A Little Diversity

thrifted pants, Old Navy blouse and trench vest,
Forever 21 necklace, Banana Republic heels

Yesterday, one of my favorite bloggers, Eli from Thrifteye, was nice enough to include me on her list of favorite Hispanic/Latina bloggers. I completely agree with her introduction about how people with similar heritages are not all the same. It sucks being thrown into one category because of your background. I like to think I don't really fit into any certain stereotypes though. I'm just me.

Reading Eli's post made me realize that some of my favorite bloggers aren't even from the United States. Here's a collection of some of my favorite foreign bloggers:

-Her Waise Choice: I'm in love with this Canadian blogger's classic, feminine style.
-Garance Doré: She is the epitome of French chic.
-Raspberry and Red: This blogger from Poland is super young with an amazing sense of style.
-High Street Cardigans: Ana, a personal shopper from Romania, is sassy and sexy and I love it.
-A Pair & A Spare: This Australian blogger living in Hong Kong is a DIY genius.

Free Time

thrifted dress, Old Navy sleeveless trench coat,
vintage necklace from Buffalo Exchange, Banana Republic wedges

I've already seen a huge difference in the amount of time I have to myself with this new job. I'm done by 5 p.m. four times out of the week, which leaves me with plenty of time to run errands and get things done. I've been really wanting to update my Etsy store, but I didn't have time when I was working retail hours. With all my free time, I should be able to get a couple of items posted over the next few days.

I have a decent pile of vintage clothes in really good condition (mostly thrifted) and I wasn't sure if I should just try to sell them to Buffalo Exchange or a local vintage store for quick cash. I've been making pretty steady money on Etsy, so I think it's worth the extra effort to sell them on my own. After I get the store up-to-date, I'll start working on all the other things I haven't had time for. I have a huge pile of clothes that need to be hemmed or mended, not to mention that I haven't worked out since 2011. One thing at a time...

Professional Ensemble

Forever 21 dress and necklace, Urban Outfitter tights, Banana Republic flats

This is the kind of outfit I wear to work at Alfred Angelo Bridal. I try to appear professional without looking like I'm trying too hard. It's difficult to find outfits like this among the colorful maxi skirts, thrifted blouses, and vintage dresses in my closet. One of the reasons I've been trying to clean out my closet is to really figure out my style. I have so many clothes stuffed in my closet and enough is enough. How can I know what I really like when I have so many options?

For example, I have so many skirts (short, midi, maxi, you name it) that I'm having to hang two on one hanger. That's not OK, especially because I really do have a lot of hangers. If I can't find more than two ways to wear a skirt with a top in my closet, it doesn't make the cut. Sayonara, skirt! It's harsh, but totally worth it.

How do you go about cleaning your closet?

More Basic Black

Gap shirt, Halston Heritage skirt from Julian Gold,
necklace from Target, Montego Bay wedges from Payless

Oh boy, do I love this skirt! It's so flowy and soft and it makes me feel like a million bucks. It's definitely one of the best purchases I've made in a long time. At the same time, it's one of the LAST purchases I'll make for awhile. I can't ignore the fact that I'm broke and all. But, I couldn't deny that I needed this skirt. Let me explain...

Since I started my new job at Alfred Angelo, I've realized that I lack professional clothing. When I worked at Cream Vintage, I could wear whatever I wanted, which was awesome but not realistic. My wardrobe is filled with fun, casual clothing that wouldn't be appropriate to sell wedding dresses in. I needed basics that can be remixed with the clothes already in my closet and this skirt definitely fits the bill.

What do you think about my new favorite skirt?

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.

Out With the Old, In With the New

I went on a little selling spree today. I took all the clothing, shoes and accessories that I didn't want anymore to Buffalo Exchange and earned $40 in credit. I walked away with new sandals and $20 in my pocket. Since they passed on a lot of items, I decided to try selling the rest of my stuff to Plato's Closet. I earned another $20 there and was feeling pretty pleased with myself, so I thought I deserved a reward. I went to Forever 21 and bought a beautiful maxi dress that left me with only $15.

Even though I didn't make too much of a profit, I'd say it was a good day of trading. I got rid of all the stuff that was taking up space in my closet and replaced it with a single item that I love. I even have a little money left over!

On a side note, I'm proud to say that I've become so comfortable in wedges that I can shop, sell and work in them for hours at a time. High five, anyone?

On Friday, I wore Gap jeans, a Banana Republic shirt, a necklace from Target, and Steve Madden wedges.