I received an email that asked me what I actually buy vs. what I show on the blog. 
Here's a sampling of what I've bought recently:


This sounds strange for a fashion blogger, but I tend to be cheap when it comes to buying clothes. I will wait months for something to go on sale before I'll fork over my cash. I will spend more time than I care to admit looking for free shipping or other promo codes (RetailMeNot is my favorite place to find promo codes. They keep the lists updated and people will vote to show if the code is still active). I also do a lot of shopping off season, which is one of the main reasons I've never done style photos.

Another issue I have is that I live in West Virginia and I don't have a lot of opportunities to run out and try something on. When I lived in Huntington, I was over three hours from the nearest Nordstrom. I now live less than two hours from the Pittsburgh Nordie's so I expect to shop there a lot more often....as soon as the weather clears. I buy a lot from companies that I already know fit me, so that's tons of Lands' End, Lauren Ralph Lauren, and Old Navy.

Why I bought these two items: Lands' End makes wonderful dresses and I already have quite the collection. This dress is ponte, which will make it comfortable year round and super easy to care for. I also adore the colors. I bought the sweater mostly to match the printed pants below, but I also think a cheery pink sweater would be nice on dreary winter days, much like today as I await 6-8 inches of snow.


Why I picked these items: I've been wanting to add a lot more color into my wardrobe and I think these pants most definitely fit that bill. I love the pinks and lavenders and what I think may be light blues. They'll pair nicely with a lot of what I already own so I don't have to buy anything to go with them, but I did.
 The leather tote is J.Crew's Downing Street tote, which I've been eying for a long time. I snagged it on sale Sunday for less than $80, over half off its normal price. This purchase combines two things that have been on my mental shopping list: a red leather handbag and a tote for work that's more professional than my Vineyard Vines tote. 

Ponte pants: At this time last year I was recovering from Shingles. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people who still deal with the pain from the disease over a year after the rash healed. This can make dressing very difficult, as the pain is centered around where my waistband sits. These pants have an elastic band so if the pain acts up, I can move the waistband around. Many of the reviewers said they wore these pants to the office so I'm really hoping I can wear them in a professional situation. I picked up a dark gray pair along with the shown cobalt blue.


Why I bought more blouses than I can shake a stick at: If I were to pinpoint an area of my closet in sore need of attention, it's blouses. I have lots of tees, lots of sweaters, but not much in between. I've always loved a nice pussy bow blouse and when it's in one of my favorite colors? Instant purchase. The floral shell goes with what I already own and the print is fun. The silk blouse is just a variation of a white button down shirt, it just gives me more options.  It's an easy piece to style, I can wear it with jeans or tuck it in and wear it with a suit. Great for mornings when I'm running late and only have time to throw something on. Grab that and a skirt or pants and I'm good.

I also bought this white button down with a piped china blue trim, a great navy/cobalt tattersall button up, and light blue shirt with a stand up collar with just the hint of a ruffle trim that is super sweet.


Various other things I've bought: I'm really bad when it comes to replacing my bras. I miss the days when I could just grab something cute from Macy's for maybe $30. Now, I'm happy if I can get something for under $70. If you ever think you think your shirts have started to shrink, it's very possible it's time to replace your bra. A stretched out bra can make shirts fit horribly.

The bracelet was because I needed to spend an additional $6 to get $50 of my $150 purchase at Lands' End. Even though it seems like a bit of an afterthought, it's a a nice piece to have.

I broke down and bought a backpack because I haul a lot of stuff to and around the newsroom. The straw that broke the camel's back is when I was trying to get a great shot where I had to stand in the middle of a mud puddle and was trying to balance a tote bag on my shoulder. 

I like getting my tees from Old Navy because they're cheap. I usually ruin my tees within 3 months of getting them so I don't see the point in spending a lot of money. I like getting the XXL Tall because the length is great for layering.
If I bought everything I posted on this blog, I'd be in insane amounts of debt. As much as I love fashion, I'd much rather put my money into other places, such as my vacation fund or my brand new Roth IRA. Don't ever worry about trying to keep up with a fashion blogger, in truth, many of us buy clothes just like you do.