Street Fashion in Central Park, 10/08/2011 New York City

Last weekend, I took a trip to New York City with my boyfriend to visit my mother and to do some sight seeing (it was my boyfriend's first time in NYC). We explored the city and had a great time! I wore my new Dolce Vita for Target boots. I found them on eBay for only $15 including shipping! I wanted to buy them when they were available at Target, but they sold out in my size. They are actually more comfortable than my old sneakers, amazingly enough, and I was doing A LOT of walking.



We spent much of Saturday touring Central Park. I must admit, the park keeps getting nicer and nicer. One thing that never changes about New York is the fabulous street fashion. I managed to snap a few photos:









And, by a complete stroke of luck, we ran into the Occupy Wallstreet movement in Manhattan as they were leaving the park they'd been protesting in and were relocating.

Street style round-up: Harajuku, Leopard print, Marie Antoinette, High-waisted shorts and more!

As always, I share with you some looks I thought were neat. Let's see why these looks work so we can try them ourselves!

From Lookbook.nu:

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="563" caption="A lot of people make Japanese fashion trends look tacky, but this girl wears it well. I think it's a very cool idea to take a shirt-dress, like the pink and white plaid one she's wearing, and wear is as an open jacket. Especially good if you aren't quite ready to wear a tight fitting dress on its own."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="There are a lot of things I like going on in this photo: silky button up blouse, cardigan sweater, side braid, and simple make-up. This outfit looks effortless and not overdone, which is a feat, considering that leopard print jeans had their run of popularity and run the risk of looking tacky. I've had my eye on a pair for awhile, but never made the purchase. I have a pair of red and black ones (the ones from the Miley Cyrus/Max Azria collection) and have yet to let them see the sunlight. This look inspires me, though. The loose fit and Buddy Holly-ness of the cardigan balance balance out the leopard pants. Likewise, she's kept her hair and makeup simple."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="433" caption="So, this isn't an outfit you'd wear to the grocery store or to work, but it has some pretty cool elements. If only we could always dress so fun! This outfit is Marie Antoinette inspired, with a high piled updo and pastel colors. Again, we see a sweater over a button up blouse. The top half is simple, so she's chosen a more dramatic hosiery... Or maybe those hearts are just glued on? Either way, so good."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550" caption="I really love those tights."][/caption]

So, I am getting bored with Lookbook.nu. Creative looks are few and far between and mostly everyone must be rich to afford a zillion pairs of Jeffrey Cambell shoes. Those things can be like $500.

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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!