dancing shoes

i got these shoes at the thrift and they made me feel like dancing - what can i say?!

details: 

tank - "vintage" gap (meaning i've had it forever)

locket, skirt, slip and shoes - thrifted

coincidence? i think not.

so, i made that post earlier in the week saying that i've had more than one run-in with my clothes appearing on the big screen - and it makes me unreasonably excited! i'm a dork. well, lately i've had two more serendipitous experiences - this time in print rather than film- that made me geek out:

one:
(i was saving this story for a time when i could tell it more dramatically and with more detail but for the sake of this post i'll give it away... so, long story short - and with significantly less "wow" power).
i found a tuleh dress (yes, that tuleh) at the thrift for $5 and it's gorgeous and in absolutely perfect condition... and if you've looked oh-so-closely at your september 2008 issue of marie claire you've probably seen it! that's right - it's worn by a woman in the crocs ad campaign, "letters to my younger self". ok, it's not that exciting or cool but can you at least agree it's kinda neat-o?

my tuleh dress (did i mention it was FIVE DOLLARS?!):

a cruddy photo of the ad taken straight from my issue:

two:

if you've looked oh-so-closely at your september issue of teen vogue then maybe you've seen my new hat! okay, well it's NOT my new hat but it looks just like it! the "style blogger" article on page 118 shows a student at SCAD named rebekah wages who has her models wear her signature knit hats that look eerily similar to the knit hat i purchased at the thrift for .50 cents just before reading this article! compare for yourselves:

rebekah wages' knit hats (and awesome designs) and the teen vogue article:

these three won't enlarge so look at her stuff here

my knit hat (made by someone named charlotte:

so, maybe those two things aren't all that exciting to anyone else but me - but they are pretty cool coincidences at least. i mean, two?! in one month?! 

now here's the real question: how many stares and snide looks will i get if i actually wear that hat out!?! :)

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND EVERYBODY! 

and for those of you who get a holiday on monday - enjoy!

she's here!

the forklift guys at the warehouse thought i was a looney for taking pics and jumping up and down!

p's brother is the salt of the earth and was kind enough to put in alot of hard work and sweat (on his day off no less!) AND use of his truck, "the bruise" *THANKS DUDE* for enabling the following moment where i dramatically teared up and announced

 "this is the day i've dreamed of my whole LIFE!"

OMG!

it's love at first sight!

did i mention how excited i am?!

i would've posted a pic of her out of the crate and me sitting on top but you have to trust me that getting her out of that crate and onto the ground (she's HEAVY) and up my steep yard and into the carriage house was so difficult that we all looked and felt like we'd been beaten. see, they ship them "dry" which means no fluids and therefore, undriveable - so lots of pushing and LIFTING was involved - i'm so exhausted! but happy!

more pics soon, i promise!

just a silly note

seeing as how the rain is supposed to continue all day tomorrow as well and i probably won't get an outfit post in i thought i'd share with you all that in last night's episode (season 2, #6) of mad men i got a thrill when i looked up and saw that peggy was wearing a skirt i recently purchased at the thrift store! the same exact skirt! 

(click to enlarge)

AND she was also wearing a pair of gloves that look to be almost identical to some i got recently at an antique store!

now, if only i could find this dress at the thrift too i'd be set!

the other clothing items i have owned before i saw them on the big screen were a t-shirt i got at old navy that calista flockhart wore on episode of alley mcbeal and the free people sweater that thora birch (jane) wears at the dining room table scene in american beauty. i still actually own that sweater for some odd reason...

it's an odd feeling to see someone in the movies or on tv wearing your clothes.

has it ever happened to you? did you get stupidly excited too?

tropical depression fay

replace the name fay in the above title with "thefashionmaven" and you've got it about right. it's been raining cats and dogs all day long - for proof:

um, yeah, i am what's underneath that humongous green cluster.... and i would post a pic of me in my rain attire (which is really quite cute) but it's all dark and damp in my house and nobody is here to photograph me and setting up the tripod is just not an option. so instead i'll give you an inspired visual of what i'd like to be wearing if i must endure this snotty rain:

burberry umbrella available at nordstrom.com

roxy rain coat available at dogfunk.com (i kid you not) - and it's on sale so i might just order it!

tretorn rain boots available through zappos.com which look similar to the michael kors ones that are getting me through this mess.

but let's be honest here: i really do like the rain... and being able to wear fashionable and functional wedge rain boots by one of my favorite designers and project runway judges... but what's really got me down is the rain means NO VESPA! i still haven't seen her in person yet and it's torturous! so everybody cross your fingers that tropical depression thefashionmaven comes to a close soon with the end of tropical depression fay!

patience, grasshopper

so, i found out the vespa arrived in my city on friday but i wasn't prepared to have someone to go with me and pick her up (they closed at 5pm and everyone was at work) and they aren't open on saturdays so i haven't actually gotten her yet! it's like sitting in front of a present you can't open! but come monday, she'll be coming home with me (fingers crossed) and i'll take some pics for you all to see!

  thanks for getting excited with me :)

in the meantime, i've been busying myself with one of my favorite hobbies: jewelry making. i don't do anything too fancy but i always enjoy picking out materials at michael's and coming home to sit in front of the tv for hours tinkering around and ending up with bracelets and earrings i can share with my friends - they're always kind enough to say they love them!
here's a sampling (i hope you can enlarge them and tell something about them - sorry, they're not the best photos):

this one says "we will not know unless we begin - peter nivio zarlenga"

this one has three little charms that together say "be here now"

this one says "where there is love, there is life - mahatma gandhi"

i made more yesterday (including my take on a betsy johnson necklace with multiple chains and charms) but i haven't taken photos yet. last night's project was making something to hold my earrings. i've collected gold frames from the thrift and decided i'd staple some embroidery mesh (plastic kind) to the back. easiest and most effective solution yet - probably cost me $1.50 for the frame and .79 cents for the mesh! you should try it - just be careful with the staple gun!

ta-dah!

cloud nine was never so high

my feet aren't even touching the ground right now because i'm riding SO HIGH on the news that my new baby arrived fresh off the boat from vietnam and is ready to be picked up!

BEHOLD THE AWESOMENESS THAT IS MY NEW RIDE!!!

i have always wanted a vespa and back at the end of june i found this beauty on ebay and just went for it! what can i say, it was a full moon! she made her way all the way from hochiminh city, vietnam on board a cargo ship named the olympian racer to come and live with me in alabama - how cool! and now i just have to find a way to get her the two miles from the pick-up site to my house... considering i don't know how to ride it yet! ha! 

i am so silly but i keep thinking of awesome outfits i should wear while cruising around on it to envoke this image:

my name is thefashionmaven, and i'm a thriftaholic.

no doubt, i have a serious problem. i think someone is going to have to step in and help me. and i think it's going to be P. he's getting a "look" everytime i come home from the thrift (which is becoming a daily habit) and i know that soon he is going to sit me down for a talk. like talk...with an implied capital T. i both dread and need this talk. i am addicted to the high of finding awesome stuff for cheap. there are worse things, i know, but i also know i can't keep this level of shopping up - even if it IS at ridiculous prices and the stuff i'm finding is super - because soon i'm going to run us out of our home with all my "stuff".... 

today it was shoes. glorious shoes.

these wedges are the most comfy shoes ever! and they fit me like they've always been mine.

these are like grey and burgundy spats - SPATS!

these are wedges though you can't tell. how cute will these be all prepped out for fall?

i've been dreaming of these sweet linen and leather booties and today they are MINE!

they say nude heels elongate the legs... and lord knows mine could use some length. thanks genes.

so here they are (not to mention the other stuff i got too)

but really, look at the above photo and tell me i could've passed any of those shoes up! 

an attempt to justify my thrifting addiction: i got the table for $25 and spray painted it, the gold photo frame was only .25 cents (i printed the phrase "please take off your shoes and stay awhile" in fancy font off the now-defunct blueprint magazine website - it's important to welcome guests into your home!), and the lamp (with spectacularly large black shade that's gold inside which you can't see in pic) was only $10, and finally millie the french poodle was .75 cents! so ALL of what you see above - including all of my awesome new shoes -probably rings in under $60. so sue me!

it's easy being green

THANKS to all of you for your sweet comments - i am feeling much better today! 

i have the sweetest boyfriend EVER (he's my hero - i wish i were as nice as he is), a mom who is always there to listen to me be weepy, and a super best friend who is always there to chat it up over lunch and make me feel good again - i'm such a lucky girl!

maybe that's what drew me to celebrating GREEN today:

the two necklaces (bow & locket), heart charm bracelet, green dress, and clutch are all thrifted - shoes are steve madden