Shoes in Two Places

From reading this blog or knowing me personally, you might know that one of my least favorite things to do is go shoe shopping. Take me to a store to buy dresses, work clothes, jewelry, or even makeup and I could probably spend the entire day doing it-- but shoes are a different story. I detest the act of having to look for the perfect shoe to go with a certain outfit or one pair of shoes for the new season. I always feel like there is so much pressure and I usually pick out the least practical or ugly shoes. I admit that I am pretty much a failure when it comes to shoe shopping. 

One way that I don't hate shopping for shoes is online. It is so much easier because the shoes are divided by style, sometimes color, and I can quickly quit whenever I become overwhelmed. Currently there are two places that I actually enjoy looking at and buying shoes- Ann Taylor Loft and Club Monaco. I have purchased numerous pairs from the Loft (usually on sale) and they are some of my favorite and most comfortable heels and Club Monaco just released their shoe collection in the last new months. 

I would recommend both sites if you are looking for shoes and the thought of walking in to a department store's shoe section gives you hives-- oh, just me? 

Ann Taylor Loft

Suede Peep Tow Wedge Sandals

Perforated Sandal - I just recently purchased these and love them!

Ankle Strap Gladiator Sandals

I would recommend never buying anything on Loft full price, just wait a day and they will be on sale!

Club Monaco

Calf Hair Sandal

T-Strap Sandal

Tassle Sandal

For as much as I don't like shoes, I sure do blog about them a lot. 

Here, here, here.

Spring Break

9:00 on Sunday night and I am tucked away in bed, wearing some of my oldest J. Crew pajamas, and eating a Sprinkles cupcake. I don't care what anyone else thinks, I fully believe that I live a perfectly glamourous life. I just finished a weekend filled with laughs, love, too much food, dancing, photo booths, cupcakes, and memories. It's weekends like these that I wish there were just a few more hours tacked on to Saturday and Sunday so I could keep this perfect weekend alive for a little bit longer.

photo

If you are reading this, that means it is Monday morning. You might be at work, at home on the couch, or enjoying a week off from school during Spring Break. This is the first year that I haven't had the liberty of enjoying a nice, week-long break during the spring but that doesn't mean I can't pretend. I have been spending way too much time browsing the Swimsuit category of my favorite online shops, perusing beach vacation spots on Travel + Leisure, and using the two weekends on either side of Spring Break as my mini vacation days. This week I was able to enjoy time in Dallas and employed my favorite motto while there, "I can eat whatever I want, I'm on vacation". This coming weekend I will be taking a three-day trip to Charleston, SC with my family where my motto will be in full force again!

No matter what you are doing this week, enjoy these links to get you through the dreaded Monday and be sure to check back tomorrow for a very exciting post!

Classic Bikinis, Cool Cuts, Fun Prints

Love this shoe for Spring

The Cronut inventor is at it again -  Milk and Cookies

A great article on bringing vacation home with you

23 Ikea Hacks

ice cream sandwiches with a twist in flavor

The Oh Joy collection for Target just makes me so happy. 

Swooning over the pitcher, ice bucket, and everything else!

Fall in love with less.

This is so beautiful. 

Must test these out

I haven't stopped listening to this song since I first heard it.

photo

Perfect Spring blogpost coming tomorrow!

Market Must-Haves

Last week I went to Dallas for the January apparel market where stores and boutiques from all over come in to scout and buy the upcoming seasons newest trends in clothing. I was working in the lobby of the Fashion Industry Gallery watching people rushing in to go to appointments with Starbucks in hand. I found myself wondering what everyone was drinking (such an odd trait of mine) and observing what everyone was wearing. There were lots of silk pants, printed jeans, Louis Vuittons, and great boots. There were some outfits that walked past me that I couldn't help but noticing and lusting over. I pulled out an old receipt and a pen from my purse and started jotting down certain things that I feel like my closet are in desperate need of.

The following are my market must-haves and other things that I loved my whole time in Dallas. 

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

Outfit inspiration. 

Sparkling Fall Fashion

The mixture of sparkles and tweed in this heel by J. Crew caught my eye while shopping online this week. Not only are they on sale but so is the electric tweed skirt and I think it would fit perfectly into my fall wardrobe. If only my bank account agreed.

And the glittered make-up travel bag? Well it is for little girls but I don't care. Too many stores have cuter items in their children's section (J. Crew, Gap, Target) these days anyway, so I won't judge if you try to shop there if you don't judge me. 

And how is it fair that J. Crew didn't include us big girls when they were creating this entire glitter collection for kids?

Big girls like glitter too.

Free Soles

Image via. Mimi+Meg

and so are all of these.

I never knew that Free People had such rocking' shoes-- now I know, and so do you!

One of each. Size 8.5. Box 'em up!

All I Wanna Do

... is wear these outfits all the time. 

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that I love more than a flowy blouse with jeans. Throw on a pair of super pointy stilettos and some accessories and I think that I could go anywhere and be dressed to impress. 

Haute Hippie - Parker - Tbags Los Angeles - Patterson J. Kincaid 

Vince Camuto - Sam Edelman - Elizabeth and James

Reed Krakoff Watch - Cynthia Vincent

Today in particular I am wearing my favorite, new blouse that I have been coveting since I saw it at apparel market back in June. The moment I saw it hanging in the showroom with its sweet, delicate gold stars I hoped that one day it would be mine. Today I am pairing it with my bargain buy pants in lavender, some jeweled neck candy from J. Crew, and my most comfortable flats for walking around all day. So the flats aren't quite the 4-inch stilettos that I just showed but heels are also completely inappropriate for a day in a 5th grade classroom.
Maybe I will slip on some heels this evening and plop down on my couch for some glamorous blogging time.

A little inspiration.

Something to Talk About

Oh the joys of being at home and being able to watch the Today Show. It really is the little things in life. 

This morning on the Today Show, iVillage released the "Most Talked About" topics of the year. Most of the events and people on the list aren't things I would normally blog about but I promise there is a reason for exposing this list.

8. Kardashians...

7. High-profile infidelity 

6. The Royal Wedding

5. Amanda Knox verdict

4. Steve Jobs

3. Casey Anthony trial and verdict

2. Penn State scandal 

1. The economy 

After hearing this list I started thinking about the things I have talked about the most on this blog. I went back through the past year's posts and did some research on my most popular rants and raves. I wasn't too surprised by what I found, I know what I love and I love sharing those things with you.

10. Holidays

9. Cupcakes

8. Weddings

7. Shoes

6. Coffee/Starbucks

5. Kate Spade

4. J. Crew

3. Essie

2. Fall

1. Nail Polish

Surprising? Not one bit. I like my list much more than the one from iVillage; a little most positive. There is too much crummy stuff in the world to let it leak into my blog. I would much rather continue believing in true love and the goodness in people. 

Until next time.

Some things in life are too sweet not to be shared.  

The One That Makes Your Heart Swoon

You know that pair of ballet flats that you feel like you could live your life in? My first love affair with a pair of flats was a Juicy Couture pair I got for Christmas when I was still in high school. I wore those things out to the point that no one would touch them with a ten-foot pole. The smell... we'll leave it at that. I loved those shoes and had to quickly replace them after the sad day that I had to throw them out. 

These new Tory Burch Eddie flats could be just what I am needing in my life right now, a practical and all together lovely shoe.

Until next time.

RIP Juicy Flat circa 2007

My Mother's Closet

I have mentioned before that I am not your average girl when it comes to an obsession with shoes. Yes, I swoon over a pair of shiny-red bottomed Louboutin's but take me to the shoe department at Saks and I am bored in 4 minutes. 

Luckily I have my fashionable mother who is not only obsessed with clothes and jewelry, but especially shoes. Look at this very small collection from her closet above. My mother loves her shoes, her sandals, flats, her massive collection of boots, and her heels, that make her right around six feet tall.

I may not like shopping for shoes but that doesn't mean I didn't swoon when I first saw these Elizabeth and James heeled booties in her closet.

When shopping together recently, surprisingly at a shoe store, I actually fell in love with a pair of shoes and knew that I couldn't live without them. They weren't my typical, basic nude or black heel either...

Oh baby. My obsession with leopard only continues to grow as the days get cooler. 

Upon trying on these heeled booties I couldn't take them off but my mom was hesitant to let me get them thinking that I would never wear them. I assured her that I would and then let it slip that I had a blog post in the works that was centered around her and her sassy shoe collection. 

Is using my blog as a form of bribery wrong? Not if it works. And it worked.

Until next time.

Mom, you are so beautiful...

and if you believe me then click here.

Could I Have That

I was unsure of what I was going to blog about this morning, I had already planned to skip todays post unless an idea just came to me in the night or during my morning coffee. 

Well I think the coffee works as a creative stimulant for my brain because at 9:00 AM I already had a few good ideas rolling around. 

It was when I ran across these pictures from what seems like the most beautiful wedding that I knew exactly what sweet thing I needed to share this morning. 

Even if all the guests can't see them, wedding shoes are one of the most important things.

It's like cute underwear... no one sees it but you know what your wearing and it makes you feel a little more fun and if you are wearing Jimmy Choo sparkle heels under your dress you probably feel a little more glamorous. 

These lucky bridesmaids were so blessed by their loving bride who provided them with bridesmaids dresses that can absolutely be worn again. I swoon over these simple and sparkly Tibi dresses that were worn with rhinestone accessories. 

I love all of their different hairstyles yet matching robes. 

The only thing missing from this blogpost from Could I Have That (written by the lovely lady on the far right) was the brides dress. I am dying to know what it looked like, but if I had to guess it would probably look like this...

or this...

Dresses by Ivy & Aster
My ultimate swoon when it comes to wedding dresses.

Until next time.

Here comes the bridesmaids...
all dressed in Tibi

Anti-Cinderella

I would say in almost all ways I am your typical girl who loves good food, great fashion, and know that most boys got their cootie shot in the 3rd grade. 

I admit to reading tabloids, swoon over jewelry, and paint my nails five times a week.

My favorite colors have included pink and purple and I played with dolls growing up. 

Pretty normal characteristics for most twenty-something girls, and then I tell you this...

I hate shoe shopping. 

I like shoes and obviously wear them daily but I find show shopping to be one of the most dull practices that women have to go through. 

I let my mom pick out my shoes because she loves it and is a lot better at knowing what looks good on my feet, I just worry about the polish color on my toes.

There is one website that I don't mind browsing when it comes to footwear and that's Zara. I find that most stores and websites force you to sort through the most tragic shoes to find just one cute pair. Well not Zara because I am obsessed with them all.

Wedges, boots, flats, sling backs, pumps... I love them all and feel like Carrie Bradshaw would have bought all her shoes from Zara in her twenties before the column, Mr. Big, and heaven on 5th.

I even tried to branch out when picking shoes for this post and after putting them up I realized that they are all tan and black. Could I be more boring when it comes to shoes? Let's just call it sensible.

Until next time.

Za za Zara