a healthy dose of eye protection

I do love a great print, which is probably why I almost fainted when I saw this dress at the Kate Spade outlet. Its cheeky, unusual pattern was enough to send me running to the dressing room to just try it on. Who knew I would fall madly in love with it? Ok maybe I did, I’ll confess, but do you blame me!? Two minutes after twirling around the store like a lovesick schoolgirl, I knew I had to have it. The only thing stopping me: the 300 + dollar price tag. Its magnificence almost hypnotized me into thinking that was ok, but reality got the better of me and I walked away.

Well, I tried to.

Now, let me give you the skinny on this dress, and thus my reasoning for why I should punish myself by trying this seemingly unobtainable thing on. I was so excited about it. This dress was something I had never seen before with its matchless quirk and lady-like silhouette, I knew it would be the perfect addition to my closet. Plus the sale sticker above the rack didn't hurt either. And perchance it was the store's promotion for an additional percentage tacked onto it that got me thinking. And maybe it was the additional 15% coupon the sales lady discreetly handed over to me after persistently asking for further promotions. Or, I bet it was the $15 store credit my mom happened to have from a previous purchase that sold me. But I'm not sure. All this slashed the price by more than half and sent me on a beeline to the cashier (after a night of soul searching at home of course). A very happy shopper I was made.

I decided to pair this with something just as fun as the dress. My shoes, forgive me if I boast, are AMAZING. I bought them years ago in high school from DSW and they happen to be my very first designer footwear ever – Marc Jacobs. This inevitably (and dangerously) sparked my love affair for stalking beautiful shoes. With the addition of this quirky Moschino umbrella I came across from TJ Maxx, a pair of Ray Bans (you can’t have enough sun protection, mind you) and a vintage cuff I snuck from my mom’s closet, this ensemble is certainly perfect for traipsing around town, no?

{Kate Spade dress; Marc Jacobs pumps; Moschino umbrella; Ray Ban sunglasses; vintage cuff}