Reviews...H&M

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and holiday! Mine was so relaxing - I went home to Long Island for the weekend and got to hang out with the entire extended family (not to mention, I think I gained about ten pounds). I also managed to squeeze in a quick trip to H&M - and I literally mean squeeze, because oh my god, the store was so crowded. It was, in all honesty, even worse than Black Friday.

The photos are, again, terrible quality, because Blackberries have awful cameras. But I just wanted to quickly share my reviews about a couple new items (and one old) with you.

I specifically went to H&M looking for a kelly green dress that I'd seen on both Elle of Fast Food & Fashion and Jean of Extra Petite. I was in love with the color and silhouette, and heard it fit fairly small. Unfortunately, the kelly green was sold out in everything smaller than 6, but I was able to find the same dress in black to try on in a size 2: 

Happy Holidays!

Have a very merry Christmas, a wonderfully happy Hanukkah, and just a terrific holiday season all around! I most likely won't have much time to post in the coming week (forget about Santa, the extended family is coming to town) so consider this me signing off until the new year. Until then, please keep in touch with me on Twitter or email, since my phone is never very far from my hands!

I hope that when it comes time to unwrap those shiny, beautifully wrapped presents, you get exactly you wished for! I'll keep my fingers crossed for all of you. :)

Lusting after...ASOS 50% off sale!

I have a bit of down-time at work today - hurrah for the holiday lull! - enough for me to have thoroughly browsed through ASOS' 50% off sale which just started today. There are so many terrific items that have been reduced and which are still available in a whole range of sizes! I wanted to share my favorites with you all.

First is this cableknit sweater in navy that I've been eyeing since it first appeared on the site. I like both how cozy it looks, and how petite-friendly the length appears to be - this sweater appears to truly be cut short. It is currently retailing for $29.09, down from $63.63, and is still available in all sizes excluding size 1.

Statement necklace and an LBD.

Is anyone as terrible as me at Christmas shopping?? Not only do I procrastinate at buying gifts in general (I still haven't bought any!) but I'm actively awful at figuring out what to get people. It's not that I don't know what my friends like, it's just that I have all these ideas floating around in my head, and then I get to the store(s) and just get completely overwhelmed by all the options and just give up entirely and pick the worst thing there is. Without fail! All I can say is - thank god for gift receipts.

For example, I stopped by H&M on Friday. I thought that, what with their year-end holiday sale going on (practically everything's on sale from $5 - $15 right now!) I was guaranteed to find stuff for everyone on my list. Instead, I ended up purchasing...just one dress. For myself. Um, oops. 

Reviews...Petite-Friendly Finds in the Zara Fitting Room

Yesterday, I took advantage of my downtime at work to head over to Zara and see what I could find. Their items, including those from their TRF "juniors" line, tend to run pretty big on me (as I've mentioned before) but I can occasionally get lucky and find an item or two that has a more petite-friendly fit.

I didn't end up purchasing anything, but I did find some really great items that I wanted to share with you all! Apologies in advance for the grainy quality of the photographs, however - these were all taken on my Blackberry, since my point-and-shoot was unfortunately out of battery at this point. I tried editing as much as I could to save detail, but...a Blackberry camera is no iPhone camera! I know what I'm putting on my wishlist for Christmas.

There were some amazing blazers on the racks - a few of which were actually on sale. This one in particular, the "Blazer with Zips" on sale now for 69.99, caught my eye. The one I tried on was an XS, and it actually fit pretty well:

Reviews...Ann Taylor

So excited today! Yesterday, I finally received my Ann Taylor shipment from when they had their $25 off $50 sale - which was at the same time they were having 50% off sale items and free shipping. Basically, I spent about $15 per item - such insane bargains! 

I wanted to share with you all what I bought and how everything fits! But before I do, I want you all to preemptively excuse both my horrendously monotonous expressions and my terrible hair in these photos...unfortunately, I a) don't know how to pose for self-timed photos and b) my hair just doesn't like to cooperate with my hairbrush after a day at work/running errands. So you'll have to excuse me for looking like Le Petite Swamp Monster, thanks in advance, all!

First up was the Striped Tiered 3/4 Sleeve Top in XXS Vanilla Creme (not petite, which was unfortunately sold out). Originally for $68, I purchased this for $13.64.

Cozy knits and glitter leggings.

I have been hunting for absolute ages for an affordable pair of black boots (in fact, they're at the top of my Wardrobe Goals list). It's been a surprisingly difficult search, but I'm so excited to say that I finally found the perfect ones, and on sale, no less!

These Studio Paolo over-the-knee boots from JCPenney's originally retailed at $120 but right now, they're only $29.99!! They fit as well as can be expected, which is to say that although they're slightly baggy, I can make do both with jeans and with tights. There's not much more I can ask for that isn't a pair of Stuart Weitzmans (which one day, one day, I will buy). 

I measured them, just in case any of you petite ladies are on a similar hunt. The calf length is 14.5'' and the shaft circumference is 14'' (although it's approximately 13'' around the actual calf area). They're made of a synthetic material, but they don't look cheap. I've worn them way too much already! I also tried on this pair from the same company which fit even better around the calf, but I personally wasn't a fan of the wedge heel since I was going for a more classic look.

I feel as though this entire outfit is made of "bargain" pieces. This knit sweater has to be one of the favorite items in my closet...it's perfect for when I just want to snuggle inside and watch television, or when it's a cool fall day and I just want to be comfortable when shopping. Best of all? It's a bargain because it's a hand-me-down...from my dad!  I used to borrow this sweater from him all the time when I was younger, and once I went away to college, I decided to just "borrow" it permanently. It's definitely my go-to clothing when I'm seeking comfort. 

Do any of you have clothes that evoke a similar feeling? Something that makes you feel comfortable and safe, or even just calm? I guess it's almost like an adult version of a safety blanket - as silly as that sounds!

Sweater, old (similar here); Leggings, Walmart (similar here); Boots, Studio Paolo Sz 6;
 Bag, vintage (similar here); Jewelry, thrifted; Watch, MK Mini-Runway Gold

I am also in love with these glitter leggings that I found, yes, at Walmart and, yes, in the girls' section. But I have an excellent excuse: they were only five dollars, and they were adorable. I don't think these photos properly showcase their subtle glimmer, but they're so versatile. I can wear them during the day like this for a casual yet interesting look, or dress them up more for a night out. 

Lastly, I want to share this bag with you all! It's a vintage piece that my mother found in our house - she's had it for ages, but it's just been gathering dust up in the attic. I'm so obsessed with it - the color is such a lovely mahogany, and the shape is a classic satchel silhouette that's very popular right now. It's a perfect carry-all for when I'm going shopping or running errands.

The weather's finally been getting colder, too - I've found myself snuggling in with this sweater and a cup of hot chocolate more and more often (and on that note, try this amazingly easy cocoa recipe from Megan at the Frugalista Diaries!). How about you? What good bargains have you found lately - or are you, like me, becoming an increasingly winter-induced homebody?

Nautical stripes and sleeveless knits.

Wow, things have been hectic this week! I've had to spend my lunch hours holiday shopping - since doing so on the weekends in the NYC neighborhood I live in would just be insanity - and a lot of my time after work has been divided between family obligations, friends, more Christmas shopping (I am so broke now!) and decorating my apartment. I love the holidays, but they really are the busiest time of the year.

I've had this sleeveless knit lying around my closet for ages. It was a "hand-me-down" from my cousin, who I remember had given to me it saying, "I never could figure out how to wear this." And you know, she was right; this sort of sweater is super confusing to style. It's long, it's chunky, it's a sweater, but it has no sleeves. What do you pair it with? How do you use it to theoretically keep you warm? What season is it even made for?!

But confusing as it is, at least it isn't this thing. (Seriously though, what?) I honestly adore the nautical theme of this sweater, with its metallic buttons and epaulets. I was determined to figure out a way to wear it in a way that was practical (i.e., I wouldn't freeze) but also cute. Do you think it worked?

Channeling Mad Men...Shift dress and leopard cardigan.

I'm so excited for the holidays! There's something about seeing the lights twinkling on every streets and the pine trees for sale on every corner that makes me so happy - and oh, all the yummy Christmas-themed drinks for sale!  

But even though it is almost Christmas, the weather doesn't feel like it! Today was almost 60 degrees; I think this has even been recorded as one of the warmest Decembers recorded in history. I'm loving it, and definitely taking advantage of it to wear out some of my dresses sans tights for as long as I can.