We Discuss Brown Crayons and Fashion Lobotomies.

M: I bought that Urban Decay mascara you liked and hate it! Why can't there be One Mascara To Rule Them All? I'm back to using Tarteist for now.

A: Oh no, I'm sorry! I'm wearing it today and still love it though it doesn't really hold up all day.

M: Oh it's fine, I wanted to try something new, and I'm going to take it back and exchange it. I just need a different brush and formula.

A: I have rediscovered my love for Tarte BB cream. Man, that stuff is so good.

M: I re-bought It Cosmetics CC cream and like it a lot. It has more SPF than the Clinique stuff I've been using. It's so annoying that just replacing mascara, CC cream, and an eyebrow pencil was 96 freaking dollars. But I returned some other stuff so broke even.

A: That's some good sale math! I am nearly out of my Tarte BB cream, my Pixi cleanser and my Juno oil. Whyyyyy all at once?

A: Also! I got my eBates payout and used it to buy that $22 Foley + Corinna bag I didn't need. Oops.

M: Haaaa speaking of sale math.

A: Hush.

M: I did go back to an eyebrow pencil after over a year of Ka-Brow because I got tired of dealing with it and turns out the pencil took just as long because I'm rusty I guess.

A: I am currently using a NYX eyebrow pencil and an Anastasia pencil and, while the colors are different, the pencils are basically identical.

M: I should have gotten a cheaper one but I already knew the Benefit pencil is the right brown for me--so many dark browns have red in them and I have a very cool undertone and blah blah blah $24 for a brown crayon.

A: That's why I'm using two - one is too red, the other too brown. It's really stupid. It takes hours.

M: Sometimes I wish I was some person who never shops and wears the same stuff forever and doesn't wear makeup and is literally the opposite of everything I am.

A: I would like to be the kind of person who doesn't care about clothes or shopping or makeup but I don't know how to do that. How do you do that?

M: Total personality transplant? Lobotomy?

A: A lobotomy might work but sounds expensive.

M: Yeah voluntary fashion lobotomies are prob not covered by insurance.

A: That figures.

BUY THIS (So We Don't Have To): TJ Maxx, The Boot Report.

Yes, once again I've been scouring the new arrivals on the TJ Maxx website lest a good bargain gets away from my grabby grasp. I don't generally link to the shoes because the sizing is so limited, but there are some GOOD boots right now so you'll just have to pray to the size gods. Here's what I saw:

Delman boots! Several beautiful pairs:

These Delman riding boots are so glorious, I can't even. Tiny sizes only, I'm afraid, but YOU GUYS. These are $600 boots. If you have tiny feet please buy them because I can't! Ugh.

These over-the-knee boots are pretty legendary in the fashiony world for good reason. They're stretch suede so they fit like a glove and retail for close to $700 according to Nordstrom Rack. Again, tiny sizes only. BOOOO.

These Delman suede ankle boots have a better size range available and the price is incredible! Nordstrom Rack has a few colors available (and better pics) but the prices aren't nearly as good.

In non-Delman boot news, there are a couple of really great looking leather Chelsea boot styles all well under $100:

These are your basic perfect black Chelsea boot! They also come in a cool snake texture that of course I love. 

I immediately loved this pair of wingtip Chelsea boots because they remind me of the glorious and expensive Church's version that will never be mine. PS. They come in burgundy too! 

TJ Maxx also has several pairs of Frye boots but, while the prices are good, they aren't amazing. This pair is under $200 and looks like a super-classic Frye style:

Pretty nice, right? The perfect cognac brown and not too cowboy-leaning. Nordstrom Rack also has a ton of Frye boots, so definitely do a bit of comparison shopping. 

One more pair! Remember how you kept waffling last fall about perforated ankle boots? Maybe you didn't give in? Now's the time:

These beauties are Dolce Vita and they also come in a medium grey color. They're leather and under $60! These will be your perfect transition-to-autumn ankle boots. What are you waiting for? 

Weekend Window Shopping: Oh, Hey Boden.

I kind of forgot about Boden for a while but they recently sent me a catalog which compelled me to check out the website again. Boden is a bit more expensive than your average store but the quality is really good and I love their funky prints and unapologetically retro style. (The baby stuff is also ridiculously cute.)  The autumn line is out now and code 4GL7 gets you 15% Off + Free Shipping & Returns on $49+ Orders! (Unfortunately the code doesn't work on clearance items.) Being the bargain hunter I am, however, I mostly checked out the clearance items. Here's what I liked:

         

       

Stuff I Like: This and That + Whole30 Wrap Up

Hi there! I'm still reading 1Q84, still working my way through the Bad With Money podcast and lately haven't been watching much TV at all, so I don't have much new stuff to talk about. Instead, just some of this and that! I've also included a Whole30 wrap up at the bottom, so feel free to skip it if you don't curr.

image via www.noahscalin.com

This Friend of Mine Who Should Be Famous
Are any of you in the NYC area? My incredibly talented friend Noah Scalin is going to be part of a group show called dOGUMENTA - an art exhibit for dogs! It's at Brookfield Place August 11-13th. Noah makes incredible portraits out of unconventional materials, so definitely worth checking out.

This Video That Keeping Cracking Me Up
Watching this baseball dude get fucked up by a small grey kitten has been making me laugh all morning. Is he new? Has he never met a cat? Because this cat is NOT COOL WITH IT.

This Dumb Bag I Can't Stop Mentioning
Remember this awesome Foley + Corinna snakeskin weekender bag with leather trim? It's now $22 at TJ Maxx! This is crazy. It's still $117 on the F+C website! Amazon wants $109!

These Tiny Avocados I'm Obsessed With
Did you know that Trader Joe's has bags of teeny tiny avocadoes? TINY BABY AVOCADOES. Aside from being just adorable they're a perfect single serving size and they're the exact right size for a single slice of avocado toast. (My basic bitch avo toast tip: drizzle it with honey or chipotle hot sauce before eating. Delicious.)

This Weird Primer That I Can't Afford
My June Allure Beauty Box included a very generous sample of Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Blur Primer. It seemed dumb - a clear gel primer with flecks of gold in it. I mean, that shouldn't really work at all. Unfortunately it's awesome and luxurious and works great and gives my face a nice glow. Also unfortunately it's $52 so I'll just use up my sample and cry bitter tears tbh. The usual.

Whole30 Wrap Up
A few of you asked, so I thought I'd write up my Whole30 results. I finished a week ago and I was really glad to be done with it. It gets pretty tedious to be constantly thinking about what you're going to eat but, it wasn't actually that hard. It was boring and took a lot of planning but I ate a lot of really good food and didn't have an massive cravings. My positive results:

• A huge improvement in my sleep. I fall asleep immediately and sleep through the night.
• My GI issues definitely improved.
• My skin is glowing and my rosacea completely disappeared. (I don't know if this was related, but I thought it worth mentioning.) 
• I lost 4lbs which isn't a ton but I was also eating quite a lot. 
• I lost an inch on my waist, stomach and hips.
• The program got me cooking again which has been really fun. I loved going to the store and only buying fresh stuff, nothing processed. 

The not so great results:

• I never got the huge bursts of energy that some people experience. In fact, I felt more fatigued during my workouts. 
• No improvement in muscle soreness. I am still waiting up feeling all crunky every day. Yay, aging.
• It was a total drag, socially. I avoided going out because it wasn't much fun. 
• My grocery bill doubled. It was balanced out with not eating out/buying booze, but it's expensive to do a Whole30.

Now that I've added food groups back in I've definitely noticed that I have a sensitivity to dairy but wheat seems to be fine. I haven't added legumes back yet and I'm still trying to limit sugar but I had a cocktail or two over the weekend and, despite what another Whole30er told me, it tasted EXACTLY like I remember, which is to say it was delicious.

Adrien: It's The Pants.

Remember Marianne and I talking about the Loft pants that are a revelation? Hey guess what, not everything needs to be tight! We are totally brilliant and came up with that all on our own. I KNOW. Anyway, here's an outfit: 

Since I bought them, the Loft Cuffed Drawstring Pants have been, like, eight different prices, sometimes  changing within the same day. At the time of writing they are 40% off which makes them $35 and change, but if you wait a few hours, they will probably be less (or more.) Sorry! They're really good though! Like wearing work-appropriate sweatpants. Something about the cut is just really flattering and I don't really have anything like them in my closet, so bonus. 

Loft also appears to have a wide-leg version which are quite breezy and for those craving a bit more structure, I think these Riviera Pants look like a happy medium.  Annnnnd, if you're looking for pants that are slouchy and slightly insane, Everlane totally has you covered. Heh.

Something about this feels very 80s Banana Republic safari which I'm okay with. I'm wearing the pants with an old BR top that I would like a lot better if I'd sewn it shut a bit because if I don't tape it up it gapes open all, "look at my bra!" Nobody needs that. I haven't linked BR in a while because of tops like this which seems to be a scourge lately, but they do have this fairly simple drapey tank and this piped v-neck top looks really wearable too. I also don't hate this sheer-sleeve tee! Progress, Banana. 

On to details:

Same old stuff - my super favorite Giles & Brother hook pendant that I probably wear too much! This lovely Miansai necklace is the most similar (and on sale!) but this spiked urn necklace is super cool and has a similar weight/feel. My bracelet is Lisa Freede and there's currently a similar Lisa Freede bracelet on TJ Maxx. 

I'm wearing sandals that aren't Birkenstocks! I know! These are an old pair of Chie Mihara slingbacks that I will wear until they die. These Chie sandals are somewhat similar and this pair has the same fun buckles. My bag is the Twist Lock Satchel from Cambridge Satchel Co and I don't carry it enough! It's a good one. There are a few similar styles in the same color - the Poppy Satchel which is on sale and the Push Lock which is a bit simpler in style. 

That's it for today! Go find some not-tight pants and see what happens. 

Lou & Grey: Rude.

M: You know how Loft is soooooo generous with the discounts. WHY ISN'T LOU & GREY?

A: I KNOW RIGHT. Why are they so stingy with the soft-n-comfy?

M: I have had TWO of these jumpsuits in my cart for WEEKS and COME ON.

A: Ugh, that is so cute! I might even try something like that if it was, like, 50% off.

A: Um…don't get mad.

M: Wait did I just make that happen.

A: No, I did. That's the Loft site, not the L&G site.

M: WELL THEN OKAY.

A: Don't over-think it. You'll get mad.

M: To my credit, this jumpsuit was previously only available on Lou & Grey proper.

M: ANYWAY I ORDERED IT IN TWO COLORS.

A: YEAH YOU DID.

M: PS. My inner poor person wants these Birkenstocks a lot.

A: Oooh, I like those! They're delicate for Birks. However, your inner wealthy person should invest that money in Birken...stock.

A: I’m sorry, I'll see myself out.

M: Hahahaha you're fired.

A: I ALREADY LEFT THE BUILDING.

BUY THIS (Because I Already Have): Dermstore Anniversary Sale.

I mostly buy my beauty products online at Sephora but for skincare I check Dermstore first because they almost always have a discount code going. Right now they have a really good one - up to 25% off with code HAPPY18. 

There are, of course, a ton of exclusions but the code works on a lot of the products I really like! I mean, how often do you get a discount on Sunday Riley? Not often. The downside of Dermstore is that they don't always carry the full product line. The upside? Free shipping and eBates cash back for Dermstore is 12% (today only*) which is crazy! Crazy I say. Here are some products I really like that are included in the sale: 

I bought this moisturizer for my sad rosacea face and it's so great - super gentle and soothing.

Y'all know I love the Sunday Riley Juno oil. It's a staple and I hate being without it.

 I haven't bought Good Genes in a while but it's such a game-changer! Highly recommend. 

If you don't have a BKR bottle yet, this is the time. They are really amazing. I promise.

I haven't bought the Living Luminizer, but I tried Marianne's and think about it a lot. Glowy.

Baby Foot! I haven't bought this yet, but I'm dying to try! So gross in a good way.

* eBates is having a Member Appreciation promotion in which over 300 stores are offering 12% cashback today only! Go get those rebates!