Guest post at Turn That Frown Upside Down

Hey guys! Today I'm doing a guest post for Jess over at Turn That Frown Upside Down. Go have a look, if you'd like! Happy Wednesday :)

Novel petals for the stem

 Ah, yes. The quintessential fashion blogger floor-stare. My ankles are just so interesting, you don't even know.

Then I thought I'd try a shot at miming. I call this: "Happily Leaning Against A Small Table".

I want to give credit to thetragicsense for the inspiration for this outfit! Seeing that we have almost the exact same 50s nightie, I thought it would be fun to pay a little homage to her amazing style. I can't believe women used to wear these... they sure slept with flair! I'm really loving the way sheer and airy clothes are trending right now.

Also! No matter how hard I try, my wardrobe can't seem to escape spring! Floral prints and creams and pastels, I could wear you forever. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that this place doesn't really get a springtime. The seasons go from freezing cold in the winter to warm for maybe five days to the blithering heat of the summer. Ah well. The seasons don't rule me. Summer you will be my spring because I say so! You owe me!

50s nightie: gift from Christina
Top: vintage thrifted
Shorts: thrifted Ralph Lauren
Worn out old flats: Urban Outfitters

Bulletin! Stay tuned for Wednesday, when I'm guest blogging for Jess over at Turn That Frown Upside Down while she's getting her festival on at Cornerstone!

Engagement!

Finally had our engagement photos done! Such an incredible job by the lovely Melody Ricketts. These are just some of my favorites! Please go have a gander at her work here!

I love the way I look so serious in this one, yet he's completely cheesin' :)

Smoothies in the tall grass

Finally! Here we go. The whole outfit. I've posted it in parts, but never the entire ensemble!

Looks like the bangs could use a trimming! And the hair, a re-dyeing. And the grass, a cutting. Although I hope Jason doesn't cut it because I love tall grass! It's dreamy, somehow. Definitely picnic-worthy. I may just have to take a book and a sandwich out there one of these days.

Crop-top: DIY, was a thrifted dress
Skirt: thrifted vintage
Glasses: Coastal Contacts
Belt and Ralph Lauren clutch: gifts from Christina
Cameo pin that I adore: antique gift from Monica!
Shoes that you can't even see: Aerosoles
Smoothie: blended with love by Aleta!

Fashion, in a healthy way

Been thinking about the relationship between fashion and health lately. I'm pretty sure we're all familiar with the way the fashion industry sells clothes (and its perception of the ideal body): tall, thin, dainty, almost skeleton-like figures that stride down a runway. These women fit into a very specific body type that the vast majority of us do not; in fact, it is largely unachievable for us, despite going the extremes some do to have it. This is just because, biologically, we are built differently.

photo via nowpublic.com

What bothers me is when this "look," the characteristics that define the fashion body type are associated with health. That, essentially, it's all about being skinny. Skinny, skinny, skinny. When you're skinny, you know you're healthy... right? Not necessarily. While you may be thin, naturally or unnaturally, maybe due to dieting or a crazy fast metabolism, your muscles may be weak and atrophied... or your body may not be receiving the necessary nutrition it needs to function in the best way possible. Though you might have the "look," your body is unprepared for the strain it will take on as it ages.

I truly believe that beauty is not just about the present, but also the future. It's about taking care of yourself for the long term, feeling beautiful and comfortable in your own skin. Curves are fabulous, if you have them. Even if you don't have them, you're still fabulous. And frankly, muscles are awesome. Our bodies can do so much with built-up strength and endurance, and they'll thank us for it later!

Anyway, these have just been my thoughts over the past couple weeks... I realized that I really do want to take a stand for the condition of my body. After all, I'll only ever have this one! I'm trying to learn how to cook healthier meals, with good oils and whole grains and fruits and veggies. And have also started this work-out regimen by Jillian Michaels called Ripped in 30!

So far, she's kicking my hiney, and I've only just started the second week today! I am so inspired by Anastasia, whose results are mind-blowingly amazing! I took pictures before I got started too, so hopefully if I can stick it through the next few weeks, I can put up the before&after shots to compare. Let me know if you plan on trying it out or are already doing your own, so we could encourage each other! I don't know about you, but for me, my best asset for getting in shape is a support system. Else I'd never get off that couch!

Here are the links to each of the videos:
Ripped in 30 - Week 1
Ripped in 30 - Week 2
Ripped in 30 - Week 3
Ripped in 30 - Week 4

Spoils of war

Oh, the joys of being thrifty! Paid a visit to the good ol' local Salvation Army today after weeks of holding myself back for sake of saving money. Most magnificent feeling ever. I missed the hunt: the millions of racks waiting to be scoured for hours upon hours, the way my hands begin to have this mild, grimy feel to them from sifting through old purses, the dusty apparel you could tell are seeing the outside world for the first time after having been long forgotten about in the back of someone's closet, the heart-pounding glory of finding hidden, ancient gems...

 Couldn't pass up this fun little floral wiggle dress!

 A handmade, burnt orange tunic! My first tunic ever! Excited to play around with styling this one.

I was very drawn to the vibrant colors and southwest print of this vest... though I will probably have to wait until fall to whip it out.

I like to play a little game with myself before I head into a thrift store. I set a dollar amount for myself, $10-$20, a challenge that I will spend no more than that limit. Then I try and figure out how to really make the most out of what I find. Usually, I have to make an ultimatum between two or three items in order to stay within the limit, examining them to decide which would be the best buy (although, sometimes, the decision is too hard and I break my rule, haha) I know it's a silly game and pretty dang nerdy, but I like to think it helps me learn more about the design and wear of the clothes. I can really choose carefully to decide on the clothes that are special to me... plus it keeps the size of my closet in check!

 A creamy, pleated skirt. Definitely a staple this season.

 Annnnd tan, high-waisted safari shorts!

Okay, I think I almost gasped when I saw these. I've been wanting real Oxfords for so long, but for some reason have delayed in buying myself some. I never ever ever thought I would find a true vintage pair in a thrift store, but there they were! Just smiling up at me! I can't believe my luck sometimes.

50 cents for paperbacks, gotta love it! I've been so curious about Thoreau's thoughts on his experience in isolation ever since learning about him in high school. Excited to dive into this one :)

I really want to encourage you, if you've never thought about thrifting before, to try it sometime. You never know what fantastic things you'll find!

Have a beautiful evening!
Gabrielle :) or Gabi, whichever you prefer!

Here's looking at you, kid!

Dissolve your whole body into Vision: become seeing, seeing, seeing! Rumi

One sweet new thing that has fallen into my life:

Oh, fantastic. Another wanna-be-oldfashioned hipster with non-prescribed lenses. NOPE! These are all too real. And all too necessary. See, I lost my glasses about a month ago, and I've been needing some new ones!

I was at an interview last week where I saw this guy wearing similar specs. Appreciating the return of the wide-frames, I complemented him. He mentioned something about them being free through Coastal Contacts. What, free? Yeah! Go like them on Facebook! Okay! So, I did. And thus, I was introduced to the magic that is Coastal Contacts. Apparently, this company gives away glasses like hotcakes. Every so often they give away 10,000 pairs, you only have to pay shipping! After reading so many positive reviews on their facebook page, I had to try it. These babies came to me in about a week and I am absolutely infatuated with them! I think I may start wearing them out often... they really fit the style I am going for! I am happy. And I want you all to be as happy as Coastal Contacts has made me, so go like them, right now! :)

http://www.facebook.com/CoastalContacts.com
P.S. I just looked at their page and they're already about to do another giveaway, right now! Go, go, go!

Summertime's calling me

Nothing says summer like the first beach day of the season! And who better to spend it with than the 5W crew (well, half of it)! This is probably the first of many posts to come that will document my love affair with Lake Tahoe. There's just something about the glassy blue lake juxtaposed with the snow-capped mountains that gets me every time.

Skirt, belt, headwrap: vintage thrifted
Top: vintage gift from my mother-in-law
Bag: gift from Christina

Despite the freezing water that made it nearly impossible to swim, it was a lovely time! And! Successfully prevented myself from getting a sunburn. Go skin health! I've never been a huge fan of tanning, but for some reason when I step out on a beach and my porcelain whiteness is enough to blind someone, I start to think maybe a summer glow would be nice. If there's a way to do it without setting myself up for wrinkles and skin cancer later in life or going traffic-cone with a fake tanner, I might try it. Then again, I do like being pale! I don't think there is anything wrong with sticking to our natural color; for every shade, I'm sure there's at least one culture in the world who reveres it.

What about you? Is tanning a go or a no?

Featured on Chictopia?? Say wha!

Today was a fairly normal day... shopping with the moms, enjoying the warm weather, preparing for another style shoot.

Checking up on all the social networks, as usual.
Until I noticed something a bit strange when I logged into Chictopia.

Weird, I suddenly have all these random points that I didn't have before! (You receive "chicpoints" when people "like" your outfits, leave you comments, and such.) Checked my messages.

A letter from an editor:

"Hi there,
Congratulations! With your amazing style and creative write up, your photo Chic Blog post has been selected by our editor to be featured on Chictopia’s Home Page. If you have our iphone app, your photo will also be displayed there in 24 hours.
As a reward, you are receiving 500 Chic Points for this amazing honor. Hope to see you on the Home Page again!"

What? No. Really? Seriously?
Clicked to the front page.
Lo and behold...

I even had to open a new browser just to make sure I wasn't imagining things!

I am flabbergasted. Just flabbergasted. I don't even have words. 

Chictopia, I would describe as THE internet headquarters for fashion enthusiasts near and far. And there's little blogger n00b me on the front page, sheepishly staring back at 192,000 pairs of visiting eyes that graze the site daily. I am beyond honored that someone considers my style worthy enough to be displayed there. 

Man, I've really been needing some encouragement lately as to whether this whole fashion blogging endeavor was cut out for me, and, well, I think there we have it, folks. Thank you, dear reader and friend, for coming along with me. I can't wait to see where this path will lead!

(Thanks God :D!)

Remember the sailor and Miami Vice lovechild?

No? It's cool, I think only my mom and a couple friends were reading my blog back then... although it really wasn't that long ago! Anyway, I promised I would re-shoot it, and I decided today would be the day!

Blazer: thrifted Ralph Lauren
Pants, scarf, and clutch: thrifted vintage
Shades and shoes: thrifted

I really like the backyard of my summer house. There are a few great, simple settings that I'll be using for most of my shoots from now on. It's convenient, private, and safe! What more could a fashion blogger ask for?

I hope everyone has had a lovely week!