The Carpet Dress

Dress, Zara (thrifted); cardigan, J. Crew (via eBay); belt, Holt Renfrew; shoes, Ivanka Trump; bag, Mulberry (via eBay)
Dress, Zara (thrifted); cardigan, J. Crew (via eBay); belt, Holt Renfrew; shoes, Ivanka Trump; bag, Mulberry (via eBay)

This Zara dress was a total impulse thrift buy, but I’m glad I “splurged” the $11 to buy it. It’s definitely a conversation starter. It’s also quite versatile, and has a boho vibe that’s passable at the office. Bonuses all around. Here, I paired it with lots of shiny gold-toned accessories because … well, the magpie instinct is hard to repress.

oooh, shiny!
oooh, shiny!
disco ball bag
disco ball bag

I did tone it down a bit for my hearing. Bathroom selfie ahoy:

blazered up
blazered up

All in all, I’m happy with this thrift find, even if the fact that the pattern on the bodice and skirt doesn’t line up still bugs me. And even if I occasionally feel the urge to burst into a certain Disney ballad whenever I catch a glimpse of my dress in the mirror…

Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!

a whole new wooooorld ...
a whole new wooooorld …
i don't know if it's magical, but it's a cute dress
i don’t know about a magical carpet, but it’s a cute dress

Ray of Sunshine

Jacket, J. Crew (via consignment); sweater, Joe Fresh; pants, Pilcro (thrifted); shoes, Zara; bag, Longchamp
Jacket, J. Crew (via consignment); sweater, Joe Fresh; pants, Pilcro (thrifted); shoes, Zara; bag, Longchamp

I love this happy mustard yellow paired with various shades of grey (and black) — and it is rather appropriate for the season. We’ve been getting plenty of sunshine (I think, I haven’t seen much daylight lately, except on weekends) and warmer weather, but no sign of green yet. But … it’s only March. Baby steps.

I picked up this J. Crew field jacket at Red Pony to replace my old, now oversized Old Navy one, and I’m pretty happy with it so far. Its season hasn’t really started, but I can see that having a grey topper will work quite as well a khaki one with my casual wardrobe.

squinty as always
squinty as always
hi-low from the other side
hi-low from the other side

Retail Blues

Blazer, sweater & top, J. Crew Factory; skirt, BR; shoes, J. Crew; bag, MbMJ
Blazer, sweater & top, J. Crew Factory; skirt, BR; shoes, J. Crew; bag, MbMJ

Until recently, I’ve stayed away from malls and retail stores this year. I broke my thrift-only streak to scoop up this brush-print faux wrap skirt once it hit the clearance rack at BR. No regrets, either. The linen-viscose blend fabric is a bit prone to wrinkling, but the skirt is otherwise lovely. If you’re thinking about picking it up (and you should), keep in mind that, in my experience, it runs a little bit large. If you’re in between sizes, definitely size down.

close-up
close-up
watch, Skagen
watch, Skagen

I also recently splurged on this Skagen watch from Winners. I’m not much of a watch person, but I fell in love with its “starry night sky” face and minimalist aesthetic. I’m a fan of rose gold, so that was an added bonus. So far, I’ve worn it every day at work, and it seems to go perfectly with everything.

feeling the blue
feeling the blue
clearance rack success!
clearance rack success!