Black and Blue: Through and through!

BLACK AND BLUE: Through and Through!

I love black and blue together. I'm not exactly certain why, but this year, it has been a go-to color combination for me. I find it to be a striking yet professional color blocking combination if you work in an office or another professional environment. Although I think it is flattering on everyone, for some reason, I feel like it is exceptionally fierce on blondes. What do you think?

OUTFIT DETAILS: 100% thrifted: vintage Blair blouse with microsuede black skirt. Tights were a brand new clearanced item (Merona from Target) found at Goodwill for .99, still sealed in the package. I bought two! Fioni black suede heels were a garage sale find from this weekend for one dollar. I'll have a post on some thrifted/garage sale found items over the weekend!

As you can likely observe, these pictures were taken with my iPhone and Instagram rather than my DSLR. It was just too easy to let a snappy (but lower quality) photo session sneak in on my way to work this morning. I'm getting more brave and adventurous as the days go on, the more comfortable I get in my skin. Perhaps you've noticed, but I'm a shrinking woman! It's been a LONG and slow journey, and one that I'm still traveling, but I have made it over a bit of a plateau hump I was teetering on. It's great to have things "moving along" once more. My lifestyle is healthy already--I love healthy foods, and I'm a regular runner and exerciser--but even with a reduced calorie plan, things just had been stagnating. I'm glad to be losing again! For anyone wondering, I'm participating in the Weight Watchers original point system, and I'm really loving it! I started getting results immediately with just a 400 calorie reduction in my normal eating. Sometimes it just takes a slight tweak, I guess!

But, I digress....back to the fashion at hand!

Black and blue also happen to be right next to eachother on the fashion "color wheel".

I'll be honest--whatever looks good to me, I just roll with! That said, the wheel is a great resource. It certainly can provide inspiration for new ideas on what to combine, and how!

I'm including some quoted and linked material from FashionBombDaily.com today for you to utilize. It's great (and inspiring) information to have on hand!

______________________________________________________________

You can make the following combos using the color wheel as your guide:

1. Colors directly next to each other (i.e. yellow and yellow-orange; yellow and yellow-green; violet and blue-violet, etc.)

2. Colors that form right (90 degree) angles with each other (i.e. yellow and red-orange; blue and violet-red; green and orange, etc.)

3. Colors directly across from each other (i.e. yellow and violet; blue and orange; red and green, etc.)

4. Colors that form a T (i.e. blue, orange, and violet-red; yellow, violet, and red-orange; yellow, blue-green, and red-orange, etc.)

5. Colors that form an X (i.e. blue, orange, violet-red, and yellow, violet, blue-green, and red-orange, etc.)

Since brown is a neutral, it will go with virtually any color on the color wheel. I love to pair a chocolate brown with cobalt blue or fuchsia or bright red—such a fun and bold combo. Of course white, black, and the hues of blue found in denim are also neutrals that go with just about anything.

Oxblood Upcycle: Re-purposing Thrifted Handbag And Shoes!

Earlier today I posted a fun fall color trend collection focused on one of 2012 hottest color trends for fall: Oxblood. I wanted to follow through with a DIY for recovering a thrifted purse and shoes in this hot color! It turned out amazingly well and I can't wait to put together an outfit with my newly re-purposed shoes and bag!

What you'll need: 
 --Items to recover (I bought a boxy leather shoulder bag and a pair of boots for $3 total this afternoon.)
-- Spray paint (as you can see from the images below, I chose "RustOleum" paint plus in "Claret Wine")
--A well ventilated area to spray and leave items to dry
--Painter's or masking tape if there is any hardware, heels, or areas to be covered and not painted on your items
--Plastic bags or newspaper to stuff inside shoes so that spray paint doesn't get inside

I first taped off the hardware on my bag and the heels of my shoe!

I sprayed the items in fine, short sprays and covered them with about three full coats of the spray paint. I'm hoping this will hold up for wear and tear, but I'll report back. I resisted the urge to spray anything else in order to save a bit for touchups later on...but I might not be able to resist painting a matching belt! :)

What a difference!!! I LOVE the result. The bag and shoes are both so much richer and more attractive in this shade. I'm especially in love with the length and strap on the bag. This was a total WIN!

SO, TO RECAP: I reinvented a pair of shoes and a bag in a hot fall color today for a total of $6.33, including the cost of spray paint--and I still have paint left for touch-ups and maybe another project. What do you have already IN your closet to re-purpose? How can we take the old and the secondhand, and make new with it? How can we be fashionable, frugal, and conserve resources? 

Oxblood: Fall Color Trend Collection

OXBLOOD: Fall Color Trend

Just a little inspiration for your fall color palette! I've already spotted many "Oxblood" or maroon/wine colored items while out thrifting...what's already IN your closet that you can throw into the rotation? Check back for a second blog with an Oxblood DIY today from two thrifted items! 

Items from POLYVORE following Oxblood trend

**********************************

    

    

Items from StyleBakeryMom following Oxblood trend 

                  **********************************

Runway collage from SecondCityStyle.com

                  **********************************

Oxblood makeup trends from CollegeToCorporateChic 

                  **********************************

St. Vincent De Paul of Munising, Michigan

St. Vincent De Paul of

Munising, Michigan

Here I am, weeks after vacation and just now getting around to editing and sharing my pictures! Oh, the shame! The truth is that my life has just now returned to normal, and it’s about to be uprooted again by fall school schedules, portrait sessions, and all of the other things I have quickly filling my agenda.

Alas! Vacation seems a far away dream now, along with the beautiful Pictured Rocks of Munising, Michigan. I took so many wonderful pictures on our sunset cruise that I haven’t even begun to edit yet! The town of Munising itself was so quaint and small. I really appreciated the local beauty and unlike so many other destination spots, prices on just about everything are very reasonable—including the thrift! I won’t tell you that there was a HUGE abundance of fabulous clothing to be had, but it was certainly fun looking, and I did score some gems.

One of the highlights on the downtown Munising streets was definitely this colorful building—St. Vincent De Paul’s! The owners were very friendly and it was just so darn cute in there. The day I arrived, the “bargain basement” downstairs was boasting a $5 bag sale (“Anything Goes!”) and so I couldn’t resist! I found some prize items and also snapped these pictures as I sniffed around. I’d recommend popping in if you are the area!

Welcome to Munising! (Reflection in the store window. )

I really did want to bring this cute as heck retro furniture set back with me

(there were several pieces) in marigold and sea foam. Sigh.

Things were staged quite cutely upstairs.

...If I had been in the market for a cat cookie jar...Is it too late to drive back and get this???

The basement was painted just as adorably as the outside of the building. It was so fun! I must say the basement was also very clean indeed. It was fun to peruse.

I say it's a must stop for thrifting in the upper peninsula of Michigan if you make it to Munising!

_________________________________

St. Vincent De Paul's on YellowPages.com

House Like A Ghost

House Like A Ghost

I drive past this abandoned house every day on my way to work. Something inside me wanted to stop today for the first time in the ten years I’ve lived down the street…so I did.

The roof was beginning to turn to earth; the smell of mold and moss were abundant. An amazing tree was thriving in the back yard and, judging from the small holes on every corner of the two small abandoned buildings, so were a few raccoon families. Oddly enough, the fragrant rot yields fond memories of exploring abandoned cottages in the mountains of Oregon with my brother, as a child. I could have probably stayed a little longer than I should have (it was private property, after all). I won’t lie, though; I was a little worried that a luminescent face would appear mysteriously in the window when I went to edit my pictures. Thankfully, the spirits of the wood were still asleep before sunset, when I pulled away with my tripod and a thousand mosquito bites.

My outfit is 100% thrifted locally, for less than $10, with the exception of the boots, which were a $2 thrifted find on my recent vacation in the upper peninsula of Michigan. It’s been cool and beautiful this week; a precursor to the fall weather on the horizon, no doubt!

The awesome bun I’m rocking today was a trick I’ve been meaning to try for a while! I’d seen a few tutorials and then Love Maegan (one of my favorite fashion bloggers) showed up with this amazing bun using the same technique! I finally got around to trying “the sock bun”. I’m a changed woman forever! No bobby pins, perfectly wrapped, and it stayed all day. Here's a cute silly little tutorial to try from Mr. Kate! It is really quite an awesome trick.

Have a lovely weekend! I’ll be no where to be found. I’ve decided to clean out my closet and just the thought alone scares the hell out of me. That and an early morning run and trip to the farmer’s market may be the only things I accomplish all weekend…

______________________________________________

Are you a fan of my photography? High five! Come join me on my photography page at Pineapple Chantal Photography. I'm open for business in the Grand Haven, Muskegon, and Grand Rapids areas!

$1.33 : Say It With Tacos

$1.33: Say It With Tacos.

Or a taco-themed plastic shopping bag!

What is “it”?

Hello, of course!

I don’t just rely on thrifted items for decorations, fashion, and entertainment--sometimes I go just for a laugh—but I also go to find unique and hilarious items for my friends!

Nine times out of ten, I find that the gifts are not only appreciated and cherished, but there is a reduced pressure in saying, “Hey—I picked this up while I was thrifting. Isn’t it funny? Don’t worry—it only cost a quarter. But I was thinking of you. And now you know!” Don't assume that your friends will be offended by thrift just because it isn't "new". As long as it isn't underwear or hand lotion. (However, if you're looking to REALLY pack a punch with a hilarious gag gift, well, used underwear is pretty damn funny. Hahaha!)

Also consider friends who collect vintage or antique but never have time to get out and DO IT. They will worship you for the treasures you find for them. Trust me!

I couldn’t resist this plastic taco themed bag for a girlfriend of mine who is pretty fond of the beloved Mexican menu item—I hope she doesn’t see my blog before I can give it away. ;)

The cute vintage cards are so hilarious and kitschy I just couldn’t resist. Most of them are vintage Hallmark and not only are they pure awesome, they are noticeably vintage card stock and envelopes, which I LOVE. Don’t underestimate the power of the handwritten card! Especially the goofy, vintage handwritten card!

Last but most definitely not least, the artifact I begrudgingly left behind…the awesome lacquered “Wood Slab Jesus”. Oh, Wood Slab Jesus, you wanted to come home with me, or find yourself as a present for my friends who collect vintage religious artifacts. You are pure '70s gold, and celestial to boot! Will I go back to Lakeshore Rescued Treasures in Grand Haven, Michigan to buy you for $2.50?

Only time will tell.

For today, though, I was feeling cheap, and each of my treasures—all intended as gifts-- stacked up in the cents region, totaling $1.33. Those measly numbers will surely bring the recipients of said treasures priceless, abounding joy. Or else. :D

16 Ways...Scarf Tutorial #12: Nice Ascot

NICE ASCOT!

It’s another “16 Ways” tutorial today and just one more Instagram iPhone series as I catch up on all of my photo edits and outfit shots from vacation a week or so ago!

Remember that hilarious scene between Barbie and Ken in Toy Story 3?

Today’s scarf look is the “ascot”. This is definitely an easy way to add some “swag” to any outfit, and it works on multiple levels…tucked into just about any style shirt, layered with jackets, or by itself!

My layered ascot look was with a tailored shirt dress. I took the colored scarf for a bit of color and tucked it into the collar of the shirt dress, followed by the layer of a black cardigan. I then belted it with blue to pick up on the bright colors in the scarf and my nails for a black/blue/teal combo. I also hopped on the "teal eyeliner" bandwagon and did a bright liner; I didn't use a pencil but rather, used an exacto eye brush with some teal powder and water to create a colorful powder liner that accented the scarf I wore. Here's a simple little tutorial using liquid. I own the teal liner from Wet'n Wild and really love it, as well as the E.L.F. eyelid primer which is great--particularly for the price! I've already mentioned in blogs past that I LOVE my E.L.F. makeup brushes. But this tutorial adds a little extra element with some additional black contouring--so check it out!

Back to the look--I feel like I was channeling a distinctly vintage flight attendant vibe…and I totally dig it. My son snapped the picture above…he’s turning into quite a little shutterbug like his mom.

Below, you’ll find a few different ways to do the ascot, though the first is my favorite, and some classic ascot looks (though there have been many modern, fresh twists on the ascot like this fabulous crochet version) . If you ask me, I think Micheal Cain does it with a tremendous amount of swagger…he’s got great style. Love his classic looks!

The moral of the story is...ascot...go try it out, and put a little extra "Carey Grant" in your step today. ;)

____________________________________________

Don't forget to stop into one of three Hope's Outlet locations in Grand Haven and Muskegon to find an affordable vintage scarf to add to your wardrobe! New vintage racks are also up with vintage clothes of all kinds!