[RedandNavy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by salomelovesjohn Here is my other recent purchase. A top by Warehouse that I ordered from ASOS. I love animal prints and it has a bit of a texture, the faux necklace isn't something I usually go for but I really like it on this to which I can wear with black slacks & a cardigan for work or by itself for going out. The sweatshirt is velour and I ordered the one with the sacred heart, but I think I'm returning it for the crosses, since the heart didn't look like it would wear well at all. I really want a nice cozy, but fun sweatshirt. I found myself looking for one in my closet and getting stuck in on of my husband's sports themed sweats. UM...... The velour says dry clean only but it is a cotton/poly blend so I imagine that hand washing is ok? Thoughts? I ordered a few other things, but most of them probably won't work out. This time of year I sort of stock up, but I want to only get things I'll really use instead of looking in my closet at great "deals" that I never wear.

Which sweaters did you keep in the end? I thought all three look really nice. The one with the heart kind of caught my attention, looks cute. But all three do!!

Shoestring: That sounds like a great list! I would love a pair of K Jacques sandals as well. The design are so chic and timeless... They look like just the perfect summer sandals.

I ordered a pair of boots finally. I think they might arrive next week. I'm curious whether those will be as nice as I feel they are...

[floodette]

thanks a lot for the nice words on my clutch, redandnavy and betinapple....

i am usually not a logo person, but i really love bdj and its textured patent leather. i sued mine several times and got so many compliments. my wallet is also bdj but the wristlet, and agree that it wears like iron.

now on 2013 wishlist..... i've been mulling this list over and over again...
1. black patent closed toe wedge 9cm max
2. nude patent closed toe wedge 9cm max
3. daily bag, am thinking navy color
4. pearl fireball necklace

not fashion related, but am planning to buy a thinner wetsuit, 1 mm weight for diving and a new pair of booties for diving as well. i plan to reach at least 50 dives in 2013

regarding my shoes purchase, i am a bit disappointed with tory burch shoes. they are comfy, but the tip of my shoes has been damaged and look frayed. and it's patent leather!!! i think i will go back to ferragamo. anyone have bad exp re tory burch?

[floodette]

salome, nice bag and cute sweaters! i especially like the animal print one. can you take off the necklace or is it fixed? wonder how it will do in washing machine.

redandnavy, the vest is cute! looks so soft. how do you plan to style it?

[twistelette]

so... I fell off the wagon a bit. that's to say, I purchased some items from eBay (a pair of dieppa restrepo oxfords and a silk COS top) that ended up not fitting or suiting me at all. I never would have bought them had I been able to try them on first. that annoys me a little bit - I don't mind that I bought stuff, but I do mind that I was a bit reckless in my purchases. it feels best to me when I can take a little time when I consider buying something, that I can try it on and imagine the way in which the item will work with the rest of my wardrobe. and then maybe take a step back, sleep on it for a night or two, and see if I still really like it. buying via eBay gives me the idea of a considered purchase, I guess - because there is a little bit of time that goes by between me 'finding' the item and the auction ending, I get the idea that I considered the item well. but of course, without being able to try it on, it's always a bit of a gamble. hmmmn.
could I swear off buying via the internet? I've gotten so many great items via eBay that I would never have been able to afford otherwise... but also so many items that ended up not fitting, and that I have had to re-sell (at a loss, usually) or that I just gave away to the local thrift store.

[aldn]

Twistelette I would never swear off ebay but maybe just keep the cost of the items relatively low because I have the same issue. I also try to stick with brands with who are classic and that I know will work.

[aldn]

I know we try not to shop the sales or at least be very smart it. I hit the solestruck sale and got two pair of shoes.
The creepers (sold out now so the pic is from karmaloop.com) are amazing and were a steal at $45. I've actually wanted a pair since high school. The sole is a lot more chunkier then from the ones I would have gotten back then and I like that cause I love height.

These Jeffery Campbells on the other did not work out. In spite of me being a 12/13 and going with a 13 they were still too small. So 85 dollars down the drain... AHHHH!

[RedandNavy]

Sorry, not much time right now, I'll write more about your posts later this week... Just wanted to share my boots arrived... Awww, I love statement shoes. So happy I finally found a boot, it was so hard to find one to really fall in love with.

Pic by net-a-porter.com

[aldn]

Very very nice. I kinda want some similar. When Dior Homme came out with gold high high heel boots 6 years ago I though Hedi was crazy. I still wouldn't wear a boot as high as the ones he offered but I totally have warmed up to gold.

[fashionista-ta]

^ I find gold makes such a nice neutral and is so useful ... I still miss some gold ballet flats I had years ago.

Sorry you guys have been having shopping trouble online After getting burned a couple times, I try to be really careful about return policies if I don't know exactly what I'm getting. For example, I don't want store credit, I want my money back ... who wants to have $1000 or whatever tied up in store credit if you already ordered the one thing you wanted from that label and it didn't work?

I saw a pair of sandals in a magazine that I really like, but not sure how they will work on me, or if I'll be able to find them locally to try them on (small brand). So will be approaching them with caution

[twistelette]

those are great boots, redandnavy! I like gold as a neutral as well - a lot of my clothes are in quite matte fabrics; cotton, wool, linnen, and I like it when I can add some depth to an outfit by adding some (softly) shiny textures. metallics are great for that. I used to have a soft gold silk cami that was great for that - I wore it until it fell apart.
I hoped the dieppa restrepo oxfords that I got on eBay could serve a similar purpose as those boots will, but they really are too big for me...
I could, and would, never swear of eBay, but I needed to remind myself that those purchases are not as considered as maybe I led myself to believe. they are always a bit of a gamble. and I don't mind that, but I don't need to over-do it

[fashionista-ta]

As planned, I stocked up on tights this past weekend ... black, grey, purple. I had already gotten some black lace tights ... didn't find any other patterned ones I really liked, so I stuck with solid colors this time. Also got some knee-high black tights for wearing with pants--and very practical as if something goes wrong you only have to throw one away Plus some cute polka dot and striped butter socks for wearing at home (they are heavenly).

I wore a pair of the tights today and noticed they had a couple spots on each leg where the dye didn't take or something ... So those will be going back, and I sure hope it's limited to the one pair I've been wearing this brand for many years now, and I don't want to have to switch ...

[salomelovesjohn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedandNavy Which sweaters did you keep in the end? I thought all three look really nice. The one with the heart kind of caught my attention, looks cute. But all three do!! Shoestring: That sounds like a great list! I would love a pair of K Jacques sandals as well. The design are so chic and timeless... They look like just the perfect summer sandals. I ordered a pair of boots finally. I think they might arrive next week. I'm curious whether those will be as nice as I feel they are...

I kept the crosses and the leopard one. Love them both. The heart was very cool, but it seemed to me that it wouldn't wear well at all.

[salomelovesjohn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by floodette salome, nice bag and cute sweaters! i especially like the animal print one. can you take off the necklace or is it fixed? wonder how it will do in washing machine. redandnavy, the vest is cute! looks so soft. how do you plan to style it?

Thanks! The animal print one has a fixed necklace but I've handwashed it and worn it twice already - no problems!

[salomelovesjohn]

I love metallic shoes, but somehow they often scuff quickly on me!

Eh, I've been shopping. I can say that in the spirit of this thread I have been buying better quality, but I do think I've bought quite a bit in terms of quantity. I did end up rebuying the Prabal Gurung sweater when it hit the sales and am so happy I did. I've spend so many years building up a shoe/bag collection and going nuts on those items every season this is the first year my clothing purchases out number by bag/shoes purchases! (Which makes more sense). I think at some point I'll add it up -I'm within my clothing budget, but my issue is more of having low quality items I want to get rid of after a season or sale purchases that I never really wear. I've really done better this year in terms of both those issues, so I'm happy. Maybe in 2013 I can cut back on the number of items.

Someone said something really helpful to me recently - she only buys things she imagines that she'll use for the next ten years. It has really stuck with me.

[fashionista-ta]

^ I would love it if my things all lasted for 10 years!! Some have lasted many more, but items in heavy rotation may last only a few years. It's a concept definitely worth thinking about if you feel you might be transitioning to a more mature look anytime soon. This definitely crossed my mind in my late 30s, as 'cute' started to seem less and less appropriate ...