Reaching for new heights

Handbags and heels are my weaknesses. Hence the name of this blog. I obviously love all other attire but handbags and heels are where the biggest portion of my money goes. They can spice up any outfit and no matter how your weight might fluctuate, they will always fit and always make you look amazing.

I haven't bought a major handbag in awhile. I've been waiting because I don't know what I want exactly. However, I know exactly what I want when it comes to shoes. I need a variety of practical shoes, including a white pair of Vans slipons, low black heels, and a pair of cute but comfortable sandals. I think I may have found the solution to that last need. These DV by Dolce Vita sandals are adorable. The silver will match so many different outfits and while they fit perfectly with the current trends, they have their own little flair to them.

Unfortunately, not all of my footwear desires are this practical. I have a great love for heels. As far as I am concerned, it is possible to own 5 pairs of black heels and still need more. I recently bought these, the Dolce Vita Madison. They're so sexy. I've been looking for nude pumps for awhile so these are perfect. I just have to decide whether or not to keep them. Yes, I love them but neither the 8.5 or 9 fits just right. The 8.5 is too tight in the toe box but the 9 is a bit too long. I think with a heel grip the 9 will work but I can't be entirely sure. I do want them though and I can justify this purchase with sorority fall recruitment. They'll be perfect. Who cares if I'll tower over all the pledges? I'll be a giant but a giant with killer heels and hot gams.

Fashionably green

Etsy is a genius thing. If you haven't heard of it, you should definitely check it out. It's a website that allows crafty people to create their own little online shops and sell their wares. You can browse by category or if you're looking for something in particular you can go to the alchemy section and post a description of what you're looking for. With any luck, someone will be interested in making the item for you (for a fee, of course).

I have spent hours sifting through Etsy. A lot of the stuff is not my style. However, every once in awhile I stumble across a store that has something I love. My favorite of the moment is called valhallabrooklyn. She makes gorgeous bags and other goods out of recycled leather. We all know the whole "Go Green" movement is the new trend. It's funny to see in places like forever21 that you know aren't environmentally friendly but when it comes to quality stuff like these leather handbags, I'm all in.

Valhallabrooklyn has cute designs that she makes in various colors but my favorite are the one-of-a-kinds that she makes out of leather jackets. They're amazing because she manages to keep original features of the former jacket in the design of the bag.

These two are my favorites but unfortunately they've both been sold. I am hoping that she'll come out with some more like these because I seriously want one. Forget buying the latest Marc Jacobs. Even if it were limited edition, there would still be several hundred people with the exact same bag. With this, you get a bag that no one else in the world owns. The price isn't too bad either. At less than $300, they're a fraction of the cost of many designer handbags. Plus, they're quality. They're made of genuine, buttery soft leather. This is the kind of bag I could use everyday and while it might get a worn look, it would only be in a good way. One-of-a-kind, relatively cheap AND an everyday bag that can actually handle the love of being used every day? I can't think of anything better. Can you?

Avoid the big red bullseye

I am a broke college student. My parents and I have a deal. They pay for my education, housing, food, and necessities and I am supposed to pay for the fun stuff such as concerts, eating out, drinks, and shopping. It's a pretty sweet deal, I have to admit. The problem is that I am currently unemployed. This makes doing the fun stuff a bit more difficult and thus, I should avoid shopping. Really, it isn't too big of a deal. The big department stores are in San Francisco and the few stores in the immediate area of the university aren't all that tempting. So I was doing pretty well for myself. That is, until I went to Target today. That store always gets me into trouble. The thing about Nordstroms is as much as I like shopping there I know that I don't actually need any of it. I may want lots of items but I can survive just fine without another pair of Sevens or a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag. Target, on the other hand, is full of things that I can easily argue that I need. I spent close to $90 there today on items that will probably be useful and that I most likely would have bought sometime in the future but I certainly did not need to buy them now. They all could have waited until I am employed and have sufficient funds. Well, except for the deodorant. I actually do need that immediately seeing as my old one has completely run out on me. Still, the point is that at Target you grab so many little things that by the time you hit the register it totals up to close to $100, which just isn't okay when you have no income. Therefore, I am self-imposing a ban on Target for the next month or so until I have money. Thank god the Botkier for Target line looks hideous or I might have had trouble enforcing my ban.

Not quite it...

I was praying for a ShopBop discount code and got my wishes. Sadly it's only good on non-sale items. I guess I need to be more specific in my prayers. Boo. However, if any of you are looking to save 20% at ShopBop the code is HEATWAVE08. It's only for today so shop fast!

Trying for second best...

Weddings can be a bit tricky to dress for. One must be fashionable but on the more conservative side. While there are arguably appropriate times to rock the gold lame mini skirt or the all sequin ball gown (perhaps at a drag show?), a wedding is decidedly not one of them. And of course, the number one rule is that you cannot show up the bride. In other words, you want to be the second best dressed woman in the room. She has had to deal with guest lists, catering staff, future in-laws and dress fittings. The least you can do is make sure that your outfit does not detract from the attention on her. (Yes, I do mean her. The bride is the center of the whole parade. The groom rides in the sidecar).

On top of the usual rules of how to dress at a wedding, I have my own. My friend, Lisa, is getting married in mid-July. It's a summer wedding, which means that I require a summer dress. Under no circumstances do I want to wear a black dress. It's not so much that it's a fashion faux pas as much as it's simply boring. I want a fun-colored dress of modest but not matronly cut. I like most bright colors within reason but I'd prefer it not to be yellow as I already wore a yellow dress to her bridal shower. This should be a fun task but the mother has put a limit on the price of the dress and let's just say that the whole process gets a bit more tedious when one has to stay under $100.

Things started off great at the BCBG sale when I spotted this cute teal dress for 70% off. I like the bright but not overwhelming color and the two patterns complement each other. Sadly, it was not to be as none of the stores in the Bay Area had my size. If you happen by a BCBG store anytime soon though I suggest you look for this dress because it is super cute in person and for $84 it's a steal.

I then decided to exhaust my designer discount options. This meant trips to Loehmann's, Marshall's, TJ Maxx, and Nordstroms Rack. I don't know what Loehmann's in NYC is like but I can tell you that the SF branch is depressing. Sure, there might be something beneath the piles and piles of hideous patterns and wretched cuts but it certainly wasn't a wedding appropriate dress. As for Marshall's and TJ Maxx, I walked in, looked at the rack of dowdy, box-shaped dresses and walked out. Nordstroms Rack was the only one with any potential but unfortunately most of the better dresses were in poor shape. There were tears, lost sequins, and makeup stains. I tried on a couple for good measure but they simply did not fit correctly. On the bright side, I managed to snag a pair of tan leather loafers that are oh-so-comfy and have cute little gold accents. There is one last option I haven't checked out, a Neiman Marcus Last Call in San Jose. It's far, especially with recent gas prices, but if I get desperate I might just have to make the venture.

For now, I have turned to trolling the internet. It seems that every online store is having sales. I have my eye on this Nieves Lavi dress at ShopBop but at $254.10 it's a little out of my price range. I just love the colors and pattern. It's eye catching. Plus the cut is perfect for a summer wedding. It shows some skin but not so much that I'll look like the town whore. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that the price drops or that I can find a discount code.

Of course, in the end I might just end up wearing that Marc by Marc Jacobs dress. I only worry about it being just a little too casual. It's a summer wedding but a late afternoon one. I'd prefer one that wasn't quite such a day dress. Plus, why not take advantage of the opportunity to snag a new dress?

Home is where the heart (and money) is

I love my parents and it's always nice to see them. However, like any other spoiled, materialistic offspring, there is a greedy additional reason why I look forward to my trips home. Namely, my mother is well trained and knows that mother-daughter bonding time means taking me shopping and dropping loads of cash. I almost always get some goodies but this time was an exceptionally good haul. My mother took me to the mall with the specific goal of finding me an acceptable 21st birthday gift. My birthday was 3 months ago and I had already received a gorgeous Mike & Chris leather jacket (50% off but that's another post) but my parents had told me that they wanted to buy me something that I would still use 20 years from now. Well, when my mother has a mission she sets right to it. We first browsed the jewelry section at Macy's where I found a gorgeous necklace with a single black pearl. I was in love but being fickle I decided that I needed to peruse every jewelry section and store in the entire mall before I made my decision. It took 2.5 hours and I looked at every possible stone and combination but I eventually settled on the pearl. I really liked some of the diamond pendants, particularly the journey ones but the pearl, I felt, was more unique. Plus, we were able to get it for a huge discount with the Macy's card, a discount coupon, and the jewelry sale they were having. I can find a diamond pendant that tickles my fancy anytime but a $850 pearl for $200, I think not. Along with the pearl pendant, I got a necklace, earring, and bracelet white pearl set for a ridiculously low price. It's not my ideal type but since I need white pearls both for interviews and for sorority recruitment in the fall it was a good buy.


Aside from the jewelry, I picked up a pair of BCBGirls black pointy toed heels (boring but again, needed for recruitment), 3 v necks and a boyfriend cardigan at American Apparel, a more professional silver watch by Kenneth Cole Reaction and $200 worth of makeup at Sephora to make a "travel kit." Lastly, I found an amazing deal. While browsing the sale racks at Macy's, I stumbled upon a Marc by Marc Jacobs wave print wrap dress. I was a bit worried because it's a small and I, of late, am definitely not a small but it works because it's a wrap dress and because no matter how fat I get my chest will always be minute. It retails for $198 but I got it for only $68! Needless to say it was a good weekend.

Let's start from the very beginning...

I like clothes. It's such a simple sentence but it has had so many repercussions. My fashion addiction is the reason why my bank account is pitifully in the lower hundreds. It is also the reason why my closet is cluttered with heels and assorted other goods that I love but, as an ordinary college girl, simply have no place to wear. I am the girl who goes to lecture but spends the entire time searching the web for the best deals on the clothes she cannot afford. It's a sad existence that I'm not always proud of but I can't seem to tear myself away. This blog is just one more step into the obsession.