Well Curated: Like starting your diet with a cheeseburger and a banana split...

Today, I went shopping. It was lovely. No frenzied pawing through sale racks, no ill considered impulse purchases, no buyers remorse. Each item I bought was carefully selected to fit seamlessly into my existing wardrobe. First I FINALLY made the jaunt out to Sock Dreams in Sellwood. It was everything I'd ever hoped! I bought two pairs of soft and cozy over the knee socks in charcoal and navy cotton, and another pair in sleek black silk/wool blend. Delicious! Then it was on to Anthropologie (gulp!). While Anthropologie is usually well out of my price range, my purchases there were things I'd watched for months, patiently biding my time for just the right clearance price. When that elusive moment hit, I called ahead and had them held for me to come in and try on, so that when I arrived the sales girl already knew my name, and whisked me straight to the fitting room. While only one out of three items worked for me, that one was actually marked down even lower than online, which triggered a brisk little endorphin rush. Without further ado...Hello!

Wool! Sailor collar! Licorice allsorts!

And this....a little indulgence for my impending trip to PA with Boyfriend....the most beautifully crafted blend of cucumber, grapefruit, amber, nutmeg, and cedar. It goes on bright and sparkling, then mellows into a lovely dusty old bookstore smell. Ideal for air travel, as it wears very close to the skin but lasts for hours, and of course won't cause a dust up at the security scanner.

Tocca Cleopatra solid perfume

It was seriously the best shopping experience I've ever had, though a tad bittersweet. You see, I am pulling myself out of the ring for at least six months. That's right, no clothing, no hats, no socks, or gloves, or handbags, no belts or scarves or.....SHOES (!!!!!!) even, for six months (obvious caveat for the elusive perfect hiking boots). Its time. I've been thinking about doing something like this for a while, and after much deliberation and a hardcore closet overhaul, I am finally ready to kick the shopping habit. I'm hoping to channel all that energy into more creative outlets, not the least of which will be taking my existing wardrobe (which is seriously AMAAAAAAYZING, by the way) to new and dizzying heights of sartorial excellence. To that end, I got a new camera for my birthday! First outfit post tomorrow!