This past weekend I met up with Christine and Lydia for brunch and some shopping. There were supposed to be more of us, but the other girls couldn't make it...sad!  We enjoyed a lovely brunch at Nellie Green's and then headed to Coco's of Madison because they are having a $10 sale...everything is $10!!! While we were there I tried on so many great pieces, but walked out with a Marc Jacobs denim jacket, knee-length flared leather skirt and a burgundy oversized jacket (which the woman at the store said retailed for $500, wowie!)  I paid a measly $30, how awesome is that!?

On Monday I went out to breakfast with my Aunt, Uncle and cousin and we stopped at Uptown Consignment. They also had amazing pieces; we're talking a Proenza Schouler vest and Miu Miu dress (among other non-designer pieces!)  I found a pair of Dolce and Gabbana mary janes for $98; they fit perfectly and were in great condition, except one was missing a heel tip. I left without them and couldn't stop thinking about what I could wear them with, so I stopped at the store again on my way home to pick them up.  Because of the missing heel tip I got 20% off! YES!!! New tips have been ordered and once I put that on they'll be as good as new.

Song of the Day: Something in the Way She Moves by James Taylor

Blazer: Chanel (Roundabout Resale), Skirt: H&M, Sweater: American Eagle, Heels: White Mountain c/o Marshalls, Watch: Michael Kors (Lord & Taylor), Sunglasses: Ray Ban 'Emma' (Marshalls), Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs (Shopbop), Lightening Bolt Ring: RawEarthStudio on etsy

(sorry for the photo overload, but that's what happens when Lydia takes my photos)

It was SO cold and windy, we were dying...evidence:

Here is part two of my Fall 2013 Favorites!  Not sure how many more installments I'll have, but we shall see!  There seems to be a theme going - black, dark colors, some prints, slouchy pieces and lots of pants (with some skirts and dresses mixed in.)  Once again, view all my favorites in this lookbook! What have been your favorite collections so far?

Jenni Kayne		Juicy Couture
Lala Berlin		Monique Lhuillier
Veronica Beard		Lela Rose
Jil Stuart		Lyn Devon
Nicole Miller		Prabal Gurung
Rebecca Minkoff		Pierre Balmain
St. John		Rebecca Taylor
Thakoon		Tiger of Swede
Tracy Reese		Wood Wood
M.Patmos		Yigal Azrouël

Last Wednesday I was invited to the Kate Spade Saturday exclusive preview party in New York.  So I dragged my friend Jess from work with me to check out the collection (okay, not dragged, she was very excited)!  Kate Spade Saturday launches in March and is a less expensive version of Kate Spade New York.  The line is geared toward a younger demographic with the pieces coming in bright colors and prints.  Thanks to Fab, you can shop the collection before it's officially released! They have a Kate Spade Saturday Pop Up Shop where you can purchase select pieces.

The prices will be around 50% lower than regular Kate Spade, the most expensive item I saw at the event was $170 for a dress and bag.  According to WWD, the average price point for Kate Spade Saturday will be $90 for apparel; $55 for eyewear; $40 for fashion accessories; $130 for handbags; $25 for home; $30 for jewelry; $85 for shoes; $45 for small goods; $50 for swimwear; $30 for tech, and $50 for watches.

Some of my favorite pieces from what I saw at the launch are the B.F.F. Cardi which can be worn as one color or a mix of black and blue, the Let Loose Dress that can be worn 3 ways, and a lot of the bags, accessories and home items.
At the event they had a selection of items to purchase and I picked up a set of 4 tall glasses.  We also got goodie bags that contained an adorable set of pencils; all were black and had the day of the week printed on them; except for Saturday, which was yellow, because it's #TheBestDayEver!

Be sure to follow Kate Spade Saturday on Twitter and Instagram with ks_saturday! :)

Thanks to Kate Spade for the invite, I had such a fun time at the event!

Happy Friday!  What a week we had, right? The storm kept me home on Monday because we weren't plowed until 8pm...oy! But then I went back to work Tuesday - Thursday and will be working from home today, as usual.  Unfortunately I missed two events on Monday (the LXR & Co. Brunch & the Kaelen presentation) BUT I got to go to the Kate Spade Saturday exclusive preview party on Wednesday! I'll tell you more about that on Monday.

As you can see, I have a new item on this week! My CHANEL BLAZER!!! EEEP! I alluded to the purchase in this post revealing my Burberry Prorsum dress.  This was definitely a really lucky find at Roundabout Resale.  I paid $400 for it...can you say AMAZING!  After some research I found that it is from Autumn 1998, it's amazing how a classic item really can stand the test of time (duh, that's why it's classic.) Needless to say I am obsessed and can't wait to wear it more!

I have also decided to try and wear all my blazers over the next few weeks. It's such a shame that they don't get as much wear as I would like, but they make it difficult to wear coats and those are definitely a necessity in the city. But I'm going to suck it up and wear them, even if I have to carry them while I walk! ;)

Monday: Blazer: The Extreme Collection (Second Time Around Vintage), Top: Equipment (Marshall's), Jeans: Rag & Bone (Shobop), Booties: No.704b. (DSW),  Watch: Michael Kors (Lord & Taylor)

Tuesday: Blazer: Chanel (Roundabout Resale) Tee: H&M, Jeans: Free People (Gilt Groupe), Flats: Liz Claiborne (DSW), Necklace: Francesca's, Watch: Michael Kors (Lord & Taylor)

Thursday: Sweater: Madewell (Shobop), Vest: French Connection (Marshall's) Jeans: Genetic Denim c/o Piperlime, Boots: Grandma's Brooch: Laila Rowe, Watch: Michael Kors (Lord & Taylor)

And a detail shot of my alligator :)

Happy Valentine's Day!!! Since I don't have my own Valentine, I'm giving away a fun pink skull cuff from Jules Smith which retails for $49!  The jewelry line was founded by Gina Nigrelli-Smith; "her design aesthetic swaggers back and forth from 60s post-modern to 70s boho and 80s glam."  The pieces range from simple and classic to edgy, so there's something for everyone! I'm personally obsessed with the Snake Charmer Cuff and Lucky Strike Necklace (Harry Potter Forever!)


The giveaway closes on February 21st and is open internationally. To Enter you must do all of the following and be sure to leave your email:

• Be a follower of Closet Fashionista on Google OR Bloglovin
• Like Jules Smith on Facebook OR Follow on Twitter
• Tweet about the giveaway: post a link to the giveaway and include @Closet_Fashion, @julessmithjewel and #julesloves

Bonus Entries: Leave one comment for EACH additional entry, each comment counts as an entry.

• Follow Closet Fashionista on Google AND Bloglovin
• Like Jules Smith on Facebook AND Follow on Twitter
• Follow Closet Fashionista on Twitter (Closet_Fashion)
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A couple weeks ago I did a post rounding up some of the ways I have styled my clothes to get the most bang for my buck.  Let's continue that post today, shall we?  As I stated in my first post, it is pointless to buy an item and not wear it often.  Cost per wear is one of the most important things I think about when buying an item.  For those of you that don't know what that is, here is a quick lesson: price of item ÷ by number of times worn = true cost

This philosophy doesn't always work, sometimes you need to spend more money for quality or a piece you really love (see: Chanel), but it is a great general rule of thumb.  Try to get the cost/wear as low as you can, if you make it under $1...AMAZING!  Thrifting is a great way to find items that will cost next to nothing in the long run. However, be careful not to be seduced by a really low price, if you won't wear it: don't buy it!

Song of the Day: Shake It Up by The Cars


The Piece: Alexander Wang 'Freja' Booties

The Piece: T. Babaton Snakeskin Sweater

The Piece: Theyskens' Theory Leather Jacket

The Piece: Marc Jacobs Velvet Polka Dot Blazer

The Piece: Inis Crafts Fishermans Sweater

The Piece: Free People Wide Leg Jeans
I think my best purchase to date has been my Marc by Marc Jacobs Baby Aidan purse (seen throughout the images above.) I bought it in July 2011 and it has rarely left my arm since.  It is my main work purse, so that's 5 days a week plus I use it a lot on weekends as well.  I do make sure to rotate my other bags in as well, but I use it 80% of the time.  My mom was shocked when I spent $320 on it, looks like the joke is on her now because I have probably gotten the cost down to at least 95¢ per wear ;)