Remember how I attended the preview of the Nordstrom Rack and promised to show you what I bought? This is me keeping that promise. That’s how I do, y’all.
Remember how I attended the preview of the So Nordstrom Rack invited me to create three separate looks in my style treasure hunt. I love a good style challenge so I plundered the racks to create some fun ensembles. Okay seriously, I’ll stop with the pirate puns. (I really can’t help myself. I also do a lot of bad Keira Knightly impressions. Just kidding. My Keira Knightly impression is awesome.)
The fitting room girls were incredibly sweet and helpful. They propped me up on this little stand in front of the fancy mirror and it was sort of like I was on a stage, which is slightly awkward when you are taking lots of selfies but fun nevertheless.
Look #1: The Special Occasion Outfit
Now, I am not super trendy. But I keep seeing lots of women running around Atlanta in these cut-out booties. I’ve never been one for booties. In fact, I sort of abhorred them and I think this can be traced back to the fact that my mother wore them all the time in the eighties. Actually, she never stopped. I bet if I were to go downstairs right now and raid her closet I would find no fewer than seven pairs of booties. But I decided to try to be all on-trend and such and so I paired them with this shift dress that I thought was amazing, if not a little too big for me.
How do we feel about this look, internet? I actually ended up really liking those booties. I can’t believe I’m admitting that. The only reason that I did not leave with them is that they are fairly impractical to my lifestyle. I mean, I spend the majority of my day covered in peanut butter.
Look #2: The Girl’s Night Out Outfit
I was really into all of the leather + lace ensembles that they had modeled around the store and so I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try on this little number for a Girl’s Night Out look.
Turns out, my husband would prefer this to be a Date Night In outfit. He was all “Did you come home with that pleather skirt?” I didn’t because I wasn’t sure if it would be practical but I think I might swing back by to pick it up. It was under $20 and I loved the eyelet cut out on it. Then I’ll make him take me somewhere fancy, like Sonic. This whole look was less than $50 so we could splurge on some slushes.
I wasn’t totally sure about the top. On one hand, I really loved it. On the other hand, I sort of wondered if it was reminiscent of the Puffy Shirt episode on Seinfeld. I asked the fitting room girls their opinion but as it so happens, they are all apparently too young to be familiar with Seinfeld. I was like “Ohmigosh you don’t know about the puffy shirt episode of Seinfeld. Okay, so basically what I am saying here is that I am thirty and does this shirt make me look like a pirate?” They all voted that it was a non-piratey shirt but they don’t watch Seinfeld so I’m not sure if they can be trusted. I did love the back of the shirt though. And they DID get my Justin Timberlake reference so I’m not THAT old.
(Also, sorry for the bit of blurriness. They were serving free champagne and my photographer coughcoughmymothercough was really enjoying that. Maybe next time I don’t let her imbibe the fizzy drinks until after she’s done operating my camera.)
Look #3: The Every Day Outfit
This though, was the outfit that I came home with.
I know, it isn’t fancy. Well, it’s sort of fancy. You can’t quite see the jeweled neckline in these shots but scroll down and you will notice them in the ones below. You know how I feel about anything that is sparkly and bedazzled and this sweater had that plus the cute cut-out bow-tied back and it was super comfortable. I’ll feel good wearing this to my many mom outings so it went in the yes pile.
And so did those skinny jeans. I was on the lookout for new skinny jeans and when I saw these inky Paige pair in my size I snapped them up. Paige denim is crazy expensive so at over half off their normal price and a perfect fit I decided to go for it. Last year I bought a super cheap pair of skinny jeans and the lesson to learn there is never buy cheap, poorly made denim, especially if you want an indigo rinse. The knees turned white in less than six months. These were $79, marked down from $189 (I can not even fathom paying that much for jeans so thank you, Nordstrom Rack!) and they will last me much longer than six months. My last pair of Paige boot cut jeans has held up for over three years now and I bought those secondhand.
Look #3 (Part 2) The “Fall Is Here” Outfit
I toyed around with pairing the sweater with boots and a jacket for the winter.
I know what you are thinking. You’re thinking “Hey, how did Princess Kate get in these photos?” Except not because then I turn around and have what I like to lovingly refer to as “the crazy eyes.” Anyhow, I love those boots and that coat and thought it all had a very Princess Kate feel but unfortunately the boots were a bit too big (or my legs were a lot too short) and so was the coat. I decided I wanted the nice jeans more than I wanted to pay for alterations on the coat. But isn’t it gorgeous? It’s an Ellen Tracy and it was marked down to $89 from almost $300.
(Bonus points if you get the “It’s A Tiara!” reference.)
Here’s what it looks like outside the store when I’m headed to a day full of Skype business meetings and play dates:
Don’t you love the jeweled detailing? I am in love with it. I paired it with my favorite sequined Kate Spade shoes because, alas, they are on their last days and so I want to get as much wear out of them as I can before I have to retire them to their shrine in my closet. I found those on clearance about 6 years ago and they definitely paid for themselves a million times over for as much as I wear them.
So which look is your favorite? What would you have picked? And did that top make me look like a pirate?
I was selected for this opportunity by Nordstrom Rack, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.
