mini mall haul.

Shopping is one of my favourite pastimes. Yet it has become a source of stress and panic for me in the last little while. Why? I have been trying very hard to buy less and use more of what I own. That includes makeup, clothes, DVDs, and everything else in my life. Because of that.....I find myself worrying on the odd instance that I visit the mall or go on a shopping trip. I constantly ask myself: Do I need it? Will I use it? Should I be spending money? Ahh, how I miss the days of spending my paychecks without a care in the world.

Despite this....a few new items have come into my life in recent months. A while back, my mom and I did a bit of shopping. Though I was pretty good about my spending! Perhaps the most exciting part of the mall day was the fact that Zara had finally opened in our nearby mall. There had been signs advertising its arrival for ages but it seemed like it was never going to be there. Then ta da! Zara. I hadn't shopped there in quite a while (since there wasn't one near to where I live) so it was a real treat to look around inside. There were a ton of fabulous pieces to choose from.

In the end, I would up buying two tops - which ended up both being New York themed. What a strange coincidence! The first is a plain white t-shirt with pink fuzzy lettering spelling out NYC on the front. There are faux pearls attached to the lettering to give it that extra pop of girly goodness. I love that this top is simple but still makes a bold statement. The second top is easily my favourite. It is again a white tee but it has a small corset along the bottom. That gives the waist that cinched in look (without actually being uncomfortable) while still offering the ease of a t-shirt. And it's 70s vibe was definitely an added bonus. Take a look....

During our quick shopping trip, I also found a really cool pair of earrings. Though I have been trying to ease off of my accessories purchases (because I have a fair amount of them already), these were so different. They immediately caught my eye. Plus, they were on sale for just $7. What a steal! As you can see from the picture below, these are long, dangly, and gold. They also have a subtle pop of pink to spice things up. I love that they are dramatic and girly. The perfect combination! Check them out....

It is definitely harder to go shopping these days. It's not that I don't want to....but that cutting back on spending means that I can better enjoy the wonderful items already in my life. So I am trying to be deliberate and thoughtful about what I spend my money on. These items are special, unique, and bring me joy. Nothing wrong with that!

When is the last time you went shopping? What do you think of these?

xo Shannon