Swimsuit PSA

I rarely post about clothes because I rarely buy them. I'm just generally lazy and we also try to keep our spending reined in and I tend to blow my allowance on coffee and the occasional manicure. But last summer the swimsuit that I'd been wearing for six years* finally started to get see through and I realized that I was going to have to suck it up and go swimsuit shopping. Which is basically the worst type of shopping, ranked just slightly lower than bra shopping and slightly above jean shopping, in the hierarchy of terrible dressing room experiences.

Luckily for me, I happened to walk past an Old Navy a couple weeks ago and saw they were selling some cute vintage-y looking suits this year. I didn't go in and try anything on (I do not impulsively try on swimsuits - I need to be mentally prepared for that type of event) but I did go home and order a bunch of options to test at home. I used a coupon code so ordering all six options came in under $100, which is about what I would have spent on a J. Crew suit, if I were crazy enough to buy anything from J. Crew at full price, ever.

top row, left to right - underwire balconette, twist-front bandeau, underwire long line

bottom row, left to right - high waist, hipster bikini, ruched bikini

I'm happy to report that everything was pretty good! I had fairly low expectations but after trying it all on I honestly couldn't decide which pieces to send back and I'm tempted to keep everything so that I can mix and match options and hopefully avoid bikini shopping for at least another six years. The high waisted bikini bottom is a stand out, so good. I'm 5'6 and it comes right to my belly button and is actually super flattering (I was afraid it would look like I was wearing spanx to the beach so I almost didn't order it). I love all the tops, although I feel like I just got lucky with sizing. It's bizarre to me that bras sizing is so complicated but underwire bikini tops are just sold in small, medium and large. How does that compute?

There are some fun prints but I'm boring and stuck with mostly black except that one bikini bottom with the green palm print (which is super cute in person).

I decided I might as well put it out there, in case anyone else is not looking forward to tracking down a bathing suit this summer. I'm just relieved that I can cross that chore off my list. Let's not even talk about the fact that I've had to endure two bra fittings in the last three months and I'm still on the hunt for something that doesn't make me feel like I'm being slowly strangled throughout the day. I am seriously considering just wearing sports bras for the rest of my life.

* This is the swimsuit I'd been wearing forever and I love it but I was ready for a change. If you're looking for a cute vintage style one piece, it's a nice option. I'm assuming the quality and cut is the same as when I bought it, but it has been a long time.

Closet strategy

So you've all been hearing about capsule wardrobes forever, right? Only using 30ish pieces of clothing or something like that? This is really appealing to me because I'm a terrible shopper and I'm finally realizing that the issue is that I don't like shopping very much most of the time*. You'd think this would mean I have less clothing, but no. It just means I have oddly assorted clothing and then wear the same things over and over again. Back in January I decided I needed to come up with a better system that would be more uniform-y and efficient. So now it's August ...

{before}

I was initially planning a pretty drastic overhaul. I wanted to cut my wardrobe down to 35 pieces (including shoes and clothes, everything except underwear and workout gear). I read through the guide at Unfancy and it seemed fairly doable (note - I've linked to the wardrobe planner but you'll need to poke around a little to get more information from her site about how she pieces out her wardrobe). I liked that it at least gave me a solid outline of how I'd want my closet allocated and what pieces I might need. I strategized quite a bit. 

But strategizing is not the same as executing. When I actually went to tackle my closet it became clear that getting down to 35 pieces all at once was going to be a huge mental effort and I was probably going to burn out my decision making power before I was done. This has happened in the past and it gets ugly. Sometimes I give up and put everything back in the closet. Sometimes I give up and toss out all my long sleeved shirts because I haven't worn them in months (ignoring the fact that it's summer) and then in October I have nothing to wear. I took a modified approach instead. 

I worked methodically, pulling out everything from one section at a time. I spread it all out and sorted into categories (tops, bottoms, special occasion, etc) to get an idea of what I had. Some pieces I knew needed to go - I didn't care about them and I hadn't worn them in forever. Some pieces were clear keepers (I'd worn them multiple times in the last few weeks). Then there were all the in-between things. Stuff I loved but hadn't worn in a long time. Pieces that could potentially be really useful (or used to be useful) but I didn't love that much. 

I started to feel overwhelmed with the decision making process so I decided to set up a clothing purgatory. Anything I wasn't sure about I marked with a piece of yellow ribbon, either knotted on the hanger or pinned on the tag. If I wear something and feel good about it, I'll take off the yellow ribbon. In a few months I'll revisit my closet and anything that still has a yellow ribbon will go. 

I also have a few purple tags, which are for pieces of clothing I do wear a lot but would like to replace with a better version soon. This way I'll know to keep my eye out for those staples. 

{hanging}

I think the marking system is what made it possible for me to get through everything without feeling overly stressed out. It's worth noting that I did not try anything on. I felt like that would just get distracting (and possibly depressing) and I was pretty sure I wouldn't finish. I'm just spreading it out a bit, since I'll eventually try these things on when I'm deciding what to wear. I think I can handle it better in small doses. 

{in progress}

In addition I set aside a couple of boxes and stashed them on my top shelf. One has my winter/holiday clothing and one has clothing I'm not quite fitting into right now. It's been a rough year, guys. I'm not going to beat myself up about it, but there's a good 5 - 10 pounds standing between me and my usual jeans. I figure if I'm still here in another six months, I can just give the whole box away in one go. 

This isn't quite everything - my dresses are hanging in the coat closet but I sorted through them with the same system. 

So I didn't exactly achieve my goal (I have no idea how many pieces of clothing I still own) but I think I'm heading in the right direction. I'm going to see how it goes and hopefully I can make this an ongoing process over the next several months. I want to be in a place where getting dressed is easy and I'm happy with all my clothes. 

* Once I realized this it was nice because I mostly stopped shopping. But it's lead to the secondary situation I'm in now, where I've worn through every pair of everyday shoes and now I need to buy sandals, flats and sneakers and it's a nightmare, because I hate shoe shopping more than anything else. 

Purchases - clothing

A few good deals from the Barney's warehouse sale.

: : An A.L.C tee shirt that was still $59 but is ridiculously perfect - I've been wearing this non-stop and I'm so glad I decided to splurge on it - I should have steamed it before photographing it to do it justice. : : A simple dress that doesn't have sleeves for $29 (meaning, I can wear it with a cardigan). : : A Vince sweater that I've been stalking, marked down to $36 (it has a tiny hole on the shoulder and I need to repair it or patch it).: : A black shirt that is nicer than a tee shirt but not too fancy to wear to work for $23 (not pictured, because the black was ridiculously hard to photograph and I gave up). : :

And a little close up of the notch in the A.L.C. neckline that somehow makes the tee way better. The sleeve is not normally tucked up like that - I didn't notice it until I was editing photos and I didn't want to re-shoot.

{A.L.C. neck detailing}

All of it together was less than the sweater alone at full price. I had to resist a few things that clearly didn't fit my needs, and I was bummed that the shoe selection was so poor, but overall I'm happy with how I made out.

If I had unlimited funds, Vince would feature heavily in my wardrobe and I would wear nothing but silk + wool + premium denim + super soft cotton. A girl can dream.

Update

So, I compromised on the sequins. I waited to put the jacket on until *after* the ceremony and then thoroughly enjoyed being an animated disco ball for the rest of the night.

{sequins, dancing}

I barely left the dance floor all evening - not sure if that's because the wedding was at a winery or because of the magical powers of the jacket.

P.S. - The jacket is from here and if I had seen the online photos I would never even have considered buying it. But the fit is totally different on me - you'll have to take my word for it because I'm pretty sure that's the only photo we got.

Too much?

Is it appropriate to wear a gold sequined jacket to someone's wedding this weekend? I'm kind of worried that it will look overly attention-grabby.* D thinks I think too much.

{gold sequins!}

Back up option is a super wide gold sequined belt. Either way I'll be wearing a black silk dress.

* I, personally, would have been thrilled if someone had shown up decked out in sequins (well dressed wedding guests make for the best photos).

We are stripe-y

What we have been wearing ...

{shirt from urban outfitters, dress from old navy}

Not at the same time. I swear.

Favorite rainy day legwear...

Two layers of thick tights* topped with a dress and a long, warm cardigan. I love public transit, but it makes apparel tricky when we're in the midst of a rainstorm. Jeans inevitably get wet and then take hours to dry, so I avoid them.

{layers}

I wear my clumpy but warm Uggs (the only time I wear them out in public) while I wait for the bus. A woolly hat (brimmed to keep errant rain drops off my glasses) and a giant scarf help out as well. When I get to work, I shed the extra accessories and swap the boots for a pair of ballet flats. Reverse the process to get home, adding gloves if necessary. Easy-peasy.

*The opaque red tights are from Urban (I remain loyal to my Old Navy tights, but they have a limited color selection, so I'm forced to look elsewhere sometimes) and the lace overlay tights are from Forever 21. I can't find the exact pair online, but they have lots of other fun options and it's worth checking out the selection at your local store. As you would expect, the consistency of their sizing is a bit lacking (I have one pair that is a bit small and one pair that is a bit large), but they don't run easily and they're still nice and comfy.

What to pack for Hawaii

I have a bizarre obsession with packing light. I get giddily excited when I go on a trip and I have less luggage than anyone else. It definitely backfires sometimes (exhibit A would be me in Costa Rica on a college ecology trip, washing my clothes in various rivers and shivering because I didn't pack enough layers, but still slightly triumphant because I had the smallest bag of my group).

Luckily, Hawaii requires little in the way of packing (and I avoided the $15 checked bag fee).

{hawaii packing}

Packing list (6 day trip)

4 casual cotton sundresses + 1 pool cover up
1 nice dress for fancy dinners
1 cream colored pashmina (goes with everything)
2 bathing suits
1 pair shorts (for hiking) + 1 pair capri yoga pants
3 tank tops
1 sports bra + 2 regular bras (nude + black)
12 pairs of underwear (there are some things you just don't want to run out of, especially when you are getting in and out of the pool and hiking, which means showering a couple times a day)
2 pairs sandals (my Rainbows for poolside + my new ruffly sandals for dress up)
1 pair running shoes

Plane outfit - trouser cut dark wash jeans + a tank top + a thin striped cardigan from J. Crew. Long beaded necklace that can be worn either as intended or as a pretty headband. Thin gold bangle. Ruffly white sandals.

The list looks quite long, but it's all very compact. Everything fit into a small gym bag, well under the size limit for carry on luggage, and I had a canvas tote to hold my books, wallet and toiletries.

A week (and a half) of no spending

This no spending thing of Joslyn's is working for me (note that the cake stands featured last week were all purchased before the start of the hiatus). I've found that the most effective strategy is immediately deleting all emails I receive about amazing sales, and resolutely not clicking over when other people post about such sales. Also, not going into stores.

I've found that not shopping frees up time. Monday, all aglow with the imminent prospect of change, I decided to take action in my closet. (It really does feel like the start of an era, doesn't it?)


Okay, I realize the pictures are too small and it doesn't look like the dramatic difference it really is. Will it help if I show you the pile of stuff I have to drop off at Goodwill?



Yep, I had to tie up my clothes in an old curtain, hobo style. Because I don't have giant boxes or bags. (The Christmas tree stand, the sifter and the board game did not come out of my closet.)

I also have a stack of clothes requiring care (hemming, replacing buttons and general alterations) that should keep me busy.

And I realized that a lot of the things I was throwing out were things I probably shouldn't have bought in the first place. Cheap fabrics, poor fit, almost okay but not quite. I am definitely going to be revamping my shopping habits once I'm allowed to spend money again.

It also pained me to admit that I will never again be as rail thin as I was in college (huge amounts of work/stress and darting all over campus do wonders for your figure), but I am finally letting go.

Me: (holding up a pair of tight black pants) I love these so much, I hate to get rid of them.
D: They're hot, but I don't think I've seen you in them for at least 5 years.
Me: That's because I haven't been able to fit into them in 5 years.
*collective silence while we contemplate this fact*
Me: I'm getting rid of them.

Heart hoodies

I have a longstanding, unholy addiction to hoodies.

This one, from Etsy seller ellainaboutique looks like the perfect, snuggly choice for winter weather.

While you're over there, feel free to fall madly in love with this adorable little ruffle tank.


Can you tell that I am absolutely addicted to grey?

Swiss dot sweetness

I love swiss dot fabric, especially in classic white. It is just so sweet and unassuming. I do a little dance every time I see it pop up somewhere.



Browsing through the Old Navy website I was excited to see these camis on sale for $10. So cute, right? You can't really see the tiny swiss dot detail here, but if you go to their website, you can use their little zoom tool.






Wrapped up in swiss dot love, I did a quick google search and came up with this beauty from Etsy seller Holly Stalder.

Are the sleeves too much? I think it's kind of perfect, although I'm not sure I can pull it off. And I love the photo.

I think I want this

Oh, Old Navy, why do you make my life so difficult? Your store and your website never seem to quite match up. I stopped in this weekend and tried on a little trapeze jacket that I kind of fell in love with. I didn't buy it, because I am trying to be good and I will admit that I have several light jackets. But today I decided to check it out online, just to see if it really is cute, and I couldn't find it. I found this, which I think is pretty close.
It might even be cuter, because you didn't have it in cream in store. It has adorable bell sleeves and lightly puffed shoulders and it is $10 cheaper than it was in the store, so the shipping is covered. In fact, it is kind of the poor girl's, better climate version of the J. Crew coat I am still debating over (free shipping on J. Crew this week!).

Whoops, I just stuck it in my cart and then noticed that it's a GIRL'S jacket, and while I consider myself a girl, I think Old Navy would call me a woman. How large do girl's jackets get? Could I possibly squeeze myself into one? Damn you, Old Navy. You've ruined my afternoon.

Shopping in my closet

My closet drawers are a bit like an archaeological dig. The top layers are the clothes that I wear, wash, put away, and then wear again. Slowly, the clothes I don't wear often migrate to the bottom, and I usually don't bother to dig down very far. Every once in a while I get desperate and start clawing through all my clothes (this usually coincides with a lack of trips to the laundry room) and renew my love for something I haven't seen in years.

A couple weeks ago I dug this shirt out, and it has now officially made it to the top layer (I've worn it three times in the last two weeks). I have no memory of buying it or wearing it, and no old pictures of me in it, but the tag tells me it is from Forever 21, and I'm guessing it is circa 4 or 5 years ago. It has a slightly gathered neckline and lightly puffed sleeves and it's been playing very nicely with my Martin + Osa pleated skirt. Did I mention that it is striped? I love stripes.

So, way to go, F21! I know we have a tempestuous love affair (no sooner do I fall madly in love with a shirt, than it immediately falls apart, or only shrinks in one direction after the first washing) but I'm glad to see that at least one of your pieces has endured the test of time.

Martin + Osa

Just what I need...another store to fall in love with. I guess I am blind (actually I know I am blind, because I was walking home from a run with D the other night and he said "Did you just see who passed us?" and I said "No," because I never notice anything and I was busy babbling about something, and he says "Kristin Davis, in a crazy Wimbledon scarf," and then I heard her voice and recognized it, because I watch way too many re-runs of Sex and the City, and I was totally bummed out, because I would have liked to see if she looks as amazing in person as she does on screen (she has not changed in over 10 years - how is that possible?), but I am not so desperate that I am going to run back there in my sweaty workout clothes and stare at her), because I must have walked past Martin + Osa a million times and never noticed it. I must have had them confused with something else, because when Emily suggested we stop in last night, I was convinced that they were a high end food store specializing in olive oil. Not the case, it turns out. They are a really sweet little store with lots of classic, simple pieces. Of course, I am a huge sucker for anything classic and simple. Also, they brought bottled water to us in the dressing room. Intense.
I stuck to the sale section and came away with this.

The color is so great in person and it actually feels higher quality than the similar J.Crew skirt I was debating over earlier. And apparently their website offers free shipping and returns. That could be dangerous, seeing as my cheap attitude towards shipping is usually what stands between me and too much online shopping.

Shopping regrets

Dear J. Crew at the Promenade,

We have been friends for a while now, but it is time to talk. Please suck it up and invest in some better lighting for your dressing rooms. I would totally have bought this skirt (at an additional 40% off the sale price) if not for the fact that I was distracted and disgusted by the odd greeenish tone of my skin while I was trying it on.

And now it is warm outside and I am sad that I didn't buy it because it would have transitioned so well from summer to fall. And the gray would have looked awesome with the crazy magenta heels that I found at Forever 21 and still haven't had a chance to wear. Also, I am pretty sure the skin tone issue was your fault and not mine, because I looked just fine at Old Navy five minutes after I fled from your store. And if I am having a more high quality shopping experience at ON, there is something seriously wrong with you.

Love,
Me

A little bit of everything

This weekend somehow managed to be packed full and lazy at the same time. I'm not sure how that happens, but it makes the weekend feel nice and long, so I'll take it.
Some highlights...

• Big fluffy lisianthus from the farmer's market in my newish milk glass vase that I picked up at my favorite antique mall last month.
• A good trip to the library (I made it through The Spellman Files in one day and I'm currently tearing through Comfort Me with Apples).
• Some thrifted fabrics from Goodwill - I'm starting to think about Christmas gifts and these were purchased with a special project in mind.
• Mango salsa! No real recipe. Mangoes + tomatoes + red onion + a chili pepper + cilantro + salt + pepper + a dash of vinegar.
• Lots of good tea both mornings, drunk in bed while reading.
• Super cute sailor pants from the Anthro sale. Naturally, they have to get some serious hemming, but they were a good find. Love the sale room at the 3rd street Anthro.

J. Crew love

I forgot to bring a book with me on the bus this morning so I got to spend some quality time with the fall J. Crew catalog.

Loving:

• The complete absence of crazy spray tans.
• The presence of not one but two models in sweet glasses (three if you count the adorable little girl in the crew cuts section).

Can you tell I'm a relatively pale, be-spectacled girl?

Oh, and also, this jacket. I need it. Desperately.

Double duty

A girl can only bake so many cookies before it starts to take a toll. Despite my enormous list of things to do last Friday, I decided that a new (slightly more forgiving) dress was definitely in order for my two event weekend. I desperately wanted to make a trip to the sale section at Anthro (or at least to Forever 21 for some Anthro knockoffs), but I couldn't justify the time it would take me to get down there. Darn. I ended up at the Urban instead, solely due to the fact that it is halfway between work and home and the detour only took a total of 15 minutes in and out the door.
Amazingly enough, I actually found something I was willing to buy. Side note - I have super bad luck at Urban because I am prejudiced and remember the days before their clothes were all completely overpriced and back then their sales section was a mecca - you just can't top that. Also, when did they decide they are American Apparel? Have you visited their website recently? It's crazy. Anyways, rant over, because I found this dress.
It fits, it's pretty flattering, and it only cost $48. Bonus - I can wear my absolute favorite bra with it and it doesn't have to get tugged around. Downside - it definitely makes me look like I might be pregnant when you look at it in side view. I was heartened to check out the website and see that it does the same for the stick skinny model. I just made sure to pose full frontal for all photos.
In fact, I liked it so much that I ended up wearing it for both the bridal shower on Saturday and the big family party (on a historic yacht!) on Sunday. Yep, I wore the same dress all weekend. Is that gross? For some reason it doesn't feel gross when it's a dress. The weather on Sunday was gorgeous, but towards the end of the party it got just a little chilly and I had an excuse to bust out my little seersucker jacket that I bought a couple years ago and still love. It just felt so boat-y somehow.

I will not use the stretchy dress as an excuse to keep baking cookies, however. Expect to see some healthy recipes on here in the next couple weeks, because over the weekend I made some (cookie dough stomach ache induced) resolutions about getting back on track.