Sell Yourself?

Lots of fashionbloggers have started selling, via etsy or ebay, their clothing. While this is a great idea, I've noticed that when I log into Google Reader, I'm faced with a lot more "here's what I'm selling this week" stuff or "check out this jewelry from this other site that's sponsoring me." It's not a big deal, just an hurdle one has to deal with when looking for some simple style inspiration. It's like using Google or Bing to find something, and then the search pops up extra crap that you didn't want to bother with to begin with.

I've purchased things from fashionbloggers, so I'm not saying that I haven't "done my part."

Anyhow, I was at a conference from Wednesday until late Friday, so I haven't caught up on my Google Reader in awhile. I have 654 items to look at. Eeeeek. A few of those are design (as in apartment or home design) blogs, and without a home to dream about design-wise, I've been zooming through those quickly.

Speaking of the conference, I spent some moo-la on clothes...
---On Wednesday, I hit up a Savers first and found two jackets (one with aztec print, another that was studded), an animal print dress, and a knit green dress. I think I spent about $20-30 there.
---[Early lunch at Subway.]
---Next up was the Buffalo Exchange that DirtyHairHalo talks about; I brought in some items and got about $24 in exchange money. I found two pairs of shoes (animal print flats and bootie-sandals), a double-finger ring, and a black tunic with a gold embossed print on it. I think I ended up with a bill of $30 or so.
---After that, I headed to the Mall Of America. I went to H&M first. Nothing really popped out at me. I wanted more unique stuff, I guess. So, I went up to the Nordstrom Rack. I found these lovely cloggish + tall + booties. Very jeffreycampbellish for $70 and then a chubby knit cardigan for about $30.
---From there, I went to Ragstock. I spent like $70 there on a tee (1984), kimono top, Hollister jeans, a bag, and new boots.
---I had a TON of stuff to carry at that point, but I went to one of F21's stores and got black wedge sandals and a necklace ($30?).
---After that, I think I puttered out... got a Diet Coke (can) and drove south to Des Moines.

---On Thursday, I tried out some morning shopping in West Des Moines. I found two dresses at Marshall's as well as some fingerless grey mittens ($45).
---From there, I went to the Jordan Creek mall. Forever 21 got about $100 from me... I found about 6 or more items there ranging from tunics to a wildcat sweater to a grey zip-up hoodie to a heart necklace and silk-like tops for layering.
---Next up was The Gap. Now, there is one in Fargo, but I haven't popped in there AND I knew that I could take back stuff if I didn't like it anyhow... well, I tried on some jegging-like black jeans. They were doing a 15% off clearance stuff and I had a $10 off coupon WHICH made them being $54 okay with me. I also got some heavy-duty black leggings that may be made of a thicker cotton; they are delightful. I think I ended up putting $50ish on my Old Navy credit card after my new Gap one was denied (I'm guessing I hadn't verified it yet).
---I checked out some other stores (Aldo), etc. but started to get pooped (F21 took awhile to get through). I made my last stop at Sephora for some Viva La Juicy, a tanning towelette, and thickening lotion for my hair.

---I spent $50 that night with the Ridgewater crew at The Court Ave Brewing Company. That was a great, great meal. The Asian Flat Iron meal = better than excellent.

---On my way back Friday, I took a break and stopped at the Savers in Bloomington. Definitely not as clean as the Hopkins/Columbia Heights one, but I found two items for $9 and brought in a bag of stuff for the 20% coupon.

The white and the red dresses are my favorites... from the blog: Where The Lovely Things Are. I love dresses that are fitted on top (with even a bold shoulder) and then a swingy bottom.

So, next week, I travel. Not to anywhere that anyone would deem "cool," but it's conference I don't have to fly to. WHICH delights me beyond words.

Luckily, my travel will take me through Minneapolis Wednesday; I'm pumped because I plan to wake up extra-specially early to partake in some shopping before arriving at my destination. I'm thinking of hitting up Aldo + Forever 21 + Nordstrom Rack + Savers Savers Savers. Yep. And maybe this Buffalo Exchange store people blog about.

With that in mind, I plan to take very little with me. The conference starts Thursday (with meeting(s) I have to hit up cuz I'm a rep... and reception*, etc.), and due to my college celebrating Homecoming, I'll be zooming back late Friday night. With the short trip + planned shopping, I shouldn't have to bring a ton.

I guess I'm using this post as a way to plan out what to bring... more than to plan out shopping. Which is a cool, weird thing, I suppose?

Anyhow... I'm thinking of total comfort for Wednesday driving (7-8 hours worth) - in addition to easy on & off. A dress with a jacket, perhaps, and slip-on boots. *checking weather report* Okay, highs of upper 60s and lower 70s for that area. Hmm... So, maybe a dress that has sleeves so I don't have to wear a jacket + a scarf? + my BED boots or cowboy boots or lightweight ones that I wore to Moondance Jam. Yeah. And then on Thursday: same dress with different accessories/shoes? I mean, I may find something else to wear while shopping anyhow; no need to pack extra... I may just bring an outfit for Friday, assuming I'll probably buy stuff for Thursday (OR mix & match accessories/shoes as mentioned).

Some blog I recently read had a post about bringing just 10 items while traveling, beyond hair products and undies/sox. Like 2 pairs of shoes, a pair of pants or leggings, a dress, a top, jeans, and then 1-2 jackets/cardigans I guess (and maybe a skirt?). I think that may be more than enough because if I could just bring my small carpet-patterened bag, that'd be awesome.

That smaller clothing bag + a bag for my netbook and books and magazine and folder of conference stuff + a purse. Done. Hmph.

*Second thought: I should have something semi-fancy for the reception, Thursday, right?

DIETS.

Um, I don't like diets. Apparel diets. Food diets. Restriction... ew. Moderation... sure. I guess I feel like since I don't shop regularly at malls, I don't have to be on a diet. This is similar to eating healthy 80% of my day; I don't really need to restrict my intake. When it comes to losing weight, I'll have to become more active. Same goes for clothing diets; I don't need to NOT shop, I need to shop better and recycle.

But that's me. I'm a few months (if I choose to not pay it off right away) from being credit-card FREE. Yeah. Go me. I used to be $10k in the hole. True story.

And... because of the lack of debt, and because I've been saving, I'm in the position to purchase a vehicle and home in the next year without a lot of worry. I mean, I can't buy a $100k home and a $25k SUV, but you get my point.

Inspirations Today:
Autilia's blog.
Autilia's blog.
Shine By Three blog.
Clyde's Rebirth blog.
Autilia's blog.
Song of the Exile.
Vintage is the New Black.
Queen of Hearts blog.

Rag clothing.
Rag clothing.
Rag clothing.
Hair cut idea... for someday?
PaniEkscelencja's blog.
Karla's Closet = necklace = cool.
Stylish White Female.
Fashion Zen.
Fashion Hippie Loves.
Adeline Rapon.
This was all stuff saved on my iMac.

Drew's style.
Drew again.
Bluebird Vintage.
Queen of Hearts and the one cool earring idea.
MopTopMaven. I wish I could work the many-pieces-of-jewelry idea!
Neet Magazine. COLOR!
Quality Rivets.
Dirty Hair Halo! She loves the hat; so do I.

this is about me.

Oh, sure, I have oodles and oodles of inspirational images from other fashionbloggers... all sitting quietly on my desktop. And, yet, I choose to create a Picnik collage via Facebook. Oh well, I'm trying to stay awake; the crockpot has to be turned to KEEP WARM before I can crash&burn into sleep sleep sleep.
As far as the outfits go, I was all about the dress + heels + yellow cardi at the beginning of last week due to it being really warm in our building (long story). I basically figured I had sweat in the cardi Monday, so why not just wear it Tuesday as well since I knew I would sweat again. Some call that gross, I call it conservation. Or something like that.

The dress from Monday is from Target. The cardi may be from there too, and the heels are from gojane.com. They are red-fake-leather-wedges even though you can't tell in the picture.

The dress from Tuesday, 31aug10, is an oldie from Old Navy. Silk. The heels are from... Alloy.com, I think? I bought 'em last spring or the spring before; they are floral patterned, and, yes, a WEDGE. Love love love a wedge right now.

The outfit from Wednesday, 1sept10, consists of a jacket from another combo (dress + jacket combo, that is, from JCP = $13 last week!) + Target dress (I think this is a designer-for-Target one?) + Chinese Laundry heels from Lori's heels in Chicago (it's online; they were $60ish).

Lastly, I placed what I wore TODAY... I had another outfit from yesterday that I photographed (a babydoll w/leggings and a pokadotted scarf w/my Frye-look-alike boots) but it didn't show up super well. So, anyhow, the outfit from today: lace dress from Goodwill ($4) which I cut (it has an inner slip too, but I didn't wear that heavy thing) + leggings (JCP, $6 - going back for more; they fit very well... better than Targets possibly) + scarf from Burlington Coat Factory (I think... or Gordman's?) that is black with splashes of color + black wedges (stolen from a designer, I'm sure) from Alloy.com ($30ish?). The black thin motorcycle-ish jacket was my sister's and the jewelry is all from thrift stores I'm sure.

I adore the outfit I wore today. It's feminine but tough. Tomorrow, I plan to wear boots with grey legwarmers and maybe a skirt with a denim button-up? Friday, I may pair up this red Chanel-ish jacket with a pink nightie + jeans (I rarely wear jeans anymore; it's weird).