ThredUp Kensie Dress + Old Navy Cardigan

As an avid secondhand shopper, it's no surprise that I wanted to work with ThredUp. I'm adamant about the fact that most of the best pieces in my wardrobe come from thrift and consignment stores, and while I'll always love the hunt of thrifting in stores, I'm constantly looking for new ways that my lazy self can do so from the comfort of home as well. Naturally, this means that I'm in love with browsing through ThredUp, an online consignment store. As I've said countless times on here, not only is shopping secondhand a great form of recycling, it's also a great way to get unique pieces on a budget. 

This time around, I got three piecs for about $30, which goes a long way on ThredUp. In addition to a skirt that I'll feature in Wednesday's post, I picked out this Kensie eyelet dress and Old Navy cardigan. I've been trying to do a better job of shopping smarter and getting clothes that I won't want to give away in three months (as I'm known to do), and I'm proud to say that I feel confident that I succeeded. This cardigan is such a perfect, comfy staple piece, and I've honestly worn in three times since I got it last week. My wildcard pick was this dress though. I was not sure how this dress would be in person, and once it came in a bit brighter than I expected, I wasn't sure I could pull it off. Once I put it on, though, it was love at first sight. It fit like a glove and ended up being such a fun addition to my closet. What I love most is how surprisingly versatile it is. It's fantastic for layering and easy to dress down, but it also would be my go-to piece to pair with heels for a wedding. I really cannot wait to style this dress a million more ways. 

I love when I give rave reviews with all honesty, so I'm excited to let you know that my readers can head to ThredUp and use the code HANDM50 for 50% off first-time orders up to $50 on H&M pieces. My next post will feature a new staple H&M item from ThredUp, and trust me, you'll want to get one for yourself. 

Remix Friday: Thrifted Mint Cardigan

Something Creative and Witty // Thank Goodness for Goodwill //  Mint Cardigan + Polka Dot Dress // Ice Cream and Oranges

I'm going to be honest. I almost didn't share this post. When going through old outfits, I tried to look for items that I had featured in at least five or six looks, and I thought it might be fun to do an extremely versatile item -- a cardigan. I wear cardigans in probably 60-70% of my outfits, so I figured that it would give me a wide range of looks to share. 

Wrong.

The first cardigan I thought of was this mint one that I thrifted a long time ago, and I was pleased to see how many outfits I had worn it in it. I started going through posts and saving photos into a folder, only to be a little embarrassed when I looked at them all next to each other. In the eight outfits I had found, I had managed to style it almost the exact same way in most: with something blue, something white, and/or something polka dotted. So much for versatility. 

I started looking through other posts to find another item to feature, but ultimately, I thought this was pretty funny -- and insightful. I think we all often struggle with defining our personal style, but embarrassing as it may be, it's a little comforting to see that I've kept it so consistent over the years without even really trying. That's okay in my book.

Blossoms // We Used to Be Friends //  Two Headed Boy // That Moon Song

Which of my (very similar) outfits featuring this mint cardigan is your favorite?

eShakti Dress + Beaded Collar

Ever since I started blogging four years ago (has it really been that long?), I've been lucky enough to work with eShakti. They sent me my very first item for a product review back in the day, and since then, I've gotten some of my best dresses from their site. Naturally, I was beyond excited when the opportunity to work with eShakti came up again, and I think I may have chosen the best piece yet.

As I'm sure you're all aware by now, eShakti offers a beautiful range of clothing, all customizable by size and style. Being able to input custom measurements is one thing, but the chance to change that one detail you can't stop thinking about and get your ideal piece as a result? It's the best. I immediately fell in love with the Windowpane Check Buttoned A-Line dress because it seemed perfect for fall. However, as someone who lives in a place that's warm essentially all year, I find it hard to justify owning too many pieces with longer sleeves. I end up gravitating more toward sleeveless pieces that can work well under cardigans when the weather does drop below 70 degrees. And so, I stuck with this perfect fall color and pattern, but I removed the sleeves and chose a boat neckline so that I could easily wear collars underneath it - which is exactly what I did right when I received it. This dress could not be any more perfect, but how it could it not? It's as if I designed it myself. I know this all sounds so hokey and too much like a paid advertisement, but eShakti in no way told me what to write, and I really do mean what I'm saying. I'm pretty pumped about this dress.

Schoola Purple Dress + Tan Jacket

I should really just stop checking my email. Every day, there's a promotion from a store I love that's better than the last, and every day, I can't help but browse. I am very weak, and I don't have the self control to pass up a good sale. As I do more email marketing at work, you'd think I'd be able to ignore them as I learn more of the tricks and gimmicks. But no, I am still weak. When Schoola sent an email with a 50% code, and this purple Luck Be a Lady Dress donated by Modcloth showed up in my size, my hand clicked the "buy" button before I had a chance to stop it. Jon and I decided to explore our new city a little bit over the weekend, and this dress was perfect against this mural we stumbled upon. Then again, anything would look awesome in front of this. I still can't believe we found this spot.

Yesterday was filled with vintage goodness, as I met up with Erica at Whurl's Gurl's Night. I always have a blast with Erica, and it was made especially fun by getting to browse through the most beautiful collection of vintage clothes, eat cotton candy, and be surrounded by girls who were way, way cooler than me. It was basically the ideal way to spend a Sunday. Or any day for that matter.

Etsy Favorites #55

Feminist items are always appropriate, but this Not For You necklace from Eythink especially is at the moment

Remix Friday: Thrifted Floral Skirt

Yellow Cardigan + BB Dakota Floral Skirt // Thrift Store Hero // Good Night

I remember the exact moment I saw this skirt. I was at a thrift store with my friend Nataly, and she picked it up first. My eyes immediately went to it as I watched her hold it up, take a look, and put it back. With a gasp, I darted to it to take a look for myself. It was floral and pleated, and I was sold. Then I looked at the tag: BB Dakota. Then the size: size 8. A style I loved, a brand I adored, my size, in perfect condition, and $4. Ever since that fateful day, this skirt has served me well. It has been on heavy rotation in my closet, and it's made more than a few appearances on my blog and my Instagram. It's too pretty to be left sitting untouched.

Head to Toe Remix: Tops // A Light Jacket and Spring Floral // But First, Coffee

I just want to take a quick moment to say hello to my new followers from the Buzzfeed feature! In all honest, I've never been the biggest fan of Buzzfeed, but the exposure this list has gotten me is a bit surreal. Their audience is crazy, and I'm grateful to be noticed for something that I'm proud of: being a thrifty blogger. I first saw the article on Lauren of Someone Like You's Facebook, and I decided to take a look...you know, just in case. I was pretty surprised to see my face there, and it's been so cool to see my followers grow overnight.

Okay, okay. You're not half bad sometimes, Buzzfeed.

Floral Dress + Mustard Button Down

This is one of those outfits that I can't help but feel didn't photograph well. I absolutely loved wearing it and got compliments all day, but looking at the photos now, it's not my favorite. I suppose that's one of the dangers of looking at photos of your outfits every day. It becomes impossible not to be critical and overthink each one. Is this really the content I want to put out into the world? Am I okay with calling putting this out there for likes and comments when I so obviously would have gotten more if I had just worn a belt? It's all ridiculous, of course, since no one is as critical of myself as I am, but it's impossible not to think that way every so often. I obviously don't think this with everything I share. For every one outfit or blog post or Instagram photo that I get self conscious about, there are five that give me a huge ego. Trust me, I am usually too much of a fan of my content.

Looking back at it again, I do like this outfit more and more. A floral dress with a mustard button down underneath? That's my jam. I've been a little impulsive with my clothes buying lately, but I just decided to let go of my second source of income in order to save my sanity. I need to start buckling down again, and that's forced me to take a look at my closet and sell what I don't need/remix the items I do wear. This happens probably every other month so it's nothing new. If you're interested at all, I do have some things listed on my Poshmark, so take a look!

Cropped Sweater + Lady Tie

With all of the times I've moved in the past year and a half (if you've lost count, it's four), it was inevitable that I would lose some things. I've given up all hope up finding my dark green cardigan that I once wore to death (did I sell it? Is it still in a box somewhere?). I'm still holding out for my tan sunglasses -- I swear they're just hiding underneath something that I've yet to look under. With all of the times I've boxed up items, donated things, given them away, or moved them from temporary home to temporary home, I knew that this would be a byproduct. What I've forgotten about, however, is that it also means that I'll find items that I had once forgotten.

Hence, the lady tie.

Back when the adorable Etsy store Flapper Girl was in existence, it was pretty common to see these colorful lady ties on every blogger. I got mine in 2013, and while I was still figuring out my style and didn't wear it too often, I treasured it in all of its preciousness. Somewhere in between then and now, it ended up in a box stored in my parents' basement. I finally took a couple of boxes out of storage there recently in hopes of finding some art prints for my walls, and I pulled this beauty out in the process. It had been so long since I had seen it that I actually had to look up my old post to see if I was gifted it for a product review by Flapper Girl or if I had bought it (I was gifted it). Finding it again (and my old blog post) was not only a nice bit of nostalgia, but it was pretty fitting as I feel like my style has been heading in more a direction to wear this tie regularly. More than ever, I've felt confident in my ability to nail down a mix of modern, affordable styles with vintage inspired pieces, and I think a lady tie incorporates into that quite nicely. At the very least, it's a nice reminder that losing items while moving isn't always a terrible thing.

Remix Friday: J. Crew Peter Pan Collared Top

Collar, Cardigan, and a Cool Skirt // Ballerina // Love in the Time of Collar-A

For such a versatile piece, you'd that I would have styled this J. Crew collared top differently over the years. But, no. All I've ever needed is a high-waisted skirt and maybe a cardigan to make this one of my most worn pieces. For this week's Remix Friday, I thought that it only made sense to show you a top that you're probably sick of seeing. Ever since I got this gem in a J. Crew Factory sale, it has been on constant rotation. I'm honestly surprised that I was only able to find six ways that I've styled it for the blog, although the fact that it pops up on my Instagram so much (like here and here) would explain that. I have a feeling by this time next year, I'll have six more to share. Did I just challenge myself? I believe I did. Challenge accepted.

Which look is your favorite?

But First, Coffee // Peter Pan Collared Top + A-Line Skirt // Tread Lightly

Pink Gingham Skirt + Eyelet Top

Okay, so I'm still figuring out this whole bangs thing. At the very least, maybe I shouldn't take photos at the very end of the day when they get all greasy and unruly. Or maybe I'm just being too hard on myself and nitpicking at things that don't matter. Yeah, it's probably that one.

As the possibility of falls looms over me in Orange County, I'm just embracing the seemingly endless summer we get and am breaking out all of my summer staples. This pink gingham skirt is perfect in every way, and it's a shame to think that I avoided the color for so long. I'm itching for cardigans and tights, but I'm also not ready to put this one away. It's really just too beautiful.

Modcloth Popsicle Dress + BAIT Ida Shoes

Don't let these perfectly polished, happy photos fool you. This is pure acting, my friends. On Saturday night, Jon and I hosted a little housewarming party at our new apartment with a small group of our close friends complete with snacks, good conversation, and of course, drinks. I, unfortunately, am not a big drinker and therefore am a bit of a lightweight. I ended up having one too many rum and cokes and ended up crawling into my room to sleep while the party was still going on. Long story short, there was a little bit of throwing up, a short amount of time trying to fall asleep on the bathroom floor, and ultimately deciding that I needed to sleep on the couch. It was a long night. Jon and I both woke up feeling like crap the next morning and needless to say had a slow start.

The party was Saturday night. These photos were taken on Sunday.

Believe it or not, we had the most productive day two hungover people could possibly have. We even - wait for it - went to IKEA. And ate meatballs. And bought furniture. We did not, however, put the coffee table or kitchen island together. We did walk the entire store, buy items, and carry them inside. It was quite impressive if you ask me. Once we got back, while on my second wind, I insisted that we take a set of outfit photos. I had been planning to take a set in this popsicle dress because it would be cruel not to. I had been waiting to get the straps adjusted, but I ultimately decided that I couldn't wait and safety pinned them. I also finally got rid of my torn up thrifted wingtips and got myself a proper shiny pair from B.A.I.T. Two items are gorgeous as these warranted a photo shoot while on the brink of vomiting, don't you think?

Remix Friday: Red Modcloth Dress

Red-y to Go // Modcloth Collared Dress + Gingham Skirt // Red Modcloth Dress + Gray Lace Cardigan

Oh, man. Has this dress taken me through the seasons or what? I got this dress a few years back while on summer break, and it stayed with me through my senior year of college in Illinois and back to California. I still have it and wear it regularly, which is usually a good test of a lasting piece. I can't imagine getting rid of this one any time soon, and looking through all of my old posts has truly solidified that for me. Looking through all of my old posts also reminds me that I used to live in a place where it snows, and I also was very excited to start my customer service job that I later couldn't get out of soon enough. Ah, nostalgia. 

I usually cringe when looking through old outfits, but I actually still really love all of the ways I styled this dress. I'm of course partial to my most recent attempt, when I wore it as a top with a gingham skirt. However, I also loved wearing it as a skirt with a sweater over it and just on its own when I first got it. 

Which look is your favorite?

It's Snow Problem // Back to Layers // Red Collared Dress

Tan Dress + Old Navy Lavender Sandals

I definitely forgot to take photos this weekend, so this outfit is the result of me forcing Jon to get out of bed and walk outside in his pajamas to help me take this set before I left for work this morning. I know, I know. I'm terrible. I would have been okay without any posts this week, but I like my routine. Even as blog readership dies out, it's still my favorite hobby and I feel lost without it. Fortunately, I not only have a very supportive boyfriend, I also have a live-in photographer now. He knew what he was getting himself into when he agreed to live with me. 

I picked up this dress at a thrift store recently, and even though the color possibly washes me out, it's so comfy and lovely that I don't mind. The faux lace collar was hard to resist, but then again, all fit and flare dresses are hard to resist. The Old Navy sandals have become my go-to pair of shoes lately. While I'm bummed that I won't get much of a chance to dress for fall, I'm okay with making these shoes last all year round. I'm also happy to get any chance to throw some pins on a jacket, and this time I pulled out the one I got from the Wilco concert I attended a couple of weeks ago and this donut pin from Honey and the Hive.