ACQUISITION: Gucci Glitter Web Sneakers with Studs
Not too long ago, I was drooling over some cool new kicks Gucci had released, but little did I know, I would soon possess my very own pair. I specify this as a recent acquisition, because they were once again generously handed down to me by a friend. The fact I'm wearing sneakers may come as a surprise to some of you, since I haven't worn anything resembling a pair of runners since high school (around nine years ago!). I swore off the sneaker life, but with the latest resurgence in casual kicks as a trendy option, I've decided there is no harm in getting back on the comfort train.
While these sneakers boast all-over glitter texture, the glitter is actually very fine, which makes the sparkle more akin to a subtle shimmer. The laces are woven through with metallic threads, and Gucci's iconic red and green stripe slashes down the sides. In terms of hardware, there is a line of silver studs along the back, and although you can't see it in this photo, there are silver carved tiger heads on the tongues. As wonderfully excessive as the exterior is, it is really the interior of these sneakers which impress me. The inner is lined in soft red leather. Can you believe it? Incredible. I can't wait to wear these babies out once the weather is warmer and less muddy.
PURCHASE: Topshop MOTO Deep Let Hem Jamie Jeans
I have been going to Topshop religiously lately to keep an eye on whether these black floral-embroidered jeans on my wishlist are on sale yet (alas, no), so I wasn't really expecting to come away one day with a pair of blue skinnies. My dad pointed out a pair of Let Hem jeans on the sale rack for $27 (worn in my first picture above). I wasn't immediately into the lighter wash and design of the jeans, but with a price like that, how could I say no? The jeans are made from a soft stretchy denim, so it fits gloriously around the legs, and the length is cut perfectly at the ankles, which makes these pants great for wearing with my aforementioned sneakers. Although I'm still not sure whether the raw let hem necessarily looks good, it is a cheeky homage to my nerdy teenage days, when jeans never fit me and I actually had to fold up my hems and hand-stitch them sloppily into place. The awkward, tell-tale line two inches above my ankle used to make it more obvious I did a DIY job. So these Topshop pants hold some meaning to them, because here I am as an adult, embracing my past by letting my hems down and having all it show.
MISTAKE: H&M Shirtdress
Last year, I bought a shirtdress from H&M for $15. It was elegant and sophisticated with its burnt orange tone, black piping along the v-neck, and gold hardware. My boyfriend liked it (which meant something considering he usually has a neutral opinion of fashion), and I even got complimented on it during an interview by the hiring manager (who, might I say, was quite stylish herself). Nonetheless, I should've known the dollars I saved on the purchase would soon come back to bite me in the bum.
You know my motto for those on a budget: buy affordable items which look expensive. The fabric of this dress passed my test; it was soft and light-weight enough to disguise as something more costly - but I should have listened to the tiny voice in the back of my mind telling me the buttons were too cheap. I liked the look of the gold hardware so much I ignored my intuition. I remember going through the rack to choose the dress with the least damage to its buttons, as if I could somehow sneakily evade this dress' eventual fate. Obviously, the fact the other dresses already had scratches on their buttons should have tipped me off.
So, one year later, after wearing this dress a couple times over the short summer months, looks like the washing machine got the better of it. The fabric remains pretty decent, but two of the five buttons are now noticeably scratched. Sigh. Mistakes will be made in this journey of buying affordable fashion. Luckily I don't regret purchasing this dress because it's still a pretty nice-looking shirtdress, but I will have to get creative and think up a way of restoring the buttons to their former glory.
Image Source: Topshop
While these sneakers boast all-over glitter texture, the glitter is actually very fine, which makes the sparkle more akin to a subtle shimmer. The laces are woven through with metallic threads, and Gucci's iconic red and green stripe slashes down the sides. In terms of hardware, there is a line of silver studs along the back, and although you can't see it in this photo, there are silver carved tiger heads on the tongues. As wonderfully excessive as the exterior is, it is really the interior of these sneakers which impress me. The inner is lined in soft red leather. Can you believe it? Incredible. I can't wait to wear these babies out once the weather is warmer and less muddy.
PURCHASE: Topshop MOTO Deep Let Hem Jamie Jeans
I have been going to Topshop religiously lately to keep an eye on whether these black floral-embroidered jeans on my wishlist are on sale yet (alas, no), so I wasn't really expecting to come away one day with a pair of blue skinnies. My dad pointed out a pair of Let Hem jeans on the sale rack for $27 (worn in my first picture above). I wasn't immediately into the lighter wash and design of the jeans, but with a price like that, how could I say no? The jeans are made from a soft stretchy denim, so it fits gloriously around the legs, and the length is cut perfectly at the ankles, which makes these pants great for wearing with my aforementioned sneakers. Although I'm still not sure whether the raw let hem necessarily looks good, it is a cheeky homage to my nerdy teenage days, when jeans never fit me and I actually had to fold up my hems and hand-stitch them sloppily into place. The awkward, tell-tale line two inches above my ankle used to make it more obvious I did a DIY job. So these Topshop pants hold some meaning to them, because here I am as an adult, embracing my past by letting my hems down and having all it show.
MISTAKE: H&M Shirtdress
Last year, I bought a shirtdress from H&M for $15. It was elegant and sophisticated with its burnt orange tone, black piping along the v-neck, and gold hardware. My boyfriend liked it (which meant something considering he usually has a neutral opinion of fashion), and I even got complimented on it during an interview by the hiring manager (who, might I say, was quite stylish herself). Nonetheless, I should've known the dollars I saved on the purchase would soon come back to bite me in the bum.
You know my motto for those on a budget: buy affordable items which look expensive. The fabric of this dress passed my test; it was soft and light-weight enough to disguise as something more costly - but I should have listened to the tiny voice in the back of my mind telling me the buttons were too cheap. I liked the look of the gold hardware so much I ignored my intuition. I remember going through the rack to choose the dress with the least damage to its buttons, as if I could somehow sneakily evade this dress' eventual fate. Obviously, the fact the other dresses already had scratches on their buttons should have tipped me off.
So, one year later, after wearing this dress a couple times over the short summer months, looks like the washing machine got the better of it. The fabric remains pretty decent, but two of the five buttons are now noticeably scratched. Sigh. Mistakes will be made in this journey of buying affordable fashion. Luckily I don't regret purchasing this dress because it's still a pretty nice-looking shirtdress, but I will have to get creative and think up a way of restoring the buttons to their former glory.
Image Source: Topshop
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