28 Days: Double-Beats Thursday

In honor of the first day of Coachella!

                        

Spring Trend: Crochet

I have always really loved crochet pieces of any kind, and I have seen it all over as a trend for the Spring! Which I am very excited about. I have seen it in many colors and styles. I saw an amazing pair of crochet shorts on Pinterest awhile ago that I had been trying to track down. Crochet clothing was made famous in the 70's, but is now being seen on the runway and on celebrities.

Although I did not have any luck finding the original crochet shorts that I saw, I did find a great brown crochet skirt at VV. I think it will be perfect for the spring with a denim shirt. I also have a tan crochet backless top that I bought forever ago at a thrift store. One of these will definitely be making an appearance at Coachella...

Another lesson in thrifting: styles always come back and they are waiting for you at the thrift store! Why buy a duplicate when you can have the original?

32 Days Until Coachella!

Tica Treasure

A few years ago (I cannot believe it's been that long!) I studied abroad with one of my bests in Costa Rica for three months. It was an incredible experience full new friends, beautiful beaches and traveling. Costa Rica is a country of the fashion senseless. Aside from bathing suits at the beach, you would frequently see tight white leggings, matchy-matchy outfits (blue jewelry, blue shoes and blue hair pieces) and a lot of knock-off Abercrombie and Hollister. I wish I had pictures to show you - how did we not capture fake Hollister polos?

Thankfully, we went to an art school called Universidad Veritas and all of the students there dressed very urban, giving me a lot of inspiration. It was a breath of fashion fresh air! Jenna and I were determined to find out where these chic girls were shopping. The only place that really made sense was Zara. But aside from Zara, there were only these little shops downtown with very random pieces, some horrible, some amazing - always hit or miss. One day we were shopping, I came across this amazing black suede vest in a store of random gems. It is a statement piece that can go with many different outfits - skirts, maxi dresses, jeans, and more. I have seen some vests similar at Urban Outfitters but nothing quite as special as my tica treasure. My vest was about $40. I have not worn it much, but I think Coachella will be the perfect place for it! Proof that it is possible to find treasures in the most unthinkable places.

Latest and Greatest

My my most recent purchase is absolutely one of my favorites. I went thrifting with the besties last weekend and came across this amazing black jumpsuit - I couldn't believe it! I was in complete denial. I love jumpsuits and rompers because they can be so versatile. They are an easy thing to throw on for a dressy event, yet so easy to wear casually with a cardigan or blazer. It has a great wastline that was made for a belt, so I added my thick black and gold belt (which I also bought thrifting!). I have a skinny leopard belt that I am excited to wear with it as well. I've had a difficult time finding one-pieces that fit me well, so I was very surprised when this one-of-a-kind did. Price? $2.99. 

A Shoe Thing

45 days until Coachella and we've hardly thought about what will go on our feet, although this may be the most important choice we make about our outfit! Uncomfortable shoes can certainly ruin someone's fun. Remember the last time you went out in painful shoes? There have been more than a few times I can recall limping off the dance floor and no matter how much alcohol I drank, I could not numb the throbbing of my poor toes.

We are going to spend most of the time on our feet walking around Coachella, so shoes that handicap us won't be an option. Luckily, I've come across some festival-worthy shoes on the racks of thrift stores that will hopefully last as long as I can. They may even have to last longer if we can't hitch a ride back to our hotel which is 4 miles away!

The green flats I found a couple of weeks ago at Southcenter Value Village as well at the ankle booties on the top right! I wear the booties all the time and I know flats will be a great option perusing the various venues in Indio.

I picked the leather loafers on the bottom left (Cole Haan!) up for 30 bucks at Bellevue Goodwill. I must admit I slip these on every chance I get, they will be great all-day Coachella shoes! And the platforms on the bottom right I found at Seattle Salvation Army. They were half off the original price when I bought them (making them $6.00) and they look like they've never been worn!

I'm still on the look out for some boots which were a staple for the most fashionable girls last year (some great ankle boots and combat style from Coachella 2011 below). Keep your eyes peeled at the thrift stores for me!

Color Your World

I have been wanting to experiment with crayon art, since I often see it on Pinterest. Meagan and I spent our last Friday night working on our canvases. I kid you not - this is not easy! And it took a solid three hours. We decided to do two different designs; I did mine straight across the top, and she did hers in the shape of a heart. First, we pealed the paper off the crayons, then glued the crayons where we wanted them. Then finally, you used a hair dryer to melt the crayons (apparently two hairdryers will blow a power socket - minor problem we had). The total cost was about 14 dollars. However, it could be even more affordable if you bought the crayons and canvas at a thrift store. My next idea is to use crayon art on a wood picture frame - which is easily found while thrifting!

The Best Kind of Present

My 23rd birthday was recently and I wanted to share a very heartfelt and special present I received from Jaclyn. It was a homemade pillow with a quote inspired by Brian Andreas artwork. While any type of gift is always appreciated, there is something so special about receiving a homemade present from a friend. It shows thought, time and effort went into the gift which is more valuable than money any day!

With the surge of the Pinterest popularity, professional crafters and rookies alike can exchange ideas and share their creations for others to try. Although it may be more time consuming crafting your present it can definitely be more money saving; especially if you are lucky enough to have a lot of friends to give gifts too! Thrift stores are a great place to look for materials for your projects. Fabrics, mixed-matched beads, and unique picture frames are always available there and it really beats buying items at an expensive craft store!

The best kind of present from the best kind of friend!