this has almost nothing to do with being thrifty but i can't stop myself from posting

hello, abs!

this past weekend was brutally cold. the kind of cold where you want to hole up in bed and not do anything. or, if you do go out and do something, you make it good. well, we decided to hit up a double feature - you know - pay for the first movie then sneak into the second. i know, it's not the most honest thing to do, but sometimes you have to bend the rules a bit. and with soda and popcorn being $10, we deserved that second movie!

first movie: the dilemma. survey says, "dud!" i love vince vaughn, and jennifer connelly but this over the top rom-com was just a bit tooooo far of a stretch for me.

(short intermission, long enough for us to get - you guessed it - second row seats! hello marky mark in my face!)

second movie: the fighter. survey says, "amazing!" while the movie seemed to be a bit long and had moments where it dragged, this very well casted film kept my attention and really had me rooting for micky (mark wahlberg).

so, of course, now i want to learn to box. i've always had an interest, and have researched gyms in nyc. gleason's in brooklyn is NO JOKE! and then today on facebook, this photo came up on the nike women page and has me itching to box even more. i mean, look at her!

so to tie this all in to my year-o-thrift, maybe with all the money i save i can afford to take some boxing lessons.

bundled!

gatta love this weather report: "high of 15, feels like 4" - thank you weather.com. thankfully, a few years back i made a very smart purchase that will hopefully stick with me for years to come.

the "sleeping bag" coat as i call it, from brooklyn industries, has proven to be the warmest coat i've ever worn. i bought it on sale, at the end of the season, when the 5 degree days had already passed. i can't remember exactly what i paid, but it was around half off and knew it would come in handy.

it nearly hits the ground, has thumb holes (which is basically how i was sold on it), and is 50% down, 50% feather filling to keep it super warm but not super bulky. paired with my scarf, hat and gloves - i was actually prepared to face the elements today. although i will be staying in doors as much as possible

best...purchase...ever!

snow! everywhere! this is the 3rd snowstorm to hit nyc this season (i missed one of them, phew!) and they haven't been "dustings" by any means. inches and feet have hit - and the thing about nyc - there's NO WHERE to put the snow!

a good, solid pair of boots, how unfashionable they may seem, are a necessity. i've seen women in heals trying to trudge through snow banks and i just think, "wow, you're an idiot!" while i trudge through puddles in my trusty boots.

these boots, purchased cerca january 2004 have been my trusty go to boots for the last 7 years. i bought them from anthropologie in boston, where i was working at the time. they're by Orla Kiely - fleece lined, completely waterproof and have cute pears all over. definitely one of the BEST purchases i've ever made.

big hit or big love?

one of my main goals of "thrifty '11" is to actually utilize what i already have in my closet. i own a ton of stuff - some still brand new, some vintage, and some items that i can't get enough of. today's post was originally going to be called "when old meets new" because i decided to pull out a vintage herringbone skirt but match it with my fairly new booties from anthropologie. well, after taking some photos (quality on my oooold iPhone is not so great, sorry) i don't know if i feel fashionable or like i'm nicki from big love. you decide!

january 18: i put some new shoes on and suddenly everything's right

remember the shoes i put on my christmas list? well, i was lucky enough to get them and today is their real world debut. don't worry, with the gross weather in the northeast, i'm only wearing them around the office today! while they look VERY orange in this photo, they are more of a red/coral color and i LOVE them! while i wear a lot of grey, black and navy, these are the perfect pop of color! they are brightening my day inside even though it is rainy and slushy outside.

slush fund: already tapped!

just a full week into the new year and i already had tapped into my slush fund! here are the details:

it was saturday, january 8 and i had just run nearly 200 miles with a group of 11 other runners in a ragnar relay (no we didn't each run 200 miles, but collectively cover the distance between miami and key west, fl.) we ended the race on the beach in key west - sore, tired, and totally excited! it was an amazing experience that i went through with a group of (except for 2) complete strangers and i wouldn't have changed a thing!

at the after party there was celebrating, drinking, and of course - gear to remember the experience! how could there not be amazing race t-shirts and hoodies, water bottles and key chains? so, i purchased two items: a race t that had all the details from the race, the date, yadda yadda (for $25), and a hoodie with the race logo and motto: "RUN, DRIVE, SLEEP?, REPEAT" (for $35)

in speaking with my official judge (rachel flynn) she ruled that the race t was an acceptable purchase (fell under "necessary sporting equipment") but that the hoodie was in fact not and would have to come out of the slush fund. in my opinion the ruling gets a: fair enough! so, i'm deducting $35 from the slush fund. but come on, see the awesome hoodie below (and me having a bit of fun in cowboy bills in key west)

hello, it's cold in here!

today is monday which means back to work. the short weeks and holidays were great, but now it's time to get back to it.

unfortunately, i came in to a not-so-surprisingly cold office. it has been rather cold the last few days, and today is no exception. luckily, i have my trusty hat, scarf and (not pictured) fingerless gloves which allow me to warm up AND type!

pictured: my new favorite mustard colored hat, a whole $3 from target / plaid cashmere scarf, free from auntie helen (she literally gave it to me off her neck) / ella moss printed shirt from anthro, on sale for $37.50. i fell in love with this ella moss top a few months ago but realized it was crazy overpriced. i am happy to say that i stuck it out and got it last week and will now enjoy it in 2011.

january 2. 2011: removing temptation

so we are in the new year! i made it in one piece, and luckily haven't cracked under the pressure of having this challenge in place. one thing i always notice when i go into work on monday mornings is the amount of email i have from stores or online boutique sites like ruelala. all of them are promoting new mark downs, or free shipping, or some great designer that will be featured in the daily online boutique store. its absurd. and needs to stop.

so, step one is to unsubscribe from all email lists that i'm on. this could take a while!