Check out Alyson!

I'm sure most of you have read Alyson Is Neat but if you haven't, go check her out. Right now. Well, after you read the rest of this post.

My favorite things about her blog are many but I will give you a few. I love how brave she was to stop shopping for a whole year. A YEAR PEOPLE. Do you get how long that is? I also love how her style feels attainable. She doesn't wear outrageous things but she uses "normal" items to make a great outfit that I wouldn't have thought of. I look at her style and see outfits that inspire me to use stuff I already have in my closet and not go out and buy the newest and shiniest things.

So this isn't just a selfless plug for you to check out another blogger. I am entering to win a giveaway on her website. Go check it out and enter for yourself! If you win, I want to borrow the dress and tell me how wonderful I am. Just sayin'.

Venturing out

I actually left my place and went around the (inside) of my building to bring you these new and exciting photos.

This is my stairwell. Enjoy.

This is the basement by the bike rack. Enjoy.

One of my favorite necklaces

Look I even did a shoot outdoors in the beautiful -10 degree F weather.

Outfit details:

Chambray shirt - Gap via Buffalo Exchange

Black cords - Old Navy (old)

Chucks - don't remember... Pac Sun maybe

Minnesota necklace - Etsy a long time ago

Scarf - Mossimo via Buffalo Exchange

Your awkward pose of the day courtesy of me not knowing what to do... Look, I'm touching the bike which is super chic and suave.

I love you Grandma

This post may not be interesting to anyone else but I just had to put it up. My grandma is such an interesting and beautiful person. She was really poor growing up and I think that really affected her outlook and the way she dressed. Her mother passed away when she was young so her older sister helped to raise her. Then, she went to nursing school and married a doctor and the rest is history.

As I said in my FBFF questions, my grandma is a bargain hunter. She used to buy us presents for birthdays, Christmas, etc. at Dayton's every year. For those of you who don't know what Dayton's is, it is like a big department store here that is a step up from JC Penny's but not quite as ritzy as say Saks 5th Ave. It became Marshall Fields and is now Macy's (which makes me sad). Anywho, my grandma used to go to Dayton's like 5-7 times a week. She was always finding these fabulous deals and wanted everyone to know it. When she would give us the presents, she would leave the tags on with all of the clearance/markdown/sale stickers all over them. She would brag that something was marked down from 100 to only 5 bucks or whatever. When I was younger, I would just roll my eyes and say something along the lines of "That's rad grandma." (I grew up in the 80's people and rad is totally coming back.)

Now, I'm the exact same way. I don't leave tags on but whenever people ask me where I got something I get so excited when I can say the thrift store or Target etc. Plus, I always have to add something like "It was only 3 bucks." It's called price bragging disorder and it is no laughing matter people.

Recently, I was so fortunate to work on a special project for her. When we went to visit her in ND, she had all these old albums and photos just sitting in a cardboard box. I love pictures, especially old ones, so I proposed something to her. I will take all your old albums and scan all the pictures in to the computer so they will be safe. Then, I will take all the pictures and make one album out of them and give it back to you. She liked the idea so the huge box of photos came home with me. I didn't realize how daunting the task was. I took apart all of her old pictures (some photos were even taped in) and put them in piles. I then scanned each and every picture onto my computer. I got about 2/3 of the way through and then my grandpa passed away. My parents were in a hurry and they just threw all of my piles back into the box and left for ND. So, all of my work of scanning and putting them into piles was wrecked. I did manage to scan about 250 though.

She is a very stylish lady even now but I thought I would share some of my favorite outfits of hers and I might use them for inspiration later. I love you grandma and this is for you. (PS. This is going to be a bit picture heavy) :)

This is her in high school.

This is her prom dress! I want a dress like this for myself.

This is my favorite

I love how she is fishing in a sweater and shorts. She really loved to fish. And shop.

All dressed up. I love this hat!

So simple with just tweed pants and a sweater but looks great. This is one I'm going to try and steal.

Another where it is such a simple outfit but she pulls it off beautifully!

A night out on the town when they were engaged. I just love how great them men look and the women in their hats.

Her and my uncle Mike.

I wish she had saved this dress! PS, that's my dad in her lap :)

Had to throw in one of my grandpa. How great do he and my uncle look!

Lastly, their wedding picture. Aww.

Does this dress make me look pregnant?

I guess I should start asking people when I get dressed this question. Some older woman whose hearing I was testing said "You're having a baby!" I said, nope I'm not. Wow. This is the 3rd time this year that I've been asked this question. I mean, I would never even ask someone I knew let alone some total stranger. It is just rude in my opinion.

Well, on to happier topics! I wore this out to dinner with my friend who was in from Mexico. It was wonderful to catch up with her and I can't wait for a Skype date! I got this "dress" at the thrift store and it is actually a skirt! I bought it with a dress in mind but wasn't brave enough to try it until I saw this post from Tieka. So I decided to belt it, throw on a cardigan (so you couldn't see the tank top straps) and go for it!

However, I don't have a husband whose willing to take pictures for me so mine are taken in my condo again. :)

Outfit details:

Skirt as a dress: Hidden Treasures thrift

Necklace: For Love 21 (the accessories store)

Tights: Target

Belt: Thrifted at Goodwill

Cardigan: old (don't know!)

Boots: Payless (old)

I totally had to share this awkward one!

My delicious dinner from that night! I could put avocados on anything...

Favorite Finds Friday

Welcome to the first ever Favorite Finds Friday!

This is a feature that I'm trying out to see whether it fits like a 50's cocktail dress or an itchy holiday sweater your grandma bought you 3 years ago. (it took about 5 minutes to come up with this brilliant analogy). I am going to feature pieces that I thrifted or got from a vintage store that are my own personal gems.

The first is my all time favorite find. I wasn't looking for anything in particular the day I found this which can either equal lots of cool stuff or being too overwhelmed to even want to shop. I was in a store called Tatters on Hennepin which has some really great stuff and some not so great. I pulled about 10 dresses and none of them fit...until this one. It was like a choir started singing and the heavens shone a light from above. It fit perfectly, was in my favorite color and was from my favorite decade. I will show it styled one of these days so you can see it on but here it is in all its glory.

Close up of the front to show the gorgeous pattern.

This is the back with the cute little button detail :)

Compare and contrast

I just recently joined FBFF and this is my first time answering questions. I really like this week's questions because I find them highly applicable to the situation I'm in right now. Just starting out, it can be hard to NOT compare yourself to others.

1. Have you ever looked at someone's blog and thought yours will never measure up?

Oh all the time. I just started my blog and really got into fashion by looking at bloggers. Obviously there are some bloggers who have tons of sponsors, quit their jobs and 2/3 of their wardrobe is stuff they got for free. I get jealous but I have to think that it may come in time and if it doesn't, oh well. I work in a totally non creative field so it is hard for me to find inspiration in coworkers and I don't get to hone my craft by writing at work. I know that it will take a while to feel comfortable taking pictures and writing. I do this for fun and to improve my own sense of style. Not to make a bunch of money and get free stuff (although that would be great).

2. Do you (did you) feel pressure to meet some kind of undefined standard for fashion bloggers?

I do feel pressure. I know that anyone can start a fashion blog but not everyone is successful. This makes me feel that there is some sort of formula for success, readers, sponsors etc. I don't want to copy anyone but I want to live up to what other people are doing. I hope to some day remove that pressure but it is there for now. :)

3. Many established fashion bloggers are also extraordinary DIYers, bakers, and crafty people. Do you think you need to combine all of these things to be successful at blogging?

I am not extraordinary at an any type of craft. I'm a good baker, mediocre sewer and can't build an IKEA bookshelf without help. That being said, I think it's kind of fun to have tutorials/projects that showcase the person's personality if that is something they like to do. I don't gravitate toward blogs that have all of this kind of stuff or avoid blogs that don't have them. I love each blog for the person's style and not what else they have going on in their life.

4. The most successful blogs are the ones that have their own personal voice - how are you developing your voice or how did you find yours?

I am still working on this. I just try to write with the humor and voice that I have in real life. I am not the best writer so sometimes my thoughts don't translate well and I end up sounding stupid or something. I will just try to keep being myself and hopefully that will come through in my writing.

5. Toot your own horn... what's one thing you do that is unique to you and your blog? What gives your blog an edge?

My blog is unique because I grew up in a family of bargain hunters. My grandma (dad's mom) used to go to Dayton's every day and get stuff on super sale. She would leave the tag on and then brag about how much of a discount she got on it. "Well, this used to be 150 but I got it on sale for only 10 dollars." Plus, my mom is a super bargain hunter and never bought anything without it being on sale or having a coupon. I used to hate this about her but now that I'm older, I love it. She instilled in me the love of the hunt and finding the best deals. Now, I apply that knowledge in thrift stores and seeing how to get the look I like for less. Most of my favorite things and the ones I get the most compliments on are thrift finds. It makes me so happy to say "Oh it was only three bucks!" I hope people will find some helpful tips and inspiration from my blog.

I'm behind, this is from Christmas Eve

Well, my internet has been spotty at best these past two weeks. I am having trouble getting service at my condo. Due to bad weather, poor customer service and my place being made a brick I haven't been able to get internet. People are coming out to diagnose my problem (ha) and see if I can get service from them. So, for now, I'm borrowing internet from a neighbor. By borrow I mean use without their permission or knowledge. Oh well, it's only temporary (hopefully). Needless to say, I have a lot of outfits to post and no way to do it.

I have some ideas for weekly posts, let me know what you think!

1. What I actually wore to work Wednesday: I work as an audiologist in a very work casual environment and it is somewhat conservative. I would love to but can't really express my style at work. Also, I wake up at 6 and I don't really function that early. Lots of excuses but I never really feel like dressing like myself at work.

2. Thrift store Thursdays: I'm thinking of featuring my favorite local thrift stores/consignment/vintage stores. Plus, I think this would force me to find other stores that I've never been to and give you my honest opinion on them.

3. Favorite find Fridays: It is really hard to take outfit pictures during the week right now because it is dark when I leave for work and dark by the time I get home (depressing right?) so I thought I would show you some pictures of my favorite thrift gems and brainstorm with you on how I can wear them in lots of different ways (or in Kendi speak-remix the crap out of it) :)

So, I got this dress this past weekend when I went to sell some clothes back at Buffalo Exchange. I didn't sell many clothes at all but just enough to get this dress for like 10 bucks. That works for me!

Aren't these owls so cute!

Outfit Details:

Dress: Buffalo Exchange

Sweater: Old Navy (old)

Tights: Forever 21

Boots: Target

Belt: Thrifted at Salvation Army

PS. I need to figure out how to wear accessories other than this belt. In the next couple of posts, you'll see what I mean :)