Free People Spring 2014 Reviews

Oh, I love me my Free People. There is just something lovely and romantic about their flowly clothes. I have wishlisted almost everything in this set.

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I wore Humboldt Tunic on my outing. He was pleased to get out. Although he still has never forgiven me for wearing him without pants. I wanted to show him Vegas and for him to see that there were indeed people in this world more devious than me.

He was not impressed. He still thinks I am the worst.

Aw, well. I tried.

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First, I tried on the Rocket Cat Dress. I know I look serious, but I was contemplating the ginormous pimple on my chin and if I would be able to proceed with the reviews. Thankfully seeing this pretty dress made me smile again. I really liked this, but I could only buy one thing that day and it turned out to be a slip. This is sold out online now, but the stores might still have one. I am wearing a small in this. Actually, I am wearing a small in this whole set. It is my typical Free People size.

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The Printed Strappy Front Maxi underneath the Rocket Cat Dress is the item I ended up purchasing. I love an item you can layer in multiple ways and use for multiple uses. You can also see me wearing it here. I love the romantic ease of this slip. I plan on pairing it next under my Sweet Lady Maxi and then underneath my seafoam colored slip I love with a belt and easy sandals.

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I really liked the Magic Garden Dress, too. If you cannot tell from the many, many pictures. ; ). It is about two inches too short for this momma to wear. But it would be great for someone younger than myself. I am wearing a small. It fit nicely. Well, except for length. Of course, my husband loved this dress. : )

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Oh man. I LOVED this Rio Dress. It is so fun. It is super short. The dark color it also comes in is gorgeous, too. I love the embroidery. Both colors are on my wishlist. It was way too expensive for me at full price. I will be watching this for a good sale price.

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I had decided that this Mix Print Tunic would be my first purchase in April. It sold out the day before I could purchase it. So, I am hoping they restock it. The pattern is gorgeous. The fit is free-flowing but still very flattering. It has ties on either side of the waist to cinch it in more. Love.

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The Near Perfect Tunic also came in lilac and black. I liked it in all of the colors. The lilac is absolutely gorgeous. Each color has a different patterned embellishment at the top. Gorgeous. This also has ties that tighten on the side to cinch it in more (I should have used them here). It is a good tunic if you like easy oversized pieces. I think this look looks good on most body types.

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Finally, the only thing I did not add to my wishlist. These Balkan Sandals. Oh, man. They were really cute without my feet in them. My feet were swollen from walking in heels all night the night before, but even so, I could not love these. They were a bit too hippie for me. I did not know that was a possibility. That I had a limit. But here it is.

I added so much to my wishlist on this trip. I am being patient on a bunch of items, hoping for a sale. In my observations (I am not an expert), Free People does not have a set schedule for markdowns. Some items will sell out at full price and never get marked down. Sometimes it can take over a year before an item gets a cut. Sometimes it gets marked down with a few months. You just never know.

Are you loving any of the new spring offerings in stores lately? Are you hoping for a good sale? I am answering a giant, “yes!” to both of those questions.

* I will have an additional outfit post up later today at 3:00 p.m. : ). I have to catch up with all of these reviews! I will finish out my review sets next week with two more for Anthropologie. To be precise, they will go up Monday and Tuesday. Whew! Then this girl is done with reviews for awhile.

Here are some more of my recent reviews:

Anthropologie Spring Reviews Part I

and

Anthropologie Spring Reviews Part II

Modcloth Stylish Surprise: SHOES!

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This post could also be titled, “Modcloth, you have my heart.”

You all ready know that because Modcloth embraces every woman by offering a variety of different sizes, it is the store that makes me smile the most. Add that to their amazing customer service and customer appreciation and that site just makes this girl’s shopping heart sing.

But this post really isn’t about that.

This post is about the amazing promotion Modcloh does every few months:

It took me awhile to get over my light headedness when my box containing my Modcloth Stylish Surprise* (explanation about stylish surprise at the bottom of this post) full of shoes arrived at the door. For $10, Modcloth picked a pair of random shoes for me in my size and sent them. Shipping is always free at Modcloth for orders over $50. So, I ordered five pairs (three for me and two for my daughter. This might seem selfish, but her feet are still growing. Mine are not).

My daughter and I were nervous and excited to open the box full of shoes.

But we did!

Boy, did we get lucky!

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We both loved our shoes.

I found out about The Stylish Surprise the same day I put up my post about my March purchases. I had ordered the clothing surprise from them a year ago and liked what I received, but I have enough clothes. I wanted to try the shoe version. It intrigued me.

I also wanted to immediately do a post the moment I learned about the sale going on, but I did not want this blog to seem too consumerismy (another new word). I also had never ordered the shoe surprise before, and I was not sure if it was something I was willing to recommend (this is important to me. I would never speak about a product here that I would not purchase myself). I decided to wait until morning to decide. Then the Stylish Surprise Shoes sold out. So, next time, I am alerting you right away. And if it happens to be on the same day as a post about clothes, well, that will just have to be the way it goes. I don’t want you guys to miss out! I think this promotion Modcloth does is amazing!

Okay. On to our loot:

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I got these beautiful Chelsea Crew Tia Pumps in mustard. They fit like a dream. I love them for evening fun. They are my favorite of the shoes I received.

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My daughter got these cool Dollhouse combat boots. These are so her. She was thrilled. She has worn these all week.

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I also got these Seychelles Two Birds Heels. They are SO tall. I could never actually wear these. I ended up giving them away to the sweetest eighteen year old girl I know. And she was happy. And I was happy. So, it all worked out.

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My daughter got these Chelsea Crew Notch Your Step heels in red. I was jealous of these. They are adorable. More importantly, she is madly in love with them. And I would rather her have been happy than myself. Thankfully, we both were happy. She wore these last Thursday and her outfit was perfect with these shoes! So cute!

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I also received these Chelsea Crew Class Treasurer Heels (funny enough, I was class treasurer… Or secretary. I can’t remember. I also do not remember doing a thing for that title. Maybe I needed these shoes). They are the most amazing orange color. I love them.

So, for $50 we received approximately $337 worth of shoes. This works out to roughly 85% in savings.

I would (and will) absolutely be partaking in these surprise sales again. Not only was it fun, but it was a great bargain, too.

Have you ever purchased a Modcloth Stylish Surprise? If yes, what did you get? If not, would you?

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* A Stylish Surprise is a sale that the online company Modcloth runs every few month. For a low fee, usually between $5-15, they will send you a surprise in the category you purchased your surprise in (apartment, accessories, shoes, or clothing). They guarantee your item will be worth a certain amount, usually much higher than your initial investment. Stylish Surprises are nonreturnable. If it does not fit or if you do not like the item/items you receive, you are out of luck. It is a risk.

* In the pictures, I am wearing Anthropologie’s Midday Dress. It is currently on sale. I am wearing a medium. I have a separate post about this dress going up on Sunday.

* This blog receives a small commission when a purchase is made through this website at Modcloth. : )

Anthropologie Spring Reviews Part II

This post should really be entitled, “The Time I Melted In The Dressing Room And Lived To Tell About It.”

In the first set of my reviews a few days ago, you will notice I started with a sideways braid.

But it started to unravel. And I started to unravel.

So, in the next few pictures, you will get to see me attempt to cool down by moving my hair off of my neck. It ain’t pretty.

It didn’t work.

This is going to be anti-climatic, but I am going to give away the ending.

I survived.

I tried on fifteen items in a dressing room.

And I survived.

Who knew I was made of such strong stuff?

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Linen pants.

I really liked these pants on the hanger. These were too tight on my thighs. As most linen pants are. I wish I could remember what size I tried on the Level 99 Wideleg Linen Pants for you. I think it was a 28, because I think I wanted to try on a size 29 and they did not have it. Or it was the other way around. All I know is, maybe these would be good in a size up, but the store did not have it. Which was also good, because I did not have it in me to try one more thing on.

Told you, my reviews are helpful.

The color of these pants is amazing. If you can wear linen pants then these are for you.

The Pintucked Buttondown is so cute. In the print I am wearing, there are sweet little pastel birds lounging around. I am wearing a size six here. Kristin from Lovely Apidae bought this top a few weeks ago and it looks so much better on her. She gives a good representation of this top. It looks much better with jeans.

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Then I tried on this Mahdia Peasant Top with a pair of Pilcro Stet Slim Bootcut Jeans. I like the jeans. They are a size 28. What do you think? I do not know if they are too short with these boots. But with flats, they might be too long. I also realize it is hard to tell because of the way I am standing. Remember, I was melting. So, this seems to be a good stance to take to sink into the floor. Other than that, I have no answer or excuse for you.

I added these pants to my wishlist. Please let me know what shoes I should wear with them. I am clueless.

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I adored this top. It ended up being the same Mahdia Peasant Top as above, just in a different print. I am wearing a size six in both pictures. I am still unsure about it. I do not know. I did not add it to my wishlist, but I might. Purple is my least favorite color, but I love it with the turquoise necklace here.

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Speaking of purple.

This Del Mar Tunic was the top I thought I was definitely going to buy before I tried it on. I loved it online. This is a medium. I have larger arms and this sleeve was not flattering on me.

Notice my hair and make up falling. The end is near, I’m sure.

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What can I say about the Haru Pullover?

It has really good reviews on the product page.

It was not my favorite, but I think the sleeves are fun.

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This Texture-Print Tunic was me stepping out of my comfort zone. This is a small. I think it is flattering. It is cute and preppy. It is not my style, but it would be great on someone whose style it is. I also think the center pink stripe is surprisingly flattering.

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I think I would have really liked this sweater, except it was the last thing I tried on. And that dressing room was hot. And, well, this is a sweater. I like the color and the crochet panel. It is called the Sujet Top. I am wearing a small in this picture. I think this runs big. It was extremely comfortable. It is see through, so an undershirt of some kind is required.

Have you braved a dressing room lately? Do you like trying on clothes? Do you find yourself getting warmer in the dressing room?

P.S. I recently did Free People Spring Reviews, too!

Overheard in March 2014

I did not actually overhear a lot in March. Okay. That is a lie. I overheard a lot of stuff I felt was too inappropriate to share. One thing in particular I cut out because it involved a young teenage girl. Gotta use my common sense.

It’s in there, I swear.

Somewhere.

With that in my mind, here are some funny or interesting conversations I overheard or took part in in March:

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I find dynamics between women fascinating. When we were eating a meal in Vegas one day, I happened to overhear an awkward woman in her late forties approach the table of two women the same age who were currently all ready halfway through their lunch.

“Hi!” She screeched. And the two women at the table exchanged glances. And I cringed inside for the loud girl.

“How are you doing?” She guffawed. But before they could answer, she immediately jumped to, “Did you hear I got promoted?!”

They acknowledged that indeed they had.

The awkward girl tried to downplay it like it was no big deal, but one of the women interrupted her and said, “It’s obvious you’re really proud of it. You can’t play it off like you aren’t.”

The girl could not take a hint and stood there for a good five minutes longer, looming over their table describing the entirety of her new job and title. She could not seem to sense that the two women were not only not happy for her, but that she had long overstayed her welcome.

After she finally made it back to her own table, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. It was a tough one to witness.

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Yesterday, my family and I went to a falconry lesson (post to come soon). While we were driving home, we were discussing the things we learned and the many different raptors there are in the world.

My son said, “I would really like to see a Golden Eagle.”

To which my daughter replied, “You know it’s not really gold, right?”

My son sighed heavily, and sadly said, “Really? Darn! I really wanted to see that.”

My husband said, “It is more like a brownish gold.”

My son replied, “Oh! So, like a perfectly toasted marshmallow?”

I will never be able to see or hear the words Golden Eagle and not think of marshmallows again.

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We were walking back to our hotel in Las Vegas and a couple was fighting in front of us. Not in front of us, but rather, they were walking directly ahead of us and their conversation was loud enough for me to hear. And not necessarily fighting, but having a loud conversation that neither of them was likely to win.

“You do this every time!” The husband proclaimed. He was neither indignant nor was he sad. Just kind of factual and emotionless.

The wife did not seem to care. “I’ll make it up to you when we get back to the hotel.”

“Great.” The man said in a slightly uplifted way. Meant I am sure to be sarcastic, but the wife was all ready rushing ahead, intent on whatever new pursuit had caught her attention.

The man begrudgingly began to follow her and I was just close enough behind him to hear him mumble, “But you won’t.”

And I wish I had not been that close, because that made me sad.

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I was at a bar with my friends. Wait. That sounds rather seedy and dangerous. Oh? It doesn’t? Okay, good. No need to explain further, then.

There were two young couples in their early twenties seated at a table next to us.

I noticed that one of the four young adults would jump up, tour the bar area slowly and then come back and the next person would get up and do the same thing. It was too loud to overhear what they were doing. My talent lies in observations not in conversations. I was far too shy (and frankly far too lazy) to go to their table and ask them what they were doing.

My outgoing friends had no such qualms. They approached the table and inquired as to their curious behavior.

It turned out that the two couples were in town to celebrate one of the couple’s engagement. They were all old friends and had decided to meet there that night.

The bar had a long wall of paintings and each of them was getting up, picking their favorite painting and coming back to the table. The game was in deciding if the other members of the table knew the person doing the choosing well enough to correctly guess their favorite painting.

It was a cute, innocent drunken game. And I was happy to witness easy fun between friends. Us girls were so much older than the two couples and it saddened my heart to think of the light-heartedness eventually coming to an end as the heaviness of the years takes over.

I hope it doesn’t. I hope their light is trapped within each of them like the oil on the paintings that they each picked. And does not tarnish.

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Speaking of friends. On another night while walking in Las Vegas (oh! My feet. My poor, poor feet. This blog would take on a new tone if they could speak), a trio of men would burst ahead of us. And then stop. Then run. And stop. They were all over the place.

This might have been scary.

Had they not each been under one hundred thirty pounds. In their very early twenties (little boys, really). Dressed in pastels. And had not been so completely oblivious that there were other individuals in the world besides the three of them.

They were yelling back and forth to each other. Somewhere along the line, the three of them got separated (how this occurred is beyond me, as it was a straight walk back to our hotel).

I walked in front of the dark haired young man with the purple pants and blue checkered shirt. His eyes focused. Then refocused on me. “Hey!” He screamed, even though we were two feet apart. “Hey! Have you seen Ferdinand?”

I replied, “I do not know who Ferdinand is, but it is a lovely name.”

He was back to ignoring that I existed and five feet a head of us a blonde haired young man was impatiently stalking.

“Ferdinand!” Yelled the young man. They happily rejoined each other as if they had not been separated for less than three minutes.

“Ferdinand, she doesn’t know who you are! She’s never heard of you!”

They both looked back at me and snickered. I was surprised he remembered speaking to me. The two boys took off running.

I wondered if the two of them remembered their duo had been a trio just moments earlier.

I turned to my husband and said, “Wow! I have never seen anybody drunk act like that before!”

My husband chuckled at my naivety. “Honey,” he said. “That wasn’t alcohol.”

“Ohhhhhhh.” I exhaled. It had never occurred to me that it could be anything else.

And I guess that is a good thing.

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I was at our hotel and a group of male escorts were behind us. I accidentally stopped and one of them almost ran into me. But before the collision occurred, he belted out, “BOOM!”

Which startled me and made me move.

And then chuckle.

Because if that is not the best way to get someone out of your way, I don’t know what is.

Have you overheard anything funny lately? Any good stories to share?

* If you missed February’s Overheard In, you can find it here.