My Life, Styled // Fewer, Better

I feel like today is the day to tell you the tale of the first outfit I ever bought with my own money.  I was in sixth grade, so it was the 90s, just to set the tone.  I had been eyeing it for months, but was not the kind of sixth grader who could afford to pay full price so I offered to tag along with my mom every time she went to the mall and would check up on it.  Then it happened.  One day I turned the corner at Dillards and saw that neon mini-stripe-mock-turtleneck-ribbed-tank-top by Pepe Jeans London had gone on sale along with the matching black jean shorts.  It was my lucky day!  While I have always been on a fixed shopping budget-- even since that fateful day at Dillards!--I am learning in my adult life that buying nicer quality things doesn't have to mean spending more.  Rather, you can buy fewer, better things and come out with the same bottom line.  I've been wearing these Coach bags from Zappos ever since we took them out for a spin for this post and was thinking about what a great value they really are.  They have the quality materials and craftsmanship of bags that are triple their price and are just as chic and stylish, if not more.  (Plus, you can purchase them through Zappos which means fast, free shipping and a 365 day return policy!)  I'm at an age now where I know I will wear them for years and likely even decades to come.  Fewer, better things.  That's my new mantra.  Now which one of these bags do you prefer?

I bought this skirt for an interview which is a whole other crazy story to tell you on another day about how sometimes you make the wrong choice and the right choice still finds it's way to you.  Can you hardly handle the suspense?!

This is my "I'm coming from work an didn't have time to change before the concert tonight look".  What do you think?

Photography by Mary Costa

skirt, Elizabeth and James (similar) / sweater, Sofie D'hoore (similar) / small bag, Coach Swagger Collection via Zappos.com / large bag, Coach Swagger Collection via Zappos.com / leather jacket, Zara (similar) / gold pumps, Alice and Olivia (similar)

This post was sponsored by Zappos and Coach-- two brands that I love!  Thank you for supporting the brands that allow us to continue to create new content!