Filed under: Blow Your Paycheck Friday
I am DYING for some smoking slippers. I passed up some glitter slippers last fall for obvious reasons (though I am still feening for some) but I think they are so chic. Especially these loubies:
Now I don’t think I’d drop $1295 for slippers at Saks - even studded slippers – but I may want to explore a potential look for less. Unfortunately these Vectras don’t quite do the trick for me. I can keep checking for options.
Filed under: Holiday
So I asked you earlier this year a key question in a blog post: Fuchsia Baywater Mulberry vs. Tobacco Gucci Boston Bag. You will be (perhaps) shocked to know that when it came time to spend the $1400 that Jamison and I had budgeted for my birthday bag, I selected neither of these bags. While in Vegas, I stopped by the Gucci store. The Boston bag was so… regular. Now I will admit the white one caught my eye but not more than this bad boy which I had spied walking past the YSL store over and over on our way through Crystals.
The large is pictured here. Also the prices have increased since I bought my bag on April 1. I paid $1650 for the oversized and the large was only $1550. Yes, that is a bit over budget but I had some slack in the budget after paying off my credit cards earlier than anticipated. 
You may also recall my obsession with the Michael Kors Red Sequin Grayson stemming from last December. I tried my hardest to track it down on discount in January and February to no avail. I finally talked to Amy about how much I needed it. She suggested I use my birthday money from family and friends to buy it. I found it on eBay from a fab seller for $250. I scooped it up happily.
I also found some fabulous electric blue straight cut, ankle skimming pants at TJ Maxx for $29.99 (similar to those pictured here but not as cropped.) I cannot wait to wear them! Now I still need some tangerine and yellow jeans before the spring trend dies.
I have made a sad decision that I cannot break out any of the birthday gifts until Monday April 30, but I can’t wait to rock them! I made a conscious effort to also not make my birthday as big a deal as I usually would this year. At first I was even going to WORK on my bday. But now I’ve got a decent little plan for May 3 that sounds fun enough and maybe even a little exhausting:
-
Gym
-
Champagne
-
Lunch at JCT Kitchen
-
Braves game at 12:10 (assuming no rain)
-
Cupcakes – I will write about this place when I find out the name LOL
-
Happy Hour at TAP
-
Dinner at South City Kitchen
Filed under: Girl Crush Wednesday
After a way-too-long absence, I have decided to bring back the girl crush series with a girl that I find keeps getting hotter and hotter, Rihanna. I saw Drake’s video for “Take Care” and trust me, RiRi was the only redeeming element of the visual and/or audio. I am really into her chameleon, all-the-way-bad-girl yet high-class fashionista look:
Love her with dark cropped hair
Fire engine red
Blonde watching basketball (Getty)
Full-on bad girl glamoflagued (do any of you watch “Styled By June?”) in sweet ruffles and prints
Filed under: My Shopping Finds
Last April I was desperate to find replacement cocktail dresses after my 40+ lb weight loss. I found this amazing black satin Calvin Klein dress on Hautelook. Well after I got it and loved the ultra flattering fit, I was obsessed with ordering it in blue as well. I searched and searched and searched to find it with no luck. Well, guess what I found for $71 on MyHabit?
See what can happen if you wait a year for what you want? You can get it. Now where to wear it…
Filed under: Random
As you guys know, writing clearlyfabulous is something I have done and enjoyed for about 2.5 years now. I found myself in quite a funk beginning a couple of months back. One of the many things I stopped focusing on during this time was writing clearlyfabulous.
I tried everything I could to get back in the swing of things, but I am still struggling a bit. I lost my way as it relates to food, exercise, shopping, cocktails. I tried every way possible to medicate myself against the depression and anxiety I found myself swirling in. I have decided to take a more proactive approach going forward:
- Re-focus on diet and exercise – not only have I gained about 10 pounds over my comfortable fluctuation range but I have been recently diagnosed with high cholesterol and high blood pressure. This means I am going to be taking some very aggressive measures in the way of diet and exercise. I now take 4 prescription meds each morning and it’s a bit too much for me to handle. Yes, I am taking my meds, but I do NOT like it. So I am going to do whatever it takes to get off of them. I am beginning the Mediterranean Diet, which will be tricky for me due to my natural beef-loving Nebraskan self. But I brainstormed ideas yesterday. I will exercise 4-6 times per week, with an increased focus on resistance training.
- Stay out of debt – By not writing, you guys missed out on a major milestone back in March. I paid off all of my credit card debt. Finally. Now I need to stay out of debt. I am trying to figure out which cards to cancel without hurting my credit score. I am also trying to maximize reward points while only spending cash on essential items.
- Focus on investing and saving – Now that I have learned to live on less and shop way less, I want to refocus my efforts on stocking my emergency fund and investing more in my 401K and IRA. I also want to open a Roth IRA too.
- Continue my focus on finding pleasure in ways other than acquiring things – This does not mean I will never shop, but it means my joy will not come from shopping and I will continue to focus on keeping my wardrobe and home decor lean.
- Begin therapy to get to the bottom of the anxiety and depression – I have a sneaking suspicion that my recent health woes are connected to these issues as well. I need to deal with some unresolved issues, move on, forgive. I was at a conference earlier this month. The keynote speaker presented this one slide that read: “The happiest people are those who give. The happiest people are those who forgive. The least happy people are those who hold grudges.” I was so inspired by this – I need to learn to forgive and deal with issues, rather than placing my skeletons in the closet. I suspect I am beginning to run out of room. I need to actively deal with my father’s death last year. I have to free myself from all the things that are holding me back from happiness.
I also owe you guys a giant blog post featuring all the things I’ve bought in the last two or so months. And a post on the wonderful gifts I’ve gotten for my upcoming birthday (one and a half weeks). I will also start re-focusing on my regular Wednesday and Friday posts along with featuring some “What I’m Rocking” posts too. I may also share any particularly delish plant-based meals I create.
Thanks for sticking with me. I can’t wait to be back to my old self.
Filed under: Blow Your Paycheck Friday
I spent a little time in the YSL store in Las Vegas lately [more to come on that soon ] and it got me totally inspired by the spring line. These gorgeous orange sandals could make everything in my wardrobe a little brighter, sassier and more fabulous. Don’t you agree?
They just might be worth the $795 price tag. Get them at Saks. Rock them with everything.
