Splurge! - Miu Miu black patent peep-toe pumps

Sometimes, it’s just nice to have something that makes you feel glamorous and these certainly do it for me!

I bought these beauties during my first trip to Hawaii at the Ala Moana Nordstrom in 2008. I’ve only worn these 3 times since I’ve owned them and although I rarely get to wear these, I will be keeping them for special occasions, such as the up-coming charity gala I will be attending this Saturday. 

Save or Splurge!

A few years ago I slowly started to 'improve/upgrade' my wardrobe. If money wasn't an option, I'd love to have a wardrobe of high-end pieces but I'm realistic in what I can afford and therefore have to decide which areas of my wardrobe I can allocate my funds to. 

I save on items such as: 

• costume jewelry 
• shoes for special occasions (although I do like to own one amazing shoe for those super-extra (rare) fancy events)
• basic t-shirts or tank tops
• trendy items (unless they end up being in constant use, in which case, I'll keep my eye out for a better quality version to eventually replace it with)

I am willing to splurge on:

• daily items I need to last as long as they can (i.e. every day shoes)
• the rare items that may not get much use of but need them to look fabulous when I do (i.e. cocktail dresses)
• pieces I find difficult to find and want to avoid re-buying as much as possible

My rule of thumb - spend only what I can afford, and try to get the best deal for anything I buy.  

I should note that my bag and wallet purchases follow a whole different set of rules, but more on that at another time ;)

I don’t need to buy - nail polish

When I first discovered nail polish at age 10, I went nuts and bought all the colors and glitter I could find. As I got older I used them less but every couple of years I would binge on buying nail polish. Last year I got rid of a lot of my polishes and am left with only 15. I’m still trying to purge and get down to 5 - I’ve identified 5 colors to keep on hand that will work throughout the year and with my wardrobe: nude, navy, gray, red, and a light pink. 

My base colors

When I used to shop, I would never think about what I had in my closet so even if the item was awesome, it might not have worked with anything I owned. 

Now, in order to simplify my wardrobe and make it easier to coordinate outfits, I’ve narrowed it down to some ‘base’ colors that look good on me and that I use as a backdrop. 

The base colors I chose were:

• White/Ivory
• Gray
• Navy
• Purple
• Black
• Red

That said, I also think about whether an item is a top or bottom because some colors work better as a top or bottom, or as an accent item. 

It’s not to say that I don’t inject other colors in my wardrobe but I research outfit ideas to make sure I can make a few outfits with them.

A few of my favourite things - Project Art by NEST fragrances: Mint Leaves & Lime

Not wardrobe related but I love candles (and it’s something I’m trying to use up and not hoard) and I’ve found that it’s rare to find a candle thatactually smells while it’s burning. Most candles I’ve found only smell when it’s burning and I’m standing right next to it, or smells after it’s been blown out. This one by NEST smells lovely and fresh, and actually carries throughout and entire room without being overwhelming and heavy.