I wear my sunglasses in January

But only because I somehow scratched my right eye and have been extremely sensitive to light for the past few days...


I'm convinced I will never, ever find a pair of sunglasses I love more than these. I got them at Aldo in 2007!

I've acquired stupid amounts of new clothing this month due to boxing day sales and now the january "sidewalk sales". Just this week, I got two blazers, one for $4 and one for $14, a bow miniskirt from walmart for $5, yet another cardigan, some tanks and tees, more jewellery, and this wicked soft studded sweater:


I wanted it when it was $80. I almost bought it on sale for $50 but then i ran out of time on my lunchbreak that day. Then I got it on sale the other day for 30% off of $29. Life works out sometimes, I guess.

I'm not usually into studs but I love them on this sweater for some reason!

Studded sweater: American Eagle
Dress: American Apparel
Tights: Garage

I'm off to knit and watch Mad Men! I'm only on episode 6, so I've got a lot of catching up to do!

Love Always,
Amy

Falling behind

Sooo these outfits are actually from last thursday and friday and I just haven't gotten around to posting until now. My bad. I've been busy looking for yet another job (the first one I got after my old one closed down wasn't giving me hours) and hanging out with my cousins. It's been unnaturally warm for the past few days here, so I've been taking advantage of it by wearing loose, thin fabrics and SKIRTS!


Belted tunic: Winners, $11
Denim Leggings: Garage, $20



Aaaand here's what I wore to school on friday:

Cardigan: Suzy Shier
Tank top: Jacob, $9
Skirt: Jacob, $30
Walmart tights
Shoes: Aldo, Gift from Bf
Pearls: Great-grandmother's



The best thing about this skirt are the huge pockets!


Just a little FYI: I post the prices of my clothes when I remember them. I do this to demonstrate that it is possible to have a wardrobe you love that you can also afford. For the past few years, I have not bought a single item of clothing over $40 (footwear included for the most part!), so even if i don't post a price because i've forgotten it, rest assured that I didn't pay more than 40 bones for it. 'Cause that's just how I roll.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions about the vintage jewellery! Though I don't really have time to open an etsy shop right now, I may in the future :) I also liked Kasmira's idea about a contest, so I'll get thinking about that, too.

Love Always,
Amy

Ps: Follow me on Twitter!

If you're crazy, I don't care, you amaze me

I recently recieved a huge basket of vintage costume jewellery from a friend of my aunts. It's mostly eighties-looking which a few more subtle pieces that probably came from the seventies. I wore my two favourite pieces today: a gold-toned whistle necklace (the whistle totally works!) and pearly earrings rimmed with delicate gold.


[Jacob emerald cardigan and American Apparel white v-neck]




I'm running out of my Chance by Chanel perfume but I decided to wear it today anyway after taking this picture.

I'm thinking of selling some of the vintage jewellery simply because there is too much of it for me to ever get around to wearing. Does anyone have an opinion about the best way to sell something like that? Etsy? on this blog? Let me know in the comments, Please!

Love Always,
Amy

Title song: Whistle for the Choir by The Fratellis

This is my world, and I'm taking it back

2010 has sucked so far, you guys. First of all, I was having the best New Years Eve ever... until my boyfriend and I got food poisoning. I rang in 2010 with vomit (Too much information? Whatever, this isn't even the bad part.)

Then, the owners of the store I work at showed up and closed the store down without giving us any notice. My manager got a call ten p.m. on Sunday night telling her she didn't have to come into work the next day. We also don't know if they're even paying us for the last two weeks (a.k.a. the busiest two weeks of the year, which include two holiday pay days, time-and-a-half for boxing day, and in which I worked approximately seventy hours). Luckily, because I had management experience I was able to get a new job quickly, but I'm not gaurenteed the amount of hours I need at this new job. Lame.

Plus I had to buy a seventy-five dollar PAPERBACK (like, 150 pages max) textbook. 2010. sucks.

End rant. For now.

Good things that have happened recently:
(I'm trying to be more positive, you see. However, this is not me "looking on the bright side" or any of that crap, this is more like a "reasons to not sit around and eat ice cream & sulk all day" list)

1. My neighbors had a baby!
2. My classes this semester should be really interesting
3. I scored Cake hand lotion at Winners for super cheap
4. I scored many, many other things on boxing day sales for super cheap
5. I have this weekend off since my new job doesn't start for a little while, which will quite literally be my first weekend off since I was sixteen.
6. Jeggings were one of the things I got on boxing day sale for super cheap:



This is me trying to show how comfortable/stretchy they are. I freaking love these things. No one can tell they are jeggings because they look and feel just like real jeans unless
a) you are the one wearing their awesome-ness, or
b) you lift up your shirt to show people the elastic waist when they don't believe you are wearing jeggings.

[Jeggings and drape-y cardi arefrom Garage, shirt from a consignment store]

Love Always,
Amy

All seem to say throw cares away

Hope everyone is having a good holiday season :) This Xmas was pretty great, I got awesome presents and had a generally enjoyable experience for my last Christmas while living at home.


This is the BF and I before the unfortunately obligatory church services of Xmas eve. (Last time i have to sit through those! YES!)
I'm wearing a Jacob sweater, Nine West skirt, Winners boots, and the belt from my silk bathrobe.


My parents gave me $$, and all these books that I had asked for. I've already started to read most of them. My brother gave me a iron for when I move out in a few months (very good, i love practicality), however he also gave me a four-foot tall teddy bear (probably will end up giving that to neighboor's newborn baby).


My boyfriend's present was really fantastic. He gave me a cold-day survival kit. There is cookie mix, tea, warm socks (pictured above), Seasons 1 & 2 of "The Secret Diary of a Call Girl" (pictured above), a massage coupon, and an electric blanket. Basically everything you need to stop me from busting out the five-year-old attitude and fussiness when i get cold, hungry, or bored.

I have three glorious days off next week, which will be nice since i worked full-time this week. I need to read all my new books before school starts up again!

Love Always,
Amy

Calling out Winter

Tomorrow morning is my last exam. Thankfully. I'm seriously about to die of stress. My friend made me a cookie in the shape of the male reproductive anatomy today, though, so that was pretty excellent.


Sweater: Goodwill, $5
Jeans: Joe Fresh via Goodwill, $3
Two pairs of Icebreaker merino wool socks: Free courtesy of BF's job

Not only was my outfit today ridiculously cheap, it was also super warm. I looked at the temperature this morning (-23 celcius: COLD) and nearly had a panic attack. Can you believe I went through the last two winters with only a fall jacket from Suzy Shier? This year i got a heavy wool coat (Thifted Jordache for $14. I kid you not) and scored some super warm socks from the BFs work so it's been easier to cope with the temperatures.


Details of the sweater embellishment. I've been wanting a beaded or sequined sweater forever and finally found this one a few weeks ago. I took out the shoulder pads and shrunk it in the dryer.

Lately I Am...
Eating: I've had six pieces of raisin bread toast with cream cheese today. It's exam period, what can I say?
Drinking: Coffee, coffee, tea, and more coffee
Listening to: Lots of Anna Nalick, Gaga, and random pop songs like Jordin Sparks' "Battlefield" and Justin Bieber's "Love Me"
Researching: The origins, development, and role of feudalism in medieval society
Reading (book variety): "The Less Noble Sex" by Nancy Tuana for my exam tomorrow. If you're interested in the origins of female oppression (I'm talking biblical and Aristotalian arguments), get this book!
Reading (blog variety): I recently discovered Small Town Chic

Wish me luck on this exam! I'm actually probably going to need it...

Love Always,
Amy

Title song: "Winter" by Joshua Radin

Sunday Night Shoutouts

Welcome to another edition of Sunday Night Shoutouts, a post in which I gather some of the cool things I've come across on the internet lately to share with ya'll lovely people. Ready?

"If they tell you you're too big for a woman, tell them
you're just too big for your skin.
Tell them
a body just can't hold all this beauty.
Tell them
they only wish they had hills and valleys like the earth...
They will never see the life in your hands and you can never expect them to understand."
-Spoken-word artist Desdamona. Watch the full video here and see her myspace page here

Definately a step in the right direction. Though it's important to remember that we are not in a position to judge cultural practices often seen by Westerners as "oppressive" (i.e. the wearing of the hijab by Muslim women: it's something many women choose to wear!), Female Genital Mutilation is fundamentally dangerous to women's health. Learn more here.

And now for something a bit less heavy and more just pretty: Jon Schmidt's beautiful arrangement/mash-up of Love Story and Viva La Vida!

LOLcats meets Regretsy! My life is complete.

I want to make these. Om nom nom...

And now for something mildly fashion-related? Always been one of my favourite blogs

My plan for this upcoming week includes a six-page essay on feudalism, studying my face off to maintain my A+ in European Women's History, and finding a present for my work's Secret Santa! Sunday night will be the big pay-off: Staff party! Bellinis all around!

Don't forget to follow me on twitter, guys!

Love Always,
Amy