investment dressing


Nike Dunk review

nike dunks review

pictured: Nike Dunk High in olive and white /

It is entirely possible I have been on a sneakers kick the past two years. Ever since I started to have foot problems, I found sneakers were better for my feet than all my fabulous, sky high heels. In moving towards sneakers, my daughter introduced to me to the SNKRS app and the fun street sneakers from Nike.

Nike Dunks are a popular street sneaker which have been in high demand for many years. If you look at people’s feet, you will find people from teenagers through to Generation X, and possibly some Boomers, wearing Nike Dunks. This is a sneaker style and street style trend which transcends age and demographic. Love that!

You can find a few different types of Nike Dunks on the street. There are Nike Dunk Lows which are a traditional, low top sneaker. There are also Nike Dunk Highs which are traditional high-top sneakers, and the SB line which is geared towards skateboarding. Oftentimes, most SB styles are sold in skate shops rather than the SNKRS app or Nike stores. Although, you can find SB styles through Nike sometimes. I did manage to snag one pair!

Once in a great while, Nike will offer the chance to create your own Nike Dunk sneakers! This is really fun because you have many colors available to you, and you can design your own pair with the color combo you want. I have done this twice. Once with Nike Dunk Highs, which I ordered in blue and white, and once with Nike Dunk Lows which I ordered in mint green and a greyish-white hue. Love!

Nike Dunk sneakers are easy to wear with a variety of outfits. Of course, they can be worn with the obvious casual looks such as jeans, chinos, and shorts, but they can also be paired with dresses and skirts for a dressy yet sporty look.

What I love about Nike Dunk sneakers is that they are available in so many different colors! Many are one color plus white, but sometimes you can find them in three or more colors mixed together. They can match a certain outfit or be their own standout piece in an overall look. It is fun to find a pretty color and match it with a look! I also love my black and white Pandas because they go with literally anything! I feel like everyone needs a pair of black and white Dunks, often referred to as “Pandas.”

One of the drawbacks to the Nike Dunks is that the leather is not very soft. It is often stiff and easily creases. If you don’t mind creases, like me, then this will be OK with you. If you want your sneakers to keep their shape out of the box, you might consider adding an insert to the shoe or store them with a shoe shaper. One thing to note, the Dunk’s Nike allows you to create yourself seem to use higher quality leather which does not crease as easily, although they seem to fit a bit more snug than the off-the-rack Nike Dunk’s.

If you are like me, and need to wear orthotics, this can be a bit tricky. The insoles are glued inside the shoes. If you don’t mind ripping them out, it is easy to do. Then you can insert your orthotics. If you don’t want to rip out the insoles, you can wear an arch support band or add additional arch support to the existing sole. I wear mine with an arch support band and I am able to walk pain-free.

You can find Nike Dunk’s directly through Nike, or on the secondary market. Sometimes you will need to enter a lottery or draw through Nike or on the SNKRS app in order to snap up a pair you really want. If you can’t find the color combo you are looking for, you can buy from resellers but be careful! You want to make sure you are buying a legit pair made by Nike. I have linked to my favorites on the secondary market below. These are from reputable resellers, but always inspect them when you receive them to make sure you got the real deal!

There are plenty of colors to choose from through Nike right now. Here are my favorites! Please note, when you click on the black, grey, white pair, you will be taken directly to the create your own Nike Dunk low. Have fun designing!

I hope you enjoy your new Nike Dunk’s! They are a classic sneaker which you can enjoy for years; so, don’t be afraid to invest in multiple colorways! You can splurge all at once or invest in pairs over time. Love that!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

pictured below: Nike Dunk Low in black and white, also known as “Pandas” /

nike dunk review

Nike Dunks review


Mulberry Amberley review in small

mulberry amberley small review

pictured: Mulberry Soft Amberley small /

How pretty is this Mulberry Amberley handbag! I am in love! Mulberry has been on my wish list for years, but I always seem to bypass it for other bags. I think I know in the back of my mind that Mulberry is timeless, and since their styles are classic and always available, I have not felt the urgency to purchase the bag of my dreams. Yes, I have a long list of “bags of my dreams,” but I digress. . .

The Amberley by Mulberry is a beautiful and timeless shoulder bag which can also be worn as a cross body bag. It is a casual handbag which can be worn as a daily handbag. Mulberry always has neutral and black in stock, and they also offer seasonal colors. If you choose a neutral, black, or seasonal color, you cannot go wrong with a Mulberry Amberley handbag, it is a classic bag!

I chose the Amberley soft version in black with silver hardware. The leather is thick, soft, and incredibly durable. This is a well-made bag which I find to be an incredible deal for the price! There are handbags on the market which are priced at double, triple, and more than Mulberry’s collection yet they don’t offer the beautiful craftsmanship and extremely high-quality leather as Mulberry.

In addition to quality and craftsmanship, Mulberry is eco-chic! Love that! Mulberry is committed to sustainability. They even have a manifesto on their website! Love! As we move more into conscious buying decisions, supporting luxury brands such as Mulberry is an important shopping decision.

If you are an investment shopper like me, Mulberry is also a fabulous brand to learn more about. Mulberry’s handbags are made to last, so the Mulberry Amberley will remain a style produced by Mulberry for quite some time. You can safely choose a neutral, black or seasonal color and always look timeless. This is a great wardrobe investment. Love that!

The Mulberry Amberley I chose is size small. While there are larger sizes available, the small is perfect for my daily handbag essentials. I can fit my wallet, phone, lipstick, keys, and a travel size package of Kleenex. The turn lock closure is easy to get in and out of, plus it makes the bag feel secure.

The strap can be worn cross body or over the shoulder. I have been wearing it both ways depending upon my mood, or activity. I find the strap to be comfortable and it stays put on my shoulder. Love that!

I have fallen in love with my first Mulberry bag! My wish list has expanded to include more handbags by Mulberry, and I plan to prioritize more Mulberry purchases in the future. They have so many beautiful styles which are functional and timeless. The perfect investment bags!

Shop the Mulberry Amberley handbag online:

If you have been eyeing the Mulberry Amberley handbag, I highly recommend buying one! I am thrilled with my purchase, and I look forward to investing in more Mulberry!

Side note: if you are following the so-called “quiet luxury” trend, Mulberry is a fabulous brand to invest in. You can be “on trend” while also ending up with a timeless handbag which will transcend whatever the next big trend in handbags will be that hits the streets! That’s win/win! Love that!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

mulberry amberley review size small soft amberly

What is Investment Dressing

what is investment dressing

pictured: sunglasses / silver star necklace / black dress / silver station bracelet / silver bar bracelet / m frame handbag / nail polish / black suede boots (similar here) /

What is investment dressing? You may have heard people talking about investing in a handbag or a piece of jewelry, but have you heard of investment dressing? This is something I have toggled back and forth with since I entered college and started shopping on my own. Investment dressing is purchasing clothing and accessories to create a long-term wardrobe. It transcends trends and seasonal pieces allowing you to build a full wardrobe you can wear for years and years.

The concept of investment dressing allows you to build a timeless wardrobe which avoids fleeting trends, and helps you save money in the long term. Instead of buying trendy items every year, you can wear the same trousers, blazers, shirts, sweaters, etc. for years and years without spending money on new items. This also allows you to invest in higher quality items since you will have more money to spend on one item instead of an entire wardrobe.

You may have noticed bloggers and online magazines talking about capsule wardrobes; both seasonal and classic. Even I have jumped on the capsule bandwagon! The capsule itself is a concept which helps you trim down your wardrobe to basics which can be used over and over again, season after season. It is a lesson in mixing and matching so you can create countless outfits out of a few articles of clothing. Of course, when you read about these capsules, they always show new items, including my capsules!

The point of a capsule, as well as investment dressing, is not to purchase new items every season, but to be able to reuse what you have in your closet. Shopping your closet is part of investment dressing! When you see a capsule, look at what is in it. Is the writer showing straight leg jeans? Wear the pair you already own, you don’t need to purchase the new pair pictured in the article. Are they showing a black blazer? Use the one you already own, if it’s vintage, even better! So on and so forth, you get the idea.

It can be tricky to stick to investment dressing. When I started this blog, I was still a faithful investment dresser who concentrated on building a timeless wardrobe. Once I started to get more into blogging, it was really hard to stay timeless. I fell into a trendy trap and started overbuying items which did not stand the test of time. Now, I look at my closet and I am sad to see things I cannot wear anymore. So, I took a deep breath last spring and decided to go back to my wardrobing roots and stay on course with investment dressing.

What if you like trends? You can still invest in your wardrobe and reflect certain trends. One of the easiest ways to stay on trend while building a timeless wardrobe is to look at current color trends. You can invest in a classic sweater for fall which transcends time yet purchase it in a current color. Stay away from overly trendy colors such as lime. You will see colors in the color palette which transcend time and can be worn during the year. Those are the colors to invest in each season.

When it comes to colors, don’t be afraid! I know some people live in a beige and white world, please don’t! Colors keep things interesting and can even evoke emotions! For example, yellow makes people happy and blue creates calm. Red keeps you moving and green evokes feelings of peace.

Sometimes it is fun to add a trendy item to a classic wardrobe. When you do this, don’t spend a ton of money on it. Look for something on sale or at a reasonable price. Try not to succumb to a trend and overbuy it. Remember, you want to build a wardrobe with classic pieces, not cycle through it every season or two.

Investment dressing is also a fabulous way to build a wardrobe when a recession is looming. Yup, I said it! While we may not fall into a big one, we are experiencing inflation and a rise in interest rates. This is a good time to invest in a timeless wardrobe so you don’t feel the need to spend on clothing and accessories if we do head in that direction. Love that about investing in a timeless wardrobe!

What is your current style mood? Are you feeling like trends are your thing? Or are you in the mood to create a timeless closet?

Thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned for more investment dressing type articles this year!

XOXO
Cathy