Outfit Post: First Signs of Spring

Necklace: Porcelain and Stone Small "Uni" Necklace

Top: Grana Silk Raglan Tee (old)

Skirt: Uniqlo x J.W. Anderson Wrap Skirt, navy blue

Shoes: Sam Edelman Lior Loafer, gold glitter (old, similar design or similar color)

On the morning I was getting dressed in this outfit, I managed to accidentally navigate my phone to the weather for the California Bay Area, where I'm originally from, instead of for NYC, so I thought I was dressing for 55 degrees Farenheit and a clear, sunny day, instead of for something in the mid-40s with a chance of rain. It was only after I'd already put on the entire outfit that I realized I was looking at the weather for the wrong place, but I decided to wear it anyway, though with a wool-blend coat and these shoes (which hold up okay to rain and don't get dirty easily), instead of the pink canvas Soludos llama sneakers (only size 9 left for now) that I was originally planning on. 

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K joked that, if I was willing to speak to the Google Home and ask it what the weather was, I would not have had that mix-up on my phone. But I continue to categorically refuse to talk to my technology, much in the way I refuse to use Siri on my phone. It just feels too awkward to me, the idea of talking to a device! I'm pretty sure I'll never be willing to do it. 

Anyway, with a heavier coat, this outfit was reasonable for the weather we had that day. It was the first day I was able to wear my new Uniqlo x J.W. Anderson wrap skirt outdoors, and I was happy to find that it stayed put fairly well throughout the day, and that it was easy to adjust the way I liked without too much fussing in the morning. The tie did loosen up a little and the waistband did shift slightly by the end of the workday, but not so much as to be annoying, or to need any significant adjusting or re-tying throughout the day. It's a true wrap skirt, but with enough fabric that there's no real risk of a wardrobe malfunction. Although the size S of the skirt would have worked for me as well, and in fact, looked quite similar in the mirror, I picked out the size M so that I could wear the skirt a bit more relaxed at the waist if I wanted to. 

I really enjoyed wearing this outfit, and I loved wearing my new skirt. The look is quite simple, but it was nice to be able to go out with bare legs for the first time this year, even if I had a heavier coat on. 

March 2019 Shopping Reflections

Now that the weather's starting to warm up, I've been thinking a lot about summer clothing. As I can't help but emphasize several times every year, I don't particularly enjoy dressing for our long NYC summers. It tends to get hot and humid fast, with barely any days of balmy spring weather, and then I insist on wearing only fabrics I consider warm weather-friendly (cotton, linen, silk, or rayon) as much as possible until mid or late September, whenever the temperatures start descending rapidly.

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Once I'm sure that warm weather is here to stay for the foreseeable future, I'll need to start taking steps to do some maintenance of my winter gear. It's now been two long fall/winter seasons since I last had my L.L. Bean boots (with Gore-Tex and Thinsulate) resoled, and it's high time to send them back for another round. (Fun fact, my post about resoling my Bean boots is my single most popular one, because it gets, by far, the most Google search traffic. Alas, most people who come across it have no interest in the rest of my blog!) It's also long past time to launder my down coat (don't think too hard about how long it's been, but in actuality it simply doesn't get dirty easily, even with frequent wear). I think I'll be machine-washing my coat, and machine-drying it with some tennis balls tossed into the dryer to fluff it up. Wish me luck!

I tried on a few other things this month that were less summer weather-oriented, but was disappointed to find that those items, some of which I had really loved the idea and look of, didn't work for me at all. That was mainly the Rachel Comey Mars boots, which run very, very small (I sized all the way up from my usual 7.5 to an 8.5 and could only barely get them on due to the lack of zipper) and just weren't the right shoe for me, and the MM. LaFleur Etsuko dress in blue and black brush jacquard print, which didn't fit me right at all, as I'm just too busty. I was quite sad neither item worked for me, as they're both so pretty.

Fashion - (TOTAL: $69.80)

• Uniqlo x J.W. Anderson Wrap Skirt, navy blue - $39.90 - Longtime readers may recall that the last time I bought skirts from Uniqlo, it turned out poorly. Those skirts were too voluminous, and one flared out too much at the waist. There were also too long, close to being maxi length on me. I also didn't like the synthetic-blended fabrics, which made the skirts unsuitable for hot weather. When I wore one outside briefly in summer, just to run a quick errand and test it out, it started feeling a bit like a non-breathable fabric tents that held in hot air. This time, I have a clearer sense of what I'm looking for, I've been thinking about midi length wrap skirts or slip skirts, ones that wouldn't have as dramatic an a-line silhouette. This skirt seems to have been designed to be knee-length, but it's midi length on my relatively short-legged 5'3'' self. Plus, it's 100% cotton. I'm optimistic about this purchase, but we'll need to wait until the weather warms up to see if it turns out well and I actually reach for it often. This is a true wrap skirt, so it runs the risk of being fussy to put on, but I found it easy to work with when I tried it on a few times at home. Because it's so adjustable, I found the size S and M to both look very similar, though I picked the M because I wanted it to be potentially more forgiving in the waist if needed. 
• Uniqlo Linen-Blend Short-Sleeve Blouse, blue - $29.90 - I really wanted the white version of this or the linen-blend button-down short sleeve blouse to work for me, but I found both white blouses slightly too sheer. I wasn't going to keep this blue one, but after trying it on with jeans, I thought the slightly lighter and brighter than navy shade of blue was very pretty, and that it made for a nice contrast with jeans. I've generally been pleased with the durability of Uniqlo's linen-rayon blend fabric (those long open cardigans I bought last year and loved so much have a similar fabric composition, and they're still going strong) and find it to be comfortable to wear during the height of NYC summer. Both of these Uniqlo linen-blend blouses run quite large and have a lot of room in the body, and they can both flare out a bit from the widest point of the chest (a little bit of that "boob tent" effect I'm sensitive to, as a fairly busty person who is otherwise smaller-framed). But because this blouse is a bit shorter in length than the button-down and because of the sleeves and the look of the light, breezy fabric, I'm okay with the overall look of it, that effect is not as pronounced as with the other blouse. 

I found this to be a very reasonable shopping month, though of course, I still have most of the year left to go, so I can't be too proud yet! Although it might look like I'm thinking about a really large number of potential purchases, certainly far more than I could ever need, a lot of those images sort of represent many different possible ways of getting at an idea for just one or two actual potential additions to my closet, maybe one new summer dress, whether it turns out to have sleeves or not, whatever the silhouette or color (I find all my summer dresses fairly interchangeable in terms of the role they play in my wardrobe, even ones with dramatically different looks), and one or two new tops and skirts for summer. And sometimes I'm mulling over multiple colors of the same thing, or something like that, or thinking about many different possible ways of indulging in just one really fancy purchase, and only after I've moved some other things around in my budget.

How was your shopping month? Are you starting to think about clothes for next season? Do you have a preference between dressing for winter or for summer? I'm a winter person all the way, though of course, once the cold temperatures set in, I complain about that too, the same way I do about summer heat and humidity. Comfortable temperatures simply don't last very long here, so I'm fussing about the weather most of the year!

July 2018 Shopping Reflections

Given that I'm expecting a significant change to my proportions within a year, I'm starting to steer myself away from shopping for new clothes, at least for things for which my sizing needs and the fit are likely to change the most dramatically. I may not stop shopping for clothes entirely, and it's still possible that I could come across a coat or dress or something that's somewhat fitted at the bust, but that I still want desperately and buy anyway. (Though if it happens, I hope I thought about it carefully and factored in the risk of it not fitting properly after!)

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I've been completely in love with Alighieri jewelry, and their "Jaja" necklace was my big purchase of the month. And I may be planning an additional purchase next month, though I hope it'll be out of my system after that. It's extravagant of me, but because I spent two to three weeks constantly stalking the brand and the specific pieces I was thinking about the most before making my choice, I knew it wouldn't be a mistake in terms of the risk of the item going unworn. I bought the necklace from Farfetch, and horror of horrors - forgot to use Ebates, only later discovering it would have been eligible for a whopping 14% cash back! I have the Ebates button on my browser, but sometimes it doesn't alert me when I'm shopping from an eligible site. Still kicking myself for that!

When it comes to my minimalist-ish journey towards more conscious (and thus, frugal) shopping, the biggest and most dramatic transformation has always been in my beauty and skincare shopping. As a law student, I used to get to Sephora VIB status every year even though most of my substantial skincare routine wasn't even purchased there. That was just... wacky, and I still don't know how it happened when I look back on it now. I may have been sucked in by magazine ads back when I was a teen (from YM, Seventeen, and Teen Vogue back in the day) and then by the first wave of popular makeup tutorials on Youtube, all of which implied that it was "normal" to have an ample makeup and skincare collection. (Even though I didn't enjoy makeup that much, there are obvious physical limits on how much skincare product one could possibly use, and products expire.)

Regardless, I'm now completely reformed, never have a chance of getting to VIB, buy approximately one refill a year for most of my makeup products, and have a significantly pared-down skincare routine. I don't track my beauty and skincare spending closely anymore, but it's only things like an extra bottle of cleanser (Cerave Foaming from the drugstore, which K and I both use) or other drugstore-priced item here or there that are missing from these posts.

Fashion - (TOTAL: $296.57)

• Uniqlo Linen Blend Long Cardigan - $29.90 - I bought this cardigan in gray (sold out) at the start of summer, and absolutely loved it. The linen blend material is light and thin (no issues with it snagging, though), making this sweater easy to throw on over my summer outfits, mainly while I'm indoors in air conditioning. It looks great over skirts and dresses, and the blue (a shade lighter and a touch brighter than navy) works well with my mostly navy and black work wardrobe and summer wardrobe. (Practically all my casual summer dresses are also black or navy, even though I've tried, in the past, to look for other colors.)
• Alighieri "Jaja" Necklace - $266.67 - I totally love this, though it's a bit hard to describe how it looks. All of Alighieri's work is very different from any other jewelry I've been interested in before, more irregular in shape, intentionally "imperfect", time-worn, and organic-feeling. The necklace is reversible, and is open and hollow when you look at it from the back. I found that, in person, it was a tiny bit smaller (and thus a touch more wearable) than I thought it looked in most online photos. (I had otherwise been worried that the pendant might look a little too large for such a delicate chain, and for the length of the necklace, which is around ~19'' and hangs just past my collarbones.) 

Beauty and Skincare - (TOTAL: $93.49)

• Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 - $28.00 - I bought this for my ongoing struggles with a straight perm gone bad. I've been using it weekly for nearly five weeks. It's a small bottle, so I might only have another five to six weeks left in it. It has some benefit, makes my hair feel smoother, healthier, and less tangled for the first few days after each use, but the benefit doesn't last long, and seems to fade by the next time I use it a week later. The best way to tell if it's been making a lasting difference is probably to go without for a few weeks after I run out. 
• Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof 12-Hour Concealer - $25.00 - This is a longtime holy grail item for me. I don't have particularly good makeup skills, and find most concealers difficult to blend and apply. This is the only one I've tried that I can work with effectively. Because it's a stick, it's easy to apply straight to my face with no brush, and I tap with my finger to blend.
• NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base - $26.00 - I wish this came in different packaging that made it easier to get out of the tube, and the amount of product it contains is tiny, but this is by far the best eyeshadow primer I've tried. (I'm allergic to Urban Decay primer portion and Too-Faced Shadow Insurance primer can separate in the tube, resulting in an oily mess.) I only wear eyeliner (Bobbi Brown gel), no eyeshadow, but my eyelids get oily, and eyeliner absolutely won't stay put for even a few hours without primer. 
• CosRx Aloe Soothing Sun Cream - $14.49 - (cheapest on Amazon) I typically use Biore Watery Essence sunscreen, but wanted to try something different. I've only been using this sunscreen for about two weeks, but it's been good. It has a thicker lotion texture, rather than the gel texture of the Biore, so it doesn't apply quite as easily or smoothly, but there's no white cast and makeup goes on easily over it. If I had to pick, I'd still stick to the Biore, as it blends in to the skin a bit quicker and easier, and is often more cost-effective. (The lowest Amazon prices for Biore are often from sellers based in Japan, so shipping can be slow.) 

What did you shop for this month? Any other reformed former Sephora VIBs out there, or anyone else who has dramatically cut their beauty and skincare spending in recent years? When I look back, I have no idea how I used to spend so much at Sephora (some of it from throwing in extra lip balm or a bottle of nail polish to meet the free shipping threshold), and it makes me slightly nauseous to think of all that wasted money! It's certainly a cautionary tale about getting totally sucked in by advertising and consumer culture without realizing it.

For other takes on beauty spending, Luxe recommends a very sensible one-in, one-out approach. I was also entertained by YAPFB's take on the rather disorienting experience shopping at Sephora can be when one is not a longtime beauty and skincare overspender like I used to be. It does make me feel a little sillier about my past habits!

May 2018 Shopping Reflections

Does anyone else feel like they need to relearn how to dress for the changing seasons every year? One would think that, with more than five years of living in NYC, I'd be used to how quickly and suddenly summertime heat and humidity (with a good dose of rain) sets in each year, always right on the heels of a long winter. Somehow, though, I still find myself surprised. In the first week or two, I'm always confused as I get dressed. What jacket or sweater do I usually like for sixty degrees Fahrenheit? How warm is seventy or eighty degrees and do I need a light cardigan? And so on.

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I've also had a challenging time picking out shoes as summer begins settling in. This time last year, I wore my trusty Fitflop Skinny sandals all season long, but I seem to want more closed-toe shoes that I might not need to change out of at the office. I may have an additional shoe purchase coming up, despite having made several in recent memory, this time a pair of Rothys (which Elaine reviewed, I have quite a few colleagues and fellow college alums who echo the enthusiastic recommendation). And I'm not normally a shoe person! The shoe shopping probably seems excessive, especially when we combine this month's purchases with last month's M.Gemi Felize (similar), but I've been trying to take better care of my shoes, rotate them and not wear any pair two days in a row. The Soludos llama slip-ons and the gold shimmer leather Felize loafers are also off the table on days where it might rain, which constrains my "shoe schedule" even more.

The other category I shopped for this month was light, summer-weight cardigans. It's already warm enough that I don't generally wear them while walking outside, but my office is quite climate-controlled, and I reliably get a lot of wear from my lighter linen or cotton cardigans all summer as a result. The ones I purchased in recent years were all from Ann Taylor or Loft, and those have not held up well, the main factor causing my growing disillusionment with those formerly reliable workwear brands. I spent some time browsing Bloomingdales online, but wasn't finding a good range of things that looked suitable or worth their prices, so I ended up back at Uniqlo. Out of the mall brands I've shopped at in recent memory (Ann Taylor, Loft, J.Crew and Madewell in particular), I've had the best luck with Uniqlo's knits. Back in the day, when I spent a lot of time in the truly extreme heat and humidity of Hong Kong's warmer seasons, I was fond of Uniqlo's ultralight summer cardigans (usually a synthetic blend, in this case modal and acetate), but these days I find them too sheer, and they can be fragile, so they don't suit my needs anymore.

When ordering my sweaters, I got a chance to try those Uniqlo Two-Way Tuck Tees that looked so much like my favorite Ann Taylor shell for wearing under suits (pictured here, but long discontinued), but alas, as I suspected, the Uniqlo top is not the same at all, nor should it be when it's a different fabric and a fairly different design on top of that, despite some visual similarities with that gathered detail at the neckline. Oh well!

Fashion - (TOTAL: $254.70)

• Sam Edelman Loraine Loafers, black - $96.00 - I've talked about these for a while, and previously ordered another pair in the wrong size when it was mostly sold out. I managed to snag these during a Lord and Taylor sale, when they were also doing 15% Ebates cash back on top of that (which I haven't factored in to the price), so I got a great deal. The leather is quite soft and pliable, enough that I worry about their long-term durability. Like most Sam Edelman shoes I've tried, these were immediately comfortable with no breaking in needed. They fit true-to-size. (The previous pair I tried felt a bit narrow despite being otherwise too big for me, but I didn't have that issue here.)
• Soludos Llama Slip-on Sneakers - $99.00 - I've also had these on my mind for a while (I first noticed the navy blue velvet ones, but velvet struck me as not suitable for summer), though they kept getting sold out quickly. So when I saw my size in stock, I jumped right on them. They run big, my usual size 7.5 was too big in all dimensions, my feet would slip right out. The  7 works pretty well, however. This pair actually had small defects, there were bits of extra glue or rubber sticking out of the edges of the insoles, inside the shoe, which would have caused blisters. I would have sent it back if they weren't sold out of my size . (I had to fiddle with a pair of scissors, a fruit knife, and contort my hands a bit inside the shoe to remove the excess glue/rubber.)
• Uniqlo Supima Cotton Crew-Neck Cardigan, gray - $14.90 - Not too much to say here, except that they're Uniqlo's standard crew-neck in a reasonably summer-friendly, thin (but not too thin, unlike those other summer-weight sweaters I mentioned above) cotton knit. I haven't put them in the wash yet (but plan to machine-wash in cold water and dry them on a drying rack), so I can't yet comment on how they'll hold up. I'm generally confident in Uniqlo's sweaters having reasonable durability, however. 
• Uniqlo Supima Cotton Crew-Neck Cardigan, blue - $14.90 - I thought this was a nice color, a bit more interesting than navy blue. I still have two navy linen cardigans from Loft in my rotation, but they're generally looking a bit worn out, hence my shopping for summer cardigans this month. One note about Uniqlo sweater sizing, their size chart suggests that they should run smaller than most mall brands, but I find that they're rather true to size, and maybe even a little big. A size M is supposed to fit me best, going by their size chart, but tends to be noticeably loose. (I'm usually a S in other mall brands, but can often size up comfortably to a M without the size difference being particularly noticeable, whereas here the M is noticeably big.) 
• Uniqlo Linen-Blend Long Cardigan, gray - $29.90 - This reminds me of Michelle's cardigan, though I think hers is a bit more interesting. (This one is longer and more voluminous on me than the model, as I'm shorter.) Of the three cardigans I got, this is my favorite, maybe in part because the linen blend is lighter than the cotton, and the length is nice. Does anyone remember the last time longer cardigans were in style? Similar "duster" cardigans (shorter maybe, usually just covering the butt rather than going down near the knee) was in style in my later high school years, 2005 or so. Longer ones were cool around 2008 or 2009, I think? By 2013, when I was editing down my closet during law school, my long cardigans from 2009-ish seemed uncool, so I donated one and gave away another that was still in great shape to my sister. Now I miss them! My sister still has the one I gave her, so if I wanted it desperately, I could probably reclaim it. 

What shoes do you usually wear in summer? Any favorite sandals? I have a hard time with sandals, as I find most of them uncomfortable. While I have others in my collection, I always end up in those Fitflops, as uncool as they are. Do you also find yourself a bit clumsy with dressing for the season each time it switches over? 

January 2018 Shopping Reflections

I hope that everyone's 2018 is off to a good start! This month was shopping-heavy, both as to my closet and as to beauty products. It wasn't even the post-Christmas sales, as most of my items weren't discounted. My shopping-related "goal" this year, to stick to things that bring me more of the "joy" I get from clothing, was something that could easily lead to  indulging. I don't like spring/summer clothes half as much as fall/winter ones, so hopefully I'm less likely to have shopping-heavy months later in the year.

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The biggest purchase this month was from, er, Taobao, which takes some explaining, as it's weird and would be a waste, if it doesn't go well. I can't, in good conscience, recommend others shop there, as it really is the "Wild West", filled with goods from both legitimate, independent small businesses in China on the one end as well as from... brazen violators of copyright laws on the other. (AliExpress and Taobao are both pretty aggressive about removing counterfeit product listings, by the way, but sellers relist frequently, so there's still a large volume of illegitimate business.) My sweater is from somewhere in between those extremes, it's unbranded, though it may be a knockoff, albeit not a very good one, if the celebrity street style photos they've included are anything to go by. Mine is only slightly slouchy and oversized, and lacks that "dramatically oversized for maximum cool factor" look the photos have. With anything on Taobao, shop at your own risk, generally only if there are many positive customer reviews with photos of the actual product, which was true of this sweater. It's also difficult for an international customer to buy direct, so I use an agent called Superbuy, which buys the item on my behalf, has it shipped to their warehouse, and then sends it to me, which gets expensive.

With regards to the beauty purchases, they were brought about by a "perfect storm" of events. A few months ago, I made the mistake of getting a straight perm that completely fried some of my hair. So far, the best solution is the extremely pricey Alterna Caviar Moisture shampoo and conditioner. It leaves my hair relatively knot-free and smooths away the frizz for about two days after each wash, much better results than a few other fancy shampoos and conditioners I tried. I needed a foundation refill. Then came the cold snap earlier this month, which left my skin suddenly dry and irritated, enough to cause additional breakouts, which required adding several products to my dermatologist-mandated minimal routine of the last several months. Predictably, the cold snap lifted and my skin got less fussy almost as soon as the refills arrived. 

Fashion - (TOTAL: $287.40)

• Taobao Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater - $65.00 + $35.00 shipping - I adore this sweater. It's luxuriously thick compared to most US retail sweaters in this price range, and I was pleasantly surprised that I could wear a turtleneck and find it flattering. I usually avoid turtlenecks for fear they'd awkwardly emphasize my chest. One can't generally trust a seller's representations about materials on Taobao, though price can be an indicator. If it's "too good to be true" cheap, then it probably isn't genuine leather, wool, or what have you. I'm not able to conclusively prove this is cashmere, but it feels right and behaves the same way as my other cashmere items. (Among other things, it's moderately quick to pill.) 
• Mejuri Zodiac Necklace, Libra - $89.00* - This is an indulgence, but I had browsed the site a few months ago and been quite taken by the Zodiac necklaces. They've come in and out of stock a few times since, and I decided to go for it. It's exactly what I expected from the product description and photos, and I'm satisfied with it. 
• Uniqlo High-Rise Cigarette Jeans - $39.90 - I've previously implied that one pair of jeans is enough for me, including when my old Rag & Bone skinny jeans (similar) developed a hole in the rear. Since then, I've eaten my words. I'd gotten rid of that ancient pair of sag-prone Uniqlo skinny jeans barely a few months before, because I hadn't worn them out since getting the Rag & Bones, except maybe on a laundry day or two. But I sure missed having my "backup" jeans after the other pair was gone. We have casual Fridays now, and I desperately missed having jeans these past few Fridays. Because I didn't like Uniqlo's current mid-rise skinny jeans, and the petite Gap skinny jeans I wanted were backordered most of this month, I got these high-rise, more straight leg jeans to tide me over. They're different enough that they'll still have a use when I finally have my new skinny jeans, and it's probably good for me to experiment with different jean silhouettes? They run big (I could wear a 26, though I'm a 27 or 28 for the higher cotton content skinny jeans I've been trying), and stretch out a fair bit between washes, though I don't mind because they weren't meant to have a super-skinny fit in the first place. Oddly enough, these don't require hemming on my short for 5'3'' legs, which could make them strangely cropped on others. 
• Nordstrom Tissue Weight Wool and Cashmere Scarf - $59.40 - Between this and the last  Nordstrom scarf I bought, in silk-cashmere blend, I have a soft spot for Nordstrom's store-brand scarves when they're on sale. This one is very lightweight, but that's adequate for me. I often don't like thicker scarves because they add bulk around my chest. I actually find both the floaty, extremely lightweight silk-cashmere and this wool-cashmere blend similarly warm enough for most temperatures. (Neither is enough for the coldest days, but I deal with those by zipping up my down coat's knit collar, so I don't need a scarf at all.) 

Beauty - (TOTAL: $144.40) 

• Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Cushion Foundation - $51.00* - I'd been frustrated with my Nars Tinted Moisturizer because I preferred something with a more matte finish, and ended up trying this months ago when my mom bought one during a buy one get one free promotion. This definitely has a matte finish, and is also heavier coverage than the Nars Tinted Moisturizer. The cushion style makes it extremely easy to apply, but it also runs out quickly, maybe after around four months of roughly twice a week use, give or take. It also oxidizes a bit during the day. By all rights, I should have shopped for another foundation instead, because it's quite expensive, but maybe next time. 
• Alterna Caviar Moisture Duo Set - $62.06* - This is pricey, and the bottles fairly small. My hair is in a strange state, and most of the shampoos and conditioners I've tried are incapable of helping, so one could say I was desperate. I think this could weigh down and cause excessive oiliness in hair that's in good health, but for me, right now, this has been the best thing. Note that it isn't a miracle product, I still have frizzy days, but generally only a full day or two after washing. 
• CosRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence - $14.04 - Best price generally from Amazon. This is great for light moisture and soothing skin that's a little prone to irritation due to topical retinoids or acids. It has an odd, sticky texture, which I attribute to the "snail mucin" content. 
• CosRx Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream - $17.30 - Best price generally from Amazon. This doesn't add much moisture on its own, and it's more a gel moisturizer than a cream, but it is also good for layering on moisture and soothing skin that's currently prone to irritation due to topical retinoids or acids, on bad days where the weather and climate have exacerbated dryness and irritation. Like the snail essence, this also has an odd sticky texture.

* Includes shipping and/or sales tax. For both Mejuri and Taobao purchases, shipping ends up particularly expensive. 

Did you find much in the post-Christmas sales? Do you also change up your skincare routine in the winter? Have you, er, ever shopped from Taobao, and/or it's more accessible cousin, AliExpress? I think those platforms are mostly fine so long as one isn't buying from copyright/trademark violators, but I don't know if everyone would agree. In any case, many random, unbranded items on Amazon, say, most of those acrylic makeup storage drawers, are from similar China-based sellers (or from US-based sellers who got their product from said China-based sellers). 

Friday Link List

A photo from my New Years' weekend. K's mom was kind enough to prepare hot pot, using broth intended for curry laksa noodles. It's similar to the curry broth at Hometown Hotpot in Chinatown.

I hope that everyone is having a good start to 2018! I'm in the process of writing a post about my goals for the year, outside of the shopping budget context, though it's slow going. I found, in 2017, that my approach to New Year's resolutions - having several broad thematic goals, with a few suggested ways to carry them out - just didn't work. 

I had commented on several other blogs, in their posts about New Year's goals, saying that while I had fulfilled my 2017 New Year's resolutions, by sticking to, say, a roughly three times a week gym habit, I still felt dissatisfied. In that context, for instance, I felt I wasn't challenging myself with my workouts or  improving my physical fitness level, that I was "coasting", just checking the boxes without accomplishing much. As it turns out, the first part of that was a lie. In actuality, I was remembering 2016's more conservative and generally more concrete resolutions, not the broader, more thematic resolutions I actually set for 2017, which I had forgotten entirely. Oops! I also didn't remember most of the concrete applications that I proposed for each of my broad 2017 resolutions. The only thing I truly accomplished from the 2017 list was hitting the ground running at my new job, as I've been working hard. 

1. // This is an interesting profile of one of the federal judges based in the California Bay Area, who, due to his location and the operation of the local court rules, see Rule 3-2, naturally gets a high number of important technology cases. The article's probably made more interesting because it's rare for sitting judges to agree to be profiled and to speak at length with a journalist. 

2. // I shared a long-ago take on the #metoo themes a while back, something that was essentially about #metoo before it was known by that name, and today I thought I'd point out this more recent take by Rebecca Traister, on the complexity of the Post-Weinstein Reckoning, given just how pervasive the problems are. I really relate to it. 

3. // This kind of shopping-related discussion never gets very far because all we have to work with is, in the end, just our personal anecdotes as individual customers, but there was a discussion on r/femalefashionadvice about quality differences between the men's and women's lines at, say, J.Crew. I don't think this discussion gets much further than any other past iteration, and I think a lot of people who read here already know it might be fruitful to look to the men's section for sweaters or looser-fit button-down shirts for more casual wear. Still, I always hope the discussion will get further. 

4. // A few interesting blog links I recommend: Archana's 100 Notes on Style & Blogging is packed with an incredible amount of food for thought; Capsule Closet is a blog I've been following for a while, but keep neglecting to add to my blogroll; and there's a bit more discussion on anonymity and blogging over on Michelle's blog.

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5. // A quick update on my search for new jeans: It's very likely that I'll stick to Uniqlo or Gap this time around, thank you again for all of the comments and suggestions on my post! My body shape has changed a bit in the last year, in part because it's starting to handle unhealthy eating habits (brought about by stress and long hours at work) differently than it used to (maybe because I'm less than a year shy of 30), so I'm not ready to put down a lot of money on a pair of jeans right now. I'm hoping things will stabilize a bit later on, as I'm in the process of implementing some fitness and eating habits-related goals.

Unfortunately, after an in-person trip to Uniqlo, I don't like their current jeans selection much. I may be one of few women who actually prefers lower-rise jeans, so even their current higher-rise skinny jean, which are called mid-rise jeans in store, don't feel right to me. Their high-rise cigarette jeans, a straight-leg style, also didn't work for me, though I was surprised to find that they don't need to be hemmed on me, which may mean that they'd be unworkable on anyone with longer legs than mine, which should be most women in the world who are 5'3'' or taller! 

Best and Worst Buys of 2017

Alas, 2017 was not a minimalism-ish-friendly year on the shopping front for me. I started out with good ambitions, to have maybe a month or so's "shopping freeze" at the start before drifting back towards the habits I'd had around the first quarter of 2016, usually one to two items a month. That "freeze" didn't happen, though I had a few light months where I shopped mostly on the secondhand market. Towards the end of the year I shopped a lot, and even if the big ticket items were arguable work wardrobe necessities, it didn't feel quite right. It felt like one of my early 2015 shopping months, when I knew from years of experience since then that that quantity, particularly as a regular and sustained thing for several months in a row, just wasn't right for me.

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There were a few reasons I was "off my game." Throughout my clerkship, continuing through early fall 2017, I had what the New York Times calls an "extreme commute," though only barely, and with less transfers than most. It was the best job ever, and I'd do it all over again, but it wasn't sustainable for the long term, and I was cutting a lot of corners on things like cleaning the apartment or eating square meals for dinner, because I just didn't have the energy. Combine that with the constrained budget and a significant pay cut, and knowing that the clerkship itself was an extremely expensive decision as a matter of opportunity cost, and I felt "off my game" in a broad sense, which for me, makes it more difficult to make good shopping decisions.

After the clerkship ended, I felt some additional "growing pains" from the transition to the different wardrobe needs of my new job, the sudden realization that former go-to retailers (Ann Taylor and Loft) were no longer a viable choice, and the return to a private sector paycheck. I think I've gotten it all out of my system now, so I'm hoping that 2018 will be a year without any "worst buys." 

Best Buys of 2017:

• Ted Baker Long Wrap Coat, oxblood - This was a "surprise" buy at the tail end of the post-Christmas sale season, when the price was really good, and it was left in my size. I was so sure I was going to send this back, as I often don't like belted coats (which can look too bulky if I don't belt it just right) and oxblood isn't a color that often works for me, but I felt so pretty with it on. Alas, this was probably when I began to lose the plot with 2017's budget. Ted Baker brings this coat back in various colors every year, and they're offering a similar "maroon" shade this year. 
• Marc by Marc Jacobs Too Hot to Handle Hobo (similar) - RIP Marc by Marc Jacobs ("MBMJ"), which made some of the first handbags I coveted as a college student. They've started selling this exact design as part of the current "Marc Jacobs" brand, but only at Gilt and Nordstrom Rack. I almost wonder if they took some of the old MBMJ stock and just... relabeled it? But that seems odd. It had been a long time since I bought a handbag, and I didn't have anything in a larger size purely for casual wear. I was also so sure I was going to send this back, but like with the Ted Baker coat, I was quite taken with it once I saw it in person. 
• Grana Silk Ankle Pants, black - As my first elastic-waist pants that weren't purely for stay-at-home lounging, these were an experiment for me. I felt more confident choosing them because several other bloggers (Jane and Elaine) like them. These are great, I wear them for both work and play, and I find them very un-fusssy and easy to handwash, unlike Grana silk items in other colors. Alas, I think Grana may be discontinuing these, given the limited colors and sizes left in stock. The medium in short length are a perfect size and ankle length on me. 
• Tory Burch Tee Dress - Tory Burch does a few prints of this pima cotton tee dress every spring/summer. I'd seen this more than a year ago, on Franish and an offline friend, but tee dresses were too out of my comfort zone then. I generally prefer more structured dresses, finding them more flattering on my slightly top-heavy hourglass figure. When I saw this on TheRealReal in what I was pretty sure was my size (it's a little loose in M on me), I snapped it up. Quality is good, but not great. I wore it almost once a week in warmer weather, and wash it in the machine in cold water every time. While there are no real signs of wear, there are some mostly-hidden small patches, mostly near the armpit, where the blue dye from the print seems to have bled a little.

My "best buys" aren't necessarily items with the best cost per wear ratio, or items that got the most use. Instead, I generally point to items that were a "surprise" in some way, either a new style for me, or something I didn't expect to like as much as I did, but that I ended up loving. Fashion experimenting isn't always a success, as you'll see with my "worst buys" this year. With me, there's an extremely fine line between style experiments that work out and ones that will completely fail. Sometimes, though, after trying on an item, I get a strong feeling that I really like this new-for-me thing, and I will be reaching for it, and with the items above, it worked out well.

Worst Buys of 2017:

• Uniqlo High-Waist Belted Flare Midi Skirt - Getting two a-line midi skirts was definitely not wise, when the silhouette was already so out of my comfort zone. I turned out to not to be as ready to experiment with it as I thought. This one flares out less dramatically  at the waist, and is a little shorter, so between the two it was probably the one that was more likely to work out. 
• Uniqlo Volume Skirt - I wore this two or three times to run errands in summer, but haven't worn it otherwise. Alas, maybe this spring/summer I'll be ready to try it again? I couldn't see myself wearing either of these to work now. We have casual Fridays, but these skirts are quite a bit more "look" than most people bring in their casual Friday outfits. 
• Uniqlo Drape Jogger - Because the Grana Silk Ankle Pants were so great, and filled a similar niche, I never ended up wearing these. As with the skirts, I'm now on notice: Buying two somewhat redundant items definitely isn't a good idea. Just pick one! Plus, these move much too far towards the "casual" end of business casual for my new office. (They'd have been pushing it at the old place, with the sweatpant-like elasticized hem.) When buying both pants, I was somewhat inspired by the Artizia Cohen pants, which many on r/femalefashionadvice look fabulous in, but well, those are quite different from what I actually ordered. 

Clearly, there are a few lessons to take from the "worst buys." I do not, alas, generally do well with experimenting with new silhouettes, particularly with bottoms. It's also not the best influence on me when something is relatively affordable, such that my brain can get to thinking "why not both?" That everything came from Uniqlo is only coincidence, as I could have made the same mistakes with experimental items from any more modestly-priced source.

Did you have any particularly awesome or particularly unwise purchases this year? Any big lessons or takeaways from those, that will guide next year's shopping? 

Suiting Up

Blazer: J.Crew Factory Lightweight Wool Blend, heather graphite, 8P

Top: Uniqlo Rayon Key-Neck Sleeveless Blouse, dark green, M

Skirt: J.Crew Factory Lightweight Wool Blend, heather graphite, 4R

Shoes: Cole Han Tali Bow Flat, black

Only a few weeks into my new job, and I've already had one business trip and two formal "in court"-type occasions, with at least two more to come in the next few weeks. It's quite different from the experience that I'd be getting if I'd gone back to my previous job, and I couldn't be happier.

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Naturally, I now dress in business formal significantly more often than before. I figured it was a good time to share an outfit photo with my new favorite affordable interview suit from J.Crew Factory. These suits, as well as most of J.Crew Factory's more fitted, number-sized items, are generally a better fit for less curvy figures than mine, but the suit with a petite jacket and regular skirt still fits me pretty well. (I'm 5'3'', with petite-length legs, a more "regular" sizing torso, and "petite" length arms.) Outside of the chest (which is just right), the jacket is a little loose and maybe a touch long, though not enough for me to rush to a tailor. I think this photo exaggerates the length of the jacket and skirt a bit. The skirt doesn't cover my knee fully when I'm standing. Also, I've gained an inch in the chest since I last took outfit photos, though the rest of me is still pretty much the same size, which I'm utterly baffled by. This makes me a bit self conscious.

My Uniqlo Rayon blouse is obscured by my phone, but the key-neck opening is small and the top quite conservative.  It's a good suiting top, though it fits rather boxy, and it has been washing and line-drying well. It can get wrinkly if folded up wrong, so I keep it hung up. Do note that this top has a second layer of fabric sewn in right around the collar/neckline, which might show through oddly on the lighter colors. I don't have a problem with this in the light pink, but it's something that borderline could have been an issue, and is probably good to know about before purchasing.

I took this photo in my business trip hotel room. It was my first ever real business trip, and I think I did a pretty good job packing, getting everything, including a few binders of documents, into my trusty Longchamp Planetes tote (current version) and my unbranded rolling carry-on, which I bought years ago in a Beijing tourist market. And well, the trip was only two nights, so it wasn't that hard to pack. I'd always thought that I could never get all my skincare products and makeup into a TSA-approved plastic bag, but with my current pared-down skincare routine, everything just barely fit into a reusable TSA-friendly "Beauty on the Fly" bag (out of stock) that I picked up from Sephora. 

August Shopping Reflections

It's official now,  I've lost the plot on this year's shopping budget. With a whole quarter of the year to go, I could still get back on track, but given certain changes associated with my new job, I'm not optimistic. Specifically, my work wardrobe needs to be more formal. I won't be keeping a running tally anymore of how far I've fallen behind. I'll write about it in an end of year analysis, whatever happens. Given the rest of what's going on in my life, personal finance-wise, being over budget for fashion purchases isn't a huge deal. In truth, this year's $1800/year (~$150/month, but flexible month-to-month) was a bit of an experiment, and well, it's one that hasn't panned out.

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The recent cause of this year's budget failure is a Marc by Marc Jacobs "Too Hot to Handle" Hobo bag (identical, for less, with "Marc Jacobs" branding here). I could try to retroactively categorize it as an "off-budget purchase", but that wouldn't be consistent with my past practices. It's a category I've used on rare occasions for items such as a suit or a bridesmaid's dress, items I knew I would need far in advance, but for which it was difficult to set a limit upfront. This purchase doesn't fit that bill. It's a gift to myself to celebrate my new job, but well, I couldn't have anticipated that in advance!  

As an aside, back when I was a college student, Marc by Marc (or "MBMJ") was one of those brands that was highly aspirational for me, something I desperately wanted but couldn't afford. (Except that, unlike the linked blogger, teenaged Xin had little taste and was highly susceptible to marketing, so my longing was reserved for various specific and sometimes really ugly items, possibly just for the sake of the brand name and the fact that the items seemed widely coveted. I don't think I ever got attached to any one consistent aesthetic or "look".)

These days, MBMJ has shuttered, its old stock fills the physical racks at Nordstrom Rack, and the brand's been rolled into "Marc Jacobs", hence the er, current selling of this item with a new label only a month after I bought mine. Nostalgia goggles on top of the Nordstrom Rack price for this bag when I bought it (roughly 50% off original retail), may have contributed to this purchase, though I really do like the look and how unfussy it is to carry. 

Fashion - (TOTAL: $ 315.12)

• Marc by Marc Jacobs "Too Hot to Handle" Hobo - $239.34* - (lower price, identical style with "Marc Jacobs" label at Hautelook and Gilt) - My current handbag collection, omitting purely utilitarian bags like my backpack, is here. Most of my bags are for work, and I had almost nothing for casual wear that could hold much more than say, my Coach City (cheapest used on eBay). I frequently use my large Longchamp Le Pliage totes for the weekend, but they're a fairly boring look. After I got my new job, I started looking at bags that might be more fun to carry with my casual outfits, and partially because of nostalgia, I looked specifically at MBMJ bags. (Nordstrom Rack has tons, both in store and online.) When I first ordered this, I was so sure I would return it, but the leather was nice and soft, and I really liked the idea of a slouchy hobo bag for casual use. It fits with my general preference for unfussy bags.
• Uniqlo Rayon Key-Neck Sleeveless Blouse, pink - $19.90 - For months now, I've been in the market for machine-washable blouses or shells to go under suits. Most of my current items in that category are polyester tops from Loft, which I mostly purchased at deep discounts while I was a summer associate in 2014. They've served me well over the years, but, in my experience, various fabrics from Loft have an unnatural tendency to acquire mysterious stains that all of my usual laundry tactics (spot treating with The Laundress All Purpose Bleach Alternative and the Stain Solution before soaking in Stain Solution, a combination that has helped many white tops that started to turn gray and dingy over time) are entirely unable to lift. So my collection has dwindled. I've tried so many blouses from Uniqlo, focusing on their rayon items, but none worked until now. 
• Uniqlo Rayon Key-Neck Sleeveless Blouse, forest green - $19.90 - Please note that these are rayon and poly blends. (I'm not sure if this was the case in previous years, but if not, the change is unfortunate.) The fabric may get wrinkly if not hung up. They're also fairly boxy, which I don't mind for work. I'm often a size S in Uniqlo sweaters, but for non-stretchy tops, a M is a better fit, and that's what I went with. I also ordered the Rayon Long-Sleeve button down blouse, but they were much looser and longer than expected, and it just wasn't the right look. 
• H&M V-Neck Jersey Dress, red - $17.99 (on sale now) - I never got around to shopping for more linen dresses this summer, once work got busier and the season wore on. I'd cut a few summer dresses out of my wardrobe last year, and even with my once-weekly laundry schedule, I've often run out of casual summer dresses between laundry days. The easiest way to fill the niche seemed to be with one of those ubiquitous swing dresses (like from Loft, but so many places have them). Back when I was shopping in early August, it seemed like none of my usual retailers had one in a summer-friendly fabric like cotton, linen, or rayon (why would anyone ever want a summer dress in polyester? I'm looking at you, Old Navy, and many others). Now that I look again, I'm not sure how I searched, because it seems like many of Loft's swing dresses from this past summer were done in 95% rayon, 5% spandex. 
• H&M V-Neck Jersey Dress, black - $17.99 (on sale now) - Regardless, in the moment, I ended up at H&M after other avenues failed. I like the v-neck and find it more flattering than the round necks that are more common with swing dresses, though the v-neck is a bit deep and makes the dress feel skimpier than most. Because I'm busty, the front hem does sit slightly higher on me than the back one, adding to the, er, sense of slightly greater skimpiness than with my other summer dresses. (The partial lining at the top, from the neckline down to around where a typical bra sits, is slightly odd, though not in a way that's generally visible when wearing the dress.) It's not the highest quality, and as with this silhouette in general, I don't see the shape being especially flattering on almost anyone, but it's comfortable. I really like wearing these to run errands on non-office days. I've already gotten a lot of use out of both, and I expect them to last at least another two seasons. 

*Includes sales tax. 

How are you doing with your shopping budget for the year, if you keep one? Have you had times in your life where a big transition, job-related or otherwise, required fairly large changes to your wardrobe? Were there any inaccessible items or brands "of your dreams" for you when you were young? Do you shop from those brands now?

July Shopping Reflections

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So this was a high-volume shopping and totally bad at minimalism month, though many of my purchases were secondhand, at least. I started window shopping over July Fourth weekend and suddenly found that I'd ordered a completely ridiculous quantity, including an APC half-moon bag (discounted to $380 USD at Ssense, but now sold out). Then I sent most of it back because very little of it worked. Womp womp. The half-moon bag was a bit too big for my height and build, and too stiff for my tastes. My battered and much-beloved Coach City fills the same niche more comfortably (used at Etsy here and here, or more affordably on Ebay including here). Other things, like a Madewell Central shirt, just didn't flatter on me. I still ended up keeping quite a few things, mostly unseasonal items.

This month was my first time shopping at ThredUp. I had a good experience, with their reasonable prices and a 40% off your first order discount. I did make a few mistakes, but those are on me. It's expected that their return policy wouldn't be as forgiving as a retail store's (returns within 14 days to original method of purchase). I, er, misinterpreted their policy initially, and assumed all returns were store credit only, so I ended up keeping (and paying for) a few sweaters I wasn't sure about and haven't listed. Those will be gifted to my younger sister, W, as they'll suit her much better!

As for my yearly budget for 2017 ($150 x 12 = $1800), it's not looking fantastic in terms of my staying under, though I technically made a tiny bit of progress this month. I'm now $162.98 over budget for the year, rather than last month's $168.18 (($150 x 7) - $555.98 - $154.21 - $94.79 - $35.93 - $128.80 - $98.47 - $144.80 = $162.98).

I buried this detail in another post last week, but I may be taking a new job that will change some of my work wardrobe needs, and could result in not getting back on track for this year's original clothing budget. It's very exciting, and I'm so happy with it, but I definitely couldn't have predicted it!

Fashion - (TOTAL: $144.80)

• Uniqlo Womens Volume Skirt - $29.90 - I've been wanting a navy blue midi skirt (inspired by Adina!) for more than a year, but was never able to find one I wanted to try on. I ended up experimenting with a striped J.Crew Factory skirt (similar in limited sizes here and here) last year, but that was pretty far from the design I had in mind. This year, Uniqlo had two skirts that were close, this one almost exactly. These skirts are actually not super-practical for me. They're cotton-poly blends, and not terribly comfortable in high summer heat and humidity, because of the volume of fabric. They go a little past mid-calf on me (maybe an inch past how it looks on the models.) Both have very elastic waists, to the point where I'm not sure exact sizing... matters terribly much, there's so much fabric, and the waist so stretchy. I picked a size M in both. Wearing these to work is outside my comfort zone, so it remains to be seen how much actual use I get out of these.
• Uniqlo Women High-Waist Belted Flare Midi Skirt - $29.90 - I like the belted waist design here, though this design is less like the simpler look I had in mind for a midi skirt. I originally intended to keep only one, because I definitely don't need two midi skirts that I'm generally not inclined to wear to work, but I ended up not being able to pick. This was a bad-at-minimalism month for sure. Even with the downsides of these, I just find them really fun to twirl around in, even if only indoors, and I couldn't resist.
• ThredUp - ~$85.00 (after typical 40% off first order, for discount of up to $50, coupon)
• Club Monaco Open Cashmere Cardigan - This drapey open cardigan is essentially identical to an item that's still in stock at Club Monaco, which I've linked. It seems to be a design they redo frequently. I got this in M/L, which has a very generously sized shawl collar that is nice and cozy, but is otherwise not too oversized on me. 
• J.Crew Linen Sweater - Not sure how old this is, but it's 100% linen and very boxy. I love this, despite the dull color and boxy-ness. It feels like a very Eileen Fisher-like look when I wear it with my Grana silk ankle pants (use my referral link for 10% off your first order, and I'll get $20 store credit if you make a purchase, thank you for your support!). I can't find anything similar in linen at J.Crew or other mall stores, though this Loft sweater in cotton-nylon blend has a very similar look and feel in brighter colors and this Lou and Grey all-cotton sweater is similar in spirit and color, but much slouchier. 
• Madewell Patterned Sweater - I think Madewell does a sweater like this almost every year in recent memory. I have a slouchy patterned sweater from H&M and before I started monthly budget posts that's a favorite, though one that's not held up terribly well to regular wash and wear. Thus, I'm generally partial to wearing a loose-fit patterned sweater (that requires a black camisole underneath, I like these from H&M and they last for years) over dark skinny jeans in winter. 

Have you shopped at ThredUp before? Were you able to find any gems? 

March Shopping Reflections

Long time no blog! The interview process, on top of my regular commute and work schedule, has been exhausting. I think it's starting to wind down at last (I'm leaning strongly towards my old firm), so I'll hopefully have more energy to write again in the near future.

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This month involves a bit of a first for me. Throughout the two years-plus of monthly budget posts, I don't think I've ever gone dramatically over budget without having "banked" enough to cover it from previous under-budget months that year. Until now. A few months ago, I mentioned an interest in a new colorful wool-blend coat, though the desire made me feel sheepish (I didn't need-need one) and it didn't pan out. What I hadn't mentioned was that I'd, somewhat relatedly, developed an interest in the Ted Baker wrap coat after seeing it on a few other stylish women in the city. The big sticking point was price. I wasn't seeing any sales on it before most sizes sold out and the sticker price was above the general range of what I'd feel comfortable spending. Then I saw the Ted Baker coat on sale ($384 before tax). Only the oxblood color was available, but they had my likely size. Past experiences with oxblood colored clothing suggested it wouldn't work for me, but nevertheless, I ordered it. I could always take it back to the store.

As for the two pairs of drapey black pants, there was a fleeting turn towards Spring weather here earlier this month that ended up being extremely deceptive. I expect to get a lot of wear from these once the weather warms up, even if they really may push the NYC attorney's business-casual envelope a bit. I'll write more about what motivated those purchases later, but it came out of a desire for more comfortable work clothing. 

Fashion - (TOTAL: $555.98)

• Ted Baker Long Wrap Coat - $418.08* - I was so sure I would be sending this back, but it was just too pretty, and I was fairly confident that this was the best sale price I would get without looking to the secondhand market. The oxblood shade is more purple and less red than other oxblood-colored clothing I've tried, and somehow it works (similar shades have previously just looked wrong on me). Size 3 (the equivalent of an US 8) was the right one to accommodate my chest. The neckline is a bit finicky though, as Julycheee had mentioned about the short version of the coat. 
• Uniqlo Women Drape Jogger - $29.90 - Because winter returned with a vengeance and remained for most of March, I haven't worn this out of the house yet. On my short for my 5'3'' height legs, these pants are the exact right length, no hemming needed, though they may show a bit less ankle than on the model. 
• Grana - $108.00** 
• Silk Ankle Pants - As with the Uniqlo drape jogger, March weather has not allowed me to wear these out yet. I bought the short length, which are exactly right as ankle pants on me. 
• Women's Oxford Boyfriend Shirt - This was an impulse buy, one I decided on before the Ted Baker coat ate up my budget for the next several months. I've never had a relaxed-fit white button-down that I could see myself wearing with casual outfits (I wre the J.Crew Stretch Perfect Shirt with my suit for interviews when I was in college, but that's a very fitted look and wasn't what I wanted for casual wear). Because I trusted Grana's size measurements and general quality, I thought this was one to try. This kind of shirt for casual wear is a little out of my comfort zone, so we'll see how it works out for me once the weather warms up. 

*Including sales tax. 

**After $20 referral credit, thank you to readers who signed up through my link. If you are a new customer and sign up through my link, you will get 10% off your first order, and I will get $20 Grana store credit for the referral after you purchase. Thank you for your support!

Off-Budget Fashion Purchases 

• Sam Edelman Tristan pumps - I finally put in an order for the ultraconservative interview shoes I needed. These were the first pair I ordered, and they were comfortable immediately (for the duration of a three hour job interview with walks around the office building halls a few times, which is not always a given) and seem to require no breaking in. At a 3'' heel, they're a bit taller than my previous tallest pair of pumps, so I'm still getting a little used to the height. I my experience, Sam Edelman shoes have a better track record for comfort than Cole Haan ones (the alternatives I would have considered next) so I was fairly confident about keeping these instead of trying others. They're slightly discounted at Zappos, by the way! 

For 2017 so far, I am now $354.98 over budget (($150 x 3) - $555.98 - $154.21 - $94.79 = -$354.98), or over budget by about 2.4 months. This doesn't mean I absolutely cannot shop again until June, as my budget is flexible month-to-month. (I commit to staying under budget for the year, this year at $150 x 12 = $1800, but otherwise I don't sweat it.) This is the most off track I've ever been since I first started doing these posts way back in 2015, though, so I have to be significantly more careful for the rest of the year, at least until my budget starts looking more on track.

Linking up to Franish and the Budgeting Bloggers, as usual, this month. Be sure to go check out what everyone else bought! 

(Shopping) Life Lately

Today's post is a quick one, mostly about items I tried on recently. It's been so long since I last interviewed for jobs in earnest, way back in the summer of 2013 before the start of my 2L year, and I had forgotten how exhausting it is!

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Alas, I'm finding that the chances of getting a position that I would choose over returning to my previous firm are much slimmer than expected. There's this common wisdom that litigation associates generally have a hard time finding good "exit options" from their original firms, particularly when they're very junior, and I may be experiencing that. I'm also a fairly "average" post-clerkship candidate rather than a superstar, so that's another factor. I loved working with the people at my original firm, so this is no great tragedy, though it does make all this effort feel a bit wasted. 

The upside is that I may well be done interviewing before spring fully sets in, while it's still cold enough for black tights (Uniqlo Heattech when it's around 35 to 40 degrees Farenheit and fleece lined tights when its colder) and my trusty Sam Edelman Petty booties under my skirt suits. I'll be able to put off shopping for interview shoes for another good long while, which is probably for the best, as it's a genre of shoe that brings me very little excitement. 

As you'll soon see in my forthcoming monthly shopping budget post, I only did a little bit of actual clothes shopping this month. I also tried a few items that didn't pan out. I didn't like this J.Crew Cropped Lady Jacket at all (limited sizing, petite sizing no longer available, but judging from the regulars I tried, the petite sizes would have been too cropped on me). The neckline is a little too large and the material is much thicker and heavier than expected. With jackets in this style, I'd want to wear them indoors, like a blazer, but most NYC office buildings have robust enough central heating that a jacket of this weight and thickness would be too warm. 

While doing some off-budget shopping for underthings at Uniqlo (thanks to that misadventure with my laundry), I also tried on the Rayon Flare Long-Sleeve Tee Blouse, but found the sleeves too exaggerated. I shouldn't have been surprised, as I'm generally not sold on the bell-sleeve trend. I've been vaguely in the market all season for machine-washable long-sleeved blouses, whether in polyester or rayon, but nothing I've tried (mostly from Loft or Uniqlo) has worked As for underthings, I feel rather sheepish that I keep going back to Uniqlo, as its solidly "fast fashion", but I've found that their cotton styles (5% spandex) are considerably more sturdy, just as comfy, and a much better value than, say, pairs from Calvin Klein or Natori.