Of Mice and Women

My self-imposed no-buy ban fell apart pretty quickly after a trip to the thrift store. The problem is rather specific. I've been pretty good about not buying the "fun" things. For example, I had a one-day work trip today and hung out at the mall before lunch with a friend and a flight home. I went to the mall pretty much for the cheap parking, which is hard to find in a Downtown area (yay for the 3-hour validation!). I found a really cute pair of high-waisted shorts on sale at Forever 21, but I walked out without it. It's good to go back to window-shopping and remember that the fun of shopping is to look around, not necessarily buying anything.

Unfortunately, I've been quite profligate of late in terms of nice work separates, particularly because I've been finding previously-inaccessible pieces at substantial discounts. The pants from the Barney's warehouse sale is an example. The quality is superb (lightweight wool that doesn't feel like wool), and I'm glad that they finally complete my gray suit set, but they were pretty expensive. Before that, I was seduced by these iconic shoes at DSW, which I passed by on my way back to the car after returning something to Loehmann's. I spotted this only pair on the clearance racks; the beautiful grayish-green color and the delicate pattern caught my eye. I usually don't do slingbacks because they tend to slip off my heels; I think this is the only pair that doesn't do that. Also, the kitten heel is wonderful. Because of the tapered design, the weight distributes more evenly than the stilletto heel.

I have not had very good opinions of the Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes I've seen, particularly the metallic silver mouse shoes I saw at DSW. For the price tag, the quality and workmanship are pretty disappointing for many of the pairs I've seen (though there are a few really good apples). Many pairs I've tried on weren't even comfortable. The Marc Jacobs line (as opposed to the diffusion line) is far better. I tried on a pair of colorful sandals months ago, and they were very comfortable, not to mention shiny and pretty.

If I had to choose between the main line and the diffusion line at the same price, I'd take the main line. My mouse shoes are certainly very well-made, and very easy on the feet. Since they're investment shoes, I wore them throughout the store to make sure they're comfortable enough to be worth it. They were. The color is a good match for my light-colored suits and a non-glaring contrast with my dark suits. The best surprise about these shoes is how quiet they are. Usually I get a little embarassed about making a lot of clackity-clack noise as I'm hurrying down the hallways in court. These, however, don't make that kind of noise, all because of the tapered heel. But because the tapered heel isn't very standard, I'm concerned about what happens after the heels are worn out. Thus, I'll try to go easy on these shoes

The first time I wore the shoes was with a dark suit. It was a hot day, so I rolled up the sleeves neatly for a more breathable but presentable outfit for a power lunch meeting. The shoes look even better in that outfit.

I can't say enough good things about the Target shirt. The sateen cotton feels rich, and it does quite well after multiple spin cycles. The fit is great. I will definitely snap up a few more off the clearance rack if they appear there in the future.

Yes, that second picture was taken in a Target dressing room. I tried out the much-touted Richard Chai for Target collection. I give it a thumbs-up, and I'll review it next time.