Thursday, November 5, 2015

Professional Wardrobe On A Budget – Suit Under $20

Thrift Thursday!

About this time a year I feel like everyone it’s getting the
itch to start the new year off with a new job. I mean come on, what’s better
than starting the year off fresh in a new environment with new challenges. So,
to get you all inspired and looking snazzy for those interviews, here is an
amazing find from my local thrift store that will surely land you the perfect
job!

The Look:

  • Suit – (Blazer and Skirt) = White House Black Market $19.90 from thrift store!! WOW!
  • Shirt –  Can be just a basic cotton (like this black one which go for about $4 at the thrift store) or make it extra professional with a nice blouse or button-down (about $7 from the thrift store)
  • Shoes – Aren’t these Jessica Simpson heels amazing! Kimberly got these on sale for $39 at Marshals to wear at my wedding and I think she has gotten her full use out of them!
  • Michael Kors purse

The beautiful flirty details of the jacket and skirt are
appropriate for any job market. Professional enough to take you into a multimillion
dollar company but fun enough for that art gallery interview that you are so
excited about.

Hope you land the perfect job and have fun exploring your
options with not only clothing but your career!
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Sunday, November 1, 2015

Chalk Painted Shabby Chic Dresser Reveal!

So the reveal is HERE! I am so excited about how this
dresser turned out!!

This beautiful family hand-me-down was in desperate need of
a makeover. My bestie, Kimberly, is totally glam, chic and perfect. So when she
asked me how to restore her grandparent’s dresser, I was totally up for the
challenge! She is now a true believer that old things can be just as good as
new 🙂 She
was thrilled with the results and I’m so excited she loves it in her home.

Here is a step by step guide on creating a masterpiece dresser
of your own!
  1. Start by examining your piece. Make it sturdy (this piece needed a little reinforcement on the backing with some nails) and sand any chipping paint.
  2. Remove handles and drawers. Give the drawers a thorough wipe down inside and out.
  3. If you want a different style handle (for this one we went from a centered one handle to a two hole handle), use wood filler and let sit overnight. Once cured, sand so you cannot feel the bumps and the surface is smooth. Then measure the new holes (we have this amazing tool). Drill the newly measured holes. Lastly, wipe you drawers down again to remove any dust. *These silver handles were a great find at my local Habitat of Humanity for $0.50 each!*
  4. Start painting. You don’t have to have an expensive brush, just use something with long flexible (not too floppy) natural bristles or a flat brush for smoother look. See my post also about comparing chalk paints here.
  5. We used Valspar chalky finish paint from Lowe’s for the main body of the dresser (the darker grey). Although Valspar advertises 40 tintable colors, our Lowe’s was able to match a grey that Kimberly LOVED called Metropolis (tinted off the medium base). Then we just happened to be lucky enough to find 2 Valspar sample pots (just regular paint) of a light grey for the drawers.
  6. I painted the body of the dresser and the inside of the drawers using the Valspar chalky finish paint. (2 coats with 24 hours drying time in between coats)
  7. Then I made my own chalk paint for the outside of the drawers (2 coats with 24 hours drying time in between coats). Recipe upcoming 🙂
  8. Once completely painted and 24 hours have passed from your final coat, it is time to wax. If you prefer not to have the sheen leave it off, but I do think it’s an important step for the durability of your piece. I used Annie Sloan since I had leftover from my Shabby Chic dining table.
  9. Screw and handles and replace drawers into their place and DONE!

Ahh it turned out so amazing!! Wish I could have stolen it from her 🙂

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Friday, October 30, 2015

Classically Preppy Fall Look – Button Down with Vest

It’s Thrift Thursday!!

Starting with this post, every Thursday I will now highlight
a budget fashion look incorporating second-hand clothing.

To start this new weekly blog tradition, I wanted to start
off with a super classic look that everyone can pull off.

Fitted button down + vest = classic perfection.

Add some jeans and boots from your closet and you are
ready for Fall!

Thank you Kimberly for being the PERFECT model!

The Look:
  • Vest – cabi vest was from local thrift store for $9.90!
  • Shirt – Talbots button down shirt was from the local thrift store $8.90
  • Purse – Antique store on Etsy
  • Jeans, boots, jewelry – from Kimberly’s closet

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Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Cheap DIY Deer and Hunter Couples Halloween Costume

Since Halloween is only a few days away, I couldn’t resist posting our amazing DIY deer
and hunter Halloween costumes we were able to create from incorporating thrift store finds. 

My look – The Deer

The brown dress was $6 from the thrift store. The leggings,
jacket and boots were items from my closet. And the antlers, just sticks from
outside. (Willie took a little too much from the poor tree outside as I walked
out to find a huge branch being down in our driveway…”I said, I only needed two
little sticks, not the whole branch!”). My makeup was all regular except for
the white powder and liner I bought which was only $2. I used my bronzer extra
heavy on my cheeks and black eyeliner for my brows and the nose markings.

Willie’s look –The Hunter

I feel like this is such an easy cheap look for a guy since
most men have some sort of camo-ish clothing. Everything he wore was from his
closet (yes he wears those bright orange shoes on a regular basis) and then the
reversible orange/camo hunting vest we found from the thrift store for $6. He finished
his look off with a laser pointer to get a good point on me!

Happy Halloween!!
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