Welcome to my Spring 2019 wardrobe recap post!  I have to say that loosening the reigns a bit on what "counted" had the exact effect I wanted - I didn't go hog wild when it comes to new additions, but I stopped feeling bad about the project as a whole. The current set up, separating out basics/thrifted items, just feels logical while also not "punishing" or "depriving" me of the opportunity to buy something new if it came along due to the things I "had" to buy (I realize that's a lot of quotation marks for one sentence, but stick with me).

I find myself getting more and more deliberate as a whole while also finding joy in the unexpected finds. I don't have a true wish list, but I tend to zero in on an item or style inspiration and try to find all the options in my size/price point to try on before making a final decision. I was chatting with a friend over the weekend about the fact that I don't think I do a good job demonstrating just how much I try on. I enjoy shopping - it's part of the reason being more methodical and measured is difficult - but even when I want something new, I will never give up on fit/price/place in my wardrobe. And being that picky means that a LOT of things don't work, but my general motto will always be you never know until you try. I've purchased seemingly ridiculous sounding things that make me feel and look great, but if I had based those decisions on how the pieces were modeled then they would have never happened. Hell, if I based those decisions on how an item of clothing looked on the hanger I wouldn't have made the same decisions. Take that Vince dress (which, I just want to throw in there, I got for under $100 in Neiman Marcus when it was still going for full price everywhere else), I looked at it on the hanger and felt blah about the print and the color. But on? On it made me feel AMAZING. Like I wanted to take headshots and pretend I wrote a book amazing, and in my opinion a dress like that, that you can also where to work and for fun, is worth every penny.

Oh, and one last random opinion just because it's my blog and I can: Girlfriend Collection > Outdoor Voices. The OV aesthetic might be more diverse in terms of design, but the fit just isn't as good. At a pretty comparable price point, I'm going to be heading back to GC (or finally try Beyond Yoga)  when I'm ready for another set.

Spring 2019 Purchases
1. Sports Bra (Outdoor Voices)
2. Leggings (Outdoor Voices)
3. Khaki Jumpsuit (Abercrombie)
4. Denim Midi Dress (Abercrombie)
5. Polka Dotted Midi Skirt (Reformation)
6. Tiered Eyelet Dress (Urban Outfitters)
7. Slim Wide Leg Jeans (Madewell)
8. Double Breasted Blazer (Abercrombie)
9. Mustard Ribbed Tank (H&M)
10. White Ribbed Tank (H&M)
11. Constellation Print Midi Dress (Vince)

Basics/Thrifted:
1. Leopard Print Slip Dress (Buffalo Exchange)
2-3. Cotton Crew Neck T-Shirts (H&M)
4. Levi 550s (Goodwill)
5-6. Workout Tanks (T.J. Maxx)

So it's going to be 90 degrees in DC all week, but for a bright, shining moment in June it felt like Spring and I finally got the opportunity to take pics of this amazing jumpsuit that I freakishly found at - stay with me now - Abercrombie & Fitch. I'm not sure what happened to the completely size exclusive, stereotypical upper middle class Caucasian people only store of my youth, but it's had a few pieces that have found homes in my closet and every time it shocks me. Especially the part where almost across the board I am a size XL/32 which doesn't even happen at brands actually aimed at the 30+ crowd.

Made of 100% Lyocell, it's super comfortable to wear for pretty much all occasions (I also need to try rolling up the hem like the model). Most importantly for me though is that the legs are on the slim side, which after some experimentation, I actually think is more flattering. It seems to be totally sold out online at the moment (boooo) but if you manage to find it in a store I highly recommend you give it a try! I'm almost sad I didn't buy it in more colors but it felt a little excessive for someone who's trying to calm it down on the spending front.

And oooh, I can't wait to to wear this layered with crew and turtlenecks once it cools down again!

If you ever wondered what it was like to be a blogger primarily without a photographer, please enjoy these SUPER BLOWN OUT PICTURES because I was wearing a white shirt and couldn't find an unobtrusive spot to save my life. Let alone any shade that wasn't too shady. I really do like this Power of My People top though, it took me a bit to decide how I felt about the fit in the shoulders, but I can't wait to keep trying it in all sorts of combinations.

Also, maybe just avert your eyes or something, so you're not blinded by the brightness. Sorry.

Time for some more gratuitous makeup p0rn!

To start off with I just want to say that I definitely blame this purchase on Kackie Reviews Beauty and Michele Wang, with a helping hand from Ebates because their 6th anniversary celebration sent Barney's to 20% cash back and I am a weak woman. In case you aren't quite as much of an obsessive as I am, Westman Atelier is the makeup brand created and curated by makeup artist Gucci Westman, who is known for doing such fabulous faces as Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Halley Berry and more.

Since I'm relatively new to the world of high-end clean beauty, here's a little info from the brand's website,

"We believe in consciously crafted beauty. That means luxurious, effortlessly beautiful makeup formulated with clean ingredients and no-compromises integrity. It means balancing perfect shades and buttery textures that melt into the skin with plant-based actives and cutting-edge science. And it means a passionate commitment to researching and reassessing our ingredients as new information comes to light.   

Fast. Easy. Flawless. Safe. Makeup that makes life simpler.  Skin that feels as good as it looks."

Sounds great right? And with Barney's free shipping and returns, purchasing the Vital Skin Foundation Stick for myself didn't seem quite so terrifying (though shade matching online always sucks). Shout out to Wondegondigo and her "Counter Intelligence" post - combined with Westman Atelier's shade descriptions I at least felt kind of ok going in.


After some careful thought and serious acceptance of what color my skin actual is vs what color I wanted it to be, I went with Shade IX (out of XII/12 total). It's described as "Beige Tan" and the model showcasing the color is of East Asian descent. And for the most part, between that and Shade X/Rich Butterscotch, I think I probably picked the best I could. It's not perfect, but it's certainly not bad either.


The other product I couldn't bring myself not to try was the Lit Up Highlighter Stick. One of the best examples of that "wet skin" look I've ever seen, the highlighter has no real pigment, only an blue-y purple iridescent sheen once its applied to the skin. It's not one of those highlighted-to-the-gods-see-me-from-space highlighters, which I only want to point out so you don't get your hopes up/dashed. So far I've only applied this with my fingers and even with that I see a little product transfer back to the tube, thus I suspect this might work best as a bare skin product - though check back because again, I'm not ready to give my final thoughts on this one yet. Pleasantly I don't find the blue/purple sheen obnoxious or too cool toned on me, and am looking forward to figuring out the best application.


Before I forget I want to also take a second to talk about the packaging, since that's part of what you're paying for here. Both the stick foundation and highlighter come in heavyweight metal tubes, engraved with Westman Atelier, and having strong magnetic closures. Products are dispensed via a simple twist up motion, and both can be fully twisted out to show the total amount of product before being twisted back in. It's one of those products where you can easily say it feels expensive, because as a consumer you can see/feel the time and attention that has gone into the outer packaging.


Not long before I picked up the Westman Atelier foundation, I went back to one of my old favorites, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Foundation ($25), in a new to me shade, Golden. As you can see, in comparison Atelier IX is less yellow and more red, which will work better for me as I pick up a little summer color.  Also, while I like the final effect of both, the ABH Stick Foundation is undoubtedly a little more work to buff in to the skin, and unlike the Westman Atelier, not a product that I would apply using a brush straight from the tube. The resulting finish is also (not surprisingly) different, but strangely I'm finding that I really like how dewy the Westman Atelier is, and as an oily skin girl I almost couldn't believe it. That's not to say I don't powder it down in the morning, or that I don't blot during the day, but it's just so damn pretty. I sadly don't see really any of the magical lifting or firming that Kackie talks about her video, but I chalk that up to the fact that our skin types are wildly different.

In the end though, even with a different finish, both products last all day on my skin, despite the heat, so I feel comfortable saying that depending on your budget and ability to find a color, I'd recommend either.

In case you're as obsessive about my wardrobe as I am (doubtful), you may have noticed a distinct lack of skirts on the blog over the last year or two. Slowly but surely I got rid of almost every one I owned, with the most simple of reasons - I just didn't want to wear them anymore. It took a lot of online mental convincing to even get me to the point of trying any on this season, but Reformation got me over the finish line.

I got exclamations of shock from some of the associates when I said this in store, but I do actually find Reformation to fit true to size. It might not fit well, and it might not look great, but it does fit, and so I wasn't totally shocked that the size 12 did here. What did shock me was how well it flowed over the parts of myself I'm most self-conscious about, and how fun the bright green was. I considered the investment in one skirt I truly loved worth it, though after wearing it a couple times in real life I've also decided that for my own comfort I'm going to be sewing down the slit an inch or two hahaha.

And in an effort to be totally transparent, this lovely cross-body bag did a number on the weave of the skirt, causing some picks over my hip that did destroy my life a little. BUT. I am buying clothes to wear and you know what happens? Picks, runs, stains, LIFE. I refuse to invest in a skirt that makes me happy and never wear it because I'm scared of messing it up. I'm woosahing about the whole thing, because if you don't wear your favorite pieces, what's the point?