Tom Ford Cat Eyes for Less

Months and months ago, I began lusting after Tom Ford's ridiculously exaggerated cat eye frames. They are totally overpriced for my budget and completely over the top. In other words...they screamed my name and I decided they needed to be mine. I bookmarked them on my computer. I would read blogger reviews and dream that I'd wake up and there would miraculously be $360 extra in my checking account for them. Just when I would think my obsession for these frames had died down, somebody I follow would post a blog about their Tom Ford frames and reignite the insanity.

So, why didn't I just buy them? At the heart of my budget is the fact that I am a realist. There would never be an extra $360 in my bank account, and if a miracle like that did occur, I am too disciplined and would wisely pay bills and not blow the money on glasses (especially given the fact that I have three other perfectly good sets of eyes on my nightstand-and two older sets in my car). Early in my discovery of the enigma that is Derek Cardigan (seriously, DC, can we be best friends?), I found his 7006 frames for a cool $88. They are, without a doubt, the best Tom Ford ripoffs. The lenses aren't as big, but they are obviously an exaggerated cat eye. I hemmed and hawed. And bought two other Derek Cardigan glasses in the meantime. Finally, I caved and bought them during one of Coastal.com's sales. Why not?

Do you like how I tried to emulate the model's creepy dead eyes?

I still love the Tom Ford version (really, really love them, in fact). More than my love for Tom is the fact that I didn't break the bank on these AND they are everything I was hoping they'd be - fun, quirky and different! I ordered the brown/tortoise option, and instantly regretted not ordering the black pair. I was especially pleased to find the 7006 frames I received looked very black when looking directly at me, but from the side are obviously the brown/tortoise pair. The best of both worlds. They were meant to be mine!

Moving Woes

Moving is expensive in the worst possible way. Three months rent upfront, a pet deposit, movers (and tip) and the random costs that just appear (all new cleaning products, paper products, food basics and the like) add up really quickly. That left me with almost no money to decorate. Fortunately, I am resourceful and became obsessed with the challenge of making my living space look like I wanted it to look, for as little as possible. 

First up, the dining room: Craigslist is such a great place to find exactly what you need. My dining room is oddly configured (narrow with brick flooring - seriously, who, other than Ronald McDonald, puts brick on the floor of a kitchen?), so a regular dining room table wasn't going to work. I found a person selling a sofa table for $20 and knew it would work perfectly. It's an Ikea table, and I have a hack in mind for it (sand it down, stain it dark and replace the wood block legs with hairpin legs). I have been on a search for a globe for ages. I've scoured flea markets, yard sales and Craigslist. While looking for chairs to go with the table, I found a guy selling a beautiful vintage black globe for $30 (that's a steal for this 1956 gem).

The replica ant chairs chairs were found thanks to dumb luck (I was looking for a desk, not chairs). A woman in my neighborhood had just listed them on Craigslist. I was the first person to contact her and scored them for $30. Considering they sell for about $80-$100 a piece, I was thrilled to get the set for $30 (and they'll match my Ikea hacked table brilliantly). The curtains were on sale for $19 at Ikea (I was so excited to get rid of the horrible curtains that came with the place) and the framed ad is from a 1991 edition of Benetton Colours (scored during a high school field trip to NYC). The jute rug was a major steal at Ross for only $9! So inexpensive - my little dining room nook!

Next up, the living room: I have had my Ikea Kramfors chaise lounge (discontinued) in storage for ages and finally lugged the beast for this move. The rug ($69 -a major splurge) and lack tables ($30 total) are from Ikea. The white chair (also from Ikea) was pulled from a dumpster two years ago. The pillow and throw are also from Ikea, the flower canvas is an Instagram shot (my own picture, via Living Social deal over a year ago, $19.99). The baskets were on clearance from Marshall's ($9). The vases were free (leftover from a charity event I helped plan), the pussy willow was free (from an old friend who worked for a florist) and the paper roses in the bouquet were handmade and scored at a craft fair(maybe $10). The bored pug was $500 and purchased from a trailer (true story).

I am absolutely in love with my thrifty little space. Not counting the pug (who will soon be eight, so he can't be factored into the costs), the sofa or the art (if you can call it that), I spent less than $250 between two rooms and they look and feel like me. Yes, I could have spent less, but I don't think I would have been as happy if I had chosen different dining room chairs or a plain rug for the living room. Have you used Craigslist to find items for your house/apartment? What are some of your favorite pieces in your home?