Houston, Here We Come

thrifted skirt, Gap tank top and denim jacket,
Seychelles wedges from PB&J (giveaway win), gifted necklace from Matt

This is our last official weekend as Austinites. It feels weird knowing that next weekend, we'll be Houstonians. When I was about 18 years old, I used to think I'd move anywhere other than Houston. I'm not sure why I felt that way. All I knew about Houston was that it was big and my mom used to live there when she was younger. I had only been to Houston a few times before Matt started interning for ExxonMobil and I spent every other weekend there. Here are the few things I've learned/realized about Houston:

1. Driving in Houston makes me want to crap my pants. Six lanes = scary.

2. There are more jobs in Houston than in Austin. But, there are also a lot more people vying for those jobs.

3. Thrifting is waaaaay better in Houston.

4. No allergies in Houston. I hope.

5. We'll be close to a beach again!

6. There are food options other than Tex-Mex. Say what?!

7. Our neighborhood will not be overrun with college students. In fact, it's very quiet and quaint.

8. Austin definitely influenced my style for the better and I'm excited to see what Houston does for me.

9. There's an H&M in Houston. Enough said.

10. Starting a new life in a new city is always exciting.

Now that I think about it, I listed more good than bad things about Houston. That's definitely a good sign!

Almost Over

thrifted skirt, Old Navy tank top, Gap denim jacket,
Seychelles wedges from PB&J Boutique (giveaway win)

My first "real" week at Texas Monthly went by super fast. I can't believe that in three weeks, it'll all be over and Matt and I will be living in Houston. It doesn't seem real.

We've been trying to enjoy the little time we have left in Austin. In other words, we've been partying it up for the last week and will probably continue to do so until we leave. Last week was a blur of work, hanging out with friends, and going fun places. I've been keeping track of all the things I'm going to miss about Austin with this countdown. Check it out and let me know what you think. Even better, remind me of the things I need to do/see before leaving Austin!

Guilty as Charged

thrifted vintage skirt, Gap shirt and denim jacket,
Banana Republic wedges, Swarovski necklace (gift from Matt)

I know I just wore this skirt last week, but luckily there isn't a rule that says I can't do that. Sometimes, it feels like I can't repeat an outfit or even just part of an outfit because it will be boring for people to see. Then, I realize that it doesn't really matter. I wanted to wear this skirt with this denim jacket and no one was going to stop me. Maybe it's not going to bring me more page views or visits, but I decided a long time ago that's not why I write this blog. I write it to keep a visual journal of what I wear because it helps me keep my closet organized. I know exactly which items in my closet get the most wear and which ones don't.

Before I started blogging, I had a very different wardrobe. It's not that it was bigger exactly, but it wasn't as well-rounded as it is now. Now, I don't buy certain things unless I can see myself wearing it at least a couple of different ways. Blogging has helped me revamp my wardrobe, as well as figure out and define my personal style. Although blogging about personal style isn't for everyone, keeping some sort of documentation would definitely be useful for someone trying to clean out/organize/reinvent their closet. After just a few weeks, it's easy to see the styles and colors you tend to gravitate to. Then, it's just as easy as getting rid of all the other stuff that doesn't make the cut!

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.

Recovering Shopping Addict

dress from Goodwill, shoes from Texas Thrift Store, Gap denim jacket 

Remember when I fell of the no-shopping wagon a few weeks ago? It was because of this dress. I saw it at Goodwill and immediately fell in love. I just couldn't pass it up for $8! I've already worn it twice since I bought it, so it was definitely worth it.

So...I have to admit that I've fallen off the wagon again. I found some awesome shoes on Etsy last week and just couldn't say no. They're really cute 1970s heels with ankle straps and peep toes and just the right shade of tan. I put them on immediately after opening the package in the mail this afternoon and already have lots of outfits planned for them.

Slipping up twice in a one and a half month span isn't so bad, right? Please say no.

Fancy Pants

American Apparel t-shirt, thrifted pants and flats,
Gap denim jacket, Forever 21 earrings

I like to think of these as my "Audrey Hepburn" pants. I feel dressed up and glamourous even I wear them with a t-shirt and denim jacket. Red shoes and elegant earrings definitely help, too. I'd been searching for the perfect pair of black high-waisted crop pants for awhile and was so happy to find a perfect-fitting pair at Savers for $7. Come to think of it, these flats are from Savers, too. If you haven't been there yet, I highly recommend it. I usually recommend Savers to new thrifters here in Austin because it's so organized and clean. Some people even consider it to be the department store of thrift stores. I don't know how much I agree with that, but just know that it's almost always my first stop when I thrift. If you're interested in checking it out, read my post about thrifting at Savers that I wrote a couple of months ago.

Back to the Grind

thrifted top, skirt, and necklace, Gap denim jacket, Banana Republic wedges,

This post disappeared and deleted what I'd written. Here it is again!

Latest Thrift Score

thrifted Anthropologie dress, Gap denim jacket, Banana Republic wedges

Here's a super quick outfit post before I run out the door to work. I found this dress at Goodwill a few weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised to see it still had it's Anthropologie tag attached. Even better, it's from the Anna Sui collection and only cost $9! I should've taken a picture with the jacket off because it has a really great neckline. A big thanks goes out to Loni, a good friend of mine, for taking these pictures for me!

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!

Le Sigh

Oh, my. It's been a super busy week. Working two jobs is not as easy as I thought it would be, especially on top of all my classes. I don't even have the weekend to look forward to because I'm trying to squeeze in so much. There are only two weeks left of class, but they'll probably be the worst of this whole semester. I've got tests, projects, and papers up the wazoo.

On Tuesday, I wore an American Apparel skirt, GAP shirt and denim jacket, headscarf from Cream Vintage, and Target flats.

My Lack of Photography Skills

Now that the sun isn’t going down until around 7:30, taking outfit pictures is getting pretty difficult. I never seem to have time in the mornings before I leave, so I usually take pictures right when I get home. Depending on the day of the week, that’s usually between 3 and 6, when the sun is bright and shining. I never knew this until I started taking my picture every day, but direct sunlight is the worst. So, please excuse the different shades of each photo. At least the wind made everything look cool!

On Wednesday, I wore a dress and necklace from Forever 21, a GAP denim jacket (different from this jacket), and flats from Target.  

 

Dirty Hair Day

I've tried many different ways to battle greasy hair. I have pretty thick hair too, so it's not easy. My hair gets dry and brittle when I wash it everyday, so I try tend to only wash it every other day. But on the second day, it starts to look and feel a little dirty, especially the front part that surrounds my face. I used to use baby powder, but it was a pain in the ass trying to blend white powder into my dark hair. I also tried Psssssst, which is a dry shampoo, but it didn't work very well.

A few months ago, a student hair stylist at Avenue Five Institute ($12 hair cut—yes please!), told me about Batiste Dry Shampoo. It really works! I use Batiste a couple of times a week, so it makes sense that would I run out quickly. I knew the canister under my sink was low, but I thought I could make it until the weekend when I have time to buy another. I was wrong...

I can't stand having greasy hair touch my face, so I wanted it up and out of the way. I've been seeing this hairdo on so many blogs lately (here, here, and here), so I wanted to try it myself. It reminds me of being five years old and going to ballet class.

On Monday, I wore a GAP dress and jacket, a vintage belt from Buffalo Exchange and sandals from Bakers.