Meandering in Milwaukee...

Did I forget to mention all the time I spent in Milwaukee this year? Well spend it I did! I went to a totally fawesome Deftones concert, I roamed the streets of Cathedral Square during Bastille Days, I attended the Garfield Days Street Festival, I went paddle boating on a pond (what a work out) and I visited the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory also known as the Three Domes.

The Deftones concert was one of the highlights of my Milwaukee adventure! Though I was nearly crushed to death by a teeming crowd of screaming moshing metal fans, it was one the best experiences of this year. Here are some pics of me pre-concert...

I wore a plain gray t-shirt, a multiple chain necklace, Miley Cyrus leggings, black Frye boots and a little black studded bag.

Here are some pics during the concert...

This is one of my fave bands of all time!

And here is an after concert pic...

Don't let the pretty smile fool you, I was in serious full body pain, lol. Here's the after concert reaction video from my BFF and I (beware strong language, so don't watch at work or around young children)...

Funny story about this video, the lead guitarist for the band Dillinger Escape Plan loved this video and posted it on his Twitter and Tumblr page. I was pretty honored, lol.


Now onto the rest of my Milwaukee meanderings. Admittedly, when I hear Milwaukee, the first thing that comes to mind is beer, lol. I don't really associate the beer capital with amazing festivals and beautiful nature attractions...but Milwaukee certainly has plenty of both.


According to easttown.com, Bastille Days is North America's largest outdoor French themed festival held in downtown Milwaukee in Cathedral Square Park. The festival began in 1982 as a way to promote the downtown business district and encourage visitors to explore this neighborhood. I had some of the best food and heard some of the greatest musicians ever while wandering around beautiful Cathedral Square park. There were also tons of vendors hawking handmade jewelry, clothing, bags, fine arts and other wares. I scooped these lovely earrings...

Here are two random pictures from Bastille Days and a picture of me in the paddle boat...

And last but not least, pics from the beautiful Three Domes...

There are three domed conservatories in all, each one with a different theme. There's the tropical dome, the desert dome and the show dome. The above pictures are from the show dome. I'm pretty sure the next two pictures are from the tropical dome...

That beautiful tree (the picture doesn't do it justice) is called a traveler tree. I'm not sure what species of bird that is. He was cute and pretty tame though.

The above pictures were taken in the desert dome. I was awestruck by much of what I saw...can you tell, lol? My OOTD consisted of:


Striped Merona 3/4 shirt (Target)
American Eagle mini skirt
Vintage Coach mini satchel bag (thrifted from Salvation Army for $5!)
Black suede Converse hi top sneakers (from Delia's)


Okay, that's more than enough pictures and whatnot, whew! Have any of you gone out of town/traveled to distant lands? Let a sistah know!

Thrifty Thursday!

When I got word back in the beginning of August about a job offer, I knew I had to stock my rack with some office appropriate outfits. In my previous positions office attire was so casual that I could wear just about anything (and I often did). Not so much with the new job (that I still haven't started). So I cashed in my pennies and headed to Crossroads Trading Company and Goodwill. Let me tell you, I scored better than the captain of a winning football team on prom night! Check out my loot:

J Crew Pinstripe Blouse = $10 (Crossroads)

Button front pinstripe blouses are an absolute must in the business casual wardrobe if you ask me. This blouse can be paired with just about anything...which is why I bought it, lol.

Express Tee = $3.25 (Crossroads marked down from $6.50)

I've had a love thing for stripes for a few years now; horizontal, vertical or diagonal...it doesn't matter. This shirt is actually kinda big on me so I'll have to belt it or something.

Kate Hill Casual Blazer = $13.50 (Crossroads)

I have been looking all over for a cute khaki blazer that hit me at the wrist and goodness gracious was I overjoyed when I found this! I'm 5'10 with loooong arms and legs so sometimes shopping is a hassle I'd rather not endure. This blazer made my day though.

Truly Madly Deeply Tee = $12 (Crossroads)

Here's another tee that fits me kind of big, I loved the Goldenrod color though (it looks amazing against my complexion) so I had to have it. I may alter the neckline a bit so it'll fit better.

BDG Tee = $9.50 (Crossroads)

The color combo and the stripes sucked me in on this one. I haven't worn it, yet but I'm hoping the fit is decent.

Mossimo Blazer = $6.00 (Crossroads marked down from $12)

Although this one isn't a perfect fit I just had to have it! It's a tad shy of hitting me at the wrist but I loooooves it! It's a tweedy fabric with a beautiful purple/gray/tobacco/tealish green colored plaid and it has a nice feminine shape. It's not quite cropped but it doesn't hit the hip either. I LOVE this blazer!

Gap Tee = $8.50 (Crossroads)

Again, kinda pricey for a used t-shirt, but that's just how it is at Crossroads. I really like the color and soft as silk texture of this tee so I grinned and bore it.

Apt 9 Blazer = $6.99 (Goodwill)

 I cannot stay away from earth tones, I just can't. Browns, rusts, tans, mosses, etc. This blazer has a nice feminine shape too thanks to the construction on the back. I'm going to add more bright colors to my wardrobe though and soon...

Josephine Blazer = $4.99 (Goodwill)

Color! My thrifting buddy Naimah actually found this beautiful yellow, cropped 3/4 sleeve blazer (and an identical pink one). I love Love LOVE this blazer! From the silky pinstripe lining to the weave like texture, it is just fab! The buttons are also covered in the same fabric...it's all in the details :-)

Anne Klein Blazer = $6.99

 The minute I laid eyes on this blazer I knew I had to have it! I love the navy color, the electric blue lining and the amazing cut! This blazer is just..it just IS! I can't wait to pair it with a Chartreuse or Fuchsia blouse, it is going to be the bees knees!

Jones New York Blazer = $6.99

 This this this! Before I even went to Goodwill I knew I wanted a blazer that was Chanel like. When I saw this cute little tweed number, it was love at first sight! Now, it fits like a 3/4 sleeved jacket and it's a tad tight in the shoulders, but ask me if I care? I am going to hunt up some gorgeous fancy buttons and rework this baby and then WERK IT! Ya heard?

AK Anne Klein Blazer = $6.99 (Goodwill)

Again with the earth tones...but look at it though. This is an awesome blazer! The contrasting piping on the front and back cinch it in and give it a great feminine shape and it is really well made. This is going to look perfect with some dark wash jeans, satchel bag and riding boots.


Not pictured is the Chartreuse Gap tee (in the dirty clothes hamper) that I picked up from Crossroads. It was an overpriced $7.50. It was brand new with a tag but it had a small hole in it. Yep, I bought it anyway because the color was everything I live for. 

Here's a picture of my Autumn/Winter wardrobe rack:

 Notice the lack of color? Yeah, I'm gonna rectify that soon. 


That's it for this edition of Thrifty Thursday, I hope you enjoyed my finds. When's the last time you scored a great thrift haul? Let a sistah know!


P.S. I went a little overboard with the exclamation marks right? What can I say, I was excited! ;-)

Eye Spy: Lita, is that you?

Image via Google Images. Click image to purchase JC Litas via Solestruck.

I'm sure most of you fashion and personal style blog loving ladies are familiar with Jeffrey Campbell and his luscious Lita, but how many of you can afford or want to invest in what some are calling a fad shoe? Trendy or not, faddish or not, I want a closet full of Litas! Unfortunately, unemployment isn't conducive to my luxe shoe desires. That is until I came across these...

Image via GoJane.com. Click to purchase.

And these...

Image via GoJane.com. Click to purchase.

And all these...

Images via GoJane.com. Click to purchase.

And Ohhh Emmm Geeee golly wow, these bad gals!

Leopard. Print. Camo. Wannabe. Litas. Now I really do not like cheap shoes, I mean my poor feet HATE cheap shoes....but these? THESE!?! I had to have them...and so I got them! Yep, sure did.


As soon as they arrived (shipping was quick, just a few days) I snatched them out of the box, put them on my footsies and stomped down my hallway like I was Naomi Campbell. I freaking love these shoes! I wore them out and about for 6-8 hours and strutted on carpet, concrete and hardwood floors and got nary a blister. Now, my feet did hurt after I removed them but that could be because I'm not used to wearing heels anymore. Not to say they're the most comfy shoes I've ever worn because they're not, but they were a lot more comfy than I expected. Here are the pros:


They're a reasonably priced dupe.
They're pretty light weight despite their chunky/clunky appearance.
They can be paired with just about ANYTHING.
They're GORGEOUS (IMO), not incredibly cheap looking.
Did I mention a fraction of the cost of JC's Litas? Yeah, that.


Cons:


The fabrication is not at all durable. Mine came with a spot on them and when I tried to clean it off, I scrubbed a light patch onto the shoe. Treat these babies with a protectant of some sort and DO NOT GET THEM WET/DIRTY.
They will probably hurt your feet if you aren't used to wearing 5 inch heels. Get some Dr. Scholls gel inserts.
There is no grip on the bottom of these shoes and you just might slip and fall on slick surfaces.






These are mos def transitional/test shoes as they aren't durable enough to last as long as authentic JC Litas. All in all, I recommend these babies to anyone with Lita dreams living on a Walmart budget. Oh, I also found the same Leo print booties for a little less here, the black faux suede here, the black faux leather here and the strappy black faux leather here. Actually, MakeMeChic.com has lots of JC dupes and a bunch of other cute stuff. It's a paradise of cute inexpensive shoes/clothes. Now if only I could find a dupe for these babies...

Image via SoleStruck.com. Click image to pre-order.

Absolutely breathtaking right? That my dears, is the new JC Lita Spike. It is now available for pre-order at SoleStruck.com. Please note, your card will be charged at the time you place your pre-order although the shoes won't ship until October 30th. Oh, shipping is free :-)


And that's it for this edition of Eye Spy. Have you spied with your little eye any interesting finds? Let a sistah know!

Eye Spy: New Products from Shea Moisture and Scope

Well, they're new to me. So yesterday while I was out, I saw something new from Shea Moisture:

According to my Google search, this product was a limited release back in late August to participating Target stores. Fast forward to October and my Walgreens had one, count it, ONE single solitary jar. I should have bought it but I wasn't there for hair products. I'm very good at not impulse buying...sometimes. But back to the souffle. As usual, the new Shea Moisture Organic Coconut and Hibiscus Curling Souffle is certified organic. Unfortunately, that's where the excitement ends. From what I've seen on Youtube, the curly girls aren't liking this new offering from Shea Moisture. Initially it was compared to Kinky Curly Curling Custard (which I hated) but that isn't saying much IMO. The largest complaints about the new SM curling souffle is that it's oily (due to the glycerin perhaps), it takes forever to dry and it doesn't do anything. I'm glad I didn't buy it.


Here are a few videos from a few curly girls with different curl types:











The first review is the shortest and the last one is pretty funny. I'm passing on this product.



What I did buy was the new Scope Dual Blast mouthwash.
This new offering from Scope claims to kill germs caused by bacteria (in lab tests) and eliminate strong food odors. I love the Scope Outlast mouthwash and have been using it for I don't know how many months, so I thought I'd try the new one out. Here is one of the official commercials and some on camera reactions from a release event Scope had. I haven't tried it yet because I still have about two more mouthfuls of the regular Scope Outlast, but I'll do a follow up post once I try it.



So what new products have you all spied or tried? Any verdicts? Let me know.

Been a long time

It's been the better part of a year since I've written here. I wish I could say things have gotten better but alas...


Well actually, I suppose my attitude is somewhat better...for the most part I guess. At any rate, I came across the loveliest, lust worthy military inspired Zara coat today while surfing Easy Fashion. Can I just tell you how badly I want this coat? I want it so bad, that I'd be willing to sell my teenage Sun for it. Okay, maybe not that bad, lol. Anyway, would you like to see the lust of my life? Check it below:

Image from Easy Fashion

Might I add that I appreciate the overall styling in this picture. I'm just betting that the sweater underneath this fabulous coat is nice and slouchy and warm just how I like my sweaters to be. A very simple outfit that I am going to do my best to replicate. 




And for those interested in an update:


My skin is even messier now than it was before. Just a horrid wreck of scars, new acne eruptions and overall fugliness. Not sure what's causing all the commotion because I stopped using my Clarisonic ages ago. I may even sell that damn thing, not sure yet.


Still no resolution to my personal injury lawsuit. I've not heard from my shit lawyer or any of her minions in over a month and my feelings wouldn't be hurt if she were...expired somewhere.


I am still unemployed. I had a job offer that seemed stone set, but not so much now. 


I still don't have a car. Walking isn't so bad though because my legs are looking quite nice.


And...well, that's it really. My attitude right now is one of sarcastic cynicism tinged with a tiny bit of cautious optimism. Sounds interesting right? It bloody well is. Oh the language? I'm reading Great Expectations and I've Dickens on the brain. Loves it! Cheerio mates!