Saturday, December 24

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to drop by and check in, since I'm on winter break and have some time again! I hope everyone is having a lovely winter holiday. Also, this is my ridiculous gingerbread house.


I may or may not have spent 6 hours on this thing. I may or may not have also consumed an dangerous amount of sugar in the process.

Happy holidays!

Tuesday, September 20

Gloomy Weather

I generally dislike rain. However, if you recall from some of my older posts, I had been on the lookout for a good pair of rainboots, and a weeklong forecast of rain does give me an excuse to wear this lovely pair that I finally decided to purchase last month!

 Top: By Loft, thrifted ($3.50)
Jeans: LEI, gifted (free)
Blazer: By Express, thrifted ($4)
Rainboots: Adi Designs, via Amazon.com ($20)


Friday, August 26

Pretty Patterns

Recall this shirt I bought two weeks ago? The photo in the haul post made it look like an unflattering blob. I'm posting this to prove otherwise, and to declare my unfailing love for this article of clothing.


 Shirt: NY&Co, thrifted ($3.50)
Shorts: Eddie Bauer, thrifted ($3)
Shoes: Rack Room ($15)
Purse: thrifted ($2)

Monday, August 22

Summer's Slippin' Away...

Just your standard outfit post today. :) 

 Top: By Fluxus, thrifted ($3.50)
Shorts: Charlotte Russe ($5)
Scarf: Charlotte Russe ($4.50)
Purse: Target, $15
Shoes: Sperry (gift)
Sunglasses: old

Thursday, August 18

More Thrift Store Finds


a. Turquoise dress from Gap, has embroidered neckline. ($4)
b. Green Calvin Klein dress, has embroidered straps ($4)
c. Orange shirt from Old Navy...I need to wear orange for an upcoming event and I realized I didn't have any! So problem solved. ($3.50)
d. Pink pants from Moda International...I just wanted colorful pants. ($3.50)
e. Printed sleeveless blouse from NY&Co, with scarf tie collar. The picture doesn't do it justice, but you'll see an outfit post on it later! ($3.50)
f. Navy polka dot blouse from American Eagle ($3.50)
g. Yellow chinos from Gap. I loved these so much I bought them even though they're too big for me. I'll probably butcher these in the process of trying to alter them...but I'm going to try. ($3.50)
h. Cute dark navy vintage-y bag. ($2)

Sunday, August 7

Bag Sale No. 2

Hey friends! I apologize for my lack of presence around here lately, but that time of the year is almost upon us. Summer's almost over, and I have absolutely no idea how my life/my schedule is going to be like from here on out. So the days of my consistent posting habits may soon be over as well.

Anyway, I went to my second bag sale this weekend! This time I got 11 pieces of clothing for $3.65. I don't know why they keep charging me less than $4 when it's a $4 Bag Sale...but no complaints here!

a. Three tank tops, one by Faded Glory, one by American Eagle, and one from Old Navy.
b. Super super super long shirt from American Eagle. Which is awesome because I can cut the excess fabric and made embellishments for the shirt with it!
c. Striped top from American Eagle.
d. Light white top, kind of a dolman style. Super cute when you put it on!
e. Solid scoop neck tee from Old Navy.
f. Butterfly sleeve styled top. Sleeves are a little ridiculous, but I loved the fabric and I needed more stuff to fill the bag, so I figured I'd alter it a bit!
g. Blue printed dress by George; it's a size 12 so it's too big as it is, I'll do some light alteration on it.

These two were in the bag as well:
These will be my project dresses. There's lots of excess material on both, which is perfect for my intentions.

I also purchased two other items which weren't included in the bag sale. They were $5 each, which, after buying a whole pile of clothes for less than that, felt pretty bad. But I think they were both worth it.
Loose 3/4 top by Fluxus and Cropped Trench Rain Jacket by Maurice's

Sunday, July 31

Chop Chop Chop [Goodwill Haul + DIY]

I found a few new things to tweak at Goodwill:


It's a little hard to tell, but the dress in the middle is entirely lace.

All three pretty much just need a little length alteration. In fact, I've already finished refashioning the first one!

I took the excess fabric and made a bow. Simple as that.

Shirt: H&M ($8)
Skirt: thrifted DIY ($3.50)
Shoes: thrifted ($2.50)
Necklace: DIY


Friday, July 29

A Dash of Abstract

Finally back! I found this little gem on my trip, in an adorable consignment boutique:


I was hesitant to pay the $24 price tag but my gut feeling told me it was worth it. Which is why I was relieved when I made this little discovery upon returning home:

Image credit to anthropologie.com
Evidently this is the Chroma Mosaic Shift dress from Anthropologie, sold in stores earlier this year. Originally retailed $138. The $24 price tag no longer seems so bad. :)


Sunday, July 24

Be Right Back...Again.

Sorry friends, going out of town again! Meanwhile I'll leave you with this pretty little picture I took on my last trip...


Oh how I love Disney World. If for some reason you have plane tickets to Florida just lying around, please send them to me. I'd go back in a heartbeat. :)

Friday, July 22

Pretty in Pink (sort of?)

I somehow got it into my head that this dress was coral, but the more I look at it, the more it looks like pink...thus the title of this post.

This was my best DIY ever. I hope that means I'm getting better at this sewing thing...


Click image for larger resolution
Quick summary of the process: I took a dress I already had to give me an idea of how much I'd have to sew it in (image A). I sewed the sides in (image B), and also sewed it in at four other spots, two in the back and two in front (not shown). Then I sewed a hem for the skirt and cut off the excess, leaving a few inches (image C). I hemmed that cut to make a double hem, because I thought that would be cute (image E). With the extra material I cut out cap sleeves (image F), and sewed those on (image G). With the material left over after that, I cut two strips (image H), folded them each in half, sewed along the length, and turned them inside out to make a waist tie (image I). All done!

Initially I wanted to attach the waist tie directly to the front of the dress (it's only pinned on in the photo above), but 1) I ran out of coral thread, so I had to stop, and 2) I realized the dress would look cute with a variety of belts (such as the one below). So I plan on just making two belt loops with the little bit of material I have left in order to accommodate both!


And of course, I wouldn't end this post without telling you the cost of this project: $4

Thank you, Goodwill, for your endless supply of large frumpy dresses.

P.S.- It has pockets!

Monday, July 18

Zzzzzz

I slept 12 hours today, oh goodness. The trip was fantastic, but definitely wore me out. I'm back home now, and here's an ensemble from last week that I didn't get around to posting before my trip.


Top: American Eagle ($6.50ish?)
Skirt: French Connection, thrifted ($3.50)
Belt: thrifted ($1)
Shoes: Rack Room ($15)
Bag: thrifted ($2)

Tuesday, July 12

Hello Yellow!

Today is yellow day over at Everybody Everywear! I'm also about to leave on a plane for the happiest place on Earth, so I'll be back in a couple of days...meanwhile, I leave you with this rather sunny outfit while I go somewhere equally sunny and hang out with Mickey Mouse for a while. :)


Top: Charlotte Russe ($7?)
Vest: thrifted ($3.50)
Shorts: Banana Republic, thrifted ($3)
Bows: DIY (free!)
Shoes: Charlotte Russe ($15)
Headband: Charlotte Russe ($1)
Purse: Target ($15)

The purse is a new purchase. I've been wanting to buy a new (larger) bag for quite a while, finally found one I liked. Just in time to serve as my carry-on on the flight.

See you in a few!

Monday, July 11

Flowers and Butterflies

I went on a little wilderness adventure yesterday to do a real outfit shoot for once! And to have a little fun in the sun.





Top: thrifted ($3.50)
Open Front Top: thrifted ($3.50)
Shorts: J. Crew, thrifted ($3)
Scarf: DIY (free!)
Shoes: Target ($15)
Bag: thrifted ($2)
Sunglasses: H&M ($3)

Saturday, July 9

The Happy Skirt


 Top: Old Navy ($5)
Skirt: thrifted ($3.50)
Belt: DIY (free)
Shoes: Rack Room ($15)

I love spinny skirts. That's all I have to say.

Tuesday, July 5

Thrifting Haul (Part 2!)

If you recall, I went on a thrifting trip on Saturday, and I purchased three pencil skirts at the local thrift store for $3.15. Then I went to Goodwill...please don't judge.

Click for larger image
a. Ruffled blue circle skirt ($3.50)
b. Pink pinstriped jacket by Frenchi ($3.50)
c. Blue mix patterned skirt, by Gap ($3.50)
d. Blue brocade textured pencil skirt ($3.50)
e. Striped linen dress, by Delia's ($4)
f. Lace crop top, by Charlotte Russe ($3.50)
g. Chiffon tiered ruffle tank ($3.50)
h. Merino wool dress with lace inset 3/4 sleeves, by Loft ($4)
i. Floral skirt, by French Connection ($3.50)

Items D and E are a little big, I intend to alter them. Item B is a little small for me...purchased for someone else.

I found item G in the adult section, but it's sort of teeny...it either shrunk or it was never supposed to be in the adult section to begin with. I bought that for my sister.

I also got one more thing...


I've always wanted to get a dress that's way too big for me from Goodwill...just for the challenge of cutting it up and refashioning. With something so big and so ridiculous, I'll have plenty of fabric to work with and nothing to miss if I mess it up. :)

We'll see what happens!

Color Brigade

Okay, admittedly, this is not the outfit I'm going to wear today. I work in a lab and let me tell you, heels and a pencil skirt don't constitute proper attire in a research setting.

However, I figured since today is color brigade Tuesday, I'd make a quick outfit with my lovely new J.Crew skirt to post. It just so happens that the J. Crew skirt looks good with the J. Crew lookalike tank. Figures, right?

So here's my very J. Crew outfit. For a fraction of the J. Crew price.

Tank: Old Navy refashion, here ($2)
Belt: thrifted ($1)
Skirt: J. Crew, thrifted ($1.05)
Shoes: Joey ($16)

I also look like a hunchback and didn't do anything to my hair or my face. It's morning. I'm still tired.

BUT. If you somehow can look past all that, and you like this outfit, please go over to Color Brigade, find my outfit in the entries, and click the  "Like" button! I'd love you forever if you did! :) 

Sunday, July 3

My First Ever Bag Sale!

Yesterday I had some free time on my hands and I realized that my local thrift store was having a bag sale. I decided to check it out, not expecting to find much because I've never had much luck there. My expectations were a little off. Here's what I got:




The first one is a grey skirt from the Loft. The second one is a navy blue houndstooth pencil skirt. The third one happens to be a J. Crew Double Serge Wool Skirt in Ochre. :)

I've been wanting a Double Serge ever since I started reading fashion blogs...this skirt seems to be the staple for so many bloggers. But it retails for about $90 and I'd never pay that price. Want to hear how much I got it for?

Both the Loft and J. Crew skirts were included in the bag sale, even though they were priced at $18 at the thrift store. Ironically, the other skirt, priced at $5, wasn't included. The lady at the counter decided to be super nice and include the $5 skirt in the promotion, and instead of charging me $4 for the bag, she only charged me $3.15. So the final cost: $1.05 per skirt.

You have no idea how I excited I am right now.

Saturday, July 2

A Long Overdue Refashion

I purchased this brand new chambray dress from Goodwill for $4 a few months ago...and yesterday I finally mustered up enough motivation to alter it.

Dress: thrifted, $4
Shoes: Rack Room, $15

I shortened the dress by about 5 inches and used the excess fabric to make a waist tie, because I didn't like the wiry, tasseled one that came with it.

This took less than an hour. Yet it took me 4 months to get around to it...what does that say about my time management skills? Hmm.

Thursday, June 30

Blossoms

This post is a response to a comment on last post I did before declaring my hiatus.
"wow great buys - can't wait to see the H&M zipper rose print dress, it's so cute!! Great deal on A!!!" -Rachel, from Distinct.Style
So here's that dress, from back in the spring when I wore it:



Dress: H&M, $35

Anyone miss spring already? It flew by this year. But oh well, summer's fantastic too. :)

Monday, June 27

Mixing Things Up



Top: Old Navy, thrifted, $3.50
Skirt: thrifted, $3.50
Skirt (the floral underneath): thrifted, $3.50
Shoes: by Wanted, from Rugged, $7
Belt/Bow: a piece of lace, $1
Headband: Charlotte Russe, $3
Bag: thrifted, $2

The skirt was thrifted just before I went on hiatus.The skirt underneath it (the floral detailing seen around the waist) and the top were both thrifted recently.

Sunday, June 26

J.Crew Refashion!

Okay, I don't want to say I'm officially and permanently back from hiatus, but I had to at least come back to share this:

Top: Made from Old Navy Tank, $2
Cardigan: Free (from friend)
Shorts: Old Navy, $12 (but I used a gift card)
Shoes: Target, $15

See that shirt? I made it yesterday, after going to the $2 Tank Top sale at Old Navy and fetching one of those white tanks. I cut up an XL white t-shirt I had lying around (I got it for free at an event), and used it to make ruffles.



Here's the inspiration for this project, a J.Crew tank that I spotted in the store:

J.Crew Outlet tank, $35
I tried it on and I loved it, but I don't buy things for full price. Instead I made my own and paid $2 instead of $35!

Monday, April 25

Taking A Break

Dear Readers,

Sadly, I'm here to inform you that I will be taking a hiatus for a while. Life is just super hectic with exams and graduation and all sorts of shenanigans, so I'll hopefully be back once summer sets in!

Saturday, April 23

Oh My.

You know you have a little problem when you've gone shopping 3 times in the past 4 days. In my defense, I went out of town twice, and considering that I live in the middle of nowhere with very few retail options nearby, trips to large cities generally involve flocking to the stores.

The third shopping trip was to Goodwill. Which is just typical. :)

a. Black ruffle skirt, Forever21via Goodwill, $3.50;  b. Coral dress with jacquard print, JCPenney's, $34.99;  c. Silk blue dress, Forever 21, $8.99; d. Rose print zippered dress, H&M, $34.80;  e. Pinstriped nautical skirt, Goodwill, $3.50;  f. Light pink top with eyelet ruffle sleeves, H&M, $12

H&M does terrible things to me. For some reason, I'm okay with paying full price for their merchandise when I'd normally refuse to pay those prices. It's probably a good thing there isn't one around here.

The blue pinstriped skirt was originally longer, I chopped off a good 5 or 6 inches as soon as I brought it home.

I'm really excited about the turquoise dress from Forever 21. It's 100% silk, a gorgeous color, and I got it for $8.99 because it was missing a belt. :)

Monday, April 18

A is for Apple

I looked like a kindergarten teacher today. Apparently that's what happens when I try to combine "bright and happy" with "ridiculously mismatched colors" and "I'm sick so I want to be comfy".


 Shirt: thrifted, $3.50
Cardigan: Free (from a friend's cast offs--it used to be really loose...I fixed it)
Jeans: Old.
Shoes: $10 via Smashion

Thanks so much for your well wishes and get well soons! Almost better. Getting there.

Saturday, April 16

Stripes and Florals, Yet Again

I've caught a nasty bug and currently look gross from all the sneezing and coughing I've been plagued with, so I'm just going to slip in this outfit from the other day and hide my current state of being from the world...


 Top: Charlotte Russe, $3
Jeans: Free (gift)
Cardigan: Forever 21, $12
Scarf: Free (DIY)
Shoes: Rack Room Shoes, $15
Sunglasses: No idea...they're kinda old. :) 

I just saw and article on Yahoo about "What Not to Buy at Forever 21". I won't bore you with the details, since you can go read it yourself, but they mention Forever 21's dresses because often they're so short that they're completely inappropriate on tall people. This. Is. So. True. #tallpeopleproblems. Not just with Forever 21, but they're definitely a big culprit.

Wednesday, April 13

Pretend It's Sunday...

We're doing a little flashback to Sunday because I forgot to post this and I absolutely love this vintage dress.


Dress: vintage, thrifted, $4
Shoes: Rack Room Shoes, $15
Belt: thrifted, $1

Monday, April 11

Sitting Is Bad?

Today, I saw an article online that said people who sit for most of the day are 54% more likely to develop heart disease. This may sound silly, but I am now standing while I am blogging.

Not that you're going to get heart disease by sitting down while using the computer. But brownie points for effort?


Dress: vintage, via Goodwill, $4
Cardigan: Forever 21, via Goodwill, $3.50
Belt: thrifted, via Goodwill, $1
Shoes: thrifted, via Goodwill, $2.5

Entirely thrifted outfit! I just pulled out things that should logically clash and put them on. It worked out...I think?

Saturday, April 9

My Awkward Denim Shirt

A few weeks ago I was given this short sleeve denim Gap shirt. It looks a little outdated and reminiscent of the 90s and early 2000s, but being the weird person that I am, and being someone who loves to free hand-me-downs, I was super excited. The second I got home I tried it on and started to thinking about how I could wear it. Here's what I came up with, worn last Thursday.


 Top: Gap (Free, from friend)
Skirt: thirfted and altered from vintage old lady skirt, $3.50
Boots: Deb, $10
Necklace: Rugged Wearhouse, $1.99
Belt: thrifted, $1
Hairclip: DIY (virtually cost-free)

Not too bad, right?