I Cannot be Trusted at a Sample Sale

For realzy. I walk into a sample sale and it's as if I've forgotten how to say no to shopping. Well, I'm not so good at saying no when shopping in general, but I am really bad at sample sales. I think it's the combination of discounted designer goods, compounded by the frenzied feeling of "if you don't buy this right now you someone else will snatch it up and it will be lost forever" and the fat girl feeling of excitement when something fits.

What's that last one you ask? It's something I think we've all fallen victim to over the years - if it fits, we must buy it. We've all been there right? We go shopping with a friend and they drag us into a store where nothing even comes close to fitting us and then there's some stretchy dress or top which fits and you're so excited that it fits that you buy it. You like it because it fits, not really considering whether or not it's something you actually want. I can shop here too you think as the cashier rings up your purchase, I also belong. And then you go home and hang up the dress and it sits in your closet.

I've gotten over that "if it fits you must buy it" mentality. ..for the most part. Sometimes at sample sales I slip. Today's outfit is a perfect example of that.


I was walking in the West Village and saw a sample sign in the window and I unwittingly walked into the Rag & Bone sample sale, a line that I have only even heard of because my very fabulous co-worker dated someone who worked there. I walked in, did a brief loop around the store and picked up this gorgeous, cashmere capelet. Only $100, down from $595. And it fit. And it was gorgeous. And the material felt like heaven. And the buttons were burnished. But...it wasn't very practical. You can't wear a coat over it, meaning there's a very brief weather period where you can wear it. Not to mention it's hard to carry a bag while wearing it, all of which makes it not so useful in New York. But it's puuuurty.

So I bought it and in my closet it sat for months untill last week when we hit that perfect temperature where I could wear it without a coat, but wouldn't be too hot in it. I will say that once I finally wore it I got an awful lot of compliments and I think it's going to just live at the office so I don't have to worry about a coat...or carrying a bag. Isn't it gorgeous, if not at all practical?


I paired my capelet with some Z. Cavarichi jeans which you've seen before and a brown top that I got at Ross which you've also seen before. I kept the accessories simple, just some purple flats from Old Navy and gold, dangly earrings from Primark.


Photo credit goes to my co-worker Lena.

I'm Not Afraid of Color or Patterns

I know there's a lot going on in this dress and I didn't help the situation that much with my hair band and earrings, but when I have accessories that work so well with a dress I can't resist, even when I know that I should. When I get dressed I always think of the famous Coco Chanel quote "always remove the last accessory you put on" and I try and take something off, but I'm not always so good at actually doing so. I'm trying dear readers, I promise but I just love accessories.

This dress, like many others is from Ross and while I wasn't so sure about it when I purchased it and really went for it because it had long sleeves, I've come to really appreciate it. You really don't have to do anything other than throw it on and you've got a complete outfit. I of course never do just that, but one could.

The boots I'm wearing are from Evans and the tights are from Target. I've added a headband from Dorothy Perkins and some hand-me-down earrings from the darling Ateqah.

This is a pre-haircut photo and it was taken long enough ago that I can't recall who gets photo credit. Sorry JLR.

I'm a Sucker for Pockets

I love dresses with pockets. Seriously love. I wish more companies made dresses with pockets. Men's clothing is both rarely without pockets and their pockets are usually double the size of ours. This is not fair ladies, not fair at all.

The pattern of this dress always makes me smile which is good because every time I wear it I think of the unpleasant circumstances under which I bought it. I was crying hysterically after a doctor's appointment, convinced that the lump in my breast was cancer. I needed to calm down before heading back to work so I decided to shop. I did not have cancer or anything even close to approximating cancer, so really I should start looking at this dress as the "I don't have breast cancer" dress. That'd be a much better association.

The dress is from Forever 21 and it's a regular size large - their stuff can be very stretchy, I recommend always trying their stuff on, and the cardigan is from Banana Republic. The necklace is from H&M and the shoes I picked up on the street in Bandra, which is a hip neighborhood in Mumbai. I can't wait to show you the other pair of shoes I bought that night - they're so cool!


Photo credit goes to Nicole...or maybe Tiffany. I can't quite remember.

If You Shop Spring it Will Come & Chub-Rub Solution Part 2

Last weekend I found myself at a suburban mall. I do not spend much time at suburban malls so this was an odd experience in many ways. What I quickly discovered (or remembered since it was the mall of my youth) is just how easy it is to spend large amounts of money in a small amount of time. Fun!

It was a cold day after a few days of warmth and I was enamoured with the possibility of spring. So I shopped for spring, with the thought in the back of my mind if shop it, it will come. Turns out I was right and I was able to showcase my favorite purchase the following week on a day when the weather topped out in the mid-70's. Note the drinking of beer outside. Sometimes global warming isn't half bad.

I absolutely love this skirt and I picked it up last week at NY & Company. I have to say my visit to this shop was much nicer than the last time I went there. The skirt is so busy that I went for pretty minimal look otherwise. The top is a hand-me-down from Banana Republic and the jean jacket is from the Fat Girl Flea. The necklace is from a sample sale, the earrings were purchased at a street fair and the shoes are from Office. I didn't have time to wash my hair and attempted my very first bouffant which was only semi-successful - tips are most welcome. The flower in my hair is from Forever 21, which is a great place to shop for inexpensive hair accessories.





Finally we arrive at chub-rub solution part 2. I want to thank everyone for all of their comments of support and suggestions the other day. It's funny the problems that so many women can have, that so few of us are willing to publicly discuss. Thighs rub people, there is nothing shameful about that. And guess what, even thin women suffer from chub-rub.

This all brings us to peek-a-boo photo of what is underneath bloomie's skirt #2. Are we enjoying these? My friend took this in a crowded beer garden with the statement that it'd probably be smarter to do so in a bar than outside my office building which is where I originally planned to take it. Pamie is smart like that.


So I know I said that I used to love Evan's comfort shorts and then last summer the new design didn't seem to work for me. Well I decided to give 'em another try and I dug a pair out of my drawer and suddenly they started to work well again. Last year they would always ride up when I wore them, which kinda makes a chub-rub solution a big, fat failure. This time they didn't do that. I don't know if it was because they seemed tighter so they didn't ride up or maybe it was a pair of the old design. Either way I think I'm going to order some new ones from Evans and give 'em a go again.

I had historically been a fan of these because they're very light and comfortable and are made for the express purpose of stopping chub-rub. Unlike Spanx they don't suck you in and unlike bike shorts they're not heavy and they don't add any bulk or lines to your outfit all which appeal to me. Not to mention that at 5 pounds a pop, it's a fairly inexpensive solution. I would say that if you're planning an order from Evans, throw a pair of these into your cart and see how they work out for you.

Photo credit goes to both Nicole and Pamie. Thanks my darlings!

Happy Easter

I know I'm Jewish and Easter was yesterday but give me a break. It's really just an excuse to paint my nails in an utterly ridiculous manner which really has more to do with the fact that the weather is beautiful and the sunshine is making me delirious than Easter.

Sunshine, Friends and the Elusive Hunt for a Chub-Rub Solution

I hope all of you had a weekend that was as utterly lovely as mine. The sun was shining, I saw a lot of friends including some from far away, I danced, I picniced, I was rejuvenated. I had a really tough time last week so it was good that the weekend was so nice, but I need another day of it to just relax.

I wore this dress on Saturday and I got it a few years ago at a Ross. The cropped denim jacket was purchased at the Fat Girl Flea and the purple cowboy boots you've seen a million times before. The sole accessory is my hammer and shovel necklace which I in my head I think of as my feminist necklace (although if I'm being honest with you I am not very talented with a hammer or a shovel and often use my feminine wiles to get folks to do things for me that involve hammers and shovels. Bad bloomie, bad). Oh and for those of you wondering, my sunglasses are prescription, which is why they're so unexciting. I'll be upgrading to some new and much cuter prescription ones in the next month or two.

Saturday was the first day of the year that I went out with bare legs. No tights, no leggings, just boots. So of course I had to consider the chub-rub factor. For those of you who don't know what chub-rub is, it's the unpleasant sensation of your inner thighs rubbing against one another. In the summer time it is no fun at all. I used to live in Evans comfort shorts, but last year they changed the design and I didn't like the new ones. So this year I'm on a mission to try as many chub-rub solutions as possible, which brings us to the next photo.

This little peek-a-boo photo is to show you my Luvees. I'd seen them around mentioned in various places and then when I saw a mention on Lilli's blog I decided to finally bite the bullet and order them. I'd known about them for ages, but had hesitated because I thought they were horribly overpriced.

I bought both versions that they sell and I have to say I'm not impressed at all. The first style I tried was the thigh coverall and it gets a big, fat NO from me. They're supposed to stay up and all they did was fall down. I liked that they were airy, but it felt very weird going to the bathroom with them on. The fuller coverage ones weren't bad, but they were too stretchy in the waist and they were just too long. As you know I like short skirts and dresses and these kept peeking out and I was not happy. The hunt continues. Please tell me what your favorite solutions are so I can add them to the list.

I had a very special guest photographer who was in from California. Jamie is one of my first readers, best friends and a woman whose clothing often pops up on this blog since I am the lucky beneficiary of many of her hand-me-downs. Aren't we adorable?

P.S. We passed by my version of Mecca. I had to take a photo. I am a New Yorker obsessed.

Cherry Time

Spring has arrived in glorious fashion in New York over the last few days and today I am celebrating its arrival in one of my very favorite dresses from the wonderful Jane BonBon. Some cherry trees have sprouted, I have a rooftop party tonight and I'm wearing my cherry dress. Viva la spring!


For those of you who don't know her, Jane BonBon has an etsy store where she custom makes plus-size dresses based on your personal measurements. I have thing for cherries and I lusted after this dress for ages, before finally splurging on it as my 29th birthday dress. For a hand-made dress $89 is not bad at all. I wish I had taken a photo of the tag, under size it says "bloomie." I am dying from the love.

The one negative is that since it's cotton and custom fitted there's not much give and this morning I couldn't zip the dress myself if the straps were up. So instead I had to zip it with the straps down, cover it with my cardi and wait till I got to the office for some girlfriend assistance.


The "belt" is actually a part of the dress, not something I added. Isn't that great?


To keep myself warm I added a cropped cardi that is from Anthropologie, although it was a hand-me-down from my beloved JLR. I've added seamed fishnets from Torrid and some pointy-toed kitten heels that I got at the Fat Girl Flea a few years ago and earrings from Accessorize. I love fishnets with a back seam. I think they're retro and sexy and just utterly fabulous.


Also, you may have noticed that my hair is a lot shorter. I'm gonna write about that really soon. Warning, I have a bunch of outfit photos stockpiled so you'll see some photos where my hair is long and then short and then long again. I was going to post everything in order, but I'm wearing this dress today and wanted to share it with all of you cause it's such a glorious spring day.

Photo credit goes to the lovely Ateqah, who also helped me dress myself this morning. Whatever would I do without her?

This is My Life

Did any of you ever see the early 90's movie This is My Life? It wasn't all that popular so it's quite likely you never saw it, but the main character is a stand-up comedian and her schtick is that she wears polka dots all the time. I kinda felt like her character today and I embraced the polka dots and incorporated them throughout the outfit.

Save for the shoes, this is a particularly budget outfit. The dress I purchased at Ross a few years ago and amazingly it's still in good shape. The tights and cropped jacket are both from Target, however the jacket is from the Luella Bartley Go line. Sigh, one day I will have a pretty Luella bag. I don't know if you can see, but the buttons on the jacket are pale pink. I love this jacket and have another one in green. Because of my shape, cropped jackets look so much better on me than jackets that go to my waist or {gulp} mid-hip.

The shoes are from my beloved Office, aren't they cute? Polka dots may not be my schtick but I sure do love em.

Learning to Embrace Baggy

I like defined shapes. I wear a lot of belts, cropped cardigans and jackets and form fitting clothes in general. Big, baggy clothes haven't really been my cup of tea since college. Although back in college putting on actual clothes and not just pajamas was a big step for me, so using that as a touchstone doesn't really mean much. One day I will scan some photos and you will all have a very big laugh at my expense.


This outfit represents me out of my comfort zone. I was planning on belting it till I caught a glimpse in the mirror (as I was crossing my room to grab a belt) and thought, "oh, this doesn't look half bad just as it is." And since I'm trying to try new things and go out of my comfort zone a bit I left the house sans belt. I will say it was a very comfortable outfit.



The top is via Re/Dress NYC and you first saw it in September (where I wore it with a belt) and the jeans you've also seen before, they're Z. Cavarichi via Ross. Since the outfit felt slightly masculine to me, I felt the need to overcompensate by having it unbuttoned pretty low and flashing some cleavage, and some bling via my H&M "pearls" and bejeweled flats from Nine West.


Photo credit and chartreuse shoe belong to the darling Ateqah.

Grecian Goddess

Wow that title makes me sound really self centered, doesn't it? I'm referencing my outfit inspiration, not saying I'm a Grecian goddess, although I did think I looked awfully cute.

With the pop-ups of warm weather we've been having I've been going a bit mad with spring shopping and today I bring you one of my new purchases. I got it from ebay seller Red Dot Boutique and I couldn't recommend them any higher. Their products are well priced, good quality and the service is outstanding. My only issue is that so many of their dresses are hand-wash only and I hate hand washing. I have more than a dozen dresses (possibly even 20 or so) sitting on the floor of my closet just waiting for me to get up the energy to hand-wash them. They have been waiting a very long time.

I love wearing white in the warmer months and this top/tunic/dress (what would you call it?) is one of my new favorites. It is easy and comfortable to wear and the embellishment on the sleeves kicks it up a notch.


I've paired my top/tunic/dress with a pair of American Apparel leggings (great color, crap quality), my evil stepmother "mirror, mirror on the wall" necklace from Forever 21 and sandals from Primark that I had to bin later that evening as they literally fell apart on me. I was grateful that they stayed in one piece long enough for me to make it home. They were awfully cute and I'm sad I had to get rid of them, but they were 6 pounds and sometimes you get what you pay for.

Also don't judge my toes, I haven't gotten a new pedi since February. The unexpected sandal weather took me by surprise.



Photo credit and banh mi sandwich belongs my lovely friend and colleague Amy. Although it looked so good that I went and got one myself 5 minutes later. Sandwich that is, not photo credit.


Finally I just wanted to share this photo I took on Saturday - little kids selling limeade on the sidewalk. I have a strict policy to never pass by a kids lemonade or (in this case limeade) stand without purchasing a glass. Not to mention fifty cents in Brooklyn ain't half bad.