Dot Spot: Working Out the Bugs

Shoes: Penny Loves Kenny, DSW

Tee: The Lazy Oaf

Bag: Elizabeth and James, Kohl's; Black and white bracelet: Mixit, JCPenney; Other bracelets: B Fabulous; Ring: Wet Seal, Fabulous Felt Rainbow Rings Necklace

Skirt, Forever 21

Bag: Modcloth

Fabulous Felt Ladybug Barrette

Skirt: POPSUGAR, Kohl's

Top: Self Esteem, Macy's

Jacket: Material Girl, Macy's

Top: Vylette, Kohl's

Headband: Self Portrait, Etsy; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Boscov's; Red bangle: XOXO, ROSS; Other bangles: B Fabulous; Ring: Making Waves, Ocean City

Scarlet Circle Necklace

Dress: So, Kohl's

Tights: Zulily

Bag: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's; Polka Dot Posies Barrette Brooch

I think we can all agree that most bugs are disgusting.  Just this morning, I went down to the basement to check the circuit breaker (damn you, internet outage) when I saw a centipede the size of Rhode Island.  Thankfully, it was dead, caught in a web.  But it still gave me pause, especially because I sometimes see its brethren in my bathroom.  Anyway, it got me thinking about how some bugs aren't gross but adorable.  Like butterflies, bumblebees, and, of course, ladybugs.  As a lady who, ahem, regularly bugs her husband to photograph her (that line was his idea), I appreciate the cheerful beauty of the ladybug -- and just happened to have some outfits emulating its colors and pattern.  As luck would have it, there were a bunch of the spotted ones out and about when we took the pics.  Here are two that framed our front door: 

I was happy to see them, not just because they're cute, but because they're a sign of good fortune.  Which was just what I needed to counteract the bad vibes from that centipede!

Next up: Spiderwebs: Disgusting death traps or Mother Nature's doilies?  Discuss.

Gone Shopping

Golden Girls Pocket Mirror, Snappy Mirrors

Mixed Button Pack, Sick On Sin

Snazzy Skirt, The Lazy Oaf

Flowers Tee Shirt, The Lazy Oaf

Splash Color Tights, We Love Colors

Polka Dot Sheath Dress, XOXO

Crayon Dots Tee Shirt, The Lazy Oaf

Every January I find myself going on a post-holiday online shopping binge. (And yes, this is in addition to my day-after-Christmas brick and mortar store shopping binge.) By this point any worthwhile winter bargains have been wiped clean from the stores, forcing me to stalk cyberspace's great marketplace. I tell myself that it's my opportunity to find some truly unusual, can't-get-this-at-the-mall pieces, and more often than not this turns out to be true.

Some people stock up on canned goods in case of a snowstorm, alien invasion, or nuclear holocaust. I stock up on fashion items. Sometimes I honestly feel as though I'm trying to squirrel away enough essentials, both funky and classic, to last me a lifetime in preparation for the day when I run out of spending money and can no longer shop. Don't ask me why I think this will happen; that would be like asking the can-hoarding Mrs. X why she fears a day when she won't be able to get her hands on green beans or fruit cocktail. All I know is, the shop-til-you-drop-for-survival game is one I've liked to play since high school.

January isn't quite half over, and I've already racked up an assortment of sweaters, tee shirts, and dresses, including a black and white tuxedo-style cocktail dress that I purchased from XOXO in a fit of Rebecca Bloomwood-style inspiration, thinking things like, "I could get invited to a cocktail party! Or a wedding! I'll wear it to every function! Everyone will know me as the girl in the black and white cocktail dress!" (For the uninitiated, Rebecca is the heroine of Sophie Kinsella's Confessions of a Shopaholic.) I would've included a picture of the dress here, but when I went to copy it from the site I discovered that it was sold out, and the picture gone. (Who knows? Maybe I even scored the last one.) I also nabbed some baubles from Etsy, namely a pair of pocket mirrors from Snappy Mirrors, one of which features The Golden Girls, and a selection of kitschy, produce-themed buttons from Sick on Sin that I look forward to pinning to various sweaters and handbags.

Yet even with a take like this, I fear the siege isn't over. I've got my eye on a trio of duct tape clutches, a collection of octopus pendant necklaces, and an anime cartoon-printed mini skirt, all from Etsy. The only saving grace is that I got most of my stuff on sale, if not clearance. This is the sort of twisted logic I use every time I amass a new mini wardrobe, rationalizing that Carrie Bradshaw would've spent more on a single pair of shoes. Never mind that Carrie Bradshaw is a fictional character. Or that every time I open my closet I'm pummeled by a rainbow of sweaters and jeans raining down from the top shelf.

Something tells me, though, that I'm not alone in my obsession. The cliché about women loving to shop is a cliché for a reason. So, what are your go-to guilty pleasure purchases? Clothes? Cosmetics? Kitchenware? Spooky porcelain dolls? (Each to her own.) This shopaholic wants to know. :)