April Budget

Another month, another budget post!  I managed to come up under budget again this month, thanks to some purchases (ahem) that were returned.  After having to dress up for a tradeshow earlier this month for work, I realized all of my dress pants are too big, and that I could use some other work appropriate clothes.  I also picked up a pretty dress to wear to a wedding this summer and some fun accessories.  The maxi hasn't made it out of my closet yet thanks to the weather, but I'm not so sure I like it as much as when I bought it anymore, so that might be going back.  The green dress and necklace haven't come in the mail yet, so who knows if I'll actually like them when they come or not.

Here's the damage for April:

Old Navy Dress - originally $34.95, on sale $15
Sole Society Heels - originally $74.95, on sale $67.45
LOFT Tiny Dot Blouse - originally $59.50, on sale $29.75
Target Maxi Dress - $27.99
Gap Boyfriend Shorts - originally $49.95, on sale $36.56
Gap Trouser Pants - originally $59.95, on sale plus used credits $25.97
Jessica Simpson Dress - originally $138, on sale $39.99
Amrita Singh Necklace - originally $120, on sale $17.99
Old Navy Belt - originally $14.94, on sale $10

Total Spent: $270.70
Total Saved: $309.53

For May, I'm looking for some springy skirts and dresses to fill my closet, as well as a simple but dressy clutch or crossbody bag.  How did you do budget-wise for April?

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On Repeat

Tee - Loft / Jeans - Gap / Belt - Old Navy / Shoes - Sole Society / Bag - Kate Spade (similar) / Bracelet - BaubleBar (similar)

I wore this in front of my sister, and she said "Isn't that the exact same outfit you just wore on your blog?"  Umm, no, this is a totally different gray tee shirt, so the outfit is totally different.  Really, no, it is almost identical, but I was having one of those days where I tried on everything in my closet and couldn't find anything I liked, so I went with something I knew I had already worn and loved.  When it ain't broke, don't fix it, amiright?    

Oh, and for good measure, here's an extreme closeup by Jeff:

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This weekend...

This weekend I...

...Celebrated with a rather large glass of champagne because I found a wedding dress!  No pics of the dress though, because, you know, it's kind of a surprise ;)
...Spent a lot of time on the couch with a headache that refused to go away, which gave me a great excuse to clear out my DVR and binge watch Say Yes to the Dress. Jeff's reaction - "But you found a dress, why are we still watching this show?"
...Started working on the coding for our wedding website.  Coding is weirdly one of my favorite things to do, so if you ever need any sites designed just let me know.
...Went back to Taco Joint, you know, because I'm obsessed.
...Watched a major fashion show from Jeff, who just signed up for Trunk Club, a service that sends guys a bunch of clothes so they won't have to shop.
...Met up with some friends at PorkChop for some freaking amazing barbecue and lots of whiskey drinks.

I hope you had a great weekend!

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Summer Sandals

Is it just me, or do last year's sandals always look pretty sad by the time warm weather rolls around again?  I tend to be grossed out by most of my sandals come spring, no matter how much I loved them the summer before.  I guess that's what happens when you wear them every day for months without socks ;)  I'm guessing the famous Target glitter sandals will make it another year, but here are some pretties to replace my current sandal collection:

clockwise from top: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 

How about you?  Totally disgusted by your sandals?  Or am I just a weirdo?

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(Lady) Date Night

Tee - Loft / Jacket - NY&Co (old) / Jeans - Old Navy / Boots - Enzo Angiolini (old, similar) / Bag - F21 (similar) / Bracelet - Fancy Frills

Happy Thursday!!  I am dying for the weekend right now, but you know, I guess that's really the case every Thursday.  I wore this earlier this week for a little lady date at La Madia for some vino and kale pork belly pizza.  Yes, seriously.  I know I sometimes hate on kale (ahem) but somehow on pizza it was amazing.  Maybe the pork fat helped.

I've had this blazer for four or five years now, but I barely ever wear it (I can actually remember the exact last time I pulled it out, waaaaaay back in 2012).  Usually I try it on, think, "Nahhhh," and shove it right back in my closet.  But this time, for some reason I was drawn to it again.  And that, my friends, is why I have a hard time getting rid of clothes.  Because I might want to wear something once every year and a half.  Totally worth the space.

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My Closet Takes a Small but Important Step

So this is a little embarrassing, but my closet has basically been a disaster zone for the past couple of months.  In our current place I have a walk-in closet for the first time in my life, and when I moved in I thought I was never going to fill it.  Umm, yeah right.  It's basically crammed to capacity.  I still haven't managed to get a dresser (ummmmm, whoops) so everything is in there, all of my clothes and all of my accessories.

Yeah, aaaaand with just one shelf in there, it turned into a bit of a shitshow.  You can barely make out that there's a basket on the shelf, which was my attempt at organizing my purse collection.  Yeah, that worked for all of five minutes.  And then I had all of my exercise clothes and pajamas and jeans and whatnot on the shelf, which turned into an unstable huge pile that would periodically fall on me.  Not. Fun.

So what did I do?  Sent IKEA to the rescue, of course!  I originally thought I would add another shelf and use the supports as dividers, as Pinterest has shown me many a time.  Then I saw this baby, which is supposed to be a bookcase, but when turned on its side makes a bunch of little cubbies.  Perfect for organizing my bags and shoes!  Plus, since it's not that high above the shelf below, I'm forced to keep those stacks neat and organized so that things actually fit there.

So, it's getting better.  Since taking these photos I sent three bags of clothing off to my sister so it's a little less crowded in there.  Next steps include actually getting a dresser (it's only been what, 14 months?) and figuring out something to do with my four thousand other pairs of shoes.  Dream steps include getting matching hangers (ha!) and converting the boy's office into a closet so that I don't actually have to mess with this space anymore ;)

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White & Lavender

Sweater - Loft / Shirt - Gap / Jeans and Necklace (similar) - Old Navy / Shoes - Sole Society / Watch - Michael Kors

I haven't been wearing a ton of color the past couple of months, which is really weird for me.  I'm usually the girl who's all about color all the time.  Maybe I was suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder or something, because as soon as it hit 70 this weekend (70!!) I had to break out some color.  These pieces are really lightweight, which makes them perfect for Spring layering.  Oh, and yes, I did break out the snakeskin heels again.  What can I say, it's love.  

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This weekend...

This weekend I...

...Dragged the boy to Nellcote for a little date night, and had some freaking amazing squid ink lobster pasta.
...Headed to my aunt's house in the suburbs to celebrate Easter and spent a glorious afternoon out in her backyard in the sun.
...Went to Nordstrom just to look at some bridal lingerie, and ended up trapped in a dressing room for an hour while one of the salespeople brought me a million bras and, oddly, helped me put them on.  Maybe that's normal and I've just never shopped for bras at Nordstrom before?
...Had a little lady's night out in Edison Park that included a few margaritas and lots of giggling.
...Spent what seemed like hours in my closet every day this weekend trying to get dressed.  I've been steadily getting rid of things I don't wear anymore or no longer fit, and that included a lot of my spring-y dresses and skirts.  Looks like I need to go shopping!
...Finally saw Wolf on Wallstreet, and (almost) managed to stay awake through the whole three hours, which, let me tell you, is quite a feat.  I dozed off for the one key scene in the middle of the movie that everyone has been talking about, so had to go back and re-watch it the next morning.

I hope you had a great weekend!

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Currently Crushing

Happy Friday everyone!! If you have today off, I'm very jealous of you.  I used to get Good Friday off, but now instead we get "Founder's Day," or the Friday before Labor Day.  I'm sad about it now, but I'm guessing I'll be pretty pleased come August.

Today I'm sharing a couple of things I'm currently crushing on.  I didn't mean to make this a "it's Friday so I'm posting about five things" post, but you know, things happen.

1. It's finally almost sandal season, and I am ready!  If a pretty pair or two (like these from Banana Republic) make their way into my closet, I won't be mad.

2. Old Navy's graphic tees are making me so happy right now.  They aren't all available online, but there are some pretty Paris themed tees in the stores that I need to get my hands on.

3. I mentioned that my sister and I were blasting some musicals last weekend, and one that was on repeat was Dogfight.  It may be a terrible premise (Marines each try to bring the ugliest girl to a party, hence, a Dogfight), but it's actually a really good show.

4. I'm not sure where I saw the link to Anna With Love's shop, but I am freaking obsessed with her Paris prints.  If my house was a little more dainty and feminine, I would probably fill the whole thing with them.    

5.  I said on Instagram that I'm slightly creeped out by the name of this color ("chubby cheeks") but I've been wearing it on my nails (and now my toes) for three weeks straight (and will probably keep wearing it until it's time to bring out my fall colors).

I hope you have a great weekend!

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Casual Basics

Tee - Target / Jeans - Gap / Shoes - Sole Society / Bag - F21 (old, similar) / Bracelet - BaubleBar (similar)

I got a new pair of shoes in the mail (yes, I really was wearing footie pajamas when they arrived) and maybe built an outfit around them last weekend.  Sometimes shoes first is the way to go. 

Something about this outfit makes me feel cooler than I actually am.  It's a laid back but still put together vibe that I so rarely manage to achieve.  Of course, I tripped in front of lots of people walking home from dinner, so that took me down a notch.  Just an average day in the life.

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DIY Moroccan Tile Coasters

So I have something slightly embarrassing to admit.  I moved in with Jeff over a year ago, but we never managed to get coasters.  We just have cups all over the house resting on scraps of paper.  Super classy, I know.  So when I saw this DIY from Darby Smart (and saw that it had the word "Morocco" in the name) I had to go for it.

The kit came with coasters, spray paint, and some cute stencils.  I maybe didn't read the instructions all the way so my spray paint smeared in a couple of places, but I still think they're pretty.

And now I have coasters in my house!  Kristina for the win :)

Interested in ordering from Darby Smart?  Use the code "howdydarby" to save $10 on your first order.

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Natalie Merchant on the Brain

Tee - JCrew / Jacket (old, similar) and Pants - Old Navy / Flats - Madewell (on super sale!) / Necklace (old) and Bracelet (similar) - Baublebar

Every time I wear this shirt (last seen here), I end up with These Are Days by Natalie Merchant stuck in my head for the entire day.  It was on an album my mom listened to when she cleaned when we were little so I always think of it as mom music, along with Carol King's "Tapestry" and the Miss Saigon soundtrack.  Well, Miss Saigon she really just played around the holidays, so for years I thought it was Christmas music.  Really weird, sad Christmas music.

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This weekend...

This weekend I...

...Stayed at a DoubleTree for the first time, and now I would like four thousand of their cookies please.  I went down to Bloomington with my sister to volunteer for Destination Imagination again, and our roadtrip involved singing at the top of our lungs to musical soundtracks and an unhealthy amount of Taco Bell.
...Caught the ending of The Help again, and for the first time DIDN'T cry.
...Got my snazzy new business cards in the mail!
...Ate a mac and cheese hamburger.  Yes, it's just as amazing as it sounds.
...Wandered around the neighborhood to celebrate the warm weather, along the way we drank several Moscow Mules and almost got blown away in the wind.
...Started working on a branding project I'm super excited about.
...Finally saw Frozen, and now have all of the songs stuck in my head.
...Went to church with Jeff's parents and then out to Maya del Sol for a freaking amazing brunch.
...Caught up on all of the tv Jeff and I watch together, including the new season of VEEP.

I hope you had a good one!

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Current Pinsperations

Happy Friday everyone!! Here are a few of the things that have been inspiring me lately (can you tell I have Spring in my brain?):

All images via my Pinterest page.

Have a great weekend!

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Anniversary Outfit

Shirt and Sweater - Loft / Skirt - Banana Republic (similar) / Shoes - Sole Society

Note - My legs are not this tan (I wish, right?), I was wearing brown tights.

Today is Jeff and my anniversary, which means it's the perfect day for a little date night action.  It's weird, but I guess starting next year we'll have a new anniversary to celebrate.  We were talking about celebrating our pre-versary this year (a year before our wedding) but it turns out I'll be out of town that weekend so I guess it's just a regular old anniversary this year ;)

We're heading to Mercat a la Planxa later to celebrate - tapas is our little tradition.  Not only did we get engaged in Barcelona, but our first date was also at a tapas place. For me, date night is the perfect excuse to break out some of my pretty shoes that are impractical for my everyday life - helloooooo red suede!  I didn't mean for my shoes to match my nails, but I am definitely not upset about it.

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