Ruffled.

My love of the ruffle skirt started when Blair of Atlantic-Pacific rocked hers, a bold red-on-red  ensemble that was genius (as is everything she does, in my humble opinion). After that, one of my other instagram favorites, Pretttylittlelayers, was also killing me with her ruffled, gingham number. So, when I saw this beauty on the sale rack at J. Crew...I almost ran to it! Seriously. It was definitely a fast walk. I paired the embroidered lace top with it, channeling some Dolce & Gabbana vibes, and I couldn't be happier how it turned out! Thanks to my boo, Jenna, of The Nourished Vibe for snapping some pics for me as I twirled around Fort Langley. Thanks girl! Now I'm gonna keep my eyes peeled for inspo from other fashionistas, and see what other outfits I can dream up with this skirt.  Tell me, what would you pair with this skirt??

 Skirt: J. Crew (also cute). Top: Forever21 (thrifted) (similar, cute). Shoes: GoJane (so many cute alternatives! one, two, three, and these would have been cute too!). Purse: Vintage (similar, this would be cute too). Sunglasses: random market purchase (similar).

A case for thrifting.

The evolution of this blog post is a bit long winded, but here it goes...it all started with a jacket. Not just any jacket, an adorable cropped denim, moto jacket that I scored for $15 at a local consignment store, Unika. I styled a cute look (see below) around the jacket, and it turned out even better than I had hoped. I was so happy I had pulled the trigger and bought the jacket, and that got me thinking about the reasons why I bought it and what helps me decide when to get pieces when I am thrift shopping. Sometimes thrifting can be overwhelming, there are so many clothes..how do you choose what will actually benefit your wardrobe? I have a few go to tips that help me find and decide what pieces to buy, and I thought I would share them with you guys :) But first, the outfit! I paired the cropped jacket with a high waisted white lace skirt, and it begged for this graphic striped cropped sweater. Something about the sweater made me crave a bold pink lip - such an easy way to make a statement with your makeup. The white, perforated purse had the same cute summer vibe, so it was a perfect addition and then I went for casual comfort in my shoe choice with a neutral leather flat sandal. I loved the result, it's fun and fresh and easy to wear.

Classic Pieces: not a necessity, but I think you get the most bang for your buck with classic pieces, simply because they could be in your wardrobe forever. A blazer, denim jacket, a trench coat - these sort of things will stand the test of time. The denim moto jacket I am wearing in this post, the inspiration for this whole idea, is a perfect example. A moto jacket will always have some place in fashion. It’s iconic. The fact that this one was in denim just gave it a little twist that I loved. And it was 15 dollars, people. Hello.

See with your hands: That sounds totally cheese, but what I am trying to say is…quality clothes will be made with quality fabric and I believe that you can feel the difference. I will touch the clothes on the rack as I scan through. It’s like a little game - when I feel like an item is quality, I check the tag and if it’s a more expensive brand…I win :p This very technique picked me out a gorgeous grey Aritzia wool sweater for $3 and a silk Alice + Olivia dress for $7. 

Shop outside your “size”: Never, I repeat, never shop only in your known size section! For me personally this is most obvious in the jean section. In different brands, my size can fluctuate wildly, from 25-28. In my experience, vintage clothing is usually a size larger than what I would wear currently (ie. I am usually a dress size 2, in something vintage…maybe a 6?)

Patience, my friend, patience. Thrifting is not quite as easy as strolling into a store at the mall: there isn’t multiple sizes in the same piece, not every piece is on trend, you might not find anything you like. Thrifting does involve extra effort - extra time and patience, but when you find that great piece…it’s like winning an exciting treasure hunt!

Do your homework: know the trends before you head out shopping. Unlike stores at the mall, the stuff coming into the thrift store isn't all the latest and greatest and you will need to know what you're looking for as you sort through the masses.

Value Village has a great page on tips for all different aspects of thrifting, from furniture thrifting to how to clean vintage clothing. 

Hope these tips help! Happy thrifting!!

Denim moto jacket: American Eagle (thrifted from Unika) (similar). Striped cropped sweater: Forever 21 (old) (cute). White midi skirt: Forever21 (old) (cute). Tan sandals: Aldo (old) (similar). Purse: Indigo Chapters (on sale!). Sunglasses: Winners (old) (cute). Lips: Wet 'n' Wild in Dollhouse Pink.

New Lengths

As promised, this post features this denim skirt as my third fall, thrifted find. I had been seeing a lot of longer denim skirts ( I am assuming this was a '70's thing?) and I was inspired.  So I couldn't say no when I saw this one for $4. I had to have it taken in at the waist so it would sit up higher, at my natural waist, but totally worth it.  I was inspired to play up the differing lengths in this outfit: the midi length of the skirt and the knee high boots. Not two things that you would normally put together, but they kinda work - the boot's almost mimic tights. The all black felt chic, in contrast with the denim and I felt slightly Parisian - effortlessly cool :) I've also worn the skirt with warmer, tan boots and a striped blue + white sweater for a preppier version of this outfit. How would you guys rock this knee length denim skirt?

Skirt: thrifted (similar). Black turtle neck: Forever21 (old) (similar). Moto Jacket: H&M . Boots: Aldo (old) (similar). Clutch: Indigo (old) (similar) (cute) (stunning)

Bubble Tour.

I wore this outfit on an afternoon date with my husband, we had gone for a tour of a local winery. The day wasn't as nice as I had hoped, but the tour and the outfit were awesome! Looking at the pictures now I feel like this look was very Olivia Palermo inspired: the skirt, the layering and the belt. As this is a fashion blog you're reading, I am sure you're very familiar with that name, but for the poor soul out there who has not yet stumbled on the the fashion icon that is Olivia Palermo, I strongly urge you to Google/Pintrest her! You can thank me later ;) If it's not apparent already, I'm a huge fan of hers and find her to be a great source of layering inspiration. Also, I think she knows like 20 different ways to tie a belt. Respect.

Skirt: Forever21 (this one's pretty). Shirt: H&M (old) (similar). Belt: American Eagle (old) (similar). Purse: Forever21. Shoes: GoJane.

We toured Backyard Vineyards in Langley, BC and were able to see how they make their estate grown, Champagne-style sparkling wine. After touring the facility, we sampled their sweet and savory tapas plate in their gorgeous open tasting room. The day we went wasn't meant for dining outdoors, but they have a lovely picnic area outside that I totally intend to revisit for! I would highly recommend for a great date day!