A Year in Review: 2012 Edition

Sunday, December 23, 2012

As 2012 comes to a close, so does the third year that I've been blogging. I say this all the time, but it's amazing how fast time flies, especially when you're having fun.

From a blogging standpoint...

- I crossed off multiple items from my (ever-growing) "classics" wishlist: tweed jacket, black riding boots, red cross-body bag, and navy peacoat. I also tried my hand at a few trends, including camo and maxi dress. Jury's still out on the former, but I'm really loving the versatility of the latter.

- My biggest impulse buy (and the one that I regret the most) is the J.Crew Tillary tote. I used it a few times before getting bored, so I promptly turned around and sold it to a new home. My most expensive purchase is the Chanel camellia WOC (surprise surprise, yet another bag). My favorite purchase of the year is the Tory Burch Nadine riding boots. Overall, I spent 6% of my pre-tax income on clothes/accessories/beauty this year.

- My top 5 favorite outfits of the year are: [from L -> R] one / two / three / four / five


- The awkward-photography-moment-of-the-year award goes to the day I was taking photos by the side of a dead-end road (or so I thought). As the self-timer was counting down, I noticed a car round the corner from the supposed dead-end to head towards me. I picked up my tripod to give the car room to pass, then noticed that I was looking at a police car. Thoughts that immediately popped into my head were, Oh crap! I hope I don't get ticketed for parking illegally or something of that nature. Hmm, would it do me any good to walk over and casually stand in front of my license plate to hide it from his view? LOL. Nah, that'd be too obvious. So I just stood there, staring at the cop while he stared right back as he drove past.

- I had a wonderful time meeting Yvonne and Elle when they visited my area on separate occasions. What were the chances they both loved and wanted to eat Korean food?

On a more personal level...

- DH and I became homeowners for the first time. My advice: DON'T DO IT unless you're prepared to deal with the time and cost it takes to maintain a home. We bought one that's less than ten years old, but we've already had to deal with a broken garbage disposal and dishwasher (we think the two are related), a squeaky step (drives me crazy!), and a leak on the roof of a bay window caused by Hurricane Sandy. All three of which we still haven't gotten around to completely fixing. For us, the mortgage interest tax deduction is pretty much canceled out by property taxes and maintenance costs. So not worth it if that's your primary reason to buy.

- We also celebrated our 10 year anniversary by tying the knot. Does that mean I have to start over with the yearly count? Or can I simply continue? At least I still only have one date to remember.

- I was lucky to have the opportunity to travel to Asia and San Francisco/Napa this past year. I'm hoping Europe is in the plans for next year. Fingers crossed.

Lastly...

I want to thank each and every one of you for visiting my little corner on the web. Whether it's critiquing my outfit choices, putting up with my attempts at humor, sharing personal experiences, or engaging in conversation, I have truly enjoyed it all.

Please stay safe and have a happy holidays!

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21 comments

  1. Awesome post Cee! Here's to what 2013 will bring!

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  2. Happy holidays! Time does fly! My most favorite outfit on you is definitely #2. Looking forward to more Cee outfits in the coming year :)

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  3. Happy Holidays! I enjoyed reading this post - and I loved all of your "best of" outfits. I guess i'll be pumping out a year end blurb too. :)

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  4. Can't wait to see what 2013 brings for you :) Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Cee!!

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  5. You accomplished so much this year! I've enjoyed following along :)

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  6. Wow. I love that you calculated what percentage of your income, pre-tax, you spent on clothing. I could never be that organized, but it's really a great way of keeping your purchases in check.

    Sounds like you really had a great year. I wish you continued success and happiness in the new year!

    -Nathy
    Earnestyle

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    Replies
    1. I'm a nerd and Excel is my best friend, lol. No really, I'm just a bit OCD when it comes to being organized. I do think it has helped me keep my spending in check... somewhat :)

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  7. Have a great holiday
    You're blog is one of my favorite spots - keep it up!

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  8. Beautiful year in review! Hope you enjoy the holidays!

    xoxo,
    Suzie Q
    www.StyleCueBySuzieQ.com

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  9. love this post, cee :) the little "extras" are so fun to read!

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  10. Happy Holidays, Cee! It is really nice to know about your 2012. Sounds Your 2012 was full of fun & happiness!

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  11. I can relate to some of your points here. Without a doubt, my most regretted purchase was also the Tillary tote. I sold it to a new home as well. Lesson learned, I guess. Many people aren't aware of the hidden costs associated with owning a home. My husband and I are planning to purchase our second home but it probably won’t happen until we’re fully aware of all costs involved. Regardless, being a first-time home owner is an exciting time in life. Congrats to you and DH! Looking forward to another year filled stylish posts =) Merry Christmas, Cee!

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    Replies
    1. The funny thing is, WE ALL ENABLED ONE ANOTHER TO BUY THE TILLARY TOTE. Sigh. Joke's on us. At least now I've figured out totes with semi-short handles aren't my type of bag, so I know better to steer clear of them from now on.

      We're hoping that our first home will be our forever home (I'm so lazy and hate moving). I've really enjoyed the snippets you've shared with us during your house hunt and drooled excessively over the mega closets. So, so jealous! Keep 'em coming please!

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  12. what a fantastic post, Cee! i am so happy that you and DH had such a wonderful year, with a wedding and a house!! happy holidays to such a stylish and wonderful person!! xox P

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  13. Love your 2012 review! Great post. :)

    Merry Christmas!

    xo - Sheila
    www.sheislovelyblog.com

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  14. What a fabulous year! Hope 2012 is just as good to you!

    http://www.xjole.com

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  15. Happy holidays! We are officially closing on our new house tomorrow and I still don't even want to imagine how being a homeowner will burn some deep holes in our bank account. Nevertheless, we're really excited =) Keep those awesome posts coming!

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    1. Big congrats to you and your bf on the house!!! Now the fun begins -- decorating! Hopefully the transition to home ownership will go pretty smoothly for you guys and there won't be any major repairs until you've got a few years under your belt. Happy holidays, Tina!

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  16. Love your year end review! :) Happy new year, Cee! :)

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