The Daily Fashionista

A Dotty Uniform

2012-02-11T08:02:00.000-08:00

Vintage sweater and mini dress? Check!!! I feel like this has been my uniform as of late. When I want to find something quick to wear from my closet I grab the closest cardigan and dress and hope it works. Fortunately for me, this worked out quite well, so I made Zach take pictures of it before I headed off to work. It was so glorious outside, that I didn't even need a coat and its just a comfy thing to wear for a long Friday at work.

Do you guys have a type of uniform? You know, something that you wear that you know will look nice and well put together, with very little thought. I know this outfit doesn't seem crazy cool or inventive or whatever, but if its something that makes me feel good, then I go with it.

So now the weekend is here and I should be sleeping in, I found myself struck with insane insomnia. This hits me randomly every few weeks and I usually just lay in bed trying to concentrate on nothing and just fall asleep, but it just doesn't happen. After laying there for about 6 hours I had enough and decided to watch a couple hours of hulu and do some blogging. I mean, what else is there to do when the whole world is asleep?

Dress and Loafers, Modcloth

Cardigan and Bag, Vintage

Ring and Tights, H&M

Going Girly

2012-02-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

What a difference a couple of days make. This outfit screams girly to me. The bright floral dress, the orange tights and the opened toed wedges? Way, way different. Which is why I dress for my moods. I feel like I don't hone into one type of style in particular. I like to mix it up based on how I'm feeling. So if you see me in repetitive black ensembles, it's safe to say that I'm probably sad or something.

So, this is one of the dresses I scored from Modcloth during their Cabin Fever Sale, and I am in love. The fabric feels soft and silky, and the lace peter pan collar is just cutesy cute. All of the colors in the floral pattern make it so much fun to pair with just about any colored tights. I'd even say, maybe some bright teal ones, just to add some contrast.

Lastly, apparently wearing opened toed wedges with tights is still passé. I got the weirdest looks while in the cafe, but it could have also been because I was wearing the brightest tights know to man. Meh. I just shrug it off.

Dress, Modcloth
Wedges, X-Appeal ...gift from friend...I don't think they're porn shoes ;)
Tights, Topshop
Hat, With Lavender and Lace

Pretty, Frilly, and Leather

2012-02-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

Pretty and frilly is how I would best describe this dress. Its covered in flowers and ruffles in a cream and black motif. Quite similar to some curtains I used to have, actually. I saw it in a thrift store with the tags still attached and I kind of liked it but I wasn't sold on it completely. It was screaming, Easter Sunday too me. Naturally, my friend urged me to at least try it on. Here's something new you can know about me. I hate trying on clothes in the changing room. I'd equate it to a chore like washing dishes or folding laundry. But my friend is an avid believer in trying on anything that might have potential. Thankfully she was there with me on that fateful day of dress shopping. Hahaha...I make it seem so dramatic!!!

To combat the ultra girly vibe, I made sure to add some less saccharine elements. My leather and metal bracelets and leather jacket seemed to fit the bill and then the addition of the beanie. Coincidentally, I read my Refinery29 email this morning on tips for wearing beanies and I decided on the "Ashton" style to rock this frilly frock.

And the extra touch of fun came from my bracelets!!! I absolutely love these bracelets all together. The InPink metal and leather bracelet is such a great combination of materials and then the rhinestone and leather bracelets just add more texture.

Thrifted Dress, Converse for Target

Jacket, Tulle

Booties, Target

Bracelets, InPink, Lia Sophia, & Forever21

Bag, Deux Lux

Vintage Modern Mix-Up

2012-02-05T06:44:00.000-08:00

Nothing strikes my fancy more than mixing my vintage treasures with some of my more modern pieces in my wardrobe. Putting together my outfits can usually be as fun as piecing together a puzzle of different eras and styles!! You should head on over to Virginie's Cinema to read my tips on how to incorporate vintage pieces with modern day wears.

A Swoon Worthy Vintage Shop

2012-02-03T07:19:00.000-08:00

I recently visited one of my favorite favorite vintage stores (this includes all of the vintage stores I've visited across the country and this one is by far my favorite) With Lavender and Lace. Kelsie is the shop owner and does such a fantastic job of making a vintage boutique feel homey and welcoming. She may also have live music going on if you're lucky to stumble upon it. I wanted to introduce you guys formally to her shop, since most of my nice vintage has been bought from her store. She has an online store, With Lavender and Lace with just as many lovely things to peruse and buy.

Kelsie is talented in many many ways. Not just in the ways of merchandising a beautiful vintage store, but also in photography and music. Her collective arts are showcased on her blog, With Lavender and Lace and I highly suggest you check her out. There is just so much pretty to absorb on her site!!

And of course, no vintage boutique would be full without some cute kitschy housewares!!! I, for one, am loving the drunk bull glass. Why I didn't take that home, is beyond me!!

Grab Your Partner and Do-Si-Do

2012-02-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

Am I insane? I think I might be. Something came over me and made me buy a square dancing dress when I went thrifting last week. Who knew there could be square dancing dresses aplenty, all candy colored and pretty!!! But how does one wear a square dancing dress in real life? The answer is, I really have no clue. I thought it'd be funny to wear my platform mary-janes with it since square dancers typically wear mary-janes. Or I think they do.

And because the square dancing dress is pretty busy in itself, I decided to keep my look minimal with no accessories. Vibrant green and lace plus the crazy huge platforms kind of jazzed it up enough. I'm trying to figure out other ways to wear this outfit once spring comes around. It's much more spring-like in its color and silhouette. If you have any ideas, send them my way!! Or maybe I'll sign up Zach and I for square dancing lessons. I might as well, since I have the dress already.

Sparkle, Sparkle!!

2012-01-29T09:42:00.000-08:00

Some days you just want to sparkle like the ocean at sundown. Or you just want to be as reflective as possible so you can blind others as they pass by on their bikes. I was little guilty of that, but it was an accident I swear!! So long as they didn't ride off into the Hague.

I couldn't stop piling on the sparkly items. My shiny nylon skirt, leopard sequined blouse, gold shoes and glittery necklace were just begging to be put together. It was a really fun outfit to wear while walking down by the water. Plus, such a vibrant outfit leads to exhibiting some personality. I love giving people a hint at my personality by what I wear before I even meet them. I'm a little nutty and colorful, so there you go. I wouldn't go so far to say I have a sparkling personality, because that's a corny pun and a bit pompous. Haha.

Quick story about the shoes. My friend Brittany got these from Golden Ponies and didn't have much use for them so she gave them to me!!! It was serendipitous because I had a pair of these waiting in my etsy cart about to be purchased. I've seen a few bloggers wear them and had fallen in love with the simple shape and color. Who doesn't love golden shoes?!!!

Blouse, similar Forever21

Skirt, Urban Outfitters ---2 years ago

Belt, Vintage

Necklace, Le Mode Accessories

Shoes, Golden Ponies

Finding the Good

2012-01-27T17:49:00.000-08:00

It's strange, as I have aged a little more, I am finding myself more drawn to mini dresses. It should be the other way around, but what can I say. I guess I'm proud of my legs. For more than a year I've been walking about 2 miles a day with my commute to work and it's paid off. So yep. I think this dress is a tad too short and the fact that I got it from Forever21 might be the reason for that, but whatevs. I'm actually at a point in my life where I'm becoming comfortable in my own skin. I guess that comes with age too.

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend and really gets a chance to relax and unwind. I'll be going to a party and then doing lots of laundry. I take the good with the bad;) Oh and if you plan on leaving a comment make sure to include something you love about yourself. Positive thoughts about ones' self lead to higher self-esteem and happy feelings.

Dress, Forever21

Tights, Target

Platforms, Urban Outfitters

Cardigan, Vintage

Scarf, Old Navy ...many moons ago

But Get That Ice or Else No Dice

2012-01-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

It's been a few days since I've last updated my blog!!! The weather just won't stay nice!! That is, until this morning when I woke up to pretty blue skies and birds chirping. I think Mother Nature has been confused lately. Anywho, I took advantage of the nice weather and called up my sister to see if she wanted to take some shots of my outfit!! It was pretty early in the morning, but I love the light that comes from the morning sun. It's just perfect.

I was excited to put on a pretty dress and glam myself up a little for a morning romp to the park. A little ridiculous, but I'm not all that conventional when it comes to my wardrobe. I threw on my brightest dress and my platforms and then added this pretty new bracelet from Anjolee. They have such amazing selections for jewellery and this bracelet in particular is the most well made piece I've come across in the long time. Right down to it's clasps. It's glittery shine made my outfit seem way more put together than if I had decided to wear nothing. Plus, 3/4 sleeved dresses are a perfect match for bracelets.

And have you ever noticed that you might always gravitate towards some type of accessory to really put your outfit together? Diamond jewelry has always been something I reach for when it comes to making my outfits complete. Other people love shoes but I've always been a jewellery person, whether it be fine or fashion jewellery. Diamond tennis bracelets in particular are perhaps my favorite type of jewellery, mainly because they're so classic and timeless. Tennis bracelets are also perfect for adding a bit of shine and gleam to an otherwise casual outfit. I mean, you could wear jeans and a white tee and dress up your look with a tennis bracelet and still be chic.

Dress, ASOS

Platforms, Piperlime

Tennis Bracelet, c/o Anjolee

Hat, With Lavender and Lace Vintage

Capsule of Wonderful Things

2012-01-22T10:58:00.000-08:00

I wish I could make a capsule of all the wonderful things I did this weekend and keep it safe forever and only open it up if I truly needed a burst of good feelings. These past few days have been wonderful!! Friday was spent doing things all on my own. When you've been married for nearly five years, its so hard to find time for yourself. I spent my morning taking a long cold walk to a coffee shop to read, followed by a nice lunch with my friend Diane and her daughter, and I finally finished the day off by stopping by my friend, Kelsie's vintage store.

Saturday, Zach and I, plus our couple friends Brittany and husband trekked up to Richmond to meet up with Julia and her beau for a bit of thrifting and then dinner at the Capital Ale House. It's so cool the way the internets can connect people that you would otherwise never meet. Julia and Brittany are such cool ladies. Added bonus is that our guys get along too. That makes it so much better. Oh and I'd tell you all where I went thrifting, but I am keeping it a secret since I was told in secret ;) hehe.. But it was fantastic!! Lots of cheap cheap stuff!!! I even got a cute new pair of G.H. Bass leather loafers for .99 cents. Way cheaper than my local thrift store. Those jerks price those types of things for $10!!

And this is what I wore for my Friday full of frolicking. I'm totally in love with this glittery necklace from Shop Le Mode and the way it glitters like a chandelier. The skirt is a new addition of corduroy to my wardrobe from Ralph Lauren (of course thrifted) and then just a handful of other items from my closet to make an outfit that was worth photographing.

Cardigan, Vintage

Skirt, Blouse, Belt, Shoes, Thrifted

Necklace, Le Mode Accessories

Nail Color, Mint Sorbet from Sally Hansen

Making Use of Those Instax Photos

2012-01-20T11:27:00.000-08:00

The other day I mentioned I got new film for my Fuji Instax Mini and I thought it would be fun to show you guys some of the things I've done with them! The film is kind of pricey ($1 per photo) but the results are so cool, plus they are fun just to flip through and rekindle fond memories.

With these photos, I thought it would be interesting to make a banner to keep up on the wall. They can be proudly displayed in a cool fashion, plus it's a great feature for a blank wall.

Another thing you can do is make a collage!! I put mine up in my cubical at work so I can see pics of my travels, friends, and pets. It's nice to give my eyes a break from mundane paperwork and computer screens.

I received a journal as a present from my mother in law for Christmas and I finally figured out a creative use for it!! Doodles and instax photos!! Like a scrapbook, but less work.

Finally, if you're never quite sure what to do with those photos, or you're collecting them slowly for a project, keep them in a pretty bowl!! I have a vintage lotus bowl that is perfect for them. And looking at them in a bowl is just as keen on the eyes.

Doing My Birthday Dance

2012-01-19T09:29:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again!!! It's my birthday!!! And I feel like it's kind of a big one. I'm 27. I don't feel like I'm getting old or anything crazy like that, but it's kind of a milestone for me in a way. Can't really put my finger on it, but this year seems like it will be a real interesting year 27. So my plans for the year? Not much really. Just keep on keeping on. I'll probably come up with some sort of list of things I've liked to accomplish before I turn 28, but for now I haven't any sort of concrete idea. For the hell of it, here's how I felt on my birthday last year :)

Now that this day has come, I have the feeling that since I'm crawling into my late twenties and I'm married, people are going to be pestering me way more often about when I'm finally going to have children. For some reason people can't help but pry and poke and prod into when I plan on having a baby because "I'm not getting any younger". So there you have it. I may have a tinge of the birthday blues, but nothing that can't be cured with delicious Turkish dinner that I plan on having tonight :) Can't wait for that. Oh and drinks.

Well I'm off to celebrate!!! First by heading into work, then by having dinner and then relaxing. The real celebration happens on Friday when I take a day off from work to hang out with my awesome friend Diane and then on Saturday I'm going up to Richmond! Yippie!!!

Jacket, Tulle

Chambray Blouse, Thrifted

Pants, Urban Outfitters

Booties and Scarf, Target

Belt, Gift From Uncle N :) Thanks!! The belt is so nice!!

Remembering What Once Was

2012-01-17T16:01:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like awkwardly standing in front of a, now, defunct Union Mission to take outfit photos. Looking up at the building and marveling at all the history that manifested in there and then realizing it's all gone into an empty abyss where no one roams anymore, is kind of sad. It's a beautiful place from the outside. And it used to be the Navy YMCA so there are rumors of an indoor pool in this building. Quite interesting. And here it sits empty. Eventually it will turn into some very expensive apartments, but time will tell. Anywho.

So, something about this outfit seems a tad odd. A little too mismatched perhaps? Then again, I like it too. I mean, I wouldn't put an outfit on this blog if it looked stupid, right? Ok, don't answer that. Hehehe...we all wear some crazy things from time to time. In any case, at least it was warm and comfy!! Sweater tights, corduroy, and chunky printed cardigans do wonders on cold days.

Now, I hope you all had a fabulous weekend!!! I did!! Some of it was boring, but the highlights were buying an iPhone, going thrifting (thrift haul video coming soon!!), and lots of coffee dates. It's not a weekend unless I have an opportunity to drink coffee in a quiet and pretty coffee shop.

Blouse, Altered dress

JCrew Skirt, Thrifted

Tights, H&M

Sweater, Thrifted

Dolce Vita Boots, Target

Bag, Fabric and Handle

Seasonally Appropriate?

2012-01-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

So tell me this. Is this sweater season appropriate for January? I mean, I know it has reindeer leaping in the air and all, but it just seems like the perfect thing to wear on a cold January day. Maybe I'm wrong. As long as I'm not wearing bright red velour pants with it, I guess I'm in the clear.

I chose to wear a dramatic monochromatic look since I hardly ever wear head to toe black. It's a bit different to not have some form of color in my outfits, but today just seemed like a good day to don an all black look. I'm not depressed but when you're feeling rather blah, it feels good to wear something simplistic. But what it lacks in warmth in color, it makes up for in fabrics. A velvet dress is under the warm wool sweater and then I added this new handy dandy faux leather jacket to make my children's reindeer sweater just a tad more hip. I said a tad more hip, not totally hip ;) hehe...

Alrighty, I hope you all have a fabulous rest of your weekend. I'll be busy spending the rest of my day watching the NY Giants game. Please pray for my Giants!! I would love to see them cream Green Bay. Oh and I now have an iPhone (early bday gift from my boy) and I have an Instagram account all set up with pictures!! You can follow me at Daily_Fashionista .

Sweater, Dress, & Hat, Vintage
Jacket, Tulle
Shoes, Dolce Vita for Target
Ring, JewelMint

Windswept Morning

2012-01-13T10:57:00.000-08:00

It's Friday!!! Boy, I am so happy to finally see the end of the week! You know how some weeks just drag and drag and the end seems like a month away, rather than 2 or 3 days? Yeah, that's been my week. But I get to start anew tomorrow with a fun filled Saturday!! Can't wait.

And in case you can't tell, it was probably the coldest and windiest days we've had yet, this winter!! Still no snow though. I really hope I see some white fluffy stuff soon. Snow days are the best. It was fun taking these photos in the windy conditions since my hat kept trying to fly off my head. It was quite the spectacle. I could just imagine myself running like a crazy person in wedge booties down the street trying to catch my hat.

I guess you might want to know a little about my outfit. It's composed of some recent purchases made with my Christmas money and then some vintage. The wool skirt and hat are vintage, the blouse is from the clearance bin at H&M and the cardigan is a recent purchase from Target that was on super clearance!! If you're looking for new sweaters I highly recommend hitting up Target's 75% off clearance rack.

Coat and Blouse, H&M
Skirt, Thrifted
Hat, With Lavender and Lace
Booties and Cardigan, Target

Shimmery Body Suit--Day to Night

2012-01-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

When Vedette asked me to style another piece of shapewear into everyday wear, they gave me the challenge of wearing it for a day to night look. I took on the challenge (who doesn't love a challenge?) because I've become a huge fan of their shapewear!! This particular piece is called MARIAN and I love how comfortable it is and also the pretty lace details. I've actually worn this piece a few times since I got it a few weeks ago to give it a good test drive and it's just the best. I wore it under clothes, with clothes, and as a main staple in an outfit. It's pretty versatile!

Without further ado, here is my day time look!! This is something I'd wear to go thrifting, the mall, out to the movies, really anywhere. Although most of my looks are vintage I always like a change of pace for the weekend romping around and this is an outfit I'd classify as more urban.

The night time look is more elegant and you would probably find me wearing this out to a fancy dinner or even an opera with my husband. Basically, I took off everything from the first look and started to streamline. The long vintage skirt is something I've been struggling to wear and it seemed to go perfectly with the bodysuit!! I'm pleased.

Outfit No. 1
Bodysuit, c/o Vedette
Jacket, Tulle
Short and Boots, Target
Belt, Fred Flare
Lipstick, Revlon (Ravish me Red)

Outfit No. 2
Skirt, Vintage
Shoes, Target
Belt, Hummingbird Girls Vintage
Bracelet, Lia Sophia

Sunny Sundays

2012-01-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

Hello new visitors and followers coming from Selective Potential!!! I'm so excited to be sharing my life with you guys and I hope you enjoy clicking through my posts and outfits :) Looking at my stats the other day was a bit surreal. People from all over the world came to my blog these last couple of days and it's just amazing how small the world can feel when we can all connect over a blog or a forum and get to know one another. Ahh...Technology amazes me.

Anywho, it's a bright sunshiney day and I am lavishing in the beauty that is Sunday. Mondays can be rather hellish if you're in the 9-5 work world, so Sundays always hold a special place in my heart. And it's finally a nice cool day to put on my sweater tights I bought from H&M recently. I have to say I am quite pleased with their quality! They are super warm and the color is something of a cranberry red. Perfect for adding some color to a an outfit and a splash of texture.

Another highlight to my weekend? Well I received more film for my Fuji Instax camera!! I'll be posting a fun little post later this week on all the fun things you can do with those photos!! It's such a fun camera to have and I almost don't even mind spending the $20 to get 20 photos! (is that insane?) I hope not.

Sweater, Old Navy

Skirt, Tulles

Tights, H&M

Sabine Clogs, Piperlime

Purse, Fabric & Handle

Necklace, Tree and Kimball

Working the Holga

2012-01-06T15:10:00.000-08:00

I know I said I wouldn't use that Holga Lens for my Nikon so much for my blog but I couldn't help but give it another go. It was incredibly bright outside, plus I was in the downtown historic district and I love doing my photos there. If you're into Holgas you'll know that they work best in very bright light. So anywho, I love the way these look!!! It reminds me of a photo that would've been taken back in the 60s! The lighting was perfect! And if wondering why they appear blurry, that's just the way the lens works. But the blurriness adds mystery, don't you think?

And my outfit was a simple look but I was spending the day going out to breakfast and a movie with my friend. We saw My Week With Marilyn and it was a spectacular film!!! Michelle Williams was the perfect person to play Marilyn Monroe! I was almost tricked into thinking she was actually Marilyn Monroe. She was that good. So yeah, go see the movie!! You'll love it.

And for the record, I scored big time while thrifting over the weekend. One of my thrifted finds was this bbeige corduroy skirt!! New with tags and from J Crew. I'm over the moon ecstatic that I finally found a pretty corduroy mini for my winter looks. I'm sure it will transistion nicely into my spring looks as well.

A million thanks goes out to my friend Tieka for interviewing me for her Featured Blogger Winter Edition!! It was such a fun interview!! Check it out!!!

Ralph Lauren Top, Thrifted

J Crew Skirt, Thrifted

Dolce Vita for Target Flats, Target (obvs)

Jewellery and Hat, Vintage

A New Love Affair

2012-01-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

Where has the time gone?!! I've been so so busy lately that I haven't even had a chance to look at my blog reader these last few days. But at least it's been a happy busy. Busy with friends, cleaning home, and living life a little more. I've also started reading books again!! Yeah, life is good and I'm in a happy place.

I have also discovered a true love of stripes in my wardrobe. It's like I turned on a switch and all of a sudden I have a love affair with all things striped. And I thought why not make the best of the situation and just wear two sets of stripes and do a little bit of pattern mixing. Thick wide stripes with thinner stripes seemed like a logical choice. Then I put them with a pair of almost nude pants and black booties to soften the boldness of all the stripes.

I hope everyone had a fabulous New Years and you're all sticking to your resolutions!!! I haven't yet decided on resolutions for myself. I always work myself into the new habits of the new year but so far I'm learning to let go of stress a little bit better. So there's that!

Sweater Jacket, Old Navy

Top, H&M

BDG Pants, Urban Outfitters

Boots, Target

Necklace, Vintage Shop

New Year New Beginnings

2012-01-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years!!! I can't help but feel a little sad that the end of 2011 has come so quickly. I wish time would slow down just a bit so I can reflect, relax and live. Those will probably be my resolutions this year, seeing as I need to learn how to do those things more often. We'll see how that goes.

Along with the New Year I also started working a little on my wardrobe!! I'm still thrifting this year as my predominate means of wardrobe building, but I also want to try and find other things that inspire me that may cost a little more but will last a long time. Vintage shops are a good source for my aesthetic while also ensuring that my clothes are good quality. Since the opening of With Lavender and Lace in my neighbhorhood I've found some awesome gems!! This outfit includes three things from that store, so I am pretty sure I've grown to love it.

Check out these cool vintage-y photos!! I got Zach a Holga lens for our Nikon as a fun toy to use for photography outtings, but we thought it would be fun to use for outfit photos to see how it looked. I think they are so cool!! Not really the type of lens I'd use regularly but it's fun to try something new.

Hat, Sweater, and Ring, With Lavender and Lace
Vintage Skirt, Thrift
Heels, UO

Oops I Did It Again

2011-12-29T09:24:00.000-08:00

And we're back to the regularly scheduled program. That is, I'm back at doing just outfit photos and not overloading my blog with various photos of Christmas 2011. On second thought, let me take that last statement back, since apparently I'm still smothered in Christmas colored clothing. Le sigh..I tried folks, really I did. But something about these green tights keeps pulling me towards them! Throw in some red accessories and then the cute little buttons and it's yet again holiday themed. My bad ;)

So my Christmas was lots of fun. I did a mini gift exchange with two of my thrifting pals on Monday. It's so cool to be able to hop into a thrift store and buy items for your friends and they don't care if it's second hand or not!! Makes my life infinitely better!! My friends gifted me a cute velour owl art piece, a sweater, a pleated knit skirt and oven mitts!! Totally fun :) Then we watched White Christmas with Bing Crosby since I had never seen it before. Such a cute campy musical, if ever I saw one, but I loved it.

So what about you guys? Do you find it tacky if someone gives you something that came from the thrift store? I just want to know what your opinion is.

Dress, Vintage

Sweater, Vintage

Hat, Vintage

Dolce Vita for Target Shoes, Thrifted (New!)

Tights, JC Penney

Buttons, Vivi Dot

My Christmas in Photos

2011-12-27T17:19:00.000-08:00

When I was a child, my parents made sure to make Christmas a super special event every year. My parents weren't the types of buy my sister and I toys and such all throughout the year, so when Christmas came that was our time to enjoy new fun things to play with and share. Also, every Christmas when I was little, my sister and I would sleep in my room so to make sure we'd wake each other up on time and then casually tip toe to my parent's bedroom door to make sure we'd wake them up too. The number 1 rule on Christmas morning was to not come downstairs until Mom made sure Santa didn't make a mess (or something like that). Then after about 5 minutes of my parents setting up the camera (which felt like an hour when you're 8 years old) my parents would call us to the living room and then came the most euphoric feeling of the year.

Oddly enough, even though I'm 26, my parent's still make sure to give my sister and I that same feeling on Christmas morning. It's a little different now, since Zach and I drive to their house instead of my sister and I trampling down the stairs to see our Christmas tree lit up with presents underneath.

It was a fabulous Christmas morning and I'm happy to share all the photos of my family, myself, and Zach.

As you can see by the pictures of the dogs, it was a good time for everyone :)

The Twilight Eve

2011-12-26T10:32:00.000-08:00

Nothing thrills my soul more than family merriment during our holiday season. I also thoroughly enjoy dressing up in nothing but fancy holiday wear. For church with the family I put on a very pretty vintage chiffon cream dress that I received a while ago from my friend Brittany and then put on this very Christmas-y jacket that was made in Austria during what I believe to be the 1950s. Boiled wool coats are the warmest thing ever for frosty Christmas Eve nights.

Oh and of course I had to go the route of A Christmas Carole and take lots of ghostly photos during the twilight hour. Oooooo....isn't it creepy? I really liked the soft bluish glow with the twinkling lights behind me. They make me feel wintry.

During our Christmas Eve my family decided to host a small get together with our family friends we've known for about 16 years and had a nice spread of sandwiches, beer, chips, and cranberry ginger ale. It was nice getting together and enjoying some good conversation before heading out to our Christmas vigil.

Oh and the Christmas liqueur was a special treat as well!! I'll be sure to post more photos another day of more family festivities.

Vintage Dress, Gift

Vintage Jacket, Thrift

Cream Heels, Target

Tights, JC Penney

Anticipation

2011-12-22T14:47:00.000-08:00

Oh my god!!! Is it Saturday yet? I'm really super excited for a 3 day weekend full of family, friends, and presents. Zach and I usually wake up extra early and do our gift exchange and then go to my parent's home for more gift giving and breakfast. My dad makes killer waffles, so just typing about them is making me hungry.

How about you guys? What kind of plans do you all have for the holiday season? I wish I could say that I was also flying up to Michigan to give my nephew a hug and meet my new niece, but holiday vacations are scarce to come by in the financial world. So it goes.... But I am hoping to skype with them on Christmas!!

Oh and about the clothes. I finally found the perfect boat neck striped top for romping around in during the weekend. It's thrifted but its Ralph Lauren so the quality is pretty darn awesome for a t-shirt. I absolutely love the button details and the fit. It's my new favorite shirt.

Shirt, Thrifted
Pants and Boots, Target
Hat, Vintage

Holiday Blogger Party!!

2011-12-21T07:20:00.000-08:00

I always love to host small groups of friends and bloggers!! My apartment has cozy living quarters so it makes for fun intimate gatherings. So of course I hopped on the opportunity to do a blogger holiday party!!! I love decorating and cooking and booze, so why not?! Just to be clear, the only reason why I love booze so much is because I found out you can buy cake batter vodka. Huh, what?!! Which can then be used to make Root Beer Float Martinis!!

So without further adieu, here are some photos from the evening and I'll be including links to everyone's blogs at the end.

Oh it was lots of fun playing Dirty Santa where we'd get to open and/or steal other's gifts :) I received a cute little voodoo doll while others received copies of "How Starbucks Fought for It's Life Without Losing It's Soul" or even fabulous Lush bath products.

All in all it was a fantastic evening getting to know bloggers better and just having a good time!! I'm so happy we have so many people with similar interests so close by.

Blogging Peeps Links!!!

Brittany, All This Weird Beauty

Chell, Versatile Control

Emily H. Fegan Baking

Julia, La Belle Oiselle

Kelsie, With Lavender and Lace

Marleigh, Marleigh Sea

Rebecca, The Clothes Horse

Wesley, Suburban Living

That Toasty Feeling

2011-12-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

Remember when I told you about the vintage motherload that I discovered last week at my local thrift store? Well here are a couple of my finds. I've been searching high and low for a pretty wool skirt, so when my eyes landed on this gorgeous forest green 60s skirt, I pounced. Then I found this cream turtleneck sweater and my mind clicked that this would make a fabulous cold weather outfit. Thank god it's finally starting to feel like winter around here so I can wear these things!! Makes me happy!!

On an unrelated note, today is the day of my holiday party and I'm so excited!!! I love throwing shin-digs every now and then and getting myself dolled up to play hostess. I used to love watching The Dick Van Dyke show and watching Mary Tyler Moore's character put on dinner parties and such. I wished people did things like that more often.

Oh and I'll be very sure to capture highlights of the party to post on the blog!! It'll be 60s kitsch with lots of sugar!! And pretty outfits I'm sure!! Holiday parties are the perfect excuse to dress up a little. I'll be wearing a 1960s velvet mini dress with huge rhinestone buttons and hot pink tights!! Eeep! Can't wait!!! And music will be provided by the wonderful Uncle Norman who made 5 Holiday Craptacular mixes. It'll be a hoot.

Vintage Sweater, Thrifted

Vintage Skirt, Thrifted

Wedges, Modcloth

Ring, Graduation present

Tights, Target

A New 'Do !

2011-12-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

I did it!!!!! I finally got my hair cut! This day will live in infamy!! Ok, not really. But I'm just really really excited about my new hair cut. I bit the bullet and got bangs again, but these are much different from the last set of bangs I had before. I am over the moon about the new styling options I have with my hair. One of those options is brushing my hair without breaking off the ends. Plus, having a new look every now and then is a nice boost of confidence and a chance to escape from doldrums.

And since today was my half day I thought I'd wear something a little more fun than my normal work wear. A silk floral dress with an oversized 80s blazer was the look I was going for. Not my typical weekly wear, but half days can be a little more relaxed. And the green tights (which I'm sure you're sick of by now) came in handy when my basic black ones bit the dust this morning. Nothing is more fun than walking to work and then having your tights fall halfway down your butt as you continue a 1/2 mile walk. I think I'm about due for some new tights anyways, so good riddance.

Oh and just some extra info, if you're in the Hampton Roads area let me know!!! I'm having a blogger meet up on Sunday and would love to have you!! Just leave me an email in the comments section and I'll send out a proper email.

Dress, Forever21

Blazer, Thrifted

Boots, Target

Tights, JC Penney

Necklace, Vintage 2nd Hand

Bad Ass Florals

2011-12-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a 90s floral dress to really unlease the angst teenager in me!!! I found this gem hiding in a rack full of basic black dresses and I was instantly drawn the pretty fabric. The lace collar was just a double perk!! I kind of ho-hummed about the purchase since this dress was about $9, but after I tried it on I knew I had to get it! By the way, $9 is kind of steep for a thrift store dress from the mid 90s. I know in a vintage store they'd probably ask about $20 or something but its all in the presentation. This thing was wrinkled and just stuffed in the rack.

To round out the rest of my Angela Chase inspired outfit, I threw on a faux leather jacket. It was probably my most bad-ass outfit to date. .....Please read my last statement as sarcasm ;) Oh and the larger than life platforms were worn because dresses this length tend to make my legs look stumpy so to combat that issue I always wear super high heels. And thankfully I didn't fall on my face!!

Oh, I hope everyone's week is starting out okay!!! I have one more full day of work left this week and I'm super excited!! I love having time off for myself to get things done and I'm finally making time to get my hair cut. It's been about 1 1/2 years since I've cut my hair or did anything to it and I'm getting so nervous!!! So guys, I need your help!!! Should I or shouldn't I get bangs?

Dress, Thrifted

Shoes, Piperlime

Jacket, Tulle

Hat, Vintage

Loving My Sunset Evenings

2011-12-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

Sunset evenings are by far my most favorite parts to my weekend. Mainly because during the week I miss those last few glimpses of the sun light and leave home in the dark cold weather. Although it was mighty cold by the Hague, when I felt the warmth of the sun light on my face it instantly felt like a perfect evening.

And my outfit is actually something I threw together haphazardly while getting ready to head out on a thrifting adventure with my friend Brittany. Our local thrift store has a Facebook page and they were unleashing the monster in me by uploading pictures of their huge vintage stock which came in on Thursday. I wish I could share this thriftstore with all of you guys!!! It's so incredible!! A huge long rack was covered in vintage threads and it was only a 1/4 of their inventory!!! Everything from denim bell bottoms, to polyester jumpers, to sweaters and all kinds of party dresses!!

I hope everyone enjoys these last few hours of their weekend!!! I'll be using mine for lots of gift wrapping, movie watching and coffee drinking!!!

I 'Heart' Ronson Sweater, Thrifted

1960s Dress, Sweet Lorain in Cleveland, OH

Olive Tights, JC Penney

Shoes, Kmart

Just Kickin'

2011-12-08T14:50:00.000-08:00

The last little bits of fall are disapearing right before my eyes!!! It seemed like yesterday our trees were still green and vibrant, and now they are crunchy messes on the ground. I do love kicking around the leaves though. It makes for a fun activity that brings oneself into a state of perpetual nostalgia.

And now that winter is slowly migrating in, I imagine myself kicking piles of snow in no time!!! Hehe..the odds that we'll be getting another huge snow storm are quite small, but a girl can wish!! The last time I got to experience a white Christmas was about 21 years ago when my family drove for about 2 days from Florida to Rochester, NY to visit family. That was perhaps my most magical Christmas.

Oh and my outfit is pretty self explanatory. I'm dressed like a bumble bee. Not on purpose though;)

Vintage Sweater, Thrifted

Black Shorts, Dillards

Boots, Target

Necklace, Romwe

Vintage Hat, Gift

Spreading the Cheer

2011-12-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

What with my obsessions with the holidays at the moment, I figured I'd do what comes naturally and wear my totally rad reindeer sweater I bought in July!!! It is so soft and so cute, I could probably see myself wearing it all winter long, but that might look a little odd. I mean, I'm not that into the holidays. But for the month of December I will wear my reindeer sweater for as long as I want!!!

The funny part of this outfit is how pre-meditative it was!! I knew that we'd be dropping off our rent check in the cute little neighbhorhood known as Freemason, which is littered with fake holiday garlands, lights, bows, holly, and all that stuff. Perfect scenery for Christmas sweaters! And I swear to you, up on a 2nd level porch, there was a fat jolly white bearded man wearing a Mickey Mouse sweatshirt staring at me while Zach did my photos. Now, I don't really believe in Santa....but just maybe... ;) I should have given him my card so he'd take a look at my Christmas Wishlist!!! Ho! Ho! Ho!

Oh and I nearly forgot to mention that this getup was worn twice this past week. Once while at work during jeans day and then on Saturday. That's how much I love this sweater.

Vintage Children's Sweater, Thrifted

Blouse Underneath, Ann Taylor

Jeans, Target

Vintage Hat, With Lavender and Lace

Shoes, Kmart

Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!

2011-12-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season underway, I had to promise myself that I wouldn't get burned out or stressed during this festive time of year:) That being said, while Christmas is my favorite holiday ever, I always find myself with my hair falling out by the end of it. I always put too much on my plate, spend too much money, and basically go a little nutty. Not this year!!!

I'm taking things slow and re-evaluating the real reason for the season. I'm not overly religious anymore and my husband isn't Christian, so Christmas is kind of becoming a bit more secular for our family. I'll still celebrate Advent and the birth and keep Him in mind during the season, but not to the point where I make my husband uncomfortable. It's a funny time of year for us;) So the real reason for us to celebrate is to make our families and friends feel special!!

Oh and remember when I said we were relaxing a little more for the holidays? We already finished all of our Christmas shopping, so we won't have to worry about going to stores or the malls until January. I'm stoked to make this holiday even better than the years before.

Edit to Add: I HEART CREEPY KNICK KNACKS!!!

Dear Santa...

2011-12-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

I love seeing what everyone else wants for Christmas!!! Here are some things on my wishlist this year:)

Brightly Colored

2011-11-30T15:43:00.000-08:00

Ok Everyone!! Raise your hand if you're already sick of the early dark evenings? I wake up in the dark and I get home from work in the dark. It's bumming my mood!!! Now, what do you think cures my doldrums due to darkness? Well a vibrant burnt orange cape of course!! I found this stellar knitted cape at a Salvation Army many months ago and it's finally the right season to bring it out. I believe it's from the 70s, judging by the style and tag, so I went with another all 70s outfit for my Sunday excursions. My favorite feathered blouse made another appearance for this look and then my trusty H&M trousers.

Oh, and now that we're all into the holiday season I figured I'd throw it out there that I am super duper excited to finally get my home decorated. Complete with a post too!! I love showing off my kitschy decorating skills;) So far I have a small white Christmas tree sitting in a corner waiting for lights and ornaments so I ought to get right to it!!

Have a lovely Wednesday folks!!

Blouse, Buffalo Exchange, NYC

H&M Bell Bottoms, Thrifted

Vintage Cape, Thrifted

Shoes, Modcloth

Hat, With Lavender and Lace Vintage

Cashmere and Lace

2011-11-28T10:05:00.000-08:00

What does one wear for a marathon day of Christmas shopping? Well, how about the most inappropriate short dress you own? Hehe..Yeah...not so cool. I had to 'gracifully' bend down quite a few times due to dropping my handful of goodies, or to reach something, or to tie my shoes. You'd think I'd know better!!! To make my outfit a little more demure I wanted to add something that would compliment the lace. What compliments lace better than a pretty cashmere and fur jacket? Quite honestly, I think I would probably love this outfit a little more if the fur collar wasn't real, but I'll take what I can get:)

Speaking of this jacket, I actually bought it about 2 1/2 years ago from my local thrift shop and this is the first time I ever really wore it outside. I wanted to keep it pristine and tidy. When I first saw the jacket I immidiatley fell head over heels for it. But it was $30. According to the thrift shop manager, it was made by a tailor local to Norfolk in the 1940s. So I slept on it and the very next morning I made sure to buy it. When something creeps into your dreams in the middle of the night, that means something, right? hehe..

Well, I hope you all enjoyed a lovely weekend!! I spent mine doing some holiday stuff and hanging out with my parents. Productive enough:)

Lace Dress, 2nd hand from friend

Vintage Jacket, Thrifted

Dolce Vita Oxfords, Thrifted

Bracelet, Lia Sophia

Necklace, Gift from Mom

Thankfulness

2011-11-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

I hope all my US readers had a very lovely Thanksgiving!!!! I love this holiday for so many reasons!!!!

Reason #1--Time to reflect on things you're thankful for.
Reason #2--Family Time!!
Reason #3--Macy's Thanksgiving Parade
Reason#4--Food!!!!
Reason #5--Christmas music, movies, and decorations

Oh and a tidbit about my outfit. I think every woman should own a skirt that has a least 4 colors splattered onto it in various patterns. This skirt is a newly thrifted item and it's made with a pretty brocade fabric plus it can match practically every color of tights that I have!!! What else can make getting dressed easier?

Oh and for the record, I did not eat tofurkey, in case anyone was interested. It just looks terrible!!! I did however eat my fair share of sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn and beans, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Twas delish. I wish there were more holidays that were centered around mounds of food, friends and family!!!

Blouse, Re-fashioned Dress

Skirt, Thrifted

Tights, JC Penney

Booties, Target

Belt, Target

Bracelets, Leather Craftsmen

Who Wears The Pants?

2011-11-22T18:02:00.000-08:00

This is a change of pace from my last outfit, but this was the perfect thing to wear on a day that was neither too cold nor too warm. This cashmere jacket was a gift from my parent's about three years ago and I always found that it was a jacket for odd weather. Coat sleeves that are 3/4 are weird for staying warm, I guess. Either way, I love the feeling of this jacket and I'll always find some way to wear. Here I am sporting it in a 'Parisian' cool kind of way;) hehe..I joke, but a Parisian man said I looked like I grew up in Europe in this outfit, so how could I disagree?!!

Also, I about made people at work fall out of their chairs when I arrived in pants. I NEVER wear pants to work. I prefer the look of skirts and dresses during the work week, but I wanted to change it up, so I thrifted a really nice pair of Express slacks that fit perfect!!! So now I can say I am the proud owner of a pair of slacks.

Oh and a note about my sweater. I got it from a guy's yard sale!! He collects and sells vintage and I got this amazing green sweater for only $5. Score!!

And please make sure you check out my Giveaway!!! It closes on Friday at midnight and there will be 3 winners chosen!!! Make it happen people!!! Love you guys!!

Express Editor Pants, Thrifted

Coat, JCrew

Vintage Sweater, Yard Sale

Flats, Consignment Shop

Sunnies, Urban Outfitters

Vedette Shape Wear Giveaway!!

2011-11-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

I'm sporting my new favorite Vedette body suit, yet again!! It's really a versatile piece that I'm excited to rework in my wardrobe on many more occasions. This particular occasion I felt it would be fun to wear my vibrant neon blue skirt with it and make it like a funky ballerina-esque outfit. I toned down the uber ballerina vibe with some wedge booties and then some patterned net tights. It's probably one of my most favorite outfits actually!! I felt so comfortable in it while walking around doing my errands.

So here's some good news for you guys!!! This is a giveaway post!!! As if you couldn't tell from the title;) Vedette has decided to allow for 3 Winners for this giveaway!!! That means that you have a better chance at choosing a piece from Vedette that you can sport as under clothes, or even as a main staple in your outfits!!! This is especially awesome since on my last post, most readers expressed that they didn't have shapewear, so now you have your chance to have one of your own.

Here's The Rules:

1. US Readers Only... Sorry Int'l Readers :(

2. Like Vedette Shapewear on Facebook
3. Leave me a way to contact you

Bonus Entry:

Follow My Blog Via BlogLovin or Google Friend Connect

***This Giveaway will Close on November 25 at midnight ***

Top, Vedette Shapewear
Skirt, Urban Outfitters
Wedge Booties, Target

Dating Stories II

2011-11-19T05:50:00.000-08:00

So Zach and I have been trying oh so hard to do dates once a week. We are succeeding but I'm having a terrible time taking pictures of the occasion. But I remembered this week!!! After a horrendously long day at work I was almost not in the mood to go out at all, but a friend of mine was playing a night gig at a local coffee shop, so we had to go!!! It was a magical night full of singing, a little dancing and a yummy pot of Earl Grey tea.

We also took some photos of our outfits just because:) Zach isn't as comfortable around the camera as I am, but he was a good sport. I like his fashion sense. It's changed drastically since I first fell in love with him. In those days his hair was blue and he'd wear this awesome Super Chunk t-shirt with some baggy brown corduroys. Anyways, off topic, but whatevs.

So you ought to totally hear the lovely musicans I got to hear the other night. It's beautiful music. Skye Zentz , Natalie Prass, and Evan Donohue

P.S. I know the photos are somewhat grainy but that's what you get when you take pictures at night in dim lit place with your cell phone :(

On Me:

Star Dress, Heritage 1981

Cardigan & Hat, Vintage

Wedge Boots, Target

On Zach:

Cardigan & Shirt, H&M

Jeans, Uniqlo

Clark Desert Boots, Nordstroms

You Can Call Me Crazy Pants

2011-11-16T18:37:00.000-08:00

I've either hit the jackpot in terms of 70s polyester, or I've gone bonkers. Whatever it is, I'm loving it!!! I assure you I haven't joined the circus or anything. I just have a huge affinity for bright orange pants. Especially ones with huge bell bottoms. I kid you not, I nearly cried when I found these poor lonely pants in the thrift store for a mere $1. Lets just pretend I didn't spend an additional $17 getting the zipper put in, shall we? Otherwise, my ulimate thrift find won't feel as much of a steal.

In order to up the ultra cool 70s vibe, I put on my polka dot blouse and a vibrant yellow belt. Oh and those same leopard print shoes from my last outfit came into play too. Something about a peek-a-boo leopard print with polka dots just seemed right to me.

Now here's the real question. Do you think I can get away with this look while working in a bank? I mean, it seems appropriate for a work office about 40 years ago, but something tells me it may seem a bit costumey or something.

Blouse, Pants, and Belt, Vintage

Leopard Print Pumps, ALDO

Bracelet, My sis'

I See London!!! I See France!!!

2011-11-14T18:15:00.000-08:00

So, I don't know about you, but I've always had a love/hate relationship with shapewear or tight under garments. It might stem from the fact that most of the time they appear to look like grandma underwear!! Yuck. I for one don't like to visualize old ladies in their under-roos but that's what I see in the mirror when I put on some nude support hose or a tummy wrap. Oh, sorry. Too much visual? hehehe.. Anyways, I was contacted by Vedette to see what I think about their lingerie and shapewear and I also wanted to present how certain pieces can be worn for show!! Not just covered up. Oh how scandalous!!!

Since I'm always one to take up a style challenge (if you will) I figured I'd go a little flirty and fun, but tasteful, in a lacey ensemble. I slipped on the the body suit and added a pretty lace blouse overtop and then put on the little ruffle shorts and for some punch, I added in the leopard print shoes. I felt a little sexier, not only because I was sporting lace and a peek-a-boo body suit, but also because when you wear something with so much boning, it causes you to stand up straight and look at people. No slouching allowed in this body suit!!

I know many of you ladies have some form of shapewear in your closet and I highly suggest Vedette since it's pretty, comfortable, and is way more effective than any other shapewear I've owned before.

Blouse, Dillards
Shorts, ASOS
Pumps, Aldo mine were thrifted but you can still buy them :)
Cardigan, Target
Bodysuit, c/o Vedette

The Modern Pilgram?

2011-11-13T10:40:00.000-08:00

And the blustery days just keep on coming!!! I don't want to resort to pants all fall/winter long just because the wind is strong, but at the same time, I've gotta keep my modesty, right? Haha..sure. Anyways, I was having a pretty hard time styling this dress, since it's one that I wear a lot and I need to find different ways to style it. At first, I paired it with some brown tights and brown brogues, but I instantly looked like a guest at the first Thanksgiving in 1621. Something about a high lace collar and some grandma shoes didn't scream modern to me. So I threw the dress together with my heeled Aldo boots and called it a day.

Speaking of Thanksgiving I can't help but be a bit bummed out this year. I couldn't take vacation off for the holiday and both Zach and my families will be out of town. So that leaves just Zach and I plus our two dogs and my parent's three dogs. I need to figure out something so it's not a day where Zach and I sit in the living room eating pizza and watching a football game. I love helping my mom cook for the holiday so it'll just be sad when she's not in there with me helping me make sweet potato pie or cranberry sauce.

Do any of you have ideas for a Thanksgiving that includes just two people? One person in particular (that being me) is a vegetarian and I have no experience cooking a turkey. Or gravy.

Dress, Vintage

Aldo Boots, Thrifted

Belt, Hummingbird Vintage

Vintage Hat, Gift

A Blusterous Fall Day

2011-11-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

Hello all you lovely people who read my blog!!!! Have I told you guys how much I love you lately?!! Cause I do:) I am gearing up for a wonderfully awesome three day weekend and celebrating all things Veteran. My Dad is a veteran so I am sure he'll be busy on his Friday off polishing all his plagues and giving his Navy room a proper clean up. Military habits die hard I suppose. Anywho, its important to really appreciate all the people who protect our country and their sacrifices.

Okay, so this outfit is something I threw on while making a quick dash to a coffee joint with Zach and I find that it really wasn't conducive to the super windy weather. This dress has pockets and I had to keep my hands in them the whole time, so my dress wouldn't fly up over my head. But being the super stubborn person that I am, I refused to change my outfit for Mother Nature. Silly of me? Yes, but I showed her who was boss.

So do any of you have plans if you're enjoying a three day weekend? I will be spending most of it just hanging around. Maybe Zach and I will see a movie or go to the zoo. Who knows:)

Dress, ModSWAP event @ NYC
Dolce Vita Boots, Target
Olive Tights, JC Penney
Hat and Sweater, Vintage
Necklace, Lavender and Lace Vintage

HANAair Hair Dryer Review

2011-11-09T09:34:00.000-08:00

(the after)

Like anything I would do a review of, I like to give myself a couple of weeks to really get the feel for the product and make sure that all their claims are true, that way I can give a fair product review! When Misikko contacted me to try out their hair dryer I figured it would be fun to give a different perspective on how I get ready and put together a total look. Half of my style comes down to my hair and makeup routine, so why not?

Here's a photographic journey of myself blowing my hair.

1. Slather on some heat protectant (just a pea sized amount in your palm).

2. Brush it through.

3. Now get to drying and styling.

(Gratuitous hair flipping...just like the commercials!!!)..heehee

The verdict?
Pros: My HANAair Professional hair dryer is AMAZING!!! Nothing can beat it's super fast drying time, the cooling and heating elements, and it's lightweight design. It left my hair soft and the heat doesn't have to be super hot to dry your hair completely, which is a huge plus for my hair's health and my electric bill!

Cons: It's a tad pricier than most other types of hair dryers out there, but I found in my past experiences with appliances and electronic goods, that you get what you pay for. It's quality fits the price range in my opinion, but I know that not everyone would be able to afford one.

My old Conair has nothing to compare to the HANAair Professional hair dryer. It's in the trash now.

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go

2011-11-07T04:26:00.000-08:00

Hello Monday!!! Bye-bye weekend. It was a pretty low key weekend for both Zach and I, but that doesn't mean I can't get dressed up. Faux fur collar, check. Mini 60s velvet dress, check. Super crazy high platform clogs, check!! Yeah, I basically dressed up like this to read a huge stack of magazines while doing laundry at my parent's place. There's never anything wrong with getting a little more put together for absolutely nothing, right? Oh and don't you love this necklace? I received a gift certificate via Morgan's blog to Tree and Kimball and bought this pretty lace necklace but I had a hard time finding the right thing to wear with it. I wanted it to be a focal point in the outfit so I chose this dress with a high collar and it became to the perfect way to wear it.

So I was in serious need of some heeled black shoes, no thanks to my sweet little angle, Archie. He managed to chew up 2 pairs of my black heels that I would wear in the winter. I can't really blame him though. I left them out in the living room. Anywho, I needed new shoes. Instead of going the super boring and basic route I decided to look for a shoe with a little more architectural inspiration. Then I came across these on Piperlime!!! Sold!! I can't even begin to tell you how much I love these thick platform shoes!! Although, when I wear them I instantly become taller than my dad and Zach. haha!!

Oh and if you've never ordered from Piperlime, let me tell you how great it is. Usually if I want free shipping in 3-5 days I go with Zappos, but their site is really cluttered and unorganized. So I went to Piperlime and became enamored with the clean layout of the site and the awesome options for certain budget ranges. Oh and the packaging is fabulous too.

Coat and Dress, Vintage

Necklace, Tree and Kimball

Tights, JC Penney

Clogs, Piperlime

Dating Stories

2011-11-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

Remember that new little feature I wanted to do on my blog? I mentioned it weeks ago I think. Anyways, this is it. Admittedly, I probably put about 2-3 hours into my blogging a day!! Add that to the 9 hours I'm away from home every day at work, it adds a lot of time spent not really communicating with my hubby. It sounds weird, but Zach and I enjoy the silence. We eat dinner together, take walks together and have our little rituals every night where we converse and have fun, but we also like to enjoy alone time too. Most of that time is spent on the internet.

So where is this all leading? Well, Zach and I decided we'd spend one to two nights a week as date nights!! Or date days:) Here is our latest pictorial of our date.

First we stopped at one of our favorite cafes for breakfast. We love this place!!! They have board games, books, antique booths, in house roasted coffee, ohmygod!!! It's our fave place ever for Saturday morning hangouts.

Next we shot on over to our neighbhorhood Stockley Garden Art Festival. So many wonderful people and artwork. We also have a Rothko exhibit going on, hence the bits of red in the photos.

Oh and we walk everywhere on these little excursions!

And lastly, it was time for lunch!! Ten Top is a little niche in our neighbhorhood that offers amazing soups and sandwiches and fancy sodas. We like to treat ourselves to Ten Top about once a month. It's not expensive either, we just like to save Ten Top for fun occasions.

A Thrifting Fairy Tale

2011-11-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

Once again, the thrift gods have smiled upon me!! My local favorite thrift haunt had a Groupon a couple of weeks ago and I snagged it within seconds of receiving my email from Groupon. So like most things with cash value, it was burning a hole in my pocket, so on Sunday I trotted my way down to Thrift Store USA to see what I could find and I found so many wonderful things. Including these super comfy, never worn a day in their life, Cole Haan loafers. I seriously giggled like an evil villian when I discovered my find and then threw them into my basket before anyone could notice. Oh and they were only $6!! So that's my thrift story of the week;)

Alrighty, so the rest of my outfit is a menagerie of different thrift finds. This pretty french terry dress felt like a million bucks when I was riffling through the racks at another thrift store. To my complete surprise it was actually from Charlotte Russe. Usually I avoid that store like the plague because I always find the construction and quality to be crap, but this dress was a completely different story. To add a vintage flair to it, I added my 1950s floral cardigan.

Oh and never in my life have I received more compliments on a piece of jewellery!! This necklace from In Pink came to me a few weeks ago and I was waiting to find the perfect outfit for it. The scoop neck from the dress seemed fitting so I threw it on. It is quite the eye catching piece seeing as it's beads are very large, but its eye catching in a good way. Plus the older ladies who came to visit me at work were mesmerized by the fact that it wasn't vintage. If you're in the market for a good piece of costume jewellery I definitely suggest looking into In Pink.

Dress and Shoes, Thrifted
Cardigan, Vintage
Belt and Tights, H&M
Necklace, In Pink via a Gift Certificate from Adored Austin

Red Lips

2011-11-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Holy Moly its November!!!! Where has the time gone? Last thing I remembered it was still summer, now we're nearly half way through fall? This has got to be a joke of some kind. At least its finally starting to feel like fall every day now. No more of this 40 degree then 80 degree business. I want crisp fall air to smother me. I also love the opportunity for cooler weather so I can wear my new boots!! I won a giveaway via O My Heart from La Posh Style and I instantly knew I wanted to get these fun casual boots.

Oh and the new red lips thing is kind of weird to me, but I figured Zach would tell me if it looked a bit outlandish. My mom has a thing for pretty cosmetics. She turned me onto the nicer stuff at the tender age of 16 and I always find myself rummaging through her makeup to try new colors and experiment a bit. This lipstick is from Lipstick Queen and it's amazing!!! No, not just amazing. It's just the most perfect lipstick out there. I've tried everything from Estee Lauder, to Benefit, to Mary Kay, to ...well you get the jist.

And I just realized that these pretty sunset photos will be the last one I'll have for a while now. Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend!!! Say it ain't so!! I won't make Zach do 4 or 5 outfit pics over the weekend because that's just silly, so I'll need to figure something out.

Dress, Modcloth

Boots, La Posh Style

Sweater, Vintage
Lipstick, Lipstick Queen

AlligatorRing, My mom's

Halloween!!

2011-10-31T17:12:00.000-07:00

I'll give you one guess as to who I am? Come on!! I know, you know! ...give up? Yeah I don't really know either. I just went to work in my most fall appropriate 50s dress while wearing a crinoline to up the ante as far as 50s era fashion goes. I was also sporting a cute little apron, but I accidentally took it off before the photos. Doh!! So I guess you could say I was dressed up Laura Petrie from the Dick Van Dyke show. Either way I liked my outfit.

So I hope your Halloween weekend was a monster mash of fantasticness!! If you checked out my Facebook page then you saw all the happenings going on in Richmond for a mini blogger meetup. It was a blast getting to know some Virginian bloggers and eating tons of fondue. Our hostess, Marleigh, was fabulous scary looking housewife.

I hope you had a Happy Halloween!!! I'll be buying my sh*t ton of discount candy from the drugstore tomorrow. It's fun that way:)

Dress, Gloves & Hat, Vintage

Shoes, Cato

Happy Halloween!!!

2011-10-31T04:17:00.000-07:00

Check out the photos of the Halloween blogger meetup on my Facebook!!

And while there, go ahead and become a fan!

I'll be back later today with a post:)

Vintage Jacket

2011-10-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken on a much nicer day last week when I was running around doing my weekend errands. Today is not as nice, but at least the weather is damp and cold...just like a Halloween weekend should be. Right now would be a great time to snuggle in the bed with the hubby and drink soup and watch fun creepy movies like Ghostbusters or Shawn of the Dead. Instead we're heading up to a Halloween Blogger Meetup in Richmond which is just as exciting! If not more.

Ok, so the outfit is my effort in making my jeans a little more cute. I found this vintage shunken blazer at the local Salvation Army sale and was smitten with it's boiled wool texture and the fact that it came all the way from Austria was a selling point too. I'm sold on anything with a tag that is written in some European language. It appears to have been part of a uniform or something.

Alright all you ghools and goblins, have a Happy Halloween!!

Blouse, Thrifted

Jacket and Hat, Vintage

Shoes, Target -3 years ago

Jeans, Forever21

A Creepy Forest

2011-10-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

The closer it gets to Halloween, the more spookier I want my photos to look. What's more spooky than an abandoned private forest with a creepy little stream behind me? Okay, so its not really a creepy stream, more like a drainage area and it's not technically abandoned either. It's private land but the owners don't do anything with it, so it just depressing looking. But it looks creepy, right?

The last time I wore this dress it was probably close to a million degrees outside. That's when I found out that 70s polyester dresses were much better suited in the autumn months. So I dug around in my closet and found it again and decided to pair it with my favorite cognac vintage boots and then the new faux suede floppy hat from Urban Outfitters. It pretty much became my favorite outfit immdiatley. I hope you all agree with me:)

So it's Thursday!!! Only one more weekday left before the weekend. I have some awesome plans for this weekend and can't wait to share them with you guys:) I'll give you a hint and let you know that it's Halloweeny :) And there will be plenty of pics to share as well.

Hat, Urban Outfitters

Crochet Cardigan, Target,
Vintage Boots, Ebay
Vintage Dress & Belt, Thrifted

Wishy-Washy Thrifter

2011-10-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that I have a favorite sweater for this beautiful autumn weather! And to think I almost didn't buy it!! When I start to have second thoughts about putting a garment back on the rack, that's when I know I have to buy it. Usually that's the opposite of what most people do/should do, but I find that if something makes me think that hard, then chances are it will make me happy.

Another delight to my wardrobe is this incredibly vibrant blue nylon skirt. I found this ages ago in UO, and wore it once before the zipper busted on me. After many weekends of forgetting to take it to the tailors, I finally remembered!! Voila!! I have my skirt again! I love my tailors.

So onto a completely unrelated note, but have you any thoughts on what you'll dress up as for Halloween? I know not everyone is into Halloween, but I'm pretty much a junky for it. I love the spooky movies, (more like child friendly Halloween movies or creepy suspense films ) the candy, the parties, and the food. Anyways, I finally decided on who I will be and I can hardly wait!

Vintage Blouse & Cardigan, Thrifted

Skirt, UO

Dolce Vita Oxfords, Target

Tights, Kmart

Giddy Good Time Feeling

2011-10-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

When the weekend comes around, don't you get that giddy good time feeling? I mean, if you work a Mon-Fri 8-5 type of job, right? Anyways, weekends can either be super fun cool time or dull with a plethora of chores. This weekend was the super fun kind.

I met up with my friend Brittany early in the day to hang out and do outfit photos for our blogs. Then it was time to head up to the grocery store to buy ingredients to make the most awesome PB&J cookies on this side of the universe! Seriously, they were super yummy. After an early afternoon of baking I went back home to help Zach with chores and whatnot and then we left the apartment to enjoy a dinner with Brittany and her husband. The food was amazing. Then it was off to the movies to see Crazy, Stupid Love. Call me crazy but I found Steve Carell to be way sexier than Ryan Gosling ;)

Oh and tidbits about my outfit. I awoke to a gloriously beautiful fall day and what gets me excited for fall is layering! So I layered some comfy funky tights under the new cool shorts I got from ASOS. Ok, can I just tell you how fabulous their shipping and ordering process is? It's fast and free! Can't get better than that. Oh and the quality is top notch as for the things I got.

Chambray Top, Thrifted
Shorts, ASOS
Belt, UO
Wedges, Modcloth
Tights, Target

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

2011-10-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

Have anyone of you heard this nursery rhyme before?

Peter, Peter pumpkin eater,

Had a wife but couldn't keep her;

He put her in a pumpkin shell

And there he kept her very well.

That was all I could think of when I wore this outfit to the pumpkin patch to pick out our pumpkin. Kind of gruesome if you think about it. I mean, why did he need to keep her in a pumpkin shell? To make sure she had no contact with the outside world? To put her in her place, so to speak? Either way, it rhymes so it must be good for children;)

Anywho, yesterday evening Zach and I drove to our sad little pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin for Halloween. Since I'm never one to turn down an opportunity to take some outfit photos I figured I'd give it a whirl at the pumpkin patch and wear my most pumpkinst dress!! I also wore the most illogical shoes, but I've been dying to wear them this fall so I couldn't help it.

I hope your trips to the pumpkin patch are a little more exciting than this place. It's been a tradition to for me to go to this particular pumpkin patch since I was a child so I enjoy the nostalgic part of it all, but it's just not as fun as other places I've seen. I may try and drag Zach out to one about 40 minutes away where there are hay rides, corn mazes and all sorts of things!

Dress, Thrifted

Aldo Boots, Thrifted

Leather Bracelets and Hair Clip, Leather booth

Metal Bracelet, Yard Sale

Belt, Vintage

Music to My Ears

2011-10-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

So, we all love music and it's always better to share music, right? I've discovered some of my most favorite bands from friends and of course Zach! A couple of weeks ago Zach and I went to Philadelphia for a couple of days to experience Riot Fest East and I promised to make a mix for you guys of some of the bands we went to see. Here are some of my favorites:

Gooey Show of Emotions

2011-10-19T05:02:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take this moment to really really thank each and everyone of you guys who stop by my blog and read and leave comments!! The first year I started blogging, nobody really took notice (mainly cause my pictures were crap) but once my parents gifted Zach and I a new camera and lens I really wanted to stick with the blogging and start taking it seriously. It's been such a great journey for me and I've met so many wonderful people through the community in style/lifestyle blogging. You all are the greatest!

"Now enough with the gooey show of emotions" (my favorite quote from Home Alone 2 btw) and lets get on with the outfit! I wore this getup to do all sorts of fun things!! The Art Fest in our neighborhood was going on and this is what I wore for day 2 of the festival and to see a friend's band play. Normally I am into punk and hardcore but I have a special place in my heart for bluegrass and Two Dollar Band is a cool local bluegrass band that I love to catch when they're playing around town. After that we headed with our friends to brunch. I had a stuff french toast the size of my head. It was alright.

The outfit was great for these types of outtings, but I must've appeared hookerish wearing over the knee socks and a mini dress while gallivanting around our neighborhood on a Sunday morning. I kept getting disapproving looks from some of the parents with small children at the art fest. Oh well!! I liked it:)

Dress, Forever21, gift
Socks, Target
Shoes, Dolce Vita for Target
Boyfriend Cardigan, Stole from Zach
Sunnies, Stole from my sister
Leather Bracelet, Art Fest
Bronze Bracelet, Hummingbird Girls

Having a Moment

2011-10-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't worn a pants look in a while and now I'm starting to get in the mood for pants pants pants!! I'm searching for skinny cords, slim khakis, paper bag high waisted styles and other random looks. I have a fantastic pair of pants waiting for me at the tailors and I can not wait to show them on the blog!! Think Threes Company;) They're that kind of awesome. In the meantime, here's a pair of my standby skinnys with a nice vintage topping!

Oh and for the record, I am having a moment with vintage cardigans and sweaters as of late. They have so much texture and more than likely they'll even be made with 100% wool. Now all I need are some cute vintage sweater clips and I'll be a true addict!

Alright! I hope you enjoyed a fabulous Monday. My day ended with a trip to Moes for vegetarian nachos so it ended well, and that's all that matters.

Blouse,Sweater, Brogues, Vintage

Jeans, Heritage 1984

Belt, H&M

Vintage Coach, Beacon's Closet

Sunnies, Liz Claiborne

In A Pinch

2011-10-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'm one of those lucky people who works super close to work. Like so close, I can walk home for lunch and enjoy some cuddle time with my pups while browsing the internet. Fortunately, I can also use this time to change a whole outfit if my first outfit didn't work. Or in the case that day, my outfit was totally inappropriate for walking to work on a blustery day. The whole way from work I was walking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame because my dress would not stay down. So in order to relieve myself of some embarrassment I had to find a completely new outfit to wear to work. And so I came up with this. All in less than 5 minutes.

I had a chambray dress with ruffles that just begged to be worn with tights and then the pop of red in my belt to add a waist to an otherwise shapeless dress. Then my pretty vintage cardigan topped it off. The scalloped design of the knitting was what drew me to the sweater and for $7 I couldn't pass on it.

Oh and these photos were taken on a way to a date (hint hint for my new feature coming) and I made Zach pull over right before the final sunset over the Hague. We love to take the drive through our neighborhood village in order to get downtown and it's so pretty during the sunset. Do you agree?

Dress, TJ Maxx

Tights, H&M

Shoes, Dolce Vita for Target 2010

Red Belt, Sweater, and Ring, Vintage

Bracelet, Archives Vintage

Color Mix

2011-10-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I am in love with these shoes!!! They are perhaps the craziest shoes I've ever worn and the colors are fun to mix and max a bunch. They are Christian Siriano for Payless ( I believe from 2009 or 2010) and my friend picked them up in NYC and is now letting me borrow them. I had the crazy idea to pair them with some mustard/chartreuse colored tights and then an all white ensemble to really make them pop. It's kind of weird, but I like it!

Oh and lets just come out and say it. I was having a bad hair day. Between running to and from work in drizzly rain and not washing my hair I was struggling to do something with it. Oh well!! I'll figure something out next time.

Happy Friday Folks!!!

Blouse, Vintage

Blazer, Vintage

Skirt, UO

Shoes, Borrowed

Bracelet, Yard Sale

Tights, Target (4 years ago)

Some Like it Hot, But I Like it Cool

2011-10-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

First things first. Have you Liked my Facebook page yet? Once I get 100 Likes I'm doing a Giveaway!! So get on it, will ya ;)

I was having a major desire to sport my summer silk dress before putting it away for the fall/winter months. I was in the mood for a tri-colored frock (my version of color blocking if you will) and mixed the tawny, black and nude for a cohesive outfit that seemed inspired by autumn. And I know I wore this sweater the other day but it's just the best. I'm in love with the color, so it'll probably be in my fall/winter rotation a lot on this blog.

Oh and I have a really fun idea for my blog!!! I can't wait to share it with you! The idea has been born but I need to come up with a name for this feature:) It'll be inspiring for you guys. And it will be lifestyle/fashion based.

How to Rock the Band T-Shirt

2011-10-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

Proudly displaying the latest musical interest on my shirt was something I used to do everyday. Seriously. My senior year of high school I broadened my musical interest from that of bubble gum pop to other types of music that I would discover via friends and reading magazines. There was a new world of music out there and I relished in it. Back in the day I would blow my cash on shows almost weekly and then I would buy the t-shirt to make sure everyone knew about the band I just saw.

As I have grown older I've packed away all those band shirts. They are faded and gross but still reminders of fantastic shows that I got to see at least once in my life. This particular shirt is Zach's. I found it rummaging around in his shirt collection and I convinced him to keep it for me. Onelinedrawing was a show I remember most fondly because it was small, intimate, and his stage presence was by far the best I had ever seen.

Nostalgia aside, I wanted to show that you can style up a cute band shirt just as easily as a fancy blouse. The key was to keep it on the casual side with roughed up leather flats and a vintage denim skirt. To give it some style I added the felt hat (its fall doncha know) and then the elastic belt to make it cohesive and a bit pretty. So think twice before totally throwing away your memorabilia from concerts past!!

Go ahead and have a listen to onelinedrawing!! Smile is a great song.

Shirt, Zach's
Skirt, Vintage
Flats, Target 3 years ago
Hat, Vintage
Belt, Vintage

Ridding of Excess

2011-10-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

Today was the day I realized I had way too many clothes. Like WAY too many. I'm sure we're all a little guilty of having too much stuff from time to time but I seriously had about four bags of stuff that I didn't wear anymore. Most of it was too big since my weight lost (I wrote a bit about it here) and the rest was just stuff I had for over a year and didn't wear. I do have a few rules for wardrobe turnaround and one of my most important rules is, "Donate what you haven't worn in a year's time". I don't think I'll miss that stuff and I'm glad to have some space back in my bedroom.

While I rummaging around my closet and bureau I happened to come up with this outfit and I rather liked it! Forest green tights, a cream colored blouse, tailored shorts and a nubby vintage cardigan were the perfect pieces for this cool fall day. I wore this to the little cafe with Zach and then to the local consignment store to sell my clothes.

By the way, do you ever feel victimized when you go into consignment places and they seem to hate your clothes? I was annoyed. There were a couple of really great pieces that they wouldn't take because they were from Target. As if what we have to offer in this area is so high brow that you wouldn't dare buy a Merona Collection dress (it was like $60) at a consignment store in Norfolk, VA. They have a list of designers they prefer which includes Emilio Pucci, Chanel, and Gucci. Um...we live no where close to Rodeo Drive. Ok, so my rant is over:) hehe..

Cream Blouse, Ann Taylor
Shorts, Target
Tights, H&M
Brogues, Steve Madden
Cardigan, Vintage
Bag, UO

Vintage Accomplice

2011-10-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

Do you have one of those friends that know you right down to the very shoe size you wear? My friend Diane is exactly that type of person. She is a thrifting and vintage hunting extraordinaire with an awesome eye for fun clothes. In all honesty, I probably would've passed on this dress in the store, but she saw it and thought it would look cool on me. She even sent me a picture of it and I told her I wasn't really a fan. But she got it and I tried it on and it became a quick favorite in my closet. She knew I'd like this dress way before I even gave it a chance...which is quite funny:)

The coolest part of this outfit is how many compliments I got just wearing it around work. They commented on how pretty and bright it was and also made notice of my hair. They couldn't decide if I was in costume or not, but that's okay!! I felt good in this outfit.

To add some fun flair to my bright blue dress, I gravitated towards my pumpkin spice stockings I got from Topshop then I added some cute brown accessories to really punch out the fall time. Did I tell you guys yet that I'm obsessed with this season? I swear that I better get a chance to go on a haunted hayride or something this October just so I can say I really experienced a good fall.

Vintage 70s Dress

Stockings, Topshop

Wedges, Modcloth

Vintage Belt

Totally Torkelson

2011-10-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I can finally say that we are totally and completely into the fall season. At least if you look at my photos and can see just how dim 6:00 pm looks. It's always a sad time when the daylight fades away into shorter and shorter days. I know I'll need to find better times to take outfit photos come November when they cancel Day Light Savings Time. I'm not looking forward to that at all.

And now to other news!!! I am in love!!! In love with this crazy pretty dress!!! I got an email about the Last Hurrah Sale that Modcloth was doing and I immidiatley started browsing around trying to find something that would be cute for the coming cooler months. Although this dress is short sleeved and mini, I figured I'd be able to layer on the warmth. Plus I couldn't get enough of this Torkelson collar action. Please tell me you've seen that show The Torkelsons so you can get the reference!!!

I used some 90s influence to accessorize my outfit by adding some knee length socks, some weird thrifted oxfords, and then the crocheted beret! I love the way it turned out. It always makes me happy when I throw something on and it brings me back to my youth. I totally would've worn this same outfit in 1996.

Dress, Modcloth

Socks. Target

Vintage Oxfords, Thrifted

Vintage Beret, Gift

Ralph Lauren Belt, Thrifted

DIY---Repainting Ugly Laminate Furniture

2011-10-04T04:59:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to share a little bit more about my home and I thought it'd be cool to show you all how to repaint a practical but ugly bookcase with wood laminate. I was skeptical that I'd be able to paint over wood laminate but it worked very well, so I'll share with you my process.

First things First!!! Sand the hell out of it!! I highly recommend using the electric sander since you want to really scratch up the slippery wood laminate in order for the paint to stick to it. So yeah, sand the hell out of it.

So onto the next!!! Pick out a good quality primer. Zinsser is an excellent choice since its water based and covers really well. Depending on how dark your wood piece is, prime it to the best coverage. I primed my piece once but it could have stood another coat of primer. Now let that baby set for one whole week!!! Trust me on this one. It needs to set to prevent scratches during the reassembling process.

One week later paint on the desired color!! I chose this very vibrant charteuse green to add some vibrancy to our dining room. When you paint anything (furniture or walls) always start by cutting into the corners with a cutting brush. This saves time and allows for the best coverage.

Once you're done cutting into the furniture, use a good quality foam roller and paint on your first layer. Allow this layer to dry for about 3 hours (or longer depending on what the paint can says) and then do the second coat. This piece should dry completely for another couple of days before you reassemble it.

Now, Presto Chango!!! You've got an entirely new piece of furniture!!

If you want to know how I covered up that weird hole (this bookcase was originially a media center I think) then I will do another DIY post for making a cute pushpin board!!

***Credit to A Beautiful Mess goes to the Stick Pom Pom things in the milk glass vases. Learned that from her;)

Check Out My Facebook!!!

2011-10-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! I finally made a Daily Fashionista Facebook Page for my blog!! I don't know why I didn't do this sooner since it's so easy to set up and I can finally start sharing my blog with my own Facebook friends!! All in all I'm super happy and I hope you do me the favor of Liking my page by clicking the widget to the right. Or going straight to the page!!

Since this is a whole new format for people to follow along with my journeys in discovering personal style it would be really cool if you could share this with your followers via Twitter and/or your own Facebook page!!

The Saucy Print

2011-10-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

Leopard print is saucy. I always find it to be the most seductive of fabrics, which is why I often avoid it. I hear my mother in the background saying, "That's not appropriate for someone your age" and ever since then its scarred me for life. Until I came across this pretty leopard print skirt that was part of a suit. Leopard print suit for the office is a bit much in my opinion, but I'll deal with just the skirt. I paired it with my sheer chiffon blouse and my new pointy toe flats and then added a splash of blue in my necklace. Leopard print is appropriate for my age!!! Let's just ignore the fact that I'm 26 and I still listen to the fashion advice my mother would give me when I was 15.

Oh and sad news folks. I'm afraid my next photos will be a bit subpar to my standards. My lens for my Nikon got busted. You may have noticed that some of the pictures have been a bit too soft and fuzzy. It will be about a week before I'll be able to use my SLR and will need to rely on my old standby Canon point and shoot. But on the positive side I'll be getting a 50mm with an auto focus for the camera!! I've been wanting one of those for a long time and now Zach and I are finally just going to get it. It will be a super early Christmas gift to the both of us.

Blouse, 2nd hand from friend

Skirt, Thrifted

BP flats, Double Take

Necklace, Vintage Shop

Sunnies, Forever21
Parrot Ring, Modcloth

Philly We Loved You!!

2011-09-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

These photos are just of Eastern State Penitentiary, but enjoy the adventurous tales of our whole trip to Philly:)

Our time in Philadelphia was too brief, but we managed to have an awesome time...despite the crappy weather. We arrived Friday afternoon and settled into our hotel for a couple of hours and then skitted off to south Philadelphia to head to a cute vintage shop and then we headed to a bar for drinks. While there I drunkenly watched Slap Shot for about an hour and just laughed. Then we went to Franklin Fountain per Veronika's suggestion before meeting up with her and her husband at a cool cantina for more drinks, food and chit-chatting. It was pouring rain and just crazy trying to drive around there, but in the end it was a great first night in Philadelphia.

On the day of Riot Fest we had to kill a few hours before the show, so we thought, "why not visit Eastern State Penitentiary?" I am obsessed with Ghost Hunters and they've visited that place twice before, so it made perfect sense for me to go over there and experience some of (if any) the super natural. Sadly, the only thing I came away with was a somber empathic feeling. It was quite depressing, but the building itself was very beautiful (for a prison anyways). Lots of windows along corridors, a beautiful synagogue and the fortress wall was made of glistening stones.

Our next stop was Riot Fest. Zach and I actually got reacquainted at a show (nearly 9 years ago) so we have always had a common bond over musical taste. Each year we try to fit in a few concerts and this year we got lucky and we were able to see about 5 great punk/hardcore bands all at once!!! I'll do a special mixtape post later this week and share some music with you all.

And that's that! It was a terrific trip which would've been even better if it was longer.

Mother Nature is Confused

2011-09-28T16:39:00.000-07:00

Just when I think its fall, it decides to go right back to summer. I swear, you just never know. Which is why I haven't officially changed out my wardrobe from summer to fall/winter. Mother Nature isn't very dependable.

In order to stay cool on an unusually hot day I decided to wear my newly altered blouse (last seen here). I posed a question to you guys back in July to find out if I should shorten it or not and decided that I'd give it the chop. I took off about 5 inches from the bottom and then shortened the sleeves about 1 1/2 inches. I like the way it came out, but it is odd for me to be baring even a fraction of my tummy. But I like the look!

To go with the blouse I figured I'd just mix it all up with different garments from different decades. The blouse is from the 80s, the belt is a vintage Jorache from the 90s and the shoes are from the 70s. It's all over the place as far as vintage goes, but it seemed cohesive in a way. I kept the look modern with my bell bottoms which were thrifted H&M jeans and then the floppy faux suede hat.

Everything is THRIFTED!!!!
Well, except the hat.

Hat, UO

Impusive Shopper

2011-09-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

While in Philadelphia I happened to wander in Urban Outfitters for a look-see and I came away with a very pretty and very summery white linen skirt. I really have no clue why there was a multitude of these skirts hanging up for just $10 but they called my name and I plucked one up from the sales rack (that's the only rack I use when I shop there) and headed to the cashier to squander away some money on a summery skirt. Lets remember that I just posted a "Fall Wishlist" on my blog not too long ago and I needed to have cooler weather clothes on the brain...but instead bought a white linen skirt. Duh!!

So as not to make this purchase purely impulsive I decided to prove to myself that I could "autmunize" this outfit. I decided to pair the white skirt with black tights first (odd choice but go with it) then layered a pretty denim button down. Some cognac heels and the a dark green belt rounded out my look and then there you go!! Perfectly fall-like. At least for the falls in the south;)

Denim Blouse, Thrifted
Skirt, UO
Vintage Belt, Thrifted
Crown Vintage heels, Thrifted
Necklace, Consignment

The Scenic Eastern Shore

2011-09-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

Before I hit the streets of Philidelphia and enjoy some fun times I thought I'd do a quick post with pictures I took earlier today while on the Eastern Shore. The Eastern Shore is basically a long peninsula that stretches from Delaware to Virginia with beautiful scenic lookouts. I've always wanted to take a detour to a lookout so that's just what we decided to do.

It was also so peaceful to listen to the sandpiper birds milling around on the beach and the breezy air blowing off the waters. It was nice to sit and watch for a few minutes before we had to get back on the road.

And just in case you are wondering, this is my go-to look for any type of travel. Some super stretchy jeans and a loose top. Its perfect for staying comfy while stuck in a car for about 6 hours and its also kind of stylish...if I do say so myself. It's also a good look to sport while tromping around town and stepping into bars for a cold yummy beer:) It's vacation after all!!

Top, H&M

Jeans, Forever21

Steve Madden Brogues, Plato's Closet

Vintage Necklace, Thrifted

To Market to Market

2011-09-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

Actually, I'm not really heading to a market. I'm going to Philly and hope to find some of these things on my fall wish list. The whole trip won't be centered around shopping, but while I'm there I might as well pop into a few vintage shops to see if I can find what I'm looking for.

Getting Snappy

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

The other day last week Zach and I took a little walk around our neighborhood and decided to take pictures along the way. Not just outfit photos, but scenic photos. I bought Zach this mini Diana camera last year as a bit of a surprise gift and for the first time this summer I finally remembered to take it along for a little trip. It's such a cool little gadget and it takes really neat photos. The only downside is, I have to send out the film to be processed since the local camera shop closes too damn early to be of any use to anybody.

Anyways, it was also fairly hot that day, which is why I'm wearing a summery frock, as opposed to the autumnal ones I've been wearing. This dress was a second hand gift from one of my best buddies, Brittany. She thought it was too short on her, so it was gifted to me. Now I am wondering if this is a tad too short on me since I'm about 2 inches taller than Brittany. Hmmm...well I think it's okay anyways. Those darn Forever 21 dresses have a way of being confused as a dress, a tunic, or a top so it's up to us to make the better judgement...or lack there of hehe..

Oh and lets all have a moment of silence for these pretty brown shoes. A little monster named Archie took a chuck out my perfect Brazilian leather shoes so now they are no more. I'm shedding a tear just thinking about it.

Forever21 Dress, 2nd Hand

Vintage Flats, Thrifted--no more

Vintage Necklace, Flea Market

Vintage Camera Bag, Thrifted

A Recipe for a Rainy Day

2011-09-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the gloomy weather we've been having, I am finally able to make use of my pretty rainboots. They're not Hunter, or anything cool like that, but they are comfy and made to resemble riding boots. The boots themselves aren't necessarily the corner stone to my outfit, but they were handy for walking around outside through rain puddles on my way to meet a friend for breakfast:) As for the rest of the outfit, it was super casual but well thought out. A chambray blouse with a pair of dark skinny jeans and then a great comfy boyfriend sweater to pull it together. It's a recipe for a dreary cool rainy day outfit.

As for my weekend, I was holed up inside for most of it due to the fact that Zach and I are saving our pennies. We're taking a mini vacation to Philadelphia so that we can finally see the Descendents and The Dead Milkmen. They're having a smaller version of Riot Fest on the east coast and I couldn't be more excited. It'll be awesome!! A cool hotel, a fun city and music!!

I hope your Monday was a good one! Mine sucked butt, but that's what I get for working at a bank. It's busy, noisy, and well you know. It's Monday.

Blouse, Remade from dress

Forever21 Jeans, Plato's Closet

Belt, H&M

Boots, Kmart

Cardigan, Forever21 ---years ago

Vintage Coach Tote, Beacon's Closet

Welcoming Fall

2011-09-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Well, its a dreary cool morning for the third day in a row in southern VA and that can only mean one thing. Fall is here!!! I know we'll get a few more scorcher days ahead of us, but for now Mother Nature is giving us the gift of cooler weather:) So I'll take it!!!

To celebrate to coming of the harvest I donned my most fall appropriate outfit that I owned. This dress was something that caught my eye first at the ModSwap back in NY and I was tickled to find out that it's original owner was no one else but Jasmine!!! Hahaha..It was so funny when I showed her what I got and then we were both surprised to find out it was hers.

To make this dress more appropriate for fall weather I actually layered the dress over this pretty vintage blouse that I've been craving to wear all summer. Too hot summer temps, plus humidity doesn't bode well for polyester fabrics. Boo! To top it off I threw on tights for the first time since April and then added my tan shoes and belt. And now I welcome fall with open arms!!! Yippie!!

Forever21 Dress, ModSwap via Jasmine

Vintage Blouse, Thrifted

Tan Wedges, Modcloth

Vintage Belt, Thrifted

Booking it To Brooklyn

2011-09-15T17:08:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday while in NY, I decided to book it to Brooklyn with Zach and his uncle and take a trip to the Brooklyn Flea and then the Brooklyn Brewery. My dress was a tad bit too fancy for such an excursion, so I threw on a denim jacket for an instant casual look. I actually ended up totally in love with this outfit!! Not to prissy and not too laid back. The dress is actually something I purchased with a ShopBop gift certificate that I won through a giveaway and its my first purchase from the Madewell line. It's silk and soft and I can't wait to see what it will look like with dark tights for winter:)

The trip to Brooklyn was quite an ordeal only because the easiest train to get there ended up being closed for the weekend, so we ended up taking a very long subway which then led to a very long bus ride. I was groggy from zero caffeine and just about ready to kill someone, then we got dropped at our stop about 15 feet away from a little cafe that served coffee from the sidewalk:) So coffee in hand I was able to meander the Brooklyn Flea in Williamsburg with Zach and his uncle and had a ton of fun playing dress up in the vintage!! Then we headed to the Brooklyn Brewery and got some yummy beer and enjoyed a very educational tour. Yup, it was awesome!! Of course, since we went to the brewery I also had to take a mini trip to Beacon's Closet where I found an awesome vintage Coach tote and striped vintage sweater:)

Yup!! So that was my busy fun filled Sunday!!! (I miss NY)

Dress, Madewell

Denim Jacket, Gap

Vintage Belt, Thrifted

Swap.com Bag, ModSwap Party

Flats, UO

Lazing About In Sheep Meadow

2011-09-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

If you're tired of all these NYC posts all over the blogosphere, I am sorry, but I just have to document these moments in my life before I forget them all!! Hehehe..I have a terrible short/long term memory, just ask Zach. Anywho, these are outfit shots I did while at Sheep Meadow and Andrea from Blond Bedhead was sweet to offer to take my photos for me. She's a great gal who has an amazing shoe collection!!

So the dress was a recent purchase I had made from Threadcase and I couldn't have been more thrilled with the quality and the customer service. They really take the time to make sure your package comes all neat and tidy and even include a hand written note. I totally had this dress in mind when it came to going to the picnic. I think everyone else had pastels in mind too, because most of the blogger girls looked like they were ready for an Easter egg hunt.

And can I just say how clean most of NY was? Especially the parks. I couldn't get over how well they are taking care of their city. Maybe the hurricane blew all the trash away before we got there, but it just seemed like it was cleaner than last time. In addition to cleaner surroundings I also didn't get "new yorked" by a cab driver. Bonus!! ***

***getting "new yorked" was a term I learned from Mel the first time I visited the city. Basically its when a cab driver knows you're new to the area and drives you around your elbow to get to your thumb to make you pay more cash.

Dress, Threadcase
Shoes, UO
Vintage Coral Necklace, Consignment Shop

Stylish Blogger Picnic in NYC

2011-09-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

Want to know what my favorite part of New York City was? Uh, how about everything!! So many people, so much to do, and the vibe of the city is absolutely the best part. I enjoy noisy streets, lots of people, different kinds of culture and the abundance of restaurants. I think I was able to hit every part of town throughout the city and had so much fun beating the pavement in my practical flat shoes....much different than the last time I came to the city in heels the whole time...rookie mistake.

These pictures were taken on Saturday at the Blogger Picnic meet up at Sheep Meadow Central Park. It was so fun to meet bloggers, readers, and then their respected spouses or boyfriends. It was a nice mix of people and I enjoyed hearing all the reasons why blogging has become a part of our lives. It's a great way to communicate and connect with people, in my opinion, and when we can all meet in real life it just makes it that more better!! Plus its just a good feeling to know that you can finally hug a really good friend who you met on the internet.

In the pictures are Jasmine, Jen, Tieka, Veronika, and me:) Thanks go to Andrea for taking the group photo and Jasmine for taking the one of Tieka and I. And thanks go to the ladies who organized the event! Ashley, Emily, Rebecca, and Erin !!

Greetings From New York!!!

2011-09-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

I've been on a brief hiatus from blogging for a quick trip to NYC and just wanted to pop on the blog and say hello! I've been busy running around doing fun stuff, shopping, and lots of meeting new people. It's just so fantastic!! So happy to meet all the new people at the Mod Swap and then the Stylish Picnic. Great times!!

Photos coming soon!

Fly Like a Butterfly

2011-09-06T10:37:00.000-07:00

When I saw this light summer butterfly print on this dress I have to admit that my nostalgia took over. I was obsessed with butterflies in middle school. And I mean obsessed. Nobody could tell me that I had too many butterfly clips in my hair, too many butterfly stickers on my notebooks, or too many butterflies hanging in my bedroom. It was an odd collection but it was what I was into. Thirteen year old Emily, surely would've gone insane over this dress back in '98. So I had to buy it.

The blue accessories were just begging to be with this dress. I feel like I don't wear this turquoise necklace enough in my life! And it took me forever to find one I absolutely wanted. I love the added pop of color it gives an otherwise neutral dress.

Now its off to some Tuesday fun!!! Oh boy!! The day after a three day holiday at a bank is an absolute nightmare!!! This day can't be over soon enough, and it hasn't even started yet.

Dress, H&M

Sandals, Ross--last year

Vintage Belt, Thrifted

Turquoise Necklace, Vintage Shop

Its A Wrap!!!

2011-09-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I just want to put on a wrap dress and call it a day. Today was one of those days I suppose. I've already worn this dress about four times since I got it 12 days ago and its quickly becoming one of my favorite dresses. The best part about the dress is the ties are so thin you can easily put a belt around the waist of the dress to give it a little more interest.

To add more to my ultra easy dress I put on some cute vintage wedges and then put little pigtail buns on my head for some whimsy. I've been more inspired to actually do my hair lately and I'm kind of liking this! I lived in this hairstyle when I was 14 years ago. I think I was mimicking one of the girls from Sweet Valley High or something when I got obsessed with cutesy hair styles. Which probably means I'm too old to put my hair like this. Meh...I don't really care.

So my plans for Labor Day are funtastic!! I'll be heading to a baseball game with Zach and my Dad and then later on Zach and I will be going to his mom's place to watch House Hunters since Zach's Uncle Norman will be on the episode!!! I'm so excited to see someone I know on TV and then see how they edit someone's personality for "reality". They proclaimed Norman as "opinionated" so lets get see:)

Jacket, Thrifted

Dress, Thrifted

Shoes, Friendly Fox Vintage

Belt, UO

Heidi Ho

2011-09-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

I tried something new with my hair today!! I finally have grown it long enough to braid it into milk braids. I tested the waters with this new do' by going to my parents house with my hair up like this. Of course I got the Heidi comments and maybe something about me looking Amish...but I like it!! What a cool way to get the hair off your neck:) Alright, and then I went to Target like this. I have never had so many people give me such weird looks at the same time. It funny how people don't find it rude when they just stare at you, as if you have 3 eyeballs or something.

I decided to try the monochromatic look again but with cream colors. I enjoy a good cream ensemble and this skirt and lace blouse were a perfect combo. I hate wearing this skirt without a belt so I pretty much put on whatever belt was closest to my feet in the morning...yeah a majority of belts sit on the floor. Anywho, it's a vintage real genuine---say that with a southern hillbilly drawl---snake skin belt.

Have a fantastic weekend folks!!! I will be enjoying these last few days of unofficial summer by going to a baseball game, hanging out with my in laws, and just chilling. Happy Labor Day Weekend if you're in the States!!!

Lace Blouse, Dillards
Vintage Skirt. Thrifted
Flats, UO
Vintage Belt, Thrifted

Put No Trust in the Future

2011-08-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

You know that item in your closet that you only pay a visit to maybe twice a year? This dress is one of those items for me. I love it and all, but the print is so crazy I just try not to wear all the time. I think the last time I wore it was way back last October!! That was the cold weather version and this is the summerized version. I found this dress at Wild Man Vintage when I was visiting my friend in Lawrence. If you're ever in that area you have to check this place out!! It's such a cute shop.

Oh and I just realized that tomorrow is the first day of September!! Is that right? I just can't believe it. I feel like I've crapped away my whole summer. I'm still trying find time to visit a lighthouse, go to the beach, do a picnic, and perhaps fly a kite...or something nostalgic like that. I haven't even found one simple little sea shell to keep for a summer memento. I mean I guess I have until mid September to really freak out about missing out on summer, but still. Labor Day is in less than one week.

Now, enough banter about time flying past too fast. I mean I should have listened to Quintus Horatius Flaccus and just "Carpe Diem".

Dress, Wild Man Vintage

Vintage Belt, Thrifted

Shoes, Target

Ribbon Bracelet, Dana Mariah Etsy

Colored and Cropped

2011-08-29T18:05:00.000-07:00

Today when we were taking our pups for our daily walk we decided to look around the park and see what type of destruction was left after the storm. A few large limbs and a whole large tree were just sitting around. It was kind of sad to see these huge trees just laying there like that. Its humbling to realize that wind and rain can have such a effect on our surroundings. Thank goodness none of the trees were near someone's home.

Since the storm is all over I'm gonna put it behind me at this point and just start thinking about a few more positives in my life. First things first, I'm going to NYC and I'm stoked!! It's been too long since I was last there and this year I think I'm gonna have a lot more fun. It won't be winter (for one thing) so I won't freeze my butt off plus I have a goal in mind to not be so closed off and shy. I'm naturally a shy person so I hope if I meet any of you I have something interesting to say!

And about my outfit. I felt like color blocking this look with two colors that I absolutely hate together, but they worked in these lighter shades. I mean, there is only so much more time that I can wear pastels without looking out of place with fall leaves and pumpkins around. So there you are. A color blocking look that is somewhat trendy with the cropped top and a high waisted skirt.

T-shirt, UO
Vintage Skirt, Blog Shop
Teal Wedges, Payless
Enamel Bracelet, Thrifted
Doll House Clock Necklace, Jaclyn1423

Cooped Up for Irene

2011-08-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

So I've been cooped up in the apartment waiting out the storm and I've become quite bored. We still have power so I figured I'd use good use of the electricity by doing a quick blog post:) I got dressed up just for the fun of it and made a very bright outfit. I've had this pretty Liberty of London for Target tunic sitting in my closet for ages and thought it'd be fun to sport it on an ultra stormy day.

And just to give you all a glimpse into my day, I've been busy doing house work since I haven't much to distract me and also I've been watching the news covered via internet streaming and radio. So far we have flooded streets and a water main break in our area, but we're safe and sound in our cozy apartment. Taking the dogs outside is quite the chore though. Nothing is fun about that. Hahaha...And they don't appreciate it either:)

If you all are on the east coast, stay safe and dry!!! Hopefully I'll be back to regular photos and what not more sooner than later. The streets are lined with debris and branches and clean up may take a while in our neighborhood.

Tunic, Target
Vintage Shoes, Thrifted
Cuckoo Clock Necklace, Jaclyn1423
Hat, UO

Hunkering Down

2011-08-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

Expect a break in posting for a few days. You know that hurricane that's hovering around the US? Yeah, it's coming to my home so I'm expecting and anticipating no electricity and possibly no running water this weekend. I've been through plenty of hurricanes before but this is one I'm kind of frightened about. It's turned more westward towards my coast and seeing as I live in a historic building in the basin of the city I may or may not have to evacuate. I'm not trying to get all dramatic, but you never know. Living in southern coastal Virginia can have its ups and downs in the weather department. And you know what? It's been quite some time since we got hit bad with a hurricane, so it's seems like we're due for one. Isn't that messed up logic? So wish me luck!!

Aside from hurricane reports and whatnot I'm trying to get the most outside time I can by taking the dogs for longs walks and enjoying the parks while the tree limbs are still intact. As you can tell from my outfit, it really was all about dog walking. I stayed comfy and cool in my uber awesome Selena Gomez shorts (I hope you read my sarcasm there) and striped black and white top. I love mixing the black and tans together. It kinda makes me thirsty for a black and tan :)

Gap Top, Thrifted
Shorts, KMart
Black Flats, UO
Jewellery, Antique Stores or Found

Ahhh...Cooler

2011-08-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hello!! And Happy Wednesday! Its my favorite day of the week and I'm just in a good mood. It's seven am and I'm already writing a post about it! hahaha...Anyways, I may also be in a good mood because I can finally feel cooler air outside! It's 68 degrees right now and I'm just loving life to the max. Usually in the summer I wake up to 85 degree mornings, so this is a dream! Alright, enough with the blabbing on to the outfitting.

I actually woke up the other to the feeling of having nothing to wear. I know right? Again?!! Then I remembered I had done some thrifting for fall clothes and remembered I had this pretty damask patterned skirt just sitting around. I'm terrible at saving clothes for a future purpose, but clothes are clothes. I "summerized" the skirt by pairing it with my trusty chambray ruffled blouse and black flats and for a bit of color, my orange studded belt. Simple and to the point.

Blouse-Formally a Dress, Ross

Ann Taylor Loft Skirt, Thrifted

Black Skimmers, UO

Belt, Thrifted

Purse, Fred Flare