Spring Awakening

Outfit:

Flocked Skater Dress - Apricot / Blazer - Forever 21 / Tortoise Shell Sunglasses - Forever 21 /

Green T-Strap Shoes - Jeffery Campbell (also seen here on House Of Jeffers) / Two-Tone Satchel  - Primark / Hand Me Down Stack Ring - Henri Bendel / Pyramid Cuff Bangle - BaubleBar.com

Finally, no coat weather! Well, for one day at least. There was a short breakthrough with the weather over the weekend that landed New Jersey in the high 70s. A perfect reason to wear this skater dress that I've been holding out on since I purchased it in October during my trip to England. I literally gasped when I found it at Apricot in Bathe. For me, it's very different in the cut and shape, but the velvet paisley pattern was too striking to pass up!

When the weather gets warmer, the last thing I want to do is stay in the house. I'll usually head up north with my chihuahua Harley to see my parents, or go to my husband's soccer games whenever I can. But, sometimes I wish that my British family lived closer to me. I'm so lucky that I have an amazing family. Since I'm an only child, I always dreamed of the day that I'd get married and acquire brother and sister in laws...  and become an aunt. Lucky for me, my in laws are wonderful people, and I have an adorable niece and cheeky little nephew, but it makes me miss them all the more during certain seasons when I always pictured us doing things together.

But, on the upside, I get to visit England because of their residence, and it makes anything that I wear from England all the more special to me.

Travel Diary: England Part 1

 

My trip to England went by too fast. I find that every time I visit, my view of the country that has become a second home to me, changes. England is absolutely a different pace than New Jersey. The people. The history. The beauty. And of course, for someone like me, the fashion is just ace.

This trip was absolutely my best visit yet. I've been to London before, but this time I was able to explore some of the other touristy parts, eat some genuine pub food and spend time with some of the people I love.

And let's not forget about the shopping. I can NOT wait to show you some of clothes I picked up along my travels. Let's just say there's studs involved.

The day Mike, myself and my brother and sister-in-law headed to England, it was bright and sunny. The weather was cold, for me, but we had a lot to tackle as we wanted to take in as many sights as we could.

Of course, we had to snap some photos in front of the mother of all tourist attractions, Big Ben! We decided the best way to go was to get on one of those double-decker tour buses... only for the bus to sorta stop at random places along the way. It was getting darker, and we hadn't made our way to anything else besides for Big Ben and the London Eye, so we decided to hop off on Oxford Street (above).

Myself and Mike freezing atop a double-decker bus.

Eventually, the four of us got off at Oxford Street, and spent some time shopping, hitting up Starbucks 14 times, and walking like whoa before catching the tube to Covent Garden from Bond Street for dinner.

The Chanel store in Covent Garden was very tempting... but I didn't go inside.

After walking around for about 6 hours, we made our way to Piccadilly Circus. I've been here before, but being able to see London at night was amazing. There's absolutely a different vibe at night, which I loved.

The final stop on our day in London was back to the London Eye. I did NOT want to go on it. I have an extreme fear of heights, and let's be honest: Being inside a pod on a giant ferris wheel didn't sound like the way I'd like to meet my end (god forbid that should happen). 

But, after being told that I was going on it by my husband and to just "suck it up", I reluctantly did.

I never knew this but you circle the eye in 30 minutes! Seems like a lot longer since the thing is huge. The views were just beautiful!

Check back on Monday for Part 2!

Cheerio, Mate! - UK shopping tips for U.S. fashionistas

Until I met my husband, I was not a traveler. I’m deathly afraid of flying, but when your family lives across the pond, you suck it up and hope the 8 hours go by fast.

Throughout my visits to England, it has become one of my most favorite places ever. People are much more laid back and friendly, there’s an emphasis on quality, not quality like the products in the U.S., and their style and fashion leaves something to envy.

But even if you’re not taking a trip to the UK, you can still shop their style from the comfort of your own computer. Here are some of my tips on how to get more bang for your buck!

1. Currency rates – This is the first thing to remember when shopping UK sites. Remember, the prices are listed in British pounds, and some sites don’t convert prices. Keeping track of currency conversion rates is key and important to know BEFORE you finalize your purchases. If they don’t convert the total in U.S. dollars, do it yourself as otherwise, you’ll get a nice surprise on your credit card bill.

For Mac users, you can find a handy widget for it already on your computer! Or, use http://www.xe.com/, which converts any monetary amount from any country!

2. Change your shopping location – This seems like a no brainer, but people forget to do it. Ever go on a site, fill up our cart, and then realize you didn’t pick your location? I have – and I’ve been severely disappointed when it converted my total to American bucks. Do this first to avoid sulking later.  

3. Size Guides are there for a reason. Use them! While you may be a size 6 shoe in the U.S., that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a 36. Every brand is different, so be sure to consult size charts before purchasing. The last thing you want to do is return your newly imported item. 

4. Read customer reviews – Now that you’ve checked out the size guide, check out the reviews. Often, customers will say how something fit them, and give their own measures as a gauge on the fit. This is EXTREMELY helpful as you can compare your size to someone who may have similar measurements. Plus, postage for returns can be costly. While you may pay flat rate in the U.S. for returns, it may not apply for the UK, and sometimes can result in you paying more to return the item than what you paid.

Happy shopping!

Day #14 - 30 Day No Shopping Challenge - Eye Of The Tiger

Just about half way through the No Shopping Challenge - and I'm sad to say I failed...

... to update the blog last Friday, that is. 

I guess in between watching the Royal Wedding and work, I forgot. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention something about William and Kate (as my husband is from England) - loved her dress. But I think Pippa stole the show.

Welcome to my little slice of Great Britain - the door mat in front of my apartment.

Nope, I still haven't shopped! That's not to say the urge has not been strong. No trips to the mall either. My friends have been really shocked to hear this as they know how much of a shopping junkie I am.

On Friday, my job was getting rid of some samples during spring cleaning. So, a bunch of stuff was up for grabs - for free. I ended up snatching up a brown bag and three scarves. 

However, the weather is working against me. With warmer temps brings a need for replenishing my wardrobe. Sick of wearing the same duds for the past 4 months, I want shoes, dresses and skirts - shed some skin if you will. So the fact that everyone around me is wearing their new finds to work and for a night out - is making me very jealous. 

I did end up making a trip to the park (affectionately known as The Mud Hole in Nutley, NJ) for a little quality time with Harley and my favorite Brit. Another perk of this conquest is finding hidden treasures, like the shoes I'm wearing below, in my closet. They hurt like hell, but I'll sacrifice my feet for fashion.

Outfit:

Cardigan - Express

Striped Tee - Mandee

Belt - H&M

Jeans - Forever 21

Peep Toe Butterfly Shoes - BCBG

Murano Glass ring - gift from my bestie

Necklace - Harajuku Lovers