Obey tank (Shalom Shuk, Burlington VT), $3.00

Ann Taylor tank (Battery Street Jeans, Burlington VT), $3.00

As the weather gets nicer, out come the slinky tanks!  Both were dirt cheap finds under $5 and have become go-to going-out-fits.

Occasion:  Duende for brunch

Duende, my favorite, reasonably priced food spot in Burlington (where I take all my visitors), has recently expanded their breakfast menu and it is BANGIN’.  They have Shakshuka, a popular Middle Eastern dish, with poached eggs in a tomato sauce with spices…it was super flavorful and super filling!

Duende is ornately decorated and so unique.  It’s dimly lit and has all kinds of cool lamps.  It is priced very reasonably to boot!

Outfit:

Love Sam blouse (Marshalls, Williston VT), $14.00

This blouse was originally $298 at Anthropologie, selling on eBay for $100.  I had never heard of the brand, but I instantly fell in love with it!  And for under $20, it was an easy decision.  This ultra femme shirt has a burnout, velvet, floral pattern with a cold shoulder.  I love the sheer sleeves with the tie at the bottom.  Velvet has made a comeback and I am happy to find something in my budget to join the trend.

Occasion: Lilly’s in White Plains

While home in NY, I tried out this restaurant in downtown White Plains, with my good friend, Abbie, that was PHENOM.  It was tapas style…and actually filling!  The sweet potato fries were up there among the best, and they came with chilli oil, whipped ricotta, honey, and herbs!  So flavorful! The cauliflower had a delicious muhammara sauce, and the burrata with arugula pesto and black mission figs hit the spot!  Love Abby(ie) squared dates!

Outfit:

Embroidered sweater (h&m, White Plains NY), $17.00 (on sale from $50), Flying Monkey jeans (Mixology Clothing Co, Scarsdale NY), $40.00 (on sale from $75), Chinese Laundry block heels (DSW, White Plains NY), $40.00

Grey sweater (h&m, White Plains NY), $19.99 (on sale from $60), gold drop hoops (Jules by Joanne, Scarsdale NY), $10.00

When I go home to White Plains for vacation, I know that there will be a fair share of retail therapy.  My mom and I did not fool around!  We hit up all of our favorite spots – Forever21, h&m, DSW, Target…fast fashion retailers that I don’t have in the non-chain land of Vermont.  I usually dart straight to the sale rack, especially when I’m in the unfamiliar territory of a store with items above $10 (oh do I love dirt cheap thrifting!).  But you can find some pretty trendy things when you have a store like h&m that carries unlimited, cheaply made products.  These sweaters were special finds!  As I’ve mentioned, I have a love for embroidery (trending like cray) and cozy sweaters.  I found both for under $20!  Sure, it’s the end of winter, but in cold VT I think I can manage a good amount of wears before it’s time to whip out the sundresses!  I can basically live in this super soft, dark grey sweater!

Loving pairing both sweaters with these super comfortable jeans that I can kick, stretch and kick in (Molly Shannon SNL skit. anybody?!), and my new block heels that will sass-ify any outfit!  Excited to pair these shoes with flow-y dresses and shorts as it gets warmer!

Occasion: Kripalu Retreat

On my way home, I stopped in the Berkshires for a retreat at Kripalu, a meditation and yoga center.  It was AMAZING!  I was in a program called “Embrace Your Weird” by Lisa Jakub and it covered tools for anxiety (something I know all too well) and being your most authentic self.  I absolutely loved it and took so much away from a 2 1/2 day visit.  It is in a picturesque location and when I wasn’t in the program I was exploring, doing a free-sprited yoga dance, and eating THE most delicious, healthy food (pictured above).  I felt restored, revitalized, and filled with positive nutrients to carry me through to the Spring!