Fall/Winter 2014 Inspiration

       The highlights of my summer wardrobe consisted of some key monochromatic looks. There's just something about black and white that's been really attractive to me this year. That compulsion has only grown as we enter the new season. This fall/winter I'm really into black and white with graphic prints and pops of oxblood, mustard, emerald, nude, blush and navy. This revelation occurred from, of all places, a forever 21 look book. I was just really into the sleek downtown look of one of their collections and that inspiration has propelled my style inspiration this season. Of course everything I wear this season won't fit the inspiration but a lot of it probably will. Anyway here's a mood board for my fall/winter 2014 style inspiration.

 

*All images found via Pinterest

I bought a Vowl! (Thrift Haul)

1. Georges Briard coffee pot

I spotted this coffee pot at Arc's Value village and immediately picked it up. It's in the Ambrosia pattern which isn't the most sought after of Georges Briard's work but is still really cool. And the fact that it's not super expensive on the ebays means it's ripe for the picking. I've liked the kitschy pattern for awhile so I pretty much snatched it off the shelf when I saw it. Plus it looks good in my nice little collection of retro kitchenware. 

2. Framed Poster

I found this print at a thrift store in northern Minnesota. It was actually a pretty decent thirft store but the prices were a wee bit high. I liked this enough to get it though.


3. Mid Century Modern Shadowbox

it's hard to take pictures of these things when you haven't hung them up yet.  

 

After forcing my boyfriend to get up at 7 on Saturday to go to the flea market I then talked my mom into going too. I figured she'd be in into it a little more than my boyfriend. Anyway we got there at about 11 which was two hours later than the first time I went and though there were venders, there weren't nearly as many. We walked around a bit but nothing was killing us and none of the prices were great so we left. But, we did end up going to one of the antique stores on the hour long journey back home. One such establishment was an old antique store that now is mostly cast offs from remodeled homes, but had some cool old stuff too. Among a bunch of random stuff I found this cool shadow box. I've been looking for a nice shadowbox for awhile so when I saw this one I knew I had to get it.
 

4. Blendo Glassware Pink Cups

some blendo bowls (?) my mom thrifted a few years ago

 These blendo cups were again found at Arc's value village. My mom has an orange bowl and four small bowls in this same style (second picture) and I love the kitschy pattern so I had to get them.

5.The Letter "O"

I see letters at the thrift store a lot but they're mostly craft store ones for kids rooms, not really the kind of letters I'm looking for. So when I randomly saw this letter "O" at the thrift store for 4 bucks I kind of had to get it. I have a "Z" (although not a real cool one, it's hard to find "Z"'s ) so I figured I could add to my "Z" and have the first two letters of my name. I have a feeling the letter trend is kind of on it's way out, but I still like it so whatever.

6. Mid Century Lamp Shade

 I got this lampshade at the Salvation Army on labor day, it was like 2 bucks and I thought it would look good with the green lamp that I thrifted a few months ago. Of course now I need to buy a lamp kit and figure that whole thing out because the lamp base as is doesn't have the hardware to hold up a lampshade. Anyway I like the look of the lampshade it has kind of a ratan-ish outer shade and a smaller fiberglass inside shade. I can't yet tell if it's a perfect match for my green lamp but when I held it up to the lamp it looked good.

**As always linking up with Sir Thrifts-a-lot's Thriftasaurus, be sure to check out all the cool stuff other bloggers have found there. 

Summer go-to

 

Crop Top: ASOS  ||  Dress (worn as skirt): thrifted (originally Kardashian Kollection)  ||  Shoes: Target

This outfit was pretty much my go-to last summer and it's been in pretty heavy rotation this year too. It's a cute easy outfit, it's pretty perfect. I've worn this a million times but most recently I wore it to go to a flea market with my boyfriend. The boy is not into the whole thrift/vintage/flea market thing but he knows I am so he sucked it up an went with. It ended up being only a few miles from where we went apple picking last fall, apparently all of our excursions are about an hour NW of Minneapolis. Anyway I was a horrible blogger and only got one picture (see above) but the flea market was fun. There were lots of different people and a good amount of vintage stuff as well as new stuff, vegetables, food, DVDs, videos games, the works.  We got there around 9, I read a yelp review that you should get there by 7 (!) to get the best deals/stuff but I just couldn't make myself (or the boy) get up at 5 in the morning on Saturday, it's just wrong.  I didn't end up getting anything as I didn't find anything I couldn't live without, but it was fun to go.

Thrifts of Horror: it's got legs! It knows how to use them...

Don't adjust your eyes people that is indeed a table with shapely women's legs for legs. Yeah... For a cool $300.00, this table could have been mine. Sadly I have taste. Although there were some people checking it out. It's almost so bad it's good. I'm really not sure if I should be offended by it or impressed that when the idea of this table came up no one along the way said "oh hell no".  It looks kinda sexual, like the table is either giving birth or ready for sex. Either way I'm mostly just highly amused that some company or someone made this. It looks like something that should be in Quagmire's house from Family Guy (giggity). I found this gem while innocently browsing my local Salvation Army and I had to share it, because when do you ever run into a table with legs like that?

Work Wear Inspiration

Hey guys! sorry it's been quite around here I've been a little busy lately. Among other things I got a second job, one that's more on track with where I'd like to go career wise, which is awesome. Anyway after getting said job I immediately thought, what do I wear? My retail job has a pretty strict and limiting dress code so going into an office where the dress code is pretty casual has made figuring out work outfits a bit... difficult. I want to look young and hip but also put together and professional. For now I'm trying to put together the most business casual outfits I can with my current wardrobe. The plan is to work with what I've got and  slowly add to my work wear wardrobe with thrift finds and the like. My current wardrobe isn't crazy inappropriate but I've suddenly become very aware of hemlines and necklines, which sits some of my favorite staples on a sort of fuzzy "is it? or isn't it?" appropriate line. Anyway in a pinch I've been pinning work wear outfits like crazy for inspiration. One of my big inspirations so far has been Tanesha from  Girl with Curves who's style is generally pretty office appropriate and very chic.  Anyway here are some of my favorite work wear pinspirations:

Girl With Curves

Girl with Curves

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Girl With Curves

Girl With Curves

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Girl With Curves

Girl With Curves

Girl With Curves

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 Girl with Curves

And I get dressed

See Anna Jane

Kendi Everyday

Blonde Bedhead

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source

via pinterest

via pinterest

j.crew via pinterest

Thrift Hurl

I'm back with another thrift haul! This one is significantly smaller as it's a roundup of the goodies I've found in just the last few weeks, but it's quality not quantity. And away we go!

1. Vintage Thermo Serve Set

I saw this set at the Salvation army and thought it was too cool to leave behind. I love the caddy it comes in and for 7 bucks I couldn't say no.


2. Vintage Chalkware lamp

I didn't actually find this piece, a close friend of my mom's gave it to me. She rents out a space at a local occasional sale and this piece didn't sell at the last sale, so she gave it to me! How nice is that?!?! I'm obsessed with Reglor lamps and though I'm pretty sure this is not a real reglor it's in the same style and I'm obsessed with it. I definitely would have paid retail for it so it was amazing to get it for free. If you're ever in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area you should check out Flamingos, it's an occasional sale full of affordable vintage finds and just happens to be where my mom's friend sells her wares. Her spot is in the stairway to the basement, so make sure to check there if you ever happen to go on a sale day.

3. Dansk

After years of looking I found not one but TWO Dansk pieces, in the same day! I found the pitcher first at my local goodwill. It has some nicks and the braiding on the handle is coming undone but other than that it's pretty nice. I thought the braiding on the handle might have been a camp crafter gone rogue, but after googling a bit I found a lot of other pitchers have the same thing. Kind of a weird touch but cool. The little sauce pan I found that same day at another thrift store. Two dansk pieces, of the same color, at two different thrift stores? It must have been my lucky Dansk day. Unfortunately it didn't come with the lid, but beggars can't be choosers. Both these items came out to about $14.00 which is a pretty good price.


4. Vintage Green lamp.

I found this lamp at the Goodwill and pretty much had to have it. I like the style and the cool glaze. I didn't come with a lampshade so now I have to find a good shade for it. I've seen similar style lamps with drum like shades before so I might go with something like that. Or maybe a cool fiberglass shade. I'm not sure so if you have any ideas please share!

5. Lady Head Vases (I don't know what these are called)

My mom's friend also gifted us these vases from her booth. Some of them have a few chips but they're still really cool.


* As always I'm linking up with Sir Thirft-a-lot's Thriftasaurus link up.