Ever since we bought a house, I’ve regrettably put myself on a more restricted clothing and accessories budget. OK, well, everything is relative, but at the very least, I’m more mindful about where my money goes. (After all, I have to preserve the in-case-all-hell-breaks-loose rainy day fund.)

That doesn’t prevent me from devouring fashion magazines and style feeds via Flipboard and Twitter though. One day while catching up on some issues of Vogue, I saw this photo:

Vogue, March 2012. Photographed by Raymond Maier. Clothing by Marc Jacobs.

The combo of mint and dove gray feels fresh, and I love the fact that powdery pastels are a big color story this season.

If you go to pantone.com and type “m-i-n-t” in the search box, here’s the range of hues that come up:

“Mint” search results.

They make me think of pistachio, toothpaste, sea foam, sea green, and Clinique skincare.

So I’ve been combing through my closet to see what mint-colored things I already own:

J.Crew elastic bracelet. One of my favorites.

My friend “M” gave me this bangle several years ago.

Brooks Brothers cotton polo. I like its lavender details.

BUT, a girl can’t live on leftovers alone…so this is my one minty new purchase:

Tolix Marais Stool made of perforated steel.

Why was this a necessary purchase? Because after moving in, we soon discovered the need for a chair with a small footprint where we can sit and put on shoes near the patio doors. And costing only $93 (which is 70% off the original price) at Design Within Reach, this stylish number didn’t cost me a mint!

P.S. Have you all read about Justin Timberlake‘s new home accessories collection? (By the way, is there a limit to this man’s talents?) It’s called HomeMint.

And have you seen the Chanel Cruise 2013 collection? Two words: pastel hair.