#2015bestnine, stats and goals

This post is a bit of a mishmash of thoughts I'm having as the year draws to a close — the typical looking-forward-and-looking-back one does around this time of year.

Red cape @ Shaped by Style

Hi all, I am rather incommunicado this week with family visiting for the holidays, but I did get a post up over at Shaped by Style, featuring my red cape and Kristina's floral maxi skirt.

You can see more photos here. I'll be back to more regular posts after the first of the year!

Secret Santa Unboxing

I participated in a Secret Santa gift swap with the Shaped by Style ladies this holiday season, and I was super excited to get this package from our newest member, Justine of The Thrifty Girl's Guide.

Mint dress @ Shaped by Style

Popping by to share a new post I have up at Shaped by Style, featuring this pastel ensemble from last week's #decemberduostyle fashion challenge:

This week's prompt is "Fur, Feathers, Fringe, Leather" and I am feeling super stumped on what to wear! Check out my Instagram to see what I come up with ...

Thrift Audit: Unknown rummage sale

I'm going to level with you guys — I literally don't remember this rummage sale.

Winning at Sewing: Mod floral dress

I didn't really mean to make this dress ... it just kind of happened.

Lavender dress + silver shoes ... and a fashion challenge

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably already know that my friend Jessica and I have launched a little mini fashion challenge that's running through the end of the month.

Thrift Audit: Rummage sale, Nov. 6

So you may have heard me promise that I was done going to rummage sales for the year. Well, I lied.

It turns out I don't actually have any willpower, at all. But that means I get to bring you another awesome thrift audit! So, you're welcome.

Sequined blazer @ Shaped by Style

Stopping in to say I have a new post up at Shaped by Style featuring this most amazing sequined blazer:

I styled another outfit with this blazer that I'll post in a few weeks. Now I feel the need to buy something sparkly ...

Shopping Small: Slouchy sweater + flares + arm warmers

So I made the executive decision last week that the day before Thanksgiving would be a "casual dress" day at my office. Because, as my boss noted, it's not as if much business actually gets done on that day anyway.

Thrift Audit: Oct. 2, rummage sale

Even veteran thrifters such as myself have our off days. And this was definitely of one of them.

Happy Thanksgiving (and a coupon just for you)

Happy Thanksgiving from upstate New York! I'm pausing in between chopping vegetables (this is my first vegetarian Thanksgiving, wish me luck), and enjoying a rare work-free day, to say hello.

I have a big sale going in my Etsy shop — you can take 40% off any purchase of $10 or more with coupon code INDIESBSSALE. This coupon is only good through Dec. 1, though, so don't wait! For everyone celebrating Thanksgiving today, I hope you have a wonderful day with family, friends or whoever you choose to share it with.

Chasing the New: Floral Cardigan + Bow Skirt

The lure of novelty is certainly strong.

Thrift Audit: Salvation Army, Sept. 30 (Part 2)

So my Sept. 30 trip to Salvation Army was so epic I had to break it into two separate posts. Last week, it was all about the vintage fabric; this week, it's the clothes.

Baby Doll: Black laser-cut dress + bib necklace

My style motto for many, many years was "If I can't do pretty, I'll do cute."

Nerd Chic: Navy sweater + red skinnies ... and glasses

My relationship to glasses has long been a tortured one.

Thrift Audit: Salvation Army, Sept. 30 (part 1)

What do you do when your local thrift store has a "50-percent-off-everything" sale when all the Halloween vintage is out? BUY EVERYTHING, of course. In fact, I bought SO much stuff that I'm breaking this thrift outing into two posts. Today we'll look at Part 1: The Fabric. (If vintage fabric is not your bag, please come back next week for what I promise will be some amazing clothing finds.)

Tone on tone: Vintage top and red half-circle skirt

I definitely tend to be the kind of person who says, "I'll just do it myself," rather than asking for help. But that's something I'm working on (it's hard!) — which is how I found myself standing up against the wall of the building where I work while my friend and co-worker snapped these photos.

Thrift Audit: Rummage sale, Sept. 25

Children are a lot like pets — you do something once, and they expect it every time. I took my daughter to this rummage sale on a Thursday morning right before our usual weekly library visit. We fought the crowds (place was NUTS) and grabbed ourselves a few cupcakes from the bake sale on our way out. Then we sat, giggling, in the back seat of my car, licking icing off our fingers before going to story time at the library. (Side note: my crazy work schedule is totally worth it for moments like that one.) Anyway, now EVERY WEEK when we go to the library, she asks me if there's a "shopping sale" at the church next door. Nope, kid, not until spring. And yeah, I'm just as bummed as you are about it.

Winning at Sewing: Upcycled Girls' Dress

It's amazing how much faster a sewing project comes together when I don't have to hem things. AMAZING.

Thrift Audit: Rummage sale, Sept. 25

Mid- to late September is a crazy time for rummage sales around here. I actually had a schedule of them written out that I kept in my wallet because I was worried about missing some! But after all the hype, I didn't end up actually buying that much at any of them.

Shaped by Style post | Cherry print dress + blue shrug

I'm still slaving away in the newspaper hell that is the week before Election Day, so please enjoy this post I have up at Shaped by Style in lieu of my regular programming (and don't forget to enter our giveaway - deadline is midnight Friday):

I'm so going to drink ALL the beer when this election is over. And in the meantime, I should have a thrift audit post for you on Saturday as usual.

MIA and a giveaway

I'm in work purgatory this week, but please head over to Shaped by Style to check out this awesome giveaway we are doing.

The giveaway closes at midnight Friday, and there's a ton of ways to enter. Good luck!

Thrift Audit: Sept. 19, rummage sale

OK, so, despite what I said in my last post, I clearly had embraced fall when I went on this shopping trip.

Hating on Fall: Oatmeal cardigan + white cords

Here's the thing: I hate fall.

Liebster Award and Lace Dress

I was thrilled the other day to see my name in the list of blogs that Kristina nominated for a Liebster Award! The "award" isn't so much an award, but a way to share the love between bloggers. There are several variations, but the rules that Kristina posted were to a) share 11 random facts about yourself; b) answer 11 questions; and c) nominate 11 other bloggers to do the same. So, here goes!

Thrift audit: Salvation Army, Sept. 12

Oh, 49-cent day. I can't quit you.

Styled by Kristina: Tribal top + mustard skirt

When I was a kid, I loved to play with paper dolls.

Winning at Sewing: Butterfly print dress

I finished sewing my butterfly print dress, and I pretty much never want to take it off.

A stopgap measure: Chambray dress @ Shaped by Style

OK, so I know I owe you guys a thrift audit post. But holy jeez, what a week!

So instead, please check out my latest post over at Shaped by Style, and come back here to let me know a) what you think of the re-designed site and b) if I've made a total mistake by cutting bangs, as this Jezebel writer would have me believe.

Shop update: Fall clothes, fabric, patterns and shoes

I've been HUSTLING over at my Etsy shop for the last several weeks, finally getting my items count up over 100 and adding some new offerings to an already chockablock-full spread of vintage. So I figured I'd post a little update and show you some of my favorite things that are in the shop right now:

Thrift audit: Rummage sale, Sept. 10

Rules are meant to be broken, right? Because I totally broke one of my cardinal rules with this thrift haul. But there's a really good reason for it.

Passions and Opportunities: Peach ruffled top, flares + vintage scarf

I'm on Day 2 of a week off work, and as always, it's a bittersweet experience.

Thrift Audit: Aug. 29, rummage sale

Fall rummage sale season is upon us, and my closet is bursting at the seams! I'm actually considering a buying freeze after the next few weeks — I feel like I have enough back stock to keep my Etsy shop afloat for months as it is.

Double Guest Posts: Shaped by Style and Eccentric Owl

Can I just say how much I hate the light now that it's fall? I've been struggling to get any good outfit pics lately, but fortunately I have two guest posts up this week to share with you:

Watch me go all 80s over at Shaped by Style in this skirt I swapped with Hannah, and a vintage blazer from my Etsy shop. (If you missed yesterday's post, be sure to check out my interview with Hannah and marvel at her cuteness and ability to wear hats.)

Kristina of Eccentric Owl was kind enough to give me a chance to ruminate about what messages we fashion bloggers are sending to our daughters in my guest post during her "maternity leave."

Check back on Saturday for my latest thrift audit, and wish me luck at this weekend's rummage sales!

Interview: Hannah Rupp / The Outfit Repeater

This is the first in an occasional series of posts interviewing other bloggers, vintage sellers and other people I find interesting. In my other life, I'm a journalist, so I am nosy and love asking people questions. If you'd like to be featured in an interview, let me know! 

My fellow Shaped by Style sistah Hannah of The Outfit Repeater was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about blogging. Here's what she had to say:

Thrift Audit: Aug. 24, Salvation Army

Someone at the Salvation Army was not having a good day. But I certainly did.

Winning at Sewing: Floral Print Skirt

Guys, I'm getting slightly quicker at this stuff. A simple gathered skirt only took me two weeks to sew.

Part of the Problem: Olive shirt dress and tan flats

I was getting together my usual outfit post tonight when I read something that stopped me in my tracks. 

How Not to Start an Online Vintage Shop: Learn From My Mistakes

I stumbled on a blog post over at Vintage World Rocks on "How to Start Your Own Online Vintage Shop." I read it with interest, and then I had a good laugh at myself as I recalled how I pretty much did the opposite of everything she suggests.

All of her advice is genuinely good advice, and I'm not laughing at her — I'm laughing at me. I thought I'd offer you guys a peek at the decidedly haphazard way I went about opening my Etsy store in a post I'm calling "How Not to Start an Online Vintage Shop." Learn from my mistakes, people!

Thrift Audit: Salvation Army, Aug. 17

Just a little mini haul today, but next week's is going to be a doozy.

A few questions: Madras blouse + mustard skirt

Fashion bloggers of the world, I have questions.

Beauty and the Binky | Shaped by Style double whammy

After reading Kristina's guest post over at Beauty and the Binky, I was feeling bold and emailed Jaclyn to ask if I could participate as well. What do you know, she said yes! You can read her interview with me here. Thanks, Jaclyn, for giving me this opportunity to talk a little bit about my life as a working/blogging mom!

And, I've got a new post up at Shaped by Style, as well, featuring this perfect cherry print dress that I swapped with Kristina. (Whose daughter, by the way, made her arrival this weekend!)

I hope you'll check out both these sites (if you haven't already). Your regularly scheduled programming of outfit posts should resume this week, and I'm also getting ready to launch a mini series of interviews with other bloggers (including Jaclyn herself!) Finally, today is the last day for my Labor Day sale on Etsy — you can use the coupon code JUSTFORYOU to save 30 percent off any purchase of $10 or more. (That means you can buy two items from the $5 sale section and only pay $7!) Hope everyone here in the states is enjoying the last of the three-day weekend ...

Thrift Audit: Hospice thrift shop, Aug. 12

On a whim the other day, I picked up the phone and called a thrift shop in a nearby town to ask if they had any sales coming up. "Yes," the woman said. "We have a bag sale every Wednesday."

What He Said To me: Floral jacket + white dress

I had a conversation with an acquaintance that really disturbed me the other day, and I wanted to share it here. It went something like this:

Long Lines: Black skirt + dress as top

I have this thing with black skirts. At last count, I think I tallied up about six of them ... and yet, I NEVER wear them.

Thrift Audit: Aug. 3, Salvation Army

Whew, what a couple of weeks! But fear not, I'm back with another thrift audit, because as busy as I get at work, I always manage to find time to drop by the Salvation Army for some retail therapy.

Wrap skirt as halter dress @ Shaped by Style

One of my favorite photo shoots of all time is up now at Shaped by Style!

Read the full post here to find out what's different for me about this look.