I got to talking with Ashe this morning about fashion bloggers and the money we’ll spend on the things we find worth spending on.  She mused, “… Do people get expensive tastes from being bloggers or have [expensive tastes] and then become bloggers?”

Ashe mentioned that her mom always bought the best she could for the best value – growing up with quality over quantity, she notes, is one of the reasons she has such a good eye.  Out of a lineup of 20 white oxfords, her “eye will like the most expensive pair best, without knowing the designers or cost”.

Thinking about it – part of being a fashion blogger, for me, came from an obsession with what I couldn’t have, while inspirational style images peered out at me through the pages of catalogues and magazines, not to mention MTV.  My parents didn’t buy name-brand clothing (with 3 kids, who can!?).  We thrifted – and with the idea that things would be worn by at least 2 girls, even our thrifted pieces needed to be quality.  I was also involved in theater and costuming (you know, Thespian Troupe President,  and my senior portraits were voted most theatrical since I had old-timey photos taken instead of the very-posed norm).  I learned to sew.  I read books on costume history, researched vintage clothes and was always, constantly inspired.

In our small town, there was no GAP or Express.  I remember receiving Delia’s catalogues, and I bought all the teen-appropriate fashion mags I could find, circling looks and outfit pieces in each one.  This might be why I still flip through the Vicki’s catalogues, circling things and drawing moustaches on the models.  These catalogues showed me the clothes that weren’t available to me and the styles that I coveted.  I became kind of.. enamored with branded stuff.  As I grew into my tastes, I was able to weed out the styles that didn’t suit me, but have always had a soft spot for the inspiration in a well curated editorial – whether or not it was “my style”.

I worked retail when I first moved to the big city.  Through that experience, I learned about thread count, different fabrics, and differences in quality.  I saw how once-coveted items fell apart at the seams – literally.  With new shops to explore on every corner, my tastes evolved along with my paychecks.  I was still buying a lot of stuff on the cheap (often, quantity over quality), but I got tired of having to repair everything I bought that wasn’t well-made.

I find that now, I have priorities that I’d gladly spend money on.  It’s been a lot of trial-and-error, but I also a labor of love.  As I see the glint of my Tiffany heart pendant in my monitor, I realize I’ve always liked having “nice things”, not just because of the quality, but also because of the status involved.  Did blogging give me more expensive tastes?  Maybe, but I also worked in retail for years and spent a lot of time repairing cheaply-bought items and coveting things that had a certain aesthetic.  I was also exposed to so much more because I was in a more metropolitan area.

It wasn’t till I started truly blogging that I started to fill out what I thought my style should be.  Again, exposure was a key part of my growth as a blogger.  I realized that style is something you can tailor and create.  I went back to fashion magazines for inspiration, and dug out all my vintage pieces and acquired tastes.  I looked to other bloggers around me, found pieces that appealed to me and wanted things I thought I’d never afford.  Over time, I began to make more money, and my tastes evolved towards the wider market available to me.  Blogging does influence what I think is fashionable – seeing girls carrying it-bags, looking ever so stylish is an inspiration to look for my own it-bag.  Of course, I’ll always do it in my own style, whether the bag is vintage, or merely it-bag inspired.

So what gives?  Does being a fashion or style blogger instantly mean you have expensive tastes?  Or do expensive tastes turn you into a fashion blogger?  Or do your tastes and your paychecks and your style all grow together.  Does the fashion blogging world push us to spend more?  Or do we spend more to keep up?

My answer – all of the above.  A little of everything.   I’d be interested in hearing your point of view, readers.  Did fashion blogging inspire you to have expensive tastes?  Or did having expensive tastes lend to becoming a fashion blogger.

For Bonus Points, read The Chicken or The Egg Debate Between Fashion and Art

FISH BUBBLES! That’s totally what they’re called and they’re kind of awesome.  The blonde in me wants to ask, “How did they get the water in there!?!” (There’s a trap on the top, of course) and the 6-year-old in me is like, “Cool, they look like space fish, or something from Star Trek”.

Now if I had some wall-space, I might make Mister buy me a Beta fish.

The original bag that caught my eye was this piece:

Kimberlee of Deco Modiste has a bag almost exactly like this and I covet it every time I see it.  It’s very classic 60′s-70′s style, with the foldover top and lock.

In a more 50′s-60′s style, Galian has this little basket-style bag that reminds me of those cool woven Lucite purses fashionable ladies used to carry around.  Or as my friend Kirsten would call them, “Disco lunchboxes”.  Of course, this is a little less disco and a little more boho…

The next one I really liked because of the contrast red – and the fact that it looks super utilitarian.  This is your, “Bring it to the beach” bag, that holds your book and your sunglasses and maybe a snack… It’s a wicker bucket bag or a wicker hobo or something.  Can it be a hobo with so much structure?

And then there’s this guy.  It’s like a wicker bowling bag – with minimal hardware and leather contrast.  I really likethe shape – this little handbag is super unique and very “on”.

I’m really into this wicker bag thing – sort of granny, sort of hippie, totally cool.  And now I want to know, who else sells these!?  I usually buy mine vintage, but would totally consider one of these bags from Galian.

Big, bold, badass.  I love the idea of giant, lovely, beaded necklaces.  I love the layers.   I want big bright jewelry for summer!

OH HELL!  This long, flowy, chiffon dress from Modcloth looks amazing!  I like it’s tattered bottom, and versatile top.  Hell, I even love that it’s in black because it gives everything else you’re wearing a chance to shine.  Also, black is totally acceptable in the summer, in the Northwest.  Of course, for those sunnier days…

I like the tailored hem on this little number.  Oh and if you’re going for microprint, I suggest whites, blacks, blues and something sweet.

For those days when a 4″ heel seems a little frivolous, I’m loving the kimono style print on a lot of the little sandals available this season.

So while I wait for the sun to come out and play, I’ll be saving my pennies for my wardrobe needs… What’s on your list to buy for summer?

I’m looking for two things:  Boldness and Versatility. Sometimes, if it’s versatile or bold enough I will forgo a little quality to buy these pieces – especially unique, handmade pieces at street fairs, craft fairs, etc.  (FYI, if you’re in Seattle, the University Street fair is coming up and features all manners of artisans + crafts).  I do consider quality in terms of, “can I fix it if it breaks” – and I have a spending limit for that kind of thing.

Bold but Versatile Example:  Chain + Crystal earrings from Heart Of Glass Designs on Etsy

Speaking of repairs:  “Buy it, use it, break it, fix it, trash it, change it, mail – upgrade it…” Some of the best pieces I own were once broken jewelry pieces I picked up at Goodwill and put back together in new/better ways.  I have a Gap tee with a hole in the sleeve that I shredded and “laddered”, giving it a new life as the ultimate grunge tee.  I constantly re-hem skirts, add embellishments, play DIY designer when it comes to shoes…  Whatever it is – before you toss it and look for a replacement item for your wardrobe, consider giving that item a new life… whether it’s a simple repair, or completely reworking it.

Look to your fellow bloggers.  There have been a couple lust-worthy pieces that I have picked up in various bloggers’ “Shop My Closet” sales.  For instance, the Rodarte for Target dress I wore to last week’s Hollyhood came from The Clothes Horse.  It garnered a lot of “oohs & aahs” and wasn’t a strain on my budget.  Another example – I picked up this little tweed cropped jacket from Tiffany of I am Style-ish – it’s my light, go-to jacket when I want something fresh that will bring a lot of structure to an outfit.

I know, you can’t see a whole lot of the jacket, but it was the only photo I had of me that didn’t have a goofy face.  You get the picture though – studded epaulettes, tweed, satin binding, slim zippered sleeves – oh and did I mention it’s cropped?  It was a great find and works well in my wardrobe.  And it wasn’t expensive.

Shop my closets can be difficult considering we’re all different sizes, but if you can find a blogger with a style you like who does them regularly, this is a great place to pick stuff up!

And then there’s the old-fashioned way: Layaway.  I’ve found one store that does this – which is great news for those of us who can pay in increments, but don’t wan’t to do it with plastic.  Need a spendy new pair of ‘Vogs?  They offer layaway as an affordable option – which is great because they offer such limited quantities.  It’s also great because they’re some of the most comfortable shoes I own and I’m happy when my feet are happy.  Which is how these babies became mine:

Mmmm… Shoes.  I had to have cash in hand to take them home, and that was a good way to do it.  However, if the stores don’t offer layaway, I have a little pile of cash that I’ve saved so that I can buy when I want to.  And then I pay myself back – every penny, plus a little extra.

So what are your secrets?  How do you keep your wardrobe fresh on the cheap?  Let me know!

It’s raining out now and I’m contemplating a run to the market in the horrible downpour we’re having right now.  And while I contemplate I’m looking at a few items that would make my rainy day a little less wet, and a lot more fabulous.  For example:

April Showers Rain Loafers from ShopRuche.com

Rain Loafers!  Say goodbye to ugly old rainboots.  These are cute!

Also from Ruche:

Dewy Gardens Victorian Rainboots at ShopRuche.com

Hell yes to cute boots with buckles and a pretty damask…

And since I find it almost impossible to find a suitably cute raincoat right about now…

Purple Trim Bubble Umbrella on Amazon

I’m in love with that purple magenta color right now and how fun would the bubble be for our torrential downpours?

Or this:

Bella Umbrella Black and White Pinwheel Pagoda Parasol

You know you would be the belle of the ball toting around this pretty parasol on a rainy day.  FUN!

Until I’ve got a little extra money saved, though, I’ll be trodding around in my winter coat and oversized ugly rain boots.  But a girl can dream of splashing through puddles in some delectable rain gear, right?

So, we were comparing bags and talking about the finer points of feeling fancy carrying them, when one girl blurted, “The salesgirl told me it would be a great investment.  I can’t just carry it everywhere if that’s the case!”  I gave her the side-eye and pointed out that a bag is not an investment — and that this lovely girl should carry around that bag with a sense of wild abandon, because she has the bag, and because she can.  She insisted that she keep it in it’s dust bag, in her closet, saved only for VERY special occasions.  And the loudmouth I am, I told her: “That is ridiculous!”

Because a designer bag is a lot like a new car; once you drive it off the lot, it loses quite a bit of its value.  In the first year, that “investment” will lose up to 20% of it’s retail price.  Ultimately we all knew that fashion isn’t a TRUE investment – so refraining from carrying that new gray Chanel bag in order to preserve it’s value is… well… silly.

A true investment will at least hold its value with time.  In fashion, an investment is a good piece that you will wear forever – but in fashion, the idea of investments depreciate.  I know Chanel is a lifetime purchase, a big deal, your pretty baby – but if you tried to resell that gem you’re not likely to get get what you paid – whether or not you actually carry it.  Some designer pieces may not lose their value as quickly – especially those that are artisan-made instead of mass produced, but a quick calculation shows that the odds are against finding that one special collector piece that may sell for more than its original retail value.  So what gives?  Why stash it away in it’s dustbag in the closet when you could be gallivanting around town with something so eye-catching?

Maybe it’s the feeling you get carrying around something that’s impeccably made, luxurious, and envy-worthy.  You’ve put down cash to feel like a champ, because you’re carrying something that does come with a history.  Maybe it’s that you know how much you spent on it, and you know how much you’ll carry it, and the cost-per-wear is definitely worth it to you.  That feeling you get when you have that object is indescribable, and that feeling is what you’ve paid for.  Satisfaction, love, luxury… that’s what you pay for.  And that’s not bad, but it’s an “investment” in your mental state, not anything that’s going to eventually put your children through college.  It won’t do you any good hiding in your closet.

With that in mind, don’t let that salesgirl tell you that the bag you’re buying is going to be anything like an investment, because that’s the oldest sales-trick in the book.  Don’t kid yourself about why you’re buying it – know exactly what it’s worth to you to own that special piece.  And life is too short for you to stash it away like some government bond you’re saving for a rainy day.  Carry it, loud and proud – even if it’s just to work to display on your desk as a reminder that you are fancy and important and you carry Chanel.

$40 for a haircut… I looked at her, and wrinkled my face. Is that expensive, I wondered?  I spend a little more than that on mine and they’re worth it every time.  I learned long ago, from my fair share of shitty haircuts that it was worth it to spend the money for something so precise.  I wanted to ask how much this girl’s haircuts normally cost (to be frank it didn’t look like she’d had a trim in a while) – and the differences between what she considered essential and frivolous.

Where do you draw the line at the cost of beauty and what do YOU consider essentials to your routine or look?

My hair inspiration by Vidal Sassoon

I often dye my hair myself, if I’m in a solid color.  I do pay for professional dyes because they’re not as harsh, and the color holds better (and if you want to go from black to blonde, apparently it’s easier to do with professional color?).  I keep the color fresh with veggie dyes (Special Effects).  This, in itself, isn’t overly costly…

But then, sometimes, I get bored of the same old color and want something fun – I want to be pink or orange or fire engine red, and I don’t balk much at paying for that.  In that case, the price jumps considerably for a color and a cut.   Even if we do home hair, I still try to pay full price for a good cut and color if I can.  I still have no problem going to Vain and paying out $45 + tip for an amazing cut (because Scarlet at Vain only gives me amazing cuts).  Oh and let’s not forget, I have featherlocks in – and the price for feathers is continually climbing.

Does my choice in hair styles seem steep when you add up all the maintenance involved?  Is my vanity overriding my wallet by paying so much just so I love my look?  That’s what I started to wonder when this girl sounded so appalled that the price of a haircut could be around $40.  I felt conflicted about this because I’m on a limited budget.  I could go get hack-job haircuts for cheap, but I don’t.  And what if I wanted fairy hair?  Would I continue to spend the money on that?   The thing is –  I probably would.  Part of paring down my budget should be rethinking what I consider essential services that I spend money on, right?  But when it comes to that mess of hair, I have a hard time giving up the luxury.

I guess I consider that an essential part of me.  There are girls who say, “I’m broke, but I cannot give up my weekly manicures.”  I look down at my own sadly chipped nail polish and scoff.  But aren’t I doing the same thing, essentially?  I am still committed to playing around with my hair style, but the interaction definitely gave me something to think about. What do you think, readerland?  Would you pair down on hair color if you had to, or do you consider the money well spent?

Don’t shop? The words roll around in my head.  Don’t shop?  Isn’t that what fashion and style bloggers do?

I had stopped checking all the sample sales, I turned a blind eye walking past the H&M when I was laid off – but it was an upcoming ladies tea… and the curve of a wedge heel, and the urge to shop was there.

It’s not that I need to buy, I told myself, I just like looking at stuff.  The cut of a hem, the drape of a satin, the alluring sparkle of sequinned tanks.  And besides, what harm can browsing do?  Except, I saw this dress that was a gorgeous sateen cotton and I had to try it on.  And that was the trap.

“I’ll just try this on… it probably won’t fit.”

It didn’t.  The dress was too small to get over even my narrow shoulders and because I mourned the ill-fitting cut of the dress, the entire experience gave me pause.  I can’t afford to just browse and shop.  It’s true that I have great reason to browse – I can surf through a collection in person and write about it later.  But it was the realization that I went into this store, consciously ready to consume.  Unwittingly ready to buy had that little dress fit (and had it been oh… $10 cheaper – but even $10 is easy to rationalize) and I didn’t realize that until I was majorly bummed that it didn’t fit.  I had a guilty second where I thought to myself, “I should NOT be here…”

Stepping outside the store gave me a breath of fresh air and I rationalized that I’d been emotionally shopping – I went in because I was bored and killing time.  I haven’t felt the ego-blow of being laid off (because ex-employer was sort of a dick), but there is a sense of mania when I ask, “What am I going to do with myself now!??!”  I’d rationalized my purpose for going in (“Oh I can just browse to kill time…”), but I hadn’t realized that I went in with the wrong mindset.  At that same time, if I had seen something truly unique and special, that would seamlessly integrate right into my closet… shouldn’t I buy it?

I need to be aware of the underlying mental reasons for wanting to “just browse” – and if I had cash-in-hand the situation would have been much different.  If you’re going to browse – just browse – without having the money in your pocket to purchase, do so with an editorial eye.  Had I gone in, in the right frame of mind, telling myself “I’m going in because I want to note the construction of this line, or the new trends and fabrics”, I probably wouldn’t have put myself in potential debt danger (wait, how was I going to pay for this dress if I didn’t have the money on me?  OH right!  Credit!).    Had I gone in with the actual money right in my hand, I would have been justified to try and buy.

I don’t think the solution to not frivolously throwing money out is to not shop.  It’s a source of wardrobe inspiration, and often it’s a source of blog inspiration.  Hell, we probably all spend at least half an hour browsing through sales on the internet while we’re looking for post-fodder.  I think the solution to that mindless consumption is to be mindful of why you’re shopping, and what you’re feeling while you’re doing it.  And to think I almost rationalized an ill-fitting dress just to satiate my feelings!  I think for me, it will be about having that money right in my hand and available when I actually want to shop to consume.  And to realize when there is an underlying emotion as I’m out surfing the racks.  Don’t shop to kill time, but do it with a sense of purpose – whether that’s to write about the experience, or to actually purchase something.  Know your purpose, be mindful of your triggers.  Shop, but know why you’re there.

Mindless consumption is a pretty serious and prevalent problem – especially when you’re on a limited budget.  How do you stay mindful while browsing?

Fluevog Farrahs

How do I reconcile this newly frugal mindset with the way I purchased (and blogged about it) before – which was: want + persistent want = buy if they seem like a good deal.  How can a girl be ultra frugal and still truly be a fashion blogger?  Isn’t fashion blogging inherently about what you spend or can spend on this or that frock?

Fashion is fleeting and I feel like – to some extent – you have to have the budget to keep up with it if you expect to be successful.  Otherwise you end up just posting magazine spreads and lusting over items that cost more than you make in a month.   Or you’re fast fashion blogging, and that puts you in the range of girls for whom fashion is new every 2 months (new and expensive).

…Or you are holding out, saving, finding things at lower prices, taking advantage of coupons and pop up sales, and putting those shoes on *gasp* … LAYAWAY. You’re buying secondhand.  You’re waiting, and saving and waiting, and saving and waiting…  You know how to thrift, you’re finding steals on Ebay.  You get the drift.

How do budget bloggers do it?  I imagine they’re patient, they accessorize like mad. They know when to pass up a deal,and when to snap up a better deal.  They love cut, drape, and fit, and while they’re still on the lookout for names, the names don’t mean so much if the item is well made and wardrobe ready.  They don’t toss plastic down when they could pay up front and they’re always conscious of what they have available to spend.  They’re open to, and always trying new combinations of the same old stuff they’ve got hanging in their closet.

This is what I’m working towards.  Oh, and maybe making some of my own stuff!

How do you stay in a budget as a fashion blogger?  Are you a frugal fashion forward maven?  Share!