The Bella-Vita Zari Ii in Nude Patent

I am ever on the search for the perfect pair of shoes. My feet, unfortunately, do not cooperate. I always say I have HUUUUGE feet but the reality is that I have an oddly-shaped foot which creates a difficult fit. It's much easier for me to just go for the giant shoes instead of putting in the elbow grease to find a great-looking pair that comes in the right width. Yep, that's the key for me, kids. I need wide shoes. I own up to size 10 shoes because the ball of my foot doesn't fit into normal people widths. Also my feet are about a half size different from one another which is quite annoying.

Today I got these lovelies which have me pretty satisfied. They still give me a bit of the heel-slippage when I walk which makes me a tiny bit suspicious that my feet are even smaller than the 8.5 that I bought (8.5 WW to be exact. YIKES.) but I am going to try some heel inserts and see if that does the trick.

I like pretty much everything about these shoes though. Nude, which may just be my favorite color for shoes and.. well a lot of things. The flesh tone elongates the legs and looks fabulous in a dress or skirt or pants or anything. These are a little different with a black sole and thick-ish heel. The shape is just fabulous and I'm excited to take these puppies for a spin. Patent isn't my favorite because I think that a matte color is more versatile, but I think these will work nicely for my needs. I already have my eye on a Ralph Lauren LBD hanging on my garment rack to go with this pair.

Subscription Box Nonsense!

It's no secret that I'm a fan of subscription boxes. Fitness, food, fashion.. you name it and I WANT it!

WANTABLE
I've tried all of the Wantable collections. They have Intimates, Makeup, and Accessories. (Coming soon they also have a Fitness collection but the set-up just doesn't appeal to me. You pay $20 up front and get 5 items based on your quiz. The $20 comes out of the price of items if you keep them. Keep 1 item-pay an additional $45, 2 items- $110, 3 items-$136, 4 items-$188, 5 items-$201. And the brands they listed were all brands I've never heard of, so not worth the money to me.) I have been very happy with the Intimates collections. The accessories have been just okay, but I'm incredibly hopeful because I've seen some great reviews. I think I just need to better tweak my customization quiz. And the makeup wasn't for me. If I'm going to get surprise products from lesser-known brands, I don't want to spend $40 a box. Now if they were sending MAC brushes, Urban Decay primers, Smashbox eyeshadows, Dior mascaras...okay then $40 a box is a great deal. But for stuff that looks like it came from a dollar store or someone's garage sale? No. No way.

JULEP MAVEN
I got one box from the Julep Maven subscription. I really disliked the nail colors I got. did love the Body Milk lotion I got, full size! I have seen some great products (not nail color) but I didn't care enough to stay subscribed in case I get them. I am very simple with my nails since I can't usually wear nail color at work anyways. And typically when I want my nails to look pretty I pay someone else to do them. So it's a popular box but not for me. Also Julep was a HEADACHE to unsubscribe from! They don't have a simple button to click online, you have to actually call and speak with someone.

LOVE WITH FOOD
I've gone through a couple of months with Love With Food. This is a cute box, and with a great cause behind it. I'm not in love with it and won't stay subscribed, but not because I don't like it. It's just not something I love so I'm funneling funds elsewhere.

COMING SOON
I have a couple of boxes en route and I'm excited to see them. Bulu Box is a fitness sample box. I don't have high hopes for this one based on reviews, but I like samples and fitness-related ones are right up my alley! And PopSugar Must Have... um, my expectations are SKY HIGH for this one. I am SO DAMN EXCITED for this box!

UP NEXT
My next subscription adventures will come from this list:
Elizabeth & Clarke
StrideBox
PrettyFit

I'm currently debating whether I want to keep trying with Wantable accessories. I'm just so blase about everything I've gotten. I want to LOVE the things I get like I do with the intimates, or like I see in other people's collections. I'm a little jelly :P

Wantable Accessories September 2014 ROUND TWO!

Okay beauties, let's give this another try. :)

Box. normal.

Upon opening the box, I see that they forgot I'm currently a subscriber! Oh well, box is still packed especially for G. :)

I was happy to see that they went back to the velvet bags for the accessories. The ziplocs I got in the last one were uninspired. However, it seems they threw everything into one bag instead of individual ones like before.

First thing out of velvet goody bag were some cute geometric earrings.

The Katie Earrings feature pistachio triangles set in gold tone. Retail $14

The Katlynn Earrings are a gorgeous drop featuring stones of blues, reds, and greens! Retail $19

The Kacey Bracelet is a silver tone bangle with a cord and bead closure. Retail $18

The Rachael scarf is a mix of coral, mint, and yellow. Retail $19

Alright so my feelings. First of all I'm less than enthused about the broken bracelet. The little beads on the end are falling off, I imagine due to the adhesive coming loose. Also the bracelet is difficult to fit over my (admittedly large) hands. I already miss the bracelet and watch from the box I returned! The earrings are pretty. I think I'll change my quiz to say I only want hoops and studs from now on. I love bigger earrings but then I remember that my hair tangles in them! Silly curls. :) The scarf is pretty- I'm excited to jazz up a plain t shirt and jeans with it. Overall I get the 'meh' vibe. I wish I could have the bracelet/watch back. Or the watch and sunglasses! C'mon Wantable, make me satisfied! I've seen what you can do!!!

Click here to try Wantable for yourself.

Wantable Intimates August 2014

Yes, it's September and I'm posting August. I have a reason! So my Wantable Intimates shipped at the beginning of August and ... I never saw it. :( I sent a message to Wantable and they dropped this replacement in the mail for me right away.

This is my first Wantable Intimates collection. My first impression is meh. It seemed kind of boring compared to some that I've seen. However, I was pretty impressed with one standout piece. And everything seems nice in the quality sense. So I'm happy and I'll stay subscribed for the time being. See the box below!

They sent an apology, which I thought was nice. :) 

It said, "Hello, beautiful! We're so sorry your Wantable experience didn't go as planned. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to make it right. If there's anything else we can do for you, please drop us a note... We're happy to help! Team Wantable"

Ozone Daisy vs. Stripes socks in Fuchsia. Retail $13.
Feminine or floral? With Ozone's Daisy vs. Stripes socks you don't have to choose! These fun and comfy socks go with any mood.

r e a l Underwear Scallop Lace Bralette in Black. Retail $14
This beautiful bralette features soft lace cups and adjustable straps. The style does run a little small, so we have sized up accordingly.

Pucker Up! Cotton Fusion Thong in Black. Retail $12
These cotton panties from Pucker Up feature a smooth, tagless design for supreme comfort and zero panty lines.

Icy Hot Leopard Babydoll. Retail $42
This fierce babydoll features leopard print, mesh sides, and a cute peek-a-boo cutout in back.


Total reported retail value: $81

Alright so the babydoll is clearly the standout piece. It's nothing that would have drawn my attention in a store, at least not in a good way. As soon as I saw it I thought, "That is scandalous!" I think it's cute and I'm excited to wear it. I'll let you know what Matt thinks of it. :)

As for my "meh" comment earlier: I thought the black bra and thong were kind of boring. However, the bralette is actually insanely comfortable. I LOVE it. I also love that they knew the style to run small so they sized up. The socks are adorable, the only thing I really don't care too much for is the black thong. And you know what? I can always use new panties in all shapes and colors, boring or not. So it's still a win. Also, per the retail value stated, I got a pretty good deal. The babydoll alone, which will not get nearly as much mileage as the rest, is worth more than the collection. Now I won't get as much use out of the babydoll, but it's really cute and I'm excited to own the piece.

Happy camper!

Stay tuned, I'm still waiting for my September Wantable Intimates. Eeeeh I'm excited!!! :D

Wantable Accessories September 2014

Hmm, where to begin? I have been dying to get this collection ever since I got my August Accessories collection from Wantable. This one was, however, disappointing. I'm returning it. But don't worry! I'm getting another this month. No giving up for G! Let's take a look!

Okay so the first thing I noticed when I got into the box and removed the information sheet was this. If you've gotten an accessories collection from Wantable recently you'll recall they've been sending out our goodies in little velvet-y bags. Very cute, gave a whole air of glam and chic to the collection. Now everything is thrown together in a plastic bag. No issues, really, Thank goodness I didn't have a tangle-prone necklace in there! 

There was a pouch for these Sammi Sunglasses. Retail value $18. They're cute and very dark, which I like a lot! The frames look pretty big on my face but I could make it work. 

Next up we have the Olivia Hair Tie. Retail value $9. So it's not un-cute? It's nice but a)it's not on an ouchless elastic (Am I spoiled by Goody? Probably!) and b) I have a feeling I will try to wrap that around my giant curls and the elastic will snap and I'll be left with a useless gold nothing. The idea, however, is cute. But this is not a win for me.

I was really excited about this one. This is the Melissa Watch in Gold. Retail value $29. First of all, it's rose gold. Not that that's a problem, just a fact. Second, there are already scratches on the band and the way it feels well, it reminds me of something you'd wear as a kid that leaves green marks around your finger. I LOVE the way it snaps onto the wrist. The open-close but not all-the-way-close feature is really great. And it feels solid, like it wouldn't just fall off as I'm wearing it.

Finally we have the Norah Bracelet. Retail value $18. This bracelet is heavy and feels like the most expensive piece in the collection. However it also looks like costume jewelry when I put it on. And putting it on is a chore but maybe that's just my clumsy fingers. I like the mixed metals and the mixed media. And I could make it work.

So that's the problem with this collection. Everything is "meh" at best and I could make it work. But I don't LOVE anything. I don't feel like I got my $40 worth this time. Any of these pieces I would rock if everything else (or anything else, really) made me excited. But they're all sub par for me. So, despite Wantable claiming a retail value of $74, I am returning the entire box. 

But don't give up hope! I have already placed an order for a second Accessories Collection this month. I'm trusting in Wantable to find me something amazing. And they have a great return policy so I am happy about that. Stay tuned for September Accessories Round 2! :)