In the world of Save. Spend. Splurge.

What I liked this week:

This ring is way out of my price range in the 4-figures, but my goodness it is shiny. For a cheaper $100 version, this one looks equally as beautiful.

• 15 surprising things about parenting in Jordan; reading all of these accounts makes me want to travel to the Middle East now, and this one just came up too, 17 things about parenting in Brazil.
• I love pouches and little bags, so this animal print one makes me interested.
• I need to stop talking about Baby Bun at work as a mother. Apparently this is looking very bad on me, rather than it being a bonus.
• This white tweed skirt looks fantastic and way more expensive than its price tag.
• Women who start businesses, need very little capital. Why don’t we start entrusting more money to young women entrepreneurs and stop trying to pretend we have a sexist bias that thinks only men are movers and shakers?
• To add a little shine and glam to any outfit this neutral flat looks great but this braided leather one is just as nice.
• The Gucci family seems to be fraught with issues that money can’t solve. Here’s just another instalment of how Patrizia shot her husband who inherited the company & then muscled his family out only to sell it for $120M a year and a half before he died. If you read the Gucci Memoir by the father’s daughter (also named Patricia), you’d know more of the backstory of the whole sordid tale.
• I love me a good moto jacket, and this black one looks casual & chic.
• If you go on The Bachelor, be sure to set aside some major funds for the pre-show primping.
• I really like this stylish necklace because of the green stone & the fun tassel, and frankly this is a glammed up rose gold whistle but it is still stylish.
• Women talking about their bodies post-birth. My story is my shoulders have gained at least an inch in width; my upper arms are now flabby, jiggly & chicken-like, I have stretch marks all over my belly, and I now understand why my mother kept having to go to the bathroom for every little bit of liquid – babies do a NUMBER on your bladder control that you have to work to bring back. None of this matters as much to me of course, because I will still wear my favourite coats, tight or not & my partner loves and is constantly amazed that I grew & gave birth to our wonderful son.
• I own this gingko ring and it is stunning, made out of recycled brass, but I’d go for this sage cuff instead of the gingko one because it is not as comfortable as the sage one.
• I really love how down to earth This American President is. My favourite quote has been this one about Michelle’s closet:  “He’s always asking: ‘Is that new? I haven’t seen that before.’ It’s like, Why don’t you mind your own business? Solve world hunger. Get out of my closet.” LOL! Mine doesn’t poke around my closet but he has done a couple of silent double-takes when he opens the doors and takes in everything I own.
• I’m obsessed with maxi skirts, and this striped set looks fantastic and casual, but is actually a pair of wide leg pants, not a skirt.
• Lastly, this is what dating is like for an “average looking woman”. What does that even mean? I’m a little confused. Who can judge who is ‘average’ or not? … and this study of attractiveness of women was interesting.
• Lastly, this plane necklace is right up my alley. I LOVE IT! I also love her cicada earrings.