Fallin.

Alright. The most wonderful time of the year is coming up – fall. I love fall. Everything about it. That morning when you step outside and realize it’s noticeably cooler and you take a deep breath of crisp air – it’s the best. Well, it’s the second best – the first? The clothes. Finally, we get to pull out the blazers, the sweaters, the leggings/tights, the BOOTS. It’s warm enough where you don’t have to cover your outfit with a big coat, and it’s cool enough to not pour sweat with layer #1.

The fashion is great, BUT do not let yourself become absolutely wrapped up in the awesome, new stuff stores are putting out right now. I’ve got a few rules and tips to keep myself in check when it comes to buying this time of year, because it is absolutely the most expensive time to purchase.

Rule #1: Do you really need that (albeit) insanely cute leather jacket now? If you live in Georgia, the answer is 100% no. Stores are putting out stuff that you won’t really get to use until late October/November simply because they know you’re dying to wear it. Wait. Eventually, it will go on sale. And if it doesn’t, and you find yourself shivering, go back and buy it. In the meantime….

Rule #2: Stock up on oversized sweaters. Seriously. Do it. But please, oh please, do not buy them from your go-to fashion store. I know it’s tempting – it’s right there, staring at you, seemingly perfect, but then you see the $29.95 price tag (and that’s cheap for most of you). That’s just not gonna work, folks. Go to your local thrift store. Seriously. Throw some headphones on and try to ignore the moth-ball smell and start digging. Stuff that is oversized is so in style right now that you have no excuse not to give hand-me-downs a shot. I’ve gotten every single sweater I own from a thrift store and you would never know it. Give them a good wash, throw them on with some skinny jeans or some leggings, perhaps a statement necklace and some bad a** boots, and you’re looking awesome for $3. Do the math. You could get ten sweaters at a thrift store for the price of one at a real store. Food for thought.

Rule #3: Layer, layer, and then layer some more. Put on a fresh perspective the next time you look in that closet of yours. Summer dresses, skirts, tank tops, and even shorts now, can easily transition to fall with some tights, boots, and a good blazer or cardigan. Don’t think you have to buy new clothes to keep warm, just double up on what you already have.

So here’s the deal: I think there are a few things worth splurging on (and my definition of “splurging” is still usually thrifting or getting on sale, but to each his own) – those are the things that you are going to wear at least 80% of fall and winter.

 

1) Boots. Get about 3 pair (tan, black, brown) that you can rotate out and wear with jeans, tights, or dresses. These have to fit just right to work, so spend the cash if you need to. Keep in mind, though, that it’s really easy to find ankle boots at thrift stores for a mere $6. Every pair I wore last year (and will wear again this year) were thrifted.

2) Tights. Lots of ‘em. I’ve actually seen these in thrift stores, too (not worn, of course), but it’s not necessarily worth it to try. Just get them somewhere cheap – Walmart, The Socke Shoppe (if you’re from Griffin), Target, etc.

3) Blazers. Again, lots of ‘em. I have a lot of friends who are able to thrift these, but I think I’ve only thrifted one in my day. BUT I’m extremely particular about how these fit – I want mine to be structured and fit just so. I feel like I’m going to vomit when I purchase them for 20 or 30 bucks, but I have to admit that they’re so worth it. They pull any outfit together and can transform a t-shirt into a prof. look in a second.

 

Hopefully this post helps some of you figure out how to go about shopping for this fall. As for me, I’ve got to get going. It’s tax-free weekend, baby.

 

P.S. All of my photos are from Pinterest.

Teachin’ Style

So, this post is going to be a little different. I’ve been debating for a while now whether I want to keep going with this blog, quite frankly because it’s incredibly hard to align time slots just right where Eric and I can take photos, edit, write, and post. With the way things are going these days (at the speed of light), it’s just not happening. But here I am, with about 30 minutes before my yoga class, and I felt like I needed to put something out there even if it means without photos of my own.

When I took my very first education course, my professor flat-out told us (when talking about dressing professionally) that a good rule of thumb was “If you look hot, take it off.” I was disturbed by this idea. Let me clarify, I’m not one to dress ”hot,” but  when someone tells me that I should look as dull as possible just to make sure no attention was drawn to me, I become a bit flustered. Besides writing and teaching, fashion has always been my secret love that I never nourished enough. That stops here.

I’m not going to put my personality on the backburner simply because I’m a teacher. What is this terrible stereotype that says teachers must wear blue-jean jumpers and super 3-D Christmas sweaters? I refuse.

When I first started my observations, I found myself wearing the same boring grey pants, black mary janes, t-shirt, and sweater pretty much every day. That’ll do a number on your confidence. And here’s the deal – teaching requires a butt-load of confidence. Think about it – you stand in front of 25 kids every hour, all eyes on you, hoping the right information comes out. The very least you can do is make sure you feel good, and that will shine through in your performance.

Classic with a little funk. Love it.

Pastel skinnies with a textured blazer – twist on the simple look.

Love this. Love this. Love this.

Classic pencil skirt in a hot pink with red-orange shoes. Simple everything else.

Okay. How lovely is this dress? Great length, fun color and pattern.

I have a feeling maxi skirts will be my go-to bottom rather than just pants every day.

Comfort is so important in staying focused.

Adore this – mostly the red lip.

When everything else is plain, just add a tiny splash of color and you’ll immediately look (and feel) more fun.

Because I have no idea where these outfits came from, I can’t give you a price breakdown – I can pretty much assure you it all cost way more than I’m ever going to be willing to pay. But here’s what I (and you) can take away from these inspirations – for the most part, it takes ONE piece, a piece that is different and fun, that takes your classic look to the next level. Sometimes that can be a free hairstyle, a $3 lipstick, or a $5 pair of vintage shoes, and then you can splurge on one great staple piece - a pair of really great, nice-fitting slacks or a beautifully tailored blazer. Sticking to a strict budget always makes sense, but especially with the salary of a teacher.

The bottom line – I’m never going to compromise who I am or what I love. So when I leave for work in the morning, I want to feel fresh, confident, and stylish on top of being ready to change some lives.

It Was March Once..

Photos by Eric Bailey

Okay. I feel bad. It’s been 2 whole months since I’ve gotten around to editing these photos from March. I also apologize for the strange format I’ve got going on here, the lack of nice editing, etc. But in this moment, I needed to feel productive, like I was back on the horse, if you will… so I edited without the help of my talented photographer (a.k.a my super fine boyfrand) on my no-good computer with no-good software and this is what I got.

Forgive me.

I’m going to make this one short and sweet.

Floral Dress – Urban Outfitters – $5 (half off sale sale, the most glorious sale of them all). I’m actually kicking my past self for not taking a photo of the back of this dress, because it has an adorable open back/tie closure deal going on.

Denim Vest – Charlotte Russe – $20. Okay, this one’s tricky. This was originally a denim jacket that I bought about 3-4 years ago. It always felt very bulky to me and just wasn’t flattering at all. I never wore it. Recently, I came across it in my closet, let out a sigh, tried it on for the thousandth time, and was disappointed for the thousandth time. So, I grabbed a pair of scissors (like I often do in a state of frustration), and started chopping and tearing and fraying. Now, I wear this vest at least once a week. It’s so fun with a girly dress or a maxi skirt. Make/Tear/Buy one. Do it. Insta-bad a**.

Black Booties – Payless – $5.  I got these bad boys on sale many moons ago. I guess they weren’t quite popular yet (like they are now!) so they just needed to get rid of them when winter was over.  I took a chance, and I got lucky.

Green Shoulder Bag – Thrifted – $2. I love this. Love it, love it. Again, I’m kicking myself because I really should’ve gotten a shot with more detail on the bag. It’s this amazing dark emerald green color with bronze detailing and snaps. It has a billion little compartments inside, and was brand-spankin’ new when I bought it. Score.

Initial Necklace – Gifted. I’ve talked about this several times before, go hunt for the other entries if you likey. :)

Again, I’m sorry for the kind of poor quality I’ve got going on for this entry – but I feel like now I can start fresh with summer.

See you soon, I swear.

Geekdom

Photos by Eric Bailey

In winter, there’s not much that I love more than Geek Chic. It’s a great way to bundle up, stay warm, and look less like a giant marshmallow and more like a smarty-pants. I don’t have much to say about this look… only because it was SEVENTY DEGREES TODAY so my heart is a little less with this photoshoot from last week and more longing for the next one when I’ll get to shed some layers and show some skin.

P.S. Yes, I was having multiple color-personalities. But sometimes, I look at my closet that’s (over)filled with greys, tans, and whites and I just need a little somethin’ somethin’ extra.

So, here’s the price breakdown.

Green Button-Up – THRIFTED – $2. This was a great find – it’s a bright oxford (originally)  from Gap and has, as you can see, blue on the under-side, which gives you an extra pop of fun when you roll up. Rule number 4 – ALWAYS ROLL UP. Boys, that means you, too. I can’t stand seeing a long-sleeved dress shirt on the wrists. You look so uncomfortable! Rolling up says you mean business but you can play just as hard:)

Brown Sweater – THRIFTED – $3. Also, a great find! This was originally Ralph Lauren, so it’s super soft and fits just right. Here are a couple tips for looking for sweaters at a thrift store: 1) Buy them in the spring/summer!! I can’t give this tip out enough, and by the way, this applies to ANY STORE. Buy your summer clothes in winter and winter clothes in summer – you’ll get them for at least half off and if you know your own style and don’t rely solely on “What’s In,” then you’ll know when you’ve found a classic piece that’ll last you forever. 2) Don’t only look in your size section! Some of my favorite sweaters have been XXL, and they’re great to throw on with tights and boots. Plus, some can be saved for the summer and double as an adorable coverup for the beach at night.

Blush, Cropped Jacket – Old Navy – $12. I saw this beauty at an outlet Old Navy this time last year and it was 30-something dollars. As soon as I saw the tag, I was out of there. Well, I came back a few weeks later when spring-fashion was abounding, and to my extreme pleasure the jacket had been marked down like CRAZY. What’d I tell ya about buying your winter stuff in summer, vice versa?? Yeah, I had to wait a few months to whip it out, but I was already ready for fall without wearing theexact same thingeveryone else was.

Denim – Gap – $20+Gifted. Okay, okay, technically these were marked as $70. At this point, you should know that I scoff at a pair of $70 jeans. For me, that could be at LEAST 8 or 9 tops/dresses – and that’s if I’mnot on my A-game. So how did I get these really nice jeans so cheap? I had a gift card. Now, I really, really love the color of and the stitching on these jeans. So, if you’re going to spend an arm and a leg on denim, I would say to go there. They automatically have that worn-in feeling and they fit like a dream.

Dark Brown and Tan Snakeskin-ish Flats – THRIFTED – $2. Though these really doesn’t match my personality, I think it’s fun to have a pair of shoes that are kind of a surprise. P.S. I think someone got rid of them because they hurt like a mother when I first got them – nothin’ a little slappin’ on the concrete, bendin’ like crazy, and wearing around the house can’t fix.

Voila!

See ya next time with some warmer duds. Yippee!

 

 

 

Winter.

Hey guys! Sorry it’s been a while – just adjusting to a very new, very time-consuming schedule. Luckily, I’ve had the (for the most part) sunny weekend to catch up. It’s good to be back, if only for a few minutes.

 

Photos by Eric Bailey

So I was really excited about this look for two reasons - 1) I JUST bought these amazing lace-up booties/heels/old-woman-shoes at America’s Thrift Store (myfavorite) in Marietta for a STEAL. They look pretty much brand spankin’ new, and I’m just saying, I’ve seen something pretty similar at ol’ Urban Outfitters for about $150.

I think I just had a minor panic attack typing out that number.

Anyway – Reason #2? Those. Tights. Okay, I bought those tights last winter as a packaged deal (grey and brown) and was thrilled about them at first. Then, buyer’s remorse set in when I actually put them on and felt like the brown legs looked a tad strange with my super white skin up top. Know what I mean? BUT, here I am, one year later – loving them.

I really am happy with the way this look turned out. It combines my two favorite things: sweaters and button ups. *Sigh*

Price Breakdown

White, Button-Up Dress – Target - (on sale) $11. I think it was originally around $22 when they first got it in the spring, and I was dying for it then. So, this brings me to another rule of mine – WAIT. See something you love? Go home. Go home and sleep and eat and do your daily deeds and if you’re still thinking about it like crazy in a week or so, go back. Try it on. It may look way better on the hanger, or you may have imagined it was a whole lot cuter than it really is. If so, BAM – you saved yourself some serious bread. And what if it makes you look like a rockstar? Go home. Come back the next time you think about it. IS IT ON SALE YET? If the answer is yes – buy. If not – walk away. You can probably find something similar at the thrift store OR if you just put on your patience pants, you may have the same luck I did. Half price. And that makes it ten times cuter. 

Beige-ish Sweater – Marshalls – (on sale) $7. This is one of my favorite sweaters of all time. So fun belted, or not, with leggings or tights or jeans or shorts. Ahh. Amazing purchase.

Pink Belt – Thrifted – .25. RULE – never, ever, ever buy a belt AT A STORE. With the exception of two (yeah, okay, even I break the rules sometimes. Plus, they were an amazing deal), every belt I own came from a thrift store. They cost mere pennies, sometimes a quarter, and they’re vintage which gives them lots of character. And size is no excuse – I have chiseled down every one of my belts (including this one) to make it fit perfectly. Custom-made, if you will. Just cut it shorter if needed, and drill holes to make it tighter.

Brown Tights – H&M – $5. Okay, technically, these cost me $2.50 because I got them in a packaged deal, like I said earlier. And yeah, I hoarded them for a year, but now they’re out and ready for action. Sometimes it takes me a little while to warm up to my own taste.

Shoes – Thrifted – $6.88. EEE! So happy with these. They’re amazingly comfortable. That’s another big plus of thrifting your shoes – usually, someone has already worn them in for you, so no achy toes and heels.

Locket – Gifted/Thrifted – ? I collect all kinds of lockets, and so last Christmas I got a bunch of them from my mom and stepsister. I believe this one was from my stepsister, and she found it at a little shop in North Georgia. I love it. So shiny.

Aaaaaand voila!

Look. Don’t be a fashion victim. Go out and show those clothing stores who’s boss.

-Kate

Color Fun

 

Photos by Eric Bailey

Hey guys! I know I’m a tad early this week, but I got a J-O-B (!) so Wednesdays just aren’t gonna cut it anymore. I’m really excited about this post – mostly because I think Eric did a phenomonal job editing these pictures and creating the layout.

 

What I love the most about getting dressed every day is that you can always play with how you feel – you can wear your heart on your sleeve, if you will (sorry about that cheese). Today, I got up extra early, threw on gym shorts and a sweatshirt and went for a run with LuLu. This kind of immediate adrenaline got me feeling funky (the good kind). So, when I finally got a shower and got dressed, I steered clear of my usual tans and greys and went for something a tad more fun.

 

Sometimes the best outfits come from not knowing what THE HELL to put on. So, start with one thing. A dress, a top, a pair of trousers – something that’s calling out to you. For me, it was this striped dress. I got it a few months ago and haven’t gotten to wear it once. I knew it was a little cold, so I’d need a couple layers – red sweater, dark green military jacket, mustard scarf. When I wear stuff like this, my mom always makes the same comment: “Couldn’t decide what color to wear today?” My answer? “Nope.” It’s fun to mix it up, to add a punch of color here and there – especially for someone like me who usually sticks to a pretty earthtone-y color pallette. For shoes, I debated on a pair of black booties, some black oxfords, and my Converse. I wanted to keep it young, fun, fresh – so naturally, I picked ol’ faithful.

 

Oh, and the hat? My hair has officially reached a length that is pretty impossible to sport. It’s sad and makes it really hard to enjoy getting ready. BUT, I throw on my favorite sock hat, and I feel a little better. Plus, with this outfit, I feel like it added a kind of skater-vibe. Made me feel like a teenager again.

 

Ready for the breakdown? Here we go.

 

White and Black Striped Dress – H&M – $5.

This purchase made me so happy. They had a few other patterns, too, but none in my size. Sad. I would’ve bought them all.

 

Black Slip – H&M – on sale, $3

This was totally necessary to not make me feel like I was showin’ ass – I’m a prude when it comes to skirt/dress length.

 

Red Sweater (hiding underneath) – Thrifted – about $2

 

Dark Green Military Jacket – H&M – on sale, $15

This was a big buy, after all, I always try to not spend over $10 on a single item. But LOOK AT THAT THING! I love it. It’s so versatile and immediately adds a little fun to a plain outfit.

 

Mustard Scarf – The Sock Shoppe - Gifted, about $7

I would’ve never spent the money myself (which is probably why I lack the amount of scarves I would like to have), but I got this beauty for Christmas.

 

Converse – see previous info here

 

Thanks for readin’, pals!

 

P.S. Is it just me or are you all looking forward to spring/summer fashion!? I’m aching to pull out my pastels and not look like a corpse in them. Come on, sunshine!

 

 

 

Bottoms Up

 

So this past weekend I was honored to be asked to do a photoshoot with Chad Baker, a local artist and owner of Armchair Studios. He found this amazing retro bus and wanted to capture a woman’s voyage away from home. When I saw the end result, I couldn’t wait to get on here and do a fashion post. Without even thinking about it beforehand, I realized that I had exhibited one of my all time favorite fashion staples – a good, ol’ neutral tee with funky bottoms.

I’m known for my perpetual use of a white tshirt ( I live in my boyfriend tee from Target, $8 ). But this time, I wanted something a bit more fitted to go with my looser bottoms (told you, rule number 1!), so I chose a very light pink scoop-back tee from The Sock Shoppe in Griffin, GA.

Photos by Armchair Studios - Chad Baker

For my first look, I threw on a super comfy, high-waisted polkadot skirt (going for that old timey look) and some phenomonal dark green heels. They squish my toes like crazy, but are so worth it. Since there were about 35 mph winds that day, I knew the skirt would be freezing but beautiful blowing around.

Photos by Armchair Studios - Chad Baker

To warm up a tad, I threw on a pair of amazing high-waisted, charcoal dress pants and some black, oxford-like heels (they lace up and everything).

I feel like these two looks really sum me up – simple, but throwing in a little flavor every now and then.

Conclusion: It’s amazing what you can do with a plain ol’ tshirt.

Price Breakdown

Alright, I have to admit – I paid more for these bottom than I normally would have (hence the title of this blog), but when you’re mixing them with such great priced stuff, I guess it’s okay to stretch a tad. :)

Light Pink, Scoop Tee – The Sock Shoppe - $7

Tan and White Poldkadot Skirt - Papaya - $20

Green and Brown Pumps – Payless - (on sale) about $8

Charcoal, High-Waisted Dress Pants – H&M - about $30 (eek! I know. It took a lot of convincing on the part of my friends to make that purchase. But I’m so glad I did it now.)

Black Oxford Heels – Payless - (on sale) $4 – one of my favorite purchases of all time.

Vintage, Mustard Luggage – Gifted - that’s the set I told you about here

I’m so grateful and humbled that Chad asked me to be a part of this and can’t wait to do more stuff with him in the future.

Keep checkin’ back, folks.

-Kate

Boy Meets Girl

Photos by Eric Bailey

One of my all-time favorite looks to play with is the androgynous, boyfriend-chic deal. Obviously, I was feelin’ the vibe today (mostly because I’ve been dying to experiment with these new red pants + I’ve had this recent love afair with my 8-year-old Converse). I have a few rules I always try to adhere to when I’m stylin’ up, and today I was forced to abide by two of them:

1) If you’re going to wear something super tight on your bottom half, like skinny jeans, mini-skirt, etc. – Please, please, oh please, don’t wear something tight up top. The same goes for vice versa – Wearing something baggy, flarey, or flowy on bottom? Go ahead, pair it with something a little more tight up top. Marilyn Monroe once said, “Your clothes should be tight enough to show you’re a woman but loose enough to show you’re a lady.” Stick to this, and you should be fine.

2) If youre going to play with androgyny, make sure you get a little girly in somewhere. Now I have to admit, I didn’t add too much frill to this look. And unfortunately, growing out my September pixie cut has me looking even more boyish than I’d like (if you have long hair, wear it down and wavy!).The only thing I did to amp it up was add my silver “B” necklace, and tied my shirt up to not look too frumpy. Looking back, I wish I would have added some pattern (a floral of sorts?) to round out the look.

Alright, so now what you’ve been waiting for – the price breakdown:

Red, “cigarette pants” – Urban Outfitters - $10. Look out for their 50% off Sale Sale. That’s the only way this gal’s able to afford it.

Light Blue Button-Up – Eric Bailey – FREE. That’s right, ladies. Steal your brother’s/boyfriend’s/husband’s/dad’s shirts! Their button ups are usually super soft because they’re totally worn in and they’re long enough to tie up or leave undone and belt. If you don’t have said brother/boyfriend/husband/dad, go to your nearest thrift store. Stock up on button-ups at a whoppin’ quarter a piece.

Black Cardigan – Forever21 - $10. This was a Black Friday bargain. Since cardigans are so popular, everyone’s upped the price on them like crazy. Don’t buy full price! If you can gain the willpower to stick to the sale racks, you’ll find gems – I swear.

Monogrammed Necklace – Gifted from Target - $15. I had been looking out for a necklace or ring with my last name initial on it forever. My mom gave me this one for Christmas, and I’ve been wearing it ever since. It’s always a nice feminine touch to proudly represent your father’s last name.

Converse – Gifted 8 years ago – ?. Alright, sorry this one’s kind of a bust. I think Converse run around $40 a pop. That’s not a number I’d ever feel comfortable dropping on a pair of shoes, but honestly, the versatility and fun factor they add to any outfit (especially something super girly) makes the price totally worth it. If you’re in the market for a pair, go to Ebay and find some there – a much better deal than buying them in-store.

Mustard Luggage Tote – Gifted, Vintage – ?. I am fortunate enough to have grandparents who were super stylin’ back in the day (who am I kidding? they’ve still got it goin’ on). Because of my love of anything and everything vintage, they gifted me a 5-piece luggage set of theirs from the 60s. Amazing. I cried. If you don’t have any family heirlooms like this, fret not! While you’re snagging up every button up in that thrift store, take a look at their luggage! I’ve found amazing vintage cases for under $2.

And voila! That’s it.

I’m so excited to start this new adventure and hope you’ll keep checking back with me. If there’s anything in particular you’d like to see (a specific outfit, a look, a remake of something you’ve seen), just give me a holler! I’d love suggestions to keep this train a’chuggin’.

Change.

I’m starting this new blogging adventure with some serious fervor. My other blog, Dear, Sweet World, has been cathartic for me spiritually for the past 2 1/2 years, and I have been searching for an outlet to practice the thing I have always loved next to writing – fashion.

That’s right, I’m a closet fashionista. In all actuality, I’m not sure “fashionista” is the correct term for what I am; after all, I pride myself on taking a few dollars, and sometimes even a few pennies, and creating something that others spend wrecklessly on. I’m sick of visiting countless amazing fashion blogs that only make me curse my checking account. So, for this blog, I plan to document outfits and tell you exactly how much I spent on each item, where I got it, and where you can find something similar – for cheap.

I’m a thrifter, a penny-pincher, unstoppable with a pair of scissors, and a hand-me-down goddess.