lunch break.

i was hungry for something a little different on my lunch break today...

after picking up some wicked hot rachel by rachel roy leather-blocked leggings yesterday for a steal of a price, i also found this bar iii motorcycle jacket in a dark shade of taupe. it came to $21 with tax at the macy's spring sale at cityplace, would have practically been illegal to pass up.

and yes, i know it is spring and pushing 80 to 85 degrees in palm beach county already, but my excuse for these two purchases is that i'm going to nyc for all of 72 hours next week. and yes, it is a business trip so i'll be wearing suits most of the time, but whatever.

what to where: italia edizione!

ciao bella!

i leave for italy in just one week from thursday, and since i haven't decided what to pack yet, much less where i am staying or what i am doing when i get over there, it was a nice surprise to find this waiting for me on my desk from my boss yesterday...

even though i can't afford most (ok, fine...any) of these items suggested by travel + leisure, i was happy to notice the suggested blazer in the piece because it looks just like one i purchased for only $34 - marked down from $88 - from gap on friday.

i also plan on bringing the khaki military-style jacket i bought at gap the same day, along with a checkered scarf, my favorite skinny pants, slouchy gray boots, purple converse, a few pairs of tights and several dresses and tops in black black black for mix-and-matching purposes, but please comment with any other suggestions on what i should pack for my 10-day trip to milan, lake como, the cinque terre, florence, sienna & rome!

fab find: rainy day jackets

my most recent fab find showed up in a very unexpected place...a male-dominated fishing and hunting store!

while searching for a birthday present for my boyfriend in gander mountain in palm beach gardens last week, i "stumbled" into the women's and kids' section and surprisingly found so much cute (and distracting) apparel that had uses other than just shooting and hiking. it was a sea of pastel parkas, plaid rain coats and quilted fleece that were way too stylish to stay in the store or the woods.

after searching out a few jackets that were 20 to 40 percent off in the women's section, i still felt like they were too expensive for someone like me who rarely has time anymore to be the outdoorsy type. lucky for me, i can sometimes fit into a 14/16 girls' size, and some of the kids' water resistant wind breakers were big enough for me to wear - and on sale.

i got this columbia kite flier jacket in a purplish-pink color for only $24.99, marked down from $36, and already in one cold and rainy weekend i've gotten more than my money's worth.

and in case anyone is wondering, here is the north face apex bionic jacket i actually went there to buy for the bf in the first place, even though i had a few detours along the way...

fab find: let it snow

with the stint of "cold" weather (60 degrees, if even) we experienced in south florida, i got excited because the change of season means i finally get to tap into that portion of my closet that only gets used about five days a year...or maybe eight if i choose to sweat it out a few times. but being a florida girl, i just can't bring myself to spend a ton of money on a winter wardrobe, which is why my eyes lit up when i stumbled into the sales at gap yesterday.

while searching for a tank to print my twilight slogan on for the opening of new moon last night (you bet your ass i was there!), i got a little distracted. i've been looking for the perfect black coat for a while now, but can never seem to find one that's inexpensive without looking cheap, and gap seemed to know just what i was looking for. all outerwear was 50 percent off, which is huge when you're shopping for jackets or blazers that are usually priced at more than $100.

i actually discovered my treasure in the sale section, in which all marked-down items were another 25 percent off. the shrunken peacoat, originally $110, purchased at $52 in the store or $89.99 online, was a comfortable fit for my petite frame, and i love the dramatic zippers on the pockets and sleeves that add an extra edge to the feminine cut.

if you're looking to take advantage of the 50 percent off rather than the sale though, let me suggest the ribbed sleeve wool jacket, originally priced at $118. it comes in gray or black and can easily be dressed up or worn casually with jeans. i'm not sure how long the discount lasts, so you better get over there soon!

if you can't get into a gap this week, you'll miss out on the in-store discounts, but gap.com also has a tempting offer...25 percent entire purchase of regularly priced items with the code GIFT123 at checkout. the promotion lasts through sunday, nov. 22. so grab your hot chocolate and throw on a pair of boots to get yourself in the mood to start cold weather shopping!