Quick Dressing Room OOTD

This Fluttering Flora dress has become my go-to number for the recent wedding shower I attended, an admissions/orientation event on campus, brunch, and a going away party for my friends. It gets a lot of compliments and still manages to fit my ever-growing waistline. Very into it!

Details:
Fluttering Flora dress from Anthropologie
Kate Spade bag (current season versions on sale here and here (for the second one, use code ME for an extra 20% off! Valid today and tomorrow on everything at Piperlime)
Michael Kors watch
Redraven Studios necklace
Vintage bracelet
Delman Wonder striped flats (similar here, here, and here)

Tiered Stripes Top

I was excited to find a Bailey 44 tiered piece at the Mission Valley Nordstrom Rack while I was in San Diego. I grabbed it and immediately worked it into my wardrobe rotation. I wore it for a day of informal meetings and campus business.

It was cold that day so I had a few layers that worked with the outfit for interoffice/interbuilding travels.

The entire outfit is pretty dark and fall-like but I prefer fall colors anyway so I'll risk seasonal inappropriateness.

Details:
Bailey 44 tiered stripe/pieced column top (summery tank versions here and here)
J. Crew matchstick cords (on sale for $19.99 before coupon codes!)
Romeo and Juliet cardi
Stuart Weitzman flats (similar here and here)
Marc by Marc Jacobs bag
Kors watch (15% off watches on saks with coupon code "friends"; 20% off clothes!)

Consumed by creative layering

Chloé Van Gogh print dress

Halftee layered underneath (c/o)

Kate Spade belt (from another dress)

Spanx tights

Tory Burch Revas

Jewelry: Target, Michael Kors, Hiptique

Although this isn't uniformly the case, a lot of my favorite dresses can transition from season to season with the help of creative layers. And among those favorites that can only be worn during cold weather months, the fabrics all claim to require dry cleaning. As a not-so-secret dirtbag and frequent monogamous dresser, I tend to use layers to enable longer periods of wear between cleanings. This saves me money and time which is frankly even more valuable at the moment. It's helpful to avoid the inconveniences of frequent drop off and pick up errands.

My layering strategies thus far have had mixed results. I've tried slips, which help make more opaque otherwise sheer pieces and when exposed can add length or dimension to an ensemble. I've tried cotton shirts which create a machine-washable barrier between me and the dry-clean-only fabrics. And I've tried tops with slips which provide a lot of coverage but add a lot of bulk. Added bulk is annoying and it becomes an issue especially when I try to layer underneath garments with thinner fabrics (like silks). Rather than harboring anxieties over "panty lines," I am left to worry about layering lines.

I was recently approached by folks from Halftee about reviewing one of their pieces and I am happy to report that this very reasonably priced invention helps solve the bulky layering lines problem. The Halftee in my estimation is a washable cotton slip for the upper body. Its name is apt as it is a half t-shirt that can be layered underneath clothing to provide a barrier between you and your more delicate, dry-clean-only clothes. Some women also might use the piece to make more modest and covered their garments that otherwise expose décolletage, shoulders, or even upper arms. The nice thing about the Halftee is that it stops underneath the bustline, so you avoid bulk through the midsection and hips. I found them to be comfortable, stretchy, and average in fit. I took a size medium in the 3/4 length sleeve version. My only issue was that when I layered underneath dresses with deeper neckline plunges, the Halftee came up higher than I'd like. It wasn't an issue with the above ensemble and I imagine this is a good thing for those who buy it for modesty enabling. But for me, I do like the option of a deeper scooped neckline. Hopefully they'll release one eventually!

The Halftees are offered in a few colors, styles, and fabrics with different sleeve lengths. And readers of Consume or Consumed can use the exclusive coupon code "consume10%" to can save 10% off the entire website!

Oversized Wristwear

Michael Kors watch

I posted about my new watch but never displayed it in action. So although I snapped this photo for Instagram I wanted to share it here. It was a great sale find from Bloomingdales. After $ and % off coupons, I managed to get it for around 60% off (even after spending the dough to get it adjusted to my wrist).

I have a backlog of outfits that I hope to post this week. I also would like to get into Anthropologie to try on some of the more promising new arrivals. And I still need to make it back to the Saks Liquidation, where indeed an additional 10% off has been taken. Between committee work and some revise and resubmit manuscripts that are on my plate, I am unable to take a lot of time out to blog and comment. But hopefully things will settle down soon. I was thrilled to get positive feedback on my Fighting Diamonds article (developed from the conference paper I presented in Chicago last March). That's back in for review after revisions so I hope to hear soon. I have a book chapter for a reader on activism and Twitter due at the end of February. And I want to get my NCA paper (from New Orleans in November) in to another journal asap. So much work to do and only so many hours in the day...

Quick weekend shopping OOTD

Fair Isle sweater by Aqua (on super sale!)

J. Crew draped neck silk blouse

J. Crew Matchstick cords

Tory Burch Revas

Michael Kors Calista hobo

Misc. bracelets (gift, KJL, Target)

I wore this to the mall with a girlfriend where I got my new watch band fitted to my wrist and grabbed some pretty table linens from Williams Sonoma who was having a huge clearance sale. It's nice to go to the mall in January cause it is so much more peaceful than it is in the lead up to Christmas.

How was your weekend?

Mystery Money OOTD and how I'm curbing my consumption

Nanette Lepore You'll Be Mine dress

Forever 21 belt

Coach sequined captoe flats

Michael Kors Calista hobo

Earlier this week I decided to venture to the Tanger Outlets in Washington, PA because Chris and I had Mystery Money coupons from Off Fifth. I figured that even in the worst case of us both only getting $10, $20 off any two purchases would make it worthwhile. We indeed got the smallest mystery amount but everything in the store that is not on clearance is an additional 25% off. And the clearance selection is pretty decent. I personally didn't like the fit of anything I tried. But I spotted some cute things.

For example, you can get a DVF wrap dress for around $60 after the clearance discount (plus mystery money can bring down the price further). I saw a few Nanette Lepore dresses, some Tibi tops, and some MBMJ dresses that would have been around $40 or less.

Normally this would have meant I walked out with major clothing haulage. But I am trying, after years of sale-goggle purchasing to only buy stuff that I love and that fills a gap in my wardrobe. This process of consumption curbing is partially inspired by what I've been reading on the fantastic blog, The Year of Nothing New. It is written by another Anthro and DVF lover who is managing her enthusiasm for shopping with a year of abstinence.

Although I am not personally abstaining, it is inspiring to read her blog along with all the participants in Kim from Anthroholic's Shopping Ban/Shop Your Closet Challenge. With my coupon I did end up buying a set of Nambe crystal bud vases for the house.

I have bad luck with glass vases and seem to break anything that isn't very sturdy. So I consider this purchase to be a good one since this crystal set was on major clearance. I also find it to be very pretty, like most Nambe pieces. Because I walked out of there without any new clothing or accessories I felt pretty victorious. Chris got two packs of cookies than ran him .50 after the coupon!

Soon after, Chris was driving in Squirrel Hill and the car overheated. Long story short, a week after I spent a small fortune on car repairs, the car is back in the shop. And I am glad I have been curbing my consumption because that means I have more emergency funds and more savings. But still. :(

So much for couches and cameras until we figure out what is wrong and how expensive the repair will be!

French and Italian (accessories)

There have been some fantastic end of season clearance sales happening lately. Because I have a little mad money (and a nagging addiction to sales), I have been browsing the round racks and websites. I just accepted my first invitation to speak that includes an honorarium (fancy word for stipend). Although I am extremely busy with other projects, trying desperately to finish my dissertation and wrap up my Cultural Studies Association paper for the Division of Culture and War, I accepted. This sort of invitation is counted among my many academic goals.

 Gucci Wedges on major discount from DSW

You see, I have a range of career objectives that span from realistic to entirely absurd. To name a few: "be invited to share your expertise during a segment on NPR," "deliver a ____ ____ inaugural lecture," "donate your 'archives' to a library that actually wants them," "start a scholarship fund for economically disadvantaged women from your home town," "be invited to speak at an event that includes an honorarium," "publish a book (or three)," "actively mentor and advise people who aren't children of PhDs (and are therefore as bewildered by academia as you were/are)," etc. I am sure this probably makes me sound insufferable, (think Tracy Flick) but I promise that many are tongue-in-cheek pipe-dreams. And the rest come from a place of earnestness (think Leslie Knope).

 Balenciaga buckle ballerinas from Barneys final cut sale

Anyway, I was briefly evaluating what I should do with the money. Then I remembered that I already have a few recent buys that I can pretend are my honorarium presents. This allows me to sink that check directly into savings. It makes the most sense, practically. And although I do like these items, I was having trouble justifying them. Although their combined sale price totals don't equal my windfall, their retail values certainly do! 

Michael Kors Calista handbag in Navy, bought with Saks giftcard

BTW and not to sound like an outtake from the talking Malibu Stacy episode of the Simpsons, but (as a humanities scholar) sale math is my favorite genre of everyday math.