September Purchases

St Vincent de Paul

Whenever Beefy drove past the Mt Washington St Vincent de Paul, I made little mewing noises and scratched at the window. We never stopped – either because the store was closed or because we were on a tight timeline. It tortured me to pass by that thrifting bonanza again and again.

This month, Beefy enticed me to the nearby Walton Creek Theater with the prospect of decorating The Foreigner set. I made a couple of small changes (a different rug and a different throw) and then searched the haunted basement for wall art appropriate to a fishing retreat. I came up empty. Nothing to do about that but go shopping! And so I finally got to go to the Mt Washington St Vincent de Paul.

Because we had less than an hour, Colette and I rifled through only the framed art and immediately returned to hang it. Not bad:


After being forced to paint the stage floor, Colette and I escaped the theater and returned to SVdP, where I spent a record amount on second hand clothes and accessories for myself: almost $50! (I lost my receipt, so I’m doing my best to remember prices.)

1. LS2 silk leopard-print blouse, $4.49
2. Suede and knit vest, $6.99
3. Faux Dolce & Gabbana red bag, $10.99
4. Worthington mustard shirt, $4.49


5. Carved wooden bangle, $2
6. Woven olive belt, $1
7. Scarf, $2
8. New York & Company leopard cardigan, $4.49


9. Joseph A silk animal print sweater, $4.49
10. Striped belt, $1
11. Plaid skirt, $4.49

Tristate Antique Market

12. Turquoise ring, $10 (the uppermost, and smallest, ring in the photo.

Beefy bought me the cuff (belated 2010 Valentine’s gift), so it was “free!”

Target

I needed new sunglasses (my Betsey Johnson pair finally bit the dust) and a neutral, crushable hat for an upcoming trip.

13. Xhilaration sunglasses (olive and red), 2 x $12.99 = $25.98
14. Olive driver hat, $14.99




Night Owl Crafts

I visited Night Owl Crafts at her booth at the VitaminWater uncapped fashion show. I had a helluva time deciding between four pairs of adorable earrings. If I weren’t borrowing money to buy even one pair, I might have brought more home with me!

15. Reworked earrings, $8


September total: $105.40

Total spending for the year: $1188.36

Shoulda

So….I definitely should have worn tights today. It was much cooler and breezier than I expected.

I did have the good sense to don pettipants. Otherwise, I would have displayed my goods to the people of Cincinnati more than once this afternoon. I was also fortunate to have left my leather jacket at work yesterday. It blocks the cold wind like a champ.


Jacket, Laundry by Shelli Segal. Vest, Urban Vibe. Dress, Tucker for Target. Bracelets, Claire's and vintage. Sunglasses, Xhilaration. Shoes, American Eagle for Payless.



Yeah...I didn't want to take the jacket off.



Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Organic

A black and white outfit, accessorized with pops of bright color, is classic, but can come across a bit contrived and artificial. To bring some naturalism to that sterile palette, I like to add an organic, earthy touch. Wood, feathers, or an animal print break up the black and white and dull the harshness of brights.


Dress, Allison Taylor (thrifted). Sweater, New York & Company. Obi belt, Sugadaminka. Shoes, Steven by Steve Madden. Bag, Charming Charlie. Earrings, Pangaea.



Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Cost Per Wear

I thrifted some real gems over the summer. I’ve gotten multiple uses out of this belt and bag (photo at bottom), and the shirt and skirt are entering heavy rotation, as well. I love a good cost per wear!


Shirt, Worthington (thrifted). Skirt, thrifted (no label). Belt, thrifted. Bag, faux D&G (thrifted). Shoes, Two Lips. Bracelet, Pangaea. Necklace, Macy’s.

A Mess

I’m a really messy eater. I remember swearing to myself to never eat spaghetti on a date because I’d be sure to get it all over myself. I can’t eat chocolate without dropping bits in my lap (to be discovered after they’ve melted onto my clothes). Beefy has banned me from eating in his new car. (I got ice cream all over the floor mat of his old car.)

Busy prints are the best bet for someone as sloppy as myself. This sweater hides a multitude of food stains.


Sweater, Joseph A (thrifted). Skirt, Talbot’s (thrifted). Shoes, J Crew. Bag, Mossimo. Necklace, Zad. Sunglasses, Xhilaration. Earrings, vintage.




Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Waterproof

Today, I’m glad that skin is waterproof. I wore galoshes and a rain coat, and carried an umbrella, but my legs still got wet. However, I prefer wet skin to wet fabric. It dries more quickly.


Shirt, Christopher & Banks (thrifted). Skirt, Herman Geist (thrifted and shortened). Everything else, thrifted and unlabeled.