29 Skirts

Big Kid

2012-03-05T19:17:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Romper: thrifted

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

This loose, childish outfit including a ’90s floral romper and saddle shoes was perfect for a Sunday afternoon spent doing a bunch of my favorite things: hanging out with Natasha and her sister and adorable baby niece, eating chili fries from The Hat for lunch and tapas at Viva Madrid for dinner and, of course, shopping at Quality Thrift in Montclair. Or QT as we now call it because we’re super cool.

February Favorites

2012-03-03T21:49:00.000-08:00

Ruby Slipper Journeys

Kind of '20s

2012-03-02T22:40:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Skirt: J. Crew, a hand-me-down from my aunt

Tights: J. Crew

Shoes: Naturalizer

I felt kind of 1920s-ish in this outfit today, with the drop-waist effect, pleated skirt and double-strap Mary Janes. I hadn’t worn this skirt in a long time for some reason, and I’d forgotten how much I like it. I’ve had it for about 10 years, I think, and before that my Aunt Judy owned it for at least that long. I guess “vintage” J. Crew is pretty decent quality. These shoes are also oldies and probably the heels that I wear most often.

New Red Shoes

2012-02-29T19:48:00.000-08:00

Sweater: H&M

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: Reflections

So here they are, the new red shoes I found at Montclair Plaza! I like how they’re a bit pointy, not completely rounded off, and have bows. They’re surprisingly comfortable, too, considering they’re not leather. I wore them walking around Pasadena and downtown L.A. all day and evening on Saturday with no problems. I just love a good pair of flats. And now I have to wrap this up because Jasen just finished making dinner and started Boardwalk Empire on the DVD player.

Black Tie Event

2012-02-26T15:06:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Dress: H&M

Tights: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Reflections

I’ll be spending this Oscars night at my neighbor’s apartment party, probably sitting on the floor with champagne and cheese, so while I want to look somewhat festive, I also want to be comfortable. That’s why I’m wearing a dress with black bow ties with a loose sweater over it and tights.

Have you ever gone to an Oscars party where people seriously dressed up? I haven’t, but I think that would be pretty awesome. I even have a fancy silver dress with jeweled straps that I got super on sale when I worked at MyShape waiting for such an occasion.

Three Neutrals

2012-02-25T12:36:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Camisole: Nordstrom

Skirt: thrifted

Bag: Tignanello via eBay

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

At first I thought it would be kind of weird to wear this cream sweater with a silver bag and nude heels, but I ended up really liking the different neutral tones together. This skirt drives me crazy, though. It looks good when I first put it on, but after driving to work and sitting at my desk, it wrinkles up and looks sloppy. I keep telling myself I won’t wear it if I’m going to be sitting for a long period of time, but then I put it on for work again. I need to find a replacement that doesn’t wrinkle.

Breakin' the Rules

2012-02-21T20:51:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Socks: no idea

Shoes: Target

What’s wrong with wearing lipstick that matches your top and socks with heels? I wonder where those rules came from, anyway. I could probably Google them and find out, but I’m really tired and lazy right now.

This skirt reminds me of one of my high school uniform skirts. We had our choice of black, blue and white houndstooth or plain navy blue. I remember my favorite combination back then was my houndstooth skirt with the white blouse and navy V-neck pullover sweater. Oh, and tights, Airwalks and plastic dragonfly baby barrettes in my long, wild curly hair. It was 1997, yo.

Geniuses Pick Green

2012-02-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

Sweater: H&M

Skirt: thrifted

Bag: Tignanello via eBay

Shoes: thrifted

No, I don’t think I’m a genius, but every time I wear green I think of that quote from Meet the Parents: “Well, they say geniuses pick green. But you didn’t pick it.” Bahahahaaa...I still think that movie is great, if painful to watch.

So, who’s enjoying a long weekend? Not me! That’s okay, though, because I finally found some red flats at the Montclair Plaza today for $18 after searching forever. I had a very nice pair that fell apart, and I’ve been looking everywhere for a replacement. I had a feeling Montclair Plaza would deliver; they have, like, 10 shoe stores there, and most of them are cheap.

Work, Work, Work

2012-02-15T21:12:00.000-08:00

Sweater: H&M

Skirt: Cynthia Steffe

Tights: Target

Shoes: thrifted

I’ve been wanting to post some photos of this outfit for a while. I wear it to work all the time...if not every week, then every other week. I bought this skirt with my employee discount when I worked at MyShape, and I love how it’s a versatile black skirt but with cool details — definitely worth it, and it wasn’t cheap, even with my employee discount. Don’t get me wrong, I will always thrift shop, but it’s great to invest in a “special” basic like this once in a while.

Pretty Knitty

2012-02-12T17:47:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Bag: Tignanello via eBay

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

My friend Natasha came over to my place yesterday so she could try on and buy a few things from my Etsy shop. In the process she convinced me to keep two sweaters and a skirt in my shop that I hadn’t allowed myself to try on before but that fit me and I liked a lot. So I ended up taking this sweater out because it had been posted for a while without getting too much attention anyway. Yep, that’s how I’m justifying this.

Thrifted Thursday No. 34

2012-02-09T19:50:00.000-08:00

T-shirt, skirt, tights and shoes: thrifted

Wow, this week has seemed really long for some reason. Oh well, only one more day to get through, plus a Mediterranean food truck is coming to my work tomorrow! We have a food truck show up at our office during lunch time once or twice a week, which is pretty cool. My cousins’ Crepes Bonaparte truck even came once.

So here’s another all-thrifted outfit. The T-shirt is a more recent find and from J. Crew originally, and the skirt is a bebe skirt from (probably) the ’90s. It’s weird, I used to avoid blue, especially navy, thinking it was boring and not very flattering, but now I love it. I was happy with how this outfit had a sort of nautical vibe while incorporating tights since it’s still technically winter...although it was 80 degrees in L.A. today.

Just Roll It

2012-02-06T20:21:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Bag: Tignanello via eBay

Shoes: Naturalizer

Even though I’ve already had this skirt shortened from ankle length to just above the knee, I sometimes feel like it’s still a little too long. So I roll it up at the waist. This works pretty well with pleated skirts in general, which I learned as a teenager at an all-girls Catholic high school when micro-minis inspired by Clueless were trendy.

Does this bag look familiar but different? It’s the same as the gold Tignanello bag that I used to have but in silver. When I bought it on eBay I thought I was getting the exact same bag and was surprised when I found this silver version in the box, but I decided to keep it because it’s still an awesome bag and change is good sometimes.

These Colors

2012-02-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Necklace: made by my sister

Jeans: CJ by Cookie Johnson

Bag: American Vintage

Shoes: very old Seychelles

I can’t stop wearing bright green, lime, mint, etc. with red. I’m obsessed with this color combination. I also keep wearing this particular outfit on weekends and not getting a chance to photograph it, so I’m glad I got to post it today. It’s so comfortable, especially for walking around in the city. I need to find more boxy short-sleeved sweaters like this one. I love the tag inside this vintage sweater too...the brand name is Cuddle Knits. So cute!

I wore this yesterday to hang out with Jasen, my brothers and my sister in Rancho Cucamonga (if you haven’t seen me mention my hometown before, yes, that’s where I grew up, and I know the name sounds bizarre, but it’s a real place) since Hillary is visiting Southern California for the weekend. Jasen cooked noodles with peanut sauce, green onions, sprouts and chicken for all of us because he is awesome. This is one of my favorite dishes that he makes, so I had to share a photo:

January Favorites

2012-02-04T08:29:00.000-08:00

Sorry this is SO late (not that you’re anxiously awaiting my picks or anything). I just finished looking at all the posts in my reader through January 31st this morning. I can’t post my favorite outfits until I’ve seen everything from the month in my reader. That is my OCD rule.

Avant Blargh

Black Sheep

Bunny Picnic

Feathers and Freckles

Kittenhood

Lost in the Haze

Miss Tallulah Porkchop

Porcelain Complexion

The Daily Fashionista

The Girly Bird

The Styling Dutchman

Ulrikke Eleonora

Red and Leopard

2012-01-31T19:56:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Dress: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

It had to happen. This dress had to be worn with my red sweater. And what’s extra awesome is that when I walked into work today I saw that my boss was wearing a red blazer and leopard scarf! If you work in an office, have you noticed that people get on the same wavelength with their clothing choices? So weird.

I also had to include the disturbing photo below. Taking photos in the hall makes me want to put my arms up on the walls.

Back at El Matador

2012-01-29T22:58:00.000-08:00

Headband: Urban Outfitters

Sweater: thrifted by my mom

Blouse: thrifted

Shorts: thrifted

Bag: American Vintage

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Today was one of those days that remind me how much I love California and never want to live anywhere else. Sometimes in late January and early February, it gets hot enough to visit the beach. Today was one of those special “summer in winter” days, so I met my friend Natasha at her place in Santa Monica and we drove up to El Matador State Beach.

I blogged about El Matador back in August, but I had my dying six-year-old camera then, and it was so cool to take more photos there with my new Canon. Natasha was nice enough to take some photos of my outfit as well!

Friday Night Stripes

2012-01-27T22:33:00.000-08:00

Top: H&M

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

I love striped tees, especially this one, even though my boobs kind of distort the stripes. I wish I’d bought more of these long-sleeved tops at H&M, actually. This one is very comfortable and long enough to wear with skinny jeans. Also, the sleeves haven’t shrunk up after washing. They still come down to my wrists, and I have somewhat long arms. I guess this outfit isn’t too exciting, but I liked how the black and tan of the top worked with the military green skirt.

Short and Loose

2012-01-24T20:54:00.000-08:00

Sweater: DKNY

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: Seychelles

Yeah, I’m taking photos in the hall again. I’ve been trying to leave for work before 7 so I can make it there early enough to work eight hours and go home just before 5, so it’s been too hard to catch the daylight.

This is one of my favorite kinds of outfits to wear in the fall and winter: a cozy sweater, short skirt, tights and flats. It’s so comfortable! I love how tights make it pretty much okay to wear a short skirt. Well, I think so. I considered changing into a longer skirt for the office and then told myself I could just keep my coat on if I felt too weird in this. But when I got there today I saw someone wearing extremely short black shorts with patterned tights underneath, so I didn’t feel inappropriate at all.

What the Turtleneck?

2012-01-21T20:44:00.000-08:00

Turtleneck: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Bag: Tignanello

Tights: thrifted

Shoes: Seychelles

I hated turtlenecks when I was a kid. I couldn’t stand the feeling of fabric gripping my neck. I’ve avoided turtlenecks for years, in fact, because I never completely outgrew my aversion to that feeling. But I decided to buy this turtleneck at Quality Thrift the other day because I liked the way it looked on, and it seems to be made of cashmere or some sort of cashmere-like fabric, so it’s not too uncomfortable.

Jasen took these photos of me in an empty alley in Pasadena with murals all along the walls. I had to stand with this crow above my head because I love crows. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned it on here, but I think they’re really cool. I used to have a fake one perched in the back of my car, looking out the rear window.

Thrifted Thursday No. 33

2012-01-19T20:08:00.000-08:00

Sweater, skirt, tights and shoes: thrifted

You’d think it’d be easy to find a nice black pencil skirt at the thrift store, but it’s taken me a long time to finally find this one. And it’s not perfect. The shape isn’t pegged, which I would prefer, and it wrinkles easily. However, it’s good enough for now.

These tights are the second of the three Hue pairs I found at Quality Thrift recently. They’re sweater tights with a sort of glen plaid pattern that you can’t really see in this photo because of the low early morning light. They’re soft and comfortable, though...I love Hue tights! I also see them at Nordstrom Rack every time I go there, so that’s another good place to pick them up at a discount.

Little Gray Dress

2012-01-17T21:03:00.000-08:00

Dress: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: Naturalizer

This is an H&M dress, and probably a pretty recent one, but I found it at ACTS Thrift Store! It’s the perfect thing to throw on when I have no idea what else to wear. I wore it today because I had to attend a meeting with our company’s founder and wanted to look neat and professional. The day ended up being extremely stressful (starting with my inability to get my hair “right” this morning...seriously, I feel like that started it all), so I’m very happy to finally be home right now.

Tights and Mermaids

2012-01-15T15:11:00.000-08:00

Top: thrifted

Necklace: made by my sister

Shorts: thrifted

Tights: thrifted

Shoes: thrifted

This week my sister, Hillary, returned to the United States from Australia! We only got to spend a short time together before she had to drive up to Berkeley to move into a co-op there for her final semester of college. She’ll be moving back to Australia soon after finishing school, so I’ll have to find a way to visit Berkeley at least once or twice in the next few months.

Hillary and I went thrift shopping yesterday, and I found these unopened Hue tights at Quality Thrift. They had a whole bunch of new Hue tights there for $2.99, so I picked up these along with a polka dot pair and a glen plaid pair. Yes, I finally found unworn tights at the thrift store! I also bought this lace top at QT.

And most important, this necklace is a gift from Hillary that she made from a shell she found on a beach in Australia. She said it reminded her of our favorite Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. Awwwww =)

Military Morning

2012-01-11T22:46:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: thrifted

These photos were taken soooo early in the morning. That’s why there’s a light in someone’s window glowing behind me, and yeah, that’s the moon in the skyline behind our apartments.

I found this military green skirt at Quality Thrift recently, and last night I was thinking the color would look cool with my orange-red sweater. Then I realized that together they basically make up the colors of a North Korean military uniform. Well, what can I say, red and olive complement each other.

For some reason I felt like these shoes just had to go with the “severe” look as well. I guess it’s the boxy toe and crisscrosses that are sort of like decorative ribbons.

Drop Waist

2012-01-08T19:16:00.000-08:00

Dress: thrifted

Cardigan: Marshalls

Tights: Target

Shoes: Naturalizer

Goodwill, I love you. And I love this drop-waist dress that you had on one of your racks.

I never thought I’d love a ruffly drop-waist dress so much, but when I tried this on I HAD to have it. It’s so short that Goodwill sold it to me for the price of a top, but as long as I wear it with tights, the length isn’t a problem. It makes a cool swishing sound when I walk too. I decided to goth it up a bit with the long black cardigan, black tights, black shoes and Revlon Blackberry lipstick.

Has anyone ever heard of a brand or store called The Emporium? That’s what the tag on this dress says, and next to it there’s a Star of David. And all the other tags look like they’re in Chinese or Japanese.

Shiny Things

2012-01-06T20:42:00.000-08:00

Sweater: H&M

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: thrifted

This is what I wore to work today. It’s also what I wore on New Year’s Day, but Jasen didn’t get a chance to take a photo then. I generally don’t gravitate toward “sparkle and shine,” but I loved wearing this embellished sweater with these silver streaked shoes. You won’t see me wearing a sequined dress anytime soon, but I think I’d like to add more (subtly) shiny things to my wardrobe.

Also...I just learned via Google that these flats are more awesome than I originally thought! I found them at ACTS Thrift Store for about $4 I think, but they’re barely worn Libby Edelman shoes, which apparently sell for $60 and up. Nice! Anyway, I was attracted to them because of their sort of Art Deco look, and they’re very comfortable to walk around in.

Etsy Update

2012-01-04T20:26:00.000-08:00

This post is a little bit late, but I recently added more items to my Etsy shop, so here are a few of them!

On the Bright Side

2012-01-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

Top: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Bag: American Vintage

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Today I decided to embrace the weirdly hot weather instead of cursing it and dress like it’s summer. This outfit has put me in a good mood even though I have to go back to work after a long vacation tomorrow. Isn’t it awesome that wearing bright colors can have that effect?

Also, my blog is now a year old! So that makes me happy too. I have some redesign plans in the future (it might not happen for a little while, though), and I’m looking forward to wearing all the new-to-me thrifted finds that I picked up during my Christmas break.

December Favorites

2012-01-01T18:27:00.000-08:00

Bunny Picnic

Calivintage

Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter

Give Me Bows

Happy, Honey and Lark

Milk Teeths

Someone Like You

Style Is Style

The Daily Fashionista

The Gift of Gab

The Stylish Heart

Tick Tock Vintage

Best of 2011

2011-12-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

I love looking at year-in-review blog posts, so I thought I’d put together my own! It was embarrassing looking through some of the photos I’ve chosen to post on here, but I finally found one outfit from each month that I felt pretty good about. Some of these outfits received low ratings on Chictopia, and they’re not necessarily the most viewed and shared...but they’re the outfits that I liked best.

August

Based on my choices, apparently I like belts more than I realized (especially my black one), I like colorful and not-so-colorful outfits, and Southern California clearly does not have real seasons. Yes, my favorite February outfit features a sheer top, short skirt and bare legs, and I was still wearing sundresses in October.

Day After

2011-12-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

Cardigan: Charlotte Tarantola

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: Nordstrom

I tried to counteract my sadness about Christmas being over with some post-holiday shopping today, but unfortunately I couldn’t find anything I wanted aside from a roll of 50%-off wrapping paper, two rolls of ribbons and two packages of gift boxes to save for next year. So I think I might have to do some online shopping tonight. Yep, I think so.

Today was fun anyway, though, because I got to hang out at the mall with Jasen, my brother Trevor and my mother-in-law, who is really cool (I got lucky there). Later on we went back to my dad’s house, and my dad, my brother Jeremy and a few more relatives showed up, yay! I’m very grateful to have a large family...but I also wish I had more time to spend with everyone.

Thrifted Thursday No. 32

2011-12-22T20:06:00.000-08:00

Dress, cardigan and shoes: thrifted

Tights: Target

Today was my last day of work before the holidays because the company I work for is awesome and shuts down from December 23rd through January 2nd this year! There’s nothing like taking a long vacation and not feeling like an avalanche of work is piling up for you while you’re gone. I’ve never worked somewhere before that provided this much paid time off at Christmas, so I’m REALLY excited.

I was originally going to wear a red sweater over this dress today because I love leopard print with red. But then I saw this cardigan next to the dress and decided to be a little more...subtle, I guess, for the office. Which is funny because I work in the retail/fashion industry at a place that sells a LOT of animal print clothing and where half the employees on any given day are walking around in faux fur.

White Elephant

2011-12-20T21:12:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Bag: American Vintage

Tights: Target

Shoes: thrifted

Yep, I’m holding a little gift in this photo because we had a white elephant exchange at work today. The last time I participated in one of these things, I ended up with a lotto scratcher worth $40, so I decided to be the “cool” team member and bring a lotto scratcher as my white elephant gift today. I disguised it by placing it inside a Trader Joe’s strawberry bar box before wrapping.

Green Legs and Jacket

2011-12-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

Scarf: World Market

Jacket: Mac & Jac

Top: Banana Republic, found at Crossroads

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: thrifted

Today was another crazy but productive Saturday! Jasen and I got up early to go to my dad’s optometry office in Colton so Jasen could get an eye exam and order new glasses. Then we did a little more Christmas shopping, bought groceries at Trader Joe’s and put up lights in our apartment windows. Well, Jasen put up the lights, and I handed him pieces of packing tape to affix them.

Now we’re finally hanging out on the couch watching the original Miracle on 34^th Street. I love this movie so much! I also need to get my hands on a copy of Christmas in Connecticut, my other favorite Christmas movie...along with It’s a Wonderful Life, which is just one of the greatest films EVER, Christmas or otherwise.

Now that the lights, a little tree, a wreath and stockings are up, our place is very festive...we’ve never decorated our apartment much before, but I’m so excited we decided to get a little holiday crazy this year that I have to post a Christmas photo overload:

Elf

2011-12-14T19:41:00.000-08:00

Top: H&M

Skirt: Fei from Anthropologie

Tights: Target

Shoes: thrifted

All I’d have to do to make this into an elf costume is switch in a pair of green shorts for the skirt. It’s a good thing I didn’t go that far! Aren’t these velvet shoes festive? Well, maybe you can’t tell because the photo isn’t great, but I think they are. I found them at ACTS Thrift Store for $4 and paid to have the heels replaced because I liked them so much.

These photos were taken in our hallway because the days are finally so short that it’s dark when I leave home for work and dark when I arrive home after work. It shouldn’t be like this for too long, but for now I anticipate more indoor blog photos.

No-Stress Dress

2011-12-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

Dress: Forever 21

Cardigan: Nordstrom Rack

Tights: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: thrifted

I’m trying, probably unwisely, to squeeze in writing this blog post between a day spent Christmas shopping with Jasen and an evening having dinner with my mom and seeing my youngest brother in a play. Technically I should be headed out the door on my way to meet my mom right about now, but...here’s what I’m wearing today.

I’ve had this dress for years, and it’s one of those things I just throw on when I want to be comfortable yet still look somewhat put together. The polka dots are kind of faded, but I like how it’s short and swingy and pretty loose at the waist — perfect for a day spent running around town and eating way too much!

Sparkling Cranberry

2011-12-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Necklace: My So Called Vintage giveaway

Skirt: BCBG Max Azria

Tights: Anthropologie sale bin

Shoes: thrifted

I feel like I should be wearing this to a holiday party because it reminds me of sparkling cranberry juice with the pink foam rising up. I guess it’s also kind of like a glass of just-poured red wine with bubbles at the top.

This skirt got on my bad side today because part of the hem fell out in front. I bought it at a sample sale, but STILL, I don’t think that should have happened the second time I wore it. It’s one of those hems where you can’t see the stitching on the outside, too, so I don’t think I can just fix it myself without making the skirt look weird. For now I’m using a piece of packing tape to hold it up.

Rows and Petals

2011-12-03T23:59:00.000-08:00

Sweater: H&M

Dress: Forever 21

Tights: Target

Shoes: Miss Albright from Anthropologie

Tonight Jasen and I went to a Belgian-themed St. Niklaas party at our neighbors’ place, so I felt like wearing something a little festive. I don’t know if I’ve talked about it before, but our apartment complex is very friendly...people throw parties, go hiking together, hold movie nights and just generally hang out a lot. It’s pretty sweet to live somewhere like this during the holiday season!

Thrifted Thursday No. 31

2011-12-01T21:48:00.000-08:00

Sweater, skirt and shoes: thrifted

Tights: Target

Some of you might know that we had an extreme Santa Ana wind event in Southern California last night! Pasadena was hit especially hard as you can see by the debris behind me. Some people’s homes were damaged enough to be uninhabitable, streets were blocked by fallen trees, a lot of neighborhoods lost power and all the local schools were closed today. This is the worst the wind has ever been since Jasen and I moved to Pasadena, but the weather used to get like this at least once a year when we lived in Rancho Cucamonga, which is more inland. Anyway, the Santa Ana winds are super dry and gross. Blech.

So about the outfit: I found this sweater at Goodwill not too long ago. It’s something I might have passed over if I hadn’t been looking carefully because I usually don’t like ribbing and it’s slightly worn. But the cropped waist and sleeves are pretty cool, and I love the color. The skirt is an old favorite from Quality Thrift.

Also, in case you were wondering, I’ve been chosen as an alternate juror...and unfortunately that’s all I can legally say about my jury duty experience right now!

Zeus surveys the damage.

Oddly, this pumpkin sitting outside our front door
didn't budge in the 80 mph winds.

November Favorites

2011-11-30T21:36:00.000-08:00

Coco Maria

Custard Heart Vintage

Eat. Sleep. Wear.

Happy, Honey and Lark

This Is What Happens...

2011-11-28T20:42:00.000-08:00

Top: thrifted

Cardigan: Windsor

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Naturalizer

...when I get dressed in a hurry. I’m wearing black and white with a cardigan, and my skirt is on crooked. Yeah, that’s the side seam up in front there on my right.

Tomorrow I have to report for jury duty at the courthouse in downtown L.A. Normally I would be really upset about this, but for the first time in my life, I’m working for a company that — gasp — PAYS its employees when they’re serving jury duty! I know, classy. However, I don’t think they’ll be too happy if they have to do that for me when I’ve only been working there a month, so hopefully I won’t get put on a jury.

Kind of Mime

2011-11-26T22:34:00.000-08:00

Top: H&M

Jeans: CJ by Cookie Johnson

Bag: American Vintage

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

I don’t wear jeans very often and I wear them for blog photos even less often, but I liked this simple outfit so I decided to post it today. I got these CJ by Cookie Johnson jeans with my employee discount when I worked for MyShape.com. They are the softest, most comfortable jeans I’ve ever owned. They also fit really well and don’t gap in back or slide down too far when I sit or bend down.

A horizontal-striped top always seems like the natural companion for these jeans, resulting in a sort of mime look. I found this top recently at H&M and I think the colors, stripe width and length are pretty much perfect. And this red bag is new to me, yay! I was pretty excited to find it in the American Vintage store on Melrose for $16 since I’d been looking for a simple red bag forever.

Tropic Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T23:14:00.000-08:00

Top: One Clothing

Skirt: BCBG sample sale

Belt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: Target

It wasn’t hot today and I wore a coat over this, but I think it’s funny that I’m dressed up for Thanksgiving with blooming bird-of-paradise plants and palm trees behind me. I hadn’t worn this top in a long time before today. I found it at Ross four or five years ago and just haven’t been working it into my wardrobe even though I think it’s pretty cool. It seemed appropriate for Thanksgiving for some reason.

And this is the second skirt that I found at the BCBG sample sale. My friend Mary wrote a blog post about that sale if you want to see some photos and hear more about the insanity of it. I love this skirt and can see it becoming a favorite, although I think I might need to alter it...it fits great at the hips but large at the waist, hence the belt. I’m kind of afraid to get it altered, though, in case something goes wrong. The fabric is a somewhat thick ponte knit, and I feel like maybe that will make it harder to alter.

A Tale of Two Sweaters

2011-11-22T20:41:00.000-08:00

Sweater: Charlotte Russe

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

This is the sweater I wore in my first post on this blog! I’ve had it for at least 10 years, and it’s the sweater that started my popcorn stitch obsession. I’m amazed it’s lasted this long since I bought it at Charlotte Russe, which isn’t exactly known for their quality.

And speaking of quality, I tried to be a cool blogger recently and bought this ASOS sweater that I’d been coveting for months:

Unfortunately I won’t get to wear it because it apparently was stolen off our front porch and it’s no longer available in my size on the ASOS site. ASOS was awesome and issued a refund right away, but I would much rather have the sweater of course! I learned today that I can have personal packages delivered to my company’s corporate office, so from now on you can bet I’ll be doing that instead of hoping the mail carrier gets a signature or at least knocks on the door when he drops off a package.

By the way, my outfit today was inspired by this look that I saw on Christine’s blog FutureLint. Isn’t that a fabulous name for a blog? I love it!

Shades of Brown

2011-11-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

Sweater: H&M

Dress: H&M

Tights: Target

Shoes: Nordstrom in the ’90s

This is my favorite kind of outfit to wear on the weekends lately: a dress or skirt that’s loose and kind of short, a pullover sweater and tights. I’m ripping off one of my coworkers with the color scheme here, too, by the way. She was wearing a black and white dress with a kind of orangey-tan cardigan at work yesterday, and it made me want to pair this brownish sweater and rust tights with my bow-print dress.

I love how these clunky shoes are trendy once again. I’m pretty sure I bought them when I was about 13 or 14 for a school dance. I remember wearing them one Christmas Eve when I was a teenager with a sort of rosy, watercolor-print, lingerie-inspired skirt (which I also still have, but dang, that thing looks like it should be underwear!), a long-sleeved berry top, a necklace with a maroon pendant and my hair long and curly with a baby barrette in it. I also remember that I was wearing Pearberry spray from Bath & Body Works. Oh, ’90s memories.

Thrifted Thursday No. 30

2011-11-17T21:16:00.000-08:00

Sweater, skirt and shoes: thrifted

Socks: Forever 21

I bought this sweater at Goodwill a looooong time ago and just wore it for the first time today. I’m glad I did because as soon as I put it on I remembered why I was first attracted to it. It’s loose without being shapeless, and I like the pattern, which I think is sort of Art Deco looking. I see lots of ugly ’80s sweaters in thrift stores by this brand, but...for some reason I thought this one was really cool.

Perfect Black Sweater

2011-11-15T21:26:00.000-08:00

Sweater: H&M

T-shirt: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Naturalizer

I bought this sweater at H&M on Sunday, and I love it! I also bought it in dark teal/green because, as I mentioned in my last post, they were having a “buy one, get one free” sale. The quality seems pretty decent, plus the length is great to go with skirts and over dresses.

I was going to wear another skirt from my sample sale adventure today, but I realized when I put it on that it needs to be altered to fit right. I was annoyed because I really wanted to wear it today, although this bright skirt turned out to be a good substitute. And I have to admit that, even though I wear tights in lots of colors, I feel best in a black pair with a fun pattern.

Texture, Texture

2011-11-13T20:41:00.000-08:00

Sweater: thrifted

Skirt: BCBG Max Azria sample sale

Tights: Target

Shoes: ancient Seychelles

My friend Mary invited me to shop at the BCBG holiday sample/warehouse sale in Vernon with her yesterday, and it was CRAZY. It was scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. I arrived at 8:15, but by that time the line to get in was wrapped around the block! We later learned that they allowed the first 200 people in right away but could only allow more people in as others left because of fire safety regulations.

Mary joined me at 8:45 or so because her alarm didn’t go off on time that morning, and we ended up standing in line for four hours. Why did we stick it out? I don’t really have a good answer to that question. However, I ended up with three beautiful BCBG Max Azria skirts for about 90% off the retail price, which means $15 each. And this is one of them.

I was excited to pull my vintage popcorn-stitch sweater out of the closet today to pair with this skirt too. I love the textures together, and this sweater is one of my most prized thrifted finds. The neck was partially ripped when I found it at Goodwill, but I sewed it up and you can’t even tell now (unless you look very, very closely). Wearing it again reminded me how nuts I am for popcorn stitching, and I ended up taking a quick trip down to the Old Town Pasadena H&M in the afternoon to buy two more popcorn-stitch sweaters. They have a deal on selected knits right now where you can buy one sweater and get a second free!

I’m about to Skype with my sister in Australia, so I’ll end this here. Have a good week, everyone!

Schoolteacherish

2011-11-10T22:12:00.000-08:00

Cardigan: Nordstrom

Top: Nordstrom Rack

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Target

As I was looking through my photos from today just now, I kept getting this, like, hardened elementary schoolteacher vibe. I look really tired and crabby in most of them, probably because they were taken at 6:45 in the morning! I’ve decided to switch to an early work schedule instead of a late one because the late shift wasn’t helping too much traffic-wise in the evenings and I wasn’t getting home until 8:30.

I still can’t believe it takes two hours to travel 25 miles in L.A. traffic. We have some trains in the city, and it’s easy to get downtown from Pasadena by train, but unfortunately there aren’t any train stations near my office, which is on the west side. If there were, I would sooo be taking public transportation.

Now that I’ve complained about traffic AGAIN (sorry), I will say that at least I liked my outfit today. And someone at work complimented it. Yay! It’s pretty similar to this outfit with the olive pleated skirt and other fall colors...so I felt kind of lame for practically repeating the same look, but I guess it’s different enough. I’m dying to go shopping for some new clothes, though, especially sweaters. Although I’ve been trying to wait for my first two-week paycheck, I think I might buy some things this weekend.

Gray and Simple

2011-11-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

Sweater: Forever 21

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: thrifted

Here’s my first blog photo taken with the new camera! Although I would have loved to invest in a fancy schmancy DSLR camera, they were way out of my price range, so I ended up choosing a Canon PowerShot.

I guess my outfit today isn’t too exciting, but what can I say? Sometimes I like to dress simply. I considered wearing rust-colored tights as well and making a reference to candied yams...then decided to take advantage of the 70-degree weather and stick with bare legs since it will be cold (by which I mean in the 50s and low 60s) here soon enough.

RIP Photosmart HP M425

2011-11-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

Dress: thrifted

Sweater: thrifted

Socks: Forever 21

Shoes: Naturalizer

These are the last outfit photos I will ever post taken with our cheap point-and-shoot HP camera. After the camera died this evening, I had to rescue the day’s photos by removing the memory card. I was so glad I didn’t lose these photos because I think they’re a bit nicer than usual — the swan song of my little HP.

We were going to wait until December (a month when I get three paychecks, yessss) to buy a new camera. But now we have an excuse to upgrade this week! I’m actually amazed at how long our old $150 camera lasted...we’ve had it for five or six years, I think.

About the outfit: I wore this to do a little thrifting and walk around the Melrose area in L.A. with Jasen. This dress has a somewhat interesting story behind it that I wrote about here. I found it and the sweater I’m wearing at Quality Thrift, which is where I shopped today.

Thrifted Thursday No. 29

2011-11-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

Top, skirt and shoes: thrifted

Tights: Anthropologie sale bin

I’m not hardcore enough to wear thrifted hosiery (well, unless I saw some still in the package), so today’s Thrifted Thursday outfit has non-thrifted tights because it was cool in the morning and I also didn’t feel like shaving.

I found the top I’m wearing at Goodwill. It’s an H&M top, and I love the length and peplum. When I first saw it, I thought it would be too short, but it’s actually perfect with high-waisted skirts. I think this is my new favorite top silhouette! Now I need to find more like it. Oh, and it has little bows on it...I forgot to take a close-up shot.

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner

2011-11-03T07:53:00.000-07:00

Good morning! The winner of the Ahoy! dress from my Shabby Apple giveaway is...

Congrats, Colleen! I’ll be emailing you shortly to get your info for Shabby Apple so they can send you the dress =)

Jewel Tones

2011-11-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

Cardigan: Nordstrom

Tank: Collective Concepts

Skirt: thrifted and shortened

Shoes: Target

I wrote some editorial copy about jewel tones at work this week, and I think that’s what made me want to wear this skirt. I recently had it shortened because the original below-the-knee length just wasn’t doing it for me. It’s partly because the skirt is pretty full...it just seemed so big and billowy before.

I’m sorry I don’t have any Halloween photos to post, but I ended up working overtime on Halloween, and by the time I got home after inching along in L.A. traffic for an hour and a half, there was no point in dressing up. At least I have bat wings and ears to wear next year!

October Favorites

2011-10-31T23:28:00.000-07:00

Out to Brunch

2011-10-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

Top: Anthropologie

Camisole: Forever 21

Skirt: thrifted and shortened

Bag: thrifted

Shoes: Target

Jasen and I just had a busy weekend, which was great, but I’m kind of hoping that next weekend I’ll have nothing at all to do because I’m so tired! We spent Saturday doing chores and running errands, then went to a party at our friends’ house where we drank beer and cider, ate way too many Trader Joe’s appetizers, watched The Shining and played The Beatles Rock Band. Today Jasen and I took his mom out to brunch for her birthday at Walter’s in Claremont, and after that I went to visit my aunt, uncle and cousin.

I’d never worn this top with my cameo skirt before, and I really liked how they looked together. I’m not such a fan of how the camisole looks under the top, though. I wish I had the guts to just wear a bra under the top, but I would feel so inappropriate because of the top’s sheerness. Maybe I should try to find a camisole that matches the shade of this top...I think that might look a little better.

Oh, Pleats

2011-10-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

Dress: Calvin Klein

Cardigan: Jessica Howard

Necklace: belonged to my grandmother

Tights: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

I’ve had this shutter-pleat dress for a long time but have never worn it for blog photos. I bought it with my employee discount when I worked at MyShape. It’s really great to wear to work because it’s made of a comfortable knit and almost like a sweater dress, but the fabric doesn’t get stretched out in the rear if I sit in it for a long time. I always seem to end up wearing it with purple tights! I thought the colors made sense today especially since Halloween is coming up.

Jasen and I are about to go out to dinner to celebrate my new job, so have a great night if you’re reading this right after I post it, and I’m looking forward to finally reading blogs again for an hour or two tomorrow morning. It feels like forever since I’ve even put up an outfit post!

Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway

2011-10-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, I too have been contacted by Shabby Apple to host a giveaway of one of their dresses on my blog. This is my first giveaway, and I’m excited to be able to offer a cool gift to one of my readers! Shabby Apple will be sending the Ahoy! dress shown below to the winner.

Shabby Apple sells women’s dresses and girls’ dresses in a range of great colors and prints, and they donate a percentage of proceeds from their sales to “charitable causes serving women and children.” You can find out more about their charitable giving here. Many of their dresses are vintage inspired and they even sell maternity dresses as well as skirts, accessories and pretty housewares.

To enter this giveaway, you need to be a follower of my blog, have a U.S. shipping address (I'm sorry it's not international, but Shabby Apple told me it must be limited to entrants with U.S. addresses) and leave a comment below before 12 a.m. Pacific time on November 3rd. (That is, the entry period ends at midnight next Wednesday night.) Please include your email address in your comment as well so I can contact you if you win! I will choose a winner randomly on Thursday, November 3rd. The winner of this giveaway may not exchange the giveaway dress, according to Shabby Apple.

I also encourage you to like Shabby Apple on Facebook if you’re interested in connecting with their brand and getting access to their special promotions and discounts.

And finally, Shabby Apple is also offering all of my readers a 10% off coupon code for their website! The code is 29SKIRTS10OFF and will be valid for 30 days.

Good luck, and I look forward to picking a winner next Thursday!

Office Appropriate

2011-10-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

Blouse: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Boutique 9

Today was my second day of work at my new job! Jasen took my photos pretty early in the morning, and this is the only one that miraculously didn’t come out totally blurry because of the low light.

I have a crazy commute, so I don’t know how often I’ll have time to comment on blogs now. I’ll try to fit it in when I can, but it’s going to be rough for a while. My boss has mentioned that I might be able to work from 10 to 7 instead of 9 to 6, though, which could really help in terms of traffic. I think I’m going to try that schedule out on Thursday if possible.

To Belt or Not To Belt

2011-10-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Dress: Rose Bowl Flea Market

Pin: gift with giveaway from My So Called Vintage

Belt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Maybe you remember that back in September I said I bought two dresses at the Rose Bowl Flea Market and then never wore the second one. Well, this is it! It’s made of fabric that feels like flannel, so I couldn’t wear it while the weather was super hot. It was still kind of too hot to wear it today and too hot to wear these tights, but I thought it would be cooler in Oak Glen, which Jasen and I visited this afternoon. It wasn’t.

In fact, it was so hot that we ended up just sticking to the shaded area with the shops and restaurants and not going into any orchards or fields. And the apple picking had ended for the season because of an unusually small crop. So that’s why I don’t have any cool photos of Oak Glen. Yeah. At least we tried some apple pie and got a nice bag of apples! Next year I will plan accordingly and make sure we visit on a cool day in September if Southern California gets one.

I also wasn’t sure whether this dress should be worn with my tan belt or not. When I first bought it, I thought the dress would look great with this belt, but now I don’t know.

Etsy Shop Update

2011-10-20T23:37:00.000-07:00

I added nine new items to my Etsy shop today, and here they are! If you click any item, you'll go to its Etsy listing.

It's almost midnight here in California, so Happy Friday!

Thrifted Thursday No. 28

2011-10-20T19:20:00.000-07:00

Blouse, skirt and shoes: thrifted

Today I bring you...Thrifted Thursday with flash photography! I feel like I’m in an Urban Outfitters catalogue with this crazy light. I didn’t get a chance to take photos until after the sun was pretty much down today, but I really wanted to update my blog, so I figured it wouldn't be too bad to use a flash photo.

I spent a lot of time photographing and writing descriptions of clothing for my Etsy shop today and plan on adding the new items to the shop later tonight. I’m thinking of doing a shop update post after I add them. I don’t like to be too, I don’t know, over the top with that promotion stuff, but I like it when other bloggers with Etsy shops post their new shop items so I can scroll through them quickly.

Oh and also, I was offered the job today! If you’re new to my blog, by “the” job I’m talking about a full-time copywriting job that I’ve been waiting to hear about for the last couple of weeks. I’m going to be starting work on Monday, so I won’t have as much time for blogging going forward. I will try to update my blog at least three times per week, though! I’m also planning on doing a Thrifted Thursday post every other week instead of every week just to make things easier while I’m starting out at this new job.

Typical

2011-10-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

Top: Cotton On

Skirt: thrifted

Belt: thrifted

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Yeah, this look is pretty typical for me, I know. I was in a hurry this morning because I was running late for an appointment to get my hair cut. The back had grown so long and was getting out of control! I usually try to wait three months between cuts, but I went in at the two-month mark this time because my hair was getting too hard to style straight and I didn’t feel like letting it go curly for a month. I really think my hair grew faster than usual because it was summer.

Also, this is such an abrupt topic change, but does anyone know where I can get some good bat wings to wear for Halloween? I want to be a bat. Not Batgirl, just a bat. I think I might be trying to plan this too late. I went to three big Halloween stores today and none of them had a simple bat costume or even bat wings.

Two Hoots

2011-10-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

Top: H&M

Camisole: Nordstrom

Necklace: won from Courtney’s My So Called Vintage giveaway!

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Target

I had been looking for an owl necklace forever and couldn’t find one that I loved. Then I saw this one that I'm wearing in Courtney’s Etsy shop, My So Called Vintage, and marked it as a favorite...and then I won it in a giveaway on her blog! Even better, Courtney emailed me the gorgeous owl pin below along with the necklace!

Does she have great taste in owls, or what? She has a lot of other fabulous things in her shop right now, too, which specializes in vintage accessories, handbags and shoes, as well as jewelry made from repurposed vintage pieces. These are a few of my other favorites:

Thank you again, Courtney!

Mardi Gras Wedding

2011-10-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

For those of you who wanted to see photos from our friends' Mardi Gras themed wedding last year, here they are!

Thrifted Thursday No. 27

2011-10-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

Blouse, shorts and shoes: thrifted

Yep, it’s still hot here. Yawn. But I was glad to have the chance to wear this summery blouse that I found at Goodwill a week or so ago. I have a thing for gingham and picnic plaid and have been looking for clothing with those types of patterns.

Tonight someone who lives nearby and is interested in the vest and pant set in my Etsy shop is stopping by to try it on. I’ve never met a stranger this way, but Jasen will be here and I found her blog by Google stalking, so I think it’s pretty safe. She offered to meet me at a café, but I didn’t want to make her try things on in the bathroom there. Guess I’d better go make our apartment look a little less messy now!

Clearance Tale

2011-10-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

Dress: Leifsdottir, found at Nordstrom Rack

Belt: thrifted

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

This dress is my best Nordstrom Rack find ever. Some of you Anthropologie fans may recognize this dress from a couple years ago. I can’t remember the name Anthropologie gave it, but I’m pretty sure its original price was $395. I fell in love with it even though I knew I could never afford it, even on sale. Plus, it sold out on the site at the regular price.

Well, about six months or so after I saw it on the Anthropologie website, I walked into Nordstrom Rack and discovered it in the clearance section, marked way down. And it gets better: it also had one of those “extra 60% off” or “extra 75% off” stickers on the tag, so I ended up paying about $35 including the sales tax.

I usually wear this dress on special occasions. I wore it to our friends’ Mardi Gras themed wedding last year, and I wore it for Mother’s Day brunch this year. I tend to save it for occasions because it’s so nice and I’m afraid of damaging it, but I think I should wear it more often. I like how adding the black belt makes it seem a little more casual.

A Leaf Affair

2011-10-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

Headband: Urban Outfitters

Top: H&M

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

I don’t have any job news yet, but one of my professional references emailed me today to say that she had just been contacted by the company and given me a review. Yay! I hope this means I’ll find out whether I have the job in the next couple of days.

Last week I was at the mall in Arcadia and, although I wasn’t intending to stop at H&M, I was lured in by the giant “SALE” signs in the windows. I found this top on one of the sale racks there, and it’s perfect for fall in Southern California — sleeveless but in a nice rusty reddish color. I like how, with the green and yellow, this outfit’s colors resemble changing leaves. They also remind me of apples.

Black and Tan

2011-10-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

Dress: thrifted

Bag: won from Audrey’s Loehmann’s giveaway

Shoes: Target

My outfit today was inspired by this post from Bethany’s blog, Bunny Picnic! My mom found the dress I’m wearing in a thrift shop in Colorado and gave it to me the last time she was in California. As soon as I saw Bethany style her black and white dress up with tan accessories, I knew I had to try the same approach with mine.

I’m sorry these photos are so hazy, though. I didn’t realize the light was getting low enough to mess with my old camera. If I get the new job (still no word...yikes!), I’m buying a better camera for sure. That’s at the top of my list, which also includes an Etsy shopping spree, a pair of Seychelles and the perfect rusty ASOS sweater that Annebeth is wearing here.

PS: Can you spot Zeus in the top photo? I didn't even notice him until I inserted the image into the blog post!

PPS: Ack! I forgot to mention it yesterday, but Michelle of Hot Pink Combat Boots has featured me in this post on her blog! Her blog is really cool and fun and chronicles her adventures as an American in Europe. Thanks again, Michelle!

Thrifted Thursday No. 26

2011-10-06T17:22:00.000-07:00

Top, skirt, belt and shoes: thrifted

It rained all day yesterday, so today the air seems very clean and the sky looks beautiful — kind of unusual for the Los Angeles area. I haven’t heard back about the job yet, so I distracted myself with thrifting (what else?) and trying on premium jeans at Nordstrom Rack. I won’t name brand names, but none of them fit or looked flattering. So my search for a wide-leg pair with a high or at least medium rise continues.

Starting Over

2011-10-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

Top: Forever 21

Cardigan: thrifted

Skirt: from a swap with Natasha

Belt: thrifted

Shoes: Target

I feel more satisfied with this outfit than I have with any of my outfits in a while. Isn’t it weird how some days you can put together an outfit you like pretty easily and other days there’s some sort of creative block?

It’s probably been harder for me to concentrate on what to wear lately since I’ve constantly been thinking about the job I’ve been interviewing for. It looks like I’m going to be hired at this point, as long as my references check out, so I can finally relax a little. I haven’t gotten an offer yet, but my second in-person interview yesterday went well, and apparently the background check is the final step in the process.

I know some of you are curious about which company I’m trying to get into, and I wish I could mention it, but even if I start working there I’ll need to ask for permission before revealing anything. They’re a pretty major brand, and of course if I were to mention them on my blog, I’d become associated with them, etc.

That said, well, yeah, I’m pretty darn excited about this! I’ve been searching for the right full-time position for over nine months after being laid off. I’m happy I’ve had time to get a blog and Etsy shop started, and I definitely do not intend to abandon those things, but I will be beyond thrilled to no longer rely on unemployment insurance.

Is It Fall Yet?

2011-10-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

Top: Susina

Dress: Xi Clothing

Socks: Hue

Shoes: thrifted

I’ve been feeling bored with my wardrobe lately and wanted to do something a little different today, but I don’t know...maybe this is just weird. Part of the problem is that I want to dress for fall, but it’s just too hot. Also, I think I need to do another closet purge and then shop for a few more fall items. For example, I love rust and mustard but own hardly anything in those colors. As you can tell from my September favorites, I would really like some mustard pants or jeans! Anyway, this outfit is the result of a desire to dress for fall colliding head-on with 85-degree weather.

September Favorites

2011-09-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

Crimson Rosella

Elluminated

Feathers & Freckles

Girl Next Door Fashion

Happy, Honey and Lark

Homerun Ballerina

Hummingbird Girls

Just Another Wardrobe Experience

Thrifted Thursday No. 25

2011-09-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

Blouse, skirt, shoes and bag: thrifted

Another Thursday, another thrifted outfit! Sometimes I wonder if people are getting tired of this all-thrifted theme and if I should discontinue it at some point. I don’t know. I’ve been thinking maybe in 2012 I should replace it with a different weekly feature.

Do any of you fellow thrifters come across Dana Buchman clothing in your local thrift stores? I occasionally find it, and I’ve been impressed by the quality and saturated colors. This blouse is a Dana Buchman piece that I found at Quality Thrift. It’s 100 percent silk, and wow, there’s just something about beautifully dyed silk. It’s even more vibrant in real life than it looks in this photo.

My bright lime skirt is also by Dana Buchman, and I looooove that skirt. The only reason I haven’t been wearing it lately is that it needs to be dry cleaned. Or needed, actually, since I’m picking it up from the dry cleaners tomorrow along with a few items I’m adding to my Etsy shop.

The interview yesterday went well! I met with three people from the department where I would be working if hired, and they were all super nice and professional. I got a phone call today to schedule a second interview on Monday, this time with two people in more senior positions in the company.

So Close

2011-09-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

T-shirt: thrifted

Skirt: Fei from Anthropologie

Bag: from a swap with Natasha

Shoes: thrifted

You know that copy test that I worked on over the weekend? Well, the company liked it, so I have an interview at their office tomorrow! I have no idea how many people they’re interviewing, but I’m not going to lie: I’m really hopeful about this because I was recommended to the company by a friend and former boss who now works for another well-known fashion/retail company in the L.A. area.

I went and got my filthy car washed today in honor of the interview, though hopefully I’ll be parking in a structure and won’t be seen anyway since my car isn’t too attractive even when it’s clean. It has a large scrape along one side from my making too close of a turn and hitting our apartment building while trying to park on the day we moved in. Hey, if you saw how little clearance there is, you’d understand. I do have spatial skills, I swear. I’m good at parallel parking!

It was nearly 90 degrees here today, so it’s pretty much still summer. I wore this Ann Taylor T-shirt that I found at Quality Thrift a long time ago and my khaki Anthropologie skirt. Of course I spilled part of a burrito on the skirt because it’s light colored and has to be dry cleaned. I grabbed this bag today because I liked how it tied in with the top. I was surprised when Natasha let me take it in the clothing swap we had after our yard sale because she used to carry it all the time. I think the pattern on it is so cool.

Super Mario Colors

2011-09-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

Top: H&M

Skirt: thrifted

Headband: Urban Outfitters

Bag: won from Audrey’s Loehmann’s giveaway!

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

I tried to make a faux dress out of a red top and skirt today, and I think it pretty much worked out, but wow, I felt so...red. I added the turquoise accents because I love turquoise with red, and then I suddenly felt like Mario. Yeah, he wears overalls and just his eyes are light blue, but when I think of Mario, I think red, red, red. And a little blue.

Okay, that probably made no sense, so moving on...I won this awesome bag from Audrey’s blog, homerunballerina! This is the first time I’ve won something from a giveaway. Thank you again, Audrey! This will be a great bag to take on interviews, too, because I can fit my portfolio inside. I didn’t have a cognac bag either, and I think this is such a gorgeous fall color. It was actually the reason I wore red today. I like when I see people wearing cognac accessories with red.

Oh, aaaaand, thanks again to my friends Ani and Emily for these shoes! They saw on my blog that I got them in yellow and also wanted them in turquoise, so guess what they gave me for my birthday? Yep! They also got me some Aveda products and MAC’s Lady Danger lipstick, which of course I have also rambled on about. I can’t wait to use everything!

29, 30!

2011-09-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

I love when other bloggers post childhood photos of themselves, so since today is my 30th birthday, I thought I'd share a few pics of myself in the 1980s. Of course I chose these specifically for the clothes. Clearly my mom liked hats, and I liked to make weird faces!

Jasen is taking me out to dinner tonight at my favorite tapas place, Viva Madrid in Claremont. We first went there together when we were dating. I was just 20 then!

Tomorrow my friend Natasha is having a birthday celebration for me at her apartment...nothing too big since I prefer to be able to talk to everyone at a party and I didn't want to invite a big crowd since she so, so, SO kindly offered to host a party even though she's working crazy hours at her job.

And...tomorrow morning before the party I have to work on a copy test for a potential new full-time job! I don't want to say the name of the company or get my hopes up too much, but it's a well-known fashion/retail brand and I want this job so much. I think it would really be a great fit given my experience. I'm incredibly happy that they contacted me on my birthday and are considering my application!

Thrifted Thursday No. 24

2011-09-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

Top, romper and shoes: thrifted

Tomorrow is the first day of fall and my 30th birthday, so today I’m celebrating the last day of summer and the last day of my youth in this crazy bright outfit. Well, maybe it’s not THAT bright, but this afternoon Jasen compared it to the bowl of Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries cereal that he was eating.

I also just added seven more items to Pasadena Vintage. A few of them are posted below if you’re interested in seeing what’s new!

Interview Suit

2011-09-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

Cardigan: Jessica Howard

Blouse: thrifted

Skirt: Cynthia Steffe

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Yeah, I know, black again! As you can tell from the title, I had an interview today, so I decided to post what I wear to interviews on my blog. I kind of have a superstition about wearing a green top and black skirt to interviews because that’s what I was wearing when I landed my last two full-time jobs.

So obviously I’m not really wearing a suit but rather a black cardigan and skirt. Since I work in a creative field (copywriting), I feel comfortable dressing in a way that’s a little more fun and relaxed but still professional. I like to wear this blouse in particular because I feel like the pattern on it says, “I’m creative...but organized.” Haha, that’s probably ridiculous of me, but I guess I feel more in control if I’m wearing a carefully planned outfit.

Now I’m going to conclude with a typical blogger tactic and ask, “What do you like to wear when you interview for a job?”

Back to Black

2011-09-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

Top: Forever 21

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Naturalizer

I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before, but if I had to pick a style “uniform” this would be it: a tee with short or elbow-length sleeves and a full skirt. I always feel good in this combination, though I like my pencil skirts too. I’m also happy to get back to wearing black because I love black, but I also like being comfortable and black in Southern California in the summer usually is not comfortable at all!

I spent about four hours looking for clothes for my Etsy shop today and gathered a nice haul of eight items. I also bought two vintage Japanese dinner plates with yellow flowers for our apartment. Part of me would like to sell dishes in my Etsy shop as well because I find a lot of pretty ones, but I’m afraid of breakage and high shipping costs.

Sea Green

2011-09-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

Sweater: thrifted

Dress: thrifted

Bag: Tignanello

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

When I woke up this morning, I discovered that the weather had turned cool and cloudy, a little foggy even. It feels like it’s been so long since we had a gray day. I always feel a little bit like I’m on vacation when it gets like this in Southern California...like I’m at the beach or driving up the coast or in Seattle. Maybe that’s why I chose to wear this sea green sweater with my pinstriped dress.

Jasen took these photos of me on our way back from running some errands in Glendale. We had to buy part of a birthday gift for my dad and a gift for a baby shower we’re going to tomorrow. I once saw Angelina Jolie, two of her kids and a guy whom I assumed was a bodyguard at the Babies R Us on Los Feliz Boulevard near Glendale, which is the closest Babies R Us to us, so whenever I go there now, of course I have to keep an eye out for celebrities, but we didn’t see anyone famous today!

Thrifted Thursday No. 23

2011-09-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

Blouse, skirt, bag and shoes: thrifted

For some reason I looked cross-eyed in almost all my photos today. Maybe I’m going crazy, but that’s how they looked to me. I feel like even in the photo above I look slightly cross-eyed. Maybe I’ve been staring at computer screens too much!

Um, anyway, I really like the combination of peach and green, so when I found this blouse at Goodwill, I knew it had to be worn with my teal green skirt. These shoes are another recent find. They are, I think, from the ’60s. Inside the right shoe there’s some cute script reading “Howard Fox” and inside the left shoe it says, “Huggins Shoes.” Some similar mod-looking pairs by Howard Fox are on Etsy right now.

Toga! Toga!

2011-09-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

Dress: Rose Bowl Flea Market

Belt: from a dress I bought on eBay and no longer have

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Jasen gave me the name for this outfit post. That was his response when he saw me wearing this dress that I bought on Sunday at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. It’s a little different for me, but I thought the colors and simple shape were beautiful.

Also, my yellow shoes finally arrived! They’re even nicer than I expected. Now I want them in every color on the Urban Outfitters website. I ordered my usual 7.5, and they’re a perfect fit and seem like they’ll be comfortable, though I haven’t walked around in them much yet. Nothing like a perfect pair of peep-toe flats!

The Pomona Arts Colony

2011-09-13T00:21:00.000-07:00

Top: Forever 21

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Bag: Tignanello

Jasen regularly contributes to a local free publication called Inland Empire Weekly, and since he often interviews bands for his articles, he sometimes receives free concert tickets. This evening he took me to see The Horrors at The Glass House in the Pomona Arts Colony, which is a cool little revitalized downtown area of Pomona.

We got to Pomona pretty early and walked around, so I took some photos. I was afraid to try bringing my camera into the concert, so I don’t have any photos of that, but if you’d like to see what the Pomona Arts Colony is like, some of my photos are below!

This vintage store has been around forever! I remember going here in high school, and I still regret not buying a belted white ’50s dress covered with blue atomic symbols that I once found here when I was a teenager.

Temptation! But since I spent money on dresses at the flea market yesterday, I didn’t buy anything at La Bomba today.

I wish Futures Collide had been open. It’s full of gorgeous, very expensive mid-century modern furniture and appliances. The sign in their window said they’re only open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

We found a stack of copies of the IE Weekly issue with Jasen’s Horrors article.

We had a delicious dinner for about $17 plus the tip at Casa Jimenez.

I liked this alley.

And the sky looked amazing.