You know when you obsess over something for way too long before finally taking the plunge? That was me with the Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal eyeliner. It haunted me on Instagram for probably a year and everyone RAVED about it. I kept seeing that it was creamy and glided on like a dream and was worth every penny.
Source: VictoriaBeckhambeauty.com
Since September was my birthday month, I decided to make the splurge and ordered one in Sequin Green (a khaki green with a gold sparkle) and was SO EXCITED to try it out. The cost was ridiculous. The eyeliner was $34 and once you added shipping and tax it was $41 for an eyeliner. And yes, I had second and third thoughts, but I bought it because it was obviously going to be amazing.
And oh my, what a disappointment!
Sure, it goes on creamy and is nice and sparkly. However, within an hour or so, I have glittery sparkles all around my eyes – over, under, you name it. It’s like a batman mask of glitter.
But here’s the real kicker – the drugstore eyeliner I’ve been using for the last few years is actually better. It looks almost identical (without the glitter), costs less than $10, and lasts forever!
Don’t get me wrong, the Victoria Beckham packaging is gorgeous and even came with a cute little canvas bag. But if we’re talking performance? My cheapie dupe wins. Hands down.
So yeah. I took one for the team so you don’t have to. I’ll certainly use the fancy eyeliner until it’s down to the very last nub because I spent FORTY-ONE dollars on it. But, then I’m back to my $9 favorite.
Disclosure: Not sponsored.This post contain an Amazon affiliate link. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.
September always seems to fly by with the return to school and our ‘normal’ schedule. This month is also extra fun for me, since my birthday is in the middle of the month and I usually have some fabulous plans sprinkled around.
Let’s take a look at my September looks:
Office Style
When I was doing my gigantic closet cleanout, I came across this Madewell blouse that I haven’t worn for quite a while. I decided to give it a try with a linen skirt for the office and I love it all over again! The puff sleeves are great for tattoo coverage and the criss-cross style is flattering on my bust. I also like that the v-neck gives me some space for a fun necklace stack.
The second outfit just *barely* visited the office, as I ran in to drop some things off for a campaign. I mean, I spent like 10 minutes there and saw NOBODY, so I totally could have worn anything. I kept it comfy with a pair of jeans I had forgotten about, a v-neck tee and lightweight cardigan.
NYC Style
When Jack and I took the train to NYC for a night, I kept my clothing super simple so that I could just throw a change in my backpack for the trip. For Day 1, I wore the top on the left with my visibly mended jeans, hightop embroidered Converse and a belt bag. On day 2, I just switched out the top with a different tee. So basically just a pair of pajamas, new unders, and an extra shirt was all that rode along in my backpack.
Casual Style
Here is my assortment of non-work looks I wore throughout the month. I basically love all the outfits, except for the floral jeans look. I’m just feeling a bit ‘meh’ about on and it might be because in hindsight I don’t love the berry colored tee with the cream/brownish cardigan. I’ll continue playing with that cardigan to see if I find a combo I like better.
Party Style
And last, but not least, I had this fabulous outfit! I was part of a very cool leadership group in 2010 and the years flew by and suddenly we are celebrating the 15 year anniversary of GIVE. The event was held at M&T Bank Stadium with appetizers, an open bar and a live DJ. The dress code was “bold and festive with sparkle, color and fun encouraged.” This secondhand Anthropologie tulle skirt and sparkly, beaded cardigan fit my needs exactly!
New vs Secondhand Tally
This month, I count 16 items that I purchased retail and 19 items I purchased secondhand.
This month’s thrift haul is a mix of clothing finds from the thrift store and a handful of jewelry treasures I scooped up at antique and consignment shops. The funny thing is, most of these pieces feel a little outside of my usual style and don’t blend in with the rest of my closet. But, that’s what makes this haul fun! Trying out new looks feels a lot less intimidating when you’re shopping secondhand.
Let’s take a look at what I found this month:
Soma Camisole, $5.99
Okay, hear me out on this one. This is very much giving me 90’s slip dress vibes. In fact, I remember wearing silky slip tops with jeans and a cardigan in perhaps the late 90’s? I recently saw someone I follow on Instagram style a beautiful, thrifted lace and satin teddy-looking thing with jeans and a textured knit cardigan and it must have stuck in my head when I was out and about.
Anyways, I loved the saturated blue of this as well as the delicate lace around the neckline. It is a bit oversized on me, so I plan to do a little tailoring to make it fit perfectly on my figure. Here is in a ‘try on’ pic where I just threw it on with the black leggings I had on:
I have a couple plans on how to experiment with this piece, so welcome into my brain… First, I’m thinking it will be super sexy paired with a pair of black jeans, studded boots and a simple topper (black cardigan, denim jacket or moto jacket?) for a date night. I’m also thinking this would be super flirty underneath an oversized sweater when the weather gets chilly – maybe with just a little peeking out of the top. Cute, right?
Eileen Fisher Linen and Leather Tank, $5.99
Yup, that’s a $198 Eileen Fisher top right there that I thrifted for $6! It’s a loose woven linen knit with leather edging around the neckline and armholes. I found the original style photos and it was shown layered over a simple black tank top, which does look really cute:
Source: EileenFisher.com
However, when I first saw it, I was thinking it could be a fun UNDER layer for visual interest. I have some spaghetti strapped tops that I don’t wear a ton because I hate lining up the correct bra underneath… so by adding this to the mix, it could make things a little more interesting:
It’s a work in progress, but I’m excited to try it out with what I have in my closet.
Ben Amun Two-Tone Necklace, $14
You may recognize this necklace from my recent Instagram reel, if you follow me over there. I found it on a wall of cheap jewelry at one of my favorite consignment shops and was immediately suspicious of it because it was VERY heavy. I even tried looking at the tag with my phone magnifying app when one of the salespeople caught me and asked if I wanted her to check it out with her loupe. As she gazed at it, she said they check brands when they arrive to price them properly so this one was probably nothing special. She thought it said “Benjamin”, but when I looked into it further, it was actually Ben Amun and DANG it was a pricey piece!
Ben Amun jewelry is sold on his website (he operates out of New York), as well as at Neiman Marcus and runs from $150 – 500 depending on the design. This one looks like it retailed for $220, which makes it a super score for just $14! I love that it is two-tone and especially how heavy and chunky it is. I anticipate wearing this one alone, as well as stacking it with other pieces for a fun look.
Vintage Chainmail Necklace, $5
I found this necklace in an antique/consignment shop collective where lots of different sellers had booths. I picked it up and put it down a few times, before deciding to just buy it because it was only $5. After some research, I learned that this is a handmade Persian four-in-one vintage chainmail necklace. The four-in-one refers to how each link is woven into the next to make the chainmail. On etsy something like this runs anywhere from $50 – $250 depending on the artist who makes it. It is so pretty in person with a gold/silver look to it – I’m thinking it was gold dipped and it wore off a bit over the years.
My initial thought was that I’d shorten this for a layering necklace. But after doing my research, I’m hesitant to rip it apart. I may add a little jump ring to cinch it up without ruining the weave. Or, I may just wear it as it is!
This brooch screamed Mid-Century modern at me when I saw it sitting in a bin at a consignment shop. I liked it and the price was right, so I snapped it up. After doing my research, I found that Walls Jewelry Manufacturing Company was based in Massachusetts from 1923 – 1976. This piece with the Jade Cabochon center was most likely sold between 1940-1960.
This was in great condition with no bent or missing pieces to the starburst. I just liked it so much that I had to have it.
