Shopping, Shopping, Shopping

Okay folks, if you are on shopping bans or a guy then move along!

No money talk here, and there are a LOT of girly shopping pictures.

Food pictures to follow but in this post I’ll be chatting a lot about shopping, and purchases.

And enabling. A lot.

Read at your own risk. 🙂

IN-STORE BROWSING

BOUTIQUE RAZBERRY – MONTREAL

This is a pretty cute shop. Upstairs on Ste-Catherine near Jean-Coutu, you’d almost miss it if you walked by and weren’t ogling at windows.

When I walked in, NO ONE was there. I mean NO ONE. The music was playing, and there wasn’t a soul in the shop.

I felt a bit strange, as though I was being tested.. or trusted to not take anything.

I was very careful to try on things in front of the camera, removing it in an obvious manner and putting it back.

Seriously!

Anyhoo, before I left, I spotted this:

I’ve kind of wanted a brown leather satchel for a while now, ever since I saw this impossibly chic girl in Paris (wish I snapped a shot!) carry one into a store.

Since then, I’ve been hunting for one at the perfect price point, in the right kind of material (leather!) and the right colour.

Here’s exactly what I want: The buckle is perfection, the straps are divine (although I kind of wish they had magnetic buckles rather than being straps you feed into loops) and the inside was well-organized.

Alas, it was $145 at Boutique Razberry in Montreal and the CHEAPEST leather (if it was even real) I’ve ever touched.

(You can kind of see how cheap it is where it hits the light)

Felt like hard, cheap plastic something-or-another, and it wasn’t luxe or buttery soft and not worth it, especially at that price.

But if you check out Fossil, they’re re-issuing some satchels and messengers. Here are two styles (plenty of other colours too):

Vintage Re-Issue Messenger – $208

Vintage Re-Issue Flap – $148

I really can’t tell the difference between the two of them except the name and the $60 price tag.

I think the more expensive one looks slightly better, but not for $60. I guess I’ll have to touch them in person.

THE BAY

Then I saw some at The Bay from Nine West, but I am not sold. They still don’t look right.

They don’t look as satchel-y, and the leather wasn’t the right colour or feel either.

The canvas one is better but still not quite right. They’re both about $130-ish.

Before I left, I found the cutest shirt.

Too bad it’s for toddlers because I’d SO WEAR IT (without the bows and the Pepto Bismol pink touches).

Sigh. Little Pearls on Little Girls. 😛

FOREVER 21

I only bought one item from here (to come, below).

I found a lot of their items to be very Anthropologie-ish. Don’t you think?

Then I tried on a couple of things:

First, this striped navy nautical t-shirt dolman top thing.

Striped Stripes Top – $15.80

It was cute, but it was too baggy, the stripes weren’t doing it for me.. Pass.

(Also, isn’t that the dirtiest mirror ever? I was in there early in the morning, so it wasn’t like it was at the end of the day)

Multi-Print Dress – $27.80

I don’t know what made me pick up this dress.

Probably it’s shape and style since I’m a sucker for these dress shapes because they work the best on my inverted triangle figure.

What I hated was the pattern. It looks like a bajillion little eyes staring at me.

EYES.. EYES!!!!!!!!!

Random Green Top with what looks like Germs on there

I can’t find the link, but I tried it on because I love soft tops that have cute sleeves.

The only problem is that darn elastic ruching. AWFUL! Look at what it did, it gave me a maternity belly.

It’s not that I hate bellies, but it just wasn’t my style.

Doesn’t the pattern look like little bacteria swimming around or something? Haha..

Black sequin 3/4 jacket

Last is this sequin jacket. I’d like to buy a sequin jacket but can’t seem to pull the trigger.

This is a really poorly constructed jacket however.

It curls in the front, the sequins aren’t even, but I guess for such a low price, it is a steal for those who want a real sequin jacket but can’t afford the good stuff.

ONLINE SHOPPING

DESIGN GLUT

Found this cool store called Design Glut, check out how awesome these necklaces are!

I sort of.. want them all? 🙂

But especially these ones:

TAMIKOBAG (ETSY)

A Canadian Etsy seller (score!). She makes beautiful pieces out of Japanese obi.

I initially thought this camouflage flower one was ugly at first but now it’s growing on me and I rather like it.

The camouflage is less of a camo for me, and more of an impressionist flower painting done with army-ish colours.

I also -love- the jewels on the front.

Pretty. Just too pretty for words.

NERVOUSSYSTEM ON ETSY

How cool is jewellery that has a wonderful reason (NATURE!) of WHY it looks the way it does?

Algae blooms and the like — gorgeous.

WHAT I PURCHASED

2 SILICONE CHOCOLATE MOLDS

A gift for my mom because she likes to make chocolate, but has crappy plastic molds.

You need good molds to make good chocolate, so I got her La Patisserie silicone chocolate molds.

FOREVER 21 TURQUOISE RING – $5

And at Forever 21, I picked up this ring for around $5.

A turquoise ring with a faceted stone. It looks surprisingly expensive!

I love a good cocktail ring. 🙂

FACILE CAMP SHIRT – ANTHROPOLOGIE – $88

FINALLY. FINALLY bought this green Facile Camp Shirt from Anthropologie in Size 6.

I have high hopes for it.

(And yes, I know it breaks my no-solids or neutrals rule for this year, but this is my one exception.

It is kind of a statement piece of breezy, easy casualness)

It isn’t this kind of khaki army green colour either. It’s more of a true army green like this:

I am hoping that with that shirt, I can emulate styles similar to this:

*GASP*! 🙂

LA CORDEE – $319

I also picked up some Asolo Hiking Boots $319, and they feel AMAZING on my feet.

They are a bit heavier than my regular boots, but it keeps my ankle straight and when I walk, it feels natural.

They are damn heavy though. I really feel like I need to break them in and learn how to use my newfound muscles.

And that’s it for wardrobe stuff. 🙂

WHAT I’M FINDING WHEN I SHOP

I go into stores, I try on things, and then I ultimately pass.

Even at Forever 21, I had a hand full of rings and necklaces, and I put all of them back except that one ring.

I’m a LOT pickier now, and since I’m going for “statement” pieces this year, it is very easy for me to go into a store, scan for interesting prints or patterns and then leave.

This rule of mine is far more effective than a ban.

Reminder of my new shopping rules for 2011:

• No solids for the year (the 1 exception of Facile Camp shirt noted above)
• No neutrals
• Only patterns/prints

I could make an exception for a truly amazing piece of clothing that is architectural but in a solid colour, but it is rare for me to find something like that.

It is so much easier to shop now. I have all my basics and I don’t need any more.

I don’t need duplicates and I have to be super picky on everything, not just quality.