[Club Monaco sequins blazer, DKNY wrap sweater, H&M dress, Aldo boots]

Last winter began my love affair with sequins.  It was born innocently enough, in the inspiration of a glistening silver sequins skirt dressed for day with a men’s white button down and tweedy gray vest.  From there it was a downward spiral into obsession.  In a whirlwind birthday shopping spree (thanks mom!) I accumulated multiple skirts, bloomers, a vest, shimmering sequins-dotted tulle headbands, knit hats, and one particularly unflattering pair of sequins leggings… But there was one that got away.

The Club Monaco matte sequins blazer.  It was gorgeous – a relaxed, oversized fit and a light, flexible material that, with the weight of thousands of sparkling scales, made for perfect drapery.  It was absolutely ridiculous, and I needed it.  However the $300+ price tag was a bit beyond our budget.  Sadly I came to my senses and bid the lovely thing farewell, but I did not forget.

Fast forward 4 or 5 months.  The weather was beginning to warm and my thoughts were turning to tie-dyes and ditzy floral prints.  The memory of the blazer was beginning to fade.  And then it happened.  One day, as I was browsing new arrivals on the Rescue blog, there it was –and in my size.

For those of you who are not familiar with the buy/sell/trade concept, it’s similar to consignment, but instead of waiting around for your items to sell the store buys them upfront at 30% or offers 50% store credit.  Instant gratification.  The focus on high quality, contemporary items and popular designers is pretty brilliant for shoppers as well.  I once scored a Mike & Chris jacket for $50 plus some trade!

Needless to say, I was on the phone in a second to reserve the jacket.  In the end I didn’t even spend a cent – just unloaded a pile of clothes that had been taking up space in my wardrobe.

All summer this jacket hid in the back of my closet, waiting for the right time.  Last night there was a perfect chill to the air and a perfectly festive occasion – the Spirited Magazine launch party.  (I’ll be posting full coverage of the event soon, but in the meantime I highly recommend you check out the site for yourself.)

I took some outfit inspiration from Amanda, the stylist mastermind behind Spirited Mag and D.ama Design.  If you know her work, you know she’s the queen of mixing prints to create stunning, eccentric looks.  It’s a style I adore.  Unfortunately my wardrobe is lacking in colorful patterns – something I am working on amending – so instead I played with shades and textures, pairing the matte sequins blazer with a gray ruffle mini dress.  I did sneak in some micro-leopard print tights (quietly rejoicing that we’re back into tights weather).

The resulting look was perfect for a night of celebrating.  I have a feeling this jacket will be making a regular appearance in my winter wardrobe.  I can’t wait to try it with some denim leggings and a shredded tee…