Restaurant on Repeat

R and I couldn't resist hitting up The Cheesecake Factory on our very first evening in Scottsdale. We hunt down these restaurants everywhere they exist and usually eat there more than once a trip! See below for why we always want to eat here. 

Does it get any better than Oreo cheesecake? No.

 Details

Top: Dynamite

Skirt: American Eagle Outfitters

Belt: H&M

Sandals: Aldo (RIP, these old sandals didn't make it home after expiring at the end of my shopping day)

Clutch: Coach

How pretty does this nighttime scene look? I want all of the palm trees for our yard.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Sneaks on a Plane

I used to think I knew exactly what to wear on a plane.... and I was ALMOST right.

One little detail was off.

Details

Jacket: Guess

Shirt: Gap

Jeans: Cambio

Shoes: Converse

Scarf: American Apparel

Sunnies: Coach

I'll break it down for you from bottom to top!

1) Shoes: Comfortable, flat, and easy to take off in the security line. Chucks are my go-to for airport shoes. I can run in them if we're scrambling to make a connection! Socks are also a definate must - my bare feet will not see the floor of an airport.

2) Bottoms: I like to wear a jean with a bit of stretch, but not a skin tight pair. These are dark, so if I happen to drop a bit of Aero bar on them, no biggie.

3) Shirt: Something breathable! No synthetics!

4)  Scarf: I always wear a circle scarf from American Apparel because they can double as a blanket or cardigan if you get cold on the plane.

5) Watch: Nothing is worse than not knowing how much longer til you land! I set it for destination local time as soon as I board. While we're talking about jewelry, don't forget to wear simple earrings - they make snooze-time way more comfy.

6) Sunnies: In case your neighbours like to have the window shades open. I also bring a sleep mask for naps.

7) Jacket: This was the missing link! I always bring a jacket or hoodie on a plane, but this was the first time I chose a denim one. I always have a bit of a sore back when I get off a plane, but using this rigid material as a lumbar roll prevented any soreness! Yay!

Do any of you blog readers have plane tips for me? I'll always be trying to perfect my flight attire!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Pumpkin Spice Sweater

When I spotted this sweater at Joe Fresh, I scooped it up immediately as it screamed autumn. As much as I hate to see the summer end, most style girls love the fall for the sweaters, boots, and layers!

Details

Top and Necklace: Joe Fresh

Jeans: Diesel

Boots: Old Navy

Sunnies: Coach

This was worn to Thanksgiving dinner, which was on a really warm day. Thanksgiving in Canada can be a roulette wheel of weather situations, so we lucked out this year.

Have you made any amazing sweater purchases this season? It was so hot in Arizona that I brought home only one sweater - they are hard to shop for when it's 35 degrees out!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Jacket Not Required

Scottsdale was a whirlwind of a trip. I love desert weather, but went traveling from the east coast, it takes a million years to get there and five million years to get over the jet lag! Still, it was a beautiful corner of the world and one we will be back to for sure.

I wore this out to dinner at Tommy Bahama's, where we sat outdoors under the pergola. It was warm enough to go without the jacket, but I wore it anyway. If you get a chance to visit a Tommy Bahama's restaurant (there aren't that many of them!) definitely do! I'm always on a hunt for a good fish taco, and the ones I had there were fantastic.

Details

Jacket: Guess (via Vicky Mina!)

Dress: American Eagle Outfitters

Shoes: DKNY

Clutch: Coach

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Spiffy Stripes

One look in my closet and you'll see I have a bit of a crush on stripes. I gravitate towards them because they pair well with solids and other prints, and they are just so classic. Black and white stripes are my favourite, followed by navy and white. When I found this dress at H&M, I crossed my fingers that it would fit!

Details

Dress and necklace: H&M

Booties: Nine West

Clutch: Coach

Bracelets: Stella & Dot

This dress is a really versatile piece that can be worn on it's own, or layered under a leather jacket or vest. You could even put a pullover on top and wear it as a skirt. I wore this out with my former physio classmates for a big reunion and had the best time! It's hard to believe twelve years have passed since we graduated. What a great bunch of people- I wish I still saw them all every day!

Stay tuned on the blog for some shots from our fun trip to Scottsdale!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

I Do... Need to Wear Tights

September is my favourite month for a wedding in Nova Scotia. If we had decided to get married at home, it was the month we'd have picked. It's always a gamble with the weather at any time of year here, so picking what to wear as a guest to a September wedding can sometimes be a challenge. It can  be really hot, or somewhat chilly. The safest bet is to wear something that you can layer a cardigan or jacket over, and tights under.

Details

Dress: Banana Republic

Shoes: Franco Sarto
Cardigan: Vero Moda

Necklace: H&M

Sunnies and clutch: Coach

Tights: Calvin Klein

I'm taking a blog break for a week and heading off on vacation to Arizona. Keep up with my adventures on Instagram - but I'm in data jail right now, so I'll probably only update a few times a day (whenever I can find free wi-fi!)

My goal in life is to get a photo with a big cactus and an armadillo. Let's see if Scottsdale has any to offer!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: September 2015

Every month, I break down my clothing expenses and share them. I used to have a monthly budget, but partway through 2014, I switched to a quarterly budget of $500. This can be rolled into the next quarter if it's not all spent. My goal is to keep my out of pocket expenses within $2000 a year. Gifts and gift cards don't count towards my budget.

Sweater: Joe Fresh (on sale right now, 25% off!)

Reg $29, used gift card balance, paid $$15
I loved this sweater from the second I saw it and would have paid a lot more for it than I did. I love the sleeve length, the colors, and the fit. I haven't worn it yet, but it will make a good Thanksgiving sweater if the weather is cool enough.

Shirt : Joe Fresh

Reg $16
I wore this to the wine festival- see here. It's a great neutral top and can be worn year round. Solid purchase for $16. I love the Joe Fresh fall collection this year.

Belt: American Eagle Outfitters

Reg $20, on sale for $2
One of those things that you pick up because it's cute and super cheap. I haven't worn it yet, but can see many a long sweater being belted with this

Hat: American Eagle Outfitters

Reg $45, on sale for $8
I can't get over the deal on this hat! It is too cute! Another topper for the collection. I'm soon going to need a bigger hat shelf...

Tee: Gap
Reg $20 on sale for $12
I love baby pink and Gap tees are very comfy and thick. Another year-round piece that will look great under a blazer or a button-up.

Skirt: American Eagle Outfitters
Reg $40 on sale for $17.50
I've been on a hunt for months for a long black skirt and here it is! This is coming to Scottsdale with me - a perfect travel piece.

Necklace: Joe Fresh
Reg $19 on sale for $6
Nice statement necklace for a nice price. I actually put this on at work the day I bought it.

I ended up taking back a grey Gap tee I bought last month. It was cropped and really loose fitting. I just couldn't make it work with anything.

Origanal value of items: $189
Price I paid (including money I got back for the return): $67 
I saved 65%

Gifts from my mom - she's cool like that

Dress: H&M
So when the dress you were going to wear gives you armpit fat, an emergency trip to the mall is in order. Soon,  I'll show you guys the cute striped dress I picked up for an evening out with some fabulous people. Stay tuned next week-ish when we're back from vacay.

Bag: H&M
This. bag. I have had so many people comment on it I must admit, for $15 it was a great find in the back of the sale rack. It was the only one left in medium grey. It has just enough room for all of my everyday things. Pop over to Instagram to see it.

So, for the third quarter of 2015, I still have $231 to roll ahead. This has been totally strategic, as I'm headed to Arizona this week and wanted to be able to have some extra shopping money. Add that to my $500 for the fourth quarter and that gives me $731 to spend til the end of the year. Even though I don't count the exchange rate in my budget (i.e if I spend $50 USD, that's the same as spending $50 CDN) I will be mentally factoring in the "is it worth it?" much more than usual, as the CDN dollar is so bad right now. I don't plan on spending all of that in AZ - I'm thinking I'll spend around $500. That will leave me a bit to play with for the Black Friday/Boxing Day sales.

Did you buy anything fabulous in September?

XOXO
Glitterary Girl