ModCloth Dominates Me Again.

I am so smitten with ModCloth that I should probably give in and write some kind of weekly post about the things I'm crushing on. I refrain from doing so, however, because I assume you're just as in love as I am and have seen it all already.

I've also been really, really good at not buying anything there for a long time. I drool daily, but I'm on a strict budget at the moment and I'm saving money. I'm a good girl I am!

And trust me, it hsan't been easy, especially in the last week or so.

I've definitely

  

been tempted

one, maybe two

times.

Even my super human willpower struggled a bit, however, with this lovely leaf necklace. Only $19.99, and I could wear it multiple ways!

I manged to hold off, figuring I'd get it later when I had a bit more money. That is, of course, until I flipped around the site today and saw that there was just. one. left.

Of course I bought it. How can anyone resist the ominous red 1 Left!

I ask you.

So, to my checking account- sorry. To my willpower, sorry. And to anyone else who wanted to snag one, sorry to you too. I'll be sure to post pictures when it shows up!

Coach Bag!

So I ended up getting two surprises this weekend instead of one.

First and foremost, the Coach bag I mentioned last week. I spent a full day in my parents' house, walking around this big shopping bag emblazoned with Coach symbols, waiting for dinner to come so I could dig into it. My mother didn't even bother wrapping it- she knew I wouldn't notice.

I just tried to take pictures of it in the fading light of my apartment:

 

While my enthusiasm probably seems a bit silly to veterans of fashion, this is definitely a big step for me. While I have many fun, quirky, trendy purses, the most expensive purse I had ever owned before this was a canvas patterned thing from PacSun. In college. $40.

Think about that.

 

The inside lining has a really fun colorful stripe pattern, but my camera refused to take a nice photo.

 

Here's me running around with it on Valentine's Day. I didn't fully love this outfit, just threw it together. I'm also holding the fun scarf I got with the purse- usually it's tied around a strap.

 

My other big surprise was actually so fun it distracted me from my new purse for a bit. This weekend I wandered into a T-Mobile store to scope a new phone and phone plan. My AT&T contract is up at the end of the month, and while I've always been happy with them, T-Mobile was a cheaper option for me. Long story short, the salesmen were really, really good. I went in to collect information, and left with a 2 year contract and a new MyTouch phone.

My phone story is similar to my purse story- I've only ever had cheapie phones, or semi-cool but still budget friendly phones. This beast is the nicest thing T-Mobile sells, and I am obsessed with it. It is not uncommon to see me checking my websites on my phone while still sitting in front of a perfectly good computer. Never before have I had a phone that people actually admire.

I'm pretty geeked, and this is one of the few places I don't feel like I have to apologize for getting cool stuff. Thanks for being here to absorb some of my excitement!

Best Thursday Surprise Ever.

I am not a rich girl. I am a 23 year-old editor, and I am paid as such. I don't get the majority of my clothing from second hand stores, sales, and Forever 21 because they are meccas of style, but rather because I'm trying to pay for my cute apartment and save a few dollars while still looking cute.

I was sitting at my cubicle yesterday, typing away at a project, when I saw I had missed a call from my mother. I flipped to her voice mail, figuring she was going to tell me something about my visit this weekend.

"I'm in a Coach outlet store, taking a break on my business trip. I know you're at work and probably won't answer- I just wanted to ask if you'd want a bag? As a Valentine's Day present?"

To stay I was a bit stunned would be an understatement. While my parents are definitely better off than a single 23 year-old editor financially, our cute Valentine's Day traditional gift is usually a movie, maybe a book or a video game.

I called her back immediately (duh), already pulling up the Coach website. Flustered by descriptions and losing much in communication both ways, I finally just told her that I'd want a medium sized, everyday bag in brown leather. I've never been a big fan of the canvas bags with the Coach design. I was so thrown that I called her back a minute later and blurted lamely, "Black leather would be cool too!"

She said she'd see what she could find. She also told me that I have to wait until our family dinner tomorrow for the gift exchange. I'm in the kind of torture only a budget-strapped fashion fan who has a mystery designer purse (her first!) coming to her can truly feel.

Now I'm just guessing guessing guessing. Some of the purses she described aren't on the site, so it's a total mystery. I'm relatively sure delaying in this way is some kind of violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Flirtation in Stripes.

Oh shredded Modcloth sweater. Yes, I see you. I see your comfy, thick threads, your tattered holes and your not-so-subtle tugging at my weakness for the English boarding school vibe. You know it is all too easy to get me going with your white and black stripes and casually pushed up sleeves.

I can see you making those eyes at me, casually trotting out the fact that you're on sale now. Half off you say? Of course you are.

I have no idea where I could respectfully take you out. Do your holes look deliberate enough that I could class you up with a girly dress and playful belt and introduce you to my coworkers, or would you just appear frumpy and sloppy? I know my mother wouldn't approve of you. She always prefers when I bring home something more clean cut. If you managed to get dirty over time, and I hinted to you that it was time to clean up... I have a feeling you'd fall apart on me.

You know my wallet has nothing in it but moths and the lingering, accusatory smell of a long vacancy. You know you won't keep me warm on cold days, and I know you'll be all too happy to point out my prominent hips when we're in public.

Yet I can't help but glance over and check you out, biting my lip and imagining how wonderful we could be...

Shannyn Sossamon.

Upon seeing my new haircut, a friend of mine said I reminded him of Shannyn Sossamon. Having no idea who that was, I Googled her (oh, that chick from a Knight's Tale, I liked her) and got a bit of a style crush, though I don't quite see the resemblance. These images are not mine, and I'd be happy to remove them if they're yours.

I love that she has a lovely, precise face, but also an edge to her. The Anglophile in me is also digging her England sweater:

I was particularly excited about this photo, as she's sporting my current dream hair:

One day, 15 or so pounds from now, I'd love to have that same careless, "Oh, is my navel hanging out?" edginess that she pulls off so cooly. Keira Knightley pulls off the same vibe really well when she's not scary thin, and I've always admired it.