JLW Tossed and Found Rummage Sale 2013

 Attention, all fashionistas and bloggers in the DC Metro area!
Have you heard of the Junior League of Washington's annual Tossed and Found Rummage Sale?
Where else can you shop names like Badgely Mischka, Carolina Herrera, Dior, Armani, Burberry and more on an average shopper's budget?
Proceeds from the sale are used to fund the Junior League of Washington’s community-based programs and literacy activities.

This year's sale is this weekend, March 23-24 with a preview day Friday evening, March 22.
Saturday and Sunday are free to attend, and tickets for Friday evening are $45.

I've never had the ability to attend in the past, but I've heard great things about it. I'm planning on attending this year!

For more information on the Junior League of Washington and the sale itself, check out JLW's website.

Hope to see you there -- and if you see me, please feel free to say hello! I love meeting new people, and it never hurts to make more thrifty friends! Better yet, if you're planning on attending, leave me a comment and I will try to keep an eye out for you!

echo, echo, echo...

popping my head into this dusty little corner of the world to see if anyone still looks here.
if i were to start posting again, would i have an audience to come back to?

Friend Friday...

Welcome to this week's edition of Friend Fridays, sponsored by ModlyChic.
This week, we're going old school to the creation of those forms we used to fill out on Facebook a few years back.


No holiday party is complete without:

The yule log on TV in the background, s Secret Santa swap, and a game of Apples to Apples.

My favorite Christmas song/album:

My favorite Christmas songs are "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses and "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. However, my favorite Christmas Album is the Mr. Hanky's Christmas Classics from South Park.

Christmas Wrapping:


Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy:


My favorite seasonal recipe:

My dad's roast potatoes are the best. No one can ever replicate them.

The perfect New Year's Eve outfit includes:

If I'm going out, sequins, a tiara, and a noisemaker are a must. If I'm home, it's PJs all the way!

At the parties, I'll be drinking:

Diet soda with vodka. It's Weight Watchers friendly!

Eggnog, good or bad?

Ick.

Did you ever take pictures on Santa's lap at the mall?

Of course! Heck, I'd still be doing it if hubby wasn't so camera shy.

Gingerbread Latte or Peppermint Mocha:

I. Heart. Gingerbread. Lattes.
No, seriously, ya'll. I can avoid Starbucks 11 months out of the year, but as soon as the gingerbread lattes come out, I'm like a crack fiend.

Worst gift I ever got:

I'm grateful for any gift I receive. However, there was one year that I received IOUs for gifts that never materialized.

Best gift I ever received:

There are a few, but I remember when I first bought my house, I was SUPER-PSYCHED to receive a power-drill. I still love that thing.

My family has this weird tradition:

Christmas crackers are an English tradition. Our family has never had a Christmas without them -- except the year it was my turn to buy them. I did buy them...but then I left them at home in the closet when we went to my parents' house. Along with the gifts for my nephews. Christmas FAIL.
And this year it's my turn again...

My best bargain find for a gift this year:

Since we got married last fall, we didn't get our wedding photos back in time to give them out as Christmas gifts.
This year, thanks to the wonderful deal emails that I receive daily, we have put together a wonderful photo book for each of our parents and hubby's grandparents. I think the total for 4 books was something like $40 plus an additional $6 per book for shipping. so $16 a book? Yes, please.

If I could only buy all my gifts from one place, I'd shop at:

The internet. It's this really cool place...

Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman:

Olive, the other Reindeer. ;)

My favorite holiday memory:

I have so many. I especially have always loved the Christmas Eve church service, where everyone gets a candle and they turn the lights down low while we sing a few hymns. By then, the shopping is done, the gifts are wrapped, the plans are made, and it brings me back to what Christmas is really about.

My favorite Christmas movie:

The year Without a Santa Claus.
If you aren't familiar with it, let me introduce you to Heat Miser and Snow Miser:

Heat Miser:


Snow Miser:


The best part about holiday decorations is:

The lights!

Rip off the wrapping paper or neatly pull off the tape:

If you ain't rippin' it, you ain't doin' it right!

Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life:

Can you believe I've never seen either one?
Though, thanks to Phoebe on Friends, I don't think I will ever watch It's a Wonderful Life.

It doesn't feel like the holiday season until:

I've actually started shopping for my loved ones. That really gets me geared up!

All I want for Christmas is:

 Flat, brown riding boots. Specifically these or these.

Friend Fridays...

Welcome to this week's edition of Friend Fridays, sponsored by ModlyChic.

1. Do you have plans for Halloween? What will you dress up as this year?

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I know some people just don't get it, but I have always loved the idea of getting dressed up and pretending to be something you're not, but only for a day. I have also always loved coming up with costumes different from everyone else and trying to create them on my own. Sure, I have bought costumes sometimes, but I'm always most proud of the ones I whipped up on my own.

2. Where do you go for costume and makeup inspiration?

I've never been great with makeup, especially Halloween makeup -- I get this great image in my head of what I want to look like, then it never quite comes out right. As such, I focus more on the costume. I have found myself inspired by current events, movies, songs, inside jokes, and memories of my childhood.

3. What was the best costume you've ever donned?

I've worn a few that I was proud of, but in recent history, there are 2 that stick out.
The Halloween before I got married, I wore an old wedding dress and a knitted hat and arm warmers that looked like dragon scales. I was Bridezilla. (I figured it would be the only time I could get away with being Bridezilla!)


A few years before that, my bf at the time dressed up as a Snidely Whiplash-type character, and I was the damsel in distress --tied to the train tracks and all!



4. What's the most creative costume you've ever seen?

Any costume that people actually make themselves impresses me, especially when it's the needle-and-thread or paper-mache type of thing. When you can tell that people spent real time crafting their costume, that's awesome!

5. No holds barred if you could dress up as anything, what would it be?

I don't know, honestly! Last year, hubby and I were at Disney World for our honeymoon. We were allowed to dress up (they usually don't allow adults in costume, but they do during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party), but we went low-key as GI Joe Characters. This year, we are heading back to Disney for our honeymoon. I don't think we will be at the Disney Halloween party this year, and we will be home on Halloween day. I have bought pieces of a pirate costume just to have something, but I think we may be too exhausted to dress up at all. We shall see...

Friend Fridays...

Welcome to this week's edition of Friend Fridays, sponsored by ModlyChic.

1. Do you ever see a fad hit the stores and immediately dislike it?  Has that fad ever began to grow on you?

Honestly, my natural instinct is to immediately dislike MOST fads initially. Shopping tends to be difficult for me because most often I wander through racks of clothes at most stores thinking to myself, "Meh."
Oftentimes, though, after a fab has lingered for a while, my eyes adjust to it, and I'm better able to evaluate whether or not it would work for me (for my shape, my lifestyle, my budget, etc). I might start seeking out the perfect piece that incorporates the fab, but makes it accessible and just right for me.

2. Has the popularity of a certain piece of clothing or line ever convinced you to try on something (or purchase something) you  dislike?

I have never really been someone to plunk down money for a name. I have almost always just bought the clothes I like.
That said, I can think of a few things I have bought that at the time I thought I liked, but in retrospect, I probably bought for the name. I remember owning an entire Champion outfit back in middle school and a pair of Fila sneakers in high school. They were popular brands, and I was an unpopular kid. The math just worked out.

3. Have you ever changed your mind about a trend after seeing it  around for a while?

I think when a trend has been around for a while, our eyes begin to adjust to it. It grows on us. Sometimes dislike turns to toleration which eventually can turn into open-mindedness if a look lingers long enough.
Growing up, I was taught that tights with open-toed shoes was a big no-no, but nowadays I sport that look without batting an eyelash. When ballet flats first re-emerged, I found them frumpy and a bit little-girl looking. Now flats are my saving grace when I just can't wear heels.

4. Do you feel a certain pressure to have specific items in your  closet because 'everyone' else does?

I don't feel pressured to own something because everyone else has it. If anything, that's more motivation for me to NOT cave into a fashion fad. I don't need to stand out like a neon sign, but I do like to be a little bit different from the crowd. After all, as George S. Patton said, "If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."

5. Be honest, what do you think of the Missoni line? Did you grab any  items? Is it worth the eBay prices?

I used to hate the colors and the chevron stripes. Both have grown on me, but I wasn't so overwhelmed with the collection that I felt the need to go get any of it. Looking online, I found a few pieces I thought were sorta cute, and if they were in my closet, I would wear them. But no, I definitely don't think they are worth spending the amount of money people are asking on Ebay. I have seen several bloggers wearing Missoni-esque pieces that they thrifted for pennies. Why blow your budget on a name?

Giveaway...

Allie over at WardrobeOxygen is giving away a $50 giftcard to Drugstore.com, sponsored by BlogHer.
I know I'd love to win this one, but if you'd like a chance to win it for yourself, check out Allie's post here!
And of course, if you win, I totally promise I won't wrestle you to the ground and steal your prize...

Friend Friday...

Welcome to this week's edition of Friend Fridays, sponsored by ModlyChic.

Since fall is just around the corner (or already tapping on the door for some of us), the focus of this week's Friend Friday is our five favorite fall fashion trends.

The first thing I noticed when looking into this year's fall fashion trends is that so many of them remind me of revamped versions of what I wore back in high school. The 90's a re back with a vengeance, kids.

(1) Patterns: Polka dots and Plaids

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Stylish gals love their patterns, and this fall is no exception. Polka dots are classic and never go out of style, but they are even bigger than ever this fall.

And remember donning your dad's flannel shirt with some combat boots? (No? Was that just me?) Well this fall's plaid is a little less Angela Chase and a little more Kate Middleton. Fitted and classy, not oversized and clashy.

(2) Colors: Mustard and Jade

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Mustard has been a popular color for several seasons now, but it always makes a resurgence in the fall. Along with browns, tans, and rusts, mustard is a typically fall color.

Jade is sort of new to the popular colors group this year. While jewel tones are never out of style, it's not often that a particular shade is pulled from the pack and spotlighted. It's sorta like in Heathers or Mean Girls, only without the backstabbing and murder. And what with green being my favorite color, I'm sure I will have to rein myself in with the Jade for a while...

(3) Skirts: Leather and Midis

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Leather skirts are HUGE for fall, and let me tell you, I want one, y'all! (You can tell I really really really want something when my twang comes out in writing.)
Midi skirts are also still hanging around from this summer.

While leather minis and flowy midis are still as popular as they have always been, one particular shape of both that is prominent for fall is the longer pencil skirt -- the type that comes to just below the knee. This shape offers more covereage for cooler temperatures. In addition, it also adds a little conservativeness to the already-sexy leather skirt and reins in the free-spirited mentality of the midi.

(4) Ring Around the Collar: Peter Pan and Chokers

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This fall seems to be the season of the neck, no?
Gals who have been into vintage clothing have been coveting peter pans collars for ages, and now that look is becoming easier to access with these youthful, fun-spirited touches being added to tops, dresses, and coats everywhere.

If, like me, you prefer the look of peter pans collars on others, chokers may be the neck-enhancing trend for you. Now again, I'm not talking about the oversized cross on a velvet ribbon that we all used to pair with the aforementioned flannel shirt or babydoll dresses we wore back in high school. Instead, think funky, chunky baubles. It's a statement necklace of a whole other kind.

(5) Hard and Soft: Goth Looks and Lace

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Ahh, the goth look. It will always hold a place in my heart. Yes, I was the gal who occasionally may have worn ripped tights and a dog collar to the mall.
This season's goth look is a little less "I will eat your soul" and a little more romantic. While I wouldn't put her into the Goth category, Audi does a good job of employing these romantic touches to create awesome, unique looks. Think Edwardian era and romantic --lots of lace, ruffles, and frills, just in dark tones like black, burgundy, and eggplant. (I do, however, recommend using in small doses, so as to not look like you are in costume.)

And speaking of lace, back when we were discussing trend for spring, I also mentioned lace back then. Well, yknow, it still holds true. I guess we just haven't gotten enough of it. The key to wearing lace in the fall is to have it be a detail in a layered outfit: a lace-trimmed cami peeking out form beneath a sweater, lace tights under a tweed skirt, a lacy blouse paired with a velvet blazer.

(and one to grow on...) Bright Coats

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There is something about cooler weather that intrinsically makes us slink back to wearing darker colors. Subconsciously, we think a black sweater will keep us warmer than the same white sweater, and of course those chocolate brown pants will keep us toastier than the same pair in khaki. But in a sea of darkness, a nice bright coat is like a beacon of hope; a reminder that, yes!, we are still our happy selves and totally not preparing to hibernate all winter long. (Because yes, in my mind, fall is just Winter: the Introduction.) Bright coats just scream cheerfulness, and really, we could all use a little more cheer in our lives, no?