Street Style Round-up: Combat boots, Doc Martens, Dread-falls, and Velvet

These are from the Easy Fashion of Paris blog. This is one of my favorite street style blogs, ever. Those Parisians really know how to dress.

I post these because they have inspired me, and hope they can do the same for you.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="The drape-y dress looks like she rouched it up herself. Looks great with the Doc boots. Also, those sunglasses -- I got ones that look IDENTICAL at a $0.99 store in Vegas."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="That coat is to die for. Looks vintage. I love the dark wash jeans with the white Doc boots. I want to try and do a look like this with my faux fur leopard vest."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="What's not to love here? When you have a brightly dyed hair color, you can get crazier with hair accessories. They purple headband looks great with her dreadlocks poking out behind! You can find similar headbands at dollar stores, or could easily attach a large bow to a headband you already own. I love the colored chain link choker as well - it would be very inexpensive to recreate. Also, this girl is gorgeous!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="This a very classic look that appears to have been inspired by Anne Bancroft's character in The Graduate. I love chiffon tops and dresses, especially in animal print. I have a chiffon night gown by New York & Company that I got for a couple bucks at a thrift store. I wear it as a tunic or a dress. I can belt it at the empire waist or tie a knot in the side and let it be a flowy peasant blouse. This woman has belted hers with a cord or rope, which looks like the kind they sell as curtain tie backs. (You could use that to make your own belt!)"][/caption]

This last one is from Lookbook.nu:

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="476" caption="I post this girl's looks a lot! I love velvet, and I love lace. Both are readily available in thrift stores, especially since they were both so popular in the 90s. Forever 21 also has (or at least had) velvet skirts like this one for only about $12-13. I know, because I bought one. I am also a fan of this girl's hair."][/caption]

Cultural Inspiration: Tibet, Traditional Tibetan Clothing

The people of Tibet have one of the most beautiful cultures in the whole world.  It's very tragic that they are being displaced and oppressed by the Chinese government, not only because they are losing the land they've inhabited for centuries but because they are in risk of losing their culture and traditions, as the people are forced to spread out across Asia and the rest of the world as refugees. Sadly, this has been going on for decades.

Here are some photos of Tibetans in their traditional apparel. Let these photos inspire you in your own looks.













Their culture is so rich and so vibrant... it would be a shame to see it fade away.

3 Tips for Building Your Thrifty Wardrobe

I'm having some issues with my computer's SD card port, so I can't upload photos of recent finds! It seems the universe doesn't want me to share such thriftiness.

So, to make up for it, I'm starting a new series of posts to offer you ways to be stylish but cheap... err, not cheap, thrifty! More money saved equals more money for cool stuff!

Tip #1: Knee high stockings/hosiery.




Knee-high and over-the-knee stockings and socks seem to be pretty "in" right now, based off of my constant Lookbook trolling.  (It's a problem, I admit, but it gives me lots of ideas for my own outfits. I don't need rehab!)

A lot of young people (like me) seem to have forgotten or perhaps never knew of cheap pantyhose. I'm talking about the kind that comes in the plastic bubble gum machine eggs.



That photo above is basically what they look like. They cram the stockings into those little bubbles. I imagine these don't sell as fast as they used to back in 40s, 50s, and 60s when women wore hosiery almost all the time. These would have been cheap enough that a woman could buy a new pair each week.

You can find this hosiery-filled bubbles in the underwear or intimates section of department stores like Target, Wal-mart, K-Mart, and so on. These things are CHEAP! I got a pair for $0.34!  And, believe it or not, they're decent. If they rip, just buy more. They come in tan, black, and navy. You don't have to splurge on price-inflated stockings from places like American Apparel if you don't want to. One warning -- the pair I bought is slightly sheer. So if you want that opaque look then socks are your best bet.

Tip # 2: Vintage slips.



There's always a rack of slips and silky nightgowns in every thrift store. They are never all that expensive. If your not creeped out by the thought of wearing someone else's slips, these can be pretty neat. I mean, they're not panties or anything. I got mine for around $1.50!

I have three slips. Two are the gown kind that you wear beneath a dress and the other is just a skirt slip. These are good for dresses and skirts that are a little see through, but they also serve as a cheap alternative to a petticoat. While they won't help with that full, poofy skirt effect, they will add a more feminine touch if the bottom peeks out a bit, showing off the lace. If you have a skirt that's just a smidge too short for you to wear out anD about, wear a slip underneath it!

Tip # 3:  Thigh high hosiery.




This tip is less about saving money but more about appearance. If you're like me, you might have a little bit of pudge around your tummy. Now, don't get me wrong, I love pantyhose, but I hate that no matter what size you buy the top of it always cuts you off strangely. Even if you have very little pudge, it will still create a muffin top effect. So, your left to either just deal with it and have a lumpy looking stomach under your dress or scrunch it down around your pelvis, and then that looks bulky. You really can't win. I see women who seem to have mastered wearing pantyhose without these afflictions, but I haven't quite figured it out yet.

For years I avoided wearing pantyhose with dresses and only ventured to wear them with high waisted skirts because I didn't like how the pantyhose maid my stomach look. Then, while in Las Vegas this past summer, I found a part of vertical striped black thigh-high nylons. I wanted them so badly, so I got them. I realized that these solved my problem completely!  So, if you have the same problem, why not give thigh-highs a try?

Okay, that's all for now! Happy thrifting!

Street Fashion Round-up: Plaid, Lace, Velvet, Cream fabrics...