Grand Rapids Street Style: Brooke's Vintage Liz Claiborne Glasses

GRAND RAPIDS STREET STYLE: 
Brooke's Vintage Liz Claiborne Glasses

Meet Brooke from Rockford, Michigan!

I met Brooke at a punk matinee at Grand Rapid's Tip Top Deluxe this past Sunday! She was sitting at the bar with a friend when I complimented her hair (love this assymetrical cut on her) and asked if she was wearing anything thrifted. Her response? "Everything I'm wearing was a gift to me." She laughed. She had recently cut the sleeves off her jean jacket, and she talked about how she tries to thrift most of her clothes. "Except for these Betsy Johnson boots," she said. "These I bought online. But I only paid $100!" I love Brooke's laid back, layered style! 

 WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM BROOKE'S STYLE:

 Go ahead, cut the arms off your jean jacket. Don't be scared! I did it recently, too, and I've worn the heck out of mine!
 Vintage glasses are THE BOMB. And I love me some Liz Claiborne.
 Casually layer jeans or jean jackets with gray and black for a cool and casual look.
 Shorts with leggings, tights, and boots=so fall appropriate.

 A good pair of boots is totally worth it. Every time.

Pretty Pale Pink: Street Fashion in Grand Rapids

PRETTY PALE PINK
Street Fashion In Grand Rapids

Meet Katie! She was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but recently relocated to San Fransisco, California. I met Katie while volunteering for an amazing summer camp for girls in Grand Rapids called "Girls Rock Grand Rapids". Each year, this camp hosts a slew of spunky, creative young girls who are budding musicians and not only provides a safe space and instruments for them to create music with, but also helps the process along with inspirational and caring coaches and camp counselors! Within the camp roster, girls not only form bands but by the end of the week, they enjoy recording their original compositions and even performing them on stage! Just like last year, I taught a songwriting, singing and guitar workshop for the girls and then hung around to take photos and soak up all of the positive energy.

Katie complimented me on a pair of saddle shoes that I had recently thrifted at Seconds on Third and we got to talking about her outfit, which was also entirely thrifted, gifted, and hand made (her jewelry was both secondhand and handmade by a friend). Her favorite place to thrift is Salvation Army, or any other cheap mission thrift (my kinda gal!). I loved her shell pink hair and relaxed summer outfit. Check out the fashion highlights below!

What We Can Learn From Katie:

--Stripes are always in. Always.

--Mix Pink and Red

--Add pops of unexpected color, like the seafoam green plugs in Katie's ear that contrast the pretty pink hair!

--Mix 'n' Match chunky silver rings or stack them 

Guerrilla Fashion: Black and White Print Love in Grand Haven, Michigan

THRIFT TRICK GUERRILLA FASHION: 
Black and White Print Love in Grand Haven, Michigan

I LOVE a good black and white print. It's one of my favorite fashion staples and I enjoy pairing it the most with nude, camel, orange, gold and blue--but it goes well with just about anything!

Therefore, while out and about at the Deelite in Grand Haven, Michigan this weekend for an Indie Music Fest, I had to ask these two lovely young ladies to pose for a picture to show off their snazzy dual prints: B&W Aztec and cats!

What is your favorite black and white print? Polka dots? Chevron? Stripes? Houndstooth? Or random designs? There are so many to choose from. Below I'm sharing from my new pinboard, "Black and White Love". Peruse from the other images I've created dedicated to black and white print love, and don't forget to follow me on Pinterest as well (links below)! Have an interesting photo of local "guerrilla" fashion, including your own outfits? Email me at ThriftTrick@gmail.com! 

BLACK AND  WHITE LOVE

Pretty Summer Hair Tutorial: Thrift Trick Guerrilla Style

Pretty Summer Hair Tutorial: Thrift Trick Guerrilla Style

While I was out and about in Grand Haven, Michigan yesterday at Jumpin' Java Coffee House, I spotted this cute, summery hairstyle on the young lady in front of me! I wanted to share it with readers as an idea/reminder for a quick long hair style. I especially like the way this style uses smaller strands and is simply held with a bobby pin. No tight feeling at the back of your head or crimp marks when you "let your hair down" at the beach later! :)

Here's how to achieve it for medium to long length hair:

What you'll need:   

• Tangle free, dry hair sprayed with any favorite products (heat treat, etc.)
• A medium to large curling iron 
• 2-3 bobby pins in whatever size holds your hair best/matches your hair color
• Optional: any special added decoration you'd like (flower to pin, decorative bobby pin, or even a single clip on earring!)

1. Part your hair however you prefer (down the middle, to the side, etc.)

2. Pull hair into large sections (1 1/2 to 2 inch), and with a medium to large barreled curling iron, barrel wrap hair loosely at the end. Don't know how to do that? No problem! Here's a Youtube tutorial for you to watch:

 (*Note: for the above look, you'll want to wrap the hair lower on the strand, unless you like the look of a tighter curl. Part of my appeal for the above look are the relaxed, beachy waves you see in the picture.)

3. Take a 3 inch section of hair from either side of your crown in front (not too thick--hair should rest lightly and fall above ears) and secure at the back of head in a criss-cross pattern. Bobby pin sections underneath and to hide the pins, allow some of the top strands of hair to be partially loose at the very top of where the hair is pinned together. It will fall a little over the bobby pin but won't separate entirely from its section.

4. Add some flair...Try pinning a flower to the center where sections meet, or get "thriftspired" and secure a sole vintage clip on--perhaps a rhinestone or large costume piece!

Voila! Pulled together yet relaxed and summery...

Keep following along with me this summer for more Thrift Trick Guerrilla Style! 

Check out my Instagram and Facebook page and search for posts labeled with the hashtag #ThriftTrickGuerrillaStyle to see my posts all together!

Guerilla street fashion at Hatter Days: Holland, Michigan

I had a great time stumbling upon the New Holland Brewery Hatter days 2013 this weekend on on a Holland day trip by complete accident! How I missed the hype for this West Michigan brewing town event I don't know, but it was a ton of fun. Michigan craft brew was flowing and circus performers dressed to the theme of Alice and Wonderland ran haphazardly through the blocked off streets, which housed beer on tap as well as performance stages for groups like Michigan's The Crane Wives and Maps and Atlases.

I myself am more of a "spirits" gal, so I really enjoy New Holland's artisan vodkas (they have lots of yummy flavors like citrus and other fruity culminations).  However, I have to say that (even though I prefer stouts and porters to IPA's) I sampled some of my boyfriend's Michigan Hatter and it was pretty darn good! 

I didn't pack along the SLR camera in the name of light traveling, but I couldn't resist grabbing a few guerrilla fashion photos for you. I also have a few iPhone pictures to share of what I wore Saturday: a cropped jean jacket, thrifted black and white striped tee, thrifted black capris and thrifted red suede Nine West Heels. The small red leather satchel was also a secondhand find, along with the enamel cuff, which I also featured in my last outfit post: White Jeans: It's Memorial Day!

Read on for a few more fun fashion highlights. Hope your week is off to a great start!

I LOVED this sheer elephant print tunic. 

The pattern is so fun and I'm also really loving the burnt orange color.

Yellow is a fantastic way to brighten up and modernize a nautical look. Next time you are 

finding yourself a little tired of the classic red, white and blue, throw in a pop of bright yellow or nude! This combo caught my eye outside and I stole in for a shot of the evidence.

Fashion statement?  What do human pretzels wear these days, anyhow?

 

P.S.:  We escaped the busy crowd across the street for just a bit to enjoy some dinner and folk music at The Curragh! The environment is cozy and the service was great.  I really liked the veggie burger I ordered and I'd recommend it as a great dinner or lunch stop on your tour of Holland!

Dr. Undergrad Goes Guerrilla

This cute young lady didn't mind allowing me to snap a pic of her outfit yesterday at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan!

Unfortunately, the pic was taken on my ipod and the clarity leaves much to be desired. What caught my eye as I walked by the bus stop was the great purple damask coat she was wearing. Underneath was a plaid skirt, patterned tights, and short black high heel boot. Also featured, a vintage fur hat and horn rim glasses, plus a bright yellow bag.

Thanks for letting me snap your picture, mystery girl! Your bus came so quickly I didn't catch your name...hope you remembered the "Thrift Trick" I shouted as you hopped on...

_________________________________________________________

Did I mention this is my 7th year in college (only one and a half years were part time!)? UGH. Believe it or not, I've been on the straight and narrow path to language arts education the entire time! Now that I've finished most of my B.A. in Language Arts and Elementary Education, I've started on my last and final leg to recieving my teaching certification. This semester I'm wrapping up odds and ends and my projected graduation date is next year...finally. But until then...you can call me:

DR. UNDERGRAD!

So, Dr. Undergrad decided that, to make these final days of undergraduate hell more tolerable, she would go guerrilla at GVSU. I've been wanting to document street fashion here in Michigan anyhow, Sartorialist style. In case you weren't aware, click on the blog to the left to see some fantastic photography, street fashion, and captured humanity. Love.

You can expect to see more forward street fashion here at Thrift Trick. I may even have MORE tricks up my (secondhand) sleeve.