August was a pretty good month. We celebrated our tenth year wedding anniversary. So, I’ve found a human that I can live with and it lasted a decade. I hear that is a big deal.
In other news, when I fall off the wagon, I really fall off. I ended up splurging on Amore Pacific Cushion Compact and some other cosmetics, two Helmut Lang dresses, a pair of Ted Baker boots (the lining features French bulldogs which is adorable) and a pair of Calvin Klein Collection loafers (on sale, whoop). So, yeah, that summer no-buy went to shit the last two weeks of August.
Summary: I celebrated ten years of wedded bliss AKA fighting over interior design elements (I’m a notorious uncomfortable chair purchaser) and fighting over the fat content in dairy products purchased (why does he always want whole?). And I fell off the no-buy wagon…hard.
Moving on, here’s my favorites from August ’14:
Wearing (fragrance) – It happens to the best of us, but I went through a fragrance rut. I don’t really have any cravings and nothing has really “wowed” me. When it got cooler towards the end of the month, I found myself craving my usual fall favorites like Chanel Coco, Guerlain Shalimar Route de Blah Blah Blah and Natori. I have a feeling that I’m going to feel more inspired in September.
Summary: I went through a fragrance rut. It happens to the best of us.
Wearing (cosmetics, etc.) – My nails are finally long enough to paint (thanks to my new HG product) and I’ve really liked Julep Gayle. It’s like blackberries, eggplants and Italian plums…all in one coat. My makeup has been simple. Matte eyes with Physician’s Formula Matte Quad in Canyon Classics (one of my favorite eyeshadows ever), neutral retro-ish peach lips with Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Jungle Peach and NARS Matte Multiple in Altai. Oh, and that Amore Pacific Cushion Compact. Hair still sucks since world’s best hairdresser is on sabbatical.
Summary: It was still warm and humid and I felt like putting in minimal effort. My nails are strong for the first time in my life and I’m enjoying thinking about nifty nail polish shades
Wearing (clothes) – This time of year is usually my least favorite style-wise. I’m sick of summer outfits and it’s not cool enough for fall ones. I rotated through two silhouettes, one being the laid-back, loose separates of Turkish designer Yasemin Özeri (look at me not in all black!), excuse the linen-y wrinkles above as this was after a bus ride on an 80º day. And then just jeans (yes, Guess jeans) and a t-shirt with boots (the Ted Bakers above) or Birkenstocks. And my 10th anniversary vintage squash blossom necklace 🙂
Summary: I’m ready to move on to fall fashions. I already have those planned. Summer feels stale and busted.
Using (skincare) – I started double cleansing (again). I used to do this back in my cake face days but now I wear less makeup. I didn’t expect to see much of a different but after a month, I did. My skin is looking great. I’m also still enjoying trying new sheet masks and rinse-off masks.
Summary: Cleansing with greasy Pond’s Cold Cream and following up with a Korean foaming cleanser that has an egg on the tube with my dear Shiseido Massage Brush is really making my skin look good.
Eating/drinking – Figs. Figs and cheese. Fig pizza. Figs baked with honey. Fig salad. Figs, steak and balsamic onions. Drink of choice – ice water.
Summary: Figs.
Listening – A Tribe Called Quest. Jungle Brothers, Mos Def…you get the picture.
Summary: Typically, I’m in a rather good mood if I’m listening to stuff like this.
Watching – We’ve been watching Carnivale on and off for the past eight months or so. We finished the last two episodes in August. I absolutely love the attention to aesthetic details in this show. I mean, every little detail is perfect, historically accurate and perfect. Even the Texan accents were on point.
Summary: It was a good show. There were some pacing issues in the middle but in the end, I forgot about that.
Reading – Still working on building some skills and haven’t really read anything that isn’t a guide or a Spanish slang dictionary.
Summary: My brain hurts.
Wanting – A vacation. I have wanderlust real bad.
Summary: Like for realz, I need a vacation.
August was an OK month. I do think I’m going to feel more inspiration in September. I like a little bit of chill in the air and that wonderful “calm” light that late summer/early fall brings.
What were your favorites for August? Did you do anything inspiring? Go anywhere inspiring? Eat anything inspiring?
Happy 10th Anniversay! Funny- we share birthday as well as anniversary months..:) [We celebrated our 8th this Aug]. I’ve been mostly wearing Turkish-style pants too (from India though- I managed to find this cute boutique in Bombay on my last visit) with a black t-shirt and if I go all black I break the black with a colored stole..
I need to try those Korean sheet masks..
Congrats! It must be a Taurus thing 😉
I’m all about the unflattering baggy pants. I pretty much bought the entire SS14 collection from that Turkish brand, lots of black and this one green top. The back is all drapery, she had a Donna Karan-ish style like that. Super comfy.
I’m a convert to sheet masks.
congrats!! 10 years, somewhat sadly, is a HUGE deal. when relationships and people are as throw away as your korean masks… yes, this is a very big deal.
(and uncomfortable chairs look good. if you want to be comfortable, bring your own bean bag. i only say this because i have been accused of the same thing… although i am not sure why friends would care– they always end up loitering on my bed (not like that) or sitting on the floor like the bunch of hippies they are anyway.)
fig pizza. ok, now i am intruiged! alas, the concept of gourmet pizza here is more likely to contain buffalo meat. (makes note to find fig pizza in la this october.)
ponds cold cream? i never would have guessed.
looking fab, girl! 🙂 thank you for sharing your august, and daily explorations!
Relationships are so odd in that time spent seems both shorter and twice as long as they actually are. I’m very happy to be with some one flexible and fluid that can put up with my stubborn personality 🙂
OMG, this. I like a really pretty chair, the dumpy, comfy thing is not for me (or at least right now). I do actually like bean bags, there’s that Missoni collection, lol, but the dogs would claim anything like that immediately. But, yeah, we’ve spent our years cohabiting arguing over chairs. He has good taste and a good vision, but it the chairs, we just don’t see eye to eye.
It’s super easy to do to, get a premade dough, simple white sauce and argula.Figs add a sweetness. It goes well with pancetta and prosciutto as well, but I’m not much one for pork products.
It smells like roses 🙂 I really don’t recommend it for everyone as it is the epitome of greasy skincare but it works for me.
Happy anniversary! It is weird that relationships seem sort of unhinged in time. Our 14th was the end of May, and it hardly seems possible that I could have done anything for 14 years. Loving the anniversary squash blossom necklace
August is a tough month. It’s so very hot in Texas and even the sky looks pale and tired of summer. Enthusiasm is tough to muster.
Congrats to you as well! I think that is the craziest, the thought of doing anything for that long. Another weird thing that hit me this summer is that I’ve had Frink for 5 years and that I’ve taken care of something for 5 years, that’s weird to me as well.
I know exactly that sky you speak of. L.A. has it as well. It’s like nature is even “over it”. Not going to lie, August was difficult in that I had no motivation. I just went into this autopilot mode. I think when it gets in the 60s again, I’ll have more energy.
I am right there with you with the figs. They are my favorite single food in life. I made fig pizza, kabobs, sandwiches; put them in salads and in Greek yogurt with raspberries and flax seeds. I’m in fig heaven right about now. I’m not very inspired in terms of fashion or makeup lately, but I’ve been loving my summer perfumes. Right now I’m on green things like Silences and Ineke Balmy days & Sundays. And I just bought vintage Diorella, which makes me ridiculously happy. Hope sept. is treating you well!
Mine too 🙂 So, I love this time of year for that.
Maybe I’d feel more inspired if I had vintage Diorella…I love your selection of summer perfumes. I love those sort of “cool florals”.
I just recently got my Diorella on ebay. It was my very first vintage purchase. I’m so happy that Diorella is still available at a decent price! I can’t quite believe it. Now I’m trying to get my hands on other Roudnitska frags.
Best of luck 🙂