Badass

All of my friends (well most. Ok none) know that I'm a badass. In case you couldn't already tell from reading this blog, I'm going to give you some irrefutable evidence. Might have to change the name of the blog to Badasses in Thirftland.

1. The picture above.
2. I own a black (faux) leather jacket.
3. I own aviator sunglasses.
4. I know all the words to this song. Including the swear words.

5. My dog could probably rip your face off (even though he won't. He looks like he could).
6. I rode on a motorcycle once.
7. I just read the Hunger games trilogy in 4 days. Bam.
8. Nothing in this outfit was thrifted.
9. I took these pictures in an alley. It was muddy and I was wearing brand new shoes. I know. Badass.





Outfit Details:
Cardigan - Old
Shirt - GoJane (saw this on Two Birds and had to get it!)
Jeans, shoes - Target (shoes are new! 8 bucks!)
Necklace - Gift

Need more evidence? Prepared to be bitch slapped with it.


I also know all the words to this song. Saw them in concert 3 times, bitches.


Owned.

Favorite Finds Friday - Cream Pleats

I love this skirt. So sheer and flowy.  There in also lies it's flaws.  I have to wear a slip with it so the tucking gets a little complicated. Doesn't stop me though! I can't wait to wear this again this spring with lots of short sleeve tops. Any suggestions?




Not as crazy about this combo. I need some more ideas!

OK, so I was searching for other times I've worn this and apparently I've only taken pictures of it twice. I wear this skirt a lot... Well, all the more reason to put it up again!

Work Wear

I start work at 7:30. Yes, A.M. My friends always ask, "How do you get up at that ungodly hour and function?" Well, I don't. I shower at night and sometimes wash my hair in the morning. I throw random clothes on my body and random food in a bag. I take the dog out and then I leave. This is all I can manage. This is why my work wardrobe is weird/boring. I'm too tired to care. So, I thought I would post an outfit that actually turned out somewhat normal looking. Well if you count stripes and tights and corduroy and boots normal looking. Maybe I should start a new post series, Weird Shit I Wear to Work. Throw it on Wednesdays so we can have more W's in there. What do you think?




I tried a new pose!

Outfit Details:
Scarf, shirt - H&M
Skirt - Thrifted
Sweater - Urban Outfitters (I think, I've had it forever)
Boots, tights - Target

Other Babes in Thriftland - Lori

Hi Friends! Today we have Lori from A Little Slice of Special. We recently "met" via commenting and reading each others blogs. She is super sweet and I can't wait until we have our lady date soon. She is a dog lover, vintage/thrift lover and she is kicking ass in her goal to get in better shape. So, head over to her blog and say hi!

Thrifted item: The dress! I love this! View full post here.

Do you know how hard it was to get a Missoni item from Target? How amazing is it that she got this sweater at the thrift store? Only 4 bucks!! View full post here.

This dress isn't thrifted (she got it from Forever 21 via Lulu Letty) but I just love this picture and her scooter!

For your tips for the day, look no further than a great list of thrift stores she compile here! If you live in the Twin Cities (or are planning a visit), check it out!

Thanks so much Lori for the great list and being a great person! Remember, if you want to participate, just send an email to babesinthriftland@gmail.com. Send links to your post or pictures of your favorite outfits or pieces. Also, include tips/a story/why you thrift.  Hope to hear from you!

Favorite Finds Friday - Powerhouse Skirt

I love a good pattern. You can probably tell this by how I dress. I own more shirt with stripes, polka dots, etc than solids. This makes dressing more fun in my opinion. However, what do you pair all of those crazy patterns with? Well, all of my patterned shirts don't really match any of my patterned skirts. I love them too but sometimes you just need a basic skirt that lets all of your crazy shine! This skirt is that kind of skirt. I love the shape of it and I wish I had one in every color. I would say the cost per wear on the baby is down to about -.15 cents. Here's a couple of my favorite outfits with it!









Going through my pictures, I'm actually surprised by how little this skirt has appeared on the blog because I wear it pretty much once a week. Thank you for all of the great outfits, skirt. If you could show me where all of your brothers and sisters live in the thrift store, that would be great.

Have a great weekend! I'll be working all weekend :( so enjoy it for me!

Giveaway!

I'm feeling like doing a giveaway today! What fabulous prize are you playing for you ask? Well, you can win a print from my Etsy store! In honor of spring, I'm giving away your choice of one of the flower prints below!

To Enter:

1. Follow on either bloglovin' or google friend connect.

2. Head over to my shop, heart an item and write a comment below letting me know you did and which was your favorite!

Extra entries (leave a separate comment for each entry) :

1. Tweet tweet about the giveaway and make sure to mention @penguinpalaces and @thriftland!

2. Like my fan page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foster-Photography/145701812384

3. Come up with something else to spread the word!

Giveaway will close Friday, April 27th. Good luck!!

Don't want to wait? Use the coupon code "GIVEAWAY" to get 15% off anything in the shop!

Other Babes in Thriftland - Vang

Welcome to another installment of Other Babes in Thriftland! Today's babe is Vang from My Lovely List. I had the pleasure of meeting Vang at the Junk Love sale. She is super sweet and just started doing outfit posts on her blog. Go over and say hi! She wanted to share some really great thriting tips with you so here goes!

Tip #1: Patience is key

When I first started thrift shopping, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of clothing at the thrift store. Being patient is essential when shopping at thrift stores. Some of the best items are found after meticulously combing through racks and racks of clothing. 

Tip #2: Make it fun

Sometimes, I feel an unspoken pressure to search for that really great "find" at the thrift store. It's the same type of pressure one might sense while shopping on Black Friday to get the best deals. But when I go thrift shopping without expectations, I am more at ease and the experience is more enjoyable overall.

Tip #3: Thrift with an open mind

One of my favorite thrifted items is a vintage floral dress. I had seen it more than a few times during my regular shopping trips and had previously dismissed it. The dress had big shoulder pads, a bright floral pattern, and looked unflattering on the hanger. But when I finally decided to give it a try, I fell in love with the full skirt, the hidden side pockets, and the cute buttons on the front of the dress. Also, it was easy to alter what I didn't like about the dress after I took it home (I removed the shoulder pads). 


Thrifted item: the dress! See the full post here.


Thrifted items: Blouse, skirt and belt! View full post here.

Thanks for the great tips, Vang! I think even veteran thrifters can use that advice!  Head over to her blog and tell her I said hi!


 Remember, if you want to join in the fun just send me an email at babesinthriftland@gmail.com with a link to your favorite outfits. If you want to share some tips or a story like Megan, that would be great too!

I Think I'm Gonna Scarf

Happy Monday... I had an exclamation point there but I took it away. I mean, who likes Monday anyway? These sunglasses and this scarf are both new and are not from the thrift store. Shocker right? Actually, I think this is a rare outfit where the majority of the pieces AREN'T thrifted. Oh the horror! :)







Outfit Details:
Shirt - Thrifted
Scarf - H&M
Jeans, sunnies, shoes - Target

Maternity Shoot

I know, I know. I suck at posting this week. I finally edited some pictures that I took of my sister on her way to the airport. We took about 15 minutes and wandered around the sculpture garden at the Walker Arts Center. It was pretty cool because that's where we took pictures for her wedding too! Here are a couple of my favorites!











Have a great weekend! Favorite finds will hopefully be back next week :)

Other Babes in Thriftland - Nora

This has been so fun for me! I just wanted you all to know this. Just in case I run out of people to feature :)


Today we have the lovely Nora from Two Birds (you saw her sister Megan last week). Nora is the younger and somewhat quieter of the two but just as fun. Not only is she very sweet but she will pick up guys for you, show you her sweet dance moves or serenade you with some karaoke. Definitely a friend worth having! Nora (like Megan) has such a unique sense of style and you can really see it in the items she gets from the thrift stores. Some things I would look at and have no idea what to do with it but she always makes it into a great outfit. 

Other than my sister, megan bird, my mom is the biggest thrifter I know. We had to learn our mad thrifting skills from someone, right? But, my mom thrifts so much that whenever my daughter, Mimi, and I walk into a particular thrift store (which happens to be my mom's favorite), Mimi always looks around and says, "I want to see grandma"! It's as though she thinks grandma lives at the thrift store and is just always going to be there. (and if you ask my dad, he might claim this to be partially true). Oftentimes, we do end up running into my mom while we are shopping, so she is really not helping me to dispel Mimi's belief that grandma makes her second home at the store. so, while i don't know who thrifts more, Megan or my mom (i definitely come in at a close third), i do know that Mimi has never thought megan lived at the thrift store. and that is saying something. although, i think someday, when Megan and i are retired and constantly out thrifting, our future grandchildren will think the same about us!

Here are some of my favorite outfits!

Doesn't she look hot here? Thrifted items: sweater, skirt, tights and boots. Wow! View full post here.

Love the blue and the orange combo! Thrifted items: Shirt and belt (the dress used to be mine!) See full post here!

See what I mean?! Thrifted items: that blazer! View full post here!

Love this weird shirt and the baby bump :) Thrifted items: shirt, boots, necklace, belt. View full post here!

I hope you loved Nora's style as much as I do! Don't forget to check her out over at Two Birds and tell her I said hi!

Remember, if you want to participate (please do!) then just send me an email to babesinthriftland@gmail.com and send me links to your posts or just the pictures. Please share a funny story or thrifting tip too!

Favorite Finds Friday

The green coat edition! I found this super cool North Face jacket floating among the "light coats" last fall. Ok, I did say North Face. And it's gortex. And it was only 15 bucks. I know right? I was shocked that it wasn't more because this my friends is a nice jacket. It is wind and waterproof, warm and fashionable. I' had been looking for an army green jacket and a waterproof "athletic" type coat for camping/hiking for a while. This coat fit both criteria. Can't beat that thrifters. You just can't. I was surprised by how little it has shown up on this blog because I really wear it a lot. Thanks to the weather for going back to spring so I can wear this again!

One Dress 3 Ways - Day 3

This day was much colder than the ones before so that's why I changed the skirt to pants, the sandal-y shoes to boots and threw on a jacket. You can't tell but I'm also wearing the same cream sweater as I was in Tuesday's post but it's covered with a jacket. I dug this outfit a lot. Something about the blue and the army green with the tan boots. I felt pretty cool. :)

Ace and I went on an adventure this day. Do you know how hard it is to pick up a car from repair when you have no one to help you? It's like that puzzle where you can't leave the lion and the monkey on the same side of the river or something. So, we picked up the keys for my car before the shop closed, drove my mom's car back to their house, walked back to the repair place and then drove my car home. Oh well. At least we both got some exercise!

This post is also going to be part of tomorrow's post... Just so you know.









Outfit Details:
Dress as a tunic - H&M
Boots, jeggings - Target
Jacket - Thrifted
Lack of accessories - the usual for me :)

Other Babes in Thriftland - Megan

I am so excited to feature this next lady with you all. My next Other Babe in Thriftland is Megan from the dynamic duo of Two Birds.  She is actually a good friend of mine IRL.  Not only is she one of my thrifting idols, she also gives great advice, is super funny and really nice. She always finds great things and her house is filled with all her cool treasures. I also love her ability to take something that may be ugly or weird by itself and make it into a cool outfit. See picture 1. Could I make that shirt look cool? Probably not. Such is the power of Megan.

When I asked her to share some thrifting tips or a story, she told me this: "So I go to the thrift store so much that one day I was shopping and I spotted a faux fur coat. Since I (love love) love faux fur, I ran over to it so no one could grab it before me. Only then did I realize that the coat used to be mine, I never wore it and I was the one who had donated it to that thrift store."  Now who hasn't done the same thing? I've gone to a store, picked up a cute shirt only to realize I was drawn to it because it used to be mine. Oh man.


Thrifted items - shirt, bracelet and shoes


Thrifted items - Shirt, skirt and belt


Thrifted items - shorts, belt, shoes and bracelet

Doesn't she find the best stuff?  Go and check out her and her sister, Nora over at their blog and say hi for me!  Remember, if you want to join in the fun just send me an email at babesinthriftland@gmail.com with a link to your favorite outfits. If you want to share some tips or a story like Megan, that would be great too!

One Dress 3 Ways - Day 2

This time I wore this dress as a top. Much better coverage for my lady bits :)









Outfit Details:
Dress as a top - H&M
Skirt - Two Birds
Sunglasses - Not sure
Sweater - Heritage 1981
Shoes, belt - thrifted



P.S. This one makes me me laugh because you can see Ace lurking in the background and he looks so concerned for me. Maybe he should be...

Blogger Book Club

So, this is not the Blogger Book club that I tried to start. This is a really fun idea started by Sian! It's almost a book swap in a way. The plan was to send your favorite book to one person in the group. We keep rotating the books around and write a review of each one. Then, the book gets sent on and you get a new one in the mail! I'm so happy to have found this group of bloggers and I can't wait to get more books. I also can't wait to see what everyone thinks of my favorite! I had to pick my second favorite since I didn't want everyone to have to send around Harry Potter :)

Here's my thoughts:

This was a really great book. The premise is the author goes around to the happiest and unhappiest places in the world to find out what the secret to happiness is. My favorite chapters had to be the one where he went to Bhutan and the one where he went to Iceland. The author met a lot of people in his travels that were, what he called, "hedonic refugees". These were people that were born in one place (like America) but now live somewhere else. He said that a lot of them had moments where the traveled somewhere and felt like they belonged there. A feeling that they had been born in the wrong country. This really touched me because I felt the same thing when I went to Scotland. I studied abroad there and as soon as I stepped off the plane, I had this feeling that I was meant to be there. I've traveled a lot and never had that feeling anywhere else. There were a lot of funny parts mixed in with facts and the authors opinions of each place. The only thing I didn't like was the generalizations made about an entire people based on the meeting of a few or just his impressions of one city. Can you really know everything about India by just going to Bangalore? Can you know everything about America by living in Miami? I felt like some of the chapters would have been better if they were more fleshed out.

To summerize, this is a great book and I highly recommend reading it! Head over here to check out what she thought of my book (it was ok apparently) and see what everyone else thought of their books! 

One Dress 3 Ways - Day 1

This was not meant to be a feature at all. I just happened to wear this dress three different times and take pictures of each outfit. It wasn't until I uploaded all of these pictures that I realized I had worn it 3 times. So... here is a series of posts on how to wear the same item multiple ways. It also helps if the weather changes dramatically in between wears. It makes you change how you wore it before and makes for 3 totally different outfits. My grossness leads to your inspiration. You're welcome :)  Note: I did wash this in between wears 1 and 2 but not between 2 and 3... Oh well.



I somehow thought this "dress" was longer in the store. While wearing it, I felt many a breeze and got chlucked at by my mom as to how short it was. Which is a bummer because it's brand new and I actually paid full price for it... Ce la vie!





Outfit Details:
"Dress" - H&M
Tights - We Love Colors
Cardigan, boots - thrifted