Monday, August 29, 2016

Thrifty Thursday

I know you are thinking Thrifty Thursday? But it's only Monday. Well I was out of town on Thrifty Thursday, and I did mention last week that I would post my finds when I got a chance. Well here is my chance. I got started later in the day than I intended to, so I only ended up hitting 2 places. I din't find a lot, but the few things I did find were pretty awesome.

The first place that I went was The Village Discount Outlet. The one that we went to was on Waterloo Rd. in Akron, and from what I can tell this is a chain of thrift shops in Ohio. It was recommended by Ryan's Grandma that this was a good place to go, because it is very large. Boy, she wasn't kidding! This place was pretty huge. All of the racks were double deckers, and there were so many different things to look at! After combing through the racks I noted that most of the items here were more recent and not of the vintage variety. I was still able to find a nice little dress from the late 60's / early 70's, and a super cute little vintage coat for Ava Nugget.


The Village Discount Outlet, Akron OH

Now thats a lot of clothes!

There's something so pretty about brightly
colored scarves all lined up

So this happened while I was shopping.
The blue car is ours FYI.

Pretty drop waist floral dress

It's handmade too!

Love the textures and colors in this fabric!

My favorite find of the trip:
a tiny vintage coat for Ava Nugget!

I can't even handle this cuteness...

Those details though!

And a Union Made tag to boot :D

The second place I stopped was the good ole Goodwill. It was on Waterloo Rd. as well. It was your standard Goodwill, if not a little on the larger side. The first thing I noticed was a rack of coats when I walked in the door. There were a few vintage furs on the rack that were reasonably priced, but fur of any kind is pretty gross to me, so I passed on the coats. I browsed the bags, but nothing really caught my eye. Next I hit up the dresses, which is my favorite spot. I have had pretty good luck at the Goodwill's in Chattanooga, and this one in Akron was no different. I was able to find a shirt style dress from the 70's and a matching skirt / shirt combo from the 70's as well. As I was checking out I spotted a vintage Coach shoulder bag and was super excited, because the tag read $15. Sadly, the tag was probably worth more than the bag, because it was in ROUGH shape. So it goes at the Goodwill: they always seem to mark up anything with a recognizable brand, no matter the condition.


All Goodwill's pretty much look the same.

This just screams "Alice from The Brady Bunch"

Patterns and textures

I think these buttons come standard
on this type of dress

Sold as a set...I can't imagine wearing these
together...waaaaay to matronly.

This pleated circle skirt is so cute though!

The blouse isn't too shabby either.

Gotta love a vintage polka dot!

So there you have it! My Thrifty Thursday on a Monday. Come back tomorrow and I will style my finds so as not to look like we have emerged directly out of a time machine.

xoxo,
Cassie

Friday, August 26, 2016

Living The Simple Life

Greetings from Akron, Ohio! Thats where I have been hiding out this week. Me, The Husband, and Ava Nugget hopped on a jet and went on our first vacation as a family <3


Ava Nugget is all ready to board the plane.
(I wish I looked this good this early in the morning!)

On the plane and ready for takeoff!

You may be wondering why we chose Akron as our destination, and the answer is family. This is where the Grandparents live. Ava Nugget is getting a whole week's worth of Great Grammy time, and Ryan and I are thoroughly enjoying a break from the routine back in Chattanooga.
 


Our lodging for the week, Great Grammy's house!
Isn't it charming?

It's not often that we get the chance to unwind, so this vacation was much needed. I can honestly say that I have spent an entire week with no TV and minimal internet. In fact, this is the first time I have even opened my laptop. It really feels like we have traveled back to a different time. A time when family was still important, and human interaction was the norm. We have been in bed by 9:30 most nights. We have had tomatoes fresh from the garden. We have sat on the back porch, and most importantly we have enjoyed this time with people that we love. It not only feels like a recharge for the body, but for the soul as well. 

There is no lap quite like Great Grammy's

A Pumpkin and her pumpkin

Barefoot in the garden

Gardening is tiring work!

Children learn what they live

3 Generations on the Lieving side! If Ryan's dad
was here we would have 4!

So, in short, we have really been enjoying our time here. Its been nice to just slow down and relax for a change, and I know that Ava Nugget has enjoyed having both her Mommy and Daddy around full time for a whole week.

FYI: I was able to hit a couple of thrift shops yesterday, and I found a few nifty little surprises. I can't wait to share them with you all! Hopefully I'll post them before we head back home. Now I think I'm going to hop off of here and enjoy my birthday today!

xoxo,
Cassie

Friday, August 19, 2016

Lets Talk About Patterns

If you are anything like me, patterns can be intimidating. Mixing them even more so. As someone who tends to wear a lot of black, venturing into the world of pattern mixing was a daunting one. Every time I saw an outfit with pattern mixing it looked so cool, but I was always half afraid of looking like a clown if I tried it myself. Once I got over that fear and looked at some tips it wasn't half as hard as I thought it would be. I remember one of the best tips that stuck with me was "if it looks off, it probably is". So, if you pair a couple of different patterns and look in the mirror and cringe, it's probably a pretty good sign that those two patterns don't play so well together. Below are a few pairings that might give you some ideas of your own :)

Also, when experimenting with pattern mixing you can play it safe or be daring. For a more conservative look try pairing some leopard print flats with a striped shirt. Up the ante a little by adding a floral print scarf. If you are daring pair a floral print dress with a plaid coat. The sky is the limit really. It all just depends on your comfort level.

THE MONOCHROMATIC LOOK
This is one of the easiest looks to pull off. Just look for patterns that are the same color. For this pairing I chose a peachy beige hue. If you look you can even see the same green accent color in each piece. I also chose to go with a stripe and a paisley print. The more organic paisley print is complemented by the geometric stripe pattern. When you pick a pattern that is mostly one color it can function similarly to a solid.

PAISLEY PEACOCK SKIRT & STRIPED POLO


THE COMPLEMENTARY COLOR SCHEME
This type of pattern mixing operates on the notion that complementary colors pair well together. The examples I have chosen are a blue plaid and an orange paisley print. Also, these two patterns work together because they are a warm color and a cool color. Another color pairing that works well is purple and yellow. One exception to the complementary pairing rule is red and green. While these two are complementary, its best to avoid pairing them since you run the risk of looking like a Christmas Tree :)

PLAID SKIRT & PAISLEY BOHO DRESS


LARGE PLAYS WELL WITH SMALL
When pairing patterns it is a good idea to pair large patterns with small ones. This pairing works because the two patterns don't compete with one another. Your eye will naturally be drawn to the larger pattern, so the second pattern will serve as a complement. Below I have chosen a large floral pattern and a small geometric pattern. I also used patterns in the same color palette. Another pattern that plays well with florals are stripes.

SILK FLORAL PRINT DRESS & CONFETI DRESS


ANIMAL PRINT IS A NEUTRAL
While it might seem a little crazy, animal print pairs with a lot of different things. The key is picking an animal print in a neutral color. Animal print pairs especially well with florals, which is what I have included below. Another great pattern pairing with animal print is a stripe pattern. I especially like a black and white print paired with leopard print. For a more complex pairing try a pairing similar to the one below with a black and white stripe pattern.

BLACK FLORAL DRESS & LEOPARD PRINT DRESS

So there you have it! There are my musings on pattern mixing. How do you do pattern mixing? Let me know in the comments, and I would love to see some photos of your pairings as well.




Thursday, August 18, 2016

What Is Vintage To You?



I was reading some articles about styling vintage clothing the other day. There were so many rules. If you are a certain age don't wear this, or don't wear that. Don't look like you are in costume. The list was extensive. It struck me... why do there have to be so many rules? Why can't we just wear what makes us happy? It got me thinking about my own vintage journey.

I still remember the first vintage piece that I owned. It was a black velvet blazer circa the 70's that I found at the Dalton Providence Ministries Thrift Store. I was in 9th grade. Man, I thought that jacket was the most stylish thing ever. I wore it with everything. From dresses with combat boots to jeans and t-shirts. I think I may have even worn it with overalls. I felt so cool in that jacket. I think it smelled like moth balls, and looking back I am pretty sure the fit was pretty ill. It did't matter. That jacket made me feel like a million bucks. I think I paid 3 dollars for it. The point is wear what makes you happy.

Of course i became more sophisticated in what my vintage style was. A few years ago I was in the middle of a full on pinup phase. I was wearing circle skirted dresses with petticaots. Red matte lipstick and winged eyeliner was part of my everyday look. It was an amazing look, but I just couldn't keep up with it once I became a mom. The point is that your personal style is fluid. It evolves over time. While that pin up style was fun, it didn't suit the point in life that I am at now. I couldn't very well keep up with a newborn in a petticoat and heels ( on a side note: kudos to all of those 50's housewives that could). I still love that style, but I had to taylor it to my needs. Now I might pair a 50's cardigan with a pair of skinny jeans and flats. A mid century frame bag could also be a nice addition. My new mommy fashion mantra is fashionable and functional.


at the height of my pinup obsession :)

(Rockin' the mommy look now <3)

This blog will serve as a window into my own personal journey in vintage style. I have found what works best for me is a mix of vintage and contemporary clothing. I love mixing the two. I hope that I can entertain you with this blog, and maybe even serve up a little bit of inspiration in your personal style. I'm not here to tell you what you should or shouldn't wear. You should wear what makes you happy, and my opinion shouldn't factor into that.

xoxo,
Cassie