The Hidden Story Beneath Confirmation Emails

What do you do with the email confirmations you get when you make an online purchase? Do you just delete them? This might be weird but, I just neatly filed them all away in a folder appropriately titled 'orders.' I thought..maybe I'd need them one day. 

And so, I pretty much have a virtual history of everything I've ever purchased online. It tells a story really - what I was interested in, where I was going, and who I was spending my time with and my money on. So here's pretty much the rundown I got of younger me from going through all my confirmation order emails (since Google told me I was running out of space).

2009 - This was my last year in high school, I had a purple customized ipod nano and made silly photo collages on photobucket. Spending total: $201.04. 

2010 - I wasn't yet working and I hadn't started college. I mostly spent money on retail and gifts for others during the holidays. I had a purple blackberry curve, wearing customized dogtags and LiveStrong braceletes were a thing,  and I took a trip with my family to Georgia. Spending total: $494.40. 

2011 - By this time I was in college full-time and working part-time at McDonalds. Besides getting Netflix, I spent most of my money on books, supplies for school, and clothes. My favorite places to shop were Forever21, Alloy, and Hollister. My silliest purchase was an unused couples massage. Spending total: $1,462.74. 

2012 - This is when I was fortunate enough to get financial aid to help pay for school. My grades got so much better once school was my main focus. I started shopping at Asos, Zara, and Sole Society, and wanting to be more 'adult', ventured into makeup with products from Elf Cosmetics. I had an HTC Amaze and I got an Ipad 2 for Christmas. I took a dance class at Alvin Ailey, saw the Bodies exhibit at South Street Seaport, visited the Top of the Rock and went to Thailand in the Summer. Spending total: $2,165.93

2013 - This year I was consumed with schoolwork. BookRenter.com was a great help in finding the textbooks I needed for affordable prices. The only things I really did to take my mind off school was occasionally have little shopping breaks, and watch YouTube videos. YouTube really was my best friend during all the late nights in the computer lab. It's where I learned about online stores like Misguided, SheInside, 10DollarMall, and DailyLook. I also started shopping at H&M and treated myself to my first watch for my birthday through CRB Watch Consulting (this post is all about that). Spending total: $1,735.30.

2014 - My final year in college I spent a pretty penny on presentation materials and props. I decided to treat myself to a super cute graduation jumper from BCBGMAXAZRIA. After I got my first job, I could finally re-join society. I wanted to dress like a professional of course, so I shopped a lot at Zara, J Crew and Steve Madden. This was when I got more into reading - kindle books on the train and audiobooks while I worked. I did a lot of traveling back and forth to California, took my first trip to Vegas and saw Mystere at Treasure Island. I did the Color Run and Paint Nite with friends. I decided to pass on the Ice Bucket Challenge and donated instead. Oh, and I had an HTC One M8. Spending total: $5,187.83.

When I started going through my orders folder, I thought 'why did I keep all this'? But it's been an interesting walk down memory lane. I can see the activities I did, the books I read, the technologies I used, the fashion trends I was into, and mentally note what's still around today and which were only for a season. I was transported back to different versions of me and I never have to ask where all my money went, because it was nicely documented: the hidden story beneath my confirmation emails.

~ Lisa Lou

Grown-up Time

I turned 22 two weeks ago, yay me!!!

When you start to get older, you don't necessarily think of small flimsy gifts that'll wear, tear and go out of style easily. You look for pieces that will last a while and say something about you. In the Interior Design world, we call them investment pieces. 

So, for my birthday I decided to get myself a new watch. I already have a few watches, but they're all simple ones that I knock around everywhere. I thought it was time to get an elegant 'grown-up' watch. After all, I'm starting to go to meet-and-greets and conferences and I find myself shaking hands with a lot of people. 

But, where do I find the perfect watch out of a world of watches?!?!?

Shopping is fun when you don't know what you're looking for and you just happen upon great pieces, but when you have a specific idea in your head it becomes harder to find than a needle in a haystack! So I got myself a watch consultant :)

I got in touch with CRB Watch Consulting and we delved into getting to know me, my style, my interests, and what I want my watch to say about me. There were a series of emails between us of potential choices. Some were modern and futuristic because of my interest in design and technology, others were quirky and colorful because of my youth and my personality. But I felt they were a little too simple and kid-like for the working world. We went back and forth some more and I'm happy to say I got the perfect one!

 

Introducing my new Michael Kors Parker Glitz.

It's lovely isn't it??? Elegant and quaint; simple with a splash of glam. Just like me :)

If you're interested in a new watch, check out CRB. Also, check out their instagram, it has the coolest posts about occasional watches, celebrity timepieces, and interesting tips and quotes.

~ Lisa Lou

Wanted: New Jacket

I'm loving this fall weather and I've been fortunate enough to get away with wearing a sweater most days. But, I think Hurricane Sandy brought a cold front with her. I'm sitting in my room with my toe socks AND my ugg slippers on. All this cold weather got me to thinking that I need a new fall jacket. 

Here are the ones I'm reallllllly feeling right now. If I could get all I would, but alas, I must choose only 1...or maybe 2 :)

Denim Faux Leather Moto Jacket - Pacsun

Staple Trench Coat - Zara

Stadium Cloth Boulevard Trench - J Crew

Quilted Jacket - Zara

The Downtown Field Jacket - J Crew

Leather Sleeved Anorak - Pacsun

Leather Biker Coat - Zara

 The last one is my FAVE 
 I'm sooo in love!!!   
 ^__^

Which should I get???

~ Lisa Lou

Run This Town..

I'm really enjoying the new healthy diet and exercise routines I'm doing. I think I want to start running. Actually, I decided a while ago that I wanted to get into it for a bunch of reasons like building my stamina (so people won't laugh at me when I go to the track with them), to promote my bone and lung health, and to have another outlet to relieve my stress and give myself time to think.

But....I can't decide on which shoe to get. Things like this I really have to think about because a good shoe is important isn't it? Well, I narrowed it down to these three..

 

The Nike Free Run+3 - $100

It's light-weight, flexible, and has abrasion-resistant carbon rubber under the high wear areas, and has flex grooves for a more natural stride.

The New Balance Minimus Ionix 3090 - $89.99

It's about and ounce lighter than the first shoe, it's flexible, has a SUPER cute molecule design, and has a more anatomical heel and improved arch. 

The Reebok Realflex Scream - $89.99

The mesh design allows for breathablility,  it has a removable sockliner, and the multi-directional flex nodes at the bottom allow for natural foot motions and footstrike.

This is just about an everyday running shoe, but a girl's gotta be cute on the road :)

~ Lisa Lou

Burgundy

It's September and we're already getting into the swing of things with school. Before you know it, Fall will be here and I for one, don't want to be caught off guard. So, I started my Fall shopping.....two months ago. I like to be prepared lol. Anyhoo, I was choosing my colors for the season and one I love love loooooooove is burgundy. I've never worn it before but it's so pretty and I think it's a great transition color for the season. I got a good armful of pieces, but these are my favorites; the pieces that will definitely be on repeat these coming months.

1. Forever21 ~ Sleeveless Knit Vest

2. Bath & Body Works ~ Cranberry Harvest Pocketbac

3. Forever21 ~ Faux Suede Zip Bootie

4. Love & Beauty ~ Shimmering Burgundy Polish

5. Longchamp ~ Le Pliage Tote Bag

~ Lisa Lou

Drooling

I shouldn't want these.... but I do!!!

 I'm drooling at the screen right now because all of these shoes are gorgeous and just PERFECT for the upcoming fall semester. Now me, being a good little thrifty buyer...I'm going to stay away from buying them and cry myself to sleep at night, but looking can't hurt now can it? 

1. Giuseppe Zanotti ~ Stud Toe Ballet Flats

2. Sole Society ~ Josslyn Platform Ankle Boots

3. Steve Madden ~ Hilight Wedge Sneaker

4. Stuart Weitzman ~ 5050 Knee High Boot

5. Polyvore ~ Custom Studded Converse

~ Lisa Lou