****What I Wore****

All black and loving it...

So, some time ago I decided I just wasn't going to be bothered with Christmas.  No presents.  No tree. No fuss what so ever.  Yet, on Super Saturday I still managed to find myself out in the the mass chaos that is the last Saturday before Christmas searching for a specific something to finish a gift. No I did not go back on my anti-Christmas pact but rather I've been assisting those who did not join my movement. 

My best friend, after finishing 99% of her gift shopping (and making) was compelled to take over some of her fathers list after she watched him by her Boho Chic cousin a v-neck, argyle sweater from NY & Co.  After one quick trip to Forever 21 she found the perfect open draped cardi and a braided belt to go with it.  The only problem was that her amazing gift was actually on a mannequin and so the quest began.  One thorough scouring of the store later she could only uncover the cardigan and, as many of you know I'm sure, whats on the mannequin stays on the mannequin.   

Completely off topic but can I just say how perfect that rule is.  I mean, their displays always maintain freshness and appeal. The hand picked looks always stay perfect and their mannequins always remain in fresh out the box condition.  I only digress because this holiday season, and just about everyday, I am forced to spend my day updating my mannequins to looks either directed or, even worse, time consumingly hand picked only to return the next day and see them disheveled.  And not just tag hanging out disheveled, no that would be too kind.  Many look as if they went to the party of their life the night before, can't remember a thing, slept on the street and woke up on the street without pants.  Its heart breaking.  And since so many people are not mannequin savy they are clueless on how to take them apart and let me just say by mid 2011 my job may be without mannequins.  I walk my floors to find random hands at registers, an arm or two on my manager's desk, and on occasion a mannequin in pieces in a stock room without its base. Especially right now in the last desperate days of the holiday season, the store looks a disaster and it doesn't help when even the displays look shopped.

Soooo, getting back to my original story, I understood my friends pain when she was denied the perfect belt off the mannequin but I jumped for joy inside for their strict policies to aid in the maintaining of their visuals.  If only that driving force was applied to overall store appearance and maybe, just maybe, the slight price increase noticed over the years wouldn't seem so bad. 

Because I was aware of the war zone that await once I left the confines of my cozy bed, I suggested we call around with the product number found online to see what stores had it.  I laughed at the thought of customer service then and after just writing the sentence I'm chuckling now but hey it never hurt anyone to atleast try. The first F21 at first told me that my product number was incorrect.  I read it to her again only for her to tell me that I didn't need the first three numbers.  She looked it up and said her computer wasn't working and to hold on.  A short while later she picked back up said she didn't have it and abruptly hung up.  The second F21 informed me that the all the registers were occuppied and I was waiting for the "will have to call back or just come in" response but surprisingly she said if I gave her a description she would check the floor. So I did and she did and after another small pause she informed me that she did not have the color in question but she had a few others in that style.  She even asked if I wanted them to be put on hold until I came in. AMAZING!!!  I called one more store who never picked up and told my friend we may actually have to go out looking.  She then began to tell me about the stores she called all of which went something like mine except for the one store who immediately told her they don't look things up or search the floor for items on the weekend........and then she hung up.  Wow.  

I got dressed and my friend headed down to get me and we ventured out.  The traffic was ridiculous, parking was ridiculous even though we found one right in the front and the crowd was BEYOND ridiculous.  In the restrooms, just to show the shear chaos, I had to watch the door as the little abondoned boys running around in the women's restroom were peeking under the stalls. I already had it in my mind that if I saw their un-cherub like faces even attempting to peek, I was going to put my heel  in that little rosy cheek. I love children but I find it difficult to place nice with outright brats. 

The store were packed and a disaster but since we were in Forever 21 I figured I'd pick up my high-waisted sequin shorts for New Years Eve.  Even though I had checked the day before and they had a full size run, I could only find the XS.  We had a few malls to run thru so I grabbed them hoping to find the small elsewhere. Oh yeah..by the way..no belt.  The next mall wasn't as crazy but again no belt and despite the many other great options, my friend had her heart on that specific belt for her cousin.  After walking into other stores just to see if they may have another similar option, we began to realize we did not want to be out and proceeded to the car. 

So my day was less than thrilling but I did love my outfit....all black except for my hot pink lips.  I got this lipstick some time ago as a gift from the Elizabeth Arden counter.  The amazing perk about my job is that fragrances/cosmetics sometimes reward us for our work on their events and weekly executions.  I have a ton of make up that I have resorted to gifting out as I either don't like the color or have no idea how to use it.  Anywho, we were allowed to pick one product from their counter and I was immediately drawn to this insane pink lipstick. I love the color and when I see bright lips like this in the magazine I truly wish I had a makeup team to do me up.  However once I got it home and tried it on it was less than magazine worthy.  Call me naive for not remembering that all photos are touched up but I wanted my lips to look exactly like the glossy pages in Elle and Allure.  I tried over and over, even buying a liner to try and contain the color but I gave up and put in my already overflowing lipstick bag never to touch it again until yesterday. I was feeling rather champion-like, probably just gassing myself up for my mall adventure, and whipped out the lipstick.  Soon deflated, my lips looked exactly as they did the many times I tried before.  In trying to take it off, I found it stained my lips a very nice color and just put some lip gloss over it.  I ended up liking the effect so I took everything off and reapplied it with the gloss and was elated.

As for my outfit, the black dress is the same dress I bought on Black Friday which you can check out HERE and the shoes I happened to find in my room.  Shopping from your closet can be so rewarding!!!!   Oh yeah, I made the ring and one is up for grabs HERE.  Check it out along with a few new pieces I've added including a great new harness necklace....very gypsy.

Till the next post..........