Splurge vs. Save

I've always thought that a good introduction for myself would be "Hi, my name is Elana, and I'm a shopping addict." However, I'm starting to think that it's more along the lines of "Hi, my name is Elana, and I'm a bargain addict." I do have a shopping problem, but I'm mostly guilty of not being able to pass up a good bargain. Well, that and not having any self-control. Because of that, I was pretty intrigued when Credit Card Insider contacted me about being part of the website's "Splurge vs. Save" campaign. I used to spend hours upon hours in high school drooling over Net-a-Porter, reading high-fashion magazines, and researching designers. Because I was never anywhere near being able to afford any of those items, I got into the habit of finding similar items on sale racks and at thrift stores. I usually don't take part in websites' campaigns like this, but I loved that this one is geared toward encouraging people to spend responsibly. I may not be good at saving my money (which is partly why I'm interested in working with a website that could help break this bad habit of mine), but I'm at least good at bargain hunting. 

Back in high school, when I went through my designer phase, my absolute favorite designer was Lanvin. Even though my favorite has since changed (that spot is reserved for Proenza Schouler now and forever), I'll never get over how Alber Elbaz crafts such luxurious pieces. I doubt I'll ever be able to afford a Lanvin piece, but I can definitely afford $10 from the clearance rack at Urban Outfitters. My brother actually bought this for as part of a birthday present while we were in the store last summer, but I remember being drawn to it immediately because of how feminine and versatile it was. I can't remember the last time I bought something for full-price at Urban, but I've scored some absolute gems in the sale section. I thought I ruined it for a while after I accidentally washed it with a red dress, but I'm happy that it was able to be saved. I can't say that it's as expensive-looking as this gorgeous Lanvin top, but it also didn't cost me more than $1,000. 

Things I could do with $1,122:

• Make a dent in my student loans
• Put it toward car insurance
• Pay for a few months rent
• Buy my family really good birthday presents this year
• Buy 224 hazelnut lattes from Starbucks
• See 124 movies
• Eat a lot of dinners with friends
• Be able to buy (maybe) 11 Madewell dresses
• Buy 112 of these tops

It's a Lie

I'll be honest; looking at these photos, this isn't exactly my favorite outfit. It's not the worst though, and I think it's good to show an outfit here and there that I wore, even if I can't rave about it. I wore this to work yesterday, and I think my biggest problem is that I'd like it much more without the tights. Unfortunately, despite the fact that it looked warm outside, the sunshine was a lie. It was not in fact a nice spring day as I had hoped, but actually pretty chilly. Or maybe I just don't like how this jacket ended up looking with this dress. Either way, hey, here's an okay outfit that I wore yesterday.

I had a decent, if not uneventful weekend, in case you were wondering. I spent Friday afternoon "interviewing" the new editor-in-chief (my friend/our photo editor was the only one who applied, so he got it by default, but he's more than qualified), which was a weird experience. I'm really happy for him and I know he'll do a fantastic job, but I'm still not ready to hand the job over soon. That night, we all went out and celebrated with him at our favorite bar, and it was a great time. I ended up spending most of Saturday with my brother, sister-in-law, and their kids, and decided to stay in and watch "Veronica Mars" at night. Is my life exciting or what? I'm not sure why I feel the need to recount my weekends, but I have nothing better to do, clearly.

Tired

I wore this on Wednesday for my second day of my internship (I'm only going in two days a week) and even though it's really nothing special, it's an easy summer look that's comfortable to work and drive in. I still haven't gotten to do much, as it's been a slow week there, but I still come home exhausted due to sitting it traffic for two hours both ways. I really don't have any right to complain considering it's an incredible opportunity, but man does that drive make me want to shoot someone. I felt bad that I fell asleep while watching Battlestar Galactica with my friend Adam later night, even after he had bought me an iced coffee, but for some reason that drive just wipes me out. When you factor in the 6:30 a.m. shift I worked yesterday morning at my dad's restaurant, you could say I'm just a little tired. Luckily, I've become quite the expert of doing it all with a smile on my face. Working at a restaurant for years does that to you.

Speaking of tired, I'm at that point yet again where I'm tired of most of the pieces in my wardrobe. I know that I say that a lot, but this time I'm really serious about getting rid of pieces of I don't wear very often and replacing them with more classic, long-lasting pieces. It doesn't hurt that I finally won my very giveaway — $50 to Modcloth from Illana of My Modern Vintage! Now that's one way to start reworking a wardrobe.