Red Plaid: Here to Stay

Outfit details:
Anthropologie Reed Shirtdress (similar here and here)
Zara crochet stretch belt (similar here, here, and here)
Gap ballet flats

I finally pulled this dress out to wear after vacillating so long on color choice! Confession: the blue one still hasn't gone back yet. I have separation anxiety. And maybe some serious guilt when I return anything.

The belt feels like a perfect rendition of a certain Anthro belt I didn't purchase.  I like the darker glossy leather on the clasp a lot better. I don't know why I don't have any stretchy belts. The flats were a shoe emergency buy in Alabama. I feel like they look very Repetto, and I don't have a pair of non-sneaker red flats right now. I put them to the test today when I walked to school. It was really nice out and my car is in the shop so I thought I'd take a stroll.

Speaking of school, it's pretty much kicking my butt right now and will probably continue to do so until I'm done with finals. If things get quiet, it's because I am locked in my room or the library with a large stack of textbooks. See you on the other side of finals week!

Vintage Ferragamos

Perfection condition Varas. Oh my.

I know I've been quiet with posts this week, so I thought I would pop in and say hi!

Some of you follow me on Twitter and have heard all about my adventures. But for those of you that haven't, I just got back from visiting my girl Lana in Birmingham and made a ridiculous thrift find this morning. We popped into Salvation Army right before I left, since it is Wednesday--aka half-off clothing day.

My thrift strategy (well, any discount store shopping strategy, really) involves hitting up bags and shoes first. Hanging out on the shoe racks were a woman's discarded collection of Ferragamo shoes. All in my size.

A pair of vintage Vara flats has always been on my list of things to keep an eye out for. I usually come across at least one pair at most vintage and consignment shops, usually not my foot size and out of my price range. Whenever I traipse through Saks Fifth Avenue, I pet the Varina flats. Across the street I blow kisses through the Salvatore Ferragamo store windows at their shoe displays.

But OH MY. The cream ones look as if they've only been worn once,  if ever. And the black ones? BRAND NEW. I am still having heart palpitations. I had a really hard time not making a scene in the middle of the store while swiftly pulling these off the shelves.

These shoes, plus the jean jacket this month? I am having the best secondhand shopping time of my entire life!!

Don't be jelz. These fine Etsy sellers have some for very fair prices.

And also, they still sell this style at these fine retailers:
Neiman Marcus
Nordstrom
Saks Fifth Avenue

And if $395 is steep (oh my goodness, it so definitely is), there are plenty of alternatives under $200:
Joy Chen, $115.70
French Sole, $149.95
Pink Studio, $36.90
Forever 21, $16.80

Does anyone else have a fantasy vintage/thrift shopping list? I've found almost everything on mine, and am at a loss for what to focus on.

Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa: May 1st

In lieu of the weekly Etsy post, I thought I would bring this exciting event to the attention of my local readers.

The Athens Indie Crafstravaganzaa will be on this upcoming Saturday, and I am tickled to attend! Like it says on the flier, this is a perfect time purchase gifts for your mama or special grads (I know two of each that I am without gifts for!).

Best of all, I can spend some time supporting some of my favorite local crafty ladies. Come see the wonderful wares of Mary, Lesley, and Christina this weekend with me!

And as always I will be prowling around the town during the rest of the day in search of unique clothing boutiques and yummy food if anyone has suggestions for any must-sees and must-eats. I used to frequent the town in college to go to shows at the 40Watt, but don't feel nearly as hip as I did then.

Saturday in the Park

Outfit details: 
Dear Creatures Sailor Dress aka the Calivintage Dress (similar here and here)
Vintage Coach satchel, thrifted (brand new and alike: here, here, and here)
Cynthia Vincent x Target Wedges (real deal here, and similar steals: here and here)
 

The annual Inman Park fest is this weekend, and I live right in the middle of all of the fun times. This eliminates the issue of parking, but did not do anything for the scary weather yesterday! Storm clouds were brewing and spewing most of the day to make for a very wet day outdoors for vendors and visitors.

I ended up spending all of my day indoors working in Decatur and was not too sad to miss the downpour. Perhaps today I will have the chance to walk over and enjoy some yummy snacks and pick up some artists' wares.

This is what I wore yesterday to work and then to the Phoenix concert. I actually convinced the two girlfriends I was going with to coordinate outfits with me--we chose to wear shades of red, white, and blue to represent the French flag. I was a 60s girl scout sailor. My dance partners wore an adorable  vintage Gidget-inspired frock and a very Blair Waldorf ensemble, complete with the perfect shoes. With all of the sprinting through the rain and my incessant screaming and jumping up and down, we were unable to procure proper glamour shots. Photog boyfriend was grateful.

And those of you who follow me on Twitter have probably heard enough about the shoes in today's outfit. The Cynthia Vincent for Target wedges? I went to four stores on Sunday morning  last week and came up empty handed. I ordered the yellow (online only) for myself since I came home to find the tan sold out on the site. I continued the expedition to fulfill some requests from very important girlfriends and didn't come across the coveted tan gladiator wedges until I went to something like eight stores total. I feel like this article sums up my frustration with the whole experience.

For those of you who are still looking--it seems that stores are expected to restock in mid-May. Good luck--sometimes the retailer mysteriously and randomly restocks seemingly impossible-to-find items.

Art Teacher Outfit

Outfit details: 
Anthropologie Wright Dress
Anthropologie Double Torsade Necklace
BDG Shawl Collar Cardigan (now on sale!)
Swedish Hasbeens Super High in Mustard
Thrifted bag (similar here, here, and here.)

After last week's formal presentation, I thought, heck, why not wear whatever I want to school this week? Normally I'll err on the safe side since my trek to class from wherever I end up parking can be across the street from my building or as far as 20 minutes away on foot.

Hooray for this amazingly awesome dress that finally made its way into my closet! During my ban, I got really antsy as sizes began to sell out online. I must have pestered my local Anthro girls every other day to let me know if there were any left in my size!

I feel like I am wearing an "art teacher" outfit today, in the best way possible. Like I am Ms. Frizzle on the Magic School Bus doing a lesson on the history of aviation.

I mean really, if I could theme my outfits around what adventure I'd be having that day? I totally would.

Details: Mulberry Alexa

Some of you have been asking for more pictures of my Alexa. Here she is! Some purse porn for the week.

Brass, pewter, and oxidized hardware are my favorites.


Love the braided strap!

I'm very happy with how she's breaking in. The leather is gaining more character and looking less shiny and I take her around town with me. Was it worth working overtime for two weeks between three jobs to earn the last bit? Looking at her, yes I think so.

I am definitely a bag hag, bag lady, purse girl, whatever you want to call it. I know that some of you are lurking out there contemplating this purchase too. Let me help enable you.

You might be able to snag one from these retailers:

• Mulberry: the official site sells the most options in colors and sizes, but you will have to check daily--maybe even hourly to score the exact combo you might want.
• La Garconne: Regular Oak available for pre-order. Free shipping in the US!
• Net-A-Porter: Oversized Oak coming soon--they have a waitlist, get on it!
• Harrod's: Oversized Ink Blue and Regular Butter Yellow available now.
• MyWardrobe.com: expecting a shipment this month. I'm pretty sure they have a waitlist, give them a call or shoot them an e-mail.

Or here are some excellent similar finds:

Topshop Small Pushlock Satchel, $90

 ASOS Leather Twist Lock Satchel, $109.91 (VERY very PS1 inspired!)

Two highly recommended Rebecca Minkoff alternatives:

Morning After Mini with Basketweave, $615

Morning After Mini in Brown Bear, $550

And finally a very attractive option from everyone's favorite store:

Pony Express Bag from Anthropologie, $198

I'm feeling all of these alternatives too... Are you a bag girl too?

Madras, I Missed You

Outfit details: APC Madras top (ss2008) (similar tops here, here, and here)
Fluevog Radios oxfords (equally menswear inspired here or here)
Forever 21 Jeggings (get yours here, here, or here)
Mulberry Alexa bag

Fallon and I had a huge closet cleanout adventure at her place this weekend, and it inspired to sort through some piles and bags of my own when I got home. Among many other things, I rediscovered this gorgeous A.P.C. shirt I bought while on vacation in New York.

I've always adored the print but wasn't sure how to style this piece. A.P.C.'s lookbooks are generally not overstyled or over-layered and many outfits are very simple in order to showcase the pieces worn. I decided to take a cue from Jean Toitou and go simple with clean, unfussy lines.

The result was super comfortable and felt effortless. I did feel a little naked, as I'm used to layering on a jacket, scarf, and random jangles when getting dressed. I think the Anthro sensibility is still working its way out of me--a one- or two-piece outfit to me feels so bare!

Sunday Etsy Love 04.18.10

This week's theme: reusable totes and bags.

Earth Day is this upcoming Thursday, and I thought it would be nice to highlight one green habit I've maintained better than others. I have reusable grocery bags galore and use them for everything from pool and beach trips to toting my dry cleaning. I love that many come in very sturdy fabric and nylon options and either pack flat or teeny tiny to fit in small spaces.

My shopaholic packing secret for the past several years was to pack light in the teeniest suitcase I could manage, but bring a flattened Lesportsac for the goodies I would bring home. All of these grocery bag options work in much the same way except in your purse or glove compartment.

Here are my favorites for this week--Many have really adorable prints or unique details that make them worth collecting.

Perfectly sunny totes!

1. Reusable Tuck and Go Strawberry Grey Tote Bag by MiniMade, $9.75. This is the most adorable tote I've ever seen! At first glance it is an unassuming grey tote, perfect for your library books or impromptu grocery trips. But when you're done, instead of hanging it on a door handle, you can tuck it into itself to make the cutest little strawberry shape!
2. Dottie Tote by JimmyKdesigns, $30. Kim is going to get tired of me plugging her gorgeous little totes soon. She just added this print to her selection of handmade totes, and I am obsessed! There are upgrades from my old skool Jimmy K tote, including sturdier linings and inner pockets for your gadgets and gizmos. Mine's big enough to take to class and to the gym after. I think it would be a snazzy upgrade to a solid black work tote, too.

 Moar totes this a way.

1. Larger Market Tote in Canvas with Leather Handles by renneslechateau, $80. One of my main criteria for purchasing a tote is that it must be of a decent and reasonable size for its use. This one more than fulfills my giant bag needs. It is the perfect preppy kick to any outfit and the leather straps add to the durability and sustainability of this piece. This is a sample piece too, so it won't last long at this price!
   
2. Reusable Happy Trees Fabric Grocery bag by izznit, $17.75. This print makes me smile! The idea of "happy little trees" always brings me back to my high school art days, and this bag is no exception. It folds out to a really deep size, big enough for two gallons of milk, and folds back into a cute little pouch size.
3. Crazy for Cats Fabric Grocery Bag by MinnieMae, $16. Now I've talked about my being a bag lady (or have I?), and those of you that have stuck around for the past few months will remember my cat dress project. I insist that any cat lady will get the matching bag as well.
4. Recycled Cotton Canvas Market Tote with Vintage Vespa image by thecraftpantry, $20. The Craft Pantry stocks these roomy totes with really sharp vibrant images heat transferred-on. I really liked this Vespa bag, but there is one to suit everyone's taste in this Etsy shop! Everything from elephants and bulldogs to fountain pens and vintage camera prints.

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

It's been quiet on my end due to wrapping up things for school for the semester. Between class obligations and the scarily high pollen counts that are typical this time of year, all I want to do is snooze when I'm not working.

I'm going on a mini road trip to Birmingham this week and seeing Phoenix (basically my favorite band for the past 4-5 years) this upcoming weekend, so I will have many adventures to share in due time!

Conservative Dress

Outfit details: J. Crew Super 120s dress (this season's)
J. Crew Collection Zebra linen jacket (similar)
Liz Claiborne black solid pumps (similar pair)
Anthro Double Torsade necklace

Okay so today's earlier post and poll was partially to distract you from today's outfit. I felt so totally boring in this dress today.

This is for those of you who didn't quite believe me about how conservatively I feel pressured to dress for class. I had a big presentation today in one of my classes, and felt that I needed to be dressed appropriately. That is, not in a miniskirt and Chuck Taylors, as I originally wanted to wear. My professor for the class is always in a shirt and tie, and I really didn't want to be in anything short of suiting pieces.

But I felt so grumpy because I find that so boring!

So I threw on this zebra jacket for flair while I was running errands prior to class and felt so much better. Animal print in a ladylike silhouette is still pretty office appropriate, don't you think?

And then I threw on this necklace, deciding it was businessy and classy enough to be taken seriously in. I ran into the mall this morning to do some returns and exchanges and noticed that my local Anthropologie had gotten the Double Torsade necklace in. I tried on the blue one and was walking around contemplating purchasing it and received a handful of compliments from other shoppers. Those sweet comments combined with this week's Gossip Girl episode where Serena was donning a more expensive similar piece sealed the deal on this one.

$28 later, I felt satisfied that my outfit was less boring. I really liked the coral and mint colors too and wanted all three!

Thanks to those of you who chimed in on my last post. I am pretty sure the red will be the one to stick around. As proof of my gratitude, here's an outtake for giggles.

Speaking of gratitude, also, a big hug and kiss and thank you to Lisa of Respect the Shoes for the blog award! You are too sweet, awesome lady! I promise to pay it forward soon.

Reed Shirtdress Dilemma: Plaids

Plaid vs. Plaid

I think I got overexcited with Anthropologie's markdowns last week and ended up with both versions of this lovely shirtdress. Now I purchased both knowing that only one could stay, because owning two of the same dress was already pushing the limits of what is reasonable and necessary. I just couldn't decide at the store and knew I wouldn't be able to decide before the end of the 24 hour hold policy. So here we are, both dresses in closet, scratching my head over which color to keep.

I have already enlisted the help of my man as well as my girl Fallon, who knows my closet better than I do sometimes. I personally think the blue/green/grey is more my taste, as navy and grey are my favorite colors to wear. However, Markus thinks that the red is better suited for my skin tone and coloring. Fallon also voted for the red, since I already have the solid navy (which is a very good point!).

Can you help me settle this debate? I am starting to want to keep both, and I really shouldn't.

Outfit details:
Both dresses: Reed Shirtdress from Anthropologie (style #933208, now on sale--some might be available in some stores!)
Red plaid outfit: Anthropologie belt (+ similar), Seychelles Her Majesty shoes
Blue plaid outfit: Anthropologie Snakebite belt, Fluevog Radios shoes from Squash Blossom in Decatur

Hasbeens are Here!

Outfit details: Old Navy mustard cami
Secondhand J. Crew jean jacket (this year's rendition)
Pamela Barsky pins from Squash Blossom in Decatur
Beck pin from Guero tour (circa 2006?)
Tracy Feith x Target barkcloth skirt (similar-ish)
Swedish Hasbeens Peep toe Super High
H&M two finger ring (similar here)

I got my Hasbeens in the mail and couldn't wait to put them on! The ever-inspiring Erin of Calivintage recently got the same exact ones, and she has already put together some amazing outfits featuring the shoes. As tempted as I was to wear this exact outfit, I thought I would go the classic Southern lady route and go super matchy-matchy with a mustard ensemble.

Luckily, this amazing skirt just called out to me this morning. It was the only thing I wanted from the Tracy Feith for Target collaboration, but I missed out on the madness. I think I was too busy working/moving/living life at the time. For months afterward, I would sporadically do eBay searches for it, in hopes of finding one that would fit at a fair price. A several weeks ago, I finally did!

And this is a new/old jean jacket. Whenever I shop in vintage, thrift, and consignment stores, I like to keep a mental list of things I am looking for. For the past several weeks, a denim jacket was number one. Not just any old jean jacket--I wanted specifically a Gap, J. Crew, or westernwear label jacket in my size. Many trips I came up short, but yesterday I stumbled upon this stonewashed J. Crew one at Rag O Rama. I had just unloaded a bunch of clothing there and was able to get it with my earned store credit. I feel like I got this for free!!

The Beck pin was lent to my boyfriend for a bit, and I decided to steal it back. With both Maria and Kim both recently discussing Beck's awesomeness, I was totally reminded of my huge obsession.  I dug out all of my old band tee shirts and buttons and I feel like my teenage self again. Now if only I could find my Phoenix t-shirt, I would be totally happy.

Travel Bug

It's been longer than I would have liked since I last took a big trip. I've been soaking in all of my favorite blogger's travel plans and photos from exotic and romantic locales and have been bit hard by the travel bug. With this summer off, I have plenty of opportunity to take a trip (or two, or three). Now the hard part is deciding where. I've been scrolling through some of my old snapshots to try and decide.

At this rate, I might end up holding off until I can travel for a few weeks by train. But most likely I will be visiting New York (it's been far too long!) and Orlando (Disneyworld!) this summer. Two of my favorite places to be.

What is your favorite place to visit? Are you planning any trips? I want to live vicariously through everybody this summer!