Frye Riding Boots on the Cheap

I wasn't even in the market for new boots. Really, I wasn't. Then 6pm.com sent me a promotional email about Frye boots being 70% off and I made the executive decision to "look." This began a rapid descent down a footwear purchase shame spiral that seemingly does not have an end. My Frye collection is well documented (and by well documented, I mean in my head, on my blog and on my Instagram account) and I won't bore you with details (even though I'm dying to). Just know that I don't own riding boots, nor do I have any real vice (ehem, Ben & Jerry's Cinnamon Bun ice cream) on which to spend my money, so when I found $698 Frye back zip riding boots for $179 (seriously, they're still on the Frye website at full MSRP), I justified this purchase with the swiftness of a hoarder discovering a liquidation sale. Or of somebody who really likes run on sentences.

Glorious, are they not? I apologize for the photo of my computer screen, but what happened next can only be explained as fate. I saw the boots and snapped pictures of them. I immediately posted the collage to Instagram to encourage enabling and proceeded with the purchase. Then the price of the boots, which was really low even for 6pm, went up. $247. Then $349. Finally, the price increased stopped at $479, where it's currently resting comfortably. Did I find some magical glitch? It wasn't even a major holiday shopping...um...holiday? It was just a random Tuesday in December. That kind of savings in a few hour window can only be described as fate, and the magically discounted boots arrived yesterday (at my coworker's house because the post office can't get it together in Philly). She is awesome and put a note from Santa on them. 

They are super hard to zip up in the back, and I have skinny legs. Knowing my other Frye boots, these will quickly stretch out and it won't be a problem. Anyway, I love them.

And check out the fancy embroidered logo! 

Oooh, ahhhh. Fancy! Welcome home 12. You make a mighty nice addition to my collection.

If you're looking for Frye boots (to treat yo' self or to treat somebody else for the holiday), check out 6pm.com. It's Zappos' outlet and has amazing deals on a bunch of name brands.

Blank NYC Vegan Leather Leggings

I have been on the quest for affordable leather leggings for the better part of two years. Real leather, for the record. Along the way, I have purchased leather pants, leather skirts and leather coats (all thrifted or from eBay, which is just another form of thrifting in my world), but never leggings. Admitting defeat is tough, especially when my fashion spirit animal Johnny Weir is always looking drop dead amazing in his leather leggings. The quest began and soon, I found Blank NYC's vegan leather leggings. Having secured a 30% off coupon code from Piperlime, I splurged on the Pussy Cat style and sized up after reading about 6,000 reviews on various sites. They are honestly more comfortable than any cotton blend leggings I own (and that's a lot).

Let me digress for a moment, when did pleather stop being a word that people used? Faux leather and vegan leather sound nice and all, like a consolation prize, but most of it is crap. I usually mock the vegan leather classification, but stand on record as defending Blank's version. They look and feel just like leather. The reviews do not lie. If you're trying to make up your mind about trying this brand, don't hesitate to go for it (but I highly recommend signing up for Piperlime emails and getting a coupon code). Also, I love these so much that I also bought a second pair from eBay. Go me! Here is how I wore them:

Sweater: Rag & Bone for Neiman Marcus at Target (old)

Oxford: Uniqlo, sale ($1.90)

Pants: Blank NYC, Piperlime (used coupon code, $68)

Heels: Talbots, old 

Top: Chiffon tie blouse, Forever 21, $17

Pants: Blank NYC, Piperlime (used coupon code, $68)

Heels: Talbots, old

Also, a follow up, I wore my poncho and it was everything I had hoped it would be and more. 

The Ultimate eBay Purchase

I am obsessed with wool. Much like everything else in my world, this squarely falls on the shoulders of my mother, a lovely woman who dragged her family to the Woolrich store in Woolrich, PA every Black Friday. Buffalo check, plaids and wool everything as far as the eye could see. But then I got a little older and even though my love for Woolrich remains strong, I discovered the gorgeous patterns, colors and craftsmanship of Pendleton, and, in particular, The Portland Collection.

Like any good crush, I fell for Pendleton's Portland Collection hard. I admired it from afar, Google searching images, blogs and pinning items from their collections to my "Stuff I Want" board on Pinterest. They taunted me with their collaborations. Ariat? I love cowboy boots! Nike? I have sky high wedge dunks! Opening Ceremony? I...nope. Too expensive. But come on! Opening Ceremony is amazing! 

My favorite piece has always been the reversible masterpiece, the Penobscot poncho. 

A piece from the first Portland collection, the poncho is the design work of Rachel Turk and Nathaniel Crissman (of church + state). The thing is in a museum, it is so perfect: 

I would stalk the poncho on eBay, but alas, I would find it at outrageous prices, like $500 for a starting auction: 

I once saw it sell for more than $1,700 on eBay. So sad. So reversible. So expensive. Still, like any lovesick fool, I would torture myself with the continued admiration of the poncho. Then, last week, I found it on eBay...$139 OR BEST OFFER. And, new with tags. How is this possible? Something had to be wrong with it. Right? "No," Nikki the Seller wrote in an eBay message, "I just never wore it." What insanity just fell into my lap? So, three years after my crush began, my best offer was accepted (the most I have spent on any one item in as many years), and today, it arrived: 

It's beautiful and everything I crushed hard over for three years. Nikki, I don't know you, but you have made me very, very happy!  

Fall Haul

I kind of live for fall fashion. I love wool, tweed, chinky knits and oooooh....all those scarves, hats and gloves. For the second year in a row, I have perused the mall, rejected the fall fashion at retailers and resorted to eBay. Wonderful eBay! My new approach: nothing over $20. Also, plaid, wool and more plaid! Here we go!

What I'm calling my Biggie Smalls Chic look:

Gap buffalo check wrap skirt: $8 (free shipping - I bought this last year, too...it's so good I needed a backup)

Off brand red midi skirt: $14

Gap buffalo check pea coat: $13 ($5 shipping)

Gap tartan plaid wool shorts: $9 (free shipping, a major score...these still had $44.99 tags on them) 

Tights: H&M and Forever 21(because you need to match)

Gap grey wool pleated shorts: $17 (free shipping and more than I wanted to spend). 

That's it for now. I am "watching" a slew of ponchos that I will go back and forth on. Check back for how I'm wearing some of these! What are you wearing this fall?

$25 Ray Bans and Reality

My apologies to those who read my blog. It's been a lean summer. I have barely shopped and when I have been shopping, it's been for household items on a major Dollar Tree budget. I would love it if I had the seemingly endless disposable income of other bloggers, but alas, that is not my reality. So I'm back to share my big score of the summer - Ray Ban wayfarers from the online yard sale that I belong to. They were only $25 and sold to me by a woman who presumably has a disposable income, as she sold Ray Bans for $25. No matter, I needed a new pair of sunglasses desperately, and these are classic frames that will look great for years to come (presuming they don't get lost or sat on). So grateful to have found them!

Derek Cardigan Fluoro Frames

I love presents. Who doesn't, right? But presents are super awesome to me, because my family doesn't exchange gifts anymore and hasn't for years. I basically become a four year old on their birthday whenever I am at the receiving end of an unexpected surprise. So when I got a pair of surprise frames from Coastal as part of their Style Ambassador program, I was ecstatic.

The frames are matte, purple, yet kind of clear. Super modern and fresh, and perfect for summer. Like all of my other Coastal frames, they are also super comfortable! 

Although I have worn them with bright colors and neutrals, I adore how they look with my new favorite cream romper from Forever 21 (still sold out online). Aren't they fun?

A huge thank you to my friend Tammy for taking these photos, and a huge congratulations to her on her new job. Yay! 

Forever 21. You. Go There. Now.

My love for Forever 21 is no secret. I tell everybody to shop there and have no idea how more people (my age) don't shop there regularly. No worries. I've got Forever covered for you.

After stalking this romper for weeks, I finally found it in the store and was pretty amazed at how well it fit and how high end it looked for less than $30. I can't wait to wear this! P.S. Please excuse the dirty Forever 21 mirror. Currently, the romper is sold out, but when it's back in stock, I will share the link!

Next up, the fit and flare scuba dress. Fit and flare dresses are so flattering and easily one of my favorite silhouettes. Add in scuba material and a bright royal blue (plus an exposed back zipper) and I was all in before I even saw the $22 price. I wore this to work today and it's so comfortable and versatile. For anybody who wonders how this material washes, the answer is easily and well. 

Solid finds. I kind of wish they made both of these in every color of the rainbow. Rest assured, I will let you know when they do! 

The Cutest Wedding and a New Dress!

I love going to weddings. Celebrating friends and family and dressing up for a day? What's not to love? With a few weddings coming up this year, I was on the hunt for a few new dresses. A few weeks ago, I found another gorgeous Tracy Reese dress on eBay and after some more hemming and hawing, I bought it. Totally fell for the mixed media print, beading and pocket detail. I didn't realize it had tulle underneath for added fullness in the skirt, but that just made it an added bonus for me!

When my friends Scott and Kim got engaged and Kim started pinning her ideas online, I knew it was going to be a fun and beautiful wedding! Not only was the setting (an historic farm in central Pennsylvania) amazing, but the attention to detail was meticulous, right down to barrels with complimentary water and beer for the outdoor ceremony and the surprise arrival of a food truck for treats well into the reception. Their wedding was absolutely adorably perfect - and a true representation of them as a couple. I couldn't be happier for them! 

Kino Sandals

Last year, my sister moved from California to Florida. Almost immediately, she noticed people wearing pretty and colorful sandals that looked like they were made by the same manufacturer. Finally, she stopped and asked a woman what they were. Kino sandals. The riddle was solved and my sister went online and purchased a pair for herself and my mom. Last night, when I went home to visit my family, these were waiting for me: 

Cute, right? The shoes, not my feet. Anyway, Kino Sandals are handmade in Key West and are crazy affordable. Like $14-$18. For leather sandals! Visit http://www.kinosandals.com. I know, you want a pair, too.  They have so many cute styles in great colors. I'll definitely be buying some for myself this summer. 

$12 Nine West Peep Toe Wedges

I mentioned these never worn leather peep toe Nine West wedges in yesterday's post. I picked them up today and LOVE them. The are such a good online yard sale score. 

I can't wait to wear them to work! 

Sunburst Mirror and Gap Sale!

Whenever I go to HomeGoods or Marshall's (or any other discount store that sells home furnishings) I look for sunburst mirrors. They're always gorgeous and somewhere in the $100 price range. If you know me, you know that price isn't even an option. Nevertheless, I  look. On Wednesday, a gorgeous vintage sunburst mirror popped up on my online yard sale. The price? A cool $5! I picked it up on Thursday and it fits perfect above the small book case in my living room. Love it!

Next up, the annual spring closet switch out is always a daunting task. Winter coats are so bulky and difficult to store. Plus, putting boots and sweaters away is an exercise in creative space manipulation (because that's a real thing).  This year, I also had the painful realization (painful in that my budget is tight) that I desperately need new spring/summer shirts. I always buy great skirts and dresses, then struggle when I need a basic tee. Enter the latest Gap sale. Already reduced prices are an additional 30% off (when you buy four items) and 35% off (when you buy five items). I was able to get four basic spring/summer tops for just $13.93! Happy me! Saving money and freshening up my wardrobe! 

Midi Skirt for Less - Review of Sammy Dress

It's not a huge secret that I prefer skirts and dresses to pants for work. That means I'm thrilled that midi skirts are everywhere right now! After obsessing over Tibi's gorgeous full midis on Atlantic Pacific, I went straight to my new go-to for all things trendy and affordable, Sammy Dress.

You may remember my Sammy Dress cape from a few months ago. The site is super cheap and although you have to really sift through their products to find your personal taste (and wait a few weeks for shipping), they have a lot of adorable clothes...including midi skirts in a few style and color options. After carefully converting centimeters to inches and hemming and hawing over a few options, I decided to go with basic black ($11) in a medium for my test skirt. When the skirt arrived, the fabric was the first thing that made me really happy. It's that great scuba material that is being used by everybody. This also means no wrinkles and great structure. There is a short slip underneath, but it's not necessary for any functional purpose - the skirt is substantial enough on its own, yet not so heavy that it can't be worn year round. The skirt can sit lower, but I prefer it to sit higher on my waist to give it more fullness.

Vintage Pugs and Books

More than a year ago, my friend Laura picked up a box of vintage pug items for me from a yard sale. I finally met up with my friend Suzanne last weekend to get the items, and she had an amazing surprise for me - vintage Alfred Hitchcock books that she inherited. Pugs, vintage and Hitchcock, just a few of my favorite things. Here's what I did with everything: 

What a perfect use of my vintage American Tourister luggage? Who says dogs don't appreciate art? Here's a better look at the framed art:

Next up, an adorable pug figurine that found its way to an end table in my living room. Goes perfectly with my mid-century motif!

I'm so in love with and happy to have these Hitchcock books. My mom and I watched a lot of Hitchcock together and he's one of my all time favorites! 

So happy to have such wonderful friends and thrilled with how well everything works in my space!

Tracy Reese Dress for Less

A few weeks ago, when I was invited to a wedding (as a plus one), I excitedly said yes. I have always loved to dress up. When I was in elementary school, I actually made my mom make my clothes (maybe "made" is a stretch) and picked out dress patterns with her. So I basically live for being invited to occasions that involve formalwear. Also, I love a challenge, especially when it comes to finding a great clothing item at a great price. Enter eBay!

Although I have a lot of dresses, many of them are older and have seen better days. Also, an April wedding is tricky. It could be a gorgeous day or it could snow. I began my eBay search by looking at a few different brands that have worked for me in the past. I couldn't find any dresses that I absolutely loved. While conducting random searches, I found the most perfect Tracy Reese wool dress for $44.99. Crazy for a Tracy Reese dress. Surely this was a mistake. I added it to my watch list and stalked the auction like it was my job. Finally, I placed a bid in the last 30 seconds and it was mine! Super excited that it fits so well, as I gambled on the size (and there is no size tag in the dress). Can't wait to wear it next weekend! 

Also, I'm at my mom and dad's house this weekend. My mom asked me what I wanted to do with all of my old perfume. What? Apparently, I have a problem tossing perfume bottles. All of these have only a few days worth of spritzes in them.  Does anybody else have that problem? 

eBay Leather Gap Jeans

For about a solid month, I've been obsessing over leather pants. I blame Johnny Weir (see post Johnny Weir is my spirit animal for reference). I have bought faux leather jeans from H&M and returned them (yes-the same pair from my Johnny post ended up being too faux for my liking), read countless reviews of vegan leather leggings and jeans (I'll save you the time, Blank NYC has the best reviewed and most affordable options) and searched online for sales. Then I had one of those moments where my own stupidity hurt - I hadn't checked eBay. Now, I had a pair of Gap leather pants ages ago. 2001 or 2002 ages ago. I knew what size would fit and ran a search. Immediately, a slew of options appeared. I decided against black. Everybody has black and brown is more my speed. I found a gorgeous deep brown/burgundy pair in my size (I sized up to a four on the hunch these wouldn't have any give and be a bit more snug) for only $18. My guess was right and the 4 fits perfectly.

They had a few noticeable scratches on them, but I used my trusty Doc Martens Wonder Balsam on them and voilà, no more scratches! 

For $18 (and free shipping), I am thrilled and can't wait to wear them! Another major eBay score!