A new journey begins tomorrow…

I had high hopes for 2011. I really did, but with only 3 days into the new year I quickly realized 2011 was not going to be my year. On January 3, I was let go from my job. Needless to say, that was not the way I planned to start the year. But, instead of crying and pouting and dwelling on how ‘it’s not fair’ I got my butt in gear. I was spending 40+ hours a week emailing, applying for jobs, writing cover letters and creating multiple resumes for different industries. I had a few interviews and a few employers sought me out, but then I landed an interview that I never thought I would get.

After a two week interview process I was offered not only a new job, but an opportunity to actually get my career started. Last week I accepted the Marketing Coordinator position with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. I am beyond excited to be a part of this amazing organization. Even though I was so upset about losing my job, I now realize it was for the best. Now, I have an opportunity to do real work that will make a difference. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, but for the month I was unemployed, it was hard to see what that reason was going to be.

It’s great to know that all of my hard work and persistence payed off in a big way. I am so excited to start the next chapter and to see what the future holds. Tomorrow, a new journey will begin and I’m ready to see what God has in store for me next. Maybe 2011 will be my year after all!

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

O Spring, Where Art Thou?

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 100 times. I’M SO OVER WINTER! Once again we have snow on the ground here in Nashville. We’ve received a ridiculous amount of snow this year. Since I’m unemployed, at the moment, there are no snow days for me. I have no choice but to be home and stare at all of this snow and ice. It’s rather depressing, as you can imagine.

I’ve been unemployed for almost a month, and ever since the day I was laid off I vowed to block all of my favorite fashion newsletters and online shopping destinations so I won’t be tempted to spend money. But, today I broke down. Shopbop is my #1 online shopping hot spot. With all of this snow and ice surrounding me I needed to feel all warm inside and nothing does it better than browsing the latest spring/summer options.

Here are a few finds that warmed me up better than a cup of hot chocolate! Now all I need is a job so I can add them to my closet…

I’m loving the entire look! I’ve got a sick obsession for blazers and those shorts look so comfy. I’d wear them for day and night. Tibi blazer, Dolce Vita shorts

This DSQUARED2 structured tweed jacket paired with these 3.1 Phillip Lim draped trousers makes me need a glass of iced tea to cool off. Top the look off with this pair of Maison Martin Margiela suede sandals and the perfect Rebecca Minkoff clutch and it’s officially a heat wave.

I swore off the tanning bed long ago, and since I would rather spend money on clothes than a spray tan, a great maxi dress is usually a go-to look for me. You can’t go wrong with this Chris Benz long dress or this Jill Stuart maxi to cover those pale stems. Add a great flat sandal and you are good to go.

I’ve never been one to gravitate towards a skirt as a staple piece, but this spring I’ve had a change of heart. These longer skirts could easily find a place in my closet paired with a great T by Alexander Wang tank. 3.1 Phillip Lim wrap skirt, Thakoon draped skirt, T by Alexander Wang skinny skirt

I don’t really “do lunch”, but if I needed to throw an outfit together for a ladies luncheon on a warm spring day, I would grab this Milly sailboat top, an oh-so-comfy pair of J Brand Houlihan cargos and these DVF scarf tie sandals.

Spring is the start of wedding season. I rarely go to a black tie wedding, but if I needed the perfect black tie appropriate outfit for a spring wedding I’d wear this pleated rose gold Halston Heritage dress paired with a great clutch and the perfect spring Giuseppe Zanottie white pumps. How Carrie Bradshaw of me.

For most on the spring weddings I’ll be attending, this Shoshanna dress would be much more appropriate. I would give myself two shoe options to pair with it. Option A, a pair of nude Boutique 9 strappy sandals would be the obvious choice. But the distressed blue leather Maison Martin Margiela booties in option B would be so much more fun! Don’t you agree?

Crisis averted! A NYE outfit has been found…

Anyone following my blog or recent tweets knows that I’ve been having a major issue with finding a NYE outfit. Not that I am going anywhere fabulous or need to impress anyone, but a girl wants to ring in the new year looking good! So after an afternoon of shopping, I finally found a suitable look. H. Audrey was my first stop (of course). It is by far the best boutique in Nashville hands down. If you don’t believe me, go there and see for yourself. I found a fabulous pair of J Brands to add to my collection (on sale of course:) 

I hate spending a lot of money on sparkly, party tops because I rarely have an occasion to wear them, so being last minute, I ran over to Urban Outfitters. I had to elbow a few hipsters in the jaw to get through the door, but it took about 5 minutes of searching before I found a top that would work. I wasn’t thrilled that the price was $50, but it was neutral enough that I would find another time to wear it. Then an angel fell from the sky in the form of an Urban Outfitters employee. He tapped me on the shoulder and in similar fashion to insider trading, whispered in my ear that the top was on sale online for $14 and to tell the cashier to give me the sale price. I went straight to the register and not only did they honor the online price, they also took the additional 50% off that was going on as well! So I walked out with only spending $19! (I had to buy a tank to go under the actual top because it was so sheer)

To finish the look I’ll add my black Fendi baguette, black BCBG booties and a leather jacket. It’s not a look deserving of a spread in Vogue, but it’ll do for tonight. And to think, all my life people have said how bad it is to wait until the last minute to do things but in this case procrastination definitely paid off! Happy New Year everyone and here’s to many more fabulous fashion finds in 2011!

Clothes, clothes everywhere but nothing for NYE!

I’m by no means saying I’m lacking in the wardrobe department, I’m simply saying that nothing in my closet is suitable for NYE. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve found plenty of options, but nothing that I can actually afford. So, I thought, let’s have some fun. This year my New Year’s Eve plans are simple and don’t call for any type of extravigant outfit, but what if I was going to a fabulous party in NYC or London? What if I was ringing in the New Year in Vegas? Here are some “if I was…” outfit choices for New Year’s Eve.

NYE in NYC

Stella McCartney Jumpsuit, Sergio Rossi Pumps, Alexander McQueen Clutch, Adrienne Landau Fur

NYE in Las Vegas

Herve Leger Bandage Dress, Christian Louboutin Mary Jane Pumps, DVF Clutch

NYE in Paris

Foley + Corinna Dress, Fendi Booties, Louboutin Fur Ball Clutch, The Row Coat

NYE in London

Alexander McQueen Dress, Christian Louboutin Booties, Alexander McQueen Clutch, Burberry Prorsum

Why Resort Wear Pisses Me Off…

Every year around the holidays retailers start re-merchandising their stores with (gasp) swimsuits and (wait for it) summer clothes! Why, you may ask. Well they aren’t trying to get a jump-start on the summer months, they are merchandising for those rich and fortunate people that have the extra vacation time and money to take a trip to somewhere sunny and beautiful while the rest of us sit in the sunless winter misery of our hometowns.

One might think that I would love resort wear because I love clothes. Well, you would be wrong. Staring at tiny bikinis and short shorts when I know under my many layers of clothes lies pale legs and a not-yet-ready-for-bikini-season body is kind of irritating. Don’t get me wrong, if I could afford to take a trip to a far off place, stuff my suitcase full of resort wear and leave the rest of you in the cold, I would. But, since I can’t….

Putting aside the underlying reason resort wear is created, I can (believe it or not) appreciate the clothes. In some cases resort wear helps me escape (if only in my mind) to a warm sunny place where I would rock those bright colored dresses and over-sized sunglasses. I’m not sure where I would even go if I had a chance to escape to a resort wear appropriate destination, but you better believe these (or budget friendlier versions) would be in my suitcase.

Alexander Wang: Shoes, Dress, Entire Outfit

Loeffler Randall: Sandals, Booties, Sling Backs

Elizabeth and James: Tweed Blazer, Striped Blazer, Entire Outfit

Tibi: Dress, One Shoulder Dress, Entire Outfit

Better late than never…

“I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet.”
-Carrie Bradshaw Sex and the City

Needless to say, but I am still recovering from my whirlwind trip to the Big Apple. From the shopping, the eating, the walking, the shopping, the late nights, the shopping, I am just worn out!! So here goes.

New York was as fabulous as ever. The weather was warmer than expected during the day. My only walking shoes were a pair of over the knee Loeffler Randall boots (in obvious preparation for Fall weather) so I was forced to purchase a new pair of black patent leather Tory Burch flats. Desperate measures call for desperate purchases. My personal New York tour guide (aka Harrison my good friend from college) took us to all of the good spots. Although, she and I together on a shopping excursion can get a little out of hand since neither of us have self control and encourage bad spending behaviors, luckily we had Frugalista Camille with us.

Speaking of shopping, my most favorite purchase of the trip was a 1960’s vintage necklace I purchased at Pilgrim. The boutique has an amazing collection of vintage Chanel, YSL and Fendi jewels and for those on my kind of budget they also have an abundant selection of more affordable vintage designer jewels (which is where my piece came from). So Harrison and I drooled over the Chanel and instead of selling everything we own to purchase a piece, we opted to take home more affordable, yet just as fabulous, vintage finds.

Another favorite purchase I made, that I will enjoy wearing for a long time, was a pair of Rag & Bone legging pants (with recommendation from Harrison). I purchased them in the washed fatigue color which goes with everything. They are so comfortable I slept in them one night (just ask Camille)! They are the perfect length and perfect fabric weight to wear year-round. I highly recommend. Although, I am a little biased because Rag & Bone is one of my favorite brands and I have loved everything I have ever purchased from them. Since their prices are usually above my budget, I try to catch them on Gilt.com or I frequent the sale section of ShopStyle.com. If I could afford it regular price, my entire casual wardrobe would be nothing but Rag & Bone. If you are unfamiliar with the brand, think J Crew with a strong British influence, with styles that even a ‘downtown’ girl can appreciate. I even love how they came up with the name! For me, it’s as if Marcus Wainwright and David Neville (the designers behind the brand) read my mind when it comes to my thoughts on a perfect everyday wardrobe. Now if only they would lower the price point!

I also bit the bullet and purchased a pair of the J Brand Houlihans I have been coveting since the early summer. And I’m glad I waited because they released an exclusive color to Intermix that will work perfectly for the Fall and Winter months. You can judge the cargo style all you want because I love them and there is no changing my mind. J Brand is my favorite denim line and they have yet to make a style I don’t like. The color is best for a dressier look, but you know I will rock them with a t shirt. I didn’t pay that much for them to have limitations on when I can and can not wear them. And if you decide to purchase a pair I suggest you do the same. 

Now, let’s get to the food!! Harrison arranged a great dinner at Buddakan  and if you didn’t know, this is where Big and Carrie held their rehearsal dinner in the Sex and the City movie. (Everything in my life some how intersects with Carrie Bradshaw) The food and drinks were surprisingly affordable. I recommend ordering at least 2 portions of the edamame dumplings. They will change your life. Our other New Yorker friend joined us and we caught up on our lives post college and reminisced about the days in the Kappa House. It was a great meal spent with great friends. Afterward we took a spontaneous limo ride to the next stop of the night. Only in New York. 

We enjoyed the New York pizza and beer as well as other tasty eats throughout the weekend. Bottom line, it’s a good thing you walk everywhere in New York because I needed the exercise after my indulgences throughout the weekend. After all of the eating, shopping and night life, we spent our last day at the MET which was such a great idea. We saw amazing art and covered as much as we could in a 3 hour time frame. It was a perfect way to end a perfect weekend with great friends.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and Camille and I left New York to go back to our reality. But I must say, I love The City, but coming home to Nashville and to my husband and puppy dog is where I prefer to be. Maybe one day I will take up residence in New York and maybe one day I won’t. I’ll go which ever way the wind blows me. Until then, I will continue my trips to NYC and enjoy it from a distance.

Concrete Jungle

“One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years” -Thomas Wolfe

Ever since I can remember I have always loved New York. If you were to ask me where this infatuation came from, I couldn’t tell you. I’m not sure if it’s the big city hussle and bussle, the crowded streets, the buildings, the fashion or the history. I just love it. I got my chance to finally visit October of 2008. I arrived to New York on a breezy Thursday morning. On my cab ride into the city I passed a group of firefighters out for their morning run carrying the American flag. It was beyond perfect. I spent the day alone, walking through Central Park, sipping a latte at a corner coffee shop, and visiting the Whitney Museum. I was taking it all in, one city block at a time.

My travel nickname is Frommer and that is not by accident. Before I travel anywhere I reaseach my destination, familiarize myself with the culture and the different areas. So upon my arrival to the Upper Eastside I didn’t even need a map to get around. It was as if I had walked those streets 100 times. I stayed at my friends tiny, little apartment she shares with 3 other women on the Lower Eastside. It is in perfect walking distance to SOHO and close enough to Chinatown, so when the wind is right, you get a strong breeze of chicken fried rice. It was perfect.

I spent my first trip to the city visitng Times Square, Battery Park, Ground Zero, 5th Avenue, and Mecca (also known as the stoop of the apartment where Carrie Bradshaw lived in Sex and the City). I was lucky enough to have two great girlfriends from college as my personal tour guides. I swear I walked the length of Manhattan at least 3 times and I can’t wait to do it again.

My second trip to NYC will take place next week and I’ll be traveling with my best friend. This will be her first time to New York so I am very excited to show her around like a seasoned pro. We will be staying at the same tiny apartment on the Lower Eastside, so I hope she enjoys the smell of Chinatown as much as I. So let’s get down to what’s most important…what do I pack?!