Thursday, May 31, 2012

Thrifty Thursday

I had an extremely successful morning thrifting today and I felt the need to share! Enjoy!




So, I never thrift on Thursday's because of work/school etc. but I went today and I found some amazing stuff.  Considering my challenge for last week of wearing only seven items of clothing, I found it hilarious that when I finally went thrifting I bought at least 14 items.  As always, puts things in perspective cause while I want to dress simply, it's also tough to pass up clothes when they're so darn affordable and cute.

I'd been pining after a jean vest to wear over summery dresses and found this one found in the first picture for $2.99 along with a simple tan and black polka dotted skirt for $1.99.  Both were found at Value World.




The two pairs of high waisted shorts were also items I'd been hoping to find thrifting. One of my youth told me that I should just buy guys jeans and make them into cutoffs, but this ended up being even more convenient.  The jean shorts were $3.93 and the striped navy shorts were $6.56 which is more than I would normally spend on shorts honestly, but I just couldn't walk away from them.  Found those at Casa View Thrift.




Two other unreasonably priced items were the floral tank and the tan vest.  Again, I tried to walk away but I couldn't.  I blame the few weeks I took off from thrifting. I justified the tan vest by saying that I could always pair it with a dress or a tank and make it work the money I'd spent.  No excuses on the floral tank. I just really liked it.  Both were also bought at Casa View.




And finally, the white Gap 1969 legging jeans, the mint Merona dress and the JCrew leopardish print mini.  They were all too expensive $6.99, $4.99 and $4.99, in their respective order.  I justified those purchases by reminding myself that at their original retail price they'd probably be more like this, this, and this.  Ok that last one wasn't quite the same but I hope you get the idea.  These were bought at the Rescue Thrift store whose money goes to the Texas Regional Animal Rescue, so all I could hear was Sarah McLachlan singing "Angel" and I visualized the precious animals that needed me to spend money to provide for their continued existence on earth.  Not buying these clothes would have been inexcusable. I'm saving animal lives here. 

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE thrifting?  Dallas, specifically is a splendid city to thrift in.  It's full of affluent people who get rid of their clothes every week after wearing them for half a day and then pass them on to less affluent people like me! 

Hope you're having a wonderful Thursday too!

Ani

To Your Heart




Talk about an easy project.  I was inspired a long time ago by Elsie at A Beautiful Mess with this post.  It's not perfect but it felt amazing to just sit down and paint.  I'm by no means an "artist" but this was an easy, fun way to make some wall art.

Anyhow, just thought I'd share!

Ani

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Love, Light and Life



Our prom pose.


I think I look funky in this picture but DANG does my husband look good. 


My gorgeous sister in law.


And...my favorite.  This is us in a nutshell.


I got to spend a solid 24 hours with my husband's family for Memorial Day weekend.  My lovely sister in law took some family photos of us, including these. She's so ridiculously talented. 

It was an absolutely perfect weekend.  I got to spend time with friends while Austin was down in San Antonio with his family and then I joined them for the day.  It was honestly worth it.  We had a great time eating delicious food, playing frisbee, taking pictures, singing together and laying out at the pool.

All in all, I enjoyed myself far too much.  Lovin life so much.

{Romper: Thrifted ($6.56)}

Saturday, May 26, 2012

It's Getting Hot in Hurrr


The husband was definitely making funny faces at my through the window while I was taking these pictures, hence the genuine laugh.















During the winter I followed bloggers who complained of having to run outside as quickly as possible to take their outfit shots because of how uncomfortable the weather was.  The same thing occurs for Texans except it's the heat that kills us rather than the freezing cold.  Considering I started this blog in November, I haven't enjoyed the excitement of running outside to take a few shots while trying to look cute and simultaneously sweat my cajones off until now.    

So I actually wore this outfit on Wednesday and I wore the previous posted outfit on Friday.  Thursday, I just stayed in my workout clothes all day.  I wore the cardigan for work, which did count as one of my 7 pieces of clothing and then at a dinner we had I just went without the cardigan cause it was so flippin hot.  

I tend to be somewhat on the overly modest side when it comes to how I dress. I don't think it's a bad thing necessarily, it's just in the summer months, shorts, tanks, and sundresses are pretty much the way to go.   

All that to say...this is going to be an interesting summer.

{Skirt: Thrifted ($1.99), Dress worn as shirt: Thrifted [H&M] ($6.56), Cardigan: F21 ($9.99)}

What I Want







This skirt was definitely one that I was grateful to have on this 7 project.  Overall, it makes me feel like a folklorico dancer/princess but I look totally normal (ish).  I had the first mishap with it though when I was running errands yesterday I slammed the door and my skirt got caught in it, so when I walked away, I only made it inches away before whiplash occured.  Other than that, wearing this skirt the last two days has been magical.

A youth commented the other day that when he first met me, I was dressed super hipster and now I always dressed like a grandma.  After laughing at his honest, sincere commentary on my wardrobe, I came back at him with philosophy on attire which was inspired, of course, by my fashion inspiration and cousin Vanessa.  She said, you can wear whatever you want and no one can tell you otherwise.  Truth is, we tend to typecast ourselves even in our wardrobe.  Some blame it on comfort or certain elements that fit them the best, but I honestly I enjoy mixing it up sometimes.  Even when I feel like I don't look like "me" or like it's something I wouldn't normally wear but I feel comfortable in it, I just say, "I can wear whatever I want."  Now, that's within reason, of course.  Obviously I adhere to certain standards at work, church, etc., but in my day to day life, I feel pretty free to dress however I feel like.

All that to say, it's been interesting doing this project because I've feel pretty comfortable in all the pieces I've worn.  Because there are days when I feel completely uncomfortable, but that wasn't the case this week at all.  Perhaps simplifying is the key? 

{Skirt: Thrifted ($1.99), Chambray Shirt: Thrifted ($2.59), Flats: H&M ($12.99)}



Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Polka Dot and Pleats









Here are my 4th and 5th items for the 7 challenge.  This Jason Wu for Target skirt was a sweet find for only $10.  I picked it because it's so extremely versatile.  The pleats are perfect and I seriously love the feeling of wanting to twirl all the time and that is exactly what this skirt does for me.  The top may prove more challenging but I think I can make it work with the jeans from yesterday and possibly as a top over a dress.  We shall see.  

Please ignore the awkward piece of hair that can't decide whether it wants to be my bangs or not.  It's seriously frustrating to me on a daily basis, but there are worst things happening in the world, right? 

I realize I'm doing these posts back to back but I take as much advantage as I can when I have the time to update so there you go.  

Life is so good.  I got to see my sister Sunday and my sisters-in-law yesterday so it was like two packed days of my favorite girls.  I love my and Austin's family so, so much.  

Ani

{Skirt: Jason Wu for Target ($10.00, on sale, of course), Top: Thrifted ($1.99), Flats: H&M ($12.99)} 




Seven







So I decided to take on a project along with a few of the other girls from my small group that has naught to do with this blog directly, but it's actually correlates with the whole point of this blog which is to show the world all the wonderfully cheap finds I discover.  Plus its a great way to my enjoyment of fashion, thrifting and shopping into a hobby.  Anyhow, we're doing a challenge where we wear 7 items of clothing for what should be a month but we're doing it for two weeks.

It's a quest to simplify our lives and personally, it's a quest to appreciate the fact that we are extremely blessed.  We're also planning on cleaning out our closets.

Anyhow, it gets sticky and my goal is not to overdo the entire thing because you can get crazy when counting things you're allowed to do and not do, but generally speaking we are wearing 7 clothing pieces.  So far mine include these ill-fitting jean, the button up and my black flats.

The next post will show the two other items I've added.  

This should be interesting.  

Ani 

{Jeans: F21 ($10.50), Chambray Shirt: Thrifted ($2.59), Flats: H&M ($12.99)}