Mixing animal prints

So it's pretty subtle, but I promise I am mixing animal prints here. Scroll down. See, zebra print skirt and snake skin clutch. I'm wiiiillllddd.

For real though, I was pretty proud of this subtle creativity and risk I took. I think it works well. It's just enough to make you take a second look. Or at least I think so.

And I think I should also point out that it's obviously fall because yep, the bangs are back in town! It's good to have them back with the cooler weather, but they are taking quite the adjusting to this time around. I somehow forgot what it was like to have bangs in the past six months.

Ok, here's the cheapskate outfit breakdown:

1. Chambray shirt, thrifted ($4.99)
2. Zebra skirt, boutique back home pre-college (?? - old!)
3. Booties, Target ($24.99)
4. Hobo clutch, ATL market ($35.00)
5. Sunglasses, c/o Sunglass Warehouse
6. Necklace, Urban Outfitters ($4.99)
7. Vintage cocktail ring, gifted
8. Turquoise ring, gifted (thanks mom!)
9. Tungsten ring, c/o Modern Design
10. Dainty ring, gifted/passed down

Total: Under $75.00

Photos: Leslie Evans

The city that never sleeves

You know you're lacking for creativity when you simply use the words on your shirt as the title of a blog post.

But truthfully, I love the saying on this shirt. I love silly puns and I love old school tanks like this one, so really it's the best of both worlds. And I also love that my friend Peach gave it to me for my birthday. Clearly she knows me well! She also gave me these awesome sunglasses, too. I don't rock them as well as she does, but I'm trying.

I don't think there's much else to say except that Laura and I shot this on our lunch break last Friday and it was entirely too much fun for me. I don't get to see her very often these days so it was awesome to catch up one-on-one and it was a blast having her have time to shoot me again.

Ok, on to the cheapskate outfit breakdown:

1. Tank top, gifted (thanks Peach!)
2. Jeans, Rugged Warehouse ($19.99)
3. Heels, Nine West outlet ($29.99)
4. Bag, Charlotte Russe ($9.99)
5. Sunnies, gifted (thanks again Peach!)
6. Earrings, gifted (thanks Joy!)
7. Tungsten ring, c/o Modern Design
8. Turquoise ring, gifted (thanks mom!)
9. Love ring, gifted (thank Em!)
10. Dainty ring, gifted/passed down
11. Thumb ring, Charlotte Russe ($2.99)

Total: Under $75.00

 

 

Photos: Laura Menconi

A hand me down tune

I love hand me downs. They're basically a vintage items that someone is passing down to you—for free. There's just nothing better, right? Well, actually I guess what is better is when said hand me downs are passed down from a generation in your family.

Last Sunday I was given the opportunity to go through my grandmother's belongings and take anything that I would like as a keepsake. Don't worry, my granny is still alive, but she is in the nursing home so it has been decided to sell her home and the items in it. Yes, still a bittersweet way to spend the day.

It was such a strange thing to go to my granny's house and sift through her property to fill up a box. On the one hand, I was so glad I got to keep things that made me think of her and also items that I could really use around the house. But on the otherhand it's just an odd situation. You just don't know what you're supposed to feel. But overall, it turned out to be a pleasant experience.

I was lucky enough to see extended family members that I typically only see around the winter holidays and it was so great to have my aunts there telling me what some of the items were and when/how they were used. They were also sweet enough to hand pick things for me that they thought I would be interested in the most.

So! All that said, I'm showcasing a few pieces of my plunder in today's post:

1) My great grandmother's reading glasses. And no, I really can't see in these things! Had to switch them out during the shoot for my sunnies.
2) A purse that my mom bought as a gift for my grandmother. I almost didn't take this one, but finally gave in and now I am completely smitten with this thing. What was I thinking?!
3) A heart pin that I turned into a charm on a necklace.
4) A teensy, fragile and beautiful thin gold ring. I'd like to think it was an older relative's wedding band, but I just can't be sure.

I can only imagine you'll see and hear about all the other pieces in future posts to come. I mean, I got so many lovely things, I can't wait to share them all!

Here's the cheapskate outfit breakdown:

1. Floral top, Sugarlips ($32.00)
2. Floral skirt, thrifted ($2.99)
3. Platforms, Charlotte Russe ($16.25)
4. Belt, Necessary Clothing ($5.99)
5. Vintage purse, gifted/passed down
6. Vintage reading glasses, gifted/passed down
7. Vintage RayBan sunnies, gifted/passed down (thanks mom!)
8. Heart necklace, gifted/passed down
9. Square ring, Brooklyn Flea ($5.00)
10. Thin gold ring, gifted/passed down
11. Leaf ring, gifted (thanks Em!)

Total: Under $75.00

 

 

 

 

 

Photos: Leslie Evans

Under the {fashion} influence: Busy Phillips

A kind of crazy thing happened on a recent trip to a local consignment store here in Birmingham. My mom and I saw this really neat triangle necklace on a mannequin as we walked in. She pointed it out to me, knowing that I've had a thing for triangle jewelry lately. I nodded that I had seen in, kept it in mind, but kept shopping in case I found something else I wanted instead. An hour or so later I'd ended up with only a pair of boots in hand, so I went back for the necklace.

I took the treasure home and placed it on my jewelry tree. Two days or so later I looked at it as I passed in my room and stopped dead in my tracks as I realized, doh! That is the exact same necklace I had seen on Busy Phillips and I had even chosen that photo for a "what to wear" post. Clearly I had to recreate that outfit.

While I don't have a fun printed skirt like hers, I did at least have a short pleated one, so I figured that was similar enough. It's not the exact same outfit, but I think it works. The amazing necklace find definitely helps!

Here's the cheapskate outfit breakdown:
1. Vintage Susan Bristol top, gifted/passed down (thanks mom!)
2.  Pleated skirt, GAP outlet ($19.99)
3. Socks, Charlotte Russe ($2.99)
4. Suede booties, Target ($24.99)
5. Vintage Aigner clutch, gifted/passed down (thanks mom!)
6. Triangle necklace, The Clotheshorse ($10.50)
7. Sunglasses, gifted (thanks Joy!)
8. Earrings, Charlotte Russe ($3.50)
9. Leaf ring, gifted (thanks Em!)
10. Square ring, Brooklyn Flea ($5.00)

Total: Under $75.00

Photos: Leslie Evans

Under the {fashion} influence: Alexa Chung v. 3

I would have never in a million years thought to put these two cream items in my closet together into one outfit. But from the second I saw this photo of Alexa I was smitten with the idea. It just looks so fresh and lady like. And it was things I already had in my closet that had just never been worn together. Hello new outfit (that I didn't recently purchase)!

Oh and in other news, I found all of my lost jewelry! My rings were in my other gym bag (yeah, cause who has two gym bags?) and my heart locket had fallen off in my car. Success!

Here's the cheapskate outfit breakdown:

1. Sweater, Old Navy (??)
2. Pleated skirt, Forever21 ($19.50)
3. Strappy heels, Rack Room Shoes ($7.50)
4. Clutch, ?? (??)
5. Earrings, bought in Africa ($7.00)
6. Vintage Ray Ban sunglasses, gifted (thanks Mom!)
7. Leaf ring, gifted (thanks Em!)

Total: Under $75

 

photos: Leslie Evans