february budget

J.Crew Factory Tee: originally $50 + 50% off = $26
Frye Wedges: originally $227, on sale for $113 + $50 giftcard = $63

February budget: $89   (left for this quarter: $411)

So not exactly a big spending month! You guys know I love cooler weather, but it's been negative degrees here for most of the month, so I've been very anti clothes and pro heating blankets instead. I do really enjoy the two pieces I did buy though. I added a striped shirt to the donate pile and added this one into my closet - it has a lot more structure and just fits me better than the previous shirt did. The wedges were something I've had my eye on for a month, and went my size popped back, I ordered them. I've only had a chance to wear them once, but they feel really great on, and I can really see them getting a ton of wear in the next few months once it warms up.

I was also very lucky to receive the following from my sponsors. I've been saving Shopbop credits for the past three months to buy these shoes - they are even prettier in real life. I put them on every morning just to wear around my bedroom (you can't tell me you haven't done that!), but I won't actually wear them until all of the snow melts. The earrings were also a fun addition to my jewelry collection - I think they are just so cute! I seriously would be an astronaut if I could, but I think these star earrings are probably as close as it's going to get. I also received a free three month prescription to Rocksbox, which you'll see more of in the next couple of posts, but if you've been interested in trying it out, you can get your first month free with code franishxoxo.

So now that spring clothes are something I'm actually allowed to think about a little bit (even though it won't be above 35 degrees for at least another month!). I did order these pants the other day, but since they haven't arrived yet, I don't know if I'll keep them. I do think they'll be a good way to mix it up a bit - I'm so bored with black pants! In addition,  I've wanted a jean jacket for years now, but just never found one I really liked. I swear I probably tried on a hundred when I still had time to go thrift shopping! I do have my eye on a few online, with this one from J.Crew being my favorite. Maybe during the next great sale I'll finally order it (along with this shirt - I love the pipe detailing!).

So that was me - how was February for you guys? I'd love for you to link up below - just please remember to link back to this post so your readers can find other bloggers who share their budgets!

dated

I feel there are certain very clear blogging trends that emerge every year - things that you see all over Pinterest that may or may not be normal things people wear in real life - and I feel that in 10 years, you'll be able to look at certain outfits and know what year they are from just based on the trendy items in the outfit. 

For example, the herringbone vest is very 2013-2015 (is it bad that I also want the red gingham version? It doesn't help that it's also on sale...). The large oversized scarves (which, side note, I hope never go out of style because I love them) are also a pretty big thing this winter. While I try really hard not to get suckered into every trend out there, sometimes I just can't resist the really good ones - like black and white vests, or scarves that double as blankets at the library. 

So maybe in a few years this will look super dated....but today I like it ;)

Tee: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Vest: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Scarf: gift from Steph [similar]

Pants: Gap [similar on sale]

Boots: Vince Camuto [exact on sale]

Watch: Michael Kors [save | exact]*

Nails: Essie [exact - love love love!]

*as I was looking for inexpensive options, I stumbled across this (not inexpensive) watch - how cool is it?! I don't need another watch, but I think this one would make such a fun conversation piece.

top three [02.22.2015]

OTK boots (that also come in this amazing maroon color): one | two | three

medicine

• Did you know that there are a very small percentage of women who have two uteruses (uteri?) - some even have two vaginas! Most aren't discovered until infertility problems appear, although many are still able to carry babies to full term. 
• Hermaphroditism is a condition I still have trouble always wrapping my head around. Basically, a hermaphrodite is someone who has both ovarian and testicular tissues. There are various forms, but the basic concept is that there is a discrepancy between the genetic sex (so being XX or XY), the gonad morphology (testes or ovaries), and the external genitalia (penis or vagina). This documentary goes into it more and a few people's experiences with being born a hermaphrodite. There is also a woman Olympic runner who was found, after testing, to be externally female but had no uterus, and had undescended testes instead. 
• Learning about the process of baby making (mmhmmm) is both inspiring and scary. There are SO many things that have to happen to 1. get pregnant, 2. keep the pregnancy, and 3. have a completely healthy child. It's shocking that the human race even exists because so much can go wrong at any point along the road from conception to birth. 

on the internet

• One of my favorite bloggers + instagrammers shares her instagram editing tips (+ here are some of mine)
• Need to do a closet clean out? Start with these tips. 
• Loved this perfect for the boardroom outfit - she makes business clothes look so good!

spotted

• I stumbled upon these pewter chinos and have fallen in dress pants love. Wouldn't the coral pair be fun too? 
• I got my sister this to-go palette for Christmas, and now want it for myself. It would drastically cut down the amount of makeup I have to schlep back and forth between my house and my boyfriend's. Think he'll notice if another product shows up in his medicine cabinet? ;)
• This sweater would be a great alone or layered over a button up...and with it being under $20, you can even pick it up in two colors. Looking to add something to your order? How about this amazing stacked ring (it does all the hard work for you) or this double zip shoulder bag?

on franish

• on instagram: combining the pretty with the really ugly 
• on the blog: reviewing my must-have beauty products, including this $10 gem
• on twitter: dots on dots on dots

notable sales

• Kate Spade Saturday: 40% off everything!
• I loooooove the classic look of this saddle bag...
• ...while this xo cuff would be such a fun addition to your jewelry collection
• Nordstrom clearance event: ends today!
• A beautiful pink coat would definitely stand out in a sea of black and grey!
• One of these days I'll make a sweater like this work for me. 
• Shopbop sale section: 
• Gold Tory Burch flats...enough said
• The J.Brand jean section has some great deals currently
• I love the color of this Marc Jacobs purse
• One of each of these Joie pieces please - especially that floral blouse!

personal

• SPOILERS for GoT: A couple of years late to the game, but CR and I have been watching about 20 minutes of Game of Thrones every night before we go to bed. We just finished season three, and you guys, I don't know if I can continue! The "red wedding" was so horrible, and I can't stop thinking about it. I know it's just TV, but as George M.M. Martin said, you should grieve if a fictional character is killed. Good thing I get more of Robb's beautiful eyes in the upcoming Cinderella movie. He's just so dreamy. 
• I, like probably a lot of women, am constantly growing out my hair only to cut it because I got bored. This is how long my hair was before I cut it off three-ish years ago, and I've regretted it a ton since then (also it's kind of fun to look back at early blogging Fran haha). I am getting my hair cut on Tuesday (it's been four months...) and while I'm kind of bored with my hair currently, I will NOT cut it off...but I do want to change something. I'm thinking something like this - just a little different without chopping all my hair off! 
• After a very frustrating initial attempt to start a blog redesign (the person apparently dropped off the face of the planet after I paid her...), I have found a new designer and I'm so excited to spruce things up around here. No major changes, just a few updates since everything you see on this oh so professional blog has been done by me, someone who has very little computer or design training. I'm also debating replacing the traditional blogger comments with Disqus - I think it would be better just because you get notifications if I or someone else responds to your comment. Anyone feel strongly about it either way?

try, try again

Do you have clothing in your closet that you consistently don't touch because you had a bad experience with it? I do, and for me it is this dress. In theory, this dress was made for me - black and white, sleeves, polka dot - what's not to love? Well on the two separate occasions I've tried wearing it, I ended up hating it. It came with this horrible slip that fit wrong, and so I have just shied away from it every since. There is nothing wrong with the dress, it's just those two experiences of trying to make it work and having it fail that have left it sitting in the back of my closet since then.

As I'm trying to declutter my closet before I move in May, I've been making an effort to wear some of those less worn items to see if it's me or them. In this situation, it's a me problem, I just didn't have the right undergarments. I purchased one of these slips at Target, and the problem is no longer a problem. Now it just needs to warm up above negative a million so I can wear it with flats and no tights!

Dress: Gap [really cute similar]

Scarf: Banana Republic [exact in grey....tempting!]

Belt: Everlane [exact]

Earrings: c/o BaubleBar [exact]

Tights: Target [exact]

Boots: Franco Sarto [exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Bag: Kate Spade [save option]

review: one love organics cleansing sponge + skin savior, and more

It's -15 degrees today, and so I've been fighting the good fight against my dry and flaky skin. Here are a few of my recent hits and misses when it comes to skin care for dry skin and acne:  

Amore Pacific Exfoliator: makes your face feel squeaky clean

One Love Organics Skin Savior: for those dry patches that won't go away

One Love Organics Cleaning Sponge: HIGHLY recommend this one!!

Kiehl's Spot Treatment: drying but works to bring breakouts down a notch

Peter Thomas Roth Mattifying Gel: for post break out, pre make up skin fixing

top three [02.15.2015]

cognac flats + belt works every time: 1 | 2 | 3 

in medicine

• Prion diseases are a group of progressive brain diseases where prions (basically misfolded proteins) create havoc on the brain and put a bunch of holes into it, making it look like a sponge (hence the other term for it, spongiform encephalopathies). Some are acquired (like mad cow disease, from eating infected cow) but there's also an inherited form called Familial Fatal Insomnia. In this horrible disease, people suffer from progressively worsening insomnia that leads to hallucinations, delirium, and eventually death. Here's a 10 minute documentary on the history and one family's experience with it.
• Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome is another genetic disease that results in a build up of uric acid in the body. Overall, uric acid buildup is associated with symptoms like gout and kidney stones, and in the case of LNS, it also results in the patients self-mutilating themselves, usually by biting their lips or fingers.
• I'm a huge visual learner, which is why Picmonic has been such a great resource for me the past 1.5 years. I use it every single day, and I know that it's been a big advantage in my classes so far, and for the boards. If you are in medical /dental/ PA school and are looking for something to help you learn all that information, you can use the code "friendoffranziska" to get 20% off a 6 or 18 month prescription. Here's a bit more about how I use it in school! You can also sign up for a free trial and test out 25 picmonics to see if it's something that would work for you.

on the internet

• I love nothing more than a great striped shirt, so I of course loved this simple but so chic look on Jessica (and that shirt may or may not be on its way to me now...)
• Stripes win again - Audrey shows you 4 different ways to wear a striped blazer (still need one of your own? This one is adorable and won't break the bank). 
• Not model skinny, and not plus size - the area where most of us fall anyway. Let's hope it's a trend that stays around. It's interesting, because most of my referrals through my stats are through various forums where women are looking for "average sized woman" style inspiration. I don't really know why there aren't more "average" sized bloggers out there! 

spotted

• How cool is the back of these shoes? Definitely dress code appropriate with just a little bit of sass. 
• I've recently seen this lipstick (in Roman Holiday) on a bunch of different bloggers and I'm thisclose to ordering a tube of it for myself - doesn't it look like the prettiest pink? #copycat #notashamed
• I would never have believed that this skirt was from Target unless I saw it on the website with my own eyes. 

on franish

• on the blog: reviewing Everlane's newest striped shirt - what I love and what I wish I could change
• on instagram: how cool are these star earrings? I can't get enough of them. 
• on twitter: my thoughts on some people's busy schedules during NYFW

notable sales

• Madewell: 30% off sale styles with code AMOUR
• How freaking cute is this dress?! 
• My favorite jeans are on major sale too - go go go!
• J.Crew: 40%+ off sale items with code WEEKENDMUST
• My favorite chambray shirt (I wear it at least once a week) is more than half off!
• LOFT: 50% off select styles
• This zip cardigan is the perfect mix of comfort and chic...
• ...while this sweater does all the layering for you

personal

• YOU GUYS. I won a couch! Grace had the coolest giveaway going on a few weeks ago and I wanted to win SO BADLY because who doesn't want to win a beautiful expensive couch? Turns out, I WON. I about fell out of my chair when she emailed me yesterday to tell me. The best parts (besides free!) is that we can choose any color we want...and there are a ton of them! I'm so giddy about the whole thing.
• I have pretty bad back pain from sitting all the time, so for the last year I've been using one of those exercise balls to sit on instead of a hard chair. It actually has helped with the pain, plus it's fun to bounce around on when I get bored. What isn't so great about it is that sometimes cats want to get on the heated blanket that normally rests on it, and then pokes holes all over it when it moves. Since my life with a cat has only just begun, I broke down and ordered one of these kneeling chairs. People swear it has helped with their back pain, and since the amount of time I sit in a chair is only going to increase, I figured it was time to try one out. 
• This was the first weekend since school has started where we don't have a systems exam the following week, so it's been a nice combination of board studying and taking a few hours to ourselves. It was a great way to spend Valentine's Day :) CR got me the coolest monogrammed pajamas, and after a day of studying at the library, we went out for a great sushi dinner. I sure did get lucky with that guy.

review: everlane's heavyweight tee

I have been a long time fan of Everlane. Since reviewing my first t-shirt purchase two years ago, I've worn one of their tees probably 5 out of 7 days of every week. I find that they fit me so well, they really hold up, and are just all around the best tees I've found. I even got my friends and boyfriend hooked! So needless to say, when they announced that they were coming out with a striped shirt, I was SO PUMPED. I own probably half a dozen striped shirts of various colors and stripe widths, but I feel I'm always look for that perfect striped shirt. I don't know exactly what the requirements for this perfect shirt are, but I'll know when I find it ;)

So in hopes that the Everlane striped shirt would be that perfect shirt,  I ordered the grey/white version in my normal size (large). I was hoping they would have a few more color choices, but the grey one was my more my style (and something I don't already own). When I first took it out of the packaging, it seems a bit bigger than the tees I already own, and I feared that the sizing was a bit off (I find that their cashmere runs almost a size too large). Once I put it on, I was glad I got my normal size since a medium wouldn't have fit my shoulders So here's what the shirt looks like, not tucked in or sleeves rolled:

and here's how it compares to their v-neck tees (both are brand new, unwashed):

Things I like about the shirt: 

• It's a really beautiful thick cotton fabric. It's thick enough to be worn on its own but not too thick that you couldn't layer a cardigan over it. I could see myself wearing this a ton in the winter with various scarves.
• The arms are long enough, something that doesn't always happen
• It's a bit longer too, which is great for a more casual vibe 
• The side vent is a cute detail that also helps the shirt sit better

Things I wish they had done differently: 

• I'm not a fan of dropped shoulders. I feel it rounds out my already round shoulders even more
• The neckline feels just an inch too high on my throat - when I move my arms back, it puts pressure on my throat.
• The cut is a bit boxier than their tees, which makes me look...more boxy
• I wish it came in black and white! That's probably my biggest complaint, and I could overlook the other issues if it was in a color I really wanted. 

So in the end, this is not my "perfect" shirt. It's a beautiful shirt, but I wish I could just tweek a few things to make it exactly how I want it. I do have my eye on this top though, because it seems to fit a few more of my requirements. 

If you are interested in learning a bit more about Everlane, you can sign up here using my referral code, or here without. Some of the nicest, and most worn, items in my closet are from Everlane, and it's truly a company I believe in. 

P.S. my jeans (currently on sale) + my lip color + my nails (in karissa) + my watch