It’s officially summer! So I decided to wear this outfit comprised of some of summer’s best: sandals, stripes and sun hats.
Everything I’m wearing today came from a single trip to one my favorite second-hand shops: Side Show in Hudson, New York. Ya gotta love one-stop shopping! (I got several other great things on this trip I can’t wait to wear.)
We can call these items one, two, three and four of my 100 items for summer.
- straw hat - $22 Side Show in Hudson, NY
- striped sleeveless shirt - $15 Side Show in Hudson, NY
- striped drawstring pants (with pockets!) - $15 Side Show in Hudson, NY
- black sandals - $18 Side Show in Hudson, NY
- rainbow pendant necklace - birthday gift from Creighton (via Etsy)
- TOTAL - $70
there’s more...
I’ve always had a secret thing for smocks and smock-like clothing because it seems like the exact thing my 1970’s-high-school-art-teacher alter-ego would have gone nuts over. This smockish jacket selected for the second day of my Week’s Worth of Undies Project is handmade from a kitschy floral fabric and sports adorably mismatched buttons. Underneath I’ve got a shear, pleated, bright yellow blouse with button details and red pleated slacks. The slacks were missing their button, and while I could have sewn another on, it turned out faster to simply add a skinny red belt with a majestic little pony.
Nothing-New Insight #2
Color is powerful. It’s almost physiologically impossible to be in a bad mood when you’re wearing bright red pants. If you’re happy, you’ll attract other happy people to you. When you’re surrounded by happy people, life gets pretty fun.
- floral smock - $6 Moreno Valley Goodwill
- yellow pleated blouse - $6 Moreno Valley Goodwill
- multi-colored bracelets - $3 Palm Desert Revivals
- red horse-buckle belt - $3 Moreno Valley Goodwill
- red slacks - $3 Palm Desert As Good As New
- cowboy boots - $19 Moreno Valley Goodwill
- TOTAL - $40
there’s more...
Here’s what I wore to kick off TED Palm Springs Week’s Worth of Undies Project. I loved wearing this gold sequin skirt because so many wonderful people stopped me to comment on it!
For the TEDYou Talk I gave, I paired each day’s outfit with an important life lesson I wouldn’t have learned if not for this crazy nothing-new adventure I’ve embarked on. So here goes the first…
Nothing-New Insight #1
You do NOT have to spend a lot to look great. You can always look amazing for under $100, and you can almost always look amazing for under $50. At $55, this was my most expensive outfit of the week.
- red jacket - $12 Palm Desert Revivals Thrift
- red disk necklace - $2 Cathedral City Angel View Thrift
- yellow and black blouse - $8 Palm Springs Angel View Thrift
- sequin skirt - $10 Palm Desert Angel View Thrift
- cowboy boots - $19 Moreno Valley Goodwill
- TOTAL $55 with jacket, $43 without
there’s more...
What do I do when I’m slammed with work but need to find something to wear to a wedding? Well, this time I spent 40 minutes at Buffalo Exchange and another 15 at The Sock Man on St. Mark’s. In an hour, I ended up with two possible outfits and an irrational sense of accomplishment.
As a rainbow lover, I’d usually steer clear of a black and white number, but something about this bold print seemed to be screaming for a bright pair of tights. This dress originally came with a black belt, but what’s fun about that? I love, love, love that it has pockets. It’s made from brushed cotton, so it’s super comfortable and easy to wear.
I’m thrilled to acknowledge that the photographs for this outfit (and many more coming up) are the work of the ridiculously talented and overwhelmingly generous Erin Sparling. Erin is my hero.
- black and white mini dress - $40 Buffalo Exchange
- cherries - $5 Alameda Swap Meet
- skinny red belt - $1 Starkville Palmer Home Thrift
- yellow tights - $10 The Sock Man on St. Marks
- black t-strap pumps - $2 Starkville Palmer Home Thrift
- TOTAL - $58
there’s more...
The inspiration for a nothing-new outfit can come from a tiny detail. In this case, it was this yellow, orange and brown striped scarf. As soon as I spotted it at the thrift store, I remembered an orange dress from a few racks back that I’d originally thought was too plain. Once I trimmed the brim of this orange straw hat (it had to be cut because it was too big, even for me), I was ready for my day at Churchill Downs circa 1973!
- straw hat - $1.40, Columbus Salvation Army Thrift
- sunglasses - $3.00, 23rd Street Manhattan Salvation Army Thrift
- linen dress - $4.00, Columbus Palmer Home Thrift
- striped scarf - $0.50, Columbus Palmer Home Thrift
- mary janes - $2.00, Columbus Palmer Home Thrift
- TOTAL - $10.90
How could I not fall in love with a scarf that looks like it was inspired by the color palette of the Price Is Right Showcase Showdown? This image may be blurry, but the color is as vivid as the first day Bob Barker stepped on set…
there’s more...
