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American Eagle Sweater.  Forever 21 vest.  BDG leggings through Urban. Frye boots. Fossil watch.  Vintage necklace.

I've been getting progressively sicker this past week, but after finally getting a doctor to prescribe me antibiotics on Saturday, I'm feeling just about 100% today.  Also, it decided not to rain in the burg and was lovely and breezy, leading to perhaps my first fall type outfit of the year.  I do so despise all seasons but summer really, but if you can't beat em...

And please ignore the less than ideal setting for these shots.  My blog photographer insists that the reason she didn't answer me all day was that her "phone is dead."  Hmph. 

Curls!

Vintage dress bought in Chelsea at a Vintage Fair.  Thrifted belt.  Frye boots.  Levi's denim shirt.  Cole Haan sunglasses. 

So, despite my optimism, my weekend didn't exactly pan out as planned...at all.  Bright spot: the fam came to visit yesterday which was absolutely lovely, but for the most part everything was just, less than stellar.  Far less.  

However, Friday was absolutely gorgeous, with temperatures flirting with 70 degrees.  I didn't even need the denim shirt I'm wearing in these shots but the dress has puffed sleeves that I think I want to alter, because I don't love the way they look on me.  I bought this at a vintage fair in Chelsea when I was living in London just off of King's Road.  I was on my way to Sloan Square station to take the tube to the V&A, and then I got distracted by vintage.  Priorities, you know.  I never made it to the museum that day.

I was so pumped about the weather that I let my hair curl and was overly pleased with the return of the DLR look, and since it's longer now I also felt a bit like a mermaid.  I don't know why my hair long and curly makes me think of mermaids since if I was a mermaid I'd live in the water and my hair would be wet and therefore not actually textured all the time.  This is neither here nor there.

I decided that I needed to go to the health food store and dragged Erin along on a lovely walk.  She decided she wanted to take "situational" blog pictures, hence the shots of me perusing an aisle and contemplating whether vanilla Sleepytime tea would please me as much as the regular Sleepytime tea that I had run out of did.  Then I just sat on a bench on the sidewalk of the strip mall, next to which were two random desks that did not appear to have any purpose.  The class you find in this town is astounding, really.  

If you feel me, shout a little bit louder.

H&M Jacket and belt.  Kohl's tee.  American Eagle Outfitter's Jeans.  Frye boots. Vintage necklace.

Woo outfit post!  It's been freaking forever!  The thing is, I looked decent on Thanksgiving but I forgot to get someone to take pictures before the food-fest, after which I needed to remove the belt I had around my waist and I just lost all interest in being photographed.  I think the one picture of me from that night just shows me shoveling food onto my plate.  Since then, I've basically just been leaving my room in whatever is most functional for the library or lectures, which is not cute.

I'm wearing the vintage necklace you first saw in this post, but which doesn't really show up well against this outfit in photos.  (Is this because my point and shoot camera sucks in this capacity? - I DON'T CARE.  Ahem.)  

This tee is part of the random "Hang Ten" line now at Kohl's, which I guess is geared towards the Pac Sun worshippers that got dragged to Kohl's with Mom and are perusing the juniors section.  I can't remember why I stopped there one day...I think I was killing time after a doctor appointment and before work, and I actually fell in love with their super soft tees and tank tops.  This top used to be more voluminous (and less likely to flash midriff), then the wash happened, but I still like it.  I also bought a tank that I wear the hell out of, but haven't documented here yet.  I supposed I should get on that.  The stuff is mad cheap too, check it out.

Stream of consciousness: This cropped H&M jacket makes everything I put it on with a little bit classier and a lot cooler.  Remember how I told you my hair's been getting real long?  Proof!  Man, look at those hips, I need to run more.  And why do I have the shiniest forehead on the planet?

Go to Heaven for the Weather

Not to England though, unless you're fond of perpetually grey skies and imminent rain.

Forever 21 top.  H&M skirt.  Target tights.  Frye boots.  Vintage necklace.

Yes, yes, I did style this skirt EXTREMELY SIMILARLY here, but let me tell you why.  Right before I left for England I was thinking about how I saw a woman wearing a pencil skirt with flats and a tshirt, and it really worked for her.  It happened to be the exact skirt I'm wearing above, just in olive green, so I wondered how I could style it myself in a way that didn't look too overdressed for every day.  I stood in front of the mirror in my room, wearing it with a tucked in white t shirt and these boots and frowning, and then Ma goes "I think maybe if you wore it with something that had more volume on top."  WHA BAM!  This outfit, since I had bought this shirt just a few days before.  So, really, props to Ma for that stroke of brilliance.

In any case, I like the way it makes the skirt go from office appropriate or nighttime to casual.  Sorry for the wrinklies, I had to take rather tedious bus rides to and from Morecambe today.  Never have I ever, in my life, lost something on a night out (minus maybe my dignity) until Wednesday night, when I lost my phone at a club.  Lucky for me it was still there, unlucky for me I decided to lose it at the club farthest from campus.  

Love love this necklace, which I picked up at a vintage fair in Chelsea that I stumbled upon last month.  I was on my way to the V&A and then I caught sight of the signs outside the Chelsea Library.  Priorities, you know.  Love this top for reasons we discussed this summer.

Sidenotes: I love how ridiculously green the grass is, especially as the backdrop for the second shot.

Yes, I ripped this title from the song by The Audition, who I am completely obsessed with right now.

He's a Magic Man.

I attempted to do some thrifting these last few weeks before leaving the country, but all trips essentially amounted to nothing.  It's always disappointing when you go through a period of misses, but I guess that's what makes your next finds so special.  I just wish we had a better selection of thrift shops where I come from.

So, due to the fact that I'm craving vintage, I stopped by the Prance and Swagger etsy shop to check out the selection, and lawd, if only I wasn't hoarding my money for England.

Blah this hat!  Today Ma and I went to Marshall's to buy a piece of carry on luggage (doing things last minute is my bag) and I found a similarly soft and slouchy Cynthia Rowley hat with some tuft of furry material in a position analogous to these feathers.  I couldn't get Ma to buy it for me, but perhaps that's a good thing, because I want this so much more.  

Usually the classic band Ts just don't do it for me because the whole look has just become too mainstream.  But I certainly couldn't pass up a Heart shirt.  Try to understand, try to understand, try try try to understand...

I like my dresses knee length or shorter and fitted to my curves, and the shinier one is, the better.  So, this dress and I were made for each other, yes?  I can't deny that I am drawn to most (Re: all) things gold lame.  Wish I knew how to put the accent on that e.

Okay dolls, here's the deal.  Tomorrow I'll be catching my flight to London, and it's probably going to be a few days before I can get my shizz together and let you know what is up.  Fear not, I am going to return armed with photographs and hopefully amusing stories about the mishaps I inevitably create.  Please e mail me or comment with any of your recommendations for things I should see/do in London while I spend my first month abroad there!

Final note: Of late I've been receiving some of the sweetest notes from readers on IFB and through my e mail.  Hearing from you means the world to me, and it always leaves me giddy and inspired.  Quick shout to the lovely writers behind The Button Owl, Apples and Oranges, and Seven Style Notes - three blogs you need to check out.  Please don't hesitate to contact me with your questions, comments, or whatever, there's nothing I love better!

Browsing Etsy: Vintage

Last night, when I should have been getting ahead on my mounds of college reading, or perhaps sleeping, I was wide awake and browsing etsy for some vintage finds. Now, I consider myself pretty savvy as far as technology goes. My phone has a touch screen, I'm typing on my macbook, I surf the internet on said touch screen phone, I have a digital camera, I have an ipod (WHEN IT'S NOT BROKEN FROM WATER DAMAGE), you know. But I've never used ebay or etsy until recently. This is NOT BECAUSE I didn't know how, but because I was totally wary of just buying random things from random people online.

Recently though, I scored a totally awesome birthday present for boyfriend for a totally awesome price on ebay (secrets secrets!), and I was sold. Now I'm on ebay constantly, although I refrain from engaging in all the bidding wars I want to join. So this led me to spend some more time on etsy, which has a large range of shops with some really great vintage finds. Thus, back to the point at hand. These were my favorite things that I found



This belt is from the 80s, and I love the bright colors and the gold bauble in the middle. I have a corset-esq elastic belt for cinching seen here and here, and though I like it quite a bit it doesn't always have the right look, and it's also a bit loose. I bought the smallest size, but it doesn't hug the body unless I'm wearing a few layers. I like that this one is a departure from the basic elastic belts we see around.

Vintage Dooney and Bourke Purse

Photos via Decades of Baltimore etsy shop

I recently got my own Dooney and Bourke bag (compliments of my wonderful God Mother!) and it's gorgeous, and I'm kind of obsessed with the classic nature of their bags. This little cross body bag is totally adorable, and though my friends and family would poke fun that it won't hold half of the stuff I normally lug around with me, I think it would be perfect with a sundress for going to fairs and browsing flea markets and the like. And when I imagine that I looks so happy and carefree! And my boyfriend is also wearing clothes of a much different era in my head, but that's another story.

60s dress

Picture via the StilettoGirl Vintage etsy store

This is the first thing that caught my eye. StilettoGirl Vintage has an amazing selection of vintage items, especially clothing, and I spent a good amount of time clicking through. I thought this dress was absolutely adorable and I had to restrain myself from purchasing it right then. My only qualm? It's Gettysburg colors! So I don't know if I could get away with wearing it in the burg, I might seem a little, over-spirited. Whatever, you know I'd wear it anyway. Love!


photo via PrettyRaccoon Clothing etsy store

At first I thought that PrettyRaccoon Clothing was a shop for contemporary clothes, but I'm silly and missed the Vintage link. They're selection of vintage is also pretty impressive, and it's definitely geared toward the younger buyer, so there were a lot of things I was interested in. my favorite piece was this pretty yellow dress though. In keeping with the Dooney and Bourke bag vision, I guess I'm into the idea of flowy, innocent looking sundresses for the upcoming summer. Let's see if I hold myself to it! In any case, the color is gorgeous, I like the tiny pleats, and I just want to wear it all the time. Oh summer, come soon.