"It was the oldest sound in the world. Souls flying away." The Secret Life of Bees

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Favorite purchases of 2011

Happy New Year!!! I hope 2012 is an absolutely wonderful year for all of you.

I want to join in on the reminiscing and take a look back at 10 of my favorite clothing/style purchases of 2011. Here we go....



Chie Mihara Loti
Definitely my favorite shoe purchase of the year, actually of all time! I fell in love with the shoes when I laid eyes on them. I finally splurged when they were re-stocked at pedshoes. They have brought a lot of loveliness to quite a few of my outfits this year.



























(These can also be found in two of the photos below, my engagement photo and the last photo)


Anthropologie Verdant Slip Dress
I love the colors, the print, the fit, everything! Definitely one of the prettiest dresses anthro sold this year, imo.

(and here too, with purple!)



J. Crew Tea Stained Dobby Dress
This pretty frock has great texture and red polka dots. What's not to love?!?!

(and here)



Vintage Black/White Polka Dot Dress
I picked this dress up at Billy Goat Vintage earlier this year. Although it has only made 1 appearance on the blog (here), it has been a workhorse for me this year. It is work-appropriate and also feels very "me", which is rare.



Gee Wawa Dream Oxfords


I'm so happy I jumped on the oxford bandwagon this year. I love the details on these and the color has proven to be quite versatile.

(here and here)



Anthropologie Spinning Lace Dress
I was so happy to score this dress from the EA trade market earlier this year for my engagement photos.

(also worn to a holiday party here)



Anthropologie Back Porch Blouse
This lacey beauty was a great addition to my closet!

(here, here, and here)



Urban Outfitters Pleated Skirt
I rarely shop at UO. In fact, I think I have only purchased two items there, including this skirt. Nonetheless, it made it onto my top 10 list. The pleats make this basic gray skirt a bit more interesting. This is another item that is great for the office and also feels very "me".

(here and here too)



Anthropologie Longing for Yellow Dress
Yet another older anthro piece purchased from the EA trade market. This was my wedding dress! The color was exactly what I was looking for and the pattern, texture, and cut make this dress feel very vintagey. It was absolutely perfect for my wedding:)

(see full post here)



Anthropologie Trace the Stars Blouse
This is a newer purchase, but I still feel inclined to include in my top 10 list. Just look at that print! How could it not be included? In addition to the amazing print, the silk is super soft and the cut is quite flattering. It's love:)

This blouse has only been featured on the blog once, but I wore it again last night, so you will be seeing it again soon:)


A few thoughts that came to mind as I was looking back through all of my posts:

- Photography makes me happy! It is painful to look at my earlier OOTD's. The photos are terrible. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel like my photos have come a looooong way this year. I am glad my blog photos are improving, but more than that, I am happy I found a hobby that I absolutely love.

- I am really liking my longer hair.

- I look and feel healthier than I did at the beginning of this year. I have lost 25lbs and I feel great! I feel more stable and more energetic.

- I like a lot more of my recent outfits, which tells me I must be headed in the right direction, style-wise. One of the main reasons for starting this blog was to help me find my style and develop it. Although I still have a long ways to go, and really one's style is always evolving/changing, I think this year was very successful. I have learned a lot about myself and my style. I am much happier with my closet. I feel a bit more free to be creative and try new things.

- You guys are the best! I appreciate all of the support and sweet comments so much. THANK YOU for reading!