My Fall Shopping List

At long last, the heat has left Dallas (for now).  I've been excited to change up my wardrobe a bit and put the shorts and tanks away until next April.  I will be doing my seasonal closet purge this week  (look out for some ebay listings!) but couldn't resist adding a few things to the rotation.

Since I had some discount cards to burn, I took advantage of the LOFT 40% off sale on Saturday and a birthday gift card to J.Crew that I used at the factory store and a Target impulse purchase:

September shopping list by cardiganjunkie featuring long skirts

I picked each of these pieces because I plan to get lots of wear out of all of them.  Here's how:

5 Things Friday + LOFT discount cards!

Happy Friday!  I am so ready for a weekend at home that I'm tempted to get "sick" and start it a little early.  Too bad I'm honest, and will have to put in my 9 hours before starting my very ambitious to do list - there's going to be a lot of cleaning and painting to 90s music, followed by a bit of shopping!

Until then, here are 5 things worth sharing on the internet:

1. I bet Lamps Plus is really wishing they had a different name if they're going to try and sell a jillion other things.  However, I'm not complaining because they've got some cool stuff like this great ikat pillow:

2. This week I came across this amazing table via Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly, and I'm in love.  Love love love.  I want N to try and build me one so I don't have to wait and save up $1350.

Source: highfashionhome.com via Haley on Pinterest

3. Is this not the chicest, sickest photo of Dakota Fanning?  It's weird to look up to someone to much younger than me, but I do.  If I thought I could rock a leopard minidress I'd copy her in a minute!  But I won't. 

Source: mykitchenmylife.com via Haley on Pinterest

4. Last weekend I had an amazing trip to Indiana to see my friend, and as expected, we watched a lot of Sex and the City.  It's been a couple of years since I dusted off Season 6, and was instantly sucked back in.  Tonight I get to eat watermelon and watch Charlotte and Harry get married again - is it sad that I'm really excited about that kind of Friday night?

Source: zoolz.com via Sara on Pinterest

5. The amazing team at LOFT has always been really supportive of this blog (and my shopping) and I'm excited to have some great discounts to share!  [Update: all cards have been distributed as of 9/18, but keep checking back because I may get more later this year]

Source: Uploaded by user via LOFT on Pinterest

And with that, I bid you good weekend!

Reader Request: Fall Riding Boots under $200

The reader request theme continues this week with Heather, who is looking to add a great pair of brown riding boots to her wardrobe.  I was happy to help out since quality boots are a good investment that you can wear for years.  I've had mine since 2008 and haven't regretted the purchase for a single minute!

Heather's criteria is that her boots must be light to medium brown, under $250, made of real leather, and equally wearable with dresses and jeans.  I came across lots of great options, and ended up finding 8 pairs that come in under budget and meet all the criteria!

riding boots under $200 by cardiganjunkie featuring mid heel boots

I do want to point out that almost nobody reading this blog, me included, thinks that spending $200 on one thing is no big deal.  However, I strongly believe that quality matters when it comes to a staple piece like riding boots and imitation leathers tend not to age or hold up as well as the real thing.  I'm not convinced that some of the $500+ options are worth it, but a pair of buttery leather boots that can be reconditioned and resoled over the years are well worth the price since you'll only buy them once and love them forever.  However, the longer you wait, the cheaper they'll become so be on the lookout for deals when spring merchandise starts to roll out!

Hopefully this was helpful for Heather, and those of you in the market for boots.  If you have a shopping dilemma, send me an email and I'll try to help out!

Reader Request: Styling a Summer Dress in Fall

Good morning!  Today I'm back from a great weekend trip and totally dreading the upcoming weeks of work now that I have no upcoming trip to look forward to.  However, one bright spot is that fall is starting to roll into Texas.  Hopefully we're done with our 100+ degree days, and it's time to start transitioning our less obvious summer clothes into autumn styles.

This week, I'm happy to help Valentina, who bought this great colorblock dress from J.Crew and wants some help styling it:

Source: jcrew.com via Megan on Pinterest

As you can see, the dress can be layered over a classic chambray shirt and paired with this season's smoking slippers or ballet flats,  However, I have a few more ideas:

Summer Dress in Fall - Three Ways by cardiganjunkie featuring leopard print flats

Nothing here is groundbreaking in terms of pairings, but I think a lot of people are quick to put a dress intended to be worn with sandals on a sailboat into a drawer after Labor Day.  However, adding a denim jacket and boots, or a belt and some unexpected (but neutral) flats can buy several more weeks of use.  Then, when it begins to cool down, layering a cozy cardigan and warm tights will bring a cotton dress into the winter (in climates where it's not freezing).

What's your favorite way to transition summer pieces to fall?  I hope Valentina gives one of these looks a shot, and finds ways to wear a really great dress in a new way.

If you have a style dilemma, send me a note and I'll try to help out. 

5 Things Friday

Happy Friday!  Sorry for the lack of posts this week, but I was busy and I am sure you all found lots of Fashion Week content to fill your screen time anyway.  You'll find none of that here because instead of flying to NYC like everyone else, I'm going to Indiana where the cool kids live.  Namely, one who was my college years best friend and is now expecting a baby.  We're going to watch Sex and the City like in college, and drink lots of wine (me) and juice (her).

Before I go, here are five things I deemed worth sharing on the internet:

1. I have become OBSESSED with the idea of painting our bedroom a smoky navy/cobalt color.  It would be so cool, right?!  Like this, but a little less teal-ey:

Source: decorpad.com via Haley on Pinterest

Maybe this shade:

Source: serenaandlily.com via Betsy on Pinterest

2.  I also cannot get these watercolor paintings by Black Crow Studio out of my head, and my husband agreed that they are awesome.  Now I just need to convince him that we need one in the living room.  (They're actually not that expensive for such large canvases)

3. I finally used my birthday money, Visa points, and a little more money to get my favorite Kate Spade Gramercy watch and I LOVE it!  I feel so fancy wearing it at work.

4. On Monday I went to Express to get my sister some pants and felt oh so very old.  There were gold sequined hot pants and loud pulsing music, and I wanted to leave.  However, as I stood in line I saw a lovely shade of green out of the corner of my eye and decided to try on this blouse in hopes that the line would go down by the time I returned.  To my surprise, it was super cute and flattering!  (It looks better on me because I am not a scarecrow.  No offense, models.)  Moral of the story - sometimes there are adult clothes among the club wear.

 5. Over the long weekend I spent time with my mom, and had time to read a really great book of short stories.  I highly recommend Tunneling to the Center of the Earthby Kevin Wilson.  The stories are a little odd, but I kept thinking about them all week and can't believe one person is so creative.  If you're not a big reader, you may like this because you can read a 25 page story and then walk away from the book for a while.

 And with that, I bid you good weekend!

Reader Request: For Wedding Guests with Large Chests

I don't know about you, but the long weekend was not long enough for me.  However, it was great and I enjoyed some time with my mom, some shopping (hello Kate Spade watch of my dreams!) and an afternoon at the shooting range with my friend Erin (of Little e) and our men.

Now, I'm happy to help out fellow blogger Jaime of South on Broadway as she searches for a dress to wear to a wedding in late September.  Jaime, like me, is pretty boobtastic and so that makes shopping more challenging.  Strapless dresses are risky, spaghetti straps are pretty inadequate, low necklines are much more risque than on other people, and it goes without saying that going braless isn't an option.  However, I know this scenario well and hope that these ideas will help Jaime find a dress she can wear while dancing all night without worrying about adjusting it.

wedding guests with large chests: cutouts by cardiganjunkie featuring clutch handbags

See another option, and my advice after the jump...