 

3. Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C. Clutch (here) I'm just going to be blunt with this one and say, "No. Don't do it!" It was all the hype for a while, but it is sooo not worth it. The chain is surprisingly heavy, your hair can easily get caught in the chain and/or studs, and it wears like crap. I actually called the company about this one when I noticed the leather cracking (see second picture). They just told me, "Use a leather protectant." Too late for that obviously. It only has one compartment but holds a decent amount for its size. Least favorite of all four of these bags. Would I recommend it? No! Spare yourself and your money! 

4. Coach Crossbody/Mini Tote (similar here and here) I have no complaints about this bag. In fact, I have a lot of praise! I haven't purchase a Coach purse in years as I was never impressed by their quality in the past. Their seams would come undone, the fabric/leather would wear easily, etc. When I saw this bag, I was in love! They really upped their game and pay attention to the smallest details. Even the studs are embossed with their name. This bag is made with a crossgrain leather. It doesn't seem to scratch easily and holds shape very well. This bag is a little bulkier but holds a ton (see depth in picture 2)! Like the Kate Spade, there are 3 compartments (see picture 3) making organizing easy. I definitely use this one the most, but it has held up very well so far. Would I recommend it? YESYESYES!

So there's that. The good thing about all of these designers is that they're often on sale. I didn't purchase any of these bags at full price. I purchased the Tory Burch and Rebecca Minkoff bags from their online stores while they were having seasonal/holiday sales. The Kate Spade and Coach bags were found at Von Maur on a sale rack. 

Hopefully that was useful. These reviews don't necessarily depict my overall views of the designers listed, but I think it is a good reflection of their quality.

I think I'm catching on to this blogging thing. Enter your email above to be notified of new posts. Find a poll to the right and help me choose what to write about next.

:) 

Random shopping list

In order to remember things I want to buy, I keep a running list on my phone. No, I don't mean eggs, milk, and toilet paper. I keep a list of mini splurges I want whenever I have some extra change.

1. Burberry Check Ombre Wool Silk Scarf-  $395 (found here) I saw this scarf on Mel (officialmelrose on IG), a Youtuber, in an Instagram post (pictured below) and thought, "I need this. Now."

2. Target Threshold Bar Cart in Gold- $129.99 (found here) Contrary to popular belief, I really don't drink that much, but how can you say no to this bar cart? I'm constantly wanting to change my home decor (or lack thereof) and think this would be such a cool display piece.

3. Stila Cosmetics Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow- $32 (found here) I saw this in a Youtube make up tutorial recently and was blown away. This is probably the stupidist thing on my list considering I wear eyeshadow about once a month, and when I do, 99% of the time, it's matte. Whatever. It's pretty, and I want it.

4. Typewriter- Price varies (example here) Yes, totally random, but I think a beautiful turquoise typewriter would be an amazing display piece. Such an awesome pop of color. And yes, I do remember these. I'm not that young.

Okay. That's all for now. Off to yoga b/c I'm that kind of girl...

You can never go wrong with...

If you're like me, you try on your whole closet before ultimately determining that you have nothing to wear. In times like those, I default to a white shirt and jeans. Perfect for running errands, casual meet ups with friends, or casual Fridays.

My three favorite white shirts are a fitted white tee, a loose white tee, or a blouse. Here are a few examples:

Gap fitted white tee

This tee has the perfect amount of stretch for that form fitting look

Old Navy casual tee

I usually buy this one a couple sizes too big then tuck in a small section for a casual look.

Express button up

For a little more 'put together' look, try a classic white button up.

Don't forget to add an eye-catching accessory to pull the look together.

Now for some inspiration (These are not my images...found on Google):