Lust List: Gap

Do you ever find yourself hitting up the exact same websites every week?  Even looking at the exact same items every time?  I do that fairly regularly, and Gap is usually a place I stop. 

As I mentioned with J.Crew a few days ago, it always helps when what I want goes on sale, and with Gap, you never have to wonder.  I can honestly say that everything at Gap goes on sale if you watch closely enough.  Or they will give you a coupon or a survey/coupon.  I live for those. 

Granted, I don't need any of these things, but that's why this is the lust list.

I know.  It's another cardigan.  And it's striped.  I say, if something works, ride it until the wheels fall off.  This one's good for work because it's lightweight but long-sleeved.

And even though I get plenty of Where's Waldo and Steve-from-Blue's-Clues references when I wear horizontal stripes, I say they're worth it.

The last thing I need.  But again.  Lust.

Aren't these the coolest?!  (They're boxers, but I wish they would make this fabric into pajama pants.)

This is a kid's shirt, but I have to represent the Smokies.  Dolly would be proud.  :)  I could probably swing a XXXL.

Lust List: J.Crew

It's been a while since my last Lust List, but I decided to start doing more posts about some of my other favorite, non-furniture stores. And what better place to start than J.Crew?

I really have a love-hate relationship with the Crew. It started way back in the late 90s, when I was a high school freshman in need of a new look. I was obsessed with the catalogs and usually devoted my Christmas list to their sweaters. (I still have some of those same ones today.)

The quality is impeccable, but unfortunately, the prices have continued to climb over the years. Now I try to catch what I want on sale because I just can't justify spending $75 on a pair of pants when they will likely go on sale in a few weeks.

At any rate, here are some of my top picks of their latest offerings.

A Little Retail Therapy

Ok. Remember how I bemoaned my excess of clothing options and said that I would not be spending money come January 1st? Well, good news. It's not January 1st yet.

After an admittedly ho-hum Christmas at home-home, I decided to come home early to Nashville to take advantage of post-Kringle sales. I didn't find a ton (whew), but I did score two awesome sweaters at Banana Republic.

Each one was originally marked at $59.50 and then put on sale. At the register I was pleased to find that until noon on Saturday, all sale items were another 50% off. It was nice. You can hardly find a sweater at Old Navy or Target for about $16. Not to worry, though. I made room in the closet for this--post forthcoming.


Oh, and over at Anthropologie I found this cool bowl for $1.97. It was originally priced at $5, which is completely decent, but I couldn't pass it up. I hope that you had a great Christmas, and I know that some of my friends and readers also hopped on the Dec. 26th shopping train. What did you find?

Stripes Galore

Remember this post? I guess there's just something about white with silvery stripes.

And that cool chair? Well, I bought it. I was strolling about my local West Elm a few days ago, and they had a floor sample at half off. It was perfect. And it was mine. This spot is probably not where the chair will ultimately reside, but I wanted to show it off a bit. Plus, a few people have requested a new apartment shot.



And I found these snazzy pencils at Michael's (the craft store). Random, I know. There were eight in a package for $1. Stoked. Now, if only those sheets would go on sale.

Lust List: Gap Spring 2012

I have not even been blog-adjacent these days, but that does not mean that I've forgotten you, oh Specs-y ones.  Lately I've been working quite a bit and trying to get back in control of my fitness.  (You're my witness.) 

If all this treadmilling pays off, maybe I'd look super swell in some of the following picks from Gap.  Remember that you can always get a coupon or score a sale at Gap.  Never pay full price there.

Sometimes I feel like a broken record, but dang it--I love a striped T-shirt.  $19.95

I might just be crazy enough to rock that tee with these green pants.  LOVE 'em.  $59.95

This would be an excellent topper to the outfit I just assembled, if it happens to be raining.  Gap calls it an anorak, but we don't really have that word in Tennessee.  It's a rain jacket.  $188

So I don't really wear ties so often, but if I did....wow.  $29.95

Well, when it comes to my style, I'm nothing if not consistent.  This canvas bag is stellar.  Even though I'm not usually a big orange fan (again, a TN reference), I'm feeling it this time.  $69.95

Scrub a Dub

Well, I had an eventful Sunday--if your idea of eventful is banishing dust, dirt, and debris. Let's just say it involved microfiber cloth, extension cords, my versatile EnviroVac, a step stool, and tons of elbow grease. I'm worn out, but today resulted in a feeling of accomplishment.

As I cleaned my way through our more-cluttered-by-the-day house, I realized two things. If you don't stay on top of dusting and editing, things have a tendency to get away from you...and quick. Also, my mom is way too sentimental and holds on to too many tchotchkes. Empty space means nothing in this household. Here are a few of said trinkets:

These are some of her porcelain dolls. She's thinks they're precious and valuable. I think they're creepy. Plus, I don't care what anyone says; their eyes follow you. One is actually a Christmas tree topper. See if you can pick her out.

Another doll. This one is a clown. How funny. She's guarding a golden scroll glass shelf thingy last seen on the set of Dynasty. Notice that every inch of space is covered.

And speaking of things from the 80s...it's one of the two now infamous geese that patrol the kitchen. I have been pleading with my mom since the first Bush Administration to take these down. No, she argues. They're from Home Interiors. They're expensive. I can't disagree with the first point, but I always have to highlight the fact that they were expensive. 20 years ago. And yeah. That's wood paneling. Be jealous.

In light of a charity yard sale that my sister is involved in, I finally convinced our clingy mother to part with the geese. Of course that does leave two empty spaces on the walls, and I just don't know how we're going to deal with it. But it's a start.

My Always List: T-shirts

Other than my standard white Hanes crewnecks, which I wear almost every single day, I heavily rely on solid (usually black) T-shirts.  In the winter, it's long-sleeve and usually from the Gap.  They last forever, and when those things go on sale, I just can't help myself.  (Still, I can't bring myself to purge many of those.)

This one's from J.Crew, which also churns out some great Ts, as you may have guessed.  Their garment-dyed ones (green, please) are ace, as my pal Will from Bright.Bazaar might say. 

The summer will usually find me in black, green, or something striped.  I tend to stick with the G. BI part of ROY G. BIV.  No Tuscany for me, please.

Mini-Gift Guide 2010

Ok.  So the gifts aren't mini, but this should be a fairly concise guide to finding something for most people on your list, most under $20.  Tah der.  Remember to buy locally when possible, too, but these are some ideas for those with limited options and/or time.  Please bear with me and read on until the end.  It's worth it!  Promise.

Oh, and the rules I gift-shop by. 

1. Shop year-round.  (Whoops.  Well, this guide is a great place to start, if you're a little behind.  And you'll know for next year.)  This strategy allows you to constantly browse for items on sale or out of season that could be useful later.  Think birthdays as well.

2. Only buy it if you're sure it's something the person will use, read, display, eat, play with, or wear (this can be the trickiest one--see #4).

3. Is this something you'd rather have for yourself?  If you answered yes, then get a duplicate.  You'll only come to resent your loved one.

4. Consider the person's lifestyle.  Are they trying to watch their weight?  Well, stay away from Godiva.  If she's a T-shirt and jeans person, avoid fancy jewelry or sweaters.  She will not wear them.  I had to learn this lesson from some of my family members.

5. Only give a gift card if it's a last resort or you just want to help them purchase something they've mentioned that you do not want to spring for.  Hehe.  Is the person just impossible to buy for?  Do they already have everything they could possibly want?  Have they dropped no hints throughout the year?  You can always donate to a charity in their name.  I like St. Jude and Gilda's Club.  The organization will usually mail a card to the "in honor of" person, and your donation should be tax deductible.  It's a win-win.

Without further ado, here are some ideas that should be crowd pleasers.

2011 Planner from Dozi on Etsy.  Confession: I ripped these right off of Freck.  She won't mind.  They're great and a steal at $11.50 each.

Silver bowls from Jamali Garden.  Ina would approve.  These are $12 each, and you could present one as-is or fill it with candy.  Ghirardelli squares, anyone?!

 Aveda's Shampure Candle.  This is my new favorite thing.  The candle with recycled/reusable glass container is $32 and burns for about 50 hours.  The refill candle is $22.  It's an earthy scent, so girls and guys should dig this.

 Stationery from Rifle Paper Co.  I feel that paper is always a good gift.  This set would be ideal for dog lovers, but Rifle has an excellent selection for other people in your life.  The price is $16 for a set of 8.  That's only $2 per card (with envelope), which is not too shabby.  For a licensed character at Hallmark, you'll spend twice this.  Also consider something like this for children.  It's never too early to teach good manners (like sending thank you cards) in this day and age.

How to Be Popular at FredFlare.  You cannot go wrong with cheeky books.  The cover alone is worth the $13.95. 

 iPod case from Byrd & Belle.  Yes, I blogged about these before, but they warrant a second look.  Angie, the designer, makes cases for just about any Apple product your techie's heart could desire.  This one is $26, and it will be unlike anything s/he will see in stores.

Hopefully this guide has given you some good ideas.  I don't have a promo code or a giveaway or anything except a thank you for taking time out of your day to visit Specs Appeal, throw a little comment love my way, and share part of your lives with me.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.

Lust List: Week Three

I thought I'd go for the obvious and post my next Lust List on Valentine's Day. Fitting? Well, lust is a bit strong here. Pottery Barn is always nice but sort of basic--which defnitely has its place. See also: my wardrobe.

But their stuff is unnecessarily expensive to me. It lasts, though. The tip here is to go to the back and look for sale items. When I first moved, I found some awesome green washcloths that had been eight dollars each marked down to $1.99. I bought four.

Usually I find tons of stuff in the catalog that I like, but I just spent about an hour on the website and am just not feeling it so much this time around. Here's what I did find, though...

Pushin' Cushions

Ehh...dumb title for a post but cool couch*! It came in last week, and I'm glad it's here.

After looking at countless places and encountering models that were either too 'country' or too 'showroom' or too expensive, I found this one at Macy's (of all places), and it was on sale. The pillows were some that I've had for a while now, so they may not stay. It kind of reminds me of a Hershey's Kiss.

That's a good thing, right?

*To my more northern friends and readers, this word is synonymous with sofa.

Geek in the Pink

I'm mildly obsessed with Warby Parker and have been thoroughly enjoying my new specs.  Even though I probably won't be buying more frames any time soon, I still find myself perusing their website every few weeks. 

Here's the most recent discovery.



Isn't this awesome?  They've made a new version of their Japhy style in this nifty pink shade, and $50 from each sale goes to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  Style and substance.  That's a rare combination these days.

If I Wore a Cap...

...it might just have to be this one. 

What is that phrase?  A thing of beauty is a joy forever?  Yes, that's it.  I think that these shoes definitely qualify.  The other day I noticed them in Cole Haan, and the color and cool sole caught my eye.  Then, upon closer inspection, the name of the style had me.  Thomas.  Of course.

A captoe does not usually appeal to me, but these are different.  Plus, they're a little dressier than I usually wear.  (Most of the time it's a smart looking loafer.)

As with most things, I'm going to wait them out and hope they go on sale.  You likey?   

WE Love

By now you know that I tend to heart West Elm.  If I hadn't been inspired to start my Lust List with the spring preview a few months back, then this ad surely would have done the trick.

I am digging the awesome paint color and the duvet cover and that industrial looking lamp.  After getting this e-mail, I had to swing by the store today. 

And guess what.  Remember these?  They're mine.  $35, down from $89.  A steal.  I also picked up (doesn't that sound like stealing?) a cool blanket that was on sale, too.  It was a good day.

I hope that your weekend is following suit.

I Zigged.

I framed another little piece of somethin' somethin' recently.  This one came from Linda & Harriett's sale!  The frame came from Wal-Mart (for about $9-ish), and I scored this awesome piece of paper for about a buckaroo.  It's one-of-a-kind, aesthetically pleasing to me, and totally replaceable, in case it can't handle the steam.  (It's in the bathroom.)

Again, I apologize for the lack of great lighting.  I tried it with the flash, and things went from ehh to ugh.  And I had to do a wonky angle so you didn't just see a splotchy reflection of me on a Sunday afternoon.

It's In The Bag

I need another bag like I need a hole in the head.  I have two overnight bags and a couple of tote bags and a work bag and some reusable grocery bags and probably some bags under my eyes soon, if work doesn't change.

However....I saw this bag a few days ago

over at Manifold Destiny.  (That's a really cool blog that features a sort of best-of the interweb for style, generally geared toward the menfolk.  It's a nice change from the norm of makeup brushes and whatnot.  No offense, ladies.)

This bag is seriously in line with my aesthetic, and it looks massive and durable.  Plus, it retails for $135, which is not unreasonable.  My guess is that it will go on sale eventually, too.  Won't someone please talk me off the ledge when that day comes?

(Remember how I blogged about LL Bean Signature a while ago?  I knew it would come back around to haunt me.)

West Elm Update

On Saturday I popped by my local West Elm store, and I have to say that it was bittersweet. That natural-colored pendant fixture is really nice looking, but it has this cloth/filter/shade thing underneath--you know, right where the light would come out. That could possibly make my bedroom more dim. Not ideal.

But the gray fixture (see the first picture in my previous post) is neat. I'm sort of worried about the scale, but I'm still thinking about it. That one does not have any crazy filters. In fact, it's lined with a metallic something or other that is supposed to reflect light.

The chairs and sheets were exactly what I had hoped for. But I didn't buy anything. Not to worry. :) Plus, by the time I'm ready to throw open the curtains and let some light in, those items will probably be on sale.

Truckin' Right Along

It seems like I just did a similar post for July, no? I don't know why, but these weeks seem to be flying by faster than usual. The local schoolkids started back today, which just seems wrong to me. I know it does to them.

At any rate, it's time for my monthly lists. Some things to-do:

1. Remember Aunt Sue. She will be moved to a nursing home very soon for what we're hoping to be a successful recovery.

2. Be grateful. This goes along with thoughts of Aunt Sue and yesterday's post, but it's something I really want to be conscious of. As crunchy as it sounds, I've often read articles about keeping a gratitude journal. Has anyone done this?

3. Consider attending the local county fair. I used to go almost EVERY night as a child, but as I got a little older (about 17-ish), the shine wore off. I don't know if it was the carnies or the phosphates or what, but it lost that spark. Now, as Holly likes to remind me, it's prime people watching. The county fair brings out citizens of every stripe--and their penchant for underwear-as-outerwear.

Here are a few things on my not-to-do list:

1. Neglect my fitness. Oh, humidity, how you pain me so! Plus, I need some peppy workout tunes. What do you recommend, faithful readers?

2. Buy things just because they're on sale. I struggle with this one because sometimes I stumble upon a bargain and save money. But how many plain black T-shirts does one need without living in Paris in the 1950s and smoking skinny cigarettes with reckless abandon? I could talk for days about this philosophy (shopping, not beatniks), but I'll stop for now.

3. Text while driving! Ahhh! This is a self-imposed no-no, and I found myself doing it yesterday. Even though I was giving my brother an update on the hospital ETA, it's no excuse. I could have had mom do it from the passenger seat, but--well, she doesn't know how. Plus, TWD is now against the law where I live.

Here's to a great August! Thanks for reading!

What Brown Did For Me

A few weeks ago I saw this awesome-looking book being terribly overpriced in Williams Sonoma. The pictures were enticing, but the amount on the sticker gave me that sinking feeling. But lo. The publisher's emblem on the spine? Delicious specs from Chronicle Books.

Are you familiar? You should be. It's a great publisher that sells all sorts of books and cool gift/stationery items to all sorts of stores and websites, but their own site is so much cheaper. Plus, if you sign up for their updates, you get seasonal sale notices. To wit, 30% off everything plus free shipping.

Yes, please. I'm so glad the first quarter is over. My order was delivered tonight.

My Fish Story

Well, not exactly.

But this is the one that got away.

Remember how I lusted after just such a fixture a few months ago?  Well, the natural-colored fixture was the right size, but the blasted thing had a diffuser underneath--ya know, exactly where the light should come out.  That might be good for a pool hall but not for my poorly lit bedroom.  

They had a taller, gray fixture (see above) that actually has a metallic interior to bounce light around, and when it went on sale a couple of weeks ago, I snatched it up.  However, much like awkward teenage girls everywhere, it was a bit too tall.  At least for my space.

I do love it, but it's not right for me at this point in the game.

Le sigh.  ...the search continues. 

My Always List: Flip Flops

Usually they're J.Crew.  And there's a good chance I got them on sale.  There's an even better chance I can't remember when I bought them because they last for several summers in a row. 

These are one of the bright spots of my summer because they are easy-on and -off, and they provide mondo ventilation.  Plus, they strike just the right note of 'relaxed'.