Lets Enjoy This While We Can

Okay, quick little outfit post. I know the outfit is simple, I kinda look like a pilgrim, my braid's sloppy, and my eyes are squinty from the sun, but I wanted to post something! Lol.

I LOVE this dress! I got it from Value Village during their 50% off Labor Day Sale for $2.99? (I don't know for sure, my mom got a hold of my receipt and threw it away...dang it!) I couldn't believe it! I've been searching for peter pan collars forever and never found anything until I unexpectedly pulled this dress from the rack. I almost let out a happy little shriek in the store! Hah. I didn't even notice it had cute heart shaped buttons on the cuffs and on the back of the collar until later.
I didn't try it on in the store and it looked a little big so I was trying not to get my hopes up, but I was determined to buy it anyways. Then I went home, washed it, tried it on and it fits nicely. I was very glad that I didn't have to take it in or sell it. It's all mine! =D

I've had the shoes for a very long time and they certainly have been through some times with me. They're a bit worn, but I can't bare to get rid of them. Do you guys have something in your closet that you can't seem to throw out too?

Okay, now on to blogging business.
I've decided to do a giveaway for every 50 followers that this blog gains. So right now, we are 13 followers away from free stuff. That's not much. We'll get there, I promise!
The giveaways will vary. I'm thinking jewelry, accessories, magazine subscriptions, fashion/makeup books...who knows, pretty much anything fashion related! I want to choose prizes that everyone can enjoy so I'm not sure about doing clothing items or shoes just yet. We'll see.
Does that sound good?!?

I'm also planning on doing a vlog post. My camera records in HD and .mov format (for those who know what I'm talking about, lol) and my video editor won't accept my videos so I'm trying to figure something out.

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Thrifted Erin Fetherston For Target navy peter pan collared dress
Black leggings by Wetseal
Leopard print flats from Payless
Black fedora hat by Forever 21

One of Those Days

How is everyone today? I hope you all are doing well. I'm having one of those days where you just don't feel like doing anything. I'm feeling very sluggish. I think I'm getting a cold. I feel super tired and I've got a slight annoying tingle in the back of my throat. That's not good news. I hope it doesn't get worse. Being sick in the summer is just ridiculous, lol.

My hair has been driving me a bit nuts. As you can tell from the photos below, I have quite a bit of grow out. I'm naturally a blonde in the light to medium ash shade area, but I dyed my hair dark brown (myspace pose, I know) the summer of my junior year in high school. I'm the kind of person that likes to mix things up and try something different. I've done tons of different things with my hair, but going brown turned out to be a mistake. I loved being a brunette, but trying to get back to my natural color has been a nightmare for the last three years. In the process of going back blonde, I have been a red head, and many many different shades of blonde ranging from platinum to golden. Instead of fighting my grow out and repeated failed attempts of trying to find an exactly shade of dye that matched my natural color, a few months ago, I just decided to let it grow out, in order to get my natural color back. Has anyone else had to do this? I'm really not digging this two toned hair. I'll like it when it grows out a little more and looks like this (with the lighter color toward the ends). I'm also growing out some old side-swept bangs, which is why I have the short pieces around my face. Because of all this, I've just been begging my hair to grow! Sorry for all the hair chit chat, lol.


The shirt and backpack are my favorites. I got both of them for $13 at Redlight Vintage when my mom, brother, and I all went vintage shopping in Seattle back in March or April.
The shirt is actually a large, but I loved it so much I couldn't help but buy it. It fits like an oversized tunic on me. I love the detailing around the neckline and ends of the sleeves.
I died when I saw the backpack. The floral print is so pretty. I also love how it is made out of a raincoat type material, which is always good for Washington's rainy weather! =D

I took the photos in my backyard. I'm actually standing where a creek normally runs through, but it is all dried up right now. I had to make my way down the dirt covered creek bank, through branches, spiderwebs, piles of dead leafs, and sticker bushes to get down there...while wearing those wedges. Haha. My cat, Coco, followed me the whole way and watched as I took pictures. To the left of me (in the first and last photo) is a frame of an old pickup truck from the 50s. No ones had the heart to drag it out and get rid of it. I personally like it.

That's all for now, ladies. I have some cleaning I need to force myself do and some much needed reading time to get to. Shopaholic and Baby, anyone? (Really silly I know, and the protagonist is an airhead, but I'm sucked in for some reason, lol.)

Thank you all for your comments! :)

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Fedora hat by Forever 21
Vintage white blouse circa 1960s from Redlight Vintage
Blue pocketed skirt by Forever 21
Brown wedge sandals from Payless Shoes
Vintage floral backpack from Redlight Vintage

Wandering in Wonderland

I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland, I don't know why. But everyone always says how I remind them of the Disney character. That or a porcelain doll, lol.

I had the best luck with lighting for these pictures. A couple hours before sunset is my favorite time for picture taking. I'm a sucker for sun glare. I love it for some reason, lol. How the combination of the sun and the lens together naturally makes spots and adds colors of blue and red to areas of the picture (the one below).

I tried to do some pictures with me spinning in a circle to get the skirt swaying, but they ended up looking like I was dancing spastically. My mom liked them though. She said they reminded her of when I was a little girl and would get hyper and spin and dance around. Haha.
Fyi, spinning in tall grass is a bit difficult, lol.


I got the shirt from Value Village for $4. I'm a size small, but I always browse through the larger sizes looking for things I like. I search for things I can wear as an oversized shirt, dress, or take in. I found this shirt in the large section, although it didn't look like a large to me on the rack. My mom, who I almost always go thrifting with, was doubtful it was gonna work and not end up looking like a tent on me. I trusted my gut and bought it without following my mom's requests to try it on. I figured if it didn't fit, I'd give it to her cause after all, it's a size closer to her size.
But I proved her wrong. It fits nicely. It's probably meant to stretch and be tight fitting for someone who actually wears a large, but it fits normally and loose on me.

Remember, you can't always go by the size marked on the tag! :)

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Black rose headband by Forever 21
Thrifted white blouse from Value Village
Thrifted brown belt from Value Village
Floral/butterfly high waisted skirt by H&M
Black oxford flats by Payless Shoes
Brown purse by American Eagle

And as the Sun Goes Down

Thank you all for your lovely comments! You guys are too sweet! Your comments make my day! Kallie (of Happy, Honey and Lark), your comment made me laugh! Being told I look anything like Evan Rachel Wood at all is a huge comment to me. Thank you! And yes, no Marilyn Manson for me though! :D

I got these pics in right before it got too dark. I love living on a big piece of land (at least it is considered pretty large in my town - two acres) and being able to take pics everywhere.

I took these photos about four days ago when it was sunny. I wish the rain and gloom that we've been having lately in Wa would go away! It's suppose to clear up on Wednesday according to the weatherman. I hope he's right, I'm tired of crappy weather! It's summer for crying out loud!
Now for the outfit...

The dress is from Wet Seal. It has a navy racer-back tank top that stops just below the chest and then continues with a floral print. It has pockets! I love pocketed dresses!! I got it on sale for $19. I fell in love with the floral print instantly.

I’m also in love with these ruffle socks! I used to wear them when I was a little girl for special occasions. I have been searching and searching for some reasonably priced ones forever (Urban Outfitters has them for $19! Ouch!) so I was so happy when I finally found them at a local grocery store with my best friend. I ended up buying two pairs and my best friend got some as well. They’re adorable I think! Makes me feel like a child again, hah.

I got the blazer and the loafers both for $6.99 from Value Village a little while ago. I remember my mom had went thrifting with me and saw that I was going to buy the loafers. She started laughing and said, "Your dad had ones just like these back in the 80s!" Lol.

Last week, I kinda scuffed up the toes when I was walking down a dock while boating with my family. The boards were far apart and the tips of my shoes kept getting stuck and my feet kept falling in between. Makes me sad. I'm gonna have to polish them and make them like new!

I really like the blazer. The only thing I'm unsure about is it has big shoulder pads in it and I’ve considered cutting them out a few times. I have another blazer with pads too, but they're not so poofy and in your face. What do you guys think? Keep or cut?

It's a size 8, which is three sizes too big for me, but when I roll up the sleeves, it just looks like a boyfriend blazer. Just the way I like my blazers! I was happy I could make it work cause I loved the color and really wanted a pink blazer. I didn't care how many sizes too big it was, I was getting it no matter what!

The only problem with it is it was most likely owned by an older woman before me because it smells like body powder and Chanel No. 5 perfume. Just like my grandma! Lol. I’ve washed it about three times since I bought it back in June and the smell won’t completely go away!!! Lol. A little bit of my favorite, Gwen Stefani’s G, covers the smell though! :D

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Pink Blazer from Value Village
Dress by Wet Seal
Black bow headband by Forever 21
Sock from Fred Meyer
Vintage leather tassel loafer shoes from Value Village

Photography Addict

Man, I’ve been taking outfit pictures everyday the last few days. When it's sunny, I always try to fit in some photo time because Washington weather is so unpredictable. It was sunny for a long time for Wa and now it's been raining the last three days. I hate rainy photos so I have to take tons of pictures in advance when the sun actually makes an appearance. I have a bunch on my computer I just finally finished editing.

I don’t really like spending all day editing and going through pictures, but I’ve gotta catch up for my lack of outfit posts lately! So I promise more will follow! :)
Please excuse the wrinkled skirt! :(
It’s been sitting in the back of one of my dresser drawers since I got it when I went back to school shopping last fall and for some reason…we don’t own an iron, lol. Whenever I really need something somewhat crisp, I have to try and use my hair straighter, haha. I definitely need to go buy one.

I love this shirt! This is one of the finds I found the other day at Value Village that I was talking about in my last outfit post. It was only $3.99! It has beautiful lace detailing and pretty white faux pearl buttons. I like the tie at the top too, which I tied in a bow.

It was in the small section, but I didn’t look at the tag to see that it was actually marked an extra small, but it’s too adorable not to wear. It’s just a little tight in the chest area, lol. Having to say that is quite rare for me, my chest area usually has plenty of room, haha.
It's kinda a weird pale yellow mixed with a hint of pea-soup green and with creamy lace around the collar and chest. I was kinda unsure about it at the store. I didn't know if the color would suit me, but I just held on to it throughout the time I was shopping and decided to get it. My mom encouraged me to buy it, she loved it. I'm happy I did get it now!
Sometimes I'm a little doubtful of items in the store, but end up getting them, and falling in absolute love later. The things I doubt or slightly dislike at first are usually the things I love the most later. Strange, huh? Lol.

Tip: If you're doubtful of something and aren't completely sure of it is you, here's what to do:

• Think of your wardrobe. Would this make a good addition? Do you have something in your closet that you could pair and combine it with? Is the style of the item something you like or would like to start adding to your wardrobe?

• Put it back on the rank. Now walk away. Are you still thinking about it? If you are...I think you should get it.
  

• Think for a second, will you regret it that you didn't get it when you get home? I've done this many times and lost out...you'll be kicking yourself in the butt later.
  

• Be brave and just do it! Buy it if you have any attraction to it at all. If you like something, you have to get it or it'll be gone.

 
I've been looking for a vintage Dooney and Burke for a while. There's usually a few at my local thrift stores, but they're either not in the best shape or I don't really like the color or something.

I had went to the Goodwill, saw one on display and went and looked at it. It was in pretty bad shape and was marked $19! Total rip off in my cheap opinion! So that was a no for me. As I was walking away from it, I thought, "I've been looking forever...will I ever find one?" After looking for some clothes and searching through the purses again, I went directly to Value Village afterward and repeated the process. But this time, what did I find? This purse! In nearly brand new condition! For $6.99! It just shows that you should never give up hope. Waiting does pay off sometimes.

I'm very happy I found the perfect one for me. It's my new favorite!!!! I love that it has a long strap so I can use it as a cross-body bag, one of my current obsessions. When I first picked it up, it didn't have a strap and I thought it was just a hand-held purse, but I was very happy when I opened it and found that it indeed had a strap that had been unclipped and tucked inside. But I love the color more than anything! I'd never seen one in hunter green before. All the ones at the thrift shops are consistently brown or sometimes cream. Which reminds me, a nice cream one is now on my list, lol.

It really amazes me what you can find at a thrift store and for so little too. Value Village is definitely like a second home…well, after the library! :p
As you all know, it is Sunday. One of the days I typically dread because it means school's the next day. However, during the summer, I LOVE Sundays, because True Blood is on. Hehe. My mom, brother, and I are obsessed with it. I'm not gonna lie, I'm also a little obsessed with Joe Manganiello, who plays the werewolf, Alcide. Haha.
Anyone else watch it?
I'll be posting some more outfit posts soon and a couple diy tutorials in the next couple days.
Have a good Sunday everyone! Thanks for all your comments and followings!

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Blouse from Value Village
Skirt by Forever 21
Jewelry by H&M
Vintage shoes from Value Village
Vintage purse by Dooney and Burke from Value Village

Let Summer Stay Forever...Please!

I went thrift shopping the other day with my mom at my favorite, Value Village, and found a lot of great stuff! It's gonna be one of the only great places to shop for cheap in my sucky town...at least for me, lol. I'd rather not venture to the horrid outlet mall we have and spend an hour searching for a parking spot, just to shop at ridiculously high priced stores.


Not that I won't kill for a good mall or a big H&M...I'm just on a budget right now...a very low one. So I'm avoiding stores and trying to work on my slight shopping addiction for the rest of the summer, lol. I figure, okay, yeah, I want to shop and have something new to mix in with my wardrobe, so I'll just spend less and get more in the long run. Makes sense, right? Ahh, anyone else got a shopping problem? Lol.


But I am very happy with my process and money saving skills. I found both the tops ($3.99 or $4.99) and the hat ($6.99) there as well as a couple more tops and a vintage cross-body Dooney and Burke ($6.99) in an amazing hunter green. You’ll be seeing the other items in future posts soon. I swear, I can’t even leave VV without finding something! The Liz Claiborne denim top is a shirt I’m pretty sure, but it doubles as a vest! :D

 I swear Florence + the Machine is fuel for the soul! I seriously don’t know how many times I’ve listened to Lungs on repeat. Gotta share!

Song: "Rabbit Heart" by Florence and the Machine off the album, Lungs.
My favoriteeee! ;)

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
White shirt by INC from Value Village
Denim vest top by Liz Claiborne from Value Village
Navy rose and polka dot skirt by Forever 21
Navy lace up shoes by Forever 21

I Love My Cowboy Boots!

Gosh, my hair is wild and crazy! It's my natural texture. I usually painstakingly blow dry it and straighten it, but it’s been hot and I can’t stand using heat, so I let it go wild and do its thing. I got right up in the morning and marched out to my front yard in the grassy area that my dad doesn’t mow, and started snapping away. Almost sweated to death by the end of my little photo shoot, lol. I love the first picture. It's probably my favorite of me ever. I really love it. It has a kinda country look with a slight vintage feel. It was super bright so I couldn't really look up at the camera without being blinded. I always get a little freaked out going in that part of my yard - my family calls it, "the field" - where the grass is high...I saw a rat in there a few weeks ago. My dog and cat were hunting it and it ran right past me. They didn't know where it went, and I couldn't let them kill it, it would of been sad, so I didn't alert them. It's still out there somewhere, so I get afraid I'll step on it. I love love love this dress. I love the print and the fit. It fits me like a glove! And it has these great, big pockets on the sides, I love it



I’ve had the cowboys boots since I got them for Christmas back when I was 12 or 13, lol. But I never really wore them then. I’m really happy that my feet didn’t grow any longer and that they still fit! My feet decided to start growing rapidly at an early age. I reached my now woman's size 9 by middle school. And the rest kinda stopped then too, ending up with all 5'4" of me. I’m also glad I kept them all these years. They're great. I never like to get rid of clothes or shoes or any accessory until it's super worn, because you never know when things will be popular and "in style" again. Harper's Bazaar also recommends it! :D



I just hate getting rid of stuff because you end up seeing something (a certain style of shoes, a specific kind of printed dress...etc) that you once had in a magazine again a few years later and you kick yourself in the butt for getting rid of it! Like clogs heels I used to wear when I was younger that are now "in" again, for example. All of the trends come back eventually. I wish my mom would have kept her clothes and accessories from the 1980s and 1990s! (She grew up as a teen in the 1980s and had me in the beginning of the 90s.) To me, that would have been amazing to have all those original pieces and give life again to my own mom's clothes. Like her floral dresses from the 90s...I would have died! Lol. It would have been very cool and special for me. She'll see something I'm wearing and go, "I had something just like that back in (whatever year)!" She always says how she regrets it all the time for not keeping everything for me.



I'm considering doing it myself one day for my children, grandchildren, or nieces. Just packing up my favorite pieces, old jewelry, and trends from different decades to be opened like a treasure box one day. I'm already doing it with my cheerleading uniforms and pom poms from junior high and high school.
The only problem is trying to find somewhere to store everything! So if you have a big attic or basement or maybe your parents do, I'd recommend it! :)

I will be house sitting for my aunt this week, so I won't probably be posting anything till the weekend.

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Dress by Wet Seal
Boots by Forever 21
Hat by Forever 21

"The Girl Knew How to Chop and Change"

I am in love with the constant sun we are finally having in Washington. The heat is a little too much though. I'm used to 40-50 degrees, not 90. But it won't last, so I guess I better try and enjoy it. That shirt just wasn't a good idea. It was sticking to me...yuck.



Being able to take pictures with nice weather every day is definitely worth it. I took these photos under an old car port on my property. It's been around since the 1960s. It's covered with cobwebs and spiders and creeps me out just a little, but I also like it at the same time. Weird, huh? I love the old door, with it's cracking paint and the faded red painted exterior.
Gives it character, for sure.



I love these shoes. They're my favorite right now. I recommend wedges for everyone!! I also love the shorts, they're casual, but can be dressy too. Navy is also a great color for any piece of clothing. The scarf was a great find. I love the print. I'm guessing it's got to be from the 1980s. Gotta love thrift stores!

I’m obsessed with The Black Keys’s Chop and Change song. I can’t stop listening to it or singing along.


"Chop and Change" by The Black Keys off the album, Attack and Release.

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Shirt by Target
Shorts by Target
Scarf from Value Village
Socks by H&M
Shoes by Payless

Hot, Hot Summer

I'm still working on the blog...it's been a process. I haven't been able to get the design and header the way I want it just yet. Bare with me, pleaseeeee. I promise to get cracking on it right away! ;)

So I've decided this will be a fashion blog much like my Chictopia. I'll add in some bits and pieces of different things once in a while too.
Since my last post, I finished school for the summer, saw Eclipse twice in the theater (hehe), have been volunteering two days a week at my town’s library, and have been trying to enjoy my summer. Volunteering at the library has been quite a change. The only problem is I work very hard and don't get paid, lol. But it feels good to do something just because. The library staff really depends on me and my help, so it is a great feeling.

I had some family visiting from Alabama and family stuff going on for the last couple weeks so I haven’t really gotten around to taking pictures. I’ve been lazy about it and it has

been super hot here in Washington lately so I haven’t really been wanting to spend too much time outside while the sun is blazing. 90 degree weather for a pale Washingtonian is pretty much torture. Lol.
I’m not 100% sure I like this outfit, but I wanted to post something. The pics aren’t the best either, please forgive me. This shirt is pretty much one of my favorite pieces. I love the detailing around the neck and on the bottom of the sleeves. The pants are unbelievably comfortable. I’ve had them for a while but have just been to afraid to wear them out and have been unsure how to style them. But I was in a “I don’t care what people think” mood so I decided to give them a try.
Hope everyone likes the outfit!

XOXO,

Courtney

P.S. Thought I'd share a little something with everyone. I'm always looking for inspiration and something new. So I am always on Youtube, I love it! There's always something new and exciting to learn. I follow a lovely woman named Lauren who does make-up tutorials. She does a lot of celebrity inspired looks. She's really talented. I love fashion and make-up and think they go hand and hand, so I would like to share it with all you.

I really like this one for summer. It's inspired by Katy Perry's look in her California Girls video. It's a pretty vintage inspired look.


Visit her Youtube for more videos!

My outfit:
Pants by H&M
Shirt from Red Light Vintage
Belt by H&M
Shoes by Payless Shoes