Things: Current Favorites

Who know's what my favorite things will be next week, but here are my current obsessions:

Arizona Skye Slingbacks:

I've just discovered JCPenney's shoe department. I'm impressed by both the selection and the ridiculously-low sale prices. These sandals are $13.99 right now! They're crazy comfortable, too.

Josie Maran Argan Oil:

Probably my biggest skin care splurge to date, but I've decided my beauty mantra is "Face and feet". I want to take good care of both, so while I have the money, I'm gonna do just that! Argan oil is kind of a miracle serum. It's soothed my itchy, irritated skin (too much make-up? Laundry detergent? Who knows). I use a drop on dry hair to enhance shine and tame flyaways, and it's also healed my split cuticles. Nuff said.

MAC Lipstick in Sushi Kiss:

This lipstick is almost neon in real life. It looks much more sensible in the picture. I love it either way.

 Champagne Drops:

From The Confectionery in University Village. Just slightly fruity, soft, but not super gummy like a gum drop. They're quite pleasant. I had them at my wedding reception and they're one of the few things I paid full price for.

Slice o' Amethyst:

I bought this necklace off Chictopia a couple months ago. I wasn't sure how to style it at first, mostly because I find jewelry to be overwhelming. Now I've decided to just wear it with everything. Why not, right? It's a total conversation starter.

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New Shoes!

Let me just start with how happy I am. There's still little things in my life that need to be perfected, but compared to the health problems I've had over the past 2 years, those little imperfections are nothing. I've mentioned it in a few posts, but I suffer from dumb feet. More specifically, I've got something called sesamoiditis, which is a chronic inflammation in a small bone in the ball of the foot. It's amazing how much heart ache and pain can come from a bone the size of a kidney bean. Anyway, this time I really think it is finally calming down! I never thought I'd say it, but my sesamoiditis is healing!

So, I've been buying more shoes, because I can finally actually wear them! I still need to be careful, and I wear ugly tennis shoes on most days, but I'm fine with that, because I'd rather be pain-free. These Maison Martin Margiela wedges aren't the most comfortable shoes, but I can actually walk in them! I found them on eBay for a third of their original cost at H&M. Sturdy, leather-soled, and gorgeous; all you need in a shoe.

I was pretty happy to find these leather boat shoes by Dexter at Deseret Industries in Shoreline. They fit my custom orthotics, which is splendid, because they cost a lot (like as much as a pair of designer shoes) and I'm supposed to use them all the time. The shoes were made in the USA, which may not matter as much for used things, but still can mean that they're higher quality.

 

The leather is perfectly broken in, so I won't have to suffer through breaking it in myself. I feel pretty cool wearing them with my cropped black BDGs and no socks, haha. Next step: Red Wing boots... oh no, I'm turning into my husband.

Like I mentioned in this post, I bought three pairs of vintage sandals at an estate sale in West Seattle. My plan was to sell two of them, but the black version of the ones pictured above had some damage I didn't see when I bought them. These gold and beige ones are for sale in my Etsy shop, though. They look great on and are pretty comfortable. The faceted plastic jewels were what caught my eye. They're so over the top. The woman who used to own them had 5 pairs! All in different colors. I hope I can find someone who loved them as much as she did.

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up/down

There have been so many ups and downs today! First thing in the morning, a little bird, a lark specifically, came to tell me some good news. This lark, of Happy, Honey, and Lark, said that I am in the October issue of Marie Claire!!! I have been to 5 different grocery stores hoping to find the issue, but apparently only some subscribers have received it so far. Not me of course, mine always comes late :/ BUT I AM IN IT!!! Can't wait to see how the pictures turned out!

Downside of my day (week, month, year), my feet have been doing quite poorly. I haven't talked about it much, but it seems the pain in the ball of my foot is chronic. I've bought Danskos and am seeing a podiatrist, so hopefully it will eventually heal. I also just found out some very sad news regarding a family friend. Knowing that she lived a very long, wonderful life is a comfort to me and, I hope, a comfort to her family. Ok, so not to end on a sad note... well, I'm working a lot which means I'm not quite as broke as I usually am and the weather was gorgeous today! And didn't my husband do a nice job taking these photos? He was mostly patient with me and kept giving me tips on how to pose. Mostly, though, he just said "look model-y" and "stop moving." In these photos: Forever21 blouse Thrifted maxi skirt Aldo bag Neon Xhilaration bra

Fashion Victim

Good news, my foot is all better! The bad news is that it can be blamed on heels, for the most part.

I gave in and went to the doctor (with the help of my boyfriend). I didn't need x-rays, thank goodness, and the doctor only took 10 minutes to diagnose it. I have sesamoiditis, which is an inflammation in a very tiny bone in the ball of my foot, the sesmoid. These bones are found in a few places in your body and serve the purpose of protecting tendons that are located over major joints (your patella is another sesmoid). It's a common injury among dancers and anyone who spends lots of time on the balls of their feet. Anyway, my high arches, prior injury, high heels, and tripping all played a part in the pain I was experience. Mostly though, my doctor told me to stop wearing heels, which officially makes me a victim of fashion :(

I can't promise to stop wearing heels, but I can take better care of my feet, and I want to encourage you to as well! Who wants to have old-lady feet at the age of 26?? I went out immediately and bought insoles with arch support. The relief was pretty much instant. I haven't worn heels out of the house in about 3 weeks and I don't plan to until the 26th, when I have a wedding to go to. I think this will give my foot enough time to heal properly.

More tips:
1. Wear insoles in any shoes they will fit in! Full-foot or 3/4-foot insoles are the best options.

2. Take a break from heels every once in a while. Platforms are a better option as they provide more padding, but they can cause problems in other areas of your feet and body.

3. If you have localized pain in one or both feet, don't ignore it. Achy feet are common after a long day, but pay attention to what kind of pain you are feeling. One of my symptoms was this feeling that there was a lump in my foot. Not a normal achy foot!

4. An ibuprofen does wonders for any kind of inflammation!

Feet are important! Remember, they don't heel as quickly as other parts of your body, because it's harder to rest them properly. You need to use them everyday for the rest of your life, so take care of them!


I am eating toast and Marmite :D Sooo good!


In these photos:
Vintage Nordstrom Merino Sweater
American Apparel Biker Shorts
Aldo Flats

Simple

Simple is important, even to the biggest fashion-follower. Simple can be built up, decorated; it is a canvas. Or simple can be clean, poingant, and flexible. It can be interpreted in countless ways. Simple is basic.

In this photo:
J. Crew t-shirt
Vintage Guess? Shorts
Sam Edelman flats
American Apparel Sunglasses