The Day Before I Graduate

shirt, skirt and denim jacket from Gap, Banana Republic flats,
vintage necklace from an estate sale in San Antonio

I was like a walking ad for Gap in this outfit. I felt a little guilty because it was the same day The Daily Texan article was featuring me as a thrifty fashionista. I'll admit that Gap is definitely not a very thrifty place to shop at unless there's a sale, but that happens more often than you'd think. To my defense, I bought this skirt and jacket back when I had an employee discount. Man, do I miss those days.

The only item I'm wearing that wasn't from Gap is this very pretty necklace given to me by my step-mom, Rose. She loves buying vintage jewelry and accessories at estate sales and then showing me her awesome finds. The best part is when she lets me choose something for myself. Thanks, Mama Rose :)

By the way, I'm officially done with class! Never again will I have to sit through some god-awful class about African history (yes, I took that) or deal with a crazy professor that calls themself Dracula (true story). I feel so free! Oh, except for that fact that I still have to take a final exam on December 13. I'm not sure how I'm going to convince myself to study for it especially because I'm graduating TOMORROW. Even if I completely bomb it, I'll still earn my degrees. It feels great to be (almost) done.

DIY Inspired

We all know I love a good deal. I like to think of myself as a cheap thrifty person, but aside from sewing, I don't really consider myself very crafty. That's why I decided it's time to dabble in some DIY. These are a few ideas I've come across in the last few days that I'd like to try soon.

Photos courtesy of A Pair & A Spare, A Matter of Style, Fashionable Collections

1. This neon necklace was created by simply spray painting a rhinestone necklace. The coolest part about this project is that you can keep changing the colors and always have a new statement necklace. This brilliant idea comes from Geneva, the voice behind A Pair & a Spare, who admits herself that this is about as easy as DIY gests.

2. I immediately smiled when I saw these mustache shoes on A Matter of Style, who says that's the effect Studio Rain wanted them to have. They can be easily made by cutting out felt mustaches and sticking them on to some colorful round toe heels. Depending on the material of the shoe, you could use small pieces of velcro, double-sided tape, or even just glue.

3. This fishtail skirt is another genius creation from Geneva over at A Pair & a Spare, which has pretty much become one of my new favorite blogs. This project is a little more difficult than the others because it requires more precision and more importantly, the ability to sew. I might give this one a try after I finish all my other sewing projects that I've been neglecting.

4. Last, but definitely not least, is this beautiful pearl collar necklace from one of my favorite bloggers, Gaby over at Fashionable Collections. This project would definitely require a lot of patience and time because all the pearls are sewed on by hand. As long as you can use a needle and thread, you can't really mess this up.

Such a Wonderful Day

Gap sweater, thrifted blouse from Goodwill,
Levi's jeans from Urban Outfitters, DV Dolce Vita wedge booties

 

 

Do you ever wake up feeling completely confused about where you are and what the hell time it is? I had one of those mornings today. I must have been in a really deep sleep because my alarm scared the crap out of  me when it went off. Then I realized what day it was...the day I'm being featured in the Daily Texan! I grabbed baby computer (more on that later) off the floor and madly typed in the address without even putting my glasses on. I realized I'd need to be able to see to actually read the article, so I shoved my glasses on and started reading at lightening speed. The journalist, Jessica, did such a great job on the article and really captured how passionate I am about blogging and thrifting. Please read it here and tell me what you think!

Inspired by Bill Cosby

thrifted sweater from Goodwill Blue Hanger, Levi's jeans from
Urban Outfitters, DV Dolce Vita booties

When I saw this sweater tucked beneath a pile of (metaphorical) crap at the Goodwill Blue Hanger, it was love at first site. The friends I was shopping with pointed out that it was most definitely on The Cosby Show at some point. Of course, that gave me all the more reason to buy it. Bill Cosby had good taste in sweaters, right? It's definitely one of the coziest and most colorful sweaters in my closet now. So worth the $1!

Aside from the sweater, my outfit isn't very Cosby-like. I've definitely never seen Bill sporting skinny jeans, wedge booties, or a ballerina bun. I don't usually wear my hair in a bun either, but I've been getting really bored with my hair lately. I don't want to cut it because I know I'll regret it, so I'm going to start trying new hairstyles instead. I never do anything with my hair, but after watching this tutorial from one of my favorite bloggers, B. Jones Style, I'm inspired to try some different styles. I'm thinking something with braids next...

Night Shots

vintage skirt and coat from Goodwill Blue Hanger, Gap shirt,
belt from Wish (closed), Forever 21 earrings and boots

Of course, it was dark by the time I got home from work on Saturday. Story of my life. I really liked my outfit, so I decided to make do and take some photos outside. Actually, Matt took them because I wasn't going to try using my tripod in the dark.

I've only worn this coat twice, but both times I wore it with orange. It was only after I decided to wear it with my brightest orange skirt that I realized I had already worn it with an orange sweater. You wouldn't think leopard and orange would look so good together, but they really do! I think I must have read this article sometime in the last six months and subconsciously decided to try it. What do you think about this combination?

Excuses

Forever 21 blouse and boots, thrifted skirt from Goodwill,
Gap denim jacket, necklace from Target

The sun goes down so early now and I keep forgetting to take outfit pictures before it's dark. I don't want you guys to think I've been walking around naked every time I don't post an outfit. I promise I still get dressed everyday, but sometimes it's hard for me to find the time or in some cases, even remember, to take pictures. You'd think after almost a whole year of posting outfit photos, I'd have a set time everyday to take them. But I don't. Even though I don't really like taking pictures inside, I thought some pictures were better than no pictures because I really liked this outfit. Sorry about the crappy quality, though.

Gobble Gobble

vintage dress from Cream Vintage,
DKNY trench coat from Macy's, DV Dolce Vita wedges

I'm writing this after eating my own weight in Thanksgiving food and drinking countless glasses of wine and mimosas. It was a great day, but now I'm ready to get cozy and finish the saucy novel I started this morning. I'm heading back to Austin tomorrow morning where I'll continue my godforsaken search for a career. Then on Saturday, I'll be working at Cream Vintage, where we'll be taking part in the Austin Vintage Style Fest. We're not only promoting Small Business Saturday, but also encouraging shoppers to buy vintage and secondhand clothing instead of retail. I hope to see y'all there!

Woes from the Worrywart

thrifted skirt and blouse from the Goodwill Blue Hanger outlet,
belt from the 2011 Texas Style Council clothing swap, Zara flats

It's really starting to hit me that very shortly, I'll no longer be a student. I can't help but feel antsy about the fact I don't have any real plans for January. Of course, I'll still be working at Cream Vintage, but only part-time. It feels like a strange time to be applying for jobs because I'm technically still in school until December 13 when I have to take my last and only final. Two days later, I'm going to Mexico for a week with Matt. Between recovering from Mexico (all-inclusive hotel = free drinks) and celebrating the holidays, I won't be available to start a new job until after Christmas. It's going to be hard to relax during my vacation because I'll be too busy freaking out about how I have nothing lined up. I'm even feeling guilty right now because I'm blogging instead of applying to jobs.

20 minutes later...

I just sent off another application! So, I take that last part about feeling guilty back. Now, it's time to stop worrying and start enjoying my break. Everything will all work out...right?

Orange & Leopard

thrifted sweater and coat from the Goodwill Blue Hanger,
Levi's jeans from Urban Outfitters, flats from Target

The last couple of days have been a blur. I had so many plans over the weekend, including finishing the last paper of my entire college career (yay!) and having an early Thanksgiving Dinner with good friends. Unfortunately, I woke up on Saturday with a horrible cold. My head felt heavy, my body ached, and I had absolutely no appetite. I'm feeling much better (thanks, Mucinex), but I smell like cough drops and have tissues falling out of my purse. I plan to relax over the Thanksgiving break, so I can feel better for my last-ever week of classes and then, graduation!

I still need a full-time job for January, so I recently launched my new professional website to attract potential employers. Please check it out and let me know what you think!

School Day

vintage skirt from Cream Vintage, blouse from Urban Outfitters,
Gap jean jacket, Target necklace, Zara flats

This is just another day-at-school outfit. It was actually a really good day because my 9 a.m. class was cancelled and I technically didn't need to go to class at noon (but I did). I even had time to have a lunch date with Matt at one of our all-time favorites, Madam Mams. We both ordered our favorite dishes on the menu, as usual. Before lunch, I asked Matt to take some pictures of me dressed in my cap and gown. This was the final photo that is being sent out to the fam! What do you think?

Don't Panic

vintage dress from Cream Vintage, tights from Marshalls,
DV Dolce Vita Booties

I can't believe there are only a few weeks left before the semester ends. It feels weird knowing that after the Christmas break, I won't be back in a classroom. I actually have no idea what I'll be doing. I'm trying not to let it scare me, but for the first time in my life, I don't have a plan. I know this is supposed to be an exciting time in my life, but it's hard not to get all panicky about the fact that I still have to pay the rent and bills. If I don't find a full-time job soon, I'm probably going to have to get a second part-time job. That's all right with me, but at the same time, is this what I spent four and a half years going to college for?

On a lighter note (literally and metaphorically), can you tell I attempted to ombré my hair? I'll admit that I actually didn't even know what ombré hair was until I stumbled upon some random article last week. I'd seen quite a few girls with it recently, but never realized it was an actual hair style you could request at a salon. I thought everyone was just growing out their hair color and the result was surprisingly cool. I obsessed about it for a whole day, watched a zillion YouTube videos, and finally decided I wanted to attempt it myself. I bought a bleach blond highlighting kit from CVS after work and lightened just the ends of my hair. I am pretty pleased with the results because they aren't overwhelming. In fact, I'm thinking about redoing it again in a week or so to make it lighter and a little higher up.

What do you think? Is it cool or does it just look like I really need a trim?

My "As If" Wish List

Top Shop skirt - $76 / Zara cape - $129 / Nine West boots - $153 / Anthro dress - $188

Even though I love shopping secondhand, I still enjoy a good retail purchase every now and then. If money wasn't an issue and I could buy anything my heart desired, I'd pick these four things. At least, for my first list. I spend a lot of time window shopping online, so I might as well pick my favorite "as if" items and tell someone. That's where you all come in. I'm going to do a weekly wish list so you guys know what to buy me for Christmas. Just kidding! 

Thrifted Treasure: Denim Vest

dress from Langford Market, vintage vest from the
Goodwill Blue Hanger, boots from Cream Vintage

Even though you guys have probably seen this vest on here before, I wanted to feature it as one of my thrifted treasures. It's probably one of the best things I've thrifted and, even better, it's from my all-time favorite thrift store, the Goodwill Blue Hanger. I've only owned it for a few weeks, but I've worn it countless times. I think Matt is pretty sick of seeing it, actually. Well, it's good news for him that it's probably going away into storage pretty soon. You can't really wear a sleevless denim vest in the winter, right?

Or can I???

Mwahahahahah!