Casual Fridays: Second Hand Style

Fridays are my favorite day of the week, but not just because they’re the start to two days of freedom from sitting at a desk. I love Fridays because they give me a chance to enjoy more of my closet! We have casual Friday’s here in our office, and though we can wear jeans, it costs $5 to do so, so I try and boycott that as frequently as possible. How so? Cute dresses with a jean jacket or an outfit like todays, which is almost entirely second handed.

As you can imagine, at this point, I wear something second handed just about every day. My closet is a hodge podge of decades and styles, and that’s just the way I like it. Today, I’m wearing a L.A.M.B. top that I purchased about two years ago at the Buffalo Exchange on La Brea in LA for $28. Paired with my trustee wardrobe staple of the classic Levi’s jean jacket ($30, Dee Lux Costa Mesa), new vintage boots from Skylark in Venice ($55) and arms stacked full of jewelry, I’m riding into the weekend with style.

L.A.M.B. top, $30, Buffalo Exchange (LA)
Michael Kors Watch
Mimco bangle
Mexican handmade bracelets

Vintage boots, $55, Skylark Venice

p.s. THANK YOU to Lyz Lenz, who is currently doing the “No Pants Challenge,” for writing about SHC! Follow Lyz as she resists the urge and DOESN’T SHOP for an entire year!

When life gives you lemons…

When life gives you lemons, screw the lemonade and wear ‘em!

I found this awesome vintage satin skirt at Buffalo Exchange (Fullerton) this past weekend for $13. Not only was it a cheap find, but it’s totally on trend.

Dolce & Gabbana‘s entire spring show was comprised of big, bold graphic prints of vegetables on 50′s inspired  silhouettes. It makes sense; produce is literally and figuratively fresh and  it’s the most vibrant and colorful section of the grocery store.

Rockin’ Rainbow Silk

Photography by Sal Taylor Kydd

The last of the presents that made their way across the Pacific, this hot silk number from Australia’s chain retailer Portman’s is one of those tops that is not totally me, but in a good way. Wearing this see-through number, I feel like quite the rock star/sex kitten. It’s colorful and playful, yet the sheerness makes it totally sexy.

Vintage Vixen: Dita Von Teese

Dita Von Teese in vintage Dior, via InStyle

“I advocate glamour. Every day. Every minute.” – Dita Von Teese

There are few women on the planet like Ms. Dita Von Teese. Actually, it’s arguable that she’s one of a kind. She’s a walking contradiction- she exudes class and old Hollywood glamour, but she makes her living (and a damn good one, at that) by taking off her clothes.

Dita and I don’t have much in common, but the more I learn about her, the more I like her. She’s from a small town in Michigan, but moved to Orange County as a teen and went to University High School in Irvine, right across the street from my alma mater, UC Irvine. She was a dancer most of her life and frequently goes en pointe during her shows. She doesn’t do burlesque for the men or the money, she does it because she loves the hair, costumes, the dance, the history of showgirls and embracing being a woman.

She is also a  lifelong fan of vintage clothing and heirlooms from eras past.

Sharing is Caring: MoMoMod’s Thrifted Vintage

photos via MoMoMod

There’s nothing I love more than a cheap thrill, especially if it’s in fashion form. When I saw MoMoMod’s amazing thrifted vintage outfit, I was immediately envious- she built an entire outfit out of cheap, vintage, thrifted thrills. Talk about the mother load.

Wrapped Up in Red

photography by Sal Taylor Kydd

Red silk. There’s a reason Chinese emperors draped themselves in it. To the Chinese, the color red signifies good luck, energy, happiness and wealth. Shit’s luxurious.

You can imagine my excitement when Megs pulled this red silk wrap top by Australian designer Perri Cutten out of her bag and gifted it to me along with her other second hand pressies. I love wrap dresses and tops- they are incredibly flattering and draw attention to all the good spots. I’m not sure what era this top originated from, but that says something big about it- it’s totally timeless.

Fashion & Friends from a Land Down Under

photography by Sal Taylor Kydd

Friends and fashion. They go together like peanut butter and jelly, chips and salsa, John and Yoko, vegemite and toast. One without the other is pretty awesome, but together, they form a magical duo. When fashion and friends join together in an Aussie-style surprise, life can’t get any better.

You can imagine my shock when not only the anticipated one, but TWO, of my closest Australian friends walked off the plane in LA. Tears were shed, Facebook statuses were updated in all caps, and “I’m so excited” was exclaimed repeatedly. As if it wasn’t enough that they surprised the shit out of me, Megs brought me a gift she knew I’d freak over: some awesome Australian vintage pieces.

Life Lessons, by Mom

photography by Sal Taylor Kydd

First and foremost, happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mom, Gale, my step-mom, my grandmothers, my aunts and all of the other incredible mother’s out there that have dedicated their lives to raising awesome offspring.

The past four days have been so fun- I’ve loved looking through old pictures and searching my memory bank to best pay tribute to the woman that means the world to me. Today, I’m wearing my mom’s early 90′s Classiques Entier linen blazer and telling you the life lessons I’ve learned from her.

Wearing the Pants

It’s an unpaid position, the hours are insane, there is no training and very little thanks. If motherhood had an honest job description, it would read something like this. It isn’t a role for the faint of heart, and it never really ends, even when your babies grow up and leave the nest. But sometimes, there are incredible women that make being a mother look easy. And awesome. They are women like my mom.

The “It” Factor

photography by Sal Taylor Kydd

Some women have it, some women don’t. This is something my mom impressed upon me, and I always knew without her ever saying- she had it.