A SoCal Christmas

Ahhh Trader Joe's. A Christmas treat paradise. This afternoon I made the short drive to Christmas joy with my windows down, blaring Christmas music as a sweet 75 degree breeze flew through my car. The sun was shining, I was wearing leggings as pants (more on that later), and I realized, I might love Christmas in Southern California. I don't know if it is ironic, a paradox, a juxtaposition or just plain crazy, but a Christmas that feels like Easter is really awesome. 

In other news, I have found a new love in Los Angeles. 

Some may think of LA and think of smog, overcrowding, or traffic, but not me. Oh no. I think of two sweet words. . .sample sale. Yes my friends I have discovered the gem of LA! Sample sales! A sample sale is a wonderful world where designer clothes are sold for really cheap. My good friend Jess introduced me, and being a good Carpenter (I get my bargain hunting skills from my dad) I find a thrill in getting the best bargain possible.

So today's bargain I have to announce is a beautiful $428 coat that I got for an incredible *drum roll please* $50! That's right folks, that is basically free!...ok, not really, but that is what I tell myself when I  spend fifty dollars worth of grocery money on a coat that is obviously necessary. It isn't like it is 75 degrees in December here or anything.

Ooooh. Ahhhh. I know take it in. It is a beautiful coat. I wear it no matter the weather.  If you could see it closer you would see beautiful buttons. Best. Bargain. Ever. 


And this is where the leggings come in. I know there were gasps when I wrote that I wore leggings as pants. You all thought, really? Meredith? We hate that trend! Oh how many times I ridicule the girls that think leggings are appropriate to wear in public. But alas, I have given in to the sample sale world. Sample sales have a dress code, a dress code of "wear whatever you can try clothes on over." So this morning I joined the legging-pant mafia as we trekked into the sales. But don't worry. Moving to California I have not gone completely crazy and I vow to not wear leggings as pants again...that is, unless I can find $5 jeans. 

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