Outfit of the Day: So Much Animal Print.

Just exploring all my animal print options today but starting with a pretty blank slate:

Groundbreaking, I know. I'm wearing my new Madewell mid-rise Perfect Vintage jeans and they are SO COMFORTABLE. I've been wearing them daily. Love the fit, love the raw hem, medium on the wash which I feel could be a bit more interesting, but it's fine. Of course I want them in black and maybe the knee rip version too. 

My black silk tank is thrifted! It's Alice + Olivia and has pretty lace shoulders which you can't really see. It's a bit big on me so I'm planning on buying this under-$40 washable version from Quince instead. Not as fancy but seems like a good staple, right? I also love this one by L'Agence at NR. I added my Design History cardigan from a few years ago and it's still working for me. It's long sold out but this one by Splendid is a much nicer update and ugh, this Kule version is the one I really want but they're sold out of my size. Anyway, everything was going fine until:

I added my Clare V Midi Sac. There's just a lot of pattern competition going on here. The cardigan and the bag are in a fight and nobody is winning. I decided to try again with a different leopard print:

Oh man, I love this crazy jacket. It's Avec Les Filles and still available new in a few sizes here and pre-owned available here. I'm wearing a medium and I reviewed it here. It's cozy and fun. I added the bag back in:

Somehow this works, right? The smaller, darker leopard is a nice background and there's no fighting! I also love how my bag works with my red flats, which I'll talk about down below. Details:

I'm going easy with the jewelry today - just my Gorjana Venice necklace and a very pretty little necklace from Nine Roses that was a gift. A few more details:

My leather flats are Everlane Day Glove but they don't make them in red anymore so maybe check out this cool convertible flat by Camper instead (more sizes here.) And my bag, as mentioned above is the Clare V Midi Sac. There are several snakeskin versions on NR right now - this one is my current favorite. There's also this one by Madewell that a reader told me about! So cute. Get all your animal print together and see what happens, okay? 

BUY THIS (So We Don't Have To): All These Sales.

 Is it just me or is everyone having a good sale right now? It's pretty rude, right? It's making me feel very shoppy, so I decided to push some of that onto you all to deflect my own wanty-ness. I know. I know. I KNOW. I can't help it. Here's what I like

Madewell - Extra 20% off sale items

Ooh, this is so tempting! I seriously love my new mid-rise Perfect Vintage jeans (which are not on sale) but this version with the knee rip is. I'm so happy mid-rise is a thing again, y'all. It's very exciting. 

Also, I don't need another pair of boots AT ALL but these are so cute and maybe Autumn Me would be happy about it?

J.Crew - Extra 50% off sale styles with code SHOPNOW

Okay, this Liberty print dress is so freaking cute with the tie sleeves and the pattern and dammit. Can't you just see it with white Birkenstocks? 

I also really love a toggle chain and this one is really tempting me. 

Biossance - 25% off sitewide with code SPRING25

Remember how I was just talking about that good Biossance eye cream? Well, now it's 25% off. Just saying.

Bloomingdales - 25% off Friends & Family 

Oh my god, these damn Cole Haan sandals. I just love them and they follow me around the Internet. Basically, they're stalking me which feels aggressive. And now they're on sale! *whine*

LOFT - Up to 40% off with code READY

This blazer is so cute and also comes in a (much less scary) black version but I keep coming back to the white one. It's so fresh, right? 

Banana Republic Factory - 50% Off Everything 

I really should be looking for work-appropriate clothing in case I get a non-remote position but this pretty, floaty summer dress (which also comes in a bright red colorway) just would not leave me alone. 

Athleta - 20% off with Friends & Family (offer sent by email)

This is my favorite workout tank from Athleta and I really would love another one. It's lightweight, has good coverage and is just the right slightly-cropped length. 

I've also had my eye on this long-sleeve top that gets rave reviews! I love the color and it seems like it would be versatile. We'll see. 

Lo & Sons - Spring sale up to 40% off

This is the Pearl bag and I have it in black. I love it! It's a perfect travel crossbody and I've been wanting a grey one for ages. Now it's 30% off which is a good deal (though sometimes they do 40% off! But still, it's a beautiful bag and worth the price.) 

Weekend Window Shopping: It's Dress Time!

This is the time of year when I suddenly want a closet full of fun, easy dresses to wear when the weather gets warm. It's hard right now to find anything that doesn't look like a puffed sleeve sister-wife fever dream, but I think I found some contenders:

Stuff I Like: Spring Edition.

Hey, it's spring! Yay! Here's some new stuff I like and also some spring cleaning product suggestions because that's not weird at all, is it? Okay.

A Little Bit Of Spring Cleaning Help.
Here are a few of my favorite products to freshen up your closet! First, the amazing Dr. Martens Wonder Balsam. If you have leather shoes, boots, bags, etc. that are looking a little faded and dry? You need this stuff. It's a miracle product and one tin will last forever. I also love a little bottle peppermint Dr. Bronner's castile soap for cleaning my makeup brushes and sponges. It works like a champ and leaves behind some minty freshness. For hand-washing your cashmere sweaters before putting them away, I very much recommend Eucalan No Rinse detergent. It's super gentle and you don't have to rinse 800 times because it's a no-rinse formula! (I still rinse, but just once.) Finally, for stinky workout clothes, I swear by a long soak in Rockin' Green. It's a disgusting process, but it definitely gets the stink out.

 

These No-Show Socks I Bought For Blog Science.
Listen, I like Bombas no-show socks because they're soft and stretchy and feel like real socks.  And mostly they stay up! But, for some reason they don't work with my Madewell sneakers, which look best with no socks. So the 800th time I was served an online ad for ONDO socks, I snapped and bought them. Okay, first, they STAY PUT. They 100% stay put. ONDO aren't traditional socks, they're built like little booties, if you will, so they fit your foot perfectly like a slipper sock. They aren't perfect, though. I wish they weren't quite so thin and they're riddled with seams but they do stay up and that's enough for me. 

This Show About Getting Un-Stuck.
I wasn't familiar with Bridget Everett before watching Somebody Somewhere, but my sister recommended it and I was basically in love with the entire cast (Jeff Hiller! A delight!) by the end of the first episode. It's hilarious, tragic, quietly midwestern and very much about grief, recovery and trusting yourself and the people who are there for you. Oof, I loved it. Just watch it. 

This Book That I Didn't Want to Finish.
Can you handle another Mhairi McFarlane review? I just really love her books for when I need a not-too-fluffy romance that's really about other things. Just Last Night is about friendship and loss and missed chances and I seriously started rationing it because I was tearing through it and wanted it to last. Mhairi is just so good at writing about people who feel like real people and ooh, there's a good romance too. Enjoy. (Sorry about the crying. There will be crying.)

And, A New Blog Page! 
If you look up top there, I've added a Favorites page. This is a place where I can add widgets of all our favorite crap, including beauty products, Madewell goodness, etc. There's more to come (and I need to figure out a better way to organize it) but if there are any specific lists that you'd like to see, let me know. 

Outfit of the Day: Not Even Ironic.

 So, back in December I impulse bought a Stones t-shirt at Target because I once saw a really cool woman at a different Target wearing it with the best style and I was like, can I run up and ask her to be my best friend? I didn't because that's how you get arrested. I did, however, totally buy her tee: 

That's right, band tee, jeans, leopard boots. Right on the nose, here. My jeans are Madewell boyjeans that I bought secondhand, but very similar to this pair. Madewell does the boyfriend jean the best though I'm still thinking about that Kut from the Kloth pair I tried on. Wait, those were mom jeans. TOTALLY DIFFERENT, RIGHT? Right.  My boots are also Madewell, the Regan style which is nearly sold out but this pair is really cute too and a bit more subtle if that's what you're looking for. 

Then I added my Allsaints Dalby leather jacket because who's trying to be ironic? Definitely not me. This is literal, baby. I do love this jacket A LOT even if it's a bit more snug than it used to be. It's fine over a t-shirt. I still want another Allsaints leather jacket in a different color, like so. I'm keeping an eye out. 

And then, I added a bag, my latest Poshmark Rescue! It's a Marc Jacobs Baroque Single (also this one!) and it needs a bit of love, but man, do I love a quilted MJ bag. (Pausing for a sec because I'm only going to say this once: Marc Jacobs collection bags are going for a SONG right now. If there was one you always loved and wanted, now is the time to track it down secondhand. Seriously, I got this $1,200 bag for less than $90!) If musty secondhand bags aren't your thing, I would totally go for something like this one on NR or this cognac quilted bag at Marshalls. 

A note on the tee- I sized up to a large and I'm glad I did. I like a bit of slouch in my t-shirts and this one is pretty dang good for a Target tee. My herringbone chain is Gorjana and the little horn pendant is older Madewell but this one is is different and cool. 

Woof, I know, right? This bag. It's bigger than what I've been carrying lately but it's so cool and the color is completely different than anything I own. We'll see how it goes! 

Monday Mood: Let's Talk Beauty.

It's been a dreary weekend and I need a little pick-me-up. Here are some beauty products that I have on my wishlist and a few that I've been using and loving:

I've been wanting to try these forever and just haven't managed to do it. This little set of minis comes with three really wearable colors and it's sitting in my shopping cart, taunting me. 

I bought this in Ireland because my tiny travel container of Ilia foundation leaked everywhere. I wasn't expecting much but y'all, I love it. It's very sheer but buildable and it sets and stays all day.

Marianne gave me a sample of several Dior lip glow colors and this one, Mahogany, is so, so good. It looks brown but is actually a deep sheer berry color. I will definitely purchase it full-size. 

Something about spring makes me want bronzer and this one from Ilia looks like a good choice - no shimmer, not orange-y, just a little bronze  sun kissed glow. Has anyone tried it? 

Marianne and I both love GrandeLash and this little kit includes lash serum, brow serum and a mascara! It's a great low-stakes way to try them out or if you already love it, this is your perfect travel size. 

I love Wander Beauty's volume mascara so I'm pretty curious about this "Upgraded" version, which claims to help your lashes strengthen and grow. I know, right? It's so tempting! 

I don't know that any eye cream is magical but this one is solidly good. I got a deluxe sample a few months ago and have been using it every night with good results. 

Benefit has a new under eye brightening concealer and, derpy packaging aside, I really want to try it. It gets good reviews and I generally like Benefit products. We shall see. 

I've talked about Phyto Corrective Gel before but now that I'm on my second bottle I can firmly say that it's a keeper. I don't even know exactly what it does but if you have sensitive, reactive skin, you need this. I use it like a serum and it's my first step after cleansing, morning and night. It's worth every penny. 

Weekend Window Shopping: Accessories!

I haven't done an accessories round-up for a while but the right accessories can be just the thing to bridge the gap to spring and summer. Here's what I love:

Outfit of the Day: Good Jeans, Good Jacket.

As I mentioned on Monday, I bought some stuff last weekend and forgot to take photos to actually document these purchases. I'm happy to report that both are keepers and I'm very happy with my choices:

These jeans, the Mid-Rise Perfect Vintage Jean in Enmore Wash, are why I keep buying Madewell denim. They're deliciously mid-rise, cropped the exact right amount, come in a good light wash and, of course, magic pockets. (I get mad at other jeans for not having magic pockets. It's rude.) ALSO, they look good from the back:

Just in case you ever wondered why the blog is called that. I took my usual jeans size in these but if you're between sizes, I'd size down. Oh, my t-shirt is COS and it's just a cotton t-shirt, but a good one. Mid-weight and good proportions. Now, here's the Vuori Military jacket that I've already worn twice since I bought it:

I freaking love it. It's lightweight, has lots of pockets, a stow-able hood and is water-resistant. All this and it still manages to look like fashion. Vuori has some magic where they make things boxy yet flattering and this jacket definitely falls into that category. Now, some details:

Here I am all ready to leave the house with my Hammitt VIP but I've attached a fun cheapy strap I got on Amazon just for a little splash of color. $10! I love a strap change-up. My clogs are very serviceable Sanita Professional clogs that I thrifted last year but I am really feeling like I need a high-heeled pair this spring. (Maybe these in black.) 

Another look at my Vuori jacket. I'm wearing this in a medium and it's a perfect fit, so I'd say true to size on this one. Now, jewelry:

Still digging my moonstone pendant! This one by Adornia is quite similar. My herringbone chain is Gorjana and I talked about it recently. I've been wearing it a ton - such a nice bit of understated gleam around my neck.

That's it! Madewell is still offering 20% off everything for Insiders, so not a bad time to buy a new pair of jeans! The jacket is rudely full-price but I promise it's good (and you know I'll let you know if it goes on sale. I'm good like that.) 

Monday Shopping Report: Madewell and Evereve.

When I joke about being the worst blogger it's only kind of a joke because, y'all, I am the WORST blogger. I had very high ambitions this weekend - a trip to the best mall to try on all the things at Madewell and Evereve and take good photos and show you what's good (or bad.) Such ambition! Here's what always happens: I get in the dressing room and start trying things on and go snow-blind and forget to take photographs and then panic and try things back on and forget again. It's too stressful in there! Like, I bought two things and didn't take photos of either of them! Literally the worst. Anyway, I did manage to take a few photos, so here you go:

I went to Madewell first because everything is 20% off right now and I was very intrigued by the Mid-Rise Stovepipe jeans, which I'm wearing above. I liked them (size down btw) but they're cropped and the hem hits me at a weird place. I'm also wearing the Lightspun Renwood Button-Back Top in a very pretty pale purple that drained all the color from my skin. (Spring colorways are not my friend.) Super cute, but not for me. 

I asked if there were any other mid-rise jeans available and the sales assistant gave me a pair of the The Mid-Rise Perfect Vintage Jean in Enmore Wash which is a great light wash for spring (go with your normal size.) I liked them so much I forgot to take a photo but I actually bought them so they'll make a blog appearance soon. Then I went to Evereve and they love-bombed me with a million things to try on and it was overwhelming:

Eep, I know. But don't worry, you don't get to see most of it because, as previously noted, I'm the worst. For instance, that grey Varley tunic in the middle? I tried it on and didn't take a photo. It's on sale and very tempting but the fit was too much on me. (However: my white Varley Cleon top is now $34! Go! It's great! Size down!) I also tried on some black Vuori pants that I found underwhelming, so don't worry about those either. 

I really loved these Kut from the Kloth Mom Jeans but I'd literally just bought a pair of jeans (see above) so I wasn't as tempted as I might have been. They're good though, right? The brown Korke-Ease clogs were brought to me to try on with the jeans and they're super cute, if not quite my style. I want a pair, but maybe in black instead. These are also good!  

I also I tried on these Paige wide-leg cropped jeans (Marianne declared them "advanced") which were a size too big but I was kind of into them anyway. The Rails blouse I'm wearing with them had a great print but that high neck is just not for me. Here is a detail shot of the jeans:

Fun, right? They could be interesting. Ugh. I also tried on the Paige Wide Leg Carly pants and wasn't into them:

The black tank dress hanging behind me is Varley, I think? I can't find it online. It was unremarkable. Here I'm wearing the Paige jeans again with the pale gray version of my favorite Vuori top (which I wanted but did not buy) and I want you to take note of the green jacket hanging behind me:

It's the Vuori Military jacket and it's fantastic, so of course I forgot to take a photo of me wearing it. I totally bought it though, so you'll see it soon on the blog. It's really good - aside from being cute as hell, it has lots of pockets, is water-resistant and has hood that stows in the collar. 

So, really what I needed from this trip (other than photos for the blog) was a few cute tops or a good dress for spring but what I bought instead is a pair of jeans and a jacket. The heart wants what it wants I guess.