When I say Ancient Greek Sandals are my favorite sandal brand you know I mean it. There are 152 posts tagged with Ancient Greek Sandals on the blog. If we weren't in the middle of a pandemic right now I'm sure they would have been featured at least once a week since the warmer weather arrived.  I posted a (now inaccurate) photo of my sandals on Instagram in July but have since added 2 new pairs to the collection.

 

I first featured them as a "favorite thing" in summer 2013 after I bought my first pair - their iconic Ikaria winged sandal - earlier that month. I posted about them a few months previously in a Shopbop sale post that is now broken, ha ha. I did try to buy a pair then but they didn't fit. Back then Ancient Greek Sandals only came in a few styles and colors. They have since expanded into a plethora of colors, materials and styles. I wish I could buy them all, but I'll settle for my already too big collection of ELEVEN.

 

Founded in 2011 by Christina Martini and Nikolas Minoglou, Ancient Greek Sandals are handmade in Greece using traditional techniques that have existed for centuries. They are inspired by ancient Greek Gods and myths, pottery, jewellery and sculpture. One of my favorite things about the brand is their adorable wing buckles that appear on almost every pair.  I'm also kicking myself for not buying some cute accessories at their flagship store in Athens. (I was trying to behave and not spend too much money, ha ha!)

I used to only allow myself to buy 1 pair a year but that kind of went out the window the past couple years. I bought two pairs on our honeymoon in Greece last September and have bought THREE so far this year, whoops! To be fair, I used a gift card and advertising money from the blog to buy all three pairs (plus they were all on sale) so I don't feel too horrible. And I skipped buying new pairs in 2017 and 2018, ha ha.

Here's a look at my current collection. Some pairs have literally been all over the world with me so they definitely show signs of wear now. Luckily you can't tell in these photos.

 

Ikaria in Natural - bought June 2013

Beach Days

Athena in Terracotta - bought February 2014

Saturday in the Park

Astrapi in Natural Metallic (Net-a-Porter Exclusive) - bought June 2014

Monochromatic Blue in a Sea of Green

Clio in Marine - bought May 2015

Those Hard to Find Basics

Alethea in Perforated Black - bought in Santorini April 2015

Windblown in Venice

Athanasia in Croc - bought April 2016

Into the Wild

AGS x Gas Bijoi Stephanie Charms in Natural with Red - bought in Santorini September 2019

Grocery Store Chic

Apteros in Crosta Wine - bought in Athens September 2019

Dainty Pinky Rings in the Summer Heat

Clara in White - bought March 2020

Introducing the Stella McCartney Wild Cat Skinny Jeans

Faye in Brown (Net-a-Porter Exclusive) - bought August 2020 

Clio in Leopard - bought August 2020

Thrifted Safari Print Dress

*This post is NOT sponsored, I just love the Ancient Greek Sandals. Although, I wouldn't say no to a partnership with them...wink wink*

As you may recall, earlier this month I did a post featuring AUrate jewelry. Those were my first closet additions this month.  I also finally bought sandals from the Net-a-Porter sale. I was waiting for the end of the sale because they usually have a 15 or 20% off coupon at the end. I waited until the last day and sadly they did not do a coupon this time. So I bought them at their sale prices of 60% off using some side hustle money. 

 

Originally I was just going to get the embellished sandal, since they were super fun and my middle name (and my late Grandmother's) is Faye. But then I saw the leopard print ones for $74 and couldn't resist. So I broke my rule of 1 pair of Ancient Greek Sandals per year and have bought three this year, OOPS! But I didn't use "real" money for any of them, so it's fine, haha!

 

At the end of the month I was perusing my Shopbop wish list & sale section and noticed a sweater I have had on my wishlist for over a year was up to 70% off and they only had 1 left in stock (it's still for sale on the brand's website.) There was a bit of a snafu with a free reward I was supposed to get so they offered me 15% more off! Plus I used my partnership money so it was free.  

 

I also bought a couple Disney things with a gift card before my Annual Pass expired. One was a super cute light sweatshirt that I thought would be perfect for evenings in the parks or hanging out at home. The other was a couple state themed shirts, one for me (Connecticut) and one for Christian (Missouri.) Figured I would force him into wearing matching shirts on our next trip - whenever that may be. For those that don't know we had to cancel our May trip due to the virus. Back then I had re-booked a trip for November and December hoping we'd be okay. It's not looking good. I also have a THIRD trip booked for next May, REALLY hoping things are better by then. Thank goodness for free hotel cancellation, haha.

 

Patience pays off more often than you think. All the (non-Disney) items I bought this month could have been purchased over a year ago, but I waited for sales and extra discounts which saved me quite a bit of money. ($679.12 to be exact! Not that I ever would have bought the sweater full price)


THE (modified) RULES

1. Be mindful of purchases 
2. Quality over quantity
3. Basics are best

MY PROGRESS

Clothes:

1. FARM Rio Amazonian Ombre Mini Wrap Dress c/o Shopbop ($127.50, retail $170)
2. Burberry beaded owl sweater via eBay ($75, retail $2950 in 2012)
3. Stella McCartney Wild Cat Skinny Ankle Jeans via eBay ($15 after ad money, retail $735)
4. Ba&sh "Perla" dress in Green Light c/o Shopbop ($236.25, retail $630)
5. *NEW!* Nili Lotan Cashmere Abbey Sweater c/o Shopbop ($133.88, retail $525) 
6. *NEW!* Mickey Mouse Football Jersey in purple ($28, used gift card)
7. *NEW!* Disney State Fair Connecticut Tee ($17.47, used gift card)
   

Basics:

1. J Brand 811 Mid Rise Skinny Leg Jean in Moral ($0 after $25 credit & ad money, retail $228)
2. Madewell Camp Shorts in Faded Rosebud c/o Shopbop ($35, retail $50)

Shoes:

1. Ancient Greek Sandals 'Clara' Sandal c/o Shopbop ($221.25, retail $295)
2. Sperry Rio Aqua Slip-On Sneaker ($14.83 via DSW, retail $64.99) 
3. *NEW!* Ancient Greek Sandals 'Faye' embellished leather sandals via Net-a-Porter Sale ($112, retail $289, used side hustle money)
   
4. *NEW!* Ancient Greek Sandals 'Clio' leopard-print leather slingback sandals via Net-a-Porter Sale ($74, retail $185, used side hustle money)
   

Accessories:

1. Ray Ban 'Erika' Sunglasses in Havana c/o Shopbop (retail $163)
2. Madewell Medium Slim Saddle Bag c/o Shopbop ($118.50, retail $158)
3. Shashi Princess Leia Necklace c/o Shopbop ($55)

Activewear:

1. SPANX Look At Me Now Seamless Leggings in Indigo Leopard c/o Shopbop ($68)

Gifted from Brands:

1. AUrate Pearl Studs in Rose Gold (retail $150)
2. AUrate Medium Chain Bracelet in Rose Gold (retail $50)
3. *NEW!* AUrate Gold Twist Huggie Earrings (retail $80)
4. *NEW!* AUrate Stackable Twist Ring (retail $80)
5. *NEW!* AUrate Mini Infinity Ring (retail $70)

Total spent in August: $0

Total spent in 2020: $104.83

Another outfit worn just for a quick trip to the grocery store for some non-perishable items. Christian and I tag team with one of us in charge of the list and one in charge of actually touching the items. We've got quite the system to make sure we're safe and efficient. Hopefully soon things won't be this way but for now we are taking all precautions. 

As we're nearing the 6 month mark of trying to stay distant from others it is more important than ever to stay connected in a safe way. A fun way to do that is sending packages or letters to friends and family to keep in touch and let them know you're thinking of them. CarePackages.com is offering a care package to one of my lucky readers!

All you have to do to enter is follow CarePackages4Everyone on Instagram and leave a comment on this blog post with your favorite care package on their website. Once you complete those 2 entries, 2 bonus entries will show up!

NOTE: Sometimes Blogger doesn't like if you comment from your phone with just a Name/URL, if you don't see your comment try on a computer or log into a Google account to comment.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This giveaway is a partnership with Nakturnal. Opinions are my own*

For the friend who's trying to stay healthy I'd go for the Organic Treats care package! They even have nut-free and vegan options. (I might have to get the Chocolate Passion for myself.)

Back to the outfit - I bought these sandals on our honeymoon in September and this was the first time I wore them out in public. They were a lot lighter when I bought them and the girl at the store told me to  leave them in the sun to naturally tan the leather (so it would match the pair on display.) I left them sitting in a sunny window for a few weeks and voila, instant tan on my sandals. In the past my natural colored pairs did this over time but it was fun to do it upfront. They'll keep getting darker over time too.

Floral Camisole: eight sixty, Shorts: Madewell Camp Shorts c/o Shopbop, Sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals X Gas Bijoux 'Stephanie Charms' (bought in Santorini), Necklace: Shashi Princess Leia Necklace c/o Shopbop, Sunglasses: Gucci Aviators (bought in Italy), Mask: Made by Mom

*This post was made in partnership with Nakturnal.  Thank you for supporting brands I feature*

I haven't been getting out much these past few (aka FIVE) months, because we're staying safe at home, but when I do it's with minimal jewelry due to the heat.  How adorable are these small stackable pinky rings from Aurate? You can get them in sizes ranging from 3 to 10 so they're fit for any finger. I definitely want to add more of their thin rose gold rings to my jewelry box.
If you are a long time follower of the blog you'll know that I used to wear a LOT of rings, almost one per finger. But since getting engaged and married I've worn a lot less. These thin rings are a great accompaniment to my wedding rings. I went with rose gold vs white gold to add a bit more fun. Who says you can't mix metals?!
Both rings (and my cute twist huggie earrings) are made with ethically sourced and sustainably made Rose Gold Vermeil. Similar to yellow gold, rose gold is made with a blend of color-saturated alloys with a bit more copper for a rosy hue. Vermeil is basically a fancy name for gold-plated. Aurate goes above and beyond the required amounts and uses 14-karat gold with over 2.5 microns (thickness) and finishes with a top coat to ensure durability and shine.
To make your purchase even better, Aurate has a lifetime guarantee! They'll re-plate, polish, and repair your jewelry when needed. Additionally, for every piece of gold purchased, Aurate donates a book to a child in need in your name.
Summer and hot temps are the perfect time for bold prints! You don't want to have a lot of fabric covering your body so why not make it fun and vibrant. This dress by Farm Rio is so much fun, I was looking forward to wearing it at Disney this Spring but sadly that trip didn't happen. Rather than let it sit in the closet until next year, I decided to wear it for a day of nothing.

I finished the look off with a pair of sandals - I live in my Ancient Greek Sandals all Summer. I'm up to 9 pairs so far - with another possibly on the way, wow! I didn't need a bag since we were just going on a walk but if walking is the only activity on the schedule for the foreseeable future why not make it a complete outfit. This Madewell crocodile effect bag was a pre-quarantine purchase that I never got to wear before lockdown. So glad I was finally able to use it, even if it was just holding my phone, mask and hand sanitizer! Last minute I threw on another new piece. A layered necklace that I got my Mom for Mother's Day. And no, I didn't steal it from her - I got one for my sister and I too so we could all match!

Dress: FARM Rio Amazonian Ombre Mini Wrap Dress c/o Shopbop, Sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals 'Apteros' in Crosta Wine (bought in Athens), Bag: Madewell Medium Slim Saddle Bag c/o Shopbop, Sunglasses: Ray Ban Erika c/o Shopbop, Necklace: Shashi Princess Leia Necklace c/o Shopbop, Rings c/o Aurate - Stackable Twist Ring & Mini Infinity Ring in Rose Gold, Earrings c/o Aurate - Gold Twist Huggie Earrings in Rose Gold

I bought this dress - for a STEAL on eBay - at the end of October and it was killing me knowing I would have to wait until next Summer to wear it. Then I remembered I had my trip to Disney a couple weeks ago and knew it would be perfect for my day at Animal Kingdom! I'm a major Disney geek so naturally I have Disney-related tees that I wear to all the parks but for Animal Kingdom I usually go for some sort of animal print and in this case a patterned Edun dress.

I hope all my American followers have a great Thanksgiving (and possibly long weekend if your employer is nice!)

Dress: Edun red printed silk dress (eBay), Sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals 'Athanasia' in Croc (Moda Operandi), Mickey Mouse Bag: Coach x Disney 'Patricia Saddle in Glove Calf Leather with Mickey Ears' (Coach Outlet), Magic Band: It's a Small World