Outfit of the day. Tardy for the party.

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Not going to lie it was pretty hard to wake up this morning, and go back to work.

It has been really hard not to wear these everyday since I got them. I'm in love with my new skinny jeans. Now I get why everyone was raving about them, and I wish it wouldn't had taken so long to jump on the band wagon. I don't care if skinnies are going out of style, I'm gonna wear the crap out of these jeans. I'm just always tardy for the party.

 Outfit details: Everything is from Old Navy. I seriously need to shop some where else.

Are there any items you own you wish you would have purchased when a trend started?

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

P.S. Did you miss the feature of Coco Maria yesterday?

Blogs from the heart. Coco Maria.

I found the lovely Nicole from Coco Maria from another blogger who I already have featured (Amber). She is a super sweet blogger, and has a feminine style with a vintage flair. Nicole blogs from New York where she also attends college.

 (post: i was old news to you then)

Coco Maria is a personal style blog full of outfit posts. I look to her blog for casual, feminine, and put together looks. You will find her wearing a bounty of skirts, dresses, lace, peter pan collars, and floral prints. I love the little details Nicole works into her outfits like her orange fox brooch (pictured above).

Don't get it twisted Coco Maria isn't all about clothes the blog also infused with lots of Nicole's daily life. I like reading about her stories, and all her adventures. She isn't afraid to share her personal life, and it makes her easy to connect with.

You can also find her Twitter, and Tumblr.

Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging after reading a few fashion blogs (particularly Delightfully Tacky and The Clothes Horse) for months. I really wanted to interact with these super stylish girls, so I started my own blog as a way to comment on their blogs and share my thoughts with these girls whose blogs I had been reading for such a long time. I was also a few months into my weight loss journey at the time, and I thought it would be fun to have a record of how my style changed and developed as I lost weight.

(post: simpleton)

What is your favorite thing about blogging?
I'm going to shamelessly go with the cliche answer here because it's so true: the community! I've met so many amazing, supportive, and of course fashionable girls through blogging. The fashion blogging community is full of such sweet, understanding folks, and I love being a part of it.

Why do you think having your own unique personal style is important?
Having my own style has always been important to me. From my pink velour track suit grammar school days, to my gothic punk high school days, and to my girly, vintage, all over the place style now, I've always thought it important to have a unique sense of style. Having a style that's unique to you, I think, shows that you're confident in the person that you truly are, and that you're not going to change that person to fit in to any sort of stereotypical category. While I don't think it's good to be shallow and only care about how you look, I think developing a personal style is much deeper than the clothes you wear. It's about being confident in who you are.

(post: sunday's best)

What color or print combination have you been loving lately?
For a long time I couldn't stop wearing navy blue and mustard together. Now that the weather's warming up, I love wearing my denim jacket with floral prints!

When did you start shopping second hand?
I started shopping second hand shortly after starting my blog. I had never even thought to check thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army until I saw so many other bloggers showing off their awesome thrifted pieces. I don't know why it didn't hit me sooner to shop at thrift stores, where you can get really unique pieces for very little money. Now, though, I try to go thrifting as often as I can!

(post: what makes me love you despite the reservations?)

What advice do you have for someone new to shopping second hand?
Oh goodness, the best advice I could give is to be sensible! The first time I hit the Salvation Army, I was so overwhelmed by the choices. I bought a bunch of garments, from dresses to tops to skirts, and many of those items were too big. I was so blinded by cute patterns and cheap prices that I didn't make smart choices. So, my advice would be to be selective with what you buy. Just because something is cute and cheap doesn't mean it belongs in your closet. You should shop at a thrift store just as you should shop at a store like Urban Outfitters - try everything on and only buy pieces that are a good investment.

Do you have any second hand pieces with a story behind them?
Unfortunately, I haven't found any thrifted pieces with a story behind them that I know of. I did, however, find a handmade skirt that has horses and cowboys all over it, so I figure that skirt must have some fun story behind it!

(post: she was a daydream)

Now don't be shy, say hello to Coco Maria!

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

How to shop like a Boss, and practically steal from Old Navy.

After my shopping trip yesterday I feel like this title is appropriate. I got a $25 gift card to Old Navy for my birthday, and I was ready to use it.

For $33.11 (that is WITH tax kiddos) I got 4 pairs of pants, 2 tank tops, 1 button down, and a maxi dress. Yesterday I planned on going straight home to do adult things like dishes, laundry, and cleaning. I'm so glad I ditched it. When I handed over my $8.11, after the $25 gift card, to the cashier for my two bags of clothes I had the biggest smirk on my face. I almost felt like I was stealing from Old Navy.

You ready to see it all?

 

 The Flirt Black Bootcut Jean in Black Jack. $1.98.

Perfect little black bootcut jean, and I don't own a pair already.

Patterned Ruffle-Placket Shirt in Blue Plaid. $5.99.

This is where I got all big spender on you guys.

 Rockstar Skinny Cords in Black. $0.99.

I couldn't pass these up at the price, and they fit perfectly.

 Perfect Tank in Plummy Mummy. $5.

 Perfect Tank in Flight of Fancy. $5.

The Diva Skinny Jeans in Black Jack. $1.98.

My first pair of black skinny jeans.

 Rockstar Denim Legging. $5.24

This is my first pair of Jeggings.

Lace Trim Jersey Maxi Dress in Blue Bravado. $4.99.

I have wanted a maxi dress for so long. I can't wait to wear it.

Detail of the lace on the dress bodice.

It's kind of funny how I don't own basic items like black jeans. I feel like Elaine from Clothed Much would be proud of all my black pants purchasing. I went from one pair of black cargo pants to four pairs of black pants overnight.

I wanted to post all of my finds asap because then you guys would still have time to go get stuff. My store as holding a 50% off already reduced clearance. The sale is going on the rest of the weekend for the Memorial day holiday. I found all of my items but the tank tops in the clearance section.

The kicker regular price for all of these items would have been $181.50!

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

Outfit of the day. Is it a keeper?

The second part of my day-cation we checked out the Giant Eagle Market District. It's pretty much the coolest Giant Eagle in the world. They have specialty grocery items, a food court, and exotic foods. They were even taping a TV show when we got there.

We went to eat in their food court area. You can get Indian food, BBQ, Sushi, Pizzas, Sandwiches, Crepes, Coffee, Cotton Candy, and Gelato. There is tons of seating, and it's actually really nice. I had tandoori chicken with rice, mango chutney, and a slice of blackberry cheesecake. It was the best breakfast I've had in ages.

For dinner we all made mussels and steak in a green harissa with potatoes, and crostini,. When we visit we always cook together. There is just something satisfying about eating an amazing meal that you made yourself. I tend to do all the easy stuff because I'm not much of a cook. A little after dinner we headed back home, and said our goodbyes to Pittsburgh until July. Why July? That is when Sarah (my boyfriend's sister), and her fiance get married!

 Outfit details: Top- Hand me down. Tank- Old Navy. Thrifted. Jeans- Express. Thrifted. Shoes- L&C. Cuff- Thrifted. Headband- Goody.

These outfit photos are from the day after. Sarah gave me a shirt she doesn't wear anymore. I'm not sure if it's a keeper or not. I really like the neckline detail, and the color. I'm just not sure if the fit is right. What do you guys think? Should I try styling it with something else?

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

Outfit of the day. Double Trouble.

Now I know last post I started telling you about our little Pittsburgh day-cation. I left straight from work, and I was ready for a little R&R. I wanted to cram a mini vacation in one night, and the next day. You may think I'm crazy but I work 6 days a week so that's just how I roll.

Once we got there I immediately noticed that Sarah (my boyfriend's sister) and I were about to be all matchy matchy. That's how you know I'm a fashion blogger, I love seeing what people are wearing. It's kind of funny the birthday girls were just feeling purple tops, and black pants.

The first night of our Pittsburgh trip we went to The Sharp Edge. It's a Belgian restaurant with  a huge beer selection. We caught up, and shared stories. That's always my favorite part about spending time together. We all have fun, talk too much, and can let loose.

Then I decided to take some photos in front of some graffiti on the underpass which was in the parking lot. I felt like as a blogger it would have been wrong to pass up the opportunity.

Outfit details: Top- Old Navy. Pants- Old Navy. Shoes- L&C. Gabriel Brothers. Necklace- Steve & Barry's. Necklace- HSN. Gift. Bracelet- Charlotte Russe.  My Very Rosy Cheeks- Boozy Cider.

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

A little video for you. (aka epic technology fail)

I went to Pittsburgh this past weekend with my boyfriend. It was a little birthday day-cation. We went to spend time with my boyfriend's two sisters, and his soon to be brother in law. When we get together it's always a par-tay. My boyfriend's sister Sarah's birthday is two days before mine. So, for the past few years we go to visit his sister Sarah, and her fiance Brad in Pittsburgh to celebrate our birthdays.

I thought a good start would be some video from Pittsburgh. This is of downtown Pittsburgh. I love the little curve we come around, and see the city.

I planned on showing you pictures from the first night, and more video than this. But, It's almost sad how long it took to make this video.Then Youtube removed the audio.

Video Editing: 1
Vanessa: 0

Blast you technology, you win again.

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

Blogs from the heart. Fazed Girl.

Samantha from Fazed Girl isn't a typical fashion blogger like I normally feature. She is more of a whatever her heart desires blogger. The moment I found her blog I kind of went into fan girl mode. It was like the heaven's sung out, and another force was hitting the follow button for me.

On Fazed Girl you will find outfit posts, monthly link round ups, and Samantha's original writing. Some of her fashion standbys include combat boots, saddle shoes, fingerless gloves, and a trench coat. Her monthly links posts are the cat's pajamas. You will find a colossal post with the things she loved from that month including: articles, blog posts, pictures, videos, and movies.

 (post: indescribable)

I really like her refreshing take on blogging. She doesn't constrict herself to posting on certain days, and doesn't take blogging overly seriously. Fazed Girl is bursting full of awesome content, and her personality really shines through.

You can also stalk follow her on Tumblr, and Twitter.

Why did you start blogging?
Well. I'd been posting my outfits on MyStyleDiary for a while but I eventually felt like I needed a bigger space to geek out on the internet. I thought about starting my own blog for a long time (as in, I watched Susie Bubble migrate from MyStyleDiary to TypePad) but always felt too narcissistic to do it. But having been someone who kept a paper diary starting at 8, and having had a personal website since 11, and having read fashion blogs since 13, at 17, I thought "I can definitely do that!", and because I was obsessed with Agathe's blog (the now-defunct StyleBytes), and because I had too much free time as a second-semester high school senior, I started blogging.

What is your favorite thing about blogging?
Cataloging my outfits and thoughts and parts of my life and being able to look back at them.  The most selfish reason in all the cosmos. I like looking at other people's blogs as catalogues, though. I like seeing what other people are doing and curating the parts of it that I like. Like people-watching.

(post: it's kind of a funny story)

Where do you get your inspiration for your blog?
For the most part, whatever media I've been consuming lately, whoever I've been reading, whatever I've been watching. Blogs, movies, books, plays, TV shows, et cetera. I used to be really into runway shows and editorials, but I think blogging kind of over saturates your mind with the same images or types of images until each season gets boring before it even arrives. So I've been looking in other places. (To be honest, even reading blogs gets aesthetically exhausting every few months.)

Why do you think having your own unique personal style is important?
I think that first impressions count a LOT, and while I fully believe that "Feel good inside, look good outside" is true, I also subscribe to "Look good outside, feel good inside," because it's hard to feel good about yourself if you don't feel good about how you look, and for most of us, it's easier to achieve that by dressing in a way that makes us feel good than by becoming self-actualized and super zen about how we look. I don't know, I think of getting dressed as a sign of respect. That you respect the work you are going to do today, the people you are showing up for today. It's like, hello! I am ready for you, world. Take me or leave me, but let me not pretend to be someone I am not.

(post: ode to a nightingale)

What color or print combination have you been loving lately?
Plaid + florals (though to be honest, I don't get around to wearing them very often), and I KNOW IT SOUNDS ATROCIOUS, but I think it looks brilliant when the prints are in the same color family.

Do you have any clothing, or accessories with a story behind them?
Yes! Actually, most of my wardrobe is gifted or secondhand or borrowed, but I guess my (only) trench coat has quite a bit of history because it was my mom's, but after she stopped working in an office, she never had an occasion to wear it, so she gave it to my aunt, but my aunt had my grandma take the sleeves in, and then my aunt stopped working in an office, and now, years later, I'm the main wearer of the trench coat, but apparently my arms are longer than my mom's or my aunt's because the sleeves are so short that even if I let the hems out, they wouldn't cover my wrists. But I love it dearly.

If you could have anything in your wardrobe, no matter the cost, what would it be, and why?
Financial security.  An Olympic-sized swimming pool.  The TARDIS and the Doctor.  (But if you meant wardrobey items, definitely decaying Victorian dresses and every costume worn in Never Let Me Go.)

(post: with a capital p)

Now go geek out on Fazed Girl!

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

P.S. Tomorrow I will have photos, and some video from my trip to Pittsburgh!

Outfit of the day. Blue jeans baby.

I don't always look flawless. I wear sweats, and roll out of bed. I go to Walmart at 3 in the morning in my pajamas. I am no Kewpie doll. But, I think you guys already knew that. I'm me, and I've never claimed to be a glamazon.

Outfit details: Top- Walmart. Jeans- Old Navy. Shoes- Kmart. Gift. Necklace- Steve and Barry's. Bracelet- Thrifted.

I think we can all look beautiful in a t-shirt and blue jeans baby.

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

P.S. If I'm not around this weekend it's because I leave for Pittsburgh today! It's just a short trip but it will be tons of fun. 

Outfit of the day. The scarf takes the stage.

When I go thrifting I will any pretty thing that catches my eye. Even when it may be a challenge to work into my wardrobe. I've had this scarf forever, and I feel like it never gets enough love. I usually wear it in my hair when I'm having a crazy hair day,.  But now I'm letting it be center stage, and hang proudly from my neck.

Naturally after talking about how I rock my pale, I got a sunburn. Don't lie, you are going to be so jealous of my farmer's tan.

Outfit details: Top- Old Navy. Pants- Urban Outfitters. Boots- Charlotte Russe. Scarf- Thrifted.

I took these photos in the rain. I was surprised they even came out.

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

Outfit of the day. IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY.

I'm sorry but there was no way I wasn't going to use this opportunity to quote the office.

Okay so maybe it's not your birthday. But, it's mine. Mine all mine.

I hope don't get too intense on you here. But, I feel like a lot has happened in the last year. I'm enrolling back into college. I start June 29th if anyone is wondering. I started this blog. I lost a lot of weight, and have been doing my best to keep it off. I'm starting to take charge of my life, and not letting anything get in my way. I hope I can keep this fire in me brewing.

 

Outfit details: Top- Gap. Thrifted. Pants- Urban Outfitters. Boots- Charlotte Russe. Necklace- Steve & Barry's.

After my mother's health scare I'm more grateful. I'm trying to spend more time with her, and appreciate the time I have here on earth. For my birthday she gave me one of her favorite diamond bracelets. She told me she wanted me to have it now. While that may seem a little dark to some of you, it meant a lot to me. I really can't imagine my life without her. It may be used but I love it more than anything new she could have gave me. I can't wait to wear it.

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

Outfit of the day. She's a pusher.

First, one trillion cool points for knowing where the title comes from. It's a movie near, and dear to my heart. I saw it in the theater, and laughed until my face hurt. I think I even shed some happy tears.

Second don't be fooled by these photos. These are from last week right before blogger exploded. It was 85 glorious degrees. It was like a little slap of summer, and everyone complained about the heat. I blame all of you complainers for this... right now it's raining again, and in the low 40's. Your bad mojo is messing up my sunny days.

Yes, this is exactly how I rationalize the weather.

Outfit details: Top- Vanity. Gift. Tank- Old Navy. Thrifted. Capri's- Brooklyn Girl. Dots. Shoes- L&C. Gabriel. Brothers. Cuff- Thrifted. Necklace- HSN. Gift. Necklace- Steve & Barry's. Purse- Liz Claiborne. Thrifted.

This outfit made me painfully aware that I need more capri pants, and summer clothes in general. I only have one pair that fits properly, this pair. On my list for summer is a good pair of khaki capri pants, and black ones. I hope the thrift stores aren't cleaned out already. Do you have a complete lack of a season's clothing?

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

P.S. 'Cause I couldn't yesterday I have to give a shout out to Sarah. Happy Freaking Birthday! You are awesome!

Blogs from the heart. What I Wore Today.

What I Wore Today was one of those blogs I kept seeing everywhere. I would click a link, and another link to end up at Kasmira's blog once again. With her fiery red hair, and bright lips I couldn't stay away. She has a way about her that you just can't help but be drawn in. She has a great recipe for a blog: a healthy handful of outfit posts, mix in marathon training, and add a dash of her super cute cats.

Kasmira was the first fellow Ohio fashion blogger I found in the blogosphere. She blogs from Cincinnati, Ohio. If you are looking for business casual outfits you will find a lot of inspiration on What I Wore Today. Her wardrobe includes every color under the rainbow, and tons of prints. You won't get bored anytime soon by her ever evolving style.

 

(post: charlie)

Each month you will find a monthly purchases post on What I Wore Today. Kasmira shares all of her purchases from the month, and if she stayed in her budget. It's a great way to keep herself accountable for her monthly budget, and if you're like me you love a good haul post.

Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging out of loneliness.  After leaving the US Marines, I moved to Cincinnati (from Okinawa, Japan) and knew no one in the area.  I began my first blog (Cincinnati Cape Cod) to make connections with other home and garden enthusiasts.  The relationships I made with my new, virtual friends eased my transition into home ownership and a new city.

Two years later, I had integrated into Cincinnati and civilian life, but had no one with whom to share my newfound passion for style.  My first blog had worked well to connect me with renovators, decorators, and gardeners, so I thought a wardrobe diary might help me find stylish folk.  I knew of only a single style blog when I started (Allie’s Wardrobe Oxygen, http://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/).  Now there are dozens and I’ve found the community I was looking for.

(post: dark chocolate)

What is your favorite thing about blogging?
Blogging is my greatest creative outlet.  I love sharing my “creations” via blogging.  I enjoy putting my outfits together, participating in the photo shoots, editing the photos, and finding the right words to frame it all.  Blogging is my art.

Why do you think having your own unique personal style is important?
I believe that dressing your outer self to match your inner self brings harmony between your personality and appearance.  Think about the last thing you felt great in.  What was it that made that outfit so comfortable and “you?”  Why can’t you dress like that all the time?  Identifying and following one’s personal style is a way to feel great every day.

 (post: experiment no. 594)

What color or print combination have you been loving lately?
Color combo: aqua and coral!  It’s so southwestern.
Pattern combo: any and all!

When did you start shopping second hand?
I did not grow up shopping thrift stores.  There was a strong stigma associated with Goodwill and I was terrified of having it associated with me.  That’s where the poor kids had to buy their clothes.   I would have rather worn my bought-new clothes over and over than have a large secondhand wardrobe.

Around the time I started WIW2D, I also became an active member in the Wardrobe Remix group on flickr, http://www.flickr.com/groups/wardrobe_remix/.  I noticed the sweet thrifting finds other members were wearing and reconsidered my anti-second-hand stance.  I made my first adult venture to a thrift store in early 2007.   I quickly realized that the thrift shopping experience is defined by the shopper’s attitude.  It can be a last resort, or it can be a treasure hunt.  I am now addicted to searching for buried treasures and proudly tell people that I “bought it at the thrift store.”

(post: low contrast)

What advice do you have for someone new to shopping second hand?
Thrift shopping can be recreation.  Go in with an open attitude and a creative mind.  Styling can take a garment from dowdy to chic.  Thrifted duds are also great candidates for experimentation – shortening, embellishing, cutting, and dyeing.  It's fun (and cheap) entertainment!

Do you have any second hand pieces with a story behind them?
Almost all of them have a story!   One of my best transformations was to take a calf-length, white skirt and shorten it and dye it bright yellow (http://whatiwore2day.blogspot.com/2010/04/yeller-skirt.html).  I so enjoy finding the potential in a discarded item.

  (post: my purrfect valentine: zoro)

Want to see what she wore today?

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

Outfit of the day. Rekindling an old flame.

(First I want to say if you already read this post it's being reposted because blogger's issues on Thursday.)

I will admit it, I'm back in love with black, and white. I know it's simple, and maybe a little boring. I just can't help it. I've always loved the crisp look of it. It's an old flame, and I had to rekindle it. It also gives me a reason to wear my vintage black, and white cuff.

Outfit details: Top- Walmart. Skirt- Thrifted. Shoes- L&C. Necklace- HSN. Gift. Necklace- Steve & Barry's. Cuff- Thrifted.

While everyone is tanning, and trying to find self tanning creams I'm rocking my pale. My skin color practically blends with the sunlight in these pictures. Skin cancer runs in my family, and there's nothing wrong with being pale. Pale can be beautiful too.

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

P.S. I don't know what the one side of my hair was doing. Sometimes my hair holds a curl too well.

Outfit of the day. The Paper Doll Project.

Today I am a paper doll. How you say? I'm participating in the Paper Doll Project that Miss Vinyl Ahoy is hosting.

When I was younger I loved paper dolls. I used to buy books with them, and I would carefully punch out all the different pieces. I never thought the day would come where I would get to be one.

I have the awesome Kara from Unusual Form to thank for dressing me today. Thanks for letting me be your paper doll for a day!

 

Outfit details: Jacket- Jackie Blue. Thrifted. Top- Style & Co. Thrifted. Skirt- Necessary Objects. Thrifted. Necklace- Swapped. Belt- Thrifted. Shoes- L&C. Gabriel Brothers.

I really liked this outfit, and will probably end up wearing other ones Kara suggested. The colors worked really well together. I had only worn this shirt once or twice, and I hadn't worn the skirt since buying it. I don't know why I waited so long, and I'm glad Kara made an awesome outfit with them both.

I'm not used to tucking in my shirt. So it was sort of weird to see it tucked in. The only thing I didn't like was that my shirt was a little too blousy to be tucked in. If the belt would have stayed in place it would have fixed my minor shirt issue.

With all my heart,
<3 Vanessa

P.S.
If you want to see what everyone else wore make sure to go to Miss Vinyl Ahoy's blog to see the rest of the paper dolls.