The Harbor

Plaid blazer, Groovy's in Rockwall. Led Zeppelin tee shirt, vintage from my step dad. Jeans, imogene + willie Imogene slims. Vintage Cole Haan loafers, thrifted. Sunglasses, TJ Maxx.
     My favorite thing to do is to scamper along the rocks of a shoreline, any shoreline. Fortunately, where my parents live in Rockwall features quite an impressive manmade lake/resoirvoir and a shoreline to match. It makes for fantastic viewing of sunsets and even the Dallas skyline from 30 miles away. I feel like these pictures almost look like they were taken in the middle of nowhere, but nope. They were taken right down the road from my parents home, in front of the local movie theatre. I apologize for the copious amount of pictures here. I just really couldn't decide which ones best suited the purpose. The mood that day was so great, that it is impossible to say for me a favorite. I certainly hope you feel the same!

Let's Go

     I'm making the final arrangements for my international trip to the UK and Ireland. We're stopping in London, Liverpool, Belfast, and Dublin. It's crazy that the second day of 2014 is going to be spent flying halfway across the world on my first international trip. That being said, I've decided to forgo almost all forms of social media. I'm not bringing my computer, but I will have several outfit posts scheduled while I'm gone and will be able to check emails. You can still access my posts from Twitter and Facebook if that it how you normally follow my blog, but I won't be posting anything other than scheduled links and pictures on Instagram. If you'd like to follow my daily adventures, feel free to follow me: trippplethread. I'm excited for my big adventure!

The Importance of Female Friends (+ road trip!)

From left to right: Me, Emma, Alysse, Betsy, and Ari

     With a lot of young women, it is tempting to dismiss being friends with other women. "Oh, I just don't get along with other girls," they'll say. I understand this tendency, being largely more comfortable with guys as well as exhibiting several personality traits that are traditionally seen as "masculine". However, I'm here to say that this sentiment is a mistake. The beautiful young women that you see in the picture above are my best friends. 

     The four of us on the right recently took a short trip to see my roommate from the last two years and one of my dearest friends, Ari. No topic is off limits with these girls, which made the sleepover that we had at Alysse's house the night before the drive to North Carolina that much more fun. Our personalities perfectly weave together to form a bond that is unshakeable and uplifting. Even if all of us could easily point out the flaws of the others, it is only because we know each other so well. Those flaws are what enable us to complete each other instead of tear each other down. And that's a beautiful thing.

     I'm the baby of the group by a few months and I love saying things to make everyone laugh. Alysse, the friend I've had the longest (8 years!), is the oldest and is almost a full year older than me. She's the mom of the group in so many ways, including her mad baking skills. Emma is the eternal sweetheart and although I've known her the shortest time, it feels like we've been friends for years. The sharp-witted and adorable Betsy always has us laughing with her perfect commentary and questions. Ari and I have known each other distantly for quite some time, but it wasn't until we decided to share a room at Maryville College that we really got to know each other. I'll never forget the nights we stayed up talking until 3 AM even if we had early classes the next day. 

      Each of these women deserve an entire blog post dedicated to how wonderful they are, but I hope that I've given you an idea of how much they mean to me. Being with them makes me feel giddy, unstoppable, fully supported and loved, and perfectly content. There really is something irreplaceable about being able to go from talking about nail polish to bodily functions in two seconds flat; that's something I couldn't do with my male friends. 

    Hopefully you can see the happy, silly, wonderful vibe of the day that we had in Asheville and Brevard. We are commemorating the trip with something extremely special before school starts and I am so excited to share the news with everyone when it happens. 

Shopping in Dallas

(Pardon the weird light patterns on my legs.)

     While I was in Dallas, I definitely wanted to explore a few of the local shops instead of just sticking to the mall. While Northpark Mall is the largest, most luxurious retail emporium I've ever seen, I prefer going off the beaten path for a few special finds. Luckily, the Knox-Henderson area had some wonderfully cute shops including We Are 1976 (the shop where all the circus posters are pictured above) and Milk & Honey. While the stores offer a completely different inventory, I was happy that they were right next to each other so that I could shop for everything from stationary to accessories to cute clothing in one swoop. Below is a little peek at what I scored. The bow belt and the arrow necklace are both finds from the Anthropologie in Highland Park Village. 

Buy it direct from the designer here: Chibi Jewels

     I have to admit, finding all the cute boutiques and shops when I travel is one of my favorite part of the experience. I know that there's a lot more to do and trust me, we did a lot while in Dallas. But getting to interact with small business owners is so special for me. I've come back with a renewed appreciation for all things local and unique. 

The New Horizon

Faded denim jacket, Crew Cuts. Buffalo plaid dress, Forever 21. The Essex messenger in bittersweet, Madewell (sold out, but check out their other bags!). Plenty by Tracy Reese strappy flats (similar here). 

     The town slogan for Rockwall is "The New Horizon". That's only too appropriate considering that my parents decided to move there to start their lives anew. Of course, the decision wasn't as simple as just dropping everything and leaving. However, everyone is happier than I've seen them in a long time and although I'm still happy to call Tennessee my home, I loved staying in the Lone Star state as well.

     I'm back in Maryville after ten days of visiting, sightseeing, shopping, and relaxing. I have so many things that I'm excited for here in humble East Tennessee. That being said, while I'm a bit sad about leaving that part of my family, I am happy to be able to start being productive again. 

      Another thing to be happy about, as I'm sure many of you can relate with, is being back with my entire wardrobe as opposed to just a part of it. I made sure to bring a lot of coordinating items with me on my trip and even added several new pieces during my stay, but there's really nothing like traveling to make me appreciate just how many outfit opportunities the clothes I already own offer. 

     I'm happy to stop adding to my wardrobe for the time being. Often, the most sustainable and ethical way to shop is to stop doing it so often. Very rarely does an impulse buy or something that I bought because it was deeply discounted lead to a wardrobe staple. It's the things that I've owned the longest that still mean the most to me. I love sprucing up my wardrobe with a few things each season (and yes, I couldn't resist the $13 price tag on the plaid dress in these pictures), but usually, I find myself reaching for the same things time after time and still being happy with them. 

     I guess you could say that traveling to The New Horizon offered me a renewed outlook.

On (Needle) Point

THML Clothing embroidered blouse, Groovy's in Rockwall.  American Apparel Chambray Full Woven Skirt  Vintage yellow patterned scarf. Red belt, Forever 21 (similar here). Minimal lace-up heel, Jeffrey Campbell + Free People. Timex brown leather watch. Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl.

    I found it. The perfect embroidered shirt. I see them floating around in various fast-fashion stores this time of year, but I never gave too much thought to the summery item.However, this was another find from the adorable Groovy's. I decided to go ahead and purchase what is sure to be a go-to for the rest of the summer months because it is a great fit and lightweight fabric. The main colors in my wardrobe are shades of blue and red, so naturally this piece will fit in great. THML Clothing is another wholesale only brand, but there are plenty of options if you are looking for a similar piece: 1, 2, 3 (a bit different, but my personal favorite). 

     In other news, I've been feeling so me with the outfits that I have been choosing lately. There has been a long period now where I was really struggling with what I wanted my style to look like. However, instating regulations on the kind of items that I buy has provided me with the need to be more specific with my style. I've definitely outgrown the "romantic" style that I tried to pin myself in for so long. It would seem that the days of overly saccharine dresses and lacy items are long gone, but old habits die hard (old habits might come in the form of the dresses from Bonne Chance Collections- so cute!). I think the most important thing during a wardrobe transition isn't to get rid of everything that doesn't suit you anymore, but rather to find new ways of working old favorites into a new style. 

     Also, shout out to Chelsea over at Organized Mess for giving me the idea for the title of this post with her sweet comment on my last outfit post. Sometimes I have to keep myself from saying "on point" too much, but it's still nice to hear from others!

Texas Triple Threat

FIANCÉE maxi dress, Groovy's in Rockwall. Strappy flat sandal, Target. Red square-framed glasses, c/o Firmoo. Scouth Leather Chevron necklace in black, c/o Danani. Vintage Akubra hat (you can buy one here). Vintage wallet.

     The number three pleases me. Things that come in triples are harmonious in a lot of aspects, including in the art world. I liked the concept of a "triple threat" so much that my blog is named after that very idea. And this dress meets three of my shopping criteria, making it a perfect fit in more ways than one. I was already shopping locally at a cute little store in the Rockwall square called Groovy's. On top of that, this dress is a made in the USA find. Unfortunately, the brand Fiancée is a wholesale only brand, but if you do happen to be buying for a boutique or online store definitely check them out! All of their clothes are made in America and also budget friendly. This dress was only $32. And at that price I can definitely say that it meets my criterion of being within my price range,the third reason why it's a great purchase. 

     Fortunately, these pictures were taken towards the later part of the day or my hat would have been unbearable. I'd have to be here a bit longer than my planned two week stay in order to really get used to this kind of heat. However, I will say that the golden hour and sunsets here are unlike anything I've ever experienced. All lighting that you see in the pictures in this post is completely natural. Nothing beats it. 

    Considering that I'm from somewhere that was built from nothing in the 1940s, this town is so much older than what I'm used to; however, I'm by no means complaining. Seeing the western style buildings in the town square and the farmhouse-turned-museum that was in front of this field that was from the 1830s absolutely fascinates me. America is such a young country in the grand scale of world history, but I still get a kick out of our own stories and tales of the past. 

I Believe in Nashville

Sleeveless denim button-up, American Apparel. BDG Twig High-Rise Jean in Black, Urban Outfitters. Vintage Cole Haan loafers, thrifted. Dooney & Bourke Happy Bag (only 1 left!). Wayfarer sunglasses, Ray-Ban. Leopard print headband, J. Crew.

     There are some days when I think that I belong in a different state. One with more jobs, a different school, and yes, being near the coast would be nice. Then I remember: I'm forty minutes away from Dollywood. I'm three hours away from Nashville, one of the greatest cities in the country. I can see the Smoky Mountains from my college campus. Without Tennessee, the world wouldn't have Mayfield ice cream, Mountain Dew, or cotton candy. Ok, so maybe we'd all be a bit healthier without those things, but Tennesseans sure have a way with inventing fun things to eat and drink. 

     Regardless of the small doubts that I sometimes feel, all is forgotten when I walk the streets of such wonderful places as Franklin and Nashville. The trip was largely to see Wild Child live; but ended up being a pilgrimage to give me even more faith in my home state.

This is my post "I just bought the best pair of jeans of my life" face at Imogene and Willie. 

     Downtown Franklin is so wonderfully picturesque and quaint. It it was the perfect way to start the day off (not to mention the free parking). I wondered from shop to shop, feeling great that I could shop guilt free as almost everything was locally owned. We even stopped at the nicest Goodwill I've ever been to on the way out of town. Later, we made our way over to the Imogene and Willie store. At first, I thought I would be content with just a bandana or their beautiful brand book. Instead, I took the plunge and got fitted for my very own pair of Imogene Slims. I am over the moon with how they looked in the store, but I know I'll be even happier when they arrive in my mailbox custom tailored and ready to be worn in. 

     Walking the streets of such beautiful Southern cities has just renewed my adoration for local goods and the people of Tennessee. I'm glad that I got the opportunity to businesses that I appreciate on such a deep level. My commitment to shopping American made or at small, independent businesses is only gaining steam after my little road trip.