f21 bomb.

be prepared to be overwhelmed by all things Forever21!!!!


i'll be in the Cities Friday...which means MOA...which means shopping (eeeeeeeee)...which means I need to get some looking out of my system so I don't go ape shit and buy every trend there ever was when I walk through the doors of F21;)
Normally I do pretty well there. I actually buy little to nothing...but there are those few times I come home with a trunk full of shit and within 6 months...it's getting put in the garage sale pile! NOOOOOO:( 


this time, however, I'm going to go crazy on here (and look back at this post in 6 months wondering what I was thinking liking any of it;) and then get my detailed list together for Friday. 
I do have 2 weddings coming up and so that's really ALL I need. Possibly a cute, inexpensive dress and a skirt. That's IT!!!! Which is mainly why I've chosen F21...cheap. BUT there's also H&M and I'm pretty giddy to get there too:)


FIRST. Before entering that bright white, screaming music, unkept, piled high store of all things trendy...Read THIS. Such a great guide! (found via The Daybook - and if you're wanting to go to Hawaii in this lifetime...NEEN;)...this will only make that feeling worse;)
The article is very accurate. And I think they should do one for American Eagle and Hollister (and seriously...go check out their ridiculous Home Page...are those 12yr. olds making-out. Arg. Never setting foot in that store. Eva') because I look at so many girls and think...wow...must have been difficult to walk into AE and walk out with a bag full of what the manican in the front window was wearing. Arg.


and that's not say that I think I'm all that and a bag of...baked Doritos (I'm on a diet...okayyyy;). But a few weekends ago Jacob and I went out for the first time and my sister Mal said that my outfit looked 'very Casey'. And even though it was coming from my sister (but family is the most brutal..wouldn't you say:) and I'm not even sure if that was meant to be a compliment...I think that's the BEST compliment. I want to be different but still so obviously ME:)


below are just a few cute things that I found while looking through the site: Love21.


i've actually meandered to this section before. Even tried a few things on, with no luck. SO hopefully Friday will bring me some good finds!:)

UP looks awful with that top...and I'd change up the feet. maybe some cute black wedges...dress it down just a bit...

UP i do have trouble with black. I love it. But doesn't seem fitting for these 2 summer weddings.

UP i really love this option. Cute summer print...and then the need for nude heels....hmm. BUT I like:) Maybe something simpler for a top...plain tank:)

UP again...summer color...cute skirt:)

UP depending on what this looks like on...

UP kindaaaa trendy but I like that little festive pop on the side:)

links to all dresses/skirts can be found by clicking on the word UP below the photo:)

fancy belly.

this is something I'd like to be wearing at some point in my pregnancy. Most likely after 6 months when I'm full.on.belly:)

as of now...we do have a wedding in April. SO this is my goal:)

Forever21 - Bodycon Dress $9.80

can NOT beat that price...especially since it may look completely horrendous on my belly situation. BUT on second thought...this may be too short already...

UP/DOWN Victoria's Secret - Sweetheart Sweater Dress $29.50

Sexy Tee Midi Dress - $59.50

UP/DOWN Shop Ruche - Leyte Courtyard Maxi Cardy $37.99

can my belly handle this...or should I say...can this outfit handle my belly!?

on me.

just a quick peek at an outfit I had on the other day. If you aren't already aware...I love all things black and neutral:) Most of my outfits consist of one or the other!

of course I wasn't able to find ANY of these items online but I can tell you where they were purchased:

top: H&M

watch: Fossil (gift from parents for Christmas a few years ago:)

bracelet: Forever21

PS. it wasn't intended for my breasts to take up the entire photo. Baby's fault.

moa is a day of love:)

monday and Tuesday I was at Mall of America (MOA:). It was WONDERFUL. If you love shopping. Which I do:)

my mom, sister's Mal and Pigg and myself went over early Monday and got back Tuesday evening. It was a great time!

we do an Annual MOA Trip with our family. Which we all love and count down for:) But we moved it to the Spring because we were always going in November, thinking we'd 'Christmas Shop' and mostly just came back with emptied checking accounts and no Christmas Gifts to be seen. Eeeeek. Not good.

SO we moved it to the Spring...after tax returns...nice;) And it has really worked out much better. BUT we couldn't help but run over with a smaller group in the fall/winter cause it's just SO much fun for us and with all the Christmas decor...ah, it was festive all right:)

UP starbucks was had:)

UP/DOWN we stayed at our usual hotel and took the long walk to the pool after all the shopping on Monday. I treaded water in the pool for a while and then dipped my feet in the hot tub:)

UP not everything I find and adore at MOA can come home with me, unfortunately:( BUT I do make note of it and if I still can't get my mind off it in a few months and an occasion comes up where I may need something 'nice'...I'll come back to them:)

Both items above from Francesca's Collections.

*unable to find items online:(*

UP DSW goodies. I've been thinking flats will be great for my ever growing body...I doubt I'll be able to keep myself upright in anything with a significant heel. BUT no reason not to look festive even in a flat...and these will fit perfectly in my bag, seeing as I'll have to tromp into work wearing my winter boots:)

left: Heaven Glitter Flat

right: Cheetah Flat

UP mal giving us a hat fashion show at Heritage1981:)

left: creeping around the racks...seriously...it was creepy!

right: endless forehead;)

UP me stalking some looks that I loved: black leggings with long black cardy and brown leather boots. I had a long black cardy on my Needs List but was unable to find what I was looking for.

UP IKEA had us all dreaming about the day when we get to design our own homes:)

UP every time I go to MOA I come back with, what I call, a festive sweater. This can be anything from a cute print (see below), to some animals running on it...to an adorable cardy. I found it nearly impossible to find ANYTHING that fit what I was looking for. The new trend is 'shorty tops' and it broke my heart each and every time I spied something from across the room, got to it, picking it up and realizing it wouldn't even cover my, now enormous, breasts. Annoying trends.

i did find plenty of festive pants though...and I thought long and hard about them but, in the end, decided that even I couldn't pull off 'festive pants';)

UP beautiful jewelry selection at Francesca's Collection:)

sorry about the obnoxious amount of iPhone photos...its' just SO much easier to use when running around and digging through your wallet for cash:)

MOA was, as always, an amazing time! I'm counting down the days till our Spring Trip...when I will again do massive damage to my checkbook...with no regrets:)

pretty. rich.

for this post, I'll start with the point and then lose my way;)

POINT: the jewelry. I have my reception dress. I love it. I think it's perfect but now it needs the perfect jewelry. Classic ME, I jumped the gun on the jewelry and since I took a picture of myself in the get up and then emailed it to all my accounts, so that I could look at it...study it...EVERY day...I'm starting to think it needs a change in jewelry. It wasn't me.

insert - Erin Hearts Court - who has now introduced me to Kindred Stones - which I now...after getting super excited about finding the Perfect jewelry and then starting this post and THEN looking up prices...realize is WAY out of my price range. Frick.

i have a girl crush on each one of these pretty ladies!!

and I want that middle slouchy top.

and, as you know, I love red hair.

i'll never wear a sweater without a long necklace..EVER again.

and here's the necklace combination that I love and think may be perfect for me and my dress. Now to save $400;) BUT luckily F21 has some supa' cheap alternatives!

feel the feather.

something amazing about maids in patterns. Especially nicely toned, laid back looking flower patterns.

and hello....my feet feel amazing just looking at this shot!

UP and belts...and those EARRINGS?! Courts actually got a pair of black feather earrings from F21 and they are freaking adorable and so cheap and I believe she'll be sporting them at the reception...although either ceremony and/or reception would work!:)

UP the earrings aren't quite the same as what Courts got and I think hers are actually cuter but you get the idea. Feathers are pretty much everywhere right now!

DOWN and how about this perfect guest!? I imagine the photographer felt the same, which is why she got her very own picture...but I love that dress!

now I'll give you a break from Style Me Pretty...if it's possible to EVER need a break from Style Me Pretty;)

and so I think...

this hasn't been tweeked to perfection but these are my thoughts for my BParty. I feel like I'm getting closer to what I want...little by little.

i've got the tshirt.

skirt couldddd be on the way shortly...

now for the feets and the jewels:)

Target

Refinery29

Forever21

Payless

my little skirt.

how freaking adorable is this little skirt from Forever21?!

Yes. I thought you'd agree! And it's only $22 and I know the BParty is a million years away (or 138 days;) but it's way too cute to pass up.

SOooo I think I have my pretty little BFF convinced to find $50 worth of pretty things to buy herself, PLUS this skirt and then she'll get free shipping and then we'll BOTH be soooo SO happy;)

i'll keep you posted and put up some pics when the little guy arrives!

Scalloped Eyelet Skirt $22.80

want it wednesday.

it could be the hurricane like weather outside and the branch I pulled off my windshield this morning in my T-shirt that has me interested in some layering this morning!

fortunately for me, I have lots of T's and Tanks and miscellaneous tops in my closet. BUT what I lack are choices when it comes to things to put over those tops. At the moment...and for any moments in the last 2 years, I've had a coworkers sweater that I use as my go-to sweater here at work. And this girl is ALWAYS cold, so you can imagine that people must think I wear that sweater an.awful.LOT. And believe me...it makes me look like a little bear, no one's asking me where I snatched this beauty!!!

this top from F21 is less than $40 and looks insanely comfy and just something I could throw on to get me to and from work on Spring days and even during those winter months in my cold cubby:)

forever21 $39.80
hautelook $86 - go to hautelook.com and become a member! BE special like me;)

this jacket is just in here cause I love it. I'm not really in the market for another tweed-ish-long-hooded-jacket. BUT if I were...this would be HIGH on the list!

fashion.less.

i thought I'd try a new post today....a bit about fashion cause I used to follow a great fashion site, TheF, which is now obsolete:( I still look on there from time to time, at the old posts, in order to find affordable stores but now I'm going to have to do most of the digging myself.

this morning I'm STILL searching for inspiration for New Year's Outfits...and it brings me to this LOFT outfit. SUPER cute, super classy and in the realm of what I love to wear. Flowy tucked blouse, fannnncy skirt and some tights with booties.

This outfit comes in JUST below $250.

now....lets see if we can bring that price down:)

LOFT

Blouse $54.50 - Skirt $69.50 - Bootie $118 - Tights $12.50 = $254.50

Forever21 - ModCloth

Blouse $27.80 - Skirt $39.99 - Tights $3.80 - Bootie $29.80 = $101.39

$153.11 difference. To me...that's a bit of a difference. Obviously, you have to use your imagination and do what works for you but I think it'd be fun to start looking at things and finding a way to get classy without breaking the bank.

my wants...purchased.

i just recently made a trip to MOA with my mom, sister Megan and nephew Luke. We had SO much fun and I found some great stuff!

There is NOTHING like Mall of America. It's the greatest and I get giddy just thinking about it! haglkhKLGHKLAHGLK - Me giddy!


so here are some of the things I bought and what I learned on my most recent MOA trip:
1/ kids...FANtasssstic as they are....are not welcome at MOA;)...and I only mean that for if you're shopping. Otherwise..have at it! It's a great place for the kiddos!


2/ don't run red lights, even on accident. It is scary...scary in that laugh until you find yourself crying and can't stop kinda scary!


3/ mom WILL throw down if you butt while we're waiting for the elevator...people are more and more oblivious to common courtesy.


4/ no sale at Nordstorm is sale enough for my checking account. Don't.Bother.

my new purse of choice - For Love 21 $32-ish?! - this store is basically Forever21's Accessories store

LOVE sunglasses and found 2 gems - For Love 21, $5.80-ish? and Aldo - $12-ish

super cute strapless jean dress - Heritage 1981 $8...YES. $8 freaking dollars!!!

graphic print skirt - Forever21 $22.80 - this will look amazing with just black flops, my black Target Wedges, flat tall black boots or with tights...Can't wait to get it out a few times a year and in different seasons!

cute detailed top - Forever21 $19.80

adorable beaded cardy that will go with ANYTHING...or at least I'll wear it with ANYTHING - H&M $24.95

Forever21 $22.80...had I paid any attention to the price I would not have invested in this tank, as cute as it is.

my new fedora-ish hat...mainly for Spain:) - Forever21 $8.80

please refrain from adding up the amount of money I spent in a total of 4 hours at the MOA! Yes. I like to shop and I wouldn't call it a problem. I'd call it a second love...very close second;) We actually have our annual trip coming up the 1st weekend in November and I'm beyond excited. I have really nothing on my list of Wants/Needs except for the usual fall/winter stuff: sweaters, cardys, boots, belts, stocking cap....

Currently the only few things on my list are:

1/ hard sunglasses case so that I can preserve the few sunglasses I have till Spain next year - or just foreverrrrr

2/ fly swatter

3/ rings for the shower curtain...just cleaned it all up...it's ready to be showered in and I realize I never bought rings to hang the freaking curtain. Yes, that would be about the time I'd normally lose it. BUT after some deep breathing techniques and repeating 'serenity now...serenity now...SERENITY NOW' - courtesy of Seinfeld, I was able to overcome...barely!!!!

4/ umbrella

SO I don't think those few things are TOO much to ask for and Jacob has made me promise (aka. sign in blood) that I'd concentrate on actually using the money I take to MOA for Christmas Shopping, which is what that money is actually designated for. SO I have a lot of mental preparation to tend to before I'm ready to realllly commit to that 'promise'. I.Can.Do.This.