Gettin' thrifty with it

I had an amazing weekend! Boyfriend and I spent time eating amazing vegan soul food and hitting up a thrift shop. Above are some of my thrifting essentials:

1. Febreze: to freshen up musty finds

2. Needle & thread: for quick fixes

3. Scissors: to cut away loose strands or giant shoulder pads (as you can see I've already done)

4. Any extras that you take away from your thrift store find: Even though I doubt I'll wear those shoulder pads, I still plan on keeping them just in case. You never know when you may need them to reshape your outfit.

So here's what I found this weekend at Value Village:

Silky leopard print button-up. This fits well, so I don't plan on tailoring it.

Gingham button-up. This shirt is a little big, so I plan on getting in taken in. But I might also turn it into a sleeveless shirt.

Silky blue dot print dress. This dress is definitely getting shortened. I'm either going to shorten the sleeves or turn it into a sleeveless dress. Any other ideas?

Here are some of my other tips for thrifting:

1. No fitting room? Don't be shy. Try on stuff in the store (even if you think it looks silly)! I definitely looked funny trying on that dress in the store, but that's the only way I would've known it fit. A lot of thrift stores don't let you return items, so you don't want to get stuck with something that doesn't fit.

2. Use your imagination! While I tried this dress on, I rolled up the sleeves and tied up the dress to a shorter length to imagine what it would look like with a few edits.

3. Find a good tailor, or learn sewing basics. This will help with any pieces that need a little tweaking.

4. Have fun! Thrifting is probably one of my favorite things to do. You can find amazing treasures and laughs perusing thrift stores. Here's a photo from our thrift store trip that had me laughing so hard, it's blurry:

Shawn is wearing a XXL velour jumpsuit. So chic.

Happy Oscar Day!

Faded from the winter

(Target dress, Nordstrom Rack cardigan, Target tights, H&M booties)

I'm having one of those extra smiley days: my internship has been so much fun lately, homework isn't killing me (yet), Pandora knows exactly what songs to play for me, and I found this dress in the back of my closet this morning.

I'm super picky when it comes to prints. I'm very irked by floral prints that are so small they become a strange blob of colors. Maybe I'm nuts, but does anyone else feel the same way? However, Target proved to be one of my favorite places to shop again when I found this little beauty a year ago. I feel like I'm wearing some awesome vintage wallpaper.

I don't know about you, but when the sun is out, I've got a huge smile on my face. Time to go bask some more in the light.

Fully Prepared

(Urban Outfitters maxi cardigan, H&M striped shirt, Dad's wife beater, Forever 21 denim shirt, Express leggings, Hunter rain boots)

I feel cheated -- by the weather! Just last week, I was enjoying 70 degree, sunny weather. But, noo. We just had to get hit with more snow! Too bad, snow, I am prepared to trudge around campus in you because of my Hunter rain boots! 

Never did I think I would buy rain boots. Psh, how naive. After a horrible experience freshman year walking all over my giant campus in the rain, I bought some rain boots online that night. But those have been retired due to wear and tear. My mom was awesome enough to buy me these Hunters for Christmas, and they are amazing! You know how most rain boots in snow freeze your toes off? Well, these keep them nice and toasty. Success!

And that giant cardigan I got from Urban Outfitters is my new favorite item in my closet. I am the No. 1 fan of the maxi trend, and when I saw this baby on sale yesterday, I just had to get it! I love that it's so dramatic and darn comfortable. This will be another item I will wear year round.

Oh, and sorry about the light switches and electrical outlets. I don't know how these other bloggers do it taking pictures in gorgeous settings all the time. Today, I was in the "DAD STOP WATCHING ME TAKE PICTURES FOR MY BLOG" mood, so I stayed in my room.

Hope everyone else is in better weather!

Such Great Heights No. 1

(Forever 21 mustard cardigan, H&M shirt, Forever 21 multicolored skirt, Target strappy wedge sandals)

The weather continued to be amazing yesterday, and being out in D.C. made it even better. The wind was blowing and the air was fresh, so my legs decided to come out of hibernating. Sorry for wearing the same cardigan twice, but whenever it's nice out, I love wearing sunny colors to match my happy mood.

Okay, so on to the more interesting part of this post.

I have a love affair with shoes, specifically heels. However, heels do not have the best relationship with me. "It's complicated" with me and heels. I'm one of those girls who wears flats or sneakers 99 percent of the time. But I love heels so much! Nothing boosts my confidence like a great pair of heels that give me extra height and make my legs look great.

So this is the first installment of what I'm going to call "Such Great Heights," (I love The Postal Service!) a series on my trials and tribulations with heels, where I'll rate the shoes based on comfort, affordability, etc., on a scale of 10 (10 being the best!).

Such Great Heights No. 1
Strappy Wedge Sandals

Target's Mossimo Pilar Strappy Wedge Sandals

Construction: 8

The non-leather material doesn't look cheap on these shoes and the soles are very comfortable for walking. However, the zipper rubs into the back of my ankle and can hurt after a long day, ouch!

Comfort: 7

I wore these all day in D.C. yesterday (now, I know why people carrying sneakers around -- but you'll never take me out of my shoes! NEVER!). They were only uncomfortable after a lot of walking. I got a bit of blistering on my big ties and behind my ankle, where the zipper is. But overall, they were very walkable and stable.

Affordable: 10

These babies only cost me $29.99 at Target.

Overall, I would give these shoes a rating of 8. Wedges are totally the "it" shoe for spring! They're comfortable for the most part and are definitely affordable. Here's a link to the shoes.

Let me know your thoughts on this series! Happy weekend!

Here comes the sun

(J.Crew ruffled blouse, Forever 21 mustard cardigan, The Limited flared pants, Forever 21 floral rhinestoned earrings)

Nothing excites me more than warm weather. So when the forecast called for temperatures into the 50s and 60s this week, I started planning outfits for the week immediately! 

I picked up this beautiful blouse while I was outlet shopping in the summer. I'm telling you, J.Crew outlet stores have some great deals if you take the time to dig. Usually, I steer clear from ruffles, especially near the girls since I don't need anymore attention in that area, but these ruffles were just the right amount and made for a great statement. It's also sleeveless, so I can wear it through the changing seasons.

Today, I experimented with the tripod by getting different types of shots. Success? I wish I had gotten more photos of the flared pants. I've had a vendetta against flared pants ever since "skinnies" became popular, but alas, after trying on a pair of wide leg flared jeans the other day at Urban Outfitters, I am becoming more friendly with the fit again. (I need to go back to get those jeans, ugh!) So I took these Limited pants out of storage. For short girls like me (with butts), it's so unbelievably difficult to find pants that fit correctly without getting them tailored, but The Limited has a great selection in tons of different styles and fits!

Good weather, please stay, so I can wear cuter outfits. Okay? Thanks.

Love, love, love

 

(On Me: ZARA dress; On Boyfriend: H&M shirt, H&M denim skinny tie)

Yaaawn. Yesterday was the longest day ever, but Boyfriend and I managed to pull off a fabulous Valentine's Day date! For the past few years, our Valentine's Day tradition has been to go to a five course vegan dinner at Great Sage, a local vegan restaurant in Maryland. And boy, was it creative and delicious. I never knew there could be such a thing as vegan "caviar."

So this dress is super special to me. I know I say that about a lot of my clothes, but this is one of the few items that reminds me of my amazing study abroad experience last summer in Salzburg, Austria. I actually purchased this dress at a ZARA in Austria, so it has a lot of sentimental value! I love every detail of this dress: the nude color, the embroidery, the buttons, and the nightgown-esque shape. It was easy to throw on after a long day at my internship and at school (Seriously, I literally threw this on in the journalism school's bathroom right after class.).

Oh, and who is this handsome boy you ask? That's Boyfriend! Also known as Shawn. His normal attire usually consists of ripped band t-shirts and skinny jeans, but on the rare occasion, he allows me to dress him (What a sweetie, I know!). His usual range of colors is also black, black and more black. But I couldn't resist putting him in army green and denim. I think the colors really complemented him! Oh, and his hair is spiked and awesome.

Anyway, hope everyone's day was filled with lots of love!

Laid-back Lumberjack

(L.L. Bean vintage plaid shirt, Target cardigan, American Eagle jean shorts, Target tights, H&M boots)

This weekend was all about relaxation for me. After a tough week, I decided to relax and spend time with Boyfriend, who finally switched his work schedule to be able to hang out with me on weekends again! We decided to make food all day and watch movies (FYI, I almost peed my pants watching Paranormal Activity 2).

This plaid shirt is one of the few vintage items in my closet. I found it a few years ago at a local thrift shop. I love it because it's fitted, and the flannel material is so warm! I love the concept of buying something that was once loved by someone, but my mom thinks all vintage clothing came off dead people, haha. Sadly, I haven't been able to go vintage shopping lately, but I will post a thrift store adventure in the future. 

So tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and I'm not sure whether I'm excited or not. First of all, Mondays suck. Second of all, my schedule on Mondays suck. Tomorrow, I'll be done with my day at 6:15 p.m., then I have to race home (hopefully, not in traffic), and then drive to an 8 p.m. dinner reservation. All the while, I have to be getting dressed and made up for the evening. Oy. I'm crossing my fingers real hard that I will be able to post my outfit. Plus, I want to post Boyfriend's outfit that I bought for him specifically for the occasion. Yes, he will be making his debut! How exciting!

All right, I'll stop being a party pooper already. Time to paint my nails and procrastinate some more. Sorry homework, my nails are in need of some lovin'.

A Splash of Color

(Forever 21 Gingham shirt, Forever 21 cardigan, American Apparel high waist skirt, Forever 21 tights, Steve Madden riding boots)

Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

This week was absolutely exhausting! School and internship are getting harder each day, so it's time to put my A-game on... but not until after the weekend, haha.

In an effort to get my spirits up, I decided to wear really bright colors today. This is waaaay out of my comfort zone, but I ended up loving the look! FYI, the tights are Forever 21 keep your legs amazingly warm!

I can't say I took full credit for this outfit though. I was on Kendi Everyday the other day, and she almost the exact same outfit (but hers was way cuter!). I loved how she paired bright, fluorescent colors with olive and mustard hues. That girl can pair colors like it's nobody's business!

Anyway, after a long day in the basement of the Library of Congress, it's time to crash and hang with Boyfriend. Happy weekend all!

Holy Pleats!

(H&M striped shirt, Target cardigan, Urban Outfitters pleated skirt, ZARA belt, Target tights, Urban Outfitters t-strap heels)

Holy cow was today stressful! Not only did I have to deal with unhelpful people on the phone today at my internship, but I've got tons of homework to do. Luckily, I've gotten through most of everything, so I'm finally starting to wind down today.

Since I didn't post Monday, I figured I would amp up my outfit today. I've had this pleated skirt for over a week now, but I haven't worked up the courage to wear it today. And it's a good thing I did because I needed to be fierce for the hurdles I dealt with! I love pleats because they look so traditional, professional and crisp. And the length of the skirt made me feel like a librarian versus a grandma, haha. 

Also, today is the first day I've ever worn heels on campus! Man, did I feel cool like those stylish girls who strut around campus in pumps. Although, my gams aren't exactly happy. 

Now, off to be studious! Hopefully, Boyfriend will rub my overworked feet later.

Animal Instinct

(Forever 21 leopard print cardigan, Forever 21 racerback tank, ZARA stretchy metal scale belt, Michael Kors watch)

Hello world! Chromeo wiped me out so I've been hibernating ever since the show. But now I'm back, and I've brought with me great buys from the weekend!

I have a confession. I'm pretty obsessed with leopard print, but sadly, I haven't work much lately. That was until I discovered this beauty at Forever 21 this weekend. I'm a fan of bigger leopard prints and slouchy sweaters, so this baby fit all my criteria!

Okay, so bad news: my favorite BDG jeans ripped. Sooo sad. R.I.P.

But good news: I bought an "intermediate" pair at Forever 21 for $20!

What do I mean by "intermediate"? Well, one of my New Year's resolutions was to get in shape (so cliche, I know), but to my surprise, I'm doing well (thank you cardioboxing class!) I jumped down two sizes so far, and I couldn't be more excited! So, sorry for the exclamation mark overload. Well, since I couldn't live without jeans, I bought a cheaper pair for now until I reach my goal weight. Bikini bod, here I come!

Don't turn the lights on

(Target pleather vest, Forever 21 racerback tank, Forever 21 high waist knit trousers, Forever 21 jewelry)

Sorry, only one picture today! I'm running around trying to get ready for Chromeo tonight. Gotta make a Red Bull run, so I can dance my butt off to the electrofunk greatness. Hope you all are dancing tonight!

Update

Oh you know, just pictures of me with Dave 1 and P-Thugg. No biggie. BEST NIGHT EVER.

Army Swag

(Forever 21 sweater, Forever 21 shorts, Forever 21 pyramid stud necklace, Target tights, Dr. Martens boots)

Last week, my mama bought me this lovely sweater. Normally, I don't wear green much, but I do love the army green look! 

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of girls sporting tights with jean shorts or leather shorts, so I decided to try it out myself. And brrr, it's going to take some getting used to! I don't know how you girls do it in the cold! Luckily, my tights have been keeping me warm.

My Dr. Martens boots are very special to me. If you don't know, I've had them since I was a freshman in high school when I was super punk, oh yeah! I just recently pulled them out of storage and have been wearing them quite often ever since. I'll probably keep these boots for the rest of my life. Hopefully, I'll look good wearing them as a grandma. Ha.

Did you notice? I parted my hair in the middle! I haven't done this since... well, middle school! My inspiration for this is Kourtney Kardashian. Gotta love her style and her hair! However, I need tips for volume. Every time I blow dry my hair, it seems to go flat within seconds. Got any secrets to big hair for me?

Let's brighten things up a bit

(Banana Republic sweater, ZARA tapered khakis, Merona suede wedges, Michael Kors watch)

So the storm didn't end up hitting the Maryland area, but instead, we got a great surprise: warmer weather, which called for brighter colors at my internship today! Finding work appropriate pants has always been an issue for me (hello, hips!) because the usual pant silhouette is flared. However, I always find that flared pants make me look shorter than I am and hug my hips in the most unflattering ways. Thank goodness for ZARA and their plethora of tapered pants, which have become my new best friend next to jeggings.

Hopefully, by the end of the week, you guys won't have to see me in front of my doorstep anymore. I can't seem to find any time to take pictures right now unless it's in the morning before I head out to work and school. But stay tuned kids, I'm going to be out and about this weekend to see Chromeo (one of my favorite bands ever), so many outfits need to be scoured!

Maximum Comfort

(H&M maxi dress, Forever 21 wrap cardigan, Forever 21 chain necklace, Forever 21 belt, Steve Madden biker boots)

I am in love with the new maxi length trend I've been seeing lately, especially for winter weather. To feel extra warm and comfortable, I layered my wrap cardigan with my long sleeve maxi dress. Today, I'm all about being cozy. And since another storm may hit Maryland again, I wore my biker boots just in case I have to trek around campus in the sleet.