Tag Archives: fashion

November 14, 2013 · 12:03 pm

Ocean Colors and DIY Earrings

Here’s a Throwback Thursday post. I originally made these earrings in the spring and forgot to show them off! They’re made of simple, thin strands of ribbon that I poked onto a fishhook-style earring. The best part: I got the ribbon for free!

Whenever I buy clothes with built-in hanger straps, I cut off the straps so they don’t peek out when I’m wearing my clothes. Some stores like H&M use ribbon in the color of the garment, which means I have matching earring for anything I buy there.

When I pair shades of blues together, I’m reminded of the ocean. And the ocean remind me of nice weather (since that’s the only time I go to the beach). Outfits like this make me happy, even when I’m looking serious. (I’m smiling on the inside.)

Top: target
Flares: Urban Outfitters via consignment
Shoes: Old Navy
Arm party: Various shops

I realize I’m wearing flares, and the trend is for skinnies. I still find them elegant though. Sometimes I’ll sew wide legs into skinny ones but I think I’ll leave these as they are.

Do you prefer wide of narrow legged pants?

10 Comments

Filed under Crafts, DIY, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as DIY, earrings, fashion, flares, jeans, style, sweater, thrifty fashion, upcycling

November 11, 2013 · 11:39 am

Leopard Wrap Dress

One of my first exposures to designer garments was my Oma’s Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress. In the 70s, Oma (German for grandma) worked at a high-end designer shop and spent her hard-earned money on elegant apparel. Oma passed away twelve years ago today, and I still remember her fondly. She was a style icon and role model for both my mom and me.

I inherited my Oma’s DVF dress and wore it to meet the designer herself a couple of years ago. Oma would have been thrilled! I like some of the same styles my Oma liked and when I saw this DVF in a consignment shop, I pounced on it.

Dress: DVF via Second Time Around (Boston)
Tights: Target
Necklace: Gifted (thanks mom!)
Boots: Consignment

It’s not vintage, but it is a wrap. And it’s animal print–one of Oma’s favorite patterns. I love classic leopard prints just like she did. And the fresh take on a classic–with blues and greens instead of shades of brown–made this all the more appealing.

I’ve worn this dress in summer, but it works just as well with tights in cooler weather. A wrap dress is timeless and great for any season. The stretchy jersey that this one is made from makes it really comfortable. I can wear it to the office or out to dinner.

I’m linking up with Monday Bloom and Thrifters Anonymous today.

12 Comments

Filed under Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as boots, Diane von Furstenberg, dress, fashion, style, thrifty fashion

November 8, 2013 · 11:01 am

Floral Dress for Fall

I picked up this Tucker for Target dress at a clothing exchange last spring. My friend never wore it because it was too short for her 5′ 11″ frame. I get it! It’s short on me and I’m barely 5′ 7″.

Dress: Tucker for Target via swapped
Jacket: Swapped
Tights: Target
Pleather boots: MIA
Scarf: DIY
Belt: Swapped

But with tights, I feel covered up. I didn’t wear this with bare legs in the summer, but it’s a fun fall dress. And with the black background, the floral seems seasonally appropriate.

I paired the dress with merlot tights this time. There are so many colors in the dress that I can wear lots of different tights with it: forest or marigold are my two next choices.

You might recognize my scarf. It’s one of the DIY t-shirt scarves I made a few years ago. I liked the light blue and how it played with the wine and denim.

Without my jacket, the dress is obviously summery, but I’ll just keep layered and keep on wearing my summer clothes into winter.

Do you make “out of season” clothes work year-round?

I’m joining two link-ups today: Passion for Fashion at Lena B Actually and Friday’s Fab Favorites at Style Elixir. Check out what everyone else is wearing!

13 Comments

Filed under DIY, Fashion, Hot and Cold, Thrifty

Tagged as boots, dress, fashion, scarf, style, thrifty fashion, tights, upcycling

November 5, 2013 · 9:57 am

Adding Color with Tights

A monochromatic look is classic and chic, but when you want to make an outfit fun, just add color!

I picked up this retro-inspired shift at a clothing exchange and wanted to punch it up a bit so I added bright tights. And for even more punch, I belted the dress with a neon belt.

Dress: Swapped
Tights: Target
Boots: Borrowed
Belt: Swapped

The color (and white piping on the dress) takes this from serious to playful. And if I want to be more office-appropriate, I can easily swap out the belt for a white one and put on black tights.

I don’t think fashion needs to be serious and I like expressing myself through my clothes, so I’ll stick to bright tights for now. Purple, yellow or blue tights would all be fun. And since the dress is solid, it’s practically begging for a fun, patterned pair of tights.

I have a feeling you’ll see a few more combinations of this dress in the coming winter season.

I’m linking up with Style Elixir’s Style Sessions, Transatlantic Blonde and The Pleated Poppy today. See what others are wearing!

15 Comments

Filed under Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as belt, boots, dress, fashion, style, thrifty fashion, tights

November 3, 2013 · 7:00 pm

Casual Leopard

One of the best ways to dress down an outfit is to throw on a denim jacket. Denim has a devil-may-care attitude, especially when paired with a dress.

Dress: Ross Dress for Less
Jacket: Swapped
Tights: Target
Boots: MIA
Scarf: Street vendor in Toronto

I dressed down this leopard-print dress with a denim jacket, and I took is a couple of steps further. I added purple tights and a robin’s egg blue scarf. Flat knee-high boots added to the relaxed feel.

Now the dress that was office or dinner wear is ready for a casual lunch with friends. I happened to run errands in this outfit and was comfortable and stylish. Plus, the extra layers kept me warm!

Do you have favorite ways to dress down an outfit?

I’ve joined Visible Monday and Monday Bloom today. Have a look at what others are wearing!

13 Comments

Filed under Dress Up Dress Down, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as boots, denim jacket, dress, fashion, style, thrifty fashion, tights

October 31, 2013 · 11:45 am

Layered Black Maxi Dress

It’s Throwback Thursday so I thought I’d share this set of pictures from an outfit post I prepared a few months ago and never posted. The weather got nice and I looked out of season. Well, the weather’s cooled off and this is a look I’ll reproduce for fall.

Dress: Lulu’s
Cardigan: Sample sale
Faux leather belt: Ross Dress for Less
Boots: Fluevog
Necklace: Vendor on eBay
Watch: Timex
Bracelets: Gifted

I recently sold these suede Fluevog boots–and with the money I made, I bought a pair of faux leather booties by Cri de Coeur. Even Steven. And aligned to my animal-free clothing pledge!

I’ve worn this maxi before, but then I forgot about it. So I’m making a point to get it back in rotation. There are so many ways to wear a black dress. Just last week I wore a sweater over it so it looked like a skirt.

My belt has a brass-tone buckle so I took the opportunity to wear my brass dragonfly necklace and brass-tone watch. And of course I got a small arm party going by adding the bracelets my brother bought for me. Aw, how sweet!

I’ve joined Style Elixir, Fashion Informant, and Passion for Fashion for group link-ups today. Won’t you see what the others are wearing?

3 Comments

Filed under Fashion

Tagged as dress, fashion, maxi dress, style, vegan

October 14, 2013 · 2:37 pm

Flirty Red Jacket

I featured this jacket close to a year ago when I wore it to a Thanksgiving dinner. Here it is, this time with a dress.

Jacket: Lulu’s
Dress: Swapped
Tank: Target
Necklace: Gifted
Ring: Street fair in Florida
Boots: Borrowed

I bought this jacket with credit I had from a return at Lulu’s. I’d ordered a pair of pumps from them and the heel broke on my very first wear! I was so bummed, but Lulu’s righted the wrong, no questions asked. What great customer service!

I thought the red was a nice way to add color to my monochromatic outfit. Plus, it’s cooler now and I welcome long sleeves. My dress is a nice, striped knit. It’s a bit warm for summer but it has short sleeves and is chilly in winter. Maybe that’s why it ended up at a clothing exchange.

I’ll be looking for more ways to wear my red jacket over the winter. It’s versatile. It would look good with jeans, a mini, or just about anything.

Is there an item for fall that you’d like to get more wear out of?

Oh, I’m joining Style Sessions, Thrifters Anonymous and Monday Bloom today. Have a look at what everyone else is wearing.

9 Comments

Filed under Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as boots, dress, fashion, jacket, style, thrifty fashion

October 10, 2013 · 9:52 pm

Stripes, Florals, and Orange Pants

I wear these orange pants a lot, but they’re surprisingly versatile, and I always seems to find new ways to style them.

So for now, they’re staying in rotation.

Top: Marshall’s
Pants: Dickies
Shoes: Kimchi
Scarf: Swapped

This time, I wore them with a striped top and floral scarf. Scarves, I find, are a subtle way of pattern mixing and incorporating extra color into an outfit. My scarf has orange in it so it’s still a coordinated look. And aren’t stripes practically a neutral?

And since I was going with the orange and navy theme (possibly my favorite color combo), I thought I’d throw on some blue velvet shoes! Sometimes faux leather is boring and I love incorporating other textures into my footwear, like satin, embroidery, embellishments, and now velvet!

These pants were originally boot cut but I felt like they weren’t long enough for that style so I tapered the leg and turned them into skinnies. They aren’t real peg legs, but they’re definitely not boot cut anymore. It’s actually a simple alteration–and you can use an existing pair of slim cut pants as your guide!

I’ve joined Lena B Actually and Rachel the Hat for their Passion for Fashion linkup. Have a look at what everyone else is wearing!

19 Comments

Filed under DIY, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as DIY, fashion, orange pants, skinny jeans, style, thrifty fashion, velvet

October 2, 2013 · 9:33 pm

Window Shopping in Snohomish

Snohomish, to me, seems like quintessential small-town America, with its picturesque views, mom and pop shops, and quaint diners. I recently took a Sunday drive to Snohomish with Mr. Jean of all trades so we could window shop.

Shirt: Bébénoir
Shorts: Calvin Klein
Boots: MIA
Bag: Matt & Nat
Necklace: Elma Blint
Ring: Silk Wire Jewelry
Cuff: Lauren Harkness

I’m still on my boots and shorts kick, so I paired my new white shirt from Bébénoir in NYC with my faded denim shorts and caramel boots. My shirt works for both big city looks and small town outfits.

Today, my jewelry is all so special. I got the cuff at a craft fair in Seattle, my ring at a flea market in Harlem, and my necklace from another flea market in Brooklyn. All three pieces are one-of-a-kind handcrafted pieces by local artisans.

I liked getting design ideas from the beautiful window displays. Seems like an eclectic shabby chic look dominated the designs this season.

I found a clothing store called the Natural Clothing Company and found a couple of cute, sustainable dresses (blogged about one here). And we stumbled across a pub that served Schӧfferhofer, just like I had at the Harlem Tavern. Hubby and I each had a glass to remind me of my fun trip to NYC.

I’m joining Style Elixir, The Pleated Poppy and Transatlantic Blonde for linkups. Have a look at what others are blogging about!

9 Comments

Filed under Crafts, Decor, Fashion

Tagged as boots, fashion, jewelry, shorts, style

September 29, 2013 · 10:59 pm

Summer Dress in Autumn

I bought this chambray dress last winter when hubby and I were in Honolulu, Hawaii. In the tropics, all I did was slip into a pair of sandals and I was ready to go. There are only a few days in Seattle when I can do that (even on hot days, evenings are cool). I wanted to get lots of use out of this piece so I planned to style it a lot of ways.

Dress: Roberta Oaks
Cardigan: Old Navy
Tights: Target
Shoes: Aerosoles
Belt: Ross Dress for Less
Purse: Forever 21

A cardigan (I call this one my Mr. Rogers sweater) over the dress adds warmth, as do the tights. For fun (and because I like breaking rules), I added purple shoes. Who says purple and red don’t go together? These shoes are a similar hue to the tights and they blend a bit.