My acceptance speech

Today I woke up to my very first blog award!

 

 From this little lovely, Ramsey. Thank you so much!

SO the rules of my acceptance are that I...

1. Thank and link back the person who gave you the award. (check)

2. Share 7 facts about yourself.

3. Pick 7 new Blogs to award

4. Tell them they are award winners!

My seven facts...

1) I looooveee Jesus!

2) I have recently discovered Amy's Organic Italian frozen meals and am OBsessed.

3) I have a dog named Charley that is treated like a sibling. We even once won a look alike contest. but please don't tell anyone.

4) My favorite shows are I Love Lucy, Brothers and Sisters, CSI wherever, Friends and Gilmore Girls.

5) I am really excited because there is a possibility for snow this weekend. In Dallas, this is a BIG deal.

6) My blog is a youngin at a week and a half, so bear with us.

7) I was named after Hayley Mills, the actress in the original Parent Trap and in that movie the girls have the same birthday as me.

AND my awards go to...

A. Co at A. Co. est 1984

Allie at Fashion Enthusiast

I Want To Be Her

Jane at See Jane.

Lauren at Love Lauren Elizabeth

Lauren at Olive and Bleu

Sara Jane at Sara Jane Elizabeth

and an extra link if you like to laugh your head off.

Thanks again Ramsey!

Tricks of the Thrift.

Jacket: Gap outlet

Shirt: Old Navy

Jeans: XXI

Boots: thrifted

Today, for the first time in a while, I had time to hit up some of my favorite thrift stores. I really love shopping in thrift stores as much as (if not more than) shopping in normal stores. I have tried to share this love with my friends but seems like they give up on me after making a few rookie errors. I wish I was the "pro" I am now because if I was this is what I would tell them...

1) Know your closet before you go.

No matter how cheap something is, if you have one very similar at home that you like better you will not wear it. Also so that you can be creative and mentally create an outfit you can wear with that item. Thrift shops are not like normal shops in that they dont have mannequins and websites and catalogs to show you how to wear their clothes. It's all up to you.

2) Look at quality and fit not labels.

I have an example of this one for ya. During one of my shopping trips I ran across a Chanel sweater that had their logo huge on the front and was cute, but too worn down for my taste. My friend however saw the logo and had to have it. It didn't really fit that well and was pretty nubby but she bought it and I can't say I have seen her wear it. You will look better in your unknown label than having an illfitting, worn out designer peice.

3) Look everywhere.

All retail employees get lazy and make mistakes putting items in the wrong place. This problem is multiplied when there isn't always a clear right place for all items. This can be to your advantage in some stores that price nicer lines higher. Often times I have found nicer clothes in the non-"boutique" area. Also, don't go in looking for a certain item. You will only get disappointed and think thrift stores do not offer what you want. Instead look for cute things and you will be far more lucky.

4) Try it on and look at it in a mirror.

I hardly shop in stores without dressing rooms anymore. If I do I turn a full sized mirror into a dressing room for me to try things on top of my clothes. Because of the variation of sizes, etc you can't judge something by the size you normally wear. This applies to shoes too. Thrift stores can be mirror stingy and you might have to one shoe hobble to the other side of the store but its really the only way to make sure they look good on you. Boots and heels esp. look very different from an aerial view. If they do not have a place to try things on, MAKE SURE they have a good return policy- another thing thrift stores can be stingy on.

5) Edit what you've grabbed

I often get so caught up that I put everything I find remotely cute and stuff it into my buggie. So you dont spend hours in a dressing room take out what you have and evaluate it. If you really dont like it that much, dont bother trying it on. If you are unsure, what the hey, try it on. you might be surprised.

In todays run, I ended up with...

Boots: unknown

Grey striped button up: Lands end

Jeans: Jcrew (brand new!)

 Blazer: Jones New York

Other two blouses: unknown

Vintage book: Wuthering Heights

Hope this helps yall! HAPPY THRIFTING!

Links a la Mode

In With The New

Edited by: The Sunday Best
It's funny how an arbitrary measurement like time can cause us to reassess our lives, make long lists of promises, and end up overpaying for bad parties filled with depressed people staring into their drinks. Just me? Let's start the year off right with a collection of links bursting with new year-y goodness.

Links à la Mode: January 6th

• 55th Street: Twelve months, twelve photos, twelve words
• Analogue Chic: Fashion anomalies - under-the-radar trends from 2010
• Archives: Best of the worst 2010 (photos)
• Awakened Aesthetic: The heiress and the architect
• Brunette Blogging: The blogging flu
• Dramatis Personae: 50 radical New Year's goals
• Elle Enchanted: Tips on being a better blog reader
• Fashezine: Delicate matters (organic cotton)
• Fierce: How an editorial calendar can save you
• Forever Amber: What I learned from a month of wearing dresses
• Independent Fashion Bloggers: 10 Tips To Get Back Into Blogging
• Inkblot*Photography: Sound Off - A note on body image
• Karma-Style: No mutton allowed...
• Miss Vinyl Ahoy: 8 simple rules for mixing patterns
• Moda de la Mode: Let's start a colour revolution
• Naked Glory: Fashion and sex
• Tall Girl Blogging: Remarkably unremarkable - Blogging and body image
• The Cheap Girl in a Chic World: Fashion rules were meant to be broken
• The Coveted: Wearing Summer Dresses in the Dead of Winter
• The Elegant Bohemian: All the glitters
• The Fashion Planner: New Year Detox

SPONSOR:
Shopbop Boot Sale: S.Weitzman, Dolce Vita, Ash, S.Edelman, T.Burch, J.Campbell, Minnetonka, Loeffler, Hunter, UGG, Frye


WOOHOO! Do yall see me up there? Look under the Ts! Yah thats me! I could not be more honored.
Okay I will stop gloating but seriously check out these other lovelies.

Cardigan: Loft

Tank: XXI

Jeans:XXI

Boots: Vintage, thrifted.

I like Thursdays. In my heart they are second runner up to Fridays and Saturdays. Why? Because I figure that if Wednesday is hump day then Thursday begins the downhill coast to the weekend.

Think I wore a bright enough cardigan to express my happiness? and YES the cool kids do wear their sleeves at different lengths on accident.

Tights in a wad

Jacket: Levi's

Blouse: Gap outlet

Skirt: Charlotte Russe

Tights: XXI

Shoes: Steve Madden

Necklace: Target

Watch: Charming Charlie's

These tights were not my best friend today. Your girls got short legs and this one size fits all pair was made for Blake Lively legs. Also, it took my three times to figure out which side went to the front. But it is okay, I refused to let a pair of itchy tights ruin my day. There were many things that were awesome that weigh out the tights. Such as: Getting to watch Sense and Sensibility in english, getting a good workout in, and having this nail polish lasting four days strong without a chip.

SERIOUSLY it is the best. Goes with everything!

And a new Glee tonight? Hope so!

Back to School

Jacket-Thrifted

Shirt- Target

Scarf- Homemade

Jeans-Lucky Brand

Shoes-TOMS (you can't tell in the picture but they are SPARKLY!)

My emotions have been a little confused today. I was sad because my break is officially over and I had to go back to school, which meant I had to study. But I was happy because it is my momma's birthday and I only have two more weeks of this set of awfully boring and time consuming classes. I can make it TWO weeks, I think. Ill let you know if I dont.

Oh and this scarf was a SUPER easy DIY project. After cleaning out my closet, I just chopped off the torso of an old sweater and badda-bing it became an infinity scarf!

Fashion Challenge!

Sweater:Ann Taylor- thrifted

Skirt: J Crew final sale

Boots: Ross

Leggings: XXI

Socks:Target

Scarf: Kohls

 So I never really have followed that whole black and brown rule. I think it should be more like a guideline. Because black and brown are super cute together. HELLO cheetah print! Even God liked the combo. Because they're nuetrals, and they go with everything, including each other. College Fashion posted a challenge to figure out a way to be oh-so-bad while looking oh-so-good.

In other news, it is COLD here. Well, cold for Texas. Matter of fact I think it is the coldest it has been this season. A lot of science went into that determination, mainly by me because it was the first morning I had to scrape ice off the car and run into church. Oh and if my hands were not finding warmth in my pockets, you would see that I am wearing the Canton watch! 

R+R Saturday

Hello everyone,

Hope you're enjoying 2011,because I sure am. I spent my day in pj's watching I Love Lucy and Brothers and Sisters and finishing off the sparkling cider. This guy hung out with me too. His name is Charley, or Charles if he is in trouble.

However!, I do have a cute outfit from my FAVORITE store to window shop from, Madewell.

 and I'm thinking I may just have everything (plus a little more in the tummy and thighs if ya know what I mean) to reproduce this. Stay posted!