Wild Side: Thrifted

I went on a search to find the wild side trend in local thrift stores.  Unlike Eastern-inspired clothing, wild side items were relatively abundant.

I found two shirts...

a dress by Mossimo...

and the giveaway item!

This purse by Estee Lauder was woven from polypropylene straw and has a brown nylon interior lining.  It has animal print and (faux?) leather details.  The purse does not have interior pockets or a closure.  It's in near-perfect condition; the only flaw is a crease where the bottom of the bag had been folded up.

Here's how the giveaway will work:

If you want to win the purse, leave a comment about fashion on this blog post.  Entries will be considered until midnight on Wednesday, April 6th.  On Thursday, April 7th, I'll use random.org and randomly select a winner.  I'll announce the winner that day and then contact the winner for a mailing address.  I can only ship to addresses in the U.S.

May the best fashionista win!

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Wild Side: Fashioned

Are you ready to put on your wild side?  I assembled two outfits based on some of the wild side items in my closet.

The first ensemble would work well for anyone living in a place that still gets snow during the spring because the faux fur vest is very warm.  I normally don't wear brown with grey, but I like grey a lot, and I think the grey shirt makes the vest stand out.  Adding the boots for a faux fur upon faux fur look stems from Chanel's Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear collection.  Besides showing creative and unexpected faux fur designs, Chanel's runway show for that season featured a 26-ton iceberg as its centerpiece.  (Shirt, Mossimo Supply Co.; faux fur vest, Merona, from Target; skinny jeans, Mossimo Supply Co.; faux fur boots, unknown, from a western store; necklace, unknown.)

Inspiration for the second outfit came from a different Fall 2010 trend, which accented military-inspired clothing with animal print accessories.  I put the animal print belt over a military jacket, and then I added bootcut jeans and tan boots.  (Military jacket, George, from Walmart; animal print belt, unknown; bootcut jeans, Mossimo Supply Co.; boots, L.e.i.)

How do you style your wild side items?  Share your fashion sense in the comment section!

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Wild Side: My Closet

I had so much fun pulling items out of my closet for spring's wild side trend.  Many of the items I found are statement pieces, and it's great to make a big impact on an outfit with a standout item.

My favorite item influenced by all things wild is this faux fur vest (Merona) that I bought at Target this past fall.  I had been sighing longingly over a similar vest in a Michael Kors ad, so I was very excited to find this vest on the sale rack.  I like its up-to-date length and softness.

I picked up this animal print belt at a thrift store a couple of years ago when animal print was in style.  It's in perfect condition, and I was happy to find an item representing a trend I was interested in.

I found this fun animal print purse at a thrift store about a year ago.

I bought this belt from a thrift store last summer and was delighted to see blue skinny belts paired with cardigans in the fall.

Close up.

Someone I knew in college gave these slippers to me.  When I visit friends who have really cold houses, I take the slippers with me!



What items did you find in your closet that were on the wild side?  Share your finds in the comment section!

Come back tomorrow to see how I styled some of the wild side items from my closet!

Next post: Wild Side: Fashioned
Previous post: Spring Trend: Wild Side

Spring Trend: Wild Side

Welcome to week two of spring trends highlighted by Elle.  This week we'll take a look at the wild side of fashion - think animal prints, feathers, and other clothing items inspired by the jungle.  Start looking through your closet and see what you can find!  Tomorrow, visit Fashion Your Closet to share your finds and see pictures of the items I found in my closet.

Later this week, I'll announce the upcoming giveaway inspired by the wild side trend.  Check back for your chance to win!  Or, to make sure you don't miss the post about the giveaway, subscribe to Fashion Your Closet by clicking on "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" at the bottom of this page.

Elle Magazine has been my main source for fashion inspiration during the past few years.  Where do you get your fashion inspiration from?  Leave comments below!

Next post: Wild Side: My Closet
Previous post: Eastern Influence: Around Town

Eastern Influence: Around Town

A few days ago, I saw a woman wearing a beautiful Eastern-inspired outfit.  Her chiffon-like sundress was ankle-length and had thin shoulder straps and a v-neck.  The pattern looked like watercolors with wide purple and white horizontal stripes and large blue and pink Asian blooms.  She wore royal blue wedge flip flops with circular blue bead detail, a wide-brim straw hat with ribbon trim, and a simple pendant necklace.

Because I don't have a picture of her outfit, I made a sketch.

Have you seen any noteworthy trends in your town lately?  Share them in the comment section!

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Previous post: Eastern Influence: Thrifted

Eastern Influence: Thrifted

I browsed through the clothing racks at a couple of local thrift stores in search of Eastern-inspired apparel.

In one store, I came across a few satin-like shirts.  Although nothing in the cuts seemed particularly Eastern-inspired, I thought the fabric went with the theme.  (Shirts, east5th.)



And, for those working in the medical field - scrubs!  (Shirt, los angeles rose.)

Overall, I thought Eastern-inspired clothing was difficult to find in local thrift stores, but I only visited two stores.  I'll keep up the search and post an update of my finds near the end of Spring.

I had a lot of fun trying to find Spring trends in the thrift stores.  I also took home a nautical-striped short-sleeve sweater, a Moroccan shirt, and a mystery item I'll show you next week for an upcoming giveaway!

How have your thrift store adventures turned out?  Have you taken home any great items?  Leave comments below!

Next post: Eastern Influence: Around Town
Previous post: Eastern Influence: Fashioned

Eastern Influence: Fashioned

Are you ready to put together some outfits based on the Eastern items in your closet?  I think creating ensembles is even more fun than raiding my closet for current trends.  For this post, I started with the Eastern clothing items highlighted in my previous post and added other clothing items and accessories.

Because the Chinese skirt had a dressy feel, I chose to pair it with a lace shirt.  Beads and sparkles on the necklace, bracelets, and shoes jazzed up the outfit.  (Lace shirt, cami, and bracelets, Charlotte Russe; skirt, unknown, from China; necklace, unknown, from Hawai'i; shoes, Touch Ups, my wedding shoes!)

The dress with the Eastern-inspired overlay only needed shoes and accessories.  The necklace and bracelet brought some shine to the outfit, and the sparkly high heels polished off the look.  (Dress and overlay, unknown; necklace, New York & Company; bracelet, unknown, from Target; shoes, Valerie Stevens.)

I also wanted to create a casual look with the overlay, but I couldn't find anything in my closet that worked well.  How would you style the overlay for a casual look?

What Eastern-inspired ensembles did you put together from your closet?  Leave comments below!



Next post: Eastern Influence: Thrifted
Previous post: Spring Trend: Eastern Influence

Spring Trend: Eastern Influence

Elle (my favorite go-to for fashion ideas) highlighted 10 trends from the runways for Spring 2011.  I dug through my closet (somewhat literally because my closet is so small) and pulled out items related to these trends.  I found items for almost every trend.  I also discovered that I had never before considered one of these trends, but more on that in a future post.

The first trend I'm featuring is an Eastern influence, specifically Chinese and Japanese cuts and patterns.  Because I had a surprising amount of authentic Eastern items in my closet, I chose to start with this trend.

My best friend bought this skirt for me in China several years ago.  Even though I like it, I've only worn it a couple of times.

My mom gave me this dress from her closet a few years ago.  It consists of two pieces, and there's a beautiful design on the overlay that reminds me of Eastern art.

Here's a close up.



I also came across accessories.  Both were gifts from my best friend, and she bought the purse on the right in China.

What do you have in your closet that was influenced by Chinese and Japanese styles?  Leave a comment below!

In my next post, I'll show how I styled this trend with other items in my closet.

Next post: Eastern Influence: Fashioned
Previous post: Welcome!

Welcome!

Welcome to Fashion Your Closet! This blog is for those who appreciate runway fashion but live on a lower budget when it comes to the items in their closets.  In this blog, you'll find overviews of seasonal trends and ways to style them with items from your own closet, local thrift store, or favorite shopping site.  I'll also highlight others' personal styles, so stay tuned for your chance to showcase your style.  Monday's post will begin a series on Spring 2011 trends.  In the meantime, take a look at my profile to see other blogs I write and those I follow.  Thanks for visiting!

Next post: Spring Trend: Eastern Influence