CK ONE Pure Color Lipstick “Little Liar”
CK ONE Shine Lipstick “Alarm“

And also Ulta exclusively sells the ck one makeup line. Which I didn’t even know existed until a few months ago. The packaging is so sleek and… 90’s. I read the lip products were pretty good and picked up 2 for fall. I really want to wear bold colors this winter.

I really like the color shine lipstick. It lasts a surprisingly long amount of time. I had it on for an entire afternoon at work before it started to finally fade. These two shades look similar in color but the formulas are very different. Little Liar applies more red-orange where Alarm applies more like a bright coral shade.

Been wearing these 3 things lately because Valentine’s Day, February, and greaser inspiration. I picked up this faux leather coat at Zara’s on a huge sale a few months ago. It’s extremely comfortable + I sized up & up so I can wear it over thick sweaters.

Catbird’s Ghost Rose solid perfume is such a true rose smell. You can smell the sort of “green” parts of a rose in this perfume. It’s solid so it’s not very strong but it lingers on the skin. Good for applying to pressure points, you know, so when you start overheating it’ll actually smell nice ha!

I’ve noticed as I’m feeling better and better (from back pain) I didn’t really care about what I wore. Not to say I was sloppy. My closet was still whittled down and matched up enough that I looked fine. But I just didn’t care about shopping, or wearing what I “really” wanted when going out. Mostly because I didn’t go out unless I needed. I’m already starting to forget what that was like; being unable to enjoy going out. But now I have the luxury of putting thought to it. However I keep see-sawing between jeans and skirts. I’ll go on this kick of wanting only denim then suddenly I hate them and switch to skirts with fleece tights. But all-in-all I’m not really shopping much lately. I’m happy with everything I have and would only be interested in spring things now… and warmer weather to go along with it.

Though I did buy this wool coat from Madewell earlier in the month. Finally trading in my previous one of 8 years that I got from Forever 21. I had mended it so so so many times.

I ended up getting a mix of summer and autumn. So instead of pairing a light blue shirt with my light wash denim I’ll opt for these deep plum soft as a bunny “sateen” jeans.

quilted skater skirt

I thought this skirt would be much too long on me (I’m 5′1″) but it’s not! The length still works really really well and the fabric gives the structured skirt a soft look.

cargo workshirt

The gingham workshirt is also another favorite of mine. Madewell brought out a new cut this season that features the relaxed look of a popover but with the functionality of a button-up. Honestly I loathe popovers because of the lack of buttons so seeing these made me SO HAPPY. The cut runs bigger than their previous workshirts too. I hope they bring more colors and patterns out in this style.

courier shirt

I love this shirt. Usually oversized boxy cuts + large chest creates a potato sack feeling but this shirt folds just right so that it’s this airy look without looking like you’re just wearing a tent.

coated roadtrip jacket

skinny skinny jeans: biker-zip edition

I really like how the zippers break-up the black space of these.

skinny skinny sateen jeans

Heaven. No really, these are incredibly soft. I’m interested to see how durable they turn out to be.

Madewell is doing a new promotion now where if you bring in any old denim you get $20 off a pair of new denim. I think it lasts until October :)

This weekend I got a new sleeveless top and flats from Zara online. It doesn’t really match the tone of all my solid colored tees but something about that clashing with my closet made we really want to add it! After I made a wardrobe capsule for a Tumblr ask using all Zara I decided to order a bunch of stuff from Zara.com since it was free shipping & free returns. Today I returned about half due to fit (mostly too tight in the shoulders.) It was so, so, so much easier than shopping in their hectic store.

Also picked up this cocopalm scalp cleansing gel. I used it tonight. It smells so good and tropical. It’s an extra scalp cleanser you use prior to shampooing. With the heat and sweating waiting on the trains in the mornings and again in the afternoons plus riding my bike and that perm… my scalp could use some TLC.

And the Therapy Mineral Bath Soak is amazing for summer. It’s mentholated and leaves you feel really cool and refresh.

So I ordered Madewell’s eyelet collar blouse.

I also got an eyelet skirt. For a while I had a rule, “no more black skirts.” I had built up quite a collection having a propensity for buying this closet staple over and over. But this year I had purged those skirts; mailing them off to my little sister. I was now faced with the reality that I completely lacked a basic black skirt. I tried a handful on over the year but wasn’t in love with any of them.

Then I saw the bayfront eyelet skirt on Madewell.com. It’s extremely “summer” in its design and fabric. 100% cotton; it’s a thicker, stiffer texture than I expected but the structure comes off as sporty and a perfect match for summer t-shirts. I’m relieved it has some weight to be honest because the summer winds can sometimes make flair skirts annoying to wear.

I ordered the new Madewell Skinny Skinny Crop jean for 2 reasons.
1) 26” is my inseam so I thought “free hemming!”
2) I wanted a similar look & feel to my old skinny skinny ankle denim from Madewell. And that’s pretty much what I got.

At 5”1’ the crop denim hits me right at my ankles. So lovely. I repeat *I did NOT buy these thinking they’d be cropped on me* haha ;) Instead they’re perfectly hemmed for my height. The denim is also much softer, lighter, than their winter denims. It’s close to my original madewell denim but with a little more stretch worked in. I’m not complaining though because the stretch makes you look pretty good. And these also fit true to size. So taking advantage of their free shipping really paid off for me. I’m thinking of buying the darker wash in these jeans as well. Though I doubt I’ll be buying the white denim. I feel like I’m just asking for stain trouble if I buy white.

Sunday I went to Georgetown to return some jeans and ended up buying this gingham skirt instead. I also bought some teas from Dean & Deluca. Kusmi’s BB Detox tastes so refreshing. I don’t usually like herbal type teas but this one is just so good! I also picked up TWG’s earl grey with bergamot and rose petals. I’m on such a bergamot kick right now. I’ve used half a bottle of my bergamot essential oil in my diffuser already plus bought a bergamot candle and have been trying to buy only bergamot infused teas. BERGAMOT.

1) Black Gingham skirt from Madewell, I’ve been feeling a little bored with my clothes lately and am excited to add some pattern into my black, navy, burgundy, gray sweater rotation
2) Finally bought Oceane from Anthropologie because mermaid reasons,
3) L’Occitane 25% shea body butter because my skin is screaming & used up everything else at this point,
4) Kusmi Tea BB Detox,
5) Earl Grey Gentleman Tea from TWG (there was a special White House blend that used roses too because of the rose garden but this tea is such a splurge that I just got this one,)
6) rose and champagne flavored macarons,
7) water from Dean and Deluca (my USB humidifier has me obsessed with buying different water bottles now because I have to stare at it on my desk all day.)

Saturday I hit up Max Brenner again and then ShopHouse. I feel like I should really hate ShopHouse. The first time I tried it I thought, “Well that was nice. Probably won’t get it again though.” But then I found myself craving the stuff nonstop! Now I want it all the stupid time.

Saturday night I had the house to myself so I just continued to read a little more The Breath of All Things and fell asleep with the aroma diffuser aimed directly at my face. Honestly my face has had a great winter season using this thing. It’s rarely dry, while no matter how many times a day I moisturize, my body it’s covered in dry patches. Winter is just too intense this year.

I thought I’d recommend some music for February. First is Bitter:Sweet – The Mating Game. Been listening to em since April. The second is a random album I bought the other night! Haute Couture – French Lounge Session. I ended up on it while downloading some Lemongrass. I love it as background music for work or relaxing at home.

I got a few Elence 2001 products recently including this above hair mask. This line of hair products is all about a healthy scalp and breaks their line down by hair needs (such as volume.) This mask smells really good and fruity. It doesn’t weigh my hair down as much as Essential’s does but I want to try it a few more times before I decide if I like it or not. :)

Also I was looking at Artifact Uprising earlier and felt really determined to put together a 2013 book! But like many past attempts at creating these online photobooks I wonder if it would just peter out. Currently I only seem to accomplish putting together old-fashioned style photo albums with printed photos and album sleeves. And then I’m also like, “is this something I want to haul around with me if I move?” I don’t know. Sometimes I feel I’m the only person who could ever talk themselves out of documenting wonderful memories!

I got this Starbucks pour-over coffee maker for Christmas. I don’t drink a lot of coffee but I never liked coffee makers. Mine always annoyed me so I never made coffee. I LOVE this system though. It’s just so much easier and cleanup is a breeze. Maybe because it’s more like making tea I just like doing it this way better.

But Rinka and Supernatural’s Abaddon just make a leather jacket look so good and so essential…

From Rinka’s blog featuring the new Maison de Reefur leather rider jacket. She had a similar one in last year’s autumn collection.

From this month’s issue of Baila featuring Rinka and the new autumn/winter Maison de Reefur items.

If you follow my Tumblr then… you know why… Abaddon everything for me.

So I ended up on H&M’s online store and noticed just how many various leather-style jackets they had up.

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve shopped H&M for various reasons. But Monday night made me feel like maybe I had been missing out. I went in and tried on all the styles. Found the one I LOVED but it wasn’t in my size. Not for sale online either. So, even though it was near store closing time, the staff offered to call other nearby H&Ms and tracked my size down for hold! Mike suggested we race to the other H&M that night to pick it up too. Made it with 15 minutes to spare! Totally worth it, haha! Really turned my whole day around.

This style looked the best on me with the banded style button collar. Supernatural has really made coat shopping with Mike extremely easy because now everything is a “Dean jacket” or “Castiel trench” with this one being “like Abaddon” because before saying “parka” didn’t really get my visual across. ;)

This will be a nice break from my blazers and red peacoat.

Since yesterday was Labor Day I started packing away a lot of my simple tees and light-colored items pulling out some things for autumn instead. WISHFUL THINKING.

And speaking of wishful thinking; I picked up a flannel boyshirt and scarf yesterday…

Really excited about the scarf. It’s a great replacement for my spring scarf plus I love my current winter plaid scarf to death and so now I have 2 color options.

Last weekend I was in a feverish shopping mood. If I feel good to try on piles of clothes again and again I try to get out and do so. Mostly shopping is me trying on 3 things and then leaving because “I’m done” and sick of changing out of my clothes.

I picked up a navy skirt [Macy's] and two sweaters [Jcrew]. Damn proud of myself I didn’t get the black skirt. Seeing as I have 3 black skirts already…

And while on the subject, I’m working my way towards a blog sale in September. A few of those 1 too many black skirts included. With the weather going hot then cold and back I’ve gone through my bins and found items I just haven’t worn recently. I’m looking to streamline my closet some more so I hope to find time to organize this soon.

^^ A few of the items I’ll be putting up on the site. :)

The striped top I purchased is the same series as the first image but with shorter sleeves and in a navy blue. The “pixelbloom” silk top isn’t something I’d usually pick up. I had wanted to purchase the pixelbloom dress but it was much too long on me (came far past my knees.) The top turned out to be really nice though. I love silk and I liked the fact it was something a little different from my usual choices.

The new denim really does fit great. It’s stretchy and very comfortable. But it is drastically different from their old denim which was soft and relaxed. I’m not sure if they plan on carrying both denims in the future. I would sort of hope so but I don’t buy jeans often so it won’t really effect me.

It’s especially cool today and feeling like autumn again. I was thinking the only things I want to wear are these 3 new things plus…

• black bistro skirt
• red gingham silk shirt
• denim boyshirt
• white box tee
• blue dot silk boyshirt
• tokyo storyteller scarf

I ordered one of Everlane’s new band collar silk blouses in sun-kissed blue. It’s still cool enough out to wear long sleeved silk.

Actually it’s still so cold I pulled out a favorite cardigan of mine. I like long cardigans in winter and short ones in spring.summer. So I packed up my long grey cardigan and pulled out my ultra-fitted short grey cardigan.

Last weekend I picked up some new items for summer. There was a sale on Madewell’s sandals. I haven’t had a proper pair of sandals in a few years now. These seem like they might be 100% blister-free comfortable to wear. Here’s hoping. It’s still too cold to try them out.

Also finally got another skirt for summer (which I was needing.) It’s black. Of course it’s black! I own 5 black skirts now. I just love black for bottoms, I dunno. *owns it* Anyway it’s Madewell’sBistro Skirt . I actually have their Bistro dress and love the material. This skirt is mostly like the dress’s bottom half. Except there’s no pockets? WTF I almost didn’t buy it because it lacked pockets! But it’s a nice size, length, texture, and it has a tiny bit of stretch to it so I looked past the pocketlessness.