Fall Wishlist: Part IV

7. Deep Dark Oxblood

More than any other season, fall is defined by a color palette. There are some colors, like oxblood, that evoke happy, cozy feelings of rustling leaves, warm fires, spiced cider. It is hot and muggy in Florida today, so I'm going to try to jumpstart fall with a few pieces in this deep, rich shade.

J. Crew Factory Wool Dress Coat -- the perfect coat when you need to have a bit of a princess moment -- so very Kate Middleton.

Forever 21 Faux Suede Strappy Sandals -- a bold Miu Miu-inspired chunky sandal. I can imagine these with fun, textured tights in a rainbow of colors.

Modcloth Paris Cafe Cardigan -- I love a cardigan that looks just as good (maybe better) when buttoned as it does when left open. This piece from Modcloth's new in-house line is a little bit sweet, a little bit sexy.

Topshop Leather Duffel Crossbody -- your new everyday bag in a very sophisticated shade.

This rich color looks good on so many different skin tones, so any of these pieces would be great closet workhorses. I really love that coat, so let's take it for a spin...

I'm rarely home for my high school's homecoming weekend, but I might be this year and this is exactly what I'd wear. This coat perfectly ties together a fun sweater and pale, relaxed jeans. The accessories are practical and a nod to my school's colors (blue and gold) -- go Eagles! And this coat brings the perfect amount of fancy for holiday activities later in the year. It compliments, but doesn't compete with, a great party dress.

8. A Great Bag (or Two)

Investing in a good bag each season is an easy way to freshen up your look. It's a smart buy, especially if you're looking to stretch your budget. If you find the right one, your cost per wear will be tiny. Here are some of my favorites right now:

Zara Holdall -- I talked about the qualities of my ideal bag here: (looks like) leather, roomy but not bulky, easy to carry. This is a winner, and I love the deep bottle green color.

Yoins Snakeprint Backpack -- an interesting shape and pattern, but still neutral enough to play nicely with the rest of your look.

Boden Berkeley Zip Bag -- this is one of my favorite bag shapes, and I love the punchy tomato red. 

Old Navy Faux-Leather Bucket Bag -- classic, great looking bag for a teeny price. 

Would it be wrong to buy all of these? I think the Zara bag is my favorite, so let's play with that one:

A perfect bag to take to work, especially on those surprisingly sticky September days. I love this striped shirt dress -- I'd add a couple of bracelets, some not-boring shoes, and not much else. This bag is also perfect for a chilly night out -- people may not see the sleek sweater and pants under your big cocoon coat, but everyone will notice the great bag on your arm.

August Budget

What a difference a month makes...

Last month was a bit of disaster that included a pricey splurge and a big Zara haul that put me way over budget. (A quick update there: I ended up returning the beautiful J. Crew shoes. It was a little sad because I did love them, but I couldn't justify the price when I really looked at the quality of the shoes). This month was the polar opposite -- almost no shopping at all. I had other priorities, and sometimes that's just the way it goes: I had a number of boring household-type expenses (new MacBook battery, new glasses, fresh highlights, etc.), I've been putting money away for my vacation, and I wasn't really interested in fall clothes because it's just too hot in Florida.

Here's how my August spending looks:

Starting Budget: $200

J. Crew Factory Tipped Linen Blazer ($50, on sale) -- I actually haven't received this jacket yet, but assuming I keep it, I'll be counting this towards my August budget. I've been wanting a sharp white blazer with black piping for a while and caught a fairly rock bottom price (it's back to almost $100 now!). 

a.n.a Stella Thong ($18, on sale) -- I've loved these sandals all summer, and I picked them up during a nice end of summer sale. They're fun and add a nice pop of color to a lot of outfits.

J. Crew Factory Photo Collector Tee ($10, on sale) -- just a cool little tee. 

Total: $78 ($112 under budget)

I'll be tucking this $112 away in savings, but I'll reserve the right to dip into it in September or October when I might be tempted by great fall pieces.

I have been doing a lot of window shopping fall fashion (and I'll be starting a fun fall shopping series next week). Since this is a pretty short post, I thought I'd share some of the things I'm eyeing for September:

I really love this Zara blouse. It pushes all of my buttons: black and white, pretty piping, sheer flowy shape. I'm hoping to see it in store rather than ordering online because I am concerned it might be a little too short for my long torso.

How sexy is this mermaid-like swimsuit? I still have a lot of swimming months ahead of me, so it seems like a good buy.

Thakoon x Kohl's launches this month, and the preview images look great. I love this cozy marled sweater, among other things.

I fell in love with this blouse a few years ago, and I'm glad Kate Spade re-released it this year. It is marked down from it's original overinflated price, but I'll need another round of reductions before I can pull the trigger. But it's so pretty, right?

This bag looks amazingly chic in photos -- can you believe it is from Old Navy? I definitely want to check this out in-store. I've been let down by the quality level of ON bags in the past, but if this looks as good in real life, it would be an excellent fall buy.

Anything you have your eye on this season?

Linking up with Fran and the budgeting bloggers -- go check out all of the great buys this month!

PS - New here? Welcome! Check out my most popular posts this month:

Wednesday Wishlist: So Bright

Pack This: Summer Vacation

Three Ways: Cashmere Cardigan

Weekend To Do List

This post is coming to you from 30,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico (love JetBlue, love FlyFi!). I'm no longer California dreaming -- vacation is finally here! I have a few posts scheduled for the week, and hopefully I'll have some trip photos and stories to share next week. Here's what my pre-vacation weekend looked like:

1. Cobb Me

I started my vacation a little early by taking Friday off. It's hard to leave for a week, and I thought it would be nice to have a "day off" before leaving town so I'd be around to check email and answer last minute questions. I also made plans with my friend Jen for a few hours of Friyay fun and headed over to Hollywood Studios for lunch. It was hot as balls and we didn't have much of an agenda other than stuffing our faces, but we did a little shopping, a little people watching, a little dancing with Olaf, and a few rides. The main attraction, however, was lunch at The Hollywood Brown Derby. If you are planning a trip to WDW, try to get a reservation at the Brown Derby. It is one of my favorite Disney restaurants and it serves my absolute favorite Disney meal, the classic Cobb salad (the original Brown Derby is where this bowl of heaven was conceived). Honestly, I come here at least once a month and always order the same thing. In addition to the salad, you get a basket of the best warm, crusty rolls and sweet butter topped with sea salt -- perfection. Jen ordered another basket of rolls the moment the first one arrived. And this is why we are friends.

2. Getting Pretty

I spend Saturday afternoon taking care of some getting pretty errands -- hair cut and color, trip to Sephora to pick up a few items (I love their On the Go section), and a DYI mani/pedi. I'm really overdue for a good salon pedicure (runners do not have cute feet), but when I looked at my trip budget and realized boarding my dog was going to cost $500+, I decided i needed to cut a few corners. 

3. Just a Little Shopping

This is an expensive month (in addition to my trip, I need to order a new pair of glasses, I am desperate for a new battery for my MacBook, and I need a new pair of running shoes - why can't those things just be free?), and I really haven't had much time to shop. But I did place a small J. Crew Factory order to take advantage of some great end of summer prices. I snagged this fabulous linen blazer (a wishlist item!) for less than $50 - hope it is as great in person as it is in my head.

4. (Almost) Out of Office

Even with my semi-vacation day, I still had some work to take care of before putting up that out of office message. I had a very exciting Saturday night that involved laundry and spreadsheets. Glamorous, I know.

5. Sunday Funday

The Parent Trap was my FAVORITE movie when I was a kid. I'm talking the original Haley Mills version, not the inferior (and at this point, depressing) 90's-era remake. I've seen it a million times but never on the big screen, so I was thrilled to see the local art house theater had a Sunday matinee. I convinced my man friend to accompany me, promising him a delicious brunch as a reward. It was fantastic -- there's just something about sitting in that dark theater and immersing yourself in a little piece of your childhood. We stopped at a local favorite, Se7en Bites, for a decadent brunch. Two words: S'mores Waffle. Hell, yes.

Three Ways: Denim Skirt

Well, it's August 1st, so you know what that means: time to think about fall. Bathing suits in March, turtlenecks in August; it's a wonderful cycle, isn't it? Sigh.

I'm working on a fall fashion post, and one of my must-haves for this season is an A-line denim skirt. My favorite so far is this one from Alexa Chung x AG. It feels a little retro, a little pouty Parisian girl...but it's timeless enough to be a good closet workhorse for years to come.

It's way too hot in Florida to break out any of these looks just yet, but here's what I'm dreaming about for fall:

Day-to-Night:

I've always worked in offices where denim was fine all week long, so I love the idea of this skirt for long work days that lead into happy hour drinks, dinner, and more. Black with a few pops of color seems right here. A pretty pussy bow blouse, tights, and a good bag are the base. Sheer red lips, a chunky watch, and some funky gold slides add the personality.


Harvest Festival:

When I lived in New York, I inevitably ended up trekking out to Eastern LI for some kind of fall fun activity: apple picking, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, etc. Basically a chance to enjoy the brisk fall air, eat something delicious, and appreciate the fact that nice farmers grow awesome produce for us. Thanks, farmers!

Literally every other woman there will be dressed in a standard skinny jeans/flannel shirt/puffy vest fall uniform, so why not try to stand out bit? I love this relaxed take on a fisherman's sweater, and these boots are perfect for stomping around in the dirt. I'd add a tote in a rich fall color, a scarf in case it gets a little chilly, and some classic shades.

Sunday Funday:

This skirt is totally perfect for all of your lazy Sunday activities: brunching, flea market-ing, window shopping. A good striped shirt and chunky sandals (love these so much) are perfect for those unseasonably warm fall days. I'd just add a caramel colored cross body bag (do black and brown go together? Yup.) and stacks of rings. Easy.

June Budget

Fun fact -- I have no idea how much I spent this month! And I could barely remember what I bought when I tried to put this post together. My goal of spending mindfully sort of went out the window this month, so I'm on a mission to do better in July. Anyway, let's see what the damage is together, shall we?

Starting Budget:

$200

Purchases:

clockwise from l to r:

J. Crew Perforated Drapey Crepe Dress ($75, on sale) -- this dress, oh, this miracle dress. The perfect combination of sexy, sweet, and sophisticated. I actually bought it in the Sweet Persimmon color (a perfect tomato red), but for some reason J. Crew decided to style it like a potato sack in the online photo. This dress really loves a woman with curves, so the poor waif models are really drowning in it. Hence the miracle -- it is a dress that looks so much better on real women than on models! It is in and out of stock online, but keep checking -- I'm definitely on the lookout for one of the other two colors (black, and a cool nude-y walnut color).

Forever 21 Tonal Patterned Dolman Top ($20) -- sheer and lightweight and very pretty.

Zara Soft Shopper ($25, on sale) -- spotted this on sale in NYC and bought it as I was headed to the register. I will certainly get lots of use out of it and love it for years; debatable about whether it was a good purchase this month, but oh well.

Zara Perforated Clutch ($25, on sale) -- I actually went to Zara in search of this cute clutch I wrote about a few weeks ago, and I was thrilled to spot it on sale as well. It has a crossbody strap as well, so quite versatile.

Old Navy Cross-Strap Slides ($20, on sale) -- I'm obsessed with snakeskin print, and these seem chic but still practical.

Kohl's Graphic Scooped Tee ($12) -- I love a slim fitted graphic tee, and this watercolor-y endless summer print just made me smile.

Old Navy Faux-Leather Capri Sandals ($10, on sale) -- mine are black, which are sold out online. I'm obsessed with sleek, minimal sandals even though I don't think they always work on my feet -- I was happy these do!

Old Navy Palm Print Shorts ($18, on sale) -- summer is the perfect time for a pair of crazy print shorts.

Juicy Couture Burnout Henley ($7, clearance) -- this is definitely a lounging around the house top -- so light and sheer, with the sweetest rhinestone buttons.

Old Navy Slub Knit Hoodie ($10, on sale) -- this is one of my problem areas -- I can't seem to stop buying comfy lounge tops. This one is cozy and adorable, but so are the other 4 nearly identical ones I have in my closet. Note to self: knock it off.

Total: $222

Welllll....close. I actually both the 2 pair of Old Navy shoes today, so if I hadn't made that impulse buy I would have been on target. I can justify by saying my size is hard to find, sizes were limited online, blah, blah. I should have been keeping track of my total throughout the month so I knew that I'd already hit my limit. Room for improvement.

Next month's budget may be spent pretty quickly -- I'm waiting for this pair of shoes that seems to be taking the scenic route from J. Crew, I am hoping to score another miracle dress, and I just snapped up this gorgeous piped jacket after Ann Taylor taunted me with a great 50% off deal (there's always a chance that I'll hate it when it arrives, but something tells me it's a keeper). Oh, and Zara is having a massive sale? Sigh. How much can you get for selling a kidney these days?

Any good buys this month? Are you going to try to fight me for one of those fab little J. Crew dresses? Let me know!

Linking up with Fran and the budget bloggers -- go see what the ladies bought this month!

PS -- are you new here? Don't judge me on my poor budget skills alone -- feel free to take a look at my most popular posts this month:

Bite Lip Lab: 50 Shades of Red

Wednesday Wishlist: Tell Me About It, Stud

Florida Girl Problems

Wednesday Wishlist: A Scoop of Sherbet

Last week I found the cutest summer sneakers ever, and they made me realize how much I'm craving bright, fresh summery shades right now...in particular, icy cool shades of pink and orange (preferably together -- it's my favorite color combo!). Here are a few perfect pieces that are just as refreshing and tasty as a scoop of sherbet...

clockwise from l to r:

Joe Fresh Varsity Pullover Sweater ($35) -- I don't have a Joe Fresh store near me, but I stumbled across this bold, preppy sweater on a rare walk through my local JC Penney (tip: I like to check out the mini Sephora boutiques that are located inside most JCP stores -- I find that when I redeem my VIB points there, they don't always get deducted from my account. Shhh, don't tell anyone!). Apparently JCP carries the Joe Fresh line, and the pink/orange color combo immediately caught my eye. This one is about half the price of a similar sweater that J. Crew Factory carried this spring...the only reason I didn't pull the trigger is that we are FAR from sweater season in Florida. But I'm thinking about it...

Tracy Reese Beaded Striped Shell ($398) -- I'm not sure I'm brave enough to pair this pretty top with the matching skirt (that's a whole lotta look right there), but I love the idea of it with wide leg jeans or bright colored skinny ankle pants.

Giorgio Armani Bright Ribbon Sheer Lipstick ($34) -- Giorgio Armani makes some of the best makeup on the market. The color of this lipstick is so bold, but you just know that it will be sheer and incredibly wearable.

Bar III Hematite Tone Orange and Pink Drop Earrings ($30) I don't know about you, but I'm getting kind of tired of statement necklaces -- these statement earrings would be an interesting way to perk up a simple summer look.

J. Crew 4" Chino Shorts ($45) -- J. Crew does crisp but relaxed shorts better than just about anyone, and they have lots of delicious sherbet-y sweet shades.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm, Mischievous ($9) -- I have never worn orange lipstick, but this sheer lip pencil seems like a safe way to give it a try.

Jasper and Jeera Azille Slides ($98) -- I love these simple, sparkly flat sandals. They'd be perfect to throw in your suitcase for your fancy European vacation, or just to dress up your summer basics for a late night ice cream run.

Boden Dip Dye Cashmere Sweater ($104) -- I always get compliments when I wear pink (especially near my face), and these soft pink shades would be flattering on a lot of different skin tones. It also just looks incredibly soft and cozy.

H&M Platform Sandals ($30) -- these are from H&M's Coachella collection, but don't hold that against them. Cute, comfy, practical -- kind of the perfect summer shoe, great for throwing on with your favorite little black or white dress.

Three Ways: Valentine's Day

I stumbled across these beautiful shoes from Zara and immediately started thinking about how surprisingly versatile sandals like this would be. 

Zara Trf High-Heeled Sandals ($59.90)

They'd be absolutely perfect for Valentine's Day, no matter what your plans might be. Here's how I would wear these shoes for a great night out:

Pink and red are obvious choices for a romantic Valentine's Day look, but why not stand out in a super feminine black and white palette? This lace dress is demure but sexy, and it would look amazing peeking out of a dreamy little coat. I love these dangly earrings for a little extra sparkle.

You can add your pop of red with pretty flushed cheeks and then finish with sheer pink gloss and a few dabs of highlighter.

OK, maybe you just can't imagine not wearing red on Valentine's Day. I'd go with something a little different like this flirty midi skirt. You don't need much more than a fitted sweater and a great necklace (and the fabulous Zara shoes!) to put together a fashion-forward look that's perfect for dinner, dancing, or just strolling around town making everyone totes jelly.

I'd play up my eyes with lots of lashes (maybe even a few false ones). And I'd definitely go with a lip stain if you want red lips and you also want to do lots of smooching.

So maybe you won't be spending your Valentine's Day being wined and dined by the love of your life. Me neither -- but that doesn't mean I won't be having fun!

This is exactly what I want to wear as a single girl out and about on a day made for couples. This would be perfect for a night with friends...maybe dinner and a drinks at a fun bar. I'd want something totally comfortable but not sloppy, like a soft jacket and relaxed jeans. The shirt would definitely be a conversation starter...and in the event I meet a potential Mr. Peacoat, he should know right off the bat that this girl likes to eat.

A good chunky watch would be useful in case you're like me and may want to bail in time to catch House Hunters International. I'd stick with very low-key makeup -- fluffy lashes and the slightest hint of lip color (that coincidentally will keep my lips very very soft...).


Happy Valentine's Day...and however you choose to spend it, have fun and look fabulous!