American Pride

In the spirit of Fourth Of July...

 I wanted to share with everyone a way to wear our countries 'colors' 

without feeling like a American flag. 

First off, if you are going to wear red and blue.. don't wear white. 

Secondly add in a non patriotic color. Today - I chose brown :)

Sleeveless Blouse: $5 at Curio

I got it for free because I had store credit! Woohoo! 

Navy Skirt: $4 at Goodwill 

Also used here

Belt: $1 at Valley Care Thrift Store

I use this belt ALL the time. It's like the perfect 'grab and go' waist belt!

Shoes: $45 (originally $100) TJ Maxx

also worn here, here and here

I love this outfit because although it is a bold red and blue, I can wear it without feeling ridiculous. Because lets be honest.. only Katy Perry can pull of a actual american flag outfit.

Thrifty Finds

So usually I only go to Goodwill when they are having a 50% off sale.

 (yes I am THAT cheap) 

BUT the other day was a exception.. due to the fact that well I was bored and felt like getting clothes.

 Judge all you want :D

So I go this haul for $53 (I also bought a movie and a brotank...) 

So if you do Kayla's Shopping Math

$53 / 13 Items = $4 per item! 

If I had bought all this on a sale day... My total would have been around $23 and $1.79 per item. 

Zig Zag Pop

Hello beauties :) 

These pictures were actually taken in December believe it or not

 by Arlina Rose Photography

Extreme Close Up :)

When I originally found this dress it was a little too long and a wee bit big but the price tag was just right! So I snatched up this vintage find by All That Jazz from my local Goodwill.

I found the adorable blue Rocket Dog shoes at a Goodwill during one of my trips to Texas! 

I absolutely love the texture and patterns that this outfit brings, it is so fun and makes me feel like a rule breaker.

Dress: $7 All That Jazz @ Goodwill

Shoes: $9 Rocket Dog @ Goodwill

All The Blues

I usually gravitate towards more fall colors but as of late I am ALL about color! 

I chose to wear two blues (so out of my comfort zone) & pair it with a bold snakeskin red purse. 

This extremely colorful outfit was paired with my favorite TJ Maxx find, my nude Adrienne Vittadini heels!

Pastel Shirt: $3 Valley Care Thrift Store

(this is actually a staple item in my closet right now)

Navy Skirt: $4 Goodwill

Red Snakeskin Clutch: ~$3 at Curio 

I got it for free because I had store credit!

Shoes: $45 (originally $100) TJ Maxx

also worn here and here

Oh Joe!

I went into our goodwill today to introduce the wonderful world of thrifting to my friend Tiffany (she wanted some high waisted shorts). 

I came across these Joe's!!! 

I was devastated when they were a little to big on me but wow what a great purchase someone will be making soon. 

That is what I love about thrift stores, they are full of treasures! You can find quality clothing for such a discount! 

It takes a little hunting but nothing comes easy in life right?

How To Make An Infinity Scarf

I have never been a huge fan of scarves that have those tassles on the end of them. 

That being said, I own 4 of them. 

I never liked to wear them during the winter because they were more spring-ey colors -- but when Spring came I didn't want to wear them because of the tassles. 

So I decided to turn them into infinity scarves!! 

It took me around 6 minutes to make each one!

1. Use a old tassle scarf

2. Cut off the tassles

3. Grab both ends and pin them together

4. Sew both ends together using similar colored thread

5. Tada!! You now have a hip summer scarf :) 

The Frill of It All

When I saw this hanging up.. as a skirt I thought to myself NO WAY. 

But then I decided to hike up and wear it as a dress :)

 Dress/Skirt: Thrifted 

Belt: Thrifted (probably my favorite belt)

Red Necklace: Walmart (I KNOW crazy!!! I love finds like that)

Shoes: Urban Outfitters Clearance $9

Its crazy over here in Kayla-World! 

Finals are next week & I am going to make it my mission to hit up Savers one last time :)

Tomorrow I have a interview for a internship next semester -- cross-your fingers!

Thanks for reading xoxo!

Lil' Make-Up May Challenge

I am going to be doing a combo of all of three 

and would love if all you beautiful ladies would join me this month 

in embracing your natural beauty that you have been blessed with!! 

xoxo Kayla 

Pimpin' Pinstripes

Hello first monday of May!

Hello Mens Wear :)

Special thanks to my friend Neakzaad for being a model for this month :)

Shirt: $40 @ Crossroads (Originally $150 Chanel)

Pants: $22 @ Buffalo Exchange (Originally $90 American Apparel)

I loved this look because it is casual enough for everyday, but is also completely acceptable for business or a night out.

I really loved the pinstripes on the pants, 

it added a whole new level and personality to the outfit.

Shoes: $24 @ American Vintage (Originally $249 Bragano by Cole Haan -Made in Italy)

See guys, you can find great deals too!

 Neakzaad grabbed some amazing finds! 

I am truly honored to call him a fashion finding friend!!

Oh Vicky Dangerous

A little over a week ago I got to participate in another Riley and the Roxies video! 

This video had the largest cast yet & it was such a blast styling and participating in the video!

Yours Truly

In this particular video I was solely responsible for my costume and Ms. Vicky Dangerous!

The other outfits were a collaborated effort & a mix of closets

and a large variety of second-hand stores. 

Below is a collage of the characters, their costumes and some fun facts about the outfits :)

For some Behind - The - Scenes:

Aztec Accessories: DailyBuzz Style 9x9

A special thanks to the lovely people at Accessorize who made this style challenge possible, and are the sponsors of this post.

 To check out their complete line of jewelry, please visit: http://us.accessorize.com/.

When I first saw this necklace I knew EXACTLY what I was going to pair with it. 

I had just purchased a tribal patterned tank and this rustic maroon floor length maxi dress at Savers a little bit ago. 

 I had an inkling that this WAS the look I wanted to showcase this necklace.

It all started with a necklace:

Which inspired me to pair it with this shirt:

Which led to feeling like a Aztec Princess:

Put on some heels to polish the look:

And escorted me straight into fashion heaven!

The patterns on the necklace and blouse 

reminded me of ancient pottery bowls and vases.

Necklace: C/O Accesorize.com    Shirt: Caribou NY @ Savers $5

Skir: Vintage D'Knits @ Savers $3

Thank you again to Accessorize.com and DailyBuzz Style for choosing Here and Wow for the 9x9 Style Challenge.

The Daily {New Feature}

Finally there is Instagram for Droid!!

Since I am doing posts every Wednesday 

I will be snapping pics {of the other days of the week} with instagram everyday!

Follow me!!

Username: Kaylasjoy

{Preview of what outfit posts will look like on instagram}

also expect to see random artsy pictures & food deliciousness

Hope to see you via instagram :)

Recap: Thrift Spring Break Challenge

Doing this challenge has been exciting, cold, and a way to be more adventurous. 

I usually steer towards the autumn colors; tuscan orange, maroons, olive and forest greens.

Doing this challenge I tried to be more open to vibrant colors and various patterns. 

I also HAD to hunt. 

I just unpacked and placed some of my finds in my drawers. 

These are some pieces I didn't share with you all yet :)

Most of them are skirts and shirts -- perfect for this spring and summer weather 

that is coming our way!

If I could have changed one thing about the past week it would have been the weather. 

All of the clothes I thrifted in sunny warm Texas were not helpful in dressing me

 for the cold rainy California I came home to.

All in all, it was a fun experience and I cannot wait to wear all the new garments :)

'Treaded' Last Day

Today is my last day of my 

'Thrift or Go Naked' Spring Break Challenge

Tomorrow I will do a mini recap of pro/cons of the challenge and what not :)

Today I did some final thrifting and got some great pieces all for a grand total of $28

Vest: Wrangler $3

Orange Blouse: New Look thrifted for $10 (its so incredibly silky)

Scarf: given by friend (used in prior posts)

Tread Sole Boots: Nine West $15

Versatility

I am finally home sweet home and looking forward to the 15 thrift stores my town has to offer. 

To start off this amazing trip home I just got notified that I have been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Awards by Vicky from Octoberchic.com

Thank you so much, I feel so honored and I am smiling like a school girl!

The VB Awards ask that I share 7 Fun Facts about myself 

as well as provide a list of 15 wonderful blogs that I swoon over.

Kayla Facts-O-Fun:

1. I think the prices at Goodwill are horribly expensive

 and only go when there are sales. 

2. I have a strange obsession with carrots

 and eat probably an entire bag every day. 

3. I have Celiac Disease 

(apparently Miley Cyrus does too - anyone else read the yahoo article on it?)

4. I absolutely HATE shopping for jeans & shorts

5. I am a somewhat fitness junkie and love working out and eating clean

6. I love Jesus Christ

7. I used to want to be a Pastry Chef -- Oh the irony.

Swoon Worthy Blogs

(the first 11 will be fashion, last 5 will be random assortment)
I couldn't pick just 15!

New Dress a Day
I probably owe all of my 'blog' success to this girl. She got me hooked on thrift shopping and showing that you can still look great without breaking the bank. Constantly wowing me with new creations, I will always love this blog.

A Beautiful Mess

Lovely fashion, DIY, baking, craft, funky blog of LIFE! 

I aspire to be like her.

Lust for Life

Olivia has captured the perfect way to wear feminine, lacy, and high heels

Restyle. Restore. Rejoice

Francesca is a fellow budget friendly fashionista!

I know her personally and she is great with DIY & Fashion projects!

Sea of Shoes

Sea. Of. Shoes -- need I say more?

The Glamourai

This blog is where I drool over $400 clothing delicacies. 

Kelly Framel provides a blog that is like

 flipping through a gorgeous magazine of fashion wonder. 

This Time Tomorrow

Krystal shows how to do fierce, untraditional business wear. 

She also puts together everyday outfits that are fantastic!

These Days

Jade is a sewing goddess! 

She sews a lot of her clothes and they always look stunning and flawless

5 Inch and Up

Beautiful outfit updates 

that make me wish I didn't hate spending a lot of money.

Always providing inspiration to fellow fashion fans.

Cupcakes and Cashmere

With home, how to's, fashion and DIY what else could you want?

Such a deliciously perfect blog.

Fashion Toast

Beautiful outfits always

Beccasfitlife

Becca is an amazing inspiration for working out and lifting!

Riiaeatsright

This girl knows her stuff! 

She makes awesome vegan recipe's and is a health enthusiast!

She also takes awesome pics of her meals that look pro.

Nom Nom Nom Paleo

Delicious, healthy, and amazing recipes

Healthful Pursuit

If you have any food allergies or food specifications, this lady has a recipe for you that you are going to love.

The Clothes Make The Girl

Delicious recipes that feed the soul, and don't fight the pant size

I was so shocked when I found out I had been nominated, and it honestly meant the world and a half to me. 

So many of these blogs are immensely successful and I look up to each individual blogger for inspiration and motivation. 

Through fashion and fitness these blogs provide a great encyclopedia for all of my inquiries. 

Rules When Awarded (if you want to):

1. Thank award-giver & link to them in post

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Pass this award along to 15 recently discovered blogs you enjoy

4. Contact the bloggers and let them know about the award.

To The Prairie

We visited The Prairie 

(also the home of Shabby Chic Couture Rachel Ashwell)

With a beautiful interior and vintage pieces -- I was in heaven. 

This dress was beautifully displayed in the Happy Hour room.

I am absolutely in love with this dress. 

The Shabby Chic Couture store was so delicately done, 

it was like walking into a beautiful fairytale.

Inside there were duvet covers, pillow cases and the most comfortable couches I have ever laid 'tush' on. 

Little elegant touches were added outside with frilly fabrics upon a clothesline.

Shabby Chic Couture by Rachel Ashwell

You can see a more budget friendly Shabby Chic line at Target

Fun Facts:

There is not only a store here but also a beautiful Bed and Breakfast!

I can personally recommend staying at the B & B! 

After seeing the place I wanted to plan a weekend here!

For more on the The Prairie B & B

They are also available for weddings

 (hello future wedding spot for me!)

-headed onto the plane to see the parents :)-

A-maize-ing Find

Came across a treasure trove of goodies today - Free Giveaway Pile. 

What a dream!!

I scored with:

a few dresses,

a couple sleeveless tops

and two button up dress shirts!

Maize Yellow Dress - Free!! Found in giveaway pile :)

Vest- (Roommates-Thrifted) Wore it on the plane, so I had it with me

 Shoes - Carlos Santana (clearance @ Macy's - Packed w/ me)

Today is my last day in Texas :(

BUT

I get to fly home for a few days -- which means the ability to go to 12 more thrift stores!!

Tomorrow I have a few more things from my trip in Texas I want to share... 

Little Hint:

-Frills

-Bed & Breakfast

-Dainty

Round Top Trip

We took a trip to Round Top Texas for a HUGE antique market

 these were some things that I found that caught my eye...

 Came across some original art from 1965 French Fashion Sketch Designer RL Simon

Provided by Maps & Art 

I absolutely loved seeing all the vintage and retro sketches in person!

I loved the various patterns and designs on this old tribal shirt

Hand-made lamp shades by Pattie Meyers

Just some cool things that caught my eye while antiquing in Round Top :)