Betsey Johnson's Cats

I love everything in this post from Fashionunder100.net:

http://www.fashionunder100.net/2009/11/5-under-50-betsey-johnsons-black-cats.html

I think my favorites are the necklace and either the smaller dangly earrings or the cameo earrings.

Things I Bought That I Haven't Blogged About

I hate that this blog is mostly becoming stuff from The Limited, but I suppose that happens when you work at a clothing store. Anyway, here's some stuff that I've bought in the last month or so that I haven't blogged about yet:

Ribbon Detail Tee, on sale for $14.99. I got this in gray and black. The tee is gray and the ribbon detail is black. I love our Tee shirts. They're almost worth paying full price for.


Smocked Neck Blouse, $44.50. I got this in a really pretty emerald green. The only problem is that when I wear it to work, our radios make it hang weird and it makes my stomach look huge. The color is pretty though.

Striped Skinny Merino Scarf, $19.50. I got this in purple and gray to match my purple merino sweater.

Wrapped Vee Ruffle Top, $34.50. I love this shirt so much that when I'm folding them at work I think about buying another. Again, another great tee.

917 Corduroy Bootcut Pant, $59.50. I loooooove these cords. I love the color, I love the fabric. They're sooo soft. So far I've worn them with mostly brown or gray, but looking at this picture I realize they really are just the color of jeans, so I can wear them with almost anything.

Forenza Shaker Cowl, $59.50. I guess The Limited had Forenza sweaters back in the 80s and they were the most popular sweater like ever. So now they're back and it's supposed to be a big deal. When we first got them we got a deal where we got two sweaters and a pant for 60% off, so I got this one in teal and gray, along with the cords a few pics up.

Mixed Rhinestone Stretch Bracelet, $26.50. I've decided I love black rhinestones.

Pave Twist Band Ring, $24.50. Sparkly, ooooh!

This last one is from Forever21, and is part of my Halloween Costume:

Fab Chiffon Bubble Skirt, $10.50. I love bubble hems. I love this skirt. It's a little short though, so other than Halloween I'll wear tights underneath it.

55%

We get another purchase at 55% off at The Limited, because we did so well in September or something. The reason isn't important. I really want this suit:

Open Drape Neck Jacket and

Drew Double Beltloop Pant. With the discount I could get the whole suit for under $100, which is a pretty awesome deal. I'm just now sure that I'd wear the whole suit enough to justify the expense. These little pictures don't do the fabric justice. It's a dark gray tweed with little multicolored flecks running through it. Like you don't notice them at first, but when you do you're like "Hey, that's an awesome suit!". I guess I'll have to try it on when I get paid next and see how good it looks. I think the jacket would look good separately with jeans too.

Forever 21

...is my new favorite place for casual dresses. I went in yesterday looking for this Fab Crossover Dress, $12.5o:

but they only had it in red. It was a really pretty red, but I wanted it to wear to work, so it had to be black. I loooooove that it has little slit pockets on the side.


But instead I bought this Fab Soft Pleat dress, also $12.50. It really is fab. It's a little short, but I wore black tights and knee boots under it, and it looked hot. I got lots of compliments. I think I'll probably still buy the first one if I can find it too.

Yesterday after work, I used my friends & family 40% discount to buy these Drew Slim Pants with Back Seam, on sale for $19.99, in black:

I also bought these 917 Marmont Bootcut Jeans, on sale for $24.99:

Unfortunately when I got home, I realized that I grabbed the jeans in the wrong size, so today I took them back. Last week we did a big sale with all the Lexus sales girls, so our total sales were enough that we (the associates) get a special 55% discount until the 4th, instead of our regular 40%. So when I took back the jeans I got:

Vee Neck Sweater, $39.50. Yes I got it in purple. I tried on the green, but didn't like it as much, and the purple looked really nice.

Oragami Neck Popover Top, $29.50. The picture doesn't really do this top justice. It doesn't look that interesting in the pic, or hanging on the hanger for that matter, but I really liked the color so I tried it on. The band around the waste makes it really flattering, and the detail around the neckline is really neat.

4 Button Mini Skirt, $59.50. I tried on six different skirts today, and there were three of them that I really liked, and I decided to go with this one because of the extra detail of the buttons.

I got one other deep teal shirt which is not out on the floor yet, and also isn't on the website. I'll have to post it when it goes out.

My paycheck's gone before I even get it.

Not really, since I get good deals. Right now we're having a promotion where you buy any jacket and can get any pair of pants free. Now, I don't usually wear denim jackets, but it was cheaper to buy this jacket:

(Short Denim Jacket, $59.50) and get these jeans for free:

(312 Raised Brushtroke Jean, $69.50). So even if I only wear the jacket a few times, I couldn't NOT do it. I saved $10 over buying the jeans alone.

Instead of the V-neck sweater from the last post, I bought this Tie-Front Cardigan, $59.50 instead:

It was just too soft to pass up, so I didn't!

Okay, it really seems like I've been spending extravagant amounts at TheL, but I've been getting this all with my discount, so it's not as bad as it seems....quite.

The Best Part...

...of my job is that sometimes I can shop while I'm at work. Today we were a little short of our goal for one two-hour segment, so our manager asked us if any of us were planning on doing any shopping. I actually was planning on getting a couple shirts, so she told me to go ahead and try them on so we could make our goal. So for about 15 minutes, I got paid to shop.

Let me repeat that. I got paid. To shop.

Anyway, here's what I bought today:

Side smocked button-front shirt, currently on sale for $26.70. I tried on a bright red, but somehow it didn't look right. A coworker suggested I try on the purple, and it looked a lot better.

Sleeveless smocked turtleneck $29.50, minus employee discount. This picture does not do the color justice. Here it looks more pinkish lipstick red, but in real life it's bright marachino cherry red. I liked this turtleneck, but I was really skeptical about the fit before I tried it on. I thought it would be too tight, and my the time I went up to a size I was comfortable with in the stomach, the neck and armholes would be way too big. But it's actually really true to size. I tried on my normal size, and didn't feel like I'd have to suck in my gut all day.


Long single strand necklace, on sale for $12.99. There was a purple necklace that I liked too, but I figured I already have enough purple accessories, and this one is much more versatile. It really is one long strand. It's long enough to loop around twice and wear it as a necklace, or loop it around four times and wear it as a bracelet.

Fringed sheen scarf, on sale for $6.99. I got this in a pretty turqouise that looks good against the purple top that I got.

There are a couple more things that I want, and I think I'll get them after I get paid this Friday.

I want this Vee neck sweater, $39.50 minus employee discount. I love this purple of course, but I feel like I'm giving purple an unfair advantage, so I think I'll try it in orange and red and see which looks best.

We can wear jeans to work if they're Limited jeans, and if we wear a jacket on top. I have a jacket that I got from The Limited, and I really want a pair of jeans to wear with the turtleneck that I got today. At first I had the silly idea that I'd buy a pair on sale and pay for the $10 hemming service that we have, since none of the jeans on sale come in lengths and are all too long. Then I realized that by the time I pay for the hemming service, I'd be paying more than just buying a regular price pair in a short length. So now I'm thinking about these:

678 Trouser Jean, $69.50 minus employee discount. I wanted a trouser or bootcut jean, and these are the only ones I think we have that don't have foldover pockets on the back. Here's a huge tip ladies: Foldover button pockets on the back of pants make your ass look huge. They only work if you're a size 2 and don't have an ass to look huge. Anyway, trouser jeans are a good investment.

Lastly, I think I'm going to get my hair cut soon. I had a hair cut summer 2004 that I really loved, but of course I don't have any pictures of it. It was about shoulder length, probably a little longer than mine is now, with choppy layers and no bangs. But this time I want bangs (and my hair's shorter). Here's a couple pictures that I like:

I think I want the bangs from the top picture with the piecey layers of the bottom picture. The bangs on bottom seem like they would be annoying and hang in your eyes. I hate it when my bangs hang in my eyes.

New Job, New Clothes

I got hired today at The Limited! Yay, a job! Income! The only sort-of-bad thing is that I mostly have to wear their clothes. I can wear plain black or khaki pants and black or white shirts from other places, but colored shirts, skirts, printed pants, jeans (yes I can wear jeans! As long as I wear them with a nice shirt and a jacket, of course) have to be from The Limited. Luckily, they have TONS of cute clothes. They're a little bit higher than I normally spend, but really they're better quality than what I'd normally buy at say New York and Company or Macy's. Anyway, as a new employee, I get 60% off my first outfit, which consists of a shirt, pants or a skirt, and a jacket or cardigan. So of course, I've been scouring their website for what I want to get :-)

Here are some of my options that I found online:


First, this Waist Pleated Shirt, on sale for $24.50. I don't think I can get sale things as a part of my discount, so this probably won't be my first purchase, but this is a very classic shirt that I could wear long after I'm done at the Limited. The waist pleats will be great at creating a slim silouette, and I love love LOVE the cobalt blue color.


This Solid Petite Blouse is $44.50. There is a aqua green-blue color on the website that I like better, but I couldn't get a picture of it. This is another shirt that will last a long time, but I'm not sure about the waist. It seems like if you're not super-skinny it might make you look pregnant.



Next, this Ruffle Peasant Tee for $44.50. I really like the champagne color, but I'm a little leery of shiny fabrics (which is odd, as this one and the previous shirt are both shiny). They definately emphasize every flaw if they don't drape right. This one looks like it might have the right drape to NOT emphasize a tummy.


This Printed Ruffle Front Halter, $24.99 is adorable, and would be great both for work and for going out. Unfortunately the halter neck means I'd have to wear a jacket or cardigan with it. I might skip this one for my first outfit, and get it later with my 40% off regular discount.

I love the color of this Center Ruffle Front Blouse, $49.50, and it would be great to wear into fall with a jacket or cardigan. The only drawback of this one is that I'd have to find a matching camisole to go underneath it. I'm sure The Limited has a matching cami, but I'm also sure that it would be cheaper at NY&CO if I could find the right color.

This Fan Detail Top, $39.50 is really cute, but I think it's a little too "coture" to be long-lasting. I also think the color might be too pale for me, and I can't remember if there were other colors online.

I love this 5-Button Vest, $39.50, but again, I'd have to buy another shirt to go underneath it. Maybe once it goes on sale.

This Cinch Waist Cardigan is $44.50. At first I liked the cinched waist, but now I'm not sure. Definately something I'd have to try on.

This Shirred Short-Sleeve Cardigan, $44.50 is a more classic shape. I used to be skeptical of short-sleeved cardigans, but I can totally understand it now. If I got a halter like the one above, I'd have to wear a cardi or jacket over it, and since it's still summer, I wouldn't want long sleeves.

I thought I might buy a skirt instead of pants, since I can buy plain black pants pretty much any where. This Drop-Yoke Skirt is $59.50. A little pricey. I like drop-yoke skirts though. I buy a size or two smaller than I actually am, pull the top all the way up to my natural waste, and then the bottom hits at the right length. I'm petite, so if I buy a skirt in my size and let it sit at my hips, then it ends up being too long. This serves the purpose of both looking good, and making me feel good about the size of my waste :)

One of the best parts of the job is that I'll have to try on a LOT of their stock to get to know things better, how they fit, etc. As Phoebe once said on Friends, "It's like the mother ship is calling [me] home!"

Wish List

I haven't bought anything big enough to blog about latetly, cause I'm unemployed and I have bills to pay, but I found out last night that my 3-year old 5.1 megapixel Fuji FinePix digital camera finally crapped out. The shutter doesn't open all the way..so I pretty much can't do anything with it. I figured it would probably cost more to fix it than to replace it, so here is my wish list of cameras:



Here is a FujiFilm FinePix 10.0 megapixel camera that is pretty much the updated version of my current one. Currently on sale at Best Buy for $119.99 down from $299.99, so a really good deal. All of my digital cameras have been FinePix, and I like them and the way they operate, but I really haven't had good luck with them. My first one was dropped on the ground by a friend on a band trip, the second one was pretty much destroyed in a windstorm on North Padre Island, and this last one just stopped working. So I'm wondering if it's really the best one to get..



This one is a Kodak EasyShare 10.2 megapixel camera on sale for $89.99 down from $99.99, also from Best Buy. I think this one is the best deal. It's the cheapest and it has the most megapixels, and Kodak is a good brand, right?

This Nikon CoolPix 10.0 megapixel camera is on sale for $142.99 from $149.99 at Best Buy, so not as good of a deal as the other two. However, I do like this blue better than the Kodak one. I suppose that shouldn't be a deciding factor. I do like the look of it though.

In the end, once I get a job and have money, I think I'll go for the Kodak one. It just seems like the best value. What camera brands do you guys like?

The Ultimate in Conformity

Today I bought these Orchid Double Tongue Converse All Stars:

Normally I hate All Stars. To me they're the ultimate in teenage, angsty, "I'm a non-conformist" conformity. You're not really a non-conformist unless you wear Chuck Taylors. Let me also say that I hate the word non-conformist, and although I don't like to conform to other people's expectations, I do not consider myself a non-conformist. The word just conjures up a very specific image of an angsty, emo kid that dresses a very specific way to let the world know that s/he "doesn't conform" to society. Unless that society is a society of "non-conformists".

Okay, I'll step off my soapbox now.

Anyway...I think these are just adorable. They're more magenta-ey than they look in the picture, and the rainbow and designs on the tongue are quite playful. And I was surprised by how comfortable they are. As Mindy Kaling has stated on her blog, flats can sometimes be worse than heels in being uncomfortable. And I've found that immensely true about completely flat athletic shoes. But these have enough cushioning that I could wear them for a marathon shopping session.

So I'm going to have to revise my status and say that I only hate plain black or white All Stars. If you buy plain black or white and draw or paint on them, that's okay too.

For Kristin

After looking up stationery all day, I really want some new now. But the thing is, when I want something I want it RIGHT now. So all the ones that I looked up I can order online, but I won't get them for probably a week. I think I'm going to go look at Halmart and Borders later and see if I can find anything I like. If I do, I'll post about it. But for now, here are some notecards and stationery sets I liked:

These first few are from Kate's Paperie in New York. In Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Becky goes kind of crazy in Kate's and spends about $500 on stationery. I can see why. These are kind of pricey, but a few are in the more affordable range:

Pom Pom Boxed Notes, $18.50:

These are my favorite from Kate's. I think the pom pom flower print is fun and whimsical.http://www.katespaperie.com/store/category/stationery___paper/stationery_sets/item/0001543/boxed_notes_pom_pom/

Native Flowers Mix & Match Stationery Set, $8.50:

I decided that I like paper sets better than notecards. These flower prints are pretty, but I think they might get in the way of writing. http://www.katespaperie.com/store/category/stationery___paper/stationery_sets/item/1785000046/native_flowers_mix__match_stationery_set/

OrangeArt Correspondence Set, $24:

I like this paper set better. The print is fresh and clean, and not so big that you have to write over it.http://www.katespaperie.com/store/category/stationery___paper/stationery_sets/item/0000846/orangeart_correspondence_set/

Vera Wang Laser Cut Notes, Olive Green Beaded, $33.50:

Yeah, they're expensive, but seriously, Vera Wang stationery! The cut out design is supposed to look like a beaded choker according to the description, but I just think it's pretty.http://www.katespaperie.com/store/category/stationery___paper/stationery_sets/item/0003706/vera_wang_laser_cut_notes_olive_green_bea/


These last few are from various Etsy shops. They're mostly a bit cheaper, plus I just love buying homemade stuff:

Chirp Letter Set by WeveGotPaper, $8:

I think this almost goes too far from old lady-ish to almost juvenile. I'd like it better if they didn't say chirp chirp chirp.http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27679481

Fashion Notecards from lrsteiner, $10:

These are my absolute favorite! I think they're adorable. The only drawback is that since they're black, I suppose you'd have to buy a silver, or some other bright color, pen.http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22155809

Personalized Folded Notecards from InkScissorsPaper, $12:

I really like the idea of handmade personalized cards. And I like the watercolor print on the side. I couldn't find these when I searched for them again, so maybe they're sold out?

Red Poppies Personalized Notecards from SweetBellaCards, $15

These are the ones I'm most likely to get if I don't find anything out today. I just think they're fresh and clean. And again, I like the personalization.http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27689437