Items I Envy: State Quarter Rings

State quarter rings: UncommonGoods

I'm a huge fan of silver rings, and these state quarter rings from UncommonGoods are a pretty cute way to show state pride.

Graduation Day

Dress: rummage sale find
Sweater: Target
Cummerbund: thrifted
Wedges: Qupid via Urbanog
Bracelets: thrifted

I remember the day I purchased this dress for two reasons. One: it was the morning of my high school graduation. Two: I found it at my favorite annual rummage sale. It was jammed under several layers of sweatshirts, and I just happened to notice a sliver of it as I was tugging my box of goodies up to the cashier.

During high school, I didn't wear dresses. I wore skirts, but nothing high-waisted, and nothing that could be construed as too feminine (everything had to pair with t-shirts). This dress was my first womanly, everyday dress. A true graduation, so to speak.

It's not a hard dress to wear, but it can be hard to accessorize (despite the fact that it coordinates with the entire harvest rainbow). Before the purchase of these tan wedges, I've always paired the dress with black flats. Gold jewelry, if any. I like to keep it simple.

Loving an Unflattering Shirt

Shirt: thrifted (Avalon Exchange in St. Louis, Mo.)
Skirt: thrifted (Salvation Army)
Green corduroy boots: gift from a friend
Gold cameo necklace and gold leaf necklace: thrifted

Shorts: H&M
Cummerbund: thrifted
Seashell earrings: made by friend
Beaded bracelet: purchased at Paisley on Main in Glen Ellyn, Ill. (better photo here)
Wooden bracelet: thrifted
Tights: George from Walmart
Socks: Target
Boots: Bakers

This floral shirt is one of my very favorite pieces in my closet--and also one of the most ill-fitting. It has dolman sleeves that run down to the waistline, and the torso itself is very wide, so it makes me look boxy unless it's belted or tucked.

Still, I fell in love with the floral pattern instantly. (Surprising!, I know.) I scored it at Avalon Exchange in the Delmar Loop, which is a loud, well-organized shopping mecca for thrifters who like patterns. 

My favorite way to accessorize this shirt: with polka dot socks peeking out of boots. (I have a ton of 'em, thanks to Target.) My second favorite: this pink necklace, which was a gift from my mom.

Keeping Cool During a Warm Autumn

 

Dress: Old Navy (old)

Shrug: thrifted (Salvation Army)

Necklace: purchased at Cattails in Utica, Ill.

Fall is officially here, but the weather is not. 

I've been airing out my jackets--I even got to wear one last week!--but the temperatures still call for go-to summer ensembles. This outfit was conceived for summer (Lollapalooza 2010, to be exact). I never get sick of it. It's feminine, but the contrasting prints keep it funky. With tights and a heavier sweater, it'll make the transition to colder weather.

Is anyone else antsy for fall? How do you transition your clothes?

Items I Envy: Swashbuckling Booties

Privileged Siegal Leatherette Buckle Pointy Toe Cowboy Ankle Bootie on Urbanog

In honor of National Talk Like a Pirate Day, I thought I'd share these boots from Urbanog that are, in my opinion, perfect for the occasion. The buckles alone make me dizzy with visions of maritime adventures.

Once Upon a Bust Form: Best Friends Styling

Aly and Karlie.  Friendship established 2006 (photo circa 2007)

Once upon a time, I babysat a dress form. My best friend, Aly, and I spent a few too many hours co-styling looks.

Aly and I learned very quickly when we first became friends that we made great shopping partners. It helps that we have similar aesthetic tastes, and it also helps that we're two different sizes (so we never fought over pieces at thrift stores and rummage sales).

While we like a lot of the same clothes at first glance (and own a few of the same pieces), our closets are very different. Mine is full of patterns and feminine details--puffy sleeves, frills, floral embroidery. Aly gravitates toward neutral colors and earthier jewelry.

With this look, Aly challenged me to make the most of the neutrals I own. But of course, most of the neutrals I own are prints. I really dig how the stripes and paisley pair.

I named my style board on Pinterest "You call it old lady, I call it hip librarian" in response to my mom's jibes that I dress like a crazy old lady. I like to think I throw in a young, funky touch! If this outfit doesn't encapsulate 'hip librarian,' I don't know what does.

The toughest piece in this ensemble to pull off is the white tank top. I fell in love with it one day when I was working at Forever 21 and had to have it. I thought the zipper lent the Victorian frills a bit of an Industrial Age air. But it really looks better with jeans than a skirt.

Striped blouse: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted (Salvation Army)

Tank top: Forever 21 (old)

Fox necklace: purchased at Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago

Fine Form: My Other Forms

The dress form you see me spiffing up on this blog isn't the only one I own.

The dressmaker's form was a gift from my mom, spotted at a Goodwill store. (It's wearing a psychedelic cocktail dress I found at a rummage sale. The skirt is actually floor-length.) The blue bust with the bracelets was also found at a Goodwill. I bought the drawing manikin in the background back in high school. It can't stand upright, so I use the limbs as jewelry hangers.

Both of these wire displays were from my mom (technically, the one in the background is hers). 

I found the manikin hand at a Michael's craft supply store. Dinosaur not included.

Old Grand Dad was another thrift store find--probably Goodwill.



Mini drawing manikin (can you spot him jumping for joy?) was purchased at Pearl Paint.



I swiped this wire head from my mom.

In Which I Decide Whether to Keep This Leather Jacket

Shirt: hand-me-down
Jacket: Forever 21
Sneakers: Vans (old)
Zebra-striped bracelet: thrifted
Watch: Sahil Watch Co.
Silver bangles: thrifted/hand-me-down
Pin: from childhood (I can't even remember who this mouse is--can you?)

I've been having a hell of a time deciding whether to keep or return this Forever 21 jacket. It's a little outside my comfort zone, so I tried to see how it would work in with other items in my closet. What do you think: keep it or lose it?

All items thrifted

Scarf: thrifted (Goodwill)
Orange bracelet: Vera Bradley
Silver bangles: thrifted, hand-me-downs
Yellow bangles: from Paisley on Main in Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Pink lace dress: Miss Bella D from Ross Dress for Less

Beaded necklace: thrifted

Booties: Rampage from Famous Footwear (old)
Silver jeweled necklace: purchased in Paris
Gold necklace: thrifted
Purse: gift from friend

Bangle: thrifted
Scarf: Forever 21 (old)
Dress: Miss Chevious from Ross Dress for Less
Polka dot socks: Target
Tights: Charlotte Russe (old)
Booties: Bakers

T. Swift Look-alike

 

Shirt: Mossimo from Target

Skirt: Kimchi Blue from Urban Outfitters (I snagged it thrifted)

Necklace: My mom's

I saw a skirt similar to this at Anthropologie this spring, but I was glad I held out to find the Urban Outfitters look-alike at a thrift store a month later. It feels like a skirt that Taylor Swift would wear--black and white, some stripes, swingy and feminine. 

I decided to style a few different looks with the skirt that I thought Swift would also wear. The half-sleeve t-shirt seemed obvious.

 

My mom made this necklace with a string of beads and a brooch. You can adjust the angle of the brooch, though I like it a little off-kilter.

 

All items: thrifted

 

T-shirt: Nylon for Urban Outfitters (old)

Sunglasses: a freebie from a store at the St. Louis Galleria

Bracelets: thrifted

Shirt All-Son Brand from Urban Outfitters (old)
Stickers: from my sister (if I had to guess, they're from Target)

I don't own any light, feminine plaid shirts, but I think T. Swift would approve of the color choice. The stickers, which my sister picked out and placed, are undeniably Karlie.

Items I Envy: Words With Friends

Headline! Body Copy, Foot Note t-shirt: From Up North

Good grammar is sexy t-shirt: spotted on this Tumblr
I read past my bedtime t-shirt: Cafe Press
Classy, sassy & a bit smart assy t-shirt: skreened.com via Wanelo

Boots: Rain Level

There are a couple of themes running through my style wish list board on Pinterest. The fact that I'm a full-time reporter and editor tends to shine through as one of those themes. Several of my pins--especially the t-shirts--exhibit my love of words. If only I could add commas to the "Classy, Sassy, & a Bit Smart Assy" t-shirt!

I couldn't find a photo credit for this particular "That's What She Said" shirt, but it's my favorite one that I've seen. A decade later, I'm still a sucker for a well-timed, "That's what she said!"

Follow me on Pinterest!

Favorite Dress #2: Orange Sherbert

 

Dress: Love Notes at Francesca's

This dress is one of my favorites. I bought it last June at Francesca's, and probably wore the thing, just like this, 25 times before the summer was out. It started my love affair with eyelet dresses, of which I have five or six. 

With an armful of colorful bracelets, I don't think the dress needs much else. I wanted to create some new looks that would carry into September and October, though the weather here in St. Louis has still been sweltering. These layers are relatively light.

 

 

Shirt: thrifted

Necklaces: flea market

Bracelet: Vera Bradley

I do love this floral button-down, which also goes great with this skirt. These strings of beads are among the few necklaces that don't snag on the eyelet pattern.

 

Tank top: Target

 

Shirt: thrifted
Belt: thrifted

 

Denim shirt: Dalia Collection from T.J. Maxx

Silver bracelet: thrifted

Beaded and plastic bangles: purchased at Paisley on Main in Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Fine Form: Bejeweled

One of the reasons I started this particular blog was that I wanted to highlight ways that dress forms and mannequins can be used at home.

I used this photo from Curated Style as inspiration when I moved and needed to keep all of my necklaces untangled while I decided how to display them. The results weren't quite as whimsical.

Image credit: Curated Style

Here are some other jewelry displays I adore:

Image credit: Bromeliad

Image credit: Bromeliad via Vogue

Image credit: Button Bird Designs

Do you use a dress form or mannequin as a display? Share your photos with me, and I may feature it in an upcoming Fine Form post. E-mail photos to karlieabaker@gmail.com

Wardrobe Remix: Pink Pencil Skirt

Shirt and skirt: thrifted, Value Village

Necklace: thrifted

This skirt broke one of my cardinal rules of shopping--not to buy anything with the assumption that I would lose weight to fit into it. Six months later, guess what? I still can't fit into the damn skirt. But it's a great piece, and goes with a bevy of shirts in my closet (aside from plain black and white options).

Here are some of the other combinations I've come up with.

Shirt: Forever 21

Necklaces: thrifted

Shirt: thrifted

Necklaces: thrifted

The "retro" look. This blouse was definitely made in the 70s. (It gets a lot of wear.)

Shirt: thrifted, Salvation Army

Bracelet: thrifted, Salvation Army

Purse: purchased in Italy

Embracing the tribal trend. This shirt is on my current list of go-to's.

 

Shirt: thrifted

Necklace: mom's

Balancing the black and white with a colorful jeweled necklace

Shirt: thrifted

Necklace: flea market

Retro look #2

Tank top: Target

Shrug: thrifted

I love the floral print on this Target tank so much, I bought a dress in the same print. It pairs up almost all of my cardigans, but I think it pops most set against a different pattern.

Tank top: Target

Cardigan: Old Navy

Tank top: Target

Cardigan: Target