Things that fit the bill.

Top: Forever 21 Skirt: TJ Maxx Necklace: Charlotte Russe Heels: Nine West Purse: London Fog via Burlington Coat Factory

I must have been looking for this exact black peplum top for three months now. I don't know when I decided I needed one. It must've been right around the time that they stopped selling ANY in stores because I literally could not find a single good one. The one I saw at Target was too short, while others I found seemed to be too big around the waist, no matter what. So when I finally bumped into this little baby sitting all by it's lonesome at Forever 21 in my exact size, I prayed it would somehow fit. And it did! It's a bit snug right in the waist (I think you can spy a baby ab muscle in the photo above, whoops!), but that's what my personal trainer is for, eh?! But really though, I think it's a good fit, and the length is exactly what I wanted, as are the sleeves, neckline, etc. And it's a very thick, structured top. Which was surprisingly only $10.80. And I searched the F21 website high and low for this puppy so you could all order it and be peplum'd out like myself, but I couldn't find it. Oh, the anguish and mystery that is Forever 21 stock.

Another thing I've been looking for is the perfect cognac tote. As you may have noticed in some of my recent photos, I've been carrying around this light brown bag for a while. I got it in a clearance bin at some teen store for $10 a number of years ago (back when I bought stuff I didn't like because it was cheap) and I've hardly used it since. But with my job as a real estate agent, I don't really have time to switch around purses to match outfits anymore (and am too afraid of missing something important by switching purses so often!) so I decided I needed a purse that

1. Would match most of what I wear (black is too boring for me, but I figured cognac/tan would be nice)
2. Was structured and professional looking so that I didn't look like a teenager while trying to sell homes (even though I practically am...)
3. Was big enough to carry my giant folder where I keep all of my listing sheets, etc. so I could always have those on me (did you know a real estate agent's job never ends? Not even at home or at the gym or anywhere? Well now you know.)
4. Had handles long enough so I could put it over my shoulder. No more of this elbow-toting nonsense. Ain't no agent got time for a purse to be dangling off your elbow and disabling one of your arms. AIN'T NO AGENT.
5. Was under $50. I knew this price was asking a lot of my purse but I also was not requiring it to be incredibly well made or real leather or anything, so I thought I might get lucky and find something at this price!

So during the same exact lucky trip where I found this peplum top, I found this purse! I also can't hate that it resembles Celine totes (I know, this girl is a bandwagoner if there ever was one, BUT OMG CELINE BAGS ARE SO CUTE), and it fit the bill for everything else on my list (was $49.99!), so I bought it! And I'm quite happy that I did.