Pom Pom Wonderful

This Utah weather is officially starting to wig me the crap out.  Being the last week in September, I would have thought I'd be experiencing a crisp cool chill to the air making it impossible not to leave the house without a heavy layering of coats, scarves and/or hats by now.  But, as it stands, I don't even need so much as a cute little sweater yet.  What gives, huh?  Because I really, really, really could use (and want) a good excuse to wear some pom poms on my head.  Work with me, weather, will you? 

Photo Source: Yokoo

Laser Tag

Now that's what I call a necklace.  None of this simple understated stuff.  Nuh-uh.  Just big, bold and laser cut gold in all the right places.  But it's not the only one.  Oh no.  Its got silver sisters and cut-out cousins in its fabulously baubled family tree too.  Makes me want to hurry up and hang every branch of this whole dang fam 'round my neck.  Like ... now.  

Photo Source: Creature Comforts via Asos

Giveaway: Shabby Apple Dress *Now Closed*

Ooo eee!  Are you, my lucky readers, in for one serious kind of a sartorial treat today!  Shabby Apple has come to me and generously offered all of you the chance to win this charcoal grey and peplum(ed) pretty that they call the Moon River dress.  I can almost hear the jazz music playing in the background as you swish to the beat in this stunner. 

The rules to enter are quite simple:

1) Leave a comment - be sure to include your e-mail so I can contact you - telling me just where you'd wear this fancy frock if you were to win   

2) "Like" Shabby Apple's Facebook page

3) For a bonus entry, follow me through Google Friend Connect (on sidebar under 'Devotees') and be sure to leave an extra comment if you do! 

Good luck!*

Photo Source: Shabby Apple

*This contest will run for exactly one week (October 5th) at which time the winner will be chosen randomly and contacted through the e-mail addy provided*

**And that's not all, oh no!  Shabby Apple also wants everyone to be able to get in on the dress-shoppin' action, so they're also offering 10% off any Shabby Apple purchase at checkout with this code:  bargainbex10off.  Not too shabby, huh?!

***Update: Congratulations to the lucky Shabby Apple dress winner, Dee!*** 

Luxe For Less

I've been lusting over this particular white tuxed jacket-y blazer for what seems like a little past forever now.  I even go as far as to carve out some special 'stalking' time for it at least once a day so I can get a real good look at it (if I told you what the actual number really is, I fear you'd think me mad) but, alas, there is no way I'm a-gonna be able to afford it in my budget-y lifetime ... so I did what I do best and fastened my bargain belt scouring site upon site for a luxe look for less ... and I think I did done found it.  At Oma Vintage's place.  And I can afford it.  Score. 

Photo Source: EmersonMade

Jeepers Creepers

Sometimes I look at a streetstyle photo's subject and wonder why I never came up with such a wonderfully clever and eclectic take on any of my outfits before.  Like pairing a grandpa-ish cardigan with a graphic band tee and a silky patterned skirt.  It couldn't look any better if it tried, you know?  And she just had to go and put some super cool creepers with it too, didn't she?  Well ... today is the day that I become all the more clever and eclectic in my wardrobin' ways too.  Startin' with some site-searchin' for some creepers all my own ... and I just may have found some worthy (creeper) candidates.  Here, here and here. 

Photo Source: The Sartorialist

The Alphabet Filler

Got a bad case of blogger's block, so I filled out this cute alphabet form to post:

A. Age: Thirty to the one
B. Bed size: Single.  Depressing, no?  Think about how I feel laying in it alone.
C. Chore that you hate: Lots o' laundry.
D. Dogs: Did you not read this post?
E. Essential start to your day: Pandora.com
F. Favorite color: Blitey (my mash-up of black, white and grey)
G. Gold or Silver: Gilver.  The combo of gold and silver.  Saw it on Rachel Zoe.
H. Height: 5 feet 6 inches, yo. Total supermodel height.
I. Instruments you play: Zip, zero, zilch.  But I can touch my tongue to my nose.
J. Job title: Bargain Blogger Extraordinaire
K. Kids: Nope-y nope.
L. Live: The Beehive State
M. Mother’s name: Beverly
N. Nicknames: Bex, Becky, Rebby
O. Overnight hospital stays: A lot. I'm a girl who had open heart surgery at 11.
P. Pet peeves: Not being able to take what you dish out.
Q. Quote from a movie: Aahh.  The pressure.  'You complete me.'  D'oh.
R. Right or left handed: Both.  Kidding.  I'm a righty.
S. Siblings: 4 sistas, 2 brothas.  And I'm the baby.
T: Time you wake up: 10:00 a.m. is still considered early, right?
U. Underwear: Yes, I wear it.
V. Vegetable you hate: I don't know who says they like brussel sprouts.
W. What makes you run late: Nothing.  I'm an 'on-timer.'  In fact, I'm always early.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: See letter O.
Y. Yummy food that you make: No one comes close to my buttered toast.  No one.
Z. Zoo animal: The polar bear is pretty darn cool.

Photo Source: The A to Zs of Me

The September Issue

I have an issue.  A style issue, if you will.  There was a time ... gosh ... maybe five, six years ago now ... where all you would see when you opened my closet for the fall season was row upon row of one little piece: the blazer.  I'm talkin' nothing but.  I even lost count at how many I actually had.  Take my word for it that it was somewhere between a lot and way too many for one girl to own.  Lately, my love for the topper seems to have died down to a nice and normal number.  I'm currently holding steady at just four, but if I keep seeing seafoam-y goodnesses like the Rachel Roy lovely above, I fear that number will jump right back up into the way too many for one girl to own category again before I know how to stop it.  Told ya I had issues.    

Photo Source: Keiko Lynn

Pumped Up Kicks

The nonstop listening to this catchy little song has resulted in some serious subliminal sneaker shoe-wanting on my part.  I'm not kidding.  I've even gone as far as to pick one stylish pair and I want it in every color combination it comes in.  Every single one.  Oh.  And I don't run.  Ever.  But all of the sudden, I want to book it wherever I go.  While wearing a super frilly frock and some pumped up kicks.  Huh.  Weird ...

Photo Source: Amazon

Siamese Dream

I'm cat people.  My last furry friend and roommate, Sammi the (half) Siamese, confirmed it.  So to commemorate this little feline fact o'mine  (and make myself feel better with a good excuse as to why I need yet another brooch in my ever-growing collection)  I think I might just get me this pretty pin.  And also (maybe) because the name of this particular kitty cat made me giggle right out loud when I read it.  Maybe.

Photo Source: Royal Mint   

Valley Of The Dolls

After seeing Lancome's newest lash campaign splattered throughout my glossies and this doll-faced Jeremy Scott model, it's settled.  I want to look like a living doll.  At least with my makeup.  Heaven knows my big ol' bug eyes could handle a little (or a lot of) lash love anyway.  And twenty five smackaroos seems a small price to pay for this once-upon-a-time barbie-playin' girl's doll-faced dreams to come on true already ...

Photo Source: Daydream Lily

Bottoms Up

Cheers to Ivania of Love Aesthetics for doing it again, stylewise.  By completely (and literally) going bottoms up by taking a simple sweater that one would usually normally only ever think to wear on top and turning it into the coolest, why-didn't-I-think-of-that knot of a skirt since ... well ... ever.  You can see why she's hands down, without a doubt, my complete and total style idol.  Forever and ever.  And ever. 

Photo Source: Love Aesthetics

Handled With Care

I'm what they call a sticks-to-the-classics bag lady.  My timeless tried-and-trues being a black leather handbag here and a caramel-y brown crossbody and shiny little clutch there.  And when I discovered Fabric & Handle, I knew I'd have to invite at least one new tote to my personal purse party.  You see, they too believe in the classics, but with a modern (and durable and adorable and affordable) fabric-y twist.  Reading up on just how lovingly they're all made too, well ... it just makes it that much easier to deduce whatever piece(s) I do purchase, I'll know they will have been handled with nothing but carefully considered care.  And that's something I can wrap my purse-holding hands around ...

Bonus: If you click over and visit and 'like' F & H's Facebook page, you will get a special coupon code for 10% off everything in this fabulous little satchel-sellin' site just for reading this purse-lovin' post.  Talk about baggin' a good deal, huh?!

Photo Source: Fabric & Handle

Done Deal

Here's how my latest online denim purchase went down, in 1, 2, 3 easy steps: See this tunic-y frock styled oh-so-adorably - combat boots and all - on the site-I-stalk daily.  Remember a similar-ish style of dress over at the Gappity Gap I've been contemplating on getting for a little while now.  Immediately find said dress, click on it, decide right then and there that it (in my size) must be put in the buy basket and place order.  And voila!  My newest closet denim dress addition?  Done, done and done.  All easy peasy-like with just a few clicks of a button.  I love technology ... 

Photo Source: Stockholm Streetstyle

Scarfing It Down

As I, a scarf-accessorizin' newbie used to see it, there were about three different ways in which to wear a scarf: tied 'round a handle of a purse, 'round a neck or tied suspiciously like a pirate would wear it 'round the ol' head.  Oh how wrong could one girl be!  And thanks to Miss Mandi of Here's Looking At Me Kid, I've now been set (scarf) straight with her clever one scarf, six ways tutorial because I can now proudly proclaim - with puffed chest - that I am a (scarf-accessorizin') newbie no more.

Photo Source: Here's Looking At Me Kid  

Playin' Dirty

I need another pair of denim like I - pardon my French - need a hole in the head.  But super fantastic sellers and purveyors o' pants like Clever Nettle over on Etsy sure make it awfully hard for me and my poor poor wallet to stick to our no-denim-buying guns when they put up pairs with hearts on the back pockets.  How could a jean-wearing, bargain shopper like me possibly resist?  They're playin' dirty, alright.  Dirty with (their) denim.  And I like it.  I like it a lot.   

Photo Source: Clever Nettle

I Got The Blues

I find that I usually shy away from any and all looks that will have me matching anything to anything when it comes to my outfits or makeup, fearing that I may hear a Heidi Klum-esque voice telling me all of the sudden that 'I'm out.  Auf  wiedersehen.'  But I can't seem to help it lately.  Especially because I've gone and caught me a case of the blues after seeing Drew wearin' Cover Girl blues all over mags recently.  Now all I want to do is get a super shiny satin blouse to pair (and wear) with my own bright blue-shadowed eyes.  Matchy-matchy?  Me likey-likey. 

Photo Source: C'est Jolie

Blue Swayed Shoes

I have absolutely no problem in admitting that I snatched up these shoes for one reason and one reason only: because I liked that they would automatically go with every pair of jeans in my closet without me having to have the dreaded 'what to wear with what' moment in front of my closet that seems to happen all too often these days.  Oh.  And because they had a pretty little price tag of $19.99.  And they're oxfords.  I can't seem to ever say no to anything of this particular lace-up kind.  So I guess I have absolutely no problem in admitting that I snatched up these shoes for three reasons and three reasons only ... 

Photo Source: Sock-pairin' and oxford-wearin' Me 

Dye Another Day

The hair powers that be must have been perched on my shoulder when I last got my hair trimmed, nudging me and whispering in my ear to 'just say no' to those brow-grazing bangs I thought I wanted needed so badly because, lo and behold, not a week later and I'm drooling over this particular rose gold-y runway dye job.  And I already have the perfect, long-enough bangs I could dip in color and sweep to the side behind my ear whenever I either a) get brave enough to actually do it and/or b) muster up enough extra change to purchase said dye for this tress task.

Photo Source: Refinery 29 

The Hiding Place

Oh good gravy.  Someone's gotta help me come up with the best hiding place ever for my debit card 'cause heaven knows I'm gonna need it now that Zara has opened up its beautiful-ness for all of us here in the states to purchase all the pretties we can online.  For real.  'Cause restraint isn't really in my nature.  I mean, you should see what happens when someone challenges me to sit on my hands and try and tell a story or even simply talk.  Trust me, it ain't pretty.  Now I'm babbling, but at least it's stopping me - for this one moment - from frantically grabbing my card and swiping the holy crapola out of it with every piece I see ...

Photo Source: Zara 

There's A Sucker Born Every Minute

Well, this shoe sucker was born in May.  And in 1980, thankyouverymuch.  Which means I also get to kinda sorta totally boast a bit and say that I am the uber proud owner of a yet another new pair of such lovely specimens as the dove grey lace-ups above aka the-shoes-I-plan-on-wearing-with-every-huggin'-outfit now until the first snowfall.  But they were on a 30% off storewide sale (here).  So sue me.   At least I'm a smart little (bargain-y) shoe-shopping sucker, right?

Photo Source: Seesaw Vintage  

Strand By Strand

After who-knows-how-long, I trimmed my hair this past weekend.  Emphasis on the word trimmed.  I came thisclose to coaxing my cutter into giving me some heavy, eyebrow-grazing bangs, but she stood her ground and just trimmed the very ends - we're talkin' half an inch, maybe - and some weight off the sides.  Why?  Because I think she knows how serious (and proud) I am about this hair-growing thing so I can (eventually) wear chic loop-de-loo braided styles like B. Jones' pretty picture above.  I can do this.  I can.  Even if it is strand by (growing-out) strand ...

Photo Source: B. Jones Style

Off The Cuff

I'm rather uncharacteristically finding myself patiently waiting 'til I find the perfect pair o' leather pants (am thinkin' a little somethin-somethin of the leather-y legging variety may be right up my alley) before I splurge on this supremely sophisticated little sweatshirt here to wear them with all winter long.  Because, as far as I know, a little leather never hurt anybody ... am I right or am I right?

Photo Source: SGC N-Y-C 

Hello Moto

I've been showin' some motorcycle jacket love for quite some time now.  I've got one in brown with zippers galore, one in a plummy purple shade with gobs of ruffles that surprisingly seems to go with everything I put it with, but no classic-of-all-classics belted black in sight!  It's almost blasphemous, no?  Good thing Carrie has set me straight with her mash-up of the perfect denim cut-offs, bowler hat, red lips and rain boots.  Phew.  That was a close one.  Excuse me while I try to remedy this embarrassing style situation, stat.

Photo Source: Wish Wish Wish

Hats Off To You

I don't think I've ever wanted a fedora more than I do in this blog-posting moment.  And the brilliant photog behind my daily-dose-of-all-things-pretty and an addiction of a blog, The Drifter and the Gypsy, is (fully and fashionably) to blame.  She's not only the mastermind behind the shooting of this beyond beautiful spread, but also exactly why I can't seem to go another second without typing 'fedoras' into any and all available online shopping search boxes ... 

Photo Source: The Drifter and the Gypsy 

This Is It

This picture proves it.  I wanna go into my closet, right after this post, and throw out every single piece that isn't a white button-up blouse and/or a slimming black pant.  I'm serious.  No one ever looks better than when they're in this simplest of style uniforms.  You know I'm right.  And Miss Emerson up there?  Well, she's all the proof I need.

Photo Source: Emerson Made

Where The Rubber Meets The Bowed

Sometimes I just love me a big ol' cocktail ring.  One that stops someone mid-sentence where they have no other choice but to grab your hand, lift it up for a better look and exclaim, "Where did you get that fabulous thing?!"  And I have a feeling more conversations than not would go down just like that if I had this rubber-banded bowed beauty of a bauble 'round my finger.  You can thank my online perusing skills and Kranich's - they who house such bling masters as Verragio, Simon G and Ritani - for it all.  You're welcome.  Now who else is up for some cocktail(s) rings?

Photo Source: Belle Etoile via Kranich's   

Sweater Weather

Summer can go.  I'm okay with it.  In fact, I think it's overwelcomed its stay and we all know how embarrassing that is ... so it should just go quietly.  It was nice while it lasted, but it's time to let another houseguest stay for a while.  One that brings with it the necessity for wearing nothing but chunky striped sweaters and such.  But until it catches the hint (who knows how long that'll take) I guess I'll just wear said sweaters over long, flowy, hot weather-appropriate sheer maxi skirts.  But really, summer, it's time to go buh-bye now ...

Photo Source: Stockholm Streetstyle   

Full Circle

I think I'm finally ready to get on board with the whole wearing-a-scarf-even-in-warm-weather thing.  I used to be all old school in my thinking that scarves could only ever be worn if there was snow on the ground.  But lately I've started figuring since I am almost always chilly anyway - with a back-up cardi in hand just in case, you know, a local establishment dares to have air conditioning - that maybe my (scarf) style should come full circle by me finally wrappin' some 'round my neck ... what say you?  Good idea?

Photo Source: Bark via Size Too Small 

Getting Gold Feet

Now this is a DIY I can wrap my head... err ... fingers around.  There's something to be said about insta-confidence boosters like red lipstick and sequin-y glitters.  Because they work.  They really do.  At least for this glitter-lovin' girlie girl.  So the minute, no, the instant that I see these heavenly heels, I got all sorts of 'pumped up' and giddy and wanted to start squealin' like a little school girl. Which I think I'll go ahead and do now that I can have my own version of goldie glitzy-glam feet too ... 

Photo Source: Glitter Guide

Pucker Up

Are you like me?  As in, every single time you see a new J.Crew catalog in your mailbox, you instantly wonder and wish you knew just what red lipstick brand and/or shade they were swiping on their model's pouts?  Well ... me too.  And I even found out exactly which heavenly hue it was because they (smartly) started making and selling it.  And because I like you that much.  Yep.  But my clicker finger wasn't fast enough 'cause I got this sad little message instead.  Wah wah.  Guess we'll just continue living vicariously through the lucky ones that were quick enough on the lip-buyin' draw.  Like this dedicated lip lass.  Le sigh.  Next time?

Photo Source: Sugar Social