Boden Sample Sale in Pittsburgh!

Save the date for a Boden Sample Sale in Pittsburgh (newly added to the calendar after the Hershey one fell through!) on Saturday, June 8th at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, downtown! From 10am-4pm. Register here for a $5 off coupon!

Boden Sample Sale Tote Bag

The last few sales have featured adorable and useful canvas bags as gifts with purchase! I use mine (shown above) all the time!! I'm not sure if this upcoming sale will have them but it was a great surprise and made the discounted purchases even more worthwhile.

I've written about the sale extensively before. It's very worthwhile for any Boden fans of their women's line. They often also have Baby Boden, Mini Boden, and Johnny B. They have a huge table of shoes and some accessories too. In the past they have had menswear though it has been years since the sale has featured much for men. My tips and tricks for the sale are included here and a price list is here. I am happy to answer any questions you may have about it. I will be helping to set up the sale the day prior and I will be there all day on Saturday so be sure to say hello if you go! 

Kennywood Day Outfit

I wore this to Kennywood on "Monongahela Day." Growing up, Monongahela Day at Kennywood was the highlight of summer. I'd plan my outfit carefully, sometimes matching the person I'd bring along as my ride buddy. It would be the only time of year you'd see so many classmates and friends gathered in the same place outside of school so outfits really "mattered."

As a grown up, I didn't spend much time planning this outfit. I wore an Old Navy dress that I've been wearing a lot lately because it is comfortable and light. Emilia wore a Minnie dress from Kohls. My parents and sister came and Chris met up with us after the end of his work day. It was a great time!

We had season passes for Kennywood again this year which was great. I don't think we went as frequently as we did last year but we still got our money's worth. Kennywood is only open for a few more weekends until they open for Phantom Fright Nights. I hope we get to go once more!

What we wore to see Cinderella on the stage

On Saturday, we went to see the Rodgers and Hammerstein production of Cinderella. It was touring through Pittsburgh and my mother-in-law, Jill thought it would be fun. Emilia is technically younger than the minimum age permitted for this theater but she's been to other stage productions and always behaves excellently. We decided to risk it (she's just a few months away from their requirement) and it was a great success.

She was mesmerized throughout the play, as she usually is in these situations. And we were both enthralled with the songs and costumes. My favorite scenes were the dress transformations! They happened right on stage with no clouds of smoke or trick mirrors to be found. I'd love to get a closer look at those specific pieces! Jill kindly treated Emilia to one of the "topsy turvy" dolls being sold at the merchandise stand. It features Cinderella in her working clothes on one side and Cinderella in her ball gown on the other. So cool!

Before the play, we all went to the Gandy Dancer (the bar at the Grand Concourse) for dinner. There were two weddings happening in the main restaurant so it was fun to catch glimpses of the bride. My mother-in-law snapped this family photo after dinner. It was fun to get dressed up together. We saw lots of other girls in princess frocks and tiaras so Emilia fit right in.

Details:
Monserrat dress from Anthropologie
J.Crew Factory Clare Cardigan
Cole Haan wedges

Chris is wearing a Rag and Bone blazer. Emilia is wearing her Disney Parks Cinderella dress and glass slippers from Target.

Scenes from Anna Maria Island

This time last year we were lucky enough to go to Anna Maria Island for spring break. I never really posted about it but because it is spring training now and the area is advertised as a travel destination to Pittsburghers (due to its proximity to Bradenton, where Pirates spring training camp is held annually) I thought I should share our experience.

Since we are big baseball fans, we decided to visit Pirates spring training camp and festivities for the first time last March. We settled on Anna Maria Island as our primary destination. It takes about a half hour to get to either Pirate City or McKechnie Field. My mother-in-law located a cute little beach house to rent about six houses away from the shore on a very quiet block. We flew into Tampa and drove from there which took a little over an hour. We had a great trip and if you go, we especially liked:

Star Fish Company
Anna Maria Donuts
Mixon's Citrus Farm (next to Pirate City)
Eat Here Restaurant
Mazzaros (in St. Petersburg, where we stopped on our trips from and to the airport in Tampa)
Ellenton Premium Outlets (It has an Off Fifth and a Kate Spade factory store)
Ginny's and Jane E's Bakery Cafe
Sandbar Restaurant (try to time it so you are there for the sunset!)

If you plan to stay in Anna Maria Island but also want to visit Pirates training camp or go to games, you will definitely need a car. I would recommend one regardless because although Anna Maria Island is walkable and has some cute little shops and restaurants, the broader area is not very walkable and didn't seem to be served by comprehensive public transit.

The Anna Maria Island beaches were clean, quiet, and uncrowded. We also visited Holmes Beach which was lovely but much busier, particularly in areas that offered large public parking lots and nice, well-kept playgrounds. I can't speak to the area's night life because I didn't explore it but I'm sure it's available. You won't find many tall hotels lining the coast though. The bulk of properties are single family homes of varying sizes. The pace of everything there was pretty relaxed and just about everyone we met was friendly and kind. When we'd walk up and down the shore, many people complimented Emilia's or Chris's Pirates gear and asked us if we were from Pittsburgh. We felt right at home!

What to Wear to an Amusement Park

This summer Chris and I made use of season passes to Kennywood. Kennywood is a beautiful, historic park located along the Monongahela River just south of Pittsburgh. It provided the dreamy  backdrop of Adventureland and if you grew up in SWPA you probably feel at least some nostalgia for the park and its many classic rides.

 
Chris and I are both lovers of Kennywood. As a child my hometown's community day at Kennywood was also my most highly-anticipated summer event. For all of these reasons we were so excited  to take Emilia to Kennywood. In 2013 she was too tiny but in 2014 she was able to ride plenty of things.

We managed to buy our season passes for a song on Black Friday the year prior. Because she is under 2, we could bring Emilia with us for free so we went often, usually at the end of business on random summer week days. This way Emilia could have her normal mid-day nap, during which I wrote and worked from home. We'd pick Chris up from campus where he was working and be on our way for a few hours of fun and stimulation before bedtime. But planning an outfit for an amusement park has always stumped me. I don't want to be too hot or impractical but I also want to feel like myself.

 

My gut on one of our first trips was to reach for a casual dress and flats but dresses make it a bit difficult to get on and off of rides with modesty. So by the end of the summer I was wearing khakis, a tshirt, and sneakers. I was comfier for it. 

Sometimes we would meet family there which made for even more fun AND bonus child care flexibility that enabled me and Chris to ride a few roller-coasters!

 
We developed our own Kennywood routine this summer. We'd head to the back of the park, ride the train, get some Potato Patch Fries, go to Kiddieland, ride the swings, airplanes, and rockets, get in line for the cars and hope they don't break down before our turn, split an ice cream cone, ride the carousel, and say goodnight. I already miss it! 

I'm fully prepared to purchase season passes next year, Black Friday deal or not!

Outfit Details:
Anthropologie "Readymade" dress (old)
Gap factory cardigan (old)
Chloé flats (old)
Gap tee (old)
Old Navy pants (old)
Catherine Popesco jewelry* c/o Perfect Details



Remember, there's still time to enter my eShakti giveaway! 

*From reading my previous posts on Perfect Details, it probably seems like their selection is best suited for formal occasions like weddings and glamorous evening events. But that's only part of the story. I found these cute costume jewelry pieces by Catherine Popesco on the Perfect Details website a while back and they've become my workhorses. I dress them up and down and they're great staple pieces.

Left to right: bracelet, necklace, necklace

I especially love the art nouveau touches on the vintage-inspired bracelet. I also noticed that the Perfect Details website mentions that rental options are "coming soon." I think this is a really great idea because often special occasions might make you want new, fresh accessories without making a huge financial investment. Thanks again, Perfect Details!

Pittsburgh Boden Sample Sale Review

This Saturday was the Boden sample sale in Pittsburgh and I was excited to check it out. A friend and I went together and both of us left feeling like it was worth our time, with some qualifiers. I wanted to review the experience in case others were curious about these traveling Boden sales.

The doors opened at 9am and I knew from another friend that the lines around then were LONG. The wait was mostly indoors which meant that things were at least climate controlled with bathrooms nearby. But I had no interest in standing in line so I met my shopping partner for brunch instead. By around noon (or perhaps a bit later) we made our way over to the sale and saw lots of people leaving with giant shopping bags stuffed with their purchases and no line to get inside. Items were arranged by category (women's, men's, mini-boys, mini-girls, Johnny B, shoes) and in some cases also by size within a category. There were curtained off communal dressing rooms and workers regularly returning discards to the shopping tables. Although there was no line to enter, at that point there was a long line to pay.

We kept a fairly leisurely pace looking through piles of things in the areas we wanted to shop. I checked out mini-girl things first because it was the first table I saw. Then I looked through each  section of the women's tables because although they were arranged by size, many items found their way into the wrong area. Finally I looked at shoes.

After trying on a few things, I did one final sweep through mini-girl and women's. I left buying a blouse and a pair of pants (not pictured) for me as well as a romper and a swimsuit for Emilia. I was close to buying two dresses in addition to the above but put them back because I was worried I was wearing my sale goggles.

The sale included items from the cycle of Boden's most recent online clearance sale that occurred over the summer. I also saw corduroy pants and tweed jackets and things from last winter. I liked having another chance to potentially buy things that got away (and see them in person before I buy). But the prices at the sample sale are also the same, if not higher than the online clearance offers. In my opinion, the added value of being able to inspect something in person before you buy becomes the reason to attend a Boden sample sale. The discounts alone are not steep enough to be the sole draw.

Some practical advice should you decide to go to one (list of upcoming sales here):
-Wear something that is easy to remove for try-ons.
-Wear underpinnings that enable modesty in a communal dressing room if you'd otherwise feel uncomfortable.
-Bring shopping bags to help you carry your "wants" and "maybes" around while you shop.
-Browse with an open mind, putting even tentative "maybes" into your shopping bag so you can consider them before buying.
-That said, be ruthless when you make final selections (see below).
-Spend a good bit of time contemplating if you really, truly want what you think you want before buying (all items are final sale, and as always, beware of sale goggles!!).
-If you are buying for yourself, try something on twice before you decide if you really want it and don't trust the highly tilted, (thus distorting) mirrors they have in the communal dressing room (ask for advice from a friend or have someone take a phone pic before making final selections-- think of Cher from Clueless who only trusts Polaroids).
-If you have coupons don't forget to bring/use them! (I brought two but forgot to use mine so I gave them to women who were arriving as I was leaving).
-Go late if you don't want to wait in line. There was still a ton of stuff left when I got there and none of that frenzied sample sale energy that stresses me out. People were mellow enough that I never felt like someone was crowding a pile I was perusing and that's a good thing.
-Bring or don't bring your little ones. I had family help that day so I was able to shop sans baby, but I saw many babies and kids there (some of who were happy clams, some of who seemed to be nearing meltdown time... I did see one smart mom who handed her baby off to dad and used her stroller as her shopping cart!).
-Happy Shopping!

Boden Sample Sale!

This coming Saturday, Boden will be holding a sample sale at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, downtown. I think I am going to go this time around! They sent me a $5 postcard and I have the email to print for another $5 off. I don't plan to go super early and wait in line so maybe my expectations are unrealistic. I just hope any lines die down at some point. Has anyone gone to this in Pittsburgh or elsewhere? I'd love to hear your experiences.

Spectacular Spectacles

Every November, Chris and I look forward to the Norman Childs sale at Pittsburgh's local chain, Eyetique. There are a bunch of locations in nearby neighborhoods and malls, but for the sake of East End convenience we tend to stick with the Shadyside store. The space is small but efficient, lined with mirrors, and a comfy bench seat. Its proximity to the Apple Store also means that when we make Genius Bar appointments, we fold in time to browse the selection of frames.

We favor the Norman Childs brand because of its commitment to quality. Sure, they are not as affordable as some brands, but each pair is carefully designed and made in the US. And it feels great to support a local designer who has had national and international success. 

I've worn glasses since second grade. I remember feeling pretty proud of my giant red plastic "Sally Jesse Raphael"/Becca from "Life Goes On" frames in the later years of grade school. And by middle school, I added contacts to my repertoire. I never stopped enjoying the process of shopping for new glasses. If anything, contacts made it easier to see how I looked in different styles, despite my bad vision.

On the day I ultimately went into labor, Chris and I decided to check out the sale. We had a fancy brunch at Meat and Potatoes, downtown. And we had a few errands to run before my mom came over to help me set up our holiday decor and organize the nursery. We stopped to check out the sale along the way. Chris and I both selected new glasses and didn't realize that when we would go to pick them up, we would have a new baby (who will likely need to wear glasses of her own some day)! Above is our in-store family photo. I'll never forget my "labor day" and my new glasses serve as a fun reminder of it.

So many reasons to give thanks

On this Thanksgiving Day in 2012, I feel not only very pregnant with an active and (from all indications) healthy fetus, but I am pregnant with much good fortune. Although my life is far from perfect, I know that it suits me and my so-called problems are manageable, particularly when I think about them in juxtaposition with the legitimate hardship and challenges facing so many others in America and around the world. The opportunity to give thanks should not only be about counting one's blessings but also about thinking creatively and with generosity through the myriad of ways to pay forward one's good fortune. Whether it be through volunteering, through monetary or material donation, through kindness, or through key moments of empathetic exchange with others, there are very many avenues through which to do just that.

I love this holiday for a bunch of reasons that I've counted in previous posts. But to reiterate, I love that Thanksgiving is a secular national holiday. If we discount Black Friday's growing encroachment, it's not at all about material acquisition (more on that tomorrow). Thanksgiving also involves an inordinate amount of food, side dishes, and desserts. But most of all, it encourages people to linger in the space of gratitude for longer than they would otherwise. And for a lot of us, that practice of giving thanks gets ritualized and shared around the table with loved ones. Since I was a child my family has been in the habit of going around the room and talking about the aspects of life for which we're grateful.

This year I am so thankful for my loved ones who have been incredibly enthusiastic and supportive of this new family-friendly venture that my partner and I have decided to pursue. I am thankful to be adequately insured and have access to capable medical care. I am thankful for my job and for understanding coworkers (who treat me and my impending maternity leave as something to celebrate rather than be burdened from). I am thankful for my students who not only motivate me to want to learn more, try harder, be better, etc., but who have been very sweet and caring in response to my "delicate' condition. I am thankful for my partner who is as kind, generous, supportive, and loving as he is hilarious, whip-smart, and hardworking. I am thankful for our parents who will give our child a grandparenting experience 6-persons strong! As someone who grew up knowing only one of her grandparents, it is not lost on my how unique and lucky she'll be. I am thankful for so much more than I can articulate in such a confined writerly space. 

Most of the time I believe that the world could use more gratitude and more hefty helpings of empathy. But on this particular holiday it feels as if we collectively come a bit closer to reaching our "thankful" and reflective potential. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!

Here are some organizations that do a lot of good locally:

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
Family House
Women and Girls Foundation
Blackburn Center Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Pittsburgh Promise
The Pittsburgh Foundation

Maternity Shopping: A Mother's Boutique

When I became pregnant, one of the first things I did was try to figure out what local shopping options were available to me for maternity clothing. It might sound silly but I knew that the process of building a work-friendly wardrobe that suited my third trimester needs would be both nerve-wracking and potentially very fun. And it has been precisely both! Although I fretted over what would fit me and what was worth spending a bit more to have, I accumulated a number of pieces that I really love that make me feel good while my body transitions and prepares for birth as well as postpartum.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting one of the greater Pittsburgh area's most trusted boutiques for moms and moms-to-be. But this boutique doesn't just serve Pittsburghers. It has a booming online retail business, wholesale lines, and popular social media outlets that are a part of the brand.

When you walk into A Mother's Boutique, you are greeted by high ceilings, organized displays, and warm voices. It's proprietor, Judy is as much an entrepreneur as she is a useful, dedicated resource for women. Located just north of the city in Wexford and with a significant online retail and resource presence, this store specializes in maternity and postpartum clothing, accessories, and merchandise, all of which is nursing-friendly. To help carry forth various aspects of her growing business including its social media strategy, Judy has assembled a team of women who share her tenacity and passion for helping customers become the moms to which they aspire. They have a Facebook, Twitter, and Blog that correspond with the boutique's website, offering materials that serve informative, educational, and conversation-stimulating purposes to a large audience of followers.

The brick and mortar store corresponds closely with the retail website, carrying carefully curated designer maternity and nursing brands. In addition to tops, pants, skirts, and dresses, the store carries a vast range of bras and nursing tanks in both straight and extended sizes. Because a significant portion of A Mother's Boutique's clientèle are online, Judy offers bra fit guidance to women locally and around the country. Buying a bra without trying it on can be risky. But with input from a questionnaire developed by Judy, she can conduct a virtual bra fitting with clients from near or far. The information produced in the process is incredibly helpful and detailed. And Judy said that even local patrons utilize this option, as their busy lives don't always offer the potential to shop in person. The store also carries pajamas and nightgowns, belly binders, baby carriers, organic and reusable nursing pads, as well as other odds and ends for mom and baby. The greater Pittsburgh area is truly lucky to have such a place in its own backyard!

The maternity clothing selection in the store is particularly impressive. Judy chose the brands she carries carefully to bring consumers high-quality pieces that are stylish and functional. All the the items that can be worn during pregnancy can also be worn into nursing and postpartum times. This "wear now and later" strategy is smart because (as I've written on this blog many times) it can feel frustrating to dedicate a budget to what is essentially a short-term, temporary wardrobe. The pieces that are able to be worn after birth alleviate some of the financial stress of executing a stylish, professional pregnancy by helping bring down the cost per wear calculus.

A Mother's Boutique's website is as comprehensive and well stocked as the store. And as mentioned above, the affiliated blog, twitter, and Facebook pages include helpful information for nursing moms. What stood out most for me when I visited the store and met with Judy was the way in which A Mother's Boutique merges consumer services with education. It isn't just about sales. Judy runs this business with integrity and respect for her customers.

During my visit, I was lucky to get to try on a bunch of pieces from brands with which I was previously unfamiliar. So I will be reviewing the lines here on Consume or Consumed and offering some fit guidance to those who might want to build their maternity and motherhood wardrobes.

Thank you to A Mother's Boutique for the opportunity to visit, shop, and chat!

More Anthropologie at Gabes

I stopped at the Greensburg Gabriel Brothers after being there for work this week and found a few racks of Anthropologie tops, pants, jumpsuits, and misc. Free People items. Sadly there weren't many dresses but there were quite a few cardigans and blouses. Now I want to check out the Pittsburgh area stores to see what they've received recently! Any other Pittsburgh or SWPA shoppers spot any "Anthopology" racks at their local Gabes?

Pittsburgh Saks Closing Haul

It's officially over. Unless you're planning to stock up on fur coats, Saks Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh no longer exists as an option for eager consumers. The loss of this store is a brutal blow to the retail landscape of Downtown, removing yet another destination from the neighborhood. I worry about how this will effect the downtown Larrimor's outpost. And Brooks Brothers or even Macys, for example. When there is one less destination available within a cluster of proximate stores, the suburban malls with their free parking and climate control increase their appeal. Of course plenty of downtown workers provide a customer base for what remains.

The silver lining of all of this was the consolidation sale which saw Saks stocked with brands never previously carried and prices difficult to beat in their final days. Even outlet discounts like those found at the nearby Off Fifth were stingy in comparison to the additional 70-90% off.

Since my last update, a few people have emailed and commented asking what I bought. So I figured I would share my closing haul as a part of this epilogue. A proper eulogy would likely include a retrospective of my buys over the years of visits. And while that would fit neatly with the initial intention of this blog (to archive, unpack, and think through my consumer habits), I will spare you. Instead here are my most recent finds.

Three silk blouses from Parker, Nanette Lepore, and Akris. A few T by Alexander Wang shirts from the men's section that were $9 marked down from $74. Also in men's a Rag and Bone pullover for Chris that was $17 marked down from $250. Two holiday ornaments marked $2.50, down from $75/each (who would spend the full retail amount on a single bulb, I do not know). Three Wacoal brassieres that were 70% off plus an additional 10% for buying multiples.

And these two dresses by M Missoni and DKNY, respectively. It seems like a lot of stuff when I put it all together but Chris paid for his own things as well as the above M Missoni wave sweater dress which will be a birthday gift to me (at Missoni for Target prices, no less!). I bought far less than I would have if I was still in the same (admittedly ridiculous) consumer pattern exhibited during the recession clearances of 2008 and 2009.

But I still feel indulgent and even a little gluttonous. I have long needed to beef up my sleeved blouse arsenal for both casual and professional ensembles. Although the DKNY dress is not necessarily my usual style, it was such a soft wool, it looks quite flattering on, it was marked down to $24, and seems perfect for more conservative professional occasions. I think its career functionality will prove itself swiftly as I will treat it as a suit alternative. My shopping in the coming months will slow as I tend to buy less from spring and summer collections. And thanks to Anthropologie's new directions, none of my pennies have gone there in 2012. All of this is to say that I am certain my shopping habits will recalibrate accordingly after the above (albeit discount) splurges. Thanks for reading! If you are local, I'd love to head about your purchases!

The Final Countdown (of Pittsburgh Saks Closing)

(photo from the aftermath of the Saks 2008 recession clearance)

You have one week left to pay Pittsburgh's Saks Fifth Avenue a visit before the doors are shuttered for good. I was able to stop by this week and can report that prices are now pretty incredible. But what remains is very picked through. You take an additional 70-90% off the lowest marked tags. Other than the fixtures that are for sale, everything is contained on the first floor.

In women's: There is an entire La Vie section (beautiful pieces for professionals who want to still look unique and feminine) with racks priced between $25 and $35 per piece. It is located in the space formerly occupied by women's handbags and scarves. In the women's contemporary space, you will find furs to the left and dresses to the right with other clothing pieces (suiting, tops, sweaters, outerwear, and pants) in between. Take 80% off dresses (and if you buy three, you get an additional 10% off). 80% off outerwear 70% off sweaters, pants, tops, and skirts. 70% off bras (and if you buy three, you get another 10% off). You get the idea... Men's stuff can be found where women's shoes once sat. Bras and intimates are where the Prada handbags and wallets were once located. There are still plenty of pretty items left but you have to dig. Lots of Escada if that's your thing. Some very pretty dress options in plus sizes (which are across from La Vie). A few evening gowns remain. But stuff is moving quickly as you can imagine.

The See by Chloé sweater dress is gone sadly (and I wasn't the person who scored it), but the other See by Chloé dress I tried is still there for about $50.

Some tips if you go: dressing rooms are mostly communal (all communal in men's and half communal in women's) so dress accordingly. I wore a slip so that I could still change swiftly with some amount of modesty, knowing that the communal room had a shorter wait. You can bring a maximum of 8 things into the dressing rooms. It's funny how swiftly the Pittsburgh Saks has come to feel like Gabriel Brothers in both of the above regards...

If you are shopping for a specific type of item (a blazer or a dress for example), check the entire section and the dressing room return racks. Things are not as organized as they once were during the regular rotation of Saks' end-of-season sales so even though you might not be a size 6, some 8s, 10s, and 4s could be in the size 6 section. Don't fixate on the numbers during the hunt. Be thorough and patient.

And be kind to your fellow deal hunter. These scenarios have a dehumanizing and decivilizing effect on many of us (as indicated by the annual Black Friday trampling stories we read across the US). At the end of the day, it's just stuff. There will always be another deal, another dress, another opportunity to consume. But being a jerk can have a lasting impact on your fellow shopper's outlook. Being kind can too, but in a positive way.

Everything is "Final Sale" so beware of the disorienting effect that sale goggles can exert upon otherwise sensible brains. And check price tags if multiple items of your desired garment exist in the additional % off sections! I paid different prices for two of the same T by Alexander Wang t-shirts in men's (bought as undershirts for Chris) because I wasn't careful during the transaction and I didn't check both tags. It was a difference of only a few dollars so it isn't a big deal. But let my mistake make other dealhunters more thorough. :)

I am not sure if another cut will be taken next Thursday, when only two days will remain. I regret not going earlier on this Thursday just to see what was still available when those deeper cuts were made. I also can't help but regret not scoring the stripey sweater dress before someone else nabbed it. Sure it was itchy but for 80% off, I'd deal. Anyway, I hope this update is useful. If you score anything great, I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

First Friday Unblurred OOTN

Chloé landscape dress worn backwards as jacket* 
(similar but costly Dries landscape print dresses here, here, and here; colorful, slightly less costly non-Dries option here)

DVF Shawnessy underneath (similar here and here)

Spanx tights

Rachel Comey boots

I wore this outfit to Unblurred to visit the galleries along Penn Avenue in Garfield and Bloomfield (just a stone's throw from my home) last Friday. In Pittsburgh (and in many other cities) on every first Friday of the month, gallery storefronts open their doors to feature new exhibits, complete with refreshments, live music, and the opportunity to mingle (or at the very least people watch). It is a fun ritual and in between last Friday night's downpours, I made a break for those spaces that were nearby.

I opted for unbelted but I think belted works too.

Although Pittsburgh's First Friday event transcends the corridor near my residence to reach various areas of the city, I love that I can walk to some of the galleries. After a week's worth of commuting I try to avoid my vehicle as much as possible on weekends. Before I had this job my car would regularly sit for days untouched. I like living in a very walkable area, also serviced by public transit. So I recognize this to be a luxury of location. Even though I'm not crazy about my commute I wouldn't trade it for the lifestyle I can live on my days off and when I can work from home.

Highlights from First Friday: The opening of the Center for Postnatural History -- a small but information-packed museum space examining the scientific, corporate, and genetic interventions made by humans over the recent and less-than-recent past toward the manipulations of crops and creatures. 

Stephen Tuomala's exhibit, "The World Made Flesh" at Modern Formations Gallery. The artist took pages from Biblical texts and fastened them together for his canvas. Although this re-purposing might be controversial among some audiences, the result of the anatomic prints is stunning and graphic in its visual display.

And on a lighter note, I really enjoyed the Irma Freeman exhibit of Cat Paintings at the Irma Freeman Center for Imagination.

Speaking of Pittsburgh art and artists, be sure to enter the Redraven Studios giveaway! 

*As an aside, I fell in love with this Chloé dress years ago and found one on ebay last year. I have struggled with finding ways to wear it because it is a bit shorter than my usual comfort length. I realized that the functional full back zipper opens up additional layering opportunities and I think it worked out well. Although for teaching I would probably wear it belted, I like the way the thicker fabric drapes when unfettered.

Redraven Studios Giveaway!

As a Pittsburgher and a lover of Anthropologie, I was so excited to meet up with Amy of Redraven Studios the other week to buy a bib necklace and speak with her about her inspirations. Her jewelry is carried by many boutiques around the country, including Pittsburgh's own Pavement as well as Anthropologie. The process of creating ceramic jewelry is kind of fascinating. And each piece is made right here in Pittsburgh! You can read my interview with Amy on Effortless Anthropologie by going here.

Amy offered a generous opportunity to readers of Consume or Consumed and I am happy to host it.  
Enter to win a $25 gift certificate to spend on the piece of handmade porcelain jewelry of your choice! 


Entering is easy! 

1. Visit Redravenshop to browse.
2. Leave a comment (with your first name/nickname and initial) on Consume or Consumed stating which piece you would like to own.

That's it! Nice and simple.

For additional entries leave a comment indicating that you:
Like Redraven Studios on Facebook
Like Consume or Consumed on Facebook
Subscribe to Consume or Consumed (via GFC, Google Reader, Bloglovin, RSS)
Tweeted the giveaway (please include @jesspgh so I can see your entry)
Blogged the giveaway (please leave a link to your blog entry in the comments)

The contest runs until March 8th, 2012 at 11:59pm, EST). I will announce the winner on my blog on Friday, March 9th, 2012. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me claiming their prize, after which I will redraw.

Saks Liquidation Dress Reviews

Because some of these will surely wind up in outlets and on ebay, I think it makes sense to do a few fit reviews. As of last weekend these were all in stock at the Pittsburgh location, in multiple sizes. I imagine by now things have been marked down further.

Striped See by Chloe sweater dress

My favorite dress I tried on and the only one that tempted me remotely to buy was this striped sweater dress from See by Chloé. I didn't buy it. The price was still a little steep and the wool knit was more itchy than I prefer for a sweater dress. This is size large and I love how the sleeve stripes aligned with the rest of the dress. If it is still there next time I visit, I might reconsider.

They had a few DVF dresses in the above shirtdress style but the prices were still high in my opinion. This was my favorite print of the options. I am wearing an 8 petite and I definitely needed a 10 or a regular 8. The silk jersey was pulling at the bust and hips.

This other SbC dress was made of a stretchy wool cotton blend. I liked the mod block shapes but didn't like the fit. They had a bunch of these in all sizes. Here I am wearing an 8 and needed a 10 for my hips and bust.

Quick snaps from my locavore Valentine's Day

Pretty flowers and cookies from Enrico Biscotti thanks to my valentine

Although I don't have an outfit photo uploaded yet, trust that as a schoolteacher's daughter I wore something festive. I'll show you as soon as I can. In the meanwhile, I wanted to share some other Valentine cheer. Chris and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day. But he still had some flowers and sweets for me this morning. My favorite cookies in the city are the chocolate covered macaroons at Enrico's in the Strip District. One is plenty so four is ridiculous. But they'll find a good home I'm sure.  The flowers weren't local but a friend who does arranging at Whole Foods always makes the prettiest bouquets full of purple flowers (my favorite color).

I also wanted to share my most recent purchase. I bought this beautiful bib necklace directly from Amy, the designer and artist behind Redraven Studios (who's pieces are sold at Anthropologie as well as Pavement and other boutiques around the country). We met up at the Bloomfield Crazy Mocha so that we could talk about her work for an interview. I didn't realize we had already met through a mutual friend until she arrived. It was a good reminder that Pittsburgh can be such a small town in the best way! I was excited to buy a piece of jewelry directly from her. It was my self-present in honor of Galentine's Day.

Redraven Studios Candy Apple bib necklace

I am also eager to share what I learned from the interview once it is ready. In the meanwhile, I hope you had great Galentine's and Valentine's Days!