Viva Las Vegas - Day Two: Shopping Spree

  

 

E here, I'm moving onto day two of the vacation fashion series from my Vegas trip. As I mentioned in my last post, it's essential to only pack items that you will get maximum use value out of. Take this outfit for instance, the loafers that I'm wearing are comfortable for long days of walking. Furthermore, they are quite stylish and can be worn with jeans and a tank, or with a dress like I'm wearing here. After all, the lighter your suitcase is, the more new clothes and shoes you can buy! [There is nothing wrong with splurging on vacation.]

 

 

Thrifted items: dress: Betsey Johnson $7.99 (Goodwill,) cardigan: Banana Republic $7.99 (Goodwill,) purse: $5.99 (Goodwill.) Non-thrifted items; loafers: Pink & Pepper $15 (Fred Meyer.)

 

 

As I said, there is nothing wrong with splurging a little on vacation, especially when in Vegas! [Wink, wink.] I have to say, I was pretty excited to embark on a shopping spree because of all the great shopping centers located within a two mile radius on the strip. It seems like every casino that you go into has its own mini mall. I was especially excited because there are a lot of stores in Vegas that we don't have here. Which store was I most excited for? It was a close tie between Topshop and Zara. We just had a grand opening for a Zara store here in Seattle, but I haven't had a chance to make it over there yet. Topshop has become pretty popular on this side of the pond recently.

 

 

When it comes to shopping, I always try to find the best deals for my money. I'll be honest, whether I'm shopping at a thrift store or at the mall, I always opt for the salesclearance racks. I wouldn't call myself "cheap" (I prefer thriftnista,) it's just that sale prices are more appealing to me. Besides, I always find the most unique and interesting pieces on the sale rack.

 

Take this dress for example, it was originally $52 and I only paid $30 for it. The necklace was originally $30 and I got it for $15. Voila, the perfect outfit for a night out on the town. Not bad for Topshop right? 

As for the purse, it was a pretty good deal considering how much quality leather purses go for these days. Personally, Dooney and Bourke is one of my favorite brands. I love the classic, retro feel of their purses. I always feel like I get my money's worth with their products because they last forever. Stay tuned for more photos and trip details. Until next time.

-E

 

Bundled Up In Sunshine

 

 

 

 

 

E here, can you believe its almost February? I don't know about you, but I'm ready for spring. As the weather starts to warm up, so does my wardrobe! Lately the rain has been fairly minimal so I've been able to pull some of the lighter pieces out of my closet. The key to wearing skirts and dresses this time of year is to bundle up in warm layers.

 

 

Thrifted items; wool coat: Banana Republic $29.97 (Goodwill,) sweater: Ann Taylor Loft $7.99 (Goodwill,) print skirt: Forever 21 $5.99 (Value Village.) Non-thrifted items; geometric necklace: Forever 21 $6.99, watch: Fossil $69.97 (Nordstrom Rack,) boots: Pink & Pepper $30 (Fred Meyer,) blue tights: Legale $4.00 (Fred Meyer.)

 

 

As you may have guessed by now, I like colored tights. Since the weather in Seattle is typically too chilly for bare legs, I wear tights to provide a little extra protection from the elements. Besides, colored tights are a fun and easy way to add a little color and personality to an outfit. Right now mustard colored tights are all the rage but unfortunately that color doesn't work for me.

 

 

I have a fair complexion so I try to pick colors that will contrast nicely with my hair, but won't wash me out at the same time.  When picking colored tights/leggings you want to try and pick colors that compliment your complexion and skin tone. If you want to be bold and venture out of your comfort zone, colors such as red, blue, green, yellow, and purple are pretty easy to find at most stores or online. I recommend brands like Hue, Legale, and Chinese Laundry because they hold up really well in the wash, and they tend to come in a wide variety of colors, textures, and sizes.

Well thanks for stopping by! Until next time.

-E



I'm Preppy and I Know It

 

 

E here, another lovely day in Seattle. I hope that your new year has gotten off to a good start, mine definitely has. I recently went on quite the massive thrift haul, check back soon for the details on that adventure. Today I went for a preppy chic look. Over the past couple of years I have gone through several style reinventions and phases, but I have always been drawn to the preppy look. The funny thing about this outfit is that the sweater/button down combo that I'm wearing is actually one piece.

 

 

 I typically stay away from built-in one piece combos because I find them to look tacky. However, in this case I don't think that you can even tell that the sweater and undershirt are sewn together. Either way, I think that the sweater really adds to the overall look of the outfit, so much so that it reminds of my private school days! I worked really hard to make sure that this outfit looked polished-preppy, and not school-girl preppy. In order to pull off the polished-preppy look without it looking like a uniform, its important not to get carried away with making the pieces too matchy-matchy that they appear looking uniform.

 

 

 

Here, I took some pieces from my latest haul (my Coach loafers) and paired them with some great pieces that I already had in my closet. The key to perfecting the polished-preppy look is to stick with items that you are comfortable wearing. After all, I don't know about you, but polo shirt dresses are just not my thing. Whenever I put together an outfit that has preppy qualities to it, I try not to overdo it by making the outfit as casual chic as possible. If the preppy look is not your style, than just stick to basic style staples from the preppy look-book to enhance your closet (i.e. - trench coats, loafers, cardigans, etc.)

 

 

Thrifted items; two piece sweater: Forever 21 $3.99 (Value Village,) trench coat: Banana Republic $10 (Value Village,) loafers: Coach $7.99 (Value Village.) Non thrifted items; jeans: JCPenny's $25, scarf (not pictured) Nordstrom - B.P. department $10.

 

 

Don't get me wrong I definitely keep up with what's currently trending, but ultimately, I will always prefer the classic look because its simply timeless. However as I have said before, you don't need to spend a lot of money to look and feel like a million bucks. Each look that I create is practically 85% thrifted, everything else that I am wearing I've spent a bit more of money on to get longer use value out of. Well that's all for now, as I mentioned earlier I will post the details of my latest thrift haul soon. I guarantee that you will want to read all about it once you see what coveted designer brands I snatched up! Also, I will provide some great shopping and styling tips to help you achieve maximum results on your next thrifting adventure. Ta-tah for now!

-E

Layering 101: Corduroy

 

 

 

E here, corduroy was never my thing growing up, but as I got older I started to look at it differently. For a long time I had always thought of corduroy as being really dated, but then I saw other people wearing it and I changed my tune. When paired with the right pieces corduroy can look refined and polished.

 

 

The thing about corduroy is knowing what to pair it with so it doesn't end up looking too frumpy. Since corduroy is so structured, I decided to pair it with plaid and a delicate feminine scarf to create contrast. Most people think that everything needs to be matchy-matchy but I find that to be boring. Outfits are more interesting when you mix them with different prints and textures.

 

 

Thrifted items; corduroy blazer: Banana Republic $9.99 (Goodwill,) plaid button down: Indigo $4.99 (Goodwill.) Non-thrifted items; jeans: Levi's $15 (Macy's,) boots: Pink & Pepper $30 (Fred Meyer,) scarf: H&M $8, aviators: Sperry's $30 (Nordstrom Rack.)

 

 

 

Here I tried to keep it simple and go for a casual, laid back, layered look. It might have been sunnier here than the rest of the country, but it was still cold! When putting together layered looks, I try to go for pieces that will layer easily (in terms of movement.) I always make sure when I buy blazers or jackets that they are a size bigger so that I am still able to layer underneath them. Well that's all for now, hope my tips help. Until next time!

-E

Making A Blaze Into 2014

 

 

 

 

E here, as we get closer to the final countdown to the new year this will be my last post of 2013! I hope you've enjoyed reading my blog so far, I promise to be a better blogger in the new year. As for today's outfit, I went for something simple yet chic. Blazers make any outfit look chic, whether paired with jeans and a white shirt, or belted over a dress. Here, I added a belt and necklace to top off the outfit. The great thing about accessorizing is that it polishes off any outfit. The trick is not to go too overboard. I tried to pick accessories that complimented the colors and pattern of the blouse and the fit of the blazer.

 

 

 When looking at blazers and trying to pick the right one for you keep in mind the shoulders (shoulder pads,) length of the sleeves, and overall tailoring. Once you figure out the right fit for your body type layering becomes a cinch. Women's blazers are typically very fitted, so I like to look in the men's section. In this case, I scored the blazer in the women's section for really cheap. My favorite detail of the blazer is the inner lining of the sleeves which are pinstriped and look great when rolled up. If blazers just don't work for you, you can still create polished layered looks with accessories.

 

 

 Thrifted items; blazer: Merona $5.99
 (Value Village,) blouse: Mac & Jac $4.99 (Goodwill,) boots: Steve Madden $22.50 (Crossroads Trading Co,) cardigan: Banana Republic $7.99 (Goodwill.) Non-thrifted items; jeans: JCPenny's $25, necklace: Charlotte Russe $5.

 

That's all for today. Check back soon for New Years photos. Hope you and yours have a great NYE. Cheers to my first year of reinvention, and many more to come!

-E

A Touch of Audrey: Breakfast At Tiffany's Reinvented

 

 

 

 

E here, today's post was particularly fun to do because of the theme of my outfit. Ever since I discovered a Breakfast at Tiffany's shirt for $5 on a clearance rack at Target last week I was excited. Anyone that knows me can tell you that I adore Audrey Hepburn. I have seen every single Audrey Hepburn movie ever made, and Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady are in a close tie for my favorite. However in the end, I have to say that Breakfast at Tiffany's wins. The heartbreaking story of a country girl's transformation into a swanky Manhattan socialite is so compelling.

 

[Image: EW.com]

 

 Perhaps my favorite scene in the entire movie is when Holly is sitting on the fire escape singing Moon River and playing a ukulele. Throughout the movie Holly looks very glamorous, but in this particular scene she still looks sophisticated in just jeans, flats, a sweatshirt, and a bandana. From that moment on I wanted to be just like Audrey Hepburn! She always looked so effortlessly chic and sophisticated, but still managed to retain her own unique look and style.

 

 

Thrifted items; trench: Banana Republic $10. Non-thrifted; shirt: Target $5, skirt: Joe B $10 (Fred Meyer,) boot socks: Fred Meyer $6, boots: Madden Girl $25 (Fred Meyer,) ring: Curfew $5 (Fred Meyer,) pearl necklace: vintage (borrowed.)

                 

 

I thought the bow ring really added to the outfit. For just $5 the ring added sparkle and a pop of color. You don't need a lot of accessories, but rather pieces that add  just the right polish and glam factor.

 

 

I had to have my picture taken in front of Tiffany's of course!

Well that's all for now. Until next time. Happy Wednesday!

-E