Valentine's Day Outfit

There's something about Valentine's Day that makes me want to wear a feminine and fun outfit. I even remember in middle school when my friend and I planned what we were going to wear and put our hair in foamed-roller ponytails the night before so that we'd have super curly ponytails the next day.

Fast forward almost 15 years and I still love to look especially cute on Valentine's Day. Here's a completely over the top Valentine's Day outfit for you.

Sweater | Pants | Earrings | Scarf | Watch | Ring | Shoes

Red pants and a pink sweater are a bold look, but how fun is this if you could pull it off? The appropriately titled Merino Boyfriend Sweater from J.Crew is a little oversized and comfy, and looks great with a scarf (I know because I saw my sister wearing this sweater with a scarf in different colors a few weeks ago). And I LOVE this scarf. It reminds me of Andy Warhol's Lips print. I really hope it goes on sale soon so that I can actually afford it. I've wanted the Kate Spade Locked In studs in gold for a while, but these pink ones are a lot of fun for Valentine's Day. The watch is an affordable piece from Target and comes in many other colors (I think gold and leopard are especially cool), and the ring is from BaubleBar. If you're looking for something more delicate, you could try other versions of the arrow ring--there are a ton on Etsy. The Printed Pointy flats from Gap look to be a cute and practical every day item. They come in other cute prints, including navy and white dots and leopard. 

Of course, any one of these pieces individually would be a fun way to add a little Valentine's Day to your wardrobe. If you want to see some other pieces that would be fun for Valentine's Day but didn't make it into this outfit, check out my So Stylish pin board on Pinterest. 

Discount on Frye Boots

For the past two years, I've had issues with the sole of one of my Ciao Bella cognac riding boots. Someone accidentally stepped on the back of my heal and took off the rubber portion of the sole of the heal. I got it repaired, and it came off again. I got it repaired again, and it was fine for a while. And then it came off again when I was in Charlottesville. While these boots have served me well, they are looking pretty beat up at this point, and I don't feel like paying to get them fixed again. Rather than dropping another $100 - $150 on poorly crafted boots that I'll replace in a couple years again, I've been lusting over some high quality Frye leather riding boots.

I especially love the Melissa Button Boot. I have, shall we say, "muscular" calves and pull on boots can be challenging, so I'm pumped that they come in an extended calf size.

Via Piperlime

I also like the Paige boots, but I'm not sure they'd look stellar on me.

Via Piperlime

My problem with Frye boots is the price. I know that they are super high quality and will hold up forever, but it's still hard to reach into my pocket and fork over $350 for shoes. Naturally, I've been scouring websites for sales, coupons, etc. trying to get a good deal on some Fryes. My goal was to get them under $300.

6pm.com is a great resource for affordable shoes, and actually has some pretty cute options right now.

I love the color and the buckle detail on the Dorado Riding Boot, but they don't have them in my size.

$281.37 via 6pm.com

I also like the Jackie Button Boot, with a manageable heal and a style very similar to the Melissa Button Boot. I just don't really need gray boots right now.

$208.80 via 6pm.com

I checked BlueFly.com, Nordstrom Rack's website and Tyson's stores, and LastCall, but couldn't find any deals. Piperlime had a few coupons recently, but they didn't apply to Frye...boooo :(

Today I did a little Googling and saw that Macy's was having a sale. They just happen to sell the Melissa Button Boots that I want, and the sale applies! 15% off of $300 is nothing small. After a little hesitation, I decided it was a good time to bite. Fingers crossed they look cute. It's still a lot of money to spend, but I have a few furniture projects in the works and I was careful not to spend much money on a Halloween costume and fall decor, so I can manage.

Check out Macy's stock of Frye Boots if you're interested in investing in some quality boots too!

Disclosure: I wasn't paid or perked by any of the companies listed in this post, I just love a good deal and like to let you guys know when I find one! 

My Search for the Perfect Leopard Flats

I'm not one to wear animal prints in my clothes very often, but I love an animal print accessory. Now that it's fall and the air is getting cooler, it's finally appropriate to break out the nice, deep leopard prints. I especially love leopard print shoes. This fall I've been on the lookout for the perfect leopard flat, but it's been a lot harder than I've expected.

I guess my criteria has been a little strict. I'd prefer something with a pointed toe, since it can be dressed up a bit more easily than a ballet flat, and looks great with pants, skirts, and dresses. While I've found a few contenders, my grad student budget has ruled some of them out already. Here's a list of the shoes currently in the walking running.

J.Crew Janey Calf Hair Flats

Photo from J.Crew

I realize that this is a silly first pick because these don't have that pointy toe I'm looking for, but OH MY GOD I love them. The gold heal...the rich color...they are just beautiful. The only problem? Um, the $298 price tag. And let's be honest, while that gold heal is gorgeous, it's going to be out of style pretty soon, making the price an even bigger deal. Oh well, a girl can dream can't she?

Steve Madden Vegass Flats

Photo from Piperlime

These flats are really what I'm looking for. They have a pointy toe and the fact that it doesn't have black trim makes it even more versatile. The only thing that's stopping me, again, is the price. Well, let me revise: It's the the price in combination with the quality. I just can't bring myself to spend $90 on flats that get 2.5 stars on Piperlime. The quality just doesn't match the price. I can only justify spending $90 on shoes if they're a good investment (the last few times I bought shoes that expensive, they were a pair of black Michael Kors pumps, and a pair of running shoes).

Steve Madden Eternnal Flats

Photo from Piperlime

These flats are very similar to the Vegass flats, and I really like the gold studs on the back. But again, based on the reviews, the current $70 price tag just doesn't match the quality. I might consider them in the $40 range, but not $70.

Steve Madden Croquet Flats

Photo from Zappos

Rounding up my Steve Madden picks is the Croquet, one of the many tuxedo flats that seem to be all over the place these days. I hesitate to buy these because while the style seems classic, the fact that they're everywhere this season makes me worry that they will just look tired next year. So even though the $56 price tag is more to the tune of what I'm willing to pay, they just aren't versatile enough. Plus, I tried them on at DSW while I was wearing athletic shorts and they just don't flatter my bare legs enough, so I couldn't wear them with skirts and dresses.

Mossimo Black Vianca Tuxedo Flat

Photo from Target

I actually ordered these at the beginning of the season because at $20, I was cool with them being trendy  and a little less versatile. But they were just too stiff and too low quality, and I knew that would probably be a problem. My feet just can't handle that anymore unless I'm wearing sandals. My friend Heather at Pineapples and Pearls ordered them and has a plan to make them more comfortable, so I'm eager to see if she can get them to work.

Nine West Speakup Flats

Photo from Nine West

I saw the Speakup in the Nine West store last weekend, and I think that these are really the ones I'm looking for. They're solid with more support than the Steve Madden options, and they have a sort-of pointed toe. They have a very classic look that I know I could wear for at least two seasons. At $80 they're still a little on the high side for flats, but I'm one coupon away from snagging these.

Crocs Kadee Leopard Flats

Photo from Zappos

These Crocs are a great option since they would be super comfortable and they are only $35.

Hahaha, just kidding! I could hardly even type that. Sorry guys. I am all kinds of silly this morning.

Have you scored any cute shoes lately? Do you own any of these above shoes? Know where I can score a deal on the Nine West shoes? I wish they were on Piperlime today so that I could get 20% off.