finally some sun!

Thrifted Steve & Barry denim jacket, American Apparel scarf, F21 dress, Steve Madden boots

Yesterday was the best Sunday ever; I woke up to bright sunshine and pancakes. Today, I'm waking up to celebrate the last day of January. Wasn't it such a happy month?

I'm a girl of very little words today. It's hard to come up with something to say when my head is full of sunshine and cool breezes while my mouth is full of blueberries and tea. Thank you guys so much for all the lovely comments and nice words! I can't say enough about how amazing you all are.

I made my blog header bigger, and you can actually see some things in the collage! I would love to hear your opinion. And I can't wait to share the upcoming giveaway with you guys. I'll also be doing one this weekend, just in time for for Valentine's Daaaaaay!

P.S. Sorry if I've deleted a comment of yours; little eyes view my blog and it has to stay clean!

grammar and jeans and cookbooks

Sometimes I think I would be cooler if I didn't strive to use correct punctuation and grammar in my posts, but I know how much it would bother me. It's enough that I'm too lazy to use proper grammar and mechanics everywhere else around the web. I take a lot of pride in my blog, so I figure that I might as well use proper grammar. I even have an editor! Bet you didn't know that. (It's a volunteer position.)

I got an email this week about these tooo dieee forrr Madewell High Riser jeans. I need some in my closet like, tomorrow. They deserve an outfit collage.

Madewell jeans, Rick Owens cardigan, Philosophy di Alberta Feretti tank, Hive and Honey shoes, Kate Spade bucket bag, Noir sword wrap ring, Gorjana silver ring, House of Harlow tribal ring

I think I need a pair of peep-toe ankle boots. Whenever I see them on someone else, they add so much character. I think they'll be a good transitional shoe for spring. See how easy it is to talk myself through things? Now I have a reason to buy them. I need winter-to-spring shoes.

Stay tuned for a giveawaaayyy coming soon! Thanks for all the book suggestions. I just started The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman, but I'll definitely check into all your suggestions when I'm done.

How great are these finds from the antique store my aunt owns?  Furry moccasins, a wool fedora, and pretty pins + rings.

dress up

I'm playing dress up today...and I thought my glasses might add to the professional/librarian look, haha! Speaking of librarians, have you guys read any good books lately? I need something to fill my spare time.

Thrifted Clío blouse, American Apparel pocket skirt, Steve Madden pumps, vintage Coach bag

I got a couple of more questions after this post, so here are answers! I shared here that I have tons of creative writing under my (vintage leather) belt, which explains the first question.

What kinds of things do you write about?

1. Most of my writing revolves around social situations + soul-searching teenage girls who are unsure of their futures (um, that sounds eerily familiar).

Are you in fashion school?

2. I wish. I'm taking a break from college right now, but later I want to get degrees in fashion styling/design and creative writing. My plans are always changing though. I could be in accounting next week, you never know...(especially if I can wear this outfit to work.)

Off to lunch with my aunt! While I'm gone, enjoy some of Free People's lovely crochet treasures...I definitely can't wait to float around in these all spring and summer.

bridesmaid inspiration

As some of you know, my sister Caitlin is getting married this spring. I'm the maid of honor, and we're still searching for the perfect bridesmaid dress. She sent me a link to Ivy & Aster, and their aesthetic pretty much mirrors my vision for what I want to look like.

Swoooooooon. It's such natural, sweet perfection. Caitlin and I love the color of the dress, and the unexpected oxfords look so adorable. The flower in her hair adds a touch of nature and another texture, and is such a pretty color just shades lighter than the dress. 

I'm open to shoe options though. These ones have my current interest...

Seychelles, Seychelles, Boutique 9

As for jewelry, I'm mostly an advocate of the necklace-OR-earrings-not-both idea. These pretty pairs are in mind for my bridesmaid ensemble, although the Jamie Joseph sapphire drop earrings are wishful thinking...

Juicy Couture, Kate Spade

Betsey Johnson, Jamie Joseph, Marc by Marc Jacobs

Which shoes and earrings would you pair for this dress?

the wows and woes of thrifting

Thrifting isn't always cheap to me because I always end up getting so many things! I always find so much more than I mean to in the first place. I could spend hours (I do) and hundreds of dollars (I do) at Goodwill. However, I picked up this blouse and pair of shorts from the Humane Society for two dollars apiece. 

Silk blouse and floral shorts thrifted, Jeffrey Campbell clogs, Sophie watch

I think I may wear this blouse every single day! It's 100% silk with a really delicate linear texture. I wish I could show you guys...I promise the photography will improve on zipped someday! I had to take inside pictures because there is no way I am going outside in pouring rain in shorts. There's just no way. And I had no photographer. So there are my excuses. But I looovve with this outfit. It's almost all vintage. So excited to wear these shorts in summer.

Speaking of rain, key footwear:

Vivienne Westwood, Hunter, Burberry, Loeffler Randall

I'm wearing  my grey Hunter shorties today, but I just dieeee over those blue Vivienne Westwoods! My little brother and I are spending the morning at Starbucks; Fridays are such a nice start to the weekend. Have a looovvellyyy one.

good vibrations

The blur was a total accident, but didn't this photo turn out cool?!

I love my super-stripe tee by Free People. It's so fun to play around with! There are so many ways to wear it; I'll have to show you guys when my photographer is here. Second, I found this vintage Coach bag at Goodwill! I cleaned and buffed it (I swear by this moisturizing body wash, I use it on all my leather), and now I use it every day.

Thank you to Danielle for being so sweet and passing along the One Lovely Blog award to me, Rania for the Trendy Blog award, and Kaylyn and Jen for the Stylish Blogger award. It makes me so excited to hear that you guys like zipped, as evidenced by the super sweet feedback you left on my last post. One comment even said they bookmarked it, which was a huuuuuge honor!

Neutral tones have been in for some time now, but lately I've noticed all of these ocean inspired hues. I think they'll be lovely for spring.

Ippolita, Herve Leger, Miu Miu, Narciso Rodriguez, Lanvin

Regarding the title, I've been listening to the Beach Boys allll morning...

closet must-haves!

Trends change, styles change, people change...fashion is an ever-evolving world that wants you to buy these one week and these the next week. What items are you allowed to keep forever? Here is a guide to answer just that (and you can thank Brooke for it!).

While I'm a minimalist when it comes to absolute necessities, interpretation is always adaptable. You can wear these must-haves any way you want and be creative with what you have; that is the beauty of STYLE.

the white button-up shirt

1. As often as you hear that a "white button-up" is a necessity, I'm all for any style of blouse in this crisp, neutral hue. It matches with literally anything and brightens up all outfits, taking them from potentially drab to instantly chic. Tuck them in, let them hang, wrap a belt over them--they're all versatile, all the time.

Splendid, Patterson J. Kincaid, Sanctuary

the little black dress

2. Some people argue that the LBD (little black dress) is essential. As versatile as it is, I'd just go ahead and say that at least one general dress is essential. I suggest any neutral color, such as a blush, grey, or black.

Modcloth

jeans made for you

3. Here is a great guide + video by Stacy London to help with shopping for your perfect style of jeans. Well-fitting jeans will take you gazillions of miles. I always wear skinnies to tuck into boots, and that has been my go-to cut for years. I strongly believe that a pair of Levi's will do you good because I live in my 535 legging jeans, and they have a style for everyone.

a flat, a heel, a boot

4. You can get away with flats, heels, and a boot and call your shoe collection complete. I like flats with a little texture or pattern for some visual interest.  Flats are a comfy, daily go-to that give a potentially bland outfit some polish. While I'm still learning how to walk in heels, I think every closet deserves at least a pair for special occasions (going out, wedding, job interview, etc.). Boots take you through all kinds of weather, so make sure you get a sturdy + neutral pair that will be easy to switch between outfits.

Steve Madden

the versatile jacket

5. And the other everyone-says-you-need-this piece...the blazer. Well, guess what! You don't need a blazer! You just need a nice, smart jacket. It can be a blazer or a bomber, it can be leather, denim, or wool...it just needs to be easy to layer and easy to dress up.

Topshop

As your 2011 shopping starts, I can't stress enough how important it is to think through purchases before you hand over your credit card. I've wasted so much money on pieces I thought I loved and got tired of a month later. The numbers? I probably could have saved close to $500 in the past year if I had given purchases I made more consideration.

This compilation isn't trendy (i.e. maxis, capes, animal prints) or seasonal (i.e. sandals, shorts, parkas, snowboots) but I think it's a pretty good list to have while thinking through what you need and what you want. We'd all like to be Lauren Conrad and have a whole department store in our closet, but that isn't the reality for me or many of you.

I hope this was a step in the right direction, Brooke! Part two may or may not be on its way sometime soon...

the next Jo March

I'm a writer. Did you guys know that?

Well, obviously, as I write this blog, but as in fiction. Novels. Stories. Books. I started in grade school when I wrote a book about a father coming home from war at Christmas (looking back...total rip off of Little Women). After that, my best friend at the time and I wrote one about a hamster or a mouse and got her dad to do illustrations for it.

I love all things literary. I miss writing papers in school. What can I say? My brain is a half-filled Balenciaga satchel just waiting to be stuffed. Or a sponge that soaks up endless information.

Take your pick. I'm partial to the handbag simile myself.

Balenciaga satchel, Steve Madden boots, Modcloth dress, Theory jacket, Dogeared earrings, Marc Jacobs ring

While I was gone last week, another thing I did was sit by the window listening to the rain while I continued researching + writing my newest idea for a novel, which involves a semi-dysfunctional upper-class family and a week in Paris. It was so very calming and inspiring.

And I have a couple new rings to show you guys!

The second one reminds me a bit of the YSL Arty. On a budget. And PS, you guys are so ridiculously nice to me I just want to send you all a card. Thank you for all your comments; they're special.

Have a lovellyyyy weekend! I'm saving my best finds for a real outfit post, haha.

hair and questions

You guys ask me so many great questions through comments, email, and Twitter that I thought I would round-up the five questions I get asked most often.

1. I don't wear extensions or dye my hair!

2. I don't use Polyvore for my moodboards; I just use the Paintbrush app on my Macbook.

3. I can always give you more information on any clothing item you see on zipped. I get lots of emails asking about certain pieces, so you can always inquire after something you love!

4. I work in Seattle and live nearby. I was also born here, so I am a true Washingtonian.

5. I've been undecided for a few years, but right now my future career is in fashion styling.

Speaking of my hair, it decided to make an appearance today.

Dress from Boho Chic, a local vintage store; vintage belt from some hole-in-the-wall place in U Village, Seattle

Okay. Let's talk about my hair. This is my natural hair (above photo). I get tonssss of comments (online and offline) about my hair. I guess because it's long and blonde. Someone asked about my hair care routine, so here it is. I get a trim two or three times a year (waaay less often than you're supposed to). I use Organix shampoo because it's paraben and sulfate-free, and every week or so, I use a deep-cleaning shampoo by Pantene. I don't use many products, but I like BWC natural hairspray, and I use a hair mask every few months. I don't really blow-dry my hair, I barely ever straighten it, and I just curl a few sections when I want it to look more...peppy.

And that concludes my hair story. Vintage shopping tomorrow! I'm using these pieces from Betty Jean Vintage as inspiration; her finds are lovely.

she's baaaaack

Happy, HAPPY, happy, happy 2011 everyone! I'm here and I'm happy. It amuses me how quickly January will be gone, and then February and March and on until it's Christmas again. It'll happen. Just wait.

It feels soooooooo good to be back. I'm about to spend like four hours reading all your posts. I can't wait to be back in the loop talking to you guys every day. I know I've only been blogging for like two months, but it's such a routine now. Last week was weird and I missed you all a lot. Things I did enjoy last week? I cleaned out my closet, attended a vastly informative biblical interpretation class, and started Steve Martin's beyond-words-amazing new book. Thanks for being so nice to the guest bloggers!

Hi, I'm Chelsea and it's twenty-five degrees and I'm not wearing a coat.

Tinley Road cardigan, Lush tank, Levi's denim leggings, Colin Stuart boots, Lucky Brand fringe bag

Working the top knot! I don't know if you guys remember when I posted about Tinley Road, but I finally got one of their sweaters on sale and I love it. So cozy! These boots are a pair that I've owned for a year and a half and this is the second time I've worn them. I'm still on the fence.

I have like nine three plane tickets to save up for, so I'm being rational about my first purchases of 2011...but these are on my list for this year.

Topshop, Debenhams, Marc Jacobs, Dogeared, Topshop, J Brand

Forever 21 has ssooo many good trench coats! Not so much on the site, but in the store. I was there last week and now I'm totally regretting not buying one. And I got a head start on floral skirts because I went thrifting and found a gorgeous silk skirt from Urban Outfitters for $2.50. Perfection on a hanger.

kenziefaith

You can't help but love cute + creative Kenzie! She is the third and final guest blogger. See you all on Mondaaaaaaaaaay!

'

{shirt: the limited, skirt: century 21, leg warmers: kohl's, boots: urban outfitters}

Hi guys! I'm so excited to be guest blogging today. Chelsea asked me a while back if I'd like to, and I of course said yes! She is sooo sweet - & I'm not just saying that because she's the only person that responds to me on twitter. Hahaha. Anyway, I just wanted to start out thanking her for the opportunity!

Onto my outfit.. You know those days when you spend an hour and a half watching 16 & Pregnant: Where are they now before church starts and then you look at the clock realizing you have only 20 minutes to get ready? Yesterday was that kind of day. Knowing that my hair & makeup would take 10 minutes, I only had 5 minutes to pick out an outfit (leaving the last 5 minutes to stare at myself in the mirror - debating whether or not I looked cute, of course :p) When I finished up with my hair and what not, I walked into my room, stared at my closet and couldn't help but think, "Nooooooo!" That's when I noticed my gray leg warmers. They reminded me of this cute outfit Tieka posted on her blog a while back. Somehow, out of that, I got this! It's a weird outfit for me since I don't like wearing shirts with puffy shoulders (they look horrible on me!) but for something different, I do like it!

Wellll, That's all I have to say for the day - for more outfits and what not, be sure to check out my blog! Hope this wasn't all "tl;dr." : )

what you do best!

Guest post from super down-to-earth miss Sophi! I hope you all are having a great week! Back soon.

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I have a new roommate this quarter, and today she asked me how it was that I manged to have on a thought-out outfit every day. My secret? I plan a good part of it the night before. Since Chelsea was kind enough to ask me to guest post this week, I thought I'd share with all of you my particular method for planning an outfit using today's ensemble as an example.

shirt: thrift -- blazer: thrift -- shoes: thrift -- tights: We Love Colors -- skirt: thrift

I always start by checking the weather. Today's forecast? Sunny with a high of 56 and no chance of rain. So what does that mean for my outfit? Suede shoes are a go, and no need for a rain-friendly coat.

The next step is to pick some sort of limiting factor. Sometimes I pull from recent inspiration, sometimes I build an outfit around a recent purchase, and sometimes I build an outfit around a particular garment I feel like wearing. Today, my main goal was to avoid the colors red and blue. Looking back at my blog, I realized that I've been wearing red or blue (or both!) in every single solitary outfit for quite some time, so I wanted to force myself to branch out.

Next, I figured out if I wanted to wear separates or a dress. I wasn't feeling any of my dresses, so I settled for separates. I like to save pants for lazier days, so I opted for a skirt. I tend to wear pretty basic skirts, so I decided to pick my top first.

I have this great western shirt that I don't wear nearly as often as I should, so I pulled that. It's a nice piece because it matches any neutral color you can think of. Today, I decided to pair it with a simple black miniskirt to balance the volume and detail of the shirt.

Now the fun part: jazzing it up a bit! I just got some new tights, and I've been eager to find a way to wear them. They're an odd brownish-purplish color, which happens to be a perfect match for the western blouse. Now it was time to pick out shoes. I couldn't decide last night, so I pulled a few pairs of shoes off of my shoe rack for experimentation in the morning.

After a few misfires, I opted for my Wallabee wedges. They're a little chunky and a little bad-90s, but the western shirt balances them out nicely. With my shoes all picked out, I selected a belt. I tried on a couple of statement belts, but decided that with the weird tights, chunky shoes, and detailed shirt, simplicity was key. A plain black suede belt brought it all together.

Choosing an outer layer is my least favorite part of getting dressed. I hate how blazers and coats hide tops, and it's always so difficult to find one with just the right proportions for the outfit you have on. This black velour blazer is a good fit for this outfit because it doesn't compete with anything and still shows off the funky western blouse. I threw on some earrings, and I was good to go!

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my outfit methodology :) Be sure to stop by my blog oh so sophi for more outfit posts, art photography, and occasional musings about my life.

Today's song title comes from More Than Love - Ian McFeron.

♥Kathleen

Big congratulations to Dawn from The Alternative Wife for winning the LANI bracelet from Five and Two jewelry! If you would like your own LANI bracelet, use the code ZIPPED in Five and Two's Etsy shop and get 15% off your purchase.

Guest post from the lovely Kathleen of Inspirafashion!

Happy New Years 2011!!

The inspiring and lovely Chelsea of Zipped invited me to do a post for her blog.  And of course, I accepted :), especially since her blog has inspired me so many countless times.  In the midst of searching for the right topic to create a blog post on, instantly something related to what was coming in just a few days popped into my head -- New Years!  Duhh, of course! And so, this idea came about for the post (strange how fashion ideas pop randomly in my head lying in bed right before sleeping and counting sheep).

I decided to use one piece of clothing item out of my wardrobe that I felt is the epitome of a New Years Eve look.  Right away I thought -- ANYTHING sparkly, shiny, or glittery ;).  I grabbed the only piece i could think of in my closet that defines that -- my American Apparel metallic dress.  It's perfectly versatile and could change into a skirt as well.

The catch though, was to use this piece of clothing in three different NYE outfit looks, each exuding a different kind of style.

The first is a classy look, fit with a nice chic navy blazer over the AA piece used as a dress here.  For the shoes, of course, wanted to add these neutral F21 oxfords.  To top it off for accessories, a simple pearl necklace reminiscent of anything Audrey Hepburn.

Navy blue vintage blazer, Purple AA metallic dress, Neutral gray F21 oxfords, White thrifted pearl necklace.

Second, I decided to go for a girly cute look.  Wearing my F21 cream shirt with lace details accented on top.  Used the AA piece here as a skirt for a more girly feel.  And for the shoes, simple cute little bow flats.  Definitely an outfit suitable for anyone wanting to dress romantic, with the lace, and girly with the bows on a New Years Eve night.

Cream F21 lace top, Purple AA metallic skirt, White target bow flats.

Third, for any girl going out in the city for New Years Eve!  A Party Chic look.  Decided to make it though more of a Rocker - Party Chic look haha.  Wearing a basic black top underneath the AA dress.  And for a rocker vibe, wearing my black combat lace-up boots, as well as my black chain necklace.

Black basic F21 top, Purple AA metallic dress, Black GoJane lace-up combat boots, Black thrifted chain necklace.

Each look I feel can suit any person trying to dress up for a beautiful New Years Eve night.  I hope this post in some way inspired you to dress up in different outfits/styles for a perfect NYE look.  And I definitely hope you all had a fantastic New Years Eve - reminisce about 2010 and say hello! to 2011.  And "HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!" :).

<3, Kathleen.