Thrift-a-licious

Thrift-a-licous!  Makes the girls go what what.

You'll be headed round the block to find what I got

Got this dress! Got these shoes!

By Rachel Abi

Super comfortable which is my favorite part... but I like the frump feel with not so frump look 

That's what happens when you wear a dress with a beat-up old T-shirt

Vintage vs. classic

So we have two cars, but one of them is just kind of our back up.  It is a lovely car that has run perfectly for every day of it's life.  And because of it's age I count it as a classic: 1985.  I know that it isn't really yet, but it is at least vintage!

Speaking of things older than me... yea, I got nothing. ;P

Thanks to the challenge of two great blogger this outfit came to be.  First is to Clothed much and her Breaking rules challenge. I  decided, eek (at least for me), to put a belt over a cardigan.  Outer wear under?

Second is to Meet Virginia and her Thrift a holic's weekly: namely the dress and purse. 

By Rachel Abi

Grillin' out

This is what I wore Wednesday!  Picked up this skirt at my local thrift spot.  Chris and decided last minute that we wanted burgers and wanted burgers bad!  So out came the grill and they were yummy.

I used to not be a hamburger person but my hubby can make amazing burger, just saying! 

By Rachel Abi

Amazing! 

Flashback

No I don't mean that we are going to have a heart warming memorry of years past that have some deep meaning to me.  Much less self important: I mean a fashion flash back.  Yes I did wear this all about town doing what I need to do.  Why?  Just because honestly.  I looked in my closet at one of those items that you at times wonder why you still own it since it isn't the most flattering when you look in the mirror and it isn't the most versitile but then you put it on and forget about your notion to get ride of it.  Does this ever happen to you?

Being the youngest of five, I am no stranger to hand me downs however in my family whether boy or girl the clothes were handed down.  This particular shirt was handed down from oldest to youngest, switched hands 5 times.  It is well worn and is far from fitted since it is a male shirt by design yet some how, despite what I know I actually look like in it, I feel cute and comfortable each time I wear it.  As soon as I look in the mirror I get a large awakening... my solution: don't look in mirrors!

No, my solution isn't the sensible choice of getting ride of the guys shirt that is over 2 decades old but instead avoid seeing my reflection. . . I cannot explain it save for apparently I'm crazy.  And I am in good company!

This week I took on two challengers again: Clothed Much (breaking rules) and Meet Virginia (thirft-a-holic weekly).  The rule broken is a bit (just a bit) obvious  #sarcasm : Looking like I walked out of the 80's.

As to the thrift-y-ness (yes, the Y is needed ;P) that comes down the shorts and socks ( must admit are indeed thrifted but they did have tags still on them, in my defense)
Written by Rachel Abi

What about you?  Do you wear what you know you shouldn't or keep you know that you won't wear?

Flashing is never a good option

One night out for a group dinner.

Flash back 2 hours to when I am getting ready.  I look around and I spot those shoes, you know the ones.  Perfectly comfortable and cute all in the same.  I decided I want to wear those having no idea what that would mean.

I break through the skirts I have and come across my "stand-by" for those shoes.  But now what top?  

By Rachel Abi

Break out the hand-y-dand-y vest that works so well with pretty much everything: check.

But now I need bright.  Can't have summer without "Bright".

So out comes the bright leggings undershirt and bow!

I took a look in the mirror and decided that doing the cancan was the only option seeing as I was so Moulin Rouge

Play the accordion?

Each week I enjoy the challenge set forth by Clothed Much: Breaking rule and Meet Virginia Thrift a holics.  Take a casual silk top and put it with a polyester dress-i-er vintage bottom.

Recently I have seen accordion skirts everywhere on celebrities.  I mean everywhere.  Don't get me wrong I like them as much as the next but I was taken aback.  I haven't seen this many accordion skirts since the late 80's early 90's.  All the same about 2 months ago I came across one in a give away pile at a yard sale; I l love vintage and thrifty ness!  It took me a while to get around it but here it is.  I wore it for a birthday party we hosted for a close friend.  I had to get ready in about 7 minutes and I knew I wanted to wear my skirt so I Google image searched for some ideas and then tweaked it to make it my own. 

If you take a look at the link up above you can see the massacre that is our home after the party.  Eeek!

Written by Rachel Abi

Side note: my husband was raised in a military family and they are big on lawns and grass.  I was raised if it is green why fight it.  We have, after many discussions, come to an agreement: we will finish the inside of our house before we do anything outside so we have a nice large yard of beautiful different varieties of weeds!

The triple...

Just another day... but not another date.  We were super married and by that I mean we went on a triple date (us with two other couples).  Whenever we do this I think of all those cliche scene in a romantic comedy where there is one poor (not cause he/she is single but because of the jerks the married people usually are) single chick or dude a midst a horde of married couples all asking "so... who you dating"

As I mentioned before I pick one thing I want to wear well today it was the shirt and then the flower... so I found the skirt and necklace.  I left like the necklace was needed because I have yet to master feeling ok in color blocks without a diffuser. 

The visual makes me giggle inside every time.  If you haven't caught it yet I am a really imaginative person... I can't seem to help it you say man, swaddled, beach ball and I can't help but laugh... the picture is amazing.

By Rachel Abi

  Ps. I always felt like triple should have three p's... 

Breaking Thrift Fabulous?

Glam fabulous, those were the words for which you were looking.  I took on a challenge today from three amazing bloggers.  I took on "bloggers do it better" by Pretty Shinny Sparkly, I took on "Thriftaholics Weekly" by Meet Virginia Design and I took on "Breaking rules"  but Clothed Much.  

When I read the bloggers do it better challenge I was so sad because for the life of me I couldn't think of a Glam skirt that I owned... I was baffled at the gaping hole in my waredrobe!  How is it that I don't have a "glam" skirt.  Then I realized I did... only it wasn't one you would think of.  You know those weddings... "those" bridesmaid dresses, well one of mind was a two piece so I accepted the challenge and was going to make this less than fabulous skirt, glamorous!

Now the thrift challenge did just as she wished it got me out thrifting.  Instead of breaking the thrifting habit her goal is to get you out and thrifting and I did just that I picked up this belt and shirt!

When I read the "breaking rules" I decided I might as well accept the challenge since I already was to a point... I mean, I'm pretty sure that some where in the long think fashion dictionary that rewearing a "prom" like dress skirt is a no no let alone putting it with something casual enough to actually wear out!

By Rachel Abi

I may have failed but the process was enough fun that it was worth it... You can let me know:

Was it Glam/fabulous as you know well

or

Was it .... something else ;p

Dress me up

Everyone played with dress ups...ok well maybe not everyone but I sure did!

This dress, believe it or not is actually from my childhood dress up box... it didn't fit me as a child, boy I would have been a large child if it did!

I love retro dresses... but I don't like the price tag that comes with it, well mainly I can't afford it.  I have a "zero" budget for clothes.  Ok, it's not really zero but it is pretty close.  Thus making dresses and begging for hand-me-downs.

By Rachel Abi

What's really funny about it is I feel like my young self all over again when I put this dress on.  A world full of possibilities... I feel like I can be the actor/doctor/model/cashier (yes, I really wanted to be a cashier... at a grocery store) that I wanted to be.  That an hour is a lifetime. But mainly I feel pretty.  Did you play dress up?

My back pack has jets...

So just another day going to the coffee house to take care of well... this and my other blogs (home, photo, and personal thoughts) then on to lunch with my dear husband, Chris.

When I pick out an outfit I do it very specifically.  What I mean by that is I find one thing I really want to wear.  You know that one thing that you like but you haven't found a way to wear it or simply you want to wear it a different way.  

This outfit wasn't any different.  I recently, and by that I mean that day, got this shirt, the I heart nerds, and really wanted to wear it.  Problem number one: it is a causal shirt and I wanted to wear a skirt (I don't own much to any casual skirt... well now casual enough to wear with a t-shirt anyhow).  Problem number two: it is a basically see through shirt (being summer layering, at least for me... bit hot natured, is out of the question).  So I sat, more figurative though crouching I did fall over on my rump a few times so I guess literal too, and peered longingly for something I didn't own to appear.  Alas that wasn't meant to be.  I was about to give up the plight of the "nerds" T when my husband saw me and says, "going to wear the vest over that, it's kind of see through?"  

It was  like a light bulb went off... I have NOOO idea where the this amazing realization hit me: I should wear my vest over it.  Solves both problems in one stride, and along the way I broke a fashion rule: T-shirts and dressy skirts or in other words if you are wearing casual be casual and if you are wearing dressy wear dressy.  I'm amazing I know... I just wish I knew where my genius really came from.

Written by Rachel Abi

Ironic how an un-patriotism is our patriotism!

The colors red, white, and blue are in so many flags.  Our flag looks very similar with its color choice and stars to so many others, but it is our flag.

I find it ironic that, much like Nicolas Cage says in National Treasure, our country is actually founded on an unpatriotic act.  We would be Britain 2.0 in another dimension.  Not that I have any issues with  England or the British Isles (I can't really cause that's my hertiage) but I am glad that our dimension happened as it did.  For all it's issues and debt (don't get me started on the later) I am glad for the country in which I have been raised.  But that doesn't stop me found giggling a little at its start... treason.

All the same it is a great day to celebrate out independence!

Happy 4th, I'm celebrating mine at a friends house by a lake.  I'll be sporting my red, white and blue, basking in the cool water and enjoying grilled foods... what about you?

By Rachel Abi

All sewn up

From concept to reality (*big announcer voice).  After weeks of hard work? Well, work all the same.  After weeks of putting the pieces slowly together... 

The...

Wait for it...

Dress is done!

By Rachel Abi

Ok, so last I left was the skirt part was done, needing zipper and getting attached to the belt.

So after attaching the belt to the top and the skirt to the belt I noticed it was off a little?  Ok, so it was a bunch.  Decision time: do I undo all that I just do or do I leave it (imagine as I say it a grossed out face)

So I ripped up the dress I thought I had just been close to finished.  BUT only in a section to the left of the zipper so that it would match the right side.

After I ripped it out and I sewed it back, ripped it out and sewed it back... second times the charge?

Then on to pinning in the zipper again!  Ouch my fingers!  Pretty sure I suck them more than the dress

Zipper sewn in now to get the "tags" down

Perfect? I think not

I had extra material round the zipper so I snipped it out!

So here is my dress: ON!

My dress is not perfect... at all!  But I am proud of the first piece of clothes I ever sewed.  What's yours like? Silly yes, and why thanks I do look like I walked out of Sound of Music.  No, it wasn't my goal.  Yes, I am ok with it.  Why?

another beautiful day

Out and about.  Not something I would wear were I to be outside for a long time.  It isn't a hot outfit but NC is HOT (well to me) so I tend towards wearing super thin materials.  What's special about this outfit? nothing. That's the whole point.  Remember you can make beautiful and unique outfits with ease: let loose, who cares if you cause a few fopas on the way?   

By Rachel Abi

Wonderful summer day...

Took a vintage dress from my mom's day in the 70's and put a tank under it, made it more casual, added a side bun and an accent flower (from my mom's days in the 80's)

By Rachel Abi

Nothing amazing but a comfy and I feel cute in it!

No, not white!

Spring wear!  I don't usually dare to wear white because I am a klutz.  I sit in chocolate, I order marinara. . . You get the picture.  I decided to be adventurous when I got a chance to get a free white dress that was cut so nicely.  I pieced this together once I decided on a lighter whimsical beach theme.  So I put a few braids in my hair accented it with a flower.  But on my braided band bracelet and weaved sandals.  And then but my bright blue purse, I almost always like to have a splash of color.

So say I decided to wear this again, I would put on cowboy boots and a cropped jean jacket

or

Bright cardigan  with a wide belt  with a contrasting pair of flats

You get the idea.  I played it up simple but you can always dress it up or take it down

By Rachel Abi

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