All washed out

There's a trick to fashion on a budget, especially when your wallet limits you primarily to secondhand shops. That trick, although perhaps it's more of a test of perseverance, is patience. I remember having a conversation with a good friend about the challenges of finding certain trendy items when thrift store shopping is always such a grab bag. You will never (well, rarely) find the same piece of clothing each trip like you would at a typical retail store. So, as combat boots became the big autumn hit, I tore a reluctant eye away from F21 online and began to scour the shoe sections during my thrifting outings. A couple months fly by without much luck and the $40 I very swiftly could dedicate to those boots begins to sizzle and spark in my pocket. Long story short, I DID eventually find these boots. Rather than $40, I was put out a mere $7. The price of patience? Well, I did nab my prize at a significant discount, despite being a bit tardy to catch on to the trend. Perhaps in the high fashion world, with how quickly trends rise and fall, I would receive a deserving scoff. But in Reno, fashion creeps at a turtle's pace, and hey, I can get by ;)

Is the price of patience worth it to you?

Boots, jacket, tee, shorts - thrifted
Knee-highs - Macy's
Clutch - thrifted gift

Hey, whaddya say

This is one of my favorite ensembles as of late. My closet has become so monochrome, you'd wonder if I've become a funeral crasher. The hair, I tell you! The purple lends my look so much character that when I wear too much color, I feel like it's too loud. It's all about balance, right? Although to be honest, I'm very taken by a somewhat grungier, 90s-era look. That slouchy beanie has become a personal accessory vice of mine. It. Is. So. Bomb. For one, I've never ever ever before been able to pull off a beanie. For two, I've never really frequented skate/snowboarding shops because, well, I haven't attempted either of those sports. But the triumphant feeling of strolling into Zumiez and picking through the giant beanie rack for the perfect black beanie was just so satisfying. Fist pump for expanding style horizons! Thanks, you unicorn hair, you.

Jacket- Marshall's
Dress and button up- thrifted Ralph Lauren
Cut off cowboy boots?- thrifted

Dooney and Burke bag- thrifted
Infinity scarf- gift from my sweet man

There and back again

Want to hear something funny? I've been putting this post off for about a month thinking that I've been too busy to find a quiet moment to write it. Tonight, as I wrestled with my boredom and self-pity about having nothing to do all by my lonesome while the husband is out with the boys and The Old Republic, the thought of this golden opportunity to write entered my mind and even still I was tempted to discard it. But hey, here we are!

Want to hear another funny bit? I did this shoot about a month ago. A month ago! A short bout of inspiration, maybe. Didn't make it to my blog so quickly, as you can see. But that's not all. In the process of moving to our new place, I relieved my closet of more than three GIANT trashbags of my collected vintage. I thought it would scar the core of my being, but for some reason, it didn't. It felt good. Freeing. And not only from the pains of having little to no closet space (ask my husband).

I had conversations with myself about quitting my fashion blog altogether. What do you know about fashion? You're not inspired. Look at that silly tilted half-moon pose. Cut it out. Great, Gabi, wave goodbye to another attempted hobby.

Sorry. This wasn't supposed to be Debby Downer hour. Writings do reflect the writer whether they mean to or not, and what I mean to say is that this is where I am right now. Or at least, it should explain where I've been.

The point of this post is to serve as a confirmation for myself, that I'm starting a turn-around. I've been perusing the blogging community again, and finding new favorites. And I realized I still like fashion very much. I still like writing. Motivation will come and go, won't it? As cheesy as it is, I think that's what I love so much about creating. Zero obligation. One hundred percent freedom to express, no matter who, what, when, where, or why I am. I'm just happy to be here again. And I'm happy that you're here along with me!

Let me warn you, my style has certainly changed since I've changed my hair (which will soon be made apparent on here, I'm sure). I now know what it is like to have true love/hate relationship with my hair. A sigh of pleasure at having achieved this unusual aesthetic goal meets a shudder of the next five-hour session to upkeep it every time I look in the mirror. Oh well, c'est la vie avec la mode ;)

Top and cardigan: thrifted vintage gifts
Shoes: thrifted vintage
Bag: thrifted Dooney and Burke gift
Necklace: Target
Attitude: positive