Dressing Weather-appropriate is for Chumps

So . . .
It's been freezing lately. Which for us Californians means in the 60 degree range. But it's April, darn it! So I'm going to wear skirts and dresses and rompers even if I am running around like a mad person the whole time trying to keep my blood circulating!

Yesterday


When I bought these shoes, I had the following conversation via text with Sweets (my boyfriend):

Me: You're going to break up with me when you see the shoes I just got.
Sweets: Are they heels?
Me: No. They're closer to...loafers...if anything...
Sweets: Why won't I like them?
Me: Michael Jackson. That's all I'll say.
Sweets: Sparkle shoes?
Me: ...maybe...
Sweets: Girls wear some weird crap.

Well-said, Sweets. Well-said.

Stats
Bought: Faux Leather Jacket @ Forever 21 a couple years ago (rolled-up sleeves, my doing)
Price: I have no idea

Bought: Chewie & Han novelty tee @ Red Bubble
Price: $21.73 plus shipping

Bought: Purple pencil skirt @ Goodwill
Price: $5

Bought: Belt @ H&M
Price: $4

Bought: Michael Jackson loafers @ Goodwill
Price: $7

Today
One of the best parts about the early 90's prints coming back in style is that I still have some leftovers from the first go-round that I can re-use.


This gingham bow is from elementary school when my mom made Josie and I matching gingham outfits for a church fashion show (I know that seems like an oxymoron, but...)

This purple sweater, which I just barely saved from being donated today is from Jr. High (when I would wear it with matching purple pants and lavender clogs. We don't need to talk about that. Ever.)


I'm a pretty big chicken when it comes to mixing prints. But since I've been re-watching old Project Runway episodes, I've been encouraged by Mondo to be a bit braver.

This is only the beginning. We'll start small and eventually work our way up to more eye-assaulting combinations of prints.

Stats

Bought: Floral dress @ Goodwill
Price: $3.50 (half-off day!)

Recovered: Purple sweater and gingham bow

Hodgepodge (hoj-poj)

I hope I'm not the only one, but I sometimes have weird half-asleep thoughts in the middle of the night.

I've been wanting to find and adopt a dress form for quite awhile (hold on, these two thoughts are about to connect...), and last night I had a weird fuzzy idea about actually saving up for one (a-HA!).
I'm going to start collecting all my change from here on out--keeping you updated all the while--with a dress form as my goal.

Currently in my little owl change bank (given to me by Dana) is $3.64, 2 Canadian pennies, 2 $2 bills, and a 1979 silver dollar.


I would show you a picture of little Satchel, but he's in the middle of being repainted and I think he would feel a bit self-conscious about being depicted half-nude for all the world to see (he's very modest for an owl).

On an unrelated note, Ducky has gotten up on the kitchen table twice this morning. She's out of control.

There's absolutely nothing better than waking up, thinking you have to rush somewhere, and then realizing that you have the whole day before you to do nothing. You can just sink back into your pillow a little bit deeper and relish the comfort of your comforter.

Today's Game Plan:

• Get dressed and ready to go
• Redeem recyclables
  
• Go to the library with Dana
• Play tennis with Dana (she doesn't know this yet, but as it has been unequivocally determined that I am a control freak...that's not a surprise.)
  
• Do some drawering with Dana for our story blog (she also doesn't know this either).
• Take pictures (for you) of my latest thrifty finds from when Goodwill had a 1/2 off sale on St. Patrick's Day (whaaaaat?)
  
• Have a serious talk with Duck about the direction her life is going. This is just getting out of hand.
  

Today's Outfit

...is brought to you by the letters S, N, and L

I spent a good chunk of time scouring Google for outfits that I remembered the ladies of SNL wearing that indirectly influenced my outfit today, and nary a one.

So I moved on to Netflix, and spent forever (like 5 minutes) skimming through episodes and taking screen captures.

Ohhhkay creepo in the corner

So that's the style mood I was in when I got dressed.

Then I tried taking pictures outside of my actual outfit, and this is what happened:
And since I was too lazy (darn you, heat!) to find a ladder to set my camera on, you get this instead.

Basically put, there's a whole lot of lazy going on here.

Stats
Bought: Blue polka dot blouse (with matching skirt. ai-yee!) @ Goodwill
Price: Under $10

Bought: Red sweater vest @ Plato's Closet
Price: $5

Bought: H&M Jeans (as previously posted here)

Bought: Steve Madden wedges (the pride of my existence, which had never before been worn!) @ Goodwill
Price: Under $10

Bought: Double-wrap-around belt @ Urban Outfitters
Price: $4.99 (whaaaaat??)


Who influences what you wear?

Do you have one style or change it every day?

Sisterhood of the Thrift Store Pants

Bought: Lucky Jeans
Price: Hand-me-down from sister (a.k.a. free for me)
Place: Some thrift store (see above)

Bought: Lucky Jeans
Price: $7 (Brand spanking new. Originally over $150)
Place: Goodwill, Concord

Bought: Billabong/H&M Jeans
Price: Doesn't matter because...
Place: ...the store I got them from closed.

Aside from the fact that clotheslines make your clothes feel and smell about 6 billion times better than the dryer, buying ridiculously expensive pants for a minutia of the original price feels just amazing.
Given, the vast majority of jeans at thrift stores are the dreaded mom jean (which, by the way, are supposedly making a comeback. I will kill myself before I'm caught wearing those). But hidden in the racks are these little gems.
Maybe someone outgrew them?
Lost some weight?
Grew a third leg?
Who knows why someone would get rid of these. But thank goodness for me, they did.
I get major gloating power out of wearing these, which is really the reason you go thrifting, right?

Oh and I have yet to work any kind of magical power out of these pants. Sure, they were cheap, but come on. I'm still waiting to have Kostos express mailed to my doorstep. Let's get on that, Pants.

Friendly Bit of Advice #3: Cut Loose, Footloose

Bought: Shoes
Price: <$10 except the heeled Candies boots Place: Goodwill, Pleasant Hill; Anna's Attic; Goodwill, Concord; Good Samaritan Thrift Store, San Diego; Salvation Army, Concord (R.I.P.)

Today, we're going to talk about the one most terrifying thrift store item.

No, not the undergarment. We're going to pretend that those don't even exist there. There is absolutely no way I would ever look at those, much less touch them. And buying them would be an early sign of a brain aneurysm.

The Shoe.

I know. Don't be scared.

The Shoe is like the Holy Grail or the Lost Ark (or any other Biblical artifact that has since been turned into a mainstream movie title) of the thrift store.
Most people don't get rid of their shoes, unless they're completely worn out, making The Shoe search more difficult.

So in true Monty Python and Indiana Jones fashion, let's turn this into a scavenger hunt.

1. Find The Shoe that is in style.

2. It's in style? See if it fits. If it doesn't, place back on the rack and go back to step 1.
Cinderella Step-Sister-Like behavior is generally frowned upon.

3. It fits? Find its mate. If you can't, place back on the rack and go back to step 1 or ask an employee for assistance.

4. It's in style, it fits, and "it" is now a "they"?! Check the price. Depending on the uniqueness and quality of the shoe, place back on the rack if it's over $10.

5. Fend off anybody else who is eying your shoes. View other customers as enemy scavenger hunt competitors who will potentially take you down if you find one of their items. Tuck your find under your arm and sprint for the cash register. Unnecessary roughness will be flagged and may result in expulsion from the hunt, so be sure to barrel someone over only if the ref has his eyes closed.

6. Oh no... You're not finished yet. High-tail it home, and whip out your disinfectant spray. Take your shoes outside and spray those suckers off until you just about can't breathe with all the toxins in the air. Leave outside to dry.

7. Do a victory dance, for you have won the hunt! Gloating optional, but generally encouraged.
Example:
Scavenger Hunt Completion Party

Friendly Bit of Advice #1: Be Brave

Bought: Pleated Skirt
Price: Under $8
Store: Goodwill, Concord


I don't know what stage of thrifting you're starting at, but as a general rule of thumb, in order to get some amazing buys, you need to actually get your booty out there and shop!

I know there tends to be a tarnished stigma surrounding thrift stores.

They're dirty! And foul! And rodent infested!

Let's not be ridiculous.

There are actually some really clean stores out there! Little known fact: most people wash their clothes before passing them on to the thrift store of their choice. And more importantly, you can always wash whatever you buy!

As a matter of fact, I would highly recommend it, even insist on it.


So... Friendly Bit of Advice #1...Be Brave!


And bring hand sanitizer with you.