this tee shirt.

Contrary to the title, this is not about the  tee shirt. It’s soft and crisp and just the right balance of opaque and sheer, but it’s not the star of this show. The star of this show is yours truly. It’s slightly self absorbed, but I’m a firm believer that if you do something you’re proud of and it makes you feel good you should tell anyone who will listen.

I received my J. Crew Rewards in the mail about a week ago. My unhealthy thought process (or the lavishly accessorized devil on my shoulder) leads me to see this little treat as a “discount.” I can now justify just about any purchase because it’s $25 less than even the lowest mark down. What the little devil in Mona Pumps successfully minimizes is the bottom line. I’m still spending.

As I have mentioned in previous posts; I am a new wife in a new house on a new (and shoe-limiting) budget. I truly believe I was made to be a wife. I sport it proudly and I adore the security and confidence that such selfless love can offer. That being said, the cut in unnecessary spending is not so terrible and my over packed closet(s) could use the reprieve.

As I was scrambling around in J. Crew on my lunch break the other day I had a moment. I was holding a very pretty $69.00 wool sweater in my hand. I had been watching the descending price online for a few months now and I was feeling impulsive. Enter: the classically dressed angel on my other shoulder wearing my favorite pair of broken-in jeans. I don’t need this sweater (I have several); its wool so it may pill and it will be a $44 charge on my next J. Crew bill. It was time to wise up and make a not-fun but necessary decision.

I need a white V neck t-shirt that I can wear under a blazer with those broken-in jeans. It has been the item I’ve reached for several times recently and the missing link in a few could-be outfits. This delicate basic is on sale for $24.50. Thanks to my handy student ID I am the proud owner of a white Vintage V-neck Tee (pictured, image directly from jcrew.com). The balance on my reward card was less than $5 so I was given the change in cash. That cash became a wonderful latte on my way back to the office. Glowing with pride from my recent self control and logic I took to writing.

C

a rule breaker.

I commonly refer to myself as a fabric snob. I read labels like an investigator and I embarrass any shopping cohorts by smelling any leather-like item I take interest in. There is no room in my closet for “poly-anything.” [To be very honest there is no room in my closet for anything, period. My hangers reside on a bar shaped more like a smile than the traditional linear shape intended.]

Outlet stores launched by some of my favorite retailers like J.Crew and the Gap often disappoint me. I’m not old enough to use phrases like “in the good old days,” but I think outlets should be the “what’s left” and not the “what’s replicated in poly-blend.” The styles align with the flagship brand accurately in photos and even in the fitting room, but often once you drive it off the lot the quality will not hold up. In the case of a shoe it may not mold to your foot the way it should.

That being said, I broke my most adamant shopping rule this weekend and I would recommend the deed to anyone who will listen (err…read). I am ecstatic about my Factory Emory Flats from the J.Crew Outlet. I slipped them on my feet this weekend to “complete the look” and I was pleasantly surprised.

The shoes in the factory stores are typically (and conveniently) right outside the fitting rooms and in J.Crew I make a habit of asking the associate who is assisting me to make suggestions about coordinating pieces. She had all good things to say about the Emory Flat and was eager to hand them over. I made a decision that I would only allow myself one item this payday, and who knew it would be these little polyurethane imports?!

They bent and arched with such ease as I pranced around the store. I purchased the Bronzed Clay color because they looked fantastic with the red skimmer pants I had on. They will coordinate with just about everything I own, and unless there is snow on the ground I won’t hesitate to sport them. The extra 20% off promotion was the icing on the poly-blend cake.

C