the clothes 2011

The key way to make your wardrobe look large when you're on a tight budget is to buy items that will either be useful accessories to wear with numerous looks, or versatile pieces that can be worn many different ways.
When I was given the opportunity to chose an item from the site Shopcuffs to review, I tried to keep in mind the above principles. The site offers a mix of reconstructed finds, vintage, and very current items. I forced myself to resist their wonderful collection of vintage gems and to focus on a dress that would feel both modern and timeless. From browsing Shopcuffs the "So Caught Up In You" dress seemed to be a good example of what I was looking for. The intricate cording seemed to be an interesting take on the lace trend that has been around for several seasons and we all know black is a malleable color. In person, the dress is made from a very lightweight nearly sheer material and the size runs large. This volume isn't really a problem in a sack dress--it just gives you more material to play with. The whole transaction went so smoothly I will very likely be returning to Shopcuffs to deplete my wallet...

To demonstrate the versatility of the dress here's a remix styling the dress from a summer appropriate look to more layered fall outfits.details: shoes- Dr. Schools, belt- vintage
Details: bag- vintage, sandals- Bakers
Details: hat- vintage, jacket- Urban Outfitters, gloves- Karmaloop, tights- street vendor, boots- some shop in Athens, Greece
Details: fascinator- vintage, tights- Urban Outfitters, shoes- Urban Outfitters
Details: fascinator- vintage, belt- secondhand, tights- Target, shoes- Nine West
Details:vest- gift from my sister, tight- street vendor, shoes- vintage
Details: skirt- Forever 21, shoes- H&M

I saw these AMAZING tights on Ambroisine's blog and they are love. I can't get them out of my head and I adore how quirky they are. I will be attempting to DIY something similar this fall...

They can be bought here at prices I currently can't afford.P.S. The winner of the Little Monarch giveaway is Amy of Caramelized Vintage. Congrats Amy and better luck next time to everyone else who entered.

Much Love and I recently exchanged packages. She received mine awhile ago, but my receipt of hers was postponed by my road trip. It was very nice to return home to a big pile of unopened mail. Much Love's package included so many wonderful pieces from a ocean themed scarf (that my mother has already threatened to steal!), to a "happy" polaroid, a drawing of me, and this wonderful lipstick dress. How cool is this print? Many thanks Much Love!

Outfit details: dress- gift from Much Love, cardigan- H&M, tights- We Love Colors, shoes- Bona Drag, rings- from Much Love
P.S. Today is the last day to enter the Little Monarch giveaway. If you want to get your mitts on that necklace enter here.

The more I travel, the more I want to see...it is a never ending cycle. Regardless, here are a few of my favorite snaps from my road trip which is now at an end although I am still longing for more. From geysers to antelope this is the Midwest (and Pacific Northwest) with its vast sky and seemingly endless possibilities.

This plaid shirt dress has been in my wardrobe for more than two years and has been styled more ways than I care to count and yet, I personally am not tired of it. Its latest incarnation was built around my new velvet bow belt. I built the bow from scratch and it was worth the effort. I think I'll make more so I can have one in nearly every color.

Outfit details: dress- some shop in Japan, velvet bow belt- self made, shoes- Dr. Scholls, bag- Pull and Bear, talon necklace- Talonalia, crystal necklace- Yellowstone Park gift shopI already remixed this dress here, but there are still more ways I can see it being worn. So, another little remix for you:
details: sweater- Gap, tights- Target, socks- Thank You Mart, shoes- secondhand, necklace- Yellowstone Park gift shop
details: tights- We Love Colors, socks- Thank You Mart, shoes- Nine West
details:skirt- secondhand, hat- vintage, shoes- Steve Madden, dog- "Gus" my mother'sdetails:skirt- Forever 21, tights- We Love Colors, necklace- Much Love, shoes- Seychelles from my sistersP.S. Less than two weeks and ten states later and I'm back to my old haunts in Washington State. I'll post some of my favorite "travel" pictures soon.

My latest street fashion addiction is the self-titled Vanessa Jackman; a street style blog run by lawyer turned photographer. Clearly, there are few loves as great as a woman's love for her big, flashy camera. Here are a few of my favorite snaps from her site--I am drawn to a retro look right now.

So, I just jumped on the IFB bandwagon. If you're a member please "friend" me so I won't feel like a social outcast...I feel so "out of the loop" on this whole fashion blogging thing. I'm still not sure where I stand. When it started this was just something fun, a little hobby while I languished in rural America, but lately it has become more. I have nearly 3,000 subscribers (a fact that constantly amazes and flatters me), thousands of visitors a day, and invites to events in NYC and LA (most I have to turn down...). It's all very surreal.
So, what is this blog? Is it a hobby or more? I've really got to start figuring things out this year.

This is what I wear to chill with bison in Yellowstone Park. Outfit details: scarf- secondhand, jacket- Urban Outfitters, tee- Thank You Mart, shorts- J Crew pants I cut up, shoes- H&M, sunnies- street vendorAn outfit for waterfall visits. Outfit details: dress- H&M, shoes- H&M, pendant- Yellowstone Park gift shopAnother Nasha gif--expect more regular posts of my little Labbit (not rabbit!) diva.