Thrifty Shopper
Posted: August 2, 2012 Filed under: Have Fun Tonight, Steppin' Out | Tags: Dresses, Heels, Purses, Thrifted, Vintage Leave a comment
I’ve had to be careful about my spending habits these past few months. It’s almost become a weekly ritual to go shopping. The only way I don’t feel too guilty about my frequent spending is if I go to the thrift store. I bought this dress with the tags still on for a cool $10 at a nearby Goodwill. I wore it to a dear old college roommate’s wedding earlier this summer.
I think I’m now addicted to thrift store shopping. If I’m not buying clothes, I’m buying purses (note: this purse is part of my vintage/thrift store-purchased collection). I also search for jewelry and home decor. In fact, it’s gotten so bad, I can’t remember the last time I bought a clothing-related item for myself at a regular store.
This isn’t to say that I won’t go back to shopping at the mall. Speaking of weddings, I should start looking for a nice gown for my cousin’s wedding next year (it’s supposedly going to be a black tie event). We’ll see what I can find on the clearance rack.
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
Dress: twenty one/Goodwill
Heels: Steve Madden/Marshalls
Purse: Jay Herbert/thrifted
Bellwether Blues
Posted: July 21, 2012 Filed under: Have A Nice Day | Tags: Necklaces, Purses, Vests, Vintage Leave a comment
It’s not quite sweater weather yet, but when there is a slight chill in the air (or the air conditioning is on full blast), I do like to layer. I especially like the versatility of wearing vests; you can wear them year-round. Unfortunately, when it gets too hot, I have to retire this particular vest. But, on a day where you can stand to wear something for extra warmth, this vest is the way to go.
Some days I’m in the mood to wear a certain color. Blue was the color of choice for this outfit for what was supposed to be a simple mall outing (we ended up leaving the mall past midnight because of a traffic debacle, and so, to avoid idling in our car, we went to the movie theater and caught a late night show).
I added something from our Japan trip to my purse. The bell makes a “jingle-jangle” every time I step. I suppose it’s my way of making sure I don’t get lost in the crowd as well as having a memento of vacation to hold onto (sorry you have to witness a close-up of my dry hand).
What trends do you like to wear year-round? Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
Top: Shop with Velocity/Marshalls
Vest: Kaisley/Marshalls
Shorts (not pictured, but were definitely worn underneath my long top): Banana Republic/donated
Purse: vintage Coach
Shoes: Merona/Target
Necklace: Richelieu/vintage store
Summer Breeze
Posted: July 16, 2012 Filed under: Have A Nice Day | Tags: Cover Ups, Purses, Skirts, Sunglasses, Wedges Leave a comment
I almost wore this exact same outfit yesterday (note: the outfit pictured was from over a month ago). But, instead of a denim skirt, I wore denim shorts. And I wore my brown slingback flats. And–apparently, my outfit from yesterday was quite different from this outfit, although I did recycle what I wore up top. Anyway, this is one version of what I call “breezily casual” because this comfortable, flowy top is perfect for when I need some natural air conditioning (and air reminds me of the word breezy–get it?–ugh, sorry I have a horrible sense of humor.).
This is a fun summer outfit because I don’t feel over-exposed or too overdressed. I also wanted an excuse to wear my green wedges. I’ve decided that I absolutely need to start adding more color to my outfits. And wearing colorful shoes is a good place to start.
How’s everyone’s summer so far? Stay cool, my dears.
P.S. I hope my hyperextended elbow doesn’t freak out too many people.
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
Top: derek heart/Marshalls
Cover Up: Girl Talk/TJ Maxx
Skirt: Gap/donated
Wedges: Mossimo/Target
Purse: vintage Coach/thrifted
Sunglasses: London Fog/Marshalls
Tokyo Trip: One Last Look
Posted: July 9, 2012 Filed under: A Tourist For All Seasons, Loungin' | Tags: Belts, Dresses, Leggings, Purses, Socks, T-shirts, Vintage 2 Comments
And now for my last outfit of the trip (I really know how to extend my vacation, don’t I?). It wasn’t anything fancy; just something that I could wear and be comfortable in for the long journey home.
I reworked my leggings from earlier in the trip and layered with socks (I thought that I had forgotten to pack my gray socks, but apparently, I didn’t look hard enough). This was essentially my version of a nightgown that I could wear in public (by this time, I also had a full-blown cold, so I really couldn’t have cared less about what I was wearing).
The best part about this outfit was the vintage suitcase that I bought a few weeks before our trip. It’ll probably be the first and last time that I’ll use it though. The fabric started to unravel and I was afraid the whole thing was going to be in pieces by the time we made it to the airport. Luckily, it survived–and thankfully, you all survived my drawn out recap of our trip. I miss Tokyo, but I hope we’ll be able to go back and see more of Japan someday. In the meantime, I’ll see you stateside!
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
T-shirt: Something Navy/Marshalls
Dress: Old Navy/Old Navy
Leggings: Xhilaration/Target
Socks: Charter Club/Macy’s
Shoes: Big Buddha/DSW
Belt: Betsey Johnson/ TJ Maxx
Purse: Chinese Laundry/gift
Bow: WEGO in Harajuku
Suitcase: vintage/boutique store in Delaware
Tokyo Trip: Pocket Moments
Posted: July 4, 2012 Filed under: A Tourist For All Seasons, Have A Nice Day | Tags: Camisoles, Flats, Pants, Purses, Socks Leave a comment
For Day 6 of our trip, we went outside of the city and into Kawagoe, a quieter area with small shops and restaurants. I wore a flowy top, which in my mind’s eye, was my closest approximation to a kimono (please excuse my dour face; this is when I was starting to not feel too well).
Since I was starting to get the sniffles, I had several tissues in my pocket. I’ve realized that I feel incomplete if I’m wearing an outfit without pockets; I need pockets to store essentials or for a place to rest my hands. Thankfully, my skinny cargo pants has many pockets.
We walked around and enjoyed the smaller town-feel. As the sun moved out from under the clouds, the day got a little bit hotter. I used our umbrella to shade myself, almost wishing I had a prettier parasol instead.
We went back to Ginza tired yet sad that this would be our last night in Japan. We wanted to go to a hibachi, but since we were tired, we settled on McDonald’s and ate our food while watching a variety show in our hotel room. An unexpected yet fun way to end our trip.
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
Top: Living Doll LA/TJ Maxx
Camisoles: (1) Merona/Target; (2) Imaginary Voyage/Marshalls
Pants: Almost Famous/Marshalls
Flats: Mossimo/Target
Socks: Target
Belt: Calvin Klein/Marshalls
Purse: Chinese Laundry/gift
Tokyo Trip: Mish-Mash Mood
Posted: June 20, 2012 Filed under: A Tourist For All Seasons, Have A Nice Day | Tags: Flats, Jeggings, Purses, Scarves, T-shirts, Thrifted Leave a comment
This is my outfit from Day 5 of our trip. I ended up going on a solo excursion because Chris wasn’t feeling well, so I saw this as a perfect opportunity to go antiquing. Fortunately, there was an antique mall just a block away, so I was able to comfortably spend an hour or two perusing the display cases. By the time I came back, Chris had enough energy to tour another area. We decided to spend the rest of the day in Akihabara and then come back to Ginza (where we were staying).
Unfortunately, it was another rainy day, so I had to bring my raincoat. I know the rain can’t give you a cold, but I’m sure the conditions (weather being cooler, being jet-lagged and sleep deprived, and being around someone who was already sick) helped to lower my immunity; I started to feel worn out by the end of the day.
But luckily, these pictures were before I started to feel under the weather. I did combine a mish-mash of items to create this outfit. I liked how an older woman on the street had worn her scarf, so I emulated her style by wearing my scarf (worn for the second time on this trip) in a similar way. I was also in a menswear mood, so I added my vest over a Harry Potter shirt that I hadn’t worn up until that day (I packed it because I knew it would serve as a cool white t-shirt for me).
To add more color and depth to my outfit, I wore a short navy blue skirt over my jeggings. I think I was in a layering mood that day (note: my amused look is because I had to move out of the way to let someone pull their cart out).
Back in Ginza, I admired the store displays:
I have two more outfits to share with you. We’re almost there!
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
T-shirt: Harry Potter/Hot Topic
Vest: vintage/thrifted
Scarf: Totes/thrifted
Skirt: Old Navy/Old Navy
Jeggings: Grane/Marshalls
Flats: Mossimo/Target
Purse: Chinese Laundry/gift
Tokyo Trip: Let’s Go For the Bow
Posted: June 17, 2012 Filed under: A Tourist For All Seasons, Have A Nice Day, Oh My Cuteness, Somebody's Old Clothes to Love | Tags: Purses, Skirts, Thrifted, Vintage 2 Comments
And here is my Day 4 outfit. It was my favorite outfit of the trip. When I originally bought this skirt, I envisioned wearing a black cami and wearing a scarf around my neck as an ensemble. However, when I bought this bow hair clip during a short jaunt to Harajuku earlier in the week, it inspired me to wear my black and white striped shirt with the skirt instead. In fact, the fashion inspiration that I got from my hair clip made me want to go back and spend more time in Harajuku (which we ended up doing later in the day).
But first, Chris wanted to see a panoramic view of the city, so we went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. We took pictures in the square and went up to the observation deck afterwards. Unfortunately, we were unable to see Mt. Fuji, but we were able to get a bird’s eye view of Tokyo (note: all of my outfit photos were taken at ground level!).
I added Totoro to my purse because 1) he’s a cute cartoon character, and 2) I wanted to add a bit of Japanese style to my everyday look.
We then spent most of the afternoon in the Harajuku and Omotesando area. I bought a cute vintage dress in a thrift store in Harajuku (sorry that it’s not pictured!). I hope to wear the dress sometime in the fall or on a cool day (sadly, the material isn’t hot weather-friendly).
I’ll share more from the rest of our trip (only 3 more outfits left!). Hope everyone had a good weekend (and a Happy Father’s Day!)!
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
Top: Poof!/TJ Maxx
Skirt: vintage/thrifted
Belt: Betsey Johnson/TJ Maxx
Shoes: Big Buddha/DSW
Purse: Chinese Laundry/gift
Bow: WEGO/Harajuku
Earrings: Guess/Macy’s
Keychain (Totoro): shop in Nakano
Tokyo Trip: These Shoes Weren’t Made For Walking
Posted: June 13, 2012 Filed under: A Tourist For All Seasons, Have A Nice Day | Tags: Cover Ups, Dresses, Shoes Leave a comment
I inadvertently showed a little bit more skin on Day 3 of our trip (hence my serious, slightly ashamed look). That day, I noticed that there weren’t many (if any) women who wore tank tops or halter-style tops. Before the trip, I didn’t really research the cultural norms when it came to clothing, so I felt a little self-conscious once I realized I was exposing more skin than everyone else. I think I had to adjust and readjust my top multiple times throughout the day.
One thing I remembered about halter tops: if they’re knotted too tightly to your neck, they can give you a neckache. So, ladies, please consider this when buying anything that ties around the neck.
Also, when walking in an endlessly traversable city, please remember to bring your comfortable shoes. And by comfortable, I don’t mean you can make do for a couple of hours; you should be able to wear these shoes for an entire day of travel. I ended up wearing these shoes just once during the entire trip. And once was enough.
We took photos at Tokyo International Forum and later, we went to Nakano for some fun shopping.
More to come!
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
Dress: Xhilaration/Target
Cover Up: Charlotte Russe/gift
Shoes: Eastland/vintage
Tokyo Trip: Wandering In the Rain
Posted: June 11, 2012 Filed under: A Tourist For All Seasons, Have A Nice Day | Tags: Coats, Purses, Socks Leave a comment
It’s time for Day 2 photos from our trip to Tokyo, Japan. Chris and I were seriously jet-lagged, so we wandered the streets of Ginza at 5 am. It was so peaceful. It felt like we had the whole city to ourselves for about 20 minutes.
There are so many high-end department stores in Ginza with fabulous architecture. I was intrigued by the store fronts, and Chris was fascinated by the buildings (but he took pictures of the displays for me).
We wandered over to the Tsukiji Fish Market. There were a lot of stalls and a lot of seafood being sold.
And then we took a train to Shibuya. I kept my coat on the whole day because it was raining. I think I was the only person who used my raincoat for protection. Almost everyone seemed to own a full-sized, plastic umbrella.
Thankfully, the following day was sunny. Stay tuned for more pictures!
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
Coat: Seven/TJ Maxx
Dress: Poetry Clothing/Marshalls
Socks: Merona/Target
Shoes: Big Buddha/DSW
Purse: Chinese Laundry/gift
Tote bag: Little Anchor show
Tokyo Trip: Sunny Day in Mitaka
Posted: June 4, 2012 Filed under: A Tourist For All Seasons, Have A Nice Day | Tags: Belts, Flats, Leggings, Pants, Scarves Leave a comment
I’m finally back! We got back from our trip to Tokyo, Japan about a week ago. Unfortunately, I’ve been recovering from an awful cold the past week, so I didn’t have the energy to post anything. Now, I’m finally feeling more like myself (with just a hint of jet lag left in me). It’s time to update everyone on our adventures abroad!
This was the first time in Tokyo for Chris and me. We loved the vibe of the city, were amazed by the architecture, and were both intrigued by the fashion.
For the first full day of our trip, we went to the Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. We’re both fans of Hayao Miyazaki films, so Chris was able to purchase tickets at a Japanese travel agency in the States prior to leaving for Japan. We weren’t able to take pictures inside the museum, but we took plenty of pictures outside.
I was unsure of the weather, so I layered with leggings and cropped pants. As I was packing for our trip, I had a feeling that I would see a lot of young women wearing leggings. I was correct in my assumption; however, most of the leggings were of the stirrup type (this is when I wish I took more pictures of the fashion in Tokyo!).
Can’t wait to show you more pictures! I’ll try to post more this week!
Outfit (Designer/Purchased from):
Top: Monamie/Marshalls
Pants: Old Navy/Old Navy
Scarf: Totes/thrifted
Belt: Calvin Klein/Marshalls
Leggings: Xhilaration/Target
Flats: Mossimo/Target
Looks So Fine 