Snowball to Freedom

Despite the fact that I've given away half my closet, I can't seem to stop finding more things that no longer look like they belong here. Truth? I feel pretty good (and admittedly a little scared) about it.  Before Thanksgiving I thought it was finally over, but then I got to thinking about how I have so much crap and there are so many people out there who don't have anything and really, who do I think I am with all this stuff? So out went 5 more bags.

Couple that with the fact that giving away things has somehow begun to release me from feeling so sad about getting older and set me free from clinging to the past, something I didn't even fully realize I was doing. It feels like a big weight has been lifted off my chest and I can breathe again, which is pretty rad. Even just having the realization itself has been relieving.

This Thanksgiving I made a commitment to myself not to bring anything into my home that is not necessary. If something comes in it must be something I love and will wear or use (read: no sporadic purchases), and with its arrival something must go out. It may not sound like much of a commitment, but I'm learning this is a big and a necessary thing for me if I'm going to keep looking to the future with positivity.

This also means I purchased zero on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Cough cough cough. Somewhere out there a retail squad is on its way to check my vitals...

With that I say, on a much lighter and less arm chair psychology note, BRING ON THE FRINGE.

~Outfit: AE-Sweater, Jen's Pirate Booty-Dress, Banana Republic-Suede Boots (old), Signature Vanessa Mooney Jewels~

Details: (L) Erin Wasson-Moonstone Ring, Vanessa Mooney- Bracelets here, here, here, Necklace

 These boots are case in point as to why it's important to buy what you love: 

6 years old and still going strong!

And finally, here's to moving forward.

Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving! I've got a mean pumpkin bread recipe for you. Better late than never?

Are We There Yet?

This weekend I did the unthinkable and went back into the closet to do a round two purge. Despite having amassed a pile the weekend prior, I knew there was more that needed to go. It's confession time: I'm kind of grossed out by how much stuff I've held onto and just how much I have period. Even though I take very good care of my clothes and that's part of the reason I retain them, that should also mean I don't keep on buying new things. Key word: should.

For the past few years I've felt like things were piling up around me, literally and figuratively. Even though everything still fit within the closets, it just felt like too much. Then I'd get overwhelmed and wouldn't know where to begin, so I'd get rid of a chunk and the cycle would continue. This time I actually made time to try things on and subsequently ask myself why in the hell I still thought they looked good. 2002 is over Carrie, time to move on.

There are just a couple stragglers I'm debating on and the jacket below is one of them. Have you ever been to the Totokaelo site? It's super sleek and fabulous. Even though I usually veer to the boho side of things, their clean lines kind of have me lately (common denominator: clean, clean, clean). The only thing I've allowed myself to order is a pair of Rachel Comey boots I've eyeballed for 2 years, and I struggle not to wear them every day so I think the purchase has been justified.

Now about the jacket: it reminds me of some of the pieces on Totokaelo, but I wonder if I'll wear it more than a few times in the winter. Is that enough to warrant keeping it?

To keep or not to keep: that is the question.

Buttons to the bottom.

Exhausted, woman just wants it to be over.

But the boots? No question there. 

~Outfit details: Club Monaco-Wool S/S Jacket (old), Basic V-T by Alexander Wang, Current/Elliott-Legging Jean, 

Rachel Comey-Boots, Foley and Corinna-Handbag~

Get it in Gear

This morning I had the misfortune of having to take my car into the shop due to it having recently decided that reverse is no longer in its vernacular. Apparently drive must also be under consideration for the heave-ho pile because yesterday found me jammed in front of the neighbor's garage desperately trying to escape. Funnnnnn times over here, people.

Having grown up on a farm I consider myself well-versed in phrases like, 'DAD WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH MY CAR??!?!?!'. I'm sure you city dwellers feel much the same about your situations, if you have a dad (or a mom) who understand things about flushing the transmission and so on and so forth. All I have to say is between my dad and google I was able to go in at least semi-prepared (read: not a total deer in headlights) and feel as though they could not take advantage of me. It sucks to have to distrust the car people, but they brought it on themselves.

I was also sure to arrive looking somewhat tattered, like I mean business but without a suit. Picked up off the closet floor from yesterday-chic, if you really must know. Why mess with a good thing? Another lady in there gave me a nod when I walked by. She was wearing a military jacket and a sleek ponytail. I see ya lady, I see ya. Never let 'em see you sweat!!

~Beanie (old)-Wooden Ships, Sweater-J.Crew (alternate color here), Denim-Current/Elliott, 

Belt-Old Stud Handmade, Bag-TKBags, Boots-NDC Made by Hand (here in black)~

Case in point as to why one should never look a good closet dive in the mouth.

REBIRTH
-------------------------------

Oh and ps--I'm going to see the new Twilight tonight. FOURTEEN YEAR OLD STYLE!

Lighten the Load

Some glorious things happened this weekend: I cleaned my closet AND partook in Sephora's 20% off for VIB's. And I watched The Lost Boys twice, but that's another story for another time.

Now when I say I cleaned my closet I mean I cleaned that mother GOOD. We're talking a third of my clothes are in bags on their way to Goodwill, consignment or eBay. All that's left is to go through the winter crawl space (call 911 if you don't hear from me by Friday) and release a bunch of coats. Buh-bye! Feels pretty awesome to let things go and look forward. Sadly, I've proven to be that person who can't get rid of a t-shirt due to the memories it invokes from that one time...uh, yeah. Therapy much? Who's with me? I know you're out there.

I guess what I learned again this weekend is that belongings do not equal safety and security. They equal piles of crap from days gone by and, at least in my case, do their part to hold me in the past.

Armchair psychology on hoarding aside, let's move onto the good stuff.  THE CLARISONIC.  I've used it twice since Thursday's Sephora stampede. Do I look three years old yet? Goals people, you've gotta have goals.

You may be asking yourself, what's the link between a clean closet and 20% off? Well let me tell you: HELMUT LANG.  I got this thing of beauty for 50% off after months of lamentations on price and don't think I've ever worn it on here before so ta-da! I love it. I want to wear it every day and, sometimes, I actually do.

The moral of the story is only buy things you love, don't despair if you have to wait for them to go on sale because it's a sweeter victory AND DON'T FILL YOUR LIFE UP WITH CRAP YOU DON'T EVEN REALLY WANT.

The end.

~Jacket: Helmut Lang, T: James Perse, Lace Vest (old): H&M, Denim (old): Free People, Shoes: Julian LouiexAldo~

~Necklaces: LowLuv by Erin Wasson and Vanessa Mooney, Rings: Erin Wasson and Vanessa Mooney

Bracelets: Vanessa Mooney (here, here, here, here) and Motif56~

Look hard: two eyebrows! Kinda...

Live On Your Own Edge

So here's the thing: I'm having a mid-life crisis.

Unfortunately my body appears to be breaking down at the same time.

Here's hoping my mind stays intact?

Or I can always do like the elderly couple I saw at the beach yesterday.  Sitting there feeling pretty sorry for myself I caught a car drive by out of the corner of my eye. ON THE SAND.

RULE BREAKERS! 

Not sure about their newfound freedom they stop at the sign?

Before veering left and charting their course...

as two bikes come wheeling out of nowhere screaming laughing.

Who am I kidding, I AM GOING TO DO LIKE THESE PEOPLE. Live on the edge! Take it out onto the sand! Off road down the bike path into the fog until Beach Patrol chases me down, lights flashing,  screaming with the blow horn out the window: AUTOMOBILES ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE BIKE PATH. TURN YOUR CAR AROUND IMMEDIATELY. STOP THE CAR, I REPEAT STOP THE CAR.

Like that was going to work on two people who methodically pulled up onto the sidewalk, cased the situation and sped off down the beach? Uh-uh. They could barely see above the steering wheel and nothing was stopping them.

Maybe they had just received the paperwork for license revocation. Maybe they escaped from the home. Maybe they were just tired of doing the same old responsible thing and wanted to cut loose like the youngster days. Whatever the case they reminded me I'm not dead yet. MY FOOT CAN STILL HIT THE GAS.