End of the line

Sweater: Faded Glory; Dress: French Connection; 

Hair bow: Treasure Box of Bows;

White blouse: Ann Taylor; Belt: LOFT;

Boots, tights: Target.

Shop similar: sweater, dress.

This is the final outfit in the 30 for 30 Remix Challenge. I was so elated to be done that I went for a really joyful outfit this weekend in a winter color palette. Don't I look like the Harbinger of Holly Jolly here? Messenger of Merriment? Caretaker of the Candy Canes? 

I could go on, but I'll save my dignity and my puns for my pending novel. 

(Hint: It may or may not involve a mash-up of the board games CandyLand and Clue) (Double hint: You'd totally read it).

But anyways, in all seriousness, I'm glad I did the 30 for 30 Remix Challenge. I came across a quote recently about creativity and how it can be born out of limitations. Personally, I feel like my imagination got to go into overdrive during this challenge, and I'm proud of what I've been able to put together. I'm not sure if I'd do a remix challenge like this again, because it now feels a little silly to deny myself from other things I already own, but it has made me a more conscious consumer, and I plan on keeping a remix philosophy in my future outfits. It's becoming quite obvious what items fit/don't fit, and which ones worked well because of their quality.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get reacquainted with the rest of my closet.

This entire outfit cost $18

Gingham top: vintage, thrifted; 

White blouse (underneath): Ann Taylor, thrifted;

Leather skirt: Old Navy, thrifted;

Tights: Hue;

Shoes: Ipanema, thrifted;

Coat: Club Monaco, thrifted.

 Shop similar: white blouse, skirt, coat.

This outfit cost me less than a tank of gas, because it's 83% thrifted (the tights were the bought-new items). The shoes and the leather skirt were the most expensive items at $5 each. The coat (which still had its tags when purchased) was $3, and I wear it all the time. I believe in the magical powers of dry cleaning and sale days at thrift stores.

One of the most difficult things for me in this Remix Challenge was being able to combine my vintage pieces with some of the more modern items. I usually don't do that too much -- it's either all modern or all vintage/costume-y. I liked being able to frankenstein the two styles during this challenge to create my own spin.

This is Outfit 29, which means it's final countdown time. Stay tuned for the finale ... tomorrow!

Deja vu

Dress: J. Crew; Top: Leslie Fay, vintage, thrifted; 

Boots: Target; Belt: Camp Rainey Mtn.

Shop similar: Dress, top.

 I promised myself that when I started the 30 for 30 Remix Challenge that I would eventually wear this combination together. But because I've remixed this dress so much in the challenge, I feel like I've already worn this exact combination before. I'm so far in the Challenge (at the 28th outfit), that I'm getting a little disoriented with time and space. Thank goodness for this blog and its documentation capabilities, otherwise I might repeat the whole Remix Challenge all over again. Which might be amusing to the rest of you, and will be slightly familiar with overtones of eerie to me.

Anyway, where was I? I did like this combination a lot -- it's a bolder pattern mix than what I usually do. It's slightly cuckoo but delightful to wear.

My favorite part though, wasn't the clash of prints but the blouse's neck frill, which allowed me to emulate this dinosaur from Jurassic Park:

[via]

It's like looking into a mirror.

My town

Here are some photos from a few weekends ago when Jeremiah and I decided to play tourists in our town. I love how Athens is a juxtaposition of a college town, a music mecca, a food haven and a Southern point of history. These photos were taken downtown all within a six-block radius, which makes the clash of all these identities prominent.

 Jeremiah took the above photo -- I'm quite proud of it.

The lighting in our favorite pizza place can be especially tricky.

On the street where you live

Sweater: LOFT; Boots, tights, headband: Target; 

Dress: BR, gift from Marilou; 

Scarf: H&M; Pink clutch: Calvin Klein.

Shop similar: dress, tights, purse.
Photos by Jeremiah.

Despite what I may have led you to believe, I don't actually live in the middle of the woods or next to railroad tracks or beside crumbly old murals. How silly of me to let you keep believing that. I thought for my 27th outfit of the Remix Challenge that I'd show you a more natural habitat for me: the street by my home.

These photos were difficult to get, what with it being a busy street with fast cars, so Jeremiah took these shots for me. We ran quickly to the middle of the street, snapped some shots, and ran back to the curb every time a car came through. Street, curb, street, curb. Basically it was Frogger: Human Edition, except with the possibility of real (squishy) consequences.

Still, it was fun to try a new spot, and it inspired me to get even more adventurous with my outfit photo places. Perhaps next time I'll upgrade to a real highway, or climb up on top of a tractor-trailer. For this blog, I'd do my own stunts.*

*Don't be ridiculous. I'd have a body double. Duh.