Sometimes I just need to remind myself to seize the day and enjoy life. I get very wrapped up in my goals that I often forget.
So here’s my reminder:
Carpe diem
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My shopping ban is OVER!
Today is a good day. First, it’s my anniversary with Joe. Holy crap guys, we’ve been married for three years and together for almost eight! That’s so crazy to me.
Second, do you remember when I started a shopping ban in November? Seems like it was just yesterday, right? Well, today marks the end of my six month shopping ban. I can hardly believe it. I’m almost ready to give it six MORE months. But I’m not going to do that. I learned a lot from not shopping and from not blogging my outfits these past six months. Although, I probably should’ve blogged outfits, because it would’ve been interesting to see what I wore for six months without buying anything new. But, alas, I did not.
Did I learn anything? Yes. I am much happier NOT blogging my outfits. I also don’t really enjoy shopping. I like finding inspiration, but find that I am much more comfortable in jeans and t-shirts (my uniform for the past six months!). There is a lot I can talk about that I learned because I stopped shopping or because I stopped outfit blogging, but it’s more in-depth than I want to get in this post. I’ll probably write about it in a few days/weeks, when I’ve really had time to digest/think about things, and can give a really good write-up about if I go online shopping crazy, or if I still hold off a bit.
And yes, I did celebrate the end of my shopping ban with a purchase.
Brand new running shoes! I’m a little crazy, but I signed up for a 5k in July. My friend Emily wanted to do it, so I bit the bullet and signed up. I don’t have to run it, I can walk, cart-wheel or crab-walk (according to the website), which makes me happy. I’m not really a runner, but I have started to take up activities that make me happy and running around Ann Arbor while getting doused in colored powder is one of those things. I can’t wait. My sister is also joining us, and I’m trying to convince her to wear a tutu during the run/walk because it will be funny. We’ll see!
Like this:
Why I’m growing out my bangs
I recently dyed my hair back to blonde. For those of you who don’t know, I’m naturally blonde, but enjoy moonlighting as a redhead. For other reasons, I’ve also taken to wearing glasses again (too many eye infections).
I looked in the mirror earlier this week and realized I needed to grow out my bangs, because I looked too much like Garth from Wayne’s World to feel comfortable anymore:
At least it’s a built-in Halloween costume.
Like this:
The Hunger Games: Beanie Babies Edition
I finally saw The Hunger Games last night. I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s watch this instead:
From The Online Musical.
Like this:
Land’s End rips off belt design
If you’ve been a reader of mine since the Modcloth scandal of 2010, you know me as someone who will talk about problems I see within the fashion world, even if it leads to an employee leaving me cryptic messages (thanks IP tracking!). Because of that post, Modcloth removed the listing of one of those dresses, and also recognized me and my readers (as well as readers of The Gloss and others who profiled the problem) as a force to be reckoned with.
Recently, it has come to my attention that another company is doing something more devious than just pricing their poly-blend products at astronomical prices.
Land’s End has allegedly taken Kiel James Patrick’s belt design and is selling it as its own design, for about half as much. Here are the two designs, side-by-side:
A little too similar to be a coincidence, right? They’re even laid out the same way, photographs taken in front of grey backgrounds.
Design stealing is, sadly, nothing new in the fashion world. I found this blog post about LL Bean stealing Eliza B sandal designs (quite brazenly, I might add). Last year, a similar controversy cropped up with US state necklaces and Urban Outfitters. In that case, Urban Outfitters removed the necklace from their site, but as April from Regretsy pointed out, there were many other sellers on Etsy with similar products, so who’s really the originator of the product?
In Kiel James Patrick’s (KJP) case, according to the statement he sent to Ivy Style, he’s not claiming to be the originator of a nautical belt, but created a hand-crafted, high-quality belt that took months to perfect. KJP also says that his designs are not sold to corporations, such as Land’s End, so their seemingly identical design was not created by him, nor is he receiving any payment for it.
We can argue if this is something that we think should go on in the fashion world or if we think it’s right/wrong, but that’s not where I’m taking this discussion. I want to call out Land’s End for their blatant rip-off of a small company (20 employees!), and I want them to remove the belt from their shelves.
As it’s noted on the Ivy Style site, designs cannot be copyrighted. But, most designers (indie or well-known) aren’t going to rip someone else off, because it can be traced, and everyone wants to be original. There is a difference between seeing someone else’s design, being inspired, and creating something you deem as better. Wouldn’t you want to have something better than someone else, not a blatant copy? (Again, I don’t want to argue about fast-fashion and all that - that is not the point of this post.)
Let’s make some waves. KJP already tried to comment on the Land’s End Facebook and Twitter, and Land’s End hasn’t responded. If you take a look at Land’s End’s website, you can leave comments and reviews for products. I suggest we all jump over there and leave comments on the belt, bringing the star (boat) value down to one. Tell them the design is stolen from a small business In Rhode Island. Let’s make Land’s End give us an answer. If they didn’t “steal” the design, there would be no reason for the silence, in my opinion.
By bringing the star value of the product down, and making sure others are aware that the design isn’t original to Land’s End, hopefully Land’s End will be forced to do something about the product (e.g. pull it from the shelves!).
Please head over to the Land’s End website and help KJP get the answers they deserve.
Conversation Pieces wants list
I have a problem. I’m almost a month away from the end of my shopping ban, and I can already feel myself gearing up to add items to my already huge wardrobe. (I’m working on culling it down- more on that later).
One such place that has my attention is Conversation Pieces, who, lucky for you (not me), is offering free shipping through Sunday on any order.
While you’re placing your order, may I suggest a few things that I’d love to add to my closet that you can feel free to send me?
1. Castaway Dress
2. Apple of my Eye Dress, Navy
3. Fresh Appeal Dress
4. Polka Dot Affair Blouse, Coral
5. Morning Sunrise Blouse
Tell me if you buy something so I can live vicariously through you, OK?
(No, Conversation Pieces does not sponsor my blog, I just like their selection.)
This has been YEARS in the making
It sounds crazy, I know. But I have been waiting forever, or at least since texting became a “thing” when I was 19, for someone to incorrectly text me, just so I could mess with them.
Finally, it happened.
I was sitting at my desk when my phone lit up. “Whats carlos number?” Immediatly, my heart started racing. Realizing I knew no one named Carlos, I knew this was it. I stared at my friend Carrie with this twisted grin on my face. She stared back at me and asked “what’s up, Joker-face?”
“I have been waiting forever for someone to incorrectly text me when they’re trying to get someone else. And it FINALLY HAPPENED!” At this point, I stood up and started singing Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This.” Carrie choose that moment to leave (good choice, I must say).
I was ready. I thought about it for a minute, before responding. Here’s our entire conversation. I’ll discuss it below the image. (They’re the white, I’m the green).
If you’ll notice, my second attempt to get them to realize that I’m not who they thought they were texting, I mention that Carlos peed on me on Halloween (no, this is NOT from experience). They don’t even respond to that. It’s like that’s Carlos’s thing. It’s like it’s normal for him to go around peeing on people on Halloween. What madness have I stepped into that THIS isn’t even noticed?!
After this engaging exchange, I thought we were done. I laughed, Carrie laughed, my twitter friends laughed, and I was done with it.
An hour later, they responded again. I gave them one last attempt to realize that I have no effing clue who Carlos is, and I’m most certainly not giving them his number.
(The “totes” is in there because I had a Facebook friend complaining about the usage of that word. But that’s another story for another time).
Finally, I think they got it.
It’s been suggested that I wait a month, then text them back asking for Carlos’s number. *evil grin*
So, there you go. That’s my years-in-the-making-epic-tale-to-tell-the-kids. I don’t think they’ll believe me about texting not being a “thing” until I was 19 though.
If you ever find Carlos, let me know. I’m sure this person is dying to get a hold of him.
