Straight Talk

You've heard me gripe about skinny jeans. They work for some people, but they just never work for me or other people who became sausagefied because of them. The tappered legs only emphasizes the hips. However, I wanted a pair of straight-legged jeans that I can wear with some loose tops; it just doesn't look as streamlined with boot-cut jeans.

My want has been in want of satisfaction for several years. I simply couldn't find a pair of straight-legged jeans that fit me like a glove and not be shoddy or expensive. It's always been hard for me to find well-fitting pants, so it was no surprise that I couldn't find anything per my specifications...until a few weeks ago.

My last purchase before the great tightening of the belt (and still tight) was rather accidental. I had to play chauffeur and wait around for the passenger, so I decided to look for 2 specific items--the ever-elusive straight-legged jeans and a shrunken vest. At the time, I had a little bit of spending money courtesy of my Etsy gig, so I decided to treat myself to a little something. I walked into Nordstrom Rack on a whim, since I've never been able to find anything there (too hectic). Lo and behold, I found the Holy Grail within minutes.

I managed to snag a pair of J Brand straight-legged jeans for $28 plus tax (around $31 total)--60% off the Nordstrom Rack price, and way more off from original retail. If you've read this blog for a while, you know that I'm not into the branding craze, but these jeans really are great. They're stretchy, slimming, and make my legs look a lot longer. The straight legs balance out my wider hips, which is why they look so good. The hem is quite long when I'm wearing flats, but they look decently cuffed up, since the cuffs don't flare out badly like bootcut jeans do. They look flared in the pics below, but they're really not. When I wear heels with them (no cuffs, of course), I actually look tall.

It's quite a bit to spend on a pair of jeans (at least for me), but it's money well-spent. I absolutely love them! They look great when I'm wearing a loose top, and perfect for casual days.

One note on sizing--even within the same brand, the sizes vary. I tried on a pair of the same size but in a different style (turns out to be the pegged-legged type), and I couldn't even get them on. This pair, however, is a perfect fit.

Survey says...

Wow, I can't believe that it's been a week since my last post! Yup, I've been really busy. I've been job hunting and taking care of some exciting business dealings. When it's all wrapped up, I'll tell you about it. [UPDATE--I just found out that I am now employed. Whether it'll become a permanent thing is another story, but it's a great job and it'll pay the bills.]

If the rising costs of utilities don't urge you to conserve, maybe extra freebies will. My astute roommie told me about a program from the Southern California Gas Company--if you take an energy survey, you'll get a free energy and water saving kit comprised of several aerators for your faucets, which reduce water use by up to 30%, and a free showerhead which also cuts down on water usage. We just installed them. Not only is there an improvement in water flow (beats the old crusty aerators that came with the apartment), but we're saving water. The widgets are incredibly easy to install. All you need is a wrench.

Since the offer ends at the end of the year, and the kits are available only while supplies last, you might want to take advantage of it. If you're not in the SoCal area, look up your local utility company's web page to see if they have a similar offer. It's totally worth it!

Front page treasury (again)

I was pretty stoked when the Treasury I created was picked for the Etsy front page this morning! Unlike last time, when I missed my own item being featured, I caught it this time.


The theme I used was 2047, inspired by "2046," the movie I got with my LexisNexis points (yay for free DVD's!). It's a good arthouse flick for those so inclined, but it's definitely not something to watch when your parents or children are in the same room with you...

When my friends and I were watching the movie, we were ooohing and ahhhing at the clothes and shoes the women wore. The setting was Hong Kong in the 1960's, so the wardrobe was a mix of East and West. Notwithstanding what *some* of the characters did for a living (or maybe because of it...I don' t know), they looked glamourous. I'm typically not into the beehive hairdo, but when combined with a form-fitting cheongsam or swingy dress and heels, it works. You can take a look at some of the pics here.

While the 1960's wardrobe had me drooling, my inspiration for the treasury came from the futuristic scenes. Wong Kar Wai's idea of the future is apparently very colorful--much more preferrable than the sterile, colorless minimalism that other sci-fi movies feed off of. The colors are combined with the typical metallic surfaces, which reflect the colors stunningly. I like metallic--if you recall, I took a chance on that silver cropped jacket, and I have a metallic green bag from Target. The green bag made its appearance when I took it with me on the wine trip, and I can't wait to do more with the metallic jacket soon.

I've been on a futuristic kick lately. I made these, but alas, I can't wear them. There are just some things clip-ons can't do.

Which movies inspire your style?

My $140,000 sheet of paper

A recent trip to the post office is a fine example of what the magical "Number 11 bus" can do, as my family jokingly calls it. The 11 is formed by the two stilts called legs. There are so many benefits--some obvious, some not.

My very expensive piece of paper arrived in the mail a couple of days ago. I had to go to the post office to pick it up because it was too big to fit into the mailbox. Being mindful that I've already paid a lot for this sheet of paper, and will have to spend many many more years paying it off, I decided to save money by walking to the post office instead of driving. I need the exercise anyway, since I spend each day sitting in front of the computer (looking for jobs) or making things for my store.

When I got to the post office, I finally saw how huge it was. At least it looks like I got what I paid for.

The supermarket was nearby, so I walked there with my big envelop under my arm. I had a hard time fitting it into the grocery basket...silly me, probably should have gotten the groceries first.

Walking is such a great way to save money, and when I don't have time to hit the gym, it keeps me healthy. It's an environmentally-friendly way of travelling. It's also a time and sanity saver, especially during gridlock time. It's a great way to see the sights of a town we usually hurriedly travel through; there are so many details I miss while zooming by at 35 MPH. Finally, there was an unexpected additional benefit for this particular case. I went to the market to buy cream cheese to make another cheese cake (much smaller this time), and I was hoping that the heat and all the time spent walking would get the cheese to be nice and soft when I got home. It didn't get all mushy (which is good), but it did help soften a little.

Given how frugal I try to be all the time, why would I be so extravagant with a piece of paper? I call it a good investment. To protect my investment, I'll work hard for years to come, and I'll get a stylish frame not from the place that sent me that piece of paper (the prices are absolutely ridiculous for a single embellishment at the bottom), not from a customized place, but from an affordable and stylish outlet such as Target, Marshall's, or Ross (which, despite of the daily chaos, has a very decent home goods department...more on that on another day). I've spent enough money already on this piece of paper, so I really don't need anything expensive and grand. No one is going to go up close to look at the frame anyway, and all a frame does is hold a piece of paper--a pane of glass, a frame, and some sturdy backing is good enough.

In case you were wondering, that piece of paper happens to be my spankin' new law degree =).