I found my perfect backpack!!!

For the entire year to-date I have not purchased a single bag or wallet - that has been a major goal of mine for years. This may hold my things, but it's not a bag! ;)

I was on the look out for a backpack this year, but had very specific criteria for it. I wanted it to be light weight, reasonably priced, good quality, water-resistant/repellent, stylish, and a good size for my height. And bonus, I love the dark hardware. 

I finally found it yesterday at Nordstrom. Not only was it on sale, but there was also an additional 25% off (I think it was due to Black Friday?). It was originally priced at $198, and I got it for approximately $85 including tax. 

I'm so excited to use it on the weekends and on my upcoming trips to Las Vegas and Korea. 

Marc by Marc Jacobs Printed Crosby Quilt Backpack

Measurements
Height: 16.5in / 42cm
Length: 15.25in / 39cm
Depth: 5in / 13cm

A want doesn't always have to mean a purchase

My love for fashion began with my love of bags. I've spent years trying to reel back my purchases and I have managed to go without buying a single bag in 2015, to-date. I am, however, currently debating a bag in my head - the Celine trapeze bag.

(picture not my own)

I'm NOT going to splurge on this bag because I have other financial obligations this year, but I can't get this bag out of my head. (Nope, I will never put my financial well-being in jeopardy for the love of fashion - no matter how tempting something might be).

That said though, even if I had a money tree, I would still be in this great debate, and here's why: I KNOW this bag is NOT for me. Having only a single TOP strap AND a flap closure is just asking me to get frustrated and never use the bag again. From a practical side, I know I will never spend that amount of money on it. For pure enjoyment reasons though, I still want it, thus, my thoughts on alternative options - (1) purchase it used, (2) find a less expensive version (and I don't, nor ever, mean a fake version) so that I don't have to worry if I don't use it, or (3) don't buy it, or any similar looking one at all, knowing I wouldn't use it that often. 

Buying it used is still expensive, and my objection to the purchase of a less expensive alternative is the compromise in quality. I found similar options at Zara, (and I really, really like them) but even at a very reasonable price point of $59.99, for what I consider a 'trend' bag in my wardrobe, I still couldn't overlook the quality - I've highlighted areas to show where there are already creases and scuffs. (Just because something is less expensive, doesn't mean I want to sacrifice any points on quality). 

 

That leaves me with the third option of not buying it, or any version of it, at all. It's the best decision I can currently make. I might come across one in the future where I can live with its price and quality, Celine, or not, but for now, I'll just have to try to forget about it.

Surprise favourites

Have you ever made a purchase that didn't seem like anything special at the time, but ended up being an unexpected favourite piece? I know my goal is to be making well, thought-out purchases that I love, but sometimes, I just need a shirt.

Then this shirt becomes something I can't part with!

Take for example, this sweater I bought at the Banana Republic outlet - I was looking for a light weight, long sleeved sweater, in light colors so that I could wear across different seasons; this top wasn't meant to be worn for work (I don't have enough tops to wear for the weekends) so I wanted it to be more casually fitted. 

When I first grabbed the shirt I wasn't sure about the stripes or colors but I gave it a shot because I was desperate for casual tops. I tried it on and I still wasn't sure - I wanted a casual fit but after wearing fitted sweaters for so long for work, I wasn't as used to it any more, and the sweater is actually 3 colors (ivory and the stripes are gray and light pink) and I thought it would be hard to match. I bought it anyway. 

The first time I wore it, I paired it with blue, ankle crop jeans, and as simple as that is, it made me fall in love with the top. I don't know why, but I have been wearing it at every opportunity I have. 

White skinny jeans look amazing with it! And even though I bought it to wear outside of the office, it looks great for a business casual outfit with my light slim leg trousers.

Review: Tony Moly Banana Sleeping Pack - I'm glad it was a sample

I received this product as a sample and it is something I will definitely not be buying for myself.

I read a number of reviews before I tried it, and was excited to  use it, however when I did, I was disappointed. 

As the name suggests, you're supposed to put it on before you sleep and let it soak in over night. I applied it before bed and my experience is that, other than the lovely smell, it didn't work for me. 

The product is very easy to apply and the smell is a very relaxing soft banana smell - very lovely. After application I went to bed and having read the reviews, I prepared myself to experience some sort of discomfort as reviews mentioned it would be for those who aren't used to it. I was prepared for that. 

What I wasn't prepared for was the itchiness that I felt afterwards and the longer it stayed on, the itchier it got. I had to remove it in less than an hour. The next day, I got a pimple. 

This mask is definitely not for me =(

Not everything loved has to cost an arm and a leg

I am currently preparing myself to let go of two very beloved pieces from my wardrobe. They've both served me well and have helped to complete many outfits. While I generally feel OK with paying a little more for wardrobe staples in hopes they will last longer, it doesn't mean I don't appreciate the ones that I do find, at a low price point. That said, I wish these did cost more so that they would have had a chance to last me longer (I love good deals but there is some truth behind getting what you pay for).

First up, is my J. Crew tunic - I love this item because I have a  lot of trouble fitting into button-up tops. They are either too tight across the chest, too wide along the shoulder, or too loose or tight over-all. I was drawn to this because it fit throughout and because of the lack of buttons, it didn't have any parts prone to gaping open. From afar it looks OK. but upon closer inspection, you can tell that the material is slowly starting to pill and thin out, and the colors are starting to cross into each other; not to mention, at the cuffs, they have torn from the shirt - on both sides! Yes, I could sew them back in, but I'm not a master seamstress, and the cost to get it professionally done would probably cost more than the shirt itself. The cost of this shirt was USD $13.99, bought in December 2013 from the outlet store. I didn't get into a lot of detail in tracking my purchases until 2014 so I can't tell you the exact cost per wear, but I can tell you that I wore it enough times that my mom has told me that, that's all she sees me wearing. From memory, I can tell you I've worn it at least 5 times in the last couple of months, which for reference is already $2.80 per wear, and let's say I wore it a minimum of 5 times in 2014, that's already $1.40 per wear ... you see what I'm getting at.

 

Second on my list is one of my favourite dresses - my black sheath dress. I found this unexpectedly at Target in September 2014, originally CAD $29.99, on sale for CAD $14.99. It fit me perfectly and to my delight, even has pockets!! I was able to track my wear on this item and wore it 7 times in the remainder of 2014, and 12 times in 2015, to-date. My cost per wear on this is 79 cents! I love this dress but unfortunately the quality really isn't there - it is stretching out and attracting too much lint to de-lint and is pilling. I'm sad to let this go but I can't wear it to work having it look the way it does. In my opinion, with its pockets, this is the perfect style of a black sheath dress for me and doubt I will be able to find its replacement any time soon, if at all.

I love buying only favourites but it's really hard to let them go when the time comes because they were just that perfect for me. I've enjoyed wearing these pieces and will remember them fondly. Farewell.

Once you pop, you can't stop...

... or something like that.

Last month I went over my wardrobe budget and had decided to stop, however, I accompanied my friend to my go-to shop and came home with 5 new items =S

I went into the fitting room with 30+ items, in my chosen color palette, all with potential to be part of my carefully selected wardrobe, and whittled it down to 6. I carried 6 throughout the store while I waited another hour for my friend to finish, and eventually put down the vest that I had been debating over.

I didn't buy the vest because, as much as I had been wanting one all season, I couldn't come up with any outfits. One of my unspoken rules is that each item I bring in, must be able to go with at least 3 existing items I already own. It was difficult to let go since it was exactly what I was looking for, but I knew it was the best decision.

One of the tops I bought is this soft wash plaid button-up - I love the colors and can't wait to use it as a layering piece under sweaters and cardigans to show the contrasting plaid; it'll also be great paired with my gray pencils skirts and light gray GAP trousers, as well as jeans and cords. This will also be a replacement piece for my beloved J Crew plaid tunic that I purchased in late 2013 (I've worn it to death and am preparing myself to let it go)

Another top I purchased is this black sleeveless top with a zippered back because I didn't have one. I have been looking for one that is comfortable and not see-through. This is perfect for layering and to be tucked into pants and skirts. Love the dressy look and know it will go with any bottoms. I am complete in my search for dressy sleeveless tops in my color palette - navy, ivory, black, and gray.

I am now 20% over my budget for this year and I must take this seriously, and stop shopping. The only comfort I can give myself is that I finally found the perfect black sleeveless top for me. Moving forward, no excuses, and must exercise constraint and avoid temptation! 

October comings and goings

Goings - 3

• Collarless blazer - just don't really like the way it looks and fits on me any more
• Guinevere purple bolero - gave it to my friend as it was a little snug on me and looked better on her
• Esprit white and navy striped 3/4-sleeve sweater - it was big on me to begin with but has now stretched out even more

Comings - 17

• Cobalt colorblock drape pants from Banana Republic - got these for such a steal and I'm so in love with the color!
• a set of 3 pouches - I'll count as one item
• a coat from my mom for weekends and casual wear - it' s a good in between fall and winter coat until I am able to find one that I like enough to purchase. It's in a neutral color scheme and also has a hood for our never-ending Vancouver rain.
• 2 pairs of white jeans, pair of blue jeans, white linen pants, a black and gray patterned drape pant, a blue sheath dress, sweater, tshirt, and v-neck top for layering all from the Banana Republic outlet
• Slipped a last minute haul day into October - 2 ivory tops and 2 dresses from LOFT, and a navy quilted jacket from H&M for casual outings (something I had been missing since I donated a number of jackets)

For the rest of the year, I do not intend to add any more pieces to my wardrobe since I went a little over my 2015 budget with my last second haul at LOFT and jacket purchase at H&M. Hopefully, I see more 'goings' for the rest of the year to start out my 2016 goal with a bang! I'll talk more about that later ;)

My introduction to LOFT

I've heard many great things about LOFT and they finally opened their stores in British Columbia and I made my first purchase!

This year, I purged a lot of clothing and filled in some missing wardrobe staples. I'm starting to aim towards a more simplified and streamline wardrobe and having identified the staple colors I want to stick with (black, ivory/white, gray, and blue/navy), I am now on the look out for more staple pieces. 

I chose the following items and am very happy with them. I tried them on with my work staples - pencil skirt, slim fitted trousers, (and even my drape pants!) and they all looked great! The 2 dresses - well, I can never give up a well-fitted dress haha; the black and white striped one is going to eventually replace my black sheath dress which is going to have to go in the donate pile soon as it's getting a bit stretched out for me, and the flare dress, because I don't have anything like it, and it seems fun for both work and play.

Since this was my first time at LOFT, I tried on everything in all neighbouring sizes to find the right size for me. Their sizing seems to be all over the place compared to other stores I go to; they also seem to fit a little bigger than most places so I sized down for all my pieces except for the striped dress which I bought in a medium-petite. Usually I'm a small/medium in tops and range from 6-10 in dresses, but usually a solid 8. At LOFT, at least in this flare dress, I'm a 6P.