I’ve always been prone to procrastination. I’m not quite sure why. I do know that I was born one week early, so maybe after that day, I decided, “Maybe I should take things slow?” And, boy, do I! Four days before Christmas, and I have just begun my holiday shopping. Not to worry, though; I finished it all in a matter of hours. And I managed to lavish myself with some gifts in the process. In a previous post, I mentioned that I was looking for boots. I found them! Two pairs! And one of them was for a steal.

I decided to make my way to DSW in Bethesda. I like that store better because it has two levels, which means more inventory. While looking for shoes and/or boots for my sisters, I snooped around looking for things for myself (because what fun is Christmas shopping if you can’t buy yourself a gift?). What I discovered was a pair of kick-ass Elie Tahari knee high boots tucked away on the clearance rack in the size seven section. I wear a size nine. However, knowing how chaotic the clearance section at DSW can be, I took the chance. The boots–design name, Kat– were not a size seven! They weren’t a size nine, either, but rather a ten. I sighed. Then I decided to see what the clearance price was. These boots were $220 and the sticker was yellow. I looked up at one of the many signs that are perched atop the clearance racks, the signs which decode what each color sticker means. There was an explanation about what a red sticker meant; about what a green sticker meant; about what a purple sticker meant; and about what a blue sticker meant. Nothing about a yellow sticker, though. I peeked at the price again, and saw that around the periphery of the sticker was the answer I had been looking for: 80% off. I walked away having paid $44 for designer boots.

In addition to those boots, I snagged a pair of Nine West ankle boots for half off. They fit like a glove, and I love the fact that they’re steel gray and suede. Plus, the heel height–three inches–is just right.

At Express, I also bought a pair of wide-leg jeans for 30% off.

Merry Christmas to me!

The weather has become cooler in the northeast. Well, in actuality, the weather has become downright biting and cold. I’ve taken to wearing the black Isaac Mizrahi boots that I bought at the beginning of the year almost anytime that I go out. Of course, this leads me to the conclusion that I need a new pair (or perhaps two new pairs) of boots, preferably ankle in style.

While perusing the Zappos website, I came across several pairs of covet-worthy ankle boots.

The pleating on the side of these boots by Restricted add a little flair to something that could easily turn into a pair of boring black boots.
Restricted, $93.95, zappos.com

These boots by Dollhouse have the perfect aged leather appeal. And that side button detail is the perfect addition.
Dollhouse, $93.95, zappos.com

While these are not ankle boots, per se, they do have that feel. These are oxford booties by Nine West, and they have such a feminine feel to them despite the fact that they’re inspired by men’s footwear.
Nine West, $99.95, zappos.com

I’ve already taken to imagining which articles of clothing already in my closet that I could wear with any of these boots.

One of the best things about fashion (at least for me) is learning about new designers. New, in this sense, can mean just starting out or new to me. In either case, I find that I get a small rush of excitement as I’m viewing what the designers of a particular new line have created. This happens often when I visit a site like Unsung (unsungdesigners.com). My mouth is agape after viewing the dramatic jewelry from Couture Saboteur.

In all its boldness there is still softness to the shapes of the numerous pendants. I like that in fashion. Go for bold, but stay chic and feminine.

It is why I’ve now fallen for Dolley Clothing. The pieces in Dolley Levan’s collection are simply beautiful and stylish. There’s no secret that I enjoy French fashion, and Dolley Clothing is great representation of what many consider elusive French chic.

On Saturday, I did what I had been putting off for months–I cleaned out my closet. What I thought would initially take an hour to do turned into a five hour ordeal not helped by the fact that I had my Salsa Mix blasting on the iTunes. Every so often, after emptying one dresser drawer, I’d get up and dance for a bit…or simply sit between the piles of clothes on either side of me, one that was the “Go away!” pile, the other the “Keeper!” pile. What brought on this Fall cleaning was that in the most recent weeks, I had been unable to put away any freshly laundered clothes. I had clothes popping out of the drawer, which prevented me from adding anything new to the mix. My closet was another story. For a number of years I have watched the shiny chrome bar sag beneath the weight of pants, skirts, sweaters, blouses, and coats, all dangling from all manners of hangers.

It was due to great necessity that I went through and tossed what I had forgotten that I owned. Some things I did keep. I re-discovered a pair of black ankle-length straight leg dress pants that have a very Audrey Hepburn vibe. They’re my own version of a cigarette pant. Half of my clothing did find new homes among the closets and drawers of my two younger sisters. One (wo)man’s trash and all that.

Today, I went out and purchased three new articles of clothing. Because my birthday is on Thursday, an aunt bought a gift card to New York & Co. for me. I’m not one who shops there on any kind of regular basis. In fact, I only see the inside of the store once a year. I’ll let you guess when that is. The gift card was for $50, and I assumed that I would be able to purchase one top. As it turns out, there’s some great promotion going on. I was able to walk away with a deep V-neck ballet-inspired wrap-like (without the wrap) top in cyan for $9.99; a pair of straight leg jeans for $24.95; and a pair of midnight blue cotton pedal pushers that hit my leg just below the knee for $7.49 (after a 70% reduction from the already reduced $24.99 tag). I’ve already got plans for those pedal pushers. My strappy gold Chinese Laundry heels (purchased a couple summers back) look nice with them.