But if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need...

Okay, so maybe I didn't need it per say but since I was probably going to buy the Anthropologie 'Cupcake Shift' no matter what, I did need it to go on sale for the sake of my bank account. I got it for $69.95 which is a lot more sane than the original $138. It fits perfectly and I received a lot of compliments at work. Sadly, it's such a summer color that I don't know how much use I'll get out of it in the next few months but I'll try to whip it out every once in awhile.

I also ordered the 'Freethinker Shirtdress'but that will be making its way back shortly. It's cute and on someone else it'd be incredibly chic. I just don't have the bust for it. That and the neck part stuck out awkwardly.

You can't always get what you want...

I'm on the hunt for a variety of items for sorority recruitment and I have mere days to find them. Thus, on both Sunday and yesterday I went in search of the aforementioned items. Sadly I did not find the clothing I needed. Apparently navy dresses are not in style. It goes without saying that I found plenty that I did not need but now either desperately want or guiltily own.

First up was Anthropologie. I was hoping to find a dress in the sales rack. Instead I found 3 dresses at full price that I am determined to own and then a fourth online. The one I love the most is the 'Cupcake Shift'. It is a bright coral and utterly irresistible. I love that it has pockets! Sadly, the price is a bit steep for a solid color cotton shift. I'm hoping that the price drops but if not, I might just have to suck it up. The second dress is a pretty purple print and the third is a solid mustard yellow with buttons and detail down the front. To be perfectly honest I'm not entirely sure about the mustard yellow on my skin but it's a cute dress and I'll certainly buy it if it goes on sale. The last dress which I've only seen online is a navy colored dress with kimono like stylings. Since I'm actually looking for a navy dress, I might end up buying that one.

After lusting after dresses in Anthropologie, I headed over to MAC. Now I don't quite get all the hype over MAC cosmetics. I once bought the foundation powder compact and I hated it. MAC products tend to be way too heavy for my taste and I often think their staff look like drag queens. For foundation I now use Bare Escentuals and I highly recommend it. The only MAC products I still use are the eyeshadows. They simply have a wider variety of colors that almost any other company and I love the ability to make your own palettes. I picked up a pretty metallic green to change it up a bit and a light brown that matches my skin tone for blending. I don't buy makeup that often so I'm excited to try my new stuff out.

Adding to the collection

The summer might be fading fast but my feet are going to stay in warm weather mode for as long as possible. Especially since my DV by Dolce Vita 'Olive' sandals just came in the mail. They're super cute on and I'm glad I went for the 9 because I tried the 8.5 on in store and they were super narrow. Sadly the 9 are a bit long but I can just tighten the straps and they're fine.

I also stopped by Payless while my friend took care of some stuff at the bank. I really shouldn't go in there because I always walk out with at least one box. I just can't help it. The shoes are so cheap and the styles have improved so much in the last few years. This time was no different and I am now the somewhat guilty but still proud owner of a pair of purple suede-ish, tie-front, peep-toe heels.The great thing about Payless is that because the shoes are so cheap, you can afford to take a chance on something super trendy. This shoe is exactly that, trendy, and I'm not sure how I'll wear it but I like it and at $25 that's a good enough reason.

Meet my future husband(s)...

I think my vision of the ideal man is pretty standard. I want him to have a great sense of humor, be kind and respectful, know how to be romantic, be intelligent but not snobbish about it, have ambitions and the drive to make them come true, and treat me like his better half. And since we're talking about my ideal man you can throw in good looks and a sizable bank account. The part that might not be as standard is that I want my man to have style. I'm not talking about putting on a button up and trousers. Any guy can do that. I'm also not talking about the guys that buy designer everything because Sevens jeans do not equate style if you don't know how to wear them. Instead, I'm talking about a man who is effortlessly chic. What would be the point of me looking fashionable when my counterpoint walks beside me looking like a slob? I want a man who can look truly comfortable in a three-piece suit but then turn around and make jeans look chic. In fact, I can be more specific. The picture above is from The Sartorialist. It is of two men in Paris. Both men are stylish but in two very different ways. The man on the left wears a hodgepodge of different accessories but manages to make it look cool but not too done. The guy on the right wears a suit without making it look stuffy. Find me a guy who could pull off both looks and I'd marry him in a heartbeat.

I'm just not that into you...

I hate making returns but it's the understood consequence of online shopping. I have a tendency to hoard to-be-returned items and only deal with them once they threaten to take over my entire room. Of late the results of my online scouring have been underwhelming so I've been forced to concern myself with the matter of refunds and exchanges.

The first to go back was the Nieves Lavi dress from Shop Bop. I originally purchased it in a size medium. It arrived and it was immediately clear that it was huge. I exchanged it hoping that once it actually fit that I would like it. No such luck and now it is on its way back.

The second item going back are the Bombay heels from Max Studio. They were gorgeous online and in person. However, when I went to wear them for my friends wedding the buckle on the right heel broke. I suppose it is fixable but I don't want to pay full price for shoes that I have to fix 20 minutes after taking them out of the box. Once I get my lazy butt to the post office they too will be headed back and thankfully with a full refund despite it having been longer than the 20 day return policy allows.

Lastly, I'm returning one or both pairs of the Madison by Dolce Vita heels. Neither pair fits extremely well. The 8.5 is the perfect length but is tight in the toe box. The 9 is great as far as width is concerned but too long. I love them and I've wanted a pair of nude heels for so long but I hate the idea of buying shoes that don't fit me perfectly. I'm going to strut around the apartment a bit more with both pairs and see how it goes. Maybe the 8.5 will stretch a bit or perhaps with a heel grip the 9 will work. Otherwise it's adios to both.

Shopping for the City of Sin

It's been awhile but with starting a new job and going to Vegas this past weekend, I haven't had much time for blogging. Unfortunately, I didn't win big in Vegas so there will be no celebratory shopping spree. I did, however, get some shopping in before making the 8.5 hour drive to Sin City.

I hate shopping in a hurry. I like to take my time and debate things. I put things back, think twice and pick it up again. Yes, it can be annoying to shop with me but I like to know when I walk out a store that I am completely happy with my purchases. I don't buy things that I think are 'alright.' I want to love my clothes or I'll never wear them. I'm fine with going home empty handed if I don't find anything I love. However, I did not have the luxury of time during this trip. I needed comfortable black work flats and something to wear in Vegas in two and a half hours or I would be naked in Vegas (probably not as bad there compared to any other city but still something I'd like to avoid).

I first stopped by Nordstroms. I had seen a pair of Me Too flats that, while they were a bit square in the toe, looked extremely comfortable. I thought I'd be in and out in 15 minutes but the flats didn't work out. I have wide feet and my left foot was pinched. It might have stretched out but when I need to run around for 6 hours, I don't want shoes that might be comfortable. The sales man was extremely nice and pulled out every black, closed-toe flat he had in my size. I must have tried on a dozen or more pairs. I finally left with the Jeffrey Campbell 'Barcelona.' It's a simple, smooth black leather flat. It's flexible enough to accommodate my wide feet and I really do love their versatility.

After Nordstroms, I scurried across the street to the huge Forever21 in SF. It is three stories tall and always packed with a thousand teenage wannabe fashionistas. I rarely have patience for the crowds and the digging but I didn't want to spend a bunch of money on clothes for Vegas. Luckily you can find nice things in F21 if you look with a discerning eye and inspect each item for obvious flaws that will make it look cheap. I went from floor to floor filling my bag with possible items, waited in the long line for the dressing room and then spent a good 20 minutes trying on my goods. Most things either looked trashy on or did not fit but I lucked out with a dressy black halter with ruffles down the front and a dark lavender dress with a metallic sheen.

I ended up wearing the black halter with white shorts when we went to Tao. I think shorts might be my new go to wear for going out. They can still look dressy if in the right material and they're cooler than jeans and easier to maneuver in than a dress or skirt. I'm holding on to the lavender dress because despite it's origin it is very pretty and I'm sure I'll find a use for it.

Gimme some of that kale...

As any self-respecting fashionista knows, the 5th season of Project Runway premiered tonight. I have to say that overall it was a bit of a let down. They re-did the grocery store challenge from the first season and it's as if none of them had ever watch an episode. Tablecloths and trash bags? Seriously? I can't think of anything less creative or more likely to disappoint the judges. I don't understand how they couldn't have seen that coming. On the other hand, Korto's yellow kimono dress with the kale and tomato collar was beautiful. She knows how to put a look together and while the material for the dress wasn't innovative, I give her snaps for using fresh produce. Plus, if that was actually made out of cloth, women would buy it. I also liked the winning dress by Kelli, the skirt part especially. She was truly creative when it came to putting her dress together. It was quirky with the coffee filters and gold push pins but in a Marc Jacobs kind of way, not a bad way. She put a lot of effort and thought into her dress and it showed, especially in contrast with the designs of the lazier contestants.As for everyone else, I hope they step it up next time. Most of the other dresses were decent if not memorable. I was a little surprised that Jerry didn't perform better. I don't like all of his FORM line but the man has the ability to do some gorgeous work. If only he had done something that looked a little less like serial killer meets hazmat suit. I think if they had kept him around, he would have improved. The better person to auf weidersehen would have been Blayne's licious ass. I don't understand how a person can manage to be that annoying or create something so hideous and have the cojones to walk it down the runway.