REVIEW- Ann Taylor Gusset Crossbody Bag

I took a trip to my local Ann Taylor store to browse through their sales items, but specifically I wanted to see the GUSSETT CROSSBODY BAG in person. I didn't think much of it when I initially saw it online, but after seeing it on JESS, I knew I wanted one.

Most of the colors were available at the store, but only a few remain available online. I intended to purchase the burgandy one because I loved the little tassel on it, however after seeing it in person, it was a little more brown than I would have liked. Another difference I noticed with the burgandy one was the entire outer perimeter of the purse was lined with a suede border, which meant more maintenance.

After trying on all the colors, I finally narrowed the color choices down to 3 - gray, burgandy, and red. I ended up purchasing the red since I don't own a true red purse, and my husband liked that one the most. The red is a true vibrant red which I adore! For those of you who don't have a neutral colored bag, I highly recommend the gray - it goes with practically anything. I would have definitely purchased the gray if I didn't already own a gray bag. I have THIS ONE by Rebecca Minkoff.

This bag measures 10 inches long, 6 inches tall and about 1.5 inches wide. It has two zipper pockets, which I love and comes with several slots for cards, etc. when you don't want to carry around a bulky wallet.

Using it as a clutch with the straps removed

The straps are removable so can be use as a clutch - this would be great for day to night transitions.

The straps are removable and can be converted to a clutch

Love the size of this bag and the length of the strap is perfect - lays right at my hips

Attached card holders

Hope you find this helpful! Happy Shopping =)

Instagram Outfits and Sale Alert // Anne Taylor and J.Crew

**SALE ALERT:**
ANN TAYLOR - 40% off new items, and 60% off sale items using code WEEKEND
J.CREW - 40-50% off sale items online and in stores using code SALEONSALE
J.CREW FACTORY - Hundreds of clearance items for over 60% off (no code needed)

Several of you messaged me about items I've worn recently and their sizing, so I'll be sharing that.  A handful of these items are also on sale from the retailers mentioned above.

First is up the PUFFER VEST from J.Crew Factory. These are less than $60. I have a DETAILED REVIEW HERE.

The LEOPARD FLATS are from Nordstrom, but are not on sale. I've received many comments about these. They run large. I am usually a size 6, but am wearing 5.5

I've been trying to not purchase any more handbags since I have way too many and don't even use all of them. My problem is I end up using one for weeks at a time and don't rotate through my collection. Well, after seeing the GUSSET CROSSBODY BAG on JESS, I couldn't help myself  and ended up purchasing one as well. These are marked down to $79,99 with an additional 70% off. There were several colors on stock at my local Ann Taylor, but these seem to be fully stocked online. I will be posting a full review on this in the next couple of days.

The Burgundy, Silver lake gray, and aurora red 

This Anne Taylor EMBROIDERED DOT PERFECT SHIRT  is 40%
For reference, I am wearing 0P - initially the sleeves were a tad long for me, but the shirt did shrink a tiny bit in the wash and fits perfectly now.

2016 Kate Spade Planner Review

I received a large KATE SPADE PLANNER from one of my coworkers as a gift and wanted to review it for everyone.

This planner comes with complete with a folder, monthly and weekly spread, a notes section along with an events page. Some may justify the hefty $36 price tag with the brand name, design and all these sections, but I could never get myself to pay that much for a planner. However this planner is currently on sale for $25 ($19 in store).

I have the large size, which is not that big, actually. It's 9 x 7 inches and about 1 inch thick. There is also a MEDIUM SIZED PLANNER that is about 1.5 inches smaller on all sides (7.7 x 5.5 inches, also about 1 inch thick). There are also several different  designs - gold dots, blue with quotes, and white with drawings.

I love the simple look of this planner and the gold foiled numbers on the cover.
Below are pictures of the sections mentioned above:

When you open up the binder, the first page looks like this - there's a place for your name and a small plastic folder (I printed out a 'month at a glance' chart and added it in).

This little folder is great for small pieces of paper, reminders etc.

Here is what the monthly view looks like. There is a note section on the left hand side. I have to admit it's a little difficult writing there with the rings in the way (if you're a righty).

Monthly page - contains a note section on the left

Weekly view

SALE ALERT: My Favorite Pieces from J.Crew and Nordstrom

I wanted to share some of my favorite J.CREW fall/winter staples and accessories that are currently on sale.
First up are vests from J.CREW and J.CREW FACTORY.
The J.CREW EXCURSION QUILTED VEST is originally $125 (I purchased mine last year for about $85), but they are now on super sale for ~$58 with code "MUSTSHOP."

I'm wearing XXS regular

The FACTORY QUILTED PUFFER VEST is now on sale for $59.99 (no code needed). I have this vest in red and black.

I'm wearing XXS

2016 Planner Review // Sugar Paper for Target, Eccolo, Erin Condren

I hope you had a wonderful new years with friends and loved ones!

As I mentioned in the previous post, I love planners and have been a huge fan of planning during my college and grad school years. I figured doing a review on planners would be appropriate during this time of year.



I will be reviewing SUGAR PAPER PLANNER, ERIN CONDREN FOR STAPLES, and ECCOLO PLANNER.

I used a sugar paper planner last year (8x11) and really like it, but wanted something smaller for this year (5x7).
There were so many styles and sizes at my local Target, but there are many more styles online.

The Sugar Paper goes for only $9.99. It's a pretty peach/white with gold foiled date on the front. The planner has a frosted thick plastic cover.
There is a weekly and monthly tabbed calendars and a note section at the end

Next up is the ECCOLO planner (the gray one from the 2nd picture) - these are sold at Target for $7.00, but I found mine at Marshalls for $4.99.

This planner is a little but smaller and very light weight; I've used this when I travel for work. The cover is a soft, bendable faux leather material with a foiled rose gold date. The inside is very similar to the Sugar Paper one - there are monthly and weekly calendars, but there are NO tabs.

I was at my local Staples and spotted some Erin Condren for Staples calendars and took a couple of pictures. These go for $39.99, a hefty price tag for a planner in my mind, but still very discounted compared to those sold on the Erin Condren website ($50-75). These are significantly larger, thicker and heavier. I'm personally not a huge fan of the huge coils and rainbow colored cover/interior.

There were so many different colors/patterns at the store

All of these contain tabs, weekly and monthly calendars. There are several different formats of these, depending on your needs and what you like:

I also wanted to mention- as mentioned MY PREVIOUS POST, Marshalls and TJMaxx has a variety of planners for those of you who don't want to spend more than $10.

I hope you find this helpful! 

What planner do use?