my sister kept telling me about these AMAZING shoes she got at payless and it's not that i didn't believe her but i was not expecting these granny booties (above). they're basically perfect: the heel's not too high, the shape is totally NOW, they're all black, and they were like $16. i especially like the cute cut-outs in the front - perfect for wearing colored tights. they actually look a lot of these calvin klein 'classifications' shoes i thrifted last week (right); the only real difference being the heels. i haven't decided yet if i'm going to keep them or ebay them. i like them a lot, they fit perfectly, and nylon tells me everyone is going to be wearing similarly-shaped JAZZ SHOES, but i have yet to figure out how to wear them without looking like a nun.
in other cheap shoe news, these ridiculously high heels are at target for $30. even though i'm kind of over the whole patent leather/ louboutin knockoff thing (this summer, though, i wanted some SO BAD), the leopard print ones are awesome in a christina aguilera kind of way. they're 30bucks, which is more than i'd generally pay for target shoes, but the leopard ones might be worth it. and check the cute peep toe!

the behnaz sarafpour collection has been in at target since the beginning of the month and i didn't get a chance to check it out until this past weekend. i wasn't really expecting much; i'm not so much a fan of her designs and i definitely wasn't that excited about the other designers' stuff thus far (with the exception of a luella motorcycle jacket and a paul & joe capelet). so i mean it's not a big shock that i wasn't crazy about this collection either. i WAS surprised, though, at how like, OLD NAVY it all was - everything just looked like low-priced 'work separates.' and what DIDN'T scream old navy just seemed OLD. i was kind of excited to see this online:

i thought the shape was really great, but then i saw that it's FAUX PERSIAN LAMB. check the ren-fair closures. and the stuff that was supposed to be CUTE AND FUN, i guess, were the strapless, voluminous cocktail dresses, but they were essentially the exact same as the ones that were in the luella bartley and the paul & joe collections, just in different colors.
i mean, like i said, i wasn't majorly disappointed because i wasn't expecting to love it or anything. and it wasn't unredeemable - there were cute pieces, i guess, if you appreciate that whole ann taylor thing. i WAS bummed, though, because i swear to god i saw a dope leather hoodie in one of the print ads, and i didn't see it anywhere in the store or online. i would kill for that thing, if it actually exists. and i kind of wish i had one of her charm bracelets, but only if it consisted entirely of the pizza slices.

i'm really stoked right now on thrift store nightgowns. there are always a ton to have to sort through but it can be totally worth it - i found a great red flannel plaid one and cut about two feet off the bottom to make a longer shirt (i was trying for a dress but, as is my nature, accidentally cut it about three inches too short) that i plan on wearing the rest of fall with black skinny jeans and flats. the longer ones, when cut, have a great shape that's really of-the-moment and wearable - and the heavier fabrics (again, my vote goes to flannel) can be layered over henley-style long sleeves, and look great with textured tights or leggings. come summer i'm totally going to be wearing sweet cotton nighties with cowboy boots; i found a ton with little cap sleeves and rosebud prints. and yes. cowboy boots. old, dirty, broken in, anti-glam, anti-2005 mall version, anti-j.simpson cowboy boots. no arguing. they're the perfect summer boot.