Polka Dot Pants

thrifted pants, top from Forever 21, necklace from Target,
vintage bracelets, Montego Bay wedges from Payless

Along with working almost everyday, I've also been occupied with something else lately--a TV show. Matt and I used to watch Lost when it was popular a couple of years ago, but we lost interest and never finished it. Matt recently noticed that it was on Netflix, so we decided to finish the series. What a MISTAKE. My evenings after work have been taken over by Lost. Luckily, we finally finished the series and I can get back to my normal life. It's dangerous for me to get into a TV show, especially when I have an entire series at my disposal. Netflix is both a curse and a blessing.

Unexpected Combination

dress from Langford Market, sweater from New York & Company,
Forever 21 earrings and boots, tights from ???

I surprise myself sometimes. I used to think I didn't like brown and pink together, but somehow I ended up wearing this yesterday. I've been getting in the habit of setting aside clothes I haven't worn in awhile as a reminder to wear them. It helps me decide what I should actually keep in my closet. If I can't find a way to wear it in a week, there's no reason to keep it. I hadn't worn this sweater or dress in months, so I hung them on my closet door with the intention to wear them this week. I added brown tights and boots, and voila, I had an outfit. I got quite a few compliments on this ensemble, which did good things for my ego. I have a few other things hanging on my closet door, so hopefully you'll be seeing them this week. If not, out they go!

Wishful Thinking

Gap sweater and jeans, thrifted vintage blouse from Goodwill, Zara wedges

Let's pretend for a moment that I'm not a recent graduate, broke, and in debt because I want to talk about all the awesome shopping that's happening here in Austin this weekend. Two of my favorite shopping events are going on this Saturday and Sunday—Le Garage Sale and the City-Wide Garage Sale. It's too bad (but good for my wallet) that I'm working all weekend or else I'd be at both sales on both days. If you'll be in town and don't have any plans for the weekend, please go to these sales so I can live vicariously through you. Now, allow me to tell you a little bit about them.

If you're a fan of shopping at local, independent Austin businesses, Le Garage sale is for you. Tons of local boutiques and stores (including Dog and Pony, Kendra Scott, Langford Market, Goodie Two Shoes, Strut, and so many more) get together in the Austin Convention Center to sell their awesome items at lower-than-normal prices. It's a great way to be introduced to all the great local businesses Austin has in one single place.

If you're a fan of buying antiques, vintage clothing and accessories, and unique knickknacks, the City-Wide Garage Sale is for you. Local vendors set up booths in the Palmer Events Center to sell their vintage collectibles for much lower prices than what you'd pay in a brick and mortar vintage store. The last time I went, I got some amazing vintage jewelry for very cheap and my best friend, Jackie, bought two beautiful vintage dresses for $8. Tip: If you print out a copy of the Vintage Around Town Guide, you can get in for free!

Did I distract you long enough to make you forget I wore almost this exact same outfit not too long ago?

My Latest Sewing Achievement

Forever 21 sweater and necklace, Gap jean jacket,
Old Navy pants, Banana Republic flats

I am so proud, y'all. I replaced the zipper on these black pants all by myself! The old zipper kept falling down and I was tired of flashing everyone, so I figured I should give it a shot. I briefly learned about zippers during my sewing lessons in October, but I wasn't sure I knew enough to do it myself. I've had these pants for over a year and they were only about $15, so I figured it wouldn't be that big a deal if I really screwed up. One of the things I've learned about sewing is to be confident and realize that it's not going to look absolutely perfect and factory made. It just needs to function. In this case, the zipper isn't perfectly aligned, but no one will ever notice. Now, it's like I have brand new pair of pants!

Yay or Nay?

sweater and earrings from Forever 21, Gap cordoury pants, Banana Republic flats,
Calvin Klein peacoat from Burlington Coat Factory

You know how sometimes you'll try something on and can't tell if you really like it? That's how I felt about this sweater. I haven't worn it since last winter, but I don't remember it being this oversized. It was so big that I didn't know what else to wear it with besides pants. Y'all know pants and jeans aren't my first choice, but I looked like a hobo when I wore it with a maxi skirt. After seeing these pictures, I think I've decided to get rid of it. If there's one thing (OK, I've learned many) about having this blog, it's that if I'm struggling with how to wear a certain clothing item, it probably isn't worth the trouble.

What do you think about this sweater? Is it a keeper or worth getting rid of?

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...

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.