Resolutionary Ideas for 2012

Everyone’s doing it.  You know you are too.  It’s resolution season, people, and when that ball drops to ring in 2012, millions of people will turn to those around them (even the ones who are asleep) and evaluate every little piece of life that didn’t suit them in the past year.  Oh, I need to lose X number of pounds!  Oh, my car needs to be better organized!  And oh!  I will finally get that chocolate addiction under control!

Oh.  Sorry.  You didn’t want to hear mine?  Sorry.  Go back to sleep.

In terms of fashion, I have a few clothing resolutions.  Want to hear them?  Sure you do!  Now that you’re awake, I’ll share…

1.  Don’t spend more than $10 a month on clothes (with the exception of the month when Bestie Alana comes to visit and we go thrifting together.  Then I’m not responsible for $10 a month.)

2.  Go through all of my clothes and focus in on what looks good, what fits, and what I will continue to wear.  None of that “Oh, I might need it some day” business.  Either I will wear it or I won’t.

2b. (or not 2b… ha ha ha!  Oh come on, I teach English!)  If I won’t wear it, I will give it to a friend who will, give it to a swap meet, or give it to Goodwill.

3.  Love the clothes I wear and rock them.  2012 is not the year to look ho-hum.  Not with the world ending and all.  Shouldn’t we all want to look fabulous?

4.  Become better at matching clothing with makeup.  I should probably learn to be better at makeup while I’m at it…

What are your new year’s resolutions?  Happy new year!  Enjoy your night and have a great 2012!

Winter Wedding Wardrobe – Make New Friends and Keep the Old

My good friend Becky is getting married this week, and B and I are lucky enough to be invited to join in their celebration.  I cannot wait!  Weddings make me all mushy inside.  I would love to do mine again.  Right honey?  Wouldn’t that be fun?  Yeah, maybe this time around we shouldn’t move the Monday before our wedding.  That wasn’t so much fun…  The moving part, at least.  The living together part was and is, though.

With winter weddings, you have to take a few considerations to heart.  First, this is Maine and it’s going to be freakin’ cold.  Like hold onto your appendages and pray you don’t get stuck behind the super slow walkers going into the church because you’ll stick to the sidewalk cold.  Second, you want to look good, since, you know, some of these people haven’t seen you since you graduated from college.  Let’s pretend like our waistlines and life have been good to us, yes?  It can be hard to get both of these to work in an outfit, but I am going to give it my best shot without pulling out a cardigan.  Why no cardigan?  Because I am trying to look more sophisticated!  More adult!  More… sweater-less! I also wanted to come up with something that could appropriately reflect a semi-New Year’s celebration.  The wedding isn’t on New Year’s Eve, but it’s around it.

Digging through my closet, I decided on one of my black dresses.  With three-quarter length sleeves and a hemline that kisses the knee, it will be long enough to be (A) appropriate (this is a Catholic service) and (B) warm.  This dress was free through a SwapMaine event I attended in October.  But the dress is black, you say!  Oh no!  Not to a wedding!  Oh yes, friends, a black dress to a wedding.  Not all of my outfit is black, and I’m not wearing a black, face-covering veil.  Black is fashionable, I won’t get accused of trying to look like the bride, and it’s sophisticated.  It’s also the warmest dress I have in my closet.  Black it is.

To jazz up the dress and make it less “oh, you brought funeral wear to the wedding.  How nice,” I picked some accessories that will add some dimension and some mass appeal.  My necklace is a piece I found on super discount from Ann Taylor Loft in April ($2.93), and I typically get compliments on it.  With so many lucite gems and a chain, it’s definitely eye catching, but not in an “all eyes on me” way.  The silver is again reflected in the silver slim cuff bracelet ($0.40 eBay).  I’m experimenting with mixing metals, so I want to wear a black elastic belt with a gold clasp (eBay $4) to cinch in my waist and give the dress some shape.  To go along with the gold, I am pairing it with a gold clutch (Goodwill $7.99) and some strappy gold heels (DSW.com $29.99).  Throughout the styling process, I kept singing “Make New Friends but Keep the Old” because of the silver and gold reference.  Ohhh, I could have also sung “Silver and Gold” by Burl Ives.  Huh, didn’t think of that one…

What do you think?  Wedding wonderful?  I could also see this outfit as a good option for New Year’s Eve parties.  It’s sparkly, stylish, and polished.

I cannot wait to see some old friends and celebrate with the happy couple!  Congratulations, Becky and Brian!  Enjoy married life!

Goodwill Thrift: December 2011

December was a month of Goodwill stops during the weekends, and man oh man did I find some great pieces.  Some of them still need to be dry cleaned, but that’s an easy fix.  The real fun, besides hunting down these great pieces, is finding out how much I saved on them.

Vashi’s Clothing blue crop blazer – Totally vintage!  The tag says it’s from the 1950s.  While I couldn’t find the equivalent online, I did find a listing for a men’s jacket going for… wait for it… $465!  I KNOW!  So, I’m going to guess that mine may run around $200.  I am in love with the cute button details and the variety of pockets.  The color is a plus too.

Paid:  $2.50                            Retail:  ~$200

Talbots Chanel-inspired black and white cardigan – How can you go wrong with something that is Chanel inspired?  That lady knew what she was doing, though she may have had a slight problem with all of the “Holy crap, we’re almost having sex on TV to sell what? Oh yeah, a perfume” ads her company now runs with Kira Knightly.  She was very classy, a little more classy than the ads.  This sweater, though, is quite classy and incredibly soft.  It’s made out of pima cotton, and even though it is made for petites, I like it as a cropped sweater.Paid:  $2.50                             Retail:  ~$50

Kenneth Cole Reaction black and white cropped jacket – Does anyone else watch “Project Accessory?”  It’s the new spinoff of “Project Runway,” but it revolves around having accessory designers compete instead of clothing designers.  B and I are big fans of “Project Runway,” so we gave this one a shot.  It’s definitely not as fabulous as its predecessor, but some of the judges have some good ideas.  One such judge is Kenneth Cole.  I love his clothing’s style.  It just happened that I stumbled across this lovely cropped jacket from Mr. Cole’s Reaction collection at Goodwill.  At only $5, I had to have it.  It’s such a statement piece, and it adds a pop of style without looking too trendy.  Paid:  $4.99                            Retail:  $129.00

A.Byer gray blazer –I think this is a brand that comes from J.C. Penney’s or something, but I couldn’t pass up this classic gray blazer.  I wanted a gray blazer since I have a weird obsession with gray clothing, and this one fit like a glove.  Who cares what brand name it is?  As an added bonus, it’s machine washable!  Score!Paid:  $2.50                            Retail:  $44.00

Mossimo black piping pencil skirt –You all saw this skirt in my Christmas Eve outfit, and I must say that I was shocked when I tried it on.  Why?  It’s a size 4.  I’m not a size 4.  Because I am wearing this skirt as a high-waisted skirt, though, it fits.  Never thought that day would come.  This is an easy skirt that will look great with a lot of blouses and is long enough for school outfits.Paid:  $4.99                            Retail:  $20

Sears “Blazers That Fit” lipstick red blazer – Okay, this one is totally from the 1970s, shoulder pads and all. And I kind of fell into the “ooh, everyone else is talking about how versatile red blazers are.  I should get one” mindset.  I am, however, bound and determined to make this my own piece and rock it.  How cute would it look with my newly made leopard infinity scarf, some dark jeans, and a white t-shirt with flats?  Paid:  $2.50                            Retail: ~$45

Apostrophe black blazer – A black blazer is a classic piece, and now that I have found my appreciation for blazers, I thought I would find one that looked great.  You can wear them with dresses, skirts, jeans, anything really.  This one has a little rip in the lining, but I can fix that with a needle and some thread.

Paid:  $4.99                          Retail:  $58.00

Red faux crocodile skin skinny belt – I have no idea who makes this, and it’s a little beat up, but it does the job.  It was also half price.  I wanted a little pop of color in my outfits with belts, so why not go with a belt that only costs a dollar?

Paid:  $0.99                         Retail:  ~$15

Mondani tan leather cross-body purse – I have been on the hunt for a cross-body bag since they became really popular in the early summer, and if you think about it, they just make sense.  Purses take up valuable hand space, and while you certainly want to be secure about your purse when shopping and traveling, if you are feeling pretty okay with your surroundings, a cross-body is a super cute and functional option.  This one is made by a company called Mondani, which Sears carries.  It’s in great shape and can go with a lot of outfits.

Paid: $2.50                         Retail:  $30

Emilie M. bronze purse – Yet again, I had no idea who this label was, but I did know that the price was right and the color was gorgeous.  It’s a statement purse with a bit of metallic shine.  It’s got a lot of space, and the lining has a fun print to it.  For $2.99, how could you say no?  Maybe this is why my closet seems so small…

Paid:  $2.99                        Retail:  $60

Italian silk scarf – I have a bunch of pashmina scarves, but I hadn’t branched out to any silk scarves.  This one caught my eye in the accessory bin, and while I put it back, picked it back up, put it back, and finally purchased it, I am very happy I did.  The color is really pretty, and it will add a sophisticated touch to any basic outfit.  It has color, it feels great, and it looks expensive.

Paid:  $3.99                        Retail: ~$35

Nine & Company tan blazer – Again, a blazer in a basic color that will go with a bunch of outfits.  I feel like these pieces are going to be essential in building my classic wardrobe.  I love the Nine & Company brand (an inexpensive line from Nine West), and I couldn’t pass this one up with the color and the fit.

Paid:  $4.99                        Retail:  $40

Moda International cream wool dress peacoat – Holy moly, this was a find!  I couldn’t believe my luck when I came across this coat.  Moda International is a brand that designs primarily for Victoria’s Secret.  I have had my eye on their coats for years, but they always had steep prices.  Not anymore!  I have worn this Christmas caroling, to Christmas Eve festivities, and it will look great throughout the winter season.  I plan on wearing it to a wedding this week.  What?  It’s not a white dress!  No one said you can’t wear cream jackets to a wedding.

Paid:  $19.99                       Retail:  $149

TOTALS –   Paid:  $64.05 (with tax)                             Retail:  ~$927.50 (with tax)

Savings:  $863.45

While I am a little guilty for spending that much money ($30 was awesome find money, the rest was not) on clothing, I cannot believe the finds and the savings.  While these pieces weren’t brand new, they still have loads of uses left in them.  Each month from now on will only be a total of $10, but I can tell you that these pieces will be well used and loved.

Do you shop at Goodwill?  What have your favorite finds been?  If you haven’t been, what are you waiting for?!

Classic Christmas

Christmas may have been a few days ago, but that’s no reason not to show and tell!

Christmas is always a busy time in my family, and B is just now getting the hang of how my crazy relatives roll.  It’s been quite a switch for both of us, celebrating holidays with each other’s families every year.  I have a large extended family; my mom is one of four and my dad is one of three.  Ten cousins, five cousins’ significant others, two boyfriends, one sister, and two baby second cousins mean lots of noise, lots of people, and lots of activity.  I associate holidays with talking, catching up, photos, laughter, and tons of food.  B, on the other hand, is accustomed to a very different family style.  B and his brother K are the only children on B’s mother’s side, and his cousins on his dad’s side are about 15-20 years older than us.  They live all over the country, and it takes an occasion like our wedding to bring most of them together.  Holidays are typically celebrated with B’s mom’s side and are very quite.  With no cousins, it’s just his parents, his grandmother, his aunt Sheila, and his uncle J.  Quiet, quiet, quiet.

This year was a classic “run until your head falls off” celebration situation.  I think I now get what it feels like to have a divorced family.  Everyone wants to see you, and there isn’t enough time in a day to make everyone happy with how long you spend with them.  I get it.  I want to spend a ton of time with all of them, too (yes, I love my in-laws.  They’re great!).  We figured out a schedule that allowed us to have a little bit of “us” time, celebrate with paternal my grandmother, my immediate and extended family on my mom’s side, and his immediate and (abbreviated) extended family. Our parents live about 15 minutes away from each other, which is helpful, and my aunt (who hosts my extended family’s holidays) lives 15 minutes away from my parents.  My grandmother is about an hour and 15 minutes from my parents, so it’s a bit more travel to get there.

Keeping all of that running and travel in mind, I wanted to pick out outfits that would be both stylish, holiday-esque, and comfortable.  B’s parents’ house tends to be on the colder side (and I am always cold in the winter, so it’s bad), so I picked pieces that would be stylish and warm without all of the bulk.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Christmas Eve day started with B and I getting up early to open some of our gifts we got each other.  It’s important for us to have our own Christmas as we begin our own little family unit. (Please note that that sentence does NOT mean we are having a baby.  Two people can be a family unit.  Thank you.  Please carry on.)  Outfit of choice?  Classic red and pink striped pajamas.  (Also, my grandmother made that quilt.  MADE IT.  Is she amazing or what?)We then showered and changed for the rest of our day, which meant traveling to my grandmother’s house with my parents.  We would be leaving my grandmother’s house in the early evening and going straight to church in my hometown after, which meant no time to full change outfits.  Solution?  Pack it all in advance and simply change bottoms.  For the Christmas at Gram’s, I paired a goldeny-tan dolman sweater from Goodwill ($5) with a pair of dark wash jeans from Target ($8).  To play up the goldeny factor of the sweater and be a little more festive, I added in a silver and rose gold waterfall necklace from Kohl’s ($4.80), a silver cuff bracelet from eBay ($0.40), a ruby ring my grandfather made (I come from a long line of creative people) and a pair of classic black heels.

To change for church, I kept everything but the jeans the same.  To me, Christmas Eve service needs a bit more than just jeans, so I threw in a pair of opaque black tights ($6 Kohl’s) and a high-waisted black skirt ($5 Goodwill).

To wrap everything up, I threw on my cream wool dress coat from Moda International ($19.99 Goodwill).

CHRISTMAS DAY

Christmas morning almost always starts off with the same outfit:  my Christmas Eve pajamas.  My parents started a tradition with me and my sister when we were younger where they always give us pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve.  I now have the biggest collection of pajamas.  Ever.  I’m not kidding.  B and my sister’s boyfriend Jeff are now in on the tradition as well.  I didn’t get a top with the bottoms this time around, though, so I had to supplement with the top I brought.  What?  It totally goes.  Be nice, it’s Christmas.After opening presents and eating breakfast with my family, we headed over to B’s parents’ to have Christmas lunch and gifts with them.  I didn’t want to keep changing clothes with each location change (I don’t have unlimited access to free laundry here, people), so I picked something that would be comfy and appropriate for all of our family events.  The first piece was a long sequin tank I found at Kohl’s a few days before.  I had $15 in Kohl’s cash I needed to spend, so I found this shirt for $12… which means FREE!  I then pulled a cranberry cardigan from American Eagle that I have had for eight years (HOLY MOLY!) from my closet to add some color and some warmth.  I then put it together with the same jeans from the night before (what?  Kate Middleton did it.).  For shoes, I wore my tall brown boots for warmth and a more casual appeal ($29 from Amazon.com).  These boots also allowed me to wear fuzzy, warm socks to keep my frozen feet warm!  For accessories, I wore a silver sparkle headband ($0.75 from Joann Fabrics), three clear bangles, a leopard infinity scarf I made two days before (look for the tutorial!) and a pair of purple wrapped earrings from my parents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there you have it!  How did you style your Christmas look?  Honestly, if I stayed in one place, I would have stayed in those Christmas jammies.  I would live in them all day if I could!

Check, mate!

I hinted at a checklist for fashion in yesterday’s post, and I promised I would share.  Since I don’t want to disappoint my preschool teacher and prove my sister right, I will in fact share.  What?  I can share!  I’m good at it… sometimes.

I am a huge fan of Pinterest.  If you haven’t found this website before, let me explain it a little.  Pinterest is a website that functions as a public “bookmarks” list, but instead of just seeing titles on one computer, you see pictures of your bookmarks and can access them through any computer on the internet.  You can categorize what types of people/interests you want to follow (fashion, food, crafts, art, etc.) and create your own lists.  I have probably 20 lists of different topics going on, and I love adding to them.  Unlike many who go onto Pinterest, I have actually made some of the projects I “pinned” and they are great!

Pinterest fuels my need to look for great style, and being able to see photos of people wearing different pieces together really helps.  I was bombing around on the site the other day, and one of my friends had pinned this delightful list for fashion:

{Source}

Pretty cool, huh?  There are some of the categories that I feel need a little revamping.  For instance, living in Maine means I NEED a winter jacket.  For Pete’s sake, I would freeze to death without one.  I don’t care how cute I look, pneumonia and frostbite don’t look good with anything.  Also, what exactly counts as “lace underpinnings?”  Because, um, I’m not really going around showing those off to people.  And I look stupid in hats.  Really.  I have a face and head shape that just screams “Hey look!  This idiot listened to a website and thought she needed a hat! Bwhahahahah!”  No bueno.  My goal today is to go through the list and document which ones I have and which ones I need.  Oooh… maybe I’ll make it into a YouTube video…

How do you rank with this list?  Does it make sense to you?  What would you add or take away?

New Year-New Clothes Resolution

First of all, merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah to everyone out there!  I hope you all had delightful holidays!  Trust me, I’ll be doing fashion updates on my outfits for the holidays pretty soon.  You have to love having a little time off around the holidays!

Speaking of holidays… With New Year’s coming up, it’s hard not to think about resolutions.  I certainly have a few on my list so far.  You know, the stereotypical ones… I would like to lose another 5ish pounds to get to my goal weight, eat more vegetables, save more money, yada yada yada.  Of course I want to really do all of those, but I also want to continue my fashion-discovery journey.  But, if I want to save money, how can I work on my wardrobe?

Good question.  Thankfully, B and I have set up little bank accounts of our own that we lovingly refer to as “Awesome Funds.”  These bank accounts are typically rather small and contain money that we each get for birthdays, holidays, etc.  It’s money that we can spend any way we want without having to ask the other.  Pretty sweet, huh?  Well, with my photography bookings picking up (oh, did I tell you I’m a photographer?), that money is going into my awesome fund, and while it is a little bit here and there, it can certainly feed my clothing frenzy.

It also helps to have a set budget.  Good old Mom and Dad taught me to always be certain of what you want to spend and what is too much.  Good old Mom and Dad also instilled a pretty decent streak of guilt in me.  I feel like I am depriving B of something every time I buy a shirt, skirt, or coat, even if it comes out of my own awesome fund.  With this level of guilt, you would think I was a devout Catholic or Jew.  Nope, just honorary member of both communities.  I have cards to prove them.  Want to see?  Okay, maybe another time.

With guilt and little money, how is a girl supposed to look fabulous?  By setting a very small (but still alive) budget!  Hooray for budgeting!  Here’s my plan:

1.  I am setting a budget of $10 a month for thrifting/clothing purchases.  Ten dollars is not a whole heck of a lot, but it’s very manageable, and, if I really want something specific, I can save the money from one month and pair it with another.  Plus, if I do well in the thrift stores, I can get four pieces on sale for $2.50 each.  Win!

2.  Take a really hard look at what I currently have.  It’s so easy to get caught up in “Ohhh, I really like that top!  Who cares if I already have 18 black cardigans?!  This one has cute little ruffles!”  That, my shopaholic friends, is how your closet gets filled to the brim with sweaters that cause your coworkers to wonder if you are a closeted goth in your off-time.

3.  In conjunction with number two, I want to work on a classics list.  What’s that?  Oh, you’ll see in the next post!  It’s a pretty cool list, I can tell you that!

4.  Love what I own and work it.  Why buy clothes that you don’t love?  Why hold onto clothing that you don’t use, doesn’t look good, or doesn’t look right?  Donate it, baby!  I want my closet to reflect my style, my comfort, and my personality.  If something doesn’t fit those three, it needs to leave.  Growth comes from editing.  If it works for writing, it works for clothing.

I’m hoping that 2012 will be just as fabulous as my closet will be.  After all, if it’s going to be the end of the world, I might as well look as good as possible, right?  If aliens come to earth and find my pictures, I hope I represent what some Mainers can dress like.

What are your goals or resolutions for 2012?  Did you have a great holiday season?

Dabbling in Donations – Fall 2011

When it came to school shopping, I knew I had to be cheap about it.  Then, my priority was saving money to pay off my student loans, leaving little to no room for a new work wardrobe.  (And now I am ridiculously happy to report that they are TOTALLY PAID OFF!)  Even if we didn’t have those loan plans, I still wouldn’t want to spend a ton anyway.  I’m a born saver.

I did need a few new pieces, though.  Well, need may be a strong word.  I have been blessed with the means to provide myself with plenty of clothing, and there are definitely people in the world who need clothes more than I do.  I guess I should say that I wanted new clothes because I have lost weight and some pieces needed replacing.  With a tight budget and a few ideas, I began my hunt.

First, we went to Goodwill.  Seriously, you can’t go wrong with this place if you know what you are doing.  For those of you who are new to the idea of thrifting or shopping at Goodwill, let me give you a few tips.

1.  It works best if you have a loose idea of what you are looking for, not a tight one.  For example, if you go in thinking that you must find a pair of Seven jeans with a dark wash and studs on the pockets, you probably won’t be happy when you leave.  The clothes (and everything else) are very hit or miss, so keep your mind open.  You’ll have much more success if you go in thinking “dark jeans” instead.

2.  Try on everything.  They make dressing rooms for a reason, people!  It’s just like shopping at the mall, except that these clothes have been worn a few times.  But when you think about it, so have the clothes at the mall, right?

3.  Do close inspections of everything before you buy.  Check the armpits, the hems, the seams, everywhere!  Any sort of stain, discoloration, or hole that will make you unhappy should be seen in the store before you buy it.  While Goodwill has a return policy, it’s just easier to check before you check out.

4. Be patient.  That’s the difference between me and B.  I have the patience for thrifting; he does not.  You need to take some time with finding the great pieces, and there is no rhyme or reason in any sort of organization at Goodwill.  It drives B nuts that the pants aren’t organized by waist measurement.  The women’s side is a little better, but you cannot always count on the right sizes being put on the right rack.  Search around.  If you are good with sewing or know someone who is, don’t be afraid of getting something a little bigger and then tailor it to fit you.

If all else fails, go watch YouTube videos on thrifting tips.  They can be really helpful and give you creative ideas.

I ended up going to two different Goodwill locations, and I found an assortment of quality clothing pieces.

So let’s go through each piece so you can drool over my new school clothes, shall we?  Starting at the top, I found this guy at the end of our first trip to Goodwill:

It was just sitting in the jacket section, mixed in with a lot of oversized barn coats and pilly fleece pullovers, just minding its own business.  Who’s it by?  Oh, just some company called J. Crew!  I tried it on, and while I went back and forth on it, I decided to get it because my purple on is about three sizes too big.  It has absolutely nothing wrong with it and looks brand new.  I’m excited to try it out in cooler weather!

Original Price:  $118                        Paid: $4.99

Being feminine but appropriate is my main game at school.  With a larger chest, it can feel like I’m losing the battle, but when I found this Elle dress tucked into the shirt department, I knew I had struck dress gold.

It appears to have had a belt at one point in its lifetime, but no matter.  I put it together with this belt from the accessories department and gave it new life.  This will look amazing with the new brown boots I ordered today from Amazon!

Dress:   Original Price:  $42                  Paid:  $4.99

Belt:   Original Price:  ~$15                   Paid:  $1.99

My school is notorious for feeling like a meat locker in the winter, so sweaters are a must.  I really liked the unique quality of the print on this Ben Sherman sweater, and when paired with a simply tank top under it, I think it will look great.

Original Price:  between $30 ~ $70                       Paid:  $4.99

I cannot tell you how hard it is to find button-up shirts that fit me correctly.  If the waist fits, the chest is too small.  If the chest fits, the waist is waaaayyyy too big.  I also have a weird problem with the length of sleeves.  Apparently I have really long arms for my size (?).  That being said, I wanted to try some on, and I was lucky enough to find this pristine Banana Republic button-up hiding on the rack.

It has 3/4 length sleeves, which is perfect for my long arms, and it FITS!  I have already worn it, and it is so comfortable and professional.  Plus you cannot go wrong with a pink and purple pinstripe!

Original Price:  $59.50                      Paid:  $4.99

I needed a new pair of pants to replace my large ones from last year, and I found these cute wool-blend ones from Dalia Collection.

I like how they are soft, warm, and have a subtle red pin stripe in them.  These will definitely be good in the winter.

Original Price:  ~$30.00                       Paid:  $2.50

It must be my year for dresses because on my second Goodwill trip, I found a second adorable dress.  I know people who have larger chests should “stay away” from ruffles, but I love them.  I can’t help it.  Plus, in my defense, they don’t make my boobs look like a tent or a bushel of fluff berries… you know, if there were such a fruit…

I’ll pair it with a skinny belt to accentuate my waist, throw on some leggings or dress pants, and BAM!  Adorable and professional.  Win win.

Original Price:  Unknown (but probably $20 or more)          Paid:  $4.99

Last but not least, I found this cute deep purple cowl neck sweater from Nicole by Nicole Miller.  Its another one that will be warm in my building and will look great with a tank top underneath.

Original Price:  $30                                                                     Paid:  $4.99

Total of Original Prices:  $344.50 ~ $384.50                     Paid:  $35.00

SAVINGS:  $310.50 ~ $350.50

Um, HELLO there, savings!  That’s amazing!  I knew I had saved money, but until I did the research, I had no idea how much!  Phew, well I feel much better about buying these clothes now!

I also picked up some really pretty jewelry from Kohls, thanks to a magical little card I got in the mail that was a free $10 gift card.  I’m not sure how it made its way into the mailbox, but it did, and I welcomed it with an open shopping bag.  Now, I wasn’t willing to spend over the gift card amount, so I just went in to see what I could get for under $10.  You know, maybe a pair of socks?

Nope.  Go to the clearance jewelry department.  Oogle the goodies.  Whoa, that sounds wrong.  Oh well, do it anyway.

All of these were on clearance, so I scooped them up after hemming and hawing for a bit.  There were loads of options! The green necklace is from Croft and Barrow (anyone else think that name sounds like a rip off of Crate and Barrel?), the feather necklace was from Candies, and the earrings are from Vera by Vera Wang.

Green Necklace:  Original Price: $16       Clearance Price:  $3.20       Paid: $0

Feather Necklace:  Original Price: $16     Clearance Price:  $3.20      Paid: $0

Earrings:  Original Price:  $14           Clearance Price: $2.40         Paid: $0

Total Original Price: $46   Clearance Total Price: $9.33 (with tax)     Paid: $0

SAVINGS: $46

Round one of school shopping on a budget?  Success!  Stay tuned for round two!

What amazing deals have you found lately?  Have any good tips to share?

Birth of Fashion

When I turned 25 last April, my parents gave me the best gift a daughter could ask for.  Life?  Well, yes, of course.  Food, shelter, and undying support?  Okay, okay, maybe it’s not the best gift I could ask for, but it certainly was a very thoughtful one.  My parents gave me a Visa gift card for my birthday.

Record scratch.

Yeah, they gave me a gift card.  I know gift cards get a really bad rap most of the time, but this was perfect for me.  Since getting married, I have felt as if buying myself clothing was selfish.  Now, I’m not the type to go out and buy hundreds of dollars of clothes on one shopping spree (that only happened when I was growing up for school clothes because nothing would fit at the end of the summer), but even buying a $15 sweater made me think, “Couldn’t I be spending this $15 on our grocery bill or student loans instead?”  I would never buy any clothes unless it was an absolute necessity, like a short sleeve professional shirt for the first weeks of school.  But with this birthday gift, I had specific instructions to go out and spend my gift card on myself.  I needed to go out and shop.  My mom said to spend it in Boston specifically when I went on my birthday trip, but there wasn’t anything I found.

Until a few weeks ago.  It started with a pair of earrings that were on sale at the Dress Barn.  They were originally $10 and were marked down to $4.  Nice!

I kept the gift card in my purse a few more weeks and then got inspired by this video:

I was just starting on my YouTube video kick, and this video happened to tap into my thrift shopping hobby as well. I usually passed over the clothes at Goodwill because I still had the idea of them being “dirty,” but I realized that was just plain dumb.  After watching more videos, I was jazzed (yes, trumpets were blowing and all).

Inspired to see what I could find, I went to Goodwill to see what there was.  I ended up finding two lovelies:

Taking the advice of the videos I had been watching, I looked for some accessories that wouldn’t be hard to find problems with, belts being one of them.  I have noticed a lot of trendy looks with belts, and though B thinks they are only to hold up pants, I wanted to try new looks with them for cheap.  This cute belt has a faux crocodile finish in a grayish beige color.  It’s about an inch wide, so it is a great skinny belt for dresses and sweaters.  The sweater above it was a random find in the sweater section.  Deep green, three-quarter sleeves, small cable knit, pristine condition, originally from the Gap.  LOVE IT.  Now that B washed it with some fabric softener, it’s one of the softest sweaters that has ever graced my torso.

The next Saturday, my mom and I decided to go shopping at the mall.  Now, if you are anything like me, you like to drool over the pretty pieces but loathe paying retail.  I try to make it a point not to pay full price, but if I find a piece that is a must, I try to go as inexpensive as possible.  I look for discounts wherever I can.  Knowing that teachers get a discount on full price clothes at Anne Taylor Loft (seriously, teacher friends… go shopping with knowledge!), I pulled my mom in the store’s direction.  We just happened to pass Express, who just happened to be having a HUGE clearance sale.  I found these two keepers, both of which add a little dimension to my wardrobe.

Both pieces can be worn in the summer and under sweaters during the school year.  How cute are they?!  What this photo doesn’t show well is the detail on the black shirt.  It has soft cotton ruffles and eyelet ruffles to create subtle layers.

When we finally made it to Anne Taylor Loft, I went straight to the clearance section again.  I had been eying some pieces online, but they always said that they were no longer available.  Not surprising since ATL was offering an additional 40% all sale items.  But lo and behold, almost all of the pieces I had picked out online were available at the store!  I grabbed an armload and made a bee line for the dressing room.  I emerged with a winning dress, which I cannot show you since B reads this blog and it’s a secret dress for our anniversary.  I’ll share it after July 17, I promise!  I also found two amazing necklaces in the clearance jewelry section and snatched them up.

With my gift card dwindling, I had one more conquest in my sights:  jeans.  All of my jeans have been dying slow deaths, and I wanted to use the money I had left to get a good pair of jeans.  I went to Target with B because I tend to like the fit and price better than bigger name stores.  I tried on four different pairs, almost all of them different sizes.  It turns out that even when the jeans are made by the same company, the sizing is completely different.  B was perplexed when I walked out with two pairs of jeans that fit and they were two very different sizes.  Yeah, me too, B.  Me too.

Shoes were next, and I discovered that this Target had a HUGE clearance department (are you seeing a theme here?).  I needed to find a pair of black flats to replace my beloved dying pair, but I looked around at everything else.  I ended up falling in love with four pairs, but decided to buy three with a lot of help from and modeling for B.

Yes, those are snake skin print and they. are. fabulous!  I got a pair of black heels too because I don’t have a pair that I would consider remotely comfortable or versatile.

Okay, so you’re thinking, “HOW MUCH MONEY DID THAT CARD HAVE?!”  Well, I’m going to be completely honest.  The card had $150.  The only two objects the card didn’t pay for were the two pairs of heels.  How does that work?  Check it out:

Earrings:  Original – $10          Sale  – $4

GAP Sweater: Original – $40     Sale – $4.99

Belt:  Original – $20           Sale – $1.99

Express Striped Shirt:  Original – $30         Sale – $15.99

Express Black Ruffle Shirt:  Original- $49.90       Sale – $23.99

ATL Dress:  Original- $69.99          Sale – $29.99

ATL Chain and Crystal Necklace:  Original – $49.90          Sale – $2.93 (YEAH!  I KNOW!)

ATL Beaded Chain and Ribbon Necklace:  Original – $34.50           Sale – $8.99

Mossimo Dark Wash Jeans:  Original – $24.99                    Sale – $9.98

Mossimo Distressed Wash Jeans:  Original – $19.99          Sale – $5.98

Mossimo Patent Leather Flats:  Original – $14.99

TOTAL:                        ORIGINAL – $324.26 (without tax)                       WHAT I PAID – $150.00 (with tax)

SAVINGS:  $174.26

The two pairs of high heels shown were originally $24.99 each and were on sale for $6.24 each!  How awesome is all of that?!  Not only did I get to shop for myself, I got to shop for myself MORE because of my thrifty finds.

How do you save money on clothes?  How thrifty are you?

Holding Me Together

Let’s talk staples.  I like the ones that go through the large stack of papers the first time you push down, but that’s just me.  The colored ones are fun too.  In high school, I had a physics teacher who would give you extra points on assignments if the staple was at a perfect 45 degree angle.  Oh… we’re not talking about those types of staples?  Right.  Carry on.

There are a few pieces in my wardrobe that I feel like most people have.  That’s probably why they are called staples; they hold everyone’s wardrobes together with a commonality.  My staples are well loved, and I probably have over-worn them throughout the years, leaving me in my boring clothing slump that inspired this here blog.  They are, however, still staples and, when used appropriately (i.e. not every single freakin’ day), can bring together an outfit to create a different mood.

The cut and color of each of the following staples is up to the wearer.  After all, I don’t care for clothes that are so large they look like I am trying to smuggle 18 cats under my sweater, but other people online seem to be all about the oversized look.  As someone who has struggled with self identity vs. clothing size, I’m going to go ahead and skip that one.  Regardless, to each person his/her own style.  The ideas, though, remain the same.

1.  Cardigans

Cardigans are my weakness.  I feel the need to have lots of cardigans in lots of different colors.  Ok, that’s not always true.  I think I have around four different styles of black cardigans.  Trust me, I use every single one.  A cardigan, though, can be used to transition clothing from day to night (throw a cardigan on for work and then shed it for the evening activities), from formal to casual (adding a plain one can tone down a sparkly shirt, a formal dress, etc.), and from inappropriate to appropriate (because I can’t be wearing skimpy little tank tops to work.  I don’t work at places like that).  You can get fancy with different cuts, colors, fabrics, and buttons.  Or you could be like me and only end up with a few colors and wear them over and over and over again.

2.  Jeans

Ahh jeans.  They are such a personal choice.  My sister, for example, likes wide leg jeans, but I like boot cut.  Then there’s curvy, boyfriend, distressed, acid rinse, dark rinse, bell bottoms, sailor cut… Skinny jeans seem to be all the rage these days, and I would like to be able to appreciate it if I could ever find a pair that (A) allowed me to get into them, (B) didn’t make my thighs look funny, and (C) allowed me to move… anywhere.  I just can’t get over how great they look with tall boots, though, so I am on the hunt.  Anyone have any great tips on where to look?

In my opinion, if a person likes jeans, it’s important to own a pair of dark rinse jeans (whatever cut you like) because of how they make everything else in the outfit pop.  It’s also important to have a pair that will be formal enough to be “going out” jeans versus “Hey, I’m here to help you clean out your attic” jeans.  Lastly, just make sure they cover your booty.  No one likes to see plumber crack.  Not even plumbers. Same thing with the muffin top.  You’re not fooling anyone with the wrong size ladies.  Ignore the number and go for fit.  That needs to become a mantra.

3.  Scarves

Living in Maine, scarves are more of a heat necessity that happily has become a mainstreamed fashion must-have.  Pashminas and silk scarves can be seen everywhere, though the first one will keep you much warmer.  Basic colors work best for starting a wardrobe collection because you can make them go with just about everything and they add a nice pop of color close to the face (thanks for the tip, “What Not to Wear!”), but animal prints have been huge this fall.  I intend to make one on my own (look for an upcoming scarf tutorial) so I don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on something I could do myself.  With all of the ways you can tie scarves, they are a super cute and easy way to add polish and warmth to an outfit.

4.  Boots

Boots are new to me.  Here in Maine, you owned a pair of boots so you didn’t lose your feet during the winter.  I honestly thought the idea of fashion boots was deranged.  Why would you pay money for boots that can’t be worn in the snow?  Well, fashionless-self, you get boots you can’t wear in the snow because there are three other seasons of the year!  I have since fallen hard for mid-calf, booties, and knee-high boots.  I bought a pair on Amazon (same as above) and LOVE them.  They are my go-to shoes, and I get compliments every time I wear them.  I am secretly hoping to get more boots for Christmas.  Yes, Virginia, there are boots not made for snow.

5.  Sneakers

Yes, they are basic, but come on.  This is a post about staples.  I live in my sneakers whenever I can workout after school, and I also have a pair of those toning sneakers that I found on sale.  The trick with sneakers is figuring out how you are going to use them the most.  Are you primarily a walker?  Get a walking sneaker.  Want to do some running or jogging?  Get a pair designed for that.  It will help cut down on aches and pains (but sorry, it won’t magically get you back into shape.  I know.  I’ve tried.).

6.  Black pumps

Shiny, matte, kitten heel, stiletto, whatever.  Go with your comfort level.  They will dress up anything and go with just about every occasion… but not running.  See the sneaker section above for that.

7.  White t-shirt

Not just your dad’s old white t-shirt, one that has some versatility (and preferably fewer stains).  It helps if the t-shirt isn’t too casual or too tight so you can pair it with tons of different styles.

8.  Flats

I love me some flats.  Working as a high school teacher without a room of her own, I run from one end of the school to the other to get to my classrooms, not to mention stand in one place for 30 minutes during lunch duty.  Flats are my friends.  I have a pair of patent leather flats that I love love love, and they have the ability to jazz up every outfit just a little.  I also have a pair of silver ones with big jewels.  Mmm jewels…

9.  Tights

Another cold weather yet stylish necessity, you can get tights or stockings almost anywhere.  They can keep your legs warm, add a bit of formality to an outfit, and definitely make an outfit more work appropriate.  Except for fishnets.  Stay away from those at work.  Like I said, I don’t work at a place like that.

10.  Undershirts

Gap makes some super comfy ribbed tanks that work great on me as undershirts.  I did the whole spaghetti strap tank thing for years, but with a chest like mine, the tanks always rode too low and the girls were a little too out there.  No bueno.  Ribbed tanks with bigger shoulder straps keep everything covered and are super easy to put under clothes.

So there you have it, the basics of what I am starting with.  I plan on doing a full documentation of what my basics are, but at this point, with Christmas coming and me needing to finish out (and survive) the final week before break at school, I figured I should just keep the clothes in the closet and document later.  Is that something you would even want to see?  Let me know in the comments.

What are your wardrobe staples?  Anything I should look for in mine?

It All Began With You…Tube

Maybe I should have listened to my obsessed students.  Maybe I should have taken a hint from my husband.  Maybe I would have picked up on it faster.  Maybe.  But now that I know, it’s all about using my resources.

I’m talking about YouTube and all of its teaching goodness.  What?  You’ve never thought about YouTube as a teaching tool?  Oh friend, we need to talk.  You see, there are these people called (self-proclaimed) “Beauty Gurus” or “Style Gurus.”  These are people who broadcast ideas, advice, tutorials, and documentations of their clothing/make up hauls after shopping.  They can show you how to do crazy amazing makeup looks:

Or perhaps show you what the best products from the drugstore are:

But what I am after here is a bunch of clothing videos, videos that can help me take my basics and turn them into fantastic outfits with very little cash and a little magic. I stumbled across this type of subject when I was knee deep in figuring out how to repaint and refashion furniture, another one of my hobbies.  There are so many “how to” videos on YouTube, so I just typed in “How to thrift shop furniture” in hopes of getting a video about getting something about scoring great furniture at low prices.  While I did find a few of those, I also found great videos on thrifting clothing, accessories, and shoes.  My curiosity was peaked.  Clothing?  For cheap?  But wouldn’t it have holes or be dirty?  With some video reassurance, I fell in love with new ways to save (and spend) money.

So who do I turn to?  Let me introduce you to the ladies of my YouTube subscription.

First, there is the lovely, adorable, “I think we should totally be best friends” guru Wendy of “Wendy’s Lookbook.”  I adore her tutorials.  I just want to pick her up and put her in my pocket!  Oh, and make sure you look up her video on how to tie your scarves in a million different ways!

The next guru I love to follow is Anne from “Anneorshine.”  She was a recent find, and I love how she is able to show what the current trends are in classic ways, not ways that will be “oh my goodness, so out” in a week.

Another recent find was Ally of “Fashion By Ally.”  While I think that sometimes her videos have too much flash and too little clothing construction, most of her creations fit with my style and give me some good ideas.

Finally, Ms. Pink Fabulous, Clothes Encounters, and The Fashion Citizen round out my key subscriptions.  I am always finding new ones, though, so I will definitely share the goods.

Ms. Pink Fabulous is great for thrifting, vintage finds, and Outfit of the Days (or OOTD, as it is known).

Clothes Encounters gives an interesting look at how thrifting can be made mainstream with styling and pairing.  Their pairings aren’t always my cup of tea, but it’s a great way to see what outfits would look like together on someone else.  Hey, if I’m not brave enough to try it, why not see it on someone else?

Steph and Melissa are two sisters who tend to go shopping a lot together, and it’s such fun to see what their finds are.  Again, some of their pairings wouldn’t suit me at all, but it’s not about me.  It’s about seeing how different clothes can create different moods.  They make me want to go thrifting with my sister and make videos.

So there you have my YouTube round up.  Who do you like to listen to on YouTube?  Do you have any favorite gurus?