how to get great clothes for cheap (one approach)

Step 1: Have a great mom, who likes to shop. Shop her closet when she tires of certain great items. My navy blue super soft sweater is a good example. 

Step 2: Go to NYC. Buy unreasonably cheap pashminas from street vendors. 

Step 3: Go to Ghana. Buy incredibly cheap, beautiful, batiked fabric. Ask mom to sew, sew it yourself, or have a tailor sew a literally one-of-a-kind skirt suit for you. 

Step 4: Thrift. 

Alright, the trips to NYC and Ghana add a bit of expense. But that can go in your travel budget, not your clothes budget. 

I brought back a wonderful selection of fabric from Ghana last winter. As a perfect graduation present, my mom worked with a seamstress to make me a skirt suit from one of the fabrics, which I've been loving and wanting a pair of navy blue shoes for. A recent thrift trip turned up these wonderful finds for just $8.98 total!

And that's my final outfit post before 30 for 30. Look for my items tomorrow. 

let's get started!

Ok this is it! Me being a good blogger. Here are my items for the 30 for 30 challenge:

I know, I know, that picture says 9 and there are only 6. I have 3 more, these two, and a 3rd that I can't find a picture of because it's older.

Anthro red stripey and Banana Republic non-picutred are at the dry cleaner and Gap chambray tuxedo is in the mail! I hope it fits and stuff. If not, I have a tough choice to make.

I'm actually kind of nervous about this, because I'm not a huge remixer. I generally find outfits I like and wear the crap out of them. This is going to be a good test. I just don't know if I'm going to be able to make things flattering! Okay, positive thoughts. 30 for 30 will be awesome.

double dose: weekend outfit/work outfit

Casual Sunday meeting wonderful old friends for brunch outfit: 

Thanks for the pretty necklace Mom & Dad, 

and thanks for letting my take care of your bright blue scarf sister:-)

 An "experiment" outfit for a very cold day with very little clean clothing. What do you think?

Happy Sunday everyone:-) I'm squeezing in some last minute pre-30 for 30 shopping today (I really need a new pair of jeans), reading the newest Nylon magazine, and hoping for any good news for Egypt. 

I'm back!

Hi, remember me? My name's Anna and I used to post on this blog before I moved back in with my parents and got into a big funk. But I'm back! Because Sasha convinced me to partake in Kendi's 30 for 30 challenge and I can't turn down a challenge. Or Sasha.

This isn't me, this is Rose Byrne. But she's gorgeous and my fashion inspiration right now:

See you soon with my 30 for 30 items!

post-concert tea & blogging

I saw The Decemberists (again) tonight and they were great. If you ever have the chance to see them live, you should. A little something pretty for your ears now:

You can actually listen to all of their new album here: thanks NPR :-)

I'm getting ready for 30 for 30, but I have a few more outfits to post before then. 

A casual work day. 

     

When I was supposed to go dancing (see my excitement in the second picture) until there was an expensive cover. 

Speaking of 30 for 30, I think I finally narrowed down my items. There were about 20 easy picks and then some tough decisions. (Dear clothing, I love each of you even if you weren't pick for this round.) I'm planning to power through this 30 for 30, starting Monday and including weekends. Prepare for many blog posts. 

casual day (usually also know as sleepy day)

When it's cold and I'm sleepy, sometimes all I want is a turtleneck and jeans...a comfy & cozy outfit, a little lazy.

That's me being "alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic!" (Did anyone else sing that at camp?)

No other news. It's snowing in MA again. yep, no news. 

black and grey...and purple*

Mom (and everyone else who thinks the shorts-with-tights trend is silly), guess what? My co-workers and bosses like my work shorts. They even like them with tights. 

Did everyone have a good weekend? I spent Friday night relaxing with friends, wine, and good conversation; Saturday catching up with a friend & baking banana bread and Saturday night out, laughing with friends; and Sunday catching up with old friends (yes, you can be 22 and have old friends). Needless to say, it was delightful. 

The cherry on top of a good weekend? I just realized that this outfit was under $100 and I'll be sending it to Kyla for Blue Collar Collective.

purple and gold

Just so happens this shirt, my new necklace (post to come), and one of my favorite pashminas come together really well:

The pictures really don't do this great outfit justice!

winterized.

This is basically the winter version of this outfit. Except that really for it to be New England weather appropriate, I should have been wearing the sweater that I also wore all day. Forgot that in the pictures. Opps. 

Is anyone go to The Swap tonight? If so, I'm jealous & good luck!

the long awaited short hair pictures

This outfit is full of new things: my haircut, a new shirt, and a new necklace (both holiday presents). 

close up on the shirt - isn't it pretty? I wanted something glittery that's not just for New Year's Eve..

PS - Kendi is doing another 30 for 30 challenge and Anna and I will be remixing!  

a little purple and a little lace

Last long hair post! I wish you could see the lace of my shirt a little better in these photos, but my lovely parents bought this cute lace top for me in black and white, so there are bound to be many more photos to highlight the pretty shirts. 

Just a quick post for now - I'm off to pilates. 

argyle tights and reasons I cut my hair

Not that long ago, I found this sweater poncho (from high school, I think) and decided I still liked it. Best part: matches my sweater tights so nicely!

Re-wearing things from long ago is part of why my closet and dress are so full...I actually go back to clothes that I didn't wear for a year or two and find I still really like them. Then I fear if I get rid of something, I'll end up wishing I had it. 

In other ramblings, my hair is so not very nice is these pictures. Confirms that I my haircut was a great choice, and I promise there will be pictures of it soon!

pretty things (the second)

(from http://vanessajackman.blogspot.com/)


(from http://www.sidewalkchic.com/)


(from http://facehunter.blogspot.com/)

one of those days

I had a bit of an outfit crisis this morning and I really wish I could have worn an outfit like, but I was supposed to have a meeting (and wanted to make a good first impression). Meeting was cancelled. 

This is the sort of thing I wear on days when I'm having trouble getting out of bed and out of the house to work. I really really like my job, but I don't particularly like leaving my warm apartment and comfy couch between 9am. Jeans, wool ski socks, my "blanket sweater" and a pashmina make it a teeny bit easy to push my bum out the door. 

 

The colors and brightness in the first picture? representative of the kind of weather that would make me jump out of bed to walk to work.

If you're in New England and you get a snow day tomorrow, enjoy!