30 days of November

Wardrobe Therapy: Banana Republic, LOFT & Trina Turk sales

- Mel

I totally failed my November shopping ban. Totally. Completely. Utterly. Failed. This is what happens when there are sales, coupons and discount offers all up in my email this time of year.

But… I’m not mad. I’m EXCITED.

1. Rice Dot Tee {LOFT} / 2. Sims Pants {Trina Turk} / 3. Cozy Cable Cardigan {LOFT} / 4. Chunky Cable Open Front Cardigan {LOFT} (I love cardigans!) / 5. White Wool-blend Belted Coat {Banana Republic}

I also picked up a standard gray crew-neck tee shirt and gray-and-cream striped sweater from BP

Retail Therapy
See, when I turned 35, I made it a year-long mission to reinvent my closet. I now seek out classic, versatile and well-structured pieces. Clothing that is an investment (for, hopefully, the next 5 or so years of my age bracket) takes over where throw-away trends are concerned. On that same note, I needed long-sleeve shirts, which is where the $30 tops and sweaters sale at LOFT comes in. I have, like, one long-sleeve shirt in my closet. And it’s misshapen and almost five years old itself. Why the former obsession with 3/4-length, Mel?

Plain-and-simple, I need to dress more like I am 35 and less like I am 25. There’s a difference between being young and youthful, and being chic and playful with your wardrobe. And by “your” of course I mean myself.

About a Coat
I’ve had my (current) tan-colored wool coat from Banana Republic for nearly a decade. But… I’ve grown out of it (and by “grown” I mean it’s easily four sizes too large for me; someone at the consignment store will surely give it some more love). I bought it at an end-of-season sale for almost 50% off. It was a good deal then, and considerably so now, for how long it’s lasted in my closet.

Alas, it’s ill-fitting now… boxy — even with layers of sweaters underneath, it just looks like I’m wearing my grandpa’s coat — so I wanted a new warm winter coat that was fitted to my proportions and more chic.

I FOUND THE PERFECT COAT (see above)! On top of that, the coupon for friends & family deal (50% off!) from my neighbor was just too kind. This was also an excuse to head into the cute local neighborhood, Shadyside, of Pittsburgh. I only hope this one lasts me another decade. I can’t lie, I’m terrified about the winter white. But the style and fit was too pretty to resist.

Retail as Therapy. Makes me happy inside and out. And probably just as expensive.

Do you take advantage of great sales this time of year for personal shopping? Tell us about your Biggest Score in the comments!

Sephora Score: history of a beauty junkie

- Mel

I set out to replace my Clarisonic brush head… and ended up WITH ALL THIS.

{The Lasting Impression It Kit (sephora gift) / samples from Clinique, Kate Somerville & Bliss / Clarisonic Replacement Brush Head Twin-Pack (Deep Pore) / Fresh Sugar Soiree Mini Lip Collection / NARS Essentials Set (beauty insider perk)}

Isn’t that how it always goes? I JUST NEED THIS ONE THING. But Sephora wants to give you 20 Things. Samples rule; I’m not mad. And I’m not the only one, I’m sure, who LOVES the extra goodies — being a Beauty Insider has definite rewards. That Lasting Impression Kit has, like, 15 different deluxe-sized products. Although, I’m probably all set on primers now. I’ve never tried a NARS product, but friends rave about the lip pencils. I saved up my Beauty Points to finally snag a decent 500 points gift. Time to build that account back up again! *smirk*

Sephora and Target are the same type of bank account killer: you go in for necessities, yet can never leave without dropping at least $100. True story.

Also, I have to mention these Fresh Sugar lip tints: OBSESSED.

ob·ses·sion/əbˈseSHən/
Noun: 1. The state of being obsessed with someone or something.
2. An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind.

Yes, it’s exactly like that. I’m pretty sure there’s no cure. Naturally, I only wanted one color (Berry), but since I love the product so much, I splurged on the collection. These lip treatments have replaced my chapstick habit, for serious.

Group Therapy: Can 30-somethings wear SEQUINS?

- Mel

Alternatively titled: Must. Not. Buy. Another Pair of Sequin Shoes!

An anonymous Reader asked: Can a 30-something pull off wearing sequins?

Answer: A resounding YES!

1. Aqua Spineless Sequin Jacket {ASOS} / 2. Embellished top {White House Black Market} / 3. Foldover Sequin Clutch {ASOS} / 4. Worn This Way sequin bootie {ModCloth} / 5. MICHAEL Michael Kors Tuxedo Sequin Tuxedo Pants {Nordstrom}

Sequins are like Happiness Therapy — an outfit pick-me-up and a MUST for those who don’t really experiment with bold colors.

Just this year (ahem, year 35), I invested in a sequin party dress from ASOS (it’s backless and super chic!), sequin leggings from h&m (via Poshmark) and an embellished cardigan from White House Black Market.

Unless it’s New Year’s Eve or a fab bash (in which case, ALL OF THE SEQUINS!), subtlety is key. And the trick to not looking like a holiday character is to NOT wear sequins from head-to-toe. A little accent here and a hint of shimmer there equals: classic-with-personality.

Remember, sequins are not glitter. No woman over the age of 30 should be wearing glitter on her person. Unless it’s Halloween, and in that case, let me remind you that you should definitely NOT be wearing “Sexy {insert character here},” Miss 30-something. Trust me. You’re not too old for fun, but you’re certainly too wise (and classy!) to be mostly naked in October.

30-Something with a Sequin Fetish? Let’s talk about it via twitter & facebook!

Nov 9th & 30-something half birthdays

- Mel

You know what’s worse than turning 35?

Turning 36.

No, I’m not kidding.

35 is still in the middle (even though you’ve just skipped to the next age demographic); you’re no closer to 30 than 40… well, not until the day after your birthday if you’re a Glass Half Empty type of 30-something. Alas, the hump: you’re officially in your mid 30s. Mid-effin-30s.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GO AND DO THINGS LIKE MAKE 5-YEAR-PLANS WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND AND THINK ABOUT BEING 40 YEARS OLD.

Yes, all caps and bold. And *puke*

Today is my half birthday, and I’m officially halfway to 36.

I feel like I’m about to have a crisis…

Aroma-therapy: my favorite scents

- Mel

Last weekend, the boyfriend asked me to rank my favorite scents in order. I have no idea how this conversation was even prompted.

I think he was surprised by a few of the (admittedly) ridiculous ones, but I was (am) completely serious:

  • Clean, fresh linens (I cannot STAND when clothing smells like you’ve been sitting outside for too long; adding to that: a linen is not fresh if it has been hanging outside. Just saying.)
  • Lemons (boyfriend also hates when I put them down the drain… but it’s like a fresh burst of citrus tree!)
  • Bleach (no, really; it’s the only way the bathroom is REALLY clean; I relate that smell to cleanliness.)
  • Gardenias (I might have forgotten this in my spouting off, but it’s on the list)
  • Lavender (I DID remember this one; I currently have a bouquet of dried, smashed lavender in my car… perhaps that’s what started the conversation?)
  • Mulling spices (reminds me of Fall and Winter at my grandmother’s making spiced cider)
  • New paper (printer paper, greeting cards, a box of new envelopes, journals… not newspapers or books though. They smell dirty. *smirk*)

So random, right?

Aromatherapy is popular for a reason. Your sense of smell is most closely tied to memory, and the smell of a favorite flower or spice or an old boyfriend’s cologne can be mood changing — both positive and negative. I can often be REALLY sensitive to smells (actually, most of my senses are super-heightened), but the fresh and airy scents help me relax.

And the pungent ones put me into cleaning overdrive — ha!

Finding Your Place: the loss and cultivation of identity

- Mel

I realized that making a commitment to blog for 30 days straight, that I’d be “calling it in” on more than one occasion (I promise not TOO many only-picture posts; I don’t want to talk your ear off either). But the REAL goal is opening up this page every day, logging into WordPress, considering what to write in this space — the possibility of connecting with Readers (hi there, if there’s anyone out there!) — creating a habit. Creating a new identity, albeit online.

Starting over with this new site, there is considerable time to realize any sort of growth or success or even pride. In life, you experience many stages of growth and need to adapt accordingly. Take this blog, for instance: I need to find my voice here. Find topics to write about that matter to a completely different audience. Just writing SOMETHING is an exercise in finding myself again.

I’ve now experienced the death of a blog too — a “popular” one at some point in its existence. And, likely, an idea that was stretched for far longer than its need. Can the Stages of Grief be applied to the loss of a blog?

The Kubler-Ross model, commonly known as the Stages of Grief, include the following steps:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

More recently, there has been the addition of Shock and Guilt to encompass a “seven stages” cycle of grief.

I only kicked the “other” blog to the curb when I could hit PUBLISH on that final Goodbye post. When I knew everything would “be OK” (however many emotions I go through that equate to relapsing those stages). And as I go through a variety of online and in-real-life changes, I’m feeling a considerable loss of identity.

I thought the worst of that was behind me when I turned 35…

Things to Do With An Extra Hour

- Mel

The ending of Daylight Savings Time is tonight; standard time resumes at 2am. The cure for my insomnia? Likely not, since I’ll be likely be awake to see it. But I’d give anything to use that hour for some extra sleep. The time change in the Spring always wrecks havoc on my sleeping schedule that inevitably lasts throughout the summer.

Where my sleep-challenged party people at?

Here are some items on my to-do list for the weekend that will easily fill up that 25th hour slot (since the likelihood of me sleeping is nil):

  • eyebrow waxing – overdue
  • paint my nails – trying to get back into the habit
  • shave my legs – um… it’s been too long
  • rearrange my attic guest room – to what? I’m not quite sure. But I want a reading nook.
  • prime a dresser for painting – finally got “permission” for this project
  • catch up on episode of Damages – still on Season 2

OK. So maybe I need, like, five more hours. And then another three or so to sleep.

How do you plan to spend your extra hour?

Post #3 complete.

Weekend Therapy: Rain, Rain, Go Away!

- Mel

the week:
It’s finally stopped raining. Yesterday, we were on six straight days of rain. This kind of weather is so depressing — even a pair Wellies wasn’t enough to make me enjoy the puddles. Alas, I’ve been pretty much living in my new sweatshirt and fleece pants for the entire week because everything is all… blah.

And drinking hot chocolate.

Thankfully, our area was free of damage from the storms, but I had buckets at the ready for any leaks. It was sad to see on the news some of the places of my previous vacation locations underwater and experiencing the devastating destruction of Sandy. My heart goes out to the East Coast (and some friends in Cleveland, who seemingly got the midwest brunt of the storm, and are still without power).

weekend:
I was excited when I didn’t see anything on my schedule for the weekend — it would be an opportunity to relax, catch up on housework, put away all the Halloween stuff… wash my gear. But that “freedom” didn’t last long: Halloween was rescheduled to Saturday evening because of this week’s storms; since I was without a car for an entire week those overdue errands need crossed off the to-do list FOR SERIOUS (I’m also sans car for tomorrow when I was hoping to DO all of this stuff *sigh*); my brothers’ band is touring through town; and I have marketing responsibilities to task for derby.

{deep breath}

I need some yoga therapy, but spinning will probably be more my speed for the next three days.

I’ll also try to squeeze in some time to watch roller derby. CHAMPIONSHIPS!

Oh, look, an extra hour!

If you’re around Pittsburgh, check out the Three Rivers Film Festival (runs through November 17) and Saturday’s Ti Kanaval Cocktail Party (um,did somebody say “UNLIMITED DESSERT BAR”?!).

seven things, seven days:
1. Consider making a donation to the Humane Society or the Red Cross to help with relief work for those people and animals affected by Sandy.
2. This post from J’s Everyday Fashion is a great read: the anatomy of a trend. Are you an early adopter?
3. Currently on a Spending Strike for November. More on that later…
4. Seriously, I made three more batches of this Apple Pie dip — first, for our bowling league last weekend (and another separate just for me because, well…) and another for the boyfriend’s work/food party. EVERYBODY LOVES IT!
5. Speaking of bowling, I had my best game last Friday and totally screwed up my average (95) in the process. Hooray, 121!
6. Back to home team practices next week! As much as I enjoyed personal leave and NOTHING TO DO, I’m ready to be back in my skates.
7. Twelve ready-to-style Fall outfits: time to shop my closet.

Post #2 complete.

30 Day Project for this 30-something: A Post Per Day in November

- Mel

I needed a project, a new passion — a new blog. I’ve finally (effectively?) killed my former space on the Web to concentrate on something new (here!). The decision was difficult for sure, as it was a huge part of my identity for so long, but I couldn’t refresh something that it wasn’t anymore — something that I wasn’t anymore (a 20-something single blogger, natch).

So, November ends one chapter of my online life and begins another.

What I hope to accomplish with posting everyday:

  • get back into the habit of regular writing
  • find my voice again
  • adapt this blog to incorporate new areas of interest
  • use as inspiration for future projects
  • develop regular series for this blog

Post #1 complete.

Have you ever started a new blog after posting elsewhere for a long time, or have you ever just stopped blogging? Tell me about your experience!