Plaid, Please

dress: old navy, top: forever 21, sandals: gap

Unfortantely these pictures do not do justice to how much fun I had wearing this outfit. And when I say fun, I mean walking around my office doing polite little curtseys fun. It's not often I dress so girly, so I felt the need to play it up. Luckily, my office if filled with a bunch of crazies, so for most it was just another day at the office.

I totally fell in love with the print of this dress as soon as I saw it. However, the deep "v" neckline wasn't exactly work appropriate so I chose to cover up with a button-down rather than invite sexual harassment charges against me. (Yes it's that deep of a v). I have to admit that I wrestled with whether or not I wanted to publish these pictures. I was feeling a little self-concious about my freshly cut bangs. So ichose pictures where I'm mostly not looking at the camera.

Is everyone pumped for the weekend? I totally am. I'll be heading up to Philly sans SSF for a wild and crazy bachlorette party for my BFF.

Any big plans for you?

To Have or Have Not: Wedding Planners

Source: weddings.theknot.com via Joyce on Pinterest

I'm sure some of you have got to be wondering why SSF and I , with our relatively small budget (compared to the national average), would chose to dedicate 16% (give or take) of it to a wedding planner. Sure, I probably could have managed planning the wedding on my own, but I am a big believer in experts. I take my car to a mechanic not because I can't learn to change my own oil, but because I probably wouldn't want to spend a Saturday afternoon under my car. SSF and I chose to trust wedding coordinators because they are experts in their field. They know the wedding scene on the Outer Banks, they know what vendors will fit with our ambiance and budget, and they know how to throw a party. Not to mention, between a full-time job, school, and a blog I don't have much time to drop everything, drive 5 hours to North Carolina, and meet with vendors multiple times over the next 16 months.

Hiring a wedding planner just made sense.

As I mentioned, We took a little trip down to the Outer Banks last week to meet with some potential planners. I set-up three appointments for us. Three was a good number to start with, it didn't feel like we were overwhelmed with meetings but gave us a good range. I honestly wasn't sure what I was looking for aside from a descent price until I saw it. We were lucky enough to have found our wedding planning soul mates after just the second meeting. They are budget conscious and excited at the challenge of creating an amazing event on a small budget. They were brimming with ideas and recommendations just from talking with us and flipping through my binder, and they had an amazing design sense. I was sold. They even put SSF's racing, budget calculating mind at ease, double sold.

We are still waiting on a proposal to nail down the final cost for the planners but if you are wondering or planning on hiring a planner you should expect to pay at least $1500 for a minimal package (mostly day of coordination)
Did/would you hire a coordinator for your wedding? What was your experience?

Simple Stripes

top and jeans: gap, sandals: gap outlet (big difference)
 I will be the first one to say it, this outfit isn't exactly novel. In fact its actually quite simple which is what made it ideal for a morning stroll on the beach with SSF. Seriously, how could I not where nautical stripes to the beach. Too obvious a connection? Does that make it cliche? I had to keep it casual last week (twist my arm) because the Outerbanks is not exactly the place where people are getting all dressed up and heading out. Actually, even in this I think I was overdressed but I digress.. let's talk about the good stuff, like the fact that I picked up those sandals for a cool $6 at the Gap outlet. Not bad right? My goal in life is to take the concept of extreme couponing to shopping for clothes. One day you will see me on TLC going " all of this stuff would have cost me $1237.68 but I only paid $11.23". That's the dream people.

In other great news I think SSF and I have found us a team of coordinators for the wedding. I'm really looking forward to working with these women. They know the obx event scene in and out and are genius at throwing parties on a teeny tiny budget. I just know they are going to be amazing but I will go in to details later on this week.

Finally, since I threw it out there on Friday, check out SSF in his new duds.. isn't he adorable? He picked it all out himself. I'm a lucky girl. (Yes, I am bragging and he is going to kill me when he sees this) Now, tell me how your weekend was and of course brag a little about your boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/husband etc. Everyone deserves a chance to gush.

A Guy Thing

Before I even get into this post I am going to admit something. SSF and I used our mini vacation to the Outerbanks (to meet with wedding planners eeee!) as an excuse to go shopping. I know, it's true. I've turned SSF into a lover of fashion. Maybe that's taking it too far...let's just say he loves clothes now.

Anyway, there is one big difference between SSF and I that makes his shopping binges relatively excusable. They only happen 1 or 2 times a year. So while there is some initial sticker shock he doesn't spend a dime on clothes for another 6 months while I accumulate clothes all times of the year. And when I say he I actually mean I don't spend a dime on him for the rest of the year. (We cut a deal he pays groceries--I pay for clothes, I'm just kidding.. kind of.)

Is this a guy thing? I feel like it is. I don't have much of a history with boyfriend to compare it to. Its incredible. He can go months without buying something new all the while I start experiencing withdrawl symtoms after about two weeks.  I think I've done a pretty good job at controlling my impulses but compared to his willpower it's nothing.

While I admire his strength it also drives me crazy that he will let things like shoes fall to ruin because he is too stubborn to replace them.

So what do you think, is this a guy thing? Raise your hands if you have a boyfriend (fiance, husband, life partner etc..) that has similiar shopping habits to SSF. I want to know! Or tell me what your siginificant other does that is totally " a guy thing:"

Black and Blue

dress and shoes: old navy; leggings: target; neclace: betsy johnson


This is a little off topic but you are not going to believe what I did yesterday. I hit a parked car! Seriously! I was pulling into a spot at work and basically side swiped the guy that was parked next to me. It was horrible. Not only did I have to wait around for an hour for the cops to show, but then I had to hunt the guy down through asset protection to deliver the bad news. It was a terrible way to start the day. That's not even the worst part. The worst part is that if the claim totals more than $1000 my insurance will go up! Despite the fact that this is my first claim.

Please, pray for me that my insurance doesn't go up.

On another note, do you like my shirt dress? This is the other dress I picked up from Old Navy on my binge. I enjoy it. I am a little apprehensive about wearing it without leggings. I think it's the whole "shirt" dress thing. It feels like an excuse not to wear pants. Do you wear shirt dresses solo? With leggings?

A Little Something Different...

dress: old navy; scarf: j.crew; boots: dsw

I've noticed a trend lately, whenever I show outfit pictures I tend to talk about the weather. I promise this time I won't talk about the weather, unless you count this as talking about the weather, because then I have already failed.

Anyway....

I actually wore this outfit on Thursday. I don't know about you, but me and everyone else at my work couldn't believe I was actually wearing a dress. You know me, I'm not much of a dress person, but this one spoke to me. You probably don't remeber but I gushed like crazy about this dress back in february. Now here is April and I'm finally getting around to wearing it. Oops.

Is anyone else addicted to Joe Zee's All On the Line? SSF and I watched one episode on Friday, that then turned into like 3 or 4. It's kind of amazing.

Thank God it's Animal Print

cardigan: ny&co; tee: old navy, jeans: gap; boots: dsw

The inspiration for this outfit came from the lovely Laura of On the Racks. Last week she rocked a plain white tee with her [amazing] Alexander Wang Cape. I switched out the cape for something a little more my speed, this leopard print cardigan. It was the perfect (last) Friday outfit.

My friend (the same friend who tipped me off about the ad houses) told me yesterday I haven't been talking a lot about personal finance lately. So I will leave you with this to get you through the weekend: yesterday I had to pay $398.12 to replace my cracked windshield. Dagger.

If that's not enough, check me out on herCatwalk talking the "F" Words: Fashion and Finance.

Would You Turn Your House into a Billboard?

One of my good friends informed me about this interesting opportunity.(That's you Nancy)

There is a company called Adzookie.com that will pay your mortgage for each month you agree to have a billboard painted on it (minimum 3 months). They will even do the painting, both to turn it into a billboard and turn it back to it's original condition.

The only question remains is, would you do it?

My answer... only hell yes. Sure it looks completely ridiculous and people would probably stare, but how could I turn down an extra $1600 in my pocket every month that I could use for the wedding, paying down my student loans/car or just building an emergency fund. I was practically salivating at the idea.

Alas, SSF and I live in a quiet little neighborhood under the iron fist of an HOA.

Just Peachy

jacket: gap; tunic: j.crew; tank: h&m; jeans: martin & osa; shoes: piperlime

I have to admit this outfit came together better than I ever imagined. I literally threw it together last Wednesday as I was trying to shuffle myself out the door in the morning. I'm not quite certain, but hell could have frozen over.
I bought this peach tank from H&M on a whim a couple weeks ok. I instantly regretted it thinking I would never figure out how to wear it. Boo-yah, less than 2 weeks later. I love how it just pops with the neutrals in my outfit. Pardon my wonky eye though, I guess it's not just me that's lazy....(too far?)

I feel like this is the first weekend i've been able to catch up on and dare I say get ahead of things. I cleaned up my files, the blog and I've been I'm thinking about doing a "shop my closet" post. Would anyone be interested in something like that? I've tried it before with miserable results. I feel like I was just doing it to be greedy. This time around I want to do it right. If you guys are into it I will half donate 50% of the proceeds to Last Chance Animal Rescue (it's kitten season you know?). Does that make it a little more interesting. I want to know your thoughts. Any other bloggers interested in contributing? Maybe we could do a little blogger flea market around the web.

Seriously what do you think? I want to know. Oh an how was your weekend?

Extreme Couponing: Crazy or Brilliant?

Source: couponingtobedebtfree.com via Grace on Pinterest

You better believe that SSF and I watched the season premier of "Extreme Couponing" (click with caution:this link starts a video) Wednesday night on TLC. How could we not these women are saving hundreds of dollars at the grocery store and more importantly spending unbelievably low amounts to do it! The constant commercials leading up to the event were enough to draw us in. It's incredible the amount of money these women save.

After it was said and done, the only question I had was: What do you need 77 bottles of yellow mustard for?

While I love their clever approach to saving money, on the crazy-brilliant scale I'm going to have to say it's a lot more crazy than brilliant.




The women featured on the show were not only extreme couponers but stockpilers(hoarders even?). They had rooms dedicated to the groceries they purchased full of food, cleaning supplies, paper goods, and soap. Is that really the way to live? Yes, they were saving money but they were also buying a hodge-podge of items that you wouldn't necessarily find on one shopping list. For example, one woman brought home an electic mix of cereal, mustard(77 bottle), cold cuts (40 packs of them), yogart, and fruit cups. That's it. My problem with the whole thing is that instead of going on a big shopping trip, saving a bunch of money, and then not shopping for awhile these women made 4 trips a week to the grocery store. They wiped out entire shelves of product, built their own personal grocery store, and then kept going back for more. I love a good deal but I don't think I am willing to go to this extreme to get it.

What are your thoughts? Did you see the show? Are you an extreme couponer? Do tell.

Flip Flip

tank: target; cardigan: old navy; skirt: urban outfitters; boots: dsw; belt: banana republic

Let mesee if I can explain this correctly. Flip flip is what SSF and his best friend say when a game is over, as in, no way for the other team to make a come back. In this case,  I am saying flip flip to winter. Once these legs make an appearance they do not go back.... they desperately need some sun.

In case you weren't around last spring, this is my all-time favorite skirt. I got it years ago at Urban Outfitters for an insane discount. It's one of the few things that has survived my many closet cleanouts. There is nothing that makes me happier than this skirt... well maybe SSF. But nothing else.

How is your week going? TGIW?

Style a Cold, Feed a Fever

jacket: j.crew, button-down: (SSF's) gap, sequin top: sears; jeans: old navy, boots: dsw

I woke up Saturday morning with puffy eyes, a runny nose, a sore throat, and congested sinuses. So I did what any one would do. I got all dressed up and went with SSF to get my ring cleaned. Then I planted myself on the couch and rested all afternoon, in these exact clothes. Just because I'm sick does not mean I can't wear sequins. I actually think the sequins helped more then the cold medicine I took.

I'm sorry I've been slacking a little been around here. It's that time of the semester where I have to make up for all the work I should have done already. (read: I have final projects due that I have been procrastinating on). But stay with me, I promise I will try and keep things as normal as possible.

How was your weekend? Hopefully healthier than mine...

Popping in for a Sunday Review

As a Lucky Magazine Alpha Shopper I occasionally get the opportunity to try out new products and merchandise. My favorite part about it is when the package shows up at the front door. I almost always get the stare of death from SSF, followed by a "What did you buy now". Then I get to tell him it was free and everything is all good.

Anyway, say hello to the Paula (hi Paula) courtesy of Baby Phat and Lucky Magazine.

Source: google.com via Grace on Pinterest

I really love the desgin of these shoes, they have some really great details including the studded platform, the peeptoe and the buckle. I wore them out on a dinner date with SSF one night. My outfit for the most part was casual, but I wore the shoes to dress it up a little. You know, got to keep things interesting....



I wanted to wear these to my friends bachlorette party in month but sadly I couldn't even make it through the date night in these shoes (which literally involved dinner and a trip to Barnes & Noble). The faux leather upper didn't breathe leaving my feet feeling sweaty. I also thought that that the platform would take away the difficulty of walking in a 4.5 inch heel--I thought wrong. My feet were aching after the shakey walk from the parking lot to the bar. I always hate giving a negative review but for a price point of $69 I think they could have done a better job with the materials.

Overall: I would give these shoes a 5/10. They look great on, just don't do a lot of standing, walking, dancing, or moving while in them.

Just for fun (and because I didn't have enough good pictures to do a full outfit post), here is the top half of that outfit.



Disclaimer: I didn't not receive any monetary payment in exchange for this review. The thoughts and opinions shared are only my own.

How Do You Define Financial Success?

Source: imgfave.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Sometime last week USA Today had a snapshot that asked people how they defined financial success. While I've tried and failed at finding a digital version of the snapshot, an overwhelming 40% of the respondents defined it as being debt-free while less than 10% defined it by means of their net worth. Which got me thinking about how I would define my own financial success.

I don't want to be buried in monthly payments, but at the same time I am willing to take on a mortgage or a student loan if it translates to an increase in assets. Net worth is important, but is a number, at times, needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Ideally, I would define financial success as not being a slave to my job. I want to work because I enjoy it, not because I have to. (Which was an answer given by a small percentage of respondents).

For me, this encapsulates all the other obvious choices. In order to achieve this kind of success a person must have little to debt, a healthy savings (i.e. net worth), and not be living paycheck-to-paycheck.

Now, if only I had one the Mega Millions jackpot....

How do you define finacial success?