mystery boxes that technically count as gambling

If you know me (which I imagine you must at least a little bit to even be here), you know of my attraction to fun retro dresses that come in wild prints and usually involve crinolines. I should buy stock in Modcloth, because I'm pretty sure I spend way too much time on that website.

With that in mind, here's a little-known fact about me: I most definitely have the potential to become addicted to gambling. I specifically avoid situations that involve games of chance unless I know the stakes aren't actually that high, but even then...well, let's just say it still sort of shows. Marcus took me on a double date to Amazing Jake's once, and I spent all of my tokens on that machine where the wheel is spinning and you try to knock the other coins off. I was glued to that thing for the better part of an hour trying to figure out the right angles to maximize my winnings--and I kept saying (out loud) "okay, one more, then I'm done with this ridiculous game." (I ended up hitting the jackpot on my last token and won literally eight hundred tickets, which is not really setting a good example, but I digress.)

There's something about taking a small risk that just appeals to me. In fact, I think most of us can attest to that, because this Stylish Surprise event that Modcloth put out was so huge it broke the website for a little bit. For anyone who hasn't tried it before, you can order (depending on whether you get there in time) a mystery box full of apparel, shoes, accessories or "apartment" items. They changed the prices, so this particular round only cost $10 for clothes or shoes--it used to be $15, so that's really not too bad. The deal is, they send you a completely random item. Some people get exceedingly lucky and receive boxes of dresses that originally sold for hundreds of dollars. The rest of us...well, we get stories like this one. 

I've never actually gotten a Stylish Surprise that I liked. You'd think after the first (maybe second) time trying it, I'd learn to just keep my money. Unfortunately, $10 is just cheap enough that you think "well, not a whole lot's not worth at least ten bucks! Why not give it another try? I've already gotten some really ugly stuff, so logically, that means I'm due for a good haul any day now!"

Now we're going to talk about what happens when you give in to that urge to purchase a mystery box.  

This thing happens. By the way, the front was entirely ripped. I thought it was just part of the dress until my mom was like, "Katie, that's torn."

Now, I'm not sure exactly who's reading this. Depending on your personality, I guess you could be sitting there thinking, "come on, Katie, it's not that bad. That shade of mint is actually sort of refreshing when paired with those drunken stripes."

I thought you might be skeptical, so for research purposes, I actually donned the garment in question.

In my defense, the moccasins kind of make the outfit.

When I came into the kitchen with this on, everyone literally stopped eating because they had to focus their full attention on laughing. Marcus commented that my new dress looked quite a lot like maternity wear. Again, for research purposes, I had to see what this was all about. 

As it happened, he was correct. Using the melon from the previous picture, I was able to conclude that this would absolutely serve as a suitable maternity dress for someone who didn't mind looking like one of those Icee's they sell at the movies. I don't think I've ever heard my mom laugh so hard. My dog, as seen in the bottom corner of the photograph, was horrendously offended by my outfit and actually did bark at me until I took it off.

In closing, Modcloth has figured out a very effective gambling system. Should I probably give up on it? Yes, absolutely. Will I participate again? I mean, probably. It's like they can sense when you're having a long day at work or a bad week or something. The timing on these events is impeccable. When I bought this one, I was literally sitting on my break thinking, "Jesus, this day is endless--oh, no way, they marked Stylish Surprises down to $10?!" 

All that aside, it's sort of a fun little thing to do if you have an extra $10 laying around (assuming you only choose to buy one, I guess--some friends of mine really stock up, and I have to admire their fortitude). I was happy to share my own personal results from this round because, well, if you're ever feeling down about something, just remember you don't ever have to wear this dress.

I will say, I have officially been surprised.

{ the vitamin store }

Does anyone else identify with being on a never-ending quest to try out new products? My situation is slightly different--I'm just always on the hunt for the ingredients. 

Product-hopping has never been hugely successful for me. As it happens, I have very fussy hair and skin. (I could see how that'd be sort of a good thing; in theory I'd never buy anything I knew I couldn't use. In reality, however, my cabinet is full of things that have been used exactly twice. I feel weird about returning used conditioner, so I just sort of let it be down there for a thousand years or I regift it to my mom.) 

Over time, my focus shifted to trying to make my own skin and hair products. That's been much more successful. If you can believe it, it's cheaper, too--which means I get to try out way more ideas before running out of money. (Seriously, I've seen conditioner for $40 before. Will it turn my hair into spun gold? If so, perhaps I should actually stop writing this and go purchase a bottle.) I was actually thinking about writing a post about the "recipes" I've tried so far later this week, mostly on the off chance that anyone with similar issues happens to be reading this! A lot of the ones I use right now seem to be quite gentle while still effective, which can be entirely helpful for someone who struggles with being easily irritated.

On the day I took these pictures, I happened to end up at the vitamin store with my mom. Apparently, that's her new favorite place to hang out because she's gravitating toward homeopathic remedies for some of her health issues. I got to come along while she scoped out some Calm tea (proceed on that stuff with caution, by the way) and it turned out to be a gold mine of things to try out! I picked up some organic shampoo and conditioner along with a small bottle of emu oil. I was a little skeptical at first, but I've been experimenting with quite a few oils over the last few months and was curious about this one.

It was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. I'm excited to see what else I can do with it!

It also didn't hurt that this vitamin store was located in the cutest plaza ever. It's part of a bunch of little local shops, and they're all set up in this pastel yellow Victorian-looking house. The whole area used to be full of places like that, but they've all shut down in recent years. Across the street, there used to be a similar, smaller house that sold fantastic ice cream. Mom and I were hoping to find some, but it had evidently been out of business for some time. We walked around to see what else there was; unfortunately, all we found was an olive oil shop and an expensive-looking photography studio. My mom was nice enough to take some pictures of my new dress for me, though!

Dress: Seashell We Dance? (swap, sold on Modcloth for awhile!)

Belt: It's actually just a long strip of lace.
Shoes: Chelsea Crew

I'm excited to try coming up with more posts--some days, it seems like it's difficult to think of anything to talk about that would be remotely interesting to anyone. Still, I'm eager to share the results of the emu oil and hair products with everyone, along with some of my favorite recipes. What products have you found that worked best for you? I love hearing from people who aren't hindered by sensitivity--some of the available options out there look like they can do great things for your hair and skin!

{ my new toy }

Today, I bought a sewing machine!

This one.

I'm not going to lie, I was heavily influenced by the aesthetic. It's an anniversary edition, so the style is a little bit more vintage-inspired than the other ones I was looking at. It wasn't the deciding factor (entirely), but I did settle on this one and it is now in my possession.

I'm a little bit nervous about learning how to use it. I grew up hearing my grandma use a lot of sewing jargon (to this day I'm unsure what the term "basting" refers to), but she wasn't able to teach me a whole lot while we were together. I'm sure it's very complicated for someone new to sewing, but I can only hope that it gets easier with practice.

It had better, because I might have already ordered fabric to play with.

Well, I did get some clearance cotton from JoAnn's to practice with before I use anything I really love. At $2 a yard, I'm okay with having a few missteps.

With luck, there will soon be stylish, handmade dresses coming my way.

Or a lot of cursing.

Probably a little bit of both.

on the move

yellow skirt - Forever 21 (old)

royal blue shirt - Loft

red cardigan - Target (old)

argyle tights - Ross

boots - Steve Madden Troopa Boots

I started off channeling my inner Snow White, and somehow ended up thinking about life and the concept of "home". 

It is challenging to be content with where you are when you don't want to be there. My family moved to Arizona almost a decade ago, and in truth I've never much liked it here. It was a striking change from the city of Caracas, where we had been living for almost three years. There was a significant amount of political unrest occurring at the time, and the military found it necessary to send some of the personnel stationed at the embassy back to the States for awhile. Through some process I know very little about, we ended up in Tucson for a few months while things calmed down. When our tour in South America was over, we moved briefly to California and then straight back to Arizona. In my time here, I've lived all over the state, going as far north as Flagstaff. (That was my favorite, but it was built around the college and the general consensus is that it's quite boring if you're not actually going to school there.) 

I am very much of the belief that you are a product of your environment. Growing up in the service has shaped my perspective to be ready to move on after a few years of being in one place. Imagine being on standby for nearly ten years after a lifetime of that! Going up to Flagstaff for college helped briefly, but in my heart I know I need to be doing more than that. Many of the people I've met here seem to enjoy the desert and are content to stay here, and I've struggled for the latter half of my life to make peace with it. Anyone who knows me is familiar with my incessant griping about why I do not wish to be here. It's a difficult balance to keep--I certainly don't want to offend anyone's home by going on about why I don't particularly care for it, but I also can't bring myself to feel enthused about it the way they are.

Now there are rumors surfacing within my home of a near-future move across the country. If moving back overseas is my first choice, relocating East is a close second. I cannot describe how excited I am at the prospect of being someplace like that. The circumstances are less than ideal, but my family seems to be ready to say their farewell to Arizona. While there are still some months yet before this will take place, I find myself eagerly looking forward and trying to actively find ways to be appreciative of this place while I'm still here at the same time. 

Most days, I feel like a very demanding rosebush--you can plant me in the desert if you're really determined to, but no matter what you do I'm probably never going to grow as happily or naturally as a cactus would. I respect that this is home to some people, but for me, it never will be. Truthfully, I can't say whether I'll ever establish roots anyplace; I'm happiest on the move. 

I can't wait to be on my way.

long time, no sea!

(Sorry, I had to. It's been a long week, and I enjoy puns far too much to ever let something like that go.)

Today was my first go using the new tripod. Marcus was nice enough to sit at the park reading his book while I twirled around on the bridge and tried not to fall into the lake. I was so excited to finally wear my new dress! Lately, I've noticed myself gravitating more and more toward longer skirts. For awhile, I wouldn't wear anything longer than your standard Forever 21-length dresses, so it's sort of interesting how much that's changing. As someone with a stature of only about 5'3, this is slightly alarming because anything below the knee tends to be hit or miss for me. If a skirt falls past my calves, there's a good chance it wasn't meant for me (or it was, and just I need to find myself a tailor!)

Luckily, I don't think this particular dress is going to need any kind of alterations. I'm very fond of how long it is even though it originally took some getting used to. It's very pretty in person (runs a full size small, though!), and as anyone who knows me is well aware, I'll take any nautical garments I can get my hands on. This was a welcome addition to my collection. I'd been after it since I first discovered Modcloth, but it recently went on a flash sale and I finally decided to quit fawning over it online and just get the thing already. Now I just need to find a way to help transition it into colder weather...I'm thinking white tights and some ankle boots, but given that the dress is long and full, I'm not sure how well that's going to translate. We'll see!

Experimenting with the tripod will hopefully be a fruitful endeavor. Now that I don't have to balance my giant camera on tabletops anymore, a lot of doors have been opened in terms of where and when I can take pictures. I love browsing other people's photography for ideas--it's one of those hobbies I think a lot of people have common ground on. Pictures are just fun to take! Personally, I'm a fan of playing with colors. I can't wait to take this thing out for a spin downtown or to the mountains when I go visit my brother. It'll probably come with me to Seattle, too, although I'm not sure how effective it will be to set up shop in the middle of Pike's Place. I got enough odd looks as it is from the occasional jogger this afternoon--I don't think my confidence is quite ready for anything more just yet!

Dress: Modcloth - Sea Shanty Singing Dress
Red flats: Old Navy
Bow: Made by me! 

Oh, yes, and Marcus joined me for a picture after I finished. Fun story: he originally wanted to try recreating the World War II sailor picture, only he wanted to be the one getting dipped. We tried twice, and the resulting photos looked like I was trying to assault him. Also, I kept dropping him. For future reference, I'm not a reliable foundation if you want to be dipped or dunked or otherwise tilted towards the ground.

We still had fun, though, even though we mutually agreed to never try to get into team Olympic figure skating.

:)

wishlist wednesday!

Hello, everyone! It's been a little bit--I'm trying to decide how best to spend my time. So far, most of it's still devoted to being master of the house: chores, shopping for groceries, cooking, you know. I love it, but it's also left me kind of tired! I haven't gone out shopping a whole lot lately, which I used to really enjoy. Yesterday, though, my mom and I spent a day out--I thought it'd be fun to talk about, and share some fun wishlist items at the same time! 

We started off by going to the post office, where I mailed a dress out for swap. I was really bummed to let it go.

Wouldn't you be? I actually got it from another swap awhile back, all the way from Canada! I waited on it for weeks because I was so excited about it, but it was totally wrong for my body. :( I'm not quite tall enough to pull it off! Hopefully the new owner gets more use out of it. As for me, I can't wait for my new prize! Pictures to come...it has bows on it. 

Anyway, then we went off to the mall together! That's one of our favorite things to do when we have time. Trying on clothes is my favorite, and if it's a good day, I can get my mom to try some things on too. Looking back now, I wish I'd taken more pictures of the things I put on. Some were pretty bad (to be fair, I was hoping the lobster dress I found was going to look nicer) and others were so good, I was sad to leave them behind! 

At a store called The Limited, I tried on these beauties: 

Is it pretty obvious I have a chambray thing going on?! Sadly, I had to leave most of those behind, though my mom did score a 50% off everything coupon and was nice enough to get me the light blue shirt! :) I'd been looking for one like it forever, and with that sweet deal it was even cheaper than some of the lesser-quality ones I'd seen at stores like Forever 21. I learned that I enjoy stores like The Limited because I'm not huge on embellishment--they specialize in classic, simple pieces (like colored pants and basic sweaters!), which I tend to gravitate towards. I totally get that for some people, the more bedazzled the better, but I'm just not as into it. For me, there's nothing worse than spying a cute dress from across the room, only to get closer and realize that someone added studs or zippers or cutouts where there didn't really need to be any. (If you're ever at the mall and hear someone lamenting that perfectly good pair of mint pants that was ruined by a thick zipper up the sides, it's probably me.) 

My mom ended up picking up a nice pair of black pants for work, but we both secretly wanted to take it all! 

Later, at Express, I tried on a red dress that looked pretty cute: sadly, the back was cut extra low and it was so stretchy you could see everything through it. Ever tried one of those on? I'll keep looking, though, I love red dresses. If this one was still in stock on Modcloth, I'd get it! 

After the mall, we went to Target really quickly to pick up new kitchen supplies. At the mall, we looked at some of the more upscale shops for fun (who doesn't love to do that?!) but the prices made us want to cry! Some really nice-looking kitchen things were ON SALE for $800! Until one of us wins the lottery, we figured we'd better head someplace that gave us more realistic options. We'd been talking about replacing our ancient cookware forever--it was all scratched up and breaking, and since I cook every day, I needed better things to work with. We debated on several different sets before we settled on a nice-looking one that was pretty affordable!

That one.

I don't know what it says about me that I'm this excited to have a brand new set of cookware, but I'm over the moon. I can't wait to use it. We also got a new egg pan, since my family's all about the eggs. Maybe now I can start sharing some more recipes! 

I'm really excited about my new shirt and my cookware! I love finding one thing (or ten!) that you've been searching for forever, and then bam! There's the perfect one! I have a huge list of retro-classic items I'm hoping to slowly acquire by fall, but I think I'll share that one next Wednesday...I'm still having that issue where I know what I'm looking for, but I haven't seen any pictures of it on store sites or magazines yet!

Am I the only one who gets that feeling? Like there's the perfect item I would just draw up for myself if I could? Does anyone else have those things they've been looking all over for but can't quite find? A couple more of mine include some classic a-line skirts, sturdy oxfords, cute button-downs in soft colors (long and short sleeve, preferably with lace!) and simple cardigans! What's on your wishlist that you haven't been able to track down yet?

- Katie

{ an outfit and an outburst }

[ warning: this post is long, and expresses a lot of annoyance and anger. if you prefer, you may simply skip ahead to the pictures or ignore this particular post; i hate to bring anyone down just because i'm having a rant! ]

I've been looking forward to doing my first outfit post! Unfortunately, all I have for you today is some subpar camera-phone pictures (they're not all like that, I promise!)

It was done sort of hastily because I wanted to make a point. To make that point, I have to share a brief story about my day.

In my house, I'm basically resident cook. I love putting together the grocery lists and shopping for my family. I'm responsible for dinner most nights, and I'm usually baking treats on weekends. That's all fine with me!

Today is Wednesday--at my neighborhood Sprouts, that means double the discounts. Everyone goes on Wednesdays. I enjoy Sprouts for their wide variety of affordable health foods; with a diabetic brother at home, I have to get creative! There I was, meandering around, sampling the free coffee and generally enjoying my day. I'd just come from signing paperwork for my new job (!) and I felt pretty excited, so naturally, I was in a good mood!

When I brought my items to the checkout, the woman in front of me wasn't too friendly--she scooted my bar over when I tried to start adding my items and glared a lot, but I figured she was probably just having a busy day. The cashier also didn't seem very interested in talking to me, giving short answers and avoiding eye contact. At one point, though, she looked up and suddenly seemed attentive.

"Where do you get those bows you put in your hair?" she asked. I answered happily that I make them. She followed up with more questions about how to put them together, which I was only too glad to answer. I was in the middle of explaining the clips I used (all while my items were still being scanned) when suddenly, I was interrupted.

"You do realize that those little bows make you look like you're about thirteen years old, don't you?" she said, in a tone I didn't consider to be the most friendly. I was at a loss for words, as this was the second time this week someone had so rudely commented on the way I looked (which I'll get into in a second). The cashier and bag boy both started laughing, at which point the cashier said, "yeah, I didn't know how to ask without being rude, but how old are you?"

"Twenty-one," I answered, trying very hard not to let my weariness at this question show.

"So you're legal and everything and still walking around dressed like that?" the lady behind me pressed. The laughter continued from all sides. I don't really remember anything else--I didn't answer back, I think I just smiled and tried to laugh politely. I paid for my items as quickly as possible before leaving to go find my car.

Let me explain a few things, because this situation comes up a lot. The responses I get are always the same, and I'd like to address them.

"Just say something rude right back! Tell that old bag her outfit made her look about twenty pounds heavier and see how she likes it! That'll shut her up!" 

I'm not the kind of person who will genuinely say something rude. I try very hard to maintain the politeness I was raised with. Even when I can think of anything truly snappy, nine times out of ten I won't say it. The woman behind me was wearing a very garish leopard-printed suit, and the first thing that came to my mind out of anger was that someone ought to tell her those hadn't been relevant since the 70's. Even as she was drawing all of this unwanted attention to me, I immediately felt bad for thinking so harshly. Obviously, she liked her outfit enough to wear it out, so who was I to judge? For all I know, this style is completely fashionable. I don't claim to be the most modern, and I probably don't know what I'm talking about anyway.

"Just take it as a compliment! You'll be thankful for those kinds of comments when you're forty!"

I hate this. I'm sure this is true to some extent--my grandmother and mom are living proof that this isn't going to stop anytime soon. However, the fact of the matter is, I'm not forty. I'm a twenty-one-year-old who has accomplished things I'm proud of. I consider myself to be fairly intelligent. Despite being occasionally down on myself, I know I have nice traits to offer. I don't think I should take someone's blatant rudeness as a compliment, especially when they don't mean it to be one.

"Don't take it so seriously!" 

I dislike this even more. For some reason, comments like this are written off by others, and I'm expected to simply ignore them. However, I don't see why it should be acceptable for anyone to take the time out of their day to interrupt what another person is doing just to say something negative. The only time I go out of my way to speak to someone I don't know is to compliment them. It's a foolproof way to make someone's day better. You're almost guaranteed a more friendly response if you say something nice. While many prefer to dismiss my feelings as dramatic, I feel that this is a form of harassment, especially if you continue with it despite visibly making the other party uncomfortable.

"Well, what do you expect with the way you dress? If you want some respect, lose the bows and put on some makeup!" 

This is my least favorite response of all. It completely shifts the blame from the person who was deliberately being hurtful to the person who was trying to happily go about their day. The fact of the matter is, I like  how I dress. It's true that I don't wear any makeup, and I will continue not to as long as I like. Am I better than other women who enjoy makeup? No! Am I worse? No! It's a personal preference, and I feel uncomfortable wearing it. Why would I change that just to please other people?

I enjoy the fact that I only own two pairs of pants and that all my dresses are printed. I'm proud of having a collection of patterned tights and being able to make my own hair accessories. I have a huge appreciation for vintage styles, and having fun emulating the colorful styles I admire so much is my favorite pastime. Your style is how you choose to express who you are--we've all heard it on What Not To Wear, and it's true. I don't blindly clip bows I make by hand into my hair and think, "goodness, I hope nobody realizes that I like cutesy things!" The truth is, I have this newfangled notion that you deserve the same amount of respect no matter what you look like. I can't stress this enough. Someone could be running around the store naked and you still wouldn't have the right to judge them on how they looked. You simply wouldn't, because it has no bearing on who they are. I shouldn't be any less deserving of respect because of what I was wearing. That's the mentality that you see all too often in more upsetting situations--victim-blaming. "Well, she was assaulted for no reason, but what was she wearing?" "Well, you were harassed while you were out enjoying an evening with your friends...but what were you wearing?" It doesn't matter. This is a very unhealthy mentality that too many people seem to share. Call me over-dramatic all you like. I refuse to perpetuate the idea that anyone deserves to be treated as less because of how they look.

This is becoming a serious problem for me, as people have always thought I looked young. You may or may not realize from looking at me that I'm actually a college graduate who's going to become a diplomat someday. You may not realize that I've been known to curse like a sailor on shore leave. You may not know my struggles or insecurities or wishes or favorite books. You'll never know unless you learn to ask me instead of going off of appearances alone. I can't help it if I look young forever--that's half the reason I refuse to turn to makeup. I don't want to force something that isn't there. Thousands of women I know have perfected their usage of products to enhance their already pretty features, but for me, personally, it would serve as more of a disguise and less as a complement. And that's okay.

What isn't okay is being expected to choose between being taken seriously and changing who I am.

It took a long time to get here! I'm not going to erase all of it and start over just because some people think that printed dresses and hair-bows make me less worthy of respect. For anyone who's encountered the same problems, don't let it make you change, either. I think some people are truly intimidated by the bravery it takes to be your true self. Who knows?

For anyone who's wondering, this was the offending outfit.

Bow: Handmade proudly by yours truly.

Shirt: Forever 21 (it has bunnies on it! How can you get angry about that?!)

Shorts: Forever 21 (I bought these on sale a long time ago)

Shoes: Old Navy 

I'm sure that woman didn't realize that I made my bow at the same time as I made a matching one for my dear long-distance friend. She probably didn't consider that my mother had picked this shirt out while we were shopping together one day, and she'd been so excited about it that I had to buy it. It always reminds me of her. Of course, I don't expect strangers to be mind-readers, but doesn't it make sense to assume that if you're going to criticize someone you don't know, you may be insulting them on a deeper level than you realize?

I plan to post countless more outfit pictures over however long I keep this blog. If my style ever changes, it will be because I decided it was time for something different, not because enough people finally made me realize I looked like a young teenager. The people who matter love the way I look--and, what's more, they love me. 

I'm sorry this turned into such a novel. Anyone who has had similar experiences can attest, however, that it only becomes more disheartening with time. It can truly be unfortunate how many people feel the need to go out of their way to bring others down.

Has a similar situation happened to you? What did you do? How do you feel about this kind of thing? I'd love to hear! 

{ opinions: on department stores }

Does anyone mind if I talk about this for a minute?

Because my views on clothing have completely shifted over the last year or two, and I think it's really interesting to examine the fashion world and their products as a result.

It's no secret that if I had it my way, my whole closet would be made up of one-of-a-kind, vintage-inspired, printed garments that were predominantly skirts and dresses. I find great joy in accumulating clothes that are versatile enough to suit the workplace or a day out--while I can certainly respect the fact that a lot of places require formal business-wear, I see nothing wrong with wearing colors and exciting patterns, especially if they're made suitable for a workplace! Really, how can you complain about a knee-length printed dress with a solid cardigan and cute heels? Maybe some pretty curls on the side or a nice updo? Even if you can complain about that, you shouldn't. That's adorable and it shouldn't pose any threats to someone getting their job done.

I digress.

I love getting outfit inspiration from places like Modcloth or Anthropologie. I frequently troll sites including wwzdw.com (they have exact matches and similar alternatives for all those cute New Girl outfits!) and frantically await new episodes of Once Upon a Time so I can try to scope out more Mary-Margaret styles. I can't be the only one! The thing is, those people are highly paid actors, and they can afford those gorgeous brand-name clothes with no problem. It's certainly possible to find similar looks for less money, but not probable, and you have to get pretty lucky.

With that in mind, yesterday I visited the mall for the first time in awhile with my mom. I had a list of silhouettes and styles in mind, and I hoped I might find clothes along the lines of the ones I have bookmarked in a list longer than I care to admit!

I hadn't been to a department store in years; for awhile, stores like Forever 21 and American Eagle were my go-to shops. In my teens, places like Macy's or Dillard's had seemed too "old" or "high-end" for me. Maybe it was time to give them a try! After all, the commercials made them look so classy and glamorous!

Sadly, I have to report that my personal experience was quite disappointing. I quickly found the junior's dress section, but the selection was limited. (It's harder than you'd think to find simple a-line dresses, with or without sleeves!) My mother picked out a few for me in mint, royal blue, and red. I was excited to try them on after selecting what should have been my size--however, I struggled to get each dress up over my hips! (Generally, if a dress is my size, this isn't an issue). Following that, it was an effort to zip up the garments--I could hardly breathe! Even in two or three sizes up, the fits were less than favorable.

I couldn't understand why this was the case--thanks to a newfound interest in modern-vintage shopping, I have a really good grasp on my measurements and how they should translate into clothing sizes. Obviously, depending on whether specific brands run large or small, you want to size up or down, but it's typically going to be pretty consistent. I can say with pretty good certainty that, on average, I'm a small, but I found myself floundering in department stores, unsure what would work at all. In some styles, a 00 drowned me--in others, even an 8 was quite tight. Also, my biggest issue at my height is always having to hem things. I've slowly become more accustomed to longer lengths (think knee-skimming or a few inches above) as casual wear, with some exceptions. I'm not against shorter styles at all--my shorts are all high-waisted, and about half my skirts are too--but even I felt a little limited in movement with these dresses. That was certainly a first!

No wonder so many people hate shopping for clothes! Once you start gravitating away from the "younger" stores, as I've heard them called, there's a whole new sizing standard, and it can make finding things you like much more difficult. Being 21, I find myself in an awkward spot where Forever 21-esque establishments (I understand the irony fully) are too young for me, but shops like White House/Black Market, Talbot's, or even Anthropologie are still a bit overwhelming and don't exactly carry the modern-vintage styles I'm after.

Obviously, your personal taste and individual body type will determine where is best to get your clothes. I have issues finding things because I'm hourglass-shaped and short, which contradicts a lot of today's styles. Along with that, I have very simple preferences, and am often frustrated to see what could have been a perfectly cute red dress ruined by rhinestones, studs, unnecessary zippers, glitter, or strange cuts in the fabric. I haven't bought a plain blouse or cardigan in months because I just can't find any! (If you know of some good, affordable shops, let me know! ;) ) I'm not against department stores. Not even a little bit. However, this vintage-loving girl was personally a tad disappointed with the experience. I wasn't actually able to find anything on my list, and the things that came close would have been cheaper to buy on sale online anyway.

(That's actually one more thing that's changing about me--I used to pride myself on being THE bargain-hunter, and refused to spend over $10 on any one item. Now, upon going through my closet over the years and realizing how many things I bought solely because they were cheap, I've decided I'd rather spend a little more on fewer pieces I love. I was shocked to see that the cost of these items I used to purchase without really loving added up to far more than I spend now. I'm still getting used to that--a lot of my friends will raise an eyebrow when they inquire how much I bought my new dress/skirt/shoes for. However, I'm pretty proud of how I manage my money, and I still utilize plenty of discounts--and, at the end of the day, it's your business when it comes to how you spend your resources!)

That said, do any of you encounter similar issues when shopping in stores? I enjoy going out and browsing around, but more and more lately, I find myself happier to save up for choice pieces online and read at home instead. Where is your go-to place to get clothes that suit you perfectly? Do you prefer to shell out more money for less things, or do you find that method flawed? I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Modcloth is having a spectacular sale! Click here for some great deals!

Today, I thought I'd post a link to one of my favorite sites--Modcloth! I recently became an affiliate, and hopefully I'm doing this correctly--if you click through this link, you'll be taken to their site to shop their wonderful sale items! Most of them are about 50% off, which is a great deal!

Let me know if you see anything you like!

wishlist I

It's the world's least heavily guarded secret that I can't control myself when it comes to Modcloth. My brother got me a gift card for my last birthday, and within about a nanosecond I was deluded into thinking I had the purchasing power of Queen Victoria before her Diamond Jubilee. For someone like myself who generally describes themselves as "the sort of person who likes to shop around"...(translation: really cheap)...the outcome was shameful. I bought five dresses and a Great Gatsby sweater all at once. To my credit, I wear all of those things all the time. 

Okay, not so much the sweater, since it's been known to reach 120 degrees where I live around this time of year, but it's sitting in my closet eagerly anticipating autumn. 

I digress.

I spend a fair amount of time daily on this website, and my wishlist is so extensive, I'm almost embarrassed to share even part of it with you. Honestly, this is just the first eight that came to mind. This doesn't even include the skirt section, let alone the shoes or tops. I may have a very real problem. 

Oh, well!

Here's a list of my current lovelies that are hopping in and out of my shopping cart. If I cover up the prices, it isn't that bad.

If anyone is interested, in order from left to right, here are the aforementioned articles of clothing:

1. Jetting Ready Dress
2. Doll in All Dress (this one is mostly sold out, as a warning)
3. Too Much Fun Dress in Airplanes
4. Bernie Dexter Year Abroad Dress
5. Too Much Fun Dress in Cherry
6. Sea Shanty Singing Dress in Navy
7. High Socie-tea Dress
8. Too Much Fun Dress in Boats

I'm really not kidding when I say I could do this forever. I knew every single one of those dresses' names by heart (because seriously, how cute are some of those?)...and my browser even knows that 9 times out of 10 something I type is going to be related to Modcloth.

Someday, I'll be able to afford half of one of these...

To be fair, I do have a decent amount of this shop's clothes in my closet. All my pieces get a lot of love. It's kind of surprising...lately, my tastes have been shifting more towards "buy less things that I love for a little bit more money" as opposed to "buy more things that I'm okay with for cheaper".

It must be part of growing up, I guess?

Any fellow Modcloth lovers out there? How do you deal with your addiction to these adorable prints?