From Good to Better

thrifted skirt and blouse, Forever 21 earrings, Payless wedges

This tank top is another item of clothing that I recently updated. I've been on a alterations kick lately. I really should be taking before and after pictures, but once I get an idea in my mind, I don't even pause to think about it. Shame on me.

Anyway, this tank top had a 90s surfer feel before I altered it a bit. The neckline had two buttons and was a little too high for my taste. All I did was tuck it in and sew it down to create a faux v-neck. It only took about 10 minutes and now this top seems so much more versatile. It's perfect for the summer, not to mention that I love the print.

Floral Escape

thrifted blouse, Halston Heritage skirt from Julian Gold, Banana Republic shoes

I started training at my new (temporary) job on Monday. I'm not going to lie; I feel in way over my head, but my supervisor seems to have total confidence in me. That's great for now, but she's leaving for vacation next week while I take over her position for the next month. I won't be able to turn to her when I have a question or ask her when I'm unsure about something. Luckily, everyone at the Texas Monthly office is very friendly and willing to help. I'm just worried about being the "new girl" who doesn't know what she's doing. Either way, I'm so excited to be in an office again!

I wore this outfit on my last day of work at the bridal salon Sunday. I wanted to wear something fun and floral to celebrate how happy I was to be done. It was the perfect outfit to wear to end my bridal stylist career, at least until I put on this ensemble as a farewell:

I definitely went out with a bang. 

Flying Solo

Gap shirt, denim jacket, shoes and thrifted Anne Klein pants, Forever 21 necklace

I feel like I'm on an emotional roller coaster. Everything is on the verge of changing: my job, our apartment, the city we live in...basically my whole life. I get anxious every time I think about it. I might just be in a strange mood because Matt has been gone for a few days and won't be back until next Saturday. It feels like forever away. I've being doing a pretty good job of staying busy with work the last couple of days, but I'm already starting to feel lonely. Luckily, I have Angus and Charles to keep me company.

Classy & Sassy

thrifted blouse, vintage skirt from Cream Vintage, Banana Republic heels (6 years old!)

This skirt makes me feel so ladylike. It's kind of a pain to wear because it has an itchy crinoline (petticoat) built in and I have to wear a slip. It's also heavy, so it's not the best choice for hanging around outside in the 90 degree weather. I wanted to wear it to work the other day, but didn't want to look too Betty Draper. I decided to pair it with a leopard blouse to tone down the vintage feel. I received tons of compliments from my coworkers and customers, which made me love this retro outfit that much more.

As for today's plans, here's to driving to Houston and back!

Cheater, Cheater

thrifted skirt, vintage blouse, Zara heels, Forever 21 earrings

As I already mentioned, I fell off the no-shopping wagon last week. In my defense, it was a pretty dress from Goodwill for $8.99 that I just couldn't pass up. Lesson learned: it's impossible for me to go to Goodwill without looking at the clothes. I originally went in to find ceramic pots for my new succulents. I didn't realize how hard it would be to find fun pots with draining holes. Every time I'd pick up something bright and colorful, I'd be disappointed to see that there were no holes. I read somewhere that you can make holes yourself, but I envisioned broken ceramic all over the place and decided it wasn't a good idea.

Instead, I decided to make more coffee can pots. I made a couple a few weeks ago to plant cilantro and flowers and since it worked so well, I figured it would work for succulents too. The best part is that it's amazingly easy. All you need is a large aluminum can (it can be a coffee can, a giant mandarin oranges can, or any fruit or vegetable can you desire), spray paint in your color of choice, a knife, and some gloves.

If your can has a label, remove it. Soak it in soapy water overnight if you need to. When your can is nice and bare, poke about four holes in the bottom for drainage with your knife. You can even use a nail and hammer if you don't want to mess up any of your knives. Then, put on your gloves and head outside to a spot that's not too windy. Set it upside down and start spraying. Wait a couple of minutes before you move it, then pick it up carefully and set it somewhere to dry overnight. It should be ready to use the next day!

Here's how mine turned out:

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Sorry about that. But seriously, this is so much cheaper than buying pots. Matt even helped me spray paint polka dots on my latest can. Photos and instructions for that project are coming soon!

Sentimental Clothing

H&M shirt (five years old), thrifted skirt (gift from my stepmom),
Forever 21 earrings, Banana Republic wedges

I used to wear a version of this outfit all the time before I started my blog. But instead of this conservative skirt and my grown-up wedges, I'd wear my short, black American Apparel pocket skirt and flat sandals. In fact, it used to be one of my go-to outfits in college. It's funny how easily you can grow out of certain styles. Now, I only wear that American Apparel skirt as a swimsuit cover up. It just doesn't feel like me anymore.

On the other hand, I have a special relationship with this particular red-orange top. I bought it in Rome when I was 17 years old and I'm so glad I still have it. Unlike the American Apparel skirt, this shirt makes me feel youthful in a good way. I wanted to wear it the other day, so I decided to recreate my old go-to outfit in a more "grown-up" way. I'll always consider this top to be an essential piece of my wardrobe. It has too many memories!

First Day

vintage men's button up from Goodwill, Old Navy pants (zipper replaced by me),
Banana Republic heels, Forever 21 earrings, vintage bracelets

This was what I wore for my first day of work at Texas Monthly on Tuesday. I thrifted this top the day before, but didn't have any intention of wearing it the next day. I just thought it was a great top for $5, especially because it's vintage and such a great color. I guess I subconsciously reached for it when I was getting dressed and decided to go with it. Combined with basic black pants and color-blocked shoes, I thought the outfit looked put-together and professional without looking too prissy. Even better, I fit right in with the rest of the Texas Monthly crew. Like I mentioned before, everyone dresses really casual, so I need to remember to not overdress. I don't want to overshadow any of my co-workers...for now.

Stripes & Florals

Gap tank top, thrifted skirt, Bakers sandals, Forever 21 necklace

This outfit is my second attempt at dressing in patterns rather than my usual solids. The tank top was one of my final purchases with my Gap discount and I can definitely see myself remixing it a lot this summer. It's a basic and neutral piece, but the stripes make it a little more interesting. This was the perfect, comfortable outfit for a day off before I started my new job.

My first day at Texas Monthly was awesome. It was pretty short, but I spent the few hours that I was there organizing and getting ready to actually start fact-checking today. I was so excited to find out that I have my own office with a desk, computer and phone. I'm super pumped to decorate! I'm taking a couple of things to spruce up my office and I'll be sure to post pictures soon. In the meantime, here's a quick peek at the project I'll be working on for the next two months.

 I'll be sure to post outfit photos from my first day of work tomorrow!

Modern Dorothy

Forever 21 earrings, thrifted blouse from Goodwill, thrifted pants and shoes from Savers

I didn't actually wear these red heels with this outfit. Instead, I was wearing a pair of red leather flats that I bought on Saturday during the Texas Style Council thrifting session at Savers. I've been wearing them for the last two days because they're so comfortable and hello, they're RED! Here's an Instagram of what they look like...followed by the reason why they aren't in my outfit photos.

I was at work when I realized the bottom part of the heel was breaking off. It didn't affect my walking that much, but I was very aware that one of my legs was about a half-inch shorter than the other. I'm really in love with these flats, so I decided to take them to the Austin Shoe Hospital. I had a pair of vintage boots from Ebay fixed up there about a year ago and they came back looking brand-spanking-new. In the end, I'll be paying $30 to improve these flats that only cost me $4. It might sound silly, but I think it's going to be worth it. Once the whole bottom part of the show is reinforced, they'll be as good as new.

By the way, I've been getting really into Instagram lately. Follow me @nataliebgarza to stay up-to-date on the not-so-exciting things that happen in my life. You never know when another one of my shoes might break down on me.

Camera Tricks

Forever 21 dress and earrings, jacket from Langford Market,
bracelet courtesy of InPink, Banana Republic heels

 

Do you like that close-up of my rosy face? I just got these earrings last week, so I really wanted to show them off. It's times like these that make me wish I had a good DSLR to capture all the details of my outfit. I've been getting so frustrated with my basic point-and-shoot camera lately. As most of you probably already know, I take my pictures using a tripod and the self-timer on my camera.  You think it would be relatively easy, but it can be pretty difficult trying to get the same focus and lighting in each shot.

I've found that taking photos in front of a wall is better because there isn't much for the camera to focus on other than me. If I take a picture with multiple things behind me, the camera focuses on all that other stuff because I'm out of the shot pressing the self-timer button. When I get in front of the camera as the timer is counting down, I'm unsure of where it's focused and there are only about three seconds between each shot. Sometimes, I'll take a series of eight pictures and delete them all because they're all out of focus.

I know this problem could be solved by getting Matt to take my photos, but we have completely different schedules. Getting a DSLR would be the ultimate solution but unfortunately, I should buy a new laptop before I even consider a new camera. I'll save the "how I killed three laptops in three months" story for next time. It's a good one.

New Shoes

thrifted skirt, Forever 21 blouse and earrings, Banana Republic heels

If you know me personally or have been following my blog for awhile, you might have noticed that I'm a fan of wedges. They're comfortable enough to wear for hours on end while still looking cute. But for some reason, I've been drawn to heels lately. I saw Krystal of This Time Tomorrow wearing color-blocked heels a few weeks ago and have been subconsciously searching for a version of them since. I saw these heels at Banana Republic while I was at the Madmen event last week and just couldn't say no. Could you?

A Little Honesty

Old Navy tank top, thrifted pants, Gap jean jacket,
Montego Bay wedges from Payless, Forever 21 earrrings 

I have to admit something...I haven't gone thrifting for what feels like forever. I've been taking advantage of my awesome employee discount at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy, but it's still way more expensive than thrifting. I think I've been using the excuse that I don't have time to thrift. Well, I'm officially putting a limit on how much retail I can buy because I want to get back to my old ways. I miss the digging and decision making that goes along with thrifting. I'm really looking forward to the Texas Style Council thrifting workshop on Saturday. I usually thrift alone, so it's going to be really fun to thrift with 100 other style bloggers!