Finders Keepers

New blog!

2011-04-24T08:42:00.000-04:00

Hey friends!

I've started a new blog that will focus more on married life,

daily musings, and my inspirations rather than just the fashion stuff.

If you'd like to follow, please click here!

The last post.

2011-02-25T14:51:00.000-05:00

Hey lovlies,

Blogging has certainly been a journey for me. I've met so many amazing people, learned new things, and it's just really exposed me to new things I wouldn't have been exposed to otherwise.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. My life is INCREDIBLE right now. I'm engaged to the man of my dreams, planning a wedding, almost ready to enter my senior year of school, moving into our first place together, and about to apply to grad schools, most of which are across the country. As school and my personal life become more of a priority, the internet world becomes less of one.

So, I'm hanging out my blogging boots (bad analogy?), and I'm retiring the blog. That isn't to say I won't be back, though! However, more than likely, if I get time in the summer, or sometime next year, I will start a new blog, probably more focused on married life.

Thanks to all my friends for sticking by & you will all be missed!

Love,

Brittany

Wedding Blog & Giveaway Winner!

2011-01-17T12:01:00.000-05:00

First of all, I'm proud to announce my new wedding blog, The Rustic Bride! I'm going to be posting my inspiration, rants, reviews, and random thoughts on all things wedding! Feel free to follow if you are into that kinda thing.

Image via One Love Photo

Next, we have the giveaway winner from the $100 Shopbop Giveaway! Congrats to Lisa from Confessions of a Call Center Gal! Lisa was chosen from Random.org. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Black Velvet

2011-01-10T11:36:00.001-05:00

Meet my current favorite dress, this lovely black long-sleeved number! It is as warm as can be & can be paired with just about anything. I wore it with red tights and gold oxfords on Christmas, but didn't get any pictures because I was busy working in the morning & going from house to house the whole day! Alas, the dress is perfect for such occasions or simply going to Tropical Smoothie, as Shelby & I did last week.

I want to thank you all for your warm regards to my engagement post & all of your well wishes! It is truly the most exciting time in our lives and while most people in our lives are extremely supportive, there have been a few challenges in sharing the news that has ultimately lead to unforeseen circumstances. I don't want to go into much detail, because really, when the news went public, we were completely flooded with friends and family who were so overjoyed & were practically waiting everyday for us to make an engagement announcement. Nothing & no one can bring us down, and tough situations like these are what bring Patrick and I together even closer. We know that no matter what the situation, when life gets tough, we have each other to rely on. I'm naturally a worrier, but when doubts about school, work, money, and the future arise, I just step back and realize that I have Patrick, and it is the most comforting feeling in the entire world.

In more positive news, I've set a date to look at wedding dresses... the weekend of March 12! My mom, my stepmom, and my best friend (hopefully!) are going to Baltimore for a trunk show of a designer I absolutely adore & have had my eye on for a while, but of course I'm not going to reveal on here until after my big day! I will say, though, that Pat has seen the one particular dress I want. We are nontraditional like that! I searched forever for a vintage dress, but ultimately had no luck & I really didn't want to buy online. Bummer but I've already planned out engagement photos & I'm going to be wearing one of my favorite vintage dresses for that!

I promise, no more wedding blabbing from this point on, except for mentioning the big stuff perhaps! I'm going to try to start up the wedding blog tonight, for those of you interested! I will tweet the link & post it next time I do a blog post!

*photos by Shelby Ballou!

$100 Shopbop Gift Card Giveaway!

2011-01-05T12:51:00.001-05:00

In celebration of my engagement, I have teamed up with Shopbop to host a $100 gift card giveaway! Shopbop.com has easily been one of my favorite shopping websites since I can even remember. I browse the "What's New" section several times a week and can't get enough. Since I'm in the market for pretty dresses (engagement parties & engagement photos & rehersal dinners, oh my!), one of the first places I went to browse was Shopbop.

Shopbop is THE shop to covet all of your fashion needs. Into trends? Shopbop's got you covered. More of a basics girl? They've got more than you can imagine! I've been in the market for a pair of black leggings & absolutely love what I found. Several brands to note include Falke, Plush leggings, and David Lerner leggings. I'm a strong believer that you can never have enough staples, especially when the quality is the utmost priority of the shop, which Shopbop has clearly proved time and time again.

Rules:
1. Anyone can enter & this contest is open to international readers! (Shopbop even offers free international shipping in 3 days. Need I say more?)
2. Be sure to leave your email so I can contact you if you win!
3. One comment per person. You may leave one additional comment if you tweet the contest and link to this page. You may also leave one additional comment if you blog this contest and link back to this page.
4. Contest ends Sunday, January 16, 2011.
3. Good luck!

* P.S.- Shopbop has an amazing "Under $100" section that I adore- be sure to check it out!

Apple of my eye, acorn of my tree

2011-01-03T10:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I had the best day of my life. Patrick and I decided to meet up for a breakfast date at our favorite place, somewhere we've been going since we were in high school- Beckett's. He showed up to pick me up with the most beautiful flowers!

While we had the camera out, I had to show off my new Frye boots Patrick got my for Christmas. Am I the luckiest girl ever, or what??

We enjoyed our favorite, eggs benedict, and let me tell you.. it was the best eggs benedict I've ever had.

After breakfast, it was POURING rain! We put on some good tunes and headed out. Patrick told me he was taking me to a secret location and I was blindfolded! I've never been blindfolded before and it was a little nerve-wrecking, considering I'm a control freak. It was funny though, I knew exactly what part of Norfolk we were in (on the interstate, there are these bumps on a particular exit, and I take that exit everyday to school), but had no idea where he could be taking me.

Once we were parked, he led me out of the car into the "secret location." He said he was looking for the perfect spot in the "secret location" and finally took the blindfold off. When I opened my eyes, we were in a little cozy bookstore that I had never been to! He then gave the most beautiful speech, and reached out for a book on the bookshelf. He had created a book, entirely from scratch (yes, including the binding).. "The ABC's of PBJ." For those of you who don't know, our cutesy couples nickname is PBJ (Patrick and Brittany Jerome) after discovering on "The Office" Pam Beasely and Jim had the same nickname. The book was a collection of poems, alliterating each letter, a-z, incorporating inside jokes, memories, and the most heartfelt words I've ever read in my life. By this point, I was crying so hard that the words were blurring and I just saw the outline of Patrick on one knee, holding out a ring. I lost it and once he said those magical words, it took me a minute to compose myself enough to say yes!

After we were officially an engaged couple, we couldn't contain the excitement and were eager to share the news with family. Luckily, my dad's entire side of the family was gathering that night for a late Christmas celebration. It warmed my heart to see everyone so happy for us.

I should probably explain one thing. The engagement wasn't really a huge surprise, although the way he proposed certainly was! In fact.. back in April, I picked out my ring! Remember this post? That's the day I found it! It was at my favorite vintage shop and I knew from the second I saw it that it was my ring. We had been talking marriage for a couple of months so naturally I decided to see what was on the market. The ring never even needed resizing! It's circa 1930s sapphire with diamonds on the side.

Oh yeah, and did I mention that we've already began planning.. as in several months ago? Thus, why things have been so quiet on the blog! I am so pleased to say that we will be getting married November 5, 2011! We have our photographer, videographer, officiant, and I *think* I've found my dress! I'm so excited to share all of this with you, and if you read this entire post.. kudos! I will be sharing this journey with you guys and I've been toying with the idea of starting a little wedding blog to post my inspiration.. perhaps a Tumblr? Let me know what you think!

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-13T12:58:00.002-05:00

I'm back! Did you miss me? This morning, as of 9:24 am, I finished all of my exams! These past couple of weeks I've been balancing work and exam studying, and I feel like I haven't had ANY time to really get in the Christmas spirit. As I was driving to my exam this morning, I noticed a few snowflakes which quickly multiplied. By the time I was finished with my exam, I noticed a dusting of snow! So pretty and the perfect solution to get me in the mood for Christmas! Weather in Virginia Beach is known for being extremely strange. We were in the 60s yesterday and today we have snow! I remember a few years ago, I wore shorts and a tshirt on Christmas. I will be having none of that this year!

entire outfit thrifted, DKNY tights

I honestly don't know what to do with myself over break! I'm working but will still have a lot of free time. I think I'm going to try to organize the room where I keep my clothes for the shop (it's a mess!) and try to see some friends that are home! I'm also getting a new car tomorrow, so I will be spending the day at the DMV. Patrick and I are really tight on money so we are doing lots of baking for gifts this year!

Do you like Patrick's "It's snowing!" face?! And now.. some fun action shots! Enjoy your day, loves!

Christmas Wishlist

2010-11-30T08:59:00.000-05:00

I've seen a couple of wish lists out in the blogosphere & thought it was an appropriate time to create my own! (Appropriate time meaning I'm supposed to be writing an essay.) Some of the items are a bit more realistic than others.. in my mind at least. Anything's possible though, right family & friends!? Wink, wink...

wishlist by finderskeepersblog featuring a gray dress

1. Canon 5D Mark II- My dream camera. The video capability is incredible and all of my favorite local photographers & friends seem to use this camera with dreamy results. My first purchase once I'm done with college and land a "real" job, I'm buying one of these babies.
2. Tickets. Plane tickets to the Washington coast? Sure! Fleet Foxes concert, front row and center? Lovely! I love tickets of all sorts.
3. Hunter boots. I've been aching for a pair and I've completely fallen head over heels for this salmon-colored pair. I'm also partial to the red, but I think the salmon would go with my wardrobe money. If I don't get a pair for Christmas I might have to splurge myself!
4. Pretty velvet part dress. So pretty for ice skating, an activity Patrick and I do a lot in the winter! My 21st birthday is also around the corner so this dress would be perfect for a dinner date. I have a vintage black velvet dress I thrifted a while ago, but it doesn't compare to this silver one!
5. Ladylike gloves. I particularly love the little bows on this pair and the robin's egg blue color. I have a great pair of tan leather fur-lined 1950s gloves, but this pair would be great for a pop of color!
6. Prints. I can't get enough of prints right now! Printed dresses, printed tops, printed skirts, printed tights. I'm into mixing and matching for interesting combinations. I love the muted tones of this dress from Toast, it's very neutral and would be perfect paired with just about anything.
7. A boston terrier. Sigh. If I had to pick one thing out of my wish list, I would want a boston terrier puppy more than ANYTHING! Patrick and I talk about our future boston all the time. He/she even has a name already! I can't wait to be a mommy to one of these precious dogs.
8. Frye boots. I've wanted a pair of these for a while. They are so timeless, classic, and chic and only get better with age! I wish I could afford more quality items that I will have forever, but that will come with time I suppose & that's why vintage is so great! I would want dark brown, it goes with just about everything & will age well!
9. A designer bag. Chloe bags have my heart! They are so feminine and sturdy. This one would never leave my side!
10. Macbook. This will become a necessity sooner or later. Once we move out, we won't have a single computer! Well, Patrick has an old desktop and I have a laptop that crashes, but we will need a reliable one. Macbook is the perfect solution.. I've wanted one since I was a sophomore in high school!

Black Friday 30% Off Sale!

2010-11-26T07:59:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, I'm having a Black Friday 30% Off Sale going on through the whole weekend! Snatch your favorite before it's gone! Head on over to Finders Keepers right now & check everything out!

Bright & Warm

2010-11-22T15:37:00.000-05:00

Boy, it's been a while! Sorry for the short absence, I've had quite a few things on my plate these past couple weeks! I found Patrick the perfect Christmas present, but I really had to do some hunting! I'm SO incredibly impatient when it comes to giving gifts; I kept BEGGING Patrick to let me give him his gift early but he refuses so we made a compromise and I let him touch it & gave him a hint! I'll continue with the begging, though, I'm not good at surprises.

We also saw Horse Feathers earlier in the week at an amazing venue, The Southern in Charlottesville. My favorite venues are always the small, intimate ones. We were 10 feet away from the band before the show- they were hanging out at the bar and we were sitting at a table (the venue is half bar/restaurant, half venue, but separated.. if that makes sense). Saturday night we made another mini road trip to Richmond to see Joanna Newsom at the National. We saw Joanna headline in Seattle with Robin Pecknold as the opening act, but the venue was so incredibly hot, and we had seats on the VERY LAST ROW (that's what happens when you let your boyfriend be in charge of tickets!) so we really couldn't enjoy her too much. Luckily, for this show, we were lucky enough to be in the 2nd row, front and center! It was incredible and we met some really great guys who were also from Hampton Roads, and we all attend pretty much the same concerts! It's pretty rare Pat and I find people with the same music taste as us, so that was definitely a highlight of the night.

American Apparel cardigan, Tulip dress c/o Tulle, light pink Microfiber Tights c/o We Love Colors, belt from thrifted dress

The semester is coming to an end quickly and I've been in a bit of a fashion rut. I find myself in jeans or leggings and an oversized cardigan most days, comfort seems to take control when exams, papers, and projects near due dates! Luckily, Tulle saved the day and sent me this wonderful floral dress. At first, I was a little hesitant about ordering such a bright dress in the end of fall, but I figured that I needed a little more color in my life, plus I've been looking for a light printed dress to match these tights! (Can I just say that from the second I put these tights on, they easily became one of my favorites.. so comfortable, warm, and sturdy!) I can already tell the dress will become a staple because I wore it three times last week.. that's probably breaking every fashion law there is but rules are no fun anyways!

My binders and books appear to be frowning at me right now so I suppose I ought to get back to writing this paper. Have a wonderful week, and since I probably won't be around until then, have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for so many things in my life right now.. perhaps I will do a Thanksgiving post on that. Also, since I'm only posting about once a week or every other week, you can also follow me on Twitter or ask me any burning questions on Formspring!

I had to include that picture of Patrick, it's pretty rare I get a genuine smiling picture from him because his first response in front of the camera is to either make the weirdest face possible or pretend to be a U.O. model!

Human

2010-11-09T09:19:00.000-05:00

Last week was rough for me. I honestly had a little bit of a meltdown. All that's been on my mind lately is graduate school, even though I don't even apply for another year, but every move I make right now will affect if I get into grad school or not. Since I transferred to ODU from a community college with a degree, my GPA starts over at a 0 meaning I have to work super hard to get my GPA where I need it. Grad school is competitive enough as it it, but with my major, only about 20 students are accepted to each school with over 100 applicants. If you don't have a certain GPA, forget about it.

coat via Buffalo Exchange in Seattle, vintage pocket watch necklace, dress Style&Co, Hue tights, Steve Madden boots
I got back my scores from my midterms and in all honesty, I should have been elated. I aced all of them, except for one. Audiology. The subject itself is very, very interesting, and I love learning the science the anatomy of the hear and how sound travels through the ear and how we test hearing. It directly relates to my brother (who is deaf and has a cochlear implant) and I actually completely understand the material. However, I was warned about the teacher's testing style but didn't think much of it. The wording was awful and it was like he was trying to throw you off. There was material on the test that many of us didn't think he even went over. And I got a C+. And I cried. Yes, I kid you not, I cried because I felt like this C+ would keep me from getting into graduate school and I obviously couldn't keep up with the material and maybe I should just quit now.

It's times like those that I think about how incredibly lucky I am to have Patrick. He is there to tell me not to be so hard on myself, to believe in myself, and to tell me that I have what it takes and corrects my wording from "if I get into grad school" to "WHEN you get into grad school." When I get stressed out about my future, I am comforted by knowing that no matter what happens school or career-wise, I will have the most loving, compassionate man by my side. There is no better feeling in the world.

Guest post at Upside of Wonder

2010-11-03T15:35:00.000-04:00

Hey folks, I did a guest post today for Amanda at Upside of Wonder! Stop by & check it out, and leave Amanda lots of wishes to feel better!

First ever couples costume!

2010-11-01T16:42:00.002-04:00

Happy belated Halloween! I didn't realize until a few nights ago that I had Sunday night off, and Patrick and I decided last minute we wanted to dress up this year.. a first for us! Usually I work on Halloween, and it's not really my favorite holiday anyways so I don't mind too much. We waited and waited and finally, yesterday afternoon, we realized we didn't have costumes so we went thrifted but found nothing! So we came up with the idea of Lumberjane & a tree! So, so corny, yet we didn't spend a dime! I'm just wearing all of Patrick's clothes & he's wearing... a cardboard box!

We had a really relaxing evening, we sat around a bonfire in front of his house with his family until an awkward neighbor joined so we went to trick-or-treating with Patrick's little brother for a while and the funniest thing in the world happened.. this little girl came up to Patrick, stared at him for a minute, and says, "What are you? Cornhole?" I lost it and started crying from laughing so hard.. and thus, Patrick has earned a new nickname!

Afterward we went to his grandparent's house. They are two of my favorite people in the entire world.. so, so, so sweet. Patrick's grandmother is SUCH a doll! She acts like she's still in the 50s.. just so, so polite and sweet and always saying the cutest things! They just celebrated their 53rd anniversary and went to the Bahamas, which is where they went for their honeymoon! They took pictures of all the grandkids on the cruise (I think there are 12 or 13?) and for Patrick's picture they made sure to bring one with both of us in it.. they just always make me feel so welcome into the family! I hope Patrick and I are as cute as they are after 53 years together!

Warm

2010-10-26T09:31:00.000-04:00

I've been really loving the warm colors we are finally getting for fall.. although the temperatures have still been pretty warm.. it was almost 80 this weekend! I didn't get to enjoy much of it, though, I was working, studying, and my brother was sent to the hospital this weekend, where he will be for a while.

vintage blouse, thrifted j. skirt, seychelles shoes

I feel like my life is in a whirlwind lately and I can't catch up. I have two midterms tomorrow and I've been working (too much) in a new store, which is taking some adjusting. I also feel like I haven't been getting in enough quality time with Patrick and I'm just desperate for an entire day off of school and work to be with him, but I have to wait another week and a half for that!

I'm going to keep it sweet and simple today! Back to making my phonological processes flashcards! Have a wonderful rest of your week!

Roses are red.. and so is my hair!

2010-10-18T17:27:00.000-04:00

Well, I told you guys on my last post that I finally took the plunge and went completely red.. and voila! At first I was in a little shock, but I still really liked the color. Going from dark brown to red is a big change. As a teen, I would always tell my stylist "NO RED!" because my hair naturally has red tones & pulls red really easily when doing color. Everyday, I love my hair more and more and more. It's definitely growing on me and this color will be around for a good long while, until either I get too lazy or too poor to keep up with the roots. But, hey, ombre is in now, right?

kaang headband, H&M dress & jacket, Target tights, Michelle D flats
I took my new hair for a night out on the town with an amazing friend of mine (who I actually met through blogging!).. Emily Keen from The Daily Fashionista! She is such a down-to-earth girl with only the best intentions, which is hard to find in a friend these days. Patrick and I met up at Emily and her husband Zach's place, and we all chatted for a while and then headed down to their "secret park" to take a few outfit pictures.. because what would a blogger meet-up/double date be without one! (NOTE TO EMILY: Do we call these blogger-meet ups still? What is the hanging out ratio where it's just friends hanging out and not a blogger meet up?! I need to know the rules on these things!)

It's pretty obvious Emily & I aren't used to doing outfit photos with another person. So.. we "casually" started picking leaves off the tree, giving thumbs up, etc. Just the usual.
After outfit pictures, we all walked down to the Azars, an AMAZING mediterranean restaurant that I've heard a ton about. I had lamb and salmon skewers and Patrick had a lamb burger, and we had spanokopita as our appetizer! Of course, I had to have baklava for dessert, because we all know that's the most important part of the meal.

We saw "Never Let Me Go" at the Naro, which is our local historical movie theater. Patrick and I have actually never been, as we don't venture into Norfolk as often as we should. School doesn't count, either! I've actually never been to a movie theater where they have actual curtains that are rolled back, and the Naro ONLY plays movies on real film reels! Isn't that neat? The movie was beautiful and spectacular and thought-provoking, and Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightly both looked amazing, per usual.

Emily and Zach, we had a great time with you guys! You are both wonderful people and maybe we will be neighbors soon! :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I'm off to study for midterms and I'm working a ton this week so things may be a little quiet over here for the next week or two but alas I will try my best to keep up!

Autumn, you are so taunting

2010-10-13T13:31:00.000-04:00

This weekend was my fall break and it was MUCH needed. I had two full days off of work & school which NEVER happens. The name "fall break" for this area is pretty deceiving, though. Shelby and I met up for pictures and it was 94 degrees outside... in the middle of October! Luckily today it's in the low 70s so I'm at least able to wear a light cardigan, but I'm completely ready to be bundled up in scarves and sweaters and tights. I've had enough of this sweating stuff! I was so happy to see Shelby, though. She is one of my few close girlfriends & we had so much fun taking these pictures, playing with the lighting, and avoiding creepers.

thrifted dress, silk scarf from another thrifted dress, J Shoes

Lately I've been really paying attention to the colors in my closet. I really want more diversity, and hopefully I'm on the way. There are so many different color pallettes I've been drawn to.. peaches and navy blues and emerald greens.. it will be interesting to mix and match these as the weather gets cooler (if it ever really does get cooler.. we are actually at a record high right now).

I also made a major color change to my hair so this will be the last you see of me with dark brown hair for a while! I can't wait to take pictures! I probably won't have some up until the weekend or early next week, but hang tight! So far I've had a positive response.. unless people are just being nice ;)

photos by Shelby Ballou

Flightless Bird

2010-10-08T16:19:00.000-04:00

Fall break is here! Granted, we only get off school from Saturday to Tuesday, I go to school six days a week so that lets me skip three classes! I am working tomorrow and Sunday for a few hours, but I have a fun weekend planned. Tonight Patrick and I are going to see Joe Pug at the Attucks Theater in Norfolk, tomorrow I'm hanging out with Shelby and then Danielle, and Sunday after work I will probably just relax with Patrick! Tuesday I'm finally taking pictures with a friend to update my shop & I'm getting more red in my hair & a cut!

thrifted sweater cape, necklace gift from patrick, asos dress, f21 tights, seychelles heels

The other day, Patrick and I went to have lunch at Town Center, which is the "urban" area of Virginia Beach. Really, it's just a square with about 4 street's worth of shops and restaurants. A new soup/sandwich shop had opened up and I was really in the mood for a good soup. Unfortunately, the menu online failed to mention the soups weren't offered daily, only a selection of two. Of course the soup I wanted wasn't the daily special, so I had a tomato and mozzarella sandwich. It wasn't anything spectacular and I've had better. The restaurant layout was really strange, too. It was supposed to be a sandwich shop but it had an overall upscale vibe, which made me a little uncomfortable to be honest! In the back of the restaurant, there was a "market" and we were expecting a variety of wines, cheeses, etc., but instead we found Advil, boxed rice, and orange juice. Quite the variety, eh?

Desert was much better, though! We headed over to The Royal Chocolate and indulged in some truffles (pumpkin, tiramasu, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, and caramel!) and some spicy mayan dark hot chocolate. Delicious!

This cape was a recent thrift store find. At first, I immediately thought it would be going into the shop because I didn't think I could pull it off. However, after this outfit, I'm so torn! I think it will be having a little home in my closet, at least for now...

I am unbelievably excited to wear tights again. They can make outfits so much more interesting & they are one of my favorite things to buy! I'm really looking for more sweater wool tights this year, I only have one pair but I found myself wearing them ALL the time last year when it got really cold, even when they didn't match! I'd also like to find some cute printed tights.. perhaps with little deer or other adorable animals all over? Let me know if you have any tight/legging shops to suggest!

No Occasion

2010-10-05T11:41:00.001-04:00

I am currently listening to J. Tillman & swooning. All of those Fleet Foxes boys make me completely swoon, and I'm glad they have the same effect over Patrick or else someone might get a little jealous. As embarrassed as I am to say this, I even had a dream last night that Patrick and I were best friends with Robin Pecknold. I sent a tweet to him once & he responded, and let me tell you.. that completely MADE my day!!! Are there any bands/artists that just completely overwhelm you & you wish you could be real life friends with?! Or am I just crazy?

thrifted shirt, thrifted sweater, thrifted belt, F21 leggings, socks c/o We Love Colors, UO booties

Anyways, this is just a casual outfit I wore when I was starting to feel a little sick. I just wanted something comfy and cozy and this outfit did the trick! The outfit is mostly thrifted, and I'm especially in love with this sweater. I've been on the hunt for lots of fair isle and grandpa-style sweaters lately and this is one of my favorites! It's so easy and includes perfect fall colors. The booties are Urban Outfitters in Seattle, and I'm glad I snatched them up when I did because I don't see them online! They are super comfortable but I wish I got 1/2 a size up to wear thick, woolly socks with them. Luckily, these tan socks from We Love Colors does the trick perfectly!

Patrick and I have a tradition that if either of us feels sick, the other treats them to pho.. it's the best at cleaning out your sinuses! Sure enough, Sunday I had a full-blown cold.. and out of all the days, Sunday we had been planning a trip to Washington D.C. to see Tallest Man on Earth! But I wore my comfiest vintage 1970s mens flannel shirt belted, these black leggings, and some boots, and drank plenty of tea, but I felt awful the whole trip. Tallest Man on Earth has a certain way of making a girl feel better with his enticing lyrics and engaging voice, however. He pulled his fiance Amanda on stage for a duet and let me just say.. it was the cutest thing ever and brought tears to my eyes! Check out the video of the performance here. You can't really see his face, but Kristian had the BIGGEST, goofiest smile on his face when he was singing to her! If anyone is thinking about seeing Tallest Man on Earth live (although he is currently heading back to Europe).. I highly recommend you do so!

Currently listening to: J. Tillman, "No Occasion"

Stripes & Suede

2010-09-30T15:08:00.000-04:00

These past few days have been nonstop rain because of the tropical storm. I woke up in the middle of the night to horrible thunder and lightning and went to move my car because my neighborhood can flood during heavy rains. I woke up to slight flooding, nothing too horrible, but the rain has just been incessant! My school is about a 30-45 minute drive for me and it floods REALLY easily there, and whenever we are expected to get heavy rains the school recommends parking on the 3rd level or higher. Umm.. but how are we supposed to get out? Luckily class was finally officially canceled for the day, unluckily it was canceled for classes 4pm and later, but my only class is 3pm to 4pm. After seeing pictures of cars completely underwater in Norfolk, though, I'm glad I decided to stay home! Luckily I have these pictures from over the weekend because the forecast was calling for rain Monday to Sunday!

Ray Bans wayfarers, Target headband, H&M shirt, UO necklace, thrifted skirt, Michelle D flats

Lately I have been a thrifting machine! I'm preparing for winter & trying to get lots of big comfy grandpa-style sweaters, because I know despite owning tons of pretty dresses and tights, there will be those days when I just want to throw on a big sweater or flannel, leggings, boots, and a big, warm coat. I'm trying to be practical, but I also can't resist buying really beautiful impractical clothes. I'm hoping to do a little fall/winter shop update sometime between October 9 and 12, my fall break.. I've got some great finds & I can't seem to stop buying velvet, so if you are into the velvet trend you're in luck! I've even got some look-alikes of the Alexa Chung for Madewell Billie Velvet Shorts.

Anyways, as I said a couple of posts ago, I'm really into soft, textured pieces this season, and I'm definitely going for comfort & style. I feel like I didn't dress warm enough last winter! This skirt is a great example. It's sort of a faux-suede material.. it's incredibly soft & never wrinkles. I've realized that I have to be really careful with what I buy because I'm NOT an ironing girl.. so 90% of the time if there's an item that I love, but it will wrinkle easily, it will be left behind. I've also been trying to stay away from printed skirts and buy more solids so I can remix more with sweaters & blouses.. so far so good!

Patrick also let me take his picture! Documentation that the beard grows on. Apparently he's going to shave it when his sister comes home (she's been gone since May, off to boot camp & now nuclear school for the navy). He wants a fu manchu for a weekend as well...

Prim & Proper

2010-09-28T14:17:00.000-04:00

This outfit is semi Gossip Girl inspired, semi Zooey Deschanel inspired. The outfit started with the skirt, & next the belt & shoes, but with the shirt.. I was completely stumped. I first paired it with a grey silk loose-fitted short sleeved shirt, but Pat and I both agreed it looked frumpy. After trying on possibly every top in my closet, I went to check my 2nd closet in the spare room (where I keep shop clothes/ a few spare clothes of my own) & remembered this blouse! I used to wear it to work when I was a hostess at a restaurant & kind of forgot about it since then.

H&M blouse, H&M belt, thrifted skirt, Topshop shoes

Today I went to our first NSSLHA meeting- which is the National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association. It's nice to start to become more involved with ODU because I was very active in school activities & leadership in high school- and during my two years at community college, there wasn't much opportunity. I tried to join the student government but it was completely disorganized, they didn't communicate when the meetings would be, etc. But there are some exciting things coming up for NSSLHA, & if I can get the money I MIGHT go to Philadelphia for the ASHA (American Speech-Language Hearing Association) Convention, but I'm just finding out about it and it's a couple hundred dollars, so I will most likely have to wait until next year.. and it will be in San Francisco! So I can't complain too much about that! It's usually only a couple days long so maybe I will extend it and Patrick and I can have a mini vacation? Probably not, but I can dream, anyways!

Sorry if the colors/ exposure/ etc. on these pictures is a bit wonky! I'm at the school computer lab right now & edited them here & the screens don't show color too well. Ok, I am off to audiology to learn more about the internal ear! Have a wonderful day!

DesignerApparel Giveaway winner

2010-09-28T13:32:00.000-04:00

And the winner is.....

Kristi from Accio Hagrid!

Congrats, Kristi! Be sure to check your email for more information!

Sessun Autumn/ Winter 2011

2010-09-24T13:09:00.001-04:00

I usually don't post about high-end collections, but I just keep coming back to Sessun's Autumn/ Winter 2011 collection. The photography is outstanding and the styling is perfection. I think that the reason I really connect with this line is that it reminds me of Seattle.. the foggy, misty atmosphere, the rocky beaches, and plaid. The only thing missing is the mountains. This is exactly what I would wear if I lived in the Pacific Northwest. The collection is completely wearable, comfortable, and I'm definitely using it as inspiration on my thrifting trips! Toggles and stripes and khakis.. I'm in love. And believe it or not, looking at these photographs is actually putting me to tears! Maybe it's because it reminds me of where I want to be two years from now, maybe it's because of the sheer beauty, or maybe it's just because I am just an unstable, emotional wreck. Either way, I hope you can appreciate the beauty of Sessun as I do.

photos courtesy of Sessun

Sponsorships Now Available!

2010-09-23T20:10:00.000-04:00

After debating back and forth, I decided to accept sponsorships in order to support my blogging as well as Etsy shops, like mine, and other companies that I love. I promise to offer super low rates & can features things such as giveaways, product reviews, and including clothing, accessories, makeup, etc. into my outfit photos! If you are interested in sponsoring Finders Keepers, please email me for more details, rates, and other inquiries!

Maroon Corduroy

2010-09-23T10:27:00.002-04:00

I have a new obsession: corduroy. And velvet, at that. It's funny because last year Patrick kept telling me to find something corduroy or velvet because it's so soft. He has a thing for soft fabrics. We will walk around a store and he won't even look at the clothes, just walk by and feel them, and he tells me to get whatever is softest, even if it's the ugliest item in the store! Last time we went to H&M, before we left he made me do it with him. We started at the back of the store & walked to the front & he asked me what was softest. Don't get the wrong idea, it's not some weird fetish or anything. The boy just likes comfortable fabrics.. and I am totally on board this year! I've already collected two black velvet 90s dresses, this maroon corduroy skirt, and a dark green corduroy skirt. I am on the lookout for corduroy overalls and velvet shorts at the moment.

thrifted lace blouse, thrifted necklace, thrifted belt, thrifted skirt, J Shoes

I haven't been thrifting in three weeks and I am aching over here! Patrick & I have three (possibly four) great concerts coming up, which has sucked up all of my extra money! We are seeing Tallest Man on Earth in D.C., Joe Pug in Norfolk, Joanna Newsom in Richmond, and POSSIBLY Andrew Bird in D.C., if our final exam schedules allow it! I am also dying my hair redder in the next few weeks, if I can ever make an appointment! It's pretty sad that my schedule is so all-over-the-place that I can't even get a hair appointment within the next two weeks.

And finally.. these shoes. I have been coveting these shoes since our Seattle trip in August. Want evidence? I spotted them in a little boutique and the price tag kept me away.. For me, anything over $50 is a splurge and these were over 3 times that. But, I waited and waited to see if I would still be as in love with them in time, and when I realized I was, I saved, and one day, J Shoes was offering 25% off anything in the store for their Twitter followers! I jumped on that chance and the shoes came about a week later. They are incredibly soft and the color is so rich and unlike anything else I own. Not to mention, they are incredibly easy to walk in, which is the highest priority for me since I walk all over campus on any given day. My two complaints? As soon as I put the shoes on, I noticed that by the toes the insole is a little bit loose. Nothing compromising wear ability, it's just an annoyance. Also, on the ends of the laces there are tassels and a metal square for decoration. This causes weight on the end of the laces and they come untied really easily. They aren't really long enough to double tie, and that doesn't look great anyways. Any tips on either of these issues would be much appreciated!

Fall Romance

2010-09-21T12:50:00.002-04:00

Usually in fall I'm all about the usual suspects: orange, brown, red, yellow, sweaters, wool, boots, etc. It is nice to change it up every once in a while, though, and I was feeling up for a soft, romantic look this weekend. Little did I know, Patrick surprised me with a date to our favorite Mexican restaurant that night as well! He has been so sweet lately (not like he isn't ALWAYS, just especially lately!). I came home yesterday after a loooong day to a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a sweet love note, and a clean room! It was just what I needed. We have a couple of upcoming concerts, and I cannot wait. Mini-roadtrip concerts are kind of our thing, if you haven't been following for a while. Our first date was actually at a concert!

Gap headband, H&M bracelet, necklace gift from Patrick, Forever 21 shirt, Target skirt, socks c/o We Love Colors, Kelsi Dagger suede Wilma wedges via Marshalls

I usually build my outfits based on one or two items I really want to wear, & I just start putting together things from there. I bought these Kelsi Dagger suede Wilma wedges from Marshalls about a month ago & I am obsessed with them! I'm usually not too much of a heel person, but these wedges are unbelievably comfortable and wearable! And best of all... I got them for $50 and they retail online for $170!

We Love Colors was kind enough to send me package with a few fall goodies, and I cannot wait to show you guys the beautiful tights (and not to mention the BEST quality tights I own).. but for now, the temps are still dangling between 75-80 and it's too hot by the afternoon to sport tights! Luckily, these tan nylon socks were perfect for the evening paired with my favorite new shoes! The socks are super soft & so easy to style. I can't wait to wear them with all of my boots!

I also wanted to say thank you for your encouragement from my last post. All of your comments were so genuine and sincere and really, really gave me strength! I'm not a pushover, but I can get very sappy and I am very sensitive, so when someone says something that I'm completely not expecting and catches me off guard in a negative way, it can really affect me. It's something I think I will be working on for the rest of my life! I'm working on being strong and not letting others' opinions get to me.

DesignerApparel.com Giveaway: Juicy Couture earrings

2010-09-21T11:26:00.001-04:00

DesignerApparel.com, a search enging that carries hunreds of popular name-brands, including some of my favorite dream brands like Marc Jacobs, Burberry, and Jimmy Choo, is offering these gorgeous Juicy Couture- Couture on the Rocks Pyramid Stud earrings in jade to one lucky reader! DesignerApparel.com's shopping partners include Neiman Marcus, Zappos, ShopBop, Bluefly, Bloomingdales, Net-A-Porter, and Nordstrom. They have wonderful tools including price comparison, sale notification, and free shipping notice!

Sorry international friends, but this giveaway is open to U.S. & Canadian readers only! One entry per reader. For an extra entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway & link back to the post! The giveaway ends Sunday, September 26 at 9pm ET! Good luck everyone!

Giveaway Winner!

2010-09-20T13:02:00.000-04:00

& the winner of the pretty, dainty pearl & bow earrings is......

Meghan from Edible Madness!

Congrats, Meghan, and be sure to check your email! I hope you love the earrings! Be sure to check back very soon, because I will be holding another giveaway, and all of you earring fanatics will be in luck again!

And I present to you... Layers!

2010-09-17T14:24:00.000-04:00

Lately all I've been wanting to do is layer. I'm beginning to stock up on tights, sweaters, etc... yet every single afternoon I am sweating if I even wear a light cardigan! Le sigh. Luckily, it was rainy and 75 (I can justify a light sweater at 75 and rainy) all day Sunday so I just had to sport my new American Apparel red cardigan (I've wanted a red cardigan for the past 2 or 3 years.. why have I never invested?) and Jeffrey Campbell look-alike boots I thrifted a few weeks ago! They are one of my favorite pairs of shoes right now and I wish I could sport them more often. I'm sure by winter you guys will be sick of seeing me wear them!

forever 21 bow, American Apparel cardigan, Tru. che necklace, belt from trade with Tieka, thrifted dress, thrifted socks, thrifted boots

My amazing necklace is from Tru. che on Etsy. Stevie is from Chicago, and she makes fine silver necklaces and earrings, along with a few wood pieces. You can customize any item, like putting the heart in the state necklaces by your hometown or favorite city. Ever since my fascination with Washington began, I had been eying the Washington necklace and finally decided to just go for it about two weeks ago, and only on rare days does the necklace come off. It's a great conversation started as well!

I have to be honest, the past few days I have felt pretty drained emotionally. I don't want to go too much into detail, but I met with someone important the other day and I felt like they had nothing but negative things to say. I talked with several close friends about the situation and no one could really believe what that person said and HOW they said it. I just want to say this to you guys: DO NOT EVER let someone tell you that you cannot achieve your goals. Don't let someone tell you what you are capable and not capable of doing. No one has that right. And if they do say those words, no one is in control but you. After talking with that person, I would tear up every time I thought about it and begin to doubt myself, but realized that the situation will just make me stronger and more determined. Remember that and hold it close to your heart! You ARE good enough and you CAN succeed in all of your goals.

Thrifting Tips

2010-09-16T09:47:00.001-04:00

One of the questions I'm asked the most is how I have such luck thrifting. As you will find out, it's a little bit of luck and a little bit of skill & having a plan & the right eye. Hopefully these tips will help you get on the right foot if you are a new thrifter, or refine your skills if you have been thrifting for a while! If you have any further questions, feel free to head over to my Formspring & ask away!

1. Be picky

When I first started thrifting, I had a bad habit of taking home anything that was vintage & in decent condition, or anything that was from a brand/store I liked. I figured it was such a good deal & I couldn't pass it by! This is NOT the way to go! Yes, things are only a few dollars at a thrift store, but those dollars will add up quickly if you fill your cart with items that you don't truly want or need. Don't get things just because they are cheap.. inspect the quality, fit, & style!
2. Be inspired before you shop
Ok guys, I'm really letting the ball out on this one. One of my biggest tips/ secrets! Maybe it's not so secret, but I've found every time I do this I am successful. Go on Lookbook, Chictopia, your favorite blogs, a street style site, etc. before you go thrifting! I cannot emphasize enough how important this is. If I go thrifting & I'm feeling drab & uninspired, most likely I will come home with nothing. However, once I peruse this sites and have a feel looks I'm going for and a few key pieces I will be on the lookout for, I almost always find something similar.

3. Be open-minded

This is related to the tip above. See a dress on a blogger you love? Chances are, you aren't going to find an exact match at a thrift store. So be open-minded! Was it plaid? How about going for a plaid button-up (there are tons to choose from in almost any thrift store) & matching skirt? Or what about those new lace-up boots we are seeing everywhere this season? Combat boots were huge in the 90s and I found the perfect pair for $3.

4. Go during the week

If you are anything like me, you cannot shop with insane crowds. Thrift stores are already cramped & there is not much moving room between aisles (especially when the ladies have the huge carts they refuse to move no matter how much they see you struggling to get by!). I always try to go on a day like Tuesday, which is an unlikely shopping day. There will be more stock & many times I will be the only one in the store besides the employees! Some people suggest going during a specific time, but I don't think that matters as much. Most thrift stores restock throughout the day.

5. Go often!

The most common thing I see in new thrifters is that they go once or twice, don't find anything, get discouraged, and don't go again. MISTAKE! You will not always find something, especially in the beginning! You will develop an eye for the right pieces, it takes time. But one of the biggest keys is to go as often as you can (this is why it's important to be picky, you don't want to walk out with tons of items every time, either). One of my favorite finds (a handmade leather satchel from the 70s) was found in a thrift store right by my house that feels like it's never restocked , but I go once or twice a week because every now and then I will find a treasure.

6. Sale days are your friend!

Some people will not agree with this statement and say everything will be picked over, but this is the one day where time is important and I am always one of the people who gets there 10 minutes early to wait in line! Around here, Wednesdays are Family Day at the Salvation Army, meaning 50% off. We have 3 in Virginia Beach, and I have developed the perfect system. One of the stores will let you in the browse about 30 minutes early, so by the time I'm done browsing, I check out and am able to make it to the next store only about 5 minutes after they open, and after that I head to the third store.
7. Use Google Maps
When I first started thrifted, I relied on the two or three thrift stores that were close, and it took me a few weeks to expand my horizons. Use Google Maps! You can search "thrift stores" and it will show you the locations of all local thrift stores, and that way you can plan out your thrifting days based on what stores are closely clustered, or en route to each other. This will save you time & precious gas money!

8. Know what sections to head to first

The first section I always make a bee line for is the bags. If there is a nice vintage bag, it will probably be snagged pretty quickly. Next, I go for the dresses, because I usually can have pretty good luck & dresses are what I wear the most! Then, if I'm looking for something specific like a trench coat, I go to that section, etc. I almost always go to shoes last because they are a pain to carry around & I'm not much of a fan of shopping carts, but that's just me, although sometimes I don't mind the hand held carts.

9. Try things on

Proper fit is very important! I can't tell you how many times I've fallen in love with a dress but tried it on & the fit was completely awful. Eventually, you will be able to tell if something will fit you/how it will look by just looking at the garment, but this takes time! I always try on pants, regardless of if I can tell they will fit or not, because sometimes they will be unflattering.

8. Take your time

When I feel rushed, I end up buying things I will regret later or nothing at all. I'm a lot pickier and am just not in the right mindset. Things can be very scattered in thrift stores, and there have been so many times when I've found an amazing dress in the men's section or a vintage bathing suit in the tank top section. Literally dig through the entire store! Don't miss anything.

10. Have fun!

The second you begin to think of thrifting as a chore or a hassle, you won't have any luck. I consider thrifting a hobby (and necessity) and it's a thrill for me to try to make an outfit for $12 total. It's an art form and it's not for everyone, but thrifting can be extremely rewarding, and your wallet will thank you!

Giveaway: Pretty, dainty bow & pearl earrings!

2010-09-14T20:47:00.000-04:00

Before class today, I stopped by the thrift store to drop off some clothes & peruse. I only came to the counter ready to pay with one dress, but they I caught sight of these lovely earrings & couldn't pass them up...

........even though I have a pair EXACTLY like them.. ok, almost exactly like them! I most recently wore them in my "Swimsuit Amore" blog post. Either way, the earrings are adorable & I'd love to give one of you guys the chance to own them!

The giveaway is open to all readers, including you lovely international folks! You can tweet/blog about it for an extra entry as well, just include the link in your extra entry :)

Good luck everyone, & the giveaway ends Sunday, September 19th at 9pm (ET). I am hoping to do more giveaways, even just small ones like this, to thank my blogger friends for their support!

Feet of Gold

2010-09-14T11:03:00.000-04:00

Do you like my title? I literally sat here for about 30 minutes brainstorming. Streets of gold? Feet of Gold? Ok.. moving on. A few months back, Liz from Late Afternoon posted this look & I continued to lust after a similar lace dress/ cardigan. Luckily for me, about two weeks ago I thrifted this black lace shirt from the lingerie section (I will be posting a thrifting tips post soon, which as a request from my Formspring!). I am looking forward to mixing it up this fall/winter with some interesting tights & perhaps a more pale (or bright?) color scheme.

thrifted lace shirt, thrifted dress, thrifted belt, thrifted vintage bracelet, golden ponies shoes

The warm weather we have been having is killing me. I am ready for fall! I've been collecting some granny sweaters & tights & boots & they are ready to make their debut to the world! For a couple of days we had super nice weather in the low 70s, but today it's back up to 86.. which I guess I shouldn't complain about, considering a month ago it was probably close to 110.

I have been waiting months to show off my new gold Golden Ponies oxford flats. The shoes are a dream, and I couldn't believe the price tag! Erandi's items are all handmade (yes, handmade shoes for under $40! Are you serious!) The oxfords literally feel like wearing slippers, they are so unbelievably comfortable! If you'd like a pair, the oxfords are available here, but check out her entire shop because she has an incredible selection of colors/ styles & does custom orders!

I've been taking more & more film pictures with my Pentax & actually got my first role developed a few days ago and the pictures overall turned out pretty great! I had no idea what I was doing and set the camera on random settings, so for that method, I was very pleased! Once I find a scanner, I will do a post! Do you guys still use film? It can get pricey with film and developing, but I think it is so worth the extra effort. Nothing really can compare to the feeling of ripping open the package & looking through pictures you forgot you took.

A laborous Labor Day weekend

2010-09-07T10:19:00.004-04:00

Good morning, everyone! I am so excited to share this dress with you guys today, because it's pretty much all I have been wearing. I got it on sale at Urban Outfitters a while back for only $15! The color was supposed to be brown, so I was very surprised when I saw a green dress in my package, but I ended up loving the green way more. The fabric is so soft & light &, of course, having a peter pan doesn't hurt ;)

kaang feather headband, Urban Outfitters dress, thrifted vintage shoes

Another thing I've been wearing nonstop (besides the shoes.. they've been in the past couple posts!)? This amazing headband from Etsy shop Kaang. I've been wanting a feather headband/ fascinator since last year but just couldn't seem to find the right one for the right price, and I have to say, I couldn't be happier that I waited & found my perfect match with Kaang. Please check out her shop, you will be glad you did!

How was your Labor Day Weekend? Mine involved.. lots of labor. I had class & work all day Friday & Saturday, & work all day yesterday. Luckily I had the entire day off Sunday & took advantage of it! We took my little brother to see Shrek in 3D (for the 2nd time).. and of course Patrick & I cried at the end. Ah.. best line of the movie? "You know what the best part of today was? That I got to fall in love with you, all over again." It was so sweet! Go see it! I promise you will not be disappointed!

Thanks for visiting & to my new followers, I'd love for you to say hello! in an email or comment, I will be sure to get back to you & visit your lovely page as well! Oh, and introducing you to a new friend: this is Milton the caterpillar, I found him on my dress during the shoot :)

Munden Point Park

2010-09-03T11:49:00.000-04:00

One of the places with the fondest memories for me is Munden Point Park. It is located in southern Virginia Beach, really close to the North Carolina border & near Chesapeake. Almost every single time I ask a friend, who has grown up in the area, if they have ever been to Munden, 99% say no. It is one of the area's best kept secrets, so I hope I don't spoil it here! But the park truly has so much to offer- water for water skiing and boating, picnic tables, canoes for rental, and lots of wide, open spaces.

American Apparel headband, H&M tank top, thrifted skirt, thrifted shoes

I brought along my beloved Pentax K1000 that I bought in Seattle for $25, including the 135mm & 50mm lenses! Hopefully the roll will turn out ok because I took a few shots of the water, Patrick, & some butterflies! I'm really looking forward to investing more time/money in film.. it's a shame it's a dieing hobby!

Also, I mentioned on my Twitter a few days ago that I died my hair.. this is the result! It's pretty much just darker with a hint of dark red! I'm thinking of going more red next time.. what do you guys think?

My favorite color combination lately has been black, white, & red! I've already thought of a few fall/winter outfits including this palette. I've had this shirt literally FOREVER, probably since 9th grade, and I think this is the first time I've EVER worn it. Isn't that nuts?! It was just one of those items that I bought & always kind of forgot about. Now I'm in love & want to layer it for fall!

Well, we have "Hurricane" Earl outside right now, so I suppose I should log off before I get kicked off. Jokes. The "hurricane" turned out to be a small storm, and schools, businesses, the entire city pretty much shut down last night & this morning. That's the thing about living in a city that's hit by hurricanes.. you never know when to call their bluff! Oh well, it gave me the morning to sleep in!

Back To School

2010-09-01T15:07:00.000-04:00

A few things inspiring me for back-to-school looks!

Click the picture for product details.

Playing House

2010-08-31T08:59:00.000-04:00

Last week, I was asked by my best friend Danielle to house sit for about 6 days, so of course I said "Yes!" in a heartbeat! I feel like I pretty much grew up in that house & it always brings tons of memories when I come over. Danielle and I have friends since the 7th grade (almost 7 years!) when we were both the new kids at our middle school. The middle school/high school I went too were both very.. pretentious. It's the school in the area known for the rich kids and extravagant houses (not to mention drugs and booze.. but what high school these days isn't known for that?).. needless to say, I was at the opposite end of each spectrum & didn't quite know my place or where to fit in, but luckily I had a few great friends like Danielle. I have to say, though.. I couldn't be happier to be out of high school and I do not miss one second of it! Those were NOT the best days of my life, and I can say I will look back & miss college once I'm done.

But that's besides the point. Patrick was invited by Danielle's parents to also stay over, which was nice because I have a hard time falling asleep if I know I'm the only one in the house. I have this anxiety associated with people breaking in at night, and will often wake up in the middle of the night and HAVE to check that all of the doors are locked! Anyways, it was rainy for a few days, which was nice because the heat was getting UNBEARABLE. It is insanely humid in the summer in Virginia Beach, and it gets hard to even walk to your car sometimes.. never mind the fact that I have no A.C! We took the opportunity to try some indoor photography.. so enjoy the pictures of Danielle's beautiful house (her mom has amazing decorating skills) and other musings from the weekend.

target headband, forever 21 dress, thrifted shoes

You run through the forest, settle before the sun

2010-08-25T15:50:00.001-04:00

You know when you see something and know EXACTLY how you want to style it with? That's how I was with this dress. As soon as I saw this 1970's peasant floral ruffle dress on Mikhaila's blog, I just HAD to have my chance at wearing it! I left a comment saying how much I adored the dress, she emailed me about a trade for a month, & we made it happen! She posted on my dress a few weeks ago (I'm terribly late!), so check out her post!

turban made from a dress belt, dress from Thriftaway Vintage, thrifted belt, Seychelles Shoes

While taking these photos, all of the sudden I felt about a million bugs on me at once. Mosquitoes are EXTREMELY attracted to me & I think I'm slightly allergic, because what would be a normal mosquito bite on someone else will be a huge welt on myself. It was awful, we took these pictures in about 5 minutes and then I sprinted to the car! Patrick ended up with ONE tiny bite and I counted and, no joke, had over 20.

You guys, I have to admit.. I've been a bit of a mess lately! I'm such a stress case right now. Very, very, very long story put short.. financial woes, especially dealing with school. It feels like everything that could have gone wrong the past week to make me stress financially happened! Car troubles, tuition troubles.. but hey, that's life, right? Man, I'm really feeling the life of being a college student right now! I've been aching for a shopping trip to get some lace up boots & a benton striped dress & a trench coat (along with a few other items) but for now I'm settling for a pair of lace up boots I thrifted this morning for $4, a black & white polka dot dress I thrifted for $2, yet I'm still on the hunt for the perfect trench coat! Perhaps I will allow myself to buy the advertised $35 H&M trench? The woes of a fashionista on a (huge) budget!

Seattle: City Views

2010-08-18T08:08:00.000-04:00

So, this is my last & final Seattle post.. for now! I wanted to share some of the amazing city views & sights we encountered, including the University, the Biltmore (the historical apartment complex with moss climbing up the side.. definitely somewhere I'd want to live!), & views from our many walks. I kept comparing to Seattle with New York City, because I thought that I would have LOVED New York City but I was a little disappointed & it just wasn't for me, but what set Seattle apart is the charm & personality. People were incredibly kind here.. we would be sitting on the bus, chatting about the best way to get from one place to the next, and someone would come over & help us out. On our first day, we were struggling, walking forever with all of our luggage (ok, Pat was carrying most of it), and I asked a lady which way we should head towards & she said she was heading in a similar direction, so she walked with us most of the way & gave us the best tips to make the most of our trip! It was only about two weeks ago & I'm already so completely nostalgic.

Seattle: Feast For A King

2010-08-16T08:50:00.000-04:00

When we arrived back home from Seattle, one of the first things my mom asked was how much money we spent on food. And actually, the answer was, "Not much!" We surely ate a ton of food, but mostly we snacked & ate tons of pho. The Emerald City is known for it's pho, and I'm not gonna lie, that's a big reason why we are so drawn to it. A small bowl (which is seriously a bowl the size of my head) will only set you back $5! Perfect for the constantly hungry college students. There is pho practically on every street corner, and we quickly found our favorite location, Pho Than in University District. The place was always packed, but we were lucky and always managed to snag a table. Creme puffs come complimentary pre-meal & the homemade pepper sriracha sauce is to die for.

In order, a few other goods we enjoyed: truffle cheese & mushroom pizza from Serious Pie, black & white milkshake & frozen hot chocolate, vegetarian pho, seafood gumbo, fresh oysters on the half shell, pull-apart cinnamon roll, Iranian sweet roll stuffed with beef, apple cinnamon roll, salmon pate pirosky, & nutella & banana, strawberry, maple & bacon, & raspberry & cream cheese ebelskievers.

Seattle: Shops, Markets, & Exploring

2010-08-13T10:31:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite things about Seattle was the abundance of markets, vintage shops, antique malls, & little boutiques filled to the brim with unique items & brands you won't find elsewhere. Unfortunately, the only markets we were able to make it to the Freemont Sunday Market & Pike Place Market. Pike Place was undoubtedly crowded, and we tried to get in and get out as quickly as possible, just to say we went. Although I'm not one for crowds, we ended up going back to Pike Place three different times. Even though it's one of the biggest tourist attractions, there is no doubt that the food was incredible there.. but I'm saving the food for a separate post!

The Freemont Flea (Freemont Sunday Market) was by far my favorite shopping destination. Although not pictures, I was able to score a Pentax K1000 with two lenses: 50mm and 135mm. And it set me back a mere $25! I found out that I'm actually a good haggler. I've been wanting this camera for months & it retails online for $150-300, not including the 135mm lens! There were tons of handmade & vintage items at the flea, it will definitely be one of my weekly visits when we move.

Patrick also his new favorite music shop in Freemont. The walls were completely lined top brand guitars in impeccable condition. A unique feature of this shop was the harp selection, and one of the workers actually taught Patrick the dynamics of the harp in about 15 minutes and with a little practice, he was playing pretty little melodies!

Between all of the shops, mostly in the Freemont & Capitol Hill districts, mural art was everywhere, so we made sure to snap a few shots of those as well!

Seattle: The Beautiful Outdoors

2010-08-11T17:11:00.000-04:00

After spending five nights and six days in Seattle, I have come to the conclusion (as expected) that I'm absolutely in love. Both Patrick and I feel completely inspired, more than ever, to work hard, save our money, and get to Washington. I cannot even explain the beauty of Seattle, the kindness we encountered, and the memories we shared. Seattle is definitely a big city, yet remains quaint and charming. I have so many pictures I would like to share with you guys, so I will be having several posts, each with a theme. Today, the wilderness & outdoors is my focus!

While at the Joanna Newsom & Robin Pecknold show (which, unfortunately, I could not bring my camera to), the lovely couple sitting next to us (in the VERY top row, which was unbearably hot since Seattle doesn't have A.C. & it happened to be about 80 that night.. the rest of our nights were a cool 60 or so), recommended Discovery Park. I was imagining just a big, open, green field with lots of flowers & such. Luckily I wore jeans & Keds, but Patrick wore flip flops, & you can imagine our shock when we realized Discovery Park is more of an actual HIKE! Nevertheless, the park was absolutely beautiful & a must-see if you are ever in the area. We earned our pho that afternoon after five miles of walking up steep paths & rocky trails.. but more on the pho later. I hope you enjoy the beauty of Discovery Park & the Puget Sound, as we were lucky enough to encounter it!

Dreamer

2010-07-25T19:06:00.001-04:00

Bloggers, meet my new baby: Diana Dreamer F+. I received her in the mail about a week ago & she's given me a little trouble so far, but hopefully my first roll of film will turn out (fingers crossed!). Although the Diana is a toy camera, I have never actually loaded film before , nevertheless 120 format film. But alas, the kind people at Ritz Camera helped me (I was having issues with the slack on the film/not sure if if was actually grabbing the film correctly). So now I'm shooting away & hoping I'm doing everything right?! Only time will tell, but I simply cannot wait to create some dreamy, romantic, vintage-like shots.

thrifted vintage capelet, thrifted Ralph Lauren dress, belt from vintage dress, thrifted shoes, estate sale vintage ring

I've had this vintage sequin capelet for quite some time now & have been waiting for the right inspiration to bring it back from the dead.. so thank you, Diana Dreamer! I found this lovely piece at a thrift store in the dead winter & felt it would be more appropriate with a summer/fall outfit, & my jaw dropped when a few months later I saw the capelet's sister in a post by Rebecca from the Clothes Horse. A little different shape, a little different color, but same concept!

My entire outfit is vintage/thrifted. The shoes were found at a thrift store & completely reminded me of the amazing printed Miu Miu shoes I've been eyeing. They are about as close as I will get, I suppose! But they are velvet, a fabric I've grown to love after being forced in itchy velvet dresses as a child.

I hope your weekend has been lovely! I went to my cousin's baby shower, took her pregnancy pictures, went mini golfing (although we realized it is FAR too hot outside.. 107 degrees.. and FAR too humid for outdoor activities), lounged in Barnes & Noble reading magazines, & now I'm soon heading to Emily's Mad Men premier party!

Swimsuit Amore

2010-07-22T09:14:00.000-04:00

While thrifting a few months ago, I stumbled across this amazing black & white polka dot sweetheart neckline & mesh bathing suit from the 50s or 60s. It was originally for the shop but once I tried it on, I knew it belonged to me (how many times have you guys heard THAT story?). I don't wear it all the time (we are a beach city, so I try to go to the beach as often as possible!) because I want it to stay in top condition for as long as possible, but it really is my favorite. I know there are creepers online so I obviously didn't want to post bathing suit pictures, so I actually wore the bathing suit as a bodysuit, thew on a skirt & heels, voila!

thrifted bathing suit, Urban Outfitters skirt, thrifted shoes, thrifted earrings

I've been lusting after the Esther Williams suits all summer, but summer is quickly coming to an end & I suppose I will just save extra next year.. I really want a red classy one piece. Do any of you guys have an Esther Williams suit? Any thoughts?

Well, I'm off to hunt for my perfect pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers! After going back and forth, I decided a new pair of sunglasses is ESSENTIAL before vacation! We leave in exactly 13 days...!!!

Man, I feel like a woman

2010-07-14T10:05:00.001-04:00

Today I want to talk about something a little bit more serious than usual. I know that you've read about this in every single teen magazine, every health class, and heard the lecture from your mom a gazillion times. But it's just something that hits close to home for me & this outfit was actually a big step (no laughing).

thrifted blouse, H&M shorts, thrifted shoes, Forever 21 necklace, thrifted hat

I've always loved the style of pin-ups and adored high-waisted pants, but there was NO WAY I would ever look good in them. I mean..I have a butt.. and boobs.. and thighs. I don't look like the Urban Outfitters models that can pull off practically any look. But I'm me and I absolutely love that.

When I was in middle school/ early high school, I had major body issues. I really feel like that was the toughest time of my life. Girls at that age are just SO catty & you believe everything they say and take it to heart.. at least if you are sensitive like I am. I still remember this one girl in my Intro to Spanish class that said bullied me & called me fat almost every class! Luckily I had my best friend (who is still my best friend!) in that class to stand up for me, but that doesn't take away the sting. Looking back at pictures from 7th grade, I wonder what the hell she was talking about because I was literally a stick! And I still believed her!

This isn't the solution or anything, but I really feel like my relationship with Patrick has helped me overcome this issue the most. I will say that one of the most positive things about going the church I went to a couple of years back is that it dramatically boosted my self esteem, but there were still those bad days where I just thought I didn't look good in ANYTHING and didn't even want to leave the house to hang out with my friends. But being with Patrick, I don't feel like I have to impress anybody, and although it's a process, I'm starting to do things for ME, not for other people.

Something that keeps replaying in my head is something Shelby (who took these fabulous pictures, thanks Shelby!) said while modeling this skirt for me last week. She tried it on and it really emphasized her hourglass figure & she walks out and just goes "Man.. I feel like a woman!" Yes, bringing back Shania Twain's ultimate girl power song. But it's so true! You should feel like a woman, all the time! Embrace your curves!

I'm sorry that this wasn't a post all about fashion, if that's what you came here for. It's something that's been on my mind lately & I've been really proud of myself for. Generic? Yes. Real? Even more so.

Special Delivery

2010-07-09T09:18:00.000-04:00

I got a wonderful package from Urban Outfitters yesterday! A few things for me, a few things for the bearded one.

I also got the pair of Topshop shoes later in the day that I absolutely adore. You will see these items styled up soon!

Is it just me, or after you place the order online doesn't it always seem like you've ordered so much more than what you got? Maybe it's just because I'm not so used to paying so much for new clothes.

Fourth of July

2010-07-08T14:15:00.001-04:00

A little late, but how was your Fourth of July? Mine was most excellent. I forgot to take pictures of a lot of important stuff that happened on my day of Independence, such as sitting in Panera for a hour with Patrick playing Scrabble online, the amazing homemade American flag cheesecake, and a super fun bike adventure. Oh, and I almost forgot, sitting in Patrick's room for another hour playing Scrabble online. Man, we are addicts. Anyways.. enjoy!

Step on up, kid

2010-07-06T16:19:00.002-04:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about locations for photos. It sounds pretty easy to find locations for pictures, but in reality, it's probably the hardest thing about keeping up with this blog. I want to push myself to be as creative as possible but location is something I struggle with because I've lived in Virginia Beach my whole life & sometimes the most picturesque locations aren't always the ones that first come to mind.. you have to do a little digging.

thrifted dress, necklace gift from patrick via etsy, thrifted belt, Forever 21 ring, thrifted mock vintage Dooney & Burke purse, thrifted clogs

A friend told me about these steps in Norfolk & I thought it would be a fun idea! They are somewhat hidden & aren't off of an actual road, so we had a bit of trouble finding them but apparently it's something a lot of tourists like to come and take pictures by. Lots of little kids were running around & throwing pennies into the water (make a wish!). Ah, I daydream about summers when Patrick and I will come back to Virginia Beach for the summers visiting from the coast of Washington (or Oregon or northern California.. any of those will do) and get to show our kids all of the little attractions like these. The simple things.. how to roll down Mt. Trashmore, the joys of picking fresh strawberries from the fields near Sandbridge, paddle boarding down the bay. I look forward to sharing these memories with them someday! (Someday in the far, far future.)

After playing on the steps for a bit, the sun reached my absolute favorite place for picture taking. Wonderful for detail shots. This outfit is almost completely thrifted, with the exceptions of the necklace & ring. It never really happens intentionally, but I always find some of the outfits I love most were mostly thrifted. I suppose it helps that my wardrobe is slowly becoming mostly thrifted clothing, anyways. Every now & then, though, I can't resist a splurge, like the ones I just made from Urban Outfitters & Topshop! (More on that later..)

And I had to practically beg & plead Patrick to let me take serious pictures of him so I could get some practice in with the camera's manual settings! He can't hold a straight face, he always wants to do something ridiculously goofy, which is normally fine with me. For a short few minutes, I was a proud woman.

..Until he felt the burning desire to become an Urban Outfitters model...

(No offense, any Urban Outfitters models. We love your store.)

Also, for my next post I think I'm going to put up the answers to my Formspring questions. I've been loving all of the music questions! If there's anything your heart desires to ask me about vintage, relationships, etc, feel free to ask away!

A little photography & a giveaway!

2010-06-29T13:42:00.001-04:00

A few days ago, I went on a photography adventure with my friend Ashleigh Muse. She is stunning and has the most beautiful skin complexion & eye color & I knew that she would be just perfect modeling some of my vintage.

I tried to be selective about which photos to post, but I was just so in love with so many of them! I really am trying to get behind the camera more.. I would really love to do a photo shoot with a lovely couple & I have several ideas brewing right now & just need a little planning & a willing couple!

In other news, I am featuring the hat in these pictures in a giveaway at Rockstar Diaries! Be sure to head over & enter before the giveaway ends Friday!

& in case you are wondering, the dress is for sale here at my shop!

&& more pictures from this photo shoot to come tomorrow(?)! Different outfit & different location!

ps- in other news, I got a formspring! Ask me anything!

Down to the river

2010-06-24T10:14:00.002-04:00

Hello, all! I have risen from the dead. I've actually been thinking a lot about the amout of time I spend blogging. I REALLY wish that I had more time to do it, but with my schedule right now, it's just not happening. When I started the blog, I would try to update my blog everyday no matter what, but it really started to stress me out and I want to view my blog as something I LOVE doing rather than more of a chore. So, I have made a conscious decision to choose quality over quanitity. I hope you will stick with me, but by now you should be used to the update schedule!

I've definitely been exploring photography more and more. I'm thinking of getting a film camera, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get the Diana or Holga. Anyone have any experience with either of these or have other film suggestions?

My friend Catey Owen of Radiant Photography has asked me to assist her with a wedding in two weekends.. meaning my first paid gig! Honestly, I would have done it for free because a) I am obsessed with weddings b) I haven't seen Catey in forever and she's such an inspiring person and c) I'm dieing to see what kind of equipment she uses & watch the genius at work! I'm excited to have her give me some pointers and hopefully come out with some great advice, especially lighting!

Dress from shop in Williamsburg, estate sale necklace, Target sandals

This necklace is my new favorite. It's a green jade necklace I bought at an estate sale last weekend. I believe she comes from Italy. I want to name her.. I seem to have an affinity for naming all of the animal accessories that I love..! Do you guys do the same?!

Buy One, Get One Sale!

2010-06-22T16:50:00.000-04:00

Finders Keepers is having a Buy One, Get One 50% Off Sale till Friday, June 25! Be sure to head over & check out all of the amazing things I have stocked up! Click here to check it out!

*50% off applies to the lowest priced item. Convo me before purchase of items so I can apply discount or I will refund you via Paypal!

Love at the Pier

2010-06-14T10:22:00.000-04:00

Right down the street there is (was) a fantastic pier, the Lynnhaven Pier. The Lynnhaven Fish House (an amazing restaurant that serves local seafood) and the Pier Cafe, a small little cafe with outdoor seating and an amazing view, are some of the best kept secrets of Virginia Beach located on the Pier. Sadly, a big chunk of the pier was destroyed during our nor'easter this past fall. It is still a sight to see, though!

thrifted dress, Target headband, antique mall necklace, TJ Maxx wedges

I think this was one of Patrick's favorite outfits. He kept telling me that I looked so pretty! He mentioned it was very Julia Stone-esque and while driving a few days later I watched one of my favorite videos by Angus and Julia, "And The Boys" and realized that this outfit is definitely inspired by the end of the video, with the bohemian feel and golden tones.

My dress is from the shop & being sold here! The humidity here is the summer is INSANE. I'm serious. It's ridiculous. It's a challenge to find outfits that are weather-friendly & stays true to my style! Honestly, lately I've just been throwing on shorts and a tank top when I don't have much going on that day, so it's nice to change it up a bit.

Our lunch.. fish & chips, softshell crab sandwich, & calamari. Delicious!

I am so in love.

2010-06-10T13:18:00.023-04:00

I told Patrick a few days ago that I missed when we wrote notes to each other in the beginning.

We used to leave them on our car windshields at school since we couldn't see each other, or leave them with coworkers so we would find them at work.

And lately I've just been missing them.

Not like it matters, because we tell each other how much we love each other every single day.

But there's just something about those darn love letters!

So I wrote him one at work yesterday. Just simple, and truthful, and loving.

When he came to my house yesterday, I was a little upset that I didn't get one back.

And he saw that I was upset and handed me a note and said he was trying to save it to leave for me so I see it first thing in the morning.

Oops.

I think it was the sweetest note he's ever written me. And I say that almost every time, but they really do get more loving & sincere each & every time.

"As you read this note, as with any that I have or have yet to write, always picture me smiling as I hunch over the very paper you hold and know how much I care for you with every stroke of ink. You are everything to me."

Gosh, how lucky am I?

The real me

2010-06-08T09:07:00.000-04:00

I was going to have a really deep post today, but the more I wrote, the more I realized I was just going in circles. So, to get out of a somewhat depressing mindset for today, I'm going for a more lighthearted theme & I thought I'd do a fun random facts post, inspired by the lovely Keiko Lynn.

-I am terrified of someone breaking into my house at night. I sometimes get up multiple times in the night to make sure all of the doors are locked.

-I desperately wish I could get some wild, sparkly manicure, but my job doesn't allow it. My whole Seattle trip, I'm going to have different nail shades!

-My better half is also the better chef. I'm spoiled by his cooking!

-I don't have that many girl friends.. at all. In fact, I don't have too many friends I hang out with on a regular basis in general. Maybe it's because I'm more of a loner (loner in this case meaning I'm either with Patrick or alone). This is actually what this post was going to be about. I just don't connect with most people my age, and I think it's because I'm at a completely different stage in my life. But I'm very at peace with this!

-I wish I was more of a heel girl, but let's be real.. I am the biggest klutz ever. At 5'2, I could use the height, though!

Forever 21 hair pin, thrifted romper, etsy necklace, vintage shoes

-I literally lay on my bed and just dream about my wedding day and being married. Obsessed with wedding magazines & blogs, yet I've made a vow to myself since I was a teen that I won't actually buy a wedding magazine until the day I'm engaged!

-I can't sleep without some sort of blanket/sheet/comforter over me! I love blasting the fan and cuddling up with my body pillow (Pat made it for me for my birthday!) & the bear he gave me for our first Valentine's Day. Hehe, so dorky but true!

-I've lived on the beach my entire life.. beach girl through & through! However unfashionable, I live in my flip flops, bathing suit, & black sundress (it goes with every bathing suit I have!) in the summer.

-I had a nightmare about an overpriced antique mall filled with everything I've ever wanted a couple of nights ago

-I am not a religious person by any means. I'm not sure about my beliefs fully, honestly, but I don't ponder about it too much and I go by the religion of "live every day to the fullest."

-I am naturally a worry wort & uptight when stressed.. this is my weakness. I've learned to go with the flow, but I'm still getting there. I think moving across the country will help me abandon some of my inhibitions.

-I've always considered myself a somewhat creative person, but that's a side that I need to explore more deeply & this blog has helped me explore art, photography, & fashion..it's my creativity diary.

-I used to have major body image issues. I now feel more beautiful than I've ever felt in my life.

-My go-to color is blue.

-In an attempt to join the trend, I highlighted my hair blonde for a while. It wasn't very pretty.. at all.

-I'd rather hang out with you one-on-one or in a small group rather than in a large party setting. It's not my scene.

But enough about me. Tell me a random fact about you!

CSN Giveaway Winner!

2010-06-08T07:44:00.000-04:00

Annnnnnd the winner is....

Shelby Ballou of Moment of Clarity! Congrats, Shelby! This giveaway winner was chosen by a random number generator thanks to Random.org... CSN will be contacting you soon!

CSN Giveaway: Sherpani Clover Shoulder Bag

2010-06-03T13:50:00.001-04:00

CSN once again offered me the chance to pick out an item to give away on my blog and let me tell you guys.. it wasn't an easy task! With over 200 online stores, CSN offers anything you could ever dream of.. from artwork, to shoes, to ellipticals, to platform beds! You seriously cannot beat their prices.

With many trips to the zoo, beach, and traveling to random little destinations during this hot and humid summer, I've been on the lookout for the perfect satchel to keep my bugs spray, suntan lotion, water bottles, etc. With this Sharpani Clover Satchel Shoulder bag, made with natural cotton and a natural suede trim, I've found my match!

To enter this giveaway, simply visit CSNstores.com and leave a comment below with your email address! You may have an additional 2 entries if you blog or tweet this giveaway.. just put the link of the blog/tweet in your additional entries!

This giveaway ends Monday, June 7 at 11pm!

Pungo Strawberry Festival

2010-06-02T10:08:00.000-04:00

Every year, Virginia Beach hosts the Pungo Strawberry Festival. Pungo is our more rural district.. we grow all sorts of fruits & veggies there, and if you go down a little further you hit Sandbridge, an area popular for beach houses. You'll find all sorts of adorable Mom & Pop shops down in Pungo and see things you would never see in the "city."

Right away, we started eating.. that is the most important part of a food festival, right? I have to say, we were very disappointed with the lack of strawberrys! We saw one stand selling strictly strawberries, two selling strawberry shortcakes, and one selling strawberry pie (as pictured). We went with the strawberry pie, which was pretty much just strawberries in a syrup, a few crumbled graham crackers, and whipped cream. Not exactly pie.. but still pretty tasty. We had lunch following dessert. Sold on the gyro stand.. lamb, of course! Delicious.

Believe it or not, my "dress" is actually a thrifted nightgown! I saw the potential in it, but it's been sitting in my closet for months waiting to be styled up. I added the belt last minute and that's what really pulled the look together. Patrick kept telling me old ladies at the festival would be saying, "I wore that to bed last night!"

I've been thinking a lot about what this blog means to me and what I want to stand for. I think that this topic could probably be an entire post by itself, but all in all, from the beginning my blog has been about "real style for real girls." And that will never change. In no time soon will I be making enough money to spend on designer duds, so I will continue thrifting and recreating the looks I love. The bloggers that I have the most respect for are bloggers that gain popularity but remain true to themselves. I've found the most wonderful community here and I couldn't thank you enough for standing by me and continuing to read my blog. I can't promise you a new dress and shoes by the most popular store every post, I can't promise you hundreds of dollars worth of giveaways, but I can promise you originality and my honest, humble attempts to make this my creative space.. my only sort of a "diary" I keep. I hope to inspire others, and I hope to inspire myself.

Outfit Details:

Headband: American Apparel

Dress: thrifted

Belt: fabric from another dress

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Currently playing: Justin Townes Earl, "The Good Life"

Shine down, light rays

2010-05-29T09:00:00.002-04:00

Shelby and I had a lovely little photoshoot before we ate fish tacos. The lighting was absolutely perfect in this secret little forest hidden in her neighborhood.

This lovely little belt was found at an antique mall for a mere $5! I thought for sure there was a mistake on the price tag. He is my new best friend and you can be sure you will be seeing him often around here. Any name suggestions?

This blog is in a transition stage. My interests, style, and priorities are shifting and I fully expected this when I started the blog. It was anticipated and welcomed. In the next few weeks, months, and years, I will be going through some incredible life changes and I am so happy that I have this blog to document everything. When I look at my blog's first few entries, it's incredible where it has lead me. While I still post outfits for almost every post, I now include so much more and hope to continually expand my content. I hope you guys will stay with me as I find myself through this blog and share my journey.

Outfit Details:

Hat: thrifted

Blouse: thrifted

Belt: antique mall

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: ?

Currently Playing: Band of Horses, "NW Apartment"

(Anyone else loving the new Band of Horses album? It's been on constant repeat for me! Of course, I love this song for obvious reasons! Pat and I sing it as loud as we can and always talk about how amazing our life in Seattle is going to be.)

Shop Update!

2010-05-27T13:20:00.000-04:00

I FINALLY was able to gather the time to do a shop update! Here are some of the items for sale:

Click here to go to my shop & buy your favorite item! Plus, I'm in the process of updating my sale section so keep checking back the next few days!

Thank you, Shelby, for being my wonderful model!

"Mountain" of Virginia Beach

2010-05-27T09:41:00.000-04:00

We took a trip to the good ole Virginia Beach "Mountain".. aka, Mt. Trashmore. I live right next door and let me tell you.. it is HARDLY a mountain and I promise it doesn't smell of trash. The foundations of Mt. Trashmore is compost.. a very eco-friendly site! But there's a playground, a bike & running path, and a lake. Overall a very peaceful place! You can expect to see lots of little kiddies (and maybe us too) rolling down the hill!

Lately I'm in love with anything lacey! This blouse was borrowed from my shop. Everything here except for the shoes was thrifted! I've been meaning to wear this little scarf since winter, but just wasn't sure of the right outfit. It's 100% silk & made in the USA, I believe it to be from the 1950s or 1960s. I have two other sisters of this scarf that I will try to incorporate into outfits sometime this summer!

Oh, and since Patrick was making fun of me for doing some goofy things in this photo shoot, I made him take an outfit picture to see how easy it is! Hm.. well.. he tried, right?

Outfit Details:

Scarf: thrifted

Blouse: thrifted (in the shop)

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: H&M

Currently Playing: Donavon Frankenreiter, "These Arms"

Virginia's Eastern Shore: Trip Post

2010-05-24T11:59:00.000-04:00

The continuation from my outfit post! As you know, we took a day trip to the Eastern Shore last week! We didn't leave until about noon, so we got to sleep in.. Pat went surfing for a few hours and I ran some errands. I went to Borders (is anyone a Borders Rewards member? They send you coupons via email & they are some incredible deals, once I got 50% off any book & last week was 35%!) & bought the "Nikon D3000 For Dummies" book. What a straightforward guide! Highly recommended. It made some great "roadtrip" reading! (I say "roadtrip" because the Eastern Shore is less than 1 hr away!)

See that happy little hippo up there? We call him our love child. He was rescued from a surf shop in the Outer Banks last year. The snow globe was my souvenir for Patrick from New York in February.. he asked me to bring him a snow globe like the one in "Elf".. little did I know what a raucus this snow globe would cause! Silly me didn't know I couldn't put it with my luggage and had go all the way back through security and check it by itself. But I knew he'd be so disappointed without that snow globe!

Most of the houses in the Easter Shore are so charming! If a beach house and a cottage had a baby.. you'd get one of these houses. I'd love a vacation here once we've made it big in Seattle, yet the only issue is, unless you live near downtown (which is an extra 45 minutes from Cape Charles, where we spent most of our day), you are pretty far from more civilization, excluding more houses & farmland. Not to mention.. the bridge toll to get back to Virginia Beach is about $17 for both ways!

While stopping for visitor information, we asked the guy for a recommendation for lunch. He suggested a place called West right down the street. Fair enough. We gave it a shot.. and I'm not one to complain.. but it was pretty awful!!! We coined the soup "Depression Soup" because it was pretty much potatoes and water. It was supposed to be New England Clam Chowder. I think we had about 3 dehydrated clams in the soup total. Patrick ordered a BLT to be safe and I ordered fish and chips. The fish was obviously fresh because I almost choked on bones every other bite.

Last but not least, we made our way to several antique and thrift shops. The thrift stores we went to were awful, and sadly the only one that looked like it had a chance was closed. We did find this adorable little antique shop with amazing prices, however. I ended up buying two hats for the shop.. and Pat was intrigued by this ghost book.

When we got home we just spent the day lounging around and taking pictures. I love days like this.

Virginia's Eastern Shore: Outfit Post

2010-05-23T13:17:00.002-04:00

Last weekend, Patrick and I took a little day trip to the Eastern Shore. Patrick lives in a neighborhood right by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, the bridge you have to take to get to the Eastern Shore (and my Starbucks is right down the street) and it is absolutely amazing how driving over the 10 minute bridge can take you from one universe to another. Virginia Beach is more city/suburban while the Eastern Shore is almost completely rural. If you have ever dreamed of abandoned houses.. you'd be home at the Eastern Shore. I wanted to venture in a few for photos but Pat wouldn't let me! Sigh. Maybe someday!

It was a chilly & rainy day so I just had to reach for my favorite 1970s pale yellow raincoat.. which just so happens to be on sale at my shop here! The dress is also for sale in my shop riiight here, although you can't see it very well in these pictures (we just snapped & hopped back in the car because of the rain!). There were tons of these wildflowers growing on the side of the road & I couldn't resist.. the colors just seemed meant to be paired with my coat!

The necklace has easily become one of my favorites and I haven't taken it off since it came in the mail last week. Lushae Jewelry generously offered me any piece in their collection and it took me several days to decide because I truly loved so many pieces. My necklace arrived within days of the order and was beautifully packaged. The quality of the necklace is truly stunning and the gold chain is incredibly sturdy! You can expect to see many more outfits featuring this necklace. Check out Lushae Jewelry & see the unique designs for yourself!

Tomorrow morning I will be posting about our actual trip, so stay tuned!

Outfit Details:

Raincoat: Vintage, from shop

Dress: Vintage, from shop

Necklace: courtesy of Lushae Jewelry (available here)

Belt: H&M
Boots: Sam Edelman

Currently Playing: Langhorne Slim, "I Love You, But Goodbye"

My new baby revealed!

2010-05-19T12:08:00.000-04:00

Hello, all! I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for the day I could do this post! I finally bought a DSLR! The Nikon D3000, to be exact! With Patrick's attitude of "Screw it, I will be completely broke for a couple of weeks but it will be totally worth it" (his experience with buying expensive guitars & surfboards), I took the leap and bought it sooner than I thought I would!

I cannot express my love for this new camera! I took it everywhere with my this weekend and I want to do a "weekend update" type of post, even though it will be a few days late :) I'm already aching for a new lens and I think I'm going to get the 55mm on Friday.. let the collection begin!

Shelby and I spent the day having some deep conversations, taking pictures, and made a trip to Trader Joe's! Can you believe it was her first time!? I think I got her addicted, though.. sorry, Shelby! I mean.. you're welcome! Trader Joe's is seriously the best place to go for a quick & delicious dinner! I always surprise Patrick with his favorite granola & juice, too.. I just can't resist that smile, what can I say!?

I feel like I have so much to share with you guys that I haven't had time to blog yet, so I will try my best to update more!

All photos by Shelby Ballou.. thanks, Shelby!

Outfit Details:

Blouse: Thrifted

Pants: Nordstrom

Flats: ?

Currently Playing: Joanna Newsom, "Baby Birch"

Bliss

2010-05-11T09:48:00.001-04:00

I'm not gonna lie. I have wedding fever! No, I'm not engaged.. but we did attend our friends wedding last week! I met Rachel while working at a daycare center (a crazy one, if I might add, but that's a different story for a different occasion..) and I am so glad that we have kept in touch ever since. She had been dating Nate for about three or four years and I was so excited when I heard they were engaged! I remember working with her and she would just put her hand out and look at her naked ring finger and sigh.

Rachel & Nate were married at the old Cavalier Hotel. It's one of the only historical hotels left in the area, but also the most beautiful. I had actually never been inside before, even though I used to park in their lot when I worked at Eat. I don't think I've ever been anywhere as fancy and I wish I had taken more pictures!

This 1950s light pink dress is hands down my favorite that I own. When I saw it hanging on the rack a lovely vintage shop, I thought that there would be no way it would fit.. it was just too perfect. But what do ya know.. it fits like a GLOVE! It's from the 50s and made of a wonderfully soft linen and the most gorgeous detailing. It doesn't hurt that there is an attached satin ribbon that ties into a bow.. I'm a sucker for those.

Didn't Patrick look snazzy, too?! He picked the whole outfit out himself.. so proud.

Ok, and single girls.. let me give you some advice.. when looking for a mate.. choose one who can dance. No, he doesn't have to know how to ballroom dance or do the waltz, but he has to know how to have FUN on the dance floor! Let me explain more. I'm not a dancer. I never have, never will be. I can't do the booty pop and I can't do the Miley or Britney moves and I'm pretty awkward! But Patrick forces me to dance every time and I don't really object because he's a ton of fun. We pulled out all of the classic moves (The Scientist, The Grocery Shopper, The Doo Wap) and made some of our own. All in all.. you need someone who is willing to look like the biggest nerd alive with you!

Here are a few random highlights:

I can't help but crack up at the last one! It's Rachel's sister's fiance, Sean. He snuck in place of Jessica (my friend pictured above) who caught the bouquet! Anyways, I forgot to take pictures most of the time because I was too busy having fun, but you can visit the photographer's Facebook page to view a sneak peak of the pictures! If you look through you will find a really funny one of Pat and I dancing..

Rachel, you looked absolutely stunning on your special day. You and Nate complete each other and I cannot express how happy I am that you had the wedding of your dreams. Every little detail was simply perfect. Can't wait to hear all about the honeymoon!

Outfit Details:

Dress: Vintage

Clutch: Vintage

Shoes: Steve Madden

Currently Playing: Death Cab For Cutie, "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"

Hello, normal life!

2010-05-06T12:36:00.000-04:00

FREEDOM! A couple of hours ago I FINALLY finished my last exam, and I feel as if a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders! I double checked with my counselor today and all I need to do is finish this online computer class this summer and I will have an Associate's Degree! Not too exciting, considering I can't do anything with it, but it's nice knowing I have a degree at least!

I will finally be able to get back to outfit posts and shop listings! I cannot express how crazy the past few weeks have been. I was studying nonstop and would often be at school from the wee hours of the morning until it was dark outside. This has definitely been my most challenging semester, but it's all over and I will never have to take another general ed class again! Tomorrow I'm going to orientation for ODU and I am so excited/nervous/anxious to sign up for my speech pathology classes..!

Ya see that scar on my arm there? One of the things I miss about my blog is telling you guys about all of my little mishaps! On a busy Sunday morning at Starbucks a few weeks back, a pitcher of extra hot milk was on the steaming wand (and was about 170 degrees at the time), fell off, and just so happened to splatter all over my forearm. At first I thought it was ok so I kept making drinks but it started to feel really tingly and I look down and the skin is peeling! Yuck! It turned out to be a pretty nasty burn. Fun fact, huh?

This dress is one of the most beautiful I own. It's from the 50s and the pastel blue shades are just so completely dreamy. I have a feeling this will be my go-to dress. There aren't really a dozen ways to wear this one.. maybe change the shoes, accessories, etc.. but I really think the dress speaks for itself and doesn't need to be accessorized too much!

Well, these pictures were taken last weekend at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. The last time we went was when we took pictures for my "All the Colors Fade" outfit post! The gardens looked so beautiful with all of the flowers blooming! It's what I considered my first real day enjoying spring. We danced and sang and skipped and were just so goofy the entire day, it was honestly the most fun I've had in a while! A bunch of old couples kept walking by and smiling at us.. I like to think that we remind them of their youth, young & in love! I leave you with some of our goofiness. Right after these pictures were shot, it started POURING down rain and we had to sprint for about 5 minutes all the way to the car! Such a good memory, though.

Outfit Details:

Dress: vintage

Sandals: Target

(That's it! I told you I love simplicity with this one!)

Currently playing: Anchor & Braille, "Blur."

(Any Anberlin fans out there? Anchor & Braille is lead singer Stephen Christian's acoustic side project. He wrote many songs that he felt didn't go with the vibe of Anberlin and were far too personal for the band & those songs are now available on his new album, "Felt." Definitely worth a listen, I'm hooked!)

A dash of hope

2010-04-22T14:42:00.001-04:00

You wanna know how behind I am on posts?! These pictures were taken last Saturday by my dear friend Shelby of Moment of Clarity. (Thanks Shelby!) She was just home for the day so we decided to meet up in the morning at my favorite vintage shop, which I will be mentioning again in the future! Although there's another local vintage shop that has more of a selection (and a SUPER friendly staff..!), I absolutely love this one because you immediately feel as if you're family. It's owned by a woman named Patti and her sister helps her run the store, along with her mother and son and daughter. Her son is a super cool guy named Ryan, who's in a local band, and we are planning a trip along with his fiance and Patrick to see Ray Lamontagne in Maryland in August! If you can talk to a guy about beards for over a hour.. you know he's friend material.

I found this darling 1950s cotton dress at a random thrift store in the ghetto area of Norfolk. Norfolk can be really amazing and artsy, but it definitely has it's scary areas! Needless to say, I wasn't there for long, but glad I ventured in to find it! I don't have much yellow in my wardrobe, as it usually isn't a very flattering color, but I think the pale yellow works. Because of the silhouette, I had a hard time styling this dress at first. I knew it needed accessories, but couldn't seem to find the right ones until I remembered about this necklace & the headband. Pat and I got up early to get our cars inspected but we ended up not getting there as early as we planned because it took me so long to get dressed.. whoops :) Good thing I have a very understanding boyfriend who kept complimenting me instead of nagging about how long it was taking!

In school news.. the semester is SO close to being over! I have my lab final practical Tuesday, and today is the ONLY open lab day and I only had time to go for a hour earlier between classes and I work until 7:30 and I'm going to rush back to school to study for about 2 more hours.. then rush home to go to bed since I open at work in the morning (4:30am)! The rest of my exams are in 2 weeks and it couldn't come sooner! I signed up for for orientation today at ODU and couldn't be more excited to start! I'm so over general ed and am SO happy that all of my classes from now on will be major classes!

Outfit Details:

Headband: Target

Necklace: vintage, thrifted

Dress: vintage, thrifted

Shoes: TJ Maxx

Currently playing: Lady of the Sunshine, "Home Sweet Home"

*Shelby, you should know EXACTLY why this blog post is titled "A dash of hope"...!!!

Rompers, freckles, & pocket watches

2010-04-17T17:51:00.001-04:00

Well, folks.. I'm alive! This blog post is proof. My nonexistence in the blogging world has been due to the fact that I had a total of four part time jobs! Insane, right?! I want to do an entire post dedicated to my newest job. A few of you may already know about it if you follow me on twitter or if we converse. I'm super excited.. not only is it related to my major but it will certainly change my perspective on life and completely inspire me. And yes, still in school full-time, but luckily the semester is coming to an end and I'm trying hard as ever to keep my grades up! So, in just a short three weeks, I will be posting more regularly, but until then I will try to update more!

Yesterday, a classmate and I took a trip to the zoo for a bio lab project in which we must create a field guide. The weather was absolutely perfect and this morning when I woke up, I was pleasantly surprised to see more freckles! One of my favorite things about summer is that my freckles come out. They remind me so much of my childhood. They are actually one of my features that get the most compliments! I've never understood why people are so eager to fade out their freckles or cover them up with makeup. Let your natural beauty shine, girls! The things that make you unique are what make you most beautiful.

I got this sweet little romper thrifting a few weeks ago. People kept complimenting me on my skirt, though, because the bottom hem is super low.. almost like harem pants! I was going to put it in the shop, and I took pictures and measurements and everything, but it's one of those items that I just couldn't let go, not just yet at least. I'm sure it will make it's way there sometime this summer, though! If you want first dibs you can always email me & I will let ya know when it will be posted!
I found this 1950s pocket watch at a local vintage store and couldn't resist. For part of his anniversary gift, I got Patrick a 1980s pocket watch (he loves the style of the 80s ones best) and I was on the hunt for one for myself. I knew I wanted gold, and I wanted one with roman numeral numbers, as well as a really pretty design. I didn't care much if it worked as I just wanted to use it for a necklace. This one was a teensy bit more pricey than what I wanted, but it was just too perfect to pass up!

Thanks for stopping by, lovelies, and thank you for all of my loyal readers & friends who stick with my blog, even in moments of desertion! I'd like to do something to thank you guys. I cannot express my appreciation. So.. I will be brainstorming.. stay tuned!

Outfit Details:

Necklace: vintage

Romper: thrifted

Belt: thrifted

Shoes: Target

Currently Playing: Peter Broderick, "There and Here"

P.S.-If you haven't already, enter my giveaway with Tieka from Selective Potential to win a beautiful vintage 1970s butterfly sleeve dress from my shop!

Etsy Update! & giveaway with Kendi!

2010-04-08T14:17:00.000-04:00

Alright guys.. I've been a terrible blogger lately, but I've been hard at work finishing up the semester and spending my free time on the shop! I haven't even read any blogs in what feels like weeks.. ugh, I miss them! So.. I present to you a few of my latest items to the shop!

vintage 1950s Original by Caprice bag

vintage 1970s THE BIRD AND THE FLOWER dress skirt

vintage 1940s MILITARY SWEETY dress

vintage Coach-style Laura USA all natural leather bag

vintage 1960s nautical sailor shirt & shorts suit

Again, those are just a few of my recent items added to the shop! I want to take a second and say thank you to all of my readers who have been so patient with the lack of updates & so supportive with the shop! It seriously means the world to me.. it's what keeps me going! Alas, the semester is almost over, I quit my 2nd job to focus on the shop, which also means more time for the blog, so I'm excited to have ONE job like a normal person and be able to do my thing on here! It will be a great summer! Not to mention I got into the Speech Pathology program at Old Dominion University..! SO that means Seattle is being put on the back burner for an extra year, but we are still visiting this summer and very much planning on moving there ASAP!

ANNNNNNNND, if you haven't entered yet, be sure to enter my giveaway with Kendi Everyday! I absolutely adore her blog & was so excited when she wanted to work with me on a giveaway! So enter here, the giveaway is for $25 store credit to my shop!

Reader Request: Spring wedding style

2010-04-01T10:07:00.000-04:00

A few days ago, I got a reader request from Baily asking me to post some ideas on what to wear to a spring wedding. Since I will also be an attendee at a spring wedding (29 days!) and haven't really thought about what I will be wearing, I decided to take her up on the challenge!

For the first look, I wanted to go completely neutral tones and romantic-feeling pieces. With all of the flowers in bloom at a spring wedding, neutral tones are sure to look great next to all of the pink and red tones. Simple, elegant, and classy!

Spring Wedding Guest by finderskeepersblog featuring TopShop

Items in this set:
Much Ado About Something Dress-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage..., $64
Kate Spade Cammie, $295
Pearl Watch Bracelet, $30
Bow Heart Earrings, $20
FILIGREE BOW ANYWHERE CLIP, $55

The next look is inspired by Summer Fin! I fell in love with this dress the moment I saw it and have been drooling over it ever since. Sigh, it is seriously the perfect wedding guest dress, and blue paired with yellow-gold is quickly becoming one of my favorite combos. I think I NEED these shoes and the ring.

Spring Wedding 2 by finderskeepersblog featuring Seychelles shoes

Items in this set:
Grape Expectations Dress, $60
Amazon.com: Seychelles Women's Gypsy Sandal: Shoes, $85
Small Gold Pocket Watch, $1,850
Garden Party Collar Necklace, $275
Peter Golden Tail Ring-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes, $15

My third and last look includes pastels! Truly, pastels are my favorite colors to wear. Spring, summer, fall, or winter, and especially for weddings. And lace? You just can't beat it.

Wedding Style 3 by finderskeepersblog featuring TopShop dresses

Items in this set:
Lace Top Tube Dress by Rare**, $100
Gaga studded mesh ankle boots, $580
forget me knot ring, $54
Patrizia Pepe Bow Suede Belt, $36
Monsoon Accessorize - Brooches & Badges, 18 GBP

I hope this helps, Bailey! If any of you guys ever have a question about how to style a certain piece or have an upcoming event that you'd like me to create outfits for, feel free to email me at finderskeepersblog@yahoo.com!

It's the last time

2010-03-29T09:58:00.000-04:00

Saturday was the perfect day. Patrick and I actually had a WHOLE Saturday off together! I didn't even have to open in the morning, which usually makes me grumpy for a while until I get more relaxed.. so.. a whole day of relaxed Brittany and Patrick!

When we have days off together, we don't really know what to do with ourselves. We are so used to work, school, and whatever else coming in the way of having a completely relaxing day. So, I actually slept in past 5 a.m. (9!), ate Krispy Kreme that my mom had brought home from the night before (doesn't she know bathing suit season is right around the corner?! And we live in a beach town?! Sabotage!), and caught up on some blog reading! We met up around noon, and I tried to show Patrick the ways of thrifting.. and it was not a success! I hate thrifting on the weekends because everything feels picked over, there are way too many people with their huge shopping carts taking up all of the aisle, screaming kids, etc. I can't shop in that kind of environment and he can't either. We did pick up a flannel shirt that has some pearl snap-buttons, which he's obsessed with. He won't buy button-up shirts now that don't have snap-buttons (lazy!).. so he bought the shirt to take the buttons off & use them on another shirt. Semi-success? And I found NOTHING. Not a thing! Kinda frustrating, but I needed to save the money anyways because I'm exploring a new thrift store Wednesday!

After shopping, we went to Guitar Center, which was right next to the thrift store. Patrick's obsessed with the place, and often we will go and he will just browse guitars and we will sit in a sound-proof room and I will listen to him play the sweetest melodies for me on the most beautiful guitars! In the morning, before we met up, he began writing a new song and he debuted it for me. It was so beautifully written and I was brought to tears at his talent. Patrick's always been an amazing guitar player and singer/songwriter, but his transformation has astounded me and I cannot wait to see where his passion takes him in the years to come.

Afterward, we were once again stumped on what to do. I suggested Bed, Bath, and Beyond to buy more pillows for my bed, but I didn't feel like spending money. Then I got really hungry for fries so we went to Five Guys! Such a guilty pleasure but so, so delicious. I ordered the little cheeseburger with mustard and grilled onions, and Pat said he was going to get the same, but at the last minuted he yelled, "Who am I kidding! I want the big one!" Hahah. Go figure!

We headed down to The Narrows, which is a local nickname for a state park. We go paddleboarding there in the summer because the water is really calm, unlike the beach where the waves can be rough and we think of paddleboarding as more of a calming sport that doing it for the tricks and whatnot. There are also several docks for boats and tons of people go tubing and water skiing down here!

The night ended with a trip to Trader Joe's where, of course, we only planned on buying a few things but ended up spending almost $30! I love Trader Joe's, but maybe a little too much for my own good. Then we settled down & cuddled up to watch Role Models.. an interesting movie but.. Saturday was actually our "Stupid Movie Sunday" so it's justifiable!

As for the outfit, I've been aching to wear this little peter pan collared blouse! It's so simple and I know it will be a summer staple for all of my floral & patterned skirts! And the skirt was sitting in a local thrift store for a while, and I don't know how I could have looked at it so many times without purchasing! It's vintage 1960s and I have a lot of ideas on how to style it up different ways that I will show you later on!

Finally, I am declaring this outfit post as the last time I am wearing tights for outfit photos. I have SO many amazing dresses that tights just take away from the look and am desperate to wear them! Also, it's my way of rebelling against the weather (I actually wore a coat Saturday because it was still in the 40s, which is crazy because last weekend hit the 80s) and I think that if I don't wear tights and a coat it will automatically be wrong. So.. I may be a little crazy, a little desperate, but this is my plan.

Outfit Details:

Blouse: thirfted vintage

Necklace: gift from Patrick

Skirt: thrifted vintage

Tights: Hue

Shoes: thrifted vintage

Currently Playing: Great Lake Swimmers, "It's Too Late"

Shop giveaway & boyfriend summer style

2010-03-27T09:27:00.005-04:00

First of all, (and I'm very late on announcing this, school & work have been kicking me (#*@ so I haven't updated in way too long!) I have a giveaway going on with Elizabeth from Delightfully Tacky! You can win any item in my shop under $25, and you have until tomorrow night to enter! So don't miss it, I'm hopefully adding a few more things today/ tomorrow too! Click here to enter! I've got a few more giveaways in the works so stay tuned!

Also.. I have a very serious question to ask you. Patrick and I have an issue... what do guys wear in the summertime?!? Seriously.. it sounds like a no-brainer.. but as warmer weather approaches, he doesn't really know what to wear! I let him know that I'm not too found of short sleeve button-ups, there are a few exceptions, but for the most part- no. It gets extremely hot & humid here, so layering too much isn't really an option.

Here's a little info on Patrick, if you're a new follower: He's an aspiring indie folk singer/songwriter/guitar player (and amazingly talented, if I might add). He grew a beard this winter and stared caring more about his style (yay!) so this is the first summer he wants to step out and wear more than just board shorts and tshirts (although with the right combo those two can create a great look). We live in a beach town where all the guys wear are surf brands. Patrick surfs about 3 times a week, and everyday in the summer, so that's a big part of his life. He is a casual guy but doesn't want to look like every other surfer dude in Virginia Beach. Oh, and he is especially fond of hats!

Here are a few pictures I found for inspiration:

photo courtesy of Zach Williams

photo courtesy of Style Sightings

photo courtesy of Sam Beam, Iron and Wine

As you can see.. I don't have much of a collection here and just spend almost a hour scouring for stylish men in summer apparel. It sure was easy to find inspiration for winter, though! When trying to recreate these looks, we will probably mix thrifted pieces (thrifting men's clothes seems so much harder.. the fit is more important.. for us women, if a top is too big, we can tuck it into a skirt or belt up a loose dress) with modern pieces from Urban Outfitters, Swell, etc..! So.. let the suggestions roll!

EDIT: After reassessing my statement about the button-up short sleeve shirts.. I'm taking it back. I am now open to the idea! As long as they don't look like the ones my dad wears.

Etsy shop weekend deal!

2010-03-19T12:59:00.001-04:00

Hey guys, special deal from my shop this weekend only! Buy anything & get a free vintage gift & get 15% off your next purchase! I'm going to try to add a few things today (if I don't get to it today, tomorrow for sure!), but I added 7 new items yesterday! So take a look & take advantage of this deal! Remember, today 3/19 to Sunday 3/21 only!

Finders Keepers Etsy Shop!

Spontaneity

2010-03-17T18:51:00.001-04:00

Don't you just love spontaneity? It was looking like a bleak next couple of days, with tons of work and no fun. Now, I have less work & more fun! Three concerts coming up in the next week (including tonight! and a dinner date included!)! Carbon Leaf tonight, Ben Folds Saturday night, and Amos Lee Wednesday night! So perfect!

This is one of my all-time favorite outfits. Simple, but it's all in the details. And the ENTIRE outfit was thrifted & vintage! I love it! My goal is to own only thrifted vintage clothing from now on. Well.. I need jeans for the days when I've opened in the morning and need to go STRAIGHT to school (lame) but for days when I can wear what I want.. only thrifted vintage!

I can't believe I've never taken pictures at this location before. It's a church literally RIGHT across the street from the restaurant! I hear in the summer they have an incredible rose garden, so expect to see more here!

Be sure to check out my shop (click here)! I just did an update!

Outfit Details:

Trench: thrifted (on sale here!)

Dress: thrifted

Socks: thrifted

Shoes: thrifted
Coach bag: thrifted (just shipped off this weekend to Rebecca from The Clothes Horse so expect to see it on her soon!)

Currently playing: Carbon Leaf, "International Airport" (seeing them tonight!)

Pearls of a feather flock together

2010-03-14T14:14:00.000-04:00

I spent my day yesterday working my little tail off at work, shipping packages, thrifting, and taking these STUNNING pictures with Shelby & her friend, Michael! Michael is an amazing photographer and I'm speechless at the quality of these pictures!

Seeing these pictures really makes me treasure Virginia Beach. Sometimes it's hard to realize how beautiful your hometown is when you see the same thing everyday. Right across the bridge is the Starbucks that I work at, and I get to see the sunrise every morning when I open over the bay. Sure, we have our touristy areas and sketchy neighborhoods, just like most other cities, but we also have some of the most incredible locations I've ever seen.

This hat is one of my favorite finds. I cannot believe the quality! It's from the 1950s and has the softest velvet I've ever felt. I've also been aching for a hat with netting, and this veil is just what I was looking for. However, this hat has served it's purpose in taking beautiful outfit photos with me, so it's up for sale on my etsy, so just click here if you are interested!

Also.. Michael brought balloons for our photoshoot! Good call, Michael! I loved how they added such a playfulness to the pictures. Unfortunately, after taking these, we tied them to a post and it was so windy that they flew away! And of course, the first thing Shelby and I scream is "OH NO! WAIT, TAKE A PICTURE! TAKE A PICTURE!" Hahaha, I love you so much Shelby!

What a fabulous, exhausting day. Unfortunately, this was my last day with Shelby for a while because she's headed back to JMU now that spring break is over! Boy am I gonna miss that girl. I hope these next few weeks fly by so we can be reunited!

Outfit Details:
Hat: vintage, on sale here

Blouse: vintage

Skirt: vintage

Shoes: thrifted

Currently playing: Imogen Heap, "Let Go"

Thrifting the day away

2010-03-11T11:29:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was the most fun day I've had in a while! I spent the entire day with one of my BEST friends, Shelby Ballou of Moment of Clarity! We went thrifting, visited a pet store where I almost got killed by a macaw, ate at Pho, and took some pictures for my shop! (Please take a second to check it out! I'm really very proud.. it's become my baby!) Thanks for being such a great model, Shelby!

We also stopped by the local antique mall and I was drooling over all of the old books. I seriously could spend a whole day at this particular vendor's space. There was an amazing scrapbook from the 1940s, following a family on one of their vacations! I seriously need to start buying antique books so I can fill my dream bookcase one day!

I'm obsessed with my new purse. I thrifted it yesterday and it's BEAUTIFUL! Handmade in Italy, genuine leather! Eeeek!

Today there's nothing too excited going on. I just got home from thrifting, and found two pairs of vintage shoes for the shop that I will be adding soon! I have to FORCE myself to start this paper I told myself would be DONE by today and I haven't even started..!!! Work later, then I get to spend the night with Patrick!

Thanks for the amazing photos, Shelby! See Shelby's take on the day here!

Outfit Details:

Blazer: Thrifted

Sweater: Gap

Shorts: Vintage thrifted

Necklace: H&M

Bag: Vintage thrifted

Sandals: ?

Currently playing: She and Him, "In the Sun"

Ridiculous or amazing? Or ridiculously amazing?

2010-03-09T14:59:00.000-05:00

I always have last-minute impulse buys. I will be in line to check out, spot something out of the corner of my eye, and go grab it and then it's my turn to check out so I just throw it in there with everyone. Do you guys ever do that? Surely I'm not the only one.

That's how this short sleeve sweatshirt became all mine last week. Ok, it's super 80s, but I've been a sucker for anything that remotely resembles sailor-inspired chic.

Anyways.. that's all I have to say for now besides that it is SUPER sunny outside and gorgeous and WARM and I have a paper to write by next Tuesday.. hmm.. I think procrastination is setting in. Today was SUPPOSED to be my day set aside to get most of it written, but do you think that happened? Nope.

Also, check out my new banner & link to my Etsy shop! Thanks, Bryan! Be sure to check it out. I've got a really big stock from collecting things over the past few weeks & I'm still adding all of those, in addition to thrifting every couple of days & will be adding those items!

Outfit Details:

Headband: American Apparel

Shirt: Vintage

Skirt: gift from mom

Shoes: Target via thrift

Currently playing: Mute Math, "You Are Mine"