Delayed Gratification...Gratified

Sweater: Agatha by Andi Satterlund; madelinetosh dk twist in lannister gold; my notes and modifications on "Game of Cardigans"
Dress: T by Alexander Wang pleated neoprene dress (still on sale!!!!) or in white (not on sale) or similar styles including this one by Dorothy Perkins
Shoes: Navy tipped satin peep toes by Giuseppe Zanotti Design, similar styles in floral (which I'm seriously considering for me) or embossed suede
Lips: Clinique Different Lipstick in Shy

I've wanted this dress for over two years. Ok, this was my second choice. I wanted the black one by Tibi, nay I have scoured the ends of the internet for that dress to no avail (I could rent it from Rent the Runway, but I don't want to rent it, I want to own it). This Alexander Wang one has come in many variations and colors and I always seemed to just miss the sale. Or miss my size when it went on sale. Not this time. I've had this dress pinned at 192.50 for months. And I knew, just knew, that one day I would either get a coupon or it would go on more sale and I would not miss it this time. So when the 30% off anything I want coupon showed up in my mail, my only concern was "what if I don't like it." Since I've photographed it and you can't see any tags, the verdict is in. It's pretty spectacular.

I scuba dive. A fact (and the attendant nerd talk) I try to keep under wraps (because of just how much nerd talk I can do). However, scuba diving introduced me to the wonder that is neoprene. It's like a sports girdle. It sucks everything in while making you look super badass. I love it. I would wear my wetsuit in public if I could. So the idea of a socially appropriate use for neoprene, one I could wear outside at home? I was ready! Hell, I won't lie, if I ever find another one on sale, I'll buy it too. It is so comfy and so sucking-in-of-all-the-things and yet somehow on trend that I might never take it off.

As for the sweater, I originally knit it to go with an anthropologie dress that I bought after yarnosaurus showed off hers (ravelry is not just terrible for stash management, it also very much contributes to wardrobe growth). This was the dress that made me start shopping at anthropologie after a lifetime of making fun of it (no one told me that if you wait long enough, they reduce everything to $30 at which point I'm laughing all the way to the bank). Andi Satterlund's designs are all very hourglass friendly and I like her way of constructing them as well. I have a bunch more waiting to get made in my queue, but I do highly recommend them.


I also wanted to show you what it looked like open. I still have a cardigan problem where I don't always want them buttoned, but unbuttoned they fall off my bust and look kinda weird. I haven't decided on this look yet, but I would be much more likely to wear this outfit with the cardigan open since it would be a just-in-case cardigan for cold indoor places. The shoes are a coup from many years ago and remain the only good deal I have ever scored at Woodbury Commons (for those in other states, Woodbury Commons is the outlet mall closest to Manhattan). Since I can score better deals at end-of-season sales right here at home, schlepping to a mall 45-60 minutes away to get a whopping 30% discount on clothing from many seasons ago seems silly (and I do not know why anyone else does it), but these shoes were, for some reason, 75% off retail, in my size, and cute enough that I bought them. They're another pair I always get comments on because while the style is classic, you don't see that many apple-green satin pumps walking around. My mother used to say she was pretty positive my grandmother owned a pair just like them so if you wear the same size shoe as your grandmothers, I highly encourage you to raid their closets!