crisp.

so the crisp air has set in and the leaves have all changed and I'm in fall clothes mode. I've organized my tights and dusted off my boots and I'm ready for coats and sweaters and such. I know I've mentioned this "fall fever" in one other post but Memphis can be finicky when it comes to seasons. Just when you think fall has come, the next week brings us sunshine and sweating...but I turned my heat on in the car this morning so I think it's safe to say that fall has officially set in.

When I was young I got so excited for the winter and fall seasons because my parents always took me shopping to get a few new things. As I got older I was able to supplement these shopping trips with my own money and often returned home feeling like I got a whole new wardrobe. Nowadays things aren't so rosy. My hard earned money goes towards silly things like food and shelter, leaving very little money left over. I plan to get most of my new winter things this season from thrift stores and such, but I went on an imaginary shopping spree at etsy.com just to fill the void.

Lately, I've only been shopping for clothes at discount stores (TJ, Plato's, etc.) and thrift stores. I chalk this up to my strained funds, but I'm finding that I enjoy shopping so much more. First, the money goes so much farther and I end up getting way more than if I'd blown my money at the mall. If I took $50 to my favorite thrift store on half-off day I'd probably need a U-haul instead of a bag. Also, when I find something really awesome it feels so much better. A few weeks ago I found a J. Crew jacket at Plato's Closet that looked like it had never even been tried on....original tags still in tact and only $12. I mean, how can it get any better than that. And, while, some of the stuff I find at the thrift store isn't perfect, a $2 box of RIT dye or a $4 alteration turns it into a one of a kind piece. I'm not saying that I don't lust over the shoes at Aldo or would turn down a gift card to Anthro....I'm just saying that my successful thrifting of late has really made me love it that much more. Expect to see some very cool stuff I've picked up lately over the next month in outfit posts (if i ever find my camera...which is a whole different story).

But, the point is, even if I had an endless shopping budget I think I'd still spend a lot of my time surfing etsy and browsing my local thrift stores. (I have this dream of taking a road trip around to the best thrift stores in the United States...omg wouldn't that just be the most fun evvver!) I will warn you...these picks will make you want to curl up by the fire with a pumpkin spice latte! (gotcha, you thought I was going to say hot chocolate didn't cha???)

Golden Leaves Capelet

this is a great (and easy) way to jazz up jeans and a tee. i love the colors here and the look of the heavy knit.

Embellished Bow Top

Grey Dress with Applique

this is so cute to me but i can see how some wouldn't think so. it looks so warm and with bright tights or boots you could really make a statement. i also LOVE the paper airplanes on the wall in the background.

Ruffled Cowl Tunic

Recycled Plaid Tee

Mademoiselle Skirt

i like this skirt because it looks so dainty and polished but really it's made of comfy organic jersey! it comes in a million colors too.

Dainty Blouse

Cameo Tee

this is awesome. i might get a little DIY and try this for myself. i've always loved shirts that look plain from the front but have interesting detail on the back.

Lana Hoodie

Cashmere Vignette Arm Warmers

The Tiny Little Adventurous Bird

i love this print. it reminds me of one of my favorite notebook scenes. you know..."if you're a bird, i'm a bird." aww it's been too long since i've seen that movie!

Freezebaby Mittens

Vintage 60s Tartan Bowling Bag

Grape Back Seam Textured Tights

i have no words for how amazing these tights are. i LOVE them.

Holiday Sequin Bib Necklace

a great way to dress up a little black dress.

Vintage 80s Woven Oxfords

Riona Hand-Knit Cardigan Coat

Big Collar Wool Winter Coat

Snowy V-neck Tunic

The Kir Royale

The Iron and Rust Dress

i have a very laid bak family, which i love, but i do wish we could have a formal thanksgiving or christmas dinner. you know the long table with candles lit and long dresses (or this one here) and ties...but this could just be me realizing that real life provides very few occasions for

prom-esque attire.

le smoking.

so if you follow me on twitter you know that i scored huge at my favorite thrift store last Friday. I went to fill my time before a meeting and I didn't have plans for serious shopping, but I did stumble upon a few things I couldn't live without. It was half-off day so most of the stuff i bought ended up being under $1.

I wore one of my finds out on Saturday night to a sleepover at a friend's house. I wanted to wear something easily transitioned to sleep wear but I really wanted to wear a jacket I got on my shopping trip. I bought it because it reminded me of the YSL le smoking but in a funky color. I loved the longer masculine look of it and hope to wear it with a super short dress...maybe in the spring when I'm skinnier. For now, though, this is what I put together.

striped jacket - thrift store

"Love is Love" extra long t-shirt - Gap

white skinny jeans - Wal-mart

(i know this last week has made it seem like I shop at wal-mart a lot. don't be fooled....i'm not sure how 3 of the 5 pieces i own managed to get into one week...)

black oxford booties - Etienne Aigner via TJMaxx

bruised.

(is it just me or do my eyes look super creepy in this picture?)

so i've been really intrigued with the navy blue and purple combination this season. i don't own very much purple but i'm thinking about dying a few old pieces to my new favorite color. I got my nails done the other day and decided on a dark purplish color (OPI what are you wearing?) and (as stupid as it sounds) that's what inspired me to put this outfit together. I pulled an old blazer out of my "take to plato's closet" bag and it went from there. I hope to re-create this outfit when i have a more appropriate shirt to wear...i've had that pastel polo for-ev-errr.

I wore this outfit out and about...running errands, etc. I was really comfortable in it except for one small set back. It was a very windy day and the light fabric of the skirt didn't exactly hold up to the random gusts of wind. At first I wasn't expecting it so I'm pretty sure i flashed a few unsuspecting bystanders, but i got the problem under control eventually. The skirt has pockets so those helped a lot. I'd say I was quite red in the face at the time, but looking back I have to laugh. Oh, the perils of being fashionable. I did learn something though. Check the weather before stepping out in this outfit again...not tornado friendly.

pastel purple polo - Ralph Lauren via TJMaxx

navy blazer w/ purple accent - Old Navy

navy gingham skirt - Wal-Mart

purple suede booties - Nine West via TJMaxx

boo.

so i need everyone's help. My boyfriend and I want to do a cute/clever couples costume for Halloween this year. I like creating the costume from stuff I already own plus thrift store shopping so it needs to be kinda simple but still something really cool, oh and nothing scary. please comment your suggestions...your help is greatly appreciated.

(we went as Princess Peach and Mario from Super Mario Brothers last year. I put the picture here to get your creative juices flowing!)

J. Aldridge by Sea of Shoes

so i follow a lot of blogs. there are so many interesting people laying their lives out on the internet for the world to see and I'm super nosy so of course I LOVE this. If i had an endless amount of free time i'd be reading blogs forever. My version of heaven = shopping, coffee, and blog reading. I find that I'm inspired by them more than anything else and that is the main reason I can't get enough. If you'd like to check out some of the blogs I frequent please reference the side bar. Be careful an addiction may ensue. You can't say I didn't warn you.

getting on with things...

My favorite fashion blog, by far, is Sea of Shoes. Jane, the girl who writes the blog, has amazing style and is a very talented photographer. I love that she's a southern girl with a fashion brain. Her creativity is showcased through her outfit posts, shoe selections, and overall style...which is nothing short of brilliant (did i say that already...well it is). She's beautiful and she's a jet-setter. She had a fitting at the Chanel showroom in Paris. Her shoe collection is endless. Do I need to go on?? Are you extremely jealous yet?? Yep, that's what i thought. Just bookmark her blog and read it religiously. I promise it will enhance your life.

She not only writes this amazing blog...she has a bunch of side projects. One of those is a shoe line available at Urban Outfitters. I knew i'd love it before I even saw it and i was right. We all know that my shoe budget is pretty much negative but i probably won't be able to keep myself from purchasing a few of these. I love supporting brands and people I truly believe in plus her vision is cutecutecute.

I don't really know this girl but I know that if I did we'd be best friends. maybe that seems odd to you, or even creepy, but fashion brings people together unlike any other force. I've never had expectations for this blog but if I can provide inspiration to just one person, like sea of shoes has done for me, I'm on my way...to where I can't say but we'll figure that out later.

tall wedge lace boot

tall buckle boot

satin bow heel

gladiator heel

(these are AMAZING and on sale. if my size is still in stock when i get my next paycheck i might just have to make these mine! omg. i'm excited just thinking about it.)

lace-up skimmer

laced boot

(i'm in love with these shoes and they are officially on my christmas list.)

spotlight: collette dinnigan

so i know i said we were done with spring 2010 rtw updates but i came across a line i just had to share. Collette Dinnigan has had her own line since the early '90s, but i didn't know much about her....so i looked her up and man has this woman done a lot. she was born in New Zealand and began her career in Australia. it took little time for her to become an international success and she soon became the first Australian designer to have a full scale runway presentation during Paris fashion week. she has accepted countless notable fashion awards in Australia as well as internationally. even if you've never heard her name you'd most likely recognize some of her looks because she has dressed celebrities like Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, and Naomi Watts.

i've always been impressed with her clothing and this season's runway was no different. I love that she is able to create the common looks that every woman loves (professional, flirty, glam, etc.) but with something different, or something extra. Her clothing is beautifully made and the attention to detail is obvious.

you're fashion lesson is over for the day, on to the pretty stuff. (but at least you can say you learned something, right?)

brilliant, right? you can thank me later.

tights.

This weekend was really the first time it really felt like fall in my city. I can't say that i'm a huge fan of cold weather but i do enjoy the chance to wear sweaters and boots and tights! I've been dying to wear tights so i was super excited about the change in temperature. I spent the past weekend in my dingy home improvement clothes but did manage to get myself dressed twice. I'm putting both outfits in this post so you're getting two for the price of one this time!

black turtleneck - Target

houndstooth sweater vest - Target (thanks mom!)

dark jean skirt - Old Navy

maroon tights - ???

slouchy gray boots - bought on sale last season from Shoenami

gray sweater blanket (fashionable snuggie, haha) - Wal-Mart (shameful but cute)

pink deep-v dress - TJ Maxx

Tiffany-colored tights - by HUE from TJMaxx

slouchy gray boots - Shoenami

a better look at the jacket. i love this thing. it makes me feel like i'm still in bed under the covers. oh, and i guess you noticed the change in hair color too.

adventure.

so i don't really watch a ton of TV. i'm a sucker for the paranormal shows, true life, intervention, etc. But i rarely watch something every week. I'm a flipper when it comes to TV. i'll watch part of the show and start flipping and forget what i was watching. I kinda have ADD when it comes to television shows....except for two things: The History Channel and The Biggest Loser. I recently upgraded my cable package from super basic to a much better bundle. I get way more channels now, but honestly i'm still figuring it out. When you don't have cable for a couple of years you miss out on a lot. While it may not be important, i was still so surprised at all the stuff i'd missed. (and how ridiculous some shows really are...like Kendra and the Kardashians. Those shows are train wrecks, i can't help but look.)

I'm rambling about TV for a very important reason. While doing my daily blog read I came across a new show that sounds absolutely mind blowing. SOUL PRETTY is a blog i love because she shares the most amazing design pictures and she keeps her posts short and sweet. She did a post on her favorite TV shows and included a new show called Man Shops Globe on the Sundance Channel. It's about Keith Johnson, buyer-at-large for Anthropologie, and his six-month long trip around the world searching for products and inspiration for the store to sell or re-create. This guy seriously has the best job in the world and putting it on TV is the best idea they've ever had.

Here's the problem. I don't have the Sundance Channel. That requires another, more expensive, upgrade. Hopefully it will go to DVD. Until then the cable company remains my arch nemesis.

spotlight: christian dior

My last spotlight for the spring 2010 rtw comes from the genius of john galliano. i usually like the clothing on the christian dior runways, but rarely do i LOVE it. this spring line is flawless in my opinion. you can always expect amazingly beautiful flowing dresses from this designer but i was really impressed with the jackets, skirts, and the accessories. i loved the mixture of soft colors with strong metallics...this show is future meets flapper. sexy but space-like. paranormal nancy drew. okay....maybe i'm taking it too far. if you like what you see you can check out the entire line here.

i love how light and comfortable everything looks. i love the cute sheer socks paired with super high heels. i love the colors. i love the belts. i love the necklines. i love it all. i'll take one of everything. thanks.