Nordstrom announced a full-line for Manhattan. Coming to you and Columbus Circle (PERFECT LOCATION) in the year 2018.
Ugh.
It's not soon enough.
I need something NEXT year.
Friendsies, I think I'm gonna have to bail from this state soon. My bf is having a baby, and I hate the thought of leaving her and future Jennifer the Second, and I would miss this house and its inhabitants oh so much, and the 8 minute door-to-door commute is pretty blissful, and holy cow Tina Christensen is my favorite boss in the world, and what would I do without Amy.
But this state is suffocating me a little. And I know this is the longest build-up to a move in history, but I need to be held accountable to it, and what creates more accountability than a blog that may or may not have editing/deleting features?
Really though. DC OR BUST.
{and the only place that would take precedence over the District is the City. of course.}
Showing posts with label want. Show all posts
Showing posts with label want. Show all posts
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
behold.
My wedding gown.
You know.
Because I'm totally dating someone and we're totally engaged and we're totally getting married.
Okay fine. Not really. At all. BUT. Regardless. This is my gown.
but wait. you say you recognize this? that a certain Pippa wore it?
I say - I don't care. I want it anyway. But I want it in silk jersey. Cut on the bias.
Make it for me?
You know.
Because I'm totally dating someone and we're totally engaged and we're totally getting married.
Okay fine. Not really. At all. BUT. Regardless. This is my gown.
but wait. you say you recognize this? that a certain Pippa wore it?
I say - I don't care. I want it anyway. But I want it in silk jersey. Cut on the bias.
Make it for me?
Monday, January 2, 2012
First Want of the Year
I could build a lot of things around this espadrille. In fact, I probably will build many things around this espadrille. Stay tuned - I've got an announcement coming that will probably disgust many of you and hopefully won't mean that I've sold out.
Meanwhile, I will probably need to wait for these to go on sale, but can't you just see yourself sitting in St. Tropez in a white linen dress, drinking the non-alcoholic drink of your choice while watching Manuel sweep up the deck of the yacht you're on?
Sorry... it's cold in Utah. A girl can dream.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
maybe I lied***
Hey friends, so for those of you who are interested in how Jen justifies her purchases, read on. For those of you who couldn't care less, scroll down two posts and watch Rick Perry implode on command. And then watch it again. Never gets old.
So when I last left you on this subject, I was explaining the desire-covet relationship. Now, just because something becomes a covet does NOT mean you're allowed to suddenly go buy it. We have to be responsible adults here who pay rent and buy food and give 10% of our increase. So just because those Sam Edelman heels are the most perfect things you've ever seen does NOT mean you can just drop $200 in an instant. Believe me. I have to tell myself this every damn day when I pass them on the floor.
What is worthy of a splurge, then?
For starters, you should probably start looking at your purchases through two different lenses: the "how many hours did I work to pay for these" lens and the "how many times have I worn these since buying them" lens. Here's a story for you. Last year, probably around the beginning of September, I walked through Nordstrom and just browsed, because I didn't have a job and I couldn't just spend spend spend, but I saw the most beautiful boots I ever did see. They were this gorgeous dark bone colored leather - a flat riding boot with the perfectly rounded-but-not-round toe. They were exactly what I had been searching for in a knee length boot - great with dresses and skirts and leggings and jeans and probably even great with sweat pants and soffe shorts.
They were also really expensive.
I COVETED those boots. For six months I would put my spare change away, and I would save up from odd jobs I did, and finally, in February, I purchased those boots. I wore them two days ago, and I still get as many compliments now as I did when I first purchased them 9 months ago, because they are classic, and the right investment. I wanted those boots more than I could justify, but do you know what? They may have cost me six months of saving, but in other respects, they cost just a few dollars because of the cost-per-wear I've had with them.
That, my friends, is a buy that is worthy of the large dollar amount.
Here's the thing, though. If you're going to spend a significant amount of money on a purchase, you should probably stick to a rule for your closet: 40% classic, 20% trendy, and 40% classically trendy (next post). So buy things that are going to last through seasons, and in order to do that, buy items that are high quality.
AKA don't spend all of your money at Forever 21 and H&M.
I know those 16 dollar shirts are so insanely enticing, but one wash and all of that rayon is going to shrink up and you won't have a shirt to wear anymore. Rayon, viscose... these are not your friends. They will get ruined. You will wear that shirt once. Maybe twice. And then it will pill and unravel and shrink and turn grey. I PROMISE.
Still not convinced? Look at it like this. You've got an option of buying a 32 dollar shirt that is really cute, looks good on you, fits a trend, but could also last through a few seasons. Or you could buy a 70 dollar shirt that is really cute, looks good on you, fits a trend, but could also last through a few seasons. The difference isn't just the price - it's the materials. One is a rayon blend. The other is a silk blend. You wear one of them 4 times and it's done. That shirt cost you 8 dollars and you only wore it for a month or two. The other one? You bought it two seasons ago, you've worn it probably once a month for the last two years. Thus far that shirt has cost you 3 dollars and it's still got a lot of life left in it. And instead of buying a few more 32 dollar shirts that keep ending up at DI, you have a go-to piece that you can remix.
You thinking more about where the money is ending up yet?
Next time I blog about this I'll look into explaining my break down of a good closet, and I'll attempt to verbalize when a piece is a must-have-at-this-moment-even-full-price and when something is better left to find on sale.
Meanwhile, look at these pretty items that are 1. worthy of the price (or at least worthy of a 30% decrease on sale) and 2. great additions to mix and remix for my wardrobe (cough cough).
and finally....
So when I last left you on this subject, I was explaining the desire-covet relationship. Now, just because something becomes a covet does NOT mean you're allowed to suddenly go buy it. We have to be responsible adults here who pay rent and buy food and give 10% of our increase. So just because those Sam Edelman heels are the most perfect things you've ever seen does NOT mean you can just drop $200 in an instant. Believe me. I have to tell myself this every damn day when I pass them on the floor.
What is worthy of a splurge, then?
For starters, you should probably start looking at your purchases through two different lenses: the "how many hours did I work to pay for these" lens and the "how many times have I worn these since buying them" lens. Here's a story for you. Last year, probably around the beginning of September, I walked through Nordstrom and just browsed, because I didn't have a job and I couldn't just spend spend spend, but I saw the most beautiful boots I ever did see. They were this gorgeous dark bone colored leather - a flat riding boot with the perfectly rounded-but-not-round toe. They were exactly what I had been searching for in a knee length boot - great with dresses and skirts and leggings and jeans and probably even great with sweat pants and soffe shorts.
They were also really expensive.
I COVETED those boots. For six months I would put my spare change away, and I would save up from odd jobs I did, and finally, in February, I purchased those boots. I wore them two days ago, and I still get as many compliments now as I did when I first purchased them 9 months ago, because they are classic, and the right investment. I wanted those boots more than I could justify, but do you know what? They may have cost me six months of saving, but in other respects, they cost just a few dollars because of the cost-per-wear I've had with them.
That, my friends, is a buy that is worthy of the large dollar amount.
Here's the thing, though. If you're going to spend a significant amount of money on a purchase, you should probably stick to a rule for your closet: 40% classic, 20% trendy, and 40% classically trendy (next post). So buy things that are going to last through seasons, and in order to do that, buy items that are high quality.
AKA don't spend all of your money at Forever 21 and H&M.
I know those 16 dollar shirts are so insanely enticing, but one wash and all of that rayon is going to shrink up and you won't have a shirt to wear anymore. Rayon, viscose... these are not your friends. They will get ruined. You will wear that shirt once. Maybe twice. And then it will pill and unravel and shrink and turn grey. I PROMISE.
Still not convinced? Look at it like this. You've got an option of buying a 32 dollar shirt that is really cute, looks good on you, fits a trend, but could also last through a few seasons. Or you could buy a 70 dollar shirt that is really cute, looks good on you, fits a trend, but could also last through a few seasons. The difference isn't just the price - it's the materials. One is a rayon blend. The other is a silk blend. You wear one of them 4 times and it's done. That shirt cost you 8 dollars and you only wore it for a month or two. The other one? You bought it two seasons ago, you've worn it probably once a month for the last two years. Thus far that shirt has cost you 3 dollars and it's still got a lot of life left in it. And instead of buying a few more 32 dollar shirts that keep ending up at DI, you have a go-to piece that you can remix.
You thinking more about where the money is ending up yet?
Next time I blog about this I'll look into explaining my break down of a good closet, and I'll attempt to verbalize when a piece is a must-have-at-this-moment-even-full-price and when something is better left to find on sale.
Meanwhile, look at these pretty items that are 1. worthy of the price (or at least worthy of a 30% decrease on sale) and 2. great additions to mix and remix for my wardrobe (cough cough).
and finally....
Desire.
Heed plaid cape. I don't have a cape, and I'd love to have one, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to pay full price for this one - capes will come back in style, but it's still a little too trendy for me. But it's amazing on the body (maybe perhaps I put it on every single day).
Covet.
J.Crew trench. This is the most gorgeous camel coat I have ever laid eyes on. Truly. I saw it on a lunch break, and I put it on, and it was all over. I stop in every day to check on it. It's still in there. And it's still 325 dollars, so no, I'm not buying it just yet. But this is going to be exhibit A of the truest justification for an expensive piece because I would wear this coat until I died. I'm not linking you to it because I don't want you to get it because I want it.
***maybe I am becoming a fashion blogger I'M SORRY I CAN'T HELP IT
***maybe I am becoming a fashion blogger I'M SORRY I CAN'T HELP IT
Friday, November 4, 2011
the drums the drums the drums
It's 12:40 and I should be in bed, or at least texting people about the craziness happening right now, or maybe finding a way to break into the RB so my partner and I could practice since the Universe has decided I'm too old to practice anymore. But I sort of want to be a fashion blogger right now. Is that okay? I'm not actually a fashion blogger - I doubt I'll ever be the type to post my daily outfit (I get enough judgment at work...) and one can only be immersed in their job so much before going crazy. It's the Half-Yearly Sale though, and I helped a few friends today who were shopping on a budget, and it got me thinking, so tonight I'm going to explain Jen's Guide to a Worthy Buy: How She Reconciles Her Purchases.
I've learned a lot about how I shop, or at least how I used to shop. For a while my shopping was based around three things: what I would wear to church, what I would wear for a pageant, and what I would wear in that DanceSport class competition (embarrassing, but true). There was one collective involved in each of these: being judged. And for those of you who think church is devoid of fashion judgment, well... you clearly have never been to the Canyon Crest single's ward. The most important element in each was showcasing my high points and hiding my lower ones, and if you don't automatically know what I would consider that to be, then you must not know me well (hint: if you're into my body, you're definitely a leg man and not a boob man).
It was pretty obvious that my strengths in fashion were based around items of a dressier nature: dresses and HEELS. I've always been the individual who finds an amazing heel, and then must find the right blouses, skirts, or dresses to complete the look. Put me in something casual, however, and I struggled. Whitney has countless stories of how I never had something to wear on a date because I just didn't know how to do that easy-breezy-oh-I-just-threw-this-on-but-damn-don't-I-look-good thing that so many girls can do.
PAUSE. Why does this even matter? Well, when was the last time you took someone in sloppy clothing seriously?
When I first started at Nordstrom, I went crazy. For starters, a discount is how they trap you. Second, I started during the Anniversary Sale, which by the way is the BEST time to shop at Nordstrom. But seeing the same item on a rack for months straight really proves its worth. Some things look really cute on that sale rounder even after having been in forever. Some need to go to that closet at the back of the floor where they can die. All are dispensable...for the most part.
There are two ways to look at some article of clothing that catches your eye: desire and covet. Desire is what you are really liking, and the idea of it sitting in your closet is so dreamy, and the thought of wearing it brand new the next day is so exciting. Covet, on the other hand, is the item that you look at every time you pass it. The one you run your fingers over. The one where you are constantly checking the price. The one you see yourself wearing at DanceSport and at Customer Appreciation Night (10 points on the dollar you guys!) and at the fancy schmancy Holiday party you're hoping will materialize just so you can have more excuses to wear it and be seen in it.
Desire is lustful. It sits there all pretty-like with its new pattern or bold print or vibrant color, untarnished by a washing machine or deodorant. It might even have some staying power. But then a week goes by and you realize it's not actually that special. Maybe it's made with blended materials, or maybe it's going to pill, or maybe it's going to shrink to the size of a baby shirt. Maybe you've seen it on someone else and realized that it's just not what you thought it was. And if you purchased it, chances are it's sitting in your closet, untouched, lonely, and abandoned.
Covet has staying power. For me, it's the go-to item, which is also usually the item that I can sell with my hands tied behind my back. It's the Paige skinny in Twilight wash, or the Miz Mooz Kira boot in cordovan, or the silky tee we have in BP. I love them so much, they're going to love them so much, and then they'll gush over them to other people who in turn will also love them so much. Do I always buy my covet items? Nope. Two months ago I looked at some heels and thought, "I could buy you. Or I could pay my rent". It was sad. But I refuse to have a credit card, so no impulse buys for me. But you can sure as hell bet that I watched those heels, and guess what... now they're on sale. And still available. I mean, there's one left in the company in my size, but I'm really, really good at watching those pieces that I love and know just when to put them on hold. So am I getting them on sale? Absolutely - because I've been coveting them, and because two months later, they're still as gorgeous as they were the first time I saw them.
Okay, now I'm tired. So I'll leave you with my current desire as well as my current covet.
I've learned a lot about how I shop, or at least how I used to shop. For a while my shopping was based around three things: what I would wear to church, what I would wear for a pageant, and what I would wear in that DanceSport class competition (embarrassing, but true). There was one collective involved in each of these: being judged. And for those of you who think church is devoid of fashion judgment, well... you clearly have never been to the Canyon Crest single's ward. The most important element in each was showcasing my high points and hiding my lower ones, and if you don't automatically know what I would consider that to be, then you must not know me well (hint: if you're into my body, you're definitely a leg man and not a boob man).
It was pretty obvious that my strengths in fashion were based around items of a dressier nature: dresses and HEELS. I've always been the individual who finds an amazing heel, and then must find the right blouses, skirts, or dresses to complete the look. Put me in something casual, however, and I struggled. Whitney has countless stories of how I never had something to wear on a date because I just didn't know how to do that easy-breezy-oh-I-just-threw-this-on-but-damn-don't-I-look-good thing that so many girls can do.
PAUSE. Why does this even matter? Well, when was the last time you took someone in sloppy clothing seriously?
When I first started at Nordstrom, I went crazy. For starters, a discount is how they trap you. Second, I started during the Anniversary Sale, which by the way is the BEST time to shop at Nordstrom. But seeing the same item on a rack for months straight really proves its worth. Some things look really cute on that sale rounder even after having been in forever. Some need to go to that closet at the back of the floor where they can die. All are dispensable...for the most part.
There are two ways to look at some article of clothing that catches your eye: desire and covet. Desire is what you are really liking, and the idea of it sitting in your closet is so dreamy, and the thought of wearing it brand new the next day is so exciting. Covet, on the other hand, is the item that you look at every time you pass it. The one you run your fingers over. The one where you are constantly checking the price. The one you see yourself wearing at DanceSport and at Customer Appreciation Night (10 points on the dollar you guys!) and at the fancy schmancy Holiday party you're hoping will materialize just so you can have more excuses to wear it and be seen in it.
Desire is lustful. It sits there all pretty-like with its new pattern or bold print or vibrant color, untarnished by a washing machine or deodorant. It might even have some staying power. But then a week goes by and you realize it's not actually that special. Maybe it's made with blended materials, or maybe it's going to pill, or maybe it's going to shrink to the size of a baby shirt. Maybe you've seen it on someone else and realized that it's just not what you thought it was. And if you purchased it, chances are it's sitting in your closet, untouched, lonely, and abandoned.
Covet has staying power. For me, it's the go-to item, which is also usually the item that I can sell with my hands tied behind my back. It's the Paige skinny in Twilight wash, or the Miz Mooz Kira boot in cordovan, or the silky tee we have in BP. I love them so much, they're going to love them so much, and then they'll gush over them to other people who in turn will also love them so much. Do I always buy my covet items? Nope. Two months ago I looked at some heels and thought, "I could buy you. Or I could pay my rent". It was sad. But I refuse to have a credit card, so no impulse buys for me. But you can sure as hell bet that I watched those heels, and guess what... now they're on sale. And still available. I mean, there's one left in the company in my size, but I'm really, really good at watching those pieces that I love and know just when to put them on hold. So am I getting them on sale? Absolutely - because I've been coveting them, and because two months later, they're still as gorgeous as they were the first time I saw them.
Okay, now I'm tired. So I'll leave you with my current desire as well as my current covet.
DESIRE
pretty nordic print with great color combinations. flattering on virtually all body types with this nostalgic, wintry feeling. I love it - and show it to all customers - but then I remember that it's acrylic (more to come on how I justify my purchases later).
COVET
This photo does no justice to this gorgeous Elie Tahari piece that is just screaming to be worn with those Sam Edelman heels I'll be buying on employee shop night. Let's face it. It's sequins. It's knee length. It has cap sleeves. It has full coverage for those of us who erm... need such coverage. It has perfect structure that isn't seen in this photo. It's the classic fit in the classic material that will be my go-to dress for every time I need to feel as fierce as Tyra. It is, however, also almost 400 dollars, so unfortunately it might not happen to this girl...
by the way - desire and covet might become regular things. but that still doesn't make me a fashion blogger...mmmkay?
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