Confessions and K-Love

I'm really excited :-) Pourquoi? Well b/c tomorrow i am (finally) going to the dentist to get a cracked crown replaced. Since my dentist is way up north and work is downtown, i brought stuff to work on in the morning and will go to the office post-lunch. THAT means i can do a little sleeping in which in turn means i can do a little staying up late. (And by late i mean midnight at the latest - so sad.) This also means i have time to write this blog post that i've been meaning to write for awhile. This, my dear friends, is a confession to you.

I quit the shopping challenge.

OK "quit" is the wrong word. Let's just say that i decided the way i was going about it wasn't really the best way... at least for me. Remember how i said i was an "all-or-nothing" type of girl? Well the shopping challenge is more evidence of that. Going cold turkey, however, has brought out some really ugly parts of my personality. I've also found myself compensating by doing what i do best - excessive eating. Food and shopping are my biggest vices... when one goes away, the other explodes. It's no bueno. Also? I created a "THINGS TO BUY POST-CHALLENGE" document and added to it DAILY. The sad part? I know i would've dropped some serious cash on all those things the minute this self-imposed shopping ban was lifted. That was NOT the point. The point is NOT to be so focused on buying buying buying. The point is to think about my purchases ahead of time. The point is to save more, spend less. I was spending less, that is true, but only temporarily.

I realize this sounds like i'm just giving up, and believe me, i felt SO guilty about it, esp. after you guys were so supportive and enthusiastic about it! But just b/c i'm not going cold turkey does not mean my intention has changed. A dear reader told me that she waits one week to make any purchase over $75 - i think that's BRILLIANT. I will do that! Setting food and entertainment budgets and using a cash only system? Also REALLY great and i will definitely continue to do that. Debiting loan payments and other fixed costs as SOON as i get paid so i can't spend that money other things? Absolutely. I've set up automatic payments on pretty much everything. My point is - i am making significant changes. Gradual changes. I can't turn into a frugalista overnight, it's just not realistic. And for once i want to find my way to a livable middle ground instead of trying to immediately jump to the opposite end of the spectrum. Do you get my drift? Do you have more suggestions? Do you think I suck? (Tis OK if you screamed "OUI!")

Now - we are changing the subject completely.

Just wanted to send out some K-love (that's my nickname for Korean love ;-)) to Nina from Femme Rationale. Hers was a style blog i discovered awhile back, and i'm hooked. She's a gorgeous Korean girl in SoCal, living (from what i can see) to be a wildly creative life. Normally i'd hate someone like her (major jealousy, yo), but the thing is, i can't, because she's just SO NICE. And cool. So if you're into the fashion blogosphere, i highly suggest you check her out.


P.S. This week, despite its horrifying start, has been great! I am taking control at work, keeping busy, and remaining optimistic. Yay.

How Much Is Too Much?

Would you pay $995 for the perfect black studded belt?



(And Mom, if you're reading this which you shouldn't be b/c you promised you wouldn't, do NOT worry, i did NOT buy this belt nor would i EVER.)

Finding Balance and... Poop.

Remember that scene in Season 6 of Sex and the City where Carrie is roaming the streets of Paris alone (b/c that jerk deserted her once again!) and steps into a pile of horse poop while wearing some adorable Louboutins? Replace "horse" with "dog" and "adorable Louboutins" with "NOTHING" and voila - welcome to my life. Oui, early this morning, around 5 a.m. or so, still 95% asleep, i stumbled my way into the bathroom. On my way my foot lands on something soft, wet, and squishy. Whaa? I thought maybe the cat had dragged something out of the trash or what have you. I flip on the light and through my very hazy eyes (terrible vision), what do i see? Poop. A LOT of poop. All over my bathroom floor and now all over my feet. Disgusted doesn't even begin to describe what i was feeling.

A bit of background info: My precious pup Lola has recently become a very picky eater. Where she once inhaled her kibble, she now ignores it unless i do something to make it more appetizing. That used to be mixing in a tablespoon of wet food. This past weekend she decided that wasn't enough so I resorted to mixing the kibble/wet food combo with warm water. And putting a treat on top. That seemed to do the trick - hurray! Except, apparently that combo makes for some untimely bowel movements (any dog owner has her dog's poop schedule down cold so accidents are few and far between). Hence this morning's "incident". (Btw i would happily just let her starve because i know eventually she'll eat whatever is given to her, but the problem with that is she will throw up bile, and while bile is not as disgusting as poop, it's still unpleasant.)

After 3 floor cleanings (@ 5 a.m. mind you) and about 8 scalding-water-foot-scrubs, i retreated to bed only to wake up 2 hours later. Gross. I'm still nauseous from the whole thing and will probably proceed to mop my entire apartment twice when i get home. *Shudders* It's a good thing she's so darn cute and lovable...



In other news, after yoga yesterday i found myself spending some time reflecting and just being. I came upon the unfortunate realization that i've sort of lost touch with that self-reflective/soul-searching/meditative/mindful part of myself recently. It's no coincidence that my journal hasn't been touched in weeks, and my mind-body connection is all whack. I need to get back to that place. I decided it might be a good time to re-read Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love. Love it or hate it, this book has undeniably impacted a number of lives, mine included. I actually own the book on CD (read by the author) and decided to pop it in first thing in the morning on my drive to work. In addition to listening to Ms. Gilbert's soothing voice, I am also planning to clean up my diet (no diet sodas, limited sugar in general, more grains and greens), get back in tune with my body (more yoga, regular exercise, long walks w/ the aforementioned pooptastic dog), spend more time reflecting (journaling, praying, meditating), and indulging my creative but not-so-spendy side (DIY projects, reading & writing). I hate that i'm the all-or-nothing type. I tend to get... obsessive about stuff. I can be so many Carolyn's, into so many different things, and i know it's frustrating for my family and entertaining/ridiculous to my friends. I truly believe I CAN be all those versions of myself, but in moderation. Moderation... that word has never seemed to jive well with my personality. But there has to be some sort of achievable, healthy balance that won't force me to sacrifice what makes me ME... right?

Frankie Says RELAX

Went to a restorative/relaxation yoga class tonight, and it was DIVINE. Restorative yoga basically = a 75 minute nap complete with oodles of bolsters, blankets, and gentle stretching. I'm fairly certain i fell asleep in a couple poses and snored. Mmmm delicious, i highly recommend it.

Le weekend is le over, and i am determined to have a good week (don't i say that every week?). Hope you all had a fab weekend :-)

Nothin' But Blue Skies

My view now! (it's actually even sunnier and more beautiful in real life.) Happy Friday, darlings!!

Got Sleep?

My lovely view:

No, i did not get to work at 6 a.m. - that's what the beautiful Austin sky looked like at 10 a.m.. Not sure if you can get the full effect, but let's just say, it's dark and grey (much like my mood! HA!). Oh and the reason i'm dressed like an 18-year old is because it's casual Friday, and i was in a super rush this morning. Plus, if certain coworkers of mine can roll in wearing nasty '90s jeans, cowboy boots, and faded polos, then i don't see what the problem is with me sporting the college girl look. (Note: don't worry, my skirt is a completely appropriate length)

The reason i was in such a rush this morning is because i. can't. seem. to. get. enough. SLEEP! Working women (or students who actually attend class), HOW do you DO IT?!?! I know i'm supposed to get into a routine where i can go to bed and wake up at decent hours, but my body is not cooperating. I've eliminated the TV from my bedroom (am working on eliminating the laptop), i've tried getting into bed at 10 p.m., but inevitably i don't fall asleep until 11 p.m., and for some reason, my body seems to want at least 8 hours. Remember the days we could get by with 5? Those days are long over. :-(

On a brighter note, don't theseraspberry pistachio tea cakes from Tartelette look divine? That would make afternoon tea @ work 100X better, n'est ce pas? (btw, i've sucked at afternoon tea lately. how are you guys doing?)

As Perez Would Say...

Yummy yummy screw, indeed.

The Office

My office is still ugly. Despite all my plans to turn it into a warm, cozy, soothing and inviting place, it still looks like a glorified prison cell (okay, maybe i'm slightly exaggerating). As i got up to refill my thinksport water bottle, i turned around and saw this...

Not. Attractive.

My goal? Something more like this...

Drew Barrymore's office as featured in Domino (RIP)

What's Your Signature Color?

I've always been one to LOVE color and lots of it. My apartment is a rainbow of cheery yellows, purples, corals, greens... but my absolute favorite color is, of course, PINK. I find that most girls either love or hate pink (few are ambivalent), and while i am, of course, an equal opportunist when it comes to pinks, my go-to shade is hot HOT pink. My bestie L calls it my "signature color". I must confess, having a signature color rocks (people often buy you random fun pink things just b/c they know you love it so much). I highly recommend it. ;-)

Anyway, point is, i was thrilled to find this awesome photo on The Sartorialist yesterday. This, my friends, is the BEST pink. I am loving it against the all-black.


Image from The Sartorialist

Those sick shoes put me on a hot pink high, and i am thinking my toes definitely need to be coated in Nars Schiap...


The darling Kimberly Wilson knows i'm on a (temporary!) shopping hiatus and therefore has graciously set aside one of these incredible bamboo wraps for moi to purchase later. (isn't she the best??) You can get your own here.


Now, in other non-shopping related news, i've had a really. bad. week. Nothing in particular has happened, and i totally blame the uncharacteristically gloomy weather, but i've just wanted to cry every single day. Except today! I'm determined to remain upbeat. (It helps that tomorrow is Friday.)

Btw, i apologize that my blog has been so... girly/spendy/shopping-y lately. It's just a phase, i swear.

Should get some work done now... ciao!

Wrist Worthy

I love accessories and pour moi, the bigger, the better! This philosophy definitely extends to my preference for watches. No dainty little numbers for for this wrist, I love huge, chunky, should-be-on-a-man size watches. I'm particularly fond of the Michael Kors variety (already have 2 of his!) - he nails it every. time. Right now i'm lusting after these two...

This "Pink Catwalk" chronograph watch is PERFECT for Spring/Summer, n'est ce pas?? And of course i'd have to get it in my signature color - hot pink!

I've also been in the market for a great two-tone watch and of course, M.K. delivers...


The thing is, although his watches are a pretty reasonable price (the $200-$250 range), i spotted a great oversized two-tone Anne Klein watch (which of course i couldn't find anywhere online) in my new Elle magazine, and it's only $95! I'd have to try them both on in person before making any final decisions, but $95 sounds way better than $250. PLUS then i'd have so much leftover to buy the fun pink number! ;-)

Have also been perusing the Linea Pelle website. I am a huge fan of her belts (which you can get for next to nothing on Overstock.com - obviously limited selection but if you're diligent, you can find some jewels) and am now a huge fan of her jewelry. These bangles and cuffs (all studded, of course) are screaming my name. But having spent most of my life shopping for such accessories at places like F21, i doubt i'd ever shell out $40 - $75 for these beauties. (Sale maybe??)





P.S. No i'm not actually buying any of these right now although i must confess, i slipped up spending challenge-wise (darn Pour La Victoire sample sale!). I'm finding the spending challenge difficult for a number of reasons (i.e. more than just it sucks that i can't buy this right now) and will discuss it in a future post. :-)

The Kardashians

Soooo i caught a snippet of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and i can honestly say that prior to this viewing, i had never watched the show. Ever. I have enough issues with worthless celebrities and reality TV stars like Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson. Do i really need to watch this show to confirm my suspicion that Kim Kardashian ought be added to the list?

Well. No matter how worthless she might be, there is no denying that she's absolutely stunning. Gorgeous. She really is! Those eyes, that skin, those cheekbones, and holy crap, that BODY. Her bum may be its own planet, but you can't deny that her chest-waist-hip ratio is insane. She has curves in all the right places (albeit a little much for my taste).

Anyway - back to the show. I saw the part where the Dad is talking to one of the sisters, Khloe about doing the "i'd rather go nude than wear fur" PETA campaign. The Dad asked, "Don't you think you should lose some weight?" And continued to shove his huge foot in his mouth. The sad part? I'm pretty sure i've had that conversation with both my parents many a time, probably starting from age 10. Naturally, Khloe got defensive, pissed, and stormed out. Hell, who wouldn't? I feel bad for her, really i do. How many of you refer to her as the "fat one"? I sure did. It must suck to have two beautiful sisters with bangin' bodies and to be called a tranny and all that. (I should know! I was and prob. always will be the fat sister! and YES i'm still bitter about it!!) My point is - I feel for the girl. And GO HER for doing the PETA shoot and actually posing nude. Oh and if you happen to watch the show and see the particular episode where she does the photoshoot? You will see that she is NOT. FAT.

Ok. I'm done now.

P.S. I completely understand if you lost a little respect for me after learning that i actually watched Keeping Up With the Kardashians AND semi-enjoyed it. I promise i won't blog about it again. ;-)

Le Tie Dye

It seems that tie dye is all the rage these days, and i totally fell for the look when i spotted the gorgeous Karla from Karla's Closet sporting these American Apparel leggings on the AA website.

photo from AmericanApparel.com
$34 seems a bit steep for cotton leggings (at least pour moi) so if you don't have the time/patience to DIY your own pair, you should stop by your local Tarjay and pick up these look-alike leggings for only $12.99.

photo from Target.com

P.S. i much prefer the look with heels than boring flats... n'est ce pas?

Oh Carine

Confession: As much as i adore fashion, i'm not particularly into the really haute couture/ridiculous-names-i-can't-pronounce world. I don't know all the designers, the fashion houses, the editors, the photographers, the models... i'm much more into street style because duh, that's all i can afford. That being said, one of the fun parts of reading fashion/style blogs is that you get to learn all kinds of things about the fashion world and the people in it. One name i've seen over and over again is Carine Roitfeld - the Editor-in-Chief at Vogue Paris. And wow, i noticed, people are OBSESSED with her. They absolutely adore/worship her. Out of curiosity, i decided to do a little investigating and stumbled across her recently aired CNN interview/documentary...

Well.

Now i COMPLETELY understand. She's the quintessential chic French woman that all American girls secretly want to be. And on top of that? She seems genuinely genuine. Down-to-earth, maternal, all the things that you know a certain other E.I.C. is not. Anyway, i've got to run but if you haven't already, you must check out the CNN special which can be seen here. Enjoy and bonsoir!

xoxo,
C

DIY Earring Holder

Bonjour, friends! It's Monday yet again... can you believe it? My weekend was a flurry of activities, one of which involved a fun DIY project that was SO incredibly easy that i had to share. Back when i first moved into my apartment, i bought some vintage frames from an antique flea market here in Austin. I planned to make a collage of empty frames on a wall in my bedroom, but it never really worked the way i intended. So instead, they've been collecting dust in my closet. I decided to make good use of them by adding some wire mesh and turning them into chic earring holders! (Forgive the poor quality of the pics.. my cam sucks and i'm a bad photographer - more on this later.) Et voila my finished product!



SO EASY. All you need are empty frames, a roll of wire mesh (used for window screens and found at Home Depot. btw is it just me or are the salespeople @ Home Depot ridiculously helpful?? love them.), a hot glue gun and scissors. I just cut a piece of wire mesh to fit the frame (doesn't have to be perfect), hot glued it to the back of the frame and trimmed the excess mesh. I must confess i didn't do a great job as the back of my frames are not pretty (couldn't sell these babies on Etsy or anything), but who cares? They look fantastic hanging, n'est ce pas?

P.S. Only watched Twilight ONCE this weekend (i know.. impressive) but fully intend on future viewings throughout the week. Rob Pattinson (as Edward) looks mighty FINE on bluray!!

P.P.S. Could someone please explain to me why this leather cuff is $225??

See Jane Shop

I've been an Austinite for going on 8 years now, but i'm ashamed to admit that there are many "Austin-y" things i've yet to do... i've only been to 2 football games (altho i've watched countless ones on the telly), i'm afraid to go to Town Lake by myself b/c the one time i did i got seriously lost (apparently that's impossible to do, but for moi, it IS possible), and i haven't even been to Austin City Limits (YET). One of the things that people love about Austin is its treasure trove of vintage/thrift stores. My extent of "thrifting" consists of going to Buffalo Exchange to sell clothes and finding a couple of must-haves in the process. I don't really have the patience to sift through the loads of crap you often must get through to get to the good stuff. Plus, i must confess, a small part of me (the OCD part) has issues with trying on/buying used clothing. (Especially shoes... ew) Still, some of the BEST outfits i see on the web and in real life include vintage items, plus it's very eco-friendly, n'est ce pas? Well, when i DO start shopping again, i've found a GREAT vintage store in Austin that involves little to no sifting as the ladies who own this shop have done all the weeding out for you! Feathers Vintage Boutique is off a small side street on the much-loved South Congress. The shop basically consists of 4 very small rooms with a little bit of everything - clothes, jewelry, shoes, handbags, belts, and even vintage Playboy magazines (a woman in there bought one for her husband as a birthday present of the year he was born - kinda sweet, huh?). I've read about Feathers in various fashion magazines and saw great reviews on Yelp, but i must confess that my intention today was twofold.

After reading that Jane (of Sea of Shoes) was in Austin and planning to visit Feathers today, i sent her an email (thinking there's no WAY she'll respond to me in time) asking what time she expected to be there b/c i'd love to meet her. Imagine my surprise when i got a response from her!! Soooo oui, i met the beautiful, sweet, and impeccably stylish Jane Aldridge, and she is a complete doll.

(In the spirit of Jane, i'm wearing H&M dress, F21 sweater vest, Linea Pelle belt, and Jeffrey Campbell shoes)

As you can see from the picture, she is exactly one-half of me. (Most noteworthy is the size of her head compared to mine... as if i needed more proof that i have a freakishly large head.) Very VERY slim, delicate, kind of like a Victorian doll, wearing her signature Ann Demeulemeester lace-up boots (this time in a very spring-friendly white). She is sweet, soft-spoken, and yes, only 17 years old. She complimented my shoes (Jeffrey Campbell) and toe nail polish (Essie in Mesmerize), and that just about did it for me. ;-) (And Sarah?? I told her you were bummed that you were missing out, and she totally knew who you were and says HELLO!)

Anyway, i've just woken up from a long nap and need to re-orient myself. But i promised you'd be the first to know! Ciao for now, darlings.

xoxo,
C

Twilight!!

Bon matin! That's moi (still half-asleep as evidenced by my coin slot size eyes and hideous hair) after purchasing my copies (yes that's plural, had to get the regular dvd and the bluray!) of TWILIGHT @ Tarjay this morning. Wheeee!! I felt like i was 13 all over again. :-)

Off to SPIN! Have a great Saturday!!

Famous Bloggers

Sooooo you already know that i'm a little ridiculous and obsessive and develop major girl crushes. I'm also not particularly shy about approaching said girl crushes, which is how i actually became real-life friends with the lovely Kimberly Wilson a la Hip Tranquil Chick (also be sure to check out her fab eco-chic clothing line TranquiliT) and also how i got to peruse the Paris flea markets with the fabulous Claudia from The Paris Apartment whom i also consider a dear amie. Since discovering all these incredible style/fashion bloggers, i have emailed/contacted not just one, but several of them to express my love for their blog. And surprisingly (or not surprisingly?)? I've gotten the NICEST responses from all of them! So here's my shout-out to the uber-chic, virtually famous, fashion bloggers out there who totally indulged moi and answered my emails. :-)

~Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere

~Nina from Femme Rationale

~Juley from Swank Heights

~Nini from Nini's Style

~Tiffany from I Am Style-ish

ALSO - found out that Jane from Sea of Shoes is IN Austin and planning to visit Feathers Vintage Boutique tomorrow. Am tempted to camp out all day and wait for her... oh wait, i can't b/c i have a life and stupid things i must do on the weekend that i cannot do during the week b/c i have a boring full-time job!! Alas, what's a blogger-obsessed girl to do? Not sure, but if i DO somehow get a chance to meet her, you'll be the first to know. ;-)

Online Sample Sales...

are the DEVIL.

That being said, they are fabulous, and if you'd like an invite to Rue La La, Ideeli, or Gilt Group, just leave a comment with your email address! One of my dear readers sent me an email asking for an invite to Gilt, and i thought, DUH, i talk about these sites all the time and have never offered an invite. So if you'd like one, just let me know!

Happy online shopping :-) :-)

04.02.09

It's a good thing i'm (1) on a shopping hiatus and (2) in Austin b/c otherwise i'd be here on April 2 spending all KINDS of dough.

P.S. What i miss most about living in London? Afternoon tea @ The Connaught and TOPSHOP!

Le Photoshoot

Instead of writing yet another "life sucks but i'm trying to see the light" post (which was totally coming btw), i've decided to shut-up and just share some pics from me and ma soeur's photoshoot last weekend. The goal of the shoot was to find a fun shot to use for a blog header, but i'm thinking a sunnier, more Spring-y theme is more my style.

Oh and those fabulous (or hideous, depending on your taste (and i won't be offended if you find them hideous lol)) yellow thangs are the shoes i purchased @ Zara during my stint in NYC. I saw them in the display and knew i had to have them. Surprisingly, they are WAY comfortable. God bless the platform. Am also sporting my new boyfriend blazer from H&M. WHY there's NO H&M in Texas is BEYOND ME, but it just gives me even more incentive to get myself to California for Memorial Day weekend. ;-)

P.S. Am playing around with the header (i've no idea how to make this kind of stuff so bear with me!) so this is my official *UNDER CONSTRUCTION* sign. :P

Le Mood: Part Deux

Woke up exhausted, fat, with frizzy hair and with an equally foul mood. Breathe. Am trying to remember all the good things in my life and not let daily obstacles bring me down. Want to be like the little happy ball above! My suspicion about PMS being the culprit for the other night's breakdown was correct - so throw that into the list.

In an effort to remain positive and not scowl until 5:00 p.m. on Friday (when i can go HOME and VEG and SLEEP), i'm going to make a list of 10 things for which i am grateful. Voila - here i go!

1. My job. In this economy, i am UBER grateful for my ridiculously overpaid, relatively non-stressful job. And my totally cute, kind, patient, and sweet boss.

2. My tax return. Did my taxes (on my own for the first time!) over the weekend, and am excited to put that $$ towards debt. Hooray!

3. My Dad's silver ipod nano - With the recent disappearance of my hot pink nano, i am grateful that i stole my Dad's silver nano (that i bought him for Xmas a couple years back, and which, of course, he NEVER used) so that i am not completely devoid of music at work. Currently playing? Taylor Swift. (Don't hate.)

4. My awesome Mom (aka Momma Park) - She let me cry on the phone to her over a pair of lost shoes. Never once did she say i was being ridiculous or childish or spoiled (all of which i was DEF. being). Love her. (Oh and also b/c she brought me TONS of delicious Korean food and as a result, i've not had to worry about what to cook/buy for dinner at all this week.)

5. My dog, Lola - Because without her, i'd still be crying.

6. My blog readers, aka Y'ALL - Because everytime i get a sweet, empathetic, insightful, helpful, just plain awesome comment from you, my day automatically gets 10X better. Merci for being you.

7. Organic fuji apples and monterrey jack cheese - B/c they have served as my "afternoon snack" for the past few days, and they are delicious both individually and even more so when combined.

8. Twilight - B/c it's being released this Saturday and because Edward Cullen is totally dreamy. That is all.

9. William Fitzsimmons - B/c his music is incredibly soothing, albeit somewhat depressing, and helped me drift off to sleep last night.

10. My Bestie - Pony, if you're reading this, i love you. I miss you. I often wonder how i would've gotten through the past 3.5 years without you. Can't wait for our romantic beach rendez-vous. XOXOXOXOXOXO (p.s. i love that you read my blog now ;-) )

i'm your kitty

Wow.

Le Mood

If i had to pick a hand gesture to describe my mood today, it would involve a particular finger pointing straight up. Bleh. It all began last night with my shoe debacle (p.s. thanks for the comments, girls. you are *SO* right.) After crying (literally) on the phone to my mom (who was a complete doll, btw), i completely broke down into a fit of hiccuping-noserunning-hugegaspsofair sobs. I don't know what my problem was. But then, the sweetest thing happened. Lola, my precious pup, got up from her comfy position in my bed, walked over to me, and started licking my tears from my face (normally ew, but i let her this time) and hands. She stared at me with those charcoal black puppy eyes, and i completely melted. Tears disappeared, and i found myself smiling. So that's why everyone says having a dog really does lower your stress level and improve your quality of life.

Anyway, the point is, my hysterical sobfest was not a result of lost shoes, but of what i suspect to be the dreaded P.M.S.. On top of all that, i think my fuschia ipod nano was stolen from my car (door must've been unlocked which NEVER happens), and apparently my cute Tarjay doormat was taken as well WHILE my sister was at my apartment. Ugh. I am so over apartment living it's unreal. (and btw? my apartment is considered "luxury" with added gates/security and a ridiculous pricetag for Austin living. bah!)

This morning i woke up grumpy and sleep-deprived. As i was getting dressed i had another "i have NOTHING to wear" moment and decided to focus on my shoes (esp since i've been on such a shoe buying binge lately). Today i'm wearing my relatively new Cole Haan slingbacks (see pics below) for which i paid nowhere NEAR the $225 retail price tag. My toes are also painted in Essie's new Mesmerize - a blue that may seem a bit shocking in the bottle, but surprisingly works really well with my office-appropriate shoes. If you're looking for a fun spring color, i highly suggest it. :-)



My outfit still totally sucks, but at least my feet look good.

Here's to hoping this day improves!

xoxo,
C