Sunny day

Dress: Elie Tahari, hand-me-down from Aunt P.; 

Sweater: Banana Republic; Shirt: American Eagle, Boots, tights: Target;

Pocketwatch necklace: Waltham, vintage. 

Treasured: Thrifted satchel

It's been a while since I've done these "Treasured" posts, but I've decided to start them back up and highlight some of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe and the stories behind them.

I've had this thrifted satchel for a couple years now, and it's been constantly featured on this blog ever since. 

Back when I worked as a handbag sales associate at a department store, finding the perfect purse was an everyday goal for customers who came to my store. I saw so many purses, totes and satchels get returned for a variety of reasons, but the most common complaint was that some purses didn't fit certain lifestyles. A clutch doesn't work well for those who carry their whole lives around everyday, just as batchels don't work for those who dislike short straps.

This crossbody satchel, which I scored for $2 at Goodwill, fits my life: as a student, I can cram the essentials (wallet, camera, iPod, phone, pens) into it, and its long strap means the weight is distributed evenly across my body. It's traveled with me around town and around the world.  And during my blog photo sessions, the purse can handle rough weather and conditions and still maintain its style. My only complaint is I've yet to find an affordable bigger version for my laptop.

For more of my thrift finds, look here.

I like the way you move

Sweater: Target; Jeans: Old Navy; 

Shirt: Arizona Jeans Co., thrifted;  Shoes: Born Crown; Bow tie: vintage. 

I've mentioned before how much I admire Outkast's Andre 3000 (a fellow Georgian!) and his sartorial style, particularly his use of bright vintage plaids, bow ties and boaters. His interpretation of the preppy look takes it up a notch, and is probably the reason I can't resist pairing plaids with bow ties lately. 

Academic adaptation

Sweater: Banana Republic; Blouse: Ralph Lauren, hand-me-down; 

Jeans: Old Navy; Bow tie: Vintage. 

I am one screenplay update and two hectic days away from spring break, so most of my outfits lately have been the same iteration of pants, sweater and some kind of button-down shirt. Before I started graduate school, I used to think this kind of outfit was staid and dull -- how could I give up my beloved vintage and ruffles? But I've since adapted to its usefulness -- it's easy to wear at school, work and impromptu department meetings. And adding in little details here and there -- like this vintage bowtie -- reminds me that there's more to life than being a slave to my books and Powerpoints all the time. 

The trials of photo-taking in public places

Dress: Giorgio Kauten, thrifted; Sweater: Loft; 

Watch necklace: Waltham pocket watch, heirloom (read story here);

Boots, tights: Target.

It had been raining for a week straight here, so over the weekend I was determined to take sunrise photos on Sunday, early time and chilly temperatures be damned. When I drove close to my usual park, I saw that police had cordoned the stretch of highway my park was at to let a mass of cyclists ride on the road. I thought the cyclists were part of a trial run for an upcoming bike race that's in Athens every spring, so I decided to wait another hour or so and I would try to get into my park at another entrance.

A while later, I enter my park from another entrance, and though there are police cars nearby, I have no problem getting into the parking lot and driving down the lane to the park. I'm not doing anything wrong at all, I thought, and look there are other people here early this morning too!

And there were. Lots of them. Running. And some in bathing suits. Bathing suits?

The two situations were not isolated. The cyclists and the runners were part of one big event, and somehow I had managed to drive right onto the course for a triathlon. I drove through a triathlon. 

When I got to the parking lot, I was soon trapped because the runners were using the only way out of the park as the course, and I didn't want to screw up their running times by driving on the course again. So I quietly went into the park, shot some photos. And while there, I found out from a nice girl in the parking lot it was the first time there was a triathlon of this kind in town, which may explain why there were no signs around the park publicizing it.  Then I sat in my car very awkwardly for 30 minutes until I could exit the course without running any errant joggers over with my car. All the while thinking that I had probably gone insane, going through all of this trouble on a weekend to snap the two photos above. 

I am sure there are many lessons here, and they may involve checking park schedules and knowing that a public place, no matter how many times you may visit it, never really belongs to you and can be converted on a whim to suit public needs. And uh, being sane enough to know when to sleep in.

I actually  have had this vintage Giorgio Kauten dress for a couple years, and have only worn it a couple times. Any ideas of how to style mint green? Here's how I've worn this dress before:

Back at my old farm park location a couple years ago.


Have you had any awkward photo-taking experiences? This was just one of many for me.