I smile. 7.30.12

On Mondays I smile.

I share these moments with you.

Enjoy.

When people ask me if I miss living in New York, my answer is usually an emphatic no. The traffic!, I complain. The noise!, I whine. The expense! I moan. But after my recent trip to the city, I am forced to change my answer. Sending a long weekend with my family was enough to make me long for a move back. Or at least another visit.

My personal philosophy, in a nutshell: Ain't no party like a vintage sequin party cause a vintage sequin party rocks.

To the person who decided to donate this 1930's typewriter to Thrift City in Richardson, Texas: I love you. For reals.

Two reasons why I need to learn how to sew. Aren't those full skirts divine?

The grand Weatherford, Texas courthouse, as seen from the Parker County peach festival. Not pictured: The homemade peach iced tea I guzzled while taking said photo. It was delicious.

This 1940's record console was approximately the size and weight of a small automobile.  I could imagine it in the home of a family who spent afternoons listening to Dizzy Gillespie, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. While it had fallen into disrepair and was beat up and dusty, it was begging for me to take it home. Sadly, as I have no experience repairing old record consoles, I left it behind.

Now it's your turn:

What are some things that make you smile last week?

Share your smiles in the comments!

{Daily outfit} Woah, we're halfway there. 6.26.12

 Cardigan? Gap Outlet. Gap tee shirt? Thrifted. J Crew skirt? Thrifted. Wedges? Miz Mooz. Gold bracelet? Forever 21. Handmade clutch? Giveaway coming soon!

Like all summers prior to this, the days are flying by. The heat is oppressive, energy levels sluggish, and outdoor activities limited to swimming, frantically darting in and out of air-conditioned business, and evenings spent drinking ice cold beers on restaurant patios. It doesn't seem like autumn, with its blissfully crisp mornings, splendor of changing leaves, and pumpkin everything will ever arrive.

But arrive it will. School supplies are beginning to fill store aisles. Catalogs heralding next season's must have sweaters and boots are filling my mailbox. And in a few short weeks my children will be trotting off to school. Summer's long days are halfway gone. And I, for one, couldn't be happier - mostly because I'm frustrated trying to dress for the 100+ degree temperatures outside, and arctic air conditioning inside. Hence this outfit. Fall layers up on top, summer bare legs down below.

Are you holding your breath for autumn too? Or do you relish summer?

{Daily outfit} Summer stripes. 6.25.12

Vintage dress? Thrifted. Vintage clutch? Estate sale. Vintage woven belt? Thrifted. Sandals? DSW. Michael Kors rose gold watch? Thrifted.

I thrifted this dress a few months ago and it has yet to be presented here on the blog, despite the fact that I've worn it approximately 526918 times (or maybe 6. I lost count.) It's one of those things you throw on when everything else in your closet feels too...complicated, like that romper we all somehow got suckered into buying last summer but just cannot bear to throw on anymore.

Rompers are inexplicably complicated. Dresses are not. I love this one because it's striped, full-skirted, and gives the illusion that my waist is smaller that it actually is, effectively hiding the food baby I conceived from last night's chicken and black bean fajita dinner.  In all seriousness, friends, we all should find that one PERFECT dress we can wear when that romper starts to look appealing. Because rompers are instruments of the devil.

{Daily Outfit} Polka dot crop. 7.24.12

 Vintage cropped denim vest? Thrifted. Tee shirt? Gap Outlet. Liz Claiborne polka dot skirt? Thrifted. White sandals? DSW. Bracelets? Forever 21.

Some of you have mentioned how happy I've looked in these recent outfit pics. I can blame this on one thing: for the first time in my life, I have a job that I really, truly love. Whether it was fate, friendship, or plain dumb luck, I've ended up working in Vintage Martini, Dallas' best vintage store. When accepting consignments, I get to meet some of the most interesting people and learn just what brought each piece into their life, whether it's a 50's evening gown handed down from their mother or a Gucci bag obtained during a trip to Florence. I get to spend my day in a place that houses delicate Edwardian dresses, crocodile handbags, and spindly Prada heels. I get to learn all the intricacies behind running a small business.

But the best part? I get to wear as much vintage as I want. Like this fun 80's polka dot skirt and cropped denim vest. And that alone is enough to put a smile on my face.

{Daily outfit} Point of view. 7.20.12

Vintage embroidered top? Thrifted. Jeans? Citizen of Humanity. Vintage Whiting and Davis bag? Thrifted. Belt? Thrifted. Sandals? Gap. Leather cuff and turquoise necklace? Thrifted

I'll admit that there isn't much about this outfit that makes sense. It isn't elegant. It isn't trendy. It's not preppy, or classic, or even definable. Some would argue that it's not especially stylish, either. At it's most basic, it's a medley of a few favorite old pieces I grabbed from my closet and a recently thrifted vintage bag. But truthfully, in this mixed-up hodge podge of an outfit, I felt the most me.

I've realized lately that I've gotten a bit off track from my personal sense of style. At my core, I'd much rather wear something unique that compliments who I am rather than what's expected or trendy. The gift of fashion is that it allows us to communicate our individual sense of style in a creative, yet functional way. We can be classic, or ladylike, or sporty, or bohemian, or experimental. We can be feminine, or masculine, or a bit of both. We can show a lot of skin, or cover ourselves completely. We can slavishly follow trends or reject them entirely. Whether we're rich, or poor, or something in between, the way we dress is a pretty incredible device for communicating who we are to the world.

One of the things I enjoy most about thrifting is that it allows me to wear things that no one else owns. Like this bag. And this blouse. It takes courage to embrace being different. And, even better, it's a whole lot of fun!

{Thrifting 101} I thrifted: Linen and gold 6.14.12

Vintage linen vest? Thrifted, $3.99. American Eagle striped shirt? Thrifted, $2.99. Shorts? Thrifted, $2.99. Vintage Coach satchel? Thrifted, $10.00. Bracelets? Forever 21, $8.00.

 Michael Kors rose gold watch? Thrifted, $40.00.

There's something about wearing an entirely thrifted outfit that makes me feel good, much in the same way eating chocolate chip cookies does (because they're essentially a hug for your mouth.) A thrifted outfit admits to the world both that I'm both an unbridled cheapskate and stubborn shopper, the kind that spends hours digging through racks while tolerating grimy hands and allergic reactions to dust all for the sweet satisfaction of an outfit that cost less than a tank of gas.

I spied this vest during a brief thrifting excursion last week. I was in a hurry, and I didn't buy it. But it haunted me so persistently that I returned to the store the very next day in search of it.

What would you wear with this linen vest? Give me some of your outfit ideas!