Day 15-17

My shopping ban is near the end.  I have a feeling that I will go into full rebound once the ban is lifted.  There are so many things I have been eyeing on.   If I do that, I will have to go into another ban.  This is almost like a bad diet, you refrain yourself only later to eat more.  I would also need to make an exception for Saturday not to wear the 21 items as I have a wedding to attend.  I had miscalculated the date.  Another mistake, I didt realize that the wedding ceremony and the reception was so far apart.  Wedding is at 1:00 pm but the reception is not till the evening.   Does that mean guest will get to change to evening appropriate outfit from the ceremony?

Day 15:  JCrew day
Top: JCrew  Coralie Cami  
Bottom: JCrew Watercolor floral pastiche pencil skirt
Shoes: JCrew Lily pump.  
My foot was so tired that I end up ripping everything off as soon as I got home and change to my PJ T-shirt and shorts. So no pictures for the day.

Day 16: Swing to the casual side.  I have to stand outside of my daughter's ballet class, no way I am wearing the pump no matter how comfortable it gets.
Top:Jcrew appliqué mum art tee  
Bottom: LOFT Linen Capri 
Cardigan: LOFT Wrap Cardigan 
Shoes: J-41


Day 17: So here is my last item of the remix replacing the destructed jeans.  I end up not choosing a dress as I originally planned.  The weather gets pretty cold in the morning and my feet are tired too.  So I end up with the short boots I often wear when I need to do a lot city walking.

Top: Anthro Brewed Bean Shell


Bottom: Anthro Embroidered skirt.  
Legging: Anthro Legging.  
Shoes: Dansko military boots
Carigan: JCREW Jackie Cardigan






Also my birthday gift from my mom came today.  What do you think? The picture is kind of weird angle. Does it remind you of a cask for a broken leg with the buckles?

And here is the half finished new closet! Hubby installed it today.  Still have not replace the old drawers yet, but I they are good enough so maybe we won't need the drawers.

Day 10: blank

I did dress up today.   Reason being I had to go to DMV to renew my license.  I even put some make up on just for the photo in the morning.  When I ask hubby how I look, he said it doesn't matter, all DMV picture come out awful anyway.  However I don't want to wear a dress or high heel because DMV wait could be unpleasant.

DMV is full of people as usual.  I went up to the appointment window, and the lady said, what is your confirmation number?  What? I don't have it, I ask her,  you don't have a record of who you are expecting?  She roll her eyes and said she didn't print out the list.  Oh, well, sorry, I don't have the confirmation letter either.  Nothing on the DMV site says so.  So she gave me a priority number anyway. Maybe that is how you should try to fake your priority number next time.

The paperwork itself is fast, but the camera line is long. No more priority given to people having appointment any more.  Finally it is my turn, the lady click, click, click on her computer and didn't get ready for the shot for a long time.  My smile stiffen and my eyes get tired, so by the time she took the picture? I blinked. Let's do it again, she said, same thing happens.  Finally she said, "I am not going to tell you when I am taking the picture any more, every time I say you ready,  you blink".  I laughed, out of uneasiness.  Wonder how that came out, because she said:"OK, the real license will come in the mail in 2-4 weeks".  Hubby is right, when it is DMV picture, just don't give any hope.

Got home, erased my make up.  Glossy eye shadow might be OK for photo op, but not so appropriate when you are going to school arguing for your son's service next year.   The meeting didn't drag as long as I expected, but still exhausting. Change to pajama right away and WFH the rest of the noon.  Then I realize, I forgot to take a picture for today's outfit.  hmm....

For the record I had Anthro circle of adornment tank,  LOFT line pants and Jackie Cardi on For the day

day 9: the complete set

So by today, all the 21 for 21 items are exhausted.  From now on, it will be all remix.

Top: Anthro Bud and Bunches Tank
Bottom: Anthro Embroidered Skirt
Cardigan: LOFT warp cardigan
Shoes: J-41















Hubby had asked me what I want for my birthday for a while now.  Although I have many many many things in my lust list, I felt as a working girl, I will be able to get it myself one day when it is on SALE.  Plus guys just doesn't know any better when it comes to fashion so you end up returning them anyway.


On the other hand, I DO NOT want a iphone 4.  I know that is what he will get me if I don't block that idea. I don't like how IPHONE 4 looks.   It is too boxy for my taste and I want to wait for iphone become available on version as AT&T coverage is awful in the office building and our bedroom. I can finish one sentence before it gets cut off.

The current iphone is a birthday gift from hubby 2 years ago.  He wanted one but doesn't want to carry a big phone around.  There, women always have a purse to fit it in.  It is awful as a phone.  The battery life doesn't last a day and I am never that discipline to remember charging it.  It is too big to fit in the jean pocket, so whenever I am in the meeting, I am out of reach.  Believe me, at project end, I have a lot of meetings. I do however like certain convenience.  The two app I uses are good map and yelp.  it is very convenient during travel.  The princess dress up game also provided some relief when kids are bored at the restaurant, that is if I have any battery left after all the web looking up.

Now I had finally decided. I want him to fix up the closet in our bedroom.  The cheap rod from home depot is already very bend and I am afraid one day it is just going to give in and collapse.  It will be in major headache.  Also the high part of the shelf still has a lot of empty space, which could really store up some unseasonal stuff like heavy sweater.   So there, it is home improvement for me!  I wish my new closet will look like this, although I will not have the luxury to space out my garment like the photo.

Day 8: 1/3 down, going strong

I am actually liking this shopping ban now.  I can focus on the things I own more.  Also it forces me to plan ahead and try out the combination the night before instead of doing the last minute panic in the morning.  Also you have a limited set you can play with so the possibility for exploration is small.

Friday will  be tough because of Nordstrom's aniversary sale.  I normally buy a lot of my Christmas gift during this sale.  We have a lot of gifts to give these days with the therapists changing like a Chinese running lantern.  Accessories  are usually the easiest, and I am a big fan of different beautiful scarfs.  I guess buying for others shouldn't be including in the shopping ban.  As long as it is not for the others, it is OK, right?

Bought my mom a pair of Born shoes before the shopping ban and it finally arrived.  She is very happy.  According to her, "It is the kind of shoes I always wanted".   She had wanted something that would lift her height as she is very petite, on the other hand, she doesn't know how to wear heels.  She also have a very small feet so some of the more sophisticated shoes just doesn't exist in her size.  The patent leather provides a more refine look, but not too over the top so that she gets self-conscious. The other problem is that she can't wear the shoes that you have to hold on between your toes like my J-41 sandal, which was a gift from her from my birthday 2 years ago. As you can see, this pair fulfill all her requirements. I am so happy she likes it.  I don't know how many sweaters I get for her got returned or just sitting in her closet because they are too "Young" or dressy looking so she has no occasion that she will wear them.

In case you like them, they are still available for $59.90 at nordstrom. You can buy them here.  Note that the size run small.  My mom is size 5.5 and I am size 6. We both can wear it but I felt it is a little tight and fill up the shoes completely, for her it is the perfect fit.  Nordstrom has a very relax return policy and customer service is superb.  Returning only take a minute, they scan it, you sign it, end of story.  You don't even need to hand over your credit card.

Here is the OOTD:

Top: Anthro Language Embroidered tiered tank

Bottom: LOFT white jean capri  

Cardigan: JCREW Jackie Cardigan 

Necklace:  kate spade 'mother's day' seahorse pendant necklace 

Shoes: J-41

On the note of necklace, I really love this whole ocean themed Kate Spade custom jewelry.  My favorite is the coral reef bracelet, however, the $195 is too hefty.

 The slight different version is call the monterey, nordstrom has it for 33% off now, I am waiting for it to go down to 50% off

5-7/21

Saturday is hauling kids to class day. As a chauffeur to her royal princess, I need to dress up with dignity and yet be able to move around. Sunday is probably the most sloppy day of the whole week. I would have stayed on PJs if I don't go out that day.

Left: Top: J Crew Coralie cami(this one is on sale right now for $40.00 after the additional 20% off, I got it last time when it is additional 30% off) Bottom: LOFT linen silk carpi. Necklace: Anthro
Right;  Top Jcrew appliqué mum art tee, Bottom Jcrew navy shorts

Here is a blow up version of the necklace.  Hubby didn't like the necklace at first, saying it look like a bunch of junk fishing out of the water and got tangled on the fish web...He always have a way to drag me back to the ground when I am raising up with excitement.  Last season, he said the trench made me look like caterpillar.  Well,  this is the very few time that I just roll my eyes instead of doing the returns.

The shopping ban gets increasingly more difficult with the good sales that has been around.  J Crew has additional 20% off sale right now and I had always wanted to stock up on the jackie cardigan.  The piped and twisted pocket cardigan in navy is already gone and I imagine the nude probably would be gone too by the time I lift my shopping ban.  Then again, there is always another cardigan around that I will like.

Monday I usually dress up.  However today dressing up is a bad choice.  I have a 1:1 with my boss and we usually have our talk on our way walking to the Starbucks and come back.  Well, I show him the heels and ask him if we were to reschedule.  He had a load of stuff to do with his block needs major redesign so he is glad he didn't have to chit chat with me at the moment.

Top: Anthropologie Brewed bean shell

Bottom: J Crew watercolor floral pastiche pencil skirt

Cardigan: J Crew Jackie Cardigan

Shoes: J Crew Lily peep toe

Day 3/21: I feel fat

I had read somewhere that when you take a photo, if you feel beautiful, the photo will come out beautiful. Well, I felt fat, so the photo come out fat. Or is it the white jeans?

top: Anthropologie circled adornment 

bottom: LOFT white capri jeans

shoes: J-41 

cardigan: J CREW Jackie cardigan

J CREW has some colors of the Jackie cardigan for $39.99 right now.  If I am not in a shopping ban, I'd be tempted to stock with a few colors.   This is one of the most versatile cotton cardigan and very good quality.  One thing I like about J Crew is their rich color palette and they don't fate easily after wash, the navy still is a navy after all these years.  The weave is very fine and they don't sack like some of the cotton sweaters.  Old navy had made some look alike, but their blue fades out to a really old color.

At this point, the breakfasting dress in XS is gone.... *sob *sob but on the bright side, there is no more temptation.

Day 2/21:

I begin to think choosing the Lily peptone heel as one of the two shoes I am going to wear in this challenge is a bad idea. After standing outside of my daughter's ballet class for a hour, my feet start to feel the weight. I had clearly overestimated my heel wearing improvement.

Posting pictures of my own still feels weird. I am deeply scared by the notion of Sister Furong (芙蓉姐姐) who was once famous in Chinese internet. All she did was posting some pictures of herself and the way she can be so blindly absorbed by the self-claimed beauty of both inside and outside had made her the internet laughing stock. To be honest she is not ugly either. I think it is deeply buried in the culture that one should be conscious enough to know oneself.  That is why I don't want to let the original 30 for 30 blogger know that I am doing this.  This is mainly for my own entertainment and friends I felt comfortable with.  I don't mind random people came across it.  That is Yuan Fen（缘份）。

I got the anthro birthday discount card today in mail. It is a very delicate card with pressed cupcake design,  decorated with candle necklace.  I wished I had taken a picture of it before I gave the necklace candle to Evelyn.  She later told me the string of the necklace is very itchy. The discount card can only be used in store and is a one time used only. I have to really think about what do I want to apply it on.

Top: Anthropologie Bordurette Tank
Bottom: Anthro Pleated skirt
Shoes: J Crew Lily peep toe
Cardigan: J CREW Jackie cardigan

21 for 21, selection and Day 1

Choosing the remix turn out to be harder than I thought. Having it in a shorter day also means I have less of a pool to remix with.  I also try to mix the work wear with the weekend casual. Let's see how this goes.

Shoes (2)
J-41 black Sandal
J Crew Peep toe heel.
Can a girl really live with only 2 pair of shoes?

Top (7):
J Crew V-neck pink petal graphic t-shirt
LOFT beaded art t-shirt
Anthropologie Bordurette Tank
Anthropologie Brewed bean shell
Anthropologie circle adornments tank
Antrhopologie Language Embroidered tiered tank
Anthropologie Buds and Bunches Tank


Cardigan (3):
J Crew Jackie Cardigan
LOFT wrap Cardigan in Black
Banana republic summer beach cardigan

Skirt (4):
J Crew Embroidered Zafrina skirt
Anthropologie Pleated Skirt
Anthropologie embroider navy skirt
J Crew Water color pencil skirt

Pants (4):
LOFT blank linen Capri
LOFT white Capri jeans
Gap Capri Destructed Jeans
J Crew navy shorts

Here is the day spec for Day 1 mix

Shirt: LOFT Artist beaded Graphic Tee
Skirt: J Crew Embroidered Zafrina skirt
Cardigan: LOFT wrapped cardigan

21 for 21?

Hubby has been pushing me to get some exercise.  I have been putting that off with all sort of excuse.  oh, it is too late already, I have a migraine, or I have been standing outside of Evelyn's ballet class for a whole hour now that my feet are tired. The list goes on. Then I spend all the mindless hour in front of computer. On-line shopping has made the process of emptying my wallet so much easier.  I don't even get the benefit of walking around with my shopping addiction.

I came across this 30 for 30 challenge at Kendi Everyday.  It looks very interesting, however I don't' think I will be able to do that for 30 days.   My birthday is this month, I know I wouldn't be able to without the rule of no shopping for 30 days! If I do that, I am setting myself up for failure.  I also wanted to tight some incentive to the exercise I have been dreaming of doing.   So here is rule for the modified version of her challenge for myself.

1. Choose 21 items I will wear and remix. PJ, swimming ware doesn't count.
2. No shopping for 21 days
3. Each time I exercise for 30 minutes, I get $10 credit.  At the end of 21 days, I will use that to buy myself a nice birthday gift.
4. This will start on July 5

I know, you probably thinking that'll be too easy, but let's see how it goes...