{ the jaunty magpie }

This recession-aware Magpie had her heart set on being a good little browser this weekend when she went shopping with her fellow birds over the weekend. I purposely wore an outfit that would be annoying to take off and put on, discouraging jaunts into the changing rooms, and a quick budget assessment that morning was a fresh reminder of future bills needing to be paid. But best-laid plans often go waste when the prospect of browsing the J. Crew outlet store comes along.

Not to worry, those future bills will still get paid without the need to pre-sell organs. But the epic battle between style-lust vs budget-must took place before a victor emerged: a plum-hued berry-trim Astrid jacket. I remember falling in love with it last year, admiring the fabric-tied button detail reminiscent of a classic Chanel jacket, but with a more handcrafted style. It was an unrequited love, as the original retail price was $248, and being that I'm a jacket junkie, there was no way to justify the cost for adding yet another piece of fanciful outerwear to the Magpie's overstuffed closet. At least until today when I found it on clearance at the Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip. Why they call it "Seattle" when it's in the city of Tulalip, that's a question better left for another day, but the clearance price, plus an additional 20% off, left an $86-sized hole in my wallet. A significant discount from the original retail price, I must say. My conscience chided me for the purchase, reminding me that it could be used towards car insurance, but the mini version of me wearing devil horns said that is boring, boring, boring.

It took a bit of hemming and hawing, but in the end, I think the power of true J'adore won out. I love the Astrid jacket today as much as when I saw it a year ago, and every once in a while, patience pays off and objects of desire become a bit more attainable. As shown in the upper right photo from the J. Crew website, and reviewed on J. Crew Aficionada, it's a fun and distinctive piece that can be dressed up or down. I'm looking forward to introducing Astrid to her new family of beloved coats and jackets, and letting her play with all the other items in the Jaunty Wardrobe.