Hiatus: It's Official

People, I am taking the California bar.  If you aren't familiar with this monstrosity, it is the proverbial white whale that haunts wannabe California lawyers, often repeatedly.  It is actually considered the most difficult bar in the country, since California is full of arse-faces and the examiners are TRYING to keep people out as best they can.

Having decided to slay this whale, I will be occupied with a glorious 8-12 hours of studying each day. So, I will be taking a hiatus from blogging until it's all over.  Might pop in from time to time to say hi, but until August 2, all bets are off.

Have a fab summer.  I know mine's gonna be a freakin' blast.

What's the Diff? Anthro v. ModCloth Edition

As an Anthropologie lover, my overwhelming lust perfectly normal desire for their clothes knows no bounds.  So, I've been enjoying reading Effortless Anthropologie lately.  The most recent post highlights something we all already know: there are lower-priced knockoffs/copies/replicas of so many items, you can usually find what you want for less with a little research.

And while the cheaper versions aren't always of identical quality to the original, sometimes it doesn't matter.  Do the minor differences between these two skirts make the Modcloth version on the right, which is $86 less than the Anthro version on the left, and less cute and desirable?  Didn't think so.

Before anyone jumps on their high horse about originality and design and the evils of Forever 21, I'm willing to bet not a single one of us hasn't rejoiced at finding- and buying!- an identical, cheaper version of something we loved and couldn't afford.  I'm not sanctioning blatant copying of original design, but there's not much that's entirely original these days.  And until the knockoff industry is eradicated completely (ha!), I will be buying the less expensive versions of stuff I love whenever I please.

Handbag SITE of the Day

Bag and Shoe is a site my friend H found and introduced me to a few years ago.  And it's a great Handbag Site of the Day because almost everything is under $200 and each bag is available in a ton of color options. Check it out.

Handbag of the Day: Navy Satchel

This is the Imperative Satchel for $139.95 (marked down from $278). I like that it's navy instead of black, has cross body and shoulder straps, and is a great price for a really nice leather bag.  Looks roomy enough for every day, slouchy enough for the weekend, and I love that the hardware is brushed and minimal.

What's the Diff? Sandal Edition

This is the Cynthia Vincent Odeon sandal.  It's $250.

This is the Cynthia Vincent Olympia sandal (available at shoptheshoebox.com).  It's $295.

And this is the Ciao Bella Kaitlynn.  It's $65.

The cheaper version looks almost exactly the same as the Olympia (except for the position of the ankle/heel straps) and almost exactly the same as the Odeon (except for the addition of the thong and heel backing) (and color, blah blah).

Given the fact that a) the Ciao Bella sandal is real leather so I wouldn't have to compromise on material, and b) paying (well) over $200 for an EXTREMELY trendy pair of sandals isn't the best use of my shopping funds, the Ciao Bella wins by a landslide for me.  You?

What's the Diff? Price Edition

This is the pretty cute Report Kimball flat.  On Piperlime, it's $50.  On Tilly's, it's $39.97.  Sure, it's only about a $10 difference, and it's possible that with shipping charges, it will be a wash.  But Tilly's offers free shipping on orders over $99 and Piperlime charges a flat $7.

So what would you get for the extra $17.03 from Piperlime?  Probably some cute green tissue paper wrapped around your over priced shoes.  Which can be found, incidentally, at your nearest drug store for $1.99.

Anemone Barbie by Christian Louboutin

Uh oh.  There's another Barbie by Christian Louboutin. And (shocker alert) I WANT her. Considering she comes with 4 pairs of (doll sized) Louboutins, I'm thinking I can justify asking for this for my birthday?

Right?  RIGHT!?

Handbag of the Day: Anchor Tote

While there are literally hundreds of iterations of the nautical themed anchor tote (as evidenced by this site alone), this is the most well-executed one I've seen so far. It is also one of the most expensive.  This is the Anchored Bag and it's $118.  And yep, that's a lot for a canvas tote.  But this one get the details right: the rope handles, simple shape, and over-sized anchor makes this a fun spring and summer staple.  And the fact that it's made from recycled sails gives it some street cred that will take it beyond a particular year's or season's nautical trend.

Not convinced about the Anchored Bag but still need an anchor tote in your life?  Check out this one from Etsy (a cutie for $24) and this one from ASOS (pretty standard at $20).