Fringe: A Love Story

You might already know that Zara is my favorite store.  My husband tries to stay clear of cities with a Zara for this reason.  When I lived in Japan, there were 2 Zaras near my house... SCORE!  Now, there is 1 Zara about 1 hour away.  Let me demonstrate why Zara rocks....

 

2012 Spring/ Summer FRINGE Collection

 

Now, let's backtrack to the summer of 2010.  I bought a skirt at Goodwill in the States for $1.50 (no pictures, sorry!).  The skirt was about 4 sizes too big and hung to my ankles.  I took it in, but it still looked awkward.  I hemmed it to my knees, but it still looked a little "grandma-ish".  I never wore it.  Finally, I decided to make it a "going out" skirt and hemmed it a lot shorter.  I did the outside first, and then I was inspired by Zara (above) and decided to fringe the liner and keep it long.  Bonus: It's pretty hard (for me) to hem liners, so it's also a short-cut.

 

Tank (Loft), Skirt (Target via Goodwill), Gold Purse and Shoes (Target), Bracelet (Banana Republic Outlet), Necklace (Ann Taylor)

I love this lace-like necklace!  If I could wear it with everything, I would!

I love it so much that I'm looking for more old skirts to fringe.  Is that weird? 

 

P.S. Can you fringe a winter coat? No?  Darn.

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How to Make a Dress More Versatile

Many stylists say that separates are better than dresses.  Separates can be pieced together in several combinations to create more outfits, while dresses make 1 outfit...usually. 

I love dresses.  If you travel a lot, you probably appreciate dresses too.  One dress packs much smaller than two separates.  Dresses get a bad rap for versatility, but I'm here to say that they ARE versatile.  They can be worn in lots of different ways.  Proof:

I bought this dress long ago at H&M, but it just was't working for me.  In fact, it was tossed in a basket after my Cleaning Out the Closet post.

Too Tight, Too Short, Too Young

I rolled the dress up into a top and PRESTO!  A cute tank that pairs well with my silk dress skirt.  If the skirt was flowy and loose, I could have just tucked the whole dress into it. 

"Top" (H&M), Silk Skirt (thrifted in Korea), Jewelry (Banana Republic Outlet), Purse (here), Shoes (Nine&Co)

I liked this necklace so much, I thought you needed a close-up. :)

The dress can also be worn as a skirt...just top it with a t-shirt and VOILA!  I probably wouldn't wear this exact pairing ever (the dress is SO short), but on backpacking trips I have gotten pretty desperate!  Let's pretend my hair in this picture is just me pretending to be on a backpacking trip. ;)

 

Note: When I mention backpacking trips, I don't mean hiking mountains and camping (although I'd probably wear a skirt or dress for that too). ;)  Moneyman and I love traveling around the globe.  Being young, we take advantage of youth hostels, and we only carry our small backpacks... no matter how long the trip will be.  Versatility is KEY!

T-Shirt (Zara), Sandals (Candie's)

 

Since this dress is a little too short for me, I decided to pull it down so the neckline was around my waist to make it longer. MORE VERSATILITY!!!

 

 

*So, does anyone else wear their dresses in lots of different ways or am I just weird?

Maybe don't answer that... ;)

 

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Summer Wardrobe

 This combination is pretty much my summer wardrobe: printed shorts, simple top, sandals.  It's easy, effortless, and comfortable.  It's still summer where I live, so I don't mind stretching these pieces until the very last 70 degree day!



Navy Cardigan, Cream Tank, Cream Belt (Buona Giornata- Japanese Brand), Coral Print Shorts (New York & Company), Sandals (Candies via Kohls)

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A Walk on the Beach

On week nights after work, my husband and I have a tradition of walking along the beach near our home.  It's a great time to connect, talk about our day, and enjoy our beautiful surroundings.  We just moved here from Japan.  We used to walk around the city that we lived in, look in stores, and karaoke.  It's fun to make new traditions every time we move! :)



Dress (T.J.Maxx- $5), Shoes (Kohl's)

I love these sandals.  I actually bought a few pairs of this sandal, because I wore the first pair so much.  It's a light pinkish tan color that matches almost every outfit.  Now that I'm working on Mission: $100 Closet, neutral pieces like this are life-savers.   


This is my town!

 

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Red and White

My husband and I dedicate our Sundays to church and errands.  This weekend I wore red and white for my errands.  Normally, I would prefer this outfit with some nude heels (umm...I prefer everything with nude heels), but practicality won over so I opted for flats.

Red & White Top (Promod), Jeans (Abercrombie), Necklace and Flats (J.Crew), Gold Bracelets (Dollar Store), Purse (Mango)



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Diminishing Budget, Math, & a Makeover

According to Mission: $100 Closet, I have $100 to spend until August 27th, 2013.  Last Friday, that number decreased to $92.02.  That's right... if you're proficient at math, you know that I spent a whole $7.98.  I'm not good at math, so I was sad when my frugal and math-proficient husband pointed out that I'm only 3% done with my mission, and I've spent almost 8% of my budget.  Hmm... Ariel. No. Like. Math. 

Despite this discovery, I am still thrilled about my accidental purchases.  You see, I was leaving the doctor's office and passed by a Goodwill.  My sister-in-law had just texted me a couple AWESOME lamps that she found at her Goodwill, and I thought how cool it would be if this Goodwill had a similarly amazing find.  It didn't.  I consoled myself by looking through the clothing... I'm glad I did. 

My Goodwill Outfit

OKAY, I didn't buy this ENTIRE outfit from Goodwill for $7.98...just 2 things.  This silky black top and THIS purse:


$2.99 - TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT!

The leather purse was a little vintage, but it was clean inside and in great condition...so take it home, I did!  Before I wore it though, I gave it a little update.

First, I taped it off and sanded it a little with fine grit sand paper.

Second, I wiped it down with a wet cloth and then a dry cloth.

Third, I made a mixture of half-water and half-paint (acrylic).  I painted 3 thin layers on the leather with this mixture.  The water is supposed to help the leather absorb the paint without cracking over time.

 

 

Finally, after it dried, I painted 2 thin, even coats of plain acrylic paint.  Notice that I didn't paint the back portion of the purse that would rub against my clothing.  I was afraid the constant rubbing might wear the paint off the purse (and onto my clothing).  In the picture below, you can see the brush strokes.  I promise in person it is brush stroke free. 

 

The Final Product: $2.99 total

Here's the outfit altogether:

Shirt and Purse (Goodwill $7.98), Necklace and Bracelet (gifts from my grandmother), Jeans (Abercrombie: from high school when A&F was Da'Bomb.com), Shoes (Nine&Co)

Linked up at  and Sumo's Sweet Stuff. *Have you found any amazing deals lately or updated a vintage piece?


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Mint, Coral, and Khaki

Mint and coral were a popular combo this past Spring. 


Found here.

For work today, I decided to backtrack to Spring and pull out my coral and mint clothing. 


Mint necklace (gift from my grandmother), Coral shirt (Banana Republic Outlet), Skirt (Zara Basics), Mint Belt (thrifted in Japan), Shoes (Style&Co), Mint Bag (emilie m. from T.J. Maxx)

 

Excuse my wrinkles!  This was post-work and post-work commute.  I've never had to commute more than 10 minutes to work before, so this whole hour drive thing is making me rethink outfit choices (like wrinkly khaki, pressed blouses, and heels).  I was smart enough to bring a pair of driving shoes, so I wouldn't have to drive in heels.  I wish I had brought an entire driving outfit, because the minute I got out of my car I was a wrinkly mess! 

*Any fellow commuters out there?  How do YOU handle that long drive?! Pin It