Closet Fashionista

October is my birthday month and normally I allow myself a clothing splurge. I refrained this year since I've had a few slow work months and saving for vacations and retirement seemed to be more important. I did buy a couple of tops on my Disney trip but those are more like souvenirs since I won't wear them in my day to day life, ha ha. (A 50th anniversary sweatshirt tee and a Remy's Ratatouille Adventure annual passholder exclusive tee)

I also have another sponsored post for Aurate coming next week so I was able to get a couple rings. I always love working with them, they carry such classic pieces.

THE (modified) RULES

Be mindful of purchases
Quality over quantity
Basics are best

MY PROGRESS

Clothes:

mīere the label Women’s Cotton Knit Sweater in Terracotta ($68.87 including shipping)
Vintage Disneyland shorts with embroidered Mickey pockets ($20 via Poshmark, used ad money)
Old Navy EveryWear Printed V-Neck T-Shirt in leopard ($3.58, retail $10)
Old Navy Luxe Printed High-Neck Tank Top in Olive Green Botanical ($4.78, retail $19.99)

Basics:

FRAME Denim Le Skinny de Jeanne Crop in Sunnyside ($30 via Poshmark, retail $189, $18.67 after ad money)
Old Navy First-Layer Slim-Fit Rib-Knit Tank Top in Crimson Cranberry ($1.78, retail $6)
Old Navy High-Waisted Textured Twill Shorts in Copper Moon ($7.18, retail $29.99)

Shoes:

Splendid Harvest Mules in Tiger/Cheetah Print - also here ($25.80 via eBay, retail $118, used ad money)
Teva Original Universal Sandals in Boomerang Pink Lemonade ($42.50 via Shopbop, used partnership money)

Handbags:

Prada Cahier in 'Viola' purple via Vestiaire Collective ($1488, used bag savings account)

Accessories:

None yet

Activewear/Swimwear:

Target "All in Motion" Zip-Front Racerback Laser Cut Back Detail One Piece Swimsuit ($34.99)
Old Navy High-Waisted Cropped Leggings in Raisin' Arizona ($5.98, retail $14.99)

Gifted from Brands:

Vintage Emerald Cut Ring - London Blue Topaz c/o Aurate ($50 after gifted amount)
Infinity Hoop Earrings - Yellow Gold c/o Aurate
Pearl and Gold Bar Duo Stud Earring - Rose Gold c/o Aurate
Simple Pearl Bracelet - Rose Gold c/o Aurate
*NEW!* Midi Stackable Twist Diamond Ring - White Gold c/o Aurate
*NEW!* Stackable Twist Ring - White Gold c/o Aurate

Spent in October: $0

Spent in 2021: $232.96

Spent in 2021 Counting Prada bag: $1,720.96

I was not intending on taking outfit photos the day I wore this. Christian and I had a bunch of errands to run in the morning and after having an overindulgent lunch at Chili's (to use my free birthday dessert!) we decided to take a long walk in the park. It was too pretty to not snap a few photos so you get to see a super simple outfit and no makeup. Jeans, tee, cardigan - done!

It was a PERFECT Fall day so we ended up staying over an hour just walking around and chatting. Simple pleasures. A nice change from sitting on the couch on my computer all day. We were also having a nice laugh watching the park rangers go around the parking lot giving people tickets if they didn't have a park sticker. We don't live in town anymore so we actually bought a non-resident sticker so we could continue to come to this park.

Tee: A New Day via Target

Purple Cardigan: Max Studio

Jeans: Current/Elliott skinny jean in Love Destroyed

Bag: Purple Prada Cahier in Viola (Rebag via Vestiaire Collective)

Sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals 'Apteros' in Crosta Wine (bought in Athens)

Stud earrings will always be my earring of choice because they are so easy to wear and sleep in without worry. I'm notorious for wearing the same pair for weeks on end but thanks to Aurate I've been swapping out my earrings more often because I've grown a small collection of cute pairs from the brand.

With many of Aurate's earrings you can buy singles or pairs which makes it super easy to customize stud earrings for your tastes. They have a new diamond moon, lightening bolt, gold letters, birthstones and more! All can also be made in yellow, rose or white gold so there truly is something for everyone. I bought a Pearl and Gold Bar Duo Stud Earring in rose gold so I could swap out one of my pearl studs for added interest. Such a fun addition to my jewelry box.

This order was the first time I chose items that weren't in stock at the time of purchase. This means that I got to follow along the progress of my earring being made! Aurate doesn't keep a ton of pieces on hand so that you don’t pay for extra inventory costs and they produce less waste. I got emails throughout the whole process so I knew when to expect my jewelry.

Status emails from Aurate

Since my jewelry collection is growing it may be time to figure out a new display solution. Currently I have a wooden jewelry box my grandpa made where I store old pieces. I also have a clear plastic tray organizer with multiple boxes so I can grab my most worn pieces with ease. For some of my bigger necklaces I have a really cute wall hanger that my Mom made with fun knobs on a piece of teal painted wood, similar to this piece. I did get Aurate's Travel pouch for when I go on longer trips and want jewelry options, super convenient! How do you store your jewelry?

I was going to wear the pearl studs for my brother's wedding reception last month but there was a delay in shipping due to a hurricane and they didn't arrive in time. I opted to go for my fun rose gold Sensu Ear Jackets from Aurate along with my pearl necklace instead!

He got married in a small ceremony last year so this year was technically the reception. I wore the same dress to his small scale wedding but wasn't about to not wear it for the big gathering! To make it different I just switched up my accessories. Easy peasy!

Dress: Ba&sh "Perla" dress in Green Light c/o Shopbop

Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood Lola pearl sandals (Net-a-Porter)

Bag: Purple Prada Cahier in Viola (Rebag via Vestiaire Collective)

Simple Pearl Necklace c/o Aurate

Sensu Ear Jackets c/o Aurate

Opal ring + bracelet: Grandma's

As those of you who follow my Instagram know, I was at Disney World last week (and beginning of this week) for the 50th anniversary of Magic Kingdom! While that was the main purpose of the trip I was also very excited for EPCOT's Food & Wine Festival, one of my favorite times of year to go! I'm going to reshare some tips I've posted in the past for those of you that will be going to Food & Wine for the first time.

This year I went equipped with an empty stomach and my wishlist full to the brim of tasty food options! Christian decided to go with the flow and picked up one of the Festival guides when we arrived to decide what he wanted as we went.

My Food & Wine Tips

1. Download the WDW - Food&Wine app to keep track of everything you want to try and have tried! Before our trip I wish-listed everything I wanted to try so I wouldn't have to think about it while in the park. As I tried things I marked them off as "Tasted." The app also gives you a running total of what you spent which is pretty fun (and can be scary!)

WDW Food&Wine (this is not an official Disney app)

2. Buy a gift card. I find it helpful to buy the special festival gift card on a wrist coil. You have to load them with at least $15 but you'll spend that if you eat a few dishes (and you don't just have to use it on food!) They always have a cute design. It's a great way to control your spending because you can load it with whatever your budget for the day and reload if needed. This year I didn't get the festival gift card and opted for the special 50th Anniversary gift cards. There are 5 in total but we only found 4 of them, darn!

3. Pace yourself. Spread Food & Wine eats out over a few days of your trip if you can! Park hop back to EPCOT once you're done at another park for a couple snacks. If you only have one, day don't try to eat too much or you'll only remember the stomach-ache you had. We spent one full day at EPCOT and visited again for two half days (plus a quick evening trip where we rode rides instead of trying food.)

4. Share bites with others so you can sample even more! If multiple people want to try the same thing why not split it so you have room for even more snacks? And, if you happen to really like it, go back to get a second if you're still hungry at the end of the day! Christian and I shared a lot so we were able to get more from our lists. Unfortunately he had to eat the cheesy items on his own!

What We Ate

Time for the fun part - talking about everything we ate! Let's go by country and in order of the Festival Guide.

Shimmering Sips

Shimmering Strawberry Soft-serve served in a Waffle Cone

This was one of our most instagrammable treats, look how fun and sparkly! I'm not usually a fan of plain strawberry ice cream (gelato, yes, ice cream, meh) but this was too fun to pass up! I really enjoyed it. Pro tip - make sure you have a water cup or bowl to dump your ice cream into and eat it with a spoon so you don't become a drippy mess.

Australia

Grilled Sweet and Spicy Bush Berry Shrimp served with Pineapple, Pepper, Onion, and Snap Peas and Deconstructed Pavlova served with Pastry Cream, Citrus-macerated Berries, and Lemon Myrtle Meringue

Australia usually has some sort of "bush berry" shrimp on the menu and it's always tasty. Also a good way to get a few veggies if you're mostly eating fried foods on your trip. Mine seemed to be mostly snap peas but was still delicious. I would definitely buy this again. The deconstructed pavlova was fun but I wasn't a fan of the meringue. The berries were so fresh and sweet so that made up for it.

Refreshment Port

Traditional Poutine - French Fries, Boursin Cracked Black Pepper Crumbles, and Cheese Curds

This was a Christian-only treat because I am not a fan of poutine. He said it was pretty good, although the poutine he had when we went to Montreal was obviously better.

Belguim

Belgian Waffle served with Warm Chocolate Ganache

Christian and I shared this after he scraped away the whipped cream (I know, I'm weird.) The waffle was fluffy and the ganache tasty but this was overall just okay. But for $4.50 it's one of the cheaper items we tried.

Tangerine Café: Flavors of the Medina

Grilled Kebabs with Couscous, Tomato-Onion Salad, and Garlic-Aioli (Lemon-Garlic Chicken)

There were 3 different kabob options and we went with the chicken, it was very tasty! I'm always a fan of couscous and the salad was nice and refreshing. If we had stayed longer I might have also tried the Harissa-marinated Beef Tenderloin tips. They also had a Moroccan Spiced Lamb option.

Greece

Lamb Moussaka

Ever since our honeymoon Christian has become enamored with moussaka. Any time we see it on a menu he has to try it to see how it compares to the amazing one he had in Santorini. He said this was good but seemed to be a bit more Americanized than other dishes we tried. It reminded him of lasagna.

Japan

Teriyaki Chicken Bun - Steamed Bun filled with Chicken, Vegetables, and Teriyaki

A great choice for the picky eater this has a very subtle flavor. We thought it could have used more of a kick but overall it was still tasty. I do think it was a little expensive at $6.50. I would much prefer one of my other bites for that price if we were to go back.

Spain

Spanish-style Paella with Rice, Chorizo, and Shrimp & Charcuterie with a selection of imported Spanish Meats, Cheeses, and Olives with an Herb Vinaigrette

I always have to stop in Spain at EPCOT Food & Wine for their delicious Paella! The festival has included it every year I've gone and I'll be very upset if they ever stop! The meats used are always slightly different but it never disappoints. It's so tasty and a great portion size. Christian and I also got the Charcuterie to share (he ate all the cheese, I had the olives.)

Germany

Roast Bratwurst in a Pretzel Roll

Another simple snack for the less adventurous eater. This comes with mustard but since I'm not a fan I asked for mine plain. Obviously without the mustard it's a little dry but I still found it very tasty.

The Alps

Blueberry and Almond Frangipane Tart with Crème Fraîche

This was probably the most disappointing item we got. It came out and looked totally different from the photo example and the texture was off. There wasn't really a tart crust, it seemed to have melted from the blueberries and frangipane. I only tried a tiny bite because Christian warned me it had a weird texture (I don't like things that are too creamy.) The flavor was good but overall it was just "meh" because it was a little too mushy.

Kenya

Piri Piri Skewered Shrimp with Citrus-scented Couscous

Apparently we had a shrimp theme this trip. I was super excited to try this and it was amazing! If we didn't get this on our last day I would have gotten it twice. We had some of the EPCOT birds eyeing the plate as we were eating this on a bench, they thought they were going to get some - wrong!

India

Warm Indian Bread with Pickled Garlic, Mango Salsa, and Coriander Pesto Dips & Korma Chicken with Basmati Rice, Crispy Chickpeas, and Spiced Yogury Sauce & Madras Red Curry with Roasted Cauliflower, Baby Carrots, Chickpeas and Ben's Original Basmati Rice

We tried all the food at the India booth and everything was great! I think our favorite may have been the curry but everything was good. I loved the coriander pesto dip that came with the warm bread while Christian thought the mango salsa was best. All of these were great for sharing and we would get them all again.

China

Pan-fried Chicken Dumplings served with House-made Sweet-and-Spicy Sauce & Crispy-fried Pepper Shrimp served with Spicy Sichuan Noodles

China always comes through with delicious dumplings and some sort of noodle dish. Both of these were great, although Christian balked at the $5 price-tag for 2 dumplings. But who cares, they're so yummy!

The Donut Box

Sriracha-glazed Donut & Strawberry Smoothie

One of the most anticipated things at the Food & Wine Festival was this sriracha-glazed donut. It comes with a piece of fried chicken inside and a slaw with some aioli and who knows what else. This was a Christian-only treat but I did try a bite of just chicken and donut. He looooved it and we almost went back for a second one on our last day. The smoothie was delicious and very refreshing.

Mac & Eats

Cowboy Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Pork Belly, Brisket Burnt Endss, Pickled Peppers, and Onion Straws

This might have been in Christian's top 5 favorite items. The portion was great for $6.25 and he said it was very tasty!

There were a lot more things we would have tried (and eaten again) if we had more days at the park but sadly we had to come home. I'd consider living at Disney during the Food & Wine festival just so I could pop into EPCOT every day for a random treat.

I hope you enjoyed coming along with us on this culinary tour of the world!

I finished this post on Monday, so if I've made clothing purchases at Disney they won't appear here until next month! My adventure continues through next week so make sure to follow me on Instagram for Magic Kingdom 50th Anniversary fun!

I was doing pretty well this year and not making too many purchases. But at the beginning of the month Old Navy had a big sale on their clearance items so I stocked up on some things for Christian and of course had to take a "quick look" for myself and ended up with a few things. But I only spent $23 and got 5 pieces! Unfortunately I don't think I'll be ordering from Old Navy online again. Had some issues and ended up with 2 of the exact same order so I had to go through the hassle of returning a whole order. UGH!

THE (modified) RULES