Money Grubbers: New Wallets for Spring!

Wallets for Spring! by elbonner featuring green bags

I have a confession to make: I hate my wallet. I didn't hate it when I bought it, but it was my first foray away from a large wallet since my Roxy Velcro wallet phase that probably lasted longer than it should have. The wallet I have now can't hold bills that aren't folded, the soft leather is very floppy and it's small enough to get lost in the cavernous abyss that is my giant purse. I am, for what might be the first time ever, on a hardcore wallet hunt. I have never had a problem getting wallet because almost every one I've ever had has been given to me as either a birthday gift, Secret Santa present, or a "I bought this and hated it, now you get it" present from my mom. I am excited at all the new possibilities that wallet shopping can bring, but unfortunately, my old nemesis has reared it's head again. It's almost a law of nature that the one thing I really want, whether it be purses, shoes, or even Greek yogurt, is the most expensive one I find. I am having this problem with my current wallet obsession. Cleobella is an awesome retailer of handbags, but they make these "Mexicana" wallets that are just the dogs bollocks. They come in every bright, obnoxious color you can imagine and they just look super cool. Of course, they are $138 a piece, but maybe I'll find $200 stuffed in the pocket of something (never ever going to happen) and spoil myself with a fabulous wallet.

But because I live in the lame world of reality, I will probably be looking at my old haunts like Target, H&M, and Urban Outfitters to find myself a fun new money-holder. Now, these places are in no way a downgrade, in fact, I might find something even better than what I originally lusted after. For now, I'm still shopping around for the perfect wallet, but I can gaurentee this: it will be neon, it will be big, and it will have at least 4 Pita Pit cards in it because I always tell the cashier I forgot mine. Organize your life and get a new wallet!

Cleobella Mexicana Wallet
Cooperative Colorblock Zip-Aorund Wallet- Urban Outfitters
Merona for Target Zip-Around Wallet

Neoprene: Fashion and Function

Neoprene: Fashion and Function by elbonner featuring a sleeveless dress

Well, because it sometimes seems like sometimes I just can't  win, this was accidentally posted like nine times because it never showed up on my Blogger page once I exported it from Polyvore. Sorry for having to look at this same collage a million times without any witty commentary!

Neoprene is a pretty cool fabric. Or warm I should say; I've enjoyed neoprene as an integral part of my wetsuits that keep me from dying of hypothermia in the ocean and now, neoprene has grown legs, dragged itself out of the sea, and made it's way to ready-to-wear fashion. Now, even wetsuits are becoming something you can make a fashion statement in. After seeing all of these new designs and colors, especially ones from Kassia Meador's collection for Roxy,  the stupid-cute pieces from Seea,  and the sexy long sleeve suit from Rip Curl a la Mariah Carey's "Honey" video. I look at my ten year-old wetsuit and wonder if it's just time to take it behind the shed and end its suffering. We no longer have to wear a full-on boring black suit; they've even made spring suits more flattering which at one time I thought was impossible.

Neoprene clothing has made a huge splash (haha!) this season and is being used for dresses,skirts, jackets, leggings, bags, shoes. It's a really good material for modern-looking pieces. Like something stylish alien people would wear. They mostly come in obnoxiously bright neons which are right up my ally and just make you look cooler. Why get a boring cotton jersey skater skirt that will ultimately fail you and show your butt at the slightest wind gust, when you can get a neoprene one that will stay put a little better and make you look like a fashionable Zenon, Girl of the 21st Century?

Neoprene is fun, different, and not just for peeing in to keep you from freezing anymore. I'm looking into a new wetsuit with a better color palette than just black and maybe a neoprene beach bag for the summer. Get funky and get some neoprene!

Wetsuits:
Roxy- Kassia Cypher 3/2 Suit
Cynthia Rowley Spring Suit
Rip Curl  G-Bomb Spring Suit
Seea- Reunion High Waist Pants

Clothing:
Tibi Neoprene Sleeveless Dress
J. W. Anderson- Neoprene Jacket
Topshop Neoprene Backpack
Givenchy Panelled leggings

Dawn Patrol: Doing Stuff I Like

Dawn Patrol by elbonner featuring knit sweaters

I haven't been to the beach, let alone surfed, in so long it's making me crazy! Usually around this time of year I get really brave/stupid and try to conjure up the will to go to the beach for a winter surf with a friend.Working full-time and away from a surfable beach has made planning this activity out kind of difficult (not to mention everyone thinking I'm dumb and crazy, including myself). I think of it as exercise where you burn twice as many calories because your body is fighting off hypothermia! I haven't done the whole "dawn patrol" thing since high school when my little surfer friend and I got up at the butt-crack of dawn to get to the beach before work or school. I miss those days of riding around in my surf truck, sweaters on, coffee or hot chocolate in the thermos, and being very vocal about the fact that someone should invent a genital warming feature to go inside the crotch of a wetsuit. You can only pee on yourself out there but so many times. Above I created a little piece of my past: an outfit perfect for a chilly beach day. There's nothing better after a morning cold shock to the system than to out on some soft, dry clothes that you threw in the dryer before you left the house and wrapped in saran wrap to keep the heat in (hey, it works!). The good part about winter surfing is that no one is there to see you fall, because they're all at home snug in their PJ's while. Maybe if I can convince myself to get up from my warm bed to throw myself in the cold ocean then I can relive that period of my life, even if it's just for a little bit. I only really remember the good times had during those frosty mornings so it's time to make myself look like a bad-ass and brave the frigid Atlantic!