Too Hot to Layer

Gap dress, Old Navy vest, necklace from Langford Market,
belt from Wish (now closed), Seychelles wedges from PB&J Boutique (giveaway win)

It was unbearably hot outside while I was taking these photos. All I could think about the sweat dripping down my face, so I gave up after I got a few good ones. Even though it's been this hot for a few weeks, I can't seem to get used to it. I have to mentally prepare myself every time I'm about to walk outside. It was kind of silly to wear a second layer over my dress, but I liked how it looked. In retrospect, I probably should've lost the trench vest. It definitely would have been a lot cooler. Oh well. You live, you learn, right?

While we're on the subject of learning, my head's on the verge of exploding from everything I learned yesterday at my new job. It was the first day on my own, so I was at the office until 7:15 p.m. last night. I probably would've stayed there longer if Matt hadn't come to pick me up for a friend's birthday dinner. The work just kept coming and I couldn't find a good stopping point. It was dark by the time we got home, so taking outfit photos was out of the question. Let's hope I don't get sucked into my work again tonight!

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!

Our New Addition

thrifted blouse and skirt, Banana Republic heels

The past week and half have been a total blur. After my fact-checking project at Texas Monthly ended, I spent a week at Canyon Lake celebrating my best friend's graduation. When I got back from my much-needed vacation, I started my 38-hour-workweek at the bridal salon. It's great for my finances, but not so great for spending time with our new puppy. Yes, we got a puppy!

Our lives have been turned upside down (in a good way) since getting Charles, our 8 week old Cockapoo. He needs a lot of attention because he's so young, but we're training him so he's not needy and whiny. He's already making a lot of progress. It's definitely taking a lot of patience and time, but it's going to be worth it. I mean, just look at this face!

I seriously hadn't been on my computer for longer than 10 minutes since before all this happened. Now that everything has settled down, I finally have time to get back to blogging. I have to admit that it was a nice break, not having to make time to take pictures outside or come up with something to say about my outfits. I was able to get dressed without thinking about whether it was a good enough outfit for my blog or if I'd worn something too similar recently. I'm happy to be back, but it's definitely made me think about why I blog and if it's all worth it. Hopefully, I'll figure it out soon.

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.

Work, Work, Work

thrifted vintage blouse, Levi's jeans from Urban Outfitters,
DV Dolce Vita wedges from Nordstrom, Forever 21 earrings

If I worked a normal 9-5 salaried job, today would be my Saturday. Unfortunately, I'm working my ass off in the world of retail. I've worked between seven to 11 hours a day for the last five days in a row and I'm TIRED. I'm not sure when my next day off is, but I do know for sure I'm working through Sunday evening.

As much as I love complaining about it, I really am glad to be working instead of being in school. At least when I'm home after a long day of work, I don't have any homework. The only homework I have is what I assign for myself including maintaining this blog, which I haven't been doing a very good job of. I've also been slacking on my Etsy store as well as keeping up with my writing for Broke & Chic. I don't know how other bloggers with full-time jobs do it all!

Instead of stressing about it, I'm going to start coming up with ways to make time for everything. First of all, I need to start waking up at the same time everyday, so that I can have some sort of routine. Next, I need to get a planner. I always had a planner for school, but I didn't think to get one this year because I'm no longer a student. It's no wonder things aren't getting done. I need to write them down!

Wish me luck on making these changes!

Leopard Obsessed

thrifted leopard dress, Gap cardigan, belt from Wish (closed),
Forever 21 necklace, Montego Bay Wedges from Payless

I think I'm a leopardoholic. In fact, I might need to cut down. I own the following leopard print clothing items: this dress (also worn here), a skirt (worn here), a coat (worn here and here), a belt (worn here and here), shoes and a scarf (which surprisingly have never been blogged). I guess it's not that many items, but it feels like there's a lot in my closet. I once threatened Matt that I was going to wear all my leopard print items at the same time and he looked absolutely horrified. I wasn't really going to; I just wanted to scare him.

Speaking of my boyfriend, when he saw me wearing this outfit, he asked why my belt was outside of my sweater. He said it looked weird, so then I started second-guessing myself only to quickly realize he has no idea what he's talking about when it comes to clothes. I've never worn a belt over a cardigan, but it felt right with this outfit. In fact, I might even try it again soon. Take that, Matt!

Just kidding. I love you!

The Cat's Meow

chambray shirt from Old Navy, thrifted skirt from Top Drawer,
necklace from Buffalo Exchange, Zara wedges

Last week, I was honored to receive a blogger award from D'Andra, the voice behind Sable & Sage.

Woohoo!! Thank you, D'Andra, for the nomination. You were one of the first bloggers I met at the Texas Style Council last year. I hope to see you again this year!

The Liebster Blog award is given by bloggers to other bloggers with fewer than 200 followers. Liebster in German means dearest, beloved or favorite, so it's a great way to tell other bloggers how much you admire their blogs. In order to accept the award, I need to do the following:

1. Link back to the blogger who nominated me. 
2. Copy and paste the award on my blog.
3. Award five more blogger and let them know I chose them.

Here are the five blogs I chose (in no particular order):

Uncharted Style: Michelle has become one of my new favorite bloggers over the last couple of months. She has a great eye for style and writes about topics I wish I knew more about including interior design and beauty trends. Uncharted Style is definitely more of a style blog than a daily outfit blog, but she just started posting her own outfit photos and I can't wait to see more of her fabulous style.

The Perpetual Student's Wife: Kate lives in Houston, Texas, where I'll be moving in less than six months. I like to think we'll eventually meet in person, which I hope isn't too weird. She has such a great style that's preppy, chic and feminine all at the same time. She's usually wearing at least one thrifted clothing item, which I always admire. I hope she'll show me all the good places to thrift in Houston!

Unusual Form: Kara is all about thrifting and shopping secondhand. I'm always inspired by her colorful outfits and her ability to make anything look fresh and new. She follows the rules of a 5 piece French wardrobe, which I don't think I'll ever be able to pull off. But I want to! Check out her blog to learn more about why it's important to invest in a few signature, classic pieces twice a year.

Cactus Collective: Lauren writes about anything and everything that inspires her. Whether it's her latest design crush, her favorite fashion and beauty trends, or the coolest happenings in Austin, she's got you covered. Plus, she's adorable. Lauren just started doing outfit posts (her and Michelle from Uncharted Style take each others pictures...can you tell I'm jealous?) and so far, I'm loving her style.

Miss Angela Marie: Angela is a college student, so I can automatically relate with her. Trying to keep up with a blog on top of classes, homework, and a part-time job sure wasn't easy. I'm proud of Angela for creating and keeping up with her blog AND her Etsy store. She blogs not only about fashion, but also about sewing and DIY, which is always an inspiraton to me. I don't know how she does it all!

I hope you check out these ladies and their wonderful blogs. You'll be glad you did!

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?

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!

Shoe Switcharoo

dress from Thrift Town, sweater from New York & Company,
thrifted belt from Goodwill, boots from Ebay given to me by my sister

Same outfit with DV Dolce Vita Booties from Nordstrom

I changed shoes between class and work and managed to capture some pictures of both ensembles. I wore boots to class because I was walking, but then I switched to my wedge booties because I don't like being shorter than most of the customers who come into the store. More importantly, I've been looking forward to wearing these booties for the first time since July.

By the way, I'm really starting to appreciate the fact that I've documented almost everything I've worn this past year. It's useful because I have proof of whether or not I've worn something enough to keep it. I have so many clothes, I can always stand to get rid of some. By looking back at my blog, which I admittedly do (to get ideas!), I can tell what pieces I actually really do love and which ones only show up once or twice throughout the whole year. It's good to know both these brown boots and black booties will be good for another season.

This Skirt Makes Me Smile

I hope you're happy. I purposely chose an outfit that didn't revolve around The Vest. I even took pictures outside for you guys! The blank white wall in the bedroom has become a little monotonous, so I moved...to a wall outside. I know it get's boring seeing the same background, so I wanted to change it up even it if was just a little different. I have to be honest, I forgot how awkward it is to take pictures in the middle of an apartment complex all alone with the self-timer. I'll do it for y'all though. Just don't make me regret it!

thrifted skirt from Goodwill Blue Hanger, Gap shirt, Forever 21 belt, and Zara flats