A Little Piece of Heaven

Ok, so maybe my title is a little over promising for most, but for my few fellow thrifting readers, they will agree on my position. A brand new and HUGE (9000 square feet) Goodwill just opened in Bentonville (1400 Walton Boulevard).

A couple of Friday's ago I explored my way through all the racks. Overall I found the merchandise in great condition and the store space to be extremely clean. I was hoping to find more vintage-like pieces, but the store offered more gentle used mainstream retailer options. However, my treasure finding radar did not let me down, so I did not leave empty handed. My lucky finds included a chunky knit sweater from Ireland and a long, knit, v-neck sweater straight out of the halls of Saved By the Bell (the 90s are in-style after all ... now I just need a pair of Doc Martins). This Goodwill is definitely a potential escape when I am in need of a thrifting oasis.

Read more on the store: here!

Fall 2010 Runway Review

The less than pristine economy brought a sense of trend continuation from Fall '09 to Fall '10 runway looks. Nothing seemed to be completely rewritten but more repurposed. The biggest trend I saw was tons of crazy layers motivating me to experiment with what I have for Fall '10 versus buying all new. That is a nice break on our economy hit pocketbooks.

Here are a couple other big picture trends I either saw or read about on the runway:

• Furs and shearing (I am still vowing to go faux)
• Booties with bling
• Ethnic patterns and inspiration
• Ruffles and draping
• Full skirts
• Thigh highs and tights
• Belted layers
• Historically inspired hats
• Luxe fabrics like velvet, sequins and shiny materials
• Pleated and tapered dress pants circa 1980s

Sources: The Cut and ShopBop

Shoes for Me and You

I know it has been a while, so if you are counting, I am sorry for not posting more often.

My fashion motivation has been re-ignited with my recent TJ find. After spotting these shoes several months ago but being too cheap to invest the $50, I have been watching them go lower and lower in price. On Saturday, they were at the ripe price of $20, so I gladly toted them home with me. The adorned suede makes them luxe enough for winter, but the bright fuchsia will be perfect for spring. If you love them and are as frugal as me, the Rogers TJ has tons of these left in various sizes.

Print on Print

How do you know that you have made it to the beacon of fashion understanding? By capturing the elusive ability to mix prints. I have discovered that mixing prints is a finely tuned art that for me is only successful after lots of trial and error sessions in front of my bathroom mirror.

However, today, ShopBop provided me with some great thought starters to wet my mixing prints' appetite. Some key things I consistently notice from their examples is the mixing of a small print with a large print and making sure at least one print reads more neutral in color and tone. Also, the lines and proportions of the outfits tend to remain simple so to let the prints do all the talking.

For more hints and ideas on mixing prints check out ShopBop's full trend report. If you have a desire to mix prints, it is totally worth viewing.