Budget Buster vs. Stylish Sub

Happy weekend, y'all! Whats a better way to start a weekend than with shopping, hmmmm??

Budget Buster

Alice + Olivia Wrap Around Cardi

I adore this cardi and own it in the blush color, but the price is a tad steep for a modal/acrylic cardigan.

Stylish Substitute

Cozy Grey Wrap Cardigan

This version may only come in one color but it's the exact style of the A+O wrap. Plus, it's more than $100 savings. Which is quite the steal, in my book!

Budget Buster vs. Stylish Substitute

Although I do these posts few and far between, I saw this one today and got a leeeeetle excited, because I kinda like the cheaper version better. Yay!


Budget Buster:

Free People Stripe Sweater, $138

Stylish Substitute:

Forever 21 Striped Stud Trim Cardigan, $32

I think I like F21's version better because of the studs and the length, but Free People's color is much better. Well, the price is really what would do it for me, since I would gladly pay $100 less for the F21 version!

No OOTD today. It's so cold they closed schools, which means I'm wrapped up in a sweater and jeans. Not very exciting. Let's hope the weather getss a teense warmer.

Also, GO HORNS!!! (Texas vs. Alabama tonight 7 pm CST. I'll be watching it with bells on. Eating Buffalo Wild Wings. Yum.)

NY & Co. sweaters review

For those of you who were interested in my $40/3 sweater deal from New York and Company, here's a quick review.

Overall, I love them, especially for the price. The fabric feels like cashmere but is Acrylic. No matter, it's soft and pretty. The buttons on the edges appear a bit loosely attached, but of course, that is easily fixable. Some loose threads were noted, too.

The fit was pretty nice, with the exception of the grey version. For some reason, it was about 1 inch shorter at the hems than the others were, so it's getting exchanged for another (I think it was an unfortunate fluke...).

Pardon messy bathroom shots, and pre-all-gussied-up-state....

This purple is super pretty! Great for the Spring... but I'll be getting use out of it now, too. :)

And the piece de resistance-- the beautiful sherbet melon hue. Oh lordy. I love this. And it's coming out with me tonight (7th annual Christmas party with my friends... yippee!), paired with J Crew's Slub cotton faded floral tee, a beaded necklace and my AE super-skinny jeans. Oh yes... and a glass of Pinot Noir. Nom nom.

The Verdict...

OK... so first disclaimer: this sweater is not the same one from the website. I didn't see the exact one the website shows (I scoured the racks, even behind other items)-- this was all there was. So in reality, I can't make many judgments on the online version. This one is very similar, but many of the super-pretty details the online one features are missing on the sweater seen below. Also, it's about 5 inches shorter. Which might be preferable to some, but I'd prefer it longer.

Although XS isn't an option, the S fits all right. Especially with a long sleeved shirt underneath. I think I actually liked the black better, even though online I didn't even give the black a second-look. All in all, I definitely didn't purchase the one in the store, but I'm still not convinced I wouldn't like the one featured online. In other words, I still have hope!

p.s.: Didn't try on the sparkly shift, but it was very pretty in person and would look so fun with tights and heels for a party!

OOTD (x2)

I'm trying to be better about this, lovies. I really am. So here are Friday and Saturday's OOTDs!

FRIDAY:

DRESS: French Connection bell-sleeved mini
TIGHTS: Nordstrom (hue?) shimmer leggies
NECKLACE: OOAK feather necklace from Nordies
SHOES: Charles by Charles David bow cage pumps

Oh man, when I first wore this dress, my future-mother-in-law asked, "Is that your nightgown, sweetheart?" Night-gown inspiration aside, I love this dress. It has a 60s/70s vibe. And a super contemporary necklace like this plays with the decade-vibe. Love!

SATURDAY:

Dress: BCBGeneration ruffle front mini dress
SWEATER: LINE flutter cardi
BELT: skinny gold belt from express
SHOES: Bandolino bronze zebra print flats

I'm just trying to soak up a liiiiiittttle more of the summer before it's gone. This dress gets me compliments every time I wear it. I went on a spending freeze a year or two ago for like, two months (SHIT I REALLY DID IT TOO), and afterward, this was my reward. I found it, and I fell in love. End of story, were living happily ever after. I wish I got more up-close details of the ooodles of ruffles at the chest (the dress and the sweater) but you can kinda get the jist.

Can't wait to post a picture of the engagement shoot! A few days and I get to see them. Yay!

Argh. I was played.

Don't you just hate it when good, respectable brands make you think you're getting something so great, so original, something you'll never see again after you buy it? And then you realize they just want your money?

As I was dutifully browsing Lulu's this morning, I came across this.

Copy cat.

Do any of you recognize this? Well I sure do. Because I bought it. Last year. From Free People. For about triple the price. How can Free People put their name on this and then the same design is sold... the next year, mind you!... for a fraction of the cost? I'm just bitter because I paid too damn much. HOW COULD YOU DO IT TO ME? I'M SO LOYAL AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!

Sorry.

The Free People sweater was a little different. Had an assymetrical button line. Whatever.

On another note, say hello to my little friend, found this morning at Bloomie's. Her name is "Gorgeous L.A.M.B. bootie".

If anyone happens upon a cheaper version of this, be sure to let me know! So pretty. Look at that towering heel! I even like the subtlety of the metallic stitching (haha, I just called "metallic stitching" subtle). It's not studded like a lot of the boots right now (which I love, don't get me wrong, but this just works). Gaw, I love Bloomie's! I started a wishlist there last night, chalk full of Aqua stuff. (hey yo, future-hubby-- you should check it out. It's public. Heh.)

p.s.: Monday morning confession. It's me, work colleauges, who has been stealing the plastic forks, spoons, and any will-work-as-a-shovel-into-my-mouth utensil to eat my maple yogurt with walnuts and granola every morning. I'm confessing this because I know no one at work will see it. Mwahaha!!

Super Saturday, come to me

So to round off the load of loot spending spree, the fiance promised me that we can go to the mall this weekend to get me "something." Trust me, dear readers, this is no small feat for a mall-phobic man. He is doing this out the of oozing love in his heart (*sucking up*). I forsee it all now. "Something" to me could mean any number of things (5 things?! $300 shopping spree?!), but to him, it means a pair of socks. Or a $40 dress, which he will swear up and down is expensive.

Soooo doesn't understand fashion.

Fear not, lovies. In order to make this trip more manageable for the future hubby, I've decided to do the selfless thing of scoping out the mall before we actually go. You know. Try on all of those iffy items that have me standing in the mirror in 500 different poses without him. A not-so-feeble attempt to prevent him from getting so fed up that we leave with him huffing and puffing several steps ahead of me (dragging me out of Intermix as I claw at a Rachel Pally maxi). Nightmarish, no?

I went to the Anthropologie, and was sad to see that they didn't have the linen jacket or purple wool beauty that I so desperately wanted... but they did have the slub moto-jacket. And guess what? Disappointing. Kinda baggy, sorta hobo-ey. Not good, lovies, not good. Buuuuut. I did find this, which is more beautiful in person, and would be so supah versatile I almost bought it on the spot:

What, you say? Almost sold out online? GASP! Hurry, Saturday! I want this! I picture it with that Iisli dress I posted about before. And some rugged, brown, buckled boots. Sigh. OK, but fear not (like you were, right?!). I have another want for Saturday:

It could go under the Anthro sweater. It could go with jeans. Under a black tube dress. Over a bandeau for some sex-appeal. Over the river and through the woods... oh, what? Sorry. But I think it's a versatile piece. Perfect to make an outfit edgy or sweet. Oh, the options!

Hmmm... now to figure out a way to appease the crying masses that will be my fiance in T-minus 1 day....

Budget-Buster vs. Stylish-Substitute

Mornin', world! It's another scorcher here in good ole' Texas. But my mind is still on comfy, cozy, flowy fabrics. I found this interesting cardi from Shopbop this morning and thought it looked like just what the doctor ordered (if the doctor prescribed expensive fashions):

I think this might even work with a pretty little mini dress. And boots. And knee high socks. Love. Buuuuttt... then I realized, "Justine, this reminds me of something else I found on Bloomie's website. Take another gander...". So my split-personality self found this:

Mmmk so it's not quite the exact thing, but for almost $200 less (Shopbop version: $275; Bloomingdale's version: $88), I would take it! I actually like the pockets on the less expensive version and think it adds an extra element of comfy. I don't know why I equate pockets with comfy, but for some reason, it seems to make sense. This one might not work as well with the dress/boots look (it's not as long... longer sweaters work better with the dress look, right?), but still pretty versatile. And it's more tailored... which could be a plus. Anyway, there is my 2 cents. Or my $88. Whatever.