Must Have! DKNY French Grain Satchel

Just got this in a beautiful dark turquoise from my boyfriend for our 1 year anniversary :-D

The color really pops with the gold hardware.

But I also love it in the ivory and orange.

Super roomy with a simple design. What better way than to add color to an outfit?

And a steal for $295, it's cheaper than a Louis keychain!!

Spring Beauty Trends Worth a Try?

So since I'm no shopping I need to find new ways to freshen up my look.

The easiest way before was to buy the top 5 trends for spring such as buying a purple shift dress, an ethinic bag, gladiator sandals etc...

One benefit of NOT buying more clothes is that I've become more open and creative in the beauty department. I used to stick with the same reliable routine with only adding a smokey eye when going out (in predicatble silvery gray too.)

This year I'm actually thinking of giving this year's biggest beauty trends a whirl:

1. Braids-the braided ponytail you were sporting back in 2nd grade on the soccer field is back and big. My hair is long enough to actually braid it so maybe I'll give this a try on the weekend. For more a mature way of wearing this, check out glamour.com's article 15 Grownup ways to wear the Braid

2. Pastel eyeshadows- done in unexpected ways like a smokey eye. I typically don't look good in pastels, I'm a jewel-toned girl. (Hint* If you  are olive toned or tanned you'll look good in pastels, paler girls should stick with jewel-tones.) But I have boatloads of eye shadows and lipglossess so it can't hurt to experiment.

3. Red, Nude nails. Lucky for me I've been practicing this trend for years. Since I don't go to the salon every week to touch up my nails, nude has always been the easiest color for me to maintain. In fact I have nude nails on now. And they match everything! I've also been doing red for special occasions, red is classy and sexy. Can't go wrong with Red. I just saw Essie bottles of nude and red at Jcrew therefore confirming this trend.

4. Chanel Rouge Lipsticks-part lipstick and part lipgloss, these are easier to put on than your usual lipstick and but won't stick to everything (like your hair) like lipgloss. Only $30 a pop, totally heading to my local Macy's to pick one up (only one?!!)

What I will be focusing more on this Spring is practicing good Beauty and Makeup habits. Who doesn't like to be high maintenanced once in a while?! Like that Mabelline jingle "Maybe she's worth it."

To the Tailor!

Why are there always clothes that you never wear? Clothes that still have the tags on. Or maybe you wore a whole...one..time?

It's a global phenomenom that probably drive men nuts.  Why do women buy clothes if they are never going to wear them?!! Clothes you completely forget that get no love and no attention. Not the really ugly ill-fitting presents or hand-me-downs from relatives but that blousy summer dress you bought on sale from H&M.

Constantly taunting me, I grabbed the 'middle-child' clothes of my wardrobe and took them to my local tailor to transform them into the stunners that they are.

The first was a loose, shapeless but beautiful red breezy dress from Target. For only $25 I thought I could deal with it's flaws but could never get around to wearing it out in public. Everything was just a tad too loose.

Next was a timeless black shift from Calvin Klein, simple but beautiful in it's subtle detials. The problem was it was 3 inches to long and came off as kinda mantronly.

Finally there was my ebay steal Ralph Lauren Red Bombshell 'gasp!' dress. A very thin vericose material it showed every bump and curve and therefore required expert tailoring regardless how perfect your body was.

In a week, I'll have the verdict whether these pieces would be transformed into wardrobe staples but it never hurts to be proactive.

Everyone needs a tailor and it's another phenomenom that when women go shopping they expect clothes off the rack to fit their bodies perfectly. And instead of beating your body up for not fitting Banana Republic's image of a size 6, take it to a tailor to make the clothes work for you.

Never been to a tailor? A big help is knowing what silhouettes flatter you the most. Deep V's, A lines? Padded shoulders? For me, it's a classic straight line shape (think pencil skirts), 3/4 sleeves ( I have long arms) and unpadded shoulders (unless I want to look like a boy.)

Also, keep in mind of the shoe(s) you will be wearing if you are tailoring pants or skirts. If you are going to wear flats, skirts should be shorter to give you a longer leg line but if you are going to wear heels, pants should be longer or otherwise they'll look too short.

Trend: Monochromatic

This is easy.

Go into your closet and grab all your clothes of the same color. Any color-Red, Yellow, blacks, whites and nudes...

And they don't have to be the exact shade.

Your khaki pencil skirt with that beige sweater and camel coat and nude hose and nude patent leather heels all together, yep.

I always had a fear of being matchy-matchy as an ultimate sign that you had no style IQ and literally matched clothes by motif or color or by theme. Like the mom at the PTA meeting with the Christmas themed outfit and coordinating red and green socks, accessories and mittens

Monochromatic which sounds much more interesting is bold, brilliant and always exciting.

Especially if it's done in a bloody red or an aqua green (say Michael Kors' lime shift with matching lime fur coat.)

Accidental Outfit

Ever had one of those moments? when you are in a rush or you don't like anything in your closet or didn't pack appropriately?

So, after breaking down and going shopping this first time this year, my wardrobe dilemma was still not over.

I still didn't have enough 'Professional' clothes to make it to the end of the week. Men, and nothing against men, can wear the same shirt twice in a week and nobody would notice. Honestly, white button down with black slacks, watch, loafers everyday would cause a stir with anyone. Once in a while, add a different colored blazer and you are pretty much set for the whole year...

So not fair.

So yesterday, at 6:15 am Mountain Time I was staring at my overstuffed suitcase searching for an outfit.

6:15 turns to 6:22 and I'm pulling dirty tops and the same jeans I've been wearing for two weeks, there's a breezy beautiful red dress with peeptoe heels...except it's 23 degrees outside, okay, NO.

So at 6:35, and I have to be at the office at 7:30 and grab breakfast, I grab a basic white tee and a basic black pencil skirt.

'No way is this going to work, the tshirt is too casual the skirt is too severe'

I throw it on and take a look in the mirror. I make adjustment. Tuck the tshirt, add a belt? nah, tilting that delicate balance between casual and dressy into neither (possible in the fashion world, it's called 'I don't know what I am doing') so I add the Forever 21 military booties I bought on Michigan Ave. the week before hoping my only shoes in commission would work.

And it did. Hallelujah. Age appropriate, office appropriate with a dash of personality.

Which always comes to remind me, my best outfits are accidents.

Weave peeptoe bootie-slingback-platform? I love a schizo shoe, it can be whatever you want them to be, @ forever 21

MOTHER F&a*#$@ERRRRRRRRRRR!! I HAD TO SHOP!

For those of you who do not own a TV, read the newspaper or listen to the radio, the Mid-Atlantic is in the middle of an epic snowstorm. With another 10-20 inches heading towards D.C. today and tomorrow.

AWESOME. So last Friday, my futile attempt to go home was thwarted by 36 inches of snow and ice and I was grounded in Chicago.

And there I was...4 days of clothes and 1 pair of shoes that now had to last me 11 days in all situations, work, dinner and going out. So I had no choice...

I had to go Shopping!!! don don donnnnn

you would think I would be delighted but it ended up being the most frustrating shopping trip of my life, how did I lose my Jedi shopping skills so quickly?!!

I don't think it was I lost my god given shopping talent but instead my new purchases reflected my attitude towards clothes, towards finance, towards life

After wondering aroung the Forever 21 labyrinth on Michigan Ave and fighting the accessories Minotaur, I came out with a pair of militant booties, black leggings, a soft gray knit with sequined shoulders and a short jacket trimmed with chains complete with shoulder pads.

Next at Zara's, I steered past the $70 silk YSL-esque tops (too expensive now) and straight to the racks and racks of discounts. I came out with a simple soft black turtle neck, a white silk skirt and a pair of peep-toed beige woven heels.

Last but not least, a silky drapey coral red knee-length dress from Target. Quite boho yet quite powerful.

All under $250. Miraculous. $250 would be my shopping allowance for a week before I started this resolution. And I would come out with 2 or maybe even 3 items back in those days.

However it did take me a good 3 hours and more hours of ordeal to come if I made good enough choices! Choices! does this fit me perfectly? do I already own this? How many ways can I wear this? Will this carry through all the seasons? Did I spend too much? Do I really need this?

And maybe this is a good thing. The change in me, I have to say is nice.

Now, I see I've emerged as a minimalist, disciplined and frugal. I still don't underestimate the quality you receive with a pricey designer frock.

But Style is best achieved in simplicity and on a budget

Do Boyfriends dig the Boyfriend Look?

I did the boyfriend look when I had no boyfriend. Back in college, I couldn't feel any cooler, any hipper than when I was doing, what I called, my tomboy look. It was my rebellion against the prim, preppy dresscode enforced in my Mid-Atlantic small town.

It embodied my independant, intellectual persona yet made me feel feminine in a distinctive way. That maybe by not highlighting the obvious fact that I'm a girl, it beautifully contrasted with my naturaly girly features. There.

Yes, sometimes I got teased but that's what you get for being different. I'm talking about a strong leather riding boot with tucked in skinny jeans, a loose button down layered under a cashmere sweater, a school boy blazer, knit scarf, fedora and ethnic jewelry.

But look how cute J.Crew makes it look:

I love the Tie!!!

It's inspired me to bring my collegiate look back. It might shock my boyfriend a little since now I'm known for dressing very feminine (let's count how many dresses I own seriously)

And a nostalgic look into my closet:

Yes! It's a Princess Diane Tshirt I got form a vintage Minnesota store. Add a wild mane of black hair and a pair of bose headphones.

Sigh good times.

Clemence Posey and I have identical outfits, seriously