Update

When I started this blog, I should have mentioned that I generally suck at blogging. Whomp.

To update:

I DID get the job at Plato's and currently serve as a keyholder (whooo promotion within a month of hire!). I'm also training to be a buyer, so I can buy your stuff if it's cute!

Below are pictures of my second interview outfit, including an ardenB sparkle dress ($78), ardenB tank (18), Mossimo sweater ($22), cheap belt ($3), banana republic jeans (hand-me-downs from my big sister) and shoes from plato's on sale ($4). Total=$125. Accumulated over 16 months. Average spent per month=$7.81. Not bad, especially considering two pieces came from ardenB.

As we enter this here new year (RHYME!), I want to share a few "trends" (in quotes because they've been around before and they'll be around again) that we've seen in stores in the last month:

1-big, loud, cuffed bracelets- seriously, the bigger the better, and one on each wrist is pretty hot.

2- an excessive amount of necklaces. I like putting on a ton that don't necessarily match, and tying them together on the side with a big bow. Add some simple earrings and call it a day

3- military jacket dresses. Hard to find and more expensive but worth the investment.

4- stackable rings. a nice alternative to the massive chunky ring that has been dominating the runway the last two years. You can add/subtract to your little hearts content

5- circle scarves. Not too much material and can really change the whole look of an outfit

okkkkk that's all. I'm a sleepy panda, so I'm hitting it.

Xo,

Rachel

Listening to: "Goodnight, Saigon"-Billy Joel

My Best Friend Sta

December 31, 2009, my best friend Stasia and I shut the door on an inexplicably terrible year. Sitting at Bobby's Burgers in Conshy, PA (yes, the pretentious main-liner in me just said Conshy), listening to our bestie Nick singing with his band (shameless plug) Pete Staff and the Oxford Circus play "The Final Countdown", and admittedly hammered off our asses, Stasia and I pulled a paper bag out of somewhere (?), ripped it in half and wrote down our New Year's Resolutions. We wrote them, signed and dated them and took pictures of them.

These resolutions include:
- Financial Stability
- Don't put effort into relationships when the other person doesn't
- Ban regrets- Absolutely EVERYTHING happens for a reason. TRUST it.
- Have a VERY SEXY New Year

The last one is the focus of this post. A very sexy New Year- over our almost decade of friendship, Stasia and I have seen proms, formals, theatre productions, high school in general, but we've also spent our fair share of time in sweat pants (and if you went to Villa and own a pair of our gym sweats you TOTALLY know why). The thing is, we wanted to up the ante a bit. Sweats have a time and a place (like right now, in my bedroom), but we vowed never to leave the house without putting some sort of effort into our appearance (some being the operative word here- a coat of mascara absolutely counts as effort).

Have I done this everyday? Well...actually, yeah, for the most part. I mean, there are very few ways I could make my Java Joe's uniform "sexy", but when I threw on a chunky ring or a killer pair of earrings with that delightful ensemble of black and red (the back of the t-shirt said "Get Baked". Class.), I was almost always complimented.

Now, I don't mean accessorize for compliments. I mean accessorize for confidence. Sounds entirely cliche, but it's true. By putting forth some sort of effort into the way I physically, or rather aesthetically, face the world, I found myself holding my head a little higher and walking a little taller (haha, I'm 5'2").

And Sta (Stasia) and I take this seriously. For example, a facebook convo:

Ra: sooooo I'm about to walk out the door and go to a flea market with my friends from college. And I realized, I looked like crap. Normally I wouldn't care, but then I remembered that time we made new years resolutions with each other :) Have a very sexy new year ♥

Sta: GO GET THAT MASCARAAAAAAA

All I'm asking is that you try it for a week and see what happens.

Oh, and I'm not saying that I've never gone out of the house in sweatpants. I definitely have. But I save them for really crappy/comfy days. Sometimes, nothing can come between a lady and her sweats :)

<-----------------------------Love you, Sta

Xo,
Rachel

Song I'm Listening To: "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman"- Bryan Adams

Really, Really Beautiful People

So, I've been on a Doutzen Kroes kick recently. She's hands down my favorite Victoria's Secret Angel (yes, she bumped longtime titleholder Alessandra Ambrosia). There's something very classic and natural about her whole persona, even when she's got 80 pound angel wings on her back for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. She also happens to be pregnant, which is terribly exciting for her.

She looks strikingly like Denise Richards- but I'm sure she's less obnoxious and she's definitely more gorgeous.

That's all- the woman is a goddess. Google her and sit back in awe.

Post #1

Sooo....why did I start this blog? Well, I'm in the middle of searching for jobs in my post-collegiate life, and since I have extensive experience in retail, I figured I would start there again (note, I am working within my degrees. I teach dance and theatre, and I'm a professional dancer myself. Dance just doesn't pay much. Whomp.). But, I didn't (don't) want experiences like any others I've had- I want to work in a fashion-accessible store, especially in this economy. I don't want to work for a big department store or massive chain. So, where did I turn? Plato's Closet- a high end resale store that buys clothing from you and sells them to others for cheap! That's right, you SELL your clothes to them. Not donate. Sell. And others buy. It's delightful and inexpensive.

Two days ago, I was in there just looking around, and I decided to try this awesome satin, appliqued, 60's-esque, mustard yellow (my FAVE!) dress on. Sadly it didn't fit, and I'm SO not in the place to add to my "I'll buy this and get it tailored" pile. BUT! Whilst in the dressing room, I noticed a "hiring" sign. I took note of it, hung the dress back on the rack, picked up two pairs of shoes for $14 total, and left.

Yesterday, I thought more and more about the sign. I need a job in the mornings, givin most nights are booked with rehearsals and teaching. So I went back. But before I went back, I thought to myself "Self" (as Nana used to say) "You're applying to Plato's Closet. You need to look FIERCE!". I think yesterday was the first day I've actually put effort into my ensemble.

This is what I came up with:

The outfit consists of a nude colored tank top from Target (Mossimo Brand-$10), a JCrew Trapeze tent top with ruching at the top (JCrew Outlet $14), Grey Leggings (they just appeared in my room one day), thigh high reddish/brown, heeled boots from Ross ($25) and a beret with a flower and pearl embellishment ($20-Rice's Flea Market *Note, I call this hat my Kate Middleton hat because I want to be her). Total outfit= $69, accumulated over approximately 12 months. Average spent per month on this outfit= $5.75. Not bad at all!

You may have noticed that I didn't purchase any of these items from a high end store. That's because, like many people, I can't afford high end stores. I'm all about looking goooooooood and put together for LESS. I firmly believe there is no reason to pay full price for ANYTHING (with very limited exception-mascara being one). Here is a list of favorite places I get things for cheap!

1. Your own closet- It's your own personal store! You'd be amazed at what you can dig out of the back of your drawers!

2.Goodwill/Salvation Army- more hit or miss than Plato's Closet, but still totally worth the trip, especially for accessories. Pick up some jewelry there to accessorize. There's also usually a pretty good purse collection there.

3.Plato's Closet- Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie/Victoria's Secret/ Forever21/ Free People for a fraction of their actua retail value. That Anthro dress I mentioned earlier? $20, whereas instore it was easily $85-120.

4, Ross/TJMaxx/Marshalls- Brand names that are new for less. Pretty standard, always delightful.

5. Yard Sales/Estate Sales- people want to start selling lots of stuff for cheap because of the economy. Definitely hit or miss, but worth a shot. At the very least, you can grab a coffee table for $10. PS: Totally having a Yard/Estate/Home From College Sale on October 17. Email me for details!

Well, that's basically it for now. Cute outfit and my first personal venture into the world of thigh-high boots (do.it. Instantly feel confident and sexy. And the nice security guard at the library complimented them as well!). PS: Had my interview today at Plato's Closet- I'll let you know what happens! And I'll post pics of my interview outfit :)

Xo,
Rachel

Song I'm Listening To: Roxette- She's Got the Look