plum perhaps?

Plum, a historically overlooked shade of violet, has been impossible to ignore.

Whether it’s suede wedges, an over-sized sweater, or an evening clutch, plum is taking over the fall palette. I find myself staring at a pair of plum pumps – necessary? Of course not. Perfect for work, comfortable… Before I know it, I have bags, pants, shoes, tights – all plum! And too much plum can be, well, overwhelming.

My sane and reasonable side trumped wanting to own every possible clothing item possible in this new semi-neutral shade that seems to go with pretty much everything. The verdict? One pair of pants.
Top: secondhand, $2 (just another reason to shop at your local Goodwill). Pants: Marshalls, $25. Purse: Rebecca Minkoff.
Shoes: Ellen Tracy.

There you have it, the start to an unhealthy addiction.

Edited: a thrifty pop-up

For three days, DC shoppers experienced second hand shopping at its best : cheap, convenient, and for a great cause. Hosted at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery dowtown, Goodwill teamed up with architecture firm Gensler for a local pop-up shop that would contribute funds for a new Goodwill store and donation center. In just one seven hour day, Goodwill reportedly raised more money than an entire weekend of sales at one of their regular brick-and-mortar locations. A success? I think so.
Walking around, the space felt as if it was designed just for the event. Dangling handcrafted paper hangars and stacked boxes gave the pop-up just enough modern feel; a mélange of Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie.

A green emerald top: $4.98plus a colorful accessory and leather skirt – et voila! An outfit for less than $50.

Leslie rocking her new floral skirt for $5
$20 later, I had a new bag, pants, skirt, and top (photos to come). The only downside? Goodwill and Gensler wrapped up their pop-up on Friday. Fingers crossed Edited for Goodwill will be the first of many more.

DC thrifting

I had my first panic attack –  a new second hand store? In Logan Circle? Nestled between a hair salon and a new restaurant, chain-store Buffalo Exchange re-inspired some long overdue blogging.

Top: American Apparel (second hand) $15
Dress: H&M
Shoes: TJ Maxx

Since it’s opening on June 16 (a day before my birthday – coincidence? I think not!) the store has been a go-to for accessories, summer-wear, and everything in between. With a large selection and reasonable prices (and the option to sell/trade), Buffalo Exchange has become a weekend ritual (living one block away has been terribly inconvenient for any willpower/money in my account).

Above, one of my first purchases – a simple chiffon, over-sized button up. While American Apparel sells for $58, this barely worn top has already become a summer staple… for $15!

a sweet steal

I’ve never been a die hard Coach fan (the signature series is a bit tacky), but I do like the simple leather bags Coach used to sell. Recently, Coach launched a “classic” line, which features solid colored leather wristlets, totes, shoulder bags, and more (see below).
Cute right? Plain leather can be casual, dressy, and everything in between. Additional bonus? These bags last forever. If you don’t feel like spending $298 on a shoulder bag, you have options. A solid choice for those in the DC/MD area can try the Value Village by UMD, which almost always has a small selection of vintage Coach bags for… (wait for it) – FIFTEEN DOLLARS. Obviously the bags have a bit of a worn look, but the rugged leather adds a nice touch.
This little black cross-body bag was only $10, and it’s  the perfect size for running errands around town. On the right, Stacia found her cute tan leather purse at Plato’s Closet, a nation-wide second hand retail store. Sadly, the closet store locations are in Frederick, MD; Sterling, VA; and Chantilly, VA.
Until next time, happy purse shopping!

-J

ready to wear… green

Do you have one go-to outfit? A combination that doesn’t require thought or any effort whatsoever? In fact, you sometimes wonder if your girlfriends aren’t passing judgement for wearing the same blazer/skinny jean combo that you’ve adopted as a second skin.

Normally, I do not, but after a little visit to my neighborhood Forever 21 I knew I would have a hard time taking these pants off – they are comfy AND match almost anything. These loose fitted casual pants were love at first sight.
While there really is no reason for me to be off buying crazy-colored pants, I couldn’t help but think they would go well with all the simple and somewhat boring tank tops and shirts that I owned. This particular top is old-school Ann Taylor, rescued from a Salvation Army for $1. Matched with a bold necklace, the top becomes more than just a basic tan top.

Blazer: Banana Republic (second hand), $8. Top: Ann Taylor (second hand), $1. Pants: F21, $22.50. Shoes: Vince Camuto.
Necklace: Charlotte Russe, $5.While at Tyson’s for a work event, I passed through Charlotte Russe more out of curiosity than interest. I hadn’t been to one of these cheaper/teen-driven stores since high school, and I couldn’t believe the jewelry selection. I picked up this Egyptian-styled necklace along with a few other pieces (how could I not, everything was only $5).
Et voila! Less than $40 later, I had a fun spring outfit that was perfect for work and happy hour.

Next up: every day purses for less than $10.

-J

summer pants

My apartment floor is a mess.

One day it’s snowing, the next day it’s 80 degrees, and I simply don’t know what to pack up and what should be hanging in my closet. Therefore, 50 percent of my clothing remains strewn on the floor as an easy solution to morning outfit dilemmas.

But honestly, who can complain about the weather? Cherry blossoms are almost in full bloom, the sun is out, and getting dressed is so much more fun when winter coat and boots are not involved.
The Washington Monument / early cherry blossoms.

This warm weather threw me in terms of work outfits, and I’ve found that harem pants and a tank are my new go-to. Loose fitting (great for walking to and from in the city), harem pants pair nicely with a fitted top and heels/flats. Printed harem pants? Even better.
Scarf: Filene’s, $12. Tank: H&M, $6. Pants: F21, $22.50. Shoes: Zara.

All in all, an easy look for less than $30. Add some colorful accessories for a work-wearable (and comfy) spring outfit.

More spring wear to come.

-J

Saturday style

A few weeks ago I found a simple polyester dress that will be my go-to summer frock and basic layering piece for spring. While it looks blue, the material is a deep purple that isn’t included in my usual wardrobe palette.

Who knows? It may be 70 on Friday, in which case I could get away with something so thin (and short)… in February. Crazy DC weather.
Dress: F21, $22.95. Jacket: F21. Scarf: World Market, $5. Purse: TJ Maxx, $20. Boots: Franco Sarto.

Aside from the price, I love that this purse has a detachable shoulder strap. In clutch form, this studded bag serves as a wonderful defensive device. Ah, what a beautiful weekend.

Thanks for reading!

-J

a pop of pink

There are three things I need want.

1) a colorful portfolio clutch – snakeskin or ostrich (faux of course)

2) a practical yet stylish work bag

3) cropped pants. In multiple colors.

While short, this list has been much more challenging than I originally had expected. Being on a budget, I can’t just pick up any bag at (insert expensive retailer here). With the goal of spending less than $40, I headed to a local mall on a mission. Inevitably, I ended up at Forever. While I don’t usually buy purses there, this pink purse was great for two reasons: tassles and removable shoulder strap. GENIUS.

Just watch how many ways it can be worn.. As a clutch. As a shoulder bag.As a “hide all evidence that I ate nachos at HH” bag. Sweater: H&M, $15. Dress: H&M, <$20. Purse: F21, $29.50.

I decided to sport quite a hodge podge of clothing items this particular Sunday afternoon (you are probably wondering why you read this blog). But seriously, comfort trumps style on Sunday’s. And if you couldn’t tell from the photos, these were taken at Giant. Not exactly a fashion hub.

Aside from it’s uber pinkness, this bag has been extremely useful with its multiple compartments and the possible strap variations. It magically becomes a work bag, HH bag, going out bag, all in one. And all for $30.

Thanks for reading. Next up: cropped pants!

color coordinated

First paycheck means… SHOPPING (just kidding Mom). As most of you know, if anything is going to come before  clothing its food.

However, I couldn’t turn a blind eye to some (long-awaited) retail therapy, and a quick trip to Forever 21 gave my wardrobe a much needed boost of color. According to the Pantone experts, blood orange is supposedly the “it” color for spring, and I have every intent of hopping on that bandwagon. Until then, I started with some basic color blocking pieces that are DC weather appropriate: essentially, I can wear them in both 20 degree and 60 degree weather.
Do I need a pair of spotted harem pants? Nope. Did I immediately pick them up and decide I was buying them? Yep.

Pants: F21, $19. Top: J Crew, $6 (second hand AND it’s 100% cashmere). Tote: Saks 5th Ave., $2 (second hand). Shoes: Zara, $50.

These pants + tan Vincent Camuto wedges + white blouse = my everyday spring work outfit.

While I have attempted to make my own scarves, I will gladly pay the two dollars for the above Hanes scarf. Who knew that Hanes even made scarves back in the day?
The Zara color block shoes were the finishing touch to my already colorful outfit. But who said anything about being uber-color coordinated? As the experts would say, too much matching is passé.

How are you brightening up your wardrobe this spring?

$3 outfit

It is possible.

Even though it wasn’t “50 percent off day” during my recent trip to Salvation Army, I still managed to score pants and a top for three dollars. Can you imagine paying three dollars for a pair of Express or Gap pants AND a cute lace top? That’s less money than my average metro ride.Yet another black bottoms/white top outfit. Pants: Gap, $1.50. Top: no brand, $1.50. Scarf: F21, $10. Shoes: Nine West.You know clothing is old when there is no sign of tags and/or the labels look like they’re from the 80’s. Good thing black pants never seem to go out of style.With this crazy “winter” weather, it can’t hurt to have a couple of versatile pieces on hand. Black pants can always be worn with sheer, flowy tops or short-sleeved shirts, and this lace top might be fun with denim shorts for summer.

Can it be summer yet?