My Dream Destinations

I recently finished off the school year and one of my favorite courses was World Geography. It wasn't really because of the absolute or relative location of the countries, although that is totally helpful, it was more for the beauty of the places that I got to study. I have always wanted to jet off to Europe because my mom inspired me with her college backpacking stories. Even more than that was the description of each place that she went to. Going to London and Paris were obvious givens but I would have never thought to visit certain places had it not been learned in class. I now want to visit the beautiful tulip fields of the Netherlands, Balmoral castle in Scotland, haggis is not part of my wish here. I am prone to adventure, but I'm no Andrew Zimmern. If I think about what it really is, I don't think that I'll go that bizzare with foods.I want to marvel at the wonder of these places and immerse myself in the ways of the world. I am most likely to go to Spain and Germany one day as well, these being some of the top spots on my list. Greece is the top! I want to...... let's just say.....go everywhere. Life is short. I plan to live it globally, because travelling is always and always will be......quite frankly, in fashion.
Here are a few of the many places that I want to visit:

 Buckingham Palace. Prince Harry anyone? Santorini, Greece is beautiful and so are these tulips in Amsterdam.

Fashion in Editorial

Just because I have been off of the radar for almost a year, that doesn't mean that I have stopped reading fashion magazines. Fashion magazines are an addiction for me because after six years of reading them, I haven't tired of them yet. At this point in time, I don't think I ever will. Some of my favorite publications of the industry are of course both American and British Vogue, Teen Vogue, Elle, and NYLON. (one of my all time favorites). What I love in the magazine world right now is the June 2011 issue of Vogue. Why do I love it? Well:

1. The cover is beautiful.

2. The fashion layouts have made it clear that summer is finally here.

3. The photographs inside are amazing, (they always are).

4. Grace Coddington, renowned fashion editor showcases her amazing talent yet again. She is an inspiration to me due to her ability to capture a moment beautifully everytime, no matter what the theme of the shoot, her creativity is always new, interesting, abstract, and utterly fantastic.

5. Reading the articles only makes me want to go on vacation more.

I love Vogue because it is always classy. Best of all, it is always in fashion. Best $3.99 I ever spent.

Here we go AGAIN!!!

So, I know haven't exactly been the model blogger. I mean, I haven't actually blogged on a regular basis. With all of the school work and my busy schedule, I have had no time to write about what I love. Fashion. In the time since I last posted, I have added several new vintage pieces to my closet. Best of all, I redid my closet! This makes my job so much easier in the morning by enabling me to see ALL of my clothes at one time. Anyway, now that it is my first official day of summer, I plan to and plan to keep this plan of planning stay faithful to all who follow and to meet the expectations of a normal blogger. I aim to go beyond this time around, by keeping everyone posted frequently. With that, let this be my first official post of my new, improved, I guess, first OFFICIAL and up to date blog.

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 The Look A Like Jean Jordace Jacket

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 The Look-A-Like Inspiration

Countdown to Class: What Am I Going to Wear?

Well, here it is, 2 days before school is to start and I finally know what I'm going to wear... I decided on a blue Gap V-Neck (on sale) and I will pair it with the Material Girl belt I just bought at Macy's for $15. I will wear my tried and true frilly black skirt from the thrift store that I have had forever and black socks with my black ankle boots that have silver studs on them. I wore those boots everyday trekking around New York. They are from the Nordstrom Rack and are normally $165 but I got them for $42!!! I will top the look off with my awesome Jordace jean jacket from the 80s it is acid washed and has bows coming up the back. As for jewels--- I decided on a multistrand pearl necklace from Forever 21. It was $7.80 and it instantly dresses up a plain t-shirt. However you girls want to dress it up or dress it down for your first day make sure that you feel like a million bucks. Who's kidding, you know you will. Happy Shopping to all!!! Here are some pieces to my look with the prices.

What makes Ms. Bardot so fabulous? Just look at some of her iconic fashion moments....

The beehive......need I say more?

 This is my all time fave

 Brigitte captured classic...

There's Something About Brigitte........

Hi everyone! I have had tons of icons but one of my all time favorites is Brigitte Bardot because she was one of the 60s icons. She sported the beehive like no other and her style has gone on to inspire runway looks and hollywood stars alike. I love her style because it was one word. Classic but with an edge....What's best is that thrift stores have so many pieces for one to recreate her closet. Her poise was part of her class. Her clothes were timeless and when you think of 60s bombshells you automatically think of Brigitte Bardot. She was so multifaceted when it came to her appearance. She could be classic and elegant one minute and high fashion "don't mess with me" the next. She was French, flawless and fabulous every day 24/7 and she set the ground for generations to come.

What I'm Loving Right Now...

Hi everyone! So if there is one thing I'm excited about, it is the new school year but even more is the 50s ensembles that were shown on the Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection. I felt like an old hollywood star just by looking at the looks. They were so Grace Kelly and totally one of my favorite eras to see reborn on the runway. It is so easy to duplicate that look for less: 1. You need a forties pill box hat and a ladylike vintage bustier or blouse from the thrift store. Another essential is the high waisted full skirt that embodied the era. I would say an inch heeled shoe with bows absolutely! Try some muted red lipstick and your there. As for school, I'm going to do my normal mix of vintage mixed in with newer pieces, and my school year resolution is to take pictures of my daily outfits for you and post them. I have an awesome Jordache vintage acid wash jean jacked with cut-out bows up the back. Yesterday, I wore it with a couple of pieces from the new Material Girl line by Madonna and wore a black cross necklace from Forever 21 and my true 80s black frilly skirt that I've had forever. I wore my 80s buster brown flat boots that lace up and buckle and they have faded from being worn so many times. I topped off the look with a black bowler hat with a velvet bow on the back of it. I felt like I channeled my inner Material Girl and you can too. Her new line is beyond affordable. Have fun and stay fashionable! Thanks to all!!!

I'm back from the Big Apple!!!

 Gap's amazing new LEGGING JEANS!!! Jeans, $69.50 exact wash I purchased

Hi to all who may be listening at this moment...I just got back from New York on Sunday and I'm sorry I haven't written. I needed to think about what I would write about on my blog because I want it to be the best it can be for my followers. Oh and you will probably hate me for saying this but I DID NOT buy ANYTHING in New York!!! Shocker right? I didn't know that almost all of the stores there close at 8 or 9, oh well. Now I know what to do next time I'm there shop. I had a blast! But my dad did get me a Tarina Tarantino skull ring with red rhinestone eyes and I love it. Her jewelry is fantastic!!! I have always wanted one of her pieces and I actually went to the store. It felt cool to be in the actual designer store. The whole experience was so much fun. OH! Here we go. I just went out and bought new stuff for school yesterday and was in shopping heaven! I have been looking for the perfect pair of jeans forever and I had no jeans before yesterday. That was until I decided to go into the GAP for the first time in my shopping life. They have the most comfortable jeans on the planet!! I tried on the GAP 1969 Legging Jeans that model Sasha Pivovarova wears in the editorial ad and fell in love. The best thing about these jeans is that they strech to fight your body not the other way around. They are so comfy!!! I scored because they are having a sale where you buy one pair of jeans and get the second pair for only $20 bucks. I only liked the wash that Sasha wears in the ad personally so I got two pairs of jeans with similar but not the same medium wash. One is more faded on the legs. They are totally worth every penny. I also discovered that GAP makes the most comfortable v-neck t-shirts I have EVER put on my back. They are so light weight and breezy and I got two. One in dark heather gray and one in vibrant burnout blue. Trust me they are the best v-necks ever!!! I also checked out Madonna's MATERIAL GIRL line at Macy's and picked up awesome and affordable pieces to amp up my fall wardrobe. I bought a black belt with a bow with studs on it for $15. A black pleather bandeau to layer underneath anything for $5. A lovely sequined pink crop top with black hearts on it for $20, and my personal fave: a pair of basic black harem pants with the classic Madge band at the bottom for $20 as well. Totally affordable and so fun. I plan to soon go to the thrift store and try and find pieces that look like that of what is on the fall runways right now and will start to post pictures of my outfits and finds. Thank you all so much.

 My Awesome Tarina Tarantino Ring I got in New York!!!

HELLO NEW YORK!

Hi to everyone who may be reading this. I haven't blogged in such a long time due to computer problems but I'm back now and am ready to help all of you fashionistas out there find the best pieces for less. I am going to New York for the first time next week and I have so many places I would like to go. But my first priority is to pack. I'm packing the creme de le creme of my closet and the weather conditions don't seem like they will be agreeing with me according to the 10-day forecast. So far, I've packed a 1920s beaded top (think Jami Gertz in the Lost Boys) and a new black tulle skirt from Forever 21. I know what is essential and I'm trying not to let the weather affect what I choose to wear. I'm going to pack my newer black ankle boots from the Nordstrom Rack (they have studs on them) and definitely my lace up ankle boots, black foldover boots and maybe my black oxfords. I'm in a bit of a last minute rut at the moment. But as far as traveling goes, when I'm there I plan on going to stores like H&M and Topshop. I'm going to scour all the hole in the wall consigment shops that I can find and I really want to go to the Betsey Johnson store, oh and the Forever 21 there is a must........ For all of those who are out there or are reading this, please feel free to suggest any stores I may be missing out on before I leave. THANK YOU ALL!!!! Oh and I will document ALL of the outfits I am going to wearing and how much they all cost. I will also tell you what fall essentials every girl needs in her closet and how to get them on a budget. Thanks for reading my blog!!!

How to Look Fabulous Without Hurting your Wallet

I love that feeling of confidence I get whenever I walk into a room and I have on a great outfit. Although, at times even I wonder why I threw that outfit together. What was I really thinking. I don't know. I guess what it really comes down to is a sole inspiration, or the throw and go technique which I still need lots of help with because I get distracted by my tv in the morning..so much gossip to catch up with on the dailies. I love it. But you know what I love even more: FASHION!!!!! A picture of a favorite celebrity, a color, a mood, style is a reflection of your personality and your self as a person, unique and awesome in your own way. I sometimes see a picture of one of my icons like supermodel Agyness Deyn on the streets of  London, Taylor Momsen in New York, a dated picture of my all time icon Audrey Hepburn or a recent Teen Vogue fashion story and think what do I have that sort of looks like that and how can I make it my own. My advice to all of you fashionistas worried about how to find the latest trends or setting your own in this economy is:
My fave option is to search local thrift and consignment shops first to find anything one of a kind and vintage for really cheap that you can mix in with the more pricey pieces for that thrown together and altogether amazing finishing look.
I then turn to my favorite stores at the mall like Forever 21 where I can always find really affordable fun and fresh pieces that are very edgy to combine with the more time-tinged items, like a 1940s frock.
Urban Outfitters always has really cool mod-style clothing, kind of modern vintage, for the girl wanting a newer creative piece for a little more than the price at the thrift store.
I love the jeans at Nordstrom Rack which isn't really a mall store, but they have the greatest shoes by your favorite designers like Steve Madden for less which I love.
Okay, I am not going to lie but I do, every girl does, occasionally splurge every once in a while. My go to splurge items just for that extra bit of blam are as follows:
I love Betsey Johnson jewelry, her pieces are always very fun and crazy, but thats how I like my jewels. Her jewelry line isn't insanely pricey just right, technically still fits the budget friendly category.
I really like the lipstick at MAC and everyone at school always asks, are you wearing lipstick? Yeah, but that is ok by me because it is something different but something definitely fun to do, I always feel more confident with a bold shade of lipstick. Price range: $14 a shade, so that is very rare that I buy a tube of MAC but I love it still. A budget friendlier line with great lipsticks I own more of is probably Maybelline Color Sensational and Sephora Brand. Price Range: $5 and $12.
Okay fellow fashion lovers, I will keep you posted on any fabulous things I find that I can wear and I will try to post the outfits I feel are fashion forward and affordable (which all of them pretty much are less than 25 dollars) on the blog in the near future. Happy Shopping!!!!!

Tales of the Sale

I recently went to one of my favorite stores for a great bargain, Forever 21 was having a sale on select outerwear, I just scored an awesome jacket that looks just like a Balmain recreation except different. It used to be 32.80 and I got it for as little as 16.99. I was glad that I didn't shop on an impulse and buy it the first time I saw it because I would have regretted it! I also got home to find that my mom after her day of thrift store shopping found a pristine vintage Letterman's sweater from the 1950s. I'm so excited to wear it with the beat up old Rod Stewart slip ons I got for only $2! So, I ended up with some pretty good steals you couldn't find anywhere for less than $4 at my local thrift shop. I would definitely recommend The Wasteland in San Fransisco if you and your girls are planning a road trip anytime soon or if you are close by. It is the best place to find awesome one of a kind vintage that is practically brand new. The most recent and first time I went, I found an Adam Ant concert shirt for $42, a neon pink sweater for $15 and a really cool russian-ish, british guard hat for $28. A little pricey for me, but trust me, it is absolutely worth it. Despite my obbsession with everything eighties, since it is winter, I am going to store some of my (crazier) pieces away for a while.

I love Forever 21!

Recently I went on an all-day shopping trip with my mom to find great pieces to wear for back to school. Of course, my favorite mall store is Forever 21 because it is affordable and always carries cute things that I can mix with my thrift store finds for the perfect outfit.I found a great military looking jacket for 32.80 which I hardly ever spend more than thirty dollars on an item of clothing or I end up feeling guilty knowing how much I can get for that at the thrift store I shop at. I also scored a blue and black striped pencil skirt for only 8.50!!! Whenever I go to Forever 21 its so hard not to buy any jewelry so I end up buying more jewelry than clothes. I found some great neon rings, dangly earrings in different colors, a pink silouhette necklace, and my favorite, a pearl bracelet topped with a bow that is filled with assorted colored gems for only 7.80! I ended up with so much loot all for under a hundred. If you can't find anything to wear in this economy that is fashion forward then Forever 21 is a great place for the fashionista on a limited budget. Happy shopping!!!

FASHION...REINVENTED.

Some may think that fashion is all about flash and price. But in these economical times a girl has to know what to buy at a reasonable and agreeable price. For instance, when I shop I go to thrift stores that some may find completely disgusting but that's fine by me if I find something awesome. Many girls love material and luxury when it comes to fashion and trust me, if times were better we would all be at Saks Fifth Avenue right now indulging in new Lanvin must have shoulder padded jackets or the latest shade of the perfect Chanel lipstick. With the help of my little friend the thrift store, I will do all that I can to find all the answers for those fashionistas out there who can't afford to indulge or simply to shop on an impulse as intriguing as that may be. Nearly my whole closet is composed of thrift store finds from pristine fifties beaded sweaters to the moments tie-dyed tights. I even scored a new pair of Franco Sarto lepoard print clogs that I call my Rod Stewart shoes and my personal favorite a brand new pair of oxfords from Saks Fifth Avenue for a great and unbeatable price of two dollars. Thrift shopping may seem unchartered for some of you but I can assure you that everything you purchase there will be one of a kind and completely remarkable.