Look #1: Dressed Up
Look #2: Loungy Day
Look #3: Casual Fun
Hope this provides some inspiration and help!
xoxo, Leanne
Monday, June 10, 2013
Style 911: How To Style a Confusing Shirt
Look #2: Loungy Day
Hope this provides some inspiration and help!
xoxo, Leanne
Friday, June 7, 2013
A Broke Girl's Guide to Thrifting
One of my favorite hobbies when I come back to Texas for the summer is going on full day thrift store adventures and seeing what new treasures I can find. I seriously love the thrill of finding new things to add to my closet that are literally under 5 dollars. After many trials and failures along the way, I personally think that I have composed the best guide to all the tips and tricks you need to have a successful thrift store day!
Tip #1: Yelp is your Best Friend
The night before I plan to go thrifting, I sit with two tabs up on my computer- Yelp on one of them and Google on the other. After typing various different versions of "best thrift stores in Dallas" several times into Google, I gather usually the top 10 or 15 stores that come up. After that I make sure to check each one of them on Yelp and read over all the comments and look at all the pictures to make sure that I am liking the vibe that I get from the store. Sometimes other local thrift stores that didn't show up in the Google searches will show up in the right side bar on Yelp and I always make sure to explore those as well. After this "researching" phase I make a list of the top 5 that look like the best viable options. (Hint: once you start thrifting more often, you will gain a sense of which stores you love and just go to those while occasionally throwing a new one into the mix)
Tip #2: Question Anything Over $5
The entire point of thrifting is to get unique and individual items at a miniscule cost. If you aren't getting a good deal I personally feel like there's no reward in what you are doing. Yes, the hunt is fun and so is finding an incredible garment that a real store would never stock- but let's be honest, you're still trying to save money here. A good thrift store should make you feel like anything over $3.99 is outrageously priced. Most pieces will start at 50 cents and go up to about 5 dollars. Anything over that, and it is not worth it. After hunting a little longer, you are going to come across something that you love just as much (maybe more?) and the price tag will say something like $1.99, this is a MUCH better investment. The cheaper your purchases, the more satisfied you be at the end of the day.
Tip #3: Keep on the Lookout for 'Secret Sales'
The majority of stores will feature extra ways you can save money, usually you have to do NOTHING in order to get these sales so you have to take advantage of this. On the outside of the store is where they will post what the deal is for each day of the week so be sure to check out what type of items are going for less or what day has the best sales. Additionally, all clothing will be marked with a certain color of tag that has the price recorded on it. These colored tags coordinate with extra sales and offers. Sometimes there will be a sign stating "all green tagged items 50% off" or "buy one get one free on all pink tags". These offers help you save even more money than originally planned.
Tip #4: BRING SNACKS!!!!!!!
This is HANDS DOWN the most important rule on the list. I'm warning you that your thrifting day will not end successfully without proper nourishment throughout the day. It takes a while to hit every single store on the list and hunt through thousands of duds to find your special items and trust me you are going to get hungry after about the second stop on your itinerary. Since thrifting is all about saving money, buying food makes virtually no sense (especially considering the fact that the $6.99 combo meal that you will devour in minutes could have easily been a pair of vintage Doc Martens and a shirt that identically resembles something from the Oscar de la Renta resort collection). You will be soooo thankful that you decided to bring along some granola bars and a bottle of water during your thrifting extravaganza.
Tip #5: "I'm Sorry, We Don't Have Fitting Rooms"
You will here this phrase uttered to you at every single location you go to so make sure to dress in clothing that you can either conspicuously slip on and off; or tight/form fitting clothing that other clothes will easily fit over. I typically find myself hoarding all of my options in the corner of the store (mirrors are located there in most cases) and quickly trying on everything to see what is a keeper and what is going back on the shelves. (Hint: don't ever look at sizes when you go thrifting- it really doesn't matter as much as it does in regular stores. Things that are a few sizes up or down may still flatter your body so be open to trying everything)
Tip #6: You Will Need Approximately 6 Copies of the Directions
Literally cannot even explain the amount of times that I have gotten lost while thrifting. I actually associate going thrift shopping with driving up and down the same road multiple times going back and forth on it for about 45 minutes before deciding to pull over and reevaluate life. Because thrift stores are located in obscure parts of town that I am not familiar with AND the fact that I have to get from one strange place to the next just accounts for many miles of confusion. Also somehow the directions I print out always end up blowing out of the car or somehow getting lost in the sea of newly purchased items. Getting lost is part of the adventure but make sure to have a back up of the directions and the GPS set up on your phone or you will be roaming the sames roads until midnight and never find out how to get home. In my experience, it is also common to accidentally circle around to the same exact place you have already been to after driving for 20 minutes thinking that you have made a lot of progress. (Hint: recently decided to invest in a compass because for some reason Google Maps refers to things as North, South, East, and West and I actually can not differentiate what directions I'm supposed to go in when it says that so the compass comes in handy)
So.... there you have it! All of my advice combined into one post to help you have the most triumphant day of thrift shopping possible!!
Tip #1: Yelp is your Best Friend
The night before I plan to go thrifting, I sit with two tabs up on my computer- Yelp on one of them and Google on the other. After typing various different versions of "best thrift stores in Dallas" several times into Google, I gather usually the top 10 or 15 stores that come up. After that I make sure to check each one of them on Yelp and read over all the comments and look at all the pictures to make sure that I am liking the vibe that I get from the store. Sometimes other local thrift stores that didn't show up in the Google searches will show up in the right side bar on Yelp and I always make sure to explore those as well. After this "researching" phase I make a list of the top 5 that look like the best viable options. (Hint: once you start thrifting more often, you will gain a sense of which stores you love and just go to those while occasionally throwing a new one into the mix)
Tip #2: Question Anything Over $5
The entire point of thrifting is to get unique and individual items at a miniscule cost. If you aren't getting a good deal I personally feel like there's no reward in what you are doing. Yes, the hunt is fun and so is finding an incredible garment that a real store would never stock- but let's be honest, you're still trying to save money here. A good thrift store should make you feel like anything over $3.99 is outrageously priced. Most pieces will start at 50 cents and go up to about 5 dollars. Anything over that, and it is not worth it. After hunting a little longer, you are going to come across something that you love just as much (maybe more?) and the price tag will say something like $1.99, this is a MUCH better investment. The cheaper your purchases, the more satisfied you be at the end of the day.
Tip #3: Keep on the Lookout for 'Secret Sales'
The majority of stores will feature extra ways you can save money, usually you have to do NOTHING in order to get these sales so you have to take advantage of this. On the outside of the store is where they will post what the deal is for each day of the week so be sure to check out what type of items are going for less or what day has the best sales. Additionally, all clothing will be marked with a certain color of tag that has the price recorded on it. These colored tags coordinate with extra sales and offers. Sometimes there will be a sign stating "all green tagged items 50% off" or "buy one get one free on all pink tags". These offers help you save even more money than originally planned.
Tip #4: BRING SNACKS!!!!!!!
This is HANDS DOWN the most important rule on the list. I'm warning you that your thrifting day will not end successfully without proper nourishment throughout the day. It takes a while to hit every single store on the list and hunt through thousands of duds to find your special items and trust me you are going to get hungry after about the second stop on your itinerary. Since thrifting is all about saving money, buying food makes virtually no sense (especially considering the fact that the $6.99 combo meal that you will devour in minutes could have easily been a pair of vintage Doc Martens and a shirt that identically resembles something from the Oscar de la Renta resort collection). You will be soooo thankful that you decided to bring along some granola bars and a bottle of water during your thrifting extravaganza.
Tip #5: "I'm Sorry, We Don't Have Fitting Rooms"
You will here this phrase uttered to you at every single location you go to so make sure to dress in clothing that you can either conspicuously slip on and off; or tight/form fitting clothing that other clothes will easily fit over. I typically find myself hoarding all of my options in the corner of the store (mirrors are located there in most cases) and quickly trying on everything to see what is a keeper and what is going back on the shelves. (Hint: don't ever look at sizes when you go thrifting- it really doesn't matter as much as it does in regular stores. Things that are a few sizes up or down may still flatter your body so be open to trying everything)
Tip #6: You Will Need Approximately 6 Copies of the Directions
Literally cannot even explain the amount of times that I have gotten lost while thrifting. I actually associate going thrift shopping with driving up and down the same road multiple times going back and forth on it for about 45 minutes before deciding to pull over and reevaluate life. Because thrift stores are located in obscure parts of town that I am not familiar with AND the fact that I have to get from one strange place to the next just accounts for many miles of confusion. Also somehow the directions I print out always end up blowing out of the car or somehow getting lost in the sea of newly purchased items. Getting lost is part of the adventure but make sure to have a back up of the directions and the GPS set up on your phone or you will be roaming the sames roads until midnight and never find out how to get home. In my experience, it is also common to accidentally circle around to the same exact place you have already been to after driving for 20 minutes thinking that you have made a lot of progress. (Hint: recently decided to invest in a compass because for some reason Google Maps refers to things as North, South, East, and West and I actually can not differentiate what directions I'm supposed to go in when it says that so the compass comes in handy)
So.... there you have it! All of my advice combined into one post to help you have the most triumphant day of thrift shopping possible!!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Mr. Raindrop
Typically I hate rain. But.... decided that today I didn't want to dress for the weather (never do anyways) so my outfit was inspired by trying to make the best of the clouds and humidity and includes bright colors but also some practicality. Best part of the day though by far was the photo shoot in the rain which was one of the most fun things I've done all summer.
Where I Found Each Component:
Headband: J. Crew, Necklace: Forever 21, Tank Top: J. Crew, Denim Shirt: given to by a friend (originally from Urban Outfitters), Shorts: Express, Belt: forgot where purchased, Sandals: Target
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Summer 2013 Bucket List!!!
To start out this new endeavor of creating and maintaining a lifestyle blog I want to concoct a list of things I wish to accomplish on my first summer break back from college. Leaving fashion school and the excitement of New York City was difficult and I was a little upset to be home but I have decided that I'm making this my best summer yet. So here's to hoping that it happens...
1. Go on a roadtrip!! (must include dance parties in the car)
2. DIY EVERYTHING. Literally have a million Pinterest ideas that I need to try
3. Learn to cook. Due to the fact that I have my own kitchen next year, this is kind of mandatory.
4. Volunteer at the animal shelter- have been wanting to go back for a while now
5. Have an UNFORGETTABLE 4th of July!
6. Go horesback riding- this can only occur after I buy my cowboy boots
7. Buy cowboy boots- that way I can actually be a true Texas girl
8. Go line dancing- love anything that involves dancing so I think this is appropriate
9. Paint Something (or at least attempt it)- find a beautiful but underrated place, set up a canvas, and paint
10. Have a million summer photoshoots :))
11. Find a secret summer spot and spend hours there with my closest friends
12. Go to as many concerts as I can afford- this is seriously my favorite life activity
13. Do Karaoke!!!!
14. Go Peach Picking- sounds sooo cute
15. Explore more of Downtown Dallas- there are probably some undiscovered hidden gems in there
16. Go Camping- I'm talking about staying out all night with nothing but a tent. This is completely out of my comfort zone, therefore I need to try it
17. Float the River- quintessential Texas activity
18. Go to Rodeo and Visit the Stockyards again
19. Find a perfect summer book series to read by the pool
20. Flea Markets allllll the time
21. Bling Ring Midnight Premiere
22. A summer romance would always be nice......
I think its safe to say that completing everything on this list would make for a memorable summer full of new experiences and perfect memories.
xoxo, Leanne
1. Go on a roadtrip!! (must include dance parties in the car)
2. DIY EVERYTHING. Literally have a million Pinterest ideas that I need to try
3. Learn to cook. Due to the fact that I have my own kitchen next year, this is kind of mandatory.
4. Volunteer at the animal shelter- have been wanting to go back for a while now
5. Have an UNFORGETTABLE 4th of July!
6. Go horesback riding- this can only occur after I buy my cowboy boots
7. Buy cowboy boots- that way I can actually be a true Texas girl
8. Go line dancing- love anything that involves dancing so I think this is appropriate
9. Paint Something (or at least attempt it)- find a beautiful but underrated place, set up a canvas, and paint
10. Have a million summer photoshoots :))
11. Find a secret summer spot and spend hours there with my closest friends
12. Go to as many concerts as I can afford- this is seriously my favorite life activity
13. Do Karaoke!!!!
14. Go Peach Picking- sounds sooo cute
15. Explore more of Downtown Dallas- there are probably some undiscovered hidden gems in there
16. Go Camping- I'm talking about staying out all night with nothing but a tent. This is completely out of my comfort zone, therefore I need to try it
17. Float the River- quintessential Texas activity
18. Go to Rodeo and Visit the Stockyards again
19. Find a perfect summer book series to read by the pool
20. Flea Markets allllll the time
21. Bling Ring Midnight Premiere
22. A summer romance would always be nice......
I think its safe to say that completing everything on this list would make for a memorable summer full of new experiences and perfect memories.
xoxo, Leanne
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