Now that my wedding ceremony and family party are done I can share what I wore! I didn't want a regular wedding so it made sense to not wear a regular wedding dress. I still wanted something feminine and pretty so I had Needle & Thread in mind. I've always loved their lace and beaded dresses but never had an occasion to buy one. My wedding seemed like the perfect time! Another stipulation I had was I didn't want to spend thousands on a dress. Enter - the Net-a-Porter sale, my favorite sale of the Summer!

Once the sale started I began checking religiously to see if any dresses popped up in my price range that I liked. I saved a bunch to my wishlist and patiently waited for further reductions. I ended up finding a really pretty dress by Needle & Thread for 40% off retail! The photos showed it as being really light pink but the description said lilac. A lighter shade of my favorite color seemed appropriate so I bought it with advertising money that was just deposited to my PayPal account. Totally meant to be!

(I almost chose this longer dress but feared it would be way too long on me because I'm not model height. Good thing I didn't because the dress I bought was supposed to hit at the knee and went all the way down to mid-calf.)


Next up, shoes. My main searches were on The Real Real and the Net-a-Porter sale. I was hoping to find a purple shoe to go with the dress but none of them really screamed wedding. I wanted a less expensive pair of shoes but I just kept coming back to a pair of Kirkwood sandals that were a little over what I wanted to pay. They were so much fun and I loved that they were unique. Definitely special enough for a wedding. Plus, 50% off is still a pretty great score, right?

Nicholas Kirkwood Lola embellished Lurex sandals (Net-a-Porter)

For my something old I wore opal earrings that belonged to my late Grandmother on my Dad's side and were passed down to me. Opals are my birthstone, hence why there is an opal on my engagement ring. When it came to my something blue I chose a topaz necklace that my other Grandmother passed down to me a few years ago. It was a nice surprise for her to see I wore it! This way I had an heirloom from both of them on my special day. Finally, my mother lent me my something borrowed - an opal bracelet that was passed down to her from my Dad's mom (which was part of a set with the earrings that I wore.)  I'll go into my engagement ring and wedding band in a different post so this doesn't become a mile long.

Something Old: Opal and gold earrings that belonged to my paternal Grandmother

Something Borrowed: Opal & Gold bracelet from Mom that was my paternal Grandmother's

Something Blue: Topaz and diamond necklace passed down from my maternal Grandmother

I didn't do anything with my hair because Christian likes it straight and I did my own makeup, very simply. My Mom got me a beautiful purple-themed bouquet even though I originally wasn't going to have one.  She pointed out that it would give me something to hold during the ceremony to make me feel less awkward. So true!

Bridal bouquet from City Line Florist

My husband (AHH! So weird saying that) wore some nice blue pants, a lilac button down and blue tie for the ceremony and party. I think we make a pretty stylish couple, don't you?


Thank you so much to the lovely Lydia for taking all these photos for us on our special day!!

Wedding Dress: Needle & Thread Mirage tiered embellished tulle dress (Net-a-Porter), Wedding Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood Lola embellished Lurex sandals (Net-a-Porter),  Wedding Band: Sofia Zakia Altair Ring (Catbird), Engagement Ring: Custom Sofia Zakia Wandering Star  Ring, Opal

Men's Button Down: Ryan Seacrest Ultimate Slim Fit,  Pants: Apt. 9 Slim Fit Twill Suit in Dusty Blue (we scored the pants only for $15 on the clearance rack at Kohl's!)

I was able to behave this month and nothing new has been added to my closet. But you will notice I finally updated the information for my wedding dress, wedding shoes and wedding band! I got married in a super small ceremony last Saturday. We're having a party for our family and friends tomorrow. I'll share photos in my wedding look next week.



THE (modified) RULES

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

MY PROGRESS 

Clothes:

1. J. Crew 'Harlow' cardigan sweater in star print ($15, $90 retail, used gift card)
2. Robert Rodriguez tonal paisley chiffon dress via Roundabout ($16.80, $348 retail) 
3. Mickey Baseball Tee via Disney Character Warehouse ($14.99, used gift card)
4. Mickey Metallic Tank via Disney Character Warehouse ($7.99, used gift card) 
5. Wedding Dress - Needle & Thread Mirage tiered embellished tulle dress via Net-a-Porter ($206, retail $405, used ad money) 

Basics:

1. nothing yet

Shoes:

1. Franco Sarto 'Dolly' mule in navy via DSW ($20, $80 retail)
2. Wedding Shoes - Nicholas Kirkwood Lola embellished Lurex sandals via  Net-a-Porter ($326, retail $815) 

Bags:

1. Dooney & Bourke 2017 Sorcerer Mickey Disney Shopper Tote via eBay ($200, used ad money & work bonus)

Accessories:

1. Wedding Band Sofia Zakia Altair Ring via Catbird ($562)

Gifted from Brands:

1. Azaggi Jewelry Round Crescent Moon necklace w/ CZs
2. Azaggi Jewelry Tiny Owl necklace

Total spent in September: $0

Total spent in 2018:  $36.80
(not counting wedding shoes + band)

I have had this look saved since July to recreate with my crazy vintage suede jacket - first seen here. Whenever I browse through Net-a-Porter's new arrivals I always find outfit inspiration. One of my favorite things about Net-a-Porter is that they style pieces into full looks rather than just showing you the item with jeans. I find that so much more inspiring. This particular look is for the Valentino Fringed Beaded Suede Jacket and was super simple to recreate with light jeans a black top and pumps.

Vintage Suede Jacket: William Barry - Brandon Colorado (Vintanthromodern), Top: Cullen (Rue La La), Jeans: Everlane "The High-Rise Skinny Jean" in Mid-Blue, Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood suede Prism pumps (NET-A-PORTER), Bag: Chanel Classic 2.55 Double Flap (Madison Avenue Couture)


The Inspiration:

For my second monochromatic Thanksgiving outfit I went for the classic black and white. But this look is anything but basic thanks to my crazy Proenza Schouler printed pants!

Sweater: Everlane "The Cashmere Crop V-Neck", Printed Pants: Proenza Shouler (Yoox), Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood suede Prism pumps (NET-A-PORTER), Bag: Chanel Classic 2.55 Double Flap (Madison Avenue Couture, Necklace: Pearls & Plaid (gift from Lydia), Earrings: Mejuri 'Loop' by Jamie-Lee

A few weeks ago I was invited to check out a super cool and unique shopping site, HauteTrader. To put it simply, HauteTrader is a way to trade your gently worn designer clothes with other women and also earn points that you can use to purchase pieces. Currently, if you add three items within 24 hours, you'll receive 100 Haute-Points to start you off!

I've found myself checking the site a few times a day to see if there are any new pieces I want to trade for. If you don't want to go through the hassle of selling pieces and making sure you get what they're worth, why not trade for an item(s) of equal value!? The site is so easy and painless to use - read on below my outfit for a breakdown of the process.

Here's an outfit featuring the first piece I acquired through the site, a Diane von Furstenberg dress! It's such a unique piece and I remember liking it when I saw it in passing online when it was readily available. The mix of prints is super fun, I always love a bit of zebra. About a week later someone sent me a trade offer for my ruched Burberry dress and I accepted! You'll see that piece on the blog soon, it's a Missoni dress!

What do you think? Is HauteTrader a site you would use as an alternative to consignment stores and/or eBay? I will definitely be using it in the future when I have designer pieces I no longer love.  Also, just for reading this post, use code TradeWMegan for a free trade!

Dress: Diane von Furstenberg 'Fanny' (HauteTrader), Suede Prism Pumps: Nicholas Kirkwood (NET-A-PORTER)


Let's walk through the process, shall we?! First, you'll need to add to your closet. It's super easy to do. Just take photos of your piece, name it, write a description, and fill in other necessary information (size, condition, etc.) Your items will then go through the approval process. Once they are accepted you can begin making trade offers.

Every accepted label has a Tier value of (1-4). The Tier number shows you the trade value and Haute-Point value of your listing. Tier 1 is 100 Haute-Points while Tier 4 is 400. When you trade a Tier 2 item, you'll receive 200 Haute-Points in addition to the item(s) you traded for!

(I cut out the photos section of this screenshot to save space)

Completed Listing

I chose to add a few pieces that I rarely wear but was holding on to for no other reason than the fact that I spent a good amount of money on them and didn't want to sell them for less than what I paid. What's great about HauteTrader is that you are able to accept or decline any offers for your piece. It made me feel a lot better about parting with pieces when I knew I would get an equally great item, that I would wear more often, in exchange for my unloved pieces.

My Closet as of September 8th

Making offers is very simple! All you have to do is find an item you like, click "Make a Trade-Offer" and then choose up to three options for a trade. You can offer multiple items as part of your trade. The tradee can then choose which option she prefers or deny your trade. Fortunately for me, my first trade request went through without a hitch and was accepted within the 24 hour time limit!

The only thing I think is missing from this site is the ability to private message users. You'll have to write a comment on their profile or the specific item if you need to chat about something.

Once your offer is accepted you'll receive an email letting you know and asking you to pay the trade fee. HauteTrader charges $25 for Standard items and $50 for Premium items which includes signature confirmation shipping and handling. Just for reading this post, use code TradeWMegan for a free trade!

After both you and the person you've traded with have made your payments HauteTrader will send you a pre-paid shipping label so you can send your item to your new friend!

Here's an outfit that I wore almost exactly 7 years ago. Crazy how time flies! This was one of my first designer buys from back in the day. Not the first, but first 5. I wore the heck out of it when I first got it but sadly it sits in my closet unworn now. I guess that's what happens to loved pieces, we love them a bit too much and then they need to sit on the bench for a while.

Dress: Marc Jacobs 'Cynthia' (eBay), Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood suede Prism pumps (NET-A-PORTER, also here and here)



The Original: Wedges: R2 (DSW)

Another look wearing my Who What Wear dress as more of a kimono or jacket. This time I paired it with shorts instead of jeans. Rather than wearing a regular shirt I chose a bodysuit. This way, if I happened to have a more formal event in the evening, I could take off the shorts and button the dress back up. Voila, an easy day to night look! I should have taken photos of the "night look" but I didn't. Whoops. Just imagine the dress is buttoned. ;)

I wore this for a morning of hanging out with Lydia. We started off with brunch at Terrain, the home and garden version of Anthropologie. They have a farm to table restaurant within the store. After that we headed to a launch party for Darphin Paris cosmetics at Anthroplogie followed by a quick trip to Roundabout to check out their clearance sale.

Floral Dress: Who What Wear x Target, Bodysuit: Who What Wear Collection (Target), Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood suede Prism pumps (NET-A-PORTER, also here and here), Bag: Chanel 2.55 Double Flap (Madison Avenue Couture), Rings: Noir Jewelry (The Outnet)