The Crickets, the crickets!

Top: gap similar

Boyfriend Jeans: Target

Hat: h&m similar

Oxfords: Bass similar

Purse: h&m 

Whelp, folks, it's my last post for the month of February. This month sure did fly by, and it was a poopy one at that. Don't get me wrong, I was all sorts of crazy happy this month (especially this week, kinda weird considering I'm riding the crimson tide this week and that usually causes the opposite effect) but in general it was just poop poop poopy. Sorry for over using that word. I know it's some people's "icky, I can't hear it without cringing" word so I'll control my use of it. Poopy. There, it's out of my system. Hopefully. Anyway, I figured since we've reached another end of the month I should probably do another update on my "Closet Challenge". As you'll all remember I totally killed it last month. I went 100% without shopping. This month, though? ...Cue the crickets...I went a little haywire. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration. Either way, though? I shopped. Anyway, if you remember my rules you'll also remember that I gave myself safety guidelines should I slip up. Click here to read the full post in which I declare my year long shopping hiatus. Following those rules I now need to place the exact amount of money I spent on shopping into my savings account, which has been slowing accumulating more dough, as I've also been placing a 1/4 of my monthly income into it as money I would've otherwise spent on shopping. Let's get to this then. This is what I bought this month:

H&M

t-strap pumps: $34.95

knit skirt: $29.95 

(I actually ended up returning this because although it was marked a small it fit more like a medium. I couldn't get a refund, however, because I didn't have the receipt so I got $32 in store credit.)

basic black loafers: $14.95 

(I bought these with some of the store credit I got from the skirt. I actually ended up only paying $4 for them because I had a $10 off coupon. SCORE!)

shoulder bag in brown: $9.95

(I actually bought this on sale for $6.95 on President's Day)

F21

floral bodysuit: $8.80

basic pink cardigan: $8.80

London t-shirt: $8.80

TOTAL SPENT: $97.95

Well, that's all the stuff I bought. The amount I spent is actually pretty shocking. I hadn't thought it would be quite that much, especially since I felt like I was snagging some pretty good deals, but things add up quickly. Whelp, that's that then. Now all that's left is to deposit $97.95 into my savings account and move on. Here's to a clean slate for March and a renewed commitment to NOT SHOP. 

Much love!

Like a London Chap

So...I'm wearing my London tee again, and the burn on my forehead is as poopy brown as ever. ;) But, hey, I mean, poop brown forehead smudges that resemble skin cancer are totally hot, right? Totally. ;) Ah well, I've always been a big fan of scars anyway, adding another to my vast repertoire is actually a positive thing in my book. I was going to make this whole post about how in love, nay, obsessed I am with England but I mean, how many times can you all really hear about how once upon a time I became enchanted with a story about a boy wizard, then fell in love with the gent to end all gents, Mr. Darcy, read every single book by a certain young lady, sir name Austen, felt all female empowered when I read the romance of a certain Miss Eyre, and was completely entranced by every thing from the music down to the scenery of the 2005 version of P&P? I think the, oh, bazillion, times I've already talked about this probably suffices. I will say this, though, my heart belongs at Pemberly, my last name should be Darcy (or Bingley, I'm not picky;), I deserve to have magical powers and be the ginger best friend of a one Mr. Potter, and I, and every female in the world for that matter, deserve to have one off the charts romantic letter a la Persuasion written to us. Also, I look like a London chap. Yes, I'm calling myself a bloke. I mean, I'm wearing plaid, grandpa loafers and leather-ish pants. If that isn't what a London chap dresses like, than I don't know London (I don't).

Oh, and, guys? My novela (Spanish soap-opera) ended! Boo. ;( I hate when my novelas end! Also? Now that I'm older, I can fully appreciate just how cheesy novelas are. I mean, people get ACID thrown in their faces. ACID. People get beheaded, tortured, kidnapped on the regular, fall in and out of love, come back from the dead (at least once), and have some sort of debilitating facial deformity that somehow manages to get fixed with some sort of miraculous surgery that makes them beautiful...but I like the cheese. The Chad likes the cheese. The Chad likes the cheese. Sorry, lame Charley's Angels reference, I know.

London Tee: F21 cute options here

Plaid Button Up: F21 similar

Liquid Leggings: h&m similar

Loafers: h&m

Sunnies: F21 similar-ish 

I know I've already said this, but I'm just SUPER stoked that the 90's have made their comeback. Super. Now that I'm not between the ages of 0-7 I can fully appreciate half ponytails, leggings, shirts/sweaters tied around my waist, and knee high socks. I mean, back in the day, the only reason I wore a sweater tied around my waist was for the convenience of having somewhere to tie it around when I got hot. ;) Also, I LOVE these sunglasses! I love how bright they are and that they change from blue/green to blue/purple, depending on the light. Well, I'm off, mother nature has delivered me her monthly uterus punch and I require lots and lots of tea & cookies, and ice cream to make a full recovery from wanting to spend my entire day doing this...

Much love!

P.S. This is what happens when you try to explain to your kid brother exactly what portion of your body a close up should encompass. Also, I swear I shave, those are just the hollows of my pits, not crazy long hair. ;)

Blogging Essentials Giveaway Part: One

My goodness, oh my goodness. You guys, I have THE best giveaway for you all today! Now, you can skip all the gooey mushy jazz I'm going to say right now and just get straight down to finding out what the giveaway is, but I'd like it if you read my gooey mushy gutsy stuff anyway. ;) So, pretty much from the start of the year this idea for a three part giveaway made its way into my mind and just refused to disappear. I wasn't sure if I had the skill set to make it happen, but I decided I should go for it anyway. Lots of studying and research later I contacted an INCREDIBLE group of 28 ladies, and well, here you go...

Today I'm teaming up with 28 other lovely bloggers to bring to you all the "Blogging Essentials Giveaway", which will be part of a three installment giveaway that will take place over the next couple of weeks! Each week we will be giving away a STELLAR prize essential to any blogger! Our first prize will give one lucky winner a Nikon D3100, Tripod, and Memory Card Bundle, because, as we all know, quality photos are a key piece in creating a great online space! Also, because we don't always have family, friends, boyfriends, and/or husbands around to take pictures for us we're throwing in a tripod! Oh, and, what use is a camera without a memory card, right? ;) Now, my aim in putting together this three part giveaway was to give all of you lovely followers, who are also fellow bloggers, a chance to win items that are essential to any blogger and that I would've loved to have for myself when I first started blogging.

Make sure to complete as many or all of the entries as you can, not only to increase your chances of winning but also because meeting new and stellar bloggers is awesome!

 Life of a Coy Fish

Auteur Ariel |  Hunters of Happiness | Janelle in Real Life | A Beautiful Life | The Freckled Fox

Haircut and General Attitude | Kiss Me Darling | Fashions by Mariah | Fredrongo | The Style Record

The Red Closet Diary | Love, Lo | Rachel Sayumi | The Glittering Life | Wild One Forever

Simply Just Lovely | Raspberry Glow | Kelsey Bang | Fashions on the Fly | Love, The Skinnys

Jody Beth | Love Me, Dani Marie | Clad&Cloth | The Vintage Twins | Polish and Pipsqueaks

Kelli France | Perfection Possibilities | Lipstick, Heels, & a Baby
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ya da Ya da

I feel like I write this post every month. The whole, "I promised I wouldn't change my blog design, ya da ya da, I just couldn't help myself, ya da ya da." This time around my excuse is that I just got a free trial of Photoshop, InDesign, AND Illustrator so well, I just had to. ;) Guys, the difference is NIGHT and DAY. I mean, look at the crispness of the header image! AND the clarity of the social media tabs! Sigh, I'm dying. I wish I could afford to actually BUY the entire Creative Suite. If only, right? I think I'll just make myself a good six or eight blog designs while my free trial lasts so I can have new templates to switch out whenever I get antsy. In other news, I've been having a lot of deep thoughts as of late, which, if we're going to be brief, sum up to this, life is goooood, yo. Lately, I've just been feeling super grateful for my outwardly "boring" life. And really, I've just been having one of those weeks were all of the incredible blessings in my life are especially evident. Even the simple things, like just plain old being alive. I mean, if we think about it, just plain old waking up in the morning everyday is a huge blessing. I just love everyone and everything right now. Love. Love. Love. I swear I'm not whacked up on cotton candy right now.

Also, my hair is getting to that stage where it's just blah. Ya know, that poopy stage where it just never sits quite right, and just always looks weird? Yeah, that stage. For the most part, I've been wearing it parted in the middle but since it's hit that weird stage it just hasn't been looking so hot. I think I'm going to go to a salon and get some shape put into it and have it actually get cut for a middle part. Snippy snip. Oh, and just a quick announcement! I won't have my usual Tuesday post up in lieu of a MAJOR post I'll have for you all on Wednesday! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some Downtown to watch. And last episode, Lady Edith was about to go off on a 9 month sabbatical, to deliver a...package...if you catch my drift. Sssssscandalous.

Bodysuit: F21 cute option

Skirt: West Fourth Street

Heels: Charlotte Russe similar

Much love!

I See London, I See France

Taking photos outside of a French bakery wearing a London t-shirt? Tsk, tsk. I'm a cheeky lil' bird (that's slang for girl in London;) aren't I?  I actually heard of this bakery through a fellow blogger and friend, Gentri, who, coincidentally, is moving to DC in the next few days. ;( She will be missed! She was one of my first blogging friends and she is seriously one of the sweetest and genuinely nice people I've had the pleasure of meeting! Without her, I don't know how I'll ever be informed of the various blogging get togethers going on! Miss you already Gentri! The bakery, though? AMAZING! Not only is it totally adorable and chic, inside AND out, it's pastries are to die for! I stopped in with my sister during a short break from work and we tried a couple of the sweets...heaven in our mouths! Next time we go in, we decided that we're going to stay for a full sit down meal. Their sandwiches looked delightful, the pizzas looked scrumptious, and the teas sounded mouthwatering! Plus, what's cuter than a French bakery aptly named Boulangerie? Nothin' I tell ya.

Also, I've decided that I need to start brushing up on my French again. I mean, now, all I can remember how to say with a perfect accent is the French National Anthem and "Mon reve familier" by Paul Verlaine. And what use is that? I mean, if I actually went to France I couldn't get by only knowing those two things. I mean, people would think I was a loon, my response to everything would be to start singing their anthem at them or start reciting poetry. But, eh, maybe another day I'll finally start practicing. In other news, my little sister is officially in Canada! Oh, what an adventure! She looks absolutely stunning in the pictures she's sent and the weather over their resembles the inside of a Snowman's butt crack. Snowy, white, and frozen.

 Cardigan: F21

T-shirt: F21 cute options here

Boyfriend Jeans: Target

Loafers: F21

Purse: h&m

If you'll remember, I got this cardi and this t-shirt when I fell off the "no shopping" band wagon at the beginning of the month. Although I regret having fallen off the band wagon, I'm admittedly enthralled with both pieces. Mostly because pink cardi's are a closet must and well, I'm just obsessed with dem Brits and anything to with their beautiful cheeky selves. ;)

Much love!