secondhand fashion week!

I was just thinking how I love when I come across a good find at a second-hand store. I recently bought a shirt, shoes, and belt for $5.50! All this to say that the AmandaBeth blog is hosting an event to begin in March in which participants can showcase their frugal fashion finds! It should be a lot of fun and result in some really neat outfits. Do check it out and mark the date!

host the amy challenge: beautifully making do on your blog!

Host The Amy Challenge: Beautifully Making Do on your own blog! Below is everything you need, including banners, a button, and the challenge overview.

Amy March of the book Little Woman may have started out the brat of the family, but as she grew in stature, she also grew in character. Though her family couldn't afford the luxuries for which Amy had a taste for, she worked to make the best of what she had. The result was quite a charming creation, as we read in this excerpt from the book:

"...Amy was gratified, but of course didn't show it, and demurely answered, "Foreign life polishes one in spite of one's self. I study as well as play, and as for this"--with a little gesture toward her dress--"why, tulle is cheap, posies to be had for nothing, and I am used to making the most of my poor little things. Amy rather regretted that last sentence, fearing it wasn't in good taste, but Laurie liked her better for it, and found himself both admiring and respecting the brave patience that made the most of opportunity, and the cheerful spirit that covered poverty with flowers."

Cultivate this quality in yourself by joining The Amy Challenge: Beautifully Making Do. Every day of the week we are to create a NEW outfit combination out of the clothing, shoes, accessories that we already own or have barrowed from someone in our household. I will be posting my personal creations here and would like to encourage you to post how your challenge is coming!

the amy challenge: last day!

::Day 5::

Capris, with again, more layered tops ;-), now paired with a shirt sash-turned neck-scarf, a scrap fabric head-band knotted on one side on the top, and white lacy ballet flats. This outfit has 1950's retro written all over it. Originally it was pieced with a denim jacket with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow, but as the day progressed, I had to give it up (I live on a tropical island- so there aren't many reasons to wear jackets besides simply style or when grocery shopping in the frozen goods section- brr!).


Wow, it's hard to believe that the last day of The Amy Challenge has come! To be honest, I had it in my heart to cheat on more than one occasion, but was then convicted to follow through. :P The challenge was more of a challenge then I thought it would be. With each new combination and piecing together of items, I really had to use some creativity (as I'm sure some of you experienced), and amazingly enough, some of the looks really worked! I had fun, and I'm inspired to be a lot more creative with what I have more often, and not only "beautifully make-do", but joyfully make-do!

Any thoughts, sisters?

the amy challenge: day 4

::Day 4::

Skirts make it so easy to look feminine, but I must say that this girl loves her jeans! I especially like to make them look a little more feminine with a pretty top, or rolling them up a little bit like seen here. Layering is not missing in this outfit! I got this green long-sleeved shirt on sale at old navy, the purple top is a hand-me-down from my sister, and I found these jeans marked really low at Ross. :) All this is paired with some costume jewelry, which I barrowed from my mother, and brown sandles with olive jewels on them.

Keep shining!

the amy challenge: day 2

::Day 2::

For this outfit I did some layering for the top, paired with one of my favorite skirts that I made out of a vintage-style pillowcase, along with some heels and this uber cool necklace a friend brought back for me from her trip to Hawaii.

How's your challenge coming?

Seeking true beauty,

the amy challenge: day 1

::Day 1::



Today is the first day of The Amy Challenge: Beautifully Making Do! For church this morning, I layered a baby doll white t-shirt over a brown tank top, with a turquoise scarf. I'm also wearing a dark denim skirt with gladiator sandals and my largest pearl earrings. I changed the bottoms to distressed jean shorts to create a more casual look for later, and also a different scarf style.

Hey! It's not too late to join in on the challenge if you haven't already. The idea is to create a new outfit that you've never worn out of items that you already own or can barrow from members of your household. So be creative and resourceful and who knows what amazing outfits you'll be able to put together!


Link up and see other participants:

the wonderfully workable wardrobe

A wonderfully working wardrobe begins with the principles of being unique, practical, feminine, modest, and creative.

Uniqueness
What is a girl's wardrobe if not uniquely her? A person's clothes, we have heard, can tell a lot about a person, and it's true. You can learn if a person is more old-fashioned, classic, sporty, practical, artsy, country, etc. It reflects a lifestyle and a person's view of himself. What are your clothes saying about you? I hope it says that you put value on purity and that you enjoy being the unique young woman God has designed you to be.

In my humble opinion, a girl's wardrobe should display her individuality as well as serve it's practical purpose of protection, and it's providing of modesty. So show your personality in the way that you dress!

I'm kind of artsy and I like classy vintage styles, so for me, showing my personality in the way I dress looks like adding unique items or the classics, like pearls to an outfit. I love hand-me-down jewelry from the woman of my family. I have many neat pieces that have first belonged to mother, grandmothers, and sister. One lady gave my mother a bundle of clothes and in them I found this vintage print pillowcase that I made into a one-of-a-kind skirt that I just love!

Femininity
You're a girl: rejoice! Being feminine in dress doesn't mean being uber girly, but rather it means and says, "I am glad to have been made a woman!" Do your clothes say otherwise?

I think this poems sums it up wonderfully:

True Femininity

Is it curling the hair
Or painting the face?
Pinning on bows,
Pink ribbons and lace?
Flounce and frills,
Bracelets and rings?
Polishing nails?
Is it all of these things?

No, you can't pin it on
Like a bow in your hair.
You can't put it on
Like a garment you wear.
It's deeper than ornaments
Gracing the skin.
For true femininity
Comes from within!

It glows from a heart
That is gentle and kind,
A soul that is chaste,
An honest, pure mind.
Without inner goodness
How futile the bows,
For "pinning on petals"
Can n'er make a rose!

--E.H.

More on femininity and feminine dress here.

Practicality
Do your clothes work in your everyday life? Here is a blog post about building a workable wardrobe and yet another about "styling the basics".

Must Haves for Your Closet
Styling the Basics

Modesty
When I was younger, I didn't know a whole lot about the reasons for modesty. "Well," I would reason, "isn't it the guys' responsibility to guard their own eyes and control themselves?" Guys are going to have to give an account someday for their every thought and action before the Lord (thank the Lord for the covering of His son's blood), this is true, but so are we girls.

When I think about modesty, I often think about Romans 14:13 which says, "Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way." When dressing in a way that heavily accentuates the beautiful and attractive form designed by the Lord, we are causing a brother to stumble. So, be a good sister, even if it does mean putting in some extra effort. ;-)

Not sure what may be a stumbling block to the guys? Check out a group who dared to be candid on the subject.





Modesty Survey: http://www.therebelution.com/modestysurvey/

And you have to ask yourself, who am I wanting to attract? If your a wanting a young man who responds to his physical attraction without restraint, then dressing carelessly is a calling card for him. But if you're wanting a man who is striving for purity himself, than that sort of dress is going to turn him off big time.

Creativity
Let's face it, there aren't many of us that have a lot of funds to work with when it comes to investing in our wardrobe, but that's okay! Why? Because, we are given the awesome opportunity to be innovative, crafty, and resourceful. Making a wardrobe of hand-me-downs, sale-rack finds, and thrift-store treasures can be great fun!

One of my favorite books captures the essence of what I'm hoping to get across,

"Having no ornaments fine enough for this important occasion, Amy looped her fleecy skirts with rosy clusters of azalea, and framed the white shoulders in delicate green vines. Remembering the painted boots, she surveyed her white satin slippers with girlish satisfaction, and chassed down the room, admiring her aristocratic feet all by herself.

...Amy was gratified, but of course didn't show it, and demurely answered, "Foreign life polishes one in spite of one's self. I study as well as play, and as for this"--with a little gesture toward her dress--"why, tulle is cheap, posies to be had for nothing, and I am used to making the most of my poor little things. Amy rather regretted that last sentence, fearing it wasn't in good taste, but Laurie liked her better for it, and found himself both admiring and respecting the brave patience that made the most of opportunity, and the cheerful spirit that covered poverty with flowers."

Quote from Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott



Any thoughts on any of this?

encouraging style without compromise

Hello Friends!

I truly hope you've been able to participate in the AmandaBeth Fashion Week which started June 1st. If not, you to check it out! Be inspired by "encouraging style without compromise!"

Wear a Scarf!

scarves =D by authbeau featuring Missoni accessories

There is something incredibly feminine and charming about a scarf, and I believe that is ground enough for scarves to have remained in the wardrobes of woman throughout the generations. There are many statements you can say by adding a scarf to an outfit (differing according the style of scarf you choose and the way you wear it, of course!). You can create a look that is classic, chic, trendy, or artsy.

Scarves come in such an array of colors and styles that can be beautifully inspiring and fun! So, break out a scarf and while you're at it, check out nearly 35 different ways to wear it!


-Abby

color me loverly

I am amazed at the unique make-up of each individual, for not only does every one of us ladies have unique figures (as we discussed earlier), but we have a unique undertone to our skin of which certain colors are most flattering to.

I bought a red sweater once, in which I loved the fit; however, the shade of red seemed to wash me out and had an overpowering effect. This same sweater I gave to a friend and it looked great on her! How is that? It was after I read Color Me Beautiful did I begin to understand more fully how this could be.

In this book, an idea was presented that each woman as her own color palette which best complements her and may be described in the way of a season: summer (cool colors), spring (warm colors), winter (cool colors), and autumn (warm colors).

There are certain physical attributes which determine your season (eye color, hair color, skin undertone, etc.). According to the the season determining tests, I am a spring. I have golden undertones to my skin, so I look best in warm, bright and sunny colors. The red sweater I bought was bold with a blue undertone, so of course it would look better on my winter friend who looks best in cool bold colors and jewel tones.

Knowing my colors has helped me a whole lot! It's great to know what colors suit you best, and to build your wardrobe with only those colors as your guide, so that every shade in your closet is flattering to you.

Find out what season you are here.

So, what season are you?


Sincerely spring,

Abigail