The Walking Dead

Anyone else excited about the mid-season premiere of The Walking Dead this weekend?

Normally, this is not a show I would ever watch. I'm terrified of scary movies - I love comedies, chick flicks, and cheesy teen movies. So this was not up my alley. But my sister-in-law Julie got me hooked on it. She told me what a great show it was and, curious, I borrowed my brother's season one Blu-ray and John and I have been hooked ever since.

This show airs Sunday on AMC and is currently in its second season. The show follows a small band of survivors in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. The scenes are very intense - sometimes I have to watch behind a pillow because I get so nervous! The writers and actors have stressed that the zombies (or what they call "walkers") are simply a backdrop to the real story - the interactions amongst the survivors, how they deal with moral issues, and how survival changes them.

After becoming completely obsessed with the show, my brother bought me my very own season one Blu-ray for my birthday. I was so excited and I have probably watched every single episode at least three times and watched all the special features. It's a fantastic show and I highly recommend it to everyone!

Michael Kors Cheyenne Booties

What I'm Wearing:

Painted Plaid Dress by Maeve

Necklace from Target

Cheyenne Booties by Michael Kors

Probably one of my favorite pairs of shoes are my Michael Kors Cheyenne Booties that my Mom got me for Christmas. They are so chic and stylish, and best of all - they're quite comfortable! They're so easy to pair with a dress or keep them simple with your favorite jeans. They're made of a nice supple leather and the chestnut brown color is very versatile.

The heels measure approximately 4". At 5'3", I felt like I was catching up to my 6'4" husband!

I used to hate peep-toe booties, but they've definitely grown on me. By the way, my nail polish is "You Rock-Apulco Red!" by O.P.I.

The side zip makes them easy to slip on and off.

It's all in the details!

Outfit Of The Day

What I'm Wearing:

Slung Sash Tee by Bailey 44

Jacket by Cartonnier (circa 2010)

Riley Slouchy Skinny Jeans by Lucky Brand (circa 2010)

Cheyenne Booties by Michael Kors

Tonight, my husband and I had a date night. We went out for sushi and came home to a relaxing evening of Bill Maher and Sour Patch Kids. What could be better?

H&M At The Avenues

emarketingassociation.ning.com

If you live in the Jacksonville, FL area then you probably heard that H&M will be opening at The Avenues Mall. I am so excited about this! I love H&M and its aesthetic of providing fashionable and trendy clothing at reasonable prices. Now, I no longer have to travel to another city to get my "H&M fix."

However, I'm surprised that this retail giant decided to open its store at The Avenues. This mall is becoming, for lack of a better word, ghetto. It all started with the closing of Abercrombie & Fitch and Talbots. Although I am not a frequent shopper at either of these stores, they do attract a certain clientele that has now taken its business elsewhere (i.e. St. John's Town Center). The Avenues also recently closed its Pottery Barn store, leaving yet another empty lot amidst stores like Cotton On and Trio East (have you ever heard of or shopped at either of these stores? Exactly). However, H&M will occupy the former Pottery Barn on the first floor, as well as The Children's Place and Kirkland's on the second floor. Yup, a two-story H&M! I'm sure the format will be similar to other H&M stores I've been to (women's and men's clothing on the first floor, children's clothing upstairs). 

I just hope that this location will carry a really great stock. I've been to some smaller H&M stores that only seem to have half the line seen on their website, while I've been to larger H&M stores in Paris and Las Vegas that carry the designer collections. Either way, it's great that Jacksonville is expanding its retail market and I'm very excited about the possibility of other future store openings (c'mon Ikea!)

Kelly Clarkson at the Super Bowl

I think Kelly Clarkson did a great job singing the National Anthem at this year's Super Bowl - it was a beautiful, simple, and classy performance. She didn't overdo it with too many runs and her voice was simply amazing.

Anthropologie Scalloped Perimeter Belt: The Look For Less

Anthropologie Scalloped Perimeter Belt
$48
www.anthropologie.com

I really love the look of this belt, especially the way it was styled with the Bike Lane Dress.

Bike Lane Dress by Postmark
$158
www.anthropologie.com

However, I think $48 is pretty expensive for a belt. I was shopping for belts at Forever 21 when I found the Eyelet Trim Belt, a great alternative to the Scalloped Perimeter Belt. And it's only $6.80! Such a great deal.

Forever 21 Eyelet Trim Belt
$6.80
www.forever21.com

Of course, it's not made of real leather, so this largely accounts for the low price. But it has such a similar look that that detail can be overlooked. Most items at Forever 21 are not made to last, but it seems that the quality of this belt is pretty good. Now if only I could find a less expensive version of the Bike Lane Dress...

Sam Edelman Lorna Heels

Dillards was having a huge 65% off shoe sale, so I was excited to look for the Sam Edelman Lorissa Heels I'd been wanting so badly. I found only one pair - in a size 8, one size too big. My Mom and I looked everywhere for a size 7, even visiting two Dillards. We were unable to hunt them down, but my Mom did find the Sam Edelman Lorna Heels in a size 7, and I'd been wanting these shoes as well. They still had the stone details that I liked so much about the Lorissa heels, so I figured this was a good alternative. And at $60 (marked down from $175) it was a steal, especially since I used a Dillards gift card  (see, not breaking any rules!)

I love the pewter color of these heels, and the bow detail softens the toughness of the spiked rhinestones. They are made of all man made materials. Even though I like leather, I still think the quality of these heels is great.

The only downside (and it's a major one) - they're so darn uncomfortable! Seriously, as soon as I put them on, my feet were aching. And this was after walking around in them for only a few seconds. I almost didn't buy them because of this, but after walking around the store for several minutes, they started to feel more comfortable and I figured with continued wear, I'll be able to break them in. They initially felt kinda tight, which I was surprised about because they are a size 7 and I'm pretty much always a size 7 - I've never had to size up. My Dad even said my toes looked kinda squished in them, which I guess I can kinda see in this picture.

The heels are pretty high, which puts all the pressure on the balls of my feet. But I think with the help of some shoe cushions, these shoes will be comfortable enough to walk in. I'm even wearing them right now around the house to try to break them in - I want to be able to wear them out for Valentine's Day!