Raining on My Parade

Altered vintage lace dress, thrifted. LC by Lauren Conrad faux leather jacket, Kohl's. Black tights, American Eagle. Black combat boots, Forever 21. Black oversized bow, Gap Kids.

Day 06/32

     My grandmother and I worked to turn this dress into a modern twist on a vintage piece. The dress originally had long lace puff sleeves, was down below my knees, and did not have the contrasting lace trim. With some imagination, we made it look much more current and as a bonus, I have beautiful lace from the process to use for other projects.
     On another note, I am hoping to soon upgrade my cheap Forever 21 black boots to Dr. Marten's. I have gotten quite a bit of use out of these boots, but the $30 price tag leaves me with $30 quality. I got these as a birthday present (August 28th) and have worn them almost all the way through the soles. The only question is, should I get the Oxblood shade or stick with the basic black? I know I don't want a print because something that expensive is going to have to be basic for me. Somehow boots end up being one of my spring essentials, but to see more check out my guest post on Fashionography.

P.S.-Although I am remaining optimistic about the prospect of really trying to document my outfits every day, I forgot about a major curve ball in my plan. I am a member of a completely wonderful student organization and I was at their state conference for the past three days. Although I placed in all of my events, the organization's official attire does not exactly scream blog material. However, I am extending my month long worth of picture to include 32 outfits, no matter if I had to skip the days where I looked like a flight attendant. Thank you for your patience with the kinks of Operation Overhaul!

Breaking the Rules: Double Denim

Denim shirt, NY & Co. Shorts, F21. Belt, vintage. Shoes, American Eagle. Sunglasses, Ray Ban.

Day 05/32.

    
     I have a minor major obsession with denim and chambray shirts. Usually I reserve hanger space on my garment rack for unique pieces, all with different looks. However, there are literally five hangers devoted to shirts and jackets of similar styles. Whether I seek them out or inherit them, the shirts seem to have a way of finding me and winning me over. I haven't ever felt the urge to wear double denim, but because it is having a moment, I decided to give it a go. I actually quite like the results.
     Today's outfit is something I would call "photographer chic". Although typically when I roam about taking pictures I wear jeans, it was an unusually hot spring day. But I've found out quickly what I can and can't wear when I'm shooting (perhaps a future post?) and this qualifies as a utilitarian, but decent looking ensemble for when I'm behind the viewfinder. The shirt even has pockets for camera accessories or extra film!
     Pockets are one of my favorite features on any apparel. What about you?

Sunday Shopping Guide: How to Shop at the Mall...

...without looking like you shop at the mall.
     Today's Sunday Shopping Guide is not the typical format because the collage/link format contradicts most of the opinions I am about to espouse.

     Logo tees. Booty shorts. Plaid Bermuda shorts. These are just a few of the items that are easily found at a local shopping mall. Although there are many upscale stores that offer designer names at designer prices, the average teenager with the average budget can't afford such luxuries. When the call of convenience carries you to the mall, there are ways to avoid looking like everyone else in your high school (as a high school student, my experiences are limited to this, so this guide is mainly for age range of 14-18).
     My town's Goodwill and Salvation Army tend to be more like dumping grounds than gold mines and if I'm desperate for a new outfit, I can't pay for overnight shipping online. Although I usually turn to Target for such emergencies, I even have to be careful there. Usually these facts combined land me in the middle of consumer desperation...also known as the mall. However, many instances like this have taught me some valuable lessons.

• Be selective...but not TOO selective. If you're like me, the loud music, overpowering scent, and discriminatory hiring processes are enough to send you running out of stores such as Abercrombie and the like. There's no reason to shop at a store that you don't agree with; that being said, some stores are begging for a chance to be looked at. Although the "preppy" stereotype (and not in the classic sense of the word) attached to the Abercrombie umbrella is reason enough not to venture into their offspring, stores like Delia's, Pac Sun, American Eagle, and (blogger favorite) Forever 21 are credible places to find nice quality garments. Sometimes there is reason to avoid a certain cash register, but other times stores don't get the credit they deserve.
• No logo? No problem. Obviously being a walking advertisement for a store is not in good taste. Sure, there are high dollar monogram and logo bags that are a little bit more credible than having "AERO" plastered across your chest, but I digress. A lot of people associate "teen" stores with screen printed logo tee shirts, but their other items often get passed up because of this fact. Some of my favorite things are basic tee shirts from Old Navy, American Eagle, and sometimes even Wal Mart (Hanes five pack of undershirts!). It's important to have basics that you know you love so you can remix them into your wardrobe, even if they aren't all from American Apparel.

Source for images

• Butt stitching, etc.  To me, it is not important if the world knows where I purchase my jeans. However, knowing that I can walk into a store and find jeans in my size without having to try them on is a luxury I enjoy. There's an odd stigma sometimes associated with jeans that if you spend too much, you're ridiculous, but if they aren't brand name, they aren't as respected. Sure, finding some great denim at a vintage store would be preferable, but how am I supposed to find a pair I like among the pleated, mid waisted, mom jeans in my local Goodwill? For this reason, most of the jeans in my wardrobe come from (you guessed it) American Eagle. And there's nothing wrong with that. I think that jeans are a personal preference, but the mall offers thousands of options.
• Scour. The most high end brand available at my local mall (aside from on handbags, which is another story entirely) is probably Free People. This is fine by me because that's about where my budget ends, but having the closest Nordstrom in another time zone means that I can't even lust over designer goods. Although I have my preferred aesthetic in mind when shopping, brand names usually don't even cross my mind. I have learned the art (and patience required for) of flipping through hundreds of clearance racks, bargain stores, and consignment stores to find what I'm looking for. But if I'm looking to stay in one location, the mall is my best bet. At the mall, I look through department stores before going to any smaller places, just to see if I find what I'm looking for. Despite the fact that this can take time, it is often well worth it to find something unique.

     I hope this helped those of you who suffer the same fashion fate that I do in my backwards little corner of Tennessee. To see my outfits from Operation Overhaul Days 3 and 4, click here.

A Nice Day for a Walk in the Park

Sweater, vintage. Blouse, Tommy Hilfiger. Skirt, Gap. Pocket watch necklace, vintage. Shoes, Aldo via consignment. Tote, handmade. Sunglasses, Delia's.

 Day 02/32.

     This mustard skirt has basically become a neutral in my wardrobe. I got it during Gap's Black Friday sale where everything in the store was fifty percent off and do not regret the decision. It is the perfect length, a great material and color, and the pleats! I love how it mixes with the most unexpected colors, like this blouse that I picked up from Marshall's. The blouse is the perfect mix of seventies and country club especially when paired with the sunglasses and anything mustard.

     In other news, today was a completely glorious day. I went to the zoo and to dinner with my family and was inspired by everything around me. I really love florals in general, whether on clothes or in nature. 

     I am so inspired by the color palettes that I saw today! I can't wait to incorporate them into my outfits soon. Blue and pink (in many shades) is already one of my favorites, but I also like the "McDonald's" colors of the second picture. Spring has definitely sprung!

Pinch Me

 Top, ancient American Eagle. Jacket, BCBGeneration. Skirt, thrifted. Belt, sister's. Shoes, Bass.

Day 01/ 32.

     

     Although at first I told my dad that I thought the only green items in my closet were army green, I proved myself wrong by pulling out this old blouse (and actually a few other items) that did the trick. I was certainly able to avoid being pinched, even if I wasn't donning bright kelly green.

     In other news, this post might as well be titled "adventures in editing". The picture I am most satisfied with is the one without me (or any other person for that matter) in it. Lately I have been having trouble making my pictures look how I like them. The blogger uploader has also been giving me trouble as I do not think it is giving my pictures justice. Ah well. Perhaps I will try a different time of day for pictures tomorrow. 

Coloring Book

Images and video via Kate Spade.

     Doesn't this "Live Colorfully" ad campaign just make you want to blow up balloons, eat cake, splatter paint, create, love, and laugh? Or is that just me....
     I am so in love with the little briefcase bags in the punchy colors, and even the clothes. I spy a graduation present! For more eye candy, head over to the Kate Spade tumblr and of course, continue to live colorfully.

Vogue Italia January 2011, Some Favorites

Seeing Your Type

Click pictures for sources.

     The process of making a cyanotype is almost like anything else in photography: heavily based on chemistry. My favorite science is chemistry for the simple fact that it is so useful in art. Wikipedia defines cyanotypes as (links are clickable):
Cyanotype is a photographic printing process that gives a cyan-blue print. The process was popular in engineering circles well into the 20th century. The simple and low-cost process enabled them to produce large-scale copies of their work, referred to as blueprints. Two chemicals are used in the process:

• Ammonium iron(III) citrate
• Potassium ferricyanide.

     I find the prints absolutely stunning. I am so fortunate to have access to different processes at my school, and usually these blue beauties are my favorites of any pieces. Here is one of mine:

Cyanotype chemicals on water color paper.

     Cyanotype chemicals can  be applied to most fabrics and papers- the more unique the better! I personally think it would be too cool to be able to cyanotype a cotton tee shirt. The fabric squares available are great for quilts or even apparel. There are even processes to tone cyanotype prints differently(see more about that here), but that particular shade of blue is my favorite.

     If you think this would be a fun process, you can order the supplies from FreeStyle, (one of my favorite websites for alternative photography processes) and see the process step by step on Alternative Photography.

Operation Overhaul

Dress, Rodarte for Target. Jacket, LC by Lauren Conrad for Kohl's. Shoes, Mudd.

 

     This dress is one of my all time favorites. It combines my favorite material (lace) with my favorite print (floral) and tops it all off with a black satin bow- precious! I thought that the jacket would be a nice Spring wardrobe piece as I always find myself searching for a jacket that is warm enough to combat the nasty weather in the morning but not so warm that I can't wear it throughout my school day. And although the shoes aren't exactly a respected brand, those puppies are a staple in my wardrobe. The heel is the perfect height to wear to school comfortably and they are very basic.

     

     Something that has come to mind as I start to receive scholarship packages from the schools that I have applied to is how on earth I am going to pack away my wardrobe (and book collection for that matter) to be crammed into an even tinier space than what I have now. Because I haven't actually grown out of any of my clothes since seventh grade despite being a senior in high school, I have a tendency to hold on to old clothing, even if I don't wear it much. Rationalizing why I keep certain items basically boils down to nostalgia, but I have to get serious about weeding through my closet/garment rack to decide on what I really want to bring with me this Fall.

     And so I present Operation Overhaul. Starting on Thursday, March 17th (with a little bit of green, I'm sure) I propose to keep track of the outfits that I wear on an every day basis. Taking pictures every day won't be an easy feat, but I propose to accomplish this task for one complete and total month. During this time, I will post my daily outfits either as separate posts or on my tumblr but will not stop posting other things of interest.

     Not only will this help me put together go to outfits for the future, but it will also help me see which items I prefer the most. I want to get rid of "my messy closet" and really start to define my personal style.

     As a part of Operation Overhaul, I also intend to set up a blog boutique. This will feature vintage and new clothing items for very, very reasonable prices. I'm working on the pictures and pricing and it should be up and running soon!

     If anyone else is interested in chronicling their outfits every day (even if not for the full month), I would love to see your posts and even do features of readers' daily outfits. I am so excited to get started and hope the posts are well received.

    

Sunday Shopping Guide: Beaty-full

 1. Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation, $8.79: Drugstore.com
2. Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Concealer, Walgreens
3. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil, $18: Urban Decay
4. Clinique Chubby Stick in Chunky Cherry, $15: Sephora
5. Garnier Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Gel, $7.99: Walgreens
6. Nars Lipstick in Shiap, $24: Nars Cosmetics
7. L'Oreal Carbon Black Telescopic Precision Liner, $10.99: Drugstore.com
8. Sally Hansen Insta-dri, $3.99: Walgreens

    Although many people may not consider these make up items "essentials" or "most wanted", these are my tried and true products that I have or will buy again. I am a bit of a drugstore beauty junkie, but through my trials of inexpensive makeup, I do end up purchasing a few duds. I love the luxurious feel of my more expensive makeup as well, but those  products are pretty rare in my makeup bag.
     Probably the most important things in the collage are the foundation and the moisturizer. Not only is my face much more pale than the rest of me (thank you SPF 30 in almost everything I put on my face!), but the skin care products I use can also dry my face out. Luckily the products shown are the perfect combination for this: the Garnier Moisture rescue is so light but feels so fresh and basically serves as a primer for the Maybelline foundation (which I don't even have to buy the lightest shade in, a shock to me).
     If you ever have questions about beauty products, chances are I have tried most of them...well, the ones at Walgreens anyways!

P.S.- I have had an idea welling up for a while for the blog. It's a project that would be great if more readers got involved as well. Please check back tomorrow Wednesday!