Catch Up in Wardrobe

Day off attire: dressed like the vintage working class to inspire productivity.

Top: Vintage men's Wrangler work shirt bought at Thrift Mart (spring '11), $1.00

Jeans: Yearrrrrrrs old Lee jeans in light denim and "boyfriend fit", $5.00 assumed value

Belt: Braided leather Eddie Bauer belt from Thrift Mart (spring '11), FREE

Headband: Red bandanna "borrowed" from my mom, FREE

Approximate Total: $6.00

Indulging in my greatest fashion weakness: old man collared shirts.

Top: Men's vintage collared shirt from Thrift Mart (spring '11), $1.00

Skirt: Thrifted grey jersey mini skirt, $2.00

Belt: Gold scale plated, vintage, $.25

Tights: Target clearance aisle, $3.00

Boots: Vintage cowboy boots, $10.00

Approximate Total: $16.25

Experiment. Hypothesis: If I tuck in this shirt, it will look kinda neat. Test: see above. Analyze results: Uncomfortable and unflattering. Report results: If I tuck in this shirt, it does NOT look kinda neat. I wore it this way for our Eco Arts Festival Fashion Show meeting and swiftly let those shirt tails breathe.

Top: Perfect gift from Carissa! Vintage snap-button denim with adorable applique on the shoulders. FREE

Jeans: Green denim, bought new years ago and tight-rolled myself, $7.00

Belt: Braided leather Eddie Bauer belt from Thrift Mart (spring '11), FREE

Shoes: Dark Brown moccasins, a gift from my mom over the holidays. Saved in their box until the weather was right. FREE

Approximate Total: $7.00 (cost only on the pants!)

Leslie and the Ly's dance troupe uniform, minus the lipstick, Keds, and sunglasses. Worn to work at a show, but also perfect for a summer day off or mix-and-matched for any other day.

Top: Available here in amazing colors!

Shorts: Handmade by Leslie Hall.

Headband: Braided by the gem master herself from spandex costume scraps. Available at White Rabbit!!

Total: FREE as generous gifts from Mother Gem

Uniform in action at Old Brick in Iowa City...an amazing free show and dance party for UI's Women's and Gender Studies. I danced until I couldn't.

My choice for a photo shoot in my craft corner. Bright colors, craft table and piles, cats, and cat hair...I feel like my essence was captured perfectly. Details on where to see my photo amongst other crafty Iowa ladies to come.

Shirt: Rainbow plaid with heart-shaped pockets and snap buttons, from Thrift Mart (spring '10), $.50

Jumper: Cherokee brand salmon denim bought on QUARTER DAY, $.25

Leggings: Clearance, $3.00

Socks: Target, $1.50

Boots: Vintage cowboy boots, $10.00

Approximate Total: $15.25

Dueling Prints

This week's jam is Sly and the Family Stone's "Every Day People." I can't quit it. Do yourself and dance to it. Affirming and rump-shaking.

A meeting with Sonya, Ramona, and Carissa inspired this thrifted outfit. Our meeting smoothed out a few details for our Eco-Fest Fashion Show and Open Studio, where we will showcase our methods of thrifting, reconstruction, and wardrobing in the name of sustainability. The studio and show will be on April 16th at Gatherings in the New Bohemia District. It's free, so please come check it out!

I chose to mix and match patterns, like my lovely cohorts have done in the recent past. Their boldness left me drooling for my own pile o' patterns:

1. Ramona's competing/coordinating stripes.
2. Carissa's extreme checkers with dainty floral belt. Scroll down just a bit, but first check out how Greg cheated to beat me in Bananagrams.
3. Sonya's proud stripes and precious florals.

Top: Dueling owls pattern. Thrifted, $.75

Cardigan: Blue and white stripe pattern. Thrifted, $2.00

Skirt: Jewel-toned floral pattern. Thrifted $1.50

Belt: Aztec print leather belt. Thrifted $.25

Tights: Clearance rack, $3.50

Shoes: Not pictured, brown cowboy boots. Vintage, $10.00-ish

Approximate Total: $17.00

Check-List Therapy

Things are weird around here right now. 

The sewing machine decided to protest, my living situation has been jeopardized (due to circumstances out of my control), a big move might come sooner than expected, and I'm feeling unsettled. This unease has crept on me in the past, and I haven't always handled it correctly. Now is the time I prove to myself that positivity and a good dose of smile-therapy can help me forge ahead. No, really. I forced myself to do some smiling on my drive home from a rough day of work, and I felt better immediately. Endorphins are magic! 

BE EXCITED, ME!

So my output of anything valuable will be little today. Without my sewing machine, I sadly won't complete the Vest Project on time, and the only other craft projects I've produced must stay top secret until a certain lady celebrates her birthday.

Instead of substance, look at me looking ridiculous and what I looked like while looking ridiculous:

The glare is from my winter-neglected bike, not-so-subtly reminding me that it exists.

Tuesday

Top: Thrifted beauty, complete with gold studs on the print, as well as its sleeves. $1.50

Bottoms: Discount black faux acid-wash leggings, bought for lazy days, $5.00

Shoes: Work-filthy saddle shoes, $18.00

Approximate Total: $24.50 (yikes!)

 

Tuesday, I chose to lift my mood with check-marks on my to-do list. Consider these exciting things accomplished: dishes washed and put away, apartment tidied up, cat litter dealt-with, boyfriend nagged, dreaded e-mails drafted, healthy asparagus and organic chicken breast dinner prepared and consumed. Maybe I'm boring, but my sanity remains!

Dress: Favorite grunge-era floral dress with modern details: bright floral, pockets, pleated top, and a tulip shape. Thrifted for $2.50.

Sweater: Men's Docker's brand cardigan, bought for an ex-boyfriend but serendipitously rejected, $.50

Tights: Clearance rack at Target, with a hole already on their first day out, $3.50

Shoes: Cherished Justin's, $4.50

Hair: Finally long enough to do this! There's a hard-to-see purple bow, for old-timey-Brooke's sake.

Approximate Total:  $11.00

Surfin' the Positivity Wave

Friday night was a treat! Large portions of good times and major positivity! Jake, Carissa, and I three-way dated to Iowa City to see Koo Koo Kanga Roo perform the all-ages show at Gabe's.

These two fellas are so much fun, just oozing with a zest for life and every person and thing in it. Koo Koo Kanga Roo promotes bein' nice, havin' fun, being silly, and feeling great. We participated in a ninja vs pirate dance-off, played with an old-school parachute elementary P.E. style, and did a lot of call and response. If you know me, you know I love group activities and TOGETHERNESS, WHOA. Minneapolis needs to watch out, because I may kidnap them and keep them for all positivity, all the time.

Carissa, myself, Jake, and Bryan (of the 'Roo) posing for the band's webcam. They bring their computer to all of their shows and encourage all of their new friends to take photos. Bryan gifted us each mustaches on a stick--handmade by them.

The headband I'm wearing was hand-braided by Leslie Hall using spandex scraps. You can get your own here.

Free friendship bracelet making station as part of their merch station. "MAKE ONE! And give it to someone you have NEVER met before! THOSE ARE THE RULES!"

Gabe's has two pinball machines I've never seen before. Wheel of Fortune and Big Buck Hunter. The Wheel of Fortune is a beautiful rave of a machine, but the Big Buck table was terrifying, frankly.

 

Friday's work outfit

Top: Reconstructed by myself, an old stained tee embellished with that funky stuff from a thrifted top, $3.00-ish

Skirt: Thrifted, $1.75

Earrings: Rusty La Rue (by pretty lady Emily, can be found at White Rabbit), $7.50

Shoes: Grungy work Keds, gifted by boo

Approximate Total: $15.25

Cats n Bows, My M.O.

Not trying to be artsy or deep here, I am just this bad at staging photos.

Lace Dress: Vintage, $2.00

Slip: Thrifted, $2.00

Socks: Target, $2.00

Oxford Shoes: Target, by way of Salvation Army, $3.50

Necklace: Made by Carissa, with extra touches by Jake and myself

Approximate Total: $9.50

Necklace made by Luxe Debris. Key, snake, feather, and bird charms. I added the bird charm after the key fell off and I put it in a "safe place" not to be found for months. Typical. I'm reminded of loved ones when I fasten it around my neck, and wear it when I want to feel professional (yes) without losing my spirit.

 For whatever reason, I chose today to be the day I wore something dreamy and romantic. Mostly, I took advantage of being scheduled the non-barista/less messy shift and wore light colors. I was called a fairy princess and asked if I had a magic wand. I'd call that a win!

Ridiculous photo of my co-worker Erin and I, the dual sides of your conscience.

 After my shift, I made a bee-line for one of the area's Goodwills and bought too many dresses. Six dresses, a giant box covered in cartoon cats, and a bow for my wall. $23.00. This is definitely a splurge for me, but some days you find dresses too good to say "no" to, despite being $5.38 each.

 Dresses to alter, my attempts at "before" shots:

Left: Black velvet with sweetheart neckline and sheer neck and sleeves. Needs to be shortened and fitted. Center: Black velvet short dress, will be fitted and embellished. This only cost 88cents. Right: Sleeveless ruffled party dress, has major fit issues and a very awkward skirt length to be fixed.

To wear as-is, assured to be much cuter on an actual person than the mannequin:

 

The dress on the left will be reserved for times I need to look nice and somewhat reserved. I'm not sure who would be inviting me to such an event, as most people know better, but it's nice to be prepared. The jumper on the right (actually labeled "JUMPER" on the tag) is perfect for the days I choose to dress like a small child from the 1940's. Those days come often.

Dress #6, a candidate for heavy-rotation.

This very sturdy box is large enough to fit me inside with the lid closed, and is covered entirely in these cat illustrations. Big enough for my fabric collection, and cute enough to be decorative. Function and form in a happy, committed relationship. The bow wall-hanging will make some lucky wall in my apartment feel oh-so-fancy.

Wassup, B?

Wishful dressing works! The past two days have been over 40 degrees here, and the forecast is due to slowly creep up to 60 by Thursday. Iowa can be brutal, but waiting will inevitably bring you the occasional unseasonal weather. Here I am acting foolish and not wearing a coat in the 35-degree weather:

Enjoying the fact that there is ground space not wet, icy, or snow-covered.

Outfit seemingly inspired by Carissa.

Dress: My favorite and most-complimented dress. So comfortable. Vintage, $5.00

Cardigan: Handed down by my mom after an accidental shrink in the dryer, free

Belt: Thrifted, $.25

Earring: Upcycled from old jewelry, seen here, free

Socks: Target, $1.75

Shoes: Thrifted work (read:filthy) Keds, bought by my boo, free

Sunglasses: Douche-y, but it was legitimately bright. Vintage, purchased at Thrift Mart (my favorite day of the year!), $.25

Approximate Total: $7.25

Rather than gather at one of our usual drinking establishments, we (the crew) collectively decided to leave the success/raucousness of Friday's PROM! be and enjoy a quiet Saturday and Sunday. I spent my Saturday afternoon working with housemate Brandon, who was miserably stuffed up. I offered him some natural tips for relief. Witness:

Ingredients: a quarter tablespoon of "wasabi" paste and a whole lotta gumption.

Results: Major discomfort, but about 30 minutes of intense and immediate relief.

 Saturday evening, Jake and I had our Lincoln's-Birthday-Not-Valentine's-Day Date. If you ever want to take me out on the best! date! ever!*, I recommend you follow suit: Super burgers and cheeseballs at the Starlite Room, an hour of pinball at the local dive bowling alley, at least an hour in the store in quest for the perfect snacks, and way too much candy while watching way too much Party Down in our jammies. Swoon.

A handsome fellow posing in front of the Local Bowler's Hall of Fame. I'm a little concerned about Mr. Bottom Left.

 Can I just brag for a moment and say I earned 22 million points in JUST ONE TURN, and replay was 31 million on the Sopranos pinball game? Sure, I blew it and basically scratched my final two turns...but still! I grew up with a machine in my home and was raised by my dad to be a pinball wizard, touring the area for the best machines. It's one of many fun things my dad and I would do on "father/daughter days," my favorite days.

Do you know of any pinball machines open for public play in the Cedar Rapids area? Hit me up! They're tough to find these days. I'd love to make a database/locator!

*Just kidding, I am kinda-sorta-totally life partners with that guy up there. But I will gladly accept those activities under the (metaphorical) blanket of friendship!

Wishful Dressing

Pictures with your needy cat, a photo essay:

About this time of year, I begin my "wishful dressing" campaign. Sundresses and obnoxious colors help me pretend it's picnic weather. Today was my inaugural wishful dressing outfit of the season.

Top: Thrifted, $.50

Skirt: Thrifted and reconstructed from calf-length grandma style skirt, $1.50

Belt: Gold chain, thrifted, $.25

Tights and Socks: Target? $3-ish

Shoes: Thrifted, white leather Ked high tops. Delicious. $4.38

Approximate total: $10.00