Balenciaga boots

Bitch, I just might…

Or I could save myself around $1,000 and get the inevitable Jeffrey Campbell tribute instead. I have to admit – I like the hardware on the inspired by version a wee bit more compelling.

Or I’m falling victim (yet again) to overexposure and the perceived need to buy something new. That ever-elusive “capsule collection” of a wardrobe is just within my grasp and a nice pair of flat black boots would be a welcome addition…

There I go justifying things again…like always…

After taking a bit of time to thoroughly analyze the photo in front of me with a good friend, I’ve concluded that these look somewhere between nurses’ loafers and school shoes for children and that I shouldn’t even remotely consider buying them. Knowing my fickle, fickle heart, this is the best course of action, especially when the cost is on par with someone’s mortgage payment.

Then again, I like them in all of their unabashed clunky nurse/uniform shoe-ness. Shouldn’t that be enough (the ability to afford them and their likelihood of being worn enough to justify the cost notwithstanding)? When faced with these situations, the proper thing to do is wait it out. Maybe a month. Maybe two.

We’ll revisit midsummer.

Hudson ‘Juliette’ jeans, Acne boots

Ebay has been good to me. I found the elusive linen ’Raya’ boots that had been on my mind for a good 2 years at 10% of their original price. I also found these jeans. Cheers to never having to pay retail prices.

Linda Farrow x The Row sunglasses

*sigh*

I always seem to want something years after it’s at the height of popularity and readily available. In the case of these, there are plenty of options still available for the taking. Plotting on getting a pair of *ahem* tributes here.

I would gladly throw my ‘I don’t really wear sandals’ ideology out of the window for these.  At least, I think I would.  Such a beautifully minimal pair of shoes; not fussy, no crazy platforms, and covered heels (you know I have a thing about that…).  However, SLP price tags are not what’s hot in these streets.  I just found out I have a huge bug problem in the backyard…$795 would buy a lot of Raid.

We’ll see what their close cousins have to offer since I’m not paying Parisian prices for this particular experiment.  And while I’m conflicted about buying things from Zara /shoes when I now have utility bills / anything right now, something tells me that I really should have a pair of black sandals.  This ‘thing’ may or may not be the same that advised me that Acne Atacomas were a sound shoe investment I would be wearing for years to come, but…you know…YOLO.  And I should probably make the most of having shaven legs this quarter.

I posted briefly about Everlane a few weeks ago and can now properly render an opinion about their offerings. I bought (*ahem* for research) the silk blouse, French terry sweatshirt, and t-shirt. In short, they’re everything I hoped they would be. In long (huh?), keep reading.

First up: the silk blouse.  I don’t normally wear such fancy materials (I blame the toddler), but the part of me that comes up with an excuse for everything convinced me that it would feel amazing and drape beautifully. I have no idea whether or not either of these things are true, but the internet supports this line of thinking. Also a silk shirt seems very “adult” to me.  Like grown folks who go places that cotton pique can’t take them adult. Fountain pen adult. Fully funded Roth IRA adult.  I want to go to places that cotton pique can’t take me.  I probably won’t, but at least I’ll be prepared should the POTUS invite the family over for dinner, or I need to speak at a luncheon, or some equivalent opportunity arise.   Aspirational buying, naw’mean?!?!

So, yes, I bought the silk blouse partly to see if that whole feel & drape thing was true and partly because I need to be prepared for a fancy evening out several years from now and not at Ikea.  I do feel better prepared and it did feel lovely as I pawed it once out of its protective plastic sheath, but what struck me most were the buttons. Something tells me that a company willing to etch their brand name onto 3/8″ buttons to be put on a shirt with a covered placket (read: you can’t see then when the shirt is buttoned) is  selling garments they feel strongly about.  I imagine that the closest equivalent for this would be an Equipment blouse, but I’m not paying $200 to do a comparative analysis. You’ll just have to trust me.

Trustworthy face.  Everlane sweatshirt.

The sweatshirt is heaven in feel and fit and if I could live in it, I would. It’s soft, smooth, and stretchy in the best possible combination. If I wore more colors, I’d buy one in every color.  I’m eyeing the navy for reasons of practicality and usefulness. The mustard one is probably too loud, but aspirational me thinks it’s a great idea to get that one, too.  I have to draw the line somewhere.  I’ve worn this jawn the most out of everything I bought (7x and counting…) and although it’s starting to pill, it still feels fucking amazing. I guess I need to buy a sweater shaver or something.

Last up is the t-shirt.  Not much to say there except the seams aren’t twisted – which is a LOT more than I can say for shirts from elsewhere.

All in all, I think I’ve found a reliable source for basics and silk shirts that I possibly may never wear, but don’t cost as much as Equipment shirts.  This is a milestone.  Not the “I finally got keys to my house” milestone, but almost as noteworthy.