Weekly Expense Report: Polka Dot Edition

I finally went shopping this week and polka dots were the theme. I also picked up a black with red polka dot lace-trim cami that is not pictured here. I broke my polka dot steak with some tough urban sandals with an oil-slick finish.

I don't usually shop at cheap retailer's like Maurice's but some of their girls dropped by work with 20% off coupons. I checked them out in hope of poaching some talent but ended up picking up this polka dot wiggle dress ($39) instead. The fabric is the kind you can wash a million times and it never shows wear, I will be reaching for this dress when I'm feeling lazy.

I continued my polka dot theme and picked up this swingy pull-on skirt ($29). Another great piece to wash a million times and throw on. I will be dressing this up for work with a blazer or tossing on with a tee for my days off.

I used my monthly credit from Shoedazzle ($40) to purchase these beauties. Since I work on my feet all the time I can never have enough flats and demi wedges in my life. I can't dress as fanciful for work as I'd like (since I represent a brand) so I look for little flourishes like these sandals for a modern look. I wear a lot of plum and I'm branching into yellow so these sandals will give me a lot of mileage.

Madame Butterfly in Hollywood

I am not a particular fan of Jessica Alba but when Vogue Italia featured this editorial in the April 2011 edition I fell in love with the film noir-esque clothes and makeup. Like a 1920's flapper in a Hitchcock movie Alba channels true anachronistic style. Love those old cars!

1930's Glamour with Jason Wu

The designer Jason Wu, a favorite of Michelle Obama, created a beautiful collection for Pre-Fall 2011. I'm in love with the dropped-waist flapper style dresses, ironic menswear, and 1930's-inspired gowns. The color palettes here are great inspiration and you can bet I'll be pairing purple, peach and beige this fall as well as gold and sapphire blue.

Daily dose of pretty!

Enjoy this 1950's Dior couture dress. Contemplate the rococo styling mixed with mid-century sensibilities. Take a deep breath. Feel the pretty.

Weekly Expense Report - Shoes

Slow week for me on the shopping front. I picked these beauties up on Ideeli but Zappos has the black ones on sale ($81). I've been wanting to try Seychelles for awhile, their shoes are so retrofabulous and seem to be made so well! The soles are cushy and the shoes are leather so I can't wait to receive these!

Valley of the Dolls

For your daily dose of pretty enjoy Vogue Italia's editorial "A Precious Glam." The juxtaposition of 50's glamour and blank, mannequin-like stares evokes Valley of the Dolls for me. The shoot is impeccably styled and each photo could easily evoke a short story. The shoot is so iconic and glamorous I find it wildly inspiring.

Weekly Expense Report - Daily Maintenance

This week's expenses have been all about maintenance. My daily beauty routine is very important to me since my job puts so much emphasis on appearance. I usually go for flashy products that gets me lots of compliments so I need to focus more on maintenance.

I turned twenty-six last month so I decided that I need to start taking better care of my skin. My best friend introduced me to BB cream, a Korean wonder-product to conceal, moisturize, and repair skin. Many Asian brands carry a BB cream but BRTC is supposed to be the best. After trying her kit over a long weekend I fell in love and started a BRTC BB cream skin care regime ($79) of my own.


My one non-beauty purchase this week wasn't my doing. My boyfriend happened to be at Banana Republic when they were having a power lunch sale and all clearance was an additional 40% off. He saw these and picked them up for me since he knows I'm trying to break out of my fashion rut. I will be rocking these skinny cargo pants ($40) with flirty diaphanous tops in pastel colors.


Urban Decay's Primer Potion ($19) was the whole purpose behind my Sephora order this week. My local Sephora was still carrying the wand-type applicators (such a waste of product!) so I had to order the new squeeze tube. I use eyeshadow primer every day since my skin is oily and it keeps my shadow from creasing and gives stronger color pay off.


Of course I had to spend $50 to get free shipping so I picked up this Kat Von D Truth palette ($17) for half price! I love her cosmetic line and rockabilly packaging. I have two lipsticks of hers and I've been dying to try her palettes!


I rounded out my green-infused Truth palette with Kat Von D Autograph liquid liner in Proud Peacock ($10). I have been stuck without a liquid liner for a while so I'm excited about creating the perfect cat eye again!


I've been dying to try Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF25 ($7.50) since Christine of Temptalia loves it so much! The packaging looks like something from an old-fashioned apothecary, which I love.

Living La Vida Dita!

In Style Magazine featured the burlesque-star Dita Von Teese's Los Angeles home. The star embraces full-on retro glamour in her living spaces. Teese and I share two design philosophies: decorate in colors that you look good in (people will see you in this room, after all, so might as well look good in it!) and don't hesitate to store your lingerie in places outside your bedroom (In my apartment every room besides the kitchen has clothes or accessories in it!).

The living room -


Flocked wall paper and taxidermied animals make a bold statement against teal blue walls -- one of the colors Dita favors wearing. I love the serenity that the unified color scheme brings to the room so that the warmer art deco furniture stands out.

The Dining Room-

The living room's theme is carried over into the dining room where a splash of red is added.

The Library -

I adore the fuschia couch and ottoman combo with the striped window shade in the background. Every home needs a library, so classic! Notice the antique lamp and chandelier, plus the leopard rug!

The Kitchen -

My dream kitchen is pink. One of these days I'll stop renting and paint all my cabinets to match all the pink appliances I already own. Check out those lady head vases, my grandma has one that I hope to inherit. I can remember playing with the vases real pearl earring when I was a kid!

The Bedroom -


I adore the Hollywood glamour with the silver fabrics and mirrored furniture. I'm doing the same thing in my bedroom only I added some navy to the white + silver color pallete. I adore that wallpaper!

The closets -




Dita has two closets made from two bedrooms, my dream is to one day have a whole bedroom to turn into a closet! Like Dita I love having everything setting out, waiting for me to put on! Check out her array of hats, shoes, and frocks. I love all the chinoisere details in both rooms. See that vanity with the round mirror? Everyone's grandma has one of those, so easy to find in antique stores and flea markets so you can have some Dita style for yourself!

The Garden -

Dita unifies everything in her garden by painting it lime green. I think its a brilliant way to tie a hodge-podge of finds together, make a statement, and yet not distract from the beauty of a lush green backyard. Love love love!

Weekly Expense Report : The Color Edition

This week's shopping has definitely been about color and form as a vast departure from April's rainy weather. I'm really into combining unexpected colors at the moment and my Spring trend-of-choice is neon lime.

This top from The Limited ($50) is such a vibrant blue it caught my eye, but I never wear a silhouette like this. I bought it because it pushes me out of my comfort zone. The result is unexpectedly sexy with the shoulder slits and slinky fabric. Pencil skirts meet killer blue top.


Good luck finding this 1950's skirt ($45) from The Limited, it is sold out online and I snatched the last one at my local store. This neon citron skirt is so floaty and fun, I bought it to wear with the blue top above but I'm going to be pairing this with a lot of things. The color of my Shoedazzle pumps from last week are a perfect match too! There is nothing more retro-riffic than matching.


It was time to order new checks so these cuties from Checks In The Mail ($17) come with a cool trellis pattern AND shoes. Louboutins no less. Leave the boring checks to boring people ladies!


Ah, my new living room rug from Overstock.com ($127). I decided to inject color into our black + white living space with this rug, it looks awesome with our 1960's houndstooth sofa! I chose a large-scale print so the room wouldn't look too busy.


LUSH's Karma Koomba solid shampoo ($10) is the only thing that can get my oily hair squeaky clean. The scent is intoxicating and uplifting.


This retro shirred swimsuit from Lane Bryant ($100) is super flattering with a built-in bra, tummy-controlling spandex and side rouching. I've been drooling over similar swimsuits from pinupgirl.com but I was concerned about the support. Lane Bryant swimsuits start at a 14 and run small, so anyone a size 10 or above could rock one of these suits if they have the bustline to support it. I ordered mine in red but it comes in six different colors.


While I was purchasing my swimsuit at Lane Bryant I picked up this highlighter-colored cardigan ($43). This is the perfect oversize, slouchy fit to wear open over a tee and skinny jeans on my days off. The color also matches the pleated skirt above and my new Shoedazzle shoes from last week! I'm going to be wearing this with royal blue to make the colors pop!