My Obsession: Large Purses!!

A Sampling of the Large Purses I own!

Call them tote bags, satchels, hobo bags. Call them big. Call them... whatever you want.  I love them so much.  Budget makes fun of me... but as evidenced from her last “My Obsession” post, she is not one to judge!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love big bags.  I like to carry stuff with me at all times. You never know when you need a pen (don’t get me started on my obsession of pens) or a notebook, a book to read while waiting for a friend, or lip gloss, makeup, umbrella, mints.... 


Well you get it, I carry lots of crap with me at all times! 

Where did it all start? Probably when I was in graduate school.  I always looked for a bag big enough to hold my books and notebooks while still looking somewhat stylish, my back be damned.  

My love continued to grow once I started working. I remember upon graduating, my favorite Aunt asked me what I wanted for graduation, my response, “a black tote bag.” To my wonderful surprise, that tote bag came from Coach.  I still use that bag--it’s perfect for all my files and my computer!  

The Coach Tote!!

Since then, I’ve purchased lots large bags that could be used for work/play/whatever the hell I want, and I love every one of them!  Over the last couple of months I have bought three new large purses...and the most expensive, was $20. While it’s true that I love a large bag that can hold all of my crap, as we’ve discussed at length here at “The Accessorized Life”, I am a girl on a budget, so finding a super cute bag for not a lot of money is something I hunt for!!  

Purchased in January, 2011
From Express for $13!!

Purchased from H&M (Though
mistaken as a Banana Republic Purse)
For $17, December 2010.

Purchased from Marshalls, February 2011
for $20!  This one will be perfect for

the Spring/Summer!

I'm constantly switching out my purses depending on the outfit I'm wearing at the moment.  I will admit that sometimes the large purses can be a pain when you are searching for something and it's all the way at the bottom of the purse. But, that does not deter me from purchasing a new one every time I find one that's fabulous and budget friendly!  With these purses, I feel like no matter where I am heading, I will have the things I may happen to need when I am out and about!  

It's my obsession and I don't foresee it going away anytime soon!  

Accessory of the Day!

Worn 3/9/11
Circa Feb. 2011, Kenneth Cole

   

    So as we know by now Budget has run out of shoes for her daily post, so sadly until the foreseeable future her pics will cease... that is until she and I go shopping for shoes!! She and I were discussing doing another "Daily Post," and I volunteered to start showing off my accessory stash in a Daily Post, with pictures to Boot!!

     I don’t remember when my love all of things jewelry began... probably when I was child. I can remember going through my mother’s jewelry box, loving her necklaces and bracelets and rings and pins, and then turning my little head, while batting my eyes and asking my mom, “can I have this....” I have to say, she never denied me.

  Anyway, I’ve been “collecting” accessories ever since then. Some of my jewelry is expensive... a lot of it is not! I tend to like bigger pieces, but also love the look of a delicate necklace when it’s appropriate. I don’t discriminate when it comes to color, gems, look. If it catches my eye, I usually have to have it! Thankfully, the stuff that catches my eye tends to be on the more inexpensive side. I don’t go overboard with prices, as we all know, here at “The Accessorized Life” we love fashion, but fashion the everyday girl on a budget can afford!

  In this post, I hope to be as diligent as Budget was, and change up my look every day! Check back each day for a new photo, I’ll try and post where and when I got them.

    Enjoy and I hope it inspires everyone to change up their look a little each day

Worn 3/2/11
Present from Budget, June 2010

Worn 2/24/11
Earrings, Nordstrom Off the Rack, Circa Feb.2011;
Ring, NY&Co, Circa Feb. 2011

Worn 2/21/11
Circa 2008, Present from a Friend

Worn 2/17/11
A Present from a Friend, Circa 2010

Worn 2/16/11
NY&Co. February 2011

Worn 2/15/11
NY&Co., Circa Feb. 2011

Worn 3/8/11
Circa 2005 from Macys

Worn 2/14/11
Ring: Circa 2005;
Earrings: From NY&Co., December 2010

Worn: 2/10/11
From Etsy.com, Circa Spring, 2010.

Worn 2/9/11
Earrings: Present from Friend circa 2005;
Ring, Banana Republic, circa 2009

Worn: 2/8/11
Circa 2004

Worn: 2/7/11
Circa 2006, Banana Republic (I think!)

Worn 2/3/11
Earrings, May 2010 from Etsy.com
Bracelets, Circa December 2009 from
Brave New World

Worn 2/2/11
Necklace: from Alaska, Circa 2005
Bracelets, Family Heirlooms

Worn: 2/1/11
Earrings, Express, Circa 2004;
Bracelet, Old Navy, Circa Fall 2010

Worn 1/31/11

Bracelets, Circa 2010, Old Navy

Earrings, Circa 2003, Banana Republic

 

Worn: 1/28/11
Bracelets: Old Navy; Fall of 2010
Earrings: Kenneth Cole; December, 2010

Worn: 1/26/11
Circa 1999. (Not sure where I got this ring...) 

Worn 1/26/11
Received Fall 2010 from Baublebar.com

 


 

Worn: 1/25/11
From BaubleBar.com, a Birthday Gift from a friend
received circa August, 2010

Worn 1/25/11
My Grandmother's Ring

 

What Would The Accessorized Life Do?

Princess & I are putting a call out to all of our readers!!

As per a request to see how we wear and pair certain things in our wardrobe, we are starting a repeating post called:

WHAT WOULD THE ACCESSORIZED LIFE DO?

So, if you have the need to know how to wear a certain fashion trend or a certain staple in your wardrobe, just send us a comment on this post. We will be sure to oblige!

Be on the lookout for this new addition to our blog!

Love is in the Air...So, Show Your Wallet Some Love with Great Date Night Outfits for Under $100 Each!

It's that time again dear reader...time for our outfits of the month!

As promised last month, Princess and I are bringing you two date ready outfits...just in time for Valentine's Day!

Since Valentine's Day is about love and attraction, we thought that there was no better way to attract your mate (or to find a mate!) than by looking hot, hot, hot! So, we both opted for dresses this month. (Eerily enough, we picked dresses that are very similar, despite the fact that we did not buy them together!)

Our first outfit consists of a gorgeous greyish/tan knit sheath dress with a cowl neck. It is paired with a fabulous thick belt that has an oversized tan chiffon & mesh flower on the belt, two spectacular bejeweled bracelets and a pair of black tights. The outfit is topped off with incredible eggplant purple suede pumps. The grand total for this beautiful date night outfit? $91.01!

Our second outfit is a lovely purple jersey knit sheath dress paired with a beautiful black skinny belt with a laquered black flower buckle with a rhinestone in the middle. To complete this look, we have a pair of black tights, an amazing twisted silver bracelet and fabulous oversized teardrop earrings. The shoes are a unique and gorgeous pair of grey suede shoes with a thick heel and flower embellishment. And the grand total for this outfit is...$63.93!

While you read our blog, snuggle up with your sweetie and enjoy our looks for February, dear reader! Start looking forward to next month when we bring you outfits to welcome in the start of spring (a season which I'm sure we are all eagerly anticipating!!)!

Outfit 1:

The Dress:

The Tights:

The Belt:

 Bracelet 1 & Bracelet 2:

The Shoes:

Outfit 2:

The Dress:













 The Belt:

The Tights:

The Earrings:

The Bracelet:

The Shoes:

What I'm Obsessed With Now: Tights

My MASSIVE tights collection

Over a decade ago, I was young, naive, and living it up in college in Massachusetts. While in college, I rarely wore skirts. Why? Well, first off, black pants were all the rage. Especially stretchy, flare leg ones. No, I'm serious. (Feel free to laugh, but if you lived through the late '90s, early '00s, you'll remember!) Secondly, winters in Massachusetts are COLD! Skirts in that kind of weather just didn't seem appealing to me. However, one of my best friends in college used to wear skirts with tights pretty frequently. I asked her why she wore tights. She told me that they kept her legs warm when wearing skirts and she really liked them. Me? Not so much. I was anti-tights.

Half a decade ago, I was single, sassy (well...I'm still sassy!), stylish (still that, too...) and living in New York City. During my time in the City, I was reluctant to wear skirts in the winter. Why? Well, wearing them with stockings was DAMN cold and, like I said earlier, I was anti-tights.

To me, tights were for little girls. They looked young and unsophisticated. I pictured white, opaque tights (which are, probably, the only color I still don't have!) on a young girl with patent leather Mary Janes and a plaid pleated skirt. Tights were utterly unappealing to me.

I know, I know, dear reader. That line of thinking is cringeworthy. But, I promise, I've changed! What changed me, you ask? Well, I'm happy to share!

About 3 years ago, I was spending the night at my parents' house and really wanted to wear a skirt. But, it was the middle of winter and I didn't pack stockings. My mom suggested that I borrow a pair of her tights. (My mother was always a fan of tights--as far back as I can remember!) She loaned me a pair of brown ribbed tights. I reluctantly borrowed them. Well, as the day wore on I found that I wasn't cold and that tights are amazingly comfortable! On top of that, I also realized that tights aren't unfashionable and they aren't just for little girls. In fact, most tights are super, duper stylish!

I loved these tights so much that I kept them for several weeks, until my mother begged me to give them back. They were one of her favorites, after all. At that point, I felt that I needed to go out and get tights of my own. In the beginning, I played it safe--I bought a pair of plain black tights. Well, I loved those so much, that I branched out and got a pair of brown, cable knit tights. From there, I moved on to navy blue semi-opaque tights and, since they were on clearance, a pair of deep purple cable knit tights. I wore these pairs of tights over and over again throughout that winter. (In fact, I still have them!)

The next winter, I decided to branch out a little more and started adding some color into my tights repertoire. After wearing colored tights, I found I loved (and still do) the pop of color a great pair of tights can add to an otherwise monochromatic outfit.

I then got the itch for hot pink tights. I had a vision of wearing them with a fabulous black outfit and black boots. Alas, I couldn't find them anywhere. I found magenta (and bought them) and fuschia (bought them, too), but no hot pink. Once again, my mom was the tights fairy and came to the rescue--she found me a fabulous pair of hot pink tights...which I still rock!

This winter, I have branched out even further. I have almost every color under the rainbow...except yellow, orange and white. (I also tend to stay away from tights with patterns as it drives me crazy when I can't get the pattern to line up!) In fact, my tights obsession has gotten so bad that Princess literally steers me away from the tights display in stores when we're shopping. She actually won't let me buy any more tights! (Good thing I do actually go shopping without Princess sometimes, but, shhhh...don't tell her I buy tights!)

In winter, I now wear skirts and dresses far more than I wear pants...not only am I warmer, I'm far more comfortable and far more stylish. Thanks, tights!