In a perfect world, we would all be able to buy whatever we want, whenever we want. However in this world (or at least the one I live in), a girl’s gotta stick to a budget. My goal, always, is to be relatable and show style that is attainable for every girl.
However, I do appreciate investment pieces that can be worn and kept for years and years. Jackets, jewelry, shoes, and bags normally make the best “investment” pieces. Personally, I love love LOVE shoes. I tend to save my splurges for pairs I cannot resist. However, figuring out how to save for investment pieces is VERY important.
How to Save for Investment Pieces
I use the term “investment piece” loosely. At the end of the day, they’re clothes/things you wear and not an actual investment that will give you a real return (unless you’re going for Chanel or Hermes… then yes, it could actually be considered an investment.) Designer clothing and accessories don’t always equal better quality, but often it does! Having a couple nice pieces in your closet can really transform your entire wardrobe.
Now that it’s September, everyone’s talking boots. Particularly, OTK boots. I think OTK boots have moved past being a trend – they’re a definite staple in my closet and I constantly try to think of ways to wear them, even in the summer.
Stuart Weitzman shoes are some of my favorite.
The 5050 boots were the first nice shoes I ever bought for myself and thanks to an amazing cobbler (if you’re in LA and want a good rec, lmk!) they’re still kicking today. My current favorites are the Highlands (pictured here) and Lowlands (need to acquire every color… stat). I love suede shoes and the adjustable tie in the back helps ensure the perfect fit!
I’ve honestly tried on so many pairs of OTK boots and have a really hard time finding ones that actually stay up. These fit perfectly to your legs for that skin-tight look, even if you have thinner legs. If you’re going to splurge on shoes and looking at OTK boots, I would recommend this pair.
I’ve been working for years and make a point to be save money and be smart about the purchases I make. When it comes to big-ticket purchases such as vacations or nice shoes, I find it easier to set money aside over time rather than come up with it all at once.
The way I look at shopping (“wants”) vs. the essentials in life (“needs” – rent, bills, etc.) is that shopping comes second. Every paycheck I make sure to pay off my bills and set aside a certain amount of money for actual savings (like, see you in 30 years kind of savings) – the rest is mine to spend.
In my experience, money out of sight is money out of mind.
That’s why I really like automatic transfers – you can set this up in any checking account to transfer money on a set frequency from one account to another. Or you can use an app to help you save money – I’ve really been using and loving Digit, which tracks the money in your bank account and automatically withdraws amounts into a separate account.
Because the app is tracking your spending habits, it makes sure to only take an amount of money that you won’t even notice is gone. Over time, you’ll realize you’ve saved a ton of money without even thinking about it! This is great to 1. transfer into actual investments or 2. use on something for yourself – like a pair of shoes. I was able to save a lot of money for upcoming trips by using Digit. Full disclosure – I’m not being paid or anything by Digit, I just really love the app!
I’d love to hear how you approach setting budgets and buying investment pieces – any tips or tricks to share? Lmk!
For the longest time, I struggled with jewelry. I’ve never been much of a jewelry wearer – I tend to gravitate towards minimal jewelry that can be worn every day. The occasional statement piece can be worked in, but I prefer smaller pieces that I almost forget I’m wearing. I HATE heavy bangles and necklaces that weigh me down. The great thing about minimal pieces is that when you’re looking to make more of a statement, all you have to do is quickly layer several pieces together. I especially love gold rings and necklaces I can stack.
Minimal Jewelry
Lately, I’ve been venturing into jewelry more and starting to embrace it in my own way. The choker trend has been going strong for some time and doesn’t appear to be letting down. I admit I’m guilty myself of wearing chokers maybe too often. I can’t help it – I’m a 90’s baby for life. However, rather than one choker, try layering several dainty pieces together to create the ultimate necklace stack.
Hey babes! I’m off to Italy with the boyfriend today and will be back in a week and a half. We’ve been dying to visit the Amalfi Coast for years and are so excited the day has finally come where we will be crossing it off our travel bucket list. Stay tuned for lots of posts to come! But before I go, I just wanted to quickly share what has become one of my favorite online shopping sites – Vici!
Vici Online Shopping
I’ve been loving this California based site’s wide selection of cute clothes and accessories. Check out their selection of on trend and affordable pieces (my jam!). I’ve especially been loving their maxi dresses, but they have some super cute knits and jackets for fall as well! Almost everything on the site is under $100 and new items are added daily. I’ve been loving every piece I’ve received from them : ).
I’ll still be posting regularly while I’m away, so be sure to check out the blog for new posts! And follow along on Instagram/stories and Snapchat to see more of my trip! Thanks for reading babes, enjoy your hump day!
Maybe I’m just always having a bad hair day, but lately, hats have been my favorite accessory to rock. I think I could wear a hat every single day and not be sick of them. In addition to hiding flat hair – ugh – hats help protect your face from the sun (a MUST) and are probably the easiest accessory to wear. My absolute favorite hats are by Lack of Color – another Australian label I am absolutely OBSESSED with. I could dedicate an entire post to Australian labels I adore. I guess Aussies do it better?
Line I Love: Lack of Color
Like any other accessory, there are seasonal variations. In the summer, I can’t put my straw boater down. Now that it’s fall, I’m reaching for every wool fedora or wide-brimmed hat I can get my hands on. I love Lack of Color for their variety of shapes and sizes of hats. You can find similar styles at H&M or Forever 21, but I think Lack of Color’s hats hold their shape and last the longest. I want every single hat in their latest collection.
On a side note, remember when I talked about coloring your hair for the first time? And my concerns about brassy hair? Yeah, that happened. I had a mild panic attack about 4 weeks after my initial coloring after seeing my hair this color. Anyway, one quick trip to the salon for a quick tone + gloss fixed that, but for a minute there I was freaking out. Ladies with colored hair – use purple shampoo or leave it to the professionals and go to the salon to get your hair touched up. Thankfully, my hair is now back to bronde (and a little darker and more natural than in these photos). Colored hair is high maintenance!
We’re having a bit of an Indian Summer here in LA… actually, this happens every year, but September isn’t exactly fall weather. So as much as I would love to bundle up and pull out the knits, it’s just not happening (yet). So please bear with me as I transition a little more slowly than I would like.
So I convinced myself that black and tan match… hoping the rest of you agree!
It’s back to school week – and even though I’m not personally going back to school (and haven’t gone for some time… sad face), September always holds a spot near and dear in my heart. 1. Because I’m super basic and love fall, but more importantly 2. because back to school means setting goals and intentions, and reflecting on where you are. For me, that included some reflecting on blogging and what it means to me. About a year ago, I started thinking about starting a blog. A couple months later, The Luxi Look was born. Some of you already know this, but blogging isn’t my full-time job – I actually work in entertainment during the week. Because my corporate job was a full-time thing and blogging was just something fun I did on the side, I didn’t identify myself as a “blogger” for a long time.
I won’t get into all of the thoughts that I’ve gone through, but I finally came to the realization that yes, I am a blogger. I can’t pinpoint the exact day I became a blogger, but I do know that it came with a shift in attitude and an appreciation and respect for all the work that I’ve put into my blog over the past year. For the longest time, I felt that because I was so new to blogging and honestly had no idea what I was doing, that I wasn’t a “real blogger.”
I’d show up to events and people would ask me “oh, are you a blogger?” – and I’d squirm and be uncomfortable and say “well, um, no, not really… I mean, I blog, but as a hobby, on the side, sometimes…I actually have another job…”
Ummm, NO. The lesson I learned – you need to own it! If you’re putting in YOUR time and YOUR energy that could be focused elsewhere, into your blog, then YES, you are a real blogger!
Blogging is hard, guys. Before I started I thought, “Well, how hard could it be? You take a couple photos and write a couple sentences.” WRONG. The answer: it’s tough work! And can be as much as you want it to be. There is always MORE you could be doing. Which is why I have SO much respect for all the girls out there working and putting their heart and soul into it – most of them balancing other commitments including other jobs, a family, and more! You can spend HOURS on a single photo, and even more on a single blog post!
It’s easy to compare yourself to other people. Like many bloggers, I read and followed other blogs for years before starting my own. When I finally did, I saw these other girls with huge followings and years and years of experience and immediately compared myself to them. Also wrong. As my boyfriend loves to remind me, “Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.”
I’m still working on myself and my blog and learning new things every day – which I love. Do I still feel uncomfortable walking into a room full of people I don’t know? Yes. Do I still get nervous and wonder if I belong? Yes. But if someone comes up to me and asks if I’m a blogger, you can bet that my answer has absolutely changed. Now it’s always a “Yes.”
Does anyone else feel this way? How have you overcome blogging struggles? I’d love to hear your stories. And as always, thanks for sharing this journey with me!
